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That depends upon whether you are reacting to what they show or trying to force them to react to what you've got.



And all of those depend upon what you have at your disposal.

If you have two really solid CB's with two Safeties that can cover and a crew of LBers that can cover.... do you REALLY need to go Nickel if they trot out a 3rd WR or do you feel like you have the horses to match up with them, bring the pressure, and still shut the down?

Of course, the answer is in who THEIR personnel are and how much respect you have to pay them, but the point still holds that you don't sub for the sake of subbing... you sub only if something FORCES you to do so, but then you need to try to sub in a manner that allows you a counter-punch to what they are forcing on you.

I refuse to accept this! Corbett is a wasted pick and nobody can convince everyone otherwise!


errrr.... I mean, wait... like, OTA's aren't where the assignments get set in stone???

It can be done. Whether or not it should be done is another question and not always easy to answer.

Say for instance that a team often uses a quick/shifty guy as a slot/3rd receiver. Say we're in 4-3 but want to play man, who covers that guy? He's going to easily beat a linebacker. A safety can take him but that can be an awkward position to defend from. This simplifies the coverages which a smart QB can diagnose and find the mismatch.
Found this: https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2018/2017-defensive-personnel-analysis


Of course, this doesn't take into account differences in quality of personnel, but overall, nickel is far more effective than base at defending 3 wide sets.


I see your point here, to an extent. I don't think I'd say FORCES as that's a bit... forceful. Defense in the NFL is inherently reactionary. Offenses bring in different personnel groupings and the defense reacts to that based on what those players' strengths are, the game situation, and sure.. even the strengths of the defense. Defense is also generally more tiring than offense which is why defenses sub more throughout the game (especially on the lines) and still end up more tired in the 4th.

If you have to rotate guys in throughout the game anyway, why not match up with the offense? Usually that means putting a corner on a receiver, though not always. Sometimes the distinction between a wide receiver and tight end is not so clear, or the distinctions between a corner/safety or safety/linebacker. We should think more in terms of of the skills and attributes of the players and less so their labeled positions.

How about reports:

Cleveland Browns OTAs offense report: Receivers get opportunity in absence of big names - cleveland.com
https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2019/05...-big-names.html

BEREA, Ohio -- Spring football can be all about opportunity for some down the depth chart. Sometimes it’s an opportunity to try a new position. Sometimes it’s an opportunity to play in place of a player (or players) who aren’t there or who can’t get on the field.

That’s where a number of Browns receivers down the depth chart found themselves on Thursday, the Browns’ final practice of organized team activities and the third practice of OTAs open to the media.

Odell Beckham Jr. wasn’t there. Neither was Antonio Callaway. Jarvis Landry was on the sideline.

So that means there are reps to be had with the first team which means reps with the starting quarterback, Baker Mayfield. Ask Rashard Higgins how valuable those spring reps with Mayfield were a year ago.

“It’s huge because you get the reps with Baker,” wide receivers coach Adam Henry said, “so it’s a huge thing.”

It also creates opportunities for players a few notches down, players playing with the second team who otherwise might not get that opportunity. Depth charts in the spring are fluid, but opportunity always matters.

Here are 8 observations on the offensive side of the ball from Thursday’s practice:

1. The offensive highlight of the day came from one of those receivers, a long touchdown throw from Mayfield to Ishmael Hyman during two-minute. It was a near-perfect throw by Mayfield and the James Madison product caught the ball on his fingertips and ran into the endzone.

Jaelen Strong was also receiving work with the first team.

2. Another receiver worth mentioning: Dorian Baker. He proved a reliable target throughout practice on Thursday.

3. Drew Stanton is doing the bulk of the work with the second team. Terrance Mitchell got him on an interception, but he appears locked in as the primary backup.

4. Let’s give some love to David Blough here because you’ll see plenty of him when the preseason games begin. Blough threw a nice ball to wide receiver D.J. Montgomery in the red zone. Blough and Garrett Gilbert will battle for the third quarterback spot.

5. Seth DeValve, working mostly with the second unit, made some catches. The real test for DeValve will come when the pads go on at the end of July.

6. It was Kyle Kalis at right guard with the first team and Austin Corbett at center with the second team again on Thursday. That was the setup a week ago, too, the last time practice was open to the media. Head coach Freddie Kitchens downplayed it, saying the two have rotated and the media has just happened to be present on the days when Kalis was working at first-team right guard.

7. If you’re scoring at home, Kendall Lamm worked with the second team at left tackle.

8. Not in attendance today alongside Beckham and Callaway: David Njoku and Duke Johnson.

So you mean he's not gonna at least dress him up for practice? hmmm...

Cleveland Browns OTA Scribbles: Missing Odell Bekham Jr. & Duke Johnson, does it matter? – Terry Pluto

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2019/05...erry-pluto.html

BEREA, Ohio – Scribbles in my notebook from the Browns’ organized team activities (OTAs), the last voluntary workout:

1. Freddie Kitchens drew some headlines by admitting Odell Beckham Jr. has missed “a lot” by skipping the voluntary practices. The Browns coach gave some very terse replies to questions about his new receiver.

2. My guess is none of this will matter much in the summer once veteran’s camp opens. But watching the workouts open to the media, Baker Mayfield has been throwing to a lot of receivers who probably won’t make the team. Jarvis Landry, meanwhile, has missed several workouts with an unspecified injury. Antonio Callaway has been hit-and-miss in terms of showing up.

3. In Thursday’s OTA, Mayfield’s main target was Rashard Higgins. You can see the close relationship between the two men when they interact on the field. Damion Ratley and Derrick Willies had some good moments in earlier workouts. Both were present Thursday, but not playing because of unspecified injuries.

4. Mayfield threw a long pass to Ishmael Hyman for a TD. I know...who? Hyman played at James Madison. He played in the defunct Alliance of American Football League. Standing out more than Hyman was Cleveland Heights product Dorian Baker, an undrafted receiver out of Kentucky.

5. The impressive part is how Mayfield is connecting with these receivers, especially in a two-minute, no-huddle offense. Baker has good hands and is making the most of this opportunity. But the Browns obviously would like to see Mayfield throwing to some receivers now who will be on the field when it counts in the fall.

6. In the end, Beckham and Landry are experienced veterans. Mayfield is a gifted QB. They can figure it out. But they are installing a new offense...and Beckham is new to the Browns.

7. I talked with Browns running backs coach Stump Mitchell, who mentioned he tried to recruit Duke Johnson. That was when Mitchell was a head coach at Southern University. He praised Johnson not only as a pass catching back, but also as a runner: “He’s elusive. He can make people miss. He can be physical. He’s a heckuva receiver...but he has to fit in the scheme...it’s a new regime here.”

8. Mitchell said he would like have liked Johnson in camp now: “When you don’t come, you give someone else an opportunity to play...now that guy can take advantage of that opportunity. Dontrell Hilliard has done that...I like everything about him.”

9. Mitchell said Hilliard has even been filling in at receiver “because he can run routes and catch the ball.” Mitchell added that Kitchens told him: “I really like this kid (Hilliard). I know he has some talent. It’s my job to make him reach that level."

10. Mitchell mentioned that Hilliard is doing things in the offense the coaching staff had designed for Johnson, “and doing a dang-good job, too.”

11. The Browns have been gushing about Hilliard dating back to last season. They also believe he’s an asset on special teams. I don’t think this is just praising Hilliard to make Johnson uncomfortable. They like Hilliard, and that makes Johnson expendable.

12. Mitchell said the Browns are working on throwing more passes to Chubb, and you can see that in practice. You also can see Chubb making excellent catches. Mitchell told me: “He could be a 1,000-yard rusher and a 1,000-yard receiver, but we have so much talent (they don’t need him to do that much). But he is that good.”

13. The Browns are downplaying how Kyle Kalis has been playing with the starters at right guard – at least when the media has been allowed to watch practice in the last two weeks. Austin Corbett was projected to start at that spot, replacing the traded Kevin Zeitler.

14. This certainly isn’t to dismiss Corbett’s chances, but it’s obvious the coaches like Kalis. The St. Edward product, the son of former NFL lineman Todd Kalis, was an undrafted free agent out of Michigan in 2017. He spent a little time with Washington and Indianapolis before signing with the Browns during last season. He is making an impact.

15. Offensive line coach James Campen explained that Corbett has been with the starters at right guard in the several workouts not seen by the media. Campen also likes Corbett at center. The Browns are looking for a backup to starting center JC Tretter, who played the last half of the season with a high ankle sprain in 2018.

This stuff about Corbett continues to not look so good. Glad to see Hillard capitlalizing on his opportunity with Johnson being a no-show.

From yesterday's OTA Scribbles:

#3 (Stanton as our primary back-up) makes me feel a bit uneasy. I know one of the other two could step up, or I guess we could pick up a veteran in July, but thinking we're one hit away from a Stanton led offense is a bit concerning. I like the guy, and by all accounts he's a great teammate, but I don't know......

From today's OTA Scribbles:

#9-#11 make me happy (especially the route running part). No matter what happens with Duke, it's good to know that Hilliard is taking good advantage of the opportunities this staff are giving him thus far.

Stump really made it a point to put in a plug for Hilliard. And to add the comment that Duke not being here is giving other folks a shot to take your spot.. I wasn't expecting to hear that. Stump calls a spade a spade

What the Cleveland Browns are getting -- and hope to get -- in guard Kyle Kalis: Film Room

By Jake Burns, Special to cleveland.com | Posted May 31, 2019 at 02:34 PM

https://expo.cleveland.com/sports/g66l-2...-film-room.html

When you have a good starter at QB, any back-up makes me nervous. That said, I like Stantons experience. He has started and won games. He knows he is in to manage the game. He has done that in the past. Plus, him or anyone else we might put in, they know how to hand off so we will rely a bit more on the backs and grunts on the line.

I agree.

As far as the Guard who has played a bit as a starter at times ..... big deal. It's OTAs, where there is no contact ... so I am not all that excited. The kid they have tried atg RG has been a miserable pass blocker, with an incredible error rate forced into playing. I fully expect Corbett to start at RG when the season starts.

It will be more interesting to see how things wash out at mini-camp.

It's just nice to see the tables have turned. Gone are the days of our starter being so crappy that the backup is the one glimmer of hope for competitive football!

I have no clue what to think of the thing with Corbett ... no clue if its a red flag or why its happening ... but here’s the thing ...

If Kalis does beat him out is it because Corbett isn’t living up to a 2nd round pick yet and is disappointing or is it just that Kalis has improved in his 2 or 3 years in the league and is now actually a dang good RG ...

We have NO CLUE at this point exactly what it means if Kalis does win the job or if its even something that has a chance to happen ... whats going on now could simply be that if Tretter goes down we feel that moving Corbett over and plugging Kalis in is our best option so we want them to get some reps with that alignment ...

I really have no clue what this means or what to think other than its not time to panic just yet ... ...

I agree.

First, there is something to it whether people want to believe it or not. All you have to do is judge Corbett by his own words. His quote is "if I don't win the job, I'll have no one to blame but myself"...something to that effect. I take that to mean the coaches have spoken to him and want to see more. Until they see it he's not starting.

However, if Kalis is the guy that means he's the better player so who cares. Play the best players. Baker and Freddie are going to make these guys look better than they are anyways.

MIraClEs WiLL nEveR SeACe .... ...

Most won’t get it but I’d be stunned if Rish don’t at least chuckle when he reads it ... *LOL* ...

Corbett and Kalis were both here last year...and therefore here when Zeitler was traded. Maybe JD & Co - along with Campen at OL Coach - saw that both guys were viable at RG/C and they are both being given a chance to compete?

Also...Kalis was hand-picked by LeCharles Bentley to go to LCB's academy for OL. LCB picks the attendees...not the other way around. He must have seen something he liked.

I think it's silly that anyone thinks you "win a starting position" based on work outs that have zero contact. Reading anything into it is a part of the silly season though I suppose.

j/c

i agree about Corbett being underwhelming news right now. We'll see when the pads come on, but I was hoping he'd be running with the 1's

Calling Corbett a bust right now is ridiculous but let's not try and convince ourselves that being a "strong backup" in the end won't be a bust. Being the first pick in the second round comes with expectations and it doesn't end with backup guard satisfaction. Not to mention we traded away one of the best guards in the entire NFL (when interior pass rushing is becoming increasingly important to defend) to give him his opportunity.

Remember last year, our starting left tackle in OTAs was Shon Coleman, and he was traded before the season even started.

I agree with a lot of what you posted....but...according to FK...the above is not what is happening at all. FK has said that the above has been the case on the day-of-the-week open to the media...not all other days. Coincidence? Who knows? Just FYI-ing.

You do realize that OTAs, for the OL, are next to nothing, right? There is no contact whatsoever. None. Zero. Zilch.

Remember Wiley's "Set Hut" from last year? That's about it. It's basic position drills, with no hitting, no contact.

It's like deciding who wins the PGA tour by watching players at an indoor driving range, or who wins a starting NBA job by watching free throw work only. It's like awarding a baseball job based solely on how a kid hits a coach in batting practice.

Have you watched the practice videos? There is more OL/DL contact in a flag football game.

Look, I am not saying that Corbett is a sure thing, because I don't know that. I also don't know that he is somehow a bust, based on OTA work. I do know that this Kalis kid had been a solid run blocker, and a lousy, and I mean lousy, pass blocker. One of his biggest concerns is whether or not he can handle the mental side of the game. The OTA is a perfect situation to see if he has improved in that regard, at all, or not. We'll see.