DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Joe Schobert

PFF ranks the top-10 off-ball linebackers ahead of the 2019 NFL season

https://www.pff.com/news/pro-pff-ranks-the-top-10-off-ball-linebackers-ahead-of-the-2019-nfl-season

Two, too, and to PFF. Learn it.

I like that he’s an instinctual player; that’s something that is necessary for good LBs and is tough to teach. Interested to see how the LB corps shape up and the rotation looks

Not going to happen. Not this year. He's a proven vet who can be a QB of the D, or the front 7 or whatever.

I think Wilson and Taki were drafted to look to the future, and let Schobert walk after this year. If one of them shows big time, there's your starter for next year. The Browns are in an improvement/playoff push this year and need his experience. Next year, the new guys take over.

jmho

I really hope not.

If Dorsey decides to try and work some magic here, I think it might fall into the category of too clever by half.

Schobert is who he is........valuable to us (with rookies behind him who've looked good but haven't played in a regular season game yet).

A 4-2-5 base defense should be tailor made for Joe, especially since it's looking like we are running a lot of big nickle.

ANYTHING is possible my hope would be that Dorsey (and I believe this) has a handle on the talent like he did with Chubb and Hyde last year. He knew Chubb was ready so he sent Hyde packing. If he moves Schobert I would think its because he believes he has a capable replacement. Dorsey has proven to me at least he knows talent.

Now I'm not a huge fan of Joe Scho...But I realize he is a good talent, and has proven himself to be at minimum solid-good. Kirksey has been my favorite...But he looked poor last year, when he did play. (I know he was dinged up as well) I just would hate to get rid of a starter, when our depth is ahh suspect at linebacker.

Now I raved about Mack Wilson leading up to the draft, and was thrilled we landed him (I thought he had 2nd round talent written all over him, and I was begging for our draft choice to be him...and elation was when we nabbed him in the 5th round) He has done very well so far, but he still has a lot to learn, and nearly everyone agreed he needed another year of college to clean up and learn...He can play in packages right now, however it may be more wise to bring him along slow (His diagnosis skills needs a lot of fine tuning)

Taki...I'll admit I knew nothing of him...Watching his film, I still left scratching my head...imho he needs a lot more work than Wilson, and he may be more aimed to play special teams vs playing in packages yet.
However he has upside...but so does every draft pick.

I like what I saw from Avery last year, However I thought he was more of an edge/rush guy vs pure LB...We shall see, and I hope he surprises me...I love his effort.

Taylor has some experience, However not overly talented...But is quality depth.

Ray Ray at best is special teams talent, I'm a U guy...and I'm surprised he is still in the league.

You subtract Joe from that formula...Mack gets pressed into starting, and depth is then compromised.

I'd prefer to keep him, then gauge if our rookies are adapted to start next year.

J/c

I wouldn’t rule out anything, but I really think we’d keep him here. He should be primed for his best year yet due to familiarity and athleticism and intelligence.

As soon as we drafted Takitaki the writing was on the wall for Joe Schobert. Schobert plays out his contract in 2019 and then signs somewhere else next year. At least we don't have to force a rookie into action like we used to do.

Highly unlikely.
For one, neither of the rookies has earned the job. Two, they're rookies. Three, we've got nothing behind them.

Predictable. A rookie has a good pre-season game and it’s doom and gloom for the starters.

Schubert is a good NFL player. He will get paid, if not by the Browns, by someone else.

Wilson has shown up, its called depth and we are not used to it. Times change.

This team is built to win today ... i see hell freezing over before we do this ...

but it wouldn’t be the first time i was wrong ... *L*

I think we need him on the field this year. Especially to groom the rooks. He is like a coach on the field. That is worthy of keeping him alone right there to help with adjustments IMO. He should be better this year with talent and depth.

Dorsey may prove me wrong, but I think hew should and will stay.

I don't see it happening...

Agreed with that as well

And Grossi based his stuff on a quote from Albert Breer back in April - this is NOT a current events kinda story.

It's recycled trash.

I just wanted to clear up one point here about Grossi.

I think he's as out of the loop as anybody does. He no longer has any real contacts withing the team as far as I can tell. So in principal we do agree. As such he has turned to shock style stories with little substance in many cases.

However, since the days when he actually had those close contacts, the ownership has changed, the rosters and coaching staffs have turned over several times.

So I'm not so sure he has "burnt most his bridges" or that, "all of his bridges are gone".

In either case he no longer seems to have any close contacts with anyone who has an ear within the team.

I'm shocked

Schobert is truly going to have a breakout year this year. He should be a top 15 LB if he stays healthy.

IMO we need Joe this year more than ever. He has become one of the leaders on D if not THE leader and we have promising young LB's that he will mentor. Any talk of trading him is absurd.

Yeah, he is pretty important to our defense especially given the new parts we’ve added at every level. Plus, he’ll be a bit improved just through experience I’d think

I don't see them trading Schobert. Not this year anyway. IMO, if the rookies shine and show they are capable, the rotation at LB could be a plus. This is a passing league, and LBs are covering more and more. Covering receivers is a lot of running. having a good rotation could keep them fresh.

I felt that way about Schobert more, Going IN to last year than after last year was completed..

Guess we will just have to watch.

I think Schobert in merely an average NFL Lb - purely as a player.
This can easily be replaced.

His value comes from getting people lined up correctly and making the right defensive calls.
This is not easily replaced.

/endthread

#truth

I agree ... and it’s why Gregg liked Collins here too IIRC

It didn't help that we faced 3 of the top 4 offenses in total yards last year during those games.

We may have missed Mitchell more against those explosive passing play reliant teams.

It looks like we're going to use an extra safety for coverage more often somewhat making Joe's "strength" required less often. He'll have to step it up in the running game.

To me, the "reach" on Takitaki indicates they were looking to upgrade at LB. Their focus, with Taki, seemed to indicate physicality was a priority at the position, which is not Joe's forte.

While a "coach on the field" is valuable, it's less valuable as depth if it's not on the field.

With all the Whitehead talk and his often being the de facto 3rd LB, could he provide that defensive leadership? Or Kirksey?

I agree it's probably too soon to get rid of Schobert. It could come sooner rather than later, though.

A big nickel base is harder on the LB in coverage than a regular nickel.

I don't know one way or he otehr.
Can you explain why you think that?

A regular nickle has an extra corner and therefore more speed. 3 CB's and a FS means that 4 out of the 5 DBs are probably speed guys. This limits the size of zone coverage for your LB's (the other guys will have bigger zones since they can cover more ground) and gives your LB's more deep help in man coverage. (fast guys converge on deep passes faster)

A big nickle usually has a tweener in as that 3rd safety. His job is heavy in both blitzing and run support. When he's blitzing, usually a LB fills his coverage job. Zones for LB's are often bigger because there isn't as much speed behind them. They also need to hold tighter man coverage longer.

I think that article was lame.

I don't see why we would trade Joe this year. It's a passing league and he is our best pass covering LBer.

He might end up being a cap causality, but I don't think we should get rid of him this year.

I won't be happy if we play much Big Nickle unless our safeties improve tremendously.