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That would be the SAM that comes off the field.

Ok. I copied this:

Sam

Because the tight end is usually on the strong side, and because the majority of teams are "right handed" running teams, the Sam linebacker is usually a more physical player. Sometimes, teams will want a player who can both stop the run and cover tight ends on an island at this position. Sean Weatherspoon is an example of a strong side LB who can cover TEs very well. Typically when a defense goes to a 4-2-5 Nickel defense, they will take the Sam linebacker off the field and replace him with a defensive back.

From here:https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2011/4/18/2110445/draft-terminology-the-sam-mike-and-will-linebackers

So my next question is who takes care of the responsibilities normally assigned to the SAM? I assume that the "extra" DB - or some DB- will likely cover the TE...but do the other LBs then have a change in responsibilities? Thinking about the Mike being one who regularly covers TEs - ala Shobert.

Rolling that forward...is the Mike really not so-much a Mike in the 4-2-5? Meaning that Goodson is unlikely to stay on in a 4-2 playing the traditional Mike role.

Disclaimer: I'm a little over my head here, so no one should assume that I'm some sort of guru here...because I simply am not.

It's pretty much every teams present and future.

55-60% in a nickel (a 3rd safety being the big nickel)
5-10% in a dime package
and 30-35% with 3 LB's

I never much cared for depth charts on defense. I'm all about snap counts. Your 5th DB will play twice as many snaps as your 3rd LB (assuming players remain healthy).

GC.
How do the Browns put out these linebackers and expect to be contenders.

How do the Browns put out these Tight ends, and these linebackers and expect to contend for the playoffs in the NFL in 2020.

I understand your concerns about the LB's, which are young and could turn out to be better than you think IMO, but the TE's, You lost me there, Austin Hooper, David Njuko, Harrison Bryant (Mackey Award Winner) and Stephan Carlson is a pretty nice position group ...

The TE group is extremely solid with the offseason additions.

The LB group, contrary to popular belief, should be plenty good enough when you consider Woods' words on wanting to shift to more of a Dime .... that means only ONE LBer out there with plenty of guys around him that can cover. He just needs to be a high-motor guided missile kinda player.

Heck, from reading his words, it sounds like we will almost never have 3 LBers out there at once, so it is very, very clear that we don't put a high premium on the position, nor do we need much from it.


The only question is: can he pull it off?

I agree. Woods wants to play a dime. Who needs to have linebacker.



Forget linebackers it is a dead position

LOL

LOL

Even if you only have one linebacker on the field you want that linebacker to be a quality one. As of right now I don’t see any quality LBs on our roster.

If you only have one, he has a specific role.
You want the player you put out there to be able to execute that role.

We've invested heavily on putting quite the coverage group behind that LB... the odds are pretty low that he is going to be expected to be able to cover everything thrown at him.

He is more likely to be asked to spy, to crash a gap, or to be a pass rusher. We have guys that can do those things.

Someone find the last time the Browns brought their top 3 tight ends from one year, back for the next year.

2006-2007, Dinkins, Heiden, and Winslow, maybe.

You don't need superstars at every position. You need players that do their job. We'll see what job Woods gives our LBs.

I'm not sure coverage will be minimized as much as some hope. In one of Takitaki's interviews he mentioned coverage was one of the things he emphasized working on. I do think their responsibilities in coverage will be less extensive than Schobert's. Hopefully, a motivated Myles Garrett will keep QBs under duress and make their jobs easier.

Steve Heiden ... i hadn’t thought of him in a while. One of my favorite underrated players

Maybe if the Browns would stick with a top 3 of linebackers, think, Kirksey, Schobert, and Jamie Collins, and keep them for 4 years,

and the top 3 tight ends came back for 4 straight years, maybe that'd work.

The constant rebuilding we know does not work.

I'm less concerned with turnover in individual players and more concerned with change in systems. Players should get replaced as you can acquire better/more cost effective (not saying simply cheaper) ones. Problems come when you acquire players to do/because they can do certain things, and, then, the next set of guys "in charge" ask them to do something else. Ask guys to learn four languages in seven years, and ask them to do different things with each. Things are bound to get scrambled, and guys are trying to translate things through multiple languages and can get bogged down. It's hard to play fast when carrying excess baggage. College to pros can be enough of a culture shock. With us it never seems to end.

For example, they asked Cam Erving to learn guard, center, and tackle. On top of that, one year they were figuratively teaching him in Greek, the next Japanese, and with sign language after that. It's no wonder he got spun like a turnstile as much as things were likely spinning inside his head. Not only did he have to do all those mental gymnastics, but he also had to do them while constantly getting punched in the mouth.

I agree with your overall point, but your example was a poor one. The #1 reason Cam Erving didn't play well was because he wasn't very good.

I don't think we'll ever know the number 1 reason. Cam not being very good may be so (Erving did start and win a playoff game in KC), but the constant changes certainly didn't help. Cam Erving was the hyperbolic, nuclear option whose play fit the metaphor. How else could I work in a turnstile line to illustrate the head spinning? To me, he's the perfect example/juxtaposition for my point. It might be due to the few creative writing workshops I've been through, though.

I’m very curious to see how this defense works. One area we have consistently struggled with is covering TEs and the RB out of the backfield. We lost some talent in Joe Schobert and we’re weak or undetermined at best when it comes to LB and S.

If they only put 2 LBs on the field, they'll have to get more production out of them.

Questions Abound At Linebacker, But Coach Confident In Group
https://247sports.com/nfl/cleveland-brow...oup--148513596/

One of the biggest mysteries for the Browns heading into the 2020 season is the linebacking corps.

Gone are all three of the listed starters from 2019.

Pro Bowl linebacker Joe Schobert left as an unrestricted free agent and signed a big contract with the Jaguars after being a steady, reliable contributor in the middle for the defense. Christian Kirksey was released in a cost-cutting move after two injury-plagued seasons and he signed with the Packers as a free agent. Adarius Taylor was released after one unproductive season with the Browns.




Second-year linebackers Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki are the top holdovers, while the Browns added one unrestricted free agent in B.J. Goodson and drafted LSU's Jacob Phillips in the third-round. Those are the four primary linebackers expected to compete for the starting roles, although others in the mix are Willie Harvey, Tae Davis, Jermaine Grace, Montrel Meander, and undrafted rookie free agent Solomon Ajayi.

Goodson was a fourth-round draft choice of the Giants in 2016. He played three seasons in New York before joining the Packers last year. Goodson has 160 career tackles, including two interceptions. The Browns are hoping he can offset the loss of Schobert.

"B.J. Goodson in the room, who has played at a pretty high level in the NFL in certain football games for a couple different teams," First-year linebacker coach Jason Tarver said on a Zoom conference call on Wednesday.

Wilson played in 15 games as a rookie, including 14 starts with 81 tackles, one sack, one interception, seven passes broken up and a forced fumble. Wilson was a fifth-round draft choice in the 2019 NFL Draft from Alabama.

“No. 1, he improved with every rep that he had," Tarver said. "I do not remember the exact number. It was over 900 snaps so he is definitely not a rookie anymore. We don’t treat him like he is a rookie anymore. We don’t treat him like one. He got better as the season went, for sure. He knows his body. He likes contact. He got better and better and better at taking people on as the season went on. He does chase the ball. He plays with energy. He is one of the guys that we saw when we watched the video that did have energy and other guys rally around him."

Takitaki was almost non-existent as a rookie after injuring his hamstring in training camp. He was never able to break into the lineup, despite being a third-round draft choice in the 2019 NFL Draft. Takitaki appeared in 15 games, including one start at strong-side linebacker. Takitaki finished with 12 tackles.

"Sione had the early season injuries, but Sione for example, his field work that he is doing right now – it is really interesting because they are doing so much field work on their own – it is awesome," Tarver said. "He would put his helmet on and just got better and better at moving and running."

Despite no on the field work this offseason, the Browns are hoping Phillips can step in immediately and contribute.

“What we feel fortunate about is Jacob is a very smart, productive young man with high energy," Tarver said. "He is very productive. He is a good box player who just got more and more productive as he went through the year on a championship team. He is a winner, and he has good length, top speed and power in his body, which has improved throughout the offseason, which has been great to see."

Tarver said it's all about the group believing in themselves, despite what critics might say.

“The biggest thing is what I just said to you guys is the start is about us," Tarver said. "It matters what we do. It does not matter as much what is said. It all comes down to preparing ourselves so that when we get the attempt at making a big play or whatever it is, that we are in the right spot and we can do it. It is about us, and then being ourselves. As coaches, we want them to be the best player and best person they can be, and that is that identity piece.

"We are really focused on that at the moment because that is what we can control," he said. "The other stuff is the other stuff. As we get to that and hopefully, we are continuing to improve and get better every single week and our production is where it needs to be, that is what we are headed towards. We are going to really control [what we do], and in this environment this year, there is a lot of stuff moving around. We are expecting things to change because we do not even know when the start of training camp is yet. We are going to get our bodies in shape, our minds right and go from there.”

Tarver said there are no starters as the team heads to training camp.

“It’s an open competition,” Tarver said. “All of our guys have a chance. It’s open. That’s what’s exciting. The depth chart and things as you have heard from both Coach Stefanski and (defensive coordinator Joe) Coach Woods will be determined when we get into training camp and we can actually practice. The thing that we can control in this offseason is how well we know the scheme, and a lot of our linebacker position is interchangeable.

"In our room, it is a great competition from trying to get answers right to trying to do things better than the other guys, and that is what it is about," he said. "Everything is a competition.”

Wilson took over when Kirksey was injured in 2019 and he started 14 games on the weak side. Tarver said Wilson is versatile enough to move around.

“A lot of our linebacker positioning is interchangeable,” Tarver said. “They’re all going to have to do certain things. We’re going to rush them, we’re going to drop them. They’re all going to have to be in situations and do similar movements. A lot of that is to be determined. In our room there’s great competition.”

Tarver said he feels the Browns have the personnel to play in the system that Woods is using.

"We’ve got a good mix of body types and they all can run and shed and like contact,” he said. “Those are some things that we talk about becoming our identity when we get to play. With this group, you can see that upside. We’re excited about this mix. We’re going to see how this works, how guys are able to get in and who works best together and who takes advantage of their reps when we do get to practice. We’re excited about it and we do think we have the pieces to run Coach Woods’ scheme.”

There has been some talk that the Browns might look to add a veteran linebacker to the room, but Tarver said he will work with the players he has.


“Good players are good players," Tarver said. "I know Andrew (Berry) and Kevin are scouring all the time. That is their job. What we do as coaches, especially position coaches in the NFL, is we are going to give our best to each player in our room. I stay as strong and solidly focused as I can on that to help our players...We are going to give the guys that are in our room our very best because we can’t control those other things.”

Last year everyone said our OL would be/ could be a problem. It was and a big problem. This year it is our LB group. I don't think our LB's are as big a concern as our OL was last year. We have a lot of young talent there and if they are coached right I feel they can be more than adequate and yes, even good. JMO

I would be willing to bet that we lose 4 games because of our LB core this year.

Could be.

We have to hope Mack and Taki take huge strides in their second year, and hope the FA vet can be, at the very least, solid.

I’m not counting on our drafted LB to make a huge impact as a rookie, but it’d be great if he could surprise me.

Our LBing unit is worse than last year's OL. People keep discounting on how long Baker held the ball and how he abandoned clean pockets and ran into trouble. The OL was not very good, but folks overstate it.

Once again, the pass blocking ranked 17th. That is not awful. It's about average. The run blocking was 31st. That is really bad. Yet somehow, Chubb and Hunt ran well and our passing game sucked. Hmmmmmm..........

Mack Wilson discusses upcoming breakout season with RTW

https://rolltidewire.usatoday.com/2020/0...eason-with-rtw/

Former Alabama linebacker Mack Wilson was a defensive leader that shocked many with his decision to forego his senior collegiate season to enter the 2019 NFL Draft.

While some believed it to be a career-damaging decision, he is now primed to serve a key role on the Cleveland Browns’ defense for 2020 and make his name known across the league.

The beginning of Wilson’s break-out campaign has already happened, before the games started, before positional groups had their initial meetings and before players even reported for training camp.

The ongoing Coronavirus pandemic forced many people to make difficult decisions, and it has put a lot of individuals and organizations in an uncomfortable position. When the NFL offered players the option to opt out of the 2020 season without any repercussions, many jumped at the opportunity, citing personal health concerns or concerns over their loved ones.

In Wilson’s mind, it wasn’t a difficult decision. He was going to play football. In talking with the former Crimson Tide standout, this is what he had to say when posed the question by Roll Tide Wire:

“This is something that I want to do, obviously I want to make sure that everyone is protected and I know that it means a lot to everybody in the National Football League on them being safe,” said Wilson. “So, we just want to make sure that everybody does their part, and that everybody just makes sure that they are staying in their team bubble.”

He puts a lot of trust in his teammates and fellow NFL players in the hope that they follow protocol to keep everyone safe and the 2020 season running.

He likes the NFL’s plan in regards to constant, daily testing. In order for this season to work, Wilson believes that other players in the league must take it seriously to prevent a potential league-wide outbreak.

“I care about my health as well, don’t get that confused or anything, but I’m just going to stay in my bubble. I don’t want my family to come around me as much, because I never know if I will have it or if I do get it.”

Wilson was drafted in the fifth round back in 2019 by the Browns, much later than he had anticipated. This helped feed the argument from his critics that he should have stayed at Alabama for his senior season.

Despite the criticism at the time, Wilson was confident that he made the right decision.

“Everybody has their own opinions, sometimes I think to myself- I get in my football mode and just think about my football life in general, even from when I was younger. What would have happened if I came back for my senior year of college? Some things I could have done better from being younger all the way up to this point, I just had to go with my gut and do what was best for my family and myself.”

Being such a late-round pick, it was believed Wilson would be fighting for a spot on the roster. Instead, he worked his way into a significant role during his rookie season, playing in all 16 games and starting in 14 of them.

In those 16 appearances, the Alabama product recorded the second-highest tackle total (82) on the team to go along with seven pass deflections, a forced fumble and an interception.

Wilson’s numbers were commendable, but nothing that will bring him national attention — at least not yet.

The 6-foot-1, 233-pounder now looks to this upcoming season as his chance at a true breakout — or as Wilson likes to put it, his “Joe Burrow season.”

He explained that he believes Burrow had a perfect season in his last year of college and would like for his sophomore season in the league to be the defensive equivalent to that.

Wilson credits his significant amount of playing time as a rookie to being able to learn from in-game experiences and actively work on his craft.

“I feel like my rookie season, I made a lot of mistakes, just going back and looking at some of the games we played last season. I left a lot of plays on the field, I missed a lot of runs, blew a few coverages, just making a lot of rookie mistakes and I tried to fix those as we went on week by week, but this year I’m way more comfortable than I’ve ever been. I feel like this is like my sophomore year in college, I’m just comfortable.”

On top of being more comfortable on the field and more familiar with the playbook, Wilson is now looked to as a young leader on the defense.

“Coach is looking for me to be a leader on the defense and that’s what I’m going to do, even if I don’t have the green sticker on my helmet which me being the signal caller, the ‘mike’, I’m still going to be that leader on the defense, I’m still going to do whatever it takes to help us win.”

He also believes everyone on the defense serves a big role. A large part of that, according to Wilson, comes with “buying into the game plan,” which will now be led by first-year defensive coordinator Joe Woods.

With all the pieces put into place, it comes down to Wilson performing on the field and elevating Cleveland’s defensive potential. He feels the need to not only prove to Browns fans that he’s their guy, he wants to put the NFL on notice as a second-year player that is about to be thrusted into a leadership role.

“There’s always a lot to prove. And just always thinking about my experience from the NFL draft, and all the guys that were drafted in front of me. Like everybody says, 40-something guys at my position were better than me in that draft, and I always think about that. I’ve got a lot of goals.”

His primary goal is simple: “Do whatever I can to help this team win.” However, his personal goals for the season include: recording over 100 total tackles, hauling in at least seven interceptions and producing at least six sacks.

For only being a second-year player, Wilson is extremely team-oriented, and predicts a bright future for the recently struggling Browns. He has a Super Bowl winning vision for this Cleveland team, regardless of how many high-profile players are on the roster, he knows it’s the small things that lead a team to victory.

“Everybody sees how much talent we have, what kind of team we could be. Everybody’s going to be talking about Baker, but people don’t understand the work we have to put in in order to be successful. As a team we are just going to take it one week at a time, one game at a time. Most importantly, win our division, get in the playoffs and try our best to fight to get to the Super Bowl.”

What stands in the way of Cleveland’s success isn’t another team, according to Wilson, only themselves. The idea of supporting each other and putting the team first seems to be the overall theme for the 2020 Browns squad.

Mack is gonna put up some big numbers this year. I'm just wanting to know who will be tag teaming it with him. I'm hoping Taki. I think Mack-a-Tak could be something special.

"Mack-a-Tak" well done. I like it

Mack-A-TakiTak(i)

I still think we're going to have issues at LB.

I think so also unless we can pick up a vet or two.

I like Mack’s mindset and eagerness. I’ve thought that all of last year as well. I hope he improves (he should) and becomes a viable starter

No doubt there will be a learning curve.

I find it ironic that he was the 2nd leading tackler on the team despite “how bad” he played last year yet Joe Shobert who may be the worst block shedding/tackling LBer in the nfl is praised on here ...

Lots of folks like Joe a lot, including posters who know a lot about football. Lots of folks didn't want to overpay for him ... I believe (from memory) he got good grades for pass protection from PFF but not so good grades for run support and that was probably because of lack of block shedding and getting tangled up by blockers. I would have preferred to keep him on the basis of better the devil you know and we had / have cap space that wouldn't have been decimated by keeping him. Losing him also creates a void to fill and question marks. I think he's a stand up guy and a positive influence on the locker room to boot.

I am looking forward to seeing if any of the youth movement that we have at LBer take a big leap forward.

Joe Shobert should have been re-signed.

I'm still angry about it.

I will miss him; we will miss him. That said, his position must improve if thetas is to finish better. He was a coach on the field veteran and that is undeniably true. He did outplay guys around him, at least in some stats. Ourecord says it wasn't enough to carry the team, and there is no shame, and quite certainly no lack of effort in his body of work. But we need to pursue bettering the bar. I will miss him, and I also wanted to watch him here. I can still wish him well.

Good point - regardless of how you rate his ability or value his leadership ... we didn't have better at LBer last year.