DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum DL 2nd string

I think if Mingo and Kruger are the players they are suppose to be ( and I believe they both are ) this defense will be top 10 .... JMHO

Quote:

---

but I believe you mean Desmond Bryant as the starter.

---

nah I actually got my names correct.

I didn't even come close to talking about the starters.

Rubin, Taylor and Desmond Bryant.

I went past "GO" directly to the "DEPTH" of our DL.

Predator...I think on passing downs we will see Sheard with his hand down just inside of Kruger or Mingo.

JMHO

JC

D-line makes early impression on coach:

Overview:

The Cleveland Browns finished the 2012 regular season with 29 takeaways, which tied for the ninth-most in the NFL, and the defensive line accounted for nearly half of those turnovers.

Led by veteran Ahtyba Rubin, the Browns’ defensive line was responsible seven of the team’s 16 forced fumbles and had four of the 12 recoveries. Rookie defensive lineman Billy Winn added another turnover when he had one of the three interceptions the Browns registered in a 20-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 25, 2012.

In that win over the Steelers, the Browns forced eight turnovers, five fumbles and the three interceptions, which helped them shut out Pittsburgh in the second half and limit their AFC North Division rival to 242 yards of total offense.

Key Number:

Sixteen: the combined amount of games started by then-rookie defensive tackles Billy Winn and John Hughes last season.

Through the 2012 NFL Draft, the Browns added Hughes (third round) and Winn (sixth), and both players proved pivotal to the team’s defensive efforts.

Winn started 10 of 16 games for the Browns and collected 26 total tackles, 19 of which were solo efforts. The Boise State product registered his first sack in 7-6 win over the San Diego Chargers on Oct. 28 and recovered two fumbles, which he returned for 35 yards.

His two fumble recoveries were tied for the second-most by an NFL rookie last year.

Hughes started two games and played in all 16. He finished the year with 34 total tackles, including 18 solo stops, and 16 assists in addition to three sacks for 17 lost yards. He also defended a pass.

Hughes finished sixth in tackles among NFL rookies.

Players to Watch:

Rubin and Phil Taylor.

Since the start of the 2010 regular season, Rubin has registered 209 total tackles, more than any other defensive lineman in the NFL. A sixth-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Rubin finished 2012 with 44 total tackles, two sacks for 13 lost yards, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

Over his five-year NFL career, Rubin has played in 73 of a possible 80 games, and since becoming a starter in 2010, has registered nine sacks for 66.5 lost yards.

Taylor missed the first eight games of the 2012 regular season because of a torn pectoral muscle suffered in the team’s offseason workouts. Despite having surgery in mid-May, Taylor returned to the team at the end of October and played against the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 4.

Taylor matched a career single-game high when he registered a sack and set another with a recovered fumble against the Steelers on Nov. 25.

Throughout the offseason workouts, the Browns have installed their new 3-4 defense after switching from a 4-3, which was utilized in each of the last two seasons. In handling the transition and working with coach Joe Cullen, the defensive linemen have impressed coach Rob Chudzinski.

“I love that group,” Chudzinski said. “I think Joe Cullen is doing a great job with them. They are high-energy, high-effort guys. Their individual drills are fun to watch. They are getting after it and I love the attitude of that group.

“I’ve really been pleased with what (Taylor) has done, both from just understanding what he is doing to a technique standpoint to setting a tempo and the pace. You will see him as the first guy in line down there in the drill work, all of the things you would ask him to do.”

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/arti...1e-84f9484e3082

Anyone want to bet that they keep more than 6 DL? No way we keep 7 imo.

I tried to start a REAL football discussion here. What happens? All these guys who say they love to talk football and know football haven't said one word about how we can use our DL. Alrighty.

Why don't you just try to keep talking football then?

I have one 3 man front rotation I'm pondering here. Obviously, the starters for each game would be your typical Bryant, Taylor and Rubin 3 man front to start with.

However, we play some teams who depend heavily on their running game to win (Minnesota, Buffalo, Baltimore, KC, Jax, etc.). I was thinking a healthy rotation of the following fronts might be nice. The player from left to right would line up similarly from over the LT to over the RT:

Bryant Taylor Rubin - to start

Rotations:

Rubin Hughes Taylor - Lots of beef here to stop the run. Hughes can stay at home, Rubin and Taylor can both go a little crazier in their gap integrity.

Hughes Kitchen Bryant - Now we give Hughes the chance to push a little and leaving the NT duties to more of a pure NT like Kitchen. Bryant has done very well when lining up at 4 or 5 technique in the past.

Winn Kitchen Rubin - Winn isn't the best at holding his ground, but putting him over the weak side might help, and we need to keep a solid rotation. Rubin is pretty disciplined and you have the pure NT in Kitchen in there again.

Rubin has done very good at NT before, but with all the weight loss he's experienced over the past offseason, I'm wondering if he's sacrificing some of his ability to hold his ground. When we go against teams strong in the run game, I'd be a little more leary of having anyone play 0 technique besides Taylor or Kitchen. If Hughes takes the nose, I still put him at 1 technique so at least he has a designated gap.

These are just a few of the things I'm thinking of when it comes to the 3 man front. I have no idea what LB arrangement we would have to use in run support. Would love to hear your opinions!