Berry is having a day.

Jim Schwartz is happy today.

Solid signing.

Good Player. A lot more solid than anyone that played last year.

Solid signing for a position of great need.

J/C. Rock solid signing, this opens up our ability to be flexible in the draft and not reach for a DT. I like a lot of DT in this draft especially Dexter from Florida and Young from Alabama but not with our 2nd rd pick. Good job Mr Berry, now let’s go get a safety.

Excellent.

We are a better team today.

Great signing for us - all we need is solid in the middle to really improve the DL significantly from last year. Couple this with Ogbo and MG, that's 3 positions filled for a starting rotation on an impactful DL. Add Schwartz into the calculations and I think we got a lot better on the DL yesterday.

Agreed. Excellent signing. We're addressing our positions of need.

j/c:

Does anyone have access to Tomlinson's PFF pass rush grade compared to run stop grade? I would ask the same of Dre'mont Jones and Hargrave even though we didn't sign them. I'm curious if there is a theme to the people the Browns targeted, or will target, if any other players are added to the defensive interior. I have a hunch but numbers never hurt.

Good addition. He is a better pass rusher than run defender, but is solid overall. I think it was important for Berry to address both the interior and edge on the defensive line in free agency.

Dalvin Tomlinson:
Overall - 77.1
Pass Rush - 79.1
Run Defense - 63.8

Dre'Mont Jones:
Overall - 51.8
Pass Rush - 67.3
Run Defense -41.8

Javon Hargrave:
Overall - 78.2
Pass Rush - 90.8
Run Defense - 48.2

Very good signing.

Interesting.

The only thing I'll add is in regards to Hargrave. I think scheme might have something to do w/his grades. I'm fairly certain that he was known more as a good run defender in Pittsburgh and then as a pass rusher in Philly.

Looks like Berry realized how important the pass rush win Rate
Metric is. Tomlinson can disrupt the QBs platform for sure.
Togai and Bryan were the worst DT tandem In the league
Last year. Neither of them should be on the roster come
Opening week.
Would not be surprised if the Browns signed Ogenjobi.
Rushing the QB is his specialty.

Thank you! It's what I suspected. There is a focus on interior players' pass rush more than stopping the run, which I agree with, for the record. This is a passing league and the FO wants to disrupt the passing game in any way possible more than focusing on stopping the run. I think that is the right approach and if they can improve stopping the run secondarily by the person signed, so much the better.

He can anchor against a double team in the run game. Even if he is not making the tackle he will be much needed help vs the run imo.

I don't disagree necessarily. His size/strength might force a double team and allow the LBs to make some plays. I think he played more 1T in NY and more 3T in MIN (could be wrong) so there is some versatility there as well. My point is that we probably signed him moreso for his pass rush than run stopping ability. But hey, if he improves our defense in that regard as well, so much the better!

And I think that one of the reasons the Browns are not finished with the DL as Brad Stainbrook reported.

Interesting.

Looks like the Vikings did not use him to his strengths.

Flexibility. One of the reasons we liked Jones too.

We desperately needed this signing. We were STARVING for an interior presence

Any guesses on who else on the DL we may be targeting?

I've been hoping for A'Shawn Robinson. The fact that he played with Tomlinson for 3 years at Bama only makes me like it more. Maybe Dalvin can do some recruiting.

On the interior??

Maybe Sheldon Rankins, Matt Ionnaidis?? I also don't rule out that the FO likes Winfrey as he seemed to come on towards the end of the year. If that's the case, maybe some deeper depth guys are signed?

I only wonder if the FO thinks that got this player type already in Tomlinson?

Maybe one of these guys: Fletcher Cox, Sheldon Rankins, Poona Ford, Calais Campbell, Ogunjobi, or Greg Gaines????

Tomlinson has played 53-62% of his teams' defensive snaps over his career. (link) I'm guessing he's more towards the high side with his contract, but that's still a fair number of snaps to distribute.

Could see both on the field together as well on short yardage situations.

Actually think Robinson is pretty well rounded vs the run and pass. (link) He's not really a penetrator, but I feel like collapsing/compressing the pocket is vastly underrated at times.

Thanks, Bull, Memphis and Vers!

Excellent signing ... Tired of watching teams run up the gut with little resistance ... Good job Berry

Great signing... very happy with this

Reading Minnesota tweets it seems like they’ll really miss him in the run game

It's only one person's model, but here is where he thinks the impact with Tomlinson lies in regard to pass, run, and overall over replacement.

I like this pick up by AB.

What I want to add is an assumption. But I would be surprised if it didn’t happen.

Besides the FO offices evaluation of the player, what makes me feel good about this signing is I expect Berry called Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and got his input about Tomlinson. Berry has always talked highly of KAM so I expect they have a close/good relationship from Berry being his mentor. KAM I assume gave Tomlinson a good review/report to AB on being part of the Vikings. It was just up to Berry to close the deal.

Honestly, I doubt they talk too much about free agents. If they see potential trades that could benefit both teams, they might be more likely to trust each other. Maybe they talked because KAM was resigned to trying to get a compensatory pick, but I'm not sure I see it. I think most of each teams' information on specific players is kept pretty proprietary to each team.

This is a pretty good article about what Tomlinson can bring to the Browns. It's best to go directly toward the link because there are a lot of pictures w/arrows and the like...


How Dalvin Tomlinson can fill the gap in the Browns defensive line: Film Review
Updated: Mar. 18, 2023, 9:45 a.m.|Published: Mar. 18, 2023, 5:30 a.m.

Browns’ Dalvin Tomlinson on his attacking run defense


By Lance Reisland | special to cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — In order to be successful, teams must run the football on offense and stop the run on defense. Even teams with elite quarterbacks will need to rely on the run in short-yardage and goal-line situations.

The Browns defense certainly knows this.

Last year, the defense found itself in too many second-and-short scenarios. These situations open up the entire playbook for an offensive coordinator, minimizing the effectiveness of Myles Garrett and the Cleveland secondary.


At an impressive 6-foot-3 and 325 pounds, Dalvin Tomlinson, who signed as a free agent this week, is the anchor the Browns need to help stop the run.


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With Cleveland’s undersized linebackers, Tomlinson’s ability to occupy blockers will keep the explosive Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and others “clean” to make tackles. Stopping the run on first and second down will be the sole purpose for the former Viking defensive tackle.

However, if the Browns defense does find itself in a passing situation, Tomlinson will do a great job of collapsing the pocket with a consistent, heavy-handed bull rush.

Besides his physical tools, Tomlinson seems to have fantastic football IQ. He understands who is trying to reach him on zone schemes, where the double teams are coming on the gap schemes, and that a screen is coming when no one is blocking him. He rarely puts his teammates in bad situations and understands and accepts his limitations.

Here are two reasons Tomlinson will be a great run defender in a Jim Schwartz defense:

1. Pushing the line backward
Regardless of the scheme he is seeing, Tomlinson does an incredible job of moving the linemen in front of him backward. In doing this, he disrupts most run schemes that he sees, altering the path of the running back. This vertical movement backward also allows Tomlinson to create a great push in the pocket on passing plays. Though he does not get tons of sacks, his inside pressure and push will be a problem because it interrupts the quarterback’s line of vision.

Below is a great look at Tomlinson recreating the line of scrimmage against the Lions. Tomlinson will drive the right guard back three yards into the backfield and force the running back to cut back inside. This allows his teammates to make the tackle for a very short gain.

Recreating the line of scrimmage.
Pushing the line of scrimmage backward.


Recreating the line of scrimmage.
Pushing the line of scrimmage backward.

2. Anchoring in a gap
Whether it is a zone scheme or a gap scheme, Tomlinson understands he must maintain his gap at all costs. This gap integrity will allow him or his teammates to make the play. His ability to anchor and not get moved is especially crucial against double teams. By not getting moved or vertically displaced, the double team will stay with him and allow the second level to run free to make the tackle. This is really important for the aggressive, but undersized, Cleveland linebackers.


Below, Tomlinson will control the right guard and create great extension with his arms.

This extension allows him to get his eyes on the running back. The Vikings play very good gap control defense and hold Packers running back A.J. Dillon to a very short gain. The linebacker makes the tackle in A-gap because Tomlinson does not allow him in B-gap.

Anchoring the gap.
Anchoring the gap.


Anchoring the gap.
Anchoring the gap.

Below is another look at Tomlinson controlling his B-gap against the Lions.

He is lined up in a wide-3 on the guard. As he takes his first step at the guard, he will immediately take control with his strong, violent hands. He will extend the guard backward and locate the football with his eyes. The key, at this point, is that his eyes are in the gap of which he is in charge.


Once the running back commits to not running in his gap, he will throw the guard away and make the tackle for a short gain. This is a great example of having solid gap integrity from the Vikings. Tomlinson will look to bring this gap control idea to the Browns, who struggled to hold up against power run teams last season.

Anchoring the gap.
Anchoring the gap.

Anchoring the gap.
Anchoring the gap.


Anchoring the gap.
Anchoring the gap.

Below is a look at Tomlinson controlling his gap against a powerful double team from the packers.

Green Bay is going to run a 1-back power variation to the tight end. As the play starts, the right guard and right tackle will “deuce” double team Tomlinson. Tomlinson, who is in charge of the B-gap does a great job of attacking the guard first and does not get moved.

As he attacks the guard, he will turn his shoulder and hip, reducing the surface area to block for the right tackle. This lack of vertical displacement forces the guard and tackle to stay on the double team and not chip off to the number two linebacker. The free linebacker makes the play for a 1-yard gain for Dillon.


Anchoring the gap.
Anchoring the gap.

Anchoring the gap.
Anchoring the gap.




Anchoring the gap.
Anchoring the gap.

What we learned
Tomlinson is not a guy who is going to fill the stat sheet or make tons of splash plays. What he will do is control his gap and not get moved. His size and leverage allow him to anchor in and allows the linebackers to make tackles. He is a two-down defensive lineman who will help get opposing offenses into second- and third-and-long situations.


https://www.cleveland.com/browns/20...e-browns-defensive-line-film-review.html

Had to have it. Any solid starter would have been an upgrade over what was a horrible unit last season.

True and the saddest part about it is we as fans all knew how bad our D-line was going to be in June. Our FO did nothing to improve it before the season started. We probably could have made the playoffs with a good D-line.

This move is tied directly to Schwartz. The style of defense played relies on the DL to get pressure and be disruptive.

Woods did not place a value on the DL to the same degree as Schwartz. Hence the dumpster hunting and it showed.

I tend to agree with the new sheriffs approach.

I don't know that Woods did not value the interior of the DL. What I do know is that Schwartz decided to come to the Browns and he is a very proven DC. The Browns needed that. I would say it's just as valid to consider that Schwartz may have made demands on upgrades as a requirement of his hire. I mean what highly respected coach would take on that job without demanding some upgrades? Why would you take such a job knowing with the current personnel it would only make you look bad and harm your career?