Cleveland's Defense might be decent this year. (1 Viewer)

[Eminence]

Any thoughts? I might have to snag them as a backup DEF.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

I've never taken a backup defense in my life. And that's just in the leagues I'm in where we still have DEF's.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

I've never taken a backup defense in my life. And that's just in the leagues I'm in where we still have DEF's.

Interesting, tell me more. What's your mother's maiden name?

Sorry, I think the thread could be interesting for those who plan ahead who their backup DEF will be. Wasn't trying to be a ####.

You do start a LOT of one-sentence threads. A more descriptive OP with your thoughts might be a better conversation starter?

 

[Eminence]

I've never taken a backup defense in my life. And that's just in the leagues I'm in where we still have DEF's.

Interesting, tell me more. What's your mother's maiden name?

Sorry, I think the thread could be interesting for those who plan ahead who their backup DEF will be. Wasn't trying to be a ####.

You do start a LOT of one-sentence threads. A more descriptive OP with your thoughts might be a better conversation starter?

I was just razzing you, hence why I deleted the post.

Pretty much, Ray Horton is the new Defensive Coordinator for the Browns. He's from the Pittsburgh Defensive Coaching Tree and he runs a similar 3 - 4 defensive as **** Lebeau. It's an agressive downhill, blitz-heavy scheme that was very effective in Arizona last year.

Jabaal Sheard and Paul Kruger are the outside linebackers in this scheme.

D'Qwell Jackson will be playing inside linebacker.

I am unsure who the 4th linebacker will be but Quentin Groves (who had a great year with Arizona in this same scheme) and Barkevious Mingo (first round pick with HUGE upside) will be coming off the bench. So on paper, there is decent depth there.

At 355 lbs, Phil Taylor should make an excellent Nose Tackle in this scheme.

At 330 lbs, Ahtyba Rubin should be able to man-down either end spot and be pretty solid against the run.

TJ Ward (when not being sprinted past by David Wilson) is for the most part a pretty decent safety and Joe Haden has shown flashes of brilliance and potential to be a shutdown corner.

I don't know much more about the rest of the team's depth or their other Rookies coming in. But on paper, they could be a decent unit this year.

 

[gandalas]

Here is a rather exhaustive discussion of Horton's Cleveland defense over in the IDP section of the forums. Some of it is more relating to individual players, but the thread as a whole is a nice discussion on the defense as a whole.

 

[GoodLloydHaveMercy]

I actually have Cleveland right now pegged as a defense that I see surprising a lot of people in the fantasy football community... my particular scoring in the league that I have them in breaks down defenses into 3 main categories... Those that score a ton of pts... those that won't hurt you but wont necessarily win you games... those that can be near impossible to start

in leagues with TM Defensive scoring dependent upon the number of pts scored against (with big penalties for giving up 25 or more in a given game) TMs like Cleveland who can most wks keep teams under 25 and can get to the QB consistently are valued pretty heavily... I can see where they would be a good DEF under the right conditions...

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

To play devil's advocate - the secondary is a disaster after Haden&Ward, Sheard regressed last year and nobody knows if he can play 3-4 OLB, DQ is getting old and it remains to be seen whether the other projected ILB, Robertson, can hold up as a 3-4 ILB.

Also it's the first year in a new system which is completely different from Jauron's 4-3. Arizona was the 24th-ranked fantasy defense in Horton's first year there.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

To play devil's advocate - the secondary is a disaster after Haden&Ward, Sheard regressed last year and nobody knows if he can play 3-4 OLB, DQ is getting old and it remains to be seen whether the other projected ILB, Robertson, can hold up as a 3-4 ILB.

Also it's the first year in a new system which is completely different from Jauron's 4-3. Arizona was the 24th-ranked fantasy defense in Horton's first year there.

A Browns fan who is afraid to be positive of the team so he cynically plays devil's advocate?

Its as though a certain segment of the fanbase is infected with the Stockholm Syndrome where they have the compunction to resist anything positive with the club so they can cling to the negative. Those positive neurons are under developed so they take the easiest path of a loser beaten fan that crawls into the fetal position where they suck their thumbs and weep.

Here's an unbiased take from a respected source.

Two days ago from the Shutdown Corner, a team overvie with key takes on the Browns defense.

http://sports.yahoo....-143042061.html

Shutdown Countdown: Cleveland Browns are still rebuilding, but the defense could be stellar

... Is the roster better, worse, or about the same? Much better on defense. The Browns made four significant additions on that side of the ball — LSU pass-rusher Barkevious Mingo from the draft, then defensive end Desmond Bryant and linebackers Paul Kruger and Quentin Groves through free agency. Their front seven that was already fairly stacked with underrated talents like Jabaal Sheard, Ahtyba Rubin, D'Qwell Jackson, and Phil Taylor. And the addition of Horton, who made the Arizona Cardinals' defense one of the NFL's most multiple and effective over the last few years, will only make things better.

Best offseason acquisition: Kruger. The former Baltimore Ravens defender can rush the passer, but he's also a good run-stopper, especially in sub packages.

... Player you might not have heard of yet, but will soon: Jabaal Sheard was selected in the second round of the 2011 draft out of Pitt, and he's put up some decent sack numbers with 15.5 in two seasons. But there are some indicators that he could soon become one of the NFL's best edge defenders. Sheard led the team in quarterback hurries with 16 last year, per Football Outsiders' game-charting, and his run defense stats are among the best in the league for his position. In Horton's defense, Sheard will play some outside linebacker and then move inside on passing downs, giving him more opportunities to get after the quarterback.

=========

Don't listen to anyone who claims that, Joe Hayden, TJ Ward, and Jabaal Sheard , regressed last year. They don't have a clue what they are talking about.

 

[MAC_32]

Its as though a certain segment of the fanbase is infected with the Stockholm Syndrome where they have the compunction to resist anything positive with the club so they can cling to the negative. Those positive neurons are under developed so they take the easiest path of a loser beaten fan that crawls into the fetal position where they suck their thumbs and weep.

Or, they are being realistic instead of fan boys who think everything the franchise does is right until proven otherwise. Unfortunately, to this point, the realists have been a lot more right about this team since they returned than the fan boys.

There are reasons for optimism like any other season, I do think there are more reasons than usual though - despite the ownership and Gordon issues. But, show it first. I think this team will be more entertaining this year, but will it translate to wins? I'd bet on no, and ultimately wins and a strong fantasy D usually go hand in hand. I think this unit could be a decent week to week play, but every week? Let someone else play that game, pick them back up after someone else drops them when the Browns have a juicy matchup ahead.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Too easy.

They practically put the hook right in and leap in the boat.