DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE END
2005: Orpheus Roye
2006: Orpheus Roye
Is it time to start referring to Roye as one of the most underrated Browns of
all time?
Through all of the tumult of numerous regime and coaching changes, all the
veteran has done is make plays on a consistent basis and given 100% effort on
every single play nearly every single game, having only missed a total of five
games in his six years with the club.
If he were playing in a major media market, or in a winning organization, he
would have at least a couple of Pro Bowls to pump up his resume’.
At 33 years of age, Roye is coming off arguably the best of his eleven
seasons in the NFL and shows no signs of slowing down at any point in the near
future. The addition of Washington should only
help extend Roye’s streak of productivity and, coupled with a winning season,
could get him the national recognition he deserves.
EDGE: 2006 Roye
NOSE TACKLE
2005: Jason Fisk
2006: Ted Washington
ROTFL!!!
Do I even need an explanation here?
EDGE:
Washington
DEFENSIVE END
2005: Alvin McKinley
2006: Alvin McKinley
Yes, he led the team in sacks last year (tied at five with Chaun Thompson),
but it is still somewhat of a surprise that McKinley remains the starter at this
position. Then again, Rome didn’t build their 3-4 defensive line in
a day, so it’s not completely unexpected.
What’s somewhat frightening is the glaring lack of quality depth behind him.
Optimally, the Browns would like to add another starting DE and allow
McKinley to provide that quality depth by swinging between both end positions
and spelling Roye on occasion without a tremendous drop-off.
Look for that to be a primary area of focus next off-season.
EDGE: Push
SS OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
2005: Matt Stewart
2006: Kamerion Wimbley
Much like Heiden, Stewart is a solid, dependable veteran.
However, much like Winslow, Wimbley has shown flashes during his first
pre-season of being a game-changer and a playmaker on passing downs.
Wimbley, still adapting from college DE to NFL LB, must work on pass coverage
and his play against run, which is why it’s likely that Russell will begin the
season as the starter.
Even given Wimbley’s weaknesses, the
Florida
State product will see his
playing time increase as the season progresses and will eventually overtake
Stewart as the SSOLB on most downs.
So, since this is my article and I have the power, I choose to go with
Wimbley as the starter from the get-go and give the advantage to the rookie.
EDGE: Wimbley
SS INSIDE LINEBACKER
2005: Ben Taylor
2006: D’Qwell Jackson
While we may miss those precocious little moments of Taylor riding shotgun on a runner’s back ten
yards down the field, his departure signaled an immediate upgrade irrespective
of who was brought in to replace him.
And that’s all the analysis you get.
Seriously.
Davis, Chaun Thompson, doesn’t matter. Two words.
Up.
Grade.
EDGE:
Jackson
WS INSIDE LINEBACKER
2005: Andra Davis
2006: Andra Davis
There are many players who will benefit from the presence of Ted Washington,
but no one more so than Davis.
One of the knocks on Davis
has been his inability to shed blocks consistently. With
Washington
on board—or is it the Browns onboard Washington?—Davis should be freed
somewhat and allowed to make plays without fending off first and second levels
of blockers.
While some are predicting a Pro Bowl season for
Davis, that would seem to be too big of a leap for the
fifth-year LB to make in one season. At the very least, though, he should
be able to make tremendous strides in his game and set himself up as a lynchpin
in the Browns defense for years to come.
EDGE: 2006 Davis
WS OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
2005: Chaun Thompson
2006: Willie McGinest
Provided McGinest stays healthy and has fully recovered from off-season elbow
surgery, this is an upgrade along the lines of
Washington
over Fisk.
The Browns aren’t getting the sack machine from the latter part of last
century and the early part of the new one; what they are getting, however, is an
experienced veteran who knows the 3-4 defense like I know beer and can impart
that wisdom on players like Wimbley.
Additionally, if last season’s post-season is any indication, he’s not
running on fumes and still has at least a little left in the tank.
EDGE: McGinest
CORNERBACK
2005: Gary Baxter
2006: Gary Baxter
This will come down to one simple question: can Baxter stay healthy and play
in 16 games?
If so, it will be an upgrade simply due to the fact that a.) he will be on
the field for more than five games as he is a quality corner, and, b.) it will
prevent the pabulum that represents the depth at the corner position from ever
seeing any meaningful minutes.
If not, Lord help us all and this position becomes skews heavily in favor of
’05 Baxter.
EDGE: 2006 Baxter
CORNERBACK
2005: Daylon McCutcheon
2006: Leigh Bodden
McCutcheon and Bodden entered Training Camp 2006 in a virtual dead-heat for
the starting position opposite Baxter. An injury early on in camp took out
any drama in the competition, although it was likely to end just the way it did
with Bodden supplanting McCutcheon.
Bodden grew by leaps and bounds after replacing Baxter in the starting lineup
last season. He is bigger and more physical than McCutcheon, thus allowing
him to take on the bigger WRs that used to eat McCutcheon for lunch and dinner
and have enough left over for a midnight snack.
The talk of Andra Davis having a Pro Bowl year may be superfluous, but the
whispers around Bodden and Honolulu
are not.
Provided Baxter is healthy, McCutcheon will able to assume the position that
best suits him at this point in his career: nickel corner.
EDGE: Bodden
FREE SAFETY
2005: Brian Russell
2006: Brian Russell
The veteran DB will more than likely begin the season on the sidelines as he
recovers from surgery to remove a burst bursa sac in his elbow. He is, though,
expected to return in time for the second game of the season against the
Bengals.
However, should the injury linger and Jones—who will take over for Russell if
he’s unable to go—and Pool—who will take over for Jones at SS—progress during
whatever time he may miss, Russell could find himself losing his starting job
and looking for time coming off the bench.
The Browns ultimate goal would be for both Jones and Pool to grab starting
jobs, which would give them veteran depth as insurance should anything befall
the two former second-round draft picks.
EDGE Push
STRONG SAFETY
2005: Chris Crocker
2006: Sean Jones
The Browns traded Crocker to the Falcons early on in the off-season in
exchange for a fourth-round draft pick, which the club turned around and used on
guard Isaac Sowells.
Only time will tell if they gave up on Crocker too soon, but the early
indications are that Jones is beginning to live up to his second-round draft
status.
Jones outlasted Brodney Pool in a camp-long competition, and will start the
season as the starter. However, Crennel feels like he “has three starters
at the position”, so the safety positions could involve a rotation of Jones,
Pool and Russell throughout the course of the season.
EDGE: Crocker
SPECIAL TEAMS
PUNTER
2005: Kyle Richardson
2006: Dave Zastudil
He is no Kyle Richardson, which, in this case, is a good thing.
A definite upgrade, but he still needs to work on knocking balls dead inside
the 20.
EDGE: Zastudil
KICKER
2005: Phil Dawson
2006: Phil Dawson
Good old solid, steady Phil. He’s been consistent for the better of seven
years, so there’s no reason to expect the 31-year-old Texas alum to go into sudden and precipitous
slide at this point in his career.
Here’s a quick fact that shows exactly why I’m picking the 2005 version of
Phil Dawson over the 2006 model, though: In the last two even-numbered years, he
has seen his field goal percentage go down from the previous season.
(He has. Look it up. See that science I’m droppin’.)
Since this is 2006, I’m going with the younger
Dawson.
EDGE: 2005 Dawson
LONGSNAPPER
2005: Ryan Pontbriand
2006: Ryan Pontbriand
As long as he doesn’t screw up a snap, does it really matter?
(I still can’t get my hands around the fact that Butchum used a fifth-round
draft pick on a one-dimensional player whose one dimension is long-snapping.
And he was one of his better selections.)
EDGE: Push
PUNT RETURNER
2005: Dennis Northcutt
2006: Dennis Northcutt
If a good portion of penalties on special teams were eliminated, we’d give
the edge to the current ‘Cutt version.
However, after viewing the pre-season games, it looks like they’re not.
EDGE: Push
KICK RETURNER
2005: Josh Cribbs
2006: Josh Cribbs
One year of experience plus his natural athletic ability equals an
improvement on his finishing eighth in the AFC in kick return average.
It’s a simple formula, really.
EDGE: 2006 Cribbs