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FIRST GUESS ON 2009 DEPTH CHART.... DEFENSE

Continuing with my last post on the offense, here is what I expect to see on the defensive depth chart, as of now.  I have a little more knowledge of the style and scheme of the defense Mangini plans to run than I do of the offense.  And while I still am concerned that it will be a Patriots/Crennel style, bend-but-don't-break 3-4, instead of a attacking Ravens/Steelers style attacking 3-4, again, I think the improvement from how our depth chart ended in 2008 in obvious.

 

DL

1. Shaun Rogers

2. Corey Williams

3. Kenyon Coleman

4. Shaun Smith

5. Robaire Smith

6. C.J. Mosley

7. Ahtyba Rubin/Santonio Thomas

First, I don't think we are going to carry 8 DLs in a 3-4 scheme.  Rubin and Thomas are my favorites to win the 7th spot.  Luis Leonard and Melila Purcell will also be in this battle.  Rogers is the anchor of this defense and hopefully he and Mangini put their drama behind them.  Williams needs to improve if he wants to stay a starter, and may find himself on the bench by the time the games start to count.  Robaire Smith has a tough injury to come back from, but assuming he can, the top 6 linemen make a decent enough rotation that we can expect better run stopping than last year.

 

OLB

1. Kamerion Wimbley

2. David Bowens

3. Alex Hall

4. David Veikune

5. Leon Williams

I still really like Wimbley, Hall and Wiliams.  And I like Veikune.  I think these are the types of super athletic pass rushers that can rack up sacks in the right scheme with the right coaching.  I hope Mangini and Ryan can make the most out of them.  Bowens is blah, and is, less old than Willie McGinest, so I guess that's an upgrade.

ILB

1. D'Qwell Jackson

2. Eric Barton

3. Beau Bell

4. Kaluka Maiava

Barton and Jackson are solid enough.  They'll both rack up a lot of tackels, hopefully at least a few of them will be before the ball carrier has gained 5 yards.  Overall, I'm a little disappointed with our moves at this position (and LB in general).  Who knows what Bell and Maiava can do.  Maiava has a lot to learn and Bell was a ghost for 98% of his rookie year.

CB

1. Eric Wright

2. Brandon McDonald

3. Corey Ivy

4. Hank Poteat

5. Corye Francis

6. Don Carey

I like Wright a lot.  I also like McDonald more than most.  I think he can be a #2 and I think he was blamed for a lot of plays last year that had more to do with luck, coaching and blown Safety help than it did with McDonald's ability.  Still, I think Ivy and Poteat are going to threaten his playing time at first, but McDonald's youth and ability should fend them off and keep the two vets in nickle and dime situations.  Fracis seems like a high upside guy that fell into our lap--- a Phil Savage type pick.  ("We got 2nd round talent in the 6th round!!")  With the players in front of him, he can ease- let him impress on special teams and learn as a dime back before seeing the field in pressure situations.  Carey seems destined for special teams and from what I've read, could be a Safety convert before all is said and done.

S

1. Brodney Pool

2. Abram Elam

3. Mike Adams

4. Hamza Abdullah

5. Nick Sorensen

Hopefully Pool can stay healthy.  With only Elam as an addition, we remain pretty shallow at Safety.  Safety, like TE, is not a position I like investing a ton of resources in, but its also something you can't ignore.  Adams and Sorensen were nice surprises at the end of last year, only in that they didn't totally suck.  Still, I don't want them seeing the field for long stretches.

 

OVERALL:  Underwhelming.  I am happy with the depth at DL and CB, even OLB.  I also think Wright and Rogers are probowl caliber.  It seems like we are missing a playmaker though, either at LB or S.  As with the offense, there is a clear upgrade in talent and depth from the end of 2008, but the success of the unit will be up to the creativity with the coaches and the execution of the players.  With a new staff and so many new parts its tough to guess any level of success. 

 

Hope you all liked these two posts.  It was helpful to me, to get an idea on what our team looks like after the FA signings and the draft.  GO BROWNS.

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