Cleveland Browns to host town hall event
July 24, 2013Jarrett Jack receives praise from former coach Mark Jackson
July 24, 2013
On Tuesday afternoon, defensive coordinator Ray Horton spoke to the media gathered in Berea. One of the messages he was trying to communicate to the fans, through said media, was to be patient with the defense.
“During the lock-out season we had no practices,” Horton said. “We opened up training camp installing a totally new defense. It takes a little time, but at the end of the year statistically you know it works. I keep preaching patience. There’s a learning curve.”
Horton continued, “Going from a 4-3, cover two style defense to a 3-4, 5-2, 4-4… I told you we were going to be a multiple front. Move guys around. Quality depth. Can Buster play free safety? Can Mingo stand up? Can Paul (Kruger) stand up? Can Phil Taylor drop? Do I expect us to walk out there tomorrow and say wow we’re great? No, but I know we’re going to get better everyday.
“My first goal is that at our first game at home in the Dawg Pound the guys come up and start cheering. You will see the growth, because we’re not going to get there today. You can’t win it in the first game, but we’re going to try and get better and better and better and statistically this defense works. I know it, and I know what the numbers say. We’ve got good players, and it’s going to be a process, it’s going to be a learning curve.”
What Horton is saying makes complete sense, that the defense at the end of the year will be better than what they look like in week one, especially because of installing a new system.
However, in a town in which fans have heard about ‘process’ and ‘patience’ for the last ten years, will this preaching fall on deaf ears?
There can be no question that the Browns invested more into the defensive side of the ball this off season than the offense. Free agent signings of Paul Kruger, Desmond Bryant and Quentin Groves plus the additions of Barkevious Mingo, Leon McFadden and Jamoris Slaughter signaled that the Browns were serious about improving the defense immediately. As did the hiring of Ray Horton himself.
Excitement over the Browns is growing, as it always does this time of year. Horton’s defense is a big reason why. Today, Joe Banner announced that the Browns had a 94% renewal on season tickets and have sold more new season tickets than any period since 1999.
Horton commented on Tuesday that the defense is not the identity of the team, but that the Dawg Pound was. The Dawg Poung is fine giving that title back to the defense though coach.
57 Comments
he can combo that one and say it’s a XMas gift for the Browns fans around the world.
and if he wants to re-gift it in 2014 too, I won’t mind.
Based on yesterday, Greco answers at least one of the G spots. And it’s hard to justify spending on the other when you have two at worst viable LGs (and stuck between Mack, Thomas) and perhaps a very good one (Pinkston was viewed very positively before the scare last year).
And I expect Cameron to address the TE one, as well.
The other three I agree on, though I still expect almost no FB time from the Browns. Trent runs better from a spread O from what I noticed last year (perhaps because more DBs and less LBs on the field).
At the end of 2014 will we be viewing any of those as misses? I don’t really think so.
A lot obviously depends on how McFadden plays, but I don’t see anyone there we *needed* to get.
that list was partial, this is more comprehensive. my point isnt that any one player is must have; my point is that ignoring a key position when so many candidates who would be upgrade were available, how do you walk away with zero.
http://jimkanicki.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/screen-shot-2013-03-17-at-9-25-04-am.jpg
I disagree with the premise… slight upgrades that aren’t long-term effective are how teams often get mired in mediocrity or just being average. Unless there’s a huge hole somewhere that will hurt other players’ development (and I am guessing you disagree on this aspect) I don’t see that it helps to make that kind of move.
i hear you and that’s fine. if you dont want average guys clogging your roster, then re-sign sheldon brown. one year. deal w the long-term CB2 question next year.
i just don’t think anyone from the wade/skrine/badamosi/owen crew is a developmental player who needs starts to reach his projected top-tier potential. and while the non-strategic CB is on the field, we’re worse.
Well Brown I viewed as mediocre. 🙂
I think McFadden may be that person, or at least the FO views him as potentially that person; Skrine I think is a very good nickel back (who gets unfair blame when matched up and sticking with #1s who are too big/good for him when it comes to the actual ball in the air).