2022 Free Agency

[broncos67]

10 hours ago, lomaxgrUK said:

The more I think about this, the more I hate it.

We are so thin at ILB that one injury is almost definitely going to lead to Browning moving back to ILB, or at best, having to split reps between the two. 

That isn't giving a young player the best chance to succeed; not by a long shot.

Agreed. I don't understand the insistence in doing this by our coaching staff. I'm hoping there's more to it than meets the eye, but seems like a bad move now and at the time they mentioned it.

[BroncoBruin]

Interesting that AJ Johnson is still just sitting there. Wonder if that’s in play. When Strnad is in your two deep, it’s certainly concerning. 

[AKRNA]

5 hours ago, broncos67 said:

Agreed. I don't understand the insistence in doing this by our coaching staff. I'm hoping there's more to it than meets the eye, but seems like a bad move now and at the time they mentioned it.

Our ILB coach has never coached beyond the college ranks. Our OLB coach is entering his 1st season as an NFL position coach having spent most of his career at the college level.

Maybe it's just me, but I'd value the opinion of Fangio, Herring and I can't remember the other guy way more than 2 kids that have never coached at this level.

[lomaxgrUK]

10 hours ago, BroncoBruin said:

Interesting that AJ Johnson is still just sitting there. Wonder if that’s in play. When Strnad is in your two deep, it’s certainly concerning. 

I took a fair amount of flack over the season for saying how I felt Jewell would be a far better option to re-sign, and Johnson was overrated by this forum and Bronco Country in general.

I get plenty wrong but I think the league appears to be seeing the same as me when it comes to Johnson. Has to be playing downhill as he's not athletic enough to play laterally. Absolute liability in pass pro, especially off Play Action.

[AkronsWitness]

12 hours ago, lomaxgrUK said:

I took a fair amount of flack over the season for saying how I felt Jewell would be a far better option to re-sign, and Johnson was overrated by this forum and Bronco Country in general.

I get plenty wrong but I think the league appears to be seeing the same as me when it comes to Johnson. Has to be playing downhill as he's not athletic enough to play laterally. Absolute liability in pass pro, especially off Play Action.

What happened because wasnt he awesome his 'rookie' year in pass coverage. I remember him getting some great PBUs and INTs. Then he sort of fell off a cliff.

Either way. Anthony Barr. Please and thank you. That George Paton connection has to work for a big name guy at some point. 

[Broncofan]

1 hour ago, AkronsWitness said:

What happened because wasnt he awesome his 'rookie' year in pass coverage. I remember him getting some great PBUs and INTs. Then he sort of fell off a cliff.

Either way. Anthony Barr. Please and thank you. That George Paton connection has to work for a big name guy at some point. 

Johnson pass coverage highlights from 2019 were from good instincts and reads - foot speed and agility wise he gets exposed.   He’s mismatched in space and O’s figured it out last year.    Moreover IIRC he’s 30 now.    Of course he’s got less wear on the tires because of the legal issues but he’s past his physical prime.  2-down ILB is like a 2-down RB on O - it’s disposable and devalued.    
 

If you can find a 3-down disruptor it’s absolutely worth it but if you’re Todd Davis (who was really good at what he did) version X you’re viewed as replaceable.  And to be fair that practice has proven to be pretty sound.  

[germ-x]

Browning potentially being strictly an edge player is interesting to me as well.  Especially after I thought he played well at ILB this season.  

A friend of mine who has watched far more football than myself over the last few seasons loved Browning coming out of Ohio state last year.  I’ll double check with him but believe he had a late 1 early 2 grade on him and the biggest reason for that was his upside as a pass rusher.

[AkronsWitness]

53 minutes ago, germ-x said:

Browning potentially being strictly an edge player is interesting to me as well.  Especially after I thought he played well at ILB this season.  

A friend of mine who has watched far more football than myself over the last few seasons loved Browning coming out of Ohio state last year.  I’ll double check with him but believe he had a late 1 early 2 grade on him and the biggest reason for that was his upside as a pass rusher.

He has some ability, but he is not a hand in the ground type of rusher. He is a athletic freak so using him in situation to surprise the offense as a rusher (almost as a disguised rusher) is best rather than him doing it every down. Bringing him as a stand up blitzer off the edge as opposed to going heads up against a OT.

I just dont know why for the life of me you would take your best coverage LB and make him your 4th or 5th best edge rusher.

Maybe im reading too much into it and maybe they are going to still let him cover a bunch.

Edited May 19, 2022 by AkronsWitness

[Winder23]

59 minutes ago, AkronsWitness said:

He has some ability, but he is not a hand in the ground type of rusher. He is a athletic freak so using him in situation to surprise the offense as a rusher (almost as a disguised rusher) is best rather than him doing it every down. Bringing him as a stand up blitzer off the edge as opposed to going heads up against a OT.

I just dont know why for the life of me you would take your best coverage LB and make him your 4th or 5th best edge rusher.

Maybe im reading too much into it and maybe they are going to still let him cover a bunch.

I think we all might be reading a bit too much into this. Versatility is actually a good thing for Browning. His ability in coverage  coupled with work as edge rusher will create opportunities to disguise the defense.  Especially on third down. 

[AkronsWitness]

7 hours ago, Winder23 said:

I think we all might be reading a bit too much into this. Versatility is actually a good thing for Browning. His ability in coverage  coupled with work as edge rusher will create opportunities to disguise the defense.  Especially on third down. 

Problem is Brownings biggest weakness is his mental processing. This was a issue at OSU as well. He is much more of a read and react type of player which can sometimes make him a step late in where he needs to be.

He is at his best where you can tell him to do 1 or 2 things and say go. The more complicated you make it, the more he misreads/reacts late. This is what originally caused his down season in his SR year and took him from being a potential lat 1st rounder to a 3rd rounder.

So if anything I would like for him to learn 1 position and 1 role and go full speed ahead, whatever that role is.

I just cant help but think the reason they are taking him and switching postions away from a true LB is because they have their eye on somebody else to fill that LB role...anythony barr

Edited May 19, 2022 by AkronsWitness

[paul-mac]

I don’t doubt that Browning will do well at OLB, but we just spent a second round pick on Nik Bonitto to be that 3rd EDGE rusher behind Chubb and Gregory, then you’ve got Malik Reed who’s been a decent backup for years, and Jonathan Cooper who flashed some ability in spot duty as a rookie. To put it simply, a lot of people will need to get injured for Browning to even get on the field.

 

Meanwhile taking him away from ILB awards snaps to JAGs like Alex Singleton, Jonas Griffith and (puke) Justin Strnad. The only one of those three that I think has potential is Griffith, I know the coaching staff last year thought he was an underrated player and he was earning snaps over higher paid guys at times last season, so maybe he will end up being a big breakout guy. But really, I’d be more comfortable going into the year with Chubb and Gregory as your edge starters with Browning and Jewell starting ILBs. Bonitto, Reed and Cooper for edge depth with Griffith, Singleton and Strnad providing the inside depth.

 

I don’t see why you couldn’t do that and still have Browning play occasional snaps from the edge or even have him rushing the passer from 3-4 ILB (Going back a decade or so, Daryl Washington nearly had double-digit sacks by blitzing inside from 3-4 ILB).

 

Moving him full time to edge is a crazy move. 

[jolly red giant]

Two things you can never have too many of on an NFL roster - DBs and pass-rushers

[Winder23]

On 5/19/2022 at 5:54 AM, AkronsWitness said:

Problem is Brownings biggest weakness is his mental processing. This was a issue at OSU as well. He is much more of a read and react type of player which can sometimes make him a step late in where he needs to be.

He is at his best where you can tell him to do 1 or 2 things and say go. The more complicated you make it, the more he misreads/reacts late. This is what originally caused his down season in his SR year and took him from being a potential lat 1st rounder to a 3rd rounder.

So if anything I would like for him to learn 1 position and 1 role and go full speed ahead, whatever that role is.

I just cant help but think the reason they are taking him and switching postions away from a true LB is because they have their eye on somebody else to fill that LB role...anythony barr

But he wouldn’t have to do much of any processing at OLB. He either rushes the passer or occasionally has an assignment in coverage. The more I analyze, I feel they can better utilize him and his strengths on the outside

Chubb and Reed are on one year deals so having experience heading into 2023 will better prepare the Broncos for those potential losses to free agency. 
 

 

[AKRNA]

18 hours ago, paul-mac said:

I don’t doubt that Browning will do well at OLB, but we just spent a second round pick on Nik Bonitto to be that 3rd EDGE rusher behind Chubb and Gregory, then you’ve got Malik Reed who’s been a decent backup for years, and Jonathan Cooper who flashed some ability in spot duty as a rookie. To put it simply, a lot of people will need to get injured for Browning to even get on the field.

 

Meanwhile taking him away from ILB awards snaps to JAGs like Alex Singleton, Jonas Griffith and (puke) Justin Strnad. The only one of those three that I think has potential is Griffith, I know the coaching staff last year thought he was an underrated player and he was earning snaps over higher paid guys at times last season, so maybe he will end up being a big breakout guy. But really, I’d be more comfortable going into the year with Chubb and Gregory as your edge starters with Browning and Jewell starting ILBs. Bonitto, Reed and Cooper for edge depth with Griffith, Singleton and Strnad providing the inside depth.

 

I don’t see why you couldn’t do that and still have Browning play occasional snaps from the edge or even have him rushing the passer from 3-4 ILB (Going back a decade or so, Daryl Washington nearly had double-digit sacks by blitzing inside from 3-4 ILB).

 

Moving him full time to edge is a crazy move. 

Just keep in mind, you and I have as much experience coaching LB's in the NFL as our two LB coaches have. 

None.

[grizmo78]

Interesting press conference today. Browning said he wanted to switch to OLB and that the team agreed.