The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Team preparing for life without Joe Schobert
By all indications, Cleveland has decided it can’t afford to re-sign the soon-to-be free agent.
Free agency in the NFL begins March 18, and by all indications the Browns have decided they cannot afford to re-sign leading tackler Joe Schobert for the money the linebacker could command when he becomes available to all 32 teams.
Pro Football Focus states Schobert will make $11 million a year in his next contract — although PFF had him re-signing with the Browns before General Manager Andrew Berry announced at the NFL Combine that Schobert, who made $2,025,000 last season, “has earned the right to test the market.”
So what do the Browns do to replace Schobert? Coach Kevin Stefanski can’t be expected to bank on secondyear linebacker Sione Takitaki, who made only one start last year. Takitaki totaled 15 tackles from scrimmage and didn’t start playing from scrimmage until the ninth game (two tackles vs. Buffalo) of the season.
Help is more likely to come in the draft than free agency since Berry would have to overpay for a veteran replacement.
Walterfootball.com ranks Schobert second among freeagent inside linebackers behind only Cory Littleton of the Rams. The next tier after Schobert includes 26-year-old Blake Martinez from the Packers and a pair of linebackers from the Bears — Nick Kwiatkoski, 27, and Danny Trevathan.
The Browns own the 10th pick in the first round of the three-day draft that begins April 23. Their second-round pick is 41st overall. They pick 74th and 90th in the third round, 105th in the fourth round (no fifthround pick), pick 168 in the sixth round and pick 222 in the seventh round.
By most projections, Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons will be long gone before the Browns make the 10th pick. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report has Simmons going fourth to the
Giants. Simmons has been described as “a Swiss Army Knife” because he can play just about every position on defense.
Berry could decide to trade down in the draft and get a starting offensive tackle and a middle linebacker with his top two picks, depending on how far he moves down.
WalterFootball.com rates Kenneth Murray of Oklahoma as the best inside linebacker in the draft. Miller has Murray going to the Raiders with the 19th overall pick.
“Murray dominated as a one-man wrecking crew for the Oklahoma defense but has more natural athleticism
than many would expect from a player who was so impactful in the run game,” Miller wrote. “He’s a true three-down linebacker with the speed to cover tight ends but the toughness to step up and stop the run.”
According to the rankings of draftcountdown. com, the Browns would be able to wait until their second pick in the third round and have a choice between inside linebackers Malik Harrison of Ohio State and Jordyn Brooks of Texas Tech.
“He has some coverage limitations but can pressure the pocket as a blitzer and has the athleticism to
spy mobile quarterbacks,” the NFL.com scouting report on Harrison says. “He’s big and tough with the potential to become a good starter inside or as a 4-3 strong-side linebacker.”
The NFL.com scouting report has this to say about Brooks:
“He’s a potential future starter as an inside linebacker in even or odd fronts, but concerns with coverage duties could impact how teams see him as an every-down linebacker.”
New defensive coordinator Joe Woods plans to continue using a 4-3 alignment as the Browns’ base defense.