Tag: Adrian Clayborn

Myles Garrett was the NFL’s best disruptive pass rusher in 2019

Browns DE Myles Garrett posted the highest pressure rate of any player since 2016, per the NFL’s own Next Gen Stats

Myles Garrett took his already impressive skills to a new level in 2019. The Browns defensive end was in the midst of an incredible season before his suspension cut everything short.

According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Garrett was the most disruptive pass rusher in the league in 2019.

The metric for disruption includes the combined total of hurries, pressures or sacks divided by the number of pass rush snaps per player. Only one form of disruption counts per play (a sack doesn’t also count as a hurry). And nobody did it better in 2019 than No. 95 in brown and orange.

Garrett’s disruption rate was the best in the NFL. He registered a pressure on 17.1 percent of dropbacks in 2019, which was the highest percentage posted by a player since the 2016 season. He also became one of just three players to post a pressure rate of 12 percent or higher in each of the last three seasons.

As a surprise bonus for the Browns, Cleveland’s unheralded free agent signee, Adrian Clayborn, ranks 9th on the list.

The Hurry Up Podcast: Jeff Risdon talks Browns free agency, NFL Draft

The Hurry Up Podcast: Browns Wire’s Jeff Risdon talks Browns free agency, NFL Draft

Host Mac Robinson is joined by Browns Wire managing editor Jeff Risdon to recap the Browns moves in free agency, which offensive tackle he would choose with the tenth overall pick, and how free agency affected the draft plans. Risdon also discusses the latest he has heard from around the league, including what top prospect could fall in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Listen in as Mac breaks down the Adrian Clayborn signing and how it affects the depth chart, along with Damarious Randall’s departure to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Be sure to follow Mac (@MacRobinson95) and the podcast (@HurryUpPodcast) on Twitter for all of the latest news and notes surrounding the podcast, the Browns, and all things football!

Adrian Clayborn: What the Browns are getting in their new defensive end

Adrian Clayborn: What the Browns are getting in their new defensive end

The Cleveland Browns made a surprising move today after a week of intense rumors surrounding the addition of Jadeveon Clowney or Everson Griffen. Cleveland did add a defensive end, but it was Adrian Clayborn. The move is not surprising as the front office is clearly trying to find solid depth in the front seven.

Name: Adrian Clayborn

Height: 6-3

Weight: 281 pounds

Age: 31 years old

Previous Team: Atlanta Falcons

Clayborn was drafted in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of Iowa and was with the Buccaneers from 2011-2014. Clayborn started every game as a rookie, but was placed on injured reserve for the last 13 games of the 2012 season. Clayborn again started every game in 2013, but was not exactly living up to his first-round billing, which resulted in the Buccaneers declining the fifth-year team option. Clayborn’s last season as a Buccaneer in 2014 saw him again miss double-digit games due to injury as he missed 15 games.

Atlanta signed Clayborn before the 2015 season and he played as a rotational piece from 2015-2017. Clayborn played much better with the Falcons playing a pivotal role in their Super Bowl season and some consider him being missing from that game due to injury as a key point in the loss. Everyone remembers the huge game Clayborn had against the Dallas Cowboys in 2017, where he recorded an unbelievable Falcons single-game record of six sacks. That effort provided Clayborn with the NFC Defensive Player of the Week Award.

Clayborn moved onto the New England Patriots in 2018 and again was used as a rotational piece and despite having a role on that Super Bowl defense, New England released Clayborn after the season. Clayborn returned to Atlanta for 2019 and again played a rotational role.

Clayborn is not the same player he was in 2017, when he tallied 9.5 sacks. This is clear by his less-than-spectacular season in which he only recorded four sacks, but he can provide solid depth — and that is really all Cleveland is looking for. Clayborn may not be an All-Pro, but he has an extremely high floor and is easily one of the best reserve ends in the NFL.

The biggest reason for Clayborn becoming a bit of a journeyman to end his career is the fact that he never had an elite first step and at 31 years old that first step has gotten even slower, which has made his pass rushing ability slightly underwhelming. With that said, Browns fans should be excited as Clayborn can be an above-average contributor.

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DE Adrian Clayborn signs 2-year deal with the Browns

Another member of the 2019 Falcons has headed north to sign with the Cleveland Browns.

Another member of the 2019 Falcons has headed north to sign with the Cleveland Browns. After snatching away tight end Austin Hooper, the Browns are signing Clayborn to a two-year deal, his agent Blake Baratz is reporting.

The contract is believed to be worth $6 million over two years, with another million potentially in incentives, as Ian Rapoport tweets below:

Clayborn finished with 18 tackles (12 solo) and four sacks in 2019 for Atlanta. He was a versatile defensive lineman with the ability to line up inside or outside.

At 31 years old, Clayborn should be able to give the Browns good production over the next two seasons at an affordable price.

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Browns sign free agent DE Adrian Clayborn

The Cleveland Browns have signed veteran free agent DE Adrian Clayborn

The Browns remain committed to new GM Andrew Berry’s aggressive acquisition of talent even as everyone is forced to work from outside the team headquarters. On Tuesday, the Browns signed free agent defensive end Adrian Clayborn.

Clayborn, 30, joins the Browns after a second tour of duty with the Atlanta Falcons. The 2011 first-rounder by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers also played in Atlanta from 2014-2017 before a one-year sojourn to New England.

While he’s never lived up to his first-round draft status, Clayborn has proven to be a reliable No. 3 DE for the last few seasons. He notched 18 total tackles and four sacks for the Falcons in 2019. In Cleveland he projects to primarily back up Olivier Vernon opposite Myles Garrett.

 

1 pending free agent Chargers should target: NFC South Edition

Chargers Wire lists one player on each team in the NFC South that the Los Angeles Chargers could target.

The Los Angeles Chargers are set to enter free agency with the most salary cap available since Tom Telesco took over as general manager in 2013.

Even though the franchise has some in-house players that will need to get paid, there’s a great chance that Telesco and company will be aggressive in signing other soon-to-be free agents to bolster an already talented roster, with the hopes of making a quick turnaround after finishing 5-11 in 2019.

With that being said, we are going to list one pending free agent from each team in the NFL that could be a realistic target for L.A. Next up is the NFC South.

New Orleans Saints – G Andrus Peat

Peat, 27, was drafted as a tackle in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft but has played guard for the Saints. Peat has made two Pro Bowls in his career, but was up and down in 2019 and has missed nine games over the past two seasons with various injuries. A complete blocker, Peat has very few penalties against him. The positional versatility should attract the Chargers as he has the ability to plug-and-play at one of the guard spots or at right tackle.

Carolina Panthers – CB James Bradberry

At the age of 26, Bradberry is barely entering his prime. He defended nine passes along with a career-high three interceptions this past season. His best season came in 2018 when he defended 15 passes, posted two interceptions, forced a fumble and recorded a sack. Los Angeles wouldn’t necessarily have to go broke to acquire him – but based on his production in recent seasons he wouldn’t be that cheap, either.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – DT Beau Allen

After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Eagles, Allen played the last two with the Bucs as a rotational defender where he amassed 40 tackles, four tackles for loss and four quarterback hits. At 6-foot-2 and 333 pounds, Allen has the functional strength to occupy blocks, has a desirable mentality for the position, brings energy, plays hard and gives terrific pursuit effort. These characteristics should really stand out to the Chargers, who are in need of shoring up the interior part of the defensive line.

Atlanta Falcons – DE Adrian Clayborn

Clayborn, Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. Wow! Clayborn has been an integral piece to the Falcons’ defensive line as he is averaging around 5.6 sacks per season. Clayborn, 32, isn’t the player that he once was in his prime but he’d offer some juice as an additional pass-rusher. The best part about it is that he wouldn’t be that expensive to acquire.

Brian Baldinger breaks down the Falcons’ resurgent pass rush

The Atlanta Falcons had just seven sacks through the first eight games of 2019, but something clicked during the bye week and the team has completely flipped the script.

The Atlanta Falcons had just seven sacks through the first eight games of 2019, but something clicked during the bye week and the team has completely flipped the script.

In the Falcons’ Week 10 upset win over the Saints, their defense brought down Drew Brees six times. Last Sunday against the Panthers, Atlanta tacked on five more sacks, which led to its second straight win.

Some credit should go to the coaching staff for making changes. After a frustrating first half of the season, the Falcons’ defense is communicating better, winning their one-on-one matchups and finishing plays.

NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger went into the film room and broke down some footage of Atlanta’s front-four in Week 11. Watch his latest video highlighting how dominant the group was against the Panthers below:

The Falcons will return home to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Week 12 to play the Buccaneers in their third straight NFC South game. Atlanta is currently favored by 4.5 points over Tampa Bay on Sunday.

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