BEREA, Ohio — The attention on Sunday has been focused on Myles Garrett and the nightmares he has caused Joe Burrow throughout his career.
Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz puts the onus for making Burrow uncomfortable this week on someone else, however.
“Guys like Mason Graham we brought in here to give us interior rush,” Schwartz said on Thursday, “brought in guys like Maliek Collins to give us interior rush. Those are big things. We know they can help on the outside part of the field with guys like Myles, they can chip, they can leave tight ends in the protection, but our ability to win inside in this game is going to go a long way to coming out with a win.”
Burrow’s ability to get the ball out quickly has improved and it’s one of the more effective ways to negate a pass rusher like Garrett.
Get pressure inside, though, and suddenly it’s harder for Burrow — or any quarterback — to escape.
“Shortest distance between two points is a straight line,” Schwartz said, “and those guys are closer to the play. So, those guys need to step up for us. They need to win those matchups.”
Graham, the No. 5 overall pick in the draft, is expected to start on Sunday next to Collins, a 10-year veteran who was brought in this offseason as a free agent.
It’s a pairing that, surprisingly, has been in the making for a while.
“Even before he signed with the Browns, I liked a lot of his game,” Graham said. “We had worked with the same trainer, so I’d always had an eye on his game. When I got drafted and then found out that he got signed here, I was just excited and then he has a lot of experience.”
The two worked out together in Houston after Graham got drafted.
“He really suggested it,” Collins said. “He was just like, ‘Hey bro, I’m pulling up.’ So I was surprised, but I was happy to have him there.”
Collins will hold the starting job down at least until Mike Hall Jr. is able to return and probably longer. Hall was back at practice on Thursday for the first time since he was carted off the field in Week 18 last season but was ruled out this week. Getting him up to a full workload will take some time, even after he’s ready to play.
It’s all good for Graham, who is adjusting to a new, more attack-focused style than he played at Michigan. Collins knows this system well because it’s the same style he’s played his entire career.
“I’ve never played in any other system, so I only know one way of playing,” Collins said. “So I think for (Graham) it’s just like the move of thought to happen, like step with blocks and things like that and just think about getting off the ball. Just keep things simple. Getting off the ball is the first thing. Playing with pad level, bring your hands on a punch, things like that.”
Graham has been a quick learner, too.
“We see the quickness,” Schwartz said. “He made a big effort to change his body type, to be a little bit more lean and dropped a little bit of weight, but his movement skills have been outstanding. He’s really good with his hands, and he just has really good instincts. So, I’m guardedly optimistic. I think there’s always a tendency to sometimes regress in the heat of battle, but I think he’s shown that he’s got it in there. And I was very encouraged by what we saw in the preseason, particularly Philly (joint practices) and then the Rams (preseason) game.”
His transformation has been evident and he was one of the standout rookies throughout training camp once the pads went on.
“I feel like I’ve grown a lot,” Graham said. “I’ve changed my body a lot, taking my preparation more serious. I just feel like that’s kind of what you have to do going into the NFL as a rookie. All these other guys have way more experience. You’re going into a new scheme for me and just a new way of playing football, I guess. So just getting those things down and trying to execute.”
Graham is a key piece of a group Schwartz stopped just short this week of calling the best defensive line he’s had in his three seasons here. If he hits his potential quickly, it could be transformative for this line and defense.
Reaching that ceiling starts with Myles Garrett, but the pairing of Collins and Graham aren’t far behind the list of very important pass rushers.
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