Cleveland Browns: Meet Anthony Zettel, the new defensive end in Cleveland
By Randy Gurzi
The Cleveland Browns claimed defensive end Anthony Zettel off waivers from the Detroit Lions, but who exactly are they getting?
Taking full advantage of being No. 1 in NFL waiver priority, the Cleveland Browns added some more talent on Thursday by claiming defensive end Anthony Zettel.
Zettel has ties to a former Cleveland defensive end, Carl Nassib, who was just let go in Cleveland and was claimed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Nassib and Zettel were teammates at Penn State and each entered the league in the same 2016 NFL Draft.
Nassib landed in Cleveland via the third round and Zettel lasted until Detroit took him in the sixth.
Zettel worked his way into a starting role with the Lions but didn’t fit with new head coach Matt Patricia’s system. The Browns liked him enough to make the claim and add some depth, but who exactly are they getting in Zettel?
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While playing in Happy Valley, Zettel transitioned from a defensive end to a three-technique tackle. At roughly 6-foot-4 and 275-pounds, he’s smaller than most tackles in the NFL, which explains why Detroit had kicked him back out to end.
His athletic traits aren’t terrible, but they don’t jump off the screen when you watch him play. As for power, he’s above average there when played at end.
Overall, Zettel is a technician with a non-stop motor. He won’t win with speed or athleticism. He also d isn’t going to dominate people physically. What he can do is attack offensive linemen with an array of pass rush moves — and he plays his heart out until the whistle blows.
2017 was a career year for Zettel as he recorded 6.5 sacks. Cleveland did well in claiming him and he can help add depth as a rotational player at end and inside at tackle if needed. He will quickly become a fan favorite for his style of play and the Lions loss is Cleveland’s gain here.
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It’s not often that a team finds a player like Zettel on waivers just ahead of game day, but they wisely took advantage of that opportunity here.