Cleveland Browns: Genard Avery to get expanded role

The Cleveland Browns will be without linebacker Joe Schobert for an unknown amount of time, and that means rookie Genard Avery will be playing a bigger role in the defense.

Cleveland Browns rookie linebacker Genard Avery has been one of the biggest surprises throughout the first six weeks of the 2018 regular season.

Coming out of Memphis, Avery was drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He was more of an unknown player, but many that studied the draft class said that Avery could be one of the biggest steals in the entire draft.

Avery has proven just that in the beginning of his NFL career. He has totaled ten total tackles, including 1.5 sacks, one tackle for loss, and a forced fumble.

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But the reason that Avery has been so good is not shown by the box score. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) has graded Avery as the 13th best edge player in 2018. He has also graded as the ninth best edge pass rusher. Avery has pressured the quarterback 16 times this season, according to PFF.

Avery is doing that when he has played just 43.58 percent of the Browns defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Reference. But that is going to change when the Browns take on the Buccaneers.

Joe Schobert will miss an extended period of time with a hamstring injury. Backup middle linebacker James Burgess also was injured, and the team waived/injured him on Tuesday. Christian Kirksey will be moving from weak-side linebacker and will be filling Schobert’s spot as the middle linebacker.

With Kirksey moving to inside linebacker, Avery will be taking over as the weak-side linebacker. This will be his first start of his NFL career.

For the most part, Avery has been playing on the edge and not in the box as a linebacker. Playing primarily as a linebacker, Avery will have to drop in coverage more than he has this season. But he will still play snaps where he has lined up on the edge to get after the quarterback.

Avery has the athleticism to get around the edge when offenses want to stretch run or run off-tackle. He has also held up well when dropping into pass coverage Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will get to use Avery in a variety of ways, and could blitz him more often than he has Kirksey.

The Buccaneers are a great match-up for Avery’s first start. Avery could be in line for a big day with the expected jump in the amount of snaps that he will play.

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