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Gregg Williams' 'different attitude' already leaving impression on Browns players
By Dan Labbe, cleveland.com
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEDys1-su1c
BEREA, Ohio -- New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams rolled through his introductory press conference in January like a hurricane. Now those winds are blowing through the hallways of the team's practice facility as players returned for the start of the Browns off-season program this week.
"His energy's crazy," cornerback Joe Haden said of the new defensive coordinator on Tuesday. "He definitely brings a different attitude. He's very, very vocal, in your face and I feel like we definitely need that."
Haden got to experience Williams' intensity firsthand prior to this week. Haden said that when he first met Williams, the new defensive coordinator told him that had Haden not played through his groin injury last year, he would have made sure the Browns front office got him out of Cleveland.
That level of accountability and toughness is something that Haden is embracing along with the young leadership group on the defensive side of the roster.
"We need somebody that's going to keep everybody accountable," Haden said. "Me, (linebacker Chris) Kirksey, (linebacker Jamie) Collins, (defensive tackle) Danny (Shelton), he's definitely going at us."
"It's a shock, but that's what we need," Haden said. "We need somebody that's going to switch it up, change it up, tell us something, cuss us out, scream at us, let us know that we're sorry right now and we've got to be better."
The Browns were, by most statistical measures, one of the worst defenses in the NFL a season ago. They ranked 31st in yards per game, 30th in points allowed, 21st against the pass, 31st against the rush and they were the third-worst defense on third down.
The Browns gave up 30 or more points seven times, allowed fewer than 20 points once and allowed fewer than 25 points just three times.
If you're into non-traditional statistics, Football Outsiders ranked the Browns defense 31st overall in DVOA, a metric that measures a team's efficiency by comparing success on every single play to a league average based on situation and opponent, and in weighted defense, a metric that adjusts to make earlier games in the season less important, giving an idea of how a team was playing towards the end of the season.
It all led to head coach Hue Jackson firing defensive coordinator Ray Horton and most of his staff after the season ended. Williams' demeanor and energy matches that of Jackson, something that was evident when the two were coaching the South team at the Senior Bowl.
Defensive tackle Danny Shelton agreed that the defense needed a little bit of a kick if they were going to get better.
"I think we did need that," Shelton said. "I think that his mindset is what Cleveland needs in order for us to change and turn around the program."
Still, the Browns and their fans have been down this road before. What makes Williams so different? Haden, again, pointed to the accountability.
"It doesn't matter when you got drafted, who you are, he's going to be in your face no matter what," Haden said. "You've just got to accept it. You've got to make plays to be out there on the field."
Haden likes the idea of Williams valuing performance over pedigree.
"I'm all about performance. I'm all about putting it on tape and showing it on the field," he said. "It doesn't really matter how much money you make, as long as you are out there making plays than he'll be falling in love with you."
It's spring in the NFL, so everything sounds good on paper, but if Tuesday was any indication, the players appear ready to embrace whatever Williams throws at them.
"He's an intense coach and you can tell that he wants to change the culture around here," Shelton said.
Gregg Williams' 'different attitude' already leaving impression on Browns players
By Dan Labbe, cleveland.com
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEDys1-su1c
BEREA, Ohio -- New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams rolled through his introductory press conference in January like a hurricane. Now those winds are blowing through the hallways of the team's practice facility as players returned for the start of the Browns off-season program this week.
"His energy's crazy," cornerback Joe Haden said of the new defensive coordinator on Tuesday. "He definitely brings a different attitude. He's very, very vocal, in your face and I feel like we definitely need that."
Haden got to experience Williams' intensity firsthand prior to this week. Haden said that when he first met Williams, the new defensive coordinator told him that had Haden not played through his groin injury last year, he would have made sure the Browns front office got him out of Cleveland.
That level of accountability and toughness is something that Haden is embracing along with the young leadership group on the defensive side of the roster.
"We need somebody that's going to keep everybody accountable," Haden said. "Me, (linebacker Chris) Kirksey, (linebacker Jamie) Collins, (defensive tackle) Danny (Shelton), he's definitely going at us."
"It's a shock, but that's what we need," Haden said. "We need somebody that's going to switch it up, change it up, tell us something, cuss us out, scream at us, let us know that we're sorry right now and we've got to be better."
The Browns were, by most statistical measures, one of the worst defenses in the NFL a season ago. They ranked 31st in yards per game, 30th in points allowed, 21st against the pass, 31st against the rush and they were the third-worst defense on third down.
The Browns gave up 30 or more points seven times, allowed fewer than 20 points once and allowed fewer than 25 points just three times.
If you're into non-traditional statistics, Football Outsiders ranked the Browns defense 31st overall in DVOA, a metric that measures a team's efficiency by comparing success on every single play to a league average based on situation and opponent, and in weighted defense, a metric that adjusts to make earlier games in the season less important, giving an idea of how a team was playing towards the end of the season.
It all led to head coach Hue Jackson firing defensive coordinator Ray Horton and most of his staff after the season ended. Williams' demeanor and energy matches that of Jackson, something that was evident when the two were coaching the South team at the Senior Bowl.
Defensive tackle Danny Shelton agreed that the defense needed a little bit of a kick if they were going to get better.
"I think we did need that," Shelton said. "I think that his mindset is what Cleveland needs in order for us to change and turn around the program."
Still, the Browns and their fans have been down this road before. What makes Williams so different? Haden, again, pointed to the accountability.
"It doesn't matter when you got drafted, who you are, he's going to be in your face no matter what," Haden said. "You've just got to accept it. You've got to make plays to be out there on the field."
Haden likes the idea of Williams valuing performance over pedigree.
"I'm all about performance. I'm all about putting it on tape and showing it on the field," he said. "It doesn't really matter how much money you make, as long as you are out there making plays than he'll be falling in love with you."
It's spring in the NFL, so everything sounds good on paper, but if Tuesday was any indication, the players appear ready to embrace whatever Williams throws at them.
"He's an intense coach and you can tell that he wants to change the culture around here," Shelton said.
