Browns retain special teams player Marlon Moore
March 11, 2015
Buckeyes in the B1G Tourney, Cavalier Chemistry, and Early Football Retirements: While We’re Waiting…
March 12, 2015The Cleveland Browns’ talent balance sheet is growing redder by the day.
Defensive end/linebacker Jabaal Sheard is the latest player to leave Cleveland, having signed a two-year contract with the New England Patriots that could be worth up to $11 million, and which includes $5.5 million guaranteed. This signing, along with most every piece of NFL news in the twenty-first century, was reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
Patriots signing former Browns LB/DE Jabaal Sheard to a 2-year deal worth $11 million, per source, including $5.5 million guaranteed.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2015
Sheard, the 37th overall pick in the 2011 draft, was a solid performer for the Browns for four seasons. He leaves the team having amassed 122 tackles, 23 sacks, and 7 forced fumbles in 61 games. He totaled 44 tackles and 2 sacks last season.
His rookie year was perhaps his best. He tallied 40 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 5 forced fumbles, with the latter two figures leading the team. His pass rushing numbers tapered off in time, with his sack totals declining to seven, five-and-a-half, and two over the next three seasons. His play against the run, however, was stout, especially last year.1
Jabaal Sheard made a tackle resulting in an defensive stop on 8.9% of his run defense snaps, the highest of all 3-4 OLBs
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) March 11, 2015
At just 25 years old, Sheard seems like a good get for Bill Belichick and the Pats. He has played multiple spots in both 4-3 and 3-4 alignments, and that sort of versatility has come to define New England’s defenses over the past decade or so. The two-year deal seems fair to both sides, with Sheard getting a healthy payday now and a chance to earn another big contract while still in his twenties.
The Browns still have edge rushers Paul Kruger and Barkevious Mingo on the roster, but Sheard’s departure may inspire the front office to seek more depth up front.
In the meantime, New England retools for another playoff run. At least one person in the NFL thinks Sheard will play a major role for them.
Text from one league source on Patriots landing former Browns LB/DE Jabaal Sheard: "Will be top 5 signing of free agency, guarantee it."
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2015
- Pro Football Focus defines a stop as when the defense holds the offense to less than 40 percent of the required yards for another first down on first down, less than 60 percent of the required yards for a first down on second down, and less than a first down on third or fourth down [↩]
39 Comments
Nice.
Well this year’s FA period is proceeding just swimmingly.
Fairly certain this will be our biggest loss of this FA period when it’s all said and done. And for pretty reasonable cash. Certainly doesn’t reduce the number of questions.
Now is not the time to panic.
But it’s looking like it won’t be much longer.
/Narrative’d
It’s hard to build through the draft when you can’t retain the decent players you draft.
Close your eyes and pretend you’re in Berea…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpZ3LODBK7E
Indeed. Well on our way towards having 11 picks in the 2016 draft. Oh yeah!!
Does anyone want to stay here? Yikes.
Sheard was incredibly average. I didn’t see him become a dominant pass rusher I thought he might be coming out of Pitt. He struck little if any fear in opposing linemen.
you have to offer them a contract to stay. BTW, as of Wednesday, Cleveland has tendered or signed 8 free agents.
Anyone noteworthy?
We’re building through the draft, they said. We’re doing things like New England, they said.
moore a special teamer hahaha
To be fair, they never said what era of Patriot football they’d be drawing from
hi B-bo … if we were playing a 4-3 defense the browns would’ve kept him. playing OLB in a 3-4 is not his gig … i would put more value on retaining tashaun gipson & jordan cameron.
Sheard will be great in NE, but he was a little out of place in the Browns defense. He was good at contain, and it makes him look great to PFF, but the Browns want pass rushers at the OLB spots and I have to agree that’s what they need. I don’t think they’re going to go into the season counting on Mingo as the starter there (although he may win the job now in his 3rd year) but I’m not sure Sheard at $5.5M/yr. would have been the best move to shore up the spot. (and in fairness, the Browns would likely have to have beaten that offer, or at least guaranteed more years)
hi WOOF … mingo has majorly underwhelmed for a 1st round draft pick.
excellent point SAM … though farmer did not draft any of the players leaving.
and Buster Skrine
hi JEW … i am proud of buster skrine , but it was the right move to let him walk , imo.
I agree TB2. I really like Sheard (the person), but the player as an OLB in the 3-4 was too often the guy responsible for losing the edge and it’s not like he’s a pass rusher (like Kruger). Sad to see him go, but I was expecting it and hopefully Belichick can find a role more suitable for his talents.
“This guy here is DEAD!”
The Browns did not over-pay for Skrine and Sheard! AWESOME!!!! AWESOME!!!!
Maybe, this is a sign that the Browns wont be trading up or down in the first round for a bust??? AWESOME!!!! AWESOME!!!!
Build the team through the draft! Let Gilbert work with Joe Haden. Gilbert, while very very disappointing in his rookie year, or Williams, or even Desir all are not that much of a step down from Skrine, and all have a higher ceiling in my opinion. yes, skrine worked really hard, but Williams and Desir appear to have the same work ethic, and lets hope Gilbert turns it around. With this situation, letting Skrine go was smart.
As per sheard, bye bye. Thank you for a great 2 years, and thanks for a mediocre last two years. He did not see the field much last year. He fits the 4-3 better is my humble opinion. Mingo (still disappointing) has more potential and far more speed, and is improving against the run. Plus, we have Armonty Bryant coming back, and I think he is better than Sheard.
FINALLY, INTELLIGENCE with the team! Thank you Ray Farmer!
hi Will … good article. i was ready to question sheard having the highest % of defensive stops (by PFF) by an OLB until i saw the footnote at the end … it still is a little misleading if you look at his career stats :
tackles > sacks
———– ——–
2011 – 40 > 8.5
2012 – 38 > 7
2013 – 19 > 5.5
2014 – 25 > 2
above : he played DE in 2011 & 2012 … pretty good production … & then it drops-off dramatically with him playing OLB in a 3-4 defense in 2013 & 2014. if you’re going to play a 3-4 defense the LB’s HAVE to make the plays.
he didn’t make that many tackles , regardless of his % of defensive stops.
I like how we “build” through the draft and let them walk in FA.
Like losing a great pair of winter gloves after you’ve moved to Phoenix.
but, what are you going to do when you visit Flagstaff in the winter once every few years?
It’s hard to build through the draft when we switch offensive and defensive philosophies every few seasons. The only way you can keep your guys is if they fit your system or are just so good that they fit any system.
Draft a new pair of gloves in the 6th round?
Whoa there bud, this is a family site.
Might want to be careful slinging the anti-Semite greetings around.
At last press conference McCown still had a pulse….but close enough.
gotcha … meant no disrespect. i would NEVER intentionally offend someone.
Sarcasm intended, but no font used.
Don’t worry, it was a joke.
gotcha … that’s what i thought , but you can never be too sure.
… good point.
btw, love how you address people that you communicate with here. makes it just a touch more personable.
great, now we have those flimsy cloth gloves that make your hands even colder once they get wet with melting snow.
hi MG … yes, i address every with a “hi” … even if i’m getting ready to totally disagree with their post.
But at least we’re not paying the old gloves tons of cash for underperforming in a climate where they are not best designed to perform!
“cross him off, then”