Shorter blurbs first, followed by longer articles for those who want more:
--Rhamondre Stevenson (618 yards rushing on 4.8 yards per carry; 35 catches for 227 yards) is awesome and clearly the best offensive player on the team. His ability to force missed tackles in a phone booth and growth into a true three-down back has been fun to watch all season.
----Browns Rookie Stock Report
DT Perrion Winfrey: Stock Down
Perrion Winfrey cannot find the field with frequency despite being a member of the league’s worst defensive tackle room. He has been in the doghouse on multiple occasions already as a rookie, and when he is on the field it is easy to spot blunders on his tape.
For someone as built and explosive as Winfrey, the hopes were high. He fell to the fourth round for a reason, but there were reasons to hope he may turn his mindset around once he got into an NFL building. Yet he is getting out-snapped by Tommy Togiai and even his teammate at Oklahoma Isaiah Thomas in recent weeks.
The Browns opted for a three-man rotation in their defensive tackle unit against the Cincinnati Bengals, and it may have been for the better. It, however, is not a great sign that Winfrey is inactive eight weeks into the season in this room.
WR Michael Woods II: Stock Neutral
Michael Woods II missed all of training camp but dodged going on Injured Reserve. He has been inactive for most of the season but has recently seen the field over the past three weeks.
His sample size, however, is not big enough to make a judgment call on. As a sixth round pick, this is a good thing for the Browns that they have not been forced to thrust rookies on the field well before they are ready offensively.
For now, we hold at neutral.
DE Isaiah Thomas: Stock up
This past draft cycle, I graded Isaiah Thomas as an early day-three candidate. He fell into the Browns’ lap in the seventh round and has already exceeded his draft slot. His snaps are ramping up, and he is earning and deserving every single snap he sees on gamedays.
This week he even came away with his first career sack as he beat Bengals’ left tackle, Jonah Williams, with a nasty chop/rip. He deserves the snaps he is seeing over Winfrey and veteran Isaac Rochell and deserves to keep those snaps even when Chase Winovich returns from Injured Reserve.
A run defender who is willing to do the dirty work, and a pass rusher with length and savvy, the Browns have a solid rotational piece in Thomas.
Stock all the way up on Thomas.
--[Ravens OC Greg] Roman Praises Ben Powers for Having His Best Season
There was an open competition for the starting job at left guard during training camp and Ben Powers won it. Now he's thriving as a starter and Roman praised the former fourth-round pick in 2019 for coming into his own in his fourth season.
"Ben Powers is quietly having a really, really good year," Roman said. "[He's] very dependable, durable, reliable [and] understands exactly what we want of him. There are always things we can improve on and coach on, but he's doing a great job."
With the return of All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley, the Ravens hope their offensive line can stay intact from this point forward, with other vets like right guard Kevin Zeitler and right tackle Morgan Moses providing stability for rookie center Tyler Linderbaum.
"I think that unit's really starting to develop," Roman said. "I like what I'm seeing in a lot of different areas from them. The continuity I think is big with Ronnie back and Ben playing the way he is. We have a young center, so having veteran guys around him like Ben and Ronnie and Kevin and Morgan, I think that's really helpful to Tyler."
[OUB: With Powers in the final year of his rookie contract, it's a great time for him to have a career year. Coincidence?]
--One area that has really hurt the [Chargers] defense is linebacker. Drue Tranquill has been really good in blitzes and has made some big tackles but has also gotten lost in coverage at times. More notably, Kenneth Murray has been really, really bad and is someone that opposing offenses straight-up target in their offensive gameplans.
We have seen enough of Murray's struggles to assume that it simply won't come together for him in Los Angeles, which is a shame. The team not only spent a first-round pick on Murray in 2020, but traded a second and third-round pick to move into the first round to get him. This one draft mistake is absolutely still haunting this team. [OUB: Ouch!]
--Mid-Season All-Pro Voting
Creed Humphrey has picked up where he left off last season. Halfway through his second year, he is building a very good case for being the unquestioned best center in the game. He hasn’t allowed a sack this season and boasts PFF grades of at least 76.0 as both a run-blocker and a pass-blocker.
Lane Johnson against Tristan Wirfs at right tackle is an incredibly difficult battle to decide. Both players have been excellent, but Wirfs has been pass blocking for a quarterback with the fastest average time to throw in the NFL, while Johnson has been doing it for the seventh-slowest. Johnson hasn’t allowed a sack or a hit all season.
Tress Way not only boasts one of the strongest legs in the game, but he also has fantastic hang time and leads the NFL with 22 punts placed inside the 20-yard line. He edged out Kansas City’s Tommy Townsend (12 votes) for top honors.
--The Raiders announced the other move, signing linebacker Curtis Bolton to the active roster.
Bolton joined the Raiders’ this offseason after spending time with the Colts, 49ers and Lions in 2021. He has appeared in six career games and recorded four tackles on special teams.
--I definitely had to catch up': Now healthy, Browns rookie Michael Woods II getting reps
Chris Easterling
Akron Beacon Journal
BEREA — Michael Woods II was already coming into his first months with the Browns at a disadvantage of sorts.
For starters, Woods was a late-round pick, having been taken in the sixth round. Then there were the injuries that sidelined him for much of the on-field offseason program, as well as most of training camp.
So Woods was starting from well behind the curve when the Browns started the regular season back in mid-September. No one understood that better than the former Arkansas and Oklahoma product.
"I think when I came back I definitely had to catch up," Woods told the Beacon Journal on Monday. "I mean, I feel like in the league, it's like a train. Once you get to step off that train, you got to catch back up. So I definitely felt like I had to catch back up but I feel like that comes with time and I feel like I can pick things up pretty quickly."
Woods isn't just talking some big rookie talk there. He's proving it on the field as well.
The rookie spent the first five games of the regular season on the inactive list after having missed all three preseason games. However, Woods made his NFL debut on Oct. 16 against the New England Patriots, playing 10 snaps at receiver and another six on special teams.
Those snaps took a slight dip the following week against Baltimore, as he played just six on offense and six on special teams. He came back in the Browns' final game before their bye week, against Cincinnati, and played 12 offensive and eight special-teams snaps.
"Just with reps comes, like, more comfortable, like, on the field," Woods said. "I just feel more comfortable. Have more experience, you see more looks. Get over them first little butterflies or jitters that you might have. So, I mean, I feel good. My role is kind of, I mean, it is what it is. I have a role on this team and I'm just trying to fulfill that role."
How much bigger a role could Woods develop over the final nine regular-season games, starting Sunday at Miami? That remains to be seen.
Is Woods surprised that he's been able to go from inactive to a regular run in four-receiver set in just a few games despite virtually no preseason? Let him answer that question himself.
"For me personally, I'm just I'm a very confident person, so I knew my time was coming," Woods said. "I still think, I still know it's coming. So I don't really press when things go wrong. I don't really stress or worry. I'm very confident in myself. So I just knew once I did get a chance I would make the most out of it."
Woods is one of three rookies from Oklahoma on the Browns roster. He's one of two, along with seventh-round defensive end Isaiah Thomas, who has seen his snaps rise as the season progresses.
Much like Woods, Thomas also sustained a preseason injury that slowed his progress a bit. However, the two have taken on a similar trajectory in the eyes of their head coach.
“I would say very similar, very similar," coach Kevin Stefanski said. "Woods was working through injuries towards the end of camp and those type of things, but he is healthy. Getting more of an opportunity and was active for the first time a few weeks back, so he is somebody who you definitely could a little bit more of if he earns that role."
All of that happens based upon how Woods continues to progress. Of course, considering the progression he's already made, it would probably be unwise to place a high wager on it not happening.
Woods, who spent the bye work with family and working out with long-time trainer Delfonte Diamond, believes part of the reason why he's closed some of the gap that existed when he returned from the training camp injury is from the work he did even while he was hurt. That work continued once he was able to get on the field — the practice field, that is — and it's now helping as he gets out on the actual game field.
"I think, just from an experience standpoint, like just seeing how everything works, and how the offense is ran, and how coach likes to call plays," Woods said of how he was able to grow. "Even it's from watching how we study film each week, stuff like that. So I feel like all those opportunities, I had a long time to kind of sit back and watch how things go. I didn't play any preseason games, so I had a lot of time to see how things kind of work out, and I think that helped."
--Rookie Isaiah Thomas predicted first sack, sees more coming
Scott PetrakNovember 8, 2022
Isaiah Thomas had played five NFL games without a sack but envisioned his breakthrough coming Oct. 31 against the Bengals on national TV.
“I’ve always known I was going to get it sooner or later. And honestly in that moment, you can ask some of the D-linemen, I called it,” the rookie defensive end said.
Thomas noticed left tackle Jonah Williams was susceptible to the chop of his hands and told Browns teammates the plan of attack.
“I’m telling them, ‘Next time I’m in I’m throwing it. I’ve just got to do it. It’ll be there,’” Thomas said. “It was unreal. I couldn’t believe it.”
Thomas knocked down Williams’ hands, giving him the freedom to get past and take down quarterback Joe Burrow for one of five Browns sacks in a 32-13 victory.
“He kept anchoring on power, so I just put some finesse in there,” Thomas said.
All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett wasn’t surprised to hear Thomas’ sack prediction on the sideline.
“He always talks like that. He always brings that energy,” Garrett said. “Isaiah had really been preparing him for power and once he hit him with the long arm and he sat his feet down and he went with the chop from the side, he had him beat. He had him dead in the water.
“When you see it, it looks like he barely touched him just because it came off so smoothly and he cut him down. It was a great choice of rush and when those come it just feels like you’re water.”
Thomas (6-foot-5, 266 pounds) added a tipped pass and three tackles in 18 defensive snaps, but the sack is what will stick with him.
“It was similar to my first sack in college,” he said. “It was in the Big 12 championship and came off the edge and chased the quarterback, and I had that same emotion, that same feeling like I belong here, I’m meant to be here.
“I want this to be a snowball effect with success for future games and just be consistent with it. Just proving that I belong here.”
Thomas, a seventh-round pick out of Oklahoma, was inactive for two games early in the year and only got consistent playing time the last three games, hovering around 20 snaps. He has seven tackles, two quarterback hits, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery, and feels himself improving as the Browns prepare to play the Dolphins on Sunday in Miami.
“I think what comes from that is just big confidence and morale boosters week in and week out,” he said. “Once you can convince yourself that no one can stop you, it turns into reality out there on the field and week by week I just want to build off that. And this game hopefully I can continue that path and that trajectory of success.”
Thomas’ acclimation to the NFL and emergence as a reliable piece of the rotation were delayed by a broken hand during training camp. After two sacks in the preseason opener against Jacksonville, he slipped in a one-on-one pass rush drill in practice, tried to brace himself and the right index finger bent backward. He thought he jammed it, but the fracture started in the finger and went into the top of his hand. He missed time then was forced to play in a cast into the regular season.
“Man, it stumbled me a little bit,” he said. “‘I know I’m not playing to my full potential. I know I’m capable of doing what I know I can do, but with this cast on I’m limited to a bunch of things.
“It was a setback for sure. I say more so mentally than anything. And I’m just out here, ‘Dang, I want to show that I belong but I can’t show them what I can do with one hand.’ Now it’s 100% and it’s feeling like that Jacksonville week all over again. I just want to keep it going.”
Not only was Thomas limited to lining up on the right side because of the cast, he couldn’t rely on one of his strengths — powerful hands.
“I think over time I would’ve gotten used to it and found a way to be successful with it,” he said. “But it happening so abruptly and me being a rookie and already mentally trying to figure out everything, it slowed me down. It hit me out of nowhere and I wasn’t prepared to go through that.”
He eventually made it through to the other side.
“At the end of the day you’ve got to find a way,” Garrett said. “We’ve all been facing adversity, and he’s no different. He’s attacked it, he hasn’t complained, hasn’t asked for any sympathy, the man just goes and attacks each day.”
Coach Kevin Stefanski has been impressed with Thomas’ dependability.
“As you see him getting more opportunities and a little bit more exposure to him, I think you are seeing a player who is going to do his job every play,” he said. “He is going to know what to do and he is going to do it. I just think he is a good all-around football player the more reps that he gets.”
Thomas and fellow rookie Alex Wright, a third-round pick, have the benefit of learning from a pair of proven ends in Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney. Garrett is arguably the best in the league, and Clowney is a three-time Pro Bowler who excels against the run and as a pass rusher.
“Having guys in front of you that know what it takes to be successful as an individual and as a teammate, it helps out a lot,” Thomas said. “And just learning little things from them. Not even just football stuff, just life in general. It keeps you at ease and it keeps you confident in your abilities.”
If the Browns are going to make a run in the second half, the defense must continue its improved play from the last two games, with the pass rush leading the way and Thomas contributing.
“I want my presence felt in a positive way when I’m out there, no falloff for sure,” he said. “I don’t want people to be nervous when I come in for Jadeveon or Myles. I want people to be, ‘OK, we’re good.’”
--'He continues to get better and better': After Bradley Chubb trade, OLB Nik Bonitto has opportunity to earn big role
Nov 10, 2022 at 05:18 PM
Ellie Kinney
Digital Media Contributor
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Speed. Burst. Bend.
These are all terms that General Manager George Paton used to describe outside linebacker Nik Bonitto's skill set after the Broncos selected him with the 64th-overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.
The rookie did not have many opportunities to showcase these talents in the first half of the season, as he battled for reps behind a wave of pass rushers that included Bradley Chubb, Randy Gregory and Baron Browning. But in the NFL, things can change at a moment's notice — one minute you're on the bench, and the next you're thrown into the action and expected to make a play.
As the Broncos approach the final nine games, Bonitto's big opportunity has arrived. With Denver trading Chubb to the Dolphins and Gregory still working his way back from injured reserve, Bonitto now has the chance to claim a significant role on the Broncos' commanding defense.
Bonitto earned his largest snap share of the season in Week 8 while Browning was inactive with a hip injury, taking the field for 58 percent of Denver's defensive snaps. He recorded the first 1.5 sacks of his career over the last two games, and the rookie will look to build on his recent success as his role is expected to increase.
"[I'm] just doing the same thing I've been doing: Taking the coaching points, looking at the guys ahead of me [to] see what they're doing and just continually trying to improve every week," said Bonitto when asked about potentially earning more responsibility.
The learning curve from college to the NFL is steep for any rookie, as the game is faster and more complicated at the professional level. Bonitto is the first to admit that his transition has not been seamless, but he has made leaps over the last several weeks as he has gotten more game experience.
When given a chance to show what he can do against Jacksonville, the rookie did not take the opportunity for granted. The Jaguars held a 10-7 lead in the third quarter, and they entered Broncos territory with a chance to extend their lead. On second-and-14, Bonitto made an athletic spin move around Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson to strip-sack quarterback Trevor Lawrence, forcing Jacksonville into a third-and-28 from which it would not be able to recover.
Snuffing out that drive turned out to be a crucial moment, as Denver's offense responded with a 98-yard drive to take the lead.
"Just playing faster and confident I feel like is the main thing for me," Bonitto said. "Not so much thinking, but going out there and knowing what I have to do and just playing fast."
His development has been apparent to Defensive Coordinator Ejiro Evero, who praised the rookie's coachability and willingness to evolve as a player. Part of Bonitto's adjustment to the NFL has involved learning skills that were not part of his game in college, and Evero noted that he has made tremendous progress throughout his time as a Bronco.
"[Bonitto has grown] in all areas," Evero said. "I think, first of all, [his] understanding of the game. [Outside linebackers] Coach [Bert] Watts has done a great job with him, just trying to educate him on the NFL, and half the battle is [to] know what to expect, so he's grown with his knowledge. He's hitting blocks, playing a different style than he was asked to [at] Oklahoma, and he's really responded to that and he continues to get better and better. We're still expecting more growth, obviously, but he's been doing a good job."
Adding new elements to one's game while adapting to the fast pace of the NFL is no easy task, but Bonitto noted that he is proud of his growth so far. The Broncos' coaching staff has been working with him to get better at setting the edge in the run game, and the rookie has already noticed an improvement.
"It's getting better just because it wasn't something I was asked to do in college," Bonitto said. "It was more, for me, stunting and shooting gaps instead of actually holding edges, so like I said, just more game reps and practice reps, I'm getting better for sure."
As Denver prepares to face Tennessee on Sunday, the outside linebacker will have a great opportunity to prove that he is a complete player on defense. With the 2019 Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year and current NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry in the Titans' backfield, Tennessee is expected to lean heavily on the run game. This may prevent Bonitto from showcasing his acclaimed pass rushing ability, but he could make a major statement if he successfully sets the edge and helps limit the Titans' rushing attack.
"[The key is] just playing team defense," Bonitto said. "That's something 'Coach E' [Evero] has been preaching all week; 11 men doing their job, 11 men going to the ball. It's going to take more than one guy to tackle a guy like that, so just playing team defense."
A great challenge awaits the rookie on Sunday, and Bonitto will look to meet it with confidence.
--Rhamondre Stevenson (618 yards rushing on 4.8 yards per carry; 35 catches for 227 yards) is awesome and clearly the best offensive player on the team. His ability to force missed tackles in a phone booth and growth into a true three-down back has been fun to watch all season.
----Browns Rookie Stock Report
DT Perrion Winfrey: Stock Down
Perrion Winfrey cannot find the field with frequency despite being a member of the league’s worst defensive tackle room. He has been in the doghouse on multiple occasions already as a rookie, and when he is on the field it is easy to spot blunders on his tape.
For someone as built and explosive as Winfrey, the hopes were high. He fell to the fourth round for a reason, but there were reasons to hope he may turn his mindset around once he got into an NFL building. Yet he is getting out-snapped by Tommy Togiai and even his teammate at Oklahoma Isaiah Thomas in recent weeks.
The Browns opted for a three-man rotation in their defensive tackle unit against the Cincinnati Bengals, and it may have been for the better. It, however, is not a great sign that Winfrey is inactive eight weeks into the season in this room.
WR Michael Woods II: Stock Neutral
Michael Woods II missed all of training camp but dodged going on Injured Reserve. He has been inactive for most of the season but has recently seen the field over the past three weeks.
His sample size, however, is not big enough to make a judgment call on. As a sixth round pick, this is a good thing for the Browns that they have not been forced to thrust rookies on the field well before they are ready offensively.
For now, we hold at neutral.
DE Isaiah Thomas: Stock up
This past draft cycle, I graded Isaiah Thomas as an early day-three candidate. He fell into the Browns’ lap in the seventh round and has already exceeded his draft slot. His snaps are ramping up, and he is earning and deserving every single snap he sees on gamedays.
This week he even came away with his first career sack as he beat Bengals’ left tackle, Jonah Williams, with a nasty chop/rip. He deserves the snaps he is seeing over Winfrey and veteran Isaac Rochell and deserves to keep those snaps even when Chase Winovich returns from Injured Reserve.
A run defender who is willing to do the dirty work, and a pass rusher with length and savvy, the Browns have a solid rotational piece in Thomas.
Stock all the way up on Thomas.
--[Ravens OC Greg] Roman Praises Ben Powers for Having His Best Season
There was an open competition for the starting job at left guard during training camp and Ben Powers won it. Now he's thriving as a starter and Roman praised the former fourth-round pick in 2019 for coming into his own in his fourth season.
"Ben Powers is quietly having a really, really good year," Roman said. "[He's] very dependable, durable, reliable [and] understands exactly what we want of him. There are always things we can improve on and coach on, but he's doing a great job."
With the return of All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley, the Ravens hope their offensive line can stay intact from this point forward, with other vets like right guard Kevin Zeitler and right tackle Morgan Moses providing stability for rookie center Tyler Linderbaum.
"I think that unit's really starting to develop," Roman said. "I like what I'm seeing in a lot of different areas from them. The continuity I think is big with Ronnie back and Ben playing the way he is. We have a young center, so having veteran guys around him like Ben and Ronnie and Kevin and Morgan, I think that's really helpful to Tyler."
[OUB: With Powers in the final year of his rookie contract, it's a great time for him to have a career year. Coincidence?]
--One area that has really hurt the [Chargers] defense is linebacker. Drue Tranquill has been really good in blitzes and has made some big tackles but has also gotten lost in coverage at times. More notably, Kenneth Murray has been really, really bad and is someone that opposing offenses straight-up target in their offensive gameplans.
We have seen enough of Murray's struggles to assume that it simply won't come together for him in Los Angeles, which is a shame. The team not only spent a first-round pick on Murray in 2020, but traded a second and third-round pick to move into the first round to get him. This one draft mistake is absolutely still haunting this team. [OUB: Ouch!]
--Mid-Season All-Pro Voting
Creed Humphrey has picked up where he left off last season. Halfway through his second year, he is building a very good case for being the unquestioned best center in the game. He hasn’t allowed a sack this season and boasts PFF grades of at least 76.0 as both a run-blocker and a pass-blocker.
Lane Johnson against Tristan Wirfs at right tackle is an incredibly difficult battle to decide. Both players have been excellent, but Wirfs has been pass blocking for a quarterback with the fastest average time to throw in the NFL, while Johnson has been doing it for the seventh-slowest. Johnson hasn’t allowed a sack or a hit all season.
Tress Way not only boasts one of the strongest legs in the game, but he also has fantastic hang time and leads the NFL with 22 punts placed inside the 20-yard line. He edged out Kansas City’s Tommy Townsend (12 votes) for top honors.
--The Raiders announced the other move, signing linebacker Curtis Bolton to the active roster.
Bolton joined the Raiders’ this offseason after spending time with the Colts, 49ers and Lions in 2021. He has appeared in six career games and recorded four tackles on special teams.
--I definitely had to catch up': Now healthy, Browns rookie Michael Woods II getting reps
Chris Easterling
Akron Beacon Journal
BEREA — Michael Woods II was already coming into his first months with the Browns at a disadvantage of sorts.
For starters, Woods was a late-round pick, having been taken in the sixth round. Then there were the injuries that sidelined him for much of the on-field offseason program, as well as most of training camp.
So Woods was starting from well behind the curve when the Browns started the regular season back in mid-September. No one understood that better than the former Arkansas and Oklahoma product.
"I think when I came back I definitely had to catch up," Woods told the Beacon Journal on Monday. "I mean, I feel like in the league, it's like a train. Once you get to step off that train, you got to catch back up. So I definitely felt like I had to catch back up but I feel like that comes with time and I feel like I can pick things up pretty quickly."
Woods isn't just talking some big rookie talk there. He's proving it on the field as well.
The rookie spent the first five games of the regular season on the inactive list after having missed all three preseason games. However, Woods made his NFL debut on Oct. 16 against the New England Patriots, playing 10 snaps at receiver and another six on special teams.
Those snaps took a slight dip the following week against Baltimore, as he played just six on offense and six on special teams. He came back in the Browns' final game before their bye week, against Cincinnati, and played 12 offensive and eight special-teams snaps.
"Just with reps comes, like, more comfortable, like, on the field," Woods said. "I just feel more comfortable. Have more experience, you see more looks. Get over them first little butterflies or jitters that you might have. So, I mean, I feel good. My role is kind of, I mean, it is what it is. I have a role on this team and I'm just trying to fulfill that role."
How much bigger a role could Woods develop over the final nine regular-season games, starting Sunday at Miami? That remains to be seen.
Is Woods surprised that he's been able to go from inactive to a regular run in four-receiver set in just a few games despite virtually no preseason? Let him answer that question himself.
"For me personally, I'm just I'm a very confident person, so I knew my time was coming," Woods said. "I still think, I still know it's coming. So I don't really press when things go wrong. I don't really stress or worry. I'm very confident in myself. So I just knew once I did get a chance I would make the most out of it."
Woods is one of three rookies from Oklahoma on the Browns roster. He's one of two, along with seventh-round defensive end Isaiah Thomas, who has seen his snaps rise as the season progresses.
Much like Woods, Thomas also sustained a preseason injury that slowed his progress a bit. However, the two have taken on a similar trajectory in the eyes of their head coach.
“I would say very similar, very similar," coach Kevin Stefanski said. "Woods was working through injuries towards the end of camp and those type of things, but he is healthy. Getting more of an opportunity and was active for the first time a few weeks back, so he is somebody who you definitely could a little bit more of if he earns that role."
All of that happens based upon how Woods continues to progress. Of course, considering the progression he's already made, it would probably be unwise to place a high wager on it not happening.
Woods, who spent the bye work with family and working out with long-time trainer Delfonte Diamond, believes part of the reason why he's closed some of the gap that existed when he returned from the training camp injury is from the work he did even while he was hurt. That work continued once he was able to get on the field — the practice field, that is — and it's now helping as he gets out on the actual game field.
"I think, just from an experience standpoint, like just seeing how everything works, and how the offense is ran, and how coach likes to call plays," Woods said of how he was able to grow. "Even it's from watching how we study film each week, stuff like that. So I feel like all those opportunities, I had a long time to kind of sit back and watch how things go. I didn't play any preseason games, so I had a lot of time to see how things kind of work out, and I think that helped."
--Rookie Isaiah Thomas predicted first sack, sees more coming
Scott PetrakNovember 8, 2022
Isaiah Thomas had played five NFL games without a sack but envisioned his breakthrough coming Oct. 31 against the Bengals on national TV.
“I’ve always known I was going to get it sooner or later. And honestly in that moment, you can ask some of the D-linemen, I called it,” the rookie defensive end said.
Thomas noticed left tackle Jonah Williams was susceptible to the chop of his hands and told Browns teammates the plan of attack.
“I’m telling them, ‘Next time I’m in I’m throwing it. I’ve just got to do it. It’ll be there,’” Thomas said. “It was unreal. I couldn’t believe it.”
Thomas knocked down Williams’ hands, giving him the freedom to get past and take down quarterback Joe Burrow for one of five Browns sacks in a 32-13 victory.
“He kept anchoring on power, so I just put some finesse in there,” Thomas said.
All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett wasn’t surprised to hear Thomas’ sack prediction on the sideline.
“He always talks like that. He always brings that energy,” Garrett said. “Isaiah had really been preparing him for power and once he hit him with the long arm and he sat his feet down and he went with the chop from the side, he had him beat. He had him dead in the water.
“When you see it, it looks like he barely touched him just because it came off so smoothly and he cut him down. It was a great choice of rush and when those come it just feels like you’re water.”
Thomas (6-foot-5, 266 pounds) added a tipped pass and three tackles in 18 defensive snaps, but the sack is what will stick with him.
“It was similar to my first sack in college,” he said. “It was in the Big 12 championship and came off the edge and chased the quarterback, and I had that same emotion, that same feeling like I belong here, I’m meant to be here.
“I want this to be a snowball effect with success for future games and just be consistent with it. Just proving that I belong here.”
Thomas, a seventh-round pick out of Oklahoma, was inactive for two games early in the year and only got consistent playing time the last three games, hovering around 20 snaps. He has seven tackles, two quarterback hits, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery, and feels himself improving as the Browns prepare to play the Dolphins on Sunday in Miami.
“I think what comes from that is just big confidence and morale boosters week in and week out,” he said. “Once you can convince yourself that no one can stop you, it turns into reality out there on the field and week by week I just want to build off that. And this game hopefully I can continue that path and that trajectory of success.”
Thomas’ acclimation to the NFL and emergence as a reliable piece of the rotation were delayed by a broken hand during training camp. After two sacks in the preseason opener against Jacksonville, he slipped in a one-on-one pass rush drill in practice, tried to brace himself and the right index finger bent backward. He thought he jammed it, but the fracture started in the finger and went into the top of his hand. He missed time then was forced to play in a cast into the regular season.
“Man, it stumbled me a little bit,” he said. “‘I know I’m not playing to my full potential. I know I’m capable of doing what I know I can do, but with this cast on I’m limited to a bunch of things.
“It was a setback for sure. I say more so mentally than anything. And I’m just out here, ‘Dang, I want to show that I belong but I can’t show them what I can do with one hand.’ Now it’s 100% and it’s feeling like that Jacksonville week all over again. I just want to keep it going.”
Not only was Thomas limited to lining up on the right side because of the cast, he couldn’t rely on one of his strengths — powerful hands.
“I think over time I would’ve gotten used to it and found a way to be successful with it,” he said. “But it happening so abruptly and me being a rookie and already mentally trying to figure out everything, it slowed me down. It hit me out of nowhere and I wasn’t prepared to go through that.”
He eventually made it through to the other side.
“At the end of the day you’ve got to find a way,” Garrett said. “We’ve all been facing adversity, and he’s no different. He’s attacked it, he hasn’t complained, hasn’t asked for any sympathy, the man just goes and attacks each day.”
Coach Kevin Stefanski has been impressed with Thomas’ dependability.
“As you see him getting more opportunities and a little bit more exposure to him, I think you are seeing a player who is going to do his job every play,” he said. “He is going to know what to do and he is going to do it. I just think he is a good all-around football player the more reps that he gets.”
Thomas and fellow rookie Alex Wright, a third-round pick, have the benefit of learning from a pair of proven ends in Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney. Garrett is arguably the best in the league, and Clowney is a three-time Pro Bowler who excels against the run and as a pass rusher.
“Having guys in front of you that know what it takes to be successful as an individual and as a teammate, it helps out a lot,” Thomas said. “And just learning little things from them. Not even just football stuff, just life in general. It keeps you at ease and it keeps you confident in your abilities.”
If the Browns are going to make a run in the second half, the defense must continue its improved play from the last two games, with the pass rush leading the way and Thomas contributing.
“I want my presence felt in a positive way when I’m out there, no falloff for sure,” he said. “I don’t want people to be nervous when I come in for Jadeveon or Myles. I want people to be, ‘OK, we’re good.’”
--'He continues to get better and better': After Bradley Chubb trade, OLB Nik Bonitto has opportunity to earn big role
Nov 10, 2022 at 05:18 PM
Ellie Kinney
Digital Media Contributor
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Speed. Burst. Bend.
These are all terms that General Manager George Paton used to describe outside linebacker Nik Bonitto's skill set after the Broncos selected him with the 64th-overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.
The rookie did not have many opportunities to showcase these talents in the first half of the season, as he battled for reps behind a wave of pass rushers that included Bradley Chubb, Randy Gregory and Baron Browning. But in the NFL, things can change at a moment's notice — one minute you're on the bench, and the next you're thrown into the action and expected to make a play.
As the Broncos approach the final nine games, Bonitto's big opportunity has arrived. With Denver trading Chubb to the Dolphins and Gregory still working his way back from injured reserve, Bonitto now has the chance to claim a significant role on the Broncos' commanding defense.
Bonitto earned his largest snap share of the season in Week 8 while Browning was inactive with a hip injury, taking the field for 58 percent of Denver's defensive snaps. He recorded the first 1.5 sacks of his career over the last two games, and the rookie will look to build on his recent success as his role is expected to increase.
"[I'm] just doing the same thing I've been doing: Taking the coaching points, looking at the guys ahead of me [to] see what they're doing and just continually trying to improve every week," said Bonitto when asked about potentially earning more responsibility.
The learning curve from college to the NFL is steep for any rookie, as the game is faster and more complicated at the professional level. Bonitto is the first to admit that his transition has not been seamless, but he has made leaps over the last several weeks as he has gotten more game experience.
When given a chance to show what he can do against Jacksonville, the rookie did not take the opportunity for granted. The Jaguars held a 10-7 lead in the third quarter, and they entered Broncos territory with a chance to extend their lead. On second-and-14, Bonitto made an athletic spin move around Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson to strip-sack quarterback Trevor Lawrence, forcing Jacksonville into a third-and-28 from which it would not be able to recover.
Snuffing out that drive turned out to be a crucial moment, as Denver's offense responded with a 98-yard drive to take the lead.
"Just playing faster and confident I feel like is the main thing for me," Bonitto said. "Not so much thinking, but going out there and knowing what I have to do and just playing fast."
His development has been apparent to Defensive Coordinator Ejiro Evero, who praised the rookie's coachability and willingness to evolve as a player. Part of Bonitto's adjustment to the NFL has involved learning skills that were not part of his game in college, and Evero noted that he has made tremendous progress throughout his time as a Bronco.
"[Bonitto has grown] in all areas," Evero said. "I think, first of all, [his] understanding of the game. [Outside linebackers] Coach [Bert] Watts has done a great job with him, just trying to educate him on the NFL, and half the battle is [to] know what to expect, so he's grown with his knowledge. He's hitting blocks, playing a different style than he was asked to [at] Oklahoma, and he's really responded to that and he continues to get better and better. We're still expecting more growth, obviously, but he's been doing a good job."
Adding new elements to one's game while adapting to the fast pace of the NFL is no easy task, but Bonitto noted that he is proud of his growth so far. The Broncos' coaching staff has been working with him to get better at setting the edge in the run game, and the rookie has already noticed an improvement.
"It's getting better just because it wasn't something I was asked to do in college," Bonitto said. "It was more, for me, stunting and shooting gaps instead of actually holding edges, so like I said, just more game reps and practice reps, I'm getting better for sure."
As Denver prepares to face Tennessee on Sunday, the outside linebacker will have a great opportunity to prove that he is a complete player on defense. With the 2019 Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year and current NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry in the Titans' backfield, Tennessee is expected to lean heavily on the run game. This may prevent Bonitto from showcasing his acclaimed pass rushing ability, but he could make a major statement if he successfully sets the edge and helps limit the Titans' rushing attack.
"[The key is] just playing team defense," Bonitto said. "That's something 'Coach E' [Evero] has been preaching all week; 11 men doing their job, 11 men going to the ball. It's going to take more than one guy to tackle a guy like that, so just playing team defense."
A great challenge awaits the rookie on Sunday, and Bonitto will look to meet it with confidence.
