Browns like what they see in LB Gocong

Associated Press

BEREA

Linebacker Chris Gocong isn’t the only one at the Cleveland Browns’ training camp on an advanced learning curve.

Coach Eric Mangini is quickly discovering that Gocong’s versatility fits into the aggressive schemes devised by defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Instead of being one of several linebackers rotated in a 3-4 scheme, the newcomer is using his speed and agility to establish himself with the starting unit.

“Throw me in there, fine with me,” Gocong said Thursday. “Coming over here to a 3-4 where you’ve got this great coordinator, and Mangini is such a defensive-minded coach, it’s just fun.”

Gocong enjoyed batting down a pass from Jake Delhomme early in drills. That set the tone for defensive pressure that often left the offense frustrated. Eric Wright and Abram Elam soon followed with interceptions. Lineman Robaire Smith picked off a tipped ball, too.

The offense resorted to trickery from Seneca Wallace and Josh Cribbs to gain some points with the coaching staff. Wallace, the backup to Delhomme, fired a pinpoint pass to wideout Cribbs in the corner of the end zone. That came a few moments after Cribbs took the snap and made a lateral pass to Wallace, who ran it 20 yards to score.

Delhomme and Wallace are expected to lend a spark to Cleveland’s offense. Gocong and eight-year defensive back Sheldon Brown were acquired from Philadelphia to improve a defense that ranked next-to-last in the NFL in 2009.

“He is a really smart person and player,” Mangini said of Gocong, who missed only one game the past three years after sitting out the entire 2006 season because of a herniated disc.

Mangini sees no effects of that injury.

“He moves well,” Mangini said. “He is understanding the concepts well.”

While hoping to move into a starting role, Gocong is most excited about getting a chance to move in on opposing quarterbacks. He had 42 sacks in 41 games as a defensive end in college, but has only four in 47 NFL games.

“I’ve always wanted to get to the quarterback more,” Gocong said. “With the Eagles, it was more of a run-stopping thing, but I learned a lot and that has made me a better player overall.”

Gocong believes Ryan is just the man to assemble the parts into a dominating unit.

“Rob really is open to things,” he said. “You can go over and say, ‘I think we should do this, and he’ll be open-minded about it. That’s a cool thing. It’s like a breath of fresh air.”