Baron Browning making strides in switch to OLB

One of the more surprising changes the new coaching staff for the Denver Broncos made this year was to move Baron Browning from inside linebacker to edge rusher. This after Browning had an impressive rookie campaign at inside linebacker last season.

Usually, you switch positions for a player who isn’t quite working out at the position they were playing, but its clear Nathaniel Hackett and his staff saw something worth looking at with Browning outside. Fortunately, Browning wanted to move outside too so the switch kind of worked out for both player and coaching staff.

“I kind of wanted to make the move, but they felt the same way,” Browning said this week. “I don’t know if this is something for just this period for right now, but I’m just making the most of it and working on just perfecting my craft every day.”

It hasn’t been a smooth transition by any means as Browning alluded to in an honest review of how things have gone so far.

“I would just say that it’s different being up close on the line,” Browning explained. “I felt like when I first started out, I was kind of trying to hesitate as far as trying to see whether it was a run or a pass. When you’re inside, you have that time and distance to bounce your feet and really diagnose things. I would say that was probably the only small thing, but I really don’t feel like there have been too many crazy challenges. I feel like I’m pretty comfortable there and I’m making a lot of progress.”

Making the switch from an off the ball linebacker inside to playing on the line at snap is a big adjustment for the read and recognition of the play post-snap. It sounds like Browning is beginning to get a good feel for things, so it should be fun to see how this move shakes out in training camp.