D-Line in 3-4

I was just reading Ace's comments on this article regarding the Browns bloated D-line and the switch to the 3-4 and figured I'd throw in my two cents.

Can any of our defensive lineman cut it in a 3-4 scheme? It is going to be tough. I think we are likely to see Crennel run a mixed scheme where the 3-4 might be the base defense, but traditional 4-3 packages are still used often. That's what New England has been doing for years, so it would make sense that Crennel would use something similar. Still, you can count on some major turnover in the group including Gerard Warren, Courtney Brown, Kenard Lang, Ebenezer Ekuban, Orpheus Roye and Alvin McKinley.

Warren is the most commonly mentioned candidate for nosetackle, but I don't really see it. He seems more of a one-gap player to me, and I don't know that he can be enough of a presence at nosetackle. But in terms of salary he really won't cost the Browns much this coming year. He's either got to play nosetackle or he's gonna get traded. I think the more often Crennel wants to run a 3-4 the more likely Warren gets traded.

C Brown seems to be in line to be moved to LB and occasionally lineup on the line and rush the passer. I can see him doing quite well in this role, but it's by no means a guarantee. And Brown will have to take a big pay cut to stay with the Browns. It might be in his best interest to get cut and sign with another team as a regular DE. Personally, I hope he stays and we get to see him bowl over 3rd-down RBs on his way to the quarterback.

Lang has been a decent DE. And he will probably be able to play DE in a 3-4 and still be reasonably effective. But his pass rushiing skills would not be used much and I'm not sure the cost/benefit ratio will be in the Browns favor. But I bet he sticks around for at least another year and does fine.

Ekuban might be the odd man out. He wasn't bad at DE. But I don't recall him being a force against the run. He isn't that cheap either.

Roye would seem to be the only automatic of the bunch. He's played in a 3-4 before and has been able to do anything the Browns asked of him in a 4-3. Unless Savage has problems with his salary, I think he and Lang will play end.

McKinley is cheap and played pretty well the last two years. Can he play nosetackle? Don't know. He would probably backup at end pretty well though.

Who else? Michael Myers is another guy who could stay, but he's the type of guy who will have to fight it out in trainiing camp before solidifying a spot.

UPDATE: Looks like Warren is on the way out. Which probably means Romeo feels playing a 3-4 all/most of the time is doable. I wonder what the Browns think they can get for him -- if they really don't have a need for him they won't have much leverage, but if multiple teams have interest he could garner a 3rd or even 2nd rounder. Maybe it will open up some opportunities for the Browns to swap draft picks as well.