Scott Petrak

The Gazette

BEREA — The calendar just flipped to June. Training camp doesn’t start for nearly two months. The regular-season opener is Sept. 13.

Yet during a break in minicamp last week, linebacker Eric Barton was alone on the sideline with an assistant coach and five white garbage cans representing the offensive line. The coach would call out the offensive set, and Barton countered with the defensive adjustment.

“You know how offenses are, they’re always going to have some new shift or formation or alignment you’re going to have to adjust to,” he said. “You’ve got to stay a step ahead of them.

“It’s accountability. As a linebacker, you’re the quarterback of the defense and you have to take pride in that and you have to study.”

During an OTA (organized team activity) practice Tuesday, he was joined in the drill by D’Qwell Jackson, Kamerion Wimbley and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Jackson’s been impressed with Barton’s command of the defense and recognition of opposing offenses.

“The minute we come out of the huddle, bam, bam, bam,” he said of Barton’s play calls. “E.B. is just on top of that stuff.”

Barton’s commitment, intelligence and positive influence are reasons coach Eric Mangini loves him.

An inside linebacker to replace Andra Davis and play next to Jackson was a high priority in Mangini’s first offseason. The Browns ranked 28th against the run last year.

But instead of signing a big-name free agent or targeting USC’s Rey Maualuga in the draft, Mangini set his sights on his guy.

“Eric is incredibly smart,” he said of Barton, whom Mangini coached for three years in New York. “He can see a formation and anticipate the adjustment, he can see a formation and anticipate the play.

“He is a good communicator. He has good toughness. I’d say his forte is getting all 11 guys going in the right direction and making sure they are in the right spots.”

Barton will turn 32 in September and is the Browns’ longest-tenured defender as he enters his 11th year in the NFL. He spent his first five seasons in Oakland and the last five with the Jets. He’s made 100 starts in 136 games and totaled 119 tackles, four passes defensed and 1½ sacks last year. He has 20 sacks for his career.

At 6-foot-2, 245 pounds, he’s 2 inches taller and 5 pounds heavier than Jackson, but he’s not the thumper some believed the Browns needed as a complement to the undersized Jackson. In fact, they have similar styles.

“Ideally, if you can take that front seven and split it down the middle, everybody would be exactly the same in terms of ability to play the run, to play the pass, rush the passer, stop the run,” Mangini said. “Those middle linebackers have to deal with the front, but they also have to deal with the back end. They are the conduit between the two, so them being on the same page is critical and them getting the front and secondary on the same page is also critical.”

Barton is part of the migration of Jets to Cleveland, which stands at seven: defensive lineman Kenyon Coleman and C.J. Mosley, outside linebacker David Bowens, safety Abram Elam, quarterback Brett Ratliff and cornerback Hank Poteat.

Barton has noticed the differences between The Big Apple and Cleveland — no Empire State Building — but a lot of the faces and Mangini’s style are familiar.

“I’m just trying to share the knowledge,” Barton said. “I have been in this league. If that means being the leader out there, then that’s what I’ll be.”

The former Jets were hand-picked by Mangini. Not only do they add talent and depth to an undermanned roster, they bring an understanding of Mangini’s system — as well as his likes and dislikes.

Are there a lot of dislikes?

“No. Just do what you’re supposed to do, really,” Barton said. “Be on time, work hard. If we do that, we’ll be fine.”

So, what ticks off Mangini?

“No comment,” Barton said.

Barton was a free agent and had his choice of teams. He picked a 4-12 Browns team so he could rejoin Mangini.

“He’s probably … not probably, he is the smartest coach I’ve ever been around and he puts guys in positions to make plays,” Barton said. “You know you’re always going to be well-prepared play-ing the game.”

Like coach, like inside linebacker.

Contact Scott Petrak at 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com.