I subscribe to the Orange and Brown Report, and picked some stuff up by analyzing some amatuer witness reports. I have the advantage of having been a professional unsuccessful writer, as well as an intelligent analyst, so I can intuitively sort through the crap and pick out the releveant stuff.
RYAN KRAUSS was drafted by Sand Diego in the sixth round, and is now entering his third season. He is a tight end now, but was a small-college wide reciever--a very prolific, sure-handed one. He weighed 240 at that time, and currently weighs about 245. In one game as a rookie for San Diego, he led all recievers with 89 yards.
But San Diego was San Diego, and the kid was a project. As you might suspect, he wasn't a great blocker. Marty liked him a lot. The current coach...maybe not.
The third season is when projects usually "get it", so this kid is due. There has never been any question about his recieving skills. He has retained the speed and precision of a wide reciever, and in camp has been sent on similar deep routes to those run by K2.
As I mentioned earlier, this offense will most often feature two backs or two tight ends, and even sometimes both--mostly because these guys are better recievers than most of the damn WIDE-recievers, and 2-3 of them are faster, too.
Darnel Dinkins is probably a better in-line blocker than Krauss, but Krauss fits the scheme better. He would provide depth behind Winslow, so that should K2 go down, they wouldn't need to throw out half the playbook. (Naturally, Chud is building a playbook aimed at maximizing his best assets...and is a TE coach and former TE.)
For a long time, I've been weary of people going overboard about a TE needing to be a glorified tackle blocking-wise. If you want a TE like that, quit pretending and just stick a spare center out there. Too many people have too little imagination. A fast, mobile TE may not be decking DE's single-handed, but can get to and cancel out linebackers and safeties. They can be sent in motion to lead-block, including cutting up through an intended hole. They can set up as H-backs. They can chip or scrape and STILL catch passes.
The bottom line is, Chud coached Krauss in San Diego and has him here for a reason. I predict that he will make the team, and maybe even show up opposite Winslow (instead of Heiden) in some situations.
I love Steve Heiden, who reminds me of Milt Moran. He's a total package--blocking and catching. Especially CLUTCH-catching. But you don't send him deep. Krauss is a guy who can get ten yards, where Heiden might get eight--and who can outrun most linebackers. And he can set up on a wing, wide.
Think of this: Harrison, Lewis, K2 and Krauss trot to the huddle with Edwards. The defense has to answer with "big" people. Now the huddle breaks, and Krauss, K2, Edwards, and Hrrison all hit the line, with only Lewis in the backfield. Naturally, a cornerback has to take Edwards, and the other Harrison. Who do they cover Krauss and K2 with? Do you want both of your safeties to attempt to man-up? (hint: NO!!!) Got to use a linebacker on one or the other, and keep the free safety back (and hope he doesn't soil himself.)
They can run up the gut, or attack every part of the field with Lewis as a bodyguard (and a delayed draw threat). Blitze? Well, who do you send? You've got your strong safety and one linebacker in coverage (and outside). Lewis can pick one guy up. If one TE is in-line (or in motion) he can pick somebody else up. Every one of the recievers is ready to zero in on the vacant zone, and you're weak behind him.
You could do this with Heiden, but with Krauss, it's a potential BIG play--and he'll get played softer, and drag his man further off the line, away from Lewis if you run, or away from the intended reciever. And he or Winslow can stay ahead of anybody to lead-block. That's better than having Heiden block somebody on the line.
Krauss will make this team.
The coaches are exacting. When somebody drops a pass, they do pushups. When they're off on a route, they get reamed.
This was one of the problems last season. A reciever in a certain situation is to break off his route at eight yards. Not nine, not seven. The QB has to TRUST him enough to throw the ball to that exact point BEFORE he makes his move. If this discipline is not there, the QB won't make the throw.
That's because HE gets bood when he throws it to a point eight yards upfield, and it's intercepted because the bonehead is two yards deeper, and wasn't LOOKING (like the safety was.)
This is why recievers are bumped at the line; so that they can't get to their pre-assigned reception point. The best QB's see this, and adjustments are made in the scheme for press coverage.
Tight ends are often different. They're bigger targets, and secondary or tertiary reciever. Where the wide and slot recievers are expected to run their precise routes, TE's have some more flexibility, and the QB looks for and finds them before he throws.
These TE's will be at least as important as Jamal Lewis or Joe Thomas for any Browns QB. When all else fails, they can look for Hieden, K2 or, for that matter, Jurevicious. All of them can wall-off defenders with their bodies, out-each and overpower people for the ball. You'll see that every time, at least one and often two of these guys will be crossing in front of the QB at various short and intermediate ranges.
Tim Carter is, as of right now, the third reciever. My man Travis Wilson has not impressed. Carter has only dropped one ball that I know of, and is a burner.
Chud has some flexibility because of his personel. His possession guys are Jurevicious and three (you'll see) tight ends, and three of these can do some painful damage with a reception, shallow or deep. IF Carter doesn't drop more...I mean, as MANY...I mean, HALF as many as Edwards did last season, he's a valuable third reciever, even if the only routes he runs are deep ones.
With he and (the fully recovered) Edwards on the field, I doubt that any defense can afford not to keep one safety deep, and to commit that safety to one or the other quickly. Press coverage on Edwards is suicidal, and on Carter it's high-risk (if the cornerback lets him by, it's over for him).
I like these personnel. Harrison, Edwards, and Carter are big plays waiting to happen, and right behind them is the (also extremely dependable) K2. That's half the battle. Speed kills. Brute force crushes. We got both.
We may or may not have a QB to live up to it this season. We can hope. Frye is "workmanlike". Yeah...ok look this writer doesn't like Frye and had his shit-colored glasses on. Frye is accurate and decisive. The coaches DEMANDING precision and hands will help him, Anderson, or Quinn a lot.
Bill Walsh won 2 games his first season, and six his second. Montana lost his first five or six games. They wanted Walsh's scalp for drafting Rice--who dropped a bunch of passes...and called the rookie...the ROOKIE small-college reciever a bust.
PATIENCE, Oblivia! The new coaches mean business--whether or not Romeo does.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Browns Remain Quinnless
But it seems like he'll get in pretty soon. Maybe.
Anyway, Lane Adkins (OBR.com--I PAY for dis stuff!) observed the first couple days. Anderson looked terrible. so did Frye t first, but as of the latest session, he came out with quick, accurate throws; looked like a different player. So Frye has, for the moment, reclaimed the lead in the QB Derby.
Seven on seven drills are mainly for passing. The QB isn't under pressure, except the pressure of a Coach with a stopwatch. However, the defenders are covering the recievers to the best of their abilities, so the QB must adjust and progress through his reads as he would in a real game.
...and get rid of it quickly. This is a good sign.
Now, some corrections:
1: Davin Holly does not default to nickel CB if...WHEN Eric Wright takes his job opposite Bodden. A nickel cornerback has to have good man coverage skills, and Holly covered last season mainly in zone. I don't know enough about Holly to be definitive here; he may or may not be a good man guy. But if he aint, he will not be the nickel cornerback.
This was an ASSumption made by a person who doesn't understand football.
2: Shawn Smith is not here to just "spot-play" behind Washington. He probably takes the MAJORITY of snaps at nose tackle. He will NOT play DE, unless it's a technical thing in a defacto 4-3, and he's really a tackle. He doesn't have the height or range for the DE.
Now: Lane, as if he just thought of it first, said to keep an eye on Rodney Harrisonfield, the running back. At last, the obvious is beginning to dawn on somebody besides me. Jerome is currently the favorite to be the third-down back, and gets a lot of work in the 7-on-7's catching passes.
This is one of the factors ignored by those in Oblivia: Jamal Lewis is not here to be an every-down back. He will be replaced on passing downs, almost certainly by Harrison, the future starting running back for the Browns.
Edwards is now fully healed. He's faster, and explodes out of his cuts. And he dropped a pass. Naturally.
Travis Wilson is now bulked up a bit. I don't know what this means, but would guess that he weighs 220 or more. Maybe he'll become another Jurevicious. He's listed at 213.
CORRECTION: A Grossi-reader generalized the recievers as being "big, but slow". Edwards is fast, and gets separation. Wilson is not Jurevicious, and while not as fast as Edwards, does get separation. The ONLY reciever this guy was right about was Jurevicious--but it doesn't seem to matter. The defender can be right on top of him, and he can still make the catch.
Jamal Lewis has gone the opposite way from Harrison, and LOST about 15 lbs. I hadn't known that he was that much over his ideal weight. This is a good sign as well. Remember: No more bone-spurs, and now 15 lbs. lighter.
Lewis was never a very shifty runner, but basicly a north-south tackle-breaker. I'm slightly optimistic about his returning to form. Ideally, this offense will run first, and just plain kick people's teeth in, and Lewis (IF he regains some of his earlier form) is the ideal "hammer". You simply cannot be sending extra people after the quarterback when the offense has a run bias, and when the hammer blows through the zone you just left empty and tramples a cornerback or safety.
Nobody smaller than a linebacker is a match for Jamal Lewis. He's not even tall enough to cut his legs out from under him. So you can't be very aggressive with your big people with a guy like this.
The moment that Joe Thomas hit the field, he went to left tackle, and Shaffer to right. Don't read a lot into the latter part of that yet. Don't kid yourself (or let Romeo kid you), Thomas is going to be the left tackle, period. But Shaffer isn't a lock for right tackle. They do, however, need to see him work there, and give him his shot to win the position. That's why he went there right away--to get some reps.
I'm back to the zone-blocking, Denver Broncos style of offensive line again. It would probably have to be that way for Shaffer to play right tackle over Ryan Tucker. This would also make it hard for Tucker to fit in at right guard...but again, creative coaches can adapt a scheme to the personnel--in that case, Tucker could fit.
Shaffer will almost certainly be traded next season, when he no longer carries the huge price-tag he does now. Tucker is pretty old, and may not be here either. McKinney, if he holds up, probably has at least two years left. This will be considered. And, in a zone line, the three young guys DO have a shot of winning that right guard slot.
My favorite dark horse here is Matua. He was a mauler in college, very strong for his size (maybe 305), and is on the short side. Most of his weight is MUSCLE, and he should be able to pull and move around pretty well, despite what about half the scouting reports say about him having trouble blocking in space. Ah! Now he's 315 lbs.
Winslow is running around catching passes. Cool.
The players describe this as an aggressive offense. It will run first, but will also attack down the field. This is an old scheme, and works thusly:
If one safety is shallow and the linebackers are a little closer to the line in order to stop the run, you send Edwards or somebody deep, behind him. If they play 2-deep, you run or pass short.
BRILLIANT! But really, it's awfully smart for a brand new O.C. with a new scheme and a bunch of young guys. It's very basic and fundamental, and each player just has to defeat their defender. More complex stuff can be added gradually in order to minimize the inevittable mental errors that will happen until the whole system becomes second nature.
Nobody told me this, but it just seems pretty obvious that the base offense will set up with only two wide recievers. There will be a fullback, an H-back, or a second tight end on every down except third and a mile. We're talking about a big, muscular offense demanding a big, base, defense.
Heiden could start for many NFL teams and is a good blocker AND reciever. With Winslow also present...now who covers the one, and who the other? It doesn't appear to matter with either guy--they get open anyway. Winslow can set up wide, and take a run-stuffer out there with him. They'll try to stop him with a safety or a linebacker (more often a safety). They'll use a linebacker on Heiden. And Lewis will go between them--haha.
Harrison can set up in the slot or wide. With Winslow there, this could turn it into a 4-wide at any time. It's a big problem for a defense, and the defense has no choice on neutral downs but to field their base personnel.
Heiden has proven that he can consistantly beat linebackers. Winslow can consistantly defeat ANYBODY. And while Winslow is pretty average as an in-line blocker, he excels at blasting people in space, and that's where he'll be used as a blocker. Edwards..if Chandler forces him to stop dropping passes--can't be single-covered, will go anywhere, is big, and happy to block as well. Jurevicious/Wilson will cross underneath all day long, and even when covered can still often make catches underneath a free safety who doesn't dare let Edwards go. Harrison will be covered by...who?
Mismatches and overloads in passing, and smash-mouth running. I LIKE it.
Le Charles is a month away, and that's just fine. Let him get as healthy as possible before he takes his physicals. He has a personal trainer and is working with the Browns staff, so he should report back in pretty good shape, and have a couple weeks to acclimate himself.
Savage said he's not sure what "cleared for football activities" means. I'm pretty sure that since "activities" include playing, that's what it means, and that he will start the season as our center.
Correction: Fraley will not automaticly shift to right guard if this happens, although it's possible. He's a good player, but pretty light. Centers require more mental and physical skills than guards--or at least different ones, and he is probably less qualified for right guard than at least two of the other candidates. A zone-blocking scheme, however, could make him the favorite.
LEFT guard, he could play--so it'd be nice to have him backing up those two spots.
Adkins mentions Antwan Peek. Says that he stood next to Leon Williams, and made him look small. And he's all cut up, solid muscle. I checked the roster, and was surprised to find Williams listed at a mere paltry 238. (Peek is allegedly 255).
Williams is going to play at least as much as Jackson and Davis, and Davis may well be the ultimate loser. Davis lacks Williams' speed and range. Savage really just plain STOLE this guy! Give the man his props, dammit. Just about every time I hear you guys demanding to know "what was he thinking?" I know he found a winner.
WOW! Lookie here: D'Qwell Jackson 6'0", 240! Now I know that these weights are current and actual. When drafted, he was only about 226, so I guess he packed on some muscle this off-season. Oh yeah, Andra--I think you got a problem. (Not this season, unless there's a good trade offer. Davis is still an excellent player, and it's smart to rotate them and keep them sharp/fresh.)
Peek is allegedly to back up Gramps McGinnest. Well, maybe like Smith will "back up" Washington. McGinnest wasn't just injured a lot last season: He is old, and getting older. Peek will probably be on the field more than he is.
The additions of Eric Wright (world class speed) Peek, and Robaire Smith (compared to McKinley) and incresed playing times for Orien Harris, Simon Fraser (300 lbs. 12 lbs. heavier TOLD YA duh), Poole, and Williams add up to a much faster, quicker defense overall...which you won't hear over there in Oblivia. Even Shawn Smith, compared to Washington, adds speed and quickness.
AH! Oshinowo weighs 325 now!!! Where did he put it? There wasn't any room on him! I hope he didn't just go to McDonalds all off-season because a bunch of...people said he was "too small". Lard won't help him whatsoever...well...except as an ANCHOR, like ballast.
Let's hope that at least ten pounds of it is muscle, and he's still as quick off the snap as he was before. If so, he's a big sleeper at nose tackle. This guy was rated the second-best nose tackle prospect in his draft, and projected to be taken much higher. Despite his size (305 lbs.) he consistantly took on and beat double-teams.
But the bigger, more accomplished NFL guards and centers got the best of him. Now he's bigger, and (I presume) also stronger, and he's had some experience to work on with some dirty tricks Uncle Ted taught him. Yeah, don't count him out.
Trouble is, I don't know if they can keep three. And you know Romeo: Even if Oshi is all that and a bag-o-chips, he's just GOT to keep Ted Washington no matter what. Well, Savage seems to know all about Romeo's irrationality now, and might step in and save him, releasing Washington instead.
Classic case: No way Washington can return for another season after this one, and rather than keep the young guy who could play for you and maybe even start for eight years, you kick him to the curb, and next season are looking for another one!!
This guy coached for BILL BELLICHICK? Didn't learn much, did he? Every year, Bill lets old former superstars go in favor of young guys who are cheaper and will be there for several years. Nothing personal, and they all understand how it works. But Romeo? He won't get off a dying horse for a fresh mount. He'll ride the wore out nag into the desert and die there with it.
Man, oh, man. And I doubt that he'll change. He just didn't get it from the meistro. Maybe Grantham did. The wheels are greased, Romeo: You'd better use your damn head, or Grantham takes over and there's not a big disruption. Grantham is a great DC. They SAY he's got the tools to be a head coach.
Good luck to both of you guys. And whoever is the QB. (Quinn: Savage called you before the draft to spare you when he didn't take you third. Then he gave up a lot to get you anyway. Reciprocate. Call your agent and tell him to leave the last freaking two cents on the damn table. You're really pissing me off.)
I HAVE SPOKEN.
Anyway, Lane Adkins (OBR.com--I PAY for dis stuff!) observed the first couple days. Anderson looked terrible. so did Frye t first, but as of the latest session, he came out with quick, accurate throws; looked like a different player. So Frye has, for the moment, reclaimed the lead in the QB Derby.
Seven on seven drills are mainly for passing. The QB isn't under pressure, except the pressure of a Coach with a stopwatch. However, the defenders are covering the recievers to the best of their abilities, so the QB must adjust and progress through his reads as he would in a real game.
...and get rid of it quickly. This is a good sign.
Now, some corrections:
1: Davin Holly does not default to nickel CB if...WHEN Eric Wright takes his job opposite Bodden. A nickel cornerback has to have good man coverage skills, and Holly covered last season mainly in zone. I don't know enough about Holly to be definitive here; he may or may not be a good man guy. But if he aint, he will not be the nickel cornerback.
This was an ASSumption made by a person who doesn't understand football.
2: Shawn Smith is not here to just "spot-play" behind Washington. He probably takes the MAJORITY of snaps at nose tackle. He will NOT play DE, unless it's a technical thing in a defacto 4-3, and he's really a tackle. He doesn't have the height or range for the DE.
Now: Lane, as if he just thought of it first, said to keep an eye on Rodney Harrisonfield, the running back. At last, the obvious is beginning to dawn on somebody besides me. Jerome is currently the favorite to be the third-down back, and gets a lot of work in the 7-on-7's catching passes.
This is one of the factors ignored by those in Oblivia: Jamal Lewis is not here to be an every-down back. He will be replaced on passing downs, almost certainly by Harrison, the future starting running back for the Browns.
Edwards is now fully healed. He's faster, and explodes out of his cuts. And he dropped a pass. Naturally.
Travis Wilson is now bulked up a bit. I don't know what this means, but would guess that he weighs 220 or more. Maybe he'll become another Jurevicious. He's listed at 213.
CORRECTION: A Grossi-reader generalized the recievers as being "big, but slow". Edwards is fast, and gets separation. Wilson is not Jurevicious, and while not as fast as Edwards, does get separation. The ONLY reciever this guy was right about was Jurevicious--but it doesn't seem to matter. The defender can be right on top of him, and he can still make the catch.
Jamal Lewis has gone the opposite way from Harrison, and LOST about 15 lbs. I hadn't known that he was that much over his ideal weight. This is a good sign as well. Remember: No more bone-spurs, and now 15 lbs. lighter.
Lewis was never a very shifty runner, but basicly a north-south tackle-breaker. I'm slightly optimistic about his returning to form. Ideally, this offense will run first, and just plain kick people's teeth in, and Lewis (IF he regains some of his earlier form) is the ideal "hammer". You simply cannot be sending extra people after the quarterback when the offense has a run bias, and when the hammer blows through the zone you just left empty and tramples a cornerback or safety.
Nobody smaller than a linebacker is a match for Jamal Lewis. He's not even tall enough to cut his legs out from under him. So you can't be very aggressive with your big people with a guy like this.
The moment that Joe Thomas hit the field, he went to left tackle, and Shaffer to right. Don't read a lot into the latter part of that yet. Don't kid yourself (or let Romeo kid you), Thomas is going to be the left tackle, period. But Shaffer isn't a lock for right tackle. They do, however, need to see him work there, and give him his shot to win the position. That's why he went there right away--to get some reps.
I'm back to the zone-blocking, Denver Broncos style of offensive line again. It would probably have to be that way for Shaffer to play right tackle over Ryan Tucker. This would also make it hard for Tucker to fit in at right guard...but again, creative coaches can adapt a scheme to the personnel--in that case, Tucker could fit.
Shaffer will almost certainly be traded next season, when he no longer carries the huge price-tag he does now. Tucker is pretty old, and may not be here either. McKinney, if he holds up, probably has at least two years left. This will be considered. And, in a zone line, the three young guys DO have a shot of winning that right guard slot.
My favorite dark horse here is Matua. He was a mauler in college, very strong for his size (maybe 305), and is on the short side. Most of his weight is MUSCLE, and he should be able to pull and move around pretty well, despite what about half the scouting reports say about him having trouble blocking in space. Ah! Now he's 315 lbs.
Winslow is running around catching passes. Cool.
The players describe this as an aggressive offense. It will run first, but will also attack down the field. This is an old scheme, and works thusly:
If one safety is shallow and the linebackers are a little closer to the line in order to stop the run, you send Edwards or somebody deep, behind him. If they play 2-deep, you run or pass short.
BRILLIANT! But really, it's awfully smart for a brand new O.C. with a new scheme and a bunch of young guys. It's very basic and fundamental, and each player just has to defeat their defender. More complex stuff can be added gradually in order to minimize the inevittable mental errors that will happen until the whole system becomes second nature.
Nobody told me this, but it just seems pretty obvious that the base offense will set up with only two wide recievers. There will be a fullback, an H-back, or a second tight end on every down except third and a mile. We're talking about a big, muscular offense demanding a big, base, defense.
Heiden could start for many NFL teams and is a good blocker AND reciever. With Winslow also present...now who covers the one, and who the other? It doesn't appear to matter with either guy--they get open anyway. Winslow can set up wide, and take a run-stuffer out there with him. They'll try to stop him with a safety or a linebacker (more often a safety). They'll use a linebacker on Heiden. And Lewis will go between them--haha.
Harrison can set up in the slot or wide. With Winslow there, this could turn it into a 4-wide at any time. It's a big problem for a defense, and the defense has no choice on neutral downs but to field their base personnel.
Heiden has proven that he can consistantly beat linebackers. Winslow can consistantly defeat ANYBODY. And while Winslow is pretty average as an in-line blocker, he excels at blasting people in space, and that's where he'll be used as a blocker. Edwards..if Chandler forces him to stop dropping passes--can't be single-covered, will go anywhere, is big, and happy to block as well. Jurevicious/Wilson will cross underneath all day long, and even when covered can still often make catches underneath a free safety who doesn't dare let Edwards go. Harrison will be covered by...who?
Mismatches and overloads in passing, and smash-mouth running. I LIKE it.
Le Charles is a month away, and that's just fine. Let him get as healthy as possible before he takes his physicals. He has a personal trainer and is working with the Browns staff, so he should report back in pretty good shape, and have a couple weeks to acclimate himself.
Savage said he's not sure what "cleared for football activities" means. I'm pretty sure that since "activities" include playing, that's what it means, and that he will start the season as our center.
Correction: Fraley will not automaticly shift to right guard if this happens, although it's possible. He's a good player, but pretty light. Centers require more mental and physical skills than guards--or at least different ones, and he is probably less qualified for right guard than at least two of the other candidates. A zone-blocking scheme, however, could make him the favorite.
LEFT guard, he could play--so it'd be nice to have him backing up those two spots.
Adkins mentions Antwan Peek. Says that he stood next to Leon Williams, and made him look small. And he's all cut up, solid muscle. I checked the roster, and was surprised to find Williams listed at a mere paltry 238. (Peek is allegedly 255).
Williams is going to play at least as much as Jackson and Davis, and Davis may well be the ultimate loser. Davis lacks Williams' speed and range. Savage really just plain STOLE this guy! Give the man his props, dammit. Just about every time I hear you guys demanding to know "what was he thinking?" I know he found a winner.
WOW! Lookie here: D'Qwell Jackson 6'0", 240! Now I know that these weights are current and actual. When drafted, he was only about 226, so I guess he packed on some muscle this off-season. Oh yeah, Andra--I think you got a problem. (Not this season, unless there's a good trade offer. Davis is still an excellent player, and it's smart to rotate them and keep them sharp/fresh.)
Peek is allegedly to back up Gramps McGinnest. Well, maybe like Smith will "back up" Washington. McGinnest wasn't just injured a lot last season: He is old, and getting older. Peek will probably be on the field more than he is.
The additions of Eric Wright (world class speed) Peek, and Robaire Smith (compared to McKinley) and incresed playing times for Orien Harris, Simon Fraser (300 lbs. 12 lbs. heavier TOLD YA duh), Poole, and Williams add up to a much faster, quicker defense overall...which you won't hear over there in Oblivia. Even Shawn Smith, compared to Washington, adds speed and quickness.
AH! Oshinowo weighs 325 now!!! Where did he put it? There wasn't any room on him! I hope he didn't just go to McDonalds all off-season because a bunch of...people said he was "too small". Lard won't help him whatsoever...well...except as an ANCHOR, like ballast.
Let's hope that at least ten pounds of it is muscle, and he's still as quick off the snap as he was before. If so, he's a big sleeper at nose tackle. This guy was rated the second-best nose tackle prospect in his draft, and projected to be taken much higher. Despite his size (305 lbs.) he consistantly took on and beat double-teams.
But the bigger, more accomplished NFL guards and centers got the best of him. Now he's bigger, and (I presume) also stronger, and he's had some experience to work on with some dirty tricks Uncle Ted taught him. Yeah, don't count him out.
Trouble is, I don't know if they can keep three. And you know Romeo: Even if Oshi is all that and a bag-o-chips, he's just GOT to keep Ted Washington no matter what. Well, Savage seems to know all about Romeo's irrationality now, and might step in and save him, releasing Washington instead.
Classic case: No way Washington can return for another season after this one, and rather than keep the young guy who could play for you and maybe even start for eight years, you kick him to the curb, and next season are looking for another one!!
This guy coached for BILL BELLICHICK? Didn't learn much, did he? Every year, Bill lets old former superstars go in favor of young guys who are cheaper and will be there for several years. Nothing personal, and they all understand how it works. But Romeo? He won't get off a dying horse for a fresh mount. He'll ride the wore out nag into the desert and die there with it.
Man, oh, man. And I doubt that he'll change. He just didn't get it from the meistro. Maybe Grantham did. The wheels are greased, Romeo: You'd better use your damn head, or Grantham takes over and there's not a big disruption. Grantham is a great DC. They SAY he's got the tools to be a head coach.
Good luck to both of you guys. And whoever is the QB. (Quinn: Savage called you before the draft to spare you when he didn't take you third. Then he gave up a lot to get you anyway. Reciprocate. Call your agent and tell him to leave the last freaking two cents on the damn table. You're really pissing me off.)
I HAVE SPOKEN.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
LeCharles in Charge
CLEARED TO PLAY FOOTBALL. It says what it means, and means what it says. One of the formost specialists on the planet--the very Doc who told him he'd never play again just cleared him to play football.
If you were an intilligent specialist, you would comprehend that this is a very, very, expremely good SOURCE. A much better source than even ex-GM's and football players, let alone sportswriters. You would assign THE most weight to this individual's opinion. You would be...well...not optimistic (that's bad)...ok well you would see a realistic PROBABILITY that LeCharles will be in charge of this O-line by game one.
In an earlier post, I dispersed much of the smoke and murk surrounding this situation, and showed you how to penetrate the smog and get at the real important stuff. The normal recovery time for this surgery. The original pre-staph prognosis, and the expected situation this was based on. Finally, how the elimination of the infection changed everything...right back to the original post-injury prognosis.
And that? Well, if this injury had happened on the last game of the season, they would have said the same thing: He should be able to play in '07. This was NOT an ACL DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
Certainly, the Browns doctors, and probably (not maybe) and outside specialist will have to concur. But why didn't you hear me? Don't you know that words mean things? His original surgeon is at the top of his field. HIS opinion is unlikely to be contradicted by anyone else.
He will need to jog, then run, then scamper around in drills. He'll need to avoid contact for five weeks. They won't push him, and clearly he's smart enough not endanger himself. But he should be able to get in on a couple preseason games, and be ready for the season.
Now, what do this mean?
Well, he can play guard (at the same pro-bowl level), and this wouldn't cause as much disruption as replacing Fraley. However, we have a situation at guard where McKinney is a solid veteran, Tucker could displace him, and the dismissal of the three young contenders is massively premature.
Probably, he returns to center. Joe Thomas and his bastard agent are a separate issue, and here I'll just paint it the way it will look at least by midseason, of not sooner:
LT: Joe Thomas LG: Eric Steinbach C: LeCharles Bentley RG: McKinney or Tucker RT: Shaffer or Tucker.
Lane Adkins, who is pretty damn sharp, projects Tucker at RG and Shaffer at RT, but I suspect that he assumes that McKinney isn't actually the best RG candidate, which he very well could be.
Anyway it shakes out, this is a dominating offensive line.
Corrections: Joe Thomas is not here to blow people off the line. He will improve in this area, but for now it's not his strong point. His strong points are protecting quarterbacks from DE's and linebackers, and decking people downfield and in space as well as the best pulling guards in the NFL.
Steinbach is similar--another ex-TE. Steinbach is not that BIG, but uses leverage expertly and excells in space.
Bentley is a bigger, stronger guy who CAN blow people off the ball or stand up to a nose tackle on his own. He projects well at RG as well, because he does have the ability to pull and block in space. While he's not the speedy athlete that Steinbach and Thomas are, he is quite capable of zone-blocking.
There will be disruptions and miscommunications early, but you have to get your best players on the field and working together as soon as you can. The best offensive lines have played together not for weeks, but for YEARS. You have to do this, and take your lumps.
Thanks to Vinnie the Fly, who writes for OBR.com, and some analysis, I now have a clearer picture of the political situation in Berea:
Last season, after mathematical elimination, Savage may have gone to Al Lerner and asked for Romeo's dismissal, and his replacement by Grantham. Because they were losing? No, Savage is not an ingnoramus. The losses couldn't rationally be blamed on Crennel, with the talent and all the injuries.
No, it was for these RATIONAL, SANE reasons:
1: Braylon Edwards needed to get benched or even suspended for some of the things he said, and for all those damn drops. This is one of the reasons Robiski was replaced.
2: Crennell refused to play young guys and get them the experience they needed to grow. Travis Wilson didn't suck. Romeo just played Northcutt because he was a veteran. He insisted on playing a lame Andruzzi over any of the three young guys, simply because he was a veteran. Andruzzi had never been more than a journeyman, and age and injury had reduced him to...well, in point of fact, one of the young guns might indeed have been better players.
Jerome Harrison dropped off the map. They could easily have found ways to use him, despite his inability to pick up blitzers, but they simply wrote him out of the game plans.
Vickers? No chance. There was a veteran...who couldn't catch or run...but a veteran.
This, I believe, maddened Savage. He recruits and drafts these guys, taking them lower than they should have been taken because they lacked experience. When team is in a race for the playoffs, you have to go with your proven players. But when you're out of it, you need to let the young guys play and get accustomed to the real NFL. These guys are the future.
Some of the veterans Romeo insisted on playing at the rookies' expense were not even going to be here. Romeo was a blockhead, and I also think that all of his assistants were chosen because they were his pals, rather than the most qualified people. (NOTABLE EXCEPTION: GRANTHAM).
Northcutt, that Terrell Smith, and Andruzzi are gone now, and those young guys behind them are a couple steps behind in their development. Real smart. Edwards should have been benched, especially when he bashed his own teammate for a perfectly legal hit--and you let Cribbs and Wilson get some reps in his stead--but NOOOO!
Gotta go okbye
If you were an intilligent specialist, you would comprehend that this is a very, very, expremely good SOURCE. A much better source than even ex-GM's and football players, let alone sportswriters. You would assign THE most weight to this individual's opinion. You would be...well...not optimistic (that's bad)...ok well you would see a realistic PROBABILITY that LeCharles will be in charge of this O-line by game one.
In an earlier post, I dispersed much of the smoke and murk surrounding this situation, and showed you how to penetrate the smog and get at the real important stuff. The normal recovery time for this surgery. The original pre-staph prognosis, and the expected situation this was based on. Finally, how the elimination of the infection changed everything...right back to the original post-injury prognosis.
And that? Well, if this injury had happened on the last game of the season, they would have said the same thing: He should be able to play in '07. This was NOT an ACL DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
Certainly, the Browns doctors, and probably (not maybe) and outside specialist will have to concur. But why didn't you hear me? Don't you know that words mean things? His original surgeon is at the top of his field. HIS opinion is unlikely to be contradicted by anyone else.
He will need to jog, then run, then scamper around in drills. He'll need to avoid contact for five weeks. They won't push him, and clearly he's smart enough not endanger himself. But he should be able to get in on a couple preseason games, and be ready for the season.
Now, what do this mean?
Well, he can play guard (at the same pro-bowl level), and this wouldn't cause as much disruption as replacing Fraley. However, we have a situation at guard where McKinney is a solid veteran, Tucker could displace him, and the dismissal of the three young contenders is massively premature.
Probably, he returns to center. Joe Thomas and his bastard agent are a separate issue, and here I'll just paint it the way it will look at least by midseason, of not sooner:
LT: Joe Thomas LG: Eric Steinbach C: LeCharles Bentley RG: McKinney or Tucker RT: Shaffer or Tucker.
Lane Adkins, who is pretty damn sharp, projects Tucker at RG and Shaffer at RT, but I suspect that he assumes that McKinney isn't actually the best RG candidate, which he very well could be.
Anyway it shakes out, this is a dominating offensive line.
Corrections: Joe Thomas is not here to blow people off the line. He will improve in this area, but for now it's not his strong point. His strong points are protecting quarterbacks from DE's and linebackers, and decking people downfield and in space as well as the best pulling guards in the NFL.
Steinbach is similar--another ex-TE. Steinbach is not that BIG, but uses leverage expertly and excells in space.
Bentley is a bigger, stronger guy who CAN blow people off the ball or stand up to a nose tackle on his own. He projects well at RG as well, because he does have the ability to pull and block in space. While he's not the speedy athlete that Steinbach and Thomas are, he is quite capable of zone-blocking.
There will be disruptions and miscommunications early, but you have to get your best players on the field and working together as soon as you can. The best offensive lines have played together not for weeks, but for YEARS. You have to do this, and take your lumps.
Thanks to Vinnie the Fly, who writes for OBR.com, and some analysis, I now have a clearer picture of the political situation in Berea:
Last season, after mathematical elimination, Savage may have gone to Al Lerner and asked for Romeo's dismissal, and his replacement by Grantham. Because they were losing? No, Savage is not an ingnoramus. The losses couldn't rationally be blamed on Crennel, with the talent and all the injuries.
No, it was for these RATIONAL, SANE reasons:
1: Braylon Edwards needed to get benched or even suspended for some of the things he said, and for all those damn drops. This is one of the reasons Robiski was replaced.
2: Crennell refused to play young guys and get them the experience they needed to grow. Travis Wilson didn't suck. Romeo just played Northcutt because he was a veteran. He insisted on playing a lame Andruzzi over any of the three young guys, simply because he was a veteran. Andruzzi had never been more than a journeyman, and age and injury had reduced him to...well, in point of fact, one of the young guns might indeed have been better players.
Jerome Harrison dropped off the map. They could easily have found ways to use him, despite his inability to pick up blitzers, but they simply wrote him out of the game plans.
Vickers? No chance. There was a veteran...who couldn't catch or run...but a veteran.
This, I believe, maddened Savage. He recruits and drafts these guys, taking them lower than they should have been taken because they lacked experience. When team is in a race for the playoffs, you have to go with your proven players. But when you're out of it, you need to let the young guys play and get accustomed to the real NFL. These guys are the future.
Some of the veterans Romeo insisted on playing at the rookies' expense were not even going to be here. Romeo was a blockhead, and I also think that all of his assistants were chosen because they were his pals, rather than the most qualified people. (NOTABLE EXCEPTION: GRANTHAM).
Northcutt, that Terrell Smith, and Andruzzi are gone now, and those young guys behind them are a couple steps behind in their development. Real smart. Edwards should have been benched, especially when he bashed his own teammate for a perfectly legal hit--and you let Cribbs and Wilson get some reps in his stead--but NOOOO!
Gotta go okbye
Sunday, July 15, 2007
More Corrections
View from Pluto
Forget QBs, Lewis is key
By Terry Pluto
TALKIN' BROWNS
• When the Browns open camp in two weeks, most fans will be talking about the quarterbacks. Of course, that's what we do in this town -- talk quarterbacks, at least since the end of the Bernie Kosar regime. But what will determine the success of the Browns' offense is not the quarterbacks -- it's the offensive line and whether Jamal Lewis can approach some of his previous form as a punishing runner.
• OK, I know you want to talk about quarterbacks, so here we go. . . . Heading into veterans camp, Derek Anderson is the starter. The Browns won't say it and might not even act like it early in camp, but he clearly came out on top in the minicamps.
Actually, reports that none of the QB's distinguished themselves are credible. Anderson probably is in the lead, and yes, they will pretend otherwise, but "clearly"?
• Charlie Frye will have to deal with this: For the first time in his life, he had a starting job and might lose it. That was never the case in high school. It never happened at the University of Akron, where he became the Zips' starting quarterback in his second game -- and started after that. Nor did it happen with the Browns, who prepared him to become a starter. But it's happening now, from the praise that Anderson is receiving to the draft of Brady Quinn. It will be interesting to see how Frye responds.
• It would be shocking if Quinn starts early in the season, unless there are massive injuries. He was the typical overwhelmed rookie quarterback in the minicamps. He is not signed. It would be damaging for him to hold out in terms of getting on the radar screen to play. Anderson and Frye are clearly ahead of him. But the Browns are not expected to be a big passing team.
• Think about this for a moment: The Browns' receivers are Joe Jurevicius and Braylon Edwards and . . . Tim Carter? Joshua Cribbs? Travis Wilson? Get the idea that the Browns don't exactly have ``deep depth'' at this position, as former Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver used to call it?
Correction: Travis Wilson will challenge to START, and as a sportswriter, you need to comprehend this--and I'm sick of telling all you guys this stuff:
1: Base offense will feature two tight ends, AND/or two backs. At least three of these players will be reliable recievers. This is why fullbacks are being signed or released based on their recieving skills and versatility.
The third-and-under-ten package may still feature two tight ends.
2: JEROME Harrison is a polished reciever capable of lining up in the slot or even wide. Any time he's on the field, a 3 or 4-wide is possible.
Other wide recievers are being collected in an effort to settle on some depth behind the THREE key wide-outs (which include Rodney Wilsonfield). Carter and who...Dunn? These are speed guys for third and a mile; break-glass-in-case-of-emergency, fourth recievers for RARE 4-wides. It's be nice if one of them finally proved to be RELIABLE, but nobody is counting on that.
Sure, it's a little thin, but for real depth given this base offense and overall scheme, you need maybe one more possession type.
• Look for two tight ends playing a lot, with Kellen Winslow and Steve Heiden. They also have Darnell Dinkins, a decent blocker. The saving grace might be Winslow, who is a prime receiver. He needs some work running his patterns, and his blocking suffered terribly a year ago because of his knee problems. It's hard for a guy to block when his leg isn't strong -- because that's where much of his power comes from.
• But Winslow can catch the ball. New offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski has to know that because he was tight ends coach at the University of Miami when Winslow was a star there. The stats tell Chudzinski that Winslow caught 89 balls last season in what was a rather disorganized and even chaotic offense. Memo to Chud: Call Winslow a tight end, but use him as a receiver.
AMEN! Except he'll still be way upfield knocking people out in space as a blocker. A linebacker or safety has to try to cover him, and he can take either one out. The dude LIKES hitting people in space!
• I don't know what to make of Edwards. He's made some major charity gifts. He has said all the right things. Then he missed the first day of a volunteer minicamp, where everyone else showed up. He still has to show that he's serious about becoming a good player. He has to shake off his sense of entitlement and realize that 61 catches (six for touchdowns) is decent, but more is expected of him -- especially when it comes to catching balls in traffic and general maturity issues.
Yeah, he scares me too.
• I love Jurevicius and wish they'd throw him the ball more. He seemed to come into favor more later in the season, and hopefully that trend will continue. Carter started eight games last season for the New York Giants. But he had only 22 catches, two for touchdowns, and he's not known for his consistency. It's hard to get very excited about him.
Note: Anderson found him. Frye didn't.
• The Browns love Cribbs as a return man. And he might also have to bring back punts this season in addition to kickoffs. He does not seem in the mix for heavy duty as a receiver.
• A key guy will be Wilson, the team's third-round pick in 2006. It's no secret that General Manager Phil Savage would have liked to have seen more of Wilson at the end of last season, but coach Romeo Crennel was sticking with Dennis Northcutt as the third receiver. Savage knew Northcutt would not be back and wanted to look at Wilson, but like most coaches, Crennel was loyal to his veterans.
And hopefull Savage won't PUT UP with it anymore. Dammit. That kid could have used some reps, and now he'll make mistakes because he didn't.
• The real point of this is the Browns have to be able to run the ball. Maybe that will happen, given the upgraded offensive line. Adding Joe Thomas and Eric Steinbach has to make things better. So does the return of Ryan Tucker from emotional problems. Kevin Shaffer, Seth McKinney and Hank Fraley all have been starters in the league. There is ``deep depth'' here.
• If Thomas does hold out, the Browns are protected because they have Shaffer -- last season's starting left tackle. If Thomas signs early and starts, then they have Shaffer to fill in when (yes, when) someone on the line gets hurt. That's because someone always does.
• What about LeCharles Bentley? It's great that Bentley says he's had an amazing healing and he believes he can play. The Browns hope it's true, but they are wise not to count on him. Bentley has had four knee operations. If he can play, it's a huge bonus, especially if he can hold up for even a majority of the games this season. But let's see what happens come training camp. The good news is the Browns have McKinney and Fraley, who have started in the NFL at center.
• If you are going to run the ball -- a lot -- then someone has to do it. That's where the Lewis signing is crucial. Lewis did rush for 1,132 yards and six touchdowns for the Baltimore Ravens last year. It seems as if he's been around forever, but he's only 28. We'll see how many miles are on his legs. The Browns had only seven rushing touchdowns -- four by Reuben Droughns and three by Frye.
• Lewis had bone chips in his foot removed, and he's convinced it will help him be more effective this season. He's on a one-year contract, and the Browns certainly will get a tremendous effort from Lewis, who knows there are questions about him being a starting running back.
That's right. Whatever Lewis has left, he'll dig it out. That's called motivation.
• Savage believes James Harrison (a fifth rounder in 2006) will make a good third-down back. He showed flashes of that in the preseason a year ago, but quickly fell out of the game plan a few weeks into the regular season. Harrison and Jason Wright are the backups to Lewis.
CORRECTION: Savage won't SAY this, but if you understood football you could infer it: Harrison will be the third down back this season, but if Lewis doesn't deliver, he'll become the primary back, or at least split time.
He now weighs 212 lbs., and at 5'9" that's big enough to carry to load in the NFL. This is not at all the same player who was drafted last season: This guy still runs like a healthy, young, Gregg Pruitt, but probably won't be needing any tear-away jerseys. Rodney Harrisonfield is the future feature back for this team. Read that again to make sure you remember it.
And remember the ONLY place you read it.
I HAVE SPOKEN.
Forget QBs, Lewis is key
By Terry Pluto
TALKIN' BROWNS
• When the Browns open camp in two weeks, most fans will be talking about the quarterbacks. Of course, that's what we do in this town -- talk quarterbacks, at least since the end of the Bernie Kosar regime. But what will determine the success of the Browns' offense is not the quarterbacks -- it's the offensive line and whether Jamal Lewis can approach some of his previous form as a punishing runner.
• OK, I know you want to talk about quarterbacks, so here we go. . . . Heading into veterans camp, Derek Anderson is the starter. The Browns won't say it and might not even act like it early in camp, but he clearly came out on top in the minicamps.
Actually, reports that none of the QB's distinguished themselves are credible. Anderson probably is in the lead, and yes, they will pretend otherwise, but "clearly"?
• Charlie Frye will have to deal with this: For the first time in his life, he had a starting job and might lose it. That was never the case in high school. It never happened at the University of Akron, where he became the Zips' starting quarterback in his second game -- and started after that. Nor did it happen with the Browns, who prepared him to become a starter. But it's happening now, from the praise that Anderson is receiving to the draft of Brady Quinn. It will be interesting to see how Frye responds.
• It would be shocking if Quinn starts early in the season, unless there are massive injuries. He was the typical overwhelmed rookie quarterback in the minicamps. He is not signed. It would be damaging for him to hold out in terms of getting on the radar screen to play. Anderson and Frye are clearly ahead of him. But the Browns are not expected to be a big passing team.
• Think about this for a moment: The Browns' receivers are Joe Jurevicius and Braylon Edwards and . . . Tim Carter? Joshua Cribbs? Travis Wilson? Get the idea that the Browns don't exactly have ``deep depth'' at this position, as former Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver used to call it?
Correction: Travis Wilson will challenge to START, and as a sportswriter, you need to comprehend this--and I'm sick of telling all you guys this stuff:
1: Base offense will feature two tight ends, AND/or two backs. At least three of these players will be reliable recievers. This is why fullbacks are being signed or released based on their recieving skills and versatility.
The third-and-under-ten package may still feature two tight ends.
2: JEROME Harrison is a polished reciever capable of lining up in the slot or even wide. Any time he's on the field, a 3 or 4-wide is possible.
Other wide recievers are being collected in an effort to settle on some depth behind the THREE key wide-outs (which include Rodney Wilsonfield). Carter and who...Dunn? These are speed guys for third and a mile; break-glass-in-case-of-emergency, fourth recievers for RARE 4-wides. It's be nice if one of them finally proved to be RELIABLE, but nobody is counting on that.
Sure, it's a little thin, but for real depth given this base offense and overall scheme, you need maybe one more possession type.
• Look for two tight ends playing a lot, with Kellen Winslow and Steve Heiden. They also have Darnell Dinkins, a decent blocker. The saving grace might be Winslow, who is a prime receiver. He needs some work running his patterns, and his blocking suffered terribly a year ago because of his knee problems. It's hard for a guy to block when his leg isn't strong -- because that's where much of his power comes from.
• But Winslow can catch the ball. New offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski has to know that because he was tight ends coach at the University of Miami when Winslow was a star there. The stats tell Chudzinski that Winslow caught 89 balls last season in what was a rather disorganized and even chaotic offense. Memo to Chud: Call Winslow a tight end, but use him as a receiver.
AMEN! Except he'll still be way upfield knocking people out in space as a blocker. A linebacker or safety has to try to cover him, and he can take either one out. The dude LIKES hitting people in space!
• I don't know what to make of Edwards. He's made some major charity gifts. He has said all the right things. Then he missed the first day of a volunteer minicamp, where everyone else showed up. He still has to show that he's serious about becoming a good player. He has to shake off his sense of entitlement and realize that 61 catches (six for touchdowns) is decent, but more is expected of him -- especially when it comes to catching balls in traffic and general maturity issues.
Yeah, he scares me too.
• I love Jurevicius and wish they'd throw him the ball more. He seemed to come into favor more later in the season, and hopefully that trend will continue. Carter started eight games last season for the New York Giants. But he had only 22 catches, two for touchdowns, and he's not known for his consistency. It's hard to get very excited about him.
Note: Anderson found him. Frye didn't.
• The Browns love Cribbs as a return man. And he might also have to bring back punts this season in addition to kickoffs. He does not seem in the mix for heavy duty as a receiver.
• A key guy will be Wilson, the team's third-round pick in 2006. It's no secret that General Manager Phil Savage would have liked to have seen more of Wilson at the end of last season, but coach Romeo Crennel was sticking with Dennis Northcutt as the third receiver. Savage knew Northcutt would not be back and wanted to look at Wilson, but like most coaches, Crennel was loyal to his veterans.
And hopefull Savage won't PUT UP with it anymore. Dammit. That kid could have used some reps, and now he'll make mistakes because he didn't.
• The real point of this is the Browns have to be able to run the ball. Maybe that will happen, given the upgraded offensive line. Adding Joe Thomas and Eric Steinbach has to make things better. So does the return of Ryan Tucker from emotional problems. Kevin Shaffer, Seth McKinney and Hank Fraley all have been starters in the league. There is ``deep depth'' here.
• If Thomas does hold out, the Browns are protected because they have Shaffer -- last season's starting left tackle. If Thomas signs early and starts, then they have Shaffer to fill in when (yes, when) someone on the line gets hurt. That's because someone always does.
• What about LeCharles Bentley? It's great that Bentley says he's had an amazing healing and he believes he can play. The Browns hope it's true, but they are wise not to count on him. Bentley has had four knee operations. If he can play, it's a huge bonus, especially if he can hold up for even a majority of the games this season. But let's see what happens come training camp. The good news is the Browns have McKinney and Fraley, who have started in the NFL at center.
• If you are going to run the ball -- a lot -- then someone has to do it. That's where the Lewis signing is crucial. Lewis did rush for 1,132 yards and six touchdowns for the Baltimore Ravens last year. It seems as if he's been around forever, but he's only 28. We'll see how many miles are on his legs. The Browns had only seven rushing touchdowns -- four by Reuben Droughns and three by Frye.
• Lewis had bone chips in his foot removed, and he's convinced it will help him be more effective this season. He's on a one-year contract, and the Browns certainly will get a tremendous effort from Lewis, who knows there are questions about him being a starting running back.
That's right. Whatever Lewis has left, he'll dig it out. That's called motivation.
• Savage believes James Harrison (a fifth rounder in 2006) will make a good third-down back. He showed flashes of that in the preseason a year ago, but quickly fell out of the game plan a few weeks into the regular season. Harrison and Jason Wright are the backups to Lewis.
CORRECTION: Savage won't SAY this, but if you understood football you could infer it: Harrison will be the third down back this season, but if Lewis doesn't deliver, he'll become the primary back, or at least split time.
He now weighs 212 lbs., and at 5'9" that's big enough to carry to load in the NFL. This is not at all the same player who was drafted last season: This guy still runs like a healthy, young, Gregg Pruitt, but probably won't be needing any tear-away jerseys. Rodney Harrisonfield is the future feature back for this team. Read that again to make sure you remember it.
And remember the ONLY place you read it.
I HAVE SPOKEN.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Hey Tony and Wile E.
Q: Hey, Tony: There's an old saying that if you have two quarterbacks you have none; so what if you have three quarterbacks? And if you don't give all three a legitimate chance at playing, you will have controversy at the position if one plays poorly for one game. So wouldn't it be better if they simply named a starter as soon as possible and start establishing a leader? - Ryan Gaskey, Plano, Texas
A: Hey, Ryan: I expect that to happen by the third preseason game. Brady Quinn will be eliminated as a legitimate hope to start the season if he misses any camp time as a holdout. That leaves Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson. After two preseason games, the starter should be chosen.
Q: Hey, Tony: After Sean Jones, Brodney Pool and Mike Adams, who do we have at the safety position? And which position (strong or free) will that player back up? -Dale Micklos, Massillon
A: Hey, Dale: Justin Hamil ton is the player to watch back there. He was a good special-teamer as a rookie and is still learning the safety position. If he can stay healthy, I see Hamilton emerging as a regular in some sub defensive packages and a top backup.
Hey, dumbass: I'm getting tired of spelling this out to you knuckleheads: In a cover two defense the safeties are interchangable. One might play on the strong side and key the TE more often, but they're both similar players. A free safety is a center fielder, while a strong safety (as you use it) is a bigger run-stuffer who can cover big guys and is usually helpless against little guys. He plays close to the line, usually in a man-based defense, while the free safety...ah shit nevermind, but get this through your numb skull: DUMB QUESTION.
Tony is right about Hamilton, Mr. Oblivia. Hamiton is a bigger, taller guy who will match up well against the quicker fullbacks and tight ends. He'll free up Poole from that in some nickels, and even some dimes.
Hamilton played several positions in college, including tailback. He's a superior athlete who Savage was able to steal only because of his one year of experience at safety. This is a classic example of smart drafting: You take a raw guy who needs a year in an NFL nursery to catch up. You underpay him on a long-term contract, and after a year on special teams and learning the dirty tricks, you have a heavy contributor (if not starter) dirt-cheap.
Q: Hey, Tony: The more mag azines I read and the more I watch ESPN the more I ponder this question: Why do all the experts consider Alex Smith a future quality starter but consider Charlie Frye a hack? I'm not saying I consider Charlie a solid starter, but he was nearly as good as Smith last year on a much worse offensive team. The only reason Smith threw for more yards was the fact that he played in more games, and with [offensive coordinator] Norv Turner and a 1,500-yard back [Frank Gore] you'd think the guy could put up better numbers. What gives? Are you buying into this guy being a stud while Charlie is a miss? I'm not. I would say they are both average QBs in the NFL. - Jason, Monterey, Calif.
A: Hey, Jason: I don't buy the hype about Alex Smith. You're right that he benefited from having an offensive coach like Turner on hand. But Turner left to become head coach at San Diego and I think Smith will suffer. I think the jury is out on both players as NFL starting quarterbacks.
Hey, Jason: You're a smart dude! Hey, Tony: Good answer! You're really on your game today!
A: Hey, Ryan: I expect that to happen by the third preseason game. Brady Quinn will be eliminated as a legitimate hope to start the season if he misses any camp time as a holdout. That leaves Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson. After two preseason games, the starter should be chosen.
Q: Hey, Tony: After Sean Jones, Brodney Pool and Mike Adams, who do we have at the safety position? And which position (strong or free) will that player back up? -Dale Micklos, Massillon
A: Hey, Dale: Justin Hamil ton is the player to watch back there. He was a good special-teamer as a rookie and is still learning the safety position. If he can stay healthy, I see Hamilton emerging as a regular in some sub defensive packages and a top backup.
Hey, dumbass: I'm getting tired of spelling this out to you knuckleheads: In a cover two defense the safeties are interchangable. One might play on the strong side and key the TE more often, but they're both similar players. A free safety is a center fielder, while a strong safety (as you use it) is a bigger run-stuffer who can cover big guys and is usually helpless against little guys. He plays close to the line, usually in a man-based defense, while the free safety...ah shit nevermind, but get this through your numb skull: DUMB QUESTION.
Tony is right about Hamilton, Mr. Oblivia. Hamiton is a bigger, taller guy who will match up well against the quicker fullbacks and tight ends. He'll free up Poole from that in some nickels, and even some dimes.
Hamilton played several positions in college, including tailback. He's a superior athlete who Savage was able to steal only because of his one year of experience at safety. This is a classic example of smart drafting: You take a raw guy who needs a year in an NFL nursery to catch up. You underpay him on a long-term contract, and after a year on special teams and learning the dirty tricks, you have a heavy contributor (if not starter) dirt-cheap.
Q: Hey, Tony: The more mag azines I read and the more I watch ESPN the more I ponder this question: Why do all the experts consider Alex Smith a future quality starter but consider Charlie Frye a hack? I'm not saying I consider Charlie a solid starter, but he was nearly as good as Smith last year on a much worse offensive team. The only reason Smith threw for more yards was the fact that he played in more games, and with [offensive coordinator] Norv Turner and a 1,500-yard back [Frank Gore] you'd think the guy could put up better numbers. What gives? Are you buying into this guy being a stud while Charlie is a miss? I'm not. I would say they are both average QBs in the NFL. - Jason, Monterey, Calif.
A: Hey, Jason: I don't buy the hype about Alex Smith. You're right that he benefited from having an offensive coach like Turner on hand. But Turner left to become head coach at San Diego and I think Smith will suffer. I think the jury is out on both players as NFL starting quarterbacks.
Hey, Jason: You're a smart dude! Hey, Tony: Good answer! You're really on your game today!
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Free Agent "Need" Corrections
The following is the copypasted opinion of Adam Caplan, who rates right at the top of my reliable source list...but since he aint ME, sometimes he's wrong. So, being the generous kinda guy I am, I'll magnanimously insert corrections and comments for you guys...I guess maybe only Bub...anyway here goes:
Redright: Are any (of Adam's list of free agents) likely to be of help to the Browns? Any of them likely to be a help to the Browns that Berea may have an interest in acquiring?
Adam Caplan: Excellent question but teams generally don't sign many more free agents until the first week of training camp or so but here are the players that fit what they're looking for/need:
Offense G Jeno James: Has started over 65 games in his seven seasons of play and played quite well before a knee injury limited him almost all of last season. Has played mostly LG but can play RG if needed. The Jets could sign him if they cut or trade Pete Kendall. The Browns badly need a veteran guard who could start if needed. And James actually could be an upgrade over McKinney.
I can't find info on this player, but defer to Adam on his ability (if fully recovered). If the guy is an upgrade and doesn't cost too much, you do that--even if he has a durability issue which would neccessitate his being a backup.
The problem here is, the Browns may well not "desperately need" this. Adam will always write off any player he has not seen films on, and these include both second year guards on this roster.
One or both of these two guys may or may not mature into starters--but Bill B's and Wile E's first rule is, you do NOT kick young and improving players to the curb in favor of "hold the fort" guys if you believe the young guys will become good players.
They are cheaper, can be signed for a longer time, and as the progress up the depth chart provide long-term stability and growth.
G Kendyl Jacox: Journeyman interior OL who can come in and be a solid backup/spot starter if needed.
Correction: The Browns absolutely do not need a 32-year-old journeyman back-up "hold-the-fort" guy. At this point, there are unresolved issues with Kevin Shaffer, but it's probable that if he's retained, Tucker moves to guard, putting either McKinney or Fraley on the bench...and it's also possible that a young guy will emerge. (The line coach already has a good idea about that.) If they sign a guy like this, it will be as insurance, and if all goes well, he will be released prior to the season.
G Bennie Anderson: At one time, he has a high upside interior lineman but his play dropped since leaving from Baltimore after 2004. Savage knows him so it's not out of the question they bring him in.
This guy is 30, and what I can glean from the zero info I've dug up on him, I suspect a weight problem. If Savage thinks he's ready to buckle down and do all he can do, maybe it works. At 345, he must be a road-grader, and he might have 3-4 years left (O. linemen often last longer than players at other positions).
But, like the other guy--if signed he could be released prior to the season.
WR Keenan McCardell: His play dropped off last season but he could be a nice fit as their #3 WR for a season. Right now, they don't have anyone in back of Jurevicius and Edwards who is dependable.
Correction: Travis Wilson throughout his college carreer was a clutch-reciever, and was not fully recovered from injuries as a senior. Adam lacks NFL game-film on him, and as usual has dismissed him. The reciever's coach already knows what he has in this second-year player, but right here/now I'll state for your record that Wilson will be a very good, reliable reciever this season, and in fact will compete with Jurevicious for the start opposite Edwards.
McCardell, even as a geezer, remains a very good reciever well-made for the slot, and would be a great influence on the younger guys. Maybe they should snag him if they can get him real, real cheap--but in the real world, this Browns team will not contend for another season. McCardell won't be here.
Another problem with this: Jerome Harrison can play the slot, or even wide. Jurevicious can move to the slot in 3-wides if the guy we got from the Giants or another player turns out to be a legit threat. It's also still possible that Cribbs could master that postion.
Overall, this base offense will alternately feature a multi-dimensional, athletic fullback or a second tight end. Any offense featuring Winslow is a defacto 3-wide, and anytime Harrison is on the field it could become 3 or 4-wide. On this team, the slot reciever is not as important as it is with other teams.
WR Peter Warrick: Supreme slot WR if healthy. He works zones well and has a good feel for the position. But physically I have no idea where he is. He had knee problems a few years ago and didn't play last season.
Correction: See McCardell.
Defense DL Willie Whitehead: Solid rotational DL who can play DE in a 3-4 and is decent against the run and a good pass rusher. Played in a 4-3 with the Saints but should be able to play in a two-gap system now because he's put on size in recent years (over 300 lbs). He probably won't last long as a free agent, he's probably one of the best DLs out there and was just cut recently.
Correction: 34 years old NEXT!
DL Jerry Deloach: Has played quite a bit in 3-4, can give about 10 plays or so at DE.
Correction: Not an upgrade over current personnel. Two YOUNG and IMPROVING DE's are on the roster who promise to be better than this guy.
Orpheus Roye is a year younger than Whitehead, and we see what age is doing to him. On a young team that's not going to contend until next season, we don't need more geezers and part-timers at the expense of young players who need experience and opportunity.
Adam, I don't know if you know this, but you see, this is how players become "experienced veterans." No charge for the tip.
YOU STAND CORRECTED.
Redright: Are any (of Adam's list of free agents) likely to be of help to the Browns? Any of them likely to be a help to the Browns that Berea may have an interest in acquiring?
Adam Caplan: Excellent question but teams generally don't sign many more free agents until the first week of training camp or so but here are the players that fit what they're looking for/need:
Offense G Jeno James: Has started over 65 games in his seven seasons of play and played quite well before a knee injury limited him almost all of last season. Has played mostly LG but can play RG if needed. The Jets could sign him if they cut or trade Pete Kendall. The Browns badly need a veteran guard who could start if needed. And James actually could be an upgrade over McKinney.
I can't find info on this player, but defer to Adam on his ability (if fully recovered). If the guy is an upgrade and doesn't cost too much, you do that--even if he has a durability issue which would neccessitate his being a backup.
The problem here is, the Browns may well not "desperately need" this. Adam will always write off any player he has not seen films on, and these include both second year guards on this roster.
One or both of these two guys may or may not mature into starters--but Bill B's and Wile E's first rule is, you do NOT kick young and improving players to the curb in favor of "hold the fort" guys if you believe the young guys will become good players.
They are cheaper, can be signed for a longer time, and as the progress up the depth chart provide long-term stability and growth.
G Kendyl Jacox: Journeyman interior OL who can come in and be a solid backup/spot starter if needed.
Correction: The Browns absolutely do not need a 32-year-old journeyman back-up "hold-the-fort" guy. At this point, there are unresolved issues with Kevin Shaffer, but it's probable that if he's retained, Tucker moves to guard, putting either McKinney or Fraley on the bench...and it's also possible that a young guy will emerge. (The line coach already has a good idea about that.) If they sign a guy like this, it will be as insurance, and if all goes well, he will be released prior to the season.
G Bennie Anderson: At one time, he has a high upside interior lineman but his play dropped since leaving from Baltimore after 2004. Savage knows him so it's not out of the question they bring him in.
This guy is 30, and what I can glean from the zero info I've dug up on him, I suspect a weight problem. If Savage thinks he's ready to buckle down and do all he can do, maybe it works. At 345, he must be a road-grader, and he might have 3-4 years left (O. linemen often last longer than players at other positions).
But, like the other guy--if signed he could be released prior to the season.
WR Keenan McCardell: His play dropped off last season but he could be a nice fit as their #3 WR for a season. Right now, they don't have anyone in back of Jurevicius and Edwards who is dependable.
Correction: Travis Wilson throughout his college carreer was a clutch-reciever, and was not fully recovered from injuries as a senior. Adam lacks NFL game-film on him, and as usual has dismissed him. The reciever's coach already knows what he has in this second-year player, but right here/now I'll state for your record that Wilson will be a very good, reliable reciever this season, and in fact will compete with Jurevicious for the start opposite Edwards.
McCardell, even as a geezer, remains a very good reciever well-made for the slot, and would be a great influence on the younger guys. Maybe they should snag him if they can get him real, real cheap--but in the real world, this Browns team will not contend for another season. McCardell won't be here.
Another problem with this: Jerome Harrison can play the slot, or even wide. Jurevicious can move to the slot in 3-wides if the guy we got from the Giants or another player turns out to be a legit threat. It's also still possible that Cribbs could master that postion.
Overall, this base offense will alternately feature a multi-dimensional, athletic fullback or a second tight end. Any offense featuring Winslow is a defacto 3-wide, and anytime Harrison is on the field it could become 3 or 4-wide. On this team, the slot reciever is not as important as it is with other teams.
WR Peter Warrick: Supreme slot WR if healthy. He works zones well and has a good feel for the position. But physically I have no idea where he is. He had knee problems a few years ago and didn't play last season.
Correction: See McCardell.
Defense DL Willie Whitehead: Solid rotational DL who can play DE in a 3-4 and is decent against the run and a good pass rusher. Played in a 4-3 with the Saints but should be able to play in a two-gap system now because he's put on size in recent years (over 300 lbs). He probably won't last long as a free agent, he's probably one of the best DLs out there and was just cut recently.
Correction: 34 years old NEXT!
DL Jerry Deloach: Has played quite a bit in 3-4, can give about 10 plays or so at DE.
Correction: Not an upgrade over current personnel. Two YOUNG and IMPROVING DE's are on the roster who promise to be better than this guy.
Orpheus Roye is a year younger than Whitehead, and we see what age is doing to him. On a young team that's not going to contend until next season, we don't need more geezers and part-timers at the expense of young players who need experience and opportunity.
Adam, I don't know if you know this, but you see, this is how players become "experienced veterans." No charge for the tip.
YOU STAND CORRECTED.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Barkley's Prospects
I never really understood "Don't get your hopes up". I suppose I'm not as susceptable to mood-swings as most mere mortals--and maybe deep down I actually comprehend that we have young people dying in Iraq and stuff, and keep football in perspective. It's a luxury, see?
So if the Browns get slaughtered, I'm not going to participate in a riot. I only get really, really angry when I lost MONEY on the game. Level two outrage is when it's because Braylon Edwards dropped TWO critical passes. Thermonuclear is when the referees have obviously, OBVIOUSLY FIXED the game.
And yes, they do. Including the guys in the replay booth, who sometimes tell us that all the millions who SEE what happened on tape from several angles are hallucinating, and the homies are screwed again.
But I digress. I always indulge in optimism whenever there is reason to do so. Onto the topic:
When he told Warren about his progress in mid-June, the doctor deemed it remarkable. "He told me to call him in a couple of weeks and that if everything looked good, he'd pass me on my physical," Bentley said.
Bub, why so skeptical (I mean besides the fact that this is Cleveland)? This is is the same Doctor who told him he'd never play again. If he passes Bentley on his physical, he is declaring him fit to play football. That's what this means. (By the way hit me with your OBR handle again so I can check you out. You and Eman are almost as smart as my brilliant Da Vinci-like humble self, which is why we concur so much.)
No, I give LeCharles at least a 50/50 shot. We can bet, but I want 3-2, see?
The "timid" thing is a good point you made, but this guy is a pro, and more importantly an offensive lineman. People don't chop or cut-block him, and he's in no more danger being aggressive than he is being hesitant.
Although he did endure the ravages of the staph infection and subsequent surgeries to clean it out, the original surgery was many moons ago, and has substantially healed. While the patellar is important...ok hold on I'll do some research....
The patellar descends from the kneecap (patella) and pulls the foot foreward to straighten the leg. It is not fibrous or flexible; it's like a cable. It's torn off the kneecap, where it's normally rooted, and the corrective surgery is a matter of suturing the tendon back to where it belongs. There, with the leg immobilized, it will take root again.
"Post-operatively, patients will be placed in a brace to cast to protect the healing tendon. Depending on the strength of the repair, some motion is usually started within a few weeks, and gradually progressed over time. Complete healing of the tendon will take 8 to 12 weeks."
This is a lot different than an ACL injury. This 8-12 week recovery time is probably for normal people. For a pro football player, they need to resume lifting and running to regain lost strength, and while immobilized get out of shape. Still, original optimistic reports had him trying to return late in the same season. (Which I dismissed, since it would have been dumb. Give it MORE time, and play when it might mean something, ya know?)
It was the staph infection (like the one that almost killed Jerry Sherk) that threw that out the window. Staph is a fungal infection resistant to all antibiotics, and once they knew he had it, the prognosis went way south. As soon as I heard "staph" I personally wrote him off for at least another season, and maybe for good.
But now we have a different situation. The infection was actually purged before it could do profound damage. That's unusual, and I tip my hat to that surgeon. Staph reproduces through spores, and if you leave ANY of these microscopic bastards, it comes back. But that's not the case here--this surgeon seems to have really done an almost miraculous job.
His earlier advice to Bentley about retirement was based on his expectation of this infection lingering and coming back over and over again. His more recent statements are based on that no longer being the case.
I myself am concerned about the last surgery: Some of the tendon itself had to be cut away. However, this is the very doctor who did that surgery saying that if nothing bad happens, he'll clear him to play football, so I'll defer to the expert.
Nuts and bolts: An offensive lineman of course contracts the tendon as he fires foreward, and subjects it to further stress as he is duking it out with defenders. The bulk of this drive comes from the quadricepts--the patellar has little to do with the real force involved (I think). It rather positions the foot, and holds the position so that the quadricepts (thigh) can exert proper leverage and transmit the force into the ground. Otherwise, it's much more important for walking, running, and kicking.
If LeCharles can do poundage in his weight-room squats that are acceptable, and eventually comparable to those he was doing before the injury, they'll know he can play, and play he will.
Now, do you feel better, Bub? Just call me Ray Sunshine (and not late for dinner).
Much is made about his late arrival. Look: Bentley was an experienced veteran. There would certainly be some early miscommunication, but always, always we go overboard here. Another mountainous mole-hill in Cleveland. Just stop it, ok? Big deal!
Ooo...how cool would that be with Thomas/Steinbach/Bentley comprising the left 3/5ths of the offensive line! Mein Gott! Then you've got to figure out which two starters you have to bench at right guard and right tackle. Wow!
This one bit of long overdue good fortune would convert this offensive line into one of the best and deepest in the NFL.
They're trying to get something in a trade for Kevin Shaffer, but evidently Thomas's gun and ski-mask are messing that up. It could be that Thomas and his agent force Shaffer's retention, along with guaranteeing that Thomas will not be ready to start. Hey Joe--call your agent and tell him to get his head out. Don't be a dumbass.
More on ramifications later.
You stand corrected.
So if the Browns get slaughtered, I'm not going to participate in a riot. I only get really, really angry when I lost MONEY on the game. Level two outrage is when it's because Braylon Edwards dropped TWO critical passes. Thermonuclear is when the referees have obviously, OBVIOUSLY FIXED the game.
And yes, they do. Including the guys in the replay booth, who sometimes tell us that all the millions who SEE what happened on tape from several angles are hallucinating, and the homies are screwed again.
But I digress. I always indulge in optimism whenever there is reason to do so. Onto the topic:
When he told Warren about his progress in mid-June, the doctor deemed it remarkable. "He told me to call him in a couple of weeks and that if everything looked good, he'd pass me on my physical," Bentley said.
Bub, why so skeptical (I mean besides the fact that this is Cleveland)? This is is the same Doctor who told him he'd never play again. If he passes Bentley on his physical, he is declaring him fit to play football. That's what this means. (By the way hit me with your OBR handle again so I can check you out. You and Eman are almost as smart as my brilliant Da Vinci-like humble self, which is why we concur so much.)
No, I give LeCharles at least a 50/50 shot. We can bet, but I want 3-2, see?
The "timid" thing is a good point you made, but this guy is a pro, and more importantly an offensive lineman. People don't chop or cut-block him, and he's in no more danger being aggressive than he is being hesitant.
Although he did endure the ravages of the staph infection and subsequent surgeries to clean it out, the original surgery was many moons ago, and has substantially healed. While the patellar is important...ok hold on I'll do some research....
The patellar descends from the kneecap (patella) and pulls the foot foreward to straighten the leg. It is not fibrous or flexible; it's like a cable. It's torn off the kneecap, where it's normally rooted, and the corrective surgery is a matter of suturing the tendon back to where it belongs. There, with the leg immobilized, it will take root again.
"Post-operatively, patients will be placed in a brace to cast to protect the healing tendon. Depending on the strength of the repair, some motion is usually started within a few weeks, and gradually progressed over time. Complete healing of the tendon will take 8 to 12 weeks."
This is a lot different than an ACL injury. This 8-12 week recovery time is probably for normal people. For a pro football player, they need to resume lifting and running to regain lost strength, and while immobilized get out of shape. Still, original optimistic reports had him trying to return late in the same season. (Which I dismissed, since it would have been dumb. Give it MORE time, and play when it might mean something, ya know?)
It was the staph infection (like the one that almost killed Jerry Sherk) that threw that out the window. Staph is a fungal infection resistant to all antibiotics, and once they knew he had it, the prognosis went way south. As soon as I heard "staph" I personally wrote him off for at least another season, and maybe for good.
But now we have a different situation. The infection was actually purged before it could do profound damage. That's unusual, and I tip my hat to that surgeon. Staph reproduces through spores, and if you leave ANY of these microscopic bastards, it comes back. But that's not the case here--this surgeon seems to have really done an almost miraculous job.
His earlier advice to Bentley about retirement was based on his expectation of this infection lingering and coming back over and over again. His more recent statements are based on that no longer being the case.
I myself am concerned about the last surgery: Some of the tendon itself had to be cut away. However, this is the very doctor who did that surgery saying that if nothing bad happens, he'll clear him to play football, so I'll defer to the expert.
Nuts and bolts: An offensive lineman of course contracts the tendon as he fires foreward, and subjects it to further stress as he is duking it out with defenders. The bulk of this drive comes from the quadricepts--the patellar has little to do with the real force involved (I think). It rather positions the foot, and holds the position so that the quadricepts (thigh) can exert proper leverage and transmit the force into the ground. Otherwise, it's much more important for walking, running, and kicking.
If LeCharles can do poundage in his weight-room squats that are acceptable, and eventually comparable to those he was doing before the injury, they'll know he can play, and play he will.
Now, do you feel better, Bub? Just call me Ray Sunshine (and not late for dinner).
Much is made about his late arrival. Look: Bentley was an experienced veteran. There would certainly be some early miscommunication, but always, always we go overboard here. Another mountainous mole-hill in Cleveland. Just stop it, ok? Big deal!
Ooo...how cool would that be with Thomas/Steinbach/Bentley comprising the left 3/5ths of the offensive line! Mein Gott! Then you've got to figure out which two starters you have to bench at right guard and right tackle. Wow!
This one bit of long overdue good fortune would convert this offensive line into one of the best and deepest in the NFL.
They're trying to get something in a trade for Kevin Shaffer, but evidently Thomas's gun and ski-mask are messing that up. It could be that Thomas and his agent force Shaffer's retention, along with guaranteeing that Thomas will not be ready to start. Hey Joe--call your agent and tell him to get his head out. Don't be a dumbass.
More on ramifications later.
You stand corrected.
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