Not much. In fact, many scouts don't understand it. They say Daniels is a dime-a-dozen, and that they'd be surprised if he made the final roster. Reading that, I have to wonder myself. But man, if Phil is right and all these unanimous scouts are wrong....
Anyway, these scouts were all assuming that he's here to be a cornerback. The consensus is that he can play the nickel or dime if he's near the line and not expected to cover downfield. They universally call his speed marginal, but always in cornerback terms. I suspect that Mel Tucker, a former pro defensive back, had some input on this--don't you?
I suspect he's here as a utility man. A mediocre zone (ZONE) corner and an average safety who can probably help on special teams. Those guys talknig about a 7th-round pick...that's almost laughable. I mean I assume it's conditional, and anyway it'll be close to free agent territory.
At one time (as a rookie) he was a decent cornerback. He theninjured his ankle, and,according to a Miami sportswriter,"was never the same". But why, then , was he a starter at both safety and corner on and off since then? I mean sure, the top guys had beaten him out, and he only got back there due to injuries, but it means something, especially when you've got two different head coaches making those calls.
Make no mistake: Daniels is not here to start, and if he really can't help, he's gone. And while Chicken Little is caterwalling about lack of depth at corner, at safety the only solid backup we have is Adams--who is a hell of a player, by the way. Daniels is, almost obviously, all you Phil-bashing scouts, here to back up safety.
Sorenson did good and bad things, and might be okay (or not). At least this guy has been there/done that.
I still believe that Ashton Yaboute is the number one target.
Now, I read an actual article suggesting that Charles Ali could knock Rodney Harrisonfield off the roster.
Okay, I was impressed by Charles Ali--and nothing he did vs. the Giants surprised me. An undrafted rookie last season, he had serious upside (along with limitations). Even as a rookie, he did a great job of lead-blocking for Jamal, and bodyguarding Anderson. I knew that he could catch the ball, too.
He's a load, he blasts people, and he can catch, but he has typical fullback speed. I'd love to keep him, except that you only have so many roster spots.
But the author of that article should answer these questions:
1: What is the Chudzinski Browns base offense?
2: Who played fullback more last season: Charles Ali or Steve Heiden?
3: Can Ali play tight end?
4: Has Winslow lined up at fullback?
5: Has Rucker?
6: Has Cieslak?
7: Is there a difference between the two base tight ends? Are they actually different postitions, requiring different skill-sets?
8: If Vickers gets hurt and there's no Ali, how much of the playbook do you have to do away with?
9: If Heiden goes down and there's no Cieslak to replace him, how much of the playbook do you have to do away with?
10: If you could have Ashton Yaboute or Charles Ali, which would you prefer?
11: How much does Jerome Harrison weigh NOW?
12: Which can score from anywhere on the field, Harrison or Ali?
13: Who is REALLY the most productive back: Wright or Harrison? (Hint: see yards-per-carry).
TRADE BAIT:
1: Steve Heiden. Cieslak is a Heiden clone, makes less money, and is younger. Heiden has much value.
2: Darnell Dinkens. If you can't trade Heiden.
3: Charles Ali. (See above).
4: Andre Davis. Orr plays well inside, then there's Williams, Jackson, Bell, and hey! I like what Chris Griffin has been doing! He might be turning into more than a special teamer! Anyway Andre is the oldest and the slowest. They renegotiated his contract.
I respectfully disagree with my brother about Andre, and think he's a good player. And so do the other scouts and GMs. He's actually a better 4-3 Mike than 3-4 ILB, too.
5: One of the geezer guard/centers (pick one) not including Tucker. The pundits all seem to think that everybody has to be experienced as hell, and young guys with potential need not apply. Well, as it stands, the Browns would need to lose THREE interior linemen SIMULTANEOUSLY just to get all their geezers on the field (after Tucker returns--to play RG and BACK UP RIGHT TACKLE.)
Meanwhile, Phil has dug up several promising young offensice linemen, including especially James Lee, who--though understandably inconsistant--shows real ability to play left tackle. The pundits would have us cut the only depth beyond Shaffer at left tackle in order to retain an older guy who has about a ten percent chance of ever seeing the field this season, and might well be gone or retired next season, and who costs a lot more.
You guys can apply to be junior GMs all you want. I don't think they'll hire you.
Corrections:
1:The second and third team cornerbacks did NOT get humiliated vs. the Giants. WRIGHT did, for sure, but you guys just kept repeating the mantra from last week, oblivious to what actually happened. I guess unless a guy intercepts at least one pass, you just assume he sucks.
If the coverage is soft and they complete short passes under it, you call that a burn, right? I mean, nobody is supposed to catch any passes whatsoever, right?
No, the second and third teamers not only did allright, but showed real progress, just between the Jets game and this one. And they'll be a tad better vs. the Lions. That's how it happens, you see? Inexperienced players get experience. Seriously. And you know what else they do? They learn, and improve. (Ok you'd better knock off. I know that's a lot to digest).
2: The defense (all units) did a pretty good job against this top-notch running offense throughout. It was the PASS that killed them; notably three big plays (inc. the penalty). They did it with Williams in for only two plays, and sans Rogers.
3: The offensive line stunk. Period. Anderson didn't. Lewis shouldn't have fumbled. But everybody did okay except those five guys. I know that when you're clueless you just get all emotional and start throwing excrement in a general direction, but let's quit getting it all over the skill players, ok?
4: Quinn played a little bit against the Giants first team and with his own first team, though I'm not sure how long. Although he does seem to have more "escapability" than Anderson, and to improvise better, the fact is that he had someplace to go, whereas Anderson did not.
He did underthrow the pass to Steptoe, and it should have been intercepted. I'm not bashing Quinn, who I believe will ultimately emerge as the better all-around quarterback--and he DOES have a good arm, when you're not comparing him to Anderson--for crying out loud...but he did have more time, he did get lucky on that one (with the little big man's help), and shame on you for comparing their performances.
YOU STAND CORRECTED.
Now, thanks again to that (aptly-named) offensive line, Anderson is out for Detroit, and Quinn will get his shot. I know he'll do well. But if you ask any veteran quarterback, they will all tell you that it's better to remain on the sidelines for as long as you can before you're thrown into the fire. (All of them would have disagreed during this period, naturally).
Anderson did do what he did last season. He did return to camp this season much improved in his short game and throwing to his left. He checks down quicker, and has just improved in all areas. If you don't see that, it's because you don't want to.
He should not lose his job to an injury and even a stellar preseason performance by Quinn. He is now a veteran with a year under his belt, wheras Quinn is inexperienced. How is it that you people are all in a panic about inexperience at cornerback, yet are so eager to throw Quinn in over a guy that did what Anderson did last season as a first-time starter?
Besides, there's Phil, and the longer-term strategy. An Anderson who starts this season and does great stuff will yield just gobs and gobs of high draft picks and maybe players in a trade. All in one draft, he could solidify the core of this team a good four or five years.
An Anderson who gets benched because a bunch of ignorant people like the matinee idol better won't get nearly as much. A guy who's done it for one year--you can't be sure. A guy who has is solid blue-chip gold, and worth your first and second and then some.
And yeah--they'll trade Anderson, and not Quinn. Regardless of all the talk, they know he can do it. Even if Anderson turns out to be better, it won't be by much. What could they get for him, anyway?
Remember when Belichick traded Bledsoe? Brady had done well in relief, but was by no means vetted. People called it insane--Bledsoe was a top three oir four quarterback! He fetched a first and second rounder, I believe, and that started the Patriots dynasty.
I wonder how many knuckleheads wanted him to trade Brady instead?
And by the way, Brady did NOT have anything like Bledsoe's arm. He was actually a pretty short, skinny guy too. Nothing like the big muscular Quinn. He couldn't scramble like Quinn, either.
Trade Quinn? Do us all a favor and stay ten miles away from the front office, okay?
There' I've been objective. Now all the Quinnbots and all the Andersonphiles hate my guts equally, because they were too busy seething and steaming and cursing to read half of what I wrote.
Oh, I forgot. The boycott. Well somebody will read it someday and know I was right.
Alex Hall is NOT going to take all the reps in place of McGinest. McMillan will get one last chance, and Orr will get some reps there. But I do love that Hall has earned his shot this early. I have to repeat this for the third time: Sam Rutigliano called him a cross between Clay Matthews and Chip Banks. 'nuff said?
Of course, keep the context. Sam didn't mean he IS all that NOW. I mean, those guys were high picks from big schools, and were true linebackers. Hall played in Little League and was a defensive end. There's simply no way he can go into the season as a starter--linebacker is so radicly different from defensive end, and requires a lot more thinking and reading. too.
However, I know that he has already made this team, and that he will be used situationally on defense. He was never in awe of the NFL, and seemed to belong as soon as he got here. An amazing young player--I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't starting by late in the season.
Lewis is also out. Naturally, good old Wright will start ahead of Harrison, despite the fact that Harrison is better. Romeo is in trouble on this one, however, because he'll be forced to give Harrison some real reps, and Harrison will once again make Wright (who I really like and compare to Earnest Byner, by the way--just to get that straight) look bad, and Romeo might get a call from Phil asking him about his depth chart and recommending a good shrink.
I mean, I've heard Romeo say that Jerome would have to "do it on specials". Reading between the lines, I think it's about blocking, which Wright does very well and Harrison is just okay at (I said he's okay. He's improved a lot--and he's a lot bigger now). Also, Harrison ran sloppy patterns, and probably dropped passes. Romeo might not like his attitude in general.
Until this training camp, as I blogged, I was accepting that, partly because I do like Jason Wright a lot for his hard work, guts, and determination (a LOT like Byner).
But this offseason Jerome went with Jamal Lewis to his super-trainer, and returned much stronger than he was even after pumping up between his rookie and sophomore years. By all accounts, he's worked very hard in camp, and has made his way onto special teams (as if that was a reasonable demand in the first place!)
I also heard Romeo say "some things you can't change", referring to Harrison's height. His HEIGHT, for crying out loud, as if it's not a good thing to be short if you're a running back! Short guys can change directions quicker, have a center of gravity about at mid-thigh level to most linebackers...nevermind:
Barry Sanders Tiki Barber Emmitt Smith Priest Holmes Joe Morris...the starters for Indi and New England. Plenty more! SHORT is bad? Are you kidding me? Chud please talk to him! He used to have to try and stop these guys, didn't he?
It's just obvious that Harrison is better than Wright! You think his yards-per-carry will drop if he runs more? (That's the rub. How can Romeo pretend to give him a chance, but keep the ball away from him?)
I hope Hall, Quinn. Steptoe, and Rodney Harrisonfield kick butt and force changes.
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