I like Kieth Bulluck and Brian Westbrook. These guys are new to NFL Radio, but already seem to have done their homework on the bad teams, as well as the good ones.
Unlike Rich Gannon and Armani Tumor, these guys actually seem to know the Browns roster...I mean besides Trent Richardson and Weeden. Why, I've heard them mention Jordon Norwood! No, it's true!
And since they do seem to have done their research, niether seems as negative as more ignorant pundits are about the Browns prospects. Don't get me wrong--I think they expect another basement room in the AFC North, but a better record.
Master of the Obvious and Hindsight Adam Schein agrees with a Cleveland caller that the Browns could use the venerable and stately Plaxico Burress. This way, he could teach the younger wide recievers how to run correct West Coast routes and catch passes for a losing season, then retire, taking Jordon Norwood or some other young guy with him into the sunset.
I'm confiscating the word "mentor", ok? You know who's the best non-coaching teacher of the Browns wide-outs? Joe Haden. YOUNG players improve with experience, and Heckert is building a team.
I'm glad to hear the Travis Benjamin has stopped dropping passes. It doesn't suprise me at all that his routes are better--now that he knows what he's doing duh.
Jordon Cameron is also showing up, and even Josh Gordon.
On Gordon, I found out that Utah runs a West Coast. Tony Grossi dismissed this, saying that per Gordon, he only practiced with the scout team. Fair enough, but Tony doesn't spare the time to look deeper.
Gordon did have to memorize his playbook and the West Coast route tree. He did no doubt participate in pitch-and-catch drills, practicing those routes against DB's.
While the last I heard about Mitchell was that the coaches and other players were having to tell him where to line up---a very, very bad sign--Gordon sounds as if he's already passed the third-year player up!
Working with the ones, outside in 3-wides? Wow!
No surprise that Massequoi is holding onto the number two slot (for now). I've been telling you that for a long time. He has never been the problem, even when he's limping and dizzy.
I love how both Richardson and Weeden are interrogating the veteran defenders to figure out what they're doing wrong, and how to get better. Little things like Joe Haden telling Weeden that he was locked onto his primary as he took his three steps is huge. Weeden was smart enough to ask Joe how he broke up the pass--I love that!
A permabasher would read that and say it was obvious and that Weeden should have known better in the first place. That's ignorant. Weeden hardly took any snaps from under center in college. If he had taken a snap and thrown the ball two seconds later, it's bloody unlikely that a defensive back would have had a chance to read his eyes. Joe Haden is very, very good.
Another point about Weeden is the fact that he was using the scrimmages to test the limits. He's not afraid, and is trying to see what he can get away with now, when it doesn't count. This is where his maturity comes in. A younger guy would be afraid to do that, figuring that interceptions in practice would demote him.
He has said that in a real game, he'd take the check-down rather than try some of the longer throws he tried. Again, he's mature enough to be flexible. This is great.
As for the AFC North, I now think that the Bengals will be strong contenders. The Stoolers sort of stood still, between cap casualties and the draft. The perennially overrated Ravens, meanwhile, are OLD. In fact, the Browns could overtake them.
And this is why so many prognosticators picking the Browns as the 30th team are wrong. The Ravens are two games on their extremely tough schedule, and these people ignore how old they are, and who they're missing. They also ignore how many Cleveland starters are second and third-year players who are coming into their own just now.
The Browns are the most improved team in the North--edging out the Bengals, I believe, on the strength of the Gordon move.
I underestimated Josh Gordon, and he's the final piece of the offensive puzzle. While Weeden will no doubt make mistakes, throughout his carreer he shakes it off and comes back stronger, rather than suffer an emotional collapse as some young QB's do.
He'll have a strong line, much faster recievers, a strong running game, and a tough defense. This offense can and will attack every part of the field. Inexperience will hold them back somewhat this season, but they'll be in every game.
On the new owners: Please wait a season or two before you start trying to chase them out of town. Please don't start right away if/when they don't fire everybody.
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