I must say I love Horton's blunt honesty. The man doesn't seem to hedge or sugar-coat anything.
Frankly, though, I'm disappointed by the local amateur and pro press. This was a perfect opportunity for articles with titles like "Civil War in Berea", and "Horton defies Chudzinski". Rumors of shouting matches, guesses about who won the fistfight--stuff like that. Get on the stick, people! I need stuff to make fun of!
Anyway, I'm going to like Horton better and better, because I have a feeling that when he gets a stupid question or hears a stupid theory he won't try to be diplomatic in...correcting it.
I finally got so starved for news that I read the Bleacher Report again and man--this time it was worse than ever.
I can handle the Rubin at DE part, but not the Winn at OLB or else gone, or the Hughes at DE part. Really? I mean you look at their history and see that Hughes played DE sometimes in college and there you go he's a DE!
Hughes is another guy that people said Heckert overdrafted, and in among the bashing was the fact that he projected best as a 3-4 nose tackle and NOT as well as a 4-3 defensive tackle because he was SLOW! Nobody in their wildest dreams thought he could be a defensive end in ANY scheme.
Billy Winn, 6'3", 296: Oh yeah he'll either have to make the transition to OUTSIDE LINEBACKER or be released REALLY? No, why not make him a safety?
And 6'3" 280 Frostee Rucker? He's a goner. Apparantly the fastest of the candidates who's also a rush defensive tackle can't play DE here.
James Micheal Johnson has ceased to exist now--or at least now he can't cover?
Gocong has apparantly died, too, along with Acho and English. Rest in Peace, guys--stay tuned to the Bleacher Report for your eulogies.
Anyway, Horton came in here and didn't say anything until he looked at the roster. He saw what I and other rational people saw, and decided he can go all the way with the 3-4 with this core of people...with some additions.
I've said that English, Sheard, and Gocong might be able to play OLB here, but then again I don't believe we have any superstars, and will feel much better after they draft and sign at least one more OLB.
I've got information overload on the Senior Bowl, but did notice that Jim Miller of NFL Radio (as of thursday) liked E J Manuel best among all the quarterbacks. His accurate weight is 234-238 lbs., and he's 6'5". He's the most athletic/mobile quarterback here, and compares to Andrew Luck in this CONTEXT.
Miller said that he was the most consistant throughout the week, making one perfect throw after another.
I've read conflicting scouting reports on the guy (some of them dating back to the end of his junior season so put an asterisk there), but along with Miller's analysis and the consensus it's this: He CAN run but is perfectly comfortable in the pocket. He'll stand there and take the hit to throw it.
His college program IS compatible with the pros--it's just that in his version, he ran the hurry-up more than half the time, which had some scouts declaring it a gimmick offense, which is patently wrong.
I also read conflicting statistics on him...and I mean somebody at one website had somebody ELSE'S stats there, because his REAL completion percentage is over 66%, and yards-per-attempt over 9 (which is good).
He's used to going deep whenever possible.
Turner would love to have him. Turner's offense is quarterback-friendly, with similar reads to those Manuel is used to. Nothing at all would need to be modified to suit him.
One scouting report talked about an occasional inability to find open recievers, which chilled me, because that was exactly Weeden's issue last season. Remember the guy with the telestrator circling three open guys while Weeden gets sacked?
But this was one of the older reports, and in the same report it talked about his inability to rise to the occasion and win the big games.
He won every Bowl game...what? In fact, the biggest intangible about E J Manuel is that he IS a clutch-performer!!
Again in the Bleacher Report this other goober discussed quarterback possibilities, and ignored arm-strength. Turner needs a guy who can throw it deep.
Of the guys mentioned, Alex Smith was probably the one that made sense. His arm is good enough, and only that superhuman freak Kapernik kept him on the bench after he was injured.
A trade for him would require the Browns' first round pick, but if his salary forces his outright release, the Browns could sign him if they just bid high enough (a trillion jillion bucks). Turner has worked with Smith, and Smith knows his system.
But the non-endorsement of Weeden means only that. It's not a condemnation. The Coaches would be morons to declare this guy the starter before they've even had a chance to work with him personally. They must see if his inability to see wide open recievers, propensity to hold the ball til he gets sacked, and inaccuracy throwing on the move are correctable.
I had thought these issues couldn't be fixed before hearing Gannon and Miller talk about it: The ex-quarterbacks think it's not that he doesn't SEE the recievers, but because he doesn't trust what he sees...like he sees an Ed Reed hiding behind every linebacker, and in every shadow.
If so, then Turner will fix him immediately in this system. Vertical routes are very trustworthy. Nobody can sneak up on or jump them.
Colt McCoy could have trade value to a West Coast team up to and including a third round pick. He's a West Coast QB who no longer fits here.
I know it's early and my knowlege is shallow, but right now I would hope for Manuel to last into the third round for the Browns. But after he clocks a 4.6 or something at the combine and stuff, that probably won't happen. And a trade-down in the rookie-cap era is less likely.
That would be ideal, though: For Weeden to get his head out and start kicking butt in this Turner-made offense, and to have Manuel (or somebody like him) watching and learning.
I saved the best for last: A wide reciever runs down the field, makes a break, and catches the ball. There are some hand-fighting techniques, ways to push off and get away with it, keep your hands down til the last instant, and stuff like that to learn, but it's not rocket science at all.
The Browns do NOT need a veteran wide reciever.
Anyway, Little enters his third season. When exactly do you become a veteran in Cleveland? When you turn 30?
And by the way, quit calling him inconsistant. He quit dropping passes early in the season and has been doing great ever since.
Who do you want to kick to the curb to make room for your rent-a-geezer? Benjamin? Norwood?
By the way, these little guys could see more action with Norv Turner. Little and Gordon are the obvious starters, but the two little guys are the perfect complement from the slot or in a 4-wide. They can not only dart and dash around underneath like Welker, but go vertical against guys who can't jam them (or catch them). Two big guys and two smurfs!
Regrettably, Josh Cribbs may be a goner. It's a money thing, you see? He's crowding thirty and there's no room for him at wide reciever. Benjamin and two other guys can return kicks and punts, and part of Josh's success as a returner is strong special teams talent around him.
I love his guts and class, and I'd love to keep him, but the competition for him will make him too expensive--unless he accepts less money to remain here, which I doubt.
I don't care about Dawson's age--he's a kicker so it doesn't matter that much. They should pay him. But this is Joe Banner, and he'll have a definite bottom line on this. We can hope that this bottom line is top 3 kicker money, but I don't know. Some idiot will probably overpay some kicker somewhere and make it too rediculous, even for Phil.
YOU STAND CORRECTED.
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