Don't Dismiss Charles Johnson

In the scrimmage, WR Charles Johnson dropped a touchdown pass, therefore he is Greg Little and should probably be released now, right?

Not exactly.  Now that I've been able to find some more out about him, I can tell you that throughout college, he had reliable hands.

Yeah, it was his first chance against real competition, and he probably choked.  It doesn't mean he'll always feel that way, or always drop the pass.  His history says that won't happen.

The good news is, he was where he was supposed to be, and he was open.  Given the fact that Johnson has no history of drops, this is actually very good news, loaded with promise.

Do you think Kyle and Mike should keep him on the bench now to punish him?  I don't think they will.  I think he'll get more first and second-team reps.

The fact is, Shanahan's hybrid West Coast is complicated for a wide reciever, so we can't expect Johnson to blossom overnight.  He can't be reliable until he consistantly reads coverages the same way his quarterback does.

But Pettine loves how hard he works, so it's just a matter of time.  I'll bet that he at least rotates in here and there vs. Pittsburgh--after making some big plays in preseason.

Miles Austin is Miles Austin when he's not lame.  How he played in the scrimmage is what the Browns will get so long as he is healthy, and that's pretty good.  Austin is enough to keep a safety back and Cameron in single coverage.

I haven't been giving Willie Snead any props but will here: He can't do everything Austin can do, but is a reliable target who can move the chains.

A Gordonless WR crew with Miles Austin can balance the offense.  If Austin goes down again it will get tougher...well until Charles Johnson is ready...because when he is, he'll be like Gordon.

Imagine Johnson growing into that role, and then Gordon coming back.  Wow--TWO of those guys!!!  On the same team!!!  With Jordon Cameron!!!

Don't get me wrong--I'm not kidding.

It's not optimism, really.  Gordon is one inch taller, and Johnson is a little faster, but in every other way, these two are strikingly similar.  If Johnson wants to learn how it's done, all he has to do is watch Gordon films and do everything he does--because he can.

The only thing that can stop Charles Johnson from becoming an elite wide reciever is Charles Johnson.  I'm betting he won't let himself down.

As it stands, with Miles Austin this offense is balanced.  If he does go down before Johnson is ready or Gordon is back, Kyle will have to run a Lindy Infante short-passing offense.

As Jim Miller says, that can still work, if you don't make mistakes.  In reality, that's what the 49er dynasty with Montana and Rice ran.  Most of Jerry's big plays were off short passes.  Jerry Rice was not a real deep threat.

Hmm...Gordon, Johnson, AND Austin...jeez...

Jim Leonhard is not a minor signing.  He's not a great athlete now, and isn't here to start, but he's extremely smart, and will help the safeties and cornerbacks a LOT in assimilating Pettine's scheme.  He can also teach them dirty tricks.

One ignorant caller to Pat Kirwan (on Pat's Manziel campaign in Cleveland) bemoaned the Browns lack of depth at safety and Gipson's weakness deep.

I keep telling you, Josh Aubrey is a very good player!  He can cover and he can tackle, and if not for Gipson and an injury he'd be starting and doing well!

I don't care that he was undrafted, nor do the coaches, nor should you.  I know what I saw, and what I read about him.  

This clown called after Leonhard was signed, too, so I guess he thinks he's also a bumb.

I don't know much about the other guys, but there are a bunch of them.

Pat Kirwan was, of course, almost eager to agree with the caller about anything wrong with the Browns. Pat ignores, and the caller was oblivious to, this fact about safeties:

Most of the best safeties are converted cornerbacks, and many were drafted low, or went undrafted.  They most commonly suck at press/man coverage, but do well in off-man or zone coverage.  As cornerbacks, they are special teamers, but as safeties could be great.

Every GM including Pat know this, and have tried to exploit it to find great safeties cheap.  

In fairness to Pat, however, he might not have known about Josh Aubrey.  Cuz you know...it's the Browns, after all--