Browns Offense Has Too Many "Playmakers".

With all the excitement over the Cavs championship, it's been tough to find anything to write about, except...

Weren't you shaking your head and giving up after game 4?  And then when they got to game seven, weren't you expecting them to find some way to lose?

I'm still in a state of shock.  I mean, this is still Cleveland, right?  Right?

Anyway today I finally found some dumbassitude to annihilate.  Put on your juror hat.

Pat McNanoman asked beat writers for the Ravens, Steelers, and Bengals if they thought that the Browns signing RG3 was a good idea.

Nobody who says it wasn't is dumb, okay?  I'm still not sure myself.

But the guy from Pittsburgh (Jeremy Fowler, who is actually an insightful and objective writer...usually) just took a stupid pill.

He was fine in wondering about whether a trade-up for Goff would have been wiser, but then he says that with the current roster, only a truly elite quarterback would have a chance anyway.

Let's see here: The problem is lack of supporting talent.  So trading up for Goff might have been better than drafting Rodney Colemanfield, two offensive linemen, a tight end, and three more wide receivers.

...and now that the Browns did add a lethal playmaker and several more reliable, productive skill players to Rodney Johnsonfield, the next Browns quarterback still won't have any help.

In other words, Jeremy just assumes that not only will every new offensive player crap out, but Duke Johnson doesn't count.

And I didn't even mention Crowell or Barnidge.  

Jeremy isn't an idiot, but was idiotic here.

Coley Harvey (Bengals) knows Hue Jackson well, and thinks that RG3 will work out, as Hue knows how to use him.

Coley reminded me of something I had forgotten: The system he used with Andy Dalton used read-option and other plays which suit RG3 even better.  Hue won't need to change a lot.

Jamison Hensley (Ravens) was even worse than Jeremy Fowler.  Once again for him Duke Johnson and Corey Coleman aren't playmakers and Barnidge doesn't exist.

Jamison is worse because he thinks there's a chance that the Browns could go winless.

That's almost impossible, since they get to play Jamison's team twice, and might sweep them, because they have MORE playmakers than the Ravens do.

And here we go again with that "playmaker" cliche.  Its almost as bad as "utilize".  And different people have different definitions.

Barnidge could be called one.  He can't score from anywhere on the field, but again and again he comes through in the clutch, makes spectacular catches, and scores touchdowns.  Are "playmakers" allowed to be reliable?

Corey Coleman hasn't proved anything yet, but isn't it pretty stupid to assume he won't?  He's already one of the fastest players in the NFL and he outjumped almost everybody else too.  He's a freak, and he can't be a playmaker?

Duke Johnson HAS proven something to everybody except Jamison and Jeremy, and did it as a rookie.  Now he's not a playmaker either?  

Rashard Higgins was a playmaker in college, as he has superb run-after-catch ability.  Nobody doubts that he will contribute quickly and become a starter fairly early in his career.

Who do you need to bribe to be a playmaker?  How many playmakers do you need?

Derrick Anderson went to the Pro Bowl with Edwards and a tight end.  Can you name a team that has three?

In summation, what Jamison and Jeremy just said was utterly senseless garbage. 

I rest my case.

Now, if you want to read a guy who thinks with his brain, try this.  This guy digs deep for fantasy sleepers, and I believe pegged those on the current roster.

Peter Smith also wrote this great article projecting the futures of the Browns 2015 draft picks remaining on this roster.  Without prejudice or bias.

And with great insight, as I learned some things from this article.

For one thing, Nate Orchard was matched up against little guys when he got his two sacks vs the 49ers.  I've been overrating him based on unfiltered statistics.

Not that Orchard isn't a good player by any means.  Pete says he still needs to work on stopping the run, but was surprisingly good in coverage.

This makes both Mingo and Ogbah stronger contenders than I'd thought.

Peter says that Erving and Shelton were both big fish in little ponds in college, and tended to just overpower opponents.  They were rudely awakened by NFL competition.

He and I know that both will have been working hard on their techniques, and are being coached up.  Interestingly, Pete gets into the weeds a bit in talking about ankle flexibility and strengthened glutes...I really like this writer.

Permabashers won't like this article, because Peter Smith describes some pretty good players.  Even though they were drafted by Ray Farmer, who was the worst GM in the history of sports.  Chuh.

And thank you, Peter, for pointing out the attack oriented Horton vs the read/react Pettine schemes!  And for agreeing with me that Xavier Cooper can do a lot more this year.

So there is intelligent life among sportswriters.  I am not alone.