I was really impressed by this Fanpost article by "Ezweav" (Dawgs by Nature).
Ez projects the Browns 2016 depth chart. I disagreed with some of this, but the guy backed his play with logic and facts, and I think it would be a lot of fun to argue with him over some brewskies.
I do agree with most of his well thought-out projections.
He hits the ground running by calling Cody Kessler the starting quarterback.
When Skip Bayliss said this, I called him a dumbass, but I can't do that with Ez, because the basis for his opinion was rational, not to mention sentient. He's even half way persuaded me.
I love the fact that Ez comprehends that arm strength is overrated, and that Kessler actually has a decent arm. In his more aggressive 2014 scheme, Kessler threw downfield a lot more, and did so effectively. In 2015, he dinked and dunked, and 2014 never happened.
Like me, Ez had never heard of the guy until Hue (and it WAS Hue) picked him, but after checking some game films, saw a lot to like.
I still lean towards RG3, but like I keep disclaiming, I could be wrong. Nothing this article said about RG3's flaws was inaccurate.
Ez ranks Ivan Drago (McCown) third. Like me, he knows that he really should be the starter, but not on a rebuilding team.
Ez is not afraid of controversy. He projects ex-Bengal monsterback Terrell Davis as the starter over Isaiah Crowell.
Ez feels that Watson fits a smashmouth power scheme better. I like the guy myself, but kinda sorta disagree. In a way. A little.
Ez blames Crow for Bitonio's injury, since it was his back Crow ran into the most. He also doesn't like the fingertip tackles (I agree).
As Ez himself stipulates, the blocking scheme was confused last season, but Crowell did better with zone-blocking. But Ez missed the left-handed scheme that allowed defenses to predict every run through week eleven last season, and the fact that Crow averaged 5.2 ypc after that changed.
He's got Duke Johnson third. It doesn't matter, though: He'll play a ton.
Ez doesn't see him as a feature back. I don't know. I do know that he's a compact 205 and surprisingly hard to take down.
Also, if I'm right about the Baylor influenced spread offense, this favors Crow and Duke over Watson.
I do think that Watson will not be a wall flower at all. He will play a lot.
No surprises on the offensive line.
Ez predicts Coleman and Higgins at wide receiver and Hawk as the primary slot. He likes Payton almost as much as Higgins. I agree 100% with all of this. Except don't count out you know who.
At tight end, Ez stumbled a little. He's got Telfer at number two, Bibbs third, and DeValve fourth.
Telfer is a legit in-line tight end, but I don't see where Ez got the impression that he was a good receiver.
And again, if I'm right about the offensive scheme, both Bibbs and DeValve are better fits.
A note on this: The object of blocking is to keep a defender away from the football. Ok well, if a "tight end" lines up way outside, he is taking a defender away from the football, ok? And he can still get a piece of him, too.
It was truly refreshing to read somebody else saying that the defense's failures vs the run last season weren't the defensive line's fault.
The linebackers were out of position because they couldn't figure out where they were supposed to go. Because the scheme was too complicated.
Ez thinks John Hughes will start opposite Bryant. I think it will be Cooper. Ray Horton's defensive line will shoot gaps, and that's Cooper, not Hughes.
But I like Hughes a lot, so if I'm wrong I guess I will survive somehow.
He blames the coaches for Kruger's bad 2015 and expects him to start.
Duh.
But he's got Mingo starting on the other side! No I'm not disagreeing, just surprised.
Like me, he loves Hassan and Ogbah, but can't expect them to start right away. They'll both play a lot, though.
At inside linebacker, it's DeMario Davis and...Scooby Wright. Well, Ez mentions a bet he made, so I don't think he meant it.
Later on, he says he thinks Schobert will start after he has won his bet. That's about right. I like Kirksey a lot, but Schobert is special, and more advanced than Wright.
I don't know. There's a lot of talent there. I just know that the Browns will be really good at inside linebacker in 16.
Ez knows that Ibraheim Campbell is a stud, and thinks Rahim Moore will be the other starter.
He really sticks his thumb in a lot of eyes by calling Justin Gilbert a starter at cornerback. I love it.
As you know, I think he has a great chance myself. He is physically off the charts, and the rest can be coached. It's up to him, and he's another year older now.
This is not Johnny Manziel here. Justin has been a real punk, but the new coaches are all happy with his attitude and work ethic NOW...why does everybody think they're lying?
I have to give Ez a solid "A" for this. I know he's a genius, because I thought I was reading my own stuff...say, waitaminnit...
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