I'm not optimistic about the Browns actually not winning a game this season. RG3 has now had most of a season to work with Hue and his new playbook. Despite his failures in the past, his talent is irrefutable.
The Browns now have a bi-week to get Cooper up to speed at right guard and prepare for the rest of their season. Cooper has failed as a pro, but few eyebrows were raised when the consensus-best guard in the NFL was drafted seventh overall.
As I've written ad nauseum, the Browns offensive line has done ok in pass protection, and the quarterbacks have all acquired a taste for pigskin. They just can't seem to throw any away before they eat some. How long do you think an offensive line can reasonably be expected to protect? Ten seconds? Fifteen?
PFF now ranks Pazstor pretty high at right tackle. I've seen this before. Mitchel Schwartze was regarded by many as a bust for most of his time here. Some in Myopia and Oblivia persisted in parroting this "dire need for a right tackle" right into the 2015 season.
Austin has quietly grown into his new position and is no longer a weak spot. Right tackle will not be a need in 2017, with Coleman, Rango, and probably Erving challenging him next season.
The real issue with the offensive line has been a lack of chemistry. This, and not Erving's protection calls, are what Joe Thomas referred to.
Centers can't anticipate stunts. The blockers have to react to them in coordination, and in the moment. It requires them to "hand off" and "pick up" unanticipated passrushers, and not until they've played together a long time can they get on the same page consistently.
Another issue has been run-blocking. This line is now facing stacked fronts because the quarterbacks have showed this infuriating tendancy to hold the ball, and because Kessler failed to threaten deep or make use of Barnidge over the middle.
The last two teams blitzed liberally to overwhelm the offensive line on both passes and runs.
Part of this is Corey Coleman's inexperience, and Pryor not YET in his prime as a receiver. He's had trouble defeating inside leverage, and has been crowded to the sidelines, shrinking the quarterback's window, and screwing up timing.
I believe the quarterbacks have been too fixated on Terrelle, and tend to wait for him to break loose, rather than checking down like they're supposed to. This is why so often after they scramble, they usually "find" Pryor coming back to them.
Hawk is a microbe, and Coleman needs experience. Barnidge doesn't get much separation (never really did btw). The quarterbacks don't trust them as much yet.
RG3 threatens with his legs, will take chances, and can deliver to a "covered" Terrelle Pryor deep with superb accuracy and touch, or fire a BB 15 yards downfield to a "covered" Gary Barnidge.
So, because Cooper might surprise everybody (including me) and live up to his talent for a change, defenses will have a harder time stacking the box and sending the kitchen sink, and RG3 can score deep or on the ground, the Browns might pull one out.
However, Kaperdick and his 49ers are playing well, and could still salvage the Browns first overall pick for them by winning a game of their own.
It's way too early for serious mock drafts, but I just can't help myself. The Browns take Mitch Trubisky.
By this time, Trubisky will have been savaged for all sorts of flaws, and everybody will say he is not worth the first overall pick but should be picked first overall. Last season, that's how it worked with Goff and Wentz. Works for me!
Well, as of right now, CBS Sports rates Trubisky as the fourth best player overall.
It would indeed be a huge risk. It's hard to nail down how good a guy really is when he has other NFL calibre players around him. He has not been perfect. And he's inexperienced as a starter.
I've already read one amatuerish critique picking at our home boy (Mentor) for throwing off-balance. I've only seen a couple games, but he only threw off balance when he had to, and he was remarkably accurate when he did.
An intelligent report would say that he can alter his angle, throw while moving, and throw off balance without losing accuracy.
A real pro on NFL Radio likes Mitch a lot, but says he wants to see more deep accuracy out of him. This guy knows his stuff, so I won't question him.
Here's the thing: He is very accurate, decisive, athletic, and intelligent. Hue Jackson is here, and Josh McCown might stick around (as a coach would be ok). He would, in reality, inherit a team packed full of emerging talent.
He does run a shotgun spread, but the passing game is based on timing. He "throws receivers open" with superior (and even rare) anticipation. He PULLS THE TRIGGER!!!
He wouldn't have to start right away. Cody Kessler, if nobody else, has proven more than competant when healthy, and will be better in his second season. The offense is intended to be run-first; not built around the quarterback.
And then there's this: He's a Q U A R T E R B A C K. Elite college passrushers fail too--maybe more often than quarterbacks. Don't even say you shouldn't draft him there unless you're sure. The last sure thing was Andrew Luck. Be realistic.
Mitch Trubisky grew up here, as a Browns fan. His family is here. Reminds me of Kosar.
Bernie only started for two seasons and had awesome talent around him too. Aside from "awkward", "side arm", and "great deep ball", Trubisky's scouting report should look a lot like Kosar's.
It was because of Bernie's remarkable brain that he succeeded early in the NFL. That's what makes the difference: The personality, work ethic, and brain. Trubisky has all that.
Some corrections here:
Mary Kay, Carl Nassib needs to pump up to over 295 lbs and get his hand out of a cast. He will be a monster next season.
Shon Coleman was not expected to start immediately. Rango is a nice surprise. Corey Coleman missed much of his rookie season. How can you already be faulting Sashi Brown and recommending a GM? Let's wait til we know something is broke before we break it.
Ed Reynolds is a real find at free safety. He is making the right coverage calls, and, along with Kindred, has improved run support from the safety position. The Browns don't need more safeties. A taller cornerback or two yeah, but not safety. A great move by the front office to bring Reynolds in here for free.
The Browns don't NEED a dominant passrusher. They might even have one or more on the team among the rookies. Even if they don't, this position rates WAY below quarterback as a priority on this particular team.
Cornerback and offensive line are ahead of that. I mention offensive line due to Thomas and Greco's respective ages, and lingering questions at center, and NOT because everybody sucks including the two rookies, and the THREE guys on IR (two established starters at guard and the probable favorite to start at center in 2017!!!)
For those of you who can't count, that's five players. Let's not go nuts drafting offensive linemen, ok? That's called "panic", or in some circles "spazzing out".
Terry Pluto, you and everybody else are nuts to keep bemoaning a lack of talent on this team. Who specifically lacks talent? Name the player.
Erving? Well if he lacks talent, just about everybody who scouted him was wrong. DeValve? Was he supposed to bench Gary Barnidge? X Cooper? Well he might be turning out to be average. Jamie Meder took his job. Does he lack talent? I guess you could say that of a lunchpail guy like him, but he plays too well to rate below average.
Come on who? Ed Reynolds? Pazstor, who PFF ranks among the better right tackles? Give me a name, or stop saying this team lacks talent.
Good grief! Give these 14-16 rookies a minute to figure out which end is up before you imply that Sashi Brown is incompetant and saying they all suck ok? Wow. Just...wow.
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