A lot of people believe that there is a difference of opinion (oh I forgot: A divide) in Berea about the first overall pick (Garrett or Trubisky).
This divide may or may not actually exist. I have to take it seriously based on the source: Spymaster Adam Nosterdamus Shefter.
But this has led to wild and presumptive kneejerk speculation about who wants who between Jackson and the geek squad.
Hue Jackson recently said that the number one pick has to be an immediate difference-maker, etc. And you know he has to be talking about Myles Garrett. Fair enough. But I'm a little skeptical, because I know a thing or two about "disinformation" and "propaganda".
A couple weeks before the draft, it's generally wiser to assume that everybody who works for any team is lying about everything.
It is valid to adhere to the rule of thumb: Coaches want to win NOW, while Front Office people look farther down the road. That's because coaches get fired first. This would indicate that Hue wants Garrett.
But this is a rule of thumb. Hue Jackson was the apple of Jimmy Haslam's eye. He likes "analytics", and cited DePodesta and Brown's vision as one of the reasons he signed on. He was also promised that he would pick his quarterback.
I just heard Mary Kay Cabbott repeating this LaCanfora about Kessler being forced on him, and his saying "You'll have to trust ME on this one" was his heroicly covering up for Sashi Brown as if it was a proven fact. Why the hell would he endorse a player he expects to fail? That's suicidal!
If the geeks like Trubisky better than Garrett, why? Well obviously, quarterback is THE critical position.
I could make the case easily (with the help of Pat Kirwan thanks Pat): Garrett was stifled by elite competition. He got multiple sacks vs the Little Sisters of the Poor, but zero--or one in two games-- vs Arkansas, Alabama, etc.
(I think it's ironic that Kirwan makes fun of "moneyball" when he himself does analyses like this btw.)
Trubisky, on the other hand, was pretty consistent over his (admittedly too few) 13 starts. He checks all the boxes (especially the accuracy/anticipation/turnover boxes).
Based on this, I might well persuade a jury that Hue wants Garrett and the geeks want Trubisky, especially when I suggest that Hue might like Jackson or Mahomes nearly as much (as I have several times already anyway).
Makes sense, right? Hue thinks he can get his lump of clay at twelve or a little later (and Trubisky IS just a lump of clay himself right now too), so he says just grab Garrett and get the quarterback later.
The geeks say no: Trubisky is the most promising and safest lump of clay, and we need to make sure we get our high-quality clay while we can, and Garrett has been average vs better competition...
It's confusing. I don't know what rumors were deliberately floated as disinformation, what was Mary Kay Cabbott or La Canfora's fertile and drama-hungry imaginations...but Shefter...Adam Shefter said there were different opinions here, and Adam is THE BEST.
But I think the "divide", if it's real, is being massively distorted and misunderatood.
1: Jackson might have been "disinforming" about "immediate impact" at first overall. If I were running Browns counterintelligence, I would have had Hue say this if I wanted either a particular quarterback, or a trade-down, or both.
It's perfect: Everybody already thinks Hue is already afraid Hair-Trigger Haslam will fire him if he doesn't make the playoffs, and some even believe he didn't want Kessler, and that Sashi Brown is Stalin 2.0.
It also feeds the "dysfunctional" narrative. Many SMART football people will buy this for the asking price. Pat Kirwan is one.
2: It's Garrett vs Trubisky now. As you can see in my last post, it's deeper. The Browns might be leaking stuff to force fans to think with their brains, and take QUARTERBACK Mitch Trubisky seriously.
If so, it worked. Sentient beings like me are coming out of the closet in Mitch's defense, and frankly undermining the Branch-Garrettians indoctrination. (This is called "deprogramming".)
The 49ers made a big move of their own in announcing that they're "open for business", and prepared to listen to offers for their second overall pick.
I believe this is legit, because the Niners need a lot of help, have the inside track on Cousins, and have Brian Hoyer to hold the fort.
However, only two kinds of people will make offers for that pick: Garrett people, or Trubisky people.
Trubisky at 12? That's DOA now. If they don't draft him first overall, they won't get him.
Pat Kirwan pounded the table on NFL Radio: "If you want Mitch Trubisky, trade up to number two to make sure!"
That is insanity, and I don't think Kirwan would have suggested it to any other team. This guy really, really hates the Browns.
But I digress:
3: Everybody who wants Garrett is burning up the phone lines as I write this, because they know Sashi will listen. After all, Hue Jackson is just the Head Coach. Brown is a geek, and a gambler. He will try to outsmart all us old school vets and nab Trubisky later to pile up more meaningless first, second, and third round picks (the poor naaive kid).
3a: Hue might have liked Watson or Mahomes just fine all along anyway.
I was gone for awhile, but I'm back now:
As of right now, I think the Browns (ie Sashi, Paul, and Hue) want to trade down from number one, and consider Watson or Mahomes as suitable consolation prizes in lieu of Mitch Trubisky.
See my last post (and several others) again: Myles Garrett is just one guy, even if he is a generational talent. There are 10-12 other instant starter, immediate impact, elite players in this draft, almost every one of which fits a REAL Browns need better than Garrett. Safeties, corners, 3-tech defensive tackles, a tight end...
Gil Brandt says this draft is unusual, in that the 11th or so to the 46th or so players could all kinda be ranked the same...and they're all "real good". This draft is deep in "immediate impact".
The rumors of the Browns fishing around about trading into the lower third of the first round are probably true.
These are tentative, contingency feelers, dependant on how the draft falls. Most teams do this. These are the trades that happen when a team is on the clock. The agreement was made in advance.
For the Browns, I would guess this is about Patrick Mahomes. I think Watson will go before he does.
I conclude this with this disclaimer: Your guess is as good as mine.
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