First to correct Terry Pluto: The Browns are not "desperate for wide receivers". If you read this Blog, you know why.
However, they sure are loading up in them (now that they've rid themselves of that bumb Rodney Lesliefield).
Rashard Higgins is now gone, but the Browns added two more second-year wide-outs.
Kasen Williams is a big, strong guy who had lisfranc and other injuries in college, and was deemed "undraftable" by some scouts in 2016. His combine numbers were pedestrian, but I suspect that these same injuries undermined them.
He averaged over 20 yards per catch with the Hawks this preseason, so he's certainly worth a look.
Reggie Davis is a 4.31 burner. I can't believe I'm reading this right, but as of the 2016 draft he is listed at 5'11.5", 158 lbs.
Reggie has accomplished nothing so far, but I guess Sashi is reaching for deep speed again here. I also assume that Reggie no longer weighs 158 lbs., even if he has a fast metabolism.
Quarterback Josh Woodrum lit it up for the Ravens this preseason, despite his predraft scouting reports being downright brutal. I don't see him as a threat to Kevin Hogan, but Kessler? Could be.
I can't find much on new DB Micheal Jordon. I just know that he's played some in the NFL for Gregg Williams, and they know exactly who they're getting.
Sadly, Tyrone Holmes was released to make room for T Y McGill. To pre-empt the ignorance, this is an athletic one-gapping 3-technique defensive tackle ok?
He's entering his third season, which is prime-time for guys who start at the bottom of depth charts to emerge.
I'm tempted to second-guess a lot of these moves, since they're stacked at 3-tech, and Holmes was really good, but I know better.
When the dust settles, we'll see who ends up on the practice squad and stuff, and I get the general logic, and this is more a DePodesta thing than a Sashi Brown thing:
There's a lot of competition for preferred undrafted players every season, and many of those the Browns want will opt for other teams. They are tracked, and via waivers, the Browns can scoop some of these up later.
Andrew Berry is watching every roster closely, and targeting players too. Often, even guys you hadn't liked before surprise you, so you put them on your target list.
Then you grab everybody you think has a chance of being better than the guys you have, and give them that chance.
Now, with Jordan Leslie, releasing him was almost as dumb as taking Mitchell Schwartze's offer off the table, and Sammy Coates is as likely to get cut himself as to accomplish anything, but I'm still on the "right direction" train overall.
The last ten or so active roster spots are for special teamers and developmental players, and the practice squad is exclusively developmental. Here is where DePodesta says you gamble a little.
If 10 of 15 guys don't become at least top backups, the five who do justify the "reaching".
At this early stage, "churning" the bottom of the roster is logical.
Here, Hue Jackson will get a bead on Woodrum early. He could be a practice squad guy, an outright release, OR kick Kessler to the curb.
Kasen Williams has a good shot here. Reggie Davis might get released quickly if he doesn't prove himself; he's a lottery ticket (well ok he might be a great special teamer, so he's got that goin' for him. Oh! So does Williams!)
As we've seen, Sashi Brown has just released two of the three wide receivers he drafted in 2016. That's rare. Most GMs sink or swim with their draft picks--refusing to give up on them.
I can't call this irrational, since many dumbass owners judge GMs more on the success or failure of day 2/3 draft picks than they should.
NOBODY bats over .500 in the lower rounds.
Sashi is sticking to his script. He's trying to build a contender. Only wins and losses will matter in the end. Clearly, Jimmy Haslam gets this too.
Chris Pokorney deserves a lot of credit for identifying every free agent the Browns ended up signing, before they signed them. This was a great article! He included tons of guys, but those he emphasized wound up as Browns. WOW, Chris!
I'm pumping my inner-fan brakes hard right now. I'm dreaming of an upset in Pittsburgh in the opener. My inner analyst says it's highly unlikely.
Look, the Giants blew out the Pats in preseason, right? Ok?
But...damn this defense is for REAL. The Browns special teams will also be superior. The Steelers defense will be good, but not THAT good (btw I heard Joe Thomas will play and Corey Coleman will stick around into the second half and the whole "Kizer package" will deploy and Hue will be trying to WIN instead of developing the passing game (ie he'll RUN the ball more than half the time for once)...
I'm conflicted here, because my inner-analyst is finding a bunch of logical, rational reasons why the Browns can beat the Steelers in their house...
I (the analyst) can cite time in-system, experience, quarterback, and overall offensive talent as reasons why the Steelers will win. I can even tell you, Antonio Brown and Ebeneezer Belle are going to stick it to this defense, like they stick it to every defense, but still...
The Browns should win on special teams, and the Browns offense is highly underrated, while the Steelers defense is overrated.
This "home team" crap is overrated in intra-division games, and Big Ben's record vs the Browns is all but irrelevant vs this Coach and these players. Most of that is mystical bullcrap.
Still...I have to admit that the Browns aren't ready yet, and will probably lose.
But that point spread? THAT is irrational!
Late Correction: Thank me for sparing you the link, but Woodrum being here because "niether Hogan nor Kessler has exactly lit it up this preseason" kind of speaks for itself.
When you can look right at something, and say it's not there, you should not be allowed out of your straight jacket, let alone anywhere near a keyboard God I'm sick of this
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