Tashaun Gipson is a helluva safety when healthy, and we all miss him. But business is business, and he wanted too much money, period.
On the other hand, what he said about hoping the Jags' offense would "hang 40" on them is understandable.
What he said about feeling sorry for the players was going too far. If Joe Thomas felt that way, he would have asked to be traded awhile ago.
On that topic, this article by Daryl Ruiter on the state of the Browns is a cut above the usual LaCanfora, but I'm so sick of "it's been widely reported that--" and "It's well-known around the league that--" crap.
Here's how this happens:
1: Mary Kay Cabbott says there should be a "football guy" in the Front Office.
2: Rhona LaCanfora turns this into Hue Jackson wanting a football guy in the Front Office.
3: Mary Kay (and everybody else) cite his BS column as if it's the Bible, and now it's widely reported around the league! Each new writer embellishes a little. Then LaCanfora takes that utterly unsubstantiated pile of crap and "Berea is Burning!"
Why can't you see this? I guarantee you, Mr. Ruiter does, but he says this crap anyway.
Daryl says the Browns keep losing with "no end in sight". That's a pant-load. It is inevitable that as these inexperienced players develop and mature, they'll start winning. That's just reality!
Sure, quarterback is critical, but we've seen Kizer actually improve a little now. He still screwed up, but screwed up less. That's how this works! Dammit you had to learn to walk, didn't you? That's what's going on here, right in front of you!
Along with Kizer, look at Njoku and DeValve! Ok so DeValve got stripped, but he's a weapon in season two (when Hue lets him on the field). Njoku was dropping every other pass, but he's doing better now.
Ricardo Louis doesn't look like a big-play guy or anything, but in his own second season, he's a solid player already.
One day after PFF listed EDGE as the Browns' second biggest need, Ogbah sacked Stafford twice. Of course he did! He's a second-year player who led the team in sacks as a rookie!
I told you about Joe Scho who was so good in his second season that Gregg Williams altered his defense to get him on the field!
No end in sight? Daryl, you need glasses, man.
Don't say it. If you say "what about everybody else?" I'll TELL you about everybody else! Too late! I'll keep going:
Corey Coleman should be back next week. Fantasy gurus are recommending that owners try to grab him. Prior to his injury, he was looking really good. Obviously, because his rookie season was behind him, and now he's mastered the other 90% of the route-tree that he never ran at Baylor!
His quarterback was DeShone Kizer, who at that time was stumbling around not knowing which end was up his own self, and that hurt Coleman's production. He'll be the number one receiver the instant he's back, and Kizer will lean on him.
Shon Coleman is concussed right now, but has actually outstripped Mitchell Schwartze in his growth-curve, and his athleticism says he'll be better than Schwartze.
What about Sponge Bob Square Pants Rango? Can you believe HE is the guy who stepped in for Joe Thomas? I was personally stunned. Rango was a left tackle in college, but NOBODY thought he could play that position in the pros.
But there he is! And they left the more athletic Coleman at right tackle!
Rango is, of course, no Joe Thomas, and needs more help vs the speed guys, but this second year player is still impressive. As a rookie, he started at left guard when Bitonio got hurt, and I believe at right guard too. He came out of college as an afterthought, and instantly became the top "utility guy".
Here is an extra-smart blue collar lunchpail guy we can love. He doesn't have much upside, but will improve at left tackle with more reps, and if he doesn't get hurt too bad, will be in the NFL for a decade or more.
That's the boring one. How 'bout DT Trevon Coley? Another second year player (swiped from the Ravens), he's a human hand-grenade.
2017 draft picks Ogunjobe and Brantley look really good too, but Coley has a season under his belt now, and...wow I guess we're all set at defensive tackle for a long time, no?
No end in sight?
"Nobody knows how much impact Josh Gordon can make after most of three years off" what?!?
He's twenty six. Trust me: Josh Gordon remembers how to play football. This kind of idiocy is just too much for me. You can predict he'll fall off the wagon, or even that he won't be as good when he isn't buzzed, but that statement is just plain stupid.
Do I have to get into Peppers, Burgess, Calhoun, Wilson, Nacua, Treggs, Nassib, Orchard etc etc? No end in sight? Really?
In spite of that, I included the Ruiter link because the article is worth reading, and substantially pretty objective/informative. The bullshit is just kind of around the edges (my God he cited LaCanfora as a source!!!)
BAD Daryl!
Anyway, Ruiter thinks the winds of change are blowing again in Berea, and seems to suspect that Hue Jackson is the guy on the spot. He points out that Mike Singletary was in Cleveland, and mentions the outdated "Rooney Rule" which compels everybody looking for a Head Coach to interview at least one bro.
That's pretty damn sharp, by the way. Daryl would make a great intel geek!
He didn't leap to conclusions, however: Singletary could be in consideration for any job, including an assistant coach slot.
But Daryl's premise is bad. He sees "no end in sight" to the losing. Obviously, that's wrong.
Hue Jackson is indeed desperate for a win or two, but he almost can't help getting those as his young players improve and two lethal weapons return to his offense.
Daryl refers to the Jackson-bashing in re play-calls and personnel management.
In reality, Hue did make a couple key mistakes, but overall was a good playcaller. Going for it on fourth down is easy to bash when it fails. So is everything else when it fails. Coaches coach, and players play. The players are expected to execute.
Daryl isn't talking about not zone-blocking for Crowell (by the way I saw some replays, and Hue did indeed zone-block on at least one of Crow's big runs). He's not talking about either Njoku or DeValve on the bench every down (except DeValve's TD catch had Njoku on the field too, so there is hope).
No--Daryl is talking about starting Kizer right away.
He has a point, actually:
Kevin Hogan actually outperformed Kessler and Kizer in preseason. Hue went with Kizer based on one game.
At the time, I just assumed that Hue knew what he was doing a whole s-load better than I did. But in retrospect, I think he screwed up.
How good would Kevin Hogan be right now, had he been given the chance he had EARNED?
Hogan had a ton more experience in college, and real-game Pro experience in this offense, with these receivers. Did Hue really think Kizer was that much better than Hogan, that he'd throw the two-year starter who his college coach said wasn't ready, and who downright sucked as a junior--into the fire ahead of him?
Is Kizer better off having stunk up the joint for most of the season than he would have been learning from the bench? (Ok that's debatable--a tough call).
Would Hue Jackson have a win or two had he started Hogan instead?
AB SO LUTELY.
I think Hue overestimated his "quarterback-whispering". He thought he could fast-forward DeShone Kizer to competance in short order. He loves that arm and stature. He rightfully expected a strong defense and running game, Corey Coleman was healthy, he had a great offensive line---that's why at that time I didn't pick on Hue.
But I wrote right here in this Blog that I would have started Kevin Hogan. And I still think the sky is the limit for Kevin Hogan.
Why aren't all you permabashers pointing at Gramps McCown, who is kicking ass as the starter for the Jets now?
Well let me tell you: Josh's release was more likely Hue's call than Sashi's. And if he had not been waived, Hue would STILL have started Kizer over him, no madder wudd.
In fairness, Josh was far from impressive with the Browns in 2016, and I (and most of YOU) agreed with that move at that time.
Like close to 50% of you agreed with trading down from Wentz, and over 67% of you agreed with trading down from Watson, then drafting Kizer.
Remember? Of course not! YOU PEOPLE remember that "Wentz or bust", and "Watson here? Grab him!" But your memories are imperfect.
This is part of thinking with your brain: You actually have to remember.
I remember expecting Carson Wentz at number two, but then being overwhelmed by all the draft picks the trade yielded. I remember loving Sashi Brown for engineering that, and thinking "okay we didn't get the quarterback, but we did get the most of the rest of a TEAM."
And so we did, by the way.
On the Watson trade-down, I remember writing in this Blog before it that I thought most of his critics were fulla crap; he was in two College Championships and beat Nick Saban's team in the second one.
I remember being pissed off when they traded down that time. Then I remember the Browns drafting Kizer in the second round, and feeling much better, since Hue was in charge, and the consensus had Kizer as the guy with the biggest upside in the whole draft.
I remember most of YOU PEOPLE agreeing with me...and Sashi Brown.
The national Browns-bashing is to be expected, but shame on you local guys (who don't say stupid stuff just to piss me off) for your fuzzy, convenient, self-serving memories.
Those trades aren't over yet, and Kizer and Trubisky are approximately equal right now...except for where they were drafted.
Remember what YOU said at the time. You can bash Sashi Brown for arguably being wrong, but you need to remember if you agreed with him at the time.
If you bash Sashi Brown for decisions you supported when he made them, you're not being objective. If you stand back and wait for results and say "That was a dumb move", you are a pansy and a dumbass. Not to mention a hypocrite.
NOBODY here should be fired. Perfection is too high a standard. Bill Belichick isn't perfect. He was far from perfect here. I remember YOU PEOPLE calling for his head.
Both Mannings, John Elway Jared Goff, and most other great quarterbacks sucked as rookies. Take a fkng pill this isn't over yet!
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