Hard Knocks Hysteria and the Cleveland Browns

It's easy to figure out why the Cleveland Browns were selected to be on "Hard Knocks" in 2018.  Tons and tons of story-lines, and the classic "turnaround" theme.

Some of the reactions are just plain silly.  USA wrote an article about how this is Baker Mayfield's worst nightmare.

I honestly couldn't make myself read the article, but no doubt they expect rabid dawg Browns fans to chant "Ba-ker! Ba-ker!" starting with Tyrod Taylor's first incompletion.

Oh, some will, of course, but I expect the majority of the other fans to just glare at them til they just turn red and shut up.

And like the majority of fans, Mayfield himself is being sold way short.  By implication, so is Tyrod Taylor.  Tyrod has never had the array of weapons or the protection he will have here in 2018.

So now he will start screwing up and trigger the Mayfield chants?

First, don't fixate on the simpler offense Mayfield ran in college.  He's got 48 starts and has a pro's brain.  Next to Rosen, he was the most pro-ready quarterback in this class.  He's far more advanced than DeShone Kizer was, and being "thrown into the fire" early won't hurt him.

Especially with Todd Haley, and not Hue Palmer, running the offense.

And why does everybody call Sam Darnold the "safer" pick?  With all those interceptions and his performances vs elite teams?

Talk about tortured logic, one guy who liked Darnold better isolated what the Georgia defense did to Mayfield in the semi-final as evidence that he's "not ready" for pro defenses.

Mayfield only threw for around 287 yards there.  In his 48 starts, that was probably his low point; 287 yards vs the Bulldog.

Darnold has several worse games.  I could have zeroed in on what Ohio State did to him, if I were that simple-minded.

Don't get me wrong, as I'm aware that Darnold has a lot less experience, and a ton of potential.  I only say that it's just plain bizarre to suggest that Baker Mayfield was a "riskier" pick than Sam Darnold.  It's not even close.

Josh Edwards (247 Sports) wrote another nice article quoting unnamed NFL Executives as being critical of Dorsey drafting Denzel Ward rather than Bradley Chubb.

They (if they exist) do make compelling points, just as Josh himself might:

Edge-rushers are rare.  Cornerbacks are not.  Analytically, edge-rushers rank right behind cornerbacks in importance.

One unnamed exec allegedly said that they should have signed Marcus Peters, a proven shut-down Pro Bowler, in free agency instead.

But Peters was very expensive, and is a head case.  It's one thing to roll the dice on kids with checkered pasts, but this clown has been around for awhile, and you can't fix stupid.

I have zero doubt that John Dorsey wanted Bradley Chubb.  He would no doubt agree with all the other GMs (and pundits) about this in principal.

But John asked Gregg Williams what he wanted, and Gregg said Denzel Ward.

So all these guys aren't criticizing John Dorsey.  They're questioning one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL.

I'll give Gregg the nod here.