Thinking more about the bad article I wrote about last time (which called the Browns not naming a starting running back in 2018 a "mistake", and declaring Hyde the frontrunner based on his experience good grief), I went back to research Nick Chubb some more with PFF.
Generally speaking, you can flush everything before 2017, because he played hurt in 2016. (Well, don't ignore the fact that in 2015 up to his injury he caught a bunch of passes for over 10 yards per--that's important).
PFF points out that Chubb never exceeded 50% of the carries in college. This is important, because it put a cap on his numbers, plus reduced the wear and tear his body took (which shortens NFL carreers).
PFF ranked Chubb fourth overall (behind Barkley, Jones II, and Rashard Penny).
Amazingly, Nick Chubb also graded out fourth in "elusive rating", which is impressive for a guy who's regarded as a power runner.
...and I gave up trying to find Barkley on that list after the first 20 names.
To be clear, Chubb scored 94.6 in elusiveness while the top guy (Penny) scored 128.6, so I'm not calling Chubb a "scat back" here, okay?
But in 2017, Nick Chubb averaged 3.8 yards per-carry...AFTER CONTACT. (Actually 6 yards per carry t-he).
But that's impressive, isn't it? Nick also broke 44 tackles in 2017.
He had 18 runs of 20-plus yards in 2017, which is close to two per-game, while splitting time with Sony Micheal.
PFF (couldn't ID the writer) said that Nick Chubb could be the steal of the 2018 draft class (for reasons I listed).
A few points here: I gave up looking for Chubb as a pass-blocker, whereas Sony Micheal was in the top ten. But this is likely due to the respective roles of Micheal and Chubb in that offense.
In the Browns 2018 offense, Duke Johnson will be Nick's new Sony Micheal.
Anyway, Carlos Hyde is a pretty good all-purpose running back, but Nick Chubb is better.
This draft class was amazingly deep at running back, and Saquon Barkley just "eclipsed" everybody else. Nick Chubb might have been the first running back off the board in a lot of draft classes. Carlos Hyde isn't a match for him.
In the "but what do they know" Browns Permabasher zone, Josh Edwards (247 Sports) discusses Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks' discussing the Browns 2018 offense as probably the most improved in the NFL.
I know, that's like falling off a log, but they're both talking night and day (per Brooks B-plus offensive talent).
Bitonio, Tretter, and Zietler will be together for a second season, and both these guys think this will make a big difference.
And it will: As I've posted repeatedly, continuity on an offensive line is even more important than talent. Even average players who are "synched up" can evolve into elite units.
It's more important inside too, as that's the core of inside zones, and it's the center and guards who pull and go linebacker-hunting in Hue's scheme too.
Regardless of what's in the playbook, these players, once they're used to eachother, start covering eachother's butts almost instinctively.
It's not just "repetitions", but also talking to eachother, and reviewing films together. Once they've been together for awhile, the whole exceeds the sum of the parts.
And as Brooks and Jeremiah take as a given, the "parts" are already pretty damn good here!
Bucky Brooks is an ex-player and talent-scout, and has a tendancy to gloss over stuff that most fans don't fully grok.
Bucky says that the Browns wide receivers can be a top five unit "when you include" those tight ends and Duke Johnson. Here's what he means:
1: Njoku will take heat off Gordon, as Kellen Winslow II did for Edwards Scissorhands in 2010.
2: Njoku and DeValve will sometimes line up as wide receivers, so Bucky (a defensive back) considers them as part of the corps.
3: Duke Johnson caught a bunch of passes downfield from the slot, and even outside, so Bucky includes him, as well.
I can't agree with Bucky that four wide receivers corps's are better than the Browns' (especially now that he stipulates that Gordon and Landry are two of the best, and includes Njoku, DeValve, and Johnson his own self), but I'll take "top five" from him.
"B-plus" overall is better than I expected out of Bucky, and is fair.
Tyrod is "pretty good", and we can expect him to do better with better weapons. But we need to curb our enthusiasm while Rodgers, Big Ben, Brady, Brees, Watson, Wentz etc are still hanging around.
Joe Thomas is a GMF now, and both offensive tackle positions will probably change.
For permabashers, B-plus isn't good enough. Screw them.
Brooks also mentions Todd Haley. Remember him?
Pat McNanoman wrote an exceptionally deep and insightful article on Jarvis Landry in re his assertion that he thinks he wants to be the best wide receiver in the NFL.
The positives we all know about, but I have to retract my criticism of Randy Gurzi here, since, per PFF, Landry only converted 53% of his third down targets into first downs.
Anyway, Pat states the pros and the cons of Jarvis Landry clinically and without bias (except he gets into salaries--that's irrelevant.)
While I personally still kinda question Dorsey's Landry decisions, he sure as hell won the perception war here: That (and Taylor) "primed the pump" for other veteran free agents who would otherwise have avoided the Browns.
As Pat himself pointed out, Jarvis clocked 4.51 on his Pro Day, and his assertion that he can play outside and run deeper routes is supported by how Haley has used him thus far in 2018 (he's been catching a ton of intermediate and a few deep passes from Tyrod; he's outproduced everybody, including Gordon).
His blocking shouldn't be dismissed and ignored as it has been, either. Jarvis Landry is a "real football player".
If he's overpaid, or squeezes Duke Johnson, Duke and I can deal with it. We're glad Landry is here (and he'll be markettable in 2019, by which time his cap hit will look a lot cheaper).
Business is business.
John Dorsey can't lose in 2018, so he has two seasons guaranteed. He's maxed this out:
He's brought in a sload of veteran studs and "plus" players who are 28 and younger. He's got a competent offensive coordinator, experienced players, and he can't lose more than 11-12 games (schedule and injuries be damned).
He's got a built-in "fall guy" in Hue Palmer: firing him in-season buys him a third season, if neccessary.
In 2019, he'll have to deal with Josh Gordon (assuming he stays on the wagon). But he'll recoup Tyrod's cap-hit, can maybe turn Landry's salary into at least a third round pick in a trade, and...
Business is business. The harder I look, the smarter John Dorsey looks.
Note: DePodesta is still here.
For a reason.
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