So the top two real contenders are Shon Coleman (who Thomas says can be a good left tackle) and Greg Robinson (with raw rookie Desmond Harrison as a 2018 dark horse).
Robinson, per the real experts, has the ability, but has thus far been a huge bust. He can't be counted out, but certainly can't be counted on, either.
Back to Corbett: When Dorsey drafted him high in the second round (ahead of two more highly rated left tackles), Waittilnextyear went off:
Who is this guy? A "versatile" guy high in the second? We needed a starter and we're eyeball deep in guards and centers!
I took the company line: Some scouts said he could play left tackle. He started for four years and is refined/pro ready. He's very similar to the guy he followed at left tackle in college: Joel Bitonio.
It looks like Waittilnextyear was right, but I still say there's more to this.
Kevin Zeitler wasn't signed by John Dorsey, nor was JC Tretter. Zeitler's cap hits through 2019 are 12.4 mil/year. He's a very good right guard, but not exceptional, and he's 28 years old.
Tretter stayed healthy through 2018, but has an injury history. His contract is more reasonable, but expires after 2019.
Tretter, like Zeitler, is very good, but not elite, at his position.
Austin Corbett is the almost automatic top backup at both guard slots in 2018. For the moment, Austin Reiter should remain the top backup center, but Corbett can play there as well (they're letting him focus somewhat for now).
Both Zeitler and Tretter are tradeable. Corbett is in the bag through 2022 for comparative peanuts, and projects to be better than both of them.
Like my peeps, a majority of real experts insist that non-quarterbacks drafted above the third round have to start immediately to justify that pick, but a lot of us analytical types don't get that:
Prior to the rookie salary cap, these guys got paid more, and often signed shorter-term deals. Back then, hell yes--that guy needs to make an immediate and significant impact.
That was then. This is now. Logically, the best long term player is the best pick now, unless you're close enough that this player can get you to a Superbowl as a rookie.
For the Browns in particular, none of the available left tackles at that point were anywhere near prepared to step in and start as rookies, and none of them were sure bets long-term either.
Corbett's left tackle cieling was lower, but his upside at guard or center was extremely high. His floor was higher than most, if not all, of the offensive linemen in the draft.
In case you don't recall it clearly, expert consensus pegged this as one of the weakest left tackle drafts in recent memory. Most agreed that while a couple of the prominant ones had nice upside, none of them were prepared to play in the NFL anytime soon.
Today, as we pick on Dorsey for picking Corbett, smart people are picking on other teams for "overdrafting" these project left tackles, and...they have no problem with where Austin Corbett was drafted.
Speaking of "upside", undrafted left tackle Desmond Harrison (the rawest of the raw) may have the highest long-term cieling of any tackle in this class.
Some of you might also remember that I was a big fan of Kolton Miller and Ryan O'Neill, and was initially stunned by the Corbett pick myself.
On the bottom line, however, there were no left tackles in the second round who could start in 2018.
And do you draft the best available player, regardless of position? Agree or disagree, that's a valid theory, and Corbett is that high floor, very high ceiling guy.
Do you draft for need? That is, do you draft that left tackle even when you grade him lower than other players; even if you doubt he'll be very good?
Well, you can do that. You can also jump out of a helicopter. And it's about the same thing: If you overdraft average and risky players, you kill your team (slowly and painfully).
Most GMs say they draft "best available", but actually do consider needs.
You just don't draft a guy you don't think can beat out Shon Coleman, or ever be anything special, when you can draft a top notch offensive lineman with 12 years and 5 Pro Bowls written all over him.
Dez Bryant Update: Obviously, John Dorsey isn't getting my emails or reading this Blog, because Mary Kay Cabbott isn't making this stuff up:
They're kicking his tires.
Well, I'm good at arguing both sides of a debate (even in my own head *don't try this at home*):
First, we're talking one-year deal (I hope) here, and given the Browns' cap space, the money is irrelevant (in this case: no precedent for other players' agents to exploit--Dez is low on leverage right now).
Second, Dez turns 30 in November. He's a big receiver who never relied on speed, so he's probably got some tread left on his tires.
Third, he has been truly elite at times, and can still be. He can make an immediate and significant impact in 2018.
Fourth, the one-year deal doesn't threaten the salary cap for 2019.
Fifth, if all goes well, who's to say this big, physical receiver doesn't decide to stick around longer?
However:
Dez would be in a contract year, and (the hell with his "self-defense" tweets), has been disruptive and (at least apparently) selfish. He has not run disciplined patterns, or showed up when/where he was supposed to, and clearly refuses to fess up to what everybody sees on tape.
What happens when Josh comes back, and it's Gordon/Landry? Is this guy gonna have another temper-tantrum? "Everybody is picking on me!"
Dez and his agent need to respect Josh Gordon and Todd Haley here. If Dez thinks he's going to elbow Gordon or Landry aside, they're delusional.
And John Dorsey, please see the same thing: You sign this guy to a "prove it" deal, then make him the third wide receiver in an offense including Duke Johnson and Njoku; this guy, really?
He's gonna stomp into Haley's office caterwalling about how he's wrecking his carreer and stuff!
Hear that hissing sound? Look at your hand. See that fkng hot hand grenade? I'd get rid of that, I wuz you!
Nice contrast: Baker Mayfield (who, like somebody told you he would) looks really good right now:
Baker said he'll never accept being a backup, but now I guess some of you are beginning to start to comprehend what he means by that...or at least those of you who don't read this Blog.
Baker and Tyrod have become fast freinds here, despite the fact that Baker is trying to take Tyrod's job.
Taylor isn't phased by Mayfield saying "I'll never accept being a backup", because Taylor never accepted it himself.
Both have to accept Coach's decisions (ie "reality"), but niether will ever accept that he isn't as good as any quarterback in the NFL.
Mayfield accepts the "plan" (and really likes his pal and mentor Tyrod), but when he looks in the mirror, he still sees Aaron Rodgers (except one inch shorter and better-looking, and of course just plain better).
Tyrod (screw race 👍 this is cooincidental) probably sees a better-looking Russell Wilson in his mirror.
But they'll both accept the Judge's verdict.
Dez Bryant won't.
Not to bash Dez too much: He's looking to rebuild his credentials to get his last contract. He turned down a really sweet long-term contract offer from the Ravens (by the way thank you Dez!), which kinda proved to smart people that he is delusional.
If John Dorsey can't hear that "aoooga! Aoogah" siren, or see those flashing red lights, he's got something wrong with him here.
Bryant became radioctive when he turned the Ravens down. 30 other GMs in the NFL got that memo.
Dez has now decided that he wants a one-year "prove it" deal only because nobody else would touch him after that.
But listen to me, John Dorsey, Todd Haley, Dez Bryant, and his agent:
JOSH GORDON AND JARVIS LANDRY ARE BETTER THAN YOU. HALEY RUNS A TIMING OFFENSE. DUKE JOHNSON, ANDRE NJOKU, AND SETH DEVALVE ARE HERE. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO PROVE FIGHTING WITH DUKE AND ANDRE FOR CRUMBS HERE!?!
But what do I know?
Well, just note and file this. Let's see what actually happens.
If they don't sign Dez Bryant, we know they're not idiots.
If they do, then I will confirm that they were idiots by about game ten in 2018, and nobody will argue with me.
*disclaimer: Josh Gordon has to play. Sans Gordon, signing Dez Bryant would make marginal sense, sorta...assuming that niether Coleman nor Callaway beats him out...since if they do, Dez won't agree*
John Dorsey: Relax. Take a break. Stand back, and look at what's here, and how these guys are coming together. Relax. Be calm. Take a nap.
Don't fuck this up now. That's why the Chiefs fired you. You couldn't leave well enough alone. You made moves just to make moves. You never left well enough alone.
John Dorsey is brilliant, but hyperactive. That's mostly positive, but here we go with Dez Bryant and Gramps Jones--he just can't stop, ya know?
Note to John Dorsey:
TAKE A PILL. OR A NAP. Meditate. Relax. Don't pull that pin just because you need to fidget ohhmmm...ohmmmm...
It's official: We can ignore most of what Hue Jackson says now. Just assume he says "--has/have a lot of work to do" (and "but") and that's about half of what he says about everybody and everything.
I'll get into "competitive" "working hard" and a half dozen cliches later, but for now let's just say I got an app named Hue.
I'm tempted to delete it, but want to figure out what it's supposed to do first, ya no?
No comments:
Post a Comment