2019 Browns Might Equal 2018 Chiefs: Just the Facts, Man

Looking ahead to free agency, Sam Penix listed three under-the-radar free agents that he feels the Browns should target.

This was a refreshing article, as Sam actually considers age, salary, upside, and other factors that most pundits utterly ignore.

6'4" Charger wide receiver Tyrell Williams is his first guy, and it makes great sense.  The Chargers are overloaded with wide receivers (and weapons in general).  It's been tough for Williams to get much attention, and the Chargers probably can't afford to match what the Browns can offer.

I can forgive Sam for saying that Williams would make the Browns' wide receivers "one of the better" corps' in the NFL.  The current corps is above average.

Williams actually resembled Dameion Ratley when he was drafted. Sam says he still weighs 204 lbs., but that was his combine weight, and he's most certainly over 212 or 215 lbs by now.

Williams is now a proven veteran who has improved each season, and is primed to be a starting X receiver.  He's that big, fast target who can beat double coverage (of which the Browns are painfully aware).

OLB Shaquill Barrett is another guy who has too many studs in front of him in Denver, and Sam was on the money comparing him to Genard Avery.

Avery is faster, but Barrett has proven to be a terrific passrusher.  Per PFF, he's above average to good at everything except coverage (average).

And the Browns actually do need outside linebackers.  Avery and Barrett can fit in a 4-3 or a 3-4--at every position (as long as you don't make them man-cover much).

I'm not so sure about Ziggy Ansah, who is 30.  But Sam makes the point that due to this and his injuries, he might be a pretty cheap rotational player.

When healthy, Ansah is still a force as a passrusher.  He's worth checking out.

Jason LaCanfora, of all people, sheds some light on DePodesta's real position in the Browns Head Coach search.  He was consulted, and kind of liked both of the final candidates.

No "stand off". No West Side Story.  No drama.  I'm demoting Florio as a source.  I can't bring LaCanfora out of the basement yet, but will stop ignoring him.

I'm watching the Chiefs dominate the Colts in Kansas City now, and can't help comparing the Chiefs to the Browns:

Patrick Mahomes (not Wentz or Watson) is the "one that got away".  I have yet to see him throw an accurate deep pass left handed and upside down, but he's got everything else covered.

But Baker Mayfield is closer to Mahomes than the aforementioned quarterbacks--and very close, too.

Mayfield and Mahomes may well be the top two quarterbacks in the NFL in a couple years. Wentz, Watson, Darnold, et al won't get to their level.

Mayfield is a year behind Mahomes.  He might have an edge in accuracy, but Mahomes is just a freak, and just as smart as he is, as well.

So the Chiefs quarterback is better, but not by a whole lot.

The offensive lines are comparable.  At Tight End, it's a reach to compare Njoku to Kelce yet.  So for now, Kelce is better.

But Njoku could eventually match or surpass him as a receiver.  Maybe.

Now DEAL with this: Callaway can do everything Tyreek Hill does.  That is a fact.

The Browns running backs are better than the Chiefs running backs, and the balance of their wide recievers are better than the Chiefs' as well.

Defensively, I can generalize: The Browns' defense is more talented than the Chiefs defense overall.

Try to comprehend this:

Baker Mayfield is a year behind Pat Mahomes, Callaway several years behind Tyreek Hill (ditto Njoku vs Kelce), the Chiefs no longer have anybody like Chubb, and the Browns' overall team talent approximates or exceeds that of the Chiefs.

Cut the snorts and eyerolls, please.

In this game, the Chiefs defense dominated; especially in coverage.  I have to attribute that to coaching (and an extra week to prepare...and of course the fact that crowd noise prevented Luck from changing plays, and caused several false starts by his linemen)...

But I digress: The Chiefs could well win the Superbowl.  Give the Browns an offseason to "process", sign free agents, and draft ten more players, and they're where the Chiefs are now.

Oh god more snorts and eyerolls?  

Stand by.

UPDATE: Chubb=Gurley.  Quit the snorts and eyerolls born of Stockholm Syndrome and stand by.