The wild swings are flying fast and furious as pundits scramble to identify urgent huge voids and desperate needs the Browns must fill urgently this offseason desperately.
No link to the dumb article which says the Browns need to sign Gramps Suh to take heat off Myles Garrett.
Suh has not lived up to his rediculous contract, and has visibly and clearly declined lately. He's also been criticized for "taking plays off".
While defensive tackle is a need, there will be many better options than this geezer.
This writer also likes the Patriots left tackle. Ok. And the Ravens kicker---me too! But the Suh thing was so dumb it made the article unsalvageable.
Jeff Risdon, however, wrote a pretty good article about the Browns needs.
Interior defensive line check. Coley has disappointed. Ogunjobi is fine.
Offensive tackle. I was going to argue with that, but Jeff points out that Gregg Robinson is an unrestricted free agent who may or may not be back.
Jeff seems to have less confidence in Des Harrison than I do, but I can't fault him for not counting on him, or for wanting to upgrade from Hubbard.
Jeff points out Austin Corbett as a potential tackle as well, so he really didn't miss anybody.
I do feel good about Harrison, however. Des had three main issues coming out of college:
1: Size. He has the height, but wasn't even 300 lbs. He is 6'7", and was vulnerable to bull-rushes.
2: Inexperience. Harrison started a total of a little over one season. He was very raw, with mechanical issues. His lack of experience showed up when he blew assignments and reacted incorrectly to twists and stunts.
3: Level of competition. For offensive and defensive linemen, this is important. Harrison played against the Little Sisters of the Poor.
He was replaced by Robinson around midseason, with cause. It doesn't mean he's done yet.
He will return more massive and stronger, with the benefit of his experience and practicing his skills at this level.
Des Harrison remains a freak, and will have a good shot at reclaiming left tackle next season, and of being a good one.
Next up is wide receiver. Here, Jeff went off the rails. He undersold Callaway, for one thing.
Jeff was smart enough not to push for a skyscraper "crutch" type, but experienced cognative disonance when he said that the Browns really need a slot guy who can get open quickly.
That could be Callaway, and already has been Duke Johnson and Jarvis Landry. The Browns are eyeball deep in slot receivers, Jeff!
Kicker yeah okay. The 2018 Browns would have won the AFC North by a comfortable margin if they'd had a reliable kicker all season.
They would have won the first game vs the Steelers, swept the Ravens, beat the Saints...
The guy who wrote the dumb article suggested they try to pry Justin Tucker away from the Ravens. That would be awesome, and Dorsey should be willing to out-bid the Ratbirds to get it done.
I myself have been guilty of undervaluing kickers, but not anymore. Look at what would have happened if Tucker had been a Cleveland Brown! It kinda makes you sick, doesn't it?
Kicker really IS the Browns' biggest need.
Jarvis Landry seems to want everybody. He's added Antonio Brown and Ebineezer Bell to the list now.
Jarvis might eventually become a good Coach, but any Front Office needs to get a restraining order against him.
Jake Burns does a "should he stay or should he go?" Film Room on the Browns' starting linebackers, and inspired me to identify another need: Outside linebacker.
Jake's verdict on Jamie Collins is "go", and I agree. He's getting paid way too much to keep making mistakes the way he does.
I remember when Belichick traded him, there were rumors of a tendancy for Collins to freelance too much, and Jake's films show screw-ups that could be interpreted that way.
Jake thinks Kirksey should stay, but I don't know if I agree. Facts are facts, and he is below average. I know he's a great guy and teammate, but business is business.
Burns didn't cover Genard Avery, and he is definitely on the horizon as one probable starter.
As I've mentioned, he's almost a clone of James Harrison (except faster and not psychotic).
Harrison was undrafted, then cut what---six times or something? Spent YEARS on practice squads and at the bottom of the roster.
Avery got a great head start, and got a bunch of real in-game experience right off the bat. He will be a starter in 2019. He's the fastest linebacker on the team (and the strongest, too).
Kirksey may indeed be retained, but Dorsey has to be looking for an upgrade over him.
It's a good situation, as linebackers tend to go lower in most drafts. Dorsey could get a real stud in the middle first round, or even in the middle second (if not another Avery in the fourth).
PFF ranks Baker Mayfield 9th among quarterbacks. That's amazing for a rookie. Imagine how good he'll be returning with a year under his belt!
Err...He IS a rookie, you know? Big Ben and Peyton Manning were garbage as rookies. Did Andrew Luck rank as high as Mayfield? Which rookie has, ever? (not rhetorical--I really don't know. Watson had to be up there, right?)
Number ten was Matt Ryan. The other rookies were all in the bottom third.
There's this commenter on the PD Boards: "allaboardtherosentrain". How funny. This guy called Dorsey an idiot for drafting a "short air-raid quarterback" who couldn't stay out of trouble.
I'm not picking on Rosen or anybody else here, of course. Baker Mayfield actually had the strongest supporting cast, and had by far the most experience of all of them. Anybody who bashes any of them is an idiot. (Okay well Rosen is personally scum, but I mean as football players ok?)
But there was another commenter who pointed out that Baker is "not yet in the class of" Watson or Mahomes.
Err...well actually Watson ranked behind Mayfield. Point taken on Mahomes...who isn't a R O O K I E, Sherlock! I mean, here we go raising the bar again!
And look at Mahomes' weapons! Give me a break!
Antonio Brown may (or may not have) asked for a trade, e voila: here's an article asking how much the Browns should give up for him.
Full disclosure: I did not waste my time skimming this article, so there may have been a coherent thought or two in there.
1: AB is a diva. In 2017, he actually crticized Haley and Big Ben for throwing to JuJu Smith-Schuster almost as often as him. He also can't keep his mouth shut on twitter. And by the way, Smith-Schuster is BETTER than he is!
2: Big Ben "made" Brown. Every time Ben missed time, Brown wound up on the back of a milk carton.
3: Having said all that, Antonio Brown IS a lethal weapon, which is why the Steelers would NEVER put him in Baker Mayfield's holster for any price.
4: Baker will continue to "distribute" the ball evenly among all his receivers, regardless of who they are. Just imagine Brown's reaction to that.
4a: Brown is paid a ton of money. Dorsey won't pay it.
5: He is 30. He is short and small, and relies on his quickness, which is the first thing he will lose to age. Randy Moss or (ahem) Juju Smith-Schuster could keep going, but Antonio Brown is in decline.
What is it with you guys? Every time a "big name" shows up, you think the Browns should trade away their draft and their cap for him, regardless of his age, recent performance, who you already have on your roster, your system/their fit, your quarterba---skip it you're toddlers chasing shiny objects.
Andrew Gribble tells us that Baker Mayfield set the NFL record for touchdown passes by a rookie quarterback. That includes Dan Marino, folks.
Andy also points out that he piled up 376 yards on the Ravens' 4th-ranked passing defense, and that Mahomes was the only other quarterback to top 300 yards against them on the season.
Andy also says that six different receivers have at least 3 touchdown passes, while Callaway leads the pack with five (is any of this sinking in yet?)
Mayfield wasn't sacked again. This isn't just the big uglies, but also the running backs and tight ends. It's also the scheme (Kitchens) and Mayfield's mobility and pocket-awareness.
All of this circles back to this quarterback. PFF's ninth best in the NFL in his rookie season, owner of the rookie touchdown record (and of the Ravens' defense)...
Even as a rookie, Baker Mayfield elevates the play of every player around him. He became an instant leader (with "gravitas") in one half vs the Jets, as he engineered a comeback win.
He's already THE leader of the offense (a rookie, remember?)
And deal with this: Baker Mayfield IS better than Carson Wentz. PFF ranks him over DeShaun Watson too...as a ROOKIE.
SO FAR, Pat Mahomes is the top young gun...and he'll never drop out of the top five; he's...
Well, long story short: Mahomes and Mayfield are the two best young quarterbacks in the NFL, and are a cut above the rest.
It's like Brees vs Rodgers. The Browns have one of those two quarterbacks. It's true! You'll see! Do the Browns play the Chiefs next season? Mayfield and Mahomes hope so.
Ok I'm done with this PC crap Jim Caldwell? Really? The OC who replaced Flip in Minnesota?
John Dorsey extract your Head and extend Gregg Williams for two years and Kitchens for 3 (or more). Why are you screwing around with...what the Patriots Defensive Coordinator? The Chiefs Special Teams' Coach really?
Sometimes the blatently obvious solution is indeed the best solution. If I'm Gregg Williams, I'm determined to get tf out from under you, John Dorsey, because you've already insulted and degraded me...
Jeez Dorsey just keep this mojo going and zero in on a stud kicker and stuff!
Oh and note to Bengals: Please sign McCarthy ASAP. Please.
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