2019 Browns are Superbowl Contenders. DEAL with it!

Many fans are uninterested in John Dorsey's recent signings of free agent offensive linemen Eric Kush and Kendall Lamm, but they're actually very important.

Kush is the inside utility guy who will replace new starter Austin Corbett on the depth chart, and Kendall Lamm will challenge incumbent Right Tackle Chris Hubbard directly.

Both Kush and Lamm have considerable experience as starters (*in KC and Houston--two prolific offenses*).

I looked these two (and Hubbard) up on PFF, and was kind of shocked at the clear pattern I found:  All three are well above average (above 72) in pass protection, and below average (mid to high 40's) as run-blockers.

This is analytics too.  Run-blocking is easy for offensive linemen.  Pass protection is not.  There are tons of great run-blocking offensive linemen, but not many who excel in pass-protection.

DePodesta and/or Dorsey have found a niche to exploit (Dorsey might have been doing it before coming here--I don't know):

Kush and Lamm were available and cheap partly because they're mediocre run-blockers, but in a passing league, pass protection is more important...right?

I'm not sure how the PFF and Numberfire geeks grade run-blocking, either.  I do know that they have their work cut out for them; it's really impossible to "turn into numbers", and I take it with a grain of salt my own self.

No--stay with me here: How do you grade run-blocking?  Measuring how far you push a guy back isn't valid for a zone scheme.  Counting how many times the last guy you blocked made a tackle might work, except that if that tackle is 5 yards downfield, well?

Pass protection grades are pretty reliable, and these guys know who to "blame" for what (ie the ignorant masses blame the tackle when the guard fails to pick up the guy the tackle releases, but they blame the guard, for example).

In 2018, every Browns' starting offensive lineman was better in pass protection than as run blockers, but the various running backs averaged (at least) 4.8 YPC on runs.

...anyway delete Offensive Line off your "needs" list (and ignore the Memorex Morons).

The MM's are also telling you about an urgent need at OLB, but if you read this Blog, you are aware that Rodney Averyfield is already here, and that Dorsey just signed another (cheaper) Chris Kirksey who can match his mediocrity...

Sorry I went off on a tangent there, but Dorsey will look to upgrade WIL first, and has Kirksey on the block as we speak.

Okay so now we know that Kareem Hunt will be available as of game nine.

Those of you who read this Blog know that MKC and company are fulla beans as to how this effects Duke Johnson's trade status.

Even Waitingtilnextyear texted that this means Dorsey will keep Duke til after then.

Nah!  Everybody is dismissing 2018 UDFA Rodney Hilliardfield, who can do most of what Duke does already.

Also, in 2018 when Kitchens took over the offense, he used Duke even less than Dorsey had.

Also, the addition of OBJ puts Landry back in the slot more, and (trust me) Nick Chubb will go to the slot in his second season as well.

Duke is on the block NOW, but Dorsey will not be screwed, and will roll with Duke if nobody pays up for him.

Ditto Ogbah: You think John Dorsey wants to get rid of Ogbah now?  Why?  

Ogbah played hurt, and often inside last season under Gregg Williams, who (*pay careful attention here:) is a different Defensive Coordinator.

Ogbah is dirt-cheap, too, so why on Earth would John Dorsey be aggressively trying to get rid of him?  OR DUKE?

I have to show you this in defense of OBJ the human being.  It's mostly a human interest piece, but it describes a guy with a good heart.

My readers get this: I called OBJ an immature clown and stuff, but never called him an asshole.

OBJ comes to a more stable situation here in Cleveland, where he

1: Rejoins his best freind in college, Jarvis Landry.

2: Along with Landry, reunites with their position coach in college: Adam Henry

3: Baker Mayfield was an OBJ lobbyist himself, and went out of his way to meet OBJ in the offseason in person.

3a: Mayfield is an "Alpha Dog".  He won't tolerate a Diva, and the coaches have his back.

4: Freddie Kitchens turned out to be an Alpha Dog himself.

I'm almost positive that OBJ won't be a (big) problem, or be (too) disruptive/distracting.

And while most of the pundits (and you people) have been mindlessly chanting for a a Gordon/Moss/Green/Jones can't-miss skyscraper (official "X"), I've been telling you that the better quarterbacks don't need guys like that.

I'm all-in with OBJ for what Dorsey paid for him.  Baker Mayfield has Eli Manning's arm, is more accurate, and can run around and throw off-platform (on the run--to his left or his right).

Kitchens/Monken don't lean on any individual skill player in the first place, and Baker Mayield is like Rodgers, Wilson, Kurt Warner, Joe Montana, Marino, and (sadly) Big Ben.

The really elite quarterbacks will never lean on any given receiver.  They universally hit whoever is open, deepest, and asap.

Baker Mayfield IS an elite NFL QB already...and now he gets OBJ!?!

We're talking "Greatest Show on Turf" stuff in 2019 here! 

...not exactly: This offense features more "smashmouth", but you can see the writing on this wall...right?

Like most of you, I'm stunned that the Browns are now the consensus favorites to win the AFC North in 2019.

USA Today documents the amazing job John Dorsey has done so far, and it's spectacular.

I offer this link because the writer was thorough and objective.  In fact, this guy pointed out some Sashi Brown screw-ups that I had overlooked.

But you people need to remember Myles Garrett, Ogunjobi, Schobert, Zeitler, Tretter,  and several other guys that John Dorsey ineritted, along with his bounty of draft picks and cap money.

John Dorsey is "maxing out" on his inheritance from Rodney Brownfield and Rodney DePodestafield, but is probably all-in on DePodesta.

...And Jimmy Haslam, like Art Modell, was probably never the micromanager he's accused of being (see earlier posts.  THINK. T H I N K.)

JFC you're lynching Jimmy Haslam (already) like you lynched Art Modell (and Bill Belichick) already...again!?!

...but yes: John Dorsey is all that (even if you can't give Haslam credit for hiring him because you're a permabasher or otherwise mentally ill).

The 2019 Browns are Superbowl contenders.

DEAL with it