Sunday, June 2, 2019

Browns Special Teams, Developmental Talent Matter. Talent Matters.

I finally have an opinion on OBJ's skipping out on OTA's, thanks to Doug Lesmerisis.

In America, once you prove yourself, and become one of the best, you get to take time off.

Doug kinda surprised me when he suggested that younger players and kids look at OBJ and say "I want to be that good, that I can skip OTAs!"--and work harder to achieve that higher status.

Wow!  But it's true!  That's America!

This "chemistry" stuff for this particular receiver and this particular quarterback isn't a big thing, and players who need more reps get them in Beckham's absence.

Missing all but one of the offensive installs is more serious, but in my last post I quoted some Coaches who insist that OBJ has a brain under that wierd hair.

But OBJ right now isn't sweating all the flak he's getting for skipping OTAs, because he fully 100% expects that by Game 1 he'll be 100% ready to rock in this offense with this quarterback.

And he is correct.

So Baker Mayfield has talked to fellow former Sooner Gerald McCoy about playing for the Browns.  I don't see this as news.  NEXT!

I'm really pleased to read this Petrak article on Baker Mayfield coaching up little kids at special flag football camps for little kids.

He seems to really have fun doing it.  I wish I could be that good with kids, but it's not in me.  I wonder what Colon Cowturd would make of this?

Cory Kinnon takes a stab at guessing at the probabilities of current players making the final roster.  It's at least 95% on the money, but of course Cory isn't me, so..:

1: Chris Kirksey's fat Dead Money hit would indeed make releasing him difficult, but it's a one-time charge which they can easily afford right now.

All these articles about the Wilks Big Nickel Defense should make you wonder how many (and what kind of) linebackers the 2019 Browns will retain.

The how many is easy: 6 max, and more likely 5.

Now, Avery Takitaki Wilson Taylor and I'm not even up to 

2: Joe Schobert, who is likely to get traded soon.

But back to Kirksey: John Dorsey won't cut a player who is better than Kirksey to avoid a Dead Cap hit, and Ray Ray Armstrong probably makes it as a Special Teamer.

3: Drew Stanton should be on the bubble instead of probable. Baker Mayfield doesn't need a Yoda, and the backup quarterbacks should simply be the best players, period.

4: Ray-Ray Armstrong is a key Special Teamer per Preifer and is more probable than on the bubble.

5: Cory has Mack Wilson on the bubble mainly because he had to include Kirksey among the locks due to his salary, even though he has looked good...I don't get this one.

6: J T Hassel should not be "doubtful".  His current listing as a linebacker is misleading, as he is going to play Defensive Back in the NFL, and he is also a can't miss ace special-teamer.

Hassel is already capable of filling the Wilks LB/S position which Whitehead seems to have won so far.

Forget about the missing fingers: He's faster and more athletic than most cornerbacks, and he kicked ass at linebacker.

Steve Wilks will keep at least TEN defensive backs on the active roster, and this guy can't be one of them!?!

Overall, I think Cory is overlooking a new emphasis on Special Teams here:

The best Special Teams units in the NFL have 4-6 core players who play on both sides of at least the punting and kickoff units.

Maybe last season a guy like Ray-Ray Armstrong wouldn't make the final cut, but that was Hue Jackson, and as I posted earlier, Freddie Kitchens gave new ST Coach Mike Preifer access to the whole roster.

But in order to sign the highly-regarded and pursued Preifer away from Minnesota, you gotta know that John Dorsey made some promises.

Those promises almost certainly included making sure Preifer got those 4-6 core players; ie that Preifer would heavily influence the bottom of the roster (which Dorsey controls).

CB/S Eric Murray is a terrific utility guy on defense, but is also a core special teamer.

Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi has no shot as a WR here, but Preiffer said if he can play on the coverage units too, he can make this team.

I thought Ray-Ray Armstrong was a GMF until I heard Preiffer raving about him.

Hassel?  He's short-term depth at multiple positions, a probable eventual starter and an instant Special Teams stud and Cory has him kicked to the curb already?

Now, in re Gerald McCoy, the Browns are his best option in terms of scheme, period.  He can play in some 3-4 fronts, but he's most effective in 4-3's (and he knows it).

If the Panthers offer McCoy over 10 mil, I say good luck.  If the Ravens offer him over 10 mil, I say PLEASE GERALD SIGN THAT OFFER SHEET HAAA-HAHAHA!

But if Gerald is thinking with his brain, he'll take less money from the 4-3 team in which he can rotate with 2 other studs and stay healthy and prolong his carreer and stuff.

Seriously, Gerald: If the Ravens offer you 30 mil with 18 mil guaranteed over 3 years, you should take that deal!

Err...that was sarcasm, ok? You see, I would like the Ravens to overpay a player who does not fit in their system...oknevermind.

But I digress: Gerald McCoy's best option is the Browns, and Dorsey knows it, and I assume he is low-balling him and calling his BLUFF (and hoping if his greed is greater than his common sense, he'll gouge the Ravens instead of the Panthers).

I concur with Myles Garrett: The Browns DT's are ok as-is.  McCoy would be awesome, but not at "any price".

Forget this one-year contract stuff; McCoy is 31.  Dorsey can front-load his guarantees and lock him up for 2-3 seasons...and the Ravens or Panthers can't (or shouldn't).

Everything depends on if Gerald's brains are bigger than his ego.

Let Darwin rule.

Speaking of which, Nitpicking Permabashers point out that OBJ and Landry's teams lost more than they won, and (incredibly) that Baker Mayfield has a techically losing record...and one idiot even called them all LOSERS...







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