Josh is a nominal Defensive End, but is unlikely to play there in the NFL (except as a situational wide edge-rusher).
Even in college, he was a third and long rotational EDGE guy. Josh is 6'2", 250 lbs, and can't stand up to offensive linemen vs the run. He's also a speed and bend guy, but can't yet convert speed to power as a rusher.
Apologies if you already know this, but "speed to power" means you start out threatening to run around the blocker, then run up under his pads while he's stepping out to get in your way.
It's possible that Hans, Franz, and pro coaches can add "speed to power" to Uche's repertoire in time, but for right now, he's all speed.
However, Uche may be a really good NFL linebacker.
The writer who wrote the linked article wasn't the only one who was impressed by how quickly and naturally Uche drops into coverage (zone), and others have said he can cover seam routes vs souped-up Tight Ends.
Uche was one of the biggest stars throughout Senior Bowl week--especially as a passrusher. That's not insignificant.
At this point in time, lots of scouts love Uche's athleticism and potential, but as a rookie he's probably a special teamer and situational EDGE guy (not really part of a rotation).
In other words, a "project" linebacker.
Down the road a piece, (like in 2021), this guy could compete to start at OLB, and at least get on the field on passing downs. Meanwhile, Preifer would love him on Special Teams.
Tom Withers (AP) thinks that OBJ's inability to practice had a lot to do with Baker Mayfield's crappy 2019 season, and (duh) I feel like Captain Obvious caught me with my eyes closed. I totally overlooked this!
OBJ didn't show up for the voluntary workouts. He was actually recovering from a Quad injury (and that's tough: you just plain can't use the muscle, see?) THEN, he has this "core muscle" injury for which he just had surgery, so he was held out of the weekly in-season practices as well.
Baker Mayfield had little opportunity to "sync up" with OBJ...
...ok I didn't know all this before, and am now officially pist off:
The narrative that OBJ wasn't targeted enough is 180 degrees wrong, as Baker Mayfield was forcing the ball to him all season long.
YOU people are bashing Kitchens for not "finding a way to get OBJ the ball", but actually, he was doing the opposite.
While even an impaired OBJ was probably still as good as Jarvis Landry, and still a serious playmaker, this was still political.
John Dorsey traded a ton of assets away for this player, and he was going to be featured in 2019, come hell or high water.
Rashard Higgins disappeared, then so did Njoku. Ratley got nothing but a few crumbs late in the season. NOW I get it. John Dorsey was really the one in charge.
It's hard to bash Kitchens over this. Dorsey made his whole carreer in one 2-year stretch. It's hard to bite the hand that feeds you.
It is possible that OBJ sticks around for 2020, but only if nobody
Regardless, Kevin Stefanski will run his team as he sees fit. Paul DePodesta has been in his corner all along, but isn't trying to monkey around with the football side, and Berry was hired after he was (indeed, Kevin had a vote on that).
"Defending Tony Grossi": Political Correctness is a form of mind control, and the word "midget" isn't perjoritive. Tony didn't say "nigger" or "faggot", ok? I can't believe this crap is happening. I wonder if any little people were even offended!
Where will we be 5 years from now? How many more words need to be deleted from our thoughts?
Grossi's fixation with Mayfield's height is assenine, but there was no "hate" in what he said, and he shouldn't need defending.
GROW UP.
Hey talk about serendipity! The Village Elliott strikes again, and backs me up on my last several (pre-Grossi) paragraphs.
Actually click this link, as Elliott gives you the 2018 vs 2019 numbers for Ratley, Higgins, Njoku, Landry and every other receiver who was here for both seasons.
We can set Njoku aside here, as the bulk of his missing stats was due to his injury, but the rest of them simply got elbowed out of the way by OBJ and Dorsey.
Kennel says "OBJ is no excuse", pointing out that most of the other guys failed to bring in enough of the targets they did get, but he's wrong:
Landry and Chubb aside, all the other 2019 sample sizes were microscopic, and statistically irrelevant.
Furthermore, in 2018, Mayfield looked everywhere before and after the snap, and hit the open man quickly. In 2019, he fixated on OBJ, and only looked to the other guys after the play was broken, and he was scrambling.
Chad Porto revisits John Dorsey's Zeitler for Olivier Vernon trade, and says what I've been saying: WHAT!?!
I'm not part of any lynch mobs here: I get that Dorsey had a reasonable expectation that Austin Corbett could be a decent RG, and edge-rushers are critical.
Still, Vernon cost an extra 3 mil, was constantly injured, and I need to remind you all that Dorsey dumped both Ogbah AND Nassib ahead of this genius trade.......
The 2019 results Chad cites were kinda predictable for Olivier Vernon, given his injury history and age.
Anybody can judge trades or draft picks in hindsight, but this one? It was dumb from the ground up.
I'm glad John Dorsey (with all due respect, and I mean that) is gone, because otherwise the Browns might indeed be trying to trade a 2nd round pick for Trent Williams, and planning to pay him over 8% of their salary cap for 3 years.
The OT issue is complicated, as I've now been informed (by Kennel, or maybe Porto) that Jack Conklin is below average in pass protection (given his salary demands, he has to be off DePoBerry's "board"), the FA OT market offers NO certain long-term solutions.
It now looks likely that DePoBerry will rent a geezer for the 2020 season, like Costanzo or Whitworth or somebody (Peters is 38, ok? Please just stop it, ok?)
They need to sign that veteran instastarter OT ahead of the draft, for several reasons:
1: ANY of them is an upgrade, ready to rock.
2: They lack leverage and will be relatively cheap. The contract could be for 3 seasons, but with all the guaranteed money in 2020. They could overpay this player in 2020--it wouldn't matter long-term.
3: The geezer would help the younger guys develop. (And the Browns will draft or sign at least 2 OTs/4 offensive linemen here duh).
4: The other GMs need to see that the Browns have one Offensive Tackle nailed down ahead of the draft, so they can't anticipate what the Browns will do with a given draft pick.
Lack of information is power.
5: It mitigates the risk of trading down from 10 overall. The Browns HAVE one 2020 starting OT already. They only need one more (for now).
Seriously, would you people tell Andrew Berry to get these communications glitches fixed so I can advise him, or at least relay my advice? Obviously, it's critical.
Andrew: Fix safety pre-draft. Several veteran STUDS are available, and you can afford them---the market is saturated. Consider low-balling Rodney Radallfield btw. Take that need off the board!
Let Teller and Forbes sort out RG. Don't ignore the new blocking scheme, or how well they fit here, or Callahan.
Trade down from 10th overall, and pile up 2020 and 2021 draft picks. You can draft your Left Tackle low in the 1st and/or high in the 2nd round in this draft class, and projects on day 3 ("top-heavy" my ass).
Andrew, you probably can't nail down Vernon's replacement here. All you can do is dig up guys like Uche on day 3, or...
Ogbah. Myles Garrett loved him. He kicked ass as a rookie. Let's see what he can do in this defense.
Late note here:
"Aggressive" does not neccessarily mean spastic or stupid. You people need a dictionary!
Okbye
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