The most recent rumors about Jedeveon Clowney don't mention the Browns, and I guess I'm missing something.
That's quite possible, for real. Coaches and GMs aren't going to come out and bash any players publicly, but this guy should be a lot more...popular than he seems to be.
Questions about Clowney's work ethic and motor aren't breaking news, but he sure seems to be doing a great job, especially according to PFF.
Upon further review, Clowney is kind of getting screwed in re his sack numbers, as he's been a Linebacker for most of his carreer.
Unlike most of those 3-4 guys, Clowney actually can cover Hooper or Njoku-type Tight Ends, and crash down out of a backpedal like a much smaller man.
By the way I was wrong to compare him to Myles Garrett. Clowney is faster and stops/starts faster. Myles could play 3-4 OLB, but nobody would want him man covering those scary Tight Ends.
But that's part of my point: Clowney can put his hand in the dirt and be a dedicated passrusher as well as anybody else can. He has the length, burst, strength, moves--all of that, and he's excellent vs the run too.
Most of these hybrid players under truth serum will tell you that they'd rather just attack the pocket all the time than mess with coverage.
I was also fulla beans about the "one year deals". He got one of those from the Seahawks, but played out his rookie contract (with the 5th year option) with the Texans, who then franchised him, and traded him to the Seahawks for a bunch of stuff.
Here, it seems like he just got too greedy. He was an "OLB" with the Texans, and that tag was around 1.3 mil cheaper than that of a DE.
I deduce/suspect that he wanted moe moe moe, and the Texans couldn't pay him enough. Then the Seahawks...well here we are---they couldn't get an extention done with him either.
It sounds like a watered-down Ebineezer Bell situation, except Clowney isn't...you know--an idiot?
On Tom Brady Radio, Charlie Weiss is chuckling about this, and predicting that Clowney wilhe get paid 11-12 million. I don't get this. Does Charlie know something I don't? 11-12 mil!?!
...sorry I was stunned, just writing that. Anyway, I know that sacks are very important, but let's not go overboard over his paltry 3 sacks last season.
This is why analytics is sometimes smarter than "foodball guyz". PFF says he's an elite passrusher, even with just 3 sacks. That's because they count the times he made the QB run out of bounds, throw it away, throw prematurely, etc.
And then, Clowney isn't a "specialist". He holds the edge, blows up runs---makes big plays regardless of down and distance. Does Charlie Weiss think a guy who got 10 sacks and otherwise got shoved around and trampled should get paid more than Clowney?
I would offer Clowney a four year contract for 68 mil (average 17 mil/year). I'd give him a 10 mil signing bonus in 2020 in addition to 17 mil guaranteed (yes that is correct: Twenty Seven Million bucks in 2020).
...with a balance of 41 mil over 3 years left over (average roughly 13.6 mil/year)...see how that works?
But then, that could be the problem. Some players/agents ignore the gobs and gobs of money they got paid up front, and start bitching about how underpaid they are the instant their base pay comes down. There's no such thing as "good faith" or a "mutual understanding" or "honor" or "integrity" with them.
And of course the majority of you people fall for it! "He got 8.5 sacks and stuff and they're only paying him 13.6 mil!!!"
I'm not saying that Clowney would pull that crap (Ebineezer Bell absotively would), but I can see why Andrew Berry might be hesitant to sign Clowney.
I also think that the Browns should sign Josh Gordon for one year at the league minimum (no guarantees).
It doesn't matter how many times Josh fell off the wagon in the past. You read that last paragraph, right? So what is the risk? And why not?
No, he's not disruptive or (good grief) a "locker room cancer". He's soft-spoken and thoughtful, and everybody likes him.
Sentimentality aside, Josh Gordon is still in his prime, has already proven himself as a Wide Receiver, and could again be the scariest one in the NFL...or he could screw up again in which case...meh.
There is no downside here. No risk. It's like betting one cent for a chance to win 100 million.
He's also the "Stefon Diggs" part of the Stefanski offense; the big tall deep threat (whether or not it's Josh Gordon, the Browns want a WR like that).
This is really basic, and I've repeated it hundreds of times, but nobody seems to get it:
That big, T A L L, fast vertical threat guy, with the massive catch-radius and great hands makes a huge difference for any offense (with a strong-armed QB).
That's not OBJ DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
A safety AND cornerback can be running step-for-step with this guy and it doesn't matter! He out-muscles, out-reaches, out-jumps them. Then he powers out of their tackle attempts and goes all the way with it.
He might have to slow down or leap or bully his way left or right for an imperfect pass, but he's bigger, faster, and taller than the guys trying to cover him, and he gets it done.
That's NOT OBJ.
It could be Rodney Ratleyfield (sorta; he's not that big or strong, but he's got blistering speed and quickness), but tell Andrew Berry for me:
1: Sign Jadeveon Clowney (if you can trust him)
2: Sign Josh Gordon
3: Draft a skyscraper deep threat WR.
4: Consider a 2021 1st round pick (and 2020 3rd rounder) for OBJ.
5: Ditto for Kareem Hunt.
Ok get all that to Andrew asap (I still can't reach him for some reason. Their IT people really suck) okbye
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