I knew about most of those guys, but seem to have missed the boat on KahDarel Hodge and DJ Montgomery.
Hodge was a Highschool Quarterback who had to convert to WR in college. He played for a small school. He hung on last season as a waived ODFA rookie based on his outstanding special teams play (and surprising preseason performance).
I had no idea Hodge was as fast or explosive as Elliott shows he is, but did know that he's 6'2" and over 200 lbs (he's an outside receiver and a deep threat).
Elliott lists Rodney Ratleyfield as one of these freaks too, and as you guys know, I've been telling everybody Damion has an astronomical cieling...but Elliott kinda slapped me awake with Hodge.
I haven't been objective at all, as I've been waving the pompoms for Ratley and just ignoring Hodge, who has comparable athletic traits, and apparently better hands.
DJ Montgomery is a freak too, but has less going for him than the other guys (Zierlein was really harsh on the kid). Thanks to Elliott Kennel, I stand corrected, and am more on the Hodge wagon than the Ratley wagon now.
This is a guy who went to Alcorn State as a Quarterback, and had to give that up and start over as a Wide Receiver at the lowest level of competition. Because he only got good at it in his final season at a small college (48 catches for 844 yards), he got overlooked by everybody including me (stoopid-stoopid-stoopid)--
Hodge enters his third NFL season, and is still in his early developmental window. He could surprise a lot of people this year. Maybe.
Everybody knows about Donovan Peoples-Jones, but Elliott does a much better job than non-mes of pointing out his potential issues.
In a nutshell, he hasn't proven he can win on contested catches, like Rashard Higgins has.
I love that Elliott said that if Peoples-Jones doesn't look like a good WR prospect, let's give him to Joe Woods and see if he can play in the secondary. That's Belichickian there! And it makes a ton of sense, as Peoples-Jones projects to be a Hodge-like Special Teams player, and you don't have to rush those guys.
Not to get too deep into that, but this guy is very smart, and the mental part of this transition wouldn't be a problem for him, and he'd be a better safety than corner.
Now: THANK YOU ELLIOTT for being the only other fan in Cleveland who takes TJ Hassel seriously.
Hassel (5'11", 205 lbs) played linebacker in college, but obviously projects as a SS in the NFL.
Gregg Williams was interested in making Hassel a Safetybacker.
Verily, missing most of one hand is a lot to overcome for a guy who needs to fight for balls and try to intercept passes. It's also tougher to get off blocks when you can't yank guys off-balance with one hand--
But Hassel did what he did! He averaged over ten tackles per-GAME, ok? He's almost as fast as Denzel Ward, for cryin out loud!
And Elliott is the second person in Cleveland (better late than never blush-blush) to suggest using Hassel or somebody like him to "spy" Lamar Jackson. And Elliott is right: a fast guy is a much better Jackson-spy than a 4.72 linebacker (seriously, Lamar Jackson was the biggest single reason why Joe Schobert almost led the NFL in blown tackles (and lost cleats) again in 2019--what are these guys thinking?)
I hope Joe Woods is as smart as Elliott and me!
Elliott makes some comments about the final roster, including that given this Stefanski offense, it wil be tough to justify more than 5 Wide Receivers.
Well, if Kareem Hunt isn't traded before the season, it might be tough to justify more than FOUR WRs--but since Peoples-Jones and Hodge are both core Special Teamers, they probably keep Higgins or Ratley too.
Hassel, by the way, is also a core Special Teamer.
Chad Porto wrote a highly correctable article on 3 free agents the Browns should consider:
Mante T'eo makes sense if he's dirt-cheap and not guaranteed. Chad's logic here was perfect.?
Domata Peko--a 35 year old Nose Tackle?
Here, Chad knocks Sheldon Richardson again. He doesn't agree with PFF or everybody else that Sheldon Richardson is a terrific defensive lineman which...is...well, obvious.
Chad does think Larry Ogunjobi is a great player, despite the fact that Richardson has played a lot better...I don't get Chad sometimes. He still thinks they should have paid Schobert 11 mil/year too...
Anyway Chad also completely ignores Jordan Elliott, who the Browns just drafted. He is one of FOUR DTs already on the roster, and there are five more behind them who might be better than Gramps Peko.
Terrell Suggs?
Well actually thaf's interesting, if Terrell would accept an incentive-oriented cheap one year contract.
But Chad...wow 4-3 OLB? Comparing him to Matthews?
Too many corrections to make here:
Suggs is 37, and was never a true linebacker. He's a classic LB/DE 'tweener who fit a unique role in the Ravens' defense perfectly.
At 37, he can no longer run around in coverage, but can probably attack the QB if you don't make him play the whole game. He is not as fast, or as agile, or as quick as he used to be, and wow. Chad had a bad day here!
But T'eo and Suggs are very interesting one year bandaid prospects.
Should the Browns trade a first and third round pick for Jamal Adams?
No.
Who will be the Browns starting Quarterback?
Hmmmm....
Steven Kubitza warns that the Browns could lose 100 mil in 2020 due to the hyperbolic Covid 19 mass-hysteria police state test-run.
What's more relevant to actual fans is what Pat Kirwan said months ago: The lost revenues in 2020 will SHRINK the salary cap in 2021.
😜 count on Paul DePodesta to make the most of this.
Okbye
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