Well, we know that Baker Mayfield is a sheep, which is why he made fun of a Doctor who says she is being banned and censored for talking up a drug that Bad Orange Man suggested helped prevent Covid 19 and cut the death rate.
Obviously, she WAS censored and banned for saying that. How the hell can you call that a "conspiracy theory", Pete Smith?
Are you telling me that the major platforms aren't systematically censoring non-marxist opinions and altering search-rankings to suppress searches?
hydroxy chloroquine was never "debunked" as a prophylaxis and early-stage treatment for Covid 19. Some Doctors wrote politically-motivated bullcrap hit-pieces on it, and THEY were debunked.
It can be taken for up to four months without side effects (our guys in Viet Nam all took it to prevent malaria), and the REAL studies by the REAL experts showed that as a treatment it cut the death-rate of those infected by almost 15%, and dramaticly accellerated recovery.
I'd say "look it up for yourself", but big tech has buried the real story under a pile of the stories Comrade Smith relies on to confirm what he made up his mind about as soon as Orange Man Bad mentioned the drug.
Most national leaders are taking Hydroxy Chloroquine (called "quinine" by Marines in the Phillipines during WWII), but what do their Doctors know?
Hey Pete! Shoot them an email! They didn't get the memo from your puppeteers comrades!
Baker, stick to being a Quarterback, and Comrade Smith stick to analyzing football.
By the way, every time you see a marxist smile and say "debunked", substitute "confirmed". Seriously, every time you hear one of them use that word, do some homework and see if Hillary didn't smash all her devices with hammers, sell 20% of our uranium to Putin for around 750k to Bill and their money laundering operaton foundation ohmmmm....ohhmmmmm....
In fact, when you hear "there is no evidence" they mean there is a TON of evidence, "conspiracy theory" assume "exposed and obvious conspiracy" my God...REPUBLICANS cheat in elections!?! This from the principals in "the Gangs of New York"!?!
There is hope for Baker Mayfield, who never lived in the real world, but it saddens me that Pete Smith actually believes this propaganda.
I used to be like Pete, as I've mentioned...but that was only until I enlisted and intended to get married.
I woke up overnight (especially since they taught me to think with my brain, and I realized how I had been a drone and a tool, and that the US Constitution kicks the Communist Manifesto's ass--and that the 2 can't co-exist and stuff).
Pete...what's up with you? If you think you'll be with the Intelligencia you're an asshole, and if you think we won't be the next USSR, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, China, or that the United States sucks, you're an idiot (ok I can't call YOU an idiot. You're so brilliant analyzing football...AH! Idiot savant!)
Anyway Baker why are you making fun of people who are obviously being censored for pointing that irrefutable fact out? You think that's funny? Who are you trying to impress? You think Myles Garrett doesn't have trouble keeping a straight face with you?
Oh yeah you're a LEADER right?
Seriously I don't get Baker Mayfield:
I get the wanting to be Marlon Brando in "Rebel Without a Cause", but it's only skin-deep; pretend. He intends to kneel for the anthem in 2020, but so does most of the NFL.
He regurgitates bullcrap propaganda to explain why. No original (or critical) thought involved, and he's anything BUT a rebel.
When I was a horny idiot hoping to get laid I said "Burn it all down and start over", but I was like Baker: Going with the anti-establishment flow...baaahhh! Baaaahhh!
Yeah I was a "rebel" too...chuh! Baker Mayfield is five years older than I was.
Comrade Smith seems entrenched, but Baker?
The rebel is the outnumbered one who gets censored and bashed. A LEADER is one who thinks for himself...and ideally has an original thought or two!
Ah screw it okbye
I can't blame Drew Forbes or the other guy for opting out of the 2020 season. I don't for a minute believe it's for health concerns:
Forbes is a 2nd year player in danger of getting cut. Wyatt Teller is ahead of him on the depth chart, and 2 other players could sneak into the competition.
Forbes can preserve his contract, and dedicate a whole year to refining himself as a player--and come back next season more prepared to fight for a top job than he is now.
And Drew knows more about himself and his competition than we do. Is it possible he expects the much more experienced Teller to win the Right Guard Derby? Does he feel "not ready yet?"
Oh, I hear some of you: "If he doesn't think he's the best, he shouldn't play football". You have watched too many movies. Quarterbacks are different. Offensive linemen are big fat guys, and even the best have to work their butts off to approach their potentials.
Certainly, Forbes feels he can become the best, and at the same time recognize that he has some work to do to get there.
And he and Teller are probably good freinds. That's how it is with the big uglies. They compete with eachother, but let the Coaches sort the rest out, and it's not personal for them.
Thomas Moore tells us that PFF ranks Hunt/Chubb as the best backfield in the NFL.
I hadn't known that along with leading the league in yards after contact, Chubb also led all RBs in missed tackles per reception too!
I've been telling you that Nick Chubb is an excellent receiver who simply hasn't been used that way much.
He m i g h t never line up outside the slot like Hunt does, but he can do everything Todd Gurley has done.
I have consulted Captain Obvious, and we concur that Hunt will back Chubb up and sometimes relieve him as the primary tailback, but also work at fullback, slot, and outside receiver with Chubb.
The Captain also agrees with me that Stefanski won't run as many 2-Tight End sets with this team as he did with the 2019 Vikings, because to quote CO: "That would mean benching Landry, OBJ, Hunt, or Chubb, which would be stupid."
This is why the Captain and I laugh at Gurzi, Pluto, Mary Kay, and even my top-ranked analysts, who say:
1: David Njoku shouldn't want to leave, because even as the #2 Tight End he'll have a lot of opportunities
2: The Browns won't trade Njoku, because Bryant Harrison may not be ready to fill that role *Pharaoh Brown and Steve Carlson have ceased to exist*.
3: Who will be the third WR?
The Captain expects (assuming everybody is healthy) Nick Chubb to play 75-80% of the offensive downs (and take a breather on third and longs).
Kareem Hunt should come close to that. He'll be the Tailback on those aforementioned downs, and Chubb's wing-man on the majority of the other downs.
Actual 2-back personnel should be there at least 60% of the time. This is because Chubb could line up in the slot and Hunt anywhere, and they each take great pride in blocking, too.
They could do anything from a punishing, physical 21 to an empty backfield spread. They could keep one or both RBs in for a max-protect long bomb, or...well just anything. How is any defense supposed to deal with all that?
FB Andy Janovich might only get 15%; the short-yardage stuff. He's here more for the post-Hunt era than for 2020.
I have no doubt that Kevin Stefanski will occasionally rest Landry or OBJ in favor of a second Tight End, but not often...
2 Tight Ends maybe 25% of the time (in 2020).
Once again, Kareem Hunt changes everything, see? You HAVE TO PLAY HIM while he's here.
Fast forward to 2021 and...
Well to review an earlier post, if I were Berry/Stefanski, I would consider extending Kareem Hunt as if he was a Wide Receiver; ie pay da man (WRs make more than Running Backs, see? It's why Ebeneezer Bell went all greedynuts).
If you can think outside the box, since the Bell travesty, no Running Back (much less one with Hunt's off the field history and red flags) is going to try that shit again, so the RBs (including Christian McCaffery himself) make less than WRs.
So (try to stay with me here) Kareem Hunt might settle for being the 3rd or 5th highest paid RB in the NFL with a front-loaded contract for 3 or more years.
He is worth this money as a big, strong, durable bellcow running back, and worth more as a slot or Z receiver.
Keep up here: OBJ and his salary probably get traded in 2021; Njoku may well be gone before he ever collects his 5th year salary, and Pegleg Vernon and his salary leave too, so there's a bunch more money in the coffers now, right?
Enough to also extend Nick Chubb, Ward, and Mayfield (well maybe. Would Ward and/or Mayfield accept Garrett-like extentions tacked onto their intact contracts? If not, the 5th year tenders lock them up through 2022.
The DePoBerry strategy with Garrett was pretty brilliant: Garrett is smart enough not to care what he makes in 2020 and 2021 if he's guaranteed another 100 million bucks on top of that, even if his carreer ends tomorrow.
Meanwhile, he will never actually be the highest paid defensive player, as by 2023, the salary cap is easily over 200 mil and 2-5 other defenders are making more than he is.
Berry got the player to trade the "last dime" for security.
If he could do the same with Mayfield and Ward, he could lock up both Hunt and Chubb and roll over a bunch of cap savings into 2022 and 2023 (assuming the trades and releases I mentioned).
Anyhow this is why I'm not counting Kareem Hunt a GMF after 2020 like everybody else is.
However, Berry did sign Janovich and load up on Tight Ends, so he's clearly preparing for a post-Hunt era already.
It still could be Plan B. I mean, Janovich was pretty cheap, and Njoku has a LOT more trade value than most yokels think.
All together, it looks like DePoBerry have covered all their bases: With or without Njoku, Stefanski can go back to 2 Tight Ends and a Fullback in 2021 if Hunt is gone.
Baker Mayfield is getting bashed for a lack of leadership. It's not altogether unwarrented.
Mike Ditka was and is a leader. When Baker promised to kneel for the National Anthem and regurgitate propaganda, all I heard was "baahhh! B-baaahhh!"
There's still hope for Baker. He might realize that refusing to kneel for the National Anthem is the most outrageous thing he can do.
And he might even eventually comprehend why.
Baker? Turn off CNDNC and MSDNC and do a little research, and quit being a sheep/punk/dick and yes: Get your head out.
I'm grateful for Randy Gurzi on slow news days, as he comes up with stuff like "Four Players the Browns Should Trade for" ahead of the 2020 season.
He opens the bidding with Patriots Guard Joe Thumey. That one is DOA:
Thumey would obviously make this possibly THE best Offensive Line in the NFL, but he's on a franchise tag, and is looking for a massive contract.
The offensive system that Kevin Stefanski will run here is a big factor. All that zone-blocking and those rolling pockets narrow the talent gap between a Thumey and a Teller/Forbes.
Randy seems to kinda ignore this stuff: Thumey would cost way more than he would be worth to the 2020 Cleveland Browns.
Ngakoue is a different story (see last post).
Anyway I can't blame Randy for daydreaming about Joe Thumey between Tretter and Conklin (damn now I need to change my undies!)
WR Hakeem Butler is next on Randy's list.
Randy thinks he could be the third WR here.
Again (sigh) Randy ignores scheme (and personnel too): The third receiver here is obviously Kareem Hunt or a Tight End in this system, with these personnel.
But this guy is SIX FOOT FIVE (with a sub 4.5 40), so I'm interested.
Randy points out that the Cards are pretty stacked at WR and might be open to cashing in on Hakeem.
Butler has been inconsistent (not unlike David Njoku), but shows similar upside. You know me: I always want big tall WRs a QB can lob to while falling down and/or without seeing.
Some of you people have forgotten that press/man ("bump and run") coverage was the antidote to Bill Walsh's West Coast timing offense.
Stefanski will rely on timing routes a lot (although I suspect he will be more like Walsh's predecessor, Don Coryall, and run deeper routes).
Timing receivers need to get past that initial jam at the line, and then avoid being jostled and accidentally nudged toward the sidelines--then break inside with a PIA CB in your way to get to a specific spot at a specific time.
"No sweat" right? You just hit the brakes and let the pia fly by you while you cut inside under him?
Get a grip: You might be closer to the sidelines than you wanted to be, and/or shallower than you wanted to be, and the best man corners can anticipate when/where you need to break off off film study and the clocks in their heads and will roll inside to mirror your break without losing as much momentum as you did with your hard braking and restart.
You (the receiver) have achieved separation, but only for 1-2 seconds, as that corner will roll back down and converge on you again.
He'll nail you even if you catch a perfect pass, and he'll break up or intercept an imperfect pass...
Hakeem Butler can blast through (ill-advised) jams, and also stick to his route (the Quarterback can anticipate where he will be at all times). He can also break inside while accidentally knocking the corner off-balance.
He's compared to Plaxico Burress, and that's on the money--except Burress had great hands.
Butler could be cheap, sorta. I like Randy's thinking here. I want a 6'5" bully WR if I can get him cheap.
Next up on Randy's list is REDSKIN Linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton, who I can't seem to get any info on (he must have said something positive about Trump or the United States).
Anyhoo per Randy, PFF graded him over 74 overall, which is pretty damn good.
Randy says that the REDSKINS are overstocked with Linebackers, and Hamilton enters the final year of his rookie contract.
This guy could be cheap! A 4th round pick at most. This guy is good, and a veteran, and still young, and cheap, so why not?
Randy's coupes de grace is OJ Howard.
I'm really impressed on this one by Gurzi:
The Panthers just signed GRONK to help Brady out again, and he will obviously be their top Tight End.
OJ has been pretty good so far, but between Brady and Gronk, Brate and Howard are kinda screwed.
The Bucs actually have a much better WR crew than most teams do (starting with Godwin and Evans).
Gurzi stipulated "if Njoku is traded" on this one, so I can't find fault with him here (assuming we're not throwing first round picks around...which would be iditiotic DO YOU UNDERSTAND?)
Randy Gurzi is as clueless as Mary Kay and most of you people about the obvious (assumingstefanskiisntmentallyimpaired) Stefanski offense (sigh) (duh) you don't bench Kareem Hunt H I N T. H I N T. D U H.
Njoku is worthless (nobody wants him), Kareem Hunt isn't worth a second round pick...oh you people.
...okbye
Mary Kay thinks the Browns should trade for EDGE Yannick Ngakoue, who's been tendered the Franchise Tag by the JagUARS, and might possibly refuse to sign it.
I'm tired of fans mindlessly saying the Browns should spend all their money and draft picks on each and every disgruntled player who asks to be traded, but have to again take this one seriously.
I posted on this a few weeks ago, but since then, the NFL and NFLPA have agreed to spread the inevitable 2020 revenue loss out over the next 4 seasons to mitigate the shrinkage in 2021, and Ngakoue is sounding more adament.
A happy ending here is very unlikely. As good as this player is, even if he decides he and his family can scrape by on just a little under 18 mil for one season, he'll cost them that much cap space and then leave for another team.
Ngakoue, as an edge-rusher, is worth more than Jamal Adams in a trade on paper, but in the real market, not so much.
Nobody wants to rent the guy for one season and cross their fingers about keeping him for 2021 and beyond. Without a new contract *which the majority of teams can't afford*, nobody will cough up any significant compensation for him.
The new contract itself is an issue too. What offer did this player and his agent reject before he was tendered?
I get that many players hate the tag because if they're injured during that season, it undermines their earning power, essentially for the rest of their carreers.
But is that the issue, or is 17.6 mil (or whatever) not enough for him? And will he look at Garrett's new contract and expect 99% of that? More than that?
I guess I'm wondering if Yannick is another Ebineezer Bell, or would he accept maybe 6 years at 21 mil/year (this is a tad less than Garrett's 2 combined contracts averaged out)?
Would he demand that 80% of it be guaranteed, as it was for Garrett? The Browns couldn't afford that, ok?
The 2021 cap might be 185 mil, and these 2 Defensive Ends would account for around 38 mil of that--then 46 mil in 2022 (assume a 195 mil cap).
With Ward, Mayfield, and Chubb on deck?
This couldn't work. It would be suicidal. It's possible that if Ngakoue would accept less guaranteed money in the out-years and a big down-payment in 2020, they could get this done.
Something rediculous like 25 mil fully guaranteed in 2020 (he would earn a lot more than Garrett for that season, and more in his second season as well).
But 70% guaranteed, and maybe 19 mil with 13 mil guaranteed in 2022 (his third season), at which point a healthy Ngakoue would be a white-hot trade prospect, as well as possibly affordable for the Browns to retain.
As for trade compensation, I bring you back to the Jags' untenable situation. They're not on the verge of a Superbowl, so their smartest move is to cash out...as every other GM in the NFL knows.
This time, Mary Kay was partly right: the JagUARS probably can't even get a 1st round pick for him.
If the new contract could be worked out, DePoBerry could offer maybe a 2nd round pick, then a couple lower picks, OR:
Mary Kay says that the JagUARS aren't interested in David Njoku, but that's because she hasn't heard anything about it. Me? I looked up the Jags depth-chart, and assure you that they ARE (because they have to be).
...Obviously. Berry's first offer (should he make one) should be Njoku for Ngakoue straight up. This would be a huge ripoff, but the Jags are (or should be) desperate. The final deal might be Njoku and a 2021 4th and 5th rounder.
Njoku's base salary for 2020 is under 2 mil, so the Jags could roll over 16 mil more in cap space this year. He's under contract for 6 mil in 2021.
If the Jags are smart enough to ignore the punditry (and John Dorsey), David Njoku could be an integral part of their rebuild, and save Minshu (or whoever's) life, and the math is perfect.
Indulging my inner-fan here, WOW who wants to be the creamy filling in a Ngakoue-Garrett oreo?
Seriously, it would significantly improve the Browns prospects for a wild card or the Division in 2020.
The Jamal Adams stuff was pure dumbassitude, of course. No knock on Jamal, who is awesome, but so is his successor at LSU Grant Delpit, and look at what the Seahawks mortgaged for him, starting with 2 first round picks.
If you thought the Browns should trade for Adams, you need a brain transplant.
Back to reality: I doubt that an Ngakoue trade can work out, but Everson Griffen is still hanging around, and is an extremely more realistic and affordable prospect.
But this Chad Thomas guy...he came on late last season, after Myles Garrett lost his mind and got suspended. Signing Griffen could kick Thomas to the curb.
As I've posted, I understand Chad's artistic/creative tendancies, and how they can screw a guy up, and how it's hard for creative people to "buckle down" and shut their right brains down.
Chad Thomas can become a very good edge-rusher and Defensive Lineman if he zeroes in on football only for 8 months/year and saves his music carreer til he's in his 30's and can buy recording studios and stuff out of petty cash.
And for all we know, he might suck at music anyway. Is reciting obcene nursery rhymes "music"? I'm listening to some pure garbage now that...but I digress:
I trust the the current regime to make smart personnel decisions. If John Dorsey was still here, I would not trust him, as I now consider myself smarter than him.
More snickers and eyerolls? Well sheee...I called the OBJ trade rumors idiotic, then declared the actual trade for him and Pegleg Vernon stupid...
...Ok well I was deferring to Dorsey off the team he'd built in KC so I didn't officially declare him an egomaniacal idiot at that time, but you can check my "WTF" posts back then and see I was right and he was wrong.
It's ok, since trading OBJ after 2020 (if he manages not to get injured for the first time ever) should yield at least a 2nd round pick and more...
But just to be clear, I am not a John Dorsey fan. Don't get me wrong: He signed Kareem Hunt, drafted Ward, Mayfield etc, turned Deshaun Kizer into Damarius Randall, and did other great things, but he also made a bunch of dumbass moves.
Overrating/paying Hubbard. Extending Robinson. Trading Kevin Zeitler, Jabrill Peppers, a 1st round pick, and more high picks for 2 players that spent half their carreers on IR, including one over 30 well...
I'm trying to give Dorsey his props, but dammit when I knew how stupid this stuff was BEFORE he did it (by all means check my posts), well...?
Paul DePodesta has more authority now, and Andrew Berry frankly, in my opinion, is more pragmatic, objective, and downright smarter than John Dorsey.
The Chiefs (surrogates) cited cap mismanagement as the main reason for firing John Dorsey.
I assumed that John would have learned his lesson off this when he came here, and indeed in 2018 he was great (well except for overpaying Hubbard--that was dumb. Ok so was drafting Austin Corbett, in retrospect).
In 2019, he spazzed out with the aforementioned blockbuster trade with the Giants.
I KNOW FOR SURE that Paul DePodesta got all up in Haslam's face about Kitchens vs Stefanski in 2019, and that the Haslems got the message as the should-be juggernaut Browns fizzled in 2019.
Trust me: Paul DePodesta was (heaven forfend!) "in Haslam's ear" DUH.
Well as my readers know, Kitchens may have leaned on Zampese in 2018, and been Dorsey's puppet in 2019 (my bad).
Anyway if you expect the new regime to replicate their predeccessors' mediocrity, you are atop the brain-transplant waiting list.
...okbye
Baker Mayfield is doing what he needs to do this offseason, and at least has lost that Pillsbury Doughboy look under great supervision by Hans or Franz (I can't remember which. One of them isn't allowed to work with him I think).
It won't help him throw the ball any harder or better (except possibly off-balance/all-arm), but should help him run around better, and stay healthier.
Those who question Mayfield's athleticm are worth ignoring. He's as capable a runner as Pat Mahomes is, but wasn't required to scramble much in his Oklahoma offense, and is a smaller guy.
Some pundits love to raise the bar for Browns' players. By now, if you're not Lamar Jackson, you're Bernie Kosar.
Even as a Pillsbury Doughboy, Baker Mayfield should excel in this scheme, as he's very nimble, balanced, and coordinated. For the visually-challenged, he can also run it in from 15+ yards out if a defense forgets he can.
Tom Bielik wrote a scary article axing if the Browns could cover Tight Ends this season, and well...that's not looking good, if you assume that a Linebacker gets that job.
Honestly, I could be fulla beans here, but I don't accept that it has to be a Linebacker.
Ok I get it: That Zack Ertz or George Kittle or whoever just ignores (or runs over) DBs and also outreaches them for catches.
Linebackers or extra-big safeties are usually expected to cover Tight Ends because they can at least jam and jostle them, but the height and reach disadvantage is almost the same as with normal safeties (feel free to google "NFL Defensive Backs over 6'3")
Tom expects Mack Wilson to draw the TE coverage duty in 2020, and that's not unlikely.
Hype aside, 5th rounder or no, Mack Wilson had a crappy rookie season. Mack did "come on strong" in his last 3-4 starts, so we can expect his "second year leap" to be big, but he's still...hmmm...
Well Mack Wilson actually excelled in coverage in college (with some inconsonsistencies). He's also 6'1" (taller than Schobert)...
Ok Tom Bielik is probably right about Mack Wilson being the Little Dutch anti-Tight End Boy in 2020, since he has the matchup-tools for it.
That still doesn't look good for the '20 Browns. In 2018/19 Joe Schobert rated near the top in coverage per PFF, but the Browns' defense still sucked vs Tight Ends. (I'm trying to figure that out).
Bielik also pointed to Joe Woods' history vs Tight Ends in Denver, which was pretty bad...however, his defenses twice ranked first in the NFL vs the pass, and all of his secondaries have always ranked high.
Even in his worst season vs Tight Ends (as a Denver DC), opposing TEs only scored 8 TDs (they chewed him up between the 20s but he shut them down in the red zone).
A critical thinker (or intelligent analyst) sees stuff like this and wonders why. A Memorex Moron or Conclusion-leaper just assumes that Joe Woods can't figure out how to cover Tight Ends.
I kinda think that Joe Woods prioritizes shutting down Wide (and slot) receivers, and concedes some Tight End damage to get that done.
Seriously, you people: You think any NFL defense can ever stop everything? EVERY defense makes trade-offs in the real world.
Joe Woods has historically been mediocre vs the run and dominant vs the pass (including Tight Ends).
Back to "can the 2020 Browns cover Tight Ends?": schmaybe. We can hope that they won't suck too bad, but safely assume that they will be below average in this sub-category.
If the 2020 Browns are like 6th vs the pass, 13th vs the run, and 10th scoring, are you going to spazz out over Ertz or whoever catching 6 for 95 yards?
There is so much more to this subcategory in this context and with this team:
1: Takitaki only got 100 snaps in 2019, but did grade very high in coverage per PFF. We shouldn't be in such a hurry to dismiss that, as Takitaki did well in coverage in college as well.
Everybody (except apparently me) rubber-stamps Takitaki as a blitzer and run-stuffer because he was a Defensive End for most of his carreer, and his combine numbers were mediocre.
Well, Joe Schobert was a 3-4 OLB in college, and the combine numbers are comparable. Rumors of Takitaki's demise (in coverage) are greatly premature.
2: Grant Delpit can run circles around any Tight End, and is crowding 6'3". He can't disrupt a TE route like a Takitaki or Wilson, but he can beat him to his spot, and only needs one fingertip to prevent a catch.
3: Believe it or not, pressure can prevent even catches by Tight Ends.
In Denver, Joe used Von Bell in coverage, as well as as a passrusher. Here and now, there's no Von Bells here, and he has a top-notch 4-man Defensive Line.
Bell couldn't blitze and cover at the same time (snap-snap still with me here?).
3a: He has a strong and deep 4-man front here (until Vernon gets hurt again) with a built-in pass rush, so he can simplify his front 6 more than he could in Denver, meaning...
Oh crap. This is deep:
Both of his base Linebackers can (and will) blitze (and duh stop the run), and one of the 2 has to mess with the primary Tight End somewhat sometimes to screw up the timing---but in a Joe Woods defense, he might well release the Tight End quickly and then blitze or...
Anyhoo, "12" packages are all the rage now in the copycat NFL. Defenses were staffed and manned to stop 11s (3-wides) until a couple years ago, at which point the Ravens (mainly) started exploiting this.
*Freddie Kitchens in 2018 kicked ass doing this too, but I now suspect that Bob Wiley was right, and that Ken Zampese did that for him*
More and more teams are using 2 Tight Ends (both of which are good receivers--who wooda THUNKED it?)
So all the pundits are obsessed with how defenses are going to stop (my favorite) Kittle, Ertze, Higbee, Andrews etc.
The fact is, Virginia, that nobody can shut these guys down, ever. All you can do is slow them down and keep them from scoring in the red zone which...Joe Woods does.
Now (read carefully) Chubb and Hunt both on the field at the same time is outside the box, and could screw defenses up. No other offense in the NFL could or would run the a base 2-back like the Browns will, if Stefanski has a brain.
(I know: This has nothing to do with how the '20 Browns defense will deal with opposing TEs, but I have to go here again--since nobody has been listening):
NFL Defenses are adapting to 2-TE offenses (like the one Stefanski ran in 2019 with the Vikings), but NONE of them are trying to adapt to offenses featuring 2 running backs.
Stefanski's "woke" stance confirmed that he's not as smart as my humble self in general, but I concede that he is a much better football coach than I am right now.
...seriously I can excuse Mayfield, but Stefanski is old and smart enough to know better but I digress:
Anyhoo like I said the NFL has never seen anything like a Chubb/Hunt offense, and if Comrade Kevin doesn't exploit that, I'll be first in line with the rope, torch, and pitcfork.
Politics aside, DUH. The NFL has NEVER seen a Chubb/Hunt backfield. DUH DUH DOYEEE this is a no-brainer.
Jeez I've read pundits predicting 2-TE offenses 60% of the time WHY!?! WHY tf would you bench Kareem Hunt for ANY Tight End?
In fairness, one guy suggested a 2-2 with OBJ (no Landry), so it's not all idiocy but okbye
Greg Newland lists 3 free agents he thinks the Browns would do well to sign. Before I go on: The Browns are not in bad shape at linebacker, for cryin out loud.
Having said that, I like the players on this list, except Bradham. Bradham is a fine player, but...well please stop dissing Takitaki and Phillips. It's getting rediculous.
Former Buckeye LB Darron Lee (20th overall draft pick) must be a Republican, since I can't find his draft profile or combine stats on Google, and my cheapskate PFF subscription has expired.
I do know that he's an exceptional athlete, but a 'tweener (a Safetybacker). As a pro (I deduce) he didn't improve at shedding blocks as well as scouts thought he would.
Right now, his overall rating is downright putrid (36 or something). Here are his combine numbers. They (and the included comparisons) are informative.
He has elite speed for a safety, let alone a linebacker. He was a superb passrusher in college. He's 6'1", and can man cover big guys.
I can't spend time on more research, but when the Jets spent their 20th overall draft pick on him in 2016, I guarantee you that they were expecting him to get bigger, stronger, and more proficient at beating blocks.
For whatever reason, Lee never lived up to his hype, but now here he is, getting desperate just to stay in the NFL. CHEAP.
Greg projects Darron as a DB/LB hybrid in Joe Woods' defense.
Newland mentioned "cornerback"...I have to think he meant that he could cover some slot receivers, but Greg shouldn't have used the "c"-word on Darron Lee.
Greg was absolutely right that Delpit could do that, but will be much more effective as a pure center-fielder.
And I think Woods would blitze him more than the Jets or Chiefs did, too.
DE Everson Griffen is a big 10-4, and my army of loyal crickets know.
Griffen isn't just an edge-rusher, but a complete DE who is good vs the run as well.
A healthy Pegleg Vernon is terrific, but we know he'll get hurt again, right? Griffen is as good as he is, and can rotate to get him (and Garrett) off the field.
Gramps Clayborne is a passrusher, period. Chad Thomas has been less than impessive, and I wonder about his dedication, as he has other interests (music). (I get this. No hate here).
Griffen would top off an impressively deep DE rotation for 2020, and might now have to take less than 7 mil (biness is biness).
Dan Labbe asks if Greedy Williams can be a good CB bookend for Denzel Ward.
His analysis was excellent, but his conclusions came up short.
Greedy had a rough rookie campaign, but Dan: He's THREE inches taller than Ward, and 6'2" is rare for Cornerbacks!
He was a 185 lb beanpole coming out of college, but how much bigger and stronger will he be a year later at age 22?
Greedy was dominating in college (LSU!!!)--how can he not be terrific with an NFL season (and maybe 10 more lbs of muscle) under his belt in year 2?
Especially with Joe Woods:
Check my recent posts: Joe intends to "present" consistent and inscrutable alignments presnap, but run every kind of coverage off it to screw opposing QBs up.
Well, Greedy Williams is custom-made for off-man, which is almost indistinguishable from zone--not just presnap, but post-snap.
The QB has to figure out if Greedy is going to "hand off" his receiver off his break, or...
Too deep in the weeds here, but in 2019 Greedy showed signs of being solid in run-support (his biggest predraft knock), and a bigger, stronger Greedy Williams looks like a great fit for Woods in 2020.
You can quote me on this (unless I am wrong): Greedy Williams in 2020 will be a top 20% cornerback.
This is a weak link, so ignore it, but the subject was "how will the 2020 Browns divvy up the carries between Hunt and Chubb?"
Kevin Stefanski bloviated extensively, and said nothing. In the future, you people should ignore everything Kevin Stefanski says.
Kevin may or may not be a great Head Coach, but I hereby confirm for you here and now that he is an excellent bullshooter. He can talk for hours without saying anything.
So guys like me have to figure out what he should have said, to wit:
1: Nick Chubb is bigger and stronger, and will be the primary running back.
2: Kareem Hunt won the rushing title as a rookie in 2017 as a rookie, so he's a "bellcow" too.
The 2020 Browns feature two top 5 running backs:
We need to ignore the labels here:
Christian McCaffery, Dalvin Cook, and Alvin Kamara are really more "weapons" than running backs. When we zero in on just taking handoffs, Chubb barely missed the 2019 rushing title to Derrick Henry thanks to Freddie Kitchens.
Kareem Hunt is like Cook/Kamara (except bigger and stronger) (not like McCaffery btw--he's a tiny little freak)
Anyhoo, if Woke Stefanski got injected with truth serum, he would say something like this:
Nick Chubb will take at least 66% of the handoffs. Kareem Hunt will occasionally replace him, but more often be on the field wirh him.
On 3rd and longs, Hunt should be the "3rd down" RB, and let Chubb suck oxygen on the sidelines.
Otherwise, Kareem Hunt will be a lead-blocker, slot or wide receiver, or have the honor of Nick Chubb lead-blocking for HIM.
Again, I have to bring up Mack/Byner and "Marty-ball":
You whippersnappers (including you G) don't remember 2 running backs running for over 1,000 yards EACH.
Byner also caught a ton of passes (legitimately "out of the backfield"), and was also a great lead blocker.
It's sad that the Hunt/Chubb backfield (assuming no trades) can only last one season, but in 2020 it can be lethal, and might upset the Ravens (not to mention the Steelers).
YOU PEOPLE are ass uming, based on Stefanki's one season as Offensive Coordinator for the Vikings, that Stefanski will bench KAREEM HUNT so he can use 2 Tight Ends OMFG DOYEEE...
...of course, I've been here before. I can't blame any of you for expecting more failure.
Kevin Stefanski has demonstrated dumbassitute by his "woke"-ness, so it's concievable that he will bench Kareem Hunt...
No I can't believe that. Paul DePodesta was all-in on Stefanski in 2019. I trust DePodesta:
Stefanski might be a PC flake or Bidenesesque politician, but DePodesta clearly expects Kevin Stefanski to be a great Head Coach.
I don't know why. Paul DePodesta has a lot more info than I do. I personally thought Freddie Kitchens should be Head Coach, but I was wrong.
Paul DePodesta thought Kevin Stefanski would be better.
We'll see if Paul was right, but I can tell you right now:
If Kareem Hunt isn't on the field at least 80% of the time, Kevin Stefanski was a swing and a miss.
I doubt that. I expect to be the ONLY pundit to predict a 2-back offense, despite how OBVIOUS it is.
DUH okbye
I won't quibble with Myles Garrett's ranking 5th among pass rushers according to "coaches" per Chris Pokorney, but find some of one guy's comments pretty ignorant, and Chris himself off-base.
What's this "gets frustrated" stuff? Is it a huge problem if he doesn't get any sacks in some games? He has to get at least one or he failed?
Does he play in a vacuum? He's supposed to dominate each and every opponent, when they all game-plan to avoid or slow him, specificly?
What about hurries, pressures, TFLs?
Chris, how can you or that coach pound your gavel and say "if he doesn't get off to a good start", he's not effective? Like Joe Thomas in his prime (with help) and Aaron Rodgers and a great game-plan don't matter?
I've seen Bosa, Bell, Mack etc all held sackless, but was never ignorant enough to say they had bad games (they never did), or sagely declare that they got "frustrated" when they didn't dominate immediately.
The ranking? Yeah those other guys (except maybe Bosa) are badasses and earned their props.
But Myles Garrett is a workaholic with more talent (factoring in his power and length) than all these other guys.
He's also intelligent and if he doesn't get any sacks in a game it's not because he got frustrated and spazzed out good grief.
One coach said that Garrett couldn't do that "4.5 second around the edge" thing. I'm not sure what he meant, but it sounded like an actual technical critique. I don't argue with those until I can soebpeona an expert witness of my own.
Baker Mayfield is in much better shape in 2020 than he was in 2019, but I read more dumbassitude as some writers imply that he was spending too much time on those commercials to work out last season.
Just shut tf up, please. I'm so embarrassed for you. Even if there were TEN of those forgettable commercials, they couldn't have cost Baker (or his wife) more than 3 hours each, including travel time to and from First Energy Stadium.
You people...what do you think he was memorizing a script? Practicing his lines in front of a mirror? Meditating to get "into character"? 20 or 30 takes?
I get so sick of this. I'm 64 now. The Dept of Indoctrination was established as I graduated Highschool (that was Comrade Carter. It is illegal/unconstitutional but who cares haha).
Anyhow, ever since, the Idiocracy has risen up my calves to my navel and now I'm chin-deep in dumbassitude like blaming Mayfield's commercials for his crappy performance in 2019.
Njoku "failed to improve as a blocker", and sucks because Dorsey Kitchens benched him. The Browns will BENCH KAREEM HUNT so Stefanski can use his 2-TE offense which he proved in 2019 he HAS to run no matter what or with whatever talent he has...
Idiocracy. I'm so glad I don't (think I) have any kids. I know my siblings do, and I tried. I got more snickers and eyerolls there too, and I can't feel bad for them.
They will reap what they sow. My work here is done. What will be will be.
I warned you...wait oh yeah BROWNS excuse my digression:
Anyhow 75% of the "analysis" you read is idiocy. Obviously, if you want critical thinking and are not a drone or sheep and are a Browns fan you should read this Blog.
Screw it okbye
