Some of the theories being set forth about the Browns' strategy are becoming more and more absurd, as the authors ignore more and more emerging facts.
This article was written by a pretty smart guy. His logic is great, and he is sane. But his premis itself isn't valid.
I want everybody to really, really think about this: Young players, including rookies, can play well. Being a veteran is not mandatory. Veterans are usually better, but let's not get carried away and declare that the Browns intend to tank 2016 because they loaded up with young players.
Not that I would have a big problem with losing a lot of games and drafting higher again. Not that I don't agree with this writer that this would be better in the long run. No temper tantrums here, should that happen.
But I doubt it. While I'm far from sold on RG3, I like Hue Jackson and all his assistants a lot, and am cautiously optimistic that the combination will bring the old RG3 back. And if that happens, this team will win games.
I don't believe that RG3 was brought here to fail.
This isn't a bad offensive line. It's a good offensive line with a weak link at right tackle.
These aren't bad tight ends. These are actually really good wide receivers, and at least above average running backs.
Do you think Corey Coleman can't get open or catch because he's a rookie? Do you think Pryor wide open was a mirage?
We could go back and forth about the defense, but my own opinion here is that this front seven will generate pressure and be at least okay against the run, but the secondary has issues at cornerback (except the latest roster moves could help there).
It's not a Bengals or Steelers roster yet, but as an objective person, I can't fathom how any rational person could interpret what Sashi Brown and company have done as a plot to tank the 2016 season.
Do you think RG3, Pryor, Gordon, Coleman, Hassan, Ogbah, Schobert, Duke, Barnidge, Haden, etc are in on it? Aren't you afraid they might accidentally score too many touchdowns or something?
If I were going to tank a season, I would have cut Gordon and Pryor, at the very least. What about Hue and Ray? Shouldn't they not be letting their rookie pass rushers get anywhere close to the playing field?
Perhaps they are locked in a Dallas-like power struggle to the death between the Coaches who want to win now and the front office who wants them to lose! Ask Sashi about that next!
Oh I forgot: Starting Schobert and Ogbah and letting Coleman play is part of it since, as rookies, they will suck. I stand self-corrected good grief it's like talking to a wall...
Mike Shanahan doesn't agree with conspiracy theorists who think RG3 is here to fail. Why, he even thinks Hue Jackson will know what to do with him! It's true!
...but what does he know, right?
Stay tuned for the next episode of "As the Stomach Turns". Can the secondary remain horrific all season? Will it be enough to prevent any wins? Will Sashi Brown start releasing players who play too well? Is Hue Jackson really a co-conspiritor? How will Jimmy Haslam embezzle the cap money he is saving?
Stay tuned!
This just in! Brian Billick said some more stuff!
The Browns lack talent! Nothing registers with these guys! Who is going to cover Pryor deep? Is he going to get slower and shorter in the regular season? Can Billick stipulate to Coleman? What about Gordon? Barnidge? Duke?
Hey Brian let's go position by position and compare Browns players to, say, oh I don't know...Ravens players!
Oh I forgot. The Ravens have those crotchety old former Pro Bowlers. That must be it! Only old guys with multiple Pro Bowl appearances qualify as non-bumbs.
Gee only Joe Thomas qualifies here! Joe Haden isn't old enough yet, and they dumped Whitner and Dansby. Poor Hue Jackson, stuck with all these unproven ergo lousy players.
Yeah, the Ravens will no doubt deliver these young whippersnappers the thrashing of their lives. Gramps Smith will use trickery and deceit to humiliate Joe Haden. Some other old guy will...somehow uh...well Pryor will get all confused or something yeah...and uhh...
Friday, September 9, 2016
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Brian Billick Doesn't Hate the Browns
Brian Billick is not a moron and (as far as I know) doesn't personally hate the Browns. He won a Superbowl with Trent Dilfer.
What was interesting here was Hue Jackson's reaction to Billick's 0-16 prediction.
Hue is irked by how people from outside Berea can make such predictions. In a moment of anger, Hue's guard came down.
You see, there is more than meets the eye going on here; things Hue and company can't talk about.
Preseason is generally vanilla by universal consent, except generally in game three, where a few more complex offensive and defensive plays are tested out. Even here, few Coaches will reveal more than they have to.
Still, most teams come into training camp with set schemes, and have determined most of their starters by the third preseason game. They run at least a cut down version of their whole offense and defense.
Hue and Ray didn't do it that way. They already knew what was right and what was wrong with their quarterback, so they deliberately mostly did what he needed work on. They tested all sorts of players and alignments on defense, right through the last game, and stuck with fundamentals as well.
Other teams and coaches (including Billick) use the preseason tune up their teams. Hue and Ray used it to test and train young players. This is why Hue's first response, after hearing what Billick said, was that he hadn't known that Billick worked for the Browns.
Because Hue and Ray know the parts of their offense and defense which weren't used, and Billick doesn't.
Solomon Willcotts just said on NFL Radio that the Browns have the front seven to be a contender, but he's concerned about the secondary.
What does he know, right? Anyway, I doubt that Billick agrees, since all he has seen was opposing quarterbacks having all day to throw, and Green Bay trampling them too.
I was wrong yet again, as it looks like Ogbah will be weak and Schobert strong.
It makes sense, though. It puts Ogbah and Hassan on opposite sides, a real linebacker/speed blitzer behind Hughes, and spreads speed and power out. Right handed quarterbacks prefer to scramble right, and Schobert has the best chance of tracking them down.
Opposing teams will probably throw guards around Hughes and at Schobert, but they have to do it in space. Hughes can win most fistfights with right tackles, and won't get pushed around.
It's outside the box and kind of unique, but there are reasons for it. Schobert will cover some tight ends over there, too. Orchard can't do that nearly as well.
I expect a LOT of 4-3 fronts with this personnel group, notably when Hassan plays.
PFF caught RG3: He rates zero passing to his left. The thing is, I suspect that Hue did this on purpose. And it looks like Rodney Pryorfield will start on the right, and Coleman on the left. In the words of Pat Kirwan: Inter-esting.
What was interesting here was Hue Jackson's reaction to Billick's 0-16 prediction.
Hue is irked by how people from outside Berea can make such predictions. In a moment of anger, Hue's guard came down.
You see, there is more than meets the eye going on here; things Hue and company can't talk about.
Preseason is generally vanilla by universal consent, except generally in game three, where a few more complex offensive and defensive plays are tested out. Even here, few Coaches will reveal more than they have to.
Still, most teams come into training camp with set schemes, and have determined most of their starters by the third preseason game. They run at least a cut down version of their whole offense and defense.
Hue and Ray didn't do it that way. They already knew what was right and what was wrong with their quarterback, so they deliberately mostly did what he needed work on. They tested all sorts of players and alignments on defense, right through the last game, and stuck with fundamentals as well.
Other teams and coaches (including Billick) use the preseason tune up their teams. Hue and Ray used it to test and train young players. This is why Hue's first response, after hearing what Billick said, was that he hadn't known that Billick worked for the Browns.
Because Hue and Ray know the parts of their offense and defense which weren't used, and Billick doesn't.
Solomon Willcotts just said on NFL Radio that the Browns have the front seven to be a contender, but he's concerned about the secondary.
What does he know, right? Anyway, I doubt that Billick agrees, since all he has seen was opposing quarterbacks having all day to throw, and Green Bay trampling them too.
I was wrong yet again, as it looks like Ogbah will be weak and Schobert strong.
It makes sense, though. It puts Ogbah and Hassan on opposite sides, a real linebacker/speed blitzer behind Hughes, and spreads speed and power out. Right handed quarterbacks prefer to scramble right, and Schobert has the best chance of tracking them down.
Opposing teams will probably throw guards around Hughes and at Schobert, but they have to do it in space. Hughes can win most fistfights with right tackles, and won't get pushed around.
It's outside the box and kind of unique, but there are reasons for it. Schobert will cover some tight ends over there, too. Orchard can't do that nearly as well.
I expect a LOT of 4-3 fronts with this personnel group, notably when Hassan plays.
PFF caught RG3: He rates zero passing to his left. The thing is, I suspect that Hue did this on purpose. And it looks like Rodney Pryorfield will start on the right, and Coleman on the left. In the words of Pat Kirwan: Inter-esting.
Monday, September 5, 2016
George Atkinson III and the Cleveland Browns
George Atkinson III, son of George II, a star defensive back for the Raiders, is hard to figure out. There is plenty here for permabashers to sieze upon to make him look like a bumb.
Unlike them, I don't think I know better than front office people or coaches until I have real evidence that they are dumbasses.
Instead, I try to figure out why they do what they do.
They just signed Atkins and cut both Watkins and Mostert!
Rather than call Sashi Brown and Hue Jackson idiots, I studied some on this.
Yes, it's true, the Raiders signed, waived, signed, and waived this player repeatedly, and nobody else claimed him. He couldn't beat out low round draft picks or other undrafted free agents.
The Raiders system does use running backs in the passing game, so that's not it. Atkins is a fit for zone or man, so that's not it either. This does not speak well of this player.
So Sashi and Hue are idiots, right? Shut tf up. I'm sick of this crap. Give them a freaking minute or two, and stop assuming Jack Del Rio and everybody else is smarter than them. God it's like walking in mud around here! There's a new sherriff in town stop it please!!!
But I digress: George Atkins III was a platoon starter and ace returner at Notre Dame. I will keep digging and figure out why in the future, but for now can tell you this is the main reason why he went undrafted. If his college coach didn't want to use him full time, we got a huge red flag here.
Let's start with the irrefutables. Adkins is 6'1, 3/8" tall snd weighed 218 lbs at his combine. He clocked in the low 4.4's (I have conflicting reports; he may have ran a 4.39).
He averaged over 5.5 YPC and 9 ypc in college. He was an elite kick returner.
Let's move on to some bullcrap scouting reports: Atkins was NOT easy to take down. He fought through tackle attempts. He is NOT strictly a straight line runner, but weaves and cuts well. I have seen some of his game tapes now, and hereby declare about half his scouting reports bullcrap.
By the way, that's no surprise. Many scouting services and most pundits rephrase and repeat what they read from the big boys. The big boys blew this one.
His combine numbers support me here. They demostrate agility and quick-twitch traits, and these belong in the "irrefutable" box.
So why did the Raiders never feature him, and why did they cut him? We can skip Latavius Murray, and even Taiwan Jones here. The guys the Raiders kept instead of Atkins were DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard.
Washington is a draft pick; a scat-back type. He is very short. I haven't researched Richard yet, but he seems similar; and short.
Latavius Murray is almost 6'3", but the rest are short and compact. The Raiders retained four running backs, and cut Atkins.
Put this in the "irrefutable" box: The Raiders didn't like Atkins. At this point, I can't figure out why, exactly, but my theory is that Murray is a much stronger power runner, and that they regarded Atkins' height as a liability.
The guys they retained instead are low to the ground and darting type runners. I suspect they are more consistent; ie Atkins might outperform them over time, but gets stuffed more often (second and nine is much worse than second and seven.)
I also read one report which said Atkins fumbles. I can't accept that as fact right now, since amatuers often inflate this stuff, and I don't trust that source. But that would explain a lot.
AHA! The idiots just cut Mostert and Watkins for a fumbler! I KNEW it! Ahh shaddap! Give it a freaking REST for crying out loud good grief...
Adkins was signed in 2014. I don't know about his contract, but that could have a lot to do with this move. The two guys they kept in his stead were pretty cheap.
Why did the Browns want him?
First, he is an elite returner. Second, he is a home run hitter who, like Duke, can line up at wide receiver, except with a much bigger catch radius, and more speed.
Second, analytics. Rightly or wrongly, one player has replaced two players, and the roster spot saved appears to have gone to a linebacker.
But why else? Well, Mostert isn't actually as dangerous as Atkins is, nor as good a receiver. Watkins isn't dangerous at all, and you shouldn't line him up as a receiver.
Beyond that, Hue knows?
Hue wanted RG3 when nobody else did. He made Jason Campbell elite...briefly. Jack Del Rio is obviously really smart, but when did you decide Hue Jackson is dumber than him?
So far, I have no evidence that Hue Jackson suffered any brain damage since steering a pile of crap to an 8-8 record as a rookie head coach, and until I do, I will magnanimously defer to his judgement.
George Atkins is irrefutably a home run hitter. That's a solid foundation. Stand by.
Unlike them, I don't think I know better than front office people or coaches until I have real evidence that they are dumbasses.
Instead, I try to figure out why they do what they do.
They just signed Atkins and cut both Watkins and Mostert!
Rather than call Sashi Brown and Hue Jackson idiots, I studied some on this.
Yes, it's true, the Raiders signed, waived, signed, and waived this player repeatedly, and nobody else claimed him. He couldn't beat out low round draft picks or other undrafted free agents.
The Raiders system does use running backs in the passing game, so that's not it. Atkins is a fit for zone or man, so that's not it either. This does not speak well of this player.
So Sashi and Hue are idiots, right? Shut tf up. I'm sick of this crap. Give them a freaking minute or two, and stop assuming Jack Del Rio and everybody else is smarter than them. God it's like walking in mud around here! There's a new sherriff in town stop it please!!!
But I digress: George Atkins III was a platoon starter and ace returner at Notre Dame. I will keep digging and figure out why in the future, but for now can tell you this is the main reason why he went undrafted. If his college coach didn't want to use him full time, we got a huge red flag here.
Let's start with the irrefutables. Adkins is 6'1, 3/8" tall snd weighed 218 lbs at his combine. He clocked in the low 4.4's (I have conflicting reports; he may have ran a 4.39).
He averaged over 5.5 YPC and 9 ypc in college. He was an elite kick returner.
Let's move on to some bullcrap scouting reports: Atkins was NOT easy to take down. He fought through tackle attempts. He is NOT strictly a straight line runner, but weaves and cuts well. I have seen some of his game tapes now, and hereby declare about half his scouting reports bullcrap.
By the way, that's no surprise. Many scouting services and most pundits rephrase and repeat what they read from the big boys. The big boys blew this one.
His combine numbers support me here. They demostrate agility and quick-twitch traits, and these belong in the "irrefutable" box.
So why did the Raiders never feature him, and why did they cut him? We can skip Latavius Murray, and even Taiwan Jones here. The guys the Raiders kept instead of Atkins were DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard.
Washington is a draft pick; a scat-back type. He is very short. I haven't researched Richard yet, but he seems similar; and short.
Latavius Murray is almost 6'3", but the rest are short and compact. The Raiders retained four running backs, and cut Atkins.
Put this in the "irrefutable" box: The Raiders didn't like Atkins. At this point, I can't figure out why, exactly, but my theory is that Murray is a much stronger power runner, and that they regarded Atkins' height as a liability.
The guys they retained instead are low to the ground and darting type runners. I suspect they are more consistent; ie Atkins might outperform them over time, but gets stuffed more often (second and nine is much worse than second and seven.)
I also read one report which said Atkins fumbles. I can't accept that as fact right now, since amatuers often inflate this stuff, and I don't trust that source. But that would explain a lot.
AHA! The idiots just cut Mostert and Watkins for a fumbler! I KNEW it! Ahh shaddap! Give it a freaking REST for crying out loud good grief...
Adkins was signed in 2014. I don't know about his contract, but that could have a lot to do with this move. The two guys they kept in his stead were pretty cheap.
Why did the Browns want him?
First, he is an elite returner. Second, he is a home run hitter who, like Duke, can line up at wide receiver, except with a much bigger catch radius, and more speed.
Second, analytics. Rightly or wrongly, one player has replaced two players, and the roster spot saved appears to have gone to a linebacker.
But why else? Well, Mostert isn't actually as dangerous as Atkins is, nor as good a receiver. Watkins isn't dangerous at all, and you shouldn't line him up as a receiver.
Beyond that, Hue knows?
Hue wanted RG3 when nobody else did. He made Jason Campbell elite...briefly. Jack Del Rio is obviously really smart, but when did you decide Hue Jackson is dumber than him?
So far, I have no evidence that Hue Jackson suffered any brain damage since steering a pile of crap to an 8-8 record as a rookie head coach, and until I do, I will magnanimously defer to his judgement.
George Atkins is irrefutably a home run hitter. That's a solid foundation. Stand by.
Post Cut Browns Ruminationalizing
Well, as usual, my predictions of who the Browns would cut and how the most recent signees would be treated were more wrong than right. Fortunately, so were just about everybody else's.
Mostert and Watson? Wow! Clearly, they like George Atkins a lot more than my scouts did.
Well, the scouting reports I read were obsolete, as the Raiders first signed George as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He's had two years of NFL practice, coaching, and strength and conditioning. He certainly has improved during that span. The only question is, how much?
His sterling preseason performance this year must be taken with a grain of salt, of course, but the Browns coaching staff saw those tapes, and favored him over both Watson and Mostert. No practice squad for this guy.
But no, the Browns were not "desperate" for speed. I've got to confiscate that word again. It will be returned to you when you prove you can use it responsibly.
Terrell Pryor, Corey Coleman, Seth DeValve, Josh Gordon, Duke Johnson...and they're desperate for speed. Really.
Atkinson can do Crowell stuff and Duke stuff. Niether Watson nor Mostert were that versatile. In retrospect, this makes sense. I would look for him as a returner, too.
I'm sorry to see Cam Johnson go, but Holmes was one of the guys I noticed before the draft, and listed as one of my sleepers. Apparently, the organization noticed him too, because he replaced a pretty good player on the active roster.
Playing for a small school, he was a man among boys in college, and most scouts had a hard time projecting him against NFL competition. He did play well in the East-West Shrine game against second tier NFL calibre players, however.
He's not as strong as Ogbah. Scouting reports contradict eachother. One guy says he needs a counter move, and another says he's refined the rip and the swim. One guy says he's not flexible, and another says he can hug the ground turning a corner.
His college production is undeniable, not just in sacks, but in tackles for losses. Regardless of competition, he diagnoses and reacts (aggressively) quickly; he has a nose for the ball.
His traits and stature make him a really good prospect as a strong side linebacker, not unlike Nate Orchard. He'll need to work on taking on blockers in space, and may never be good in coverage, but that's not what he's here for.
Marcus Burley is a good veteran cornerback! Seattle used him in the slot, but he's more than that. He is blazing fast, and had eye-popping agility numbers. He was 185 lbs then, but I saw Seahawks pics of him, and he's muscled up. At 185, he benched 17 reps.
The Seahawks have those tall studs outside, and that's why they played Burley over the slot. The Browns aren't loaded up like that, so Burley should be given a shot outside here. This was an outstanding catch by Sashi Brown at a position of dire need.
I'm surprised nobody else seems to notice that the Browns just snagged a big part of possibly the best secondary in football. If the Browns weren't second on the claims list, about twenty other teams wanted him.
I still can't get too excited about the other two claims. They don't look too hot on paper, but Sashi and company know more than I do. The outside linebacker is a real linebacker, though, suitable for a 4-3.
The Browns kept the athletic young safety and released Rahim Moore instead (see?) and retained Tracy Rodney Howardfield, who has played well in preseason, and earned his spot.
Trey Caldwell was a draft pick, so people assumed he was safe. Not in a meritocracy. Tracy was just plain better.
Practice Squad signee Anthony Fabiano was the most athletic offensive lineman in his draft class. Injuries (wrist/toe) marred his college career and hurt his stock.
At 6'3", 303 lbs he is an interior prospect here. One scout said he tended to get upright as plays progressed, and another said he lacked "core strength". His upper body strength is fine (25 bench reps).
He's a great prospect for a zone-blocking team, but needs to get stronger for a power scheme. He is quick, fast, and explosive. He probably won't get much bigger, but should get stronger, and may turn into a great player over time.
Browns fans have an affinity for anybody named Matthews, but Fabiano is a better prospect. Probably, he'll work at center, and could be activated if Erving goes down.
Ok ok, olb Corey Lemonier was considered a late first to late second round talent by Mike Mayock. The link is to his pre-draft scouting report, which is now outdated since he is an NFL veteran now.
Briean Boddy Brown, who Doug Dieken hopes doesn't play much, is a pretty good cornerback who is too skinny right now. He is fast and makes plays, but he needs to see Hans and Franz in the weight room for awhile.
Unfortunately, he is another shorty (5'9"). Despite recent cuts and losses, the Browns have plenty of nickel cornerbacks, but Burley is the tallest outside guy at 5'11".
Prior to the recent moves, PFF ranked the Browns front seven dead last, and the secondary twenty fifth in the NFL. They're not wrong, based on their formula, but it still doesn't mean anything, and won't until after about the fourth game.
There are a lot of rookies and kids on the team, and PFF has little data to work with. Last year's defense sucked. What are they supposed to do with that? Even Joe Haden played badly before he was injured.
The reality is, a front seven which includes Paea, Ogbah, Shobert and Hassan won't stay in the basement for long. As for the secondary, 25th? I'll take it!
Mostert and Watson? Wow! Clearly, they like George Atkins a lot more than my scouts did.
Well, the scouting reports I read were obsolete, as the Raiders first signed George as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He's had two years of NFL practice, coaching, and strength and conditioning. He certainly has improved during that span. The only question is, how much?
His sterling preseason performance this year must be taken with a grain of salt, of course, but the Browns coaching staff saw those tapes, and favored him over both Watson and Mostert. No practice squad for this guy.
But no, the Browns were not "desperate" for speed. I've got to confiscate that word again. It will be returned to you when you prove you can use it responsibly.
Terrell Pryor, Corey Coleman, Seth DeValve, Josh Gordon, Duke Johnson...and they're desperate for speed. Really.
Atkinson can do Crowell stuff and Duke stuff. Niether Watson nor Mostert were that versatile. In retrospect, this makes sense. I would look for him as a returner, too.
I'm sorry to see Cam Johnson go, but Holmes was one of the guys I noticed before the draft, and listed as one of my sleepers. Apparently, the organization noticed him too, because he replaced a pretty good player on the active roster.
Playing for a small school, he was a man among boys in college, and most scouts had a hard time projecting him against NFL competition. He did play well in the East-West Shrine game against second tier NFL calibre players, however.
He's not as strong as Ogbah. Scouting reports contradict eachother. One guy says he needs a counter move, and another says he's refined the rip and the swim. One guy says he's not flexible, and another says he can hug the ground turning a corner.
His college production is undeniable, not just in sacks, but in tackles for losses. Regardless of competition, he diagnoses and reacts (aggressively) quickly; he has a nose for the ball.
His traits and stature make him a really good prospect as a strong side linebacker, not unlike Nate Orchard. He'll need to work on taking on blockers in space, and may never be good in coverage, but that's not what he's here for.
Marcus Burley is a good veteran cornerback! Seattle used him in the slot, but he's more than that. He is blazing fast, and had eye-popping agility numbers. He was 185 lbs then, but I saw Seahawks pics of him, and he's muscled up. At 185, he benched 17 reps.
The Seahawks have those tall studs outside, and that's why they played Burley over the slot. The Browns aren't loaded up like that, so Burley should be given a shot outside here. This was an outstanding catch by Sashi Brown at a position of dire need.
I'm surprised nobody else seems to notice that the Browns just snagged a big part of possibly the best secondary in football. If the Browns weren't second on the claims list, about twenty other teams wanted him.
I still can't get too excited about the other two claims. They don't look too hot on paper, but Sashi and company know more than I do. The outside linebacker is a real linebacker, though, suitable for a 4-3.
The Browns kept the athletic young safety and released Rahim Moore instead (see?) and retained Tracy Rodney Howardfield, who has played well in preseason, and earned his spot.
Trey Caldwell was a draft pick, so people assumed he was safe. Not in a meritocracy. Tracy was just plain better.
Practice Squad signee Anthony Fabiano was the most athletic offensive lineman in his draft class. Injuries (wrist/toe) marred his college career and hurt his stock.
At 6'3", 303 lbs he is an interior prospect here. One scout said he tended to get upright as plays progressed, and another said he lacked "core strength". His upper body strength is fine (25 bench reps).
He's a great prospect for a zone-blocking team, but needs to get stronger for a power scheme. He is quick, fast, and explosive. He probably won't get much bigger, but should get stronger, and may turn into a great player over time.
Browns fans have an affinity for anybody named Matthews, but Fabiano is a better prospect. Probably, he'll work at center, and could be activated if Erving goes down.
Ok ok, olb Corey Lemonier was considered a late first to late second round talent by Mike Mayock. The link is to his pre-draft scouting report, which is now outdated since he is an NFL veteran now.
Briean Boddy Brown, who Doug Dieken hopes doesn't play much, is a pretty good cornerback who is too skinny right now. He is fast and makes plays, but he needs to see Hans and Franz in the weight room for awhile.
Unfortunately, he is another shorty (5'9"). Despite recent cuts and losses, the Browns have plenty of nickel cornerbacks, but Burley is the tallest outside guy at 5'11".
Prior to the recent moves, PFF ranked the Browns front seven dead last, and the secondary twenty fifth in the NFL. They're not wrong, based on their formula, but it still doesn't mean anything, and won't until after about the fourth game.
There are a lot of rookies and kids on the team, and PFF has little data to work with. Last year's defense sucked. What are they supposed to do with that? Even Joe Haden played badly before he was injured.
The reality is, a front seven which includes Paea, Ogbah, Shobert and Hassan won't stay in the basement for long. As for the secondary, 25th? I'll take it!
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Thoughts on Browns Waiver Wire Raids
George Atkinson will challenge Rahim Mostert. He's big and super-fast, and has proven his ability as a receiver, but the knocks on him are many.
He relies on his straight line speed, and isn't elusive. He doesn't fight through contact, and despite weighing 218 lbs goes down easy. He's piled up awesome numbers as a Raider in preseason, but except for his receptions, game planning and first team defenses could well shut him down.
Odds are Mostert will hold him off, unless his testicles double in size quickly (I'm sorry: the fighting through tackles part is mental, and I can't stand it. If you don't fight for more, you are a sissy, period.)
One knock I'm tempted to declare doa is the "upright running style" one he got for being 6'1" tall. That was inevitable. It's a reflex knock on all tall backs, and is usually meaningless. You freaking can't run fast without freaking standing up!
It is possible he can be turned into something as a running back, but right now has great potential as a returner, and maybe on coverage units too. Conceivably, he could be converted to cornerback, safety, or wide receiver.
Odds are Mostert is safe. Mostert is a shrimp, but he's tough, and a real running back. They nabbed Atkinston for his physical attributes and talent.
George could make the active roster as a special teamer.
Tyrone Holmes (click this link later: this is an excellent piece on him) The abbreviated version is that he is like Ogbah. He's a defensive end with linebacker potential, and he's not fancy: He rips or swims, and doesn't run in big circles to avoid blockers.
Like the guys at Dawgs by Nature said, Holmes and the other OLB are probably up against Cam Johnson. Corey Lemonier is a third year player who hasn't done much so far, but they grabbed him for a reason. I don't know why.
Based on the linked article, Holmes could be a big sleeper, but Cam Johnson has earned his stripes under fire, and is a veteran. I believe it's just barely conceivable that he may have leapt ahead of Nate Orchard, and Orchard could be the guy on the bubble now.
More likely, however, is the Browns hope to put Holmes on the practice squad.
Calhoun and Burley are 5'11" cornerbacks. I haven't researched these guys much yet, but at first glance, they both have some stuff wrong with them. I believe they are 5'11" tall, however, so...
The Browns were positioned at number two on the waiver wire. This means they pretty much had their pick of all the NFL discards, ok?
Many fans do not comprehend this. The permabasher who declared that seven of the 14 Browns draft picks wouldn't make anybody else's practice squad is today most likely pronouncing all the waiver claims dead on arrival.
In reality, there are more talented teams in the NFL who are forced to expose players at stacked positions to waivers as they try to sneak them onto their practice squads. These players are always young (usually rookies).
Contending teams' priorities are immediate. They have a "window", so they need to retain older veterans, and can't afford raw developmental players taking up space on their depth charts.
They tend to HAVE more veteran talent than non-contenders. This rolls downhill. Sashi Brown just raided 30 other teams' practice squads, and when this laundry comes in, you will see that he upgraded this 3-13 team's overall talent.
Sashi and Paul are systematicly covering every base here: cornerback Marcus Burley is a veteran who spent his last two seasons with the Seahawks, and played significant snaps for them.
Do the Permabashers comprehend that the Seahawks secondary just might be the best in the NFL, so Burley might not suck? I think not. Because I think.
I think. Therefore I am...smarter than all the Permabashers.
So is Sashi Brown. The game continues: I (and only I) suspect that the venerable Tramon Williams could be a late cut, courtesy of Burley.
Oh no! Heaven forfend, yet another vedderrunn waived? Wudd duh fugg!? How can we mage da blayoffs dis seazon withoudd eggzbeereeunzzed vedderunnz?
Two, or possibly three, of the players signed today could make an impact in 2016. Cam Johnson, Nate Orchard, and Gramps Williams are on bubbles. Possibly, so is Mostert.
I will refrain from second guessing for a season or so. So should you.
He relies on his straight line speed, and isn't elusive. He doesn't fight through contact, and despite weighing 218 lbs goes down easy. He's piled up awesome numbers as a Raider in preseason, but except for his receptions, game planning and first team defenses could well shut him down.
Odds are Mostert will hold him off, unless his testicles double in size quickly (I'm sorry: the fighting through tackles part is mental, and I can't stand it. If you don't fight for more, you are a sissy, period.)
One knock I'm tempted to declare doa is the "upright running style" one he got for being 6'1" tall. That was inevitable. It's a reflex knock on all tall backs, and is usually meaningless. You freaking can't run fast without freaking standing up!
It is possible he can be turned into something as a running back, but right now has great potential as a returner, and maybe on coverage units too. Conceivably, he could be converted to cornerback, safety, or wide receiver.
Odds are Mostert is safe. Mostert is a shrimp, but he's tough, and a real running back. They nabbed Atkinston for his physical attributes and talent.
George could make the active roster as a special teamer.
Tyrone Holmes (click this link later: this is an excellent piece on him) The abbreviated version is that he is like Ogbah. He's a defensive end with linebacker potential, and he's not fancy: He rips or swims, and doesn't run in big circles to avoid blockers.
Like the guys at Dawgs by Nature said, Holmes and the other OLB are probably up against Cam Johnson. Corey Lemonier is a third year player who hasn't done much so far, but they grabbed him for a reason. I don't know why.
Based on the linked article, Holmes could be a big sleeper, but Cam Johnson has earned his stripes under fire, and is a veteran. I believe it's just barely conceivable that he may have leapt ahead of Nate Orchard, and Orchard could be the guy on the bubble now.
More likely, however, is the Browns hope to put Holmes on the practice squad.
Calhoun and Burley are 5'11" cornerbacks. I haven't researched these guys much yet, but at first glance, they both have some stuff wrong with them. I believe they are 5'11" tall, however, so...
The Browns were positioned at number two on the waiver wire. This means they pretty much had their pick of all the NFL discards, ok?
Many fans do not comprehend this. The permabasher who declared that seven of the 14 Browns draft picks wouldn't make anybody else's practice squad is today most likely pronouncing all the waiver claims dead on arrival.
In reality, there are more talented teams in the NFL who are forced to expose players at stacked positions to waivers as they try to sneak them onto their practice squads. These players are always young (usually rookies).
Contending teams' priorities are immediate. They have a "window", so they need to retain older veterans, and can't afford raw developmental players taking up space on their depth charts.
They tend to HAVE more veteran talent than non-contenders. This rolls downhill. Sashi Brown just raided 30 other teams' practice squads, and when this laundry comes in, you will see that he upgraded this 3-13 team's overall talent.
Sashi and Paul are systematicly covering every base here: cornerback Marcus Burley is a veteran who spent his last two seasons with the Seahawks, and played significant snaps for them.
Do the Permabashers comprehend that the Seahawks secondary just might be the best in the NFL, so Burley might not suck? I think not. Because I think.
I think. Therefore I am...smarter than all the Permabashers.
So is Sashi Brown. The game continues: I (and only I) suspect that the venerable Tramon Williams could be a late cut, courtesy of Burley.
Oh no! Heaven forfend, yet another vedderrunn waived? Wudd duh fugg!? How can we mage da blayoffs dis seazon withoudd eggzbeereeunzzed vedderunnz?
Two, or possibly three, of the players signed today could make an impact in 2016. Cam Johnson, Nate Orchard, and Gramps Williams are on bubbles. Possibly, so is Mostert.
I will refrain from second guessing for a season or so. So should you.
Browns Permabashers Getting Sillier
To my relief, the majority of fans are being sentient about the cuts, but people like this are unavoidable:
"They obviously don't care about winning! It's about trying unproven untested theories instead of using proven players! What insanity!"
I can see this guy's frustration over losing Mitchell Schwartze (me too btw), but he's apparently including Mack, Dansby, Whitner and Kruger on his list.
This guy evidently thinks that the new front office should have kept all the veterans they could, and that they could contend with the Bengals and Steelers in 2016 if they had.
That's a problem, because it's a childish fantasy. This guy thinks he is being pragmatic, but he's delusional.
The new regime, including Hue Jackson (if he'd admit it) understood that with the quarterback situation as it was, the team could not contend in 2016, and maybe not in 2017 either.
This guy went on to say it might take five years, so he is also a dumbass.
The Mitchell Schwartze thing was just plain dumb, but the rest of the moves they made were all logical and realistic. That includes Alex Mack, who, once again, was rated about average in 2015 by PFF.
Dansby can still play, but what about in 2017? Then where is Dominique Alexander or Scooby Wright? The rest were proven, but in reality no longer a match for those who will replace them, even in 2016.
This guy is also irrational. Why do these cuts upset him? Because all fourteen draft picks were retained? Which geezers did he want to keep instead? What is he even throwing his tantrum about?
Gabriel? Jennings? Hartline? Mingo? Gilbert? These guys would have upset the Bengals and Steelers this season?
It might not be over. It looks like Josh McCown will be staying, but Tramon Williams might go if Sashi can get another cornerback. Even Big Joe could go if the bids go high enough.
After what defenses have done to his replacements, that seems unthinkable, but it's not.
Another commenter said that at least seven of the draft picks wouldn't even make the practice squad of any other team.
Going from the seventh round up, we have Scooby Wright, Trey Caldwell, Higgins, Drango...this person is an idiot. Wright would make many active rosters as a special teamer. Caldwell might be in doubt, but Higgins would make many active rosters. Drango would have a good shot at that, as well, not to mention a practice squad.
These are not my opinions, but the opinions of former players, coaches, and general managers on NFL Radio and in other media. Where do the permabashers get their garbage?
If I count right, the current roster includes 18 rookies and 14 second year players (The NFL.com Browns home page makes this hard. Some of the second year players are credited with two years experience for some reason, and guys like Winston are listed. I commited a couple minutes to sorting through it).
That's 32 of 53, and then there are Crowell, Bitonio, Johnson, and Murray, who are third year players, and how should we classify Terrell Pryor?
Here's the thing, permabashers: Young players have a strong tendancy to i m p r o v e over t i m e and with experience. Experience comes from p l a y i n g DO YOU U N D E R S T A N D?
This means (still with me here?) that this young team will improve. I know this is a lot to take in, so I'll just leave it there so you can try to figure out what I just explained to you.
"They obviously don't care about winning! It's about trying unproven untested theories instead of using proven players! What insanity!"
I can see this guy's frustration over losing Mitchell Schwartze (me too btw), but he's apparently including Mack, Dansby, Whitner and Kruger on his list.
This guy evidently thinks that the new front office should have kept all the veterans they could, and that they could contend with the Bengals and Steelers in 2016 if they had.
That's a problem, because it's a childish fantasy. This guy thinks he is being pragmatic, but he's delusional.
The new regime, including Hue Jackson (if he'd admit it) understood that with the quarterback situation as it was, the team could not contend in 2016, and maybe not in 2017 either.
This guy went on to say it might take five years, so he is also a dumbass.
The Mitchell Schwartze thing was just plain dumb, but the rest of the moves they made were all logical and realistic. That includes Alex Mack, who, once again, was rated about average in 2015 by PFF.
Dansby can still play, but what about in 2017? Then where is Dominique Alexander or Scooby Wright? The rest were proven, but in reality no longer a match for those who will replace them, even in 2016.
This guy is also irrational. Why do these cuts upset him? Because all fourteen draft picks were retained? Which geezers did he want to keep instead? What is he even throwing his tantrum about?
Gabriel? Jennings? Hartline? Mingo? Gilbert? These guys would have upset the Bengals and Steelers this season?
It might not be over. It looks like Josh McCown will be staying, but Tramon Williams might go if Sashi can get another cornerback. Even Big Joe could go if the bids go high enough.
After what defenses have done to his replacements, that seems unthinkable, but it's not.
Another commenter said that at least seven of the draft picks wouldn't even make the practice squad of any other team.
Going from the seventh round up, we have Scooby Wright, Trey Caldwell, Higgins, Drango...this person is an idiot. Wright would make many active rosters as a special teamer. Caldwell might be in doubt, but Higgins would make many active rosters. Drango would have a good shot at that, as well, not to mention a practice squad.
These are not my opinions, but the opinions of former players, coaches, and general managers on NFL Radio and in other media. Where do the permabashers get their garbage?
If I count right, the current roster includes 18 rookies and 14 second year players (The NFL.com Browns home page makes this hard. Some of the second year players are credited with two years experience for some reason, and guys like Winston are listed. I commited a couple minutes to sorting through it).
That's 32 of 53, and then there are Crowell, Bitonio, Johnson, and Murray, who are third year players, and how should we classify Terrell Pryor?
Here's the thing, permabashers: Young players have a strong tendancy to i m p r o v e over t i m e and with experience. Experience comes from p l a y i n g DO YOU U N D E R S T A N D?
This means (still with me here?) that this young team will improve. I know this is a lot to take in, so I'll just leave it there so you can try to figure out what I just explained to you.
Saturday, September 3, 2016
Browns Postcut Thoughts
Not too many surprises here. I had thought Ricardo Louis was on shaky ground, as he's done almost nothing. I wasn't alone, as about everybody else thought they'd try to re-sign him to the Practice Squad. Well, it's hard not to like an athlete like he is.
I had thought that Gabriel had done enough to stick around, but apparently he and Jennings both hit the dusty trail, while Hawkins hung on. Gordon's suspension is a blessing in disguise, since the staff will have four regular season games to figure out who he knocks off the roster. Right now my money is on the oldest and smallest receiver.
I'm glad to see that both Don Jones and Tracy Howard made it in the secondary. Both of them had proven they belong in the NFL, and Hue Jackson proved to me again that he runs a meritocracy here.
Remember Marty? Great coach, except for personnel. Young unknowns need not apply. Experienceexperienceexperience, even if you're washed up. Hue keeps and plays guys based on ability and performance only. How refreshing!
Two more examples are Dominique Alexander (I had been overlooking him; big sleeper who earned his spot) and Cam Johnson.
Alexander is a tackling machine (290 in 39 games!). I can't research him too heavily now, since he's low on the totem pole and not known as a passrusher.
Scooby Wright made it. Good. Great depth at linebacker here!
This is telling: Ogbah, Orchard, and Johnson are 3-4 outside linebacker types, but the fourth is Joe Schobert, who is a real linebacker. If Ray Horton intended to rely heavily on a 3-4 base, he'd want a fourth large person to fill out the depth.
This could well be more 4-3 than 3-4. This made more and more sense, as first Des Bryant went down, then Kruger was cut, then Paea was signed.
Really, this defensive front might defy classification. What do you call a front with three down linemen and two more big people just as close to the line, except standing up? And actually, who cares?
Armonty Bryant looks like he might also knock one of these guys off the roster when he returns.
I admit that I never saw Ray using him as an inside down lineman coming, but I don't feel stupid, since niether would most other NFL coaches.
He has to be a designated passrusher in this role, since guards and centers would crush him on runs. I'm glad Ray thinks outside the box.
I wonder who gets kicked to the curb when he comes back. Tee-hee...so do the defensive linemen, doncha know!
Competition is a good thing. Now that Paea is here, Xavier Cooper needs to bring it on. I'm not sure even John Hughes is safe! Paea too: He may be a contract year player. If so, guarantee or no guarantee he bounces if he's not doing his best (hope he knows that).
The Schobert thing...well he can definitely rush the passer, but with him on the weak side, he can also be effective stopping the run, and rather than dropping back and waving his arms around like the big guys, he can actually cover.
Horton seems to have settled on the best balance between stopping the run and stopping the pass here. Schobert himself might have forced it.
We could see a lot of Ogbah with his hand in the dirt (opposite Hassan) with Schobert standing up behind him.
The inside linebackers are capable players. I assume Kirksey is on the weakside, and will cover a lot. He's not a great run-stuffer but can blitze.
Remember, Ray Horton doesn't fit in a box. Inside pressure is actually better than outside pressure. He hasn't sent Kirksey much in preseason, but he will when it counts. Kirksey's ability to rush the passer might be the one reason why he is listed as a starter.
Demario Davis looks like the middle linebacker, when a middle linebacker is called for.
I need to save my pennies so I can subscribe to PFF like Pluto, because I wonder about Nate Orchard. It seems like he might be a Kimerion Wimbley type, who is actually a better linebacker than defensive end; who can play in space, set the edge, and stop the run as well as rush the passer.
Strongside 3-4 outside linebackers do need to be big and strong (check), but most defensive ends can't stop and start, or change directions well enough to fill that role in a 4-3. Wimbley was a little smaller and faster than Orchard, but...
I'm in the weeds here: The transactions aren't even over yet. While I've been blabbering here, the Browns might have already nabbed 3-4 castoffs from other teams and dumped some of the same guys I just talked about.
One article I saw mantra'd that "unfortunately" the Browns cut players who will never play again, take other teams' castoffs and play them.
Once again, that's history. The Steelers traded for Gilbert, the Saints fell on Kruger like starving wolves, and every wide receiver will find a place. Like Paea, this regime will probably sign guys 28 and under who were salary cap and system match cuts, and not old guys ready to retire.
Speaking of which, it's fine with me that Gramps Williams was retained, since this team is very thin at cornerback and he is tall and doesn't suck yet (my luck they just signed a corner and cut him).
Anyway Hughes, Kirksey, and Orchard seem to be the only front seven carryovers from last season, so quit running around hollering we're all gonna die ok? Sashi, Paul, and Hue are just getting started here, ok? Give them a freaking minute or two, ok?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)