Defensive Coordinator George Edwards is being let go by the Vikings, and rumor has it he'll be coming to Cleveland.
It might work. This is Mike Zimmer's Defense (Edwards is rarely even mentioned), but Edwards was a DC before Zimmer hired him, and Edwards has been running that scheme since 2013.
Zimmer is a great defensive mind, and Edwards would no doubt bring his boss's principles with him.
The Vikings Defense is a 4-3, and keeps 4 down linemen in nickels and most dimes. Coverages vary, but are mostly single high or cover 2. Every type of man coverage, and zone.
The Vikings show similar "looks" most of the time, then shift around right before the snap. They also show blitze, then bail instead, and use every twist and stunt in the book.
Zimmer's "trade-mark" set is the double a-gap blitze set, normally used in passing situations.
The two linebackers line up on each side of the center, showing blitze. This drives them nuts, because they don't know if either or both are really coming, and have to just guess, sorta.
The writers who gave me this also missed the fact that this stacked front would force any runs outside.
Everybody is doing that stuff now, and Offenses are adapting, so George Edwards will need to be sneaky and diabolical like Zimmer, and...well Stefanski will know.
The Browns remain in a good place, as they have a lot of options for both coaches and front office people.
Edwards and Broncos OC Rich Scangarello were "late entries".
Scangarello would run the Shanahan system, which is clearly a prerequisite.
Scangarello helped Drew Lock to a 4-1 w/l record, and did a good job overall, considering the players (including quarterbacks) he had to work with.
You guys know I love that Shanahan offense, so I'm just grinning ear-to-ear now. And trust me: so is Nick Chubb, and it might just keep Kareem Hunt here, too.
The offensive tackles too---and of course Baker Mayfield.
A few notes here:
1: ALL running backs can look good in this "one-cut" system, but guys like Hunt and (especially) Chubb can make HUGE plays out of it often and frequently.
2: Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb can do everything a bigger, slower fullback can do, and Hunt has been doing it ever since he was activated.
Now, look at the 49ers. Jimmy Garrapolo gets in trouble when he passes too often, right?
Well, the Niners have a good offensive line, but they get exposed on passing downs. Jimmy is a fine quarterback, but he takes too much heat in those situations, and forces passes.
...sound familiar?
But look at what that team has done, and where it is!
It's the SYSTEM, ok? It protects weak pass protecting offensive tackles, so-so running backs, and even skittish quarterbacks.
I know that Hunt and Chubb are much better than Coleman and Breida, and that Baker Mayfield will be better than Jimmy G. And now, drafting 10th overall (*and wherever they do after they trade OBJ*), they should have better offensive tackles, as well.
The defense is a different story. It's sprung leaks all over the place.
I don't know if they'll release Olivier Vernon, but I know they should, and that DePodesta agrees with me.
Either way, the front four is in trouble. I expect Larry Ogunjobi to bounce back, Garrett is Garrett, and Sheldon Richardson is very solid. Thompson is actually looking decent as well, but you need EIGHT.
There is no comparing the Browns front four to the Niners front four. That Defensive Line needs a serious upgrade.
Linebackers are---well Wilson is here, but Dorsey dumped the most talented one for a bag of donuts, Schobert is a free agent, and...hmm not that bad: Takitaki, and Adarius Taylor is...almost...err average...
Nevermind cornerback is ok, but (assuming the new guys all agree with the fired guys that Damarius Randall MUST GO even if he's dirt-cheap) the Browns might need safety help again!
...I don't get the Randall hate. He didn't get hurt on purpose. He didn't suck. But these writers color him a GMF and never say WHY!
Joel W Cade wrote a great article (as usual) about why he feels the new regime will "punt" the draft (ie trade down and pile up draft picks again).
I wish I could have Joel with me here at Longhorn Steakhouse so we could debate this over tall ones, but since that aint happenin, I need to correct Joel here:
1: Joel expects Dorsey's termination to be a major disruption in the scouting process, and for what data Dorsey himself compiled on college players to be...doubted, or something?
Well no. Dorsey was fired, but the scouts were NOT. The new Front Office isn't starting from scratch here, and John Dorsey's eye for talent will NOT be dismissed by DePodesta, let alone the new GM.
2: Trading down is very possible, but Joel hasn't considered the almost certain OBJ trade. The Browns could draft maybe 10th and 21st in the first round, and have a third third round pick.
3: It's not rocket science. Offensive (or defensive) tackles aren't that hard to scout, and the success-rate for those drafted high are much better than all other positions (except maybe EDGE).
We here know that Greg Robinson was a bust, but he's the exception-not the rule.
4: The Browns are NOT rebuilding, and expect to contend in 2020. They NEED a solid Left Tackle (or anoth...whatever) NOW, and those guys are hard to come by (and rediculously expensive) in free agency.
There are 4 stud OT's who might be there at 10, and who the real experts think are worthy of that pick. Possibly ALL of them could start immediately at LEFT Tackle in this scheme, but certainly 2 of them...and the 2020 Browns should not trade down from that.
With all that being said, I almost always like trading down and piling up draft picks (being "analytical" and all), so if they trade down I won't soil myself like many of you will.
And (oh yes) this is a DePodesta thing:
Trust me: The GM will have given Paul a list of players they would draft at 10 overall, and once the 8th overall pick is in, he will advise the GM on how to proceed:
"Four of your primaries are still there, and seven of your secondaries. You can move down to 13 and lock up one of your top guys, or to 16 if you feel lucky and are willing to draft a second tier player--"
That's DePodesta's job. The GM's job is to decide what he wants to risk based on this advice:
He could trade down further and get an awesome deal...but might lose all of his top targets, see?
DePodesta stays in his lane...are you getting this? So it's up to the GM to figure out what he thinks the other teams are going to do based on their needs, and what he's willing to risk.
...well ok the GM might field a trade offer and consult DePodesta on it too, so he can prevent the GM from getting hosed.
Just as I'm excited about the Shanahan offensive system, I'm thrilled that Paul DePodesta and analytics are finally being taken seriously.
As Joel and I point out, John Dorsey blew DePodesta's plan out of the water with his dumbass trades and stuff. We thank God that the Haslams have finally picked a side.
Idiots cite "1-31" as evidence that "moneyball" doesn't work.
DePodesta opposed Hue Jackson (he preferred Bills Coach Sean McDermott).
Andrew Berry, you people, was the real GM during the Sashi Brown regime. Sashi Brown had almost nothing to do with "football".
Berry was an ex-player, seasoned scout, and scouting boss.
HE drafted Njoku, DeValve, Higgins, Schobert, Peppers, and signed Tretter and Zeitler. Andrew Berry ia smart.
I hope we get him back okbye
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Friday, January 17, 2020
OBJ a GMF Anyway, Along with Other Dorsey Mistakes. The Rise of Common Sense
One of my peeps texted that nobody would trade any real value for OBJ. Huge miss:
The money and butt-slap are chickenshit, and GMs won't let it override his talent.
The fact that he played the entire 2019 season injured and has never been in real trouble means more to them.
Opposing coaches (unlike many Browns fans) will tell their GMs that OBJ's injury hampered his ability to separate, and he wasn't used as well as he could have been (my readers know: he's not a back shoulder fade guy. He's a catch and run guy).
OBJ is still in his prime. His 15 mil salary has been rendered affordable by inflation, and he has lost what leverage he had to gouge for more due to his meh season and his most recent clownery.
Just as John Dorsey brilliantly traded Jabrill Peppers AND 17th overall for OBJ, some other genius will be compelled to make a big splash in 2020 (except with only one first round pick, and maybe a third or something).
Usmoneyball analytics guys all see that OBJ is extremely injury-prone and matchup-sensitive, but the "football" guys don't seem to even think about that!
Lord Insideous would never trade for OBJ, but somebody else will, just like John Dorsey did at a point where OBJ had missed HALF his games with injuries!
...and by the way, YOU people lapped it up!!!
Anyway, moreuncommon sense analytics/long-term strategery here:
Olivier Vernon and OBJ cost 15 mil each, and their trade/release along with Hubbard's would balloon the Browns salary cap up into the stratosphere.
The first round draft pick (likely in the bottom half of the round) that OBJ would get back represents a new starter of some sort, on a 5-year rookie deal, so that massive cap isn't even dented.
NOW, Schobert, Hunt, et al could be easily signed (assuming the bidding doesn't get too rediculous), and the Browns might bring down a big one or 2 in free agency (a safety, EDGE guy, or even OT).
DePodesta could do all of this and still "bank" enough to retain Mayfield, Chubb, Garrett etc down the road.
Do you get it?
1: Add 40 mil or so to the cap.
2: Add a 1st and 3rd round draft pick.
3: Retain every Browns FA that some other fool won't massively overpay.
4: Add a couple more front-line free agents (same budgetary limitations).
The two first round picks (both offensive tackles, for all I care) are probable starters who will significantly outperform their rookie contracts.
The two high profile free agents should be under 28, and signed for at least 3 years, with guaranteed monies front-loaded.
While these guys will be expensive, they're plug-and-play immediate impact players, and the contract structure makes them tradeable or releasable in their second or third seasons.
Oo sorry you got a headache?
DePodesta was doing fine (1-31 was irrelevant) til Dorsey got here.
In 2018, John Dorsey did a great job, as he rebuilt the whole secondary, picked Mayfield, and didn't squander the money and picks that Berry and DePodesta left him.
...But he hired Mywayorthehighway Haley as OC and was forced to retain Hue Jackson.
It worked out, as Kitchens/Mayfield kicked butt and Gregg Williams did a great job as Head Coach. 6-10 was a good season for that young team.
In 2019, John Dorsey lost his damn mind as he made that trade with New York, and blew around half his cap space, 2 stud players, and the best part of that draft.
So in 2019, it's 6-10 again under the Head Coach Dorsey picked over Stefanski, and...you're trying to blame analytics for this!?!
Anyway, Dorsey's "big moves" in 2019 set DePodesta's plans back.
Now, finally, Paul has Jimmy Haslam's full attention, because he was right, all along, and all the predictions he no doubt made came true.
I'm reading "dysfuntional" all over the place again. How can I blame you? After 1-31 we get 6-10 2 years in a row and Mayfield getting (a lot) WORSE in year 2?
But stick those sideline outbursts, helmetgate, and OBJ where the sun don't shine, ok? That's all inflated and exaggerated; sensationalized, and I'm disappointed that so many of you buy that garbage.
Let's start over here:
1: Kevin Stefanski, who DePodesta wanted in 2019, is the new Head Coach.
2: DePodesta is still here, and Stefanski comprehends and agrees with his plans to build a dynasty (and is NOT required to turn in his game-plan "homework" every friday duh)
3: With Dorsey gone, much of the damage he did will be undone. Hubbard, Vernon, and OBJ will be "cashed out", and DePodesta's plan put back on the tracks.
4: The intra-organizational conflicts should be gone now. There shouldn't be any conflicting factions.
The organizational structure, which keeps DePodesta outside the "chain of command" and leaves him with one of Jimmy Haslam's ears is bashed by many, and I respect their opinions.
But they don't get it:
1: Haslam does NOT meddle. This is manufactured fake news.
2: DePodesta defers to the professional scouts, as he himself said he does.
3: It is GOOD that DePodesta has a voice, because where he does speak up, it's about how much to pay a given player, how IDIOTIC a proposed trade is, and common sense/business stuff like that.
There will be zero conflict between Stefanski and DePodesta (Stefanski is a brain too, see?), and Berry (or whoever) is the new GM won't come into conflict with DePodesta unless he tries to trade Jabrill Peppers, Kevin Zeitler, and a first round pick for OBJ and Olivier Vernon...
And we can assume that the GM Stefanski signs off on won't even think about stuff like that. Dorsey was the OBJ of GMs.
Now, quit this "big personality" crap. Jeez to hear you people mindlessly parrotting this garbage, you seem to think Mayfield and Landry (remember OBJ is gone) will be running the team or something.
Stefanski dealt with both Thielan and Diggs going public with their issues with playcalling (or whatever it was), but if you ask either of them about their OC now, what do you think they'd say?
And by the way, these players were both wrong.
(Long story don't get me started)
Anyhow, it's prediction time (bookmark this one, ok?):
1: Landry will get the Thielen role, (except probably not miss a bunch of games to injury).
2: Rodney Ratleyfield might get the Diggs role. He should be more physical in season 3 with Hanz and Franz, and he's an explosive and fast freak (with good hands, bullcrap aside).
3: David Njoku will start at Tight End, and will excel at blocking as well as receiving.
4: Rashard Higgins might be re-signed dirt-cheap.
5: Kareem Hunt is re-signed to an expensive (but not Ebineezer Bell-like) contract (for at least 3 years).
Hunt seems to sincerely love working with Nick Chubb, and playing WR and even lead-blocker and stuff in this offense.
5a: For Stefanski, this mitigates the need for more WR's: He can run a 2-back base, and deploy Hunt in the slot or wide anytime he wants.
6: The Browns will land 2 safeties in free agency (and one might be Damarius Randall, dirt-cheap).
7: The Browns will draft an offensive tackle with their first pick, and he will start immediately and kick ass.
8: The Browns will draft at least one more offensive lineman, and sign at least one more (upper echelon) one in free agency.
9: The Browns will draft a BIG, TALL, FAST WR in the middle or lower rounds (a "project").
10: The Browns will sign a serious EDGE-rusher in free agency, and draft at least one as well.
All those are in addition to dumping Hubbard and Vernon and trading OBJ, by the way.
Without mortgaging the future, or being stupid, the new regime can contend in 2020.
The Ravens are the obvious favorites in the Division, but they'll lose some talent to age and the cap, and defenses (including the Browns under Rodney Wilksfield, who were the first), have already found ways to slow that offense down.
The Bengals will have perhaps the best QB to come out in 10 (or 20 or 50) years, and retain significant talent.
The Steelers are in decline. I'm glad to hear that Gramps Ben is coming back. He's TOAST, but he'll start anyway haha.
The AFC North might be the best Division in football in 2020, but Baker Mayfield in a Shanahan/Kubiak/Stefanski system with Hunt and Chubb in his third season can ice that run-oriented cake better than Cousins.
Mayfield is more athletic, and better off-platform. He's even more accurate (based on his whole history excluding 2019), with a stronger arm.
By the way, are you people out of your minds bashing Mayfield for those commercials? Jeez how many "takes" do you think he does? Is he even there for an hour!?!
You people: I'm confiscating the word "distraction". It will be returned to you when I think you can use it responsibly.
Baker's biggest problems in 2019 were his fixation on OBJ and his lack of protection.
His protection will be upgraded this offseason, but so should his BRAIN. As he reviews those game-tapes, he'll see it.
He's no doubt already realized that he fixated on OBJ way too much (when he wasn't open); he will GET IT.
In 2020, Baker Mayfield will be the 2018 version again, and just hit the deepest open receiver period...on-time, ie within 2.5 seconds...
The commercials are irrelevant wtf is the matter with you idiots?
I hope for an OC off the Shanahan tree, and am optimistic as hell, because that stuff WORKS!
John Elway repeatedly beat the Browns to reach the Superbowl, and lost. Then he WON two of them after Mike Shanahan took over.
It wasn't Taylor, ok? It was Shanahan's zone-blocking offensive scheme.
Gary Kubiak backed up John Elway there, ok? When he became a coach, he ran that same system, and won Superbowls with it.
Now Kyle Shanahan's 49ers are Superbowl favorites in year 2 of a "rebuild"...
That's analytics, obviously:
Zone-blocking offensive linemen are rarely "road graders" and tend to go lower in the draft. Ditto "one-cut" running backs.
Mike Shanahan saved lots of money on offensive linemen and running backs, and spent that on star defensive players and wide receivers etc.
You'd think that everybody would copy what he did, but here we are:
Kubiak won 2 Superbowls, Kyle Shanahan is aiming at another, and a lot of Browns fans are bashing Kevin Stefanski already.
You people....
Anyway all the OC candidates are off the Shanahan tree so be optimistic. Be very optimistic. Okbye.
Late addition: Baker needs to quit doing commercials. This will fix everytoyyeedoyeeeduhhheroyeee....
The money and butt-slap are chickenshit, and GMs won't let it override his talent.
The fact that he played the entire 2019 season injured and has never been in real trouble means more to them.
Opposing coaches (unlike many Browns fans) will tell their GMs that OBJ's injury hampered his ability to separate, and he wasn't used as well as he could have been (my readers know: he's not a back shoulder fade guy. He's a catch and run guy).
OBJ is still in his prime. His 15 mil salary has been rendered affordable by inflation, and he has lost what leverage he had to gouge for more due to his meh season and his most recent clownery.
Just as John Dorsey brilliantly traded Jabrill Peppers AND 17th overall for OBJ, some other genius will be compelled to make a big splash in 2020 (except with only one first round pick, and maybe a third or something).
Us
Lord Insideous would never trade for OBJ, but somebody else will, just like John Dorsey did at a point where OBJ had missed HALF his games with injuries!
...and by the way, YOU people lapped it up!!!
Anyway, more
Olivier Vernon and OBJ cost 15 mil each, and their trade/release along with Hubbard's would balloon the Browns salary cap up into the stratosphere.
The first round draft pick (likely in the bottom half of the round) that OBJ would get back represents a new starter of some sort, on a 5-year rookie deal, so that massive cap isn't even dented.
NOW, Schobert, Hunt, et al could be easily signed (assuming the bidding doesn't get too rediculous), and the Browns might bring down a big one or 2 in free agency (a safety, EDGE guy, or even OT).
DePodesta could do all of this and still "bank" enough to retain Mayfield, Chubb, Garrett etc down the road.
Do you get it?
1: Add 40 mil or so to the cap.
2: Add a 1st and 3rd round draft pick.
3: Retain every Browns FA that some other fool won't massively overpay.
4: Add a couple more front-line free agents (same budgetary limitations).
The two first round picks (both offensive tackles, for all I care) are probable starters who will significantly outperform their rookie contracts.
The two high profile free agents should be under 28, and signed for at least 3 years, with guaranteed monies front-loaded.
While these guys will be expensive, they're plug-and-play immediate impact players, and the contract structure makes them tradeable or releasable in their second or third seasons.
Oo sorry you got a headache?
DePodesta was doing fine (1-31 was irrelevant) til Dorsey got here.
In 2018, John Dorsey did a great job, as he rebuilt the whole secondary, picked Mayfield, and didn't squander the money and picks that Berry and DePodesta left him.
...But he hired Mywayorthehighway Haley as OC and was forced to retain Hue Jackson.
It worked out, as Kitchens/Mayfield kicked butt and Gregg Williams did a great job as Head Coach. 6-10 was a good season for that young team.
In 2019, John Dorsey lost his damn mind as he made that trade with New York, and blew around half his cap space, 2 stud players, and the best part of that draft.
So in 2019, it's 6-10 again under the Head Coach Dorsey picked over Stefanski, and...you're trying to blame analytics for this!?!
Anyway, Dorsey's "big moves" in 2019 set DePodesta's plans back.
Now, finally, Paul has Jimmy Haslam's full attention, because he was right, all along, and all the predictions he no doubt made came true.
I'm reading "dysfuntional" all over the place again. How can I blame you? After 1-31 we get 6-10 2 years in a row and Mayfield getting (a lot) WORSE in year 2?
But stick those sideline outbursts, helmetgate, and OBJ where the sun don't shine, ok? That's all inflated and exaggerated; sensationalized, and I'm disappointed that so many of you buy that garbage.
Let's start over here:
1: Kevin Stefanski, who DePodesta wanted in 2019, is the new Head Coach.
2: DePodesta is still here, and Stefanski comprehends and agrees with his plans to build a dynasty (and is NOT required to turn in his game-plan "homework" every friday duh)
3: With Dorsey gone, much of the damage he did will be undone. Hubbard, Vernon, and OBJ will be "cashed out", and DePodesta's plan put back on the tracks.
4: The intra-organizational conflicts should be gone now. There shouldn't be any conflicting factions.
The organizational structure, which keeps DePodesta outside the "chain of command" and leaves him with one of Jimmy Haslam's ears is bashed by many, and I respect their opinions.
But they don't get it:
1: Haslam does NOT meddle. This is manufactured fake news.
2: DePodesta defers to the professional scouts, as he himself said he does.
3: It is GOOD that DePodesta has a voice, because where he does speak up, it's about how much to pay a given player, how IDIOTIC a proposed trade is, and common sense/business stuff like that.
There will be zero conflict between Stefanski and DePodesta (Stefanski is a brain too, see?), and Berry (or whoever) is the new GM won't come into conflict with DePodesta unless he tries to trade Jabrill Peppers, Kevin Zeitler, and a first round pick for OBJ and Olivier Vernon...
And we can assume that the GM Stefanski signs off on won't even think about stuff like that. Dorsey was the OBJ of GMs.
Now, quit this "big personality" crap. Jeez to hear you people mindlessly parrotting this garbage, you seem to think Mayfield and Landry (remember OBJ is gone) will be running the team or something.
Stefanski dealt with both Thielan and Diggs going public with their issues with playcalling (or whatever it was), but if you ask either of them about their OC now, what do you think they'd say?
And by the way, these players were both wrong.
(Long story don't get me started)
Anyhow, it's prediction time (bookmark this one, ok?):
1: Landry will get the Thielen role, (except probably not miss a bunch of games to injury).
2: Rodney Ratleyfield might get the Diggs role. He should be more physical in season 3 with Hanz and Franz, and he's an explosive and fast freak (with good hands, bullcrap aside).
3: David Njoku will start at Tight End, and will excel at blocking as well as receiving.
4: Rashard Higgins might be re-signed dirt-cheap.
5: Kareem Hunt is re-signed to an expensive (but not Ebineezer Bell-like) contract (for at least 3 years).
Hunt seems to sincerely love working with Nick Chubb, and playing WR and even lead-blocker and stuff in this offense.
5a: For Stefanski, this mitigates the need for more WR's: He can run a 2-back base, and deploy Hunt in the slot or wide anytime he wants.
6: The Browns will land 2 safeties in free agency (and one might be Damarius Randall, dirt-cheap).
7: The Browns will draft an offensive tackle with their first pick, and he will start immediately and kick ass.
8: The Browns will draft at least one more offensive lineman, and sign at least one more (upper echelon) one in free agency.
9: The Browns will draft a BIG, TALL, FAST WR in the middle or lower rounds (a "project").
10: The Browns will sign a serious EDGE-rusher in free agency, and draft at least one as well.
All those are in addition to dumping Hubbard and Vernon and trading OBJ, by the way.
Without mortgaging the future, or being stupid, the new regime can contend in 2020.
The Ravens are the obvious favorites in the Division, but they'll lose some talent to age and the cap, and defenses (including the Browns under Rodney Wilksfield, who were the first), have already found ways to slow that offense down.
The Bengals will have perhaps the best QB to come out in 10 (or 20 or 50) years, and retain significant talent.
The Steelers are in decline. I'm glad to hear that Gramps Ben is coming back. He's TOAST, but he'll start anyway haha.
The AFC North might be the best Division in football in 2020, but Baker Mayfield in a Shanahan/Kubiak/Stefanski system with Hunt and Chubb in his third season can ice that run-oriented cake better than Cousins.
Mayfield is more athletic, and better off-platform. He's even more accurate (based on his whole history excluding 2019), with a stronger arm.
By the way, are you people out of your minds bashing Mayfield for those commercials? Jeez how many "takes" do you think he does? Is he even there for an hour!?!
You people: I'm confiscating the word "distraction". It will be returned to you when I think you can use it responsibly.
Baker's biggest problems in 2019 were his fixation on OBJ and his lack of protection.
His protection will be upgraded this offseason, but so should his BRAIN. As he reviews those game-tapes, he'll see it.
He's no doubt already realized that he fixated on OBJ way too much (when he wasn't open); he will GET IT.
In 2020, Baker Mayfield will be the 2018 version again, and just hit the deepest open receiver period...on-time, ie within 2.5 seconds...
The commercials are irrelevant wtf is the matter with you idiots?
I hope for an OC off the Shanahan tree, and am optimistic as hell, because that stuff WORKS!
John Elway repeatedly beat the Browns to reach the Superbowl, and lost. Then he WON two of them after Mike Shanahan took over.
It wasn't Taylor, ok? It was Shanahan's zone-blocking offensive scheme.
Gary Kubiak backed up John Elway there, ok? When he became a coach, he ran that same system, and won Superbowls with it.
Now Kyle Shanahan's 49ers are Superbowl favorites in year 2 of a "rebuild"...
That's analytics, obviously:
Zone-blocking offensive linemen are rarely "road graders" and tend to go lower in the draft. Ditto "one-cut" running backs.
Mike Shanahan saved lots of money on offensive linemen and running backs, and spent that on star defensive players and wide receivers etc.
You'd think that everybody would copy what he did, but here we are:
Kubiak won 2 Superbowls, Kyle Shanahan is aiming at another, and a lot of Browns fans are bashing Kevin Stefanski already.
You people....
Anyway all the OC candidates are off the Shanahan tree so be optimistic. Be very optimistic. Okbye.
Late addition: Baker needs to quit doing commercials. This will fix everytoyyeedoyeeeduhhheroyeee....
Thursday, January 16, 2020
OBJ Trade not Endangered, Olivier Vernon a GMF, Brains in Charge Now
OBJ is a knucklehead, and hasn't done any real harm, and I'll let eberybody else on the planet debate on whether or not summary execution is appropriate for his crimes against humanity.
Besides, I've been recommending that the Browns trade the guy since...well since Dorsey traded for him.
I can tell that most of you are still clueless about analytics, because this move is obvious to all analytical thinkers. The rest of you are ass uming that the Browns would never consider trading OBJ.
Indeed, some of you mock the Browns drafting a WR 10th overall! You have decided that Damion Ratley has no future, and that Stefanski, the new OC, new GM and DePodesta will agree that Rashard Higgins needs to go too.
There's way too much assuming going on here!
The point with OBJ is that Baker Mayfield never needed him in the first place, plus he is injury-prone and (yes) a distraction. I guarantee you that DePodesta fought---sorry repeating myself again:
Everybody is also ass uming that Olivier Vernon and his FIFTEEN MILLION PER YEAR salary are fixtures for 2020. Now that's just nuts, you people!
Listen: With Baker Mayfield, Damion Ratley and Rashard Higgins (or somebody like him) would work out fine, like they did in 2018.
Vernon might (or might not) be better than the rest of the DE's who survived Dorsey's purge, but he will again almost certainly miss at least 6 games...
Hey I sucked at math my own self, but figured it out eventually. Vernon is GONE, and so is OBJ (assuming they can still get a first rounder et al out of him, which is probable).
And Hubbard, obviously.
Where would that leave the Browns in terms of roster needs this offseason?
YOU would say WR. WRONG. I don't know what some of you were watching in 2019, but Rashard Higgins was on the bench, and Damion Ratley was only used in obvious passing downs.
The Browns started Kareem Hunt, and used him extensively as a receiver (context, remember?)
Damion Ratley is a certifiable deep threat. He's actually faster than OBJ, as well as taller (can win more contested catches). He enters his third season.
EDGE? Well you got me there. Chad Thomas showed some promise in his second season, but the position opposite Myles Garrett needs both a scarier passrusher and more depth.
DT could use more depth too.
...obviously, the biggest need is at Offensive Tackle.
Greg Robinson is actually a viable Free Agent option, once we measure him against the (under 30) Left Tackles who may actually be available.
Drew Forbes will get his shot at different positions, and he, Lamm, and Telfer shouldn't be discarded just yet.
The market could make even Greg Robinson rediculously expensive; he might be a GMF.
Fortunately, at 10th overall, the Browns can nab a LEFT Tackle. This draft is loaded with outstanding Offensive Tackles, including 4 who (so far) are being graded that high.
Only one is considered a plug-and-play LEFT tackle, but there's another (a basketball star) who just needs some polishing, and another who is a massive monster who...
Nevermind but CONTEXT, ok? Kevin Stefanski (ps who cares if Gary Kubiak advised him he's a BRAIN not a puppet you cretins) ran a run-first, zone-blocking, RPO/play-action offense in 2019.
Well -snap-snap- that doesn't require a Joe Thomas left tackle to protect a pocket passer from a Myles Garrett for 5 or so seconds so he can stand there in the pocket, shopping around...
Long story short the Browns can land a top-notch (starting) offensive tackle at 10th overall, and maybe another one with the first round pick they get for OBJ, and the draft is by far the best way to address it.
With Randall, Schobert, etc entering free agency, there are issues all over the roster, but linebacker, DB, FB, and WR are more economicaly addressed in free agency than Offensive Tackle.
...Why are some of you writing off Njoku and proclaiming the need for a pass-catching TE?
Because your latest lynch-victim, Freddie Kitchens, benched him? Do any of you know WHY that happened?
...you're writing Njoku off now? WOW!
Yeah Njoku and Higgins, as you simultaneously declare Freddie Kitchens an idiot--you people...no wonder Trump is being impeached.
-snap-snap- Paul DePodesta has a stronger voice now and got an Analytics-freindly (ie smart) Head Coach, and you're writing Higgins, Randall, Njoku, Hunt, and Schobert off while ass uming that OBJ and Pegleg Vernon stick around?
Before you know who the Offensive and Defensive Coordinators or the GM will be?
You people: I remind you that when you "ASSUME", you make an "ass" of "UR Self".
Damarius Randall remains very talented, as does Njoku, Higgins, Hunt...
DePodesta is the lone survivor of the crew that drafted Njoku, Schobert, Higgins, and Ratley, and now you think they're all doomed?
WHY?
If any of these guys is "affordable" enough, they will be re-signed (let's include Greg Robinson here...and Njoku/Ratley remain under contract anyway...I'm just saying they won't get CUT like some people seem to think).
But I digress: Quit saying that "analytics" went 1-31 and implying that John Dorsey fixed it. HUE JACKSON went 1-31, and Paul DePodesta wanted McDermott instead.
I won't redundate again here: just go back 12 posts here and read forward.
Stefanski might change things, but I hope he will agree with Paul that paying up for Kareem Hunt would be smart.
I'm optimistic about this, as Hunt is a slot/wide receiver/lead-blocker/3rd down back/bellcow and home run hitter so.......
Analytics; you don't get that he's on the "running back" pay scale, do you? Well, this was the battle Ebineezer Bell lost...
...anyway it's GOOD that Paul DePodesta has more influence now, and an intelligent Head Coach.
...okbye
Besides, I've been recommending that the Browns trade the guy since...well since Dorsey traded for him.
I can tell that most of you are still clueless about analytics, because this move is obvious to all analytical thinkers. The rest of you are ass uming that the Browns would never consider trading OBJ.
Indeed, some of you mock the Browns drafting a WR 10th overall! You have decided that Damion Ratley has no future, and that Stefanski, the new OC, new GM and DePodesta will agree that Rashard Higgins needs to go too.
There's way too much assuming going on here!
The point with OBJ is that Baker Mayfield never needed him in the first place, plus he is injury-prone and (yes) a distraction. I guarantee you that DePodesta fought---sorry repeating myself again:
Everybody is also ass uming that Olivier Vernon and his FIFTEEN MILLION PER YEAR salary are fixtures for 2020. Now that's just nuts, you people!
Listen: With Baker Mayfield, Damion Ratley and Rashard Higgins (or somebody like him) would work out fine, like they did in 2018.
Vernon might (or might not) be better than the rest of the DE's who survived Dorsey's purge, but he will again almost certainly miss at least 6 games...
Hey I sucked at math my own self, but figured it out eventually. Vernon is GONE, and so is OBJ (assuming they can still get a first rounder et al out of him, which is probable).
And Hubbard, obviously.
Where would that leave the Browns in terms of roster needs this offseason?
YOU would say WR. WRONG. I don't know what some of you were watching in 2019, but Rashard Higgins was on the bench, and Damion Ratley was only used in obvious passing downs.
The Browns started Kareem Hunt, and used him extensively as a receiver (context, remember?)
Damion Ratley is a certifiable deep threat. He's actually faster than OBJ, as well as taller (can win more contested catches). He enters his third season.
EDGE? Well you got me there. Chad Thomas showed some promise in his second season, but the position opposite Myles Garrett needs both a scarier passrusher and more depth.
DT could use more depth too.
...obviously, the biggest need is at Offensive Tackle.
Greg Robinson is actually a viable Free Agent option, once we measure him against the (under 30) Left Tackles who may actually be available.
Drew Forbes will get his shot at different positions, and he, Lamm, and Telfer shouldn't be discarded just yet.
The market could make even Greg Robinson rediculously expensive; he might be a GMF.
Fortunately, at 10th overall, the Browns can nab a LEFT Tackle. This draft is loaded with outstanding Offensive Tackles, including 4 who (so far) are being graded that high.
Only one is considered a plug-and-play LEFT tackle, but there's another (a basketball star) who just needs some polishing, and another who is a massive monster who...
Nevermind but CONTEXT, ok? Kevin Stefanski (ps who cares if Gary Kubiak advised him he's a BRAIN not a puppet you cretins) ran a run-first, zone-blocking, RPO/play-action offense in 2019.
Well -snap-snap- that doesn't require a Joe Thomas left tackle to protect a pocket passer from a Myles Garrett for 5 or so seconds so he can stand there in the pocket, shopping around...
Long story short the Browns can land a top-notch (starting) offensive tackle at 10th overall, and maybe another one with the first round pick they get for OBJ, and the draft is by far the best way to address it.
With Randall, Schobert, etc entering free agency, there are issues all over the roster, but linebacker, DB, FB, and WR are more economicaly addressed in free agency than Offensive Tackle.
...Why are some of you writing off Njoku and proclaiming the need for a pass-catching TE?
Because your latest lynch-victim, Freddie Kitchens, benched him? Do any of you know WHY that happened?
...you're writing Njoku off now? WOW!
Yeah Njoku and Higgins, as you simultaneously declare Freddie Kitchens an idiot--you people...no wonder Trump is being impeached.
-snap-snap- Paul DePodesta has a stronger voice now and got an Analytics-freindly (ie smart) Head Coach, and you're writing Higgins, Randall, Njoku, Hunt, and Schobert off while ass uming that OBJ and Pegleg Vernon stick around?
Before you know who the Offensive and Defensive Coordinators or the GM will be?
You people: I remind you that when you "ASSUME", you make an "ass" of "UR Self".
Damarius Randall remains very talented, as does Njoku, Higgins, Hunt...
DePodesta is the lone survivor of the crew that drafted Njoku, Schobert, Higgins, and Ratley, and now you think they're all doomed?
WHY?
If any of these guys is "affordable" enough, they will be re-signed (let's include Greg Robinson here...and Njoku/Ratley remain under contract anyway...I'm just saying they won't get CUT like some people seem to think).
But I digress: Quit saying that "analytics" went 1-31 and implying that John Dorsey fixed it. HUE JACKSON went 1-31, and Paul DePodesta wanted McDermott instead.
I won't redundate again here: just go back 12 posts here and read forward.
Stefanski might change things, but I hope he will agree with Paul that paying up for Kareem Hunt would be smart.
I'm optimistic about this, as Hunt is a slot/wide receiver/lead-blocker/3rd down back/bellcow and home run hitter so.......
Analytics; you don't get that he's on the "running back" pay scale, do you? Well, this was the battle Ebineezer Bell lost...
...anyway it's GOOD that Paul DePodesta has more influence now, and an intelligent Head Coach.
...okbye
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Kevin Stefanski Refutes Fake News, MEANS What he Says, and is SMART
I haven't reviewed the whole Stefanski Presser, but did pick up that, per him, the whole "turning in your game-plan" to the analytics staff (and I presume having a geek with a headset on the sidelines) was fake news.
That's what I figured, because it sounded just insane/outrageous. (Chris Simms went nuts, calling the Browns a dumpster fire and stuff).
But I keep telling you people, my evil (and stupid) twin blogger said "maybe this is why they didn't hire Josh McDaniels", and here we go again.
Jimmy Haslam is the new kid who maybe walks funny and stutters a little. Everybody picks on and laughs at him, because the "popular" kids do, and if you don't join in, you might be their next victim.
Bahhh! Baahhh! So now they're just making stuff up about him (tee-hee are you going to cry now? Look at him he's all red tee-hee)
Sick mindless puppies...
Anyway a geek in a headset? Really? Breer bought that pant-load?
DoPodesta and company will find some "deeper" individual mismatches for Kevin and company to exploit as he puts together his game-plan, and they will certainly meet with and talk to him, but...turning in his game plan like it's homework?
Doerschuck believed that!?! What a genius!!! Every day is April 1st with these clowns, ya know?
Stay tuned: Most of these clowns will ignore what Stefanski said and keep ranting about that "moneyball takeover" and Jimmy the Meddler. (The truth just isn't that much fun tee-hee!)
As Pete Smith suggests, the monday meetings with Jimmy Haslam and others (if true) is actually a good idea. As he, Pluto, and MKC point out, it's also pretty common.
Any owner who gives a damn wants to know what's going on. And Peter says that if Jimmy is getting his info from Stefanski, he's far less likely to listen to others outside the building and make dumbass decisions.
Pete also points out that Wade Phillips actually runs a 4-3 "under" defense. It often looks like a 3-4 because one of the DE's often stands up and stands outside the tackle; sometimes in the Tight End's face.
The two tackles line up the same as they do under Wilks and did under Williams...nevermind but Garrett would be fine is all.
I doubt the Phillips rumor though. Wade is 72 years old.
Steve Wilks is being blamed for Greedy Williams starting as a rookie (and missing time), Randall getting in trouble (and missing time), Orchard, Nassib, and Ogbah ("not real football players") getting the boot, losing Garrett, not having Olivier Vernon for most of the season, Mack Wilson starting as a rookie, and the offense constantly putting his defense in jams and wearing them out, along with the fact that he brought a new scheme with him when he came here.
I blame John Dorsey for some of this.
Dorsey did an awesome job of just rebuilding the whole secondary from the ground up, bringing in top talent through both free agency/trade and the draft.
BUT those THREE "DE"'s he kicked to the curb simply because he wasn't the guy who had drafted them would have come in handy when Vernon (soupraz soupraz soupraz) got hurt (again).
Orchard and Ogbah played linebacker too! Nassib was a 3-4 or 4-3 DE himself. All 3 could "set the edge" vs the run. All 3 are still in the NFL, and at least Ogbah and Nassib are playing a lot, if not starting.
And (oh yeah) Jabrill Peppers was the PROTOTYPE LB/S hybrid for the Wilks system but...well...
Not Wilks's fault, Bub!
I guess I'm predisposed to defend people that everybody else are picking on because when I was a little kid I was them.
It often ticks my peeps off, as I have (and still do) also defend Freddie Kitchens. This goes back a long way, as I defended that bumb Bill whoozitcheck and still defend Art Modell too.
Yeah I ruin all the lynchings and burnings in effigy...well except for Hue Jackson and Todd Haley (I brought the rope to that one--but still wouldn't let them torture the prisoners first)...
But I digress: I haven't checked out this Hunt DC candidate from San Fran, but...am I the only one who sees four Pro Bowl Defensive Linemen there, and the rest of that defense so talented...?
One of the strongest running games in football has kept them off the field and playing with a lead...?
THIS is why analytics is important, you see? It takes emotions out of decisions, and prevents even smart people from doing stupid things.
Dammit if you give ME that crew and those conditions and a title, I could take suggestions from the players and be a "great defensive coordinator"!
That's obviously an overstatement, but not by much: CONTEXT is critical. If you think Steve Wilks sucks and Hunt (or Saleh for that matter) is better, you are not thinking at all.
If I had Tom Brady...well CONTEXT, right? Who ran the Pats Offense since Charlie Weiss left? Josh McDaniels, or Tom Brady?
See Paul DePodesta (like me) thinks with his brain, and never assumes.
McCarthy had Favre then Rodgers, too. CONTEXT, ok?
Stefanski served under several Head Coaches and OC's and helped run every system imaginable. He has coached every offensive skill position.
He is an Ivy league brain (and yes, smart people do make good coaches, believe it or not).
Stefanski's quote (basicly saying that any group of people can kick ass if you don't care who gets the credit---plus the point-guard reference about dishing the ball and letting other guys score) zinged over most of your heads because you thought it was just political blahblah.
Well, it wasn't. You people are too cynical (not your fault/no offense), but:
Please hear me, right now:
Kevin Stefanski could be an intelligent analyst, or a REAL reporter, or an honest judge, or...
He is not a child. He has transcended his emotions and thinks with his brain (ie thinks period why does nobody get that dammit!?!)
Next up are the "big ego" questions and unreality show crap like that, but the anaytical Stefanski will be all-aboard on the Beckham (or Landry) trade, and you people...
I can't avoid putting myself in this story (sorry): When you don't yell or scream or stamp your feet, and just look the other guy in the eye and tell him the objective truth, calmly, it works (well except for a few extreme schizos and autistics...Vontez Burfict maybe, but nobody else in the NFL * Antonio Brown doesn't count right now*).
Kevin Stefanski will have no problem with any "big egos" here, Jerry Springer fans.
Root for anybody named "Kubiak" to become the next Browns OC, and for Andrew Berry for GM (don't know the Vikings guy...except that lots of teams want him...but Berry is my favorite).
...okbye
...Lesmeris weighs in, brilliantly. What HE said!
And read THIS: DePodesta himself tries to make you comprehend his role with the Browns...
And why does he live in San Diego?
Doyeeeeeeee
That's what I figured, because it sounded just insane/outrageous. (Chris Simms went nuts, calling the Browns a dumpster fire and stuff).
But I keep telling you people, my evil (and stupid) twin blogger said "maybe this is why they didn't hire Josh McDaniels", and here we go again.
Jimmy Haslam is the new kid who maybe walks funny and stutters a little. Everybody picks on and laughs at him, because the "popular" kids do, and if you don't join in, you might be their next victim.
Bahhh! Baahhh! So now they're just making stuff up about him (tee-hee are you going to cry now? Look at him he's all red tee-hee)
Sick mindless puppies...
Anyway a geek in a headset? Really? Breer bought that pant-load?
DoPodesta and company will find some "deeper" individual mismatches for Kevin and company to exploit as he puts together his game-plan, and they will certainly meet with and talk to him, but...turning in his game plan like it's homework?
Doerschuck believed that!?! What a genius!!! Every day is April 1st with these clowns, ya know?
Stay tuned: Most of these clowns will ignore what Stefanski said and keep ranting about that "moneyball takeover" and Jimmy the Meddler. (The truth just isn't that much fun tee-hee!)
As Pete Smith suggests, the monday meetings with Jimmy Haslam and others (if true) is actually a good idea. As he, Pluto, and MKC point out, it's also pretty common.
Any owner who gives a damn wants to know what's going on. And Peter says that if Jimmy is getting his info from Stefanski, he's far less likely to listen to others outside the building and make dumbass decisions.
Pete also points out that Wade Phillips actually runs a 4-3 "under" defense. It often looks like a 3-4 because one of the DE's often stands up and stands outside the tackle; sometimes in the Tight End's face.
The two tackles line up the same as they do under Wilks and did under Williams...nevermind but Garrett would be fine is all.
I doubt the Phillips rumor though. Wade is 72 years old.
Steve Wilks is being blamed for Greedy Williams starting as a rookie (and missing time), Randall getting in trouble (and missing time), Orchard, Nassib, and Ogbah ("not real football players") getting the boot, losing Garrett, not having Olivier Vernon for most of the season, Mack Wilson starting as a rookie, and the offense constantly putting his defense in jams and wearing them out, along with the fact that he brought a new scheme with him when he came here.
I blame John Dorsey for some of this.
Dorsey did an awesome job of just rebuilding the whole secondary from the ground up, bringing in top talent through both free agency/trade and the draft.
BUT those THREE "DE"'s he kicked to the curb simply because he wasn't the guy who had drafted them would have come in handy when Vernon (soupraz soupraz soupraz) got hurt (again).
Orchard and Ogbah played linebacker too! Nassib was a 3-4 or 4-3 DE himself. All 3 could "set the edge" vs the run. All 3 are still in the NFL, and at least Ogbah and Nassib are playing a lot, if not starting.
And (oh yeah) Jabrill Peppers was the PROTOTYPE LB/S hybrid for the Wilks system but...well...
Not Wilks's fault, Bub!
I guess I'm predisposed to defend people that everybody else are picking on because when I was a little kid I was them.
It often ticks my peeps off, as I have (and still do) also defend Freddie Kitchens. This goes back a long way, as I defended that bumb Bill whoozitcheck and still defend Art Modell too.
Yeah I ruin all the lynchings and burnings in effigy...well except for Hue Jackson and Todd Haley (I brought the rope to that one--but still wouldn't let them torture the prisoners first)...
But I digress: I haven't checked out this Hunt DC candidate from San Fran, but...am I the only one who sees four Pro Bowl Defensive Linemen there, and the rest of that defense so talented...?
One of the strongest running games in football has kept them off the field and playing with a lead...?
THIS is why analytics is important, you see? It takes emotions out of decisions, and prevents even smart people from doing stupid things.
Dammit if you give ME that crew and those conditions and a title, I could take suggestions from the players and be a "great defensive coordinator"!
That's obviously an overstatement, but not by much: CONTEXT is critical. If you think Steve Wilks sucks and Hunt (or Saleh for that matter) is better, you are not thinking at all.
If I had Tom Brady...well CONTEXT, right? Who ran the Pats Offense since Charlie Weiss left? Josh McDaniels, or Tom Brady?
See Paul DePodesta (like me) thinks with his brain, and never assumes.
McCarthy had Favre then Rodgers, too. CONTEXT, ok?
Stefanski served under several Head Coaches and OC's and helped run every system imaginable. He has coached every offensive skill position.
He is an Ivy league brain (and yes, smart people do make good coaches, believe it or not).
Stefanski's quote (basicly saying that any group of people can kick ass if you don't care who gets the credit---plus the point-guard reference about dishing the ball and letting other guys score) zinged over most of your heads because you thought it was just political blahblah.
Well, it wasn't. You people are too cynical (not your fault/no offense), but:
Please hear me, right now:
Kevin Stefanski could be an intelligent analyst, or a REAL reporter, or an honest judge, or...
He is not a child. He has transcended his emotions and thinks with his brain (ie thinks period why does nobody get that dammit!?!)
Next up are the "big ego" questions and unreality show crap like that, but the anaytical Stefanski will be all-aboard on the Beckham (or Landry) trade, and you people...
I can't avoid putting myself in this story (sorry): When you don't yell or scream or stamp your feet, and just look the other guy in the eye and tell him the objective truth, calmly, it works (well except for a few extreme schizos and autistics...Vontez Burfict maybe, but nobody else in the NFL * Antonio Brown doesn't count right now*).
Kevin Stefanski will have no problem with any "big egos" here, Jerry Springer fans.
Root for anybody named "Kubiak" to become the next Browns OC, and for Andrew Berry for GM (don't know the Vikings guy...except that lots of teams want him...but Berry is my favorite).
...okbye
...Lesmeris weighs in, brilliantly. What HE said!
And read THIS: DePodesta himself tries to make you comprehend his role with the Browns...
And why does he live in San Diego?
Doyeeeeeeee
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Josh Who? Stefanski Looks Like a Winner For Sure I Think Probably Maybe
Kevin Stefanski's strongest influence is Gary Kubiak, who just might come to Cleveland as his Offensive Coordinator.
That would be awesome. Kubiak was the Offensive Coordinator for 2 Superbowl teams, and won the Superbowl in his first year as Denver's Head Coach.
Like Pederson in Philly, Gary Kubiak was an NFL Quarterback, and backed up his boss John Elway.
Kubiak wasn't fired, but retired due to health concerns. He showed back up in Minnesota in 2019 as an "Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Advisor", just as Kevin Stefanski was confirmed as the Vikings' OC.
Another former Browns' coach, John DeFilippo, flopped in 2018, leading to his late season firing and Stefanski's interim promotion.
"Flip" wouldn't stick to the run, and Kirk Cousins found himself under a lot of pressure behind a weak Offensive Line--plus Dalvin Cook was on IR.
The Vikes thought they had the Offensive Line fixed in the offseason, and that bore out early on. Then they started getting hurt.
By the time they got to the 49ers game, they were missing 3 starters, just in time for the Niners awesome front 4 to return to full health, so...
Kubiak/Stefanski run a lot, and use play-action off it. Quarterbacks love it. Offensive linemen love it. Running backs love it. Defenses hate it. 'Nuff said?
It got Kirk Cousins to his best carreer season and the 4th highest QBR in the NFL (plus he won that first playoff game).
Kubiak uses inside and outside zone-blocking schemes, and this is why one writer asserted that Stefanski had "devised a way" to make passes indistinguishable from runs to a defense.
Readers of this Blog get that; it's the zone-blocking scheme that Kyle's father Mike Shanahan ran in Denver when Elway won his two Superbowls (and the same scheme Kyle is running now with the 49ers).
Hmmm....
Some (rightfully) call Stefanski a "risky" Head Coach hire, but I know that DePodesta knows what he is doing.
The upsides include Kubiak and Andrew Berry.
Andrew Berry was a player, then a scout, and was instrumental in bringing in a bunch of guys who John Dorsey said weren't "real football players"---many of which he got rid of:
Nassib, Ogbah, Peppers, Zeitler, Tretter, Schobert, Higgins, Njoku, Garrett, Ogunjobi, etc?
Berry was also all aboard with the stockpiled draft picks and massive war-chest Dorsey inheritted and semi-squandered:
Berry would NOT have paid Hubbard top RT money, traded for OBJ and Vernon, dumped both Nassib and Ogbah, or...
Well I look forward to having Berry back, and working hand-in-hand with Stefanski and DePodesta.
I really hope Gary Kubiak will be the Browns new Offensive Coordinator.
I have yet to find this connection to Jim Schwartze, but happen to know that Schwartze is currently unemployed, and would like to see him running the Browns' Defense in 2020.
Both Kubiak and Schwartze are former Head Coaches. They could help Stefanski handle his new role, and certainly run the offense and defense for him...duh.
Schwartze runs a 4-3 scheme, and pioneered the "wide 9" defense. The Browns had all the tools Schwartze needs until John Dorsey got here and dumped Ogbah, Nassib, and Orchard.
Ogunjobi, Garrett, and Richardson are still here though (I'm writing off Olivier Vernon. He's 30, chronicly injured, and massively overpriced---genius move by Dorsey...chuh)
Ok sorry too deep in the weeds nevermind:
But Kubiak, Berry, and DePodesta himself were factors in this hire.
Peter Smith puts his 2 cents in on this, zeroing in on how useful an Analytics Dept can be, both ahead of and during games.
.....okbye.
...ok get over the affirmative action bullcrap. It's a cooincidence that no minorities got Head Coach gigs this year. The Reverand Al Kaperdick has a right to kneel over this institutional racism, but it doesn't exist.
Think with your BRAIN.
Okbye.
That would be awesome. Kubiak was the Offensive Coordinator for 2 Superbowl teams, and won the Superbowl in his first year as Denver's Head Coach.
Like Pederson in Philly, Gary Kubiak was an NFL Quarterback, and backed up his boss John Elway.
Kubiak wasn't fired, but retired due to health concerns. He showed back up in Minnesota in 2019 as an "Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Advisor", just as Kevin Stefanski was confirmed as the Vikings' OC.
Another former Browns' coach, John DeFilippo, flopped in 2018, leading to his late season firing and Stefanski's interim promotion.
"Flip" wouldn't stick to the run, and Kirk Cousins found himself under a lot of pressure behind a weak Offensive Line--plus Dalvin Cook was on IR.
The Vikes thought they had the Offensive Line fixed in the offseason, and that bore out early on. Then they started getting hurt.
By the time they got to the 49ers game, they were missing 3 starters, just in time for the Niners awesome front 4 to return to full health, so...
Kubiak/Stefanski run a lot, and use play-action off it. Quarterbacks love it. Offensive linemen love it. Running backs love it. Defenses hate it. 'Nuff said?
It got Kirk Cousins to his best carreer season and the 4th highest QBR in the NFL (plus he won that first playoff game).
Kubiak uses inside and outside zone-blocking schemes, and this is why one writer asserted that Stefanski had "devised a way" to make passes indistinguishable from runs to a defense.
Readers of this Blog get that; it's the zone-blocking scheme that Kyle's father Mike Shanahan ran in Denver when Elway won his two Superbowls (and the same scheme Kyle is running now with the 49ers).
Hmmm....
Some (rightfully) call Stefanski a "risky" Head Coach hire, but I know that DePodesta knows what he is doing.
The upsides include Kubiak and Andrew Berry.
Andrew Berry was a player, then a scout, and was instrumental in bringing in a bunch of guys who John Dorsey said weren't "real football players"---many of which he got rid of:
Nassib, Ogbah, Peppers, Zeitler, Tretter, Schobert, Higgins, Njoku, Garrett, Ogunjobi, etc?
Berry was also all aboard with the stockpiled draft picks and massive war-chest Dorsey inheritted and semi-squandered:
Berry would NOT have paid Hubbard top RT money, traded for OBJ and Vernon, dumped both Nassib and Ogbah, or...
Well I look forward to having Berry back, and working hand-in-hand with Stefanski and DePodesta.
I really hope Gary Kubiak will be the Browns new Offensive Coordinator.
I have yet to find this connection to Jim Schwartze, but happen to know that Schwartze is currently unemployed, and would like to see him running the Browns' Defense in 2020.
Both Kubiak and Schwartze are former Head Coaches. They could help Stefanski handle his new role, and certainly run the offense and defense for him...duh.
Schwartze runs a 4-3 scheme, and pioneered the "wide 9" defense. The Browns had all the tools Schwartze needs until John Dorsey got here and dumped Ogbah, Nassib, and Orchard.
Ogunjobi, Garrett, and Richardson are still here though (I'm writing off Olivier Vernon. He's 30, chronicly injured, and massively overpriced---genius move by Dorsey...chuh)
Ok sorry too deep in the weeds nevermind:
But Kubiak, Berry, and DePodesta himself were factors in this hire.
Peter Smith puts his 2 cents in on this, zeroing in on how useful an Analytics Dept can be, both ahead of and during games.
.....okbye.
...ok get over the affirmative action bullcrap. It's a cooincidence that no minorities got Head Coach gigs this year. The Reverand Al Kaperdick has a right to kneel over this institutional racism, but it doesn't exist.
Think with your BRAIN.
Okbye.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Brady to Browns? McDaniels a Lock? DePodesta Doomed? Browns Hysteria
Some betting site thinks that Tom Brady's likliest destination in 2020 (if he's not re-signed in New England) would be Cleveland.
Well, if Josh Daniels becomes the new Head Coach, that might make actual sense, since Btady wouldn't need to learn a new system, would be eyeball deep in lethal weapons, and the Browns could afford to pay him.
Without a doubt, this would be a Dorsian go for all the marbles move, since (in reality) Father Time might overtake Brady at any time.
Baker Mayfield might (wisely) accept his demotion, or raise hell, but after the season he just had...well if he's an adult he makes lemonade out of it, as he gets to understudy the GOAT.
I was allergic to this idea when I first heard it, but couldn't manage to shut my brain down.
See, Tom Brady is a coach on the field (including on the practice field). The position coaches add this or that, but could just stand back and let Brady run the practice if they wanted to.
And yes, with a couple upgrades to the offensive line, Tom Brady could put the 2020 Browns in the hunt.
The main problem is the length of Brady's contract. He will try to lock himself in (via guaranteed monies) for at least 2 years, wherever he goes.
Tom Brady doesn't want to start bouncing around and learning new systems in his twilight years, and he also does know that he has already declined physically. He sees the writing on the wall.
Baker Mayfield is not a loser, and DePodesta (or any long-term planner) won't want to commit 15% of their budget to one old quarterback and keep Mayfield on the bench through 2021.
There. I gave it a fair hearing, but it's unlikely.
Nick Dudukovich names 3 players he feels might be released (or traded) due to analytics, and was (to my surprise) on the money with Schobert, Beckham or Landry, and Olivier Vernon.
I've recently been turned around to considering Joe Schobert a priority signing, but Nick expects his Brinks Truck to be oversized and require escorts.
If Nick is right, I'm back to where I started on Schobert: Pay him, but don't OVERpay him.
I've been telling you about Beckham being a mistake and excellent trade-bait for awhile.
Vernon turned 30 and his release would be free yes; however he is still under contract, and somebody is likely willing to cough up a lower-round pick for him (note to Nick: Greed is good).
Schobert's loss is revenue-neutral, but the trade or releases of Vernon and one of the wide receivers would pump up the cap money significantly (unless there's a player-for-player trade in there, and the player the Browns get has a similar salary).
In most cases, DePodesta will want draft picks instead...
Ok you see draft picks are much, much cheaper, and a lot of teams throw them around like confetti (ie they undervalue them).
OBJ could be turned into a decent edge-rusher and right tackle at even money, but that's unrealistic. More likely, he is a middle first round and 3rd round pick (or more).
DePodesta builds up his bankroll, and his talent-pool.
By the way, Lord Insideous has been doing exactly this for decades now, and nobody calls him a "moneyball guy"!
Albert Breer wrote an almost excellent article on how Jimmy Haslam can get it right this time by avoiding past mistakes.
Breer has Jimmy Haslam "going to" low-level assistant coaches and taking their suggestions to the Head Coach...
Ok that's bizarre, not to mentionhighly improbable almost certainly bullshit, and I'm shocked that Breer would include this in his article.
This piling on aside, the balance of Greer's article is insightful and smart.
It's always been shotgun marriages between Front Offices and Coaches, plus each in one of Haslam's ears, with him as the judge.
Jimmy seemed to step back when he hired Dorsey, as Dorsey had his way (see my last 3 posts).
Greer ignores this, of course.
But he's right, and Haslam is already doing exactly what Greer prescribes (better late than never).
The new Head Coach will choose his GM.
He can fire DePodesta if heis a dumbass wants to (btw MIKE MCCARTHY wants a full analytics staff)....
Dan Justik lists 3 players he thinks the Browns should move on from in 2020, and I concur 100%:
Hubbard, Vernon, and Kirksey.
Dan shocked me with how much money the Browns could save by just releasing these guys! Close to 5 mil for Hubbard, 15 mil for Vernon, and 7.5 mil for Kirksey!
(err...nevermind what I said about trading Vernon, obviously).
Well, we can thank John Dorsey for leaving his successors some "tangible assets", anyway!
Justik wrote another article suggesting that the Browns job might be McDaniels' "dream job". The article was a tad "fluffy" but good.
What got me was the comments. Every single one of them considered McDaniels the no-brainer choice. One regarded Stefanski as as unqualified as Kitchens, but several others bashed Stefanski too.
Nobody mentioned Tom Brady, Josh's record as Head Coach in Denver, or...
Baah!! Baaahh!!! He's a home-boy SOLD!
The flock could be accidentally right--I don't know.
One commenter was knowlegable and persuasive, as he listed a bunch of Front Office people and assistants he could bring in.
Of course this included Jim Schwartze as DC and seemed overly optimistic otherwise.
For those who wonder why the Browns want a decision by saturday, it's because Front Office people and assistant coaches are being gobbled up as we speak.
The new Head Coach could still be in the playoffs, and not formally signed or announced, but the cat would be out of the bag quickly based on who the Browns start hiring.
I'm not a lawyer, but could play one on radio, and a coach under contract to another team can sign a "letter of commitment" (or something) which would penalize him if he renegs.
It says "I accept your job as soon as I am done with my current employer and here is my wallet if I don't" and stuff.
The simplest solution is Josh McDaniels.
The BEST solution is...?
Well, if Josh Daniels becomes the new Head Coach, that might make actual sense, since Btady wouldn't need to learn a new system, would be eyeball deep in lethal weapons, and the Browns could afford to pay him.
Without a doubt, this would be a Dorsian go for all the marbles move, since (in reality) Father Time might overtake Brady at any time.
Baker Mayfield might (wisely) accept his demotion, or raise hell, but after the season he just had...well if he's an adult he makes lemonade out of it, as he gets to understudy the GOAT.
I was allergic to this idea when I first heard it, but couldn't manage to shut my brain down.
See, Tom Brady is a coach on the field (including on the practice field). The position coaches add this or that, but could just stand back and let Brady run the practice if they wanted to.
And yes, with a couple upgrades to the offensive line, Tom Brady could put the 2020 Browns in the hunt.
The main problem is the length of Brady's contract. He will try to lock himself in (via guaranteed monies) for at least 2 years, wherever he goes.
Tom Brady doesn't want to start bouncing around and learning new systems in his twilight years, and he also does know that he has already declined physically. He sees the writing on the wall.
Baker Mayfield is not a loser, and DePodesta (or any long-term planner) won't want to commit 15% of their budget to one old quarterback and keep Mayfield on the bench through 2021.
There. I gave it a fair hearing, but it's unlikely.
Nick Dudukovich names 3 players he feels might be released (or traded) due to analytics, and was (to my surprise) on the money with Schobert, Beckham or Landry, and Olivier Vernon.
I've recently been turned around to considering Joe Schobert a priority signing, but Nick expects his Brinks Truck to be oversized and require escorts.
If Nick is right, I'm back to where I started on Schobert: Pay him, but don't OVERpay him.
I've been telling you about Beckham being a mistake and excellent trade-bait for awhile.
Vernon turned 30 and his release would be free yes; however he is still under contract, and somebody is likely willing to cough up a lower-round pick for him (note to Nick: Greed is good).
Schobert's loss is revenue-neutral, but the trade or releases of Vernon and one of the wide receivers would pump up the cap money significantly (unless there's a player-for-player trade in there, and the player the Browns get has a similar salary).
In most cases, DePodesta will want draft picks instead...
Ok you see draft picks are much, much cheaper, and a lot of teams throw them around like confetti (ie they undervalue them).
OBJ could be turned into a decent edge-rusher and right tackle at even money, but that's unrealistic. More likely, he is a middle first round and 3rd round pick (or more).
DePodesta builds up his bankroll, and his talent-pool.
By the way, Lord Insideous has been doing exactly this for decades now, and nobody calls him a "moneyball guy"!
Albert Breer wrote an almost excellent article on how Jimmy Haslam can get it right this time by avoiding past mistakes.
Breer has Jimmy Haslam "going to" low-level assistant coaches and taking their suggestions to the Head Coach...
Ok that's bizarre, not to mention
This piling on aside, the balance of Greer's article is insightful and smart.
It's always been shotgun marriages between Front Offices and Coaches, plus each in one of Haslam's ears, with him as the judge.
Jimmy seemed to step back when he hired Dorsey, as Dorsey had his way (see my last 3 posts).
Greer ignores this, of course.
But he's right, and Haslam is already doing exactly what Greer prescribes (better late than never).
The new Head Coach will choose his GM.
He can fire DePodesta if he
Dan Justik lists 3 players he thinks the Browns should move on from in 2020, and I concur 100%:
Hubbard, Vernon, and Kirksey.
Dan shocked me with how much money the Browns could save by just releasing these guys! Close to 5 mil for Hubbard, 15 mil for Vernon, and 7.5 mil for Kirksey!
(err...nevermind what I said about trading Vernon, obviously).
Well, we can thank John Dorsey for leaving his successors some "tangible assets", anyway!
Justik wrote another article suggesting that the Browns job might be McDaniels' "dream job". The article was a tad "fluffy" but good.
What got me was the comments. Every single one of them considered McDaniels the no-brainer choice. One regarded Stefanski as as unqualified as Kitchens, but several others bashed Stefanski too.
Nobody mentioned Tom Brady, Josh's record as Head Coach in Denver, or...
Baah!! Baaahh!!! He's a home-boy SOLD!
The flock could be accidentally right--I don't know.
One commenter was knowlegable and persuasive, as he listed a bunch of Front Office people and assistants he could bring in.
Of course this included Jim Schwartze as DC and seemed overly optimistic otherwise.
For those who wonder why the Browns want a decision by saturday, it's because Front Office people and assistant coaches are being gobbled up as we speak.
The new Head Coach could still be in the playoffs, and not formally signed or announced, but the cat would be out of the bag quickly based on who the Browns start hiring.
I'm not a lawyer, but could play one on radio, and a coach under contract to another team can sign a "letter of commitment" (or something) which would penalize him if he renegs.
It says "I accept your job as soon as I am done with my current employer and here is my wallet if I don't" and stuff.
The simplest solution is Josh McDaniels.
The BEST solution is...?
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