Anthony Bennett has one big need
January 30, 2014Kyrie Irving reportedly telling people he wants out of Cleveland
January 30, 2014As we make our way through the off-season and think about various positions on the roster, nobody’s position might be stranger than Greg Little’s. Little is a good guy with very good physical attributes. He’s a receiver who “flashes” on occasion, but then disappears for long stretches when he isn’t dropping passes. Despite some mostly meaningless traffic incidents that served to bring him a bit of negative attention, he largely does and says all the right things. He works as hard as he can whether it’s extra time catching passes or learning hand-fighting techniques of defensive linemen in the pre-season. Greg Little is, in many ways, exactly what you want a young player to be and yet, he was rumored to be a guy that Browns brass wanted Rob Chudzinski to cut to send a message. Chud is gone of course, but for now Greg Little is still here.
If you were to poll Browns fans and ask them if Greg Little should be cut from the team, I bet the vote would be 50/50. I can’t even tell you what I would say, personally. After his third year, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s not a number two wide receiver, let alone a number one. I know for a fact that he’s not a guy I want returning kickoffs either. By the way, despite that infuriating chapter of the 2013 Browns season, Little averaged 21.57 yards per return in seven attempts. I would have bet it was nowhere near that good an average. And that’s kind of instructive for Greg Little’s entire career.
When you spend a season watching Little, it can leave a bad taste in your mouth, but he hasn’t been entirely unproductive. He’s a third-year player, only 24-years-old set to cost the Browns just over $1 million on their cap for 2014. He’s been wildly inconsistent and his reputation is for dropping passes, but consider this. Pro Football Focus reports that he only dropped three passes from week six going forward to the end of the year. While certainly not the norm, he’s exploded for big games a couple times in his career including a 122 yard game in the November victory over the Baltimore Ravens.
It’s especially hard to figure out what to say about Little considering the Browns don’t even have an offensive coordinator yet, but I see little reason to cut him ahead of training camp. The Browns had a breakout season from Josh Gordon, who must keep his nose clean this (and every subsequent) off-season. They hopefully have Travis Benjamin back and ready from his October ACL tear. After that, the Browns currently have Josh Cooper and Brian Tyms. (You can read all you want about Davone Bess, but we don’t need to talk about him again, I don’t think.) From a reserve / future standpoint, the Browns have Tori Gurley and a 23-year-old former Duke player named Conner Vernon. They’ll obviously need to address the position either in the draft or free agency this off-season.
While I wouldn’t recommend the Browns count on Greg Little to become a viable second receiver after failing to do so in 2013, I think there’s plenty of reason to bring him to camp to compete for a roster spot this August. I wouldn’t necessarily bet on Greg Little to win that roster spot, but I think I also tend to agree with Rob Chudzinski’s instincts that cutting Greg Little wasn’t the right thing to do. Yes, this is a results-based league and guys who can’t produce must eventually sit on the bench and / or get cut loose. But in the midst of an already challenging season where a first-year head coach is trying to keep his team together, it seems ludicrous to make an example of a guy who by all accounts I’ve seen and heard was doing everything he possibly do to get better and help his team.
As we wait to see who will be designing this offense and helping shape the roster to run it, I imagine nobody’s wait is more difficult than Greg Little’s. As moves get made in free agency and in the draft, I hope it gets even more competitive for Little heading into his free agent season. I hope the Browns make it very competitive and difficult for Little to earn his spot on the 2014 Browns. But in the end, I’d give him the opportunity to come in and compete.
On the bright side, if he does find a way to win a job, I’m guessing he can have the number 15 back.
66 Comments
I agree, there is no reason to cut him before camp. i think in the right environment he can be a good receiver. But nothing about our environment has been right lately..
“On the bright side, if he does find a way to win a job, I’m guessing he can have the number 15 back.”
Until we sign TEBOW!
It would be a shock if he’s outright cut based on his cap number prior to training camp. There’s no reason for it to actually happen. You have a roster of 90 guys to start TC. However, I could definitely see him as a draft day trade with some sort of pick swap attached.
Dangle him as trade bait before and during the draft.
And draft Sammy Watkins.
I can’t imagine cutting him given the massive talent void at the position. Like you said, while the drops are infuriating, he doesn’t seem like a bad dude, and he’s putting in the work. The work just isn’t paying off.
I thought Tebow had a cushy ESPN job now. No need for him to be a gadget player (his true role, NOT QB) in the NFL anymore.
I’m kind of hoping that we draft Manziel then sign Tebow. Who doesn’t love the circus?
There’s a dearth of WR talent in this draft. A solid #2 should fall to the Browns at 26 or 35 (but one could be sent to the Redskins with Weeden for Kirk Cousins if Kyle Shanahan is hired). I would pick the ILB from Buffalo at #4.
The only reason the thought of cutting him is even at issue is that McManamon report that Banner wanted it done in-season. From a biz standpoint it really doesn’t make any sense.
That would be maniacal (and possible), but I think Houston actually drafts Manziel #1 overall. STL is a wild card, and JAX would certainly be looking at drafting a QB (they rejected Tebow outright), thereby leaving the Browns with option of Bortles, Watkins?, Mack?, or some other option.
if JAX really wants to move to LA, then they’ll draft Carr.
That would be a typical JAX move, after all they drafted a PUNTER in the 3rd round! That has to be one of the worst picks out there, up with Weeden in the first round.
It seems pretty simple what we should do with Little.
He’s not a WR2 and he’s not a slot-WR. But, he’s a pretty good WR4/5 guy to have on a team. He won’t produce much on returning kicks, but he seems like the prototypical guy you’d like to have as a gunner (physical, decently fast, tough, and a hard-worker).
And, there’s always the chance that our new OC needs an H-Back/Hybrid-TE role that Little may just thrive in.
So, you keep him, let him set the example of how to work for the others, and give him August to prove himself worthy of the team. If we cut him at that point, then we lose next to nothing. If he forces himself onto the team, we gain something.
If the offseason goes the way it should, we would have enough talent to cut any receiver who is as inconsistent/unproductive as Little and Bess were last season. That being said, it wouldn’t shock me if Little stays with the team as a WR#4/5. After all, he does block well, runs hard after a catch and can be useful on reverse plays. And he’s not afraid to tackle a guy after an interception (although that was more important when Weeden played)
Little could be dangerous in the slot, but the Browns have been sorely lacking at WR depth to put him there, forcing him to try to be that #1 or #2 guy; but Gordon is the clear #1 and the Browns have to draft/sign a clear-cut #2 WR (sorry Bess, looks like you’re gone or placed on restricted list).
Please no 1st or second round picks for cousins…
At least Bess is drawing some of the smoke away from Gordon.
He was a decent RB before North Carolina switched him to WR.
Just sayin…
Non-union carnies. And elephants. And the clown-phobic
Non-union carnies. And elephants. And the clown-phobic
I was about to say we put him in a fast car, put on some Tracy Chapman and point him westward. But yours is much better. Not that you can brag to it about anyone, but you are clearly more sensible than I.
I was about to say we put him in a fast car, put on some Tracy Chapman and point him westward. But yours is much better. Not that you can brag to it about anyone, but you are clearly more sensible than I.
lol
so exactly what would a GM offer for a receiver who can’t catch or run a decent route, and spends long stretches of a game unable to shake the corner? A guy who might not make the final cut on a bad team? Maybe a 7th rounder, which means a pick that probably won’t make the team. More likely they’ll just get in the waiver wire line.
Little is a guy with the body of a good NFL receiver. Just like Carlton Mitchell.
No reason to do anything before training camp. if you are keeping six receivers, and he is the seventh best receiver on your roster (by whatever measure you employ as a coach) or worse, you waive him. Otherwise, with a cap friendly number, you keep him.
Right, in-season cut would’ve made sense since there are only 53 roster spots. Now there is no gain to be had.
Uptick for the Tracy Chapman comment… that made me laugh quite a bit.
I draft a WR in the 1st/2nd round and see how he reacts in camp. If he can step up into a #2 role, then I bring my rookie along a little slower.
Otherwise, I would put him in the slot. If he could manage to grab the football, he would be a great slot guy with that RB experience.
I thought Banner was a biz guy playing a football guy?
Either way, it makes no sense.
Oakland should be the first call…
They’ll be in London before LA.
The problem is everyone in the NFL has seen him play.
Fullback?
Maybe…
I will gladly accept even a 7th rounder for Oneil Cousins though.
It didn’t work for Ogbannaya.
I’ve never trusted the validity of that report. Sounds like speculation to me. It seems to me that the front office wants players held more accountable, but cutting Little mid-season would have been stupid and you say what you want to about Banner, stupid he is not.
Debbie Downer.
In my best Ralph Wiggum voice…”I like the circus!”
I would offer one (maybe both) of the third round picks, even the second is high but there is a premium on QBs. Had to factor that in.
He’s a FA and won’t be back (thankfully!). Plenty of cheap OL to be found in the UDFA pile though.
Bess does like drawing the smoke, but that’s pretty much all he’s caught…
One of the best blockers down field that we’ve seen in a while. See how he looks in training camp with a different QB situation & OC. It seems that we have a clean slate in the coaching ranks. Lets see if a clean slate can help some of these players (not just Little). There’s been a lot of patient fans of the Browns for the last 50 years. This coach and these players deserve another year of fan support I feel that’s not the case for the front office and ownership that have put coaches and players in the position they are in and the fans in such a foul a$$ mood. Six Pro-Bowl players, cap room, ten draft picks. Something good has got to happen. Go Browns!
Has there ever been any talk of converting him to a TE. He is obviously a skilled blocker and wouldn’t have to put on too much more bulk.
Draft Watkins and keep Little as a slot receiver… He still is better than Bess last season
Please no Cousins… fixed
Greg Little TE = Alex Smith
Big, fast, good blocker, can’t catch…
He is big as a receiver… remember the Wizard of OZ!!! Make him a Tight End and see what happens. You have nothing to lose, especially if you might cut him anyway.
I agree dude can block try him at TE
Dearth means a scarcity or lack of something.