Pics: Josh Gordon’s back tattoo has reached a whole new level
March 18, 2014About Kenny Lofton’s prolonged “Get off my lawn” moment
March 18, 2014The Browns seemed to be set to be one of the most active teams in free agency as the period began. They signed Karlos Dansby and Donte Whitner very quickly and were off to the races. They followed that up with an offer sheet to Andrew Hawkins, a smaller move on special teamer Isaiah Trufant before making another marginally big splash over the weekend with running back Ben Tate. As I write all that out, it really does seem like they’ve been active, but there are a couple things that the Browns haven’t done which has surprised me and makes me curious about their strategy and plans. So let’s explore what the Browns have done and what it might mean for their plans from this point forward.
1. Are the Browns confident in Kyle Shanahan’s system for offensive lineman and the personnel they currently have on the roster? I expected the Browns to make a move at offensive guard or maybe even at right tackle this off-season. The team has Jason Pinkston, John Greco, and Mitchell Schwartz who are question marks compared to Joe Thomas and Alex Mack. Greco played pretty well and Pinkston really has shown some potential when he hasn’t been hurt. Other than that, they have Garrett Gilkey and some other really unknown prospects. Yet, so far the Browns haven’t done anything to address the offensive line. Do the Browns feel confident in Shanahan’s system to elevate the play of existing personnel? Do the Browns have a draft strategy in place to address their offensive line? I have one last theory.
I think the Browns watched tape of the offensive line when Brian Hoyer was playing behind them. Brandon Weeden signed in Dallas yesterday and there’s no comparison between how the offensive line looked when Hoyer was back there unloading the ball decisively compared to the statuesque Weeden staring down receivers and waiting for them to look “college open” before delivering the ball. Maybe it’s totally unfair to grade the offensive line with someone like Brandon Weeden leading the offense.
2. The Browns were interested in Darrelle Revis, were rumored to have invited Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for a visit, but have stayed quiet at corner otherwise. Why? I’m sure the Browns relished the opportunity to put one of the bigger named players at corner opposite Joe Haden to see how dominant a Mike Pettine defense can be. Still, even as they’ve chased names like Revis, they’ve avoided being desperate like trading something (anything) for the right to pay him $16 million for the 2014 season.
For the Browns, it was tempting to go after one of the best corners in the game, but their real strategy was revealed with the signing of Karlos Dansby. It’s actually something of a continuation of what Banner and Lombardi claimed to be putting in place with Ray Horton last season. Corners can be made to look better with pressure on the quarterback. The Browns invested heavily in the pass rush a year ago with Paul Kruger, Desmond Bryant and then the drafting of Barkevious Mingo. Still, despite getting pressure, the Browns felt like they had a gap in the pressure up the middle. So, they cut D’Qwell Jackson and signed Karlos Dansby.
It’s important to have good cornerbacks, but it’s also easier and cheaper to make corners look better with a good pass rush than it is to get corners who are so good that they can live on their islands. With Darrelle Revis’ $16 million the Browns can sign how many pass rushers like Karlos Dansby?
3. What are the Browns doing in their draft? The team reportedly wasn’t at Teddy Bridgewater’s pro day. They didn’t speak with quarterbacks at the combine. They reportedly liked Johnny Manziel and then reportedly didn’t like any of the quarterback prospects. The Browns are a complete mystery in the draft right now, and that’s a good thing. Some teams end up looking like they like every candidate. Johnny Manziel? Absolutely! Great prospect. Clowney? Wow! What a player! Bortles? We’d pick him twice if we could! Not the Browns. The way it feels right now, I don’t know if the Browns like anyone at all. It’s pretty funny really.
If I had to guess, I still have to think based on what we’ve seen so far that the Browns will go offense in the draft. I don’t know if they like any of the QBs enough to make that move, but they need a prospect. They probably need a second wide receiver as much, if not more. They could use an offensive lineman. In this day and age of the tight end, they could probably use another prospect behind Jordan Cameron too. Yes, they could use an inside linebacker and a cornerback, but I can’t help but think we’re firmly on offense right now in the first round of the draft. Then again, I already said the Browns are playing some serious poker, so I truly have no clue.
*****
So those are the things I’m thinking right now. I must say that I haven’t felt this confident and comfortable with a Browns organization in a while. I had even more inherent distrust in Banner and Lombardi than even I realized. As Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine move through this off-season it feels like a team all pulling in the same direction for the first time in a long time. That’s something that Joe Banner killed when he fired Rob Chudzinski after just one year. Right now, it leaves me thankful that Jimmy Haslam realized that toothpaste was already out of the tube.
Of course, we’re still in the honeymoon period. The Browns have to continue to make decisions that give the fans confidence and, you know, win more than four games in 2014.
107 Comments
Aaron Murray is recovering from a torn ACL and will likely miss at least part of next season. That is a big factor in where he will be drafted.
I’d be thrilled with this.
AND Taco Bell introduces breakfast the same day.
I may have to take the day off work.
The linebacker or the center? If we can draft Alex Mack again and keep him on a rookie salary, then I think we need to do it. Drafting Khalil Mack… I don’t know a thing about him. I’m all about an upgrade over Craig Robertson, though.
I almost agree, but why not go w CJ Mosley? – you’ve already got pass rushers out the wazoo, / and could get more later.
CJ Mosley – A+
Borland (wisconsin) B
everyone else D
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I haven’t spoke up about this yet, but if the Browns do nothing at CB, I wouldn’t mind… I don’t see CB2 as a huge need. I thought that Buster Skrine did an adequate to better-than-average job in that position last season. He spent some time in the slot in 3-receiver packages, but he also performed well when he was the outside CB in 2-receiver packages (from what I saw… and I found this to be a big surprise based on the previous year’s performance in that spot). I’d be more interested in spending a 3rd day pick to bolster CB and committing the money or the high draft pick elsewhere.
way too high for Mosley, IMO. If we want him, then we should trade down first.
Mack is one of the guys I would not be upset drafting at #4.
He just looks like a special talent (I would move him to ILB and have him be our Patrick Willis).
I believe Mack is more versatile, moving from outside to inside and vice versa. Not to mention an overall better prospect. Plus how you gonna say ‘He got run over by a Mack truck’ with Mosely? You gotta think about these things when deciding on a draft pick.
“You hurt my feelings bode… You suggested luxury car service instead of strength training with Khalil Mack!”
Yep, that checks out… he can be our Patrick Willis!
totally agree. just looking at the draft by positions – he is really in a class by himself. more than any other position… OG and FS are similar with the drop off after the first couple. and per usual theres a million receivers, CBs and pass rushers
Fight! Fight! Fight!
I agree with you on Skrine being a good development (and not the liability we all not so secretly feared)–but from what I heard of Pettine’s D, he likes to man press his corners….ala Rex Ryan. That’s probably driving the Revis & DRC feelers. Frankly if we can steal DRC on the cheap (I know he has warts and all but still), that would be huge. And that would give us the luxury of Skrine lining up against the slot (where IMO I think he might be better suited with his speed and smaller stature–and good feisty tackling skills).
kanick and I agree probably 90% of the time, but we disagree LOUDLY on that other 10% 🙂
We already have a hard hitting safety on the roster.
*cough* Mingo *cough, cough…*
;D
DRC signed with the G-men.
http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2014/03/dominique_rodgers-cromartie_chooses_giants_over_jets_will_sign_five-year_deal.html
But I do understand your point and I agree, if Mike Pettine is hell bent on having two corners who can press and bump, Skrine probably isn’t a good fit and would be better served as nickel corner.
Pettine’s likely reaction in OTA’s:
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Aw man I missed that! I’m bummed. Hopefully they’ll be ok standing pat though because I don’t think there are any other viable CBs left on the market.
In shorts and throwing to receivers with whom you’ve been practicing, a Pro Day can easily produce false positives. But if you don’t excel in those conditions it is more likely a true negative than excelling is a true positive. Why wouldn’t a top prospect be lights out in those conditions? Almost any answer is bad for a presumed franchise player: nerves, “just one of those days,” mechanical adjustments needed, injury …
Sammy Watkins opposite Gordon with Cameron! Sickness pure sickness.
Which is how strong teams are built, solid value pick after solid value pick. If you really want to try to develop a QB this year, the Wenning and the Lynch QB types will be available late at great value also.
only disagrees i can think of are this and the cold water you sometimes splash on the inspired mingo-to-safety idea.
hmmm, maybe on Wenning (I haven’t seen enough of him myself), but I do not think that Lynch is going to be a QB in the NFL. at the very least, not a successful QB.
I disagree! We have other disagreements!
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As long as he doesn’t pull a Heckart and get duped into trading up by some bullshit rumor that a team wants to trade up to get Watkins I think we are in good hands.Finally.
Probably not, but definitely worth a flyer if he fits the Browns(Farmers) QB profile.
my only issue would be that we only get 1 flier QB pick. there are just alot of other guys I would have ahead of Lynch.
if we are going to go with small school, under-the-radar guys, then can I interest you in Jeff Mathews?
The idea I’ve salivated over for awhile and don’t forget Hawkins (if Cincy doesn’t match the offer sheet of the Browns by midnight tonight) in the slot.
I love the guy but I also like Mosley who I think you could get with the second first round pick. Same kind of thing could be said at WR with Watkins and Mike Evans.
I like Mosley as an alternative to Mack just like Mike Evans to Sammy Watkins.
I would be surprised if either Evans or Mosley was around at #26.
it’s the little differences, though…
/
Very true about Evans I was trying to be optimistic on Mosley because of course the Browns could use a dynamic LB as well. Most likely Lee from USC is the WR around near #26.
I think both would be gone at 26 but Kelvin Benjamin might still be there.
Free agency isn’t over and the Browns still have the draft to add offensive lineman and another viable corner back. I think until they have more than one free agency period under their belts, Pettine and the coaching staff will fit their system around the players they have while working to bring in players that fit the system they want.
The Browns were at Bridgewater’s Pro Day – Farmer and the scouts were there, just not the coaching staff. And I’m not sure that there was anything they would have learned in 15 minutes at the combine from a QB that they can’t learn when they have unlimited time with a QB prospect in Berea prior to the draft.
If they don’t like any of the high-profile QBs, I could see the Browns skipping picking a QB at No. 4. I get the sense they will select someone if they truly believe he is the right guy, but they are not going to pick a QB at No. 4 just because they are supposed to.
In a nutshell: hang in there.
He drops too many passes for my liking at WR, but is he a FB?
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Draft the best Olineman @23, a decent TE later(in case of injury) and Hoyer has a great shot at success if Mack doesn’t hold out. The other piece to the puzzle that needs to be addressed is the other ILB. We need someone there who can make an offense pay if they get overly concerned about Dansby. If we use the second round pick on an ILB and he turns out to be legit, I see this team competing for a division title.
to be fair: how about adrenaline? i think there are a few military men on this board who can attest that simulation is always just that, and live combat is a whole ‘nother level.
Sometimes when you aren’t in the flow of the game you just can’t reproduce the results, or even the energy.
If only Webster Slaughter would have done that…
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They signed that Dray to go with Cameron I’m not worried about TE far to many other positions that need players IMO. I agree LB is definitely still a position of need but so is the OL and another CB.
we’ll have no idea what kind of hands we’re in until end of training camp at the earliest. Phil Savage and Tom Heckert came at least as highly touted as Ray Farmer, never mind “The Doctor is In” proclamations that arrived with Mike Holmgren. Competent is as competent does.
The way that would create a great ripple effect on the offense by putting at least one of our legit receivers in a mismatch, the way it also protects against the sword of Damocles hanging over Josh Gordon’s head, the way there are no clear franchise QBs in this year, it makes so much sense that there’s no way they take Sammy Wadkins. (Says the Browns fatalist in me).
chances are, if you eat Taco Bell breakfast, you will indeed need to take the day off
Will he be used as a fullback? If not I think the Browns should give Reid Fragel a shot at FB. He played TE in college before he moved to RT under Urban Meyer.
Taco Bell breakfast is actually quite good. I have it in my area.
Lynch looks like Tebow 2.0 to me. Make him a RB/FB/TE.
To be honest, I’d be surprised if either guy gets used at fullback. You just don’t really see someone who is 6’5″ 250 lbs (or in the case of Fragel, 6’8″ 300 lbs) get used at fullback. Alex Smith was about 6’4″ and 250 lbs when he played for the Browns, but he only lined up at fullback because Marecic was so awful. My thinking is that it’s probably advantageous for them to hide behind the offensive linemen until they hit the hole much like it’s advantageous for a running back to do so.
Fellas, hey…aren’t we all professional?