Browns pass on AJ McCarron at the deadline
October 31, 2017Ohio State debuts at No. 6 in first Playoff rankings of season
November 1, 2017In the event you thought an 0-8 record coupled with multiple quarterback changes and outright lying about sending text messages to would-have-been quarterbacks at the NFL Draft was going to be the signature moment of the Cleveland Browns’ 2017 season well do we have news for you: It got worse.
As if missing out on Jimmy Garoppolo (and finding out about the deal from coaches after allegedly leaving the facility at 5 p.m. the day before the trade deadline) wasn’t bad enough, the Browns not only failed to better themselves at said deadline, but are left looking once again like the most inept franchise in the entire league after a botched trade led to two teams pointing fingers, but only one getting the benefit of the doubt.
To put this entire situation in perspective, that the Browns were willing to pay more for A.J. McCarron than the asking price for Garoppolo ranks fourth or fifth on the list of Are You Kidding Me?
According to multiple reports, the Bengals and Browns agreed to a deal that would send McCarron to Cleveland, only the Browns failed to hold up to their end of the clerical deal in getting the trade approval to the league by the deadline.
Aside: I’ve long hated — haaaated — the concept that teams believe they have to wait until the 11th hour to get a trade done. The Mark Shapiro Indians were famous for this, waiting until the day of the deadline to address needs while other teams used the weeks prior to do so. If you know you have a weakness, address that weakness. That you waited until 3:55 p.m. to finalize a deal speaks more to your capabilities in negotiating than anything.
As the deal was botched, reports immediately began to swirl, detailing the Browns’ ineptness throughout the situation. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the team even tried to protest to the league office that the deal should be allowed under the just invented My Bad clause. It wasn’t until three hours later when several local reporters were given “information” that it was the Bengals who messed things up. In a clear effort to cover their ass and not look as disjointed as they did throughout the prior 48 hours, the Browns tried to say they sent their information to the Bengals, but the Bengals didn’t send in both documents (theirs and Cleveland’s) to the league.
League source says that #Bengals sent in paperwork to #NFL that had only their signature on it and not the #Browns . Needed both
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) October 31, 2017
League source: #Browns sent signed trade document to #Bengals, who then sent wrong document to the league. Therefore deadline missed.
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) October 31, 2017
#Browns sent their signed trade agreement to #Bengals to be signed & sent to NFL but #Bengals sent a copy w/out Browns signature per source
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) October 31, 2017
This immediately reeked of fish as the Bengals, as stated in all reports, held up their end of the submission. If — if — the plan was for the Browns to sign their form and send to the Bengals to sign and submit, how would the league get one with only the Bengals’ affirmation on it?
If agreement was Browns were to sign and send to the Bengals to be affirmed, why would there be a document with only the Bengals’ signature?
— Scott @ WFNY (@WFNYScott) November 1, 2017
Now you won’t believe this, but the Browns, in disseminating that story which took three hours to conjure up, may not have been telling the truth. Turns out, if it looks like Dysfunction, and smells like Dysfunction, there’s probably some dysfunction.
Here’s Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk:
There’s one small problem with that excuse. That’s not how trades are communicated to the league. And every key member of every front office knows, or should know, the proper procedure.
Per multiple league sources, a trade becomes official only when both teams independently communicate the trade to the league office. It definitely doesn’t happen as the Browns claim they tried to do it, with chain of communication involving one team sending a form to the other team, which then signs the form and sends it to the league.
And so here are the potential explanations for what’s going on. One, the Browns are lying about what happened to cover up their incompetence. Two, the Browns are telling the truth and are genuinely incompetent. Three, the Browns deliberately sent the paperwork to the Bengals and not to the league office in order to keep the trade from happening, with a premeditated “did I do that?” already in place.
So if you’re keeping score, not only were the Browns asleep at the Trade Deadline wheel while a quarterback they wanted during the draft process was dealt for a pick in which they have plenty of, they didn’t manage to acquire a wide receiver (Kelvin Benjamin was dealt to Buffalo), nor did they manage to FILE PAPERWORK IN TIME to get a quarterback in whom they apparently place plenty of value.
The best part of this all: This is the bye week — it’s supposed to be down time away from an organization that has managed to go 1-23 during a period where parity is so high that the 14 of the 16 AFC teams have at least three wins with 13 of 16 NFC teams having the same. Think about this: 27 of 32 NFL teams have more wins through the first eight weeks of this season than the Browns have in one-and-a-half years.
When Hue Jackson takes to the podium before Week 10, he’ll be littered with questions about this situation. Odds are he’ll tap dance around the entire thing while the front office who was to blame for this entire situation remains silent. It’s almost like they think people will forget about these sorts of gaffes while the truth is they only move down the list of ineptness once something more egregious takes place.
Has anyone checked on Jimmy Haslam?
This Week in #ActualSportswriting:
- “Gaffes, TV ratings concerns dominated as NFL, players forged anthem peace” by Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham (ESPN)1
- “Tom Brady’s Most Dangerous Game” by Tom Junod and Seth Wickersham (ESPN The Magazine)
- “Pushing the Limit” by Alexandra Starr (Harpers)
This Week in #ActualNonsportswriting:
- “Chris Christie’s Last Fight” by Jason Zengerle (GQ Magazine)
- “Tiny House Hunters’ and the shrinking American dream” by Roxanne Gay (CURBED)2
- “Trump, Mueller, and the Rule of Law” by Justin Charity (The Ringer)
This Week in Bleacher Report:
This Week in Picks:
DeShaun Watson isn’t just making the Browns look bad; he’s making bettors look bad as well. The thinking was that Watson, a rookie who has long enjoyed the confines of Houston, would be traveling to an immensely tough place to play against a defense looking to take advantage of the kid. While the Texans would lose, Watson put up a game for the ages, forcing Russell Wilson to resort to late-game heroics, the Seahawks winning by three instead of covering the 5.5-point spread put out by those in Vegas. Since Watson took over as starter (Week 2), the Texans have covered all but one week (Week 5 against Kansas City), adding more luster to an already incredible rookie season. These things typically revert back to the mean, but man—it’s tough to bet against Watson at this point, even when he’s laying 14 to the Colts.
On to this week:
Kansas City (pick) at DALLAS
TENNESSEE (pick) vs. Baltimore
NY GIANTS (+3) vs. Los Angeles Rams
YTD ATS: 16-8
Last Week: 2-1
- This is the story that led to last week’s brushfire regarding quotes from the Houston Texans’ owner. There’s much more here that is worth your time. [↩]
- “In one episode of Tiny House Hunters a man sat in the “bathtub” in the tiny bathroom. He looked ridiculous, his knees practically in his mouth as he contorted himself into the improbable space. He, the realtor, and his friend, who were all viewing the property, were nonplussed, as if the goings on were perfectly normal.” [↩]
59 Comments
We’ll get there eventually.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/99560dcc02003e9c554532f220a2bd9853aa2498c72a197784489eeda51bbfbd.gif
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQf2TiwBFHo
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a900b6f28ff469adc3ddd559e15a4b3ecb3b9f9ad87ed6f038754d2080402953.jpg
Better yet…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDQGMi7PLHc
naaaahhhh … I’ll bet the cleaning lady said “hey , why don’t you guys just wait until AJ’s a free-agent next year . That way you won’t have to give up any draft picks” .
UFAs cost money.
get that cat (Hue) some rubber boots (offensive skill players) & he’ll be on his way up …
HEY WORLD, I’M A BROWNS FAN!
http://img17.laughinggif.com/pic/HTTPS9tZWRpYS5naXBoeS5jb20vbWVkaWEvc01RYUxISzA5STR3MC8yMDAuZ2lm.gif
Is it possible that Hue Jackson has been working as an agent for the Bengals all along? Of course you’d think there would be more to be gained from infesting the Steelers or Ravens, but you have to wonder at some of this incompetence. Even if it isn’t Hue there has to be a mustache-twirling supervillain hiding somewhere in the building. I demand investigations!
…really? Everyone is fired at the end of this season. This clinches it.
Haslam stepping in to do this deal makes all the sense in the world. Starts at the top….
https://landryfootball.com/browns-coaches-management-differ-on-mccarron-trade-talks/
Can we just sign Colin Kaepernick? He is what we are looking for; a veteran who can mentor Kizer. It just makes so much sense
This doesn’t even feel like a real company people work at. Leaving at 5 the day before one of the biggest deadlines of the year? Not doing simple paperwork and lying about it?
We are talking about the same guy who ran a multi-billion dollar cash business that had top executives laughing about pocketing rebate cash from trucking companies, right?
Now that the dust has settled and hysteria has subsided:
1. Garapolo was never coming to Cleveland, according to Mortensen his agent would’ve vetoed it (he’s also Tom Brady’s agent so he carries clout with NE). NE preferred him outside the conference anyway and have the opportunity to reacquire Hoyer as Brady’s backup from SF.
2. Mccaron? He’s Kessler/Hogan 2.0 with probably better familiarity with the playbook, the way it went down is embarassing but I’m fine with the results.
Lost among the furore is that Jimmy is leveraging his vote for Goodell’s extension in fasttracking Gordon’s reinstatement (all inferences are mine). Let’s see what this offense can do with Gordon back on the field,even if he doesn’t catch anything he automatically stretches the field with Kizer’s arm talent.
Kizer’s arm talent? He hasn’t hit a long ball yet this year. Not being snarky here, this is one of the bigger problems he has, missing the wide open sideline throw.
This is a good post. Underneath the hyperbole of leaving at 5 and not finishing the McCarron trade is the fact that we were never going to get Garapolo and McCarron is not a sure thing.
This is a good post. Underneath the hyperbole of leaving at 5 and not finishing the McCarron trade is the fact that we were never going to get Garapolo and McCarron is not a sure thing.
Nope, still hysterical.
https://media1.tenor.com/images/28e9fd9e928fa7eda78656af8d9ee468/tenor.gif?itemid=3550883
I think you missed the 38 yd over the back shoulder pass to Louis last week.
Why were they trying to trade for a player that would have been here half a season? On top of looking completely inept, it makes no sense. I guess they really don’t need receivers. I know it makes no sense, but I’m to the point where I hope the coaches stay and front office goes.
hi JPF … so , this article is saying Hue & Haslam wanted to go forward with the trade & the FO did not. then the FO either botched-it on accident or on purpose … so , if true , i’m guessing Haslam & Hue are pissed at the FO.
now i’m wondering if the QB decision on any QB is Hue’s or the HBT’s … Hue sounds desperate to me … why give up a 2nd & a 3rd rounder for McCarron when he will possibly be an UFA next season ? they can still get McCarron next off-season … what do they think will happen if they bring him in now ??
AJ will also be an RFA, meaning he will also cost a draft pick.
From the article: “In either case, this should be the end of the line for this front office…”
Well it’s 10:50 AM and no termination announcements yet.
Unless the only reason you go after McCarron is because Hue throws a hissy fit with Haslam and Haslam orders it.
Actually I did yes, so he has one. Again, not trying to be snarky here, he has missed a bunch of these throws this year that likely change games. Maybe he gets better, maybe not.
IF his appeal is denied, at the end of the season.
you are both right … last week Kizer missed Njoku on a deep sideline pattern that would’ve been a TD , but was overthrown.
good post MD
they haven’t come to work yet ??
And here’s the confirmation of Hoyer visiting NE today. https://www.ninersnation.com/2017/11/1/16590186/brian-hoyer-patriots-visit-tom-brady-backup-role
I’m picturing the scene from 48 Hours where Sashi walks out to the parking lot and hands a slouched down, sunglasses wearing in the rain MKC a cup of coffee and says, “Not yet”.
Hmm… a 11 to 5 workday? The front office has it easy.
Yep.
And Sashi vetoed it before it could become official by “mishandling” the paperwork.
I think we’ve got some insubordination going on in Berea.
Hold Brady’s clipboard.
Drink ‘Gansetts.
Eat lobster rolls.
That’s a no-brainer.
now it is being reported by MKC that the Bengals finally did find the e-mail from the Browns that came over at 3:54 pm , but it did not come from Sashi & that’s why they didn’t see it.
Any smidgen of credibility he had is gone. Why would an NFL GM bother to answer his phone calls after this? Manning is really the only choice Jimmy has to have any semblance of credibility around the league.
As Ive posted often in the past, change your paradigm. Dont follow the Browns looking for success, or glory or championships. Dont let those pesky wins get int your way…they’re entertainment. Its performance art. This is better than Monty Python. Better than worrying about Trump, or people who kneel, or the fact that wages are stagnant while inflation skyrockets…let it distract you. Find a way to embrace the absurdity and be a distraction from the fecal show that is life.
Just keep playing the Benny Hill theme over and over in your head and it all makes sense.
The nigerian-national-bank.com email address probably threw them off.
LOL … but the Browns aren’t totally squeeky-clean on this … they still have to call / notify the league office which they did not do in time.
You people who advocate this smarter-than-everybody experiment is going into a 3rd season – you now realize it’s over, right? For everyone, but the owner. It’s so pointless to contemplate why a team that consummated 17 trades in a year screwed up one for a QB who would have been charged with immediately saving all their jobs. Or how panicked someone must be to offer those picks to a division rival (hah!) for a guy that doesn’t challenge the meh Cincy starter. When they could have signed him to starter-worthy contract after the season and it would have cost them only a second rounder as compensation.
Folks, they’re all gone. The only thing to fear from the rubble from this year’s tragic-comedy season is this: who is whispering and positioning in Haslam’s ear right now? Farmer sidled up to him while Banner held forth. Insider Sashi sold himself as a cutting edge consensus maker, so no worries that he was now evaluating football players with the help of a 28 year old and a baseball guy looking for new horizons.
The truth, as I see it: The problem is obviously the owner, who doesn’t know and worse, doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. He has to try to find a guy competent to run the org, soup to nuts, step away and in a few years accept kudos for finding the guy. Please don’t say that model is wrong because of Holmgren or Mangini or Banner or Policy. The skill set for coaches and cap guys aren’t the same as what Haslam needs. Let’s assume no exec with viable options dare come here. If Haslam takes a chance on a well thought of assistant executive with experience in overseeing an org I will accept that, even if it doesn’t work. Just stop the desperate, stupid selections that lead to desperate stupid crap in the draft, in free agency and on the field.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b7ebb534fabf529f269647ab73ded15c5e27d62d4d6405ec4c2859ae834afabe.gif
Apparently so, latest news is that Sashi never signed the initial trade offer. Another dysfunctional organization under Jimmy, what’s new?
As Jimmy Johnson said – the single most important quality in building a winner is the recognition and selection of talent. Our HBT has failed miserably at this, and as you point our, this should come as no surprise given that none of them were considered top flight talent evaluators. If Hue is supposed to be the football guy, and QB whisperer, then the least the HBT should have done is defer to him when deciding upon a QB.
I have no idea who should be hired to run things, I just know he needs to be superior at evaluating football players..
I don’t agree that this FO hasn’t identified talent. The defensive talent has improved considerably, this defense is much better than the most expensive defense ever of Pettine at a fraction of the cost. They’ve also improved the offensive line. Offensive skill positions are still lacking I know but it hasn’t been a complete failure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnHmskwqCCQ
Could you imagine if Heinz Field played that as the Browns come out of the tunnel?
hi HARV … I’ll bet there all here again next year , provided they don’t get obliterated every game the rest of this season & look horrible doing it.
yes, even Mr. Haslam knew times were about to get tough … if he gets rid of everyone again , he’s an idiot.
Fair points. My main point is that they passed on talent such as Wentz, Bosa, Watson, and a number of others in order to simply obtain more picks. The whole point of having picks near the top of the draft is to find those of superior talent. I have always maintained that if you pick a guy in the top 10, he should be a consistent pro bowler. Yes, they have improved their overall talent, but so far they have passed on the “game changers” available to them (with the exception of Garrett).