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January 27, 2015Putting the Cavs’ Pieces Together
January 27, 2015Over the last few weeks, I have been reviewing and discussing the performance of the 2014 Cleveland Browns position by position. It was a tough season for the Cleveland Browns, falling in five straight games to end the season at 7-9. The team showed some glimpses of promise and some other areas of concern. So lets get to the next position!
Last season, the Cleveland Browns running game improved from its putrid 2013 season. The team ran quite a bit in their new zone-blocking scheme. The Browns ranked sixth in the NFL in most rushes with 477 rushing attempts, while gaining the 17th most rushing yards in the league with 1728 yards rushing. Last offseason, Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West were added to infuse talent and youth to the running back group. But the running game was not perfect, there is still room for improvement. The team only averaged 3.6 yards a carry last season, ranking 28th in the league. But even with that statistic, the Browns have two backs, who have bright futures with the team.
So let’s go through the players who made up the 2014 Cleveland Browns’ running back and fullback units.
Terrance West
Terrance West had an up and down rookie season, but he showed, especially in the season finale, that he could be a very good NFL running back. In 14 games in his rookie season, he rushed 171 times for 673 yards (3.9 yards per carry), four touchdowns, and one fumble lost. ProFootballFocus graded West’s rookie season with -5.9 overall grade. His running style fit well with the zone-blocking scheme. The Towson product showed very good elusiveness with the ability to make quick cuts. He also had good vision to find the hole and get through it quickly. During the season, he struggled sometimes when he was indecisive and tried to be too fancy rather then going up field at the first site of the hole. But in the final game of the year, I believed he played his best game of the season by running with no hesitation, while still being elusive. Besides his running, West was very solid in pass protection. He showed that he was a willing blocker who can be an every down back.
Terrance West will come into next season as one of the starting running backs for the Browns along with Isaiah Crowell. Even though West only had 11 catches for 64 yards and a touchdown, I believe under the new offensive scheme, the team will look to expand his role in the passing game. He has the talent to be one of the best young backs in the league.
2014 Grade: B-
2015 Outlook: One of the Starting Running Backs; Major Contributor
Isaiah Crowell
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Isaiah Crowell was a great addition for Ray Farmer as an undrafted free agent last offseason. In 16 games in his rookie season, he rushed 148 times for 607 yards (4.1 yards per carry), eight touchdowns, and two fumbles lost. ProFootballFocus gave him a -8.0 overall grade for his rookie season. He is a downhill runner with the ability to run through or around a defender. He has very good vision to hit the hole quickly and run full speed through the hole making it very hard for him to get tackled. Just like West, Crowell fits the zone-blocking scheme very well. He struggled with fumbles this season, fumbling three times, losing two of them. He must be able to secure the ball in order for the team to trust him with more carries. He also needs to improve his pass blocking because he allowed two sacks this season.
Crowell will come into next season competing with West as the starting running back for the Browns. He has great speed and just like West, he has the ability to be a solid receiver out of the backfield. The offense this year did not ask much of him in terms of receiving, only having nine receptions for 87 yards this season. He will pair up with West giving the Browns a great young duo in the backfield.
2014 Grade: B-
2015 Outlook: One of the Starting Running Backs; Major Contributor
Shaun Draughn
Shaun Draughn did not have any impact on the offense this season, but late in the year he showed some value as a special teamer. In four games with the Browns, he had eight kick returns for 173 yards (21.6 yard average) with a long return of 39 yards, along with a tackle in kickoff coverage. He has very good speed and acceleration as a kick returner to be a solid option for the Browns next season.
Draughn is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The Browns could bring him back because of his special teams value. But it seems unlikely at this point that he will be with the team next season.
2014 Grade: C
2015 Outlook: UFA; Unlikely to Return
Other Running Backs on the roster with too little playing time: Glenn Winston
Overview and Outlook to 2015
The Browns running game played solidly this season, bouncing back from a horrible 2013 season. The emergence of the two young backs, Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West, really have solidified the backfield and has the future looking very bright for the running game. Both players were inconsistent in their rookie seasons, but each of them showed their share of glimpses that should give the Browns confidence that the running back group is set. Both running backs have the ability to make big plays while also being three down backs. Next season, I believe the Browns will use both backs even more, especially in the passing game, and distribute their carries more evenly on game-by-game basis. The position is in good hands with these two young backs.
The Browns currently do not have a fullback on the roster and so it will be a position of need this offseason. The offense this season could never really find a quality fullback to rely on. Every player they brought in this season struggled and did not play well enough to stay with the team. In free agency, John Kuhn of the Green Packers or John Conner of the New York Jets are options to fill the fullback spot for the Browns. In the draft, Jalston Fowler of Alabama or Conner Neighbors of LSU are fullback options for the team. I believe the team will look to finally find a long term option at fullback this offseason.
All individual player stats have come from ProFootballFocus.com.
10 Comments
I try to stay rational and think about how much Crowell needs to improve in his blitz recognition, learning what routes to run on plays, and his sometimes maddening ability to lean so far forward that he falls over himself.
Then, I pull up the Atlanta touchdown and get all giddy.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/br-cdn/temp_images/2014/11/23/Crowell.gif
I love Crowell violent running style…I think he is the best back on the team. Tht said he needs to improve hiss pass blocking and ball security all which can be coached up.
I told you he would start. 😉
I always agreed with you on the talent.
I love that, for once, all the off-field, character concerns that got him kicked out of Georgia and were a large part of him not getting drafted ended up to be completely overblown. How often does that go in our favor?
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Looking back at the UDFA signing article, I hit on 3 out of 5 of the guys I listed still being on the roster (I.Crowell, C.Shaw, R.Agnew). I missed on WRs K.Shaw & C.Jones (both spent some time on PS, but never made it onto a NFL roster).
of the other guys on the list, only Calvin Barnett remained on our PS and Willie Snead is on the NO PS.
https://waitingfornextyear.com/2014/05/browns-announce-eleven-undrafted-free-agent-signings/
#FEEDTHECROW
Throw dem pizza lunch ables on da field
I’m still holding onto hope for Shaw.
Kenny?
https://realistlounge.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/highlander-1986-01-g.jpg
Crowell has such obvious upside, but I wonder if his bestt bursts and change of direction will be limited to games on turf (like Atlanta above) and dry early fall games on grass. If he can do some of that in the December slush and hang onto the rock, whooeey. In the mean time, West might be the superior late-season mudder.