Wednesday Wraparound: Cavocalypse and Wills' 5th year
Look, I said I'd try to do this weekly. I have learned of myself that if I allow for some leeway and legroom, I will always use it. Call it laziness, call it mental health, call it "I have a wife, two toddlers, a full-time job, a website to run, and a church that I volunteer at so burnout happens", call it whatever you want, but I try not to overload my circuits. But recently, boy, have I ever been burning the candle at both ends. Honestly, it feels like there is a 3rd and 4th end, like the cross joint in Pineapple Express. Nevertheless, here we are on another Wednesday Wraparound. Let's get it.
Why not make the whole game a Cavalanche?
CavaliersYou ever hear the argument "why not make the plane out of whatever they make the black box out of?". Well, we got the Cavsquivalent on Monday when the Cavaliers went on a crazy binge scoring while making it look like the Washington Wizards were out of spell slots. ((Oh yeah, that's a Pineapple Express reference AND a D&D joke. I'm killing it.)) All five starters were in double digees, plus 6th-man-turned-trade-piece-turned-back-into-useable-player Caris LeVert added 10 off the bench. The score might not indicate such a lopsided affair if you were watching, but when you are able to give Mamadi Diakite four minutes, you're probably gonna allow some garbage time scoring.With the trade deadline looming Thursday, whoever is available for tonight's game at home against the Detroit Pistons will be an indication of who might be dealt. Reports were reported that LeVert has been taken off the table, but you can make the argument that is posturing since his contract would be so valuable to move now and lock in someone for next year with the deals hitting Cleveland and bigger numbers salary-wise. Why not get a better fit, a true shooter like Josh Richardson or Alec Burks, who would fit the roster a bit better than LeVert and would go with the cap a little smoother? LeVert and starting 3 Isaac Okoro have been playing better of late, but adding a veteran helps raise the floor and ceiling just a bit. Not every game can be a Cavocalypse. ((Credit to WFNYer Farmer Ethan Forness for the coining of the term "Cavocalypse".))What's Next?: A home game against the Pistons, where Cleveland is a 12.5-point favorite. and then doomscrolling Twitter for WojBombs and ShamAttacks on Thursday
Wills They or Won't They
BrownsNFL rookie contracts can get a little weird with what is allowed or not. Jedrick Wills has been an NFL player for three seasons now, and having been picked in the first round, is entitled to a 5th-year option that the team can pick up. The salary of each spot is slotted, similar to the actual pay for rookies, and depending on player performance, can go up or down. Wills' number was released last night, and Cleveland has a few weeks to decide whether or not they want to have Wills' talents on Deshaun Watson's blindside for the next two years. The price tag is $14,175,000, which would put Wills at or around the 16th or 17th highest-paid left tackle on an AAV level for the 2022 season. Which is to say picking up the option for 2024, when Watson will be hitting bigger money...it's a no-brainer.There are a lot of fans and enemies of Wills on social media and #BrownsTwitter, and I get it. You watch the plays back at super slow speed that exposes all types of flaws and holds that nobody sees cuz it's slower than a turtle stuck in molasses and see how nonchalant he looks at times despite the play under investigation was supposed to be going the other way and be done seven seconds ago so he just assumes the other guy made the play and then it's on him all of a sudden and it makes you big mad. We are a lunchpail city and Wills' isn't holding up his end of the bargain here, or at least that's how it looks when you see Jake Burns's film rooms and cut-up clips that get passed around. But even if Wills isn't as tenacious as you'd like your offensive linemen to be, that doesn't mean he sucks outright, and getting a player at his level for less than $15m a year is borderline stealing. And there's hope around the corner too: I mentioned last time I was here that Bill Callahan is staying around, so he will have good coaching. Watson will have a full offseason where he isn't courting other front offices for his services and dodging reporters at courthouses. The band will be back together with Jack Conklin's extension and either Nick Harris or Ethan Pocic returning at the center position. 2023 is a make-or-break year for Wills, as it is his 4th season and he needs to get things right. But you can also say that about the entirety of the Cleveland front office, coaching staff, and much of the roster. I don't make absolutes often, as only Sith make those, ((Which in and of itself is an absolute but I digress.)) those against picking up Wills' 5th year just simply are wrong.What's Next?: The NFL 2023 Scouting Combine is starts March 2nd, so we will get to see players perform under perfect conditions and do exercises and drills that will never happen on a football field