The Ballad of Nick Harris
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Slick Nick was a fan ragdoll after being forced to play guard his rookie season in a flat-out attrition emergency, hence he got judged way too quickly by many as some sort of squirt who'd get slapped around mercilessly when and if he ever played. He was a fish out of water on an island and was never supposed to have been used that way as a raw rookie. I liked the pick and like the way he plays, he is a pure, natural center who can make all the calls up front and knows the game with the starting pedigree from Washington to prove it. He's very good in space (which is perfect for the ZBS elements of this running scheme), and very efficient in handling pass pro responsibilities with sound technique.
I've pointed out a lot of this stuff in the past, but Tretter never practiced, and it was Nick who got all those reps with the starters. He had some nice preseason moments last year and that is when I started becoming a believer as he was going up against starters for a lot of his reps. When he got his shot against Kenny Clark and the Pack, he way more than held his own.
What I like best is his commitment to getting stronger. That's the kind of attitude that good, developmental pros need to have to be successful -- continual improvement. For perspective, Tretter is generally considered about 305 pounds at 6'4. Nick was anywhere from 293 to 302 depending what source is used from the draft. Folks think he is small and will get manhandled against big 1 techs, but he put on 16 to 17 pounds of muscle as of early May per assistant strength and conditioning coach Evan Marcus. That's going to put him at 310 or better by camp with much improved strength. At "only" 6'1, that's quite a fireplug with leverage at that size along with his quicks and mobility. Do folks remember when Pain & Teller devoted himself before the 2020 season (adding about 18 pounds of muscle) and then became dominant?
There's a reason the Browns like him and have confidence in him being able to take over for a top dawg like Tretter. Pocic was a very nice signing to provide starting experience as an interior backup, but he isn't starting over Nick unless Nick falls flat on his face or struggles mightily to start the season. I don't see it happening, I see him being a solid piece to one of the league's best olines (if healthy of course). Pocic is also coming off his best career season according to PFF.
I also really like Deaton and am looking forward to seeing him in preseason. He should be a nice PS stash.
Lastly, this is what good organizations do and we are going to need to do the same going forward with cap pressure coming. We are letting an aging, high-cost vet go and replacing him with a developmental guy who appears ready to take over in the third year of his rookie contract. (Think Alex Wright as an example for next season.) Nick is on the cheap and will be able to be extended at a decent and fair contract if he performs. This season he will make just under a million and next year just a little over a million (same with cap hits as his bonus is $78k annually).
Spotrac: Nick Harris Contract Breakdown
Nick Harris segment of Building the Browns begins at 1:45
Nick's PFF from last year (I just rewatched this last week and he did very, very well against Clark)
Nick's measurables coming out
Pocic's career PFF and last season game by game
PFF: 2022 NFL offensive line rankings
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I've worried about Nick Harris so I really appreciate the research you put together here. Well done. Some guys require more time and patience in their development. For example, the Browns drafted Austin Corbett at #33 overall (2 slots ahead of Nick Chubb) so he had some unfair expectations in terms of how soon he needed to develop. Last time I saw him play he was starting at RG for the Rams when they won the Super Bowl.
My worry with Harris was the size and experience because there's some very talented DTs in the AFC North. Thanks to the commitment to his strength training program it's much less of a worry today.
I also like the rookie you mentioned Dawson Deaton. He was a 3 year starter as well as a Team Captain at Texas Tech. The veteran Pocic brings experience which should make this a very interesting competition.
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Nice post Rif....good info.
I might not be as high on him as you, but i don't worry about it . He should be fine, and if not, as you mentioned we have a couple of guys behind him that should be able to push him in camp. If Harris ends up the starter, he will have earned it.
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Nice post Rif....good info.
I might not be as high on him as you, but i don't worry about it . He should be fine, and if not, as you mentioned we have a couple of guys behind him that should be able to push him in camp. If Harris ends up the starter, he will have earned it.
Nice post Rif....good info.
I might not be as high on him as you, but i don't worry about it . He should be fine, and if not, as you mentioned we have a couple of guys behind him that should be able to push him in camp. If Harris ends up the starter, he will have earned it.
Thanks Russ. FYI, I am heading to the Miami game this year in case you happen to do some road games. We are making a weekend of it in South Beach.
Also, sitting in Row D right behind the Browns bench for the Jax preseason game and will be there tailgating.
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Nice post Rif....good info.
I might not be as high on him as you, but i don't worry about it . He should be fine, and if not, as you mentioned we have a couple of guys behind him that should be able to push him in camp. If Harris ends up the starter, he will have earned it.
Thanks Russ. FYI, I am heading to the Miami game this year in case you happen to do some road games. We are making a weekend of it in South Beach.
Also, sitting in Row D right behind the Browns bench for the Jax preseason game and will be there tailgating.
Thanks Russ. FYI, I am heading to the Miami game this year in case you happen to do some road games. We are making a weekend of it in South Beach.
Also, sitting in Row D right behind the Browns bench for the Jax preseason game and will be there tailgating.
I appreciate the thought, but if I do anything it would be the Falcons game since it is 100 miles south of where I live in Tennessee. One of the downsides of having season tickets and living nearly 600 miles away from Cleveland is every game is an away game for me, so I miss not catching a game or two that are "away". Between ticket costs, 3 nights lodging per game, gas, meals etc, I tap the budget about as far as I am willing to take it. I am getting older, so the game aside, the trips are starting to become more of a grind than over past years. For the 1st time I am trying to sell off 3 games. The Steelers, Bengals, and Saints. I figure I can watch the Steelers and Bengals games at home on TV since they are night games, which sounds pretty good to me.
It is what it is.
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Thanks Russ. FYI, I am heading to the Miami game this year in case you happen to do some road games. We are making a weekend of it in South Beach.
Also, sitting in Row D right behind the Browns bench for the Jax preseason game and will be there tailgating.
I appreciate the thought, but if I do anything it would be the Falcons game since it is 100 miles south of where I live in Tennessee. One of the downsides of having season tickets and living nearly 600 miles away from Cleveland is every game is an away game for me, so I miss not catching a game or two that are "away". Between ticket costs, 3 nights lodging per game, gas, meals etc, I tap the budget about as far as I am willing to take it. I am getting older, so the game aside, the trips are starting to become more of a grind than over past years. For the 1st time I am trying to sell off 3 games. The Steelers, Bengals, and Saints. I figure I can watch the Steelers and Bengals games at home on TV since they are night games, which sounds pretty good to me.
It is what it is.
I appreciate the thought, but if I do anything it would be the Falcons game since it is 100 miles south of where I live in Tennessee. One of the downsides of having season tickets and living nearly 600 miles away from Cleveland is every game is an away game for me, so I miss not catching a game or two that are "away". Between ticket costs, 3 nights lodging per game, gas, meals etc, I tap the budget about as far as I am willing to take it. I am getting older, so the game aside, the trips are starting to become more of a grind than over past years. For the 1st time I am trying to sell off 3 games. The Steelers, Bengals, and Saints. I figure I can watch the Steelers and Bengals games at home on TV since they are night games, which sounds pretty good to me.
It is what it is.
I give you mad credit for having season tickets this long and travelling that far. I think you are making the right call to dial it back a bit, as sometimes watching on TV ain't all that bad. Now that I'm in FL, I generally go to one or two games a year down here depending on who we are playing between Miami, Jax and Tampa. Even that is a big deal and costly expense, plus I'm the type that likes to soak the whole football weekend from home between the Buckeyes and all my DFS and FF stuff. Very happy that another season is almost upon us and let's hope it's drama and Covid free.
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This really sucks. Wills hasn't lived up to his draft position so we'd better hope that Conklin stays healthy.
WSS
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This really sucks. Wills hasn't lived up to his draft position so we'd better hope that Conklin stays healthy.
WSS
This really sucks. Wills hasn't lived up to his draft position so we'd better hope that Conklin stays healthy.
WSS
Good point Steve! Speaking of Wills, it didn't look like he brought the passion to play Friday. Left Tackle is a VERY important position that needs more urgency from whoever is rewarded with the opportunity to play it. If Watson gets to play this year after a long layoff, we're going to need a lot better effort protecting the QB's blind side.
I welcome the only Defensive Coordinator to earn a Superbowl Ring in New Orleans while understanding Revenge of the Nerds is a sequel. "Come get some!" -
IMHO the best conclusion from Pocic PFF stats is that Pocic isn't even average at passpro.. never was [peak 2019] and has been trending downhill for 2 yrs already. That's why in my ideal OL he's best as a backup. "We know who he is"
i'd give Deaton some run with the 1's to see how he does at least at camp.. or if he'll be ready by midseason or something with Pocic starting until then even with his limited athleticism.. Don't ignore the late-rounders, someone named Teller was a 6th. If combine tests were everything.. Dawson Deaton RAS. Deaton's final season was a PFF 70.1 so this isn't implausible.. Riffer, can you share any of Deaton's PFF NFL draft profile?
RAS.football@MathBombDawson Deaton is a OC prospect in the 2022 draft class. He scored a 9.71 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 16 out of 510 OC from 1987 to 2022. ras.football/ras-informatio… #RAS
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IMHO the best conclusion from Pocic PFF stats is that Pocic isn't even average at passpro.. never was [peak 2019] and has been trending downhill for 2 yrs already. That's why in my ideal OL he's best as a backup. "We know who he is"
i'd give Deaton some run with the 1's to see how he does at least at camp.. or if he'll be ready by midseason or something with Pocic starting until then even with his limited athleticism.. Don't ignore the late-rounders, someone named Teller was a 6th. If combine tests were everything.. Dawson Deaton RAS. Deaton's final season was a PFF 70.1 so this isn't implausible.. Riffer, can you share any of Deaton's PFF NFL draft profile?
RAS.football@MathBombDawson Deaton is a OC prospect in the 2022 draft class. He scored a 9.71 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 16 out of 510 OC from 1987 to 2022. ras.football/ras-informatio… #RASIMHO the best conclusion from Pocic PFF stats is that Pocic isn't even average at passpro.. never was [peak 2019] and has been trending downhill for 2 yrs already. That's why in my ideal OL he's best as a backup. "We know who he is"
i'd give Deaton some run with the 1's to see how he does at least at camp.. or if he'll be ready by midseason or something with Pocic starting until then even with his limited athleticism.. Don't ignore the late-rounders, someone named Teller was a 6th. If combine tests were everything.. Dawson Deaton RAS. Deaton's final season was a PFF 70.1 so this isn't implausible.. Riffer, can you share any of Deaton's PFF NFL draft profile?
Any interest in seeing if Tretter would be interested in signing a one year deal?
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These guaranteed signing bonuses always kill me, guys can sometimes make as much money as a "working stiff" makes in a decade or occasionally a lifetime....whether they play or not or even get injured and wash out.
What a way for a 20-something to start a working career. How contracts got so far down the road on " guaranteed signing bonuses " and other bonuses like "workout bonuses " and others are to me anyway.....amazing ?
Guaranteed 5 or 6 or more figure bonuses for showing up at camp at a certain weight and lifting weights and make $××,××× or $×××,××× before taking a snap. The wonderful world ? of NFL football. Oh well.....
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This really sucks. Wills hasn't lived up to his draft position so we'd better hope that Conklin stays healthy.
WSS
Good point Steve! Speaking of Wills, it didn't look like he brought the passion to play Friday. Left Tackle is a VERY important position that needs more urgency from whoever is rewarded with the opportunity to play it. If Watson gets to play this year after a long layoff, we're going to need a lot better effort protecting the QB's blind side.
Good point Steve! Speaking of Wills, it didn't look like he brought the passion to play Friday. Left Tackle is a VERY important position that needs more urgency from whoever is rewarded with the opportunity to play it. If Watson gets to play this year after a long layoff, we're going to need a lot better effort protecting the QB's blind side.
Reminds me of the classic movie "Major League " where the older player wasn't going to hurt himself playing "with/ for a bunch of stiffs" you know take any unnecessary hits if possible. What a way to earn a guaranteed check.....but it happens.
GO BUCKEYES, BROWNS, INDIANS, CAVS, YSU, NAVY and yes I like ND! -
I'd be curious to see how Pocic does with a pair of pro-bowl guards next to him. I won't pretend the Hawks Oline was/is individually or collectively talented.
In that same mindset, I second Dawson getting some reps with the 1's.
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Good point Steve! Speaking of Wills, it didn't look like he brought the passion to play Friday. Left Tackle is a VERY important position that needs more urgency from whoever is rewarded with the opportunity to play it. If Watson gets to play this year after a long layoff, we're going to need a lot better effort protecting the QB's blind side.
Reminds me of the classic movie "Major League " where the older player wasn't going to hurt himself playing "with/ for a bunch of stiffs" you know take any unnecessary hits if possible. What a way to earn a guaranteed check.....but it happens.
Reminds me of the classic movie "Major League " where the older player wasn't going to hurt himself playing "with/ for a bunch of stiffs" you know take any unnecessary hits if possible. What a way to earn a guaranteed check.....but it happens.
This brings to mind Tom Brady, who’s currently taking a 2 week sabbatical from the preseason.
I don’t think HC Todd Bowles gives a rats ass though.
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Wouldn't mind getting Tretter back at the right price... But these other kids look interesting... May as well see what they got....
Wouldn't mind getting Tretter back at the right price... But these other kids look interesting... May as well see what they got....
We see this the same way..
I thought D.Deaton would get reps after Pocic... I learned we had a dude named Brock Huffman from the VT Hokies on our roster..Brock Huffman got reps ahead of D. Deaton getting reps..
Well Excuse me Mr. Brock Huffman & his entire family.. ? This UDFA from Virginia Tech played well & shares the same grad school as Wyatt Teller.. stay tuned.. #trustCallahan
Browns & Buffett: Got to go fishin, Down to rock bottom again, with just a few Friends -
Wouldn't mind getting Tretter back at the right price... But these other kids look interesting... May as well see what they got....
We see this the same way..
I thought D.Deaton would get reps after Pocic... I learned we had a dude named Brock Huffman from the VT Hokies on our roster..Brock Huffman got reps ahead of D. Deaton getting reps..
Well Excuse me Mr. Brock Huffman & his entire family.. ? This UDFA from Virginia Tech played well & shares the same grad school as Wyatt Teller.. stay tuned.. #trustCallahan
We see this the same way..
I thought D.Deaton would get reps after Pocic... I learned we had a dude named Brock Huffman from the VT Hokies on our roster..Brock Huffman got reps ahead of D. Deaton getting reps..
Well Excuse me Mr. Brock Huffman & his entire family.. ? This UDFA from Virginia Tech played well & shares the same grad school as Wyatt Teller.. stay tuned.. #trustCallahan
Callahan is about the only coach I trust on this team next to prief...
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Wouldn't mind getting Tretter back at the right price... But these other kids look interesting... May as well see what they got....
We see this the same way..
I thought D.Deaton would get reps after Pocic... I learned we had a dude named Brock Huffman from the VT Hokies on our roster..Brock Huffman got reps ahead of D. Deaton getting reps..
Well Excuse me Mr. Brock Huffman & his entire family.. ? This UDFA from Virginia Tech played well & shares the same grad school as Wyatt Teller.. stay tuned.. #trustCallahan
We see this the same way..
I thought D.Deaton would get reps after Pocic... I learned we had a dude named Brock Huffman from the VT Hokies on our roster..Brock Huffman got reps ahead of D. Deaton getting reps..
Well Excuse me Mr. Brock Huffman & his entire family.. ? This UDFA from Virginia Tech played well & shares the same grad school as Wyatt Teller.. stay tuned.. #trustCallahan
Yeah the Deaton pick intrigued me the most... And me thinking at the time we took him.. Callahan is seeing something with this kid... I mean hell Drew Forbes was a Dorsey pick whose still hanging around...
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Deaton shares a school with the Legend of Billy Joe Tolliver! And just like that, Deaton tore an ACL also, IR for him.
.jpg.a1a2b9a0c33008fdaf4097d8fe2cfd64.jpg "Riffer X"){kind=avatar}
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