2023 Off-Season Free Agent moves/signings

gumby73

Did play the position thru HS.. just adding my 2 cents on the TE room..

1. Njoku got better with run blocking because Bill Callahan would not exempt Joke from the OL group.. Than, TE coach Drew Petzing, gave Callahan credit in coaches pressers... Expect Bill Callahan to correct Jordan Adkins form also. It would not surprise me, if Callahan was not part of meeting with Adkins during his FA visit.. He fits the NFL TE frame/weight to do it ! He will see 2 TE sets.. run or pass

Staying on TE, frames..

2. Harrison Bryant...

I'm thinking AB/staff thought H. Bryant could grow into a TE body frame of over 230 lbs. but, He seems stuck there.. Last season, it came to the point of bringing in Forbes or Hudson to remove Harrison from the blocking game.. Yes! It told the defense we were going to run the ball.. but, Percentages will show, we were still better with 4 linemen & Njoku.. Taking H. Bryant off the field.

I'm not Bailing on Harrison Bryant ! He needed competition at the TE2 position..

Dutch Oven

@flugel said:

I think we still need to draft a TE. The Draft Mag I got has TE as the highest rated offensive position group of this year's draft prospects with a grade of an A. QB was second highest with a grade of A-. That tells me this is a pretty good year to be looking for a TE in the draft. It also gives me the impression that the BPA could be TE at least once...

And the TE position gets pretty bare after this season, too.

But I also think the days of multi-TEs on the field are over. All indications are that the Browns will be opening things up this coming season.

tiamat63

@dutch-oven said:

But I also think the days of multi-TEs on the field are over.

Sir, I have Coach Andy Reid and The Chiefs on line 1. They would like a word with you.

Dutch Oven

@tiamat63 said:

Sir, I have Coach Andy Reid and The Chiefs on line 1. They would like a word with you.

Yeah, I still expect to see way more 1 RB/ 1 TE/ 3 WR sets than multi-TEs on the field.

The Browns didn't trade for Watson to pound the ball.

tiamat63

@dutch-oven said:

Yeah, I still expect to see way more 1 RB/ 1 TE/ 3 WR sets than multi-TEs on the field.

The Browns didn't trade for Watson to pound the ball.

I think you're conflating 12 personnel with the running game.

The reason I use the Chiefs as an example is that they're still a pass heavy team who utilizes 12 more frequently than years previous and more often than teams that are run heavy, such as the Iggles.

KC ran 12 on 1st down 32% of the time.

Their first down formation was gun based 66% percent of the time.

But they were still bottom 3 in the NFL in run rate at 33%.

Conversely

PHI was 10th in rush rate %

But only used 12 on 1st down 21% of the time, tied for 23rd.

PHI used gun on 1st down more than any team in the NFL, 72%.

I go back to the days of Gronk and Hernandez when they took the league by storm as the TE dynamic duo. Although Hernandez was more of a + H or 'move' TE. The Pats still took advantage of having the larger body in the lineup by the mismatch it gave them in the passing game, first and foremost.

Edit: also worth pointing out, just because you're in 12 personnel, doesn't mean you're under center in a YY and running the rock. This is where you have to take deployment into account. Kelce, Geseiki, Waller, Andrews, Goodert... They function every bit as much as a removed receiver as they do a "traditional" inline TE. Again, does having bigger bodies help the running game and for most teams mean they want to emphasis that part of their game? Sure.

But these are examples of teams that go against our classic understanding of that sort of offensive play call and personnel structure.

Flugel

@dutch-oven said:

And the TE position gets pretty bare after this season, too.

But I also think the days of multi-TEs on the field are over. All indications are that the Browns will be opening things up this coming season.

Makes sense Dutch. My biggest worry is we currently don't have a reliable Left Tackle protecting the blind side of Watson. Therefore, it feels like we gotta rob Peter to pay Paul here in terms of what the Browns would like to do vrs what they should do. IMO, they should line up a TE to the left of Wills. I don't mind having a RB chip on the edge rusher every now and then in lieu of that. Look at all of the help we have to barrow from could-be receivers to help Wills with pass pro at the LOS. Unfortunately, that restricts how many receivers we can attack defenses with downfield.

Flugel

@orion said:

This is a make or break year for Trigger-Finger Haslems Henchmen. Berry & Stef know that their jobs are on the line to show results with their new 'top notch QB' (in theory top notch).

Their top two picks in the draft are #42 & #98. How much could they possibly hope to fix in the draft...with players that have never played a snap in the NFL?

Some people were against 'overpaying' in FA. But how were these guys supposed to save their jobs? How were they supposed to stop the run without bringing in some IDLinemen? How are they supposed to replace Clowney? Get a starting safety? Improve the TE position behind Njoku?

They HAD to get some things done in FA. It's a tool that had to be used. And they've used it to address the areas that we've all felt that were in serious need. Of course we still need more, like WR and perhaps MLB...but now we go to the draft with less of a mandatory shopping list.

This is a great post. I like where you and Ballpeen are coming from. I'll clarify my take on FA. I prefer to build through good drafting and supplement immediate needs through free agency. Teams that draft well usually have healthy caps as opposed to teams that tend to lean too much on free agency. That said, this FO realized previous mistakes made and were extremely well prepared to pounce on opportunities to upgrade the IDL/DL and replace a starting Safety. I'd love it if they punctuated this with a great draft.

gumby73

We don’t have cap information yet on:

Akins
Hill
Hurst

Without the latter three contract details, Cleveland still has over $11 million in cap space to work with. On June 2nd, they will add almost $11 million more to that number but can’t spend that money until then.

Based on performance, injury history and one-year deals, it is likely that Hurst and Hill won’t cost much more than minimum salaries, just over $1 million in salary cap. Akins deal has been reported to be a two-year contract maxing out at $5.2 million but the details of that structure matter greatly for the salary cap.

If they want to keep adding players beyond the current $11 million, they have the flexibility to restructure the contracts of Myles Garrett, Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller and Denzel Ward to add more space.

not certain, if drafted slotted players contracts were included in this number either

Orion

@gumby73 said:

If they want to keep adding players

My hunch is they're about done with major singings. I think if a WR they wanted were available, they'd have signed him already. But who knows.

So now, with defensive improvements in place (in theory)...what if a LT that they kinda' liked were to happen to be there at #42? Or is there no way we can do that with the current situation of Wills (1st rounder) and Conklin? (crazy talk, I know...but I'm just not a huge fan of Wills)

gumby73

@orion said:

My hunch is they're about done with major singings. I think if a WR they wanted were available, they'd have signed him already. But who knows.

So now, with defensive improvements in place (in theory)...what if a LT that they kinda' liked were to happen to be there at #42? Or is there no way we can do that with the current situation of Wills (1st rounder) and Conklin? (crazy talk, I know...but I'm just not a huge fan of Wills)

I quit stressing on OL issues when Callahan got hired .. Your not replacing Wills at LT or RT, picking at #42 in this draft..

The WR FA market got crazy money last season..not much changed this FA season $$.. Draft & grow your own cost little..See Bengals now less Tee Higgins..

looking at this depth chart ? it really needs youth building beginning at... MLB and Safety depth and Tackle

BrownsnMopar

My hope with the Browns O line is to move Wills to the RT spot after Conklin leaves or retires! We will need to address the LT in an upcoming draft when we have our own 1st rounders again.... or in FA after Conklin...my .02 cents

GO BROWNS!!! ️?

ballpeen

@korsou-dawg said:

Some of us were really gunning for another TE, but Akins wasn't exactly what I had in mind. Sure he can catch the ball, but he posted a career-low run blocking PFF grade of 45.7 last season. Yikes!

What say you @flugel?

I don't know, I don't really care if a TE can block. If blocking is what you want, line up a back-up tackle or guard to grind out that yard.

I want TE's to be offensive weapons more than being a blocker.

Korsou Dawg

@ballpeen said:

I don't know, I don't really care if a TE can block. If blocking is what you want, line up a back-up tackle or guard to grind out that yard.

I want TE's to be offensive weapons more than being a blocker.

And I wanted both, and still do. Tia explained above how 12 personnel is utilized for both pass and run in today's NFL. Where that formation shines for me is when you can really do both, and the opposing D has to account for that. An 'old school' TE who can block and catch would really benefit that.

Getting Akins on the field doesn't do that for me. Neither does a back-up tackle or guard. That's signalling exactly what you are intending to do.

ballpeen

First, I didn't want it to sound like I was putting you down for mentioning blocking. It is important, but it is last thing I care about at positions like that.

As for signaling, in 90% of the cases they already know what you are going to do. Somewhere on the team we have a big guy who can catch. They aren't total clods, at least all, and catching is as basic as it gets.

I would also say signaling one thing, then throwing to the guy who signals is a good option. You are only doing that in short yardage situations.

I will also say it is only signaling if you never throw to them. Do it once or twice, now you have the great blocker in line that teams do have to at least think about as a receiver. You don't have to show it much for it to become a threat.

gumby73

Jed Wills..

Does it seem fair to blame Jed Wills, who only had to hold a block, maybe all of 2.5 seconds protecting Tua at Bama?

Watson's rusty release clock was not all that good last season either.. Both need to get their ? together..

Flugel

@gumby73 said:

I quit stressing on OL issues when Callahan got hired .. Your not replacing Wills at LT or RT, picking at #42 in this draft..

Exactly regarding Wills, Callahan and the 42nd pick overall especially if Free agency addresses need and draft addresses BPA right?

FWIW, Right Tackle recently got a generous contract extension in spite of the wear and tear. I do believe we have a great one there if/when he has better luck with injuries. The FO must have felt that way too or they wouldn't have made the commitment to him.

gumby73

@flugel said:

Exactly regarding Wills, Callahan and the 42nd pick overall especially if Free agency addresses need and draft addresses BPA right?

FWIW, Right Tackle recently got a generous contract extension in spite of the wear and tear. I do believe we have a great one there if/when he has better luck with injuries. The FO must have felt that way too or they wouldn't have made the commitment to him.

I've come to the conclusion..

Conklin now makes Left Tackle money.. even If we swing Jed back to his college RT? A Good defense would still just send targets to the weakest side.. Lucky enough.. We're still not, Jet's fans trying to find a place for Mekhl Becton..

Will's & Watson pocket scrambling protections are not a good match.. Watson was not the cleanest of accurate rolling to his weak-side either

Flugel

@gumby73 said:

I've come to the conclusion..

Conklin now makes Left Tackle money.. even If we swing Jed back to his college RT? A Good defense would still just send targets to the weakest side.. Lucky enough.. We're still not, Jet's fans trying to find a place for Mekhl Becton..

Will's & Watson pocket scrambling protections are not a good match.. Watson was not the cleanest of accurate rolling to his weak-side either

If Wills would rather play RT and Jonah Williams wants to start at LT - would it hurt us to at least inquire about possibly swapping the 2 former Bama Tackles? Maybe all Jonah needs is Callahan teaching him and a reliable partner/neighbor like Bitonio? Last I heard, Cincy's RT (Collins) has an injury that will cost him time this year too...

Dutch Oven

@tiamat63

Weren't you a big D.J. Chark fan when he was available in the Draft? He's still available as a free agent.

tiamat63

@dutch-oven said:

@tiamat63

Weren't you a big D.J. Chark fan when he was available in the Draft? He's still available as a free agent.

I'm honestly trying to remember. I thought pretty highly of him when he was in Jacksonville. Then again, he was the best receiver on a pretty terrible group of teams. I know the last couple seasons he's dealt with some injury concerns and missed a decent amount of playing time. So that right there would give me pause depending on how much $ he's looking for. If he's expecting another $10 mil a year, you can forget all that noise.