Skip to content

2023 Off-Season Free Agent moves/signings

The Browns Board
301 25 13.8k 1
  • @orion said:

    What did your signature used to say?  Something about like or unlike minds...

    To me, a TE needs to know how to block and how to catch.

    If the TE can't catch, then I don't need him.  I can put in a offensive lineman who'll do a better blocking job.

    And if the TE can't block, then I can put in a WR that'll be quicker.

    It's still listed.  Here under interests.

    @ballpeen said:

    It's still listed.  Here under interests.

    Of course.  I should actually look at those things once in a while.....in plain sight.   

  • The Cleveland Browns look to have added some reinforcements on Monday for special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone.

    While there has been no official word from the team, it appears they have reached a deal with free agent cornerback/special teams player Michael Ford Jr., according to a Tweet from Ford himself:

    Touted as one of the best gunners.

  • @flugel said:

    When the Browns want to bring in a 2nd TE to a formation, it's not to go vertical with him. 

    We would both like to see that, but Is it though?

    Jordan Akins had only one drop in 54 targets in '22, setting career-highs with 495 receiving yards and a team-leading five touchdowns. He also had a run blocking PFF grade of 45.7, as I mentioned before. Seems like he was brought in specifically as an extra target for his former teammate to throw to. 

    I reacted with some disappointment to his signing, because he is pretty much on one extreme of the false dichotomy Ballpeen then came up with (with which I have zero gripes FTR). He is an A pass catcher and an F blocker. 

    Barring an all-round TE drafted in the 2nd or 3rd round, it seems the FO isn't bothered about TEs who can block in addition to catching either.

    @korsou-dawg said:

    We would both like to see that, but Is it though?

    Jordan Akins had only one drop in 54 targets in '22, setting career-highs with 495 receiving yards and a team-leading five touchdowns. He also had a run blocking PFF grade of 45.7, as I mentioned before. Seems like he was brought in specifically as an extra target for his former teammate to throw to. 

    I reacted with some disappointment to his signing, because he is pretty much on one extreme of the false dichotomy Ballpeen then came up with (with which I have zero gripes FTR). He is an A pass catcher and an F blocker. 

    Barring an all-round TE drafted in the 2nd or 3rd round, it seems the FO isn't bothered about TEs who can block in addition to catching either.

    Yeah, the Akins signing doesn't feel as bad as it did at first. FWIW, Akins' last year with Watson he had 37 receptions for 403 yards and 10.9 yards per catch with 1 TD.

    Last year however, the Texans allowed Akins to go to the NY Giants in free agency.  After a disappointing preseason with the Giants, he returned to Houston for a great season as their top TE and he led all receivers there with 5 TD receptions. I'd like him to be a better blocker for the double TE packages; but last year we used backup Guard Michael Dunn as an extra TE at times.  I saw him lining up to the right of our RT a few times.  The drawback to that is you lose athleticism as well a prong of attack while you're tipping your tendency to set the edge.

    Njoku has improved his blocking considerably since he arrived.  Maybe Akins can as well.  

    I'm okay with BPA.  I was thinking that 2nd TE (Darnell Washington) from UGA would be nice but he's being projected for the 1st round/upper 2nd.  They say he blocks like a Tackle at 6'7" 270 lbs. That guy would have been the #1 TE for almost any other school but UGA.  The guy ahead of him, sophomore Brock Bowers has been hailed by many as the best TE in college football.  

  • Browns bring back backup QB Josh Dobbs on one-year deal

    Cory Kinnan
    Mon, Mar 20, 2023, 7:28 PM EDT1 min read
  • More Deals being made before draft..

    Source: Former #Rams DT Greg Gaines has agreed to terms with the #Bucs.
     
    Now stfu Gal's on trading Coop.. and enjoy paying more & losing more picks
     
    Sources: The #Texans are trading WR Brandin Cooks to the #Cowboys for a 5th this year and
    6th next year.
    Cooks restructured his contract Saturday so that Houston will pay 6 million of his salary this season and the Cowgals are now to pay 12 million for this season 
     
    Nope!
    We had the picks.. but, Berry's not paying that for Cooks, plus picks
     
     
     

    @gumby73 said:

    We had the picks.. but, Berry's not paying that for Cooks, plus picks

    that and Dallas is where he wanted to be

  • I saw earlier today where Anthony Walker Jr was meeting with Washington.  If we lose him, LB'er skyrockets to the top of the charts.

  • @orion said:

    What did your signature used to say?  Something about like or unlike minds...

    To me, a TE needs to know how to block and how to catch.

    If the TE can't catch, then I don't need him.  I can put in a offensive lineman who'll do a better blocking job.

    And if the TE can't block, then I can put in a WR that'll be quicker.

    It's still listed.  Here under interests.

    @ballpeen said:

    It's still listed.  Here under interests.

    But to answer you.

    I don't want to see 2 TE sets.  If you are bringing in a extra TE to block, you might as well bring in an extra lineman.  

  • Browns bring back backup QB Josh Dobbs on one-year deal

    Cory Kinnan
    Mon, Mar 20, 2023, 7:28 PM EDT1 min read

    @vambo said:

    Browns bring back backup QB Josh Dobbs on one-year deal

    Cory Kinnan
    Mon, Mar 20, 2023, 7:28 PM EDT1 min read

    Back-up?

    Two words: START DOBBS

    leonardo-di-caprio-wolf-of-wall-street.g

  • I saw earlier today where Anthony Walker Jr was meeting with Washington.  If we lose him, LB'er skyrockets to the top of the charts.

    @orion said:

    I saw earlier today where Anthony Walker Jr was meeting with Washington.  If we lose him, LB'er skyrockets to the top of the charts.

    I think it is a concern with him back.  He’s played in 16 of our last 34 games. 

  • Browns Sign LB Matthew Adams

    The Cleveland Browns announced they had signed linebacker Matthew Adams, though most of his contribution would likely be on special teams.
  • Browns have seemingly targeted depth guys who are good special teams players. 

    I wonder if there is any interest in bringing back LB Anthony Walker, or maybe that ship has sailed with a new DC. He might want a more physical presence. 

  • Browns have seemingly targeted depth guys who are good special teams players. 

    I wonder if there is any interest in bringing back LB Anthony Walker, or maybe that ship has sailed with a new DC. He might want a more physical presence. 

    @dutch-oven said:

    I wonder if there is any interest in bringing back LB Anthony Walker, or maybe that ship has sailed with a new DC

    I think I read somewhere that there is interest in bringing him back but he wanted to test the waters.  

  • @dutch-oven said:

    I wonder if there is any interest in bringing back LB Anthony Walker, or maybe that ship has sailed with a new DC

    I think I read somewhere that there is interest in bringing him back but he wanted to test the waters.  

    @orion said:

    I think I read somewhere that there is interest in bringing him back but he wanted to test the waters.  

    Why not?  As a lawyer I would always advise my client to test the water.

    It would be stupid and dereliction of duty to do otherwise.  If you are hired to find the best deal, you are bound to do such and advise.  Then the player makes the decision based on other reasons.  Then you move from there.

    Agents catch a lot of crap for doing their job.

  • @orion said:

    I think I read somewhere that there is interest in bringing him back but he wanted to test the waters.  

    Why not?  As a lawyer I would always advise my client to test the water.

    It would be stupid and dereliction of duty to do otherwise.  If you are hired to find the best deal, you are bound to do such and advise.  Then the player makes the decision based on other reasons.  Then you move from there.

    Agents catch a lot of crap for doing their job.

    @ballpeen said:

    Why not?  As a lawyer I would always advise my client to test the water.

    Wait, you are/were a lawyer?

    I always thought I got Gipper vibes off you, this explains it! ?

  • @vambo said:

    Browns bring back backup QB Josh Dobbs on one-year deal

    Cory Kinnan
    Mon, Mar 20, 2023, 7:28 PM EDT1 min read

    Back-up?

    Two words: START DOBBS

    leonardo-di-caprio-wolf-of-wall-street.g

    @korsou-dawg said:

    Back-up?

    Two words: START DOBBS

    No one's going to answer the Start Dobbs 'warcry'? Not even @dutch-oven or @tiamat63 ? Sadge.

    On topic: apparently we are pursuing Jerry Jeudy, but the asking price of Newsome + our 2nd rounder is rightfully considered too steep. That said, Newsome was unhappy last season, and arguably surpassed by Emerson. And drafting a receiver like Jeudy will be a challenge, even with our 2nd rounder.

    https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2023/3/21/23650864/nfl-trade-rumors-jerry-jeudy-browns-broncos

    I think I would take the deal at Newsome +4th. Possibly even +3rd. Would ignite the offense, and also allow us to acquire a more specific nickel, since we have starters on the outside already.  

  • @korsou-dawg said:

    Back-up?

    Two words: START DOBBS

    No one's going to answer the Start Dobbs 'warcry'? Not even @dutch-oven or @tiamat63 ? Sadge.

    On topic: apparently we are pursuing Jerry Jeudy, but the asking price of Newsome + our 2nd rounder is rightfully considered too steep. That said, Newsome was unhappy last season, and arguably surpassed by Emerson. And drafting a receiver like Jeudy will be a challenge, even with our 2nd rounder.

    https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2023/3/21/23650864/nfl-trade-rumors-jerry-jeudy-browns-broncos

    I think I would take the deal at Newsome +4th. Possibly even +3rd. Would ignite the offense, and also allow us to acquire a more specific nickel, since we have starters on the outside already.  

    @korsou-dawg said:

    No one's going to answer the Start Dobbs 'warcry'? Not even @dutch-oven or @tiamat63 ? Sadge.

    On topic: apparently we are pursuing Jerry Jeudy, but the asking price of Newsome + our 2nd rounder is rightfully considered too steep. That said, Newsome was unhappy last season, and arguably surpassed by Emerson. And drafting a receiver like Jeudy will be a challenge, even with our 2nd rounder.

    https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2023/3/21/23650864/nfl-trade-rumors-jerry-jeudy-browns-broncos

    I think I would take the deal at Newsome +4th. Possibly even +3rd. Would ignite the offense, and also allow us to acquire a more specific nickel, since we have starters on the outside already.  

    I say make the deal also... Take what you have left over in the draft to support other positions and hope for the best...

  • @korsou-dawg said:

    Back-up?

    Two words: START DOBBS

    No one's going to answer the Start Dobbs 'warcry'? Not even @dutch-oven or @tiamat63 ? Sadge.

    On topic: apparently we are pursuing Jerry Jeudy, but the asking price of Newsome + our 2nd rounder is rightfully considered too steep. That said, Newsome was unhappy last season, and arguably surpassed by Emerson. And drafting a receiver like Jeudy will be a challenge, even with our 2nd rounder.

    https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2023/3/21/23650864/nfl-trade-rumors-jerry-jeudy-browns-broncos

    I think I would take the deal at Newsome +4th. Possibly even +3rd. Would ignite the offense, and also allow us to acquire a more specific nickel, since we have starters on the outside already.  

    @korsou-dawg said:

    No one's going to answer the Start Dobbs 'warcry'? Not even @dutch-oven or @tiamat63 ? Sadge.

    On topic: apparently we are pursuing Jerry Jeudy, but the asking price of Newsome + our 2nd rounder is rightfully considered too steep. That said, Newsome was unhappy last season, and arguably surpassed by Emerson. And drafting a receiver like Jeudy will be a challenge, even with our 2nd rounder.

    https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2023/3/21/23650864/nfl-trade-rumors-jerry-jeudy-browns-broncos

    I think I would take the deal at Newsome +4th. Possibly even +3rd. Would ignite the offense, and also allow us to acquire a more specific nickel, since we have starters on the outside already.  

     Meh, seen enough of Lou Dobbs to know you don't want to play with that fire. 

     Odd the Donkeys would want to get ride of a promising young receiver.  Considering Russ is going to need all the help he can get.  I'm no fan of rumors, but if DEN shot down a 2nd and 4th from the Pats... Then I'm out.    I'm not giving you a top 50 pick + a very good, young corner. 

     Newsie was probably unhappy last season for several reasons.  The biggest one's being how much time he spent kicked inside at slot, when he felt he could make more a difference outside.   And he's probably right.  I've said this before, but I've felt that, given his next level agility, Denzel would be better suited for that role in various matchups.   

     Trade off being coaches having concerns about him in the run fit since he is the smaller body of our CB trio.  Which is why I'm hoping Schwartz is calculated with that sort of usage. 

     But I don't like the idea of trading GN2.  He might not have any probowl nods, but he's a very solid DB.  

  • @korsou-dawg said:

    No one's going to answer the Start Dobbs 'warcry'? Not even @dutch-oven or @tiamat63 ? Sadge.

    On topic: apparently we are pursuing Jerry Jeudy, but the asking price of Newsome + our 2nd rounder is rightfully considered too steep. That said, Newsome was unhappy last season, and arguably surpassed by Emerson. And drafting a receiver like Jeudy will be a challenge, even with our 2nd rounder.

    https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2023/3/21/23650864/nfl-trade-rumors-jerry-jeudy-browns-broncos

    I think I would take the deal at Newsome +4th. Possibly even +3rd. Would ignite the offense, and also allow us to acquire a more specific nickel, since we have starters on the outside already.  

     Meh, seen enough of Lou Dobbs to know you don't want to play with that fire. 

     Odd the Donkeys would want to get ride of a promising young receiver.  Considering Russ is going to need all the help he can get.  I'm no fan of rumors, but if DEN shot down a 2nd and 4th from the Pats... Then I'm out.    I'm not giving you a top 50 pick + a very good, young corner. 

     Newsie was probably unhappy last season for several reasons.  The biggest one's being how much time he spent kicked inside at slot, when he felt he could make more a difference outside.   And he's probably right.  I've said this before, but I've felt that, given his next level agility, Denzel would be better suited for that role in various matchups.   

     Trade off being coaches having concerns about him in the run fit since he is the smaller body of our CB trio.  Which is why I'm hoping Schwartz is calculated with that sort of usage. 

     But I don't like the idea of trading GN2.  He might not have any probowl nods, but he's a very solid DB.  

    @tiamat63 said:

    Newsie was probably unhappy last season for several reasons.  The biggest one's being how much time he spent kicked inside at slot, when he felt he could make more a difference outside.   And he's probably right.  I've said this before, but I've felt that, given his next level agility, Denzel would be better suited for that role in various matchups.   

     Trade off being coaches having concerns about him in the run fit since he is the smaller body of our CB trio.  Which is why I'm hoping Schwartz is calculated with that sort of usage. 

     But I don't like the idea of trading GN2.  He might not have any probowl nods, but he's a very solid DB.  

    Hear what you are saying about GNII. In a fully objective world, Ward would probably be used like he was. In the real world, we have pecking orders, and Ward is clearly seen as one of our top guys. He is starting on the outside. 

    That makes Greg a talented back-up. If you can flip that into a starting WR of similar talent and age, without adding too much... I believe the FO pulls the trigger, and I would too. 

  • @tiamat63 said:

    Newsie was probably unhappy last season for several reasons.  The biggest one's being how much time he spent kicked inside at slot, when he felt he could make more a difference outside.   And he's probably right.  I've said this before, but I've felt that, given his next level agility, Denzel would be better suited for that role in various matchups.   

     Trade off being coaches having concerns about him in the run fit since he is the smaller body of our CB trio.  Which is why I'm hoping Schwartz is calculated with that sort of usage. 

     But I don't like the idea of trading GN2.  He might not have any probowl nods, but he's a very solid DB.  

    Hear what you are saying about GNII. In a fully objective world, Ward would probably be used like he was. In the real world, we have pecking orders, and Ward is clearly seen as one of our top guys. He is starting on the outside. 

    That makes Greg a talented back-up. If you can flip that into a starting WR of similar talent and age, without adding too much... I believe the FO pulls the trigger, and I would too. 

    @korsou-dawg said:

    Hear what you are saying about GNII. In a fully objective world, Ward would probably be used like he was. In the real world, we have pecking orders, and Ward is clearly seen as one of our top guys. He is starting on the outside. 

    That makes Greg a talented back-up. If you can flip that into a starting WR of similar talent and age, without adding too much... I believe the FO pulls the trigger, and I would too. 

     Before Talib showed up, Chris Harris was the Broncos best CB.  Their best DB by far, even though he primarily drew assignments in the slot for teams that wanted to emphasize targeting that receiver.  Against Julian Edelman and the Pats was a huge matchup where he made Eds almost a non factor.  Another great example was the Hawks trying to involve Doug Baldwin,  Harris drawing that matchup and winning reps. 

     Pecking order be damned, I'm playing my corners in the most favorable matchups.  If Ward draws better against a team with heavy 11 personnel and works routes from the slot, then that is where he's going. The  coaching speak/think of "my best play outside" is outdated.  One of the few things about Woods I won't miss. 

     And in an NFL where you spend 60+% of your time in nickel and dime, that means your 3rd corner is pretty much a starter. Respectfully, 'backup' is hardly the word I would use bubs. 

     Since the current front office has taken over, they've targeted DBs with height and wingspan -Newsie, Green, Emerson, Faulk... All 6'1+ corners.    I genuinely believe, if not for the albatross contract Ward has, there would be talk of trade interest. 

  • Elijah Moore. For a second, and we get a third at 74.

    nice deal my Berry

    been a solid FA for him. I’m excited. Team is getting balanced on both sides of the ball.