Pluto: How the March Acquisitions Went Down for Browns

[Dutch Oven]

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2023/03/what-im-hearing-about-how-browns-approached-their-big-march-moves-terry-pluto.html?fbclid=IwAR3Y48h3GaxL7gqgxSs70RSobBy-kaXFW-EEzhvMuzADstPra0shSUBv7wE

[Dutch Oven]

Apparently the Browns braintrust (I giggled a little when I typed "Browns braintrust") actually talked to their coaching staff about what specific players would fit their system, then went and got those players.

How novel!

[Flugel]

@dutch-oven said:

Apparently the Browns braintrust (I giggled a little when I typed "Browns braintrust") actually talked to their coaching staff about what specific players would fit their system, then went and got those players.

How novel!

I'm ecstatic someone finally saw all of the bare cupboards right in front of them; because our FO was hoping everyone thought we went 7-10 by accident...

[gumby73]

  hmmm, "so your telling me, Jim Schwartz only liked your Corner back drafting room of players"?   (blink/wink)

another good Pluto read, thanks ! 

[Flugel]

@gumby73 said:

  hmmm, "so your telling me, Jim Schwartz only liked your Corner back drafting room of players"?   (blink/wink)

another good Pluto read, thanks ! 

Rumor has it Andrew Berry asked Jim Schwartz to read up on how Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead so he can do that for Maurice Hurst's football career.  He also gave him a CPR manual so he can put a pulse back in Tryston Hill's.  When Berry brought up Jacob Phillips - Schwartz said why don't you try to draft LBers that show you on film they know how to tackle people (ie: Daiyan Henley or Jack Campbell) .   If they have their heads down, just remember you can't tackle what you can't see.  That can be a career saver not just for coaches and players; but for FOs too.  

[SdBacker80]

Can the real MVP please post the subscription based article? 

[Orion]

@dutch-oven said:

Apparently the Browns braintrust (I giggled a little when I typed "Browns braintrust") actually talked to their coaching staff about what specific players would fit their system, then went and got those players.

How novel!

Can't read the article, but if that's what it says, then it showed in the positions addressed.  I'm glad that it appears Schwartz and Ventrone were consulted.  

[Dutch Oven]

Damn, the entire article was there when I posted it originally. 

Let me see if I can find it. 

Edit: Went back to where I originally found it, can't retrieve entire story. Should have copy and pasted the entire thing like I did last time on one of Pluto's articles.

[syd]

i mentioned part of this article in a different thread that somehow we get a extra 9 million to spend in june which would give us a grand total of 19 million to blow

[syd]

@dutch-oven said:

Damn, the entire article was there when I posted it originally. 

Let me see if I can find it. 

Edit: Went back to where I originally found it, can't retrieve entire story. Should have copy and pasted the entire thing like I did last time on one of Pluto's articles.

it's odd the article is still on my phone 

[Dutch Oven]

@syd said:

it's odd the article is still on my phone 

Copy and paste it and post it here, please.

[syd]

@dutch-oven said:

Copy and paste it and post it here, please.

it will not let me copy but then again I operate on a galexy 8 and my p.c is even older

[ballpeen]

He is all pay per view.  If I lived in Cleveland I would subscribe to the PD on Cleveland. com.  I get my local Times Free Press here in Chattanooga, but I won't pay for something where all I want to read is the sports section.

Other than the local paper, I only pay for the WSJ, the best newspaper in the country.  It has news that I can use.

[nickers]

@syd said:

it will not let me copy but then again I operate on a galexy 8 and my p.c is even older

Can you snap shoot it?

[Vambo]

https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/1641210666877870080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1641210666877870080%7Ctwgr%5E160159956cb3687ebc0421ca91b8ea675e89b316%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https://thespun.com/more/top-stories/look-nfl-world-reacts-to-deshaun-watson-plan-news

[Ibleedbrown]

What I’m hearing about how the Browns approached their big March moves -- Terry Pluto
 

There were trades and free agent signings as the Browns were calculated in their moves.
 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In March, the Browns signed eight free agents. They re-signed five of their own players. They made a trade with the New York Jets for receiver Elijah Moore. That’s 14 player moves. Here’s what I’m hearing from top NFL sources about how the Browns approached this:
 

THE BIG MOVE
 

Yes, they wanted defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. They considered him in a “class by himself” among the defensive tackles available in free agency. They also wanted to give new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz a big-time defensive tackle to anchor the middle of the line.
 

Hargrave simply became too expensive. He also was attracted to San Francisco, where he signed a four-year, $84 million deal ($40 million guaranteed, according to Over The Cap).
 

Next on their list was Dalvin Tomlinson. They had him rated above Ohio State’s Dre’Mont Jones, who signed a 3-year, $51 million deal ($30 million guaranteed) with Seattle. I hear the Browns believe Jones is better suited for a 3-4 defense.
 

Tomlinson is the classic 4-3 defensive tackle that Schwartz craves. Tomlinson signed a four-year, $57 million deal ($27.5 million guaranteed). By far, this is largest contract Cleveland has ever given a defensive tackle. They absolutely, positively had to sign someone like the 6-foot-3, 325-pound Tomlinson to help with the run defense, but also bring some pressure from the middle of the defensive line on the QB.
 

THE SCHWARTZ INFLUENCE
 

The Andrew Berry front office relied heavily on Schwartz in terms of what kind of players were needed to upgrade the defense. Yes, Schwartz had influence on specific players. But the key factor was the front office and coaching staff was not just on the same page, but in the same sentence of how the Browns would defend this season -- and the players needed to do that.
 

I hear Schwartz wants his defensive linemen to be used a little like a baseball bullpen. The goal is for star defensive end Myles Garrett to play about 65% of the snaps in a game. In the previous two seasons, Garrett played an average of 76% of the snaps. There were games when Garrett was clearly winded in the fourth quarter.
 

On the line, Schwartz wants to defend “by numbers.” That’s a bullpen approach. So the Browns have newly signed defensive tackles Maurice Hurst and Trysten Hill as backups. They are opening the door to Perrion Winfrey, Tommy Togiai, Jordan Elliott and others to prove they belong on the field.
 

It’s “not going to be rocket science” for the linemen, another of Schwartz’s lines. Their jobs will be clear. Their maximum effort will be required. The bench will be like the bullpen, staying ready.
 

THE OTHER DEFENSIVE END
 

The Browns had an interest in Ogbo Okoronkwo during the 2022 free agency period, but Houston pounced first and signed the defensive end. The Browns talked to Houston during the year about a trade for Okoronkwo, but it didn’t happen.
 

This time, Berry was going to be aggressive. They targeted Okoronkwo and signed him quickly in this free agent period. They know they have him rated higher than many teams. Schwartz wanted a speed guy playing across the line from Garrett. He also believes Okoronkwo can do a better job defending the run in his scheme.
 

The Browns signed the 28-year-old Okoronkwo to a three-year, $19 million deal ($12.5 million guaranteed) and were thrilled to get him at that price. They hope to coach up Alex Wright as the third defensive end. Isaiah Thomas also is intriguing at that position.
 

I hear the Browns are shopping for more defensive linemen. Not high priced, but perhaps older veterans whose value has fallen as the free agent market disappears.
 

THE LINEBACKER SITUATION
 

Most of the time, the Browns will probably use two linebackers. They re-signed Anthony Walker Jr., a favorite of the coaching staff and teammates. He is a smart guy who can help the defense stayed lined up correctly.
 

They want to squeeze more out of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. They also re-signed Sione Takitaki. I heard Schwartz likes him. There also are candidates such as Jacob Phillips, Tony Fields II and Matthew Adams on the roster.
 

I hear Schwartz also wants to simplify how the linebackers approach the game. He likes to use math analogies. The linebackers “won’t be doing calculus, but they will need to know their multiplication tables.”
 

Some of the linebackers such as Jordan Kunaszyk and Adams (both signed in March) will be key players on special teams.
 

THE BIG BARGAIN
 

The Browns never were in the Jesse Bates III market once they realized several teams were bidding high. Bates signed a four-year, $64 million ($36 million guaranteed) deal with Atlanta.
 

They were shopping for a middle-priced safety. They looked at Jordan Poyer, then saw the market price for Kansas City’s Juan Thornhill drop. Thornhill is exactly the kind of center fielder at safety Schwartz wanted. He spent a lot of time recruiting Thornhill, as he did with several other of the free agents.
 

Thornhill had some other offers much like the Browns, but they came from teams not likely to make the playoffs. He signed three-year, $21 million deal ($17 million guaranteed). The Browns believe they will be set at safety for at least a few years with Grant Delpit and Thornhill.
 

They need more safeties. They believe D’Anthony Bell (a superb special teams player) can help. But I hear they are shopping for a moderately priced veteran safety.
 

THE SPECIAL TEAMS
 

They promised new special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone to upgrade the roster.
 

Some of the linebackers such as Jordan Kunaszyk and Matt Adams (both signed in March) will be key players on special teams. The big move was signing defensive back Mike Ford, whom they consider an elite special teams player.
 

Just as Schwartz had influence on the defensive players added, Ventrone played a role in reshaping the special teams personnel. The Browns are working hard to bolster the defense and special teams. They know simply firing the previous coordinators and adding new ones doesn’t fix the problems with those units.
 

THE BIG SURPRISE
 

The Browns were happy to pick up Houston tight end Jordan Akins. Yes, he played with Deshaun Watson in the QBs 2020 Pro Bowl year. But that’s not why the Browns gave him a two-year, $3.9 million deal ($1.7 million guaranteed).
 

Akins is a gifted athlete. He was picked in the third round of the 2010 baseball draft by Texas, signing for a $350,000 bonus. He played four years, batted .218 overall (.590 OPS) and couldn’t rise above Class A. Like a lot of natural athletes, he found hitting a baseball harder than he ever imagined.
 

Akins then went to college to play football, spending four years at Central Florida. He was a third-round pick by Houston in the 2018 NFL draft. He’ll be 31 in April.
 

The Browns believe the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Akins can be weapon as a pass-catching tight end with size, especially near the goal line. They didn’t enter free agency looking for a tight end, but believed he was too good a bargain to pass up. He gives them depth at tight end with David Njoku and Harrison Bryant. He caught 37 passes last season (five for TDs) with Houston.
 

THE BIG TRADE
 

The Browns first started asking the Jets about wide receiver Elijah Moore during the 2022 trading deadline. The Jets were not interested in dealing him at the time, even though Moore asked to be traded after a blow up with offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.
 

The Browns liked Moore when he played at Ole Miss, and they did a lot of scouting and investigating him back then. They know there have been a couple of immature outbursts, but believe he’s “a good kid a heart.”
 

They asked about him in trades after the season, but the Jets planned to keep him. Then came free agency and New York’s pursuit of Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers. The Packers want draft picks, a first-rounder, a second-rounder and other assets.
 

Berry is a close friend of Jets GM Joe Douglas. They began talking last weekend. Would the Browns be willing to trade their second-rounder (No. 42) for Moore? Berry said he needed a third-rounder in return, plus the receiver. The Jets made several offers, Berry sticking to his request.

Moore and the 74th pick were sent to the Browns for the 42nd pick. The Jets now have picks 42 and 43 in the second round, one of those is headed to Green Bay if the Rodgers deal is finalized.

The Browns believe dropping back 32 picks in the draft to add Moore is a deal they had to make.
 

They picture Moore possibly maturing into a faster version of Jarvis Landry. Not to say he’ll reach Landry’s level, but they see him as a quick slot receiver who also can be used running out of the backfield and in other ways.
 

They see Moore as a “third-down separator,” meaning he can get open in those critical third-down situations when facing tight coverage.
 

Moore is on a rookie contract paying him $1.5 million (2023) and $1.9 million (2024). There’s almost zero risk in terms of salary cap considerations if Moore fizzles. The Browns view this as high reward, low risk move.
 

WHAT I ALSO HEAR
 

1. One of the most important signings was bringing back center Ethan Pocic. The Browns had tried to sign him before the free agent period. Pocic wanted to test the market. It wasn’t quite as lucrative as he’d hoped, and the Browns jumped in to sign him to a three-year, $18 million deal.
 

2. Joshua Dobbs is coming back on a guaranteed $2 million deal to be the backup QB. He is loved by the coaches. He’s a more athletic QB, but his persona in the locker room and with fellow QBs is very similar to how Jacoby Brissett handled himself with the Browns. Dobbs was with the Browns for part of the 2022 season.
 

3. Receiver Marquise Goodwin is their pure speed guy, not Moore. Goodwin caught 27 passes last season (four TDs) with Seattle.
 

4. None of this is to say all these guys are great players. Just the opposite. Most were acquired for specific roles. It was not about creating free agent sizzle and attention. It was finding players who will fit into the plan for 2023. We’ll see how it works.
 

5. The Browns remain about $10 million under the salary cap, and another $9 million will be added in June when the salary cap goes up.