Farmer - Year One upgrades.....

Mudfly

Ok....1 week to go before we get a few more to add to the list.......decided to look back 1 year and see where our roster was when Farmer got it VS where it is today....listing just the key players here(not every singe one).....

Ill start with the biggest turnover and work down to the least......

Wide Receiver 2013: Little - Bess - Gordon - Benjiman - Cooper

Wide Receiver 2015: Bowe- Hartline - Hawkins - Gabriel - Benjiman

Note: (Win). Definite upgrade here. Only drop off is Gordon and thats not on the Farmer...

Quarterback 2013: Weeden - Campbell - Hoyer

Quarterback 2015: McCown - Manziel - Shaw

Note:(Wash) Ill give Famrer a tiny credit for "upside", as there is a sliver of hope for the current group, while not so much for the last one.....

Running Back 2013: McGahee - Whittaker - Oby

Running Back 2015: West - Crowell - Winston - Draughn

Note: (Win) Definite upgrade here too.

Tight-end 2013: Cameron - Barnidge - Gray

Tight-end 2015: Housler - Barnidge - Drey

Note: (Wash) This one is close, but knowing what I know now, Id pick the current group by a nose.

Cornerback 2013: Haden - Skrine - McFadden - Owens

Cornerback 2015: Haden - T. Williams - K. Williams - Desir - Gilbert

Note: (Win) Slam dunk win here! Build the best CB group in one year

Safety 2013: Gipson - Ward

Safety 2015: Gipson - Whitner

Note:(win) Another nice upgrade.

Inside Linebacker 2013: Jackson - Robertson - Eubanks

Inside Linebacker 2015: Dansby - Robertson - Kirksey

Note: (Win) Yet another upgrade and step in the right direction

Outside Linebacker 2013: Kruger - Mingo - Sheard

Outside Linebacker 2015: Kruger - Mingo - Solomon - (A. Bryant?)

Note:(loss) Not feeling it here and the main reason Im thinking edge rusher - olb at #12

D-Line 2013: Ruben - D. Bryant - Taylor - Hughes - Winn - A. Bryant

D-Line 2015: Starks - D. Bryant - Taylor - Hughes - Winn - A. Bryant

Note:(slight win) Ok, Ill take Starks and let Rubin go. Understand this was considered a strength when Farmer took over. Time for some upgrades here.

O-Line 2013: Thomas - Greco - Mack - Lauvao - Schwartz

O-Line 2015: Thomas - Greco - Mack - Bitonio - Schwartz

Note: (win)....only one man added, but a damn good one! Time for depth.

So....In summary.....my take is that in only ONE YEAR, Farmer has successfully updraded almost every single position group....the only exceptions being at QB and OLB.....

I think it's pretty obvious you cant manufacture a great QB just because you need one....and I think Farmer has at least made an effort.....completely turning the position over in an attempt to find gold....a little credit is due for that....

And, I see the drop at OLB simply because we are between players.....IE: Sheard left and no one has filled the spot....so, that will happen soon and Im hoping the new guy will be an upgrade...eh?

The best upgrades have happened at: WR - DB - RB - MLB....

Now looking for some more upgrades at: DL - OLB - QB - OL(depth)

LondonBrown

I agree with most of that, we are weaker at TE without Cameron though, no question.

Mudfly

@londonbrown said:
I agree with most of that, we are weaker at TE without Cameron though, no question.

Yeah...that was one I really waffled on....In the end, I think it's a "wait and see one" really....

If Housler steps up OR Cameron goes down.....we win....

If Cameron regains his form from early 2013 and Housler doen't do well, then we dont.....

Big upside AND downside possibilities with this group....on both sides.....

gftChris

Isn't it nice to not be talking about whether each player will fit in to the new system? We've been running a variation of the 'hybrid' 3-4 for a while now, we've got one or two players learning new positions - Bryant switching to OLB and Talyor switching *back* to NT, but doesn't really count - and on O, it seems like we're keeping the ZBS, and then have receivers in Bowe, Hartline and Hawkins that are fairly versatile in route running.

Mudfly

@gftchris said:
Isn't it nice to not be talking about whether each player will fit in to the new system?

YES!!!!!

No new system....no new HC.....no new GM to break in......

And I think it will show in spades next season......along with a lot of these youngsters just getting a year better.....

calfoxwc

Note:(loss) Not feeling it here and the main reason Im thinking edge rusher - olb at #12 Mud

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Nice job on the op ! But there are edge rushers aplenty in this draft. Dupree might be there...

But there is only one Shelton in this draft, but Goldman is second best big NT.

This draft is going to be huge. Can't wait to see the upgrade evals after the draft !

Mudfly

@calfoxwc said:

Note:(loss) Not feeling it here and the main reason Im thinking edge rusher - olb at #12 Mud

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Nice job on the op ! But there are edge rushers aplenty in this draft. Dupree might be there...

Yeah...I really shoulda said 12 or 19....would be oh so happy to take Shelton at 12......as long as they handle business at 19 with a Dupree type....

But Im seeing a lot of folks mocking Shelton....then using 19(and even our 2nd) for OT, OG and WR.....

and completely leaving edge rusher out of the equation........which just makes me itch......bad

I seriously question if I can even survive the next 7 days.......haven't done ANY work for like 3 days.....just sitting here waiting for the commish to officially open the draft.....

OldBrownsFan

So....In summary.....my take is that in only ONE YEAR, Farmer has successfully updraded almost every single position group....the only exceptions being at QB and OLB.....

Totally agree and nice post Mudfly.

TexasAg1969

Very well done mudfly. And with 10 in this very deep draft this may prove to be an up and coming team for years to come.

Tour2ma

Nice thread idea...

It's interesting, but not surprising, that your one "loss" area is where the starters haven't changed, but a rotational player was lost with his replacement uncertain... the OLB group.

On the TE wash... I'd agree. Dray>>>Gray and Cam>>>Housler, but only if Cam is available. Add that the Barn of today is better than the Barn of 2013 and at worst I see wash.

Will be interesting to revisit this in a week...

Mudfly

I think the Browns will EXPLODE over the next few years......am I optimistic?....hell yes!

I know they all wont be great...but the numbers say at least a couple of these young guys will break out with a really big season...

Who's your pick?

Mingo?...Gilbert?...Manziel?...Crowell?...West?...Gabriel?...Armonty?...Housler?...Bowie?...Kwan?...Desir?.....Kirksey?....

My moneys on Mingo, Gilbert and Desir to be the big winners......

My "prayer pick" is Johnny.......

gftChris

I'd love to see it be Bryant. Mingo needs to break out this year or I think he's toast. Desir looked pretty damn solid in limited action.

Manziel...man, if that guy lives up to the hype from a year ago, we're super-bowl bound in the next couple of years.

Tour2ma

If Mingo breaks out why would we need an edge rusher?

Breakouts? Need ample field time for that... Crow and Hawk spring to mind first out of the current roster. But a week should add at least one more name.

miktoxic

great positivity! can you do one of these each day BEFORE the draft? (cuz this is the time where there is nothing really to talk about and fans start scratching each other's eyes out over different opinions of players to be had)

i think mingo and gilbert become all pros this year.

Mudfly

@texasag1969 said:
And with 10 in this very deep draft this may prove to be an up and coming team for years to come.

Thats a great point AG.....and another feather in Farmers cap.....

Because, somehow, we got all these upgrades without giving up hardly anything....and IN FACT....gained draft picks...

So, now, he has a chance to do it again

@tour2ma said:

If Mingo breaks out why would we need an edge rusher?

Ha!....I know I know.......but it'll allow for depth....rotation....waves.....(and "just in case" with the Mingo thing).....

gftChris

@miktoxic said:
i think mingo and gilbert become all pros this year.

I'm just hoping Gilbert becomes a pro at all.

Mudfly

@mudfly said:

Mingo?...Gilbert?...Manziel?...Crowell?...West?...Gabriel?...Armonty?...Housler?...Bowie?...Kwan?...Desir?.....Kirksey?....

when was the last time(if ever) that we had a list of 1st and 2nd year players like this?.....

and then we add already proven youth like Haden, Bitonio & Gipson to the mix.....

just saying.....when this group hits 3-5 yrs......KABLAMMO!

The Gipper

@oldbrownsfan said:

So....In summary.....my take is that in only ONE YEAR, Farmer has successfully updraded almost every single position group....the only exceptions being at QB and OLB.....

Totally agree and nice post Mudfly.

I think that is fair to say....with the possible exception also of TE.

I think the Browns will be addressing the TE position as early as round 2-3......and also the DLine.....and LB.

A DL/OLB/TE with those 3 picks in the top 43 would definitely add strength and depth

....that is if they don't go all in and trade them all to move up for Mariota. And that could be the debate in the war room as we speak:

"Should we trade #12/19/43 to move up to #2" I think they are asking that question right now.

Mudfly

@the-gipper said:

"Should we trade #12/19/43 to move up to #2" ................................I think they are asking that question right now.

Unless it was a complete bluff, Farmer pretty much answered that question at yesterdays pressy.....with a fairly solid NO..

calfoxwc

Whatever the Browns do, I'm going to know it was the right, very cool, smar thing to do.

White-Beasely-Dupree/Shelton, Shelton/Beasely-Dupree-somebody else, OT....

This draft goes great, it will change the dynamics of the Browns

like we haven't seen before.