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Mixed feelings about Massaquoi

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  • Y YtownBrownsBacker

    @riffer-x said:

    That was a very astute post Ytown, good observations. Rutigliano also brought up some good points about Edwards' struggles last year saying he wasn't seeing the ball correctly. He was not picking the ball up until the last second and in doing that was using his body more. When the pressure is on and you locate the ball late, the first inclination is to body catch it. It also was his a way of tightening up to absorb a blow.

    Braylons is maddening to me, the guy is as talented a receiver as ANYBODY I've ever seen. In practice he catches everything with his hands, it's all in his head come game time. One thing is for sure, he shouldn't come in being a diva this year after being knocked down a peg or ten. Last year he and Michael Phelps were all the rage and buddies, now both have been humbled but in Edwards' case there is a lot of money and endorsements on the line for him to show up this year.

    What Rutigiano said make a lot of sense if the receiver is looking to see who is going to hit him after he comes out of his break or before he catches the ball. Might be something to do with toughness. His best catches are when he is covered and doesn't have time to think, just react and he makes great acrobatic catches. Sometimes on balls that are poorly thrown by the QB. The biggest problem is when he runs a slant or curl in and knows he is going to get hit. Could be, like Sam says, it's because he is looking to see if someone is about to take his head off or if he has an opening for some YAC.

    The solution might be to have a Patton, Furrey or Robo go over the middle and run the slants and keep Edwards runing outs and go routes. Almost like they were doing in 2007 with Winslow and JJ making the 3rd down tough catches inside and Edwards making his catches out of traffic.

    @ytownbrownsbacker said:

    The solution might be to have a Patton, Furrey or Robo go over the middle and run the slants and keep Edwards runing outs and go routes. Almost like they were doing in 2007 with Winslow and JJ making the 3rd down tough catches inside and Edwards making his catches out of traffic.

    That's a BIG part of it. BUT, you still need THREATS that can put 6 points on the board if you put too much company around Edwards.

    Not for nothing BUT I've been DREAMING of seeing Josh Cribbs transcending into the slot Receiver we've been missing here. Think about what we like so much about him and it's seeing him with the ball in the open field against people that aren't in good position to make the tackle. If we want to carve out somebody's middle, I can't think of a better candidate who has also been known for putting 6 points on the board. I think Josh in the slot is a much more effective way to get him in open field mismatches than have him taking snaps from Center.

    - Tom F.

    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!"
  • FlugelF Flugel

    @ytownbrownsbacker said:

    The solution might be to have a Patton, Furrey or Robo go over the middle and run the slants and keep Edwards runing outs and go routes. Almost like they were doing in 2007 with Winslow and JJ making the 3rd down tough catches inside and Edwards making his catches out of traffic.

    That's a BIG part of it. BUT, you still need THREATS that can put 6 points on the board if you put too much company around Edwards.

    Not for nothing BUT I've been DREAMING of seeing Josh Cribbs transcending into the slot Receiver we've been missing here. Think about what we like so much about him and it's seeing him with the ball in the open field against people that aren't in good position to make the tackle. If we want to carve out somebody's middle, I can't think of a better candidate who has also been known for putting 6 points on the board. I think Josh in the slot is a much more effective way to get him in open field mismatches than have him taking snaps from Center.

    - Tom F.

    @flugel said:

    That's a BIG part of it. BUT, you still need THREATS that can put 6 points on the board if you put too much company around Edwards.

    Not for nothing BUT I've been DREAMING of seeing Josh Cribbs transcending into the slot Receiver we've been missing here. Think about what we like so much about him and it's seeing him with the ball in the open field against people that aren't in good position to make the tackle. If we want to carve out somebody's middle, I can't think of a better candidate who has also been known for putting 6 points on the board. I think Josh in the slot is a much more effective way to get him in open field mismatches than have him taking snaps from Center.

    - Tom F.

    From what is being said, Mangini doesn't regard Cribbs very highly as a slot receiver. He does love him as a slash guy as much as he liked Brad Smith last year in NY. I wouldn't be surprised to see Cribbs as more of a 3rd down back where he could go in motion out of the backfield, be a solid blitz blocker and also be able to take a handoff, direct snap or even throw the ball.

    Cribbs does not want to give up being captain of the special teams and doesn't want off any of the coverage units. He also will be tried at some DB during camp. Should be very interesting with him.

    I can see BQ standing there in a shotgun formation reading the defense on 3rd and 4, Edwards and Robo split wide, Furrey in the slot and Cribbs standing next to him. The defense will have a big problem figuring out what they are going to do. That sure would keep them honest.

  • @shepwrite said:

    Not to fall back on the company line, but I read a few scouting reports from various draftnicks and saw the love on NFL network, because he came so far between his sophomore and senior seasons, to the point that he was voted "permanent captain" by his team.

    Then he was reported to have fantastic workouts where he "caught everything in sight" and exploded out of his cuts, so he started rising. Specifically, OBR said Browns' scouts called his workout "amazing."

    THEN, he was fantastic at the rookie mini-camp. Evidence would seem to be that he's a great pick, unless we're concerned about a time warp or something.

    I think the thing forgotten here is all draft picks are a crap shoot...just because one is drafted in the 1st rnd as we know does not guarantee a homerun hit...things good and bad are constantly said about draftees...I just prefer to let time and experiance determine the outcome...Mike Furrey to me is a great example of hard work and dedication...let the chips fall where they May

    Nickers...."There are no old running QB's in the NFL "~Sam Rutigliano~

  • Flugs I think you hit it on the head... Last year Edwards was asked to do things and play a role that he's not best in... Once the drops started it became a head thing.... It's just like hitting in baseball, once a few players start delivering game changing hits, the entire team seems to feed of it and it becomes contageous... Once a wide receiver starts dropping passes in crutial times during the game, it becomes a head thing... All wide receivers are somewhat diva's in my opinion...

    Since Massaquoi is intelligent he should be coachable and hopefully his drops will be of a minimum once this staff gets a hold of him... But the penchant for dropping balls has me worried I'll admit....

    T.Dawg

  • No doubt the only thing that matters is here and now and what he does in the future.

    What he did in college or in draft workouts doesn't matter anymore.

    With that said..... I propose a toast: May he catch them all!

    Cheers!

    If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.

  • @shepwrite said:

    D-Bull, not to be repetitive... but the reason Massoquai rose is that he DIDN'T have the dropsies his senior year or in workouts. He had reduced him during his junior year, too. It seems to be something he worked hard to overcome. I can't see why he'd revert to his sophomore year.

    Some tape I've seen on him has shown that he wasn't letting the ball get to his chest last year. He was catching most throws with his hands and not worrying so much about YAC. I think Georgia should have used him more last year. But, that's good for us hopefully.

  • Maybe with a qb that can hit him in stride and not hang him out to dry, Massaquoi will be able to keep up a high enough level of confidence as to not revert to the dropsies.

    3 seasons until our new head coach, let's hope they get it right this time.

  • The Edwards comparison is an interesting one, but I've never seen MoMass make the unbelievable catches that Braylon made all through '07. As ballpeen said, Massquoi used to drop perfect throws, and now he catches most of them. But whenever there was a difficult catch to make - on an underthrown pass, on a fade route - it seemed like the ball hit the ground (or ended up in the DB's hands).

    MoMass still seemed to be body catching some throws last year, and the two fumbles in the Kentucky game made me wonder if the guy's always going to be a hard hit away from dropping the football. He was a big time riser close to the draft because he looked great in workouts (no contact), and he impressed during minicamp (no contact), but I'm not going to be sold on him until he shows he consistently plays that well in pads.

    Some draftnicks, including the OBR's Sobo, had Massaquoi graded out as a 4th round talent. Though he sometimes looked like an elite receiver (the Georgia Tech game, parts of the Kentucky game), MoMass more often looked like a mid-round receiver. Hopefully, the Browns redshirt him and somehow get him to more regularly play up to his potential.

  • Hopefully, the Browns redshirt him and somehow get him to more regularly play up to his potential.

    I think that is essentially what is going to happen.

    We may not expose him to the waiver wire to get him on the practice squad, but I doubt he sees any serious playing time over Edwards, Patton, Robiskie, etc., unless we start to see guys get racked up.

    I doubt he gets much over 20 chances this year, and most of that late, assuming we are out of the running.

    If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.

  • Well, one thing you won't see Massaquoi doing after a practice this year is clowning around in his bare feet with a teammate. One thing you will see him doing is taking time to do some extra work on his route timing, footwork, etc.

    The point being that this is a football player not a self-proclaimed celebrity who happens to play football. There are no questions about this kid's character so let's move on to the football side of this discussion.

    This kid's dimensions reflect those of a current #1 NFL receiver. Are his hands a concern? Absolutely. But here's why I am more encouraged about his shortcomings than those of someone like Edwards. When Massaquoi makes a mistake, he won't follow it with an excuse. He'll follow it by learning how to get better and he'll follow it by making the next play.

    For the record, I think Braylon will play very well this year, but he's got to get into the right frame of mind. Being surrounded by WR additions that, albeit are younger, will train and prepare like true professionals will certainly help.

    ...searching for Nev Chandler..."5,4,3,2,1, Touchdown Browns!!

  • Yeah, Massaquoi's character is solid. And if he's not forced onto the field too soon, he could develop into a nice receiver for us.

    I'm a big fan of sure-handed receivers, so guys like Crabtree, Nicks, and Robiskie appealed to me. Fortunately, we got the only one of those who didn't have any character red flags.

    And it was smart to plan in advance for Braylon's exit. If Rucker develops into a solid receiving option, we'll be even better positioned going into next offseason. Though Massaquoi scares me a little bit, I'd rather roll the dice with him than use our 1st round pick next year on another receiver.

  • Don't forget Furrey....he is a solid hands guy who isn't a egg head in the clubhouse or out in public.

    I think he has a chance to be our leading receivers as far as total catches. We are probably going to be in a fair number of 3rd a 6, so his number is going to be called often.

    QB's like throwing to guys who usually catch the ball and somehow manage to get open.

    I could see him nearing 90 receptions.

    If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.

  • We may disagree who gets more shots, but we agree both are going to get plenty of opportunities.

    I do think Patton may start ahead of Robo...at least in the early going.....but he is getting a bit old, so he just may not have it anymore.

    We should have some nice receiver options.

    If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.

  • Assuming health here, this is what I envision:

    WR Edwards---They'll keep him a lot more vertical this year stretching the defense.

    WR Robiskie---He'll start day one, that's why they picked him. He will be the tactician and chains mover on the intermediate and slant route stuff, but don't discount him getting deep.

    Slot---This will be a good camp battle between Furrey and Patten. I like both of them, but Patten is more athletic and can also get deep from time to time. For those who discount Patten, he is a nice player when healthy and a great team guy.

    4th and 5th WR---The loser of Furrey/Patten for slot, with MoMas and Cribbs fighting for the 5th spot. This depends on how they plan on using Cribbs this year, if it's more out of the backfield or out wide. Barring injury, MoMas gets his redshirt season much like Sweed did last year. He will never go to the practice squad though, but it's possible for the Leggett's of the world to push in camp.

    Rucker also may be utilized in bigger packages at slot in an attempt to create size mismatches.

    Is a pig's ass pork?

  • Nice post, and it could very easily work out that way.

    The point is it looks like we have some viable options and it could work out any number of ways.....or a little of all as the season transpires.

    If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.

  • @shepwrite said:

    Massoquai will be the slot or the 4th. I really don't think they'd draft him in the middle of round 2 to be on the practice squad.

    I don't think we'll end up keeping both Furrey and Patten. At their ages, you start, you're the slot, or you're gone because you aren't a developmental guy.

    I see Edwards and Robiskie starting and either Furrey or Patten in the slot with Massoquai pushing them... perhaps aside, eventually.

    Fifth slot has to be filled by someone younger... probably between Hubbard and Steptoe.

    Edwards

    Robiskie

    Furrey

    Massoquai

    Hubbard (just a feeling)

    I think you bring them all to camp and they compete. The NFL is a game that makes teams deal with injuries. So, I believe we open the season with both Patton and Furrey. Hubbard is eligable for the practice squad and I can see someone on the PUP. Let's hope for a year of good health, but you do need depth and have to have a plan B.

  • I caught a replay of the Georgia-Alabama game recently. In it, A.J. Green was the receiver who looked embarrassingly bad early on. After the ball got stripped out of his hands for a turnover, Green went to the sideline pouting & refused to talk to anyone. MoMass was the guy who grabbed him by the shoulder pads and got the freshman receiver under control.

    Massaquoi also showed off some nice wheels getting open deep, but Stafford wasn't able to get the ball to him.

    Those were the positives. Unfortunately, MoMass also dropped two passes in the second half.

  • Truly people: Are there any draft picks that aren't nitpicked to death? I will wait and see how he does for us before I start passing judgments. What I get out of everything I read.. Talent is there, Hard working, smart enough and coachable.. Most important of those qualities is hardworking and coachable to go along with the talent.. Nearly all college players need work to get up to speed at the nfl level. He appears to be a bit more of a project... I think we agree he's not going to start but I hope he can get more and more in the mix as the season wears on and get better and better.. WOW isn't that what we all want.. Time will tell. Drafts are such a crapshoot.

  • I think MoMass is going to be a player and the same with Don Carey. Just a gut but both are very intelligent and hard workers with all the talent. That's a good combo. I have no idea on Veikune, he could be a huge dud for all we know.

    Is a pig's ass pork?

  • Worrying about MoMass is premature. He's a smart kid, solid character, a football player.

    There are different reasons for receivers dropping passes than just having bad hands and not being very smart, or athletic.

    *****************************************************

    Jerry Rice - Superstar In The Making

    Some say Rice wasn't fast enough to be a star receiver in the National Football League (NFL), but San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh selected Rice as the 16th pick of the first round. "Jerry's movements were spectacular for a pass receiver," Walsh told the Los Angeles Times. "He'd been catching 100 passes year after year. We felt that if they'd throw to him that much.… he must have the basic instincts for the job."

    Yet in his first few games, people wondered about Walsh's decision. In Rice's rookie season, he dropped fifteen passes, but this was due to the complicated 49ers offense, and soon, after he got over the learning curve, he started hanging onto the passes. By the end of the season, Rice had caught passes for 927 yards and three touchdowns, on the way breaking the 49ers single game receiving record with a 241-yard game. He earned a spot on the NFL's All-Rookie Team.

    Read more: http://sports.jrank.org/pages/3844/Rice-Je...l#ixzz0M9WTw1JZ

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