Meanwhile... I wonder if we looked at Brian Waters early on.

It was hard watching the Cowboys Sunday nite and hearing the announcers go on and on about how he solidified their line knowing how we struggled with Cousins early.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/steelers-lose-t-brown-te-172838031--nfl.html

Steeler is the new Brown.

Zombo

@shep said:

What it tells us is the Browns aren't loving Schwartz at RT in a league where a lot of teams put pass rushers on either or both sides, not just the traditional right side, against the left tackle. RT has risen dramatically to a place you can definitely draft in the first round. You draft a guy as high as Schwartz, you expect him to pass protect.

Yup... While long as your QB is a rightie, RT is still the lesser of the two OT slots, but it is rising in importance on the pass happy tide.

I think the Jag's/ Jag's fans' opinion of Monroe was as a LT... Wonder why they did not see him as their RT???

@ithika said:

I think Schwartz looked eons better playing next to lavaou and not the siv that cousins became.

Not that the player to Schwartz's left does not matter... but it's the player across from him that matters more.

He has yet to show the ability to handle a speed rush...

college systems, etc. The Browns don't doubt him - he was all rookie team with pro football weekly... he got off to a slow start.

It's tough being the RT, when defenses know that going after Joe Thomas isn't going to work. Not many tackles in the NFL

can match Joe Thomas's level of excellence.

Starting all over again with another OT isn't a smart idea, I think.

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

Turner Praises Tackles Play

By Fred Greetham
OBR Senior Browns Reporter
Posted Oct 2, 2013

Joe Thomas has been to the Pro Bowl in each of his first six seasons and the previous Browns regime signed him to a long-term contract last year.

0 Comments

BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns were hoping that the two tackle positions on the offensive line were set for a long time.

Joe Thomas has been to the Pro Bowl in each of his first six seasons and the previous Browns regime signed him to a long-term contract last year. The previous front office also used a high draft choice (second-round, 37th overall) in 2012 to draft Mitchell Schwartz to be the answer to the problems at right tackle for a long time.

Last week, Thomas played in his 100th straight-game. He continues to receive the praise of his coaches, including offensive coordinator Norv Turner.

"I don't know how you can play any better than Joe has the last two weeks," Turner said in reference to Thomas' play against the Vikings and Bengals.

Regarding Schwartz, it has been reported that the current Browns braintrust might not be as high on Schwartz as the previous front office was.

However, if Schwartz continues to play like he has in the past couple of weeks, they might look at things differently.

Schwartz struggled early this season, but Turner said Schwartz has been coming on strong.

"The right side of the line played their best game of the season against Cincinnati and Mitchell had his best game by far," Turner said.

Turner was asked what was the difference from earlier in the season.

"I think every guy is different and I think there are things that are different in what we're doing," he said. "The last two weeks, Mitchell is just more comfortable with what we're doing."

Schwartz, like Thomas has started and played every snap in all 20 games thus far in his NFL career.

Schwartz said he aspires to be the type of player that Thomas is.

"My job is to block the guy and I don't want to be a guy that needs chip-help on every third down," Schwartz said. "That wouldn't mean that I'm a productive player if we had to take a guy out of his job to have to do that every single time.

"The goal is to be able to block my (guy) every single time," he said. "A guy like Joe Thomas is obviously able to do that every single time and be consistent with everything you're doing. That's where I want to be."

Schwartz struggled early as a rookie in 2012, but then finished the season as one of the best at his position as he was recognized by Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writer's Association on their All-Rookie Team.

Schwartz also feels he's started to play up to his capabilities.

"That was probably my best game of the year," Schwartz said referring to his play against the Bengals. "But it isn't saying much, considering how I started (the season)."

Schwartz said he just keeps working and working each week to get better.

@shep said:

Or it tells us simply....again, that Mike Lombardi and Banner just don't like having a team with draft choices made by Tom Heckert.

It is second guessing based solely on the personality clash between these FO types....and not based on a true evaluation of the talent involved.

Justing Higdon says there's some talk that Schwartz might push inside next year. Interesting.

That means the Jags would probly have traded with them anyways.

Trading Swartz for Brown would have been really, really dumb.

Need a legit OG to add to the mix.

Much ado about nothing...