@texasag1969 said:

EA Sports (Madden football maker) projects us in a simulated season to have an 11-5 record. My son-in-law just took a  job with them as a computer programmer. I'll have to ask him about this.

Oof.   Tell him I'm sorry about that.

https://247sports.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/Article/Madden-Cleveland-Browns-season-simulation-132742230/?utm_source=247Sports Newsletter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=190611_114705_Cleveland Browns&utm_content=Image&liveconnect=1B-C2-1E-69-15-F3-1E-26-47-C2-FB-AF-1F-3D-14-30190611_114705ClevelandBrowns

@atom said:

as for hunt  can he still hang at the facility during the break ?

...lock him in there 'til November eh?

I'm assuming that the cafeteria doesn't shut down for the summer.  He'd be fed.

@orion said:

Mini camp is over.

The boys of Fall have their marching orders (learn the playbook and be in shape).

Six weeks of sun and fun.

Are we concerned about anyone getting into trouble?

We no longer have to wonder when Josh Gordon would fall off the wagon.  The only receiver left from our Three Thug Set is Callaway.  (3 thug = Gordon, Coleman, Callaway)

OBJ is someone who's more eccentric than he is a trouble finder.  Mayfield and Garrett seem to have their heads screwed on straight....

I guess the main guy to be worried about is Hunt (Callaway a distant 2nd).  Hunt comes from a family of trouble. It's in his DNA it seems.

Callaway didnt find his way into any problems during the off season so i wouldnt think he will in this short time off as for hunt  can he still hang at the facility during the break ?

The boys of Fall have their marching orders (learn the playbook and be in shape).

Six weeks of sun and fun.

Are we concerned about anyone getting into trouble?

We no longer have to wonder when Josh Gordon would fall off the wagon.  The only receiver left from our Three Thug Set is Callaway.  (3 thug = Gordon, Coleman, Callaway)

OBJ is someone who's more eccentric than he is a trouble finder.  Mayfield and Garrett seem to have their heads screwed on straight....

I guess the main guy to be worried about is Hunt (Callaway a distant 2nd).  Hunt comes from a family of trouble. It's in his DNA it seems.

@gumby73 said:

Gimme back my bullets..? 

The Ballad of Curtis Lowe!

@dutch-oven said:

Based on what?

Based on what I saw last year in his limited chances and the reports from the coaches this year.

@orion said:

I hear OBJ made a nifty catch today.   And Harrison was told not to miss the next flight home.

-  worked on Handle With Care (Traveling Wilburys),  The Stake (Steve Miller),  Animals (Big Al Anderson), Runnin Down Dream (Tom Petty)  -  I sucked.  Gotta quit the yard work and get to practicin'  (we talkin bout PRACTICE)  -  tourist asked the cab driver, How do you get to Carnegie Hall?  

Lotsa practice

  give Michael Stanley credit for that line

-  worked on Handle With Care (Traveling Wilburys),  The Stake (Steve Miller),  Animals (Big Al Anderson), Runnin Down Dream (Tom Petty)  -  I sucked.  Gotta quit the yard work and get to practicin'  (we talkin bout PRACTICE)  -  tourist asked the cab driver, How do you get to Carnegie Hall?  

@texasag1969 said:

Simple Man!

Gimme back my bullets..? 

@dutch-oven said:

Freebird!! 

Simple Man!

@orion said:

...I'm off to rehearsal to make music 

Freebird!! 

...I'm off to rehearsal to make music 

@domcucch1994 said:

Duke doesn't want to be here because he doesn't want to be the 3rd option...

I get it, he's a good playmaker. He will have a good season until Hunt comes back, but he doesn't want to be a stop gap..

Trade him after week 8 and he'll be happy.. 

Duke does not want to be here for what he stated..Duke feels the organization lied to him, putting him on the trading block.period. That's the Business ..Duke would also be the 2nd* option at RB up to the trade deadline & Hunt's return..Honestly..In Hard Knocks it was Haley & some staff that was calling out Hue for being to soft with selected personal..Who was the player Hue got the heat for? Duke Johnson(Haley called him soft too, in my book)..That kind of chit may not sit right in the locker room most of last season? Sorry, Duke won't be here 8 weeks & won't re-gain his teammates trust by week 1..Duke will get his ticket out of town when Dorsey has some trading leverage..   

@ballpeen said:

Dontrell Hilliard is as good as Duke.

Based on what?

@nero said:

Yes, there is. It's called business. 

I can easily picture Dorsey being a nice buddy with his fellow GMs and a dog when negociating deals with players.

EDIT: Also, Dorsey had a plan. And as many people with plans, when something sticks out or doesn't go as planned you can be annoyed. Duke's move was unwanted. Foreseeable? yes, but ideally Dorsey didn't want to deal with any of this. I can't imagine what has been going on there, but if it wasn't pretty I wouldn't be surprised a bit.

Yeah, might be right there.

My educated guess (totally spit balling) is that Duke had some conversations about his role moving forward in the early off season with Chubb obviously earning top dog. The powers that be stated to him that he was definitely part of the plan, and then got blind sided with a guy like Hunt being signed (obviously to be the back-up). If I'm even around the right answer, I can't blame Duke. Rightly or wrongly, speaking out in today's NFL gets the players leverage (see AB) and may motivate the Browns to make a move, maybe not. What I feel very strongly about is that Duke is good enough to be a good role player on many teams in the NFL. If I got the vibe he (Duke) was the master mind behind everything, I'd feel differently.

The part I just don't understand is that we got him on a pretty friendly deal with no cap savings. A trade would net a 5th round pick, at most. Why this team wouldn't see him as a great back-up for the first 1/2 of the season doesn't make sense, unless there is a injury or something weird.

@ballpeen said:

Dontrell Hilliard is as good as Duke.

I have yet to see proof of that...not that it may not be true. I just do not see the convincing evidence of it.  But...again, that may be a matter of opportunity.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1135996698759749632

@ballpeen said:

Dontrell Hilliard is as good as Duke.

& if Dorsey and Kitchens come to that conclusion, Duke will get traded. as Baker said, you're either on this train, or you're not.  

@jrb12711 said:

perhaps there's something we don't know about off the field?

Yes, there is. It's called business. 

I can easily picture Dorsey being a nice buddy with his fellow GMs and a dog when negociating deals with players.

EDIT: Also, Dorsey had a plan. And as many people with plans, when something sticks out or doesn't go as planned you can be annoyed. Duke's move was unwanted. Foreseeable? yes, but ideally Dorsey didn't want to deal with any of this. I can't imagine what has been going on there, but if it wasn't pretty I wouldn't be surprised a bit.