@ibleedbrown said:

I think long term, we are replacing Fells with Brown, and Harris was just the vet body to smooth the transition. I guess l don’t see why Fells couldn’t have been that guy? And maybe add an uptick in performance for the TE group in the process.

This is exactly the point many of us are making. You already had a blocking TE in Fells that knew the offense, knew the players, and was a solid blocker....sooooo....why make the move for Harris? The only thing I can think of is that Harris was a Kansas City players while Dorsey was there, so perhaps Dorsey is just comfortable with him. Unfortunately, that hasn't added up to productivity. I was down on Pharaoh Brown, but the last two games he's kind of impressed me with his blocking. 

@flugel said:

Seals-Jones is a former college WR that weighs about 240-245 lbs and he's more cut out for Njoku's role.  This should get him more receptions than we expect from our 2nd TE that plays mostly in red zone and short yardage (which is where we had Fells). In fact, Seals-Jones had 34 rec 343 yds and 1 TD in 2018.  That said, he already has 1 TD here with 10 games left.

The question is - did we upgrade Darren Fells with Demetrius  Harris in the short yardage/red zone area?   He doesn't appear to be a better blocker than Fells. His first 4 years playing TE for KC he had never had more than 1 TD when/if he scored at all.  The best season of his life was last year with 3 TDs to go with his 12 receptions on a playoff team in an offense the QB threw 50 TD passes. Meanwhile Fells had the same 3 TDs and 11 rec for a team that only won 7 games.  In fact, Fells averaged more TDs per season than Harris during their first 5 years in similar roles.  

I don't remember our passing game struggling this much in the red zone last year...

I count myself among those lamenting the loss of Fells too. I would agree with y’all who basically see him as a notch above Harris. I’ll throw out another angle.

I’m fairly convinced Pharoah Brown is the most balanced TE on the team for both blocking and catching, but he’s still a young guy developing. He blocks really really well, and he seems to be good for a reception a game, and it stands to reason if he keeps making his one catch/game that more pass catching opportunities will follow.

We saw in Hard Knocks Fells’ willingness to be a teacher when he tried to take Cajuste under his wing with a lesson on blocking, and l can’t help but think a guy like that would be great for Pharoah Brown right now. Maybe Harris is doing the same role as a teacher?

I think long term, we are replacing Fells with Brown, and Harris was just the vet body to smooth the transition. I guess l don’t see why Fells couldn’t have been that guy? And maybe add an uptick in performance for the TE group in the process.

Anyone worrying about the blocking acumen of our TEs shouldn’t worry. They are collectively a good group of blockers. Even Seals-Jones, who doesn’t get asked to block much, blocks pretty well when given the chance.

@flugel said:

I don't remember our passing game struggling this much in the red zone last year...

We didn't. We were basically automatic and that's what is so freaking frustrating. 

@the-gipper said:

Isn't Njoku still on IR?

Yes, two more weeks I think. 

@mddawg said:

Fells is an excellent blocking TE with better hands than Demetrius Harris whom he replaced. With our O line woes he definitely would've helped. Seals is Njoku's back up, a pass catching TE.

Sorry MD!  I read your goodies after I posted a lot of the same stuff.   I saw what you saw without drinking MD20/20...

@jiggins7919 said:

Seals and Fells are two different types of TE. You can't compare receiving yards. I liked Fells blocking a ton more than the guys we have now. If anything, they're about the same but they had to learn a new system. Why not keep the same personnel? Why trade Duke Johnson? What's he averaging...8 yards a carry? 

BINGO!   Although I didn't mind trading Duke.   The interesting thing is both Hyde and Duke ended up where Fells is; and that offense is playing well utilizing all 3.  Fells already has 15 rec 159 yards and 3 TDs in just 6 games.  That's a much better projection than Harris is giving us with only 1 TD reception thus far...  

Seals-Jones is a former college WR that weighs about 240-245 lbs and he's more cut out for Njoku's role.  This should get him more receptions than we expect from our 2nd TE that plays mostly in red zone and short yardage (which is where we had Fells). In fact, Seals-Jones had 34 rec 343 yds and 1 TD in 2018.  That said, he already has 1 TD here with 10 games left.

The question is - did we upgrade Darren Fells with Demetrius  Harris in the short yardage/red zone area?   He doesn't appear to be a better blocker than Fells. His first 4 years playing TE for KC he had never had more than 1 TD when/if he scored at all.  The best season of his life was last year with 3 TDs to go with his 12 receptions on a playoff team in an offense the QB threw 50 TD passes. Meanwhile Fells had the same 3 TDs and 11 rec for a team that only won 7 games.  In fact, Fells averaged more TDs per season than Harris during their first 5 years in similar roles.  

I don't remember our passing game struggling this much in the red zone last year...

@mddawg said:

Fells is an excellent blocking TE with better hands than Demetrius Harris

When we signed Harris I said, "But we HAD Fells!?!  This guy's supposed to be just like him."  And Fells was good for Baker....a voice of reason....

@mudfly said:

Fells was extremely average and the Browns were looking to improve depth. It was a sound move to move on and look for a better option...Fells had all of 100 yards last season and played in 16 games.....Seals Jones has already exceeded that in 3 games(150) and, so far, looks to be a much better player......

Bravo to JD for trying to improve on mediocrity.....

Fells is an excellent blocking TE with better hands than Demetrius Harris whom he replaced. With our O line woes he definitely would've helped. Seals is Njoku's back up, a pass catching TE.

@calfoxwc said:

  The oline is the engine of the offense, the qb is the steering wheel, the rb's are the transmission, and the wr's are the tires.

Oh, and the TE's are the mirrors that are supposed to block anybody out of the way that gets too close. lol

 the texans TE's don't have to protect both Tackles anymore..Once they traded for Tunsil to play LT. look how the both TE receiving numbers have gone up..Former Browns draftee Rodrick Johnson plays RT for texans.(he still gets help).. Both Hue & Fells are from the So Cal area..Hue coached at Cal, Fells played basketball there..Maybe a conflict of leaks were a worry? FA TE D.Harris was signed a week before Fells official release..when Fells was being shopped.. agents talk..Fells & agent did the right thing for themselves to get more playing time  

@jiggins7919 said:

Seals and Fells are two different types of TE. You can't compare receiving yards. I liked Fells blocking a ton more than the guys we have now. If anything, they're about the same but they had to learn a new system. Why not keep the same personnel? Why trade Duke Johnson? What's he averaging...8 yards a carry? 

Apparently it's their offensive line. Deshaun Watson, qb, who I never would have drafted in fantasy football, (was a half hr late, computer drafted for me....) got me 41 points, and keeps doing great.

  The oline is the engine of the offense, the qb is the steering wheel, the rb's are the transmission, and the wr's are the tires.

Oh, and the TE's are the mirrors that are supposed to block anybody out of the way that gets too close. lol

He's not great or anything...but he was better than some of the guys we brought in to replace him.

@mudfly said:

Fells was extremely average and the Browns were looking to improve depth. It was a sound move to move on and look for a better option...Fells had all of 100 yards last season and played in 16 games.....Seals Jones has already exceeded that in 3 games(150) and, so far, looks to be a much better player......

Bravo to JD for trying to improve on mediocrity.....

Seals and Fells are two different types of TE. You can't compare receiving yards. I liked Fells blocking a ton more than the guys we have now. If anything, they're about the same but they had to learn a new system. Why not keep the same personnel? Why trade Duke Johnson? What's he averaging...8 yards a carry? 

@calfoxwc said:

They couldn't trade him, so they released him. He could really play. I don't get it.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, from Yahoo fantasy football:

"Darren Fells caught 6-of-7 targets for a very nice 69 yards in Houston's Week 6 win over the Chiefs.

Advice: Fells' uptick in usage can be attributed to Houston falling behind 17-3 in the first quarter. Even so, TE Jordan Akins (3/39) was also involved as these two continue sharing the field in 12 personnel sans Kenny Stills (hamstring). Fells will stay a leap-of-faith TE2 next week against the Colts.

(Rotoworld.com)

Player Note Sun, Oct 6

Darren Fells caught 2-of-2 targets for 20 yards and two touchdowns in the Texans' Week 5 win over the Falcons."

I had no idea he was in Houston no wonder they are playing so well they have Fells Hyde and The Duke

Bravo to JD for trying to improve on mediocrity.....

@jiggins7919 said:

but Dorsey has a history of never leaving well enough alone, and this is another example.  

I doubt it was his contract... but maybe Dorsey gets the itch  to think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence?

I think more like "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" Maybe that's a good point. They traded the top notch ROG for a better DE, but at what cost?

Corbett was supposed to be a Joel Bitonio. Nope, not at all. Strange - they were about the same size. I do like Seals-Jones, though.

A little bit too much musical chairs, I think. Not the coaches' fault.