I'd say things are looking up.

since 2015 just two of our 5th Round picks are active and on an NFL roster (Higgins and this years pick). 8 total picks. 

@unsympathetic said:

Exactly! We agree on this -- so the question then is to identify needs.

Williamson is a one-year rental.. however, our needs are more long-term than what a one-year rental can address.  Steelers missed the playoffs last season but traded for a DB who's.. still playing under the same contract he had last season.  A multi-season hole filled!  And we have... many holes.  

Chargers gave up King for a sixth // 49ers gave up Alexander for a 6th and a throw-in.. those two are more substantive than Williamson, a 43.2 guy who's no better than Wilson. Griffen went to the Lions for a conditional 6th.

The issue is that the 6th round pick is under contract for 4 years, not one.

And the problem is that if you swing and miss -- now you're even further behind than if you'd done nothing, because you don't have a chance to keep quality players for those 4 years under a cheap(er) contract.. you gave up on the 4 year fix for a 1/2 year fix.

Or... you leave Sendajo and your dumpster fire of a LB corp on the field in a season you already have 5 wins in, drop games you aren't suppose to because your defense is that of a HS JV team, shit the bed, miss the playoffs, swing and miss in the draft, end up with shit sandwiches on contract for 4 years that could be replaced by guys on the street for the same money AND be the Browns you have been for the last 20 years. Get fired. Repeat. 

@the-gipper said:

This is not the time to punt on what our needs are 

Exactly! We agree on this -- so the question then is to identify needs.

Williamson is a one-year rental.. however, our needs are more long-term than what a one-year rental can address.  Steelers missed the playoffs last season but traded for a DB who's.. still playing under the same contract he had last season.  A multi-season hole filled!  And we have... many holes.  

Chargers gave up King for a sixth // 49ers gave up Alexander for a 6th and a throw-in.. those two are more substantive than Williamson, a 43.2 guy who's no better than Wilson. Griffen went to the Lions for a conditional 6th.

The issue is that the 6th round pick is under contract for 4 years, not one.

And the problem is that if you swing and miss -- now you're even further behind than if you'd done nothing, because you don't have a chance to keep quality players for those 4 years under a cheap(er) contract.. you gave up on the 4 year fix for a 1/2 year fix.

@tour2ma said:

Completely different situations...

PTG is looking to replace a piece for a playoff run as contending teams do. They have done the work of building a strong nucleus thru the draft and FA. Now they want to be sure thy are not one piece away from a Lombardi.

Whereas we are several pieces and likely two drafts/offseasons away from that nucleus. Just the wrong time for us to add an expensive, 28-yo LB.

Bullfuckingshit.  We are in a playoff hunt...even if we may not contend for the title, making the playoffs is a major, major step for this team.  This is not the time to punt on what our needs are until next year....not completely.  Get  a couple of  motherfucker's now that can help this team now.   I listed several guys on the street that could help who would cost nothing but some of Jimmy's money.    8 games are left to get them into the playoffs and give them that experience of success. Yes, we need major work....and we can't get it all at the trade deadline, but if we could get a couple of helpful pieces, it could be the difference between playoffs and no playoffs. 

@gorka said:

The fuckin Steelers made what appears to be a good move. Why the fuck couldn't we get this guy?

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-to-trade-for-jets-linebacker-avery-williamson-securing-devin-bush-replacement-for-second-half/

Completely different situations...

PTG is looking to replace a piece for a playoff run as contending teams do. They have done the work of building a strong nucleus thru the draft and FA. Now they want to be sure they are not one piece away from a Lombardi.

Whereas we are several pieces and likely two drafts/offseasons away from that nucleus. Just the wrong time for us to add an expensive, 28-yo LB.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-to-trade-for-jets-linebacker-avery-williamson-securing-devin-bush-replacement-for-second-half/

https://dawgpounddaily.com/2020/10/31/elijah-lee-help-cleveland-browns/

@the-cysko-kid said:

I wouldn't mind getting poopers back from the gnats. 

i would dig that 

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2020/10/browns-claim-linebacker-elijah-lee-off-waivers.html

@tour2ma said:

Apparently some think that NE can be added to the list of teams holding fire sales

I doubt we do anything for those guys.

https://dawgpounddaily.com/2020/10/30/cleveland-browns-3-trade-targets-patriots/

Targets listed are:

• EDGE John Simon

• WR Jakobi Meyers

• One of their CBs: Gilmore - Jackson - Jones - Williams

On the D-side I am generally skeptical of Pats players. They have such well-defined roles suited to their skill set within Bill's D-machine. Bring them to another team where they are asked to do something different and you don't end up with the player you thought you were getting.

That said the one player that would be the exception here would be Gilmore.

O-side? Don't know Meyers... don't care... WR is not a priority IMO and certainly not just another guy...

@tour2ma said:

ATL: Gage (WR); Gurley/Hill/Smith (RB); Grady Jarrett (DT)

I would really like Grady Jarrett and I know these 3 guys don't fit your over 30 but maybe contract wise they would want to get rid of deion Jones or Dante fowler Jr. My ideal pickup from this roster though if he were available would be the safety Keanu Neal. He is on last year of his deal and maybe they don't know if they can resign him so would trade him for a decent price. One can dream. 

Again I know those 3 don't typically fit fire sale players but it sure would be nice lol.

@tour2ma said:

Not sure where you get your stats, but since they are incomplete anyway, I don't need to know...

I got them from Pro Football Reference. 10 solo tackles, 4 assisted tackles, 1 forced fumble, 0 sacks. 

@hoorta said:

Sheard? Same guy we had way back? They must have changed the PS rules this year- he shouldn't have been eligible- years ago under the old rules....

Yes, they changed PS squad rules (and IR) for this COVID season.  Josh McCown is on a PS.

If that link is TLDR : Ngakoue's run D grade this season is 38.2.  That's no bueno.  If you get pissed watching Vernon, you simply aren't watching Vernon against the run.  Can't simply assume "pass rush" is the only quality of a player.

And as if all that wasn't enough.. Vernon had the ab injury earlier this season which caused him to have a groin last game.  This affects his explosiveness.

We already have on the roster the best replacement for Vernon we'd find in a trade/FA.. Porter Gustin.. and I think we can all agree he's not as good.

@icecube said:

Team already made Duke hate them. He wanted out of Cleveland in the worst way. Gore is nearing 50 years-old. Lee is a perpetual injury waiting to happen. What about Poe to add to DL beef?

Duke wasn't happy, but that was with a different staff and F.O.

Gore still can run and run hard... guy is amazing.

Agree on Lee... really good LB, but just not available enough.

Poe? He generates zero in the pass rush, so why add a situational run-stuffer to a DL that's already pretty good against the run? Worley on the other hand who da 'Boyz are also apparently letting go might be of interest. Young CB, but has Safety size...

@hoorta said:

Dunlap was immensely unhappy (mostly because he lost his starting job and was demoted) in Cinci, and wanted out. Yelling at a coach and putting his house up for sale (before the trade) it was on Twitter I believe.  It's called unloading an unhappy player and locker room distraction. The Bengals certainly needed o-line help to keep Burrow intact. A win\win for both teams.  

Sheard? Same guy we had way back? They must have changed the PS rules this year- he shouldn't have been eligible- years ago under the old rules.... 

Ya, guess the Jags tried to do something tricky and had him on PS, some kind of COVID thing. Jags forum was pretty pissed at GM