@hoorta said:

For the non wine folks,  a "vertical" collection of a wine is having bottles of the same wine from different years. I have bottles of Clio from the first year it was produced- 2002, every year.. up to... LOL, I'll let you guess.  

Needless to say I like it a lot. 

I do that with my California Cabernet favorite Honig. I'm now drinking them from the bottom up as each one reaches it's peak. Time to open the 2013. soon. The 2012 was excellent just as expected. The 2018 is currently in stores. Naturally another highly rated year for it. Almost never misses. I first bought it on a visit to the winery around 15 years ago or so. Just as good as my other favorite Napa Cab Grgich Hills, but about $20 less per bottle. And for about another $30+ more than Honig is Vine Cliff. Very interesting place to visit. All the barreled wine is stored inside the main cliff. They use a gravity system throughout the wine making process with the grapes being dumped and crushed at the highest level and barreled at the lowest with storage vats in between. Then they wheel the barrels across the way into the opposing cliff for aging. Eventually they then bottle after so many months in the oak barrels.

If you are ever in Napa, this is one great place to visit and relax.  https://www.vinecliff.com/vine-cliff-winemaking

@unsympathetic said:

Watson wasn't FA, he was under contract w Texans.  This wasn't a "normal" negotiation.  2 entities were involved -- first the HOU org, then DW himself.

No team was allowed to talk with Watson until the picks offered were agreed to by HOU.  Every team was required to offer 3 firsts and some later stuff, basically the same as what picks Browns did.

HOU was at that point good with any of the 4 being DW's choice.

Thus the difference between teams was only the contract terms w DW.

Right, but many teams would have wanted to trade for him.  Some couldn't pay the price and some were told not to bother because Watson wasn't interested.

@texasag1969 said:

The Spanish matador strikes again with more bull.??

BTW - Clio Jumilla is one heck of a good Spanish red wine.......................and that's no bull.?

For the non wine folks,  a "vertical" collection of a wine is having bottles of the same wine from different years. I have bottles of Clio from the first year it was produced- 2002, every year.. up to... LOL, I'll let you guess.  

Needless to say I like it a lot. 

@canton-dawg said:

Oh yeah I'm glad that worked out so well for David.   He's going to be a Cleveland BROWN  for a long time.     

@dutch-oven said:

I guarantee the other teams involved offered a king's ransom too

Watson wasn't FA, he was under contract w Texans.  This wasn't a "normal" negotiation.  2 entities were involved -- first the HOU org, then DW himself.

No team was allowed to talk with Watson until the picks offered were agreed to by HOU.  Every team was required to offer 3 firsts and some later stuff, basically the same as what picks Browns did.

HOU was at that point good with any of the 4 being DW's choice.

Thus the difference between teams was only the contract terms w DW.

@dutch-oven said:

When Hooper became a free agent I suggested going after him, but he was pretty 'eh' for the big contract he received for the Browns. (And that's the problem with bringing in someone through free agency, you usually have to overpay the guys who can demand a multi-year contract. One year deals for role players tend to be the smarter way to use free agency). 

It just seems like Njoku's production, which has been somewhat pedestrian for a former first rounder, could have been replaced by a tight end drafted in the 3rd or 4th round that would cost the Browns a lot less money. We'll see how the Browns are cap-wise in a year or two, but for this season they seem to be fine. It just seems surprising that EVERYONE seems to be getting extensions. (Especially considering the Browns now have a top-level QB in regards to how much cap space his contract eats up)

I certainly agree about the former, the latter, eh, whatever.

But yes I am always leery about bringing in free agents. Seems like there are more Dwayne Bowe and Kenny Britt players are out there than there are Lyle Alzado or Jarvis. Clowney worked out so that was good. As long as he's healthy this year.

WSS

@westside-steve said:

Well if he's as good or better than what the free agent would cost might as well keep him if he wants to be here. And as always that remains to be seen. I liked Hooper a lot but it seems like his production , like everybody else has, had some ups and downs.

WSS

When Hooper became a free agent I suggested going after him, but he was pretty 'eh' for the big contract he received for the Browns. (And that's the problem with bringing in someone through free agency, you usually have to overpay the guys who can demand a multi-year contract. One year deals for role players tend to be the smarter way to use free agency). 

It just seems like Njoku's production, which has been somewhat pedestrian for a former first rounder, could have been replaced by a tight end drafted in the 3rd or 4th round that would cost the Browns a lot less money. We'll see how the Browns are cap-wise in a year or two, but for this season they seem to be fine. It just seems surprising that EVERYONE seems to be getting extensions. (Especially considering the Browns now have a top-level QB in regards to how much cap space his contract eats up)

@dutch-oven said:

I won't even pretend to know how the salary cap works, but I have zero idea how the Browns can afford all these contract extensions. 

Njoku seems exactly like the type of player that a smart organization allows to leave for free agency and replaces with a cheaper, younger alternative. 

Well if he's as good or better than what the free agent would cost might as well keep him if he wants to be here. And as always that remains to be seen. I liked Hooper a lot but it seems like his production , like everybody else has, had some ups and downs.

WSS

@nickers said:

So not worth it... 6-8Mill is about what hes worth... He's not even a 5 tool player... This is bullshit...

I tend to agree.  Joke is one of the most overrated Browns in recent memory.  Harrison Bryant is a better TE.  I hope he doesn't get lost in the mix while we force feed Joke to justify the signing.

WSS

I’ve said it since his second year In league.  The next team (assuming his second contract wasn’t with us) will reap the benefits of his skill set. 
 

To his defense he was in the doghouse with one coaching staff and somewhat as a result of that we didn’t fully appreciate his talent Or at least see it and we went out and purchased another TE that took away significant opportunities. Not going to let him fully absolve himself from all of this his suspect hands through a good part of his career and mental lapses (untimely hold calls and missed assignments) played a large part too.   All of this seems to be in the past. 

@dutch-oven said:

I have zero idea how the Browns can afford all these contract extensions.

Drunken Sailors...is what I was thinking when I saw this.  But the thing with us is we're not sure if we have enough receiving weapons.  Njoku can be considered a weapon.  Aside from Cooper we have DPJ, Schwartz, some rookies, and whatever Felton is.  Then look at our gaggle of TE's.  It's a bunch of names...and the always injured Harrison Bryant.

@gumby73 said:

I'm guessing, that it's the price we agree'd on after being told "NO deal".. "3 1st round picks or no deal" ATL/Saints passed, than met with Watson.. The deal still falls in line with the NFL QB paid market..

Watson was also, the only young enough QB to pay that kind of guarantee'd money to (once free'd from jail time)..

Image for a second... what's these accuser's/lawyers & court cost officials going to cost Watson at the end of this? 

BTW...David Njoku.. Single.. ★ 25 yrs. old, with no children.... How long could this millionaire's status last?  He should be 26 in June. 

I think that David will be a very well off millionaire very soon.....and a pretty good catch any time now.  I just hope that he does it right and he'll be fine.

Watson was also, the only young enough QB to pay that kind of guarantee'd money to (once free'd from jail time)..

Image for a second... what's these accuser's/lawyers & court cost officials going to cost Watson at the end of this? 

BTW...David Njoku.. Single.. 25 yrs. old, with no children.... How long could this millionaire's status last? 

@gumby73 said:

This pencil neck geek FO knows numbers ?.. But they, better be right on this Watson trade  

I mean, when it comes to upgrading the most important position in all team sports, they definitely did that.

But I'm still baffled that a player in the middle of an ongoing public relations nightmare with a still unresolved NFL suspension possibly looming could commandeer a fully-guaranteed contract and the team holding onto the rights of such a potentially volatile player could pilfer three first rounders, a third and two fourths out of the Browns.

Everyone talks about how the Browns are dealing from a position of no power in regards to Baker, but how exactly were the Texans and Jackson in any shape to get what they did? (And before anyone says ONLY THE BROWNS WOULD BE SO STUPID BLAH BLAH BLAH I guarantee the other teams involved offered a king's ransom too). 

@dutch-oven said:

I won't even pretend to know how the salary cap works, but I have zero idea how the Browns can afford all these contract extensions. 

Run down this list of Re-signs & Signing..https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/yearly/cap/ (expect the same with Njoku's) 

Every new deal or re-done deal.. is what they say 'backloaded'.. Berry has done deals that will cost us very little in 2022.. they will catch up to us in a year or 2..

He only owes Baker money & Hooper will cap save us +8M come mid June.. 

Future teams overall cap number(209M) will go up with new TV revenue coming & Gambling revenues

This pencil neck geek FO knows numbers ?.. But they, better be right on this Watson trade  

First line franchise tag 2022.  Second line 2017 - 2021 entry level salary. 

Previous Contracts

Njoku seems exactly like the type of player that a smart organization allows to leave for free agency and replaces with a cheaper, younger alternative. 

@gumby73 said:

With that amount guaranteed.. I'm going to guess Berry has left himself a out in 2 years? Details of the deal, might come out over the weekend? Non the less.. Joke sits 750k ahead of TE Mark Andrews in 4th for now.. might be better paying now/ than waiting on a TE market increase hit of Kittle/Kelce & Andrews ?.. good use of the franchise tag up till now

I haven't seen anything beyond this for the 26-30 year old Njoku.  From Spotrac :

Current Contract

@mjp28 said:

That should keep ol' Njoku happy and around for a few years. 

Good for him. 

With that amount guaranteed.. I'm going to guess Berry has left himself a out in 2 years? Details of the deal, might come out over the weekend? Non the less.. Joke sits 750k ahead of TE Mark Andrews in 4th for now.. might be better paying now/ than waiting on a TE market increase hit of Kittle/Kelce & Andrews ?.. good use of the franchise tag up till now

Good for him. 

Agent:    Drew Rosenhaus (Rosenhaus Sports)

@gumby73 said:

Ian Rapoport

 

@RapSheet

The #Browns and franchise tagged TE David Njoku have reached an agreement in principle on a large new 4-year, $56.75M contract extension, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. He gets $28M guaranteed at signing on the deal that averages $14.1875M per year, the fifth highest paid TE.

  Congratulations Chief!! #Browns #85

So not worth it... 6-8Mill is about what hes worth... He's not even a 5 tool player... This is bullshit...

Ian Rapoport

 

@RapSheet

The #Browns and franchise tagged TE David Njoku have reached an agreement in principle on a large new 4-year, $56.75M contract extension, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. He gets $28M guaranteed at signing on the deal that averages $14.1875M per year, the fifth highest paid TE.

  Congratulations Chief!! #Browns #85