@mudfly said:

Here's my list......

What top tier QB would have an interest in coming here? The way they treat and handle QB'a, the best they'll do is guys like Delhomme, Hoyer and McCown, just to name a few. Journeymen, who never really led teams, been career backups, and come here as a short term opportunity. I actually like Lewis more so to make this team as the 2nd or 3rd QB if he gets an opportunity. When you put guys like that, with no upside, and you elevate them, making them out to be more than what they actually are, you inhibit Manziel, and limit his opportunities.

@diehardbrownsfan said:

Manziel will be cut by years end, McGown will have spectacular year. Browns go 15-1 and win it all. Bank it.

Who is McGown?

@emdiggy said:

http://footballgameplan.com/fbgps-2015-nfl-season-preview-cleveland-browns/

Good evening Browns fans! Here's my season preview for you guys. Good luck this year!

Em

Reason for Optimism

REALISTICALLY speaking... there is none. The Browns STRUGGLED to win 7 games last season, LOSING 6 of 7, and their last 5 in a row to close the season. The ONLY win in that stretch was a win in ATL, where a couple poor coaching decisions by Smith (winningest coach in franchise history) cost them the game and quite possibly his job. Based in the Browns schedule in 2014, they should have won no less than 10 games. TEN, JAX, OAK, and TAM COMBINED to go 10-54 (Browns lost to JAX ONLY scoring 6 PTS) Nobody in the NFC South (ATL, CAR, NO, and TAM) even had a winning record. HOU (30 INC passes) and BUF (Hoyer FINALLY benched for poor play, but still CLAIMED it was his team) and then there was the MISSED opportunity vs IND (where the DEF dominated) where Hoyer only managed to pass for 136 YDS, and was 4-15 on 3rd downs. The DEF forced 4 TO's, 3 SACKS, and outscored the OFF for the 2nd time during the season (NO).

I don't think the DEF got better, I think they added DEPTH, DUPLICATE parts. The PASS game was awful last year, Hoyer couldn't throw to win games. I think the OL and RUN game is a strength, but once again, it comes down to LEADERSHIP and QB PLAY, and McCown is the same waste of time as Hoyer was, IMO.

Cause for Concern

No question its QB play, I still DON'T quite understand the McCown (1-10 last year) signing, and naming him as the starter early on. I remember they ran Campbell out of town, because he was 1-7, DEF cost him at least 3 wins, because he EARNED an escalator in his contract. He managed to PASS Gordon and Cameron to the Pro Bowl, with NO RUN GAME, had 4 RUSH TDS the entire season. The failure to make drafting a TOP TIER WR, when they had the OPPORTUNITY to do so, and NEED, for the 2nd Draft in a row, will quite possibly lead to the end of the Farmer era. They have ALWAYS had a need for a WR opposite Gordon, and a guy who could take the lead, in situations of injury or in Gordon's case, suspension. There were 8-10 rookie WR's last year, that were MORE PRODUCTIVE than the Browns best, does that REPEAT this year? Another cause for concern, is UNREALISTIC expectations, and how they IMPACT the team moving forward.

The Road to the Super Bowl for the Browns

Quite simply, purchase tickets... this team has NO CHANCE to reach the Super Bowl, I think they should focus on at least trying to win more than 2 division games, and finishing 4th in the division. Nevertheless, I'll humor you...

1. QB Play is Efficient - I'm sorry, but NOTHING about McCown moves me. not that he's a bad guy, I just don't think he's very good, I put he and Hoyer in the same category, McCown has just had more field time. So much was made about Hoyer being 10-6 as a starter, yet he ONLY defeated 2 teams with winning records (CIN, PIT) The Browns just aren't good enough to win with efficient QB play, they need a QB that can go out and WIN games. What;s GAINED by playing McCown? He was benched by the time TAM came to CLE last year. I say hand the ball to Manziel, and let him find his way.

2. Kicking Game Steps Up - I'm not sure if they even have settled on a kicker going into camp. They've yet to find anyone close to what they had in Dawson. Last year it was Cundiff and Hartley (who didn't miss) I think it will be one of the more interesting competitions in camp, Spear has a strong leg, and is my choice if they trust going into a season with someone unproven.

3. Run Defense Improves - I think the biggest problem with the Browns run DEF, is the Browns OFF. The inability to convert 3rd downs, move the chains, extend possessions, eventually, FATIGUE sets in. The loss to IND would be a prime example in support of that claim.

@calfoxwc said:

To find out if the light goes on and he thrives and does great.

He's turned his life around, and the question about how good

he can really be hasn't been answered.

So, you give him a chance to answer that question now, and

the chippies fall where they may.

The Browns DRAFTED Manziel to start, same as they did Weeden, to think anything less, is asinine, At some point, you HAVE to see what the kid can actually do.You have to COMMIT to his DEVELOPMENT, and PROGRESS, allow him to face adversity, and find his way through it. They NEVER gave him a true opportunity to COMPETE. All they did was talk Hoyer up, and express how far Manziel was behind, and had SO MUCH to learn, you would think Hoyer WAS Brady, as opposed to the guy that BACKED him up, before being upgraded.

I think for Manziel to have success, he needs to be put in position to do so, and that starts with an offense that fits his STRENGTHS and SKILL-SET, surround him with WEAPONS, and TALENT, and be PATIENT. Bortles, Carr and Bridgewater, are all in positions to make strides and be better, Manziel is STILL WAITING. If you WEREN'T going to give the going to give the guy an opportunity, then why WASTE a draft pick on him?

@calfoxwc said:

A. Your shift key. Fix it.

B. The Browns will regret...passing on HUNDLEY????

ROF,L.... I mean....

I don't think so. I like Next year's qb draft class. We'll see.

It wastes time to have a premier qb without the talent around him.

The ratbirds had their team intact, great defense, and got their qb.

The squealers got their team intact, great defense, and got their qb.

etc etc. The Browns will now have a GREAT defense, and next draft they

can get their qb, assuming the guy they want is in the draft.

BS.. They aren't GUARANTEED anything in NEXT YEARS Draft, this draft class hasn't even seen the field yet, and YOU'RE already focused on what QB is available in NEXT years Draft. Did you pick the Browns to make the playoffs this year? If you did, I doubt if they get a marquee QB. I say they'll finish 4th in the division, have a top 5 pick, that they will trade down from to get an EXTRA pick in 2017.

WASTES talent to have a premier QB? I'm going to assume that was a mistype on your part. PREMIER QB's have the ABILITY to ELEVATE those around them. That WASN'T Hoyer, and ISNT McCown, some guys are ONLY as good as the talent you surround them with. The Browns have been REBUILDING since 1999. I believe they AVG less than 5 wins a season since returning?

Hundley was in the perfect position to DRAFT and DEVELOP. Shaw is NOT an NFL QB, and will NEVER lead this team, so lets not waste time there. They will never attract a top tier FA QB to come here, so when McCown doesn't work out, they'll be looking for the next RETREAD. Taking YOUR logic a step further, what QB could they Draft next year, that can come in and play? That they will HAND the ball to, and be patient through his development, they damn sure hadn't done it with Manziel, and he was a 1st round pick.

You look at the OTHER QB's in Manziels Draft class, Bortles, Carr, and Bridgewater, how their respective teams handled them, and how Manziel was handled here. Then they surrounded them with WEAPONS, not DEPTH.

The Browns are not a GREAT defense, they have the ability to be very good.

@unsympathetic said:

Pryor's passing is complimented when it's referred to an "arm punt" - he's in no way the best QB on the roster. Even at Ohio State, Pryor was just an athlete playing QB. At WR, he'll finally be where he should have been all along -- and I think he'll do good work as a WR in 2 seasons, not this year.

You mentioned a UDFA DL who might not make the roster.. but left out Billy Winn, the best DL on the Browns roster last year?

I don't think Pryor will make the roster, unless he just lights it up and i don't think he'll have opportunities to do so. The Browns aren't in the position to try and develop him, and win. Personally, I think they should give him a long look. i think they should be DEVELOPING talent, not having guys around with no upside, just to have a veteran presence at a position. If a guy can;t help you win, isn't he a waste of time? They should have handed the ball to Manziel, as soon as they moved on from Hoyer (said he wouldn't be back) So what was GAINED by starting him a whole season? If losing Mack was the reason they lost the games they did (most people actually believe that), then why isn't he back as the starter? How about because he just WASN'T very good. Manziel gained NOTHING playing behind him. Now you bring in a QB that was 1-10, so whats GAINED by playing him?

@mudfly said:

Ha!...love the kid...and think he has an honest shot at being #2

3 weeks till preseason game 1.....last year he was the best preseason qb we had.....can he do it again?.....

Stop...

@flugel said:

Me too! Steve Spurrier has been known to hang his QBs out to dry with some unsound pass protections up front while challenging them to get rid of the ball quickly. When he hasn't had the right QB or the right surrounding cast - this hasn't always gone well. Shaw's numbers in his final year in Spurrier's offense are exactly what you want going with good defense and a nice running game. He had a TD to INT ratio of 24:1. SoCar went 10-2 in the SEC. Then we add what he accomplished at Indy/pre-draft workouts. Then we factor in he's a film rat. I can't help but flash back to the Brian Sipe nobody saw coming when our former 3rd overall pick Mike Phipps wasn't the answer.

Here's CONNOR SHAW'S STATS

Passing Statistics & Rushing statistics

Year Att Comp Pct Yds TD Int Rating Att Yds Avg TD

2013 284 180 63.4 2,447 24 1 162.9 154 558 3.6 6

2012 228 154 67.5 1,956 17 7 158.1 131 435 3.3 3

2011 188 123 65.4 1,448 14 6 148.3 135 525 3.9 8

2010 33 23 69.7 223 1 2 124.3 32 165 5.2 0

Career 733 480 65.5 6,074 56 16 155.9 452 1,683 3.7 17

I don't agree with the national media or those saying we have the worst QB situation. A lot of the same people had Russell Wilson on "don't even think about it before round 3 or 4" status while RG3 was all kinds of "gotta-have." Before that, they didn't have the first clue about Tom Brady. Before that, Sipe's arm wasn't as strong as Bea Arthur's; but he's inexplicably the only MVP passer in Cleveland I've had the pleasure of witnessing.

Right now, we have 3 different QBs I feel can succeed if used correctly in cohesion with a good running game. I'm looking forward to watching fate do its thing. What national media squids predicted we'd get off to a 6-3 and 7-4 start in 2014? What makes the same goofballs trustworthy this time around? Nothing. Stay tuned...

Conner Shaw is NOT an NFL QB... He won at So Carolina, but Spurrier's teams were built to run the ball and an attacking defense. Nobody cares what he did in the 2nd pre-season game?The Browns had no clue how to handle their QB's or QB situation. Hoyer had been SO BAD, he STARTED the 4th pre-season game. He was so bad they brought in Grossman (who had the MOST experience in Shanasham's offense, looked most comfortable in it, and best suited to tutor Hoyer and Manziel, BOTH were LEARNING it for the first time. Shaw should not have even made the roster, should have been on the practice squad at best. In the Browns situation, a QB with EXPERIENCE made the most sense as the 3rd QB, not 2 guys all trying to learn, and compete at the same time. I think Lewis is a better QB than McCown, and I don't see how Shaw even makes the final 53. He was rewarded with a start in the last game (Hoyer tapped out, didn't want t face BAL) Shaw struggled, and survived. He completed 50% of his passes (14-28) had poor pocket awareness, was slow through his reads and progressions, just lacked the arm strength to get the ball where it needed to be. He FUMBLED, tossed in INTERCEPTION, and was SACKED 4 times, with a QBR of 15.1

The Browns had no interest in Wilson, I was a guy very high on Wilson, I think the Browns will regret passing on Hundley (UCLA) traded their pick to Green Bay, and they selected him. I'm anxious to see just how they handle this so called competition, or should I just say QB position.

@dawg2fan said:

You know its funny how everyone keeps talking about Josh Gordon. But think about it. We played very good football until he came back and it was pretty clear he wasnt interested in "truly" playing. We should be much better without him. We dont have to have the best receivers in football to be a good team. Like i have stated several times, a very good Oline, a running game, and time to throw should provide leaps and bounds over previous years. I truly think this division will be up for grabs. Any team can win.

Let's be SERIOUS, Josh Gordon is BY FAR the Browns BEST offensive player and weapon. He's the ONE guy that puts FEAR in opposing defenses, commands, and BEATS double teams. It.s not explained any better than looking at Cameron WITH Gordon, and WITHOUT. Gordon is the ONE guy, who opens things up for EVERYONE else. The BIGGEST problem was POOR QB PLAY. Hoyer was awful. struggled every game, the Browns struggled to win 7 games vs a weak schedule, when they SHOULD HAVE won no less than 10 games. The Browns have a roster full of slot WR's, all duplicate parts. They FAILED to take advantage of that last 2 Drafts, that were DEEP at WR, passing (no pun intended) on selecting a WR last year, and then taking Mayle (4/123) a guy who's NOT fast, with QUESTIONABLE hands (didn't he lead nation in drops) BEST case, a back end of the roster WR, IF HE MAKES the team.

Bowe 0 TDS in 2014, 60 REC or LESS the LAST 3 YRS with 8 TDS, and Hartline, 12 TDS in 7 YRS, is FAR FROM AN UPGRADE. Then add McCown to that mix at QB, have no idea why they just don't hand the ball to Manziel, and see what they TRULY have. They gain as much playing McCown, as they did playing Hoyer last year, NOTHING... a WASTED season. I would not be surprised by season's end, if Hawkins and Gabriel are not the teams most productive WR's. I agree with you, you DON'T have to have great WR's to win, SEA doesn't have great WR's but THEY have a QB that ELEVATES those around him, the Browns DON'T have that in McCown. What exactly has he done or accomplished again? He's NEVER led a TEAM anywhere, now he's going to FINALLY do that here? Explain...