We finally have been able to stop the run so far after years of ineptitude against the run.
So instead of not being able to stop the run we substitute not being able to stop
a Tight End ( Not that we did a good job of that before. We will need to put up 30
to stay in games.Plus if we are in a less than one score game late in the fourth we
are in trouble.
Personally I would trade a 3rd or 4th and a player for Trent Williams. Then
I would trade up in the first round for Simmons if he happens to fall to
#7 or lower. Probably not going to happen but Simmons could be a
gamechanger.
Milt Morin TE
Cody Reisen OT
Ian Rapoport reporting it..
It does seem that way......but the fact is, the Browns have 9 games to play.....and very well could be favored to win all of them (mjp has failed to show the spreads on these upcoming games...despite being asked to do so numerous times).
If he sorely fucks up these games...with the talent now on this team, then we will know that what you say is true.
Denver favored -1- over Browns early line.
cleveland.com
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. gestures during practice. (Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)
By Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland.com
BEREA, Ohio -- It’s only fitting that Odell Beckham Jr.'s custom orange Rolls Royce, ‘Big Bertha,’ was delivered to him at the Browns facility Thursday.
Because when describing the hip injury that continues to plague him, he used a car analogy.
"It’s like an extremely fast car with the alignment off,'' he said. "The car can still go, but it’s dangerous.''
Beckham, who missed most of training camp and all four preseason games largely because of the hip, noted that it’s still bothering him, but that he’s hoping the adrenalin takes over on Sunday.
"It’s something that prevents me from opening up and sprinting,'' he said in his podium press conference.
He said he’s never dealt with something like this before and that he’s getting rehab on the hip every day. But asked if 90% of him is better than 100% of someone else, he smiled and said "I’m confident in me.''
He said he plans to ‘give it my best in each and every way’ during the game Sunday and FirstEnergy Stadium “and nothing will get in the way of that.”
During joint practices with the Colts in Indiana in mid-August -- in which Beckham was idle with the hip -- he said he’d be ready for the Titans Sept. 8.
That’s still the case, but he might not be operating on all cylinders.
Sitting out team drills from about Aug. 7 to the end of training camp, Beckham doesn’t recall a specific moment when he hurt the hip.
"I don’t know how it happened,'' he said. "I came in one day after practice and it was feeling weird.''
Despite the setback, Beckham’s best friend Jarvis Landry -- who’s dealing with a minor injury of his own -- still sees a three-time Pro Bowler on every rep.
"He’s still probably the fastest in the room right now,'' Landry said. "He’s a competitor and he’ll be ready for Sunday.''
Beckham has practiced full-go all week and has not been listed on the injury report. Over the first five years of his career, he’s missed 21 regular season games, including the final four of last season with a torn quad muscle and 12 in 2017 with a broken ankle that required surgery.
Like what you’re reading? You want more? Subscribe to Football Insider for exclusive Browns content, including daily texts from Mary Kay Cabot.
PR nightmare. Maybe a draft pick from someone who
needs a RB after preseason or after injuries?
Ward returned to practice today so it looks like he will play Sunday.
Zombo said:
Gaines has probably played his last game as a Brown (one year deal) so let's see what the younger backups have.
Glad Denzel Ward's name was not in the headline.
I guess the Denzels (Ward and Rice) start at the corners with Carrie in the slot ... Then there is that Taverries Thomas dude and Boddy Calhoun/ Damarious Randall can always chip in if we get healthy at safety.
Z
Rice cut.
Art and LBJ is not even in the running.
1.Jameis Winston at times,
2. Drew Brees Matthew Stafford
The sad thing here is that if Josh Gordon walked into
the locker room today and started in a game tomorrow
he would be our best receiver on the team.
Jarvis Landry is going INTO his 4th season(not vested?)...If waived? We get 1st crack at him anyhow..I'd trade for a Vested WR (4 years in), cuz they may not volunteer for this adventure..
Landry is in his last contract year. He will want big money next year
Plus has has a nagging domestic violence thing around his neck.
Nice receiver tho.
Up until a few weeks ago MKC was pounding the table that the Browns
would not take Garrett at #1. Said the people she was talking to
didnt like him. In other words pencil him in at #!.
Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. The topics of this edition include:
» The scouting community's polarized position on QB prospect Patrick Mahomes.
» What the future holds for Richard Sherman and the Seahawks.
But first, a look at one quarterback room that has more potential than you think ...
* * * * *
Call me crazy, but I don't think the Cleveland Browns' quarterback situation is nearly as dire as many seem to think. Despite the constant chatter regarding the organization's need to find a franchise quarterback in the 2017 NFL Draft, I believe the Browns might be better served by standing pat at the position and relying on the current options on the roster.
That's right: I'm saying the Browns should pin their immediate hopes on Brock Osweiler and Cody Kessler to lead the team out of the doldrums in 2017 and beyond.
Now, I know I might be the only evaluator in the football world to take an optimistic view on Cleveland's quarterback situation, but I believe the team's young field generals are better options than what's available in the draft, free agency and trade markets. While the allure of trotting a new "face of the franchise" to the podium is tempting -- and the Browns have a whopping 11 draft picks, including two in the first round (Nos. 1 and 12) -- the better business decision would involve developing the quarterbacks currently on the roster to see if they spawn an effective NFL starter in the short term.
I know it's hard to grasp that concept when Jimmy Garoppolo has been hailed as a potential savior at the position, but the Browns' current signal callers should provide the Dawg Pound with just as much hope and optimism for the future. No disrespect to the New England Patriots' QB2, but what has he really accomplished in the league to make us believe that he is a franchise quarterback capable of engineering a major turnaround in Cleveland?
Sure, Garoppolo flashed some potential during a pair of successful starts for the Super Bowl champions at the beginning the 2016 season, but aren't the Patriots viewed as the best-coached in football? How much stock should we place in his efficient efforts when we watched an unheralded rookie (Jacoby Brissett) lead the same squad to a 27-0 victory the following week?
Thus, the Browns run the risk of overvaluing a backup quarterback who really hasn't shown the football world that he is a franchise quarterback -- or even a legitimate NFL starter at the position. Considering the draft currency and financial commitment it could take to pry Garoppolo away from New England, the risk-reward ratio doesn't make sense for an organization that remains several pieces away from playoff contention.
The draft is just as risky, without a sure-fire option at the top of the board. While DeShaun Watson, Mitchell Trubisky, DeShone Kizer, Patrick Mahomes and Davis Webb are intriguing talents, there isn't a consensus superstar in the bunch -- and questions persist on whether any of them are capable of thriving in Year 1. With question marks surrounding the entire class, the Browns are better off developing one of their own instead of taking on another young quarterback at this point.
Once again, I know that's an unpopular opinion in the microwaveable quarterback age, but it takes time for young signal callers to grow into the position -- and the Browns would return to Step 1 with a rookie at the helm. I'm beginning to think Cleveland realizes this, which is why we are starting to hear a different tone from the team when it comes to Osweiler.
"He's a guy that's gonna come in and compete," Hue Jackson told NFL Network's Steve Wyche at the Annual League Meeting.
That's how the Browns should treat a 26-year-old quarterback who was viewed as a hot commodity just one offseason ago. Osweiler had plenty of suitors on the open market last year before signing with the Houston Texans on a four-year, $72 million deal that featured $37 million in guarantees. While Osweiler has been called a bust for his disappointing performance in Houston as a starter this past season, it is important to remember he is still a young quarterback with the potential to function as a quality starter in the league. He played a key role in the Denver Broncos' most recent championship campaign by posting a 5-2 mark while filling in for Peyton Manning.
Naturally, skeptics will point to that all-time defense as the driving force of those Broncos, but Osweiler deserves credit for his efficient effort as a starter on team that allowed him to simply manage the game from under center. I know fans see the "game manager" label as a huge taint, but the capacity to understand and execute in critical moments is key to winning games. Osweiler's ability to hold down the fort for the Broncos in Manning's absence suggests he can win games in this league when set up for success.
Looking back at Osweiler's struggles in Houston, he definitely deserves criticism for his inconsistent play as a big-money quarterback. But I'm not convinced Bill O'Brien completely put him in a position to maximize his potential within that system. The 6-foot-8, 235-pound slinger is ideally suited to play in a quick-rhythm scheme that features an assortment of short and intermediate routes inside the numbers. In addition, he is an efficient passer off play action, particularly on movement-based drops that included half or full rollouts.
Remember, Osweiler entered the league after only one full season as a starter at Arizona State (15 career starts in college) and logged just seven starts during his time in Denver. Thus, he was essentially a rookie in Houston despite the fanfare and hype surrounding his arrival as a big-ticket free agent. Considering how experience is life's greatest teacher, Osweiler should be an improved player in 2017 after learning several hard lessons during his 16-start gig (including the playoffs) with the Texans.
If the Browns are serious about seeing what they have in Osweiler, they should consider incorporating bits and pieces of the offense that he ran successfully at Arizona State. Sure, it's been six years since he played in Noel Mazzone's version of the spread, but the concepts are eerily similar to some of the basic routes in the West Coast offense, which would make it easy to blend into Cleveland's game plan. Jackson has done this before with young quarterbacks (see: Andy Dalton in Cincinnati), so it is definitely possible to put Osweiler in a position to succeed with subtle tweaks to the playbook.
As far as Kessler, the Browns might've uncovered a potential starter in the 2016 third-round pick from USC. That opinion probably goes against the narrative floated out in most football circles, but the rookie starter played better than expected when he got his chance in 2016. In nine games (eight starts), Kessler posted a 65.6 completion rate and a 6:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio for a 92.9 passer rating. While some will snicker at those numbers and suggest they are simply garbage-time stats compiled by a quarterback forced to chase points for a losing team, Kessler played well enough in three competitive games (vs. Miami, Washington and Tennessee) to warrant serious consideration as the Browns' starting quarterback going forward.
With an upgraded offensive line (Cleveland added Kevin Zeitler and JC Tretter to a front that already features Joe Thomas and Joel Bitonio on the left side) and what should be an improved supporting cast of perimeter players following the draft, Kessler could do just fine in Year 2.
Granted, I'm not ready to appoint Kessler as the next big thing at the position, but I do believe he is capable of winning games as a quick-rhythm passer with solid management skills and a "small ball" game that has been effective elsewhere in the league (see: Kirk Cousins and Alex Smith, among others). While Kessler needs to show Browns officials that he is durable enough to be a long-term starter (he missed time in 2016 due to concussions and a rib injury) and that he possesses the arm strength to attack down the field, the 23-year-old has shown an evolving grasp of situational football, which is key to winning games in this league.
In the end, I'm not saying Osweiler or Kessler will set the league on fire, but I certainly would see what they have to offer before committing to another unproven young quarterback as the savior of the franchise. With most of the available options on the market and in the draft also viewed as "trailers" (the rest of the team must carry the quarterback to the winner's circle), the Browns would be wise to build up the rest of the roster and see if either player can lead the team out of the AFC North cellar in 2017, instead of making a hasty quarterback decision to simply earn a press conference "W".
Dude I can live with your love for terrorists, street thugs and brutal communist dictators but sucking Steeler dick is beyond the pale.
If the Patriots were allowed a 106 man roster and were allowed to field two teams I'd rather they both went to the Superbowl than ever see the Steelers there again.
WSS
Well said. Anyone on this board should be a Steeler hater first and foremost.
IMO this was Meyer's greatest coaching year of his career. He graduating
practically a starting NFL team and still won 11 games. They were a year ahead of
schedule this year.
Having said that I agree with most of everything people have said about J T Barrett.
He is a good runner but as a passer he is awful. He holds the ball too long, has a
slooooow release, and is not accurate. A bad combination. I know he will be the
starter next year. He will win enough games but not the big one.
Jim Brown was the GOAT. Averaged 5.2 yards per rush when teams
did not throw the ball all that much. For another I agree with Bill Belichick
on this~~~ LT. Simply the best LB I have ever seen.
