Latest News with the Browns

Newsworthy Browns Notes

The stories are not as enticing as they were during the NFL Draft, but the Browns are still grabbing headlines. First they added a new man to bring in talent for the franchise; meanwhile there has been some backlash by the media regarding both veterans and rookies alike.

Another Addition to the Front Office

A few days ago, the Browns announced that Ryan Grigson was added to the staff with the title of Senior Personnel Executive. I must admit that I have mixed emotions regarding this decision. On one hand, the franchise added a solid scout who has had a respectable track record in that department. However, Grigson is coming off of a stint as a general manager of the Indianapolis Colts that left much to be desired. The draft misses, trading for Trent Richardson, and inability to surround quarterback Andrew Luck with a reputable supporting cast come first to mind. I guess I will give the new hire a break, but do not to expect that he will do anything of significance while being with the orange and brown.

Brock Osweiler Banter

The veteran quarterback was peppered with questions following the recent OTAs practice sessions – a majority of these were of negative tone imitating that the signal caller will not be the “guy” for the Browns. Regardless of what last year’s film says – Osweiler will get his shot with the team to prove he can handle the duties on Sunday. Personally, I don’t know what was gained by a reporter being combative at this point of the year. Perhaps this will be a driving force for the newly acquired quarterback?

Early Injuries?

Of course fans and media alike are making gigantic deals of Myles Garrett and Jabril Peppers not practicing due to minor injuries in May. The pair of first round draft selections will be made or broken in the fall, not whether they are 100% full go four months prior to the regular season beginning. If Howard Wilson’s injury should have taught us anything, it’s that people can be sidelined at any point in the season. Therefore, I am ok with Hue Jackson taking precautions during spring practices.

Conclusion: Unfortunately, there was not a bunch of positive news for the Cleveland Browns these last few days (unless you think the Grigson hire was a home run). The doldrums of the NFL calendar march on, and we have just under two months until the team hits training camp in stride. In the meantime, we should expect less than ideal stories surrounding the team.

 

Offseason Moves Edition: Cleveland Browns

What is Going on in Browns’ Town

In the week in between the rookie minicamp practices and the veteran group practices, there were some noteworthy events that occurred for the Cleveland Browns.  The first was an unfortunate injury that happened to a recently signed draft selection, followed by a veteran signing shortly thereafter.  After that was a needed break by the franchise that has not been common for this franchise.

Howard Wilson Injury

It was difficult and unfortunate to see rookie Howard Wilson suffer an injury (especially a non-contact one) so early in the campaign.  Similarly to what happened to Kyrie Irving two seasons ago, Wilson fractured his knee cap – this occurred during the rookie minicamp practices.  The NBA star was out several months following his surgery (in 2015).  It is still not set in stone as to
how he will rehab this injury, though.  Personally, provided Wilson is healthy, I would like to see him participate and gain valuable
experience in 2017.  With the recent news that he will not necessarily need surgery, he could still see a fair amount of action on the Browns’ roster this campaign. .

Jason McCourty Signing

Did the re-signing of Jamie Collins open the floodgates for future veterans to latch on to the Cleveland Browns?  I would not got that far just yet (however some in the media are already declaring this), but acquiring a solid veteran in Jason McCourty was a wise move by Sashi Brown and company.  McCourty will provide another veteran for a thin (in terms of experience) position group – especially following the injury to Howard Wilson.  I do not anticipate the former Tennessee Titan to light the league on fire during his time with the Browns; but he should be competent enough to eliminate the possibility that teams can play catch up-and-down the field against the secondary of the orange and brown.

Update on Caleb Brantley

Caleb Brantley was back in the news earlier this week – it was not negative this time around.  The rookie sixth-round selection entered the draft with battery charges towards a woman during an altercation in a bar.  Those charges were recently dropped, allowing the rookie to perform on the field without the dark cloud hanging over his head.  Assuming he can outperform his lowered expectations (as he fell mightily in the draft) – the Browns will have gotten tremendous value from the former Florida Gator.  I hoping that he is truly 100% innocent and did not escape his charge due to technicality, but there is a great chance that I and many others will never know.

Conclusion:  Following the unlucky injury news, the Browns received a pair of two positive stories regarding their roster.  My optimism in the 2017 season is slowly rising, but there is a long time between now and week one of the regular season.  I am particularly intrigued to see how different training camp is from 2016 one – as result from the infusion of talent.

 

The Latest From Browns Town

What is New in Berea?

Outside of an embarrassing segment on a morning talk show radio (accusing Browns’ players of frequent drug use), the Browns have relatively been out of the news since the draft has ended. I am excited to hear that the rookies are ready to take the field, and a veteran will be able to participate this season without any contract issues. On the other hand, the 500-pound elephant in the room reared his ugly head. Let’s look further into the recent happenings.

Thumbs Down to Gordon 

In an unsurprising move, wide out Josh Gordon’s appeal back into the league was denied. It’s rough and probably unfair – but at this point, Gordon has not taken a regular season snap since 2014. It is time to cut the cord and move on from this disastrous supplementary draft pick made several years ago. I wish the Browns had drafted another wide receiver a few weeks back (as they could use another talented weapon in that group) – but now they have to hope that Rashard Higgins, Ricardo Louis, or Jordan Payton step up in their second season.

Crowell Signs Tender

Fortunately, running back Isaiah Crowell inked his restricted free agent tender (at a second round price) a few days ago. 2017 will likely be a “prove it” deal for the rusher – and if he parlays this into a sizable contract with the Browns, then I will not complain. Odds are that he will be the primary runner this season; I anticipate that he will continue to run well for the team.  I would hope he can accumulate over 1,000 yards on the ground in 2017.

Minicamp Begins for Rookies

Sure they are just wearing shirts and shorts with their helmets at this time of year – but at least Myles Garrett, Jabril Peppers, and David Njoku (to name a few) will be on a field together representing the Cleveland Browns. Obviously I will not be able to watch these practices directly, but I would hope to hear about positive reports coming out noting how these guys appear to be much faster, stronger, and bigger than their predecessors. If Deshone Kizer is light years ahead of schedule as to where Cody Kessler was a year ago – that would not be a bad thing either.

Conclusion: We all know that real football does not begin for several months – but that doesn’t mean that there is nothing going on for the orange and brown. The rookies are getting a taste as the work environment, in addition to some good and bad news relating to a pair of veterans.

 

Thoughts about the Draft

How I Feel about the Browns’ Draft

After several months of reports, smokescreens, and debate – the 2017 NFL Draft is in the books.  The Browns came away with ten selections and have improved their team overall (but all franchises can say that).  Let’s go a little more in depth regarding their selections.

Day 1 Picks:

Myles Garrett was a no brainer selection; I am glad the Browns made him their choice and look for him to play well immediately.  I am eager to see him coming off the edge opposite Emmanuel Ogbah and disrupting opposing quarterbacks.  Jabril Peppers was a bit of a stretch when taken at the twenty-fifth selection, but I will give him a chance.  After thinking about it, Gregg Williams should be able to find a role for Peppers (likely at strong safety).  I have no doubts he can support the run and can make plays with the football in his hands.  However, I still worry about his pass coverage.  David Njoku was a value pick and his athletic ability is unmatched.  He might take a year to develop but he might be a dominant tight end in this league.  At the end of the day, how much better are O.J. Howard and Malik Hooker than the two guys the Browns chose?  If the orange and brown secured a pair of athletes with little drop-off than the two aforementioned players – the trade down was worth it.

Day 2 Picks:

I will admit that I have never been a huge Deshone Kizer fan, but as is the same with Peppers – I will give the signal caller a chance.  The fact that the team waited and did not force the pick for a quarterback speaks volumes about the front office.  If he isn’t the guy, then try it again next year.  At least the team did not mortgage the future in the process of the draft.  Larry Ogunjobi is a guy I really did not whole a ton about prior to the draft.  After hearing his story, I am pulling for the guy and would like to see him line up opposite Danny Shelton at some point.

Day 3 Picks:

Two guys who stand out are Howard Wilson and Caleb Brantley.  The former is a cornerback who, despite being a one year starter, could compete in this secondary.  I do not have tremendous faith in him immediately, but he could surprise me and the coaching staff alike.  Brantley is an enigma; he has a second round talent but his pending misdemeanor for assault is something to worry about.  I hope the team did their homework, as wasting a draft selection is not anything this franchise can afford.

Conclusion:  I would rate the Browns draft as a B overall, but looking at the values (of the players) they got – an A is not out of the question.  I’m already for the group to suit up and begin practicing, but I know I now have to wait several months…

 

Presser and Analysis

Three Takeaways

There was a press conference today in Berea with Browns’ front office personnel Sashi Brown and Andrew Berry – which is typical for a team to do with just over a week until the impending NFL Draft. What can be gained from listening to these men converse with the media? As expected, not a ton but there was at least three things I picked up on.

1 – Standing Pat (at Least Early)

When asked whether a similar philosophy to 2016 (where they traded down multiple times) would be in place this year, Sashi Brown said he would be surprised if this occurred. He obviously left the door open for this scenario to occur, but the Browns need playmakers not extra picks after tearing down their roster following the 2015 campaign.  Andrew Berry mentioned that the team doesn’t want to get into a habit of turning two picks into one.

Therefore, I anticipate the team going forward with the first and twelfth selections in the draft (barring something wildly unforeseen).  However, the second round choices and beyond could be moved one way or the other.

2 – Targeting their Signal Caller

In regards to the position of quarterback, Sashi referenced a scarcity of these proficient athletes and Berry mentioned that are so few who can play quarterback in the NFL. What I garner from this is they believe that the most important position in sports must be filled with an exceptional player. Whether it is a trade for Jimmy Garappolo or a move up for a third choice in the first round – the Browns would give up a lot if it resulted in a franchise quarterback.

3 – Not Responding to Rumors

This was obvious yet refreshing to hear to the guys in charge of the press conference. There was no upside to answer questions about guys who the team may or may not choose. Brown and Berry have their draft board in place and changes during the draft could allow them to modify things. I’m frankly sick of all the rumors myself and am looking forward to draft weekend.

Conclusion: From the meeting with the media, it is apparent that theBrowns will not be trading down early on in the draft. Once they determine who their franchise signal caller will be (if applicable in this year’s draft) – they will stop short of nothing to secure him.  If there are no guys to fill the bill, I expect a repeat of last year’s draft. There are many ways the team can go next week in Philadelphia – and for once they might actually do it correctly.

 

PSA Reminder

PSA:  Don’t Forget it’s Silly Season

Now there are reports of the Browns drafting Leonard Fournette or Mitchell Trubisky with the first overall pick.  There are also musings of the team putting a trade down “in play”.  This is a friendly reminder that this is not the truthful season.

It is not time to overthink this Browns’ fans.  When the Browns have made monumental moves historically – they were not announced in the media two weeks before the draft.  The same could have been said about other teams.

I fully expect the Browns to make move during the draft weekend; however it will not be the type of trade being announced in the media.

I am ready and eager about this pending draft, but I am not concerned about what the team may or might not do.

Expect other news to come out over the coming weeks regarding the Browns.  Remember, however, don’t believe everything report you hear.

 

Thoughts about #12

What I’m Thinking about Number Twelve

No, I’m not referring to the suspended wideout for the Cleveland Browns.  Instead, I am taking a deeper look at the second selection of the franchise – the twelfth overall selection.  It would only make sense that they choose Myles Garrett with the first overall choice – hopefully Sashi Brown and company pull the trigger on the defensive end.  That brings us to the huge question, what to do next?  Below are some options:

Best Offensive Weapon

This would likely be either tight end O.J. Howard or wide receiver Mike Williams.  Despite having Gary Barnidge, Seth DeValve, and Randall Telfair – the Browns could still use an improvement at the tight end spot.  Howard is gigantic (six foot, six inches – over 240 pounds), athletic, and could really help the Browns’ offense.  Underutilized in college – I have a sneaking suspicion that Hue Jackson would know how to best incorporate the athlete.

Seeing Terrelle Pryor depart in free agency, the Browns ought to look at an option to replace the wide receiver.  Williams appears to be the hands-down (save a few Corey Davis fans) best option in the draft.  The former Clemson wideout is rather tall (over six foot, three inches) and large (just under 220 pounds) but is not the fastest of athletes.  In the NFL, it is more about running proper routes and being at the right place at the right time.  The Browns could do a lot worse than Mike Williams with the twelfth choice.

Pick a Falling Defender

Though a less likely scenario, this could still be an option.  It would likely be the result of a few quarterbacks being taken in the top ten picks of the draft – leading to others sliding down the draft board.  Jamal Adams and Malik Hooker are the two top safeties and many are anticipating on both going well before the Browns are on the clock at twelve.  It would be rather tempting for the orange and brown to snag one of that duo up (provided they are available).  Judging for the team’s free agency attempts to secure Tony Jefferson and Bradley McDougald – it would appear that they are not confident at the safety spot.  The Browns can still get a Budda Baker or Obi Melifonwu in the second round, who would be great additions.

Go for the Quarterback

Ahh, the five-hundred pound elephant in the room – what to do with the most important position in sports?  The Browns clearly need a franchise quarterback, but what is their plan?  Will all options be available in the twelfth choice, and if so do the Browns draft their signal caller?  Or will the choose a guy later to develop and compete with Cody Kessler and the other quarterback on the roster (be it Brock Osweiler or someone else).  Personally, I like Mitchell Trubisky the best, but would ok with either Davis Webb or Patrick Mahomes in the later rounds.  I am greedy though, and would rather have the Browns pick Trubisky with their third-first round pick (after trading up).

Conclusion:  Assuming there are no trades made by the franchise (which could be a huge leap) – I hope the Browns take option number one with their second choice.  The NFL is an offensive league and the team needs more playmakers, especially to help out their signal caller.  They are fortifying their defense with Garrett and can complement the standout with solid secondary choices in rounds two through seven.