We all wondered what is wrong with him compared to his previous years in Miami, and maybe this could help explain why he has looked so bad at times this year. If he has some serious family issues going on back in California, that are weighing him down.
BEREA, Ohio -- Browns receiver Davone Bess missed practice for the second straight day today, and a source told cleveland.com that Bess is dealing with a serious issue involving one of his family members back home in Oakland, Ca.
Bess is still in Cleveland, the source said, but he's listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Jets.
The source said the issue has been an ongoing thing this season and that it's taken a heavy toll on Bess.
"I've excused him for personal reasons,'' said coach Rob Chudzinski. "I'll have a better idea (on if he'll play Saturday).''
If Bess can't play, receiver Josh Cooper will replace him "and we have some flexibility with Greg Little as well,'' said Chudzinski.
Bess, acquired in a draft day trade with the Dolphins, has certainly not been himself on the field this season. He leads the league with 14 drops, and has been limited to 28 or fewer yards in 11 of 14 games.
Bess, 28, was traded to the Browns along with the Dolphins fourth-round pick and seventh-round pick in exchange for a Browns' fourth and sixth in the 2013 draft.
Bess received a contract extension through 2016 worth $11.5 million, including $5.75 million guaranteed.
and, it sure feels awkward for the article author to be discussing his on-field issues this season when we don't know why/what he has to go deal with off the field here. time and place for it and this wasn't it.
Well, Chud announced that he has been excused to personal reasons, so I think that it's appropriate to report it.
Further, I think that it does help explain why he has been so far off of his norm. Hopefully he gets whatever this is resolved so he can get back to normal. (and for his own peace of mind)
Bess was always such a dependable receiver in Miami. He was the guy who did catch the ball. He's been a big disappointment this year. I hope he gets it together and plays better next year.
Quote: Smart trade at the time. Not sure what happened to him this season.
Read the article that was posted above. lol
Said he's been dealing with this "family issue" all season long from/with a family member in Oakland. Either or, you leave your personal crap off the field and outta the workplace when you're on the clock. I can't bring my personal life into my job and let it effect me, or I'll get punished. Not trying to sound like a rude person, hope all is well with Bess - but he's done squat for this team basically.
If his mind isn't on football, then he shouldn't be playing football. Miami trade to us seems like our Trent trade to Indy, it was just perfect and the person on the other end got stiffed.
I know I'll sound like a jag, but whoop. Everybody in the world is dealing with something - if I were as craptastic at my job for a year because of it as he's been, I'd have been fired long ago.
Cut him today and he can have plently of time to deal with his family issues.
I know that when something serious is going on in my family, it weighs on me.. I think when it does it effects my concentration and I lose something at work..
If he has a family member who is trying to kill another member of his family, fo example, how could you set that aside? I think that it depends on what the issue is. The team has evidently known about it all along.
We would be a better team if he can get his head back in the game, so I hope that's what happens.
That said, I do understand your viewpoint. I have gone to work during some of the crappiest stuff in my personal life, and even used work as my escape from problems in my personal life. I don't think that everyone is built that way though.
Newark, N.J. -- Browns receiver Davone Bess, who's been dealing with a serious family matter involving one of his relatives back him in Oakland, has been placed on the reserve/ non-football illness list for personal reasons.
He will miss Sunday's game against the Jets and next week's finale against the Steelers.
The move had nothing to do with illegal activities, a source said.
Bess was excused from practice on Thursday and Friday by coach Rob Chudzinski for personal reasons, and no further details were provided.
On Friday, a photo was posted on Bess' confirmed instagram account that showed him sitting outside on his deck lighting what appeared to be a cigarette of some kind, possibly hand-rolled. A photo of the late Bob Marley, a committed Rastafarian, sat next to him, and Bess wore a Rasta flag around his neck.
The photo, which caused a stir in social media circles, was deleted shortly after it was posted, as was Bess' instagram account.
A source told cleveland.com that Bess has been dealing all season long with a serious issue involving one of his family matters back home in Oakland, Ca. and that the situation has taken a tremendous toll on Bess this season.
Bess, 28, grew up in a rough section of Oakland, and often worries about family members who still live on the dangerous streets, a source said.
With Bess out, receiver Josh Cooper will replace him primarily as the slot receiver. Greg Little is also expected to play more inside.
A source said Bess' pre-occupation with his family member back home resulted in his poor season. Bess, acquired in a trade with the Dolphins, leads the NFL with 14 drops this season and is fourth on the team with 42 catches and 362 yards. He's tied for third with only two TDs.
Bess, a six-year veteran, was acquired in a draft day trade with the Dolphins involving a swap of middle-round picks, and immediately received a three-year extension worth $11.5 million, including $5.75 million guaranteed.
Quote: Bess, 28, grew up in a rough section of Oakland, and often worries about family members who still live on the dangerous streets, a source said.
Quote: Bess received a contract extension through 2016 worth $11.5 million, including $5.75 million guaranteed.
Something's amiss here ... he certainly has the money to provide for safer housing for his family in Oakland. I know, its none of my business what he does with his money - but come on, man. Get your loved ones outta there.
Quote: I know I'll sound like a jag, but whoop. Everybody in the world is dealing with something - if I were as craptastic at my job for a year because of it as he's been, I'd have been fired long ago.
Cut him today and he can have plently of time to deal with his family issues.
Everyone has something that will bring them down to a bottom level. Loss of a spouse, death of a child, a cheating wife, etc, etc. Everyone has something that will occupy their mind to the detriment of everything else.
Perhaps you haven't had yours yet. I hope you never find it. But to those who have found theirs, yes, you sound like a jag.
Quote: Bess, 28, grew up in a rough section of Oakland, and often worries about family members who still live on the dangerous streets, a source said.
Quote: Bess received a contract extension through 2016 worth $11.5 million, including $5.75 million guaranteed.
Something's amiss here ... he certainly has the money to provide for safer housing for his family in Oakland. I know, its none of my business what he does with his money - but come on, man. Get your loved ones outta there.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't always make them drink. What if he offered a family member a way out of the slums, but that person refused, preferring to stay in a gang, or whatever?
Hot damn. I know we all have a right to privacy, but I'm a nosy boy and I sure as hell wanna know what is going on with him... Too bad he can't just say what it is cuz now that that picture is out there I'm REALLY curious.
He must have wanted attention, obviously, or he wouldn't have posted that picture.
Once again the stuff that happens off the field with the Browns turns out to be the most interesting stuff. Kellen Winslow anybody? (At least Winslow could catch the ball!)
I'll wait for more info on Davone's story before I make any assessments.
There's simply too much we don't know for me to project anything upon him or this unfolding story.
It IS perplexing, to say the least.
I love a good mystery, and I love to watch it unfold in Real Time. I've never been one to leap to the last chapter of a book to see how the story ends.... and I'm not going to do it with Mr. Bess.
In the fullness of time, I'm sure we'll get the backstory to his first season with the Browns.
For now.... I'm OK with not seeing him on the field. It's much better that he take this time to 'collect his defecation' and come back to us as the player he was hired to be.
If you can't help your team in your current state, help yourself first. Then we can talk about the future.
Goodbye Bess.You stole a paycheck all season long. Take Greg Little with you. Maybe even Norv. And whoever gets this team fired up in crunch time. And also the special teams coach who sent this team into a tailspin. Oh and lets not forget our very special crook at the top Mr. Haslam Goodbye. Good riddance! I do not care to hear anymore sad poor, poor Bess. What a crock of you know what. The photo op looks a bit over the top and staged to me. But whatever. Staged or just plain stupidity. Get him gone. He is a friggen millionaire with personal issues? Oh so sad. No excuse to be a cop out dude. Really these fools need to get over themselves and stop doing stupid crap in the public eye to get attention. I am sure there is a league program for this exact crap. Poor, poor Browns fans! How about that? Enough of the crap. Clean house again! At this point it is par for the course. And it is becoming that all too familiar circus again. I wonder who he has been selling to on the team? Let them go too.
Totalfrikkenunbelivablebelievabletypicalbrownsseasons. Sing it to a Marry Poppins song. My new sig coming soon.
Quote: I would excuse Bess from the Browns for football reasons.Get us some real WRs to go with Josh please!!!!
Or just activate someone off the practice squad. Seem to get more reliable hands and production there then we do with Bess/Little combined. Tyms had a decent game, as did Cooper!
Leas a horse to water and drown him if he is a danger to you or just too stoopid to drink as needed. What do you call a receiver what doesn't? Hope he is OK, but help your helpers.
Okay, the weed pokes-n-jokes seems to be over, so I will ask this question... seriously:
Do you really think this "family issue" caused and was associated with the amount of drops we've witnessed from Bess? My answer/theory is... no. In association to that - I think the man earned his release.
I want people that can play, and he's the worst example b/c he's suppose to be the sure handed, savvy "veteran" - and what he turned out to be is a head case who is far from sure handed and only savvy on a slim-to-none bases...
From my standpoint, I don't think any one of us can say for sure what's been going on and what has caused his play to decline this year. I think we need to have someone who is better in place before we can think about dropping someone.
He had a down season, to be sure, but he still contributed. We only had 4 wins this year, and he made a pretty big contribution to what I'd argue was our biggest (vs. Baltimore). Let's get someone who we can rely to make an impact before we ditch Bess. JMO.
I agree. Plus, I don't understand why people are so quick to dismiss someone who has done it before. He has a track record of being a pretty good possession receiver. It seems people like to jump the gun and assume he sucks rather than just having a down year. I think the more probable explanation is he had a down year, and I think his track record supports that.
Now someone like Little, for example, has never done anything. He didn't have a down year. He had a normal year.
Not to sound trite, but I think that is a decision that the front office will have to make, and they have far more information on which to base that decision. They also have an off-season to see where things lead.
If this family situation remains unresolved, then I have a hard time seeing the Browns bringing him back. If his family situation is resolved, then he stands a chance of, at least, competing for a job.
Regardless, I don't think that the team will rely on him as heavily (or exclusively) as they did this year. The old "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me" axion would seem to apply.
He might come back as the 4th/5th receiver, with a chance to prove himself again ...... but then again, he could just as easily be released.
Quote: Now someone like Little, for example, has never done anything. He didn't have a down year. He had a normal year.
Good post, as was the one above that. No denying what Bess accomplished beforehand and yes, perhaps... I am being too judgmental honestly.
And as YTown said, if he is here next season - put him on the low and FORCE him to work his way upward. With the evidence I seen, he has some work to do and some challenges ahead if that's the route taken to earn a roster spot. I won't be upset at all if he isn't around next season though either. If he is, then I expect night and day difference. Night and day difference is really what needs to happen if he suites up again next year for us.
I think most of the recent posters have it right. No need to be hasty here. The guy has proven himself to be reliable over the years. It would be dumb to cut him now. Also, his coach and some teammates said things that he was dealing w/a serious family issue and how it obviously adversely affected him.
I hope he gets another shot. I saw too many positive things over the years to cut him now. He at least deserves to be brought in and compete for a job.
Quote: From my standpoint, I don't think any one of us can say for sure what's been going on and what has caused his play to decline this year. I think we need to have someone who is better in place before we can think about dropping someone.
He had a down season, to be sure, but he still contributed. We only had 4 wins this year, and he made a pretty big contribution to what I'd argue was our biggest (vs. Baltimore). Let's get someone who we can rely to make an impact before we ditch Bess. JMO.
Quote: From my standpoint, I don't think any one of us can say for sure what's been going on and what has caused his play to decline this year. I think we need to have someone who is better in place before we can think about dropping someone.
He had a down season, to be sure, but he still contributed. We only had 4 wins this year, and he made a pretty big contribution to what I'd argue was our biggest (vs. Baltimore). Let's get someone who we can rely to make an impact before we ditch Bess. JMO.
Did I miss something, was Bess released?
Several posters are saying they hope he's punched his ticket out of town. I thought it was a bit hasty until we have something we can be confident is better.
It's easy to jump to conclusions,especially after looking at that picture.But you guys are looking at the tree,not the forest. The guy's a Rastafarian,hence the flag and the Marley photo.While ganja does play a small part in some of the religious traditions,there are other possible explanations for what's going on there. I'm hardly an expert,but I assume this religion,like all others,has it's normal people and it's zealots,and I'll assume,again,that most of the normals don't partake. A religion that advocates love,peace,charity,reggae,reefer,beef and pork,man,sign me up.
C'mon. Who lights a cigarette up like that? Has the Jamaican colors all over. Bob Marley poster right there in the pic...
Everyone knows what he was smoking.
The point was, the NFL can't suspend him for it, because technically it could have been something else, you can't just assume and hand out a suspension.
You're right. Gordon didn't get into trouble for posting that pic of him w/the pipe and pill bottle after he was suspended. And he didn't get into trouble for posting the drunken video of him and Little, either.
With that said, what possesses these guys to post such things?
Too bad he can't just say what it is cuz now that that picture is out there I'm REALLY curious.
