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I don't know. I guess on a toss it would work, but its hard to run if one of your blockers is getting blown up every play.

I totally see what you're saying. I just hate to think that when Barnidge comes in/out we've tipped our hand so much.

Wasn't Barnidge's blocking decent to good last year?

yea. to tell the truth i think posters are seeing him trying to block mack and it just stuck in there head. i dont think he is doing as bad as posters are making out. the one bad play wipe out ten good play kinda thing. jmo.

First, I don't care if a TE can block. I put being able to catch first and front center. If you want blocking, stick in a eligible lineman.


As to your other point, that points to a problem IMO. Farmer has control of the roster. Pet has control over who suits up and plays. That tells me Farmer has guys on the roster Pet has no intention of playing except in a extreme situation.

Doesn't Mack play for Oakland?

I was simply amazed at how terrible Barnidge was last week against Denver.

I am not bringing this up to bash Barnidge. Obviously, his receiving production is huge.

My POINT was why do we need to keep 4 TEs [counting Johnson] who have the same limited skill set?

That might be giving Johnson too much credit. He is a FB who can't block, catch or run.

I think that Housler, Dray and Bibbs can each at least accomplish one of those to some level of mediocrity.

Nope, his blocking has been poor all season. I am not saying he has missed every block, but he has either wiffed or been blown up several times in every game.

Correct. His blocking has been subpar all season.

At least he can catch, so at least we know not to have him blocking in Joe Thomas' place or Joe out running pass patterns.

Given how many folks were all upset about Cameron leaving - who couldn't block to save his life - because we needed a dynamic pass catching TE, you'd think that none of this would be an issue, hehehe

If Barnidge keeps producing, then it is totally a non-issue.

In today's NFL a tight end needs to be a receiving threat first. Anything else is gravy. More than anything, I just think it is weird that Barnidge has been so bad at blocking. It was something he was supposed to be at least average at doing.

I think---as always---the issue has been twisted and misconstrued.

The issue--when I brought it up---was why do we need to keep 4 TEs w/a similar skill set?

I wasn't knocking Barnidge. Finding a receiving TE was very important for us. He's an asset to this team.

steve and I were talking about roster moves. I was asking a question about whether we might consider dropping either Johnson or Housler because we have so many TEs that can't block.

It wasn't an attack on Barnidge. It was a conversation that you guys somehow twisted into yet another opportunity to ridicule people who don't share your agenda.

I did agree with your point on the TE's and addressed it....I think there is a bit of a disconnect between Farmer and Pet. I get the feeling both Housler and Bibbs are Farmer choices and Pet would rather those spots be filled in other ways.

I may be wrong on Housler, but Bibbs is the one I don't get. It seems that Pet isn't very interested in playing the guy. I suppose Farmer may feel we had to keep him on the roster and couldn't get him to the PS.

That's probably the reason, because I agree, 4 TE's that have similar strengths and weakness' isn't bolstering the roster.

Sometimes I get a feeling that Farmer is more interested in the practice squad players then the ones who actually play.

Wouldn't you prefer that he was very interested in ALL of them?

Yes I would. But he seems to be obsessed with projects for the practice squad. Maybe that is the way to build depth, but his choices in FA and drafting is worrying me.

IMO, these guys will build a good team eventually, but I have a feeling it is going to take more time than needed. I just hope they get it. If they blow this thing up again, this will all repeat itself over.

yeah, he can text them during the games.

Right now Farmer is doing a great job with what he knows. He has admited himself he still has more to learn bro. Will he learn it? or will he blow it? Time will tell.

What does this even mean? Does he not know very much? If so, why did we hire someone who needs to learn on the job? Shouldn't people who are not qualified to do their job be fired?

Oh give GMAFB when we hired Bill B was he the same way. Let me save you the trouble. Oh hell yes he was.

[quote]Shouldn't people who are not qualified to do their job be fired? [quote]

So you are in favor of firing yourself as a fan

This doesn't even make sense. No one hired me. There are no qualifications. There is no in charge to fire people (besides Versatile Dog). I don't get paid. Etc. Etc.

Browns sign DB Chance Casey to practice squad
Posted 2 minutes ago

Clevelandbrowns.com
@Browns Facebook
LB Hayes Pullard signed to Jaguars active roster

The Cleveland Browns on Wednesday signed DB Chase Casey to the practice squad. A practice squad roster spot was available because LB Hayes Pullard III was signed to Jacksonville’s active roster.
Casey is 5-10, 190-pounds and is officially in his first NFL season out of Baylor. Originally signed by Oakland as an undrafted free agent in 2013, he has appeared in four career games with one start. He has registered five tackles, one pass defensed and two special team tackles. He spent training camp this year with Indianapolis. A native of Crosby, Texas, Casey graduated from Crosby High School.

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/arti...eb-479c94315b32

Browns taking Chances now.

Another DB. Don't they like the 37 they drafted under Farmer?

Yes, but we have like 34 of them injured.

At least we still have Tank Carder. And 4 tight ends. And Don Jones. And Jayson DiManche.

Yeah. Not a fan we just lost this guy.

I feel your pain.

If we're lamenting the loss of someone on the Practice Squad, then there's no point in lamenting the loss of someone on the Practice Squad because it means the rest of the roster is so hosed up that nothing else matters.

Generous assessment you gave with the first role.
As far as WR, that may be simply not true.

In all honesty, I wonder if Pullard will have what it takes to be more than a backup/situational guy. I love his drive and his passion for the game, but he really only shined against guys who are now taking lawn mowing gigs. He rarely made game changing plays in college, and really doesn't get off blocks well. He had no sacks in his final 2 seasons at USC, and rarely forced any turnovers.

It's hard not to root for the kid, especially with his letter writing background story, but I don't expect a whole lot from him as far as impact is concerned. The Browns showed what they thought when they claimed a LB on waivers rather than promote him from the PS.

Game changing plays? I mean, the guy was a seventh rounder, but he made a heck of a lot of plus-level plays in college. Inside linebackers who make "game changing plays" in college are few and far between, and usually go in the first round. He's a good player IMO.

Of all the rookies we brought in this year, I didn't see any of them making more good plays than Pullard.

He doesn't have great measurable, but he does make tackles.

I still fail to see the talent in Pullard. Undersized, not physical struggling in trash, better suited to 4-3

No big loss

Great reads. Diagnosis the play well. Gets to the ball carrier in the hole.

No sacks, or turnovers (IIRC) created in his last 2 years, and struggles to get off blocks. He'll probably be a special teams guy, and maybe a defensive substitute in certain packages. I have trouble seeing him doing much beyond that.

Some of us were singing his praises during the preseason.

I saw the opposite of what you remember. His 40 time was pedestrian, but his game speed, due to good recognition, was much faster.

Not a huge deal, but a few of us have been hoping he would be promoted to the 53 man roster all year. Again, I don't think anyone is blasting the FO for this move. It's just a little disappointing considering the one guy who tackles well against the run didn't make the roster when defending the run is such an issue for us.

Johnson is the most cut-able in my opinion. He just looks lost right now and might need a year on the practice squad.

Housler actually has looked decent as a blocker on the few plays I've seen him, but that's about all he's done. Wasn't he supposed to be our F TE?

Dray hasn't looked that great blocking this year, but better than Johnson and he's played FB before.

Barnidge and Dray both looked great blocking last year, I don't understand what's up there.

Is there a reason why we aren't playing Bibbs? Paging EJ Bibbs! I'd really like to see him in double TE with Barnidge with Benjamin and Hawkins lined up on the outside. Lots of matchup problems for defenses to think about.

I heard that Bibbs was by far the worst blocking TE of the bunch. That's hard to comprehend.

However, regarding the fact that we have a lot of guys who are better at receiving than blocking, it's not a real big shock that he isn't playing.

I still question why we need to keep all those guys and did not promote Pullard.