DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Alex Mack: Cleveland Browns going in right direction

Have Schwartz play WR too. He'll produce more than Bowe.

Yup, every play, have him report as an eligible receiver

You expect a rookie to come in here and have 15 catches for 160 yards? Silly Browns fans and their crazy expectations...

He is under contract and being paid generously. If he wants to use his opt out clause to get more cash from us, let him walk.

I think Manziel targeted Schwartz more than Bowe anyway.

There is no such thing in the NFL. Schwartz is probably going to get a significant amount of money up front, and if they traded him that would all immediately count against the cap.

I'd like to see Mack stay here also but if he leaves he leaves. We did finish 3-13 with him didn't we? The only player on this team I would not trade away is JT. Pro bowl left tackles don't grow on trees.

Youd have to tag him at Top Tackle money, work out compensation. Amd then that team would work out a deal with him.

Possible. Not plausible.

Honestly we have the money to spend. Salaries are going up every year along with the cap. Good teams near cap do just fine. The cap goes up more and more each year. They never really in trouble if smart about it.

We are so far under we could spend a lot this year and get closer to cap, then be in same position with a lot to spend after it goes up next year. Just pay Swartz and hope Mack stays. Can we offer him a long term one? If so try.

With the ability for teams to carry-over unspent Cap money indefinitely, and with how long we've been HUGELY under the Cap since the new CBA, I'm pretty sure that the last thing that will be stopping us is Cap space.

We can make ANY deal work, for all the players.

If Mack wants to leave, then and only then, would I pay Schwartz big money. Him being paid like a top LT is ludicrous. he is good, but not worth LT money. If Mack decides to stay, then I tell Schwartz take what we offer or leave.

I watched the Steeler piece together a line for a couple years now and be successful at passing and running.

Paztur, or however you spell his name, played well at LG. Maybe Bitonio could be moved to RT.

I agree he is not worth top LT money. Arguably no RT is. Unless of course, that is the market RT are heading into...I don't know about that.

clevesteve brought up something interesting that I didn't think about....that the signing was an indication of Lane Johnson moving to LT and releasing Jason Peters. If so, I think that changes the landscape a bit for all RTs, not just Schwartz.

I have no idea about L.Johnson's ability to play LT but he was drafted Rd. 1, #4. My guess is that could have been the expectation all along. We'll see.

They also have Big Ben - he is a master of extending plays. I'd venture just about any running back can do pretty well when Ben is the QB.

This. Ben is what allows that line to have "success".
He gets hit like a pinata with that line, but because he's able to play like he does (even constantly injured), he is able to make it work DESPITE that line.

He can still go to the playoffs, which he has never done and that is several steps closer to winning than the Browns will be next year and probably the year after.

Mack could always opt out and then resign to get a new signing bonus. In a game where long term health is an issue it would not make sense for him to opt out finacially speaking. I mean would give up a guarateed new signing bonus or keep playing out a contract that is under the market value.

I think if he opts out we still have a chance to resign him. Its too bad he can't wait till after the draft to decide. I'm sure if we had a draft he approved of(like getting a QB worth blocking for unlike Manziel) then might be more in favor of playing under Hue.

Swartz i franchise tag till a new deal is made. He isn't worth that kind of money but he has good chemistry with Joe and mack. There is something to be said for that. We have the caps space so freaking spend some of it already. We are going to have tons of caps space till the day we have to sign a bonafide QB. If your going to forever have crap at QB then you better get the best money can buy elsewhere.

If he wants to stay, I'd like him to stay. If he wants to go, I want him to go.

My position as well.

If I am in charge, and Mack looks like he s going to opt out, and I am unable to finalize a long term deal with Schwartz prior to that, I might just franchise him. Heck, with the cap space we have, I might do so anyway.

The tag last year was just under $13 million. Now that's not going to be his long term annual value, but it would give us exclusive negotiating rights, and I really don't know of any other free agent on the team who I would want to spend a tag on.

I'm just tired of hearing all this talk about "winning is important"

Bro, you signed a contract with Jacksonville.

I have a feeling N.E. is going to make a strong bid for both Mack and Schwartz. They need O- line help bad and our 2 guys are good. Not to mention N.E. is a winning organization and would be enticing for players like that. JMHO.

LOL Look up this thread a little and you will say that I expressed the same thing...

That's a good location for both of them but do they have the CAP room? Honestly I really don't know

According to Spotrac, with all the guys the Pats cut last year ($19 million in dead money) the patriots were somehow $3 million OVER the cap last season. They only have $5.5 million in cap space next season. Probably $3.5 of that will go to rookie seven though they don't pick until #60 this year. They are going to have to cut their older players again this year if they want to sign anyone.

Really, they have an abysmal record of letting players play out their contracts. Why any veteran would sign with them is beyond me. There are plenty of competitive teams.

I'm thinking Mack is gone... he is already talking about them vs we

Or have Bowe report as an eligible receiver - that would really freak people out.

Maybe Haslam will be gone to. Because I read an article on the GM thread where he referred to the Browns as "they."

One can only hope that the crook either sells--or moves--the team.

Why would you ever hope for the team to be moved again?

Because I can't stand the way Haslam runs the Browns. I can't stand most of what the Browns have done since their return. They don't even seem like the Browns to me. In fact, they are almost polar opposite of the Brown's teams that I grew up loving.

I'd rather get a brand new franchise than continue rooting for this piece of crap team.

Well, if they decide to move the team St. Louis is a good landing spot. They can become the new St. Louis Browns!!

And what stops it from happening again? Don't steal away the team again. Everyone hated Lerner too and he was the opposite of Haslam.

In the words of Phil Savage, go root for Buffalo.

I don't want to see the team move again either. I want this team to become competitive and start to win.

LOL...........

In the words of PT Barnum [and probably Jimmy "The Crook" Haslam:]

There's an ass for every seat in the house.

If we lose this team, we will never see another in Cleveland. I want this team to succeed, rather than having no team.

You guys worry too much. Hue will get this team hummin and winning sooner rather than later if they manage to draft half way decent. Hell analytics will eliminate some of the worse mistakes we have made in the draft so there is real hope I think. At the least weeden and manziel would never have been drafted

It depends on what is factored in. Arm Strength, ball velocity, 40 time, vertical jump, passing accuracy are all quantifiable, but how do you quantify the ability read a Pro Defense, the drive to be the best, and psychological need to get drunk and rap for the cameras.

The president of stats inc said last week that they had Manziel rated very highly and still think he is the best QB prospect from that class.

A model is only as good as its input variables.

and this is where we hope the HC stands up and says...look at his off field issues, his sense of entitlement and all the other minutia we will have to deal with.

Then its up to Sashi to make the final call... will it be correct? therein lies the $67000 question.

So...........you think the Browns are going to cut Gordon and Gilber?