DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Free Agency (Cont.)

My hot take:

I'm not really bothered by losing all 4 of those guys. I just don't really understand the outrage with those that are. Good players, but not difference makers. The NFL is littered with good guys. So is college football. The good teams distance themselves with difference makers (and quarterbacks) Think Antonio Brown, and not so much Travis Benjamin. Think Earl Thomas, and not so much Tashaun Gipson. Don't get me wrong. I like those guys, but we're not losing these once in 10 years type players.

I just want this team to be young. I want a lot of these players weeded out. I want to see development become a key cog of this franchise. There is not one player on this team right now that I would be all that upset over losing. That includes the almighty Joe Thomas, who has such a horrible life because he's played for the Browns for 10 years. The whole "Joe deserves a winner" hot take is being floated around today after people didn't get what they want. Joe Thomas should be dealt if there is a deal on the table that suits the Browns.

The Browns had chance after chance to beat the eventual Super Bowl champs back in October. They blew it in overtime, but at the time Denver was 6-0 and playing great football, and knowing what we know now, it's pretty crazy to think the Browns were good enough to beat them that day. It's not about ability as much as it's about consistency in the NFL.

This group for the longest time, doesn't get that. They win a nice game and come out the next week unfocused. As if they've somehow arrived. That's a leadership issue. Yes, coaching plays into it, but the Browns really don't have any homegrown leaders. My hope is that Hue Jackson changes a lot of that, but also this team goes for the true rebuild, starts young, stays away from free agency (check) and hopefully after a few drafts, some leaders emerge. Guys who can set the example for the rest. We keep thinking vet players are going to mentor and do that, but they just don't. It's a cutthroat league and you're just not going to see it.

We need to be good in drafting, good in development, and smart in free agency.

Wasn't that a different GM and Coach? It's not like the current guys let Mack and others go and just signed Bowe, it's the first day of FA, dear god some of you guys.

We really really want the first overall pick next year. God everything about the Browns just reeks. Sell the team Jimmy "Criminal" Haslam!

That's it? That's all? We couldn't do that? Really?

Are you offering to buy them? Who would you want to buy it that WANTS and can afford a NFL team?

Does it kind of suck losing all 4? Yep, but you guys need to get a grip. It seems to me that teams that 'win' free agency are never winners.

No but you will not know until they tell why they pulled the offer back.

I think you are on to something. They will get the QB Wentz this year. Go 0-16 and draft the RB Leonard Fournette next year. Bam! the Browns are back!!!

The offer the Browns had on the table that was eventually pulled was 5 years $37.5 million. Why Schwartz and his agent didn't jump on it I don't know. Especially if, as he said, he "really wanted to be here." Give me a break with that.

Does it matter if they're still in Cleveland?

We offered Schwartz more than that. It was rumored that the offer that we pulled off the table was 5 yrs $35 mil.

I think they told Sashi about the Chiefs offer and he upped his offer. When they didn't jump on it, it was pulled. I'm not sure how many times this happened but I have a feeling it was more than one if the Browns felt that they had to pull their offer.

+1, we have been throwing money out the window on free agents, and what is the result....STILL last in division.
Mack left because of winning and Shanny, our former RT graded out good, not great, he was OK...could he get push, NO, was he beat lots pass blocking, YES...if guys don't want to be here, let them walk and get new fresh blood, NO ONE IS UNREPLACEABLE...BJy is one hit from being disabled AGAIN....they had value,BUT we have got to DRAFT better....we need starters/future ALL PROS....GO Browns!!!!

Using the Browns as leverage. That explains pulling the offer. It's unfortunate.

pretty pathetic day. when you cant resign ANY of your own teams key free agents then that is a deathrattle sign in anyone's book. I almost wonder if Joe Thomas will demand a trade or flat out retire now.

Paul Kuharsky Verified account
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Apparently it does to you or you wouldn't be complaining.

The Browns official web site is pathetic. As posted only 2 hours ago, they briefly confirmed that Mack and Benji (?) signed elsewhere. Oh hum...

We just got bent over today.

Wow, I'm speechless right now.

So it seems like Mack and Schwartz were offered better contracts than the ones they accepted.

You can't blame them for not wanting to be a part of such a crappy team anymore.

Do the honorable thing and trade Joe T to a winner.

That's the last thing we should do.

I bet he asks for a trade soon

If so, then you let him go; he's more than paid his dues. But man, that would be the straw that broke the camel's back...

Losing 3/5 of our offensive line and then drafting a QB would be among the dumbest things this team can do.

That probably means they will do it.

Joe Thomas has already said he is committed to the team and the team has said they want him as part of their future. We've got to keep him so our QB doesn't die.

I know we are all disappointed, but this is still salvageable.

We went 3-13, and had tons of holes. Now we just lost 4 of our top players.

For all the people that say those guys only helped us to 3-13, I think you need to take the Rose colored glasses off. We went 3-13, and with all the holes we had on our team, we added more in the spots that we could consider strengths. Benji was probably our most easily replaceable loss... but how easily we forget about how he was one of our lone bright spots early in the year.

What we should be doing is building on the little bit of top-tier talent that we have.

Welp, time to injure a bunch of our QBs again. Looking like '99 all over again.

Oh, absolutely! While we have taken a hit, I'm certain the FO has a contingency plan. I don't believe there is a soul on this board that really wants to see him go...

Today just isn't working out.


Adam Caplan Verified account
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#Browns were one of several teams also in on Rishard Matthews....

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On a bad team where people are going to struggle to join/stay on, there is one thing that you have to do to get or keep players. You have to be willing to pay them. You have to make it worth their while? Why would a guy come here and not to another place? Because money talks, and that's the only way we will sign someone that has good options elsewhere. That includes our own assets. If there is no incentive, the players would be foolish to actually stay, we can't blame them. Now, if the money was there on our offers with the guys we lost and we were willing to match or go higher then other teams to keep our guys, and they all were just wanting to leave Cleveland, can't do anything about that. Indications are that was not the case and these front office guys were in over their head today.

This.

I have been saying this all night. We had so many holes and the last thing we needed to do was make more.

Cracks me up when people shrug it off saying that those guys were not part of the solution and we need to get young players in here. With that logic, cut everyone who was here on that 3-13 team.

What we need to do is get better, and replacing Mack with Erving is not going to do that. Is that going to be part of the solution? While far from the most talented team in the league, we had some players. Granted, we don't know who will be replacing those 4 guys but I would be shocked if we upgraded even 1 one of those spots.

Get this draft over with so I can start looking forward to the next draft, where we will have an even better position.

Now that is a scary thought! But at this point in time it seems possible, even likely.

I feel strongly that we will now. To the point I almost think I'd be surprised if we didn't.

Haden too.

Hmmm. We only made it to page 12... I'd thought we would hit at least 20 by now.

I finally got caught up with everything. Wow, that was a kick in the shorts. I expected, but it still hurts. It is a product of blowing it up.

Both Schwartz and Mack took less money, ouch. Who could blame them. It is a toll on us fans. You know it is hard on the players.

Before jumping off the bridge let's see what these new guys can do. It is pretty obvious a totally rebuild is in play. This team needs new blood and life. I hope for once Haslam finally gets it.

There are still good blue chippers out there. RT and Center Andre Smith and Stefen Wisniewski are still available. Receivers you have Andre Holmes and Jermaine Kearse. At Safety Tavon Wilson. I get we are not going to win a super bowl with these guys. One thing they are not...Oniel Cousins!

It is nice to keep good players. It sucks playing for a loosing team too. Equally as bad watching.

wow.. just wow. we don't have enough draft picks to replace these people let alone the people that aren't good enough.

You let 2 probowl oliners go..then to top it off you kill your outfield..

Nice going there Sashi

We offered them contracts and they left for less money.

Our craptitude is finally coming back to haunt us in the form of people not wanting to play for the team unless they are massively overpaid.

Sashi Brown is to blame for some of this (the Schwartz deal being pulled), but for the most part this is a long term problem.

Hey! At least we're the winner of having the most cap space again!

It doesn't help posting about it, but as bad as today was, there is more to free agency than the first day. Center position may be salvageable. Right tackle maybe not as much (remember the bums we trotted out there before Schwartz?), but maybe there are guys that, while not as talented, fit Hue's scheme a little better.

I don't fault the FO for Mack. It appears that he made up his mind a while ago, and not only is that well within his right, but it's also understandable.

The Schwartz situation is different. Puking the offer sounds like they are jerking him around. Couple that with rumors of the FO not playing nice, and these guys look like they bought into their own hype about how smart they supposedly are... only they're too stupid to see that they don't have the leverage to play these games.

I'm not saying that's what I believe what's going on, but if enough evidence keeps piling up (even if it's circumstantial), it will eventually paint a picture.

shwartz wants 9 million? lol