DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Year Zero for Hue and the Browns?

The hate and bitterness that exists w/in your heart is not healthy.

Gents ... Who's calling plays for us this year?

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has no issue with new coach Hue Jackson calling his own plays next season.

Haslam cited the success of Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Packers coach Mike McCarthy running their own offenses. Reid actually sought help from offensive coordinator Doug Pederson late in the season while McCarthy reportedly went back calling plays.

"I actually feel great, I really do," Haslam said of Jackson's decision. "You look at some of the better offenses. How do you feel about Kansas City's offense? How do you feel about Green Bay's offense?"

Jackson called plays for the Bengals the past two seasons while serving as their offensive coordinator.

"Hue and I, we had a lot of candid talks about it when we interviewed him," Haslam said Thursday night at the 16th annual Greater Cleveland Sports Awards. "He said, 'listen, it's one of the things I do best. I don't want to delegate that, at least early on.' and we're enthusiastic about him, so why would you have one of the best play callers in the league not call plays?"

Pat Shurmur was the last Browns coach to call his own plays in 2011. He relinquished the duties the following season.

Horton 2.0

Haslam said there's no sense of awkwardness with the return of Ray Horton. The defensive coordinator also worked in the same capacity on Rob Chudzinski's staff, which was fired after one season in 2013.

"Listen, we have good relationships," the owner said. "We try to keep relationships. I called Chud on a reference the other day. Chud calls me on references. So we keep those relationships. I've seen Ray several times. Ray likes to go out to Arizona and play golf. He would send me pictures of truck stops of ours he's in, so we've kept the relationship up."

Quotebook

Haslam on whether the team's relationship with quarterback Johnny Manziel can be mended:

"Oh, yeah, I don't think there's any question about that. We talked to Johnny before he left. I know a big deal was made that Hue hasn't called Johnny yet. Well, we've got 53 players on the active and 10 more and there were a couple of other real prominent players that he just talked to in the last day or two, so I'm sure he'll get around to talking to him.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2016/01/owner_jimmy_haslam_fine_with_c.html

I know a big deal was made that Hue hasn't called Johnny yet.

We are going to turn it around this year.

Day Dawg, no negativity, refreshing....agree with your points, Haden's ankle scares me- will be interesting to see if our current cast can bring heat to Qbs...no one is mentioning Mingo, he has talent, wonder if Horton can get it out of him....GO Brown!!!

I think the year zero was absolutely needed here in Cleveland. Last year we had the highest paid defense in the NFL and could not stop anyone. The Offensive Line was touted as being a top 5 Offensive line in the NFL last year yet ranked 22nd in rushing yards. Things had to change.

Fans are complaining that we lost good players like Alex Mack, Mitchell Schwartz, Travis Benjamin, and Tashawn Gipson. Could these players have helped us in 2016 yes. But, we were 3-13 with them. I hope they do well with their new teams but have moved on.

This team was not going to win more than 5 games with or without them this upcoming season. That is why drafting 14 new young players will infuse this team with much needed youth and enthusiasm. They will improve the overall team speed on both sides of the ball. Then next years draft is set up to again infuse the team with another surge of young talent. The culture was not going to change holding onto players that did not want to be here.

I think the 2 biggest areas this team improved is at the skill position and pass rush.

There is speed and talent at the skill position. Better than the last few years. Duke and Crow in the backfield, Barniedge at Tight End, and Coleman, Hawkins, Higgens, Payton, and Louis. Maybe Pryor. Reports is he is doing really well. I think you can feel the expectations at the skill position by not see article after article about Josh Gordon because he was the only hope the last few years on the outside. This team will score more points this year vs last. Unfortunately, I expect more turnovers too. That comes with so much youth.

The pass rush will be improved with young players like Emmanual Ogbah, Carl Nessib, and Joe Schobert. There is still work to do to have a great pass rush but it will be improved from last year.

Biggest question marks are;

Will RG3 emerge as the QB he was drafted 2nd overall to be or will the Browns still be looking for a QB in 2017?

Will a new scheme and better conditioned Danny Shelton improve the run defense?

Can Cameron Erving adequately replace Alex Mack? Can Shon Coleman or the 2 Ex Seattle Seahawk lineman replace Mitchell Schwartz?

Can the Browns find an improved run game?

Will Joe Haden return to his pro bowl level of play?

Will we see any of the past 1st round disappointments improve under Hue and Ray Horton?

It is much easier to come onto these boards and post negative than positive. I try to be realistic. There are still quite a few question marks. I do not see a huge turn around during the 2016 season but I do see this year zero as a positive.

Crowell should be cut tabber .. I'm ashamed to be a Dawg for the first time in my life!

Gents ... Who's calling plays for us this year?

It's not that I don't think coaching is important. It is that I think people are overrating the current coaching staff and trashing the previous coaching staff.

Vers is talking about Crowells troubled past in college, I'm not sure if Diam is.

Again, with the negative/positive poles..

... He should have been cut before he deleted it ..

No....write about football more than personal attacks..