DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum ESPN projects starters

This is dual parts scary and exciting. I don't think I've ever seen a team go so full steam youth movement as the Browns have here.

Encouraging in a way because its predominantly guys who we have drafted. Discouraging in that its only guys we've drafted over last two or three years and there's a couple "He's starting??" moments. Especially at safety...eeesh.

Could be a rough year guys but hopefully its the start of something special.

http://espn.go.com/blog/cleveland-browns...r-season-opener

Offense

Quarterback (Robert Griffin III): The Browns were the only team looking to bring Griffin in as a starter.

Running back (Isaiah Crowell): Figures to get the early downs, but will alternate with Duke Johnson.

Fullback (Malcolm Johnson): This position doesn't figure to get a lot of snaps in 2016.

Tight end (Gary Barnidge): He's coming off a Pro Bowl season -- and sports hernia surgery.

Wide receiver (Andrew Hawkins): He might be better suited as the slot wide receiver, but this young group needs an experienced starter.

Wide receiver (Corey Coleman): The job is there for the taking for the team's 2016 first-round pick.

Left tackle (Joe Thomas): You were expecting maybe Barry Stokes?

Left guard (Joel Bitonio): He's looking to go back to his rookie form, when he was outstanding.

Center (Cam Erving): After rookie struggles, Erving has to fill the big shoes of Alex Mack.

Right guard (John Greco): He's a very underrated and productive professional.

Right tackle (Alvin Bailey): He gets the nod now, but this position will have serious competition during camp.
Browns first-round pick Corey Coleman should provide the deep threat the team has lacked in recent seasons.

Defense

Defensive end (Xavier Cooper): Cooper steps in for Desmond Bryant, who is lost for the season with a torn pec.

Nose tackle (Danny Shelton): His offseason commitment to lose weight speaks to his dedication.

Defensive end (John Hughes): The Browns' lack of depth on the defensive line will be apparent early.

Outside linebacker (Paul Kruger): He will return to the weak side, where he is most effective.

Inside linebacker (Demario Davis): He steps in for Karlos Dansby after being one of the Browns' few free-agent signees.

Inside linebacker (Chris Kirksey): The job is there for him -- he just needs to do something with it.

Outside linebacker (Nate Orchard): The Browns want Emmanuel Ogbah to step in, but making the transition from down end in college to standup linebacker in the NFL is not easy.

Cornerback (Tramon Williams): Many eyes will follow Justin Gilbert, but Williams remains the better player.

Safety (Jordan Poyer): Takes over for Tashaun Gipson.

Safety (Ibraheim Campbell): Earned coaching praise in the limited playing time he had last season, especially late in the year.

Cornerback (Joe Haden): Coming off a lost season and ankle surgery.

Specialists

Kicker (Travis Coons): The Browns want improvement from Coons; if there isn't, he will not stick.

Punter (Andy Lee): One of the league's best.

Long-snapper (Charley Hughlett): Like the best long-snappers, Hughlett is steady and reliable.

Returners (Coleman, Gilbert): Gilbert's best chance to make the team might be through special teams.

that's about what I'd guess as well ... maybe Moore over Poyer and somebody else over Bailey at RT

For the most part, I'd agree. The only position that I question is FS. It could be Rahim Moore.

Interesting points:
Bailey at RT.

Don't agree with:
Cooper being a starter. I bet Nassib the rookie claims that in Bryant's absence. The rest would've been my guess too.

Further thoughts:
I think Orchard gets the nod, but I'm guessing he and Ognah do some rep splitting until the point where Ognah and Kruger become theater consistent starters and Orchard will become depth. I'd even go as far to say... I'm not shocked if Ognah takes the starter role right from the get go.

Man, that's kinda depressing.

That's a two win team.

Nothing surprising here.

RT spot I dont agree with, but time will tell if the prediction is correct.

Poyer will probably get the nod come Week 1, but I could see the coaches mixing PT around to see what other guys can offer on game day.

The sad thing is the beginning of our schedule is "easier" than the middle and end. Playing Philly, Baltimore, Miami, and Washington isn't that bad.

But, I agree, we'll end up between 2-14 and 4-12

I think this lineup is probably correct to start week 1. If they keep Armonty, I expect eventually he will be put in the spot they have Cooper slotted for currently. If they start in a 3 WR set, then probably Higgins will be the other outside WR and Hawkins moves into the slot. Just my guess.

I think that Ogbah could bump Kruger, eventually, I like Orchard, and think that he is really going to come on this year.

He really came on late last year. Let's not forget that he missed a great deal of camp with an injury, and was working his way into a very complex defense. I think that he starts this year.

I've seen a few people high on Ogbah, so I'll throw this out there at everyone: what's the basis for this thinking?

To be honest, he was my least favorite draft pick. After seeing him about a dozen times, he's very inconsistent. Sure, he'd make some great plays, but he didn't do it on a regular basis. I also didn't think he was great against the run, which immediately forces him off the field half the time.

I see his ceiling as a one trick pony: edge rush, maybe

I don't think it's a matter of Ogbah being "perceived" as so good or even elite, but for some reason, Paul Kruger seems to get no love here on this forum. I'd like to know the basis of that thinking.

I do hear what YTown is saying though about Orchard. I'm really hoping having a new scheme with a credible coordinator, we can get a real evaluation on him. Heck, having a new scheme - we can get an evaluation on a lot players like Paul, Danny and etc. O'Niel, being blunt about it, is and was a moron. How he obtained another coordinator position demonstrates things that defy all logic.

Ogbah has great size, speed, and quickness for the position. He reminds me a lot of the kind of DE/OLB types that the Steelers turned into ferocious OLBs for decades. He's 6'4" and 273#, and ran a 4.5 or 4.6 40. He has room to grow, and room to improve, but he has one heck of a strong base on which to build. He is also said to be very willing to accept coaching, which is very important.

He was also tied for 2nd overall in sacks last year, and set a school record for QB hurries. That doesn't hurt either.

Embrace the tank.

Hey, tanking worked for the Cavs

I don't dispute his measurables. His SPARQ was very impressive. I'm just going by my eyeballs when he was invisible for long stretches

Hortons 2013 season was far from dominant as a DC.
The Browns defense gave up the 25th most points
In the league.
It gave up 20 or more pts 10 times
A over rated secondary that had a whopping 3 INTS the whole season.
And this was a veteran defense 1 through 11.
Horton has never been a DC longer than 2 years anywhere
He's been.
That's telling.
Now he has to work with a defense with more youth than
Experience.
Yet again the Browns will start the shortest starting WRS
In the NFL.it's bad enough RG3 overthrew taller WRS in Washington .
Theirs no depth behind Barnidge.
The oline has no depth.
Yeah Hawkins and Coleman.that just screams scoreboard overload.
The Browns roster is light yrs behind the AFC North playoff teams

I did last year and got yelled at. Also, last year Goff was available. And nothing really rhymes with Watson.

http://www.rhymezone.com/r/rhyme.cgi?Wor...=home_ac_watson

My first thought as well, but that may be optimistic.

If we would have played Philly later in the year then I would say 2 wins. But I think it's 1. We beat the Jets at home. Only team in the NFL with a QB situation worse than ours.

i also think we can contend with baltimore at home

The Jets added Forte this off season. Marshall and Decker
Are a very effective duo at WR.
The Jets are going to run the fball.
Their defensive unit is top 10. One of the better dlines in The AFC.
The thing with the Browns they can be beat with even
Average qb play.

Scary in spots. Questions for sure. Not sure about ILB especially. Better Bitonio, I hope, so he can help at center play. RT is a concern. This new mix will need time to gel again. Hope this group manages more points on offense.

So, ya know...we got that going for us.

I think that it's not real important who starts when it comes to the 3 DL and the 2 OLBer spots. Those guys will rotate a lot and all will see quite a bit of time. Also, we'll be running different fronts on various down and distance situations.

Agreed. The Jets do not have anything close to average QB play. I think this is the game we pull off.

If Geno Smith plays, I like our odds very much lol.

I just too much youth.but it also looks like total ground floor rebuild.
Not enough balance of youth and Game experience
Growing pains.

The Browns were ranked 9th in yards allowed
But 25th in pts allowed
30th in red zone %
31st in 3rd down effeciency.
That paints a picture far more accurate of a Horton defense
He's just not a very good DC.

Just our coaching staff changes alone is good for a couple wins. Pettine sucked the life right out of this team last year.

If we are going to suck, we better suck bad enough to get that first pick.. I would love Deshaun Watson..

We can move up to get him if we don't suck too bad.

There isn't one area of position where the Browns are better than the rest
Of the AFC North.
Coaches win because they have the players and talent to do so.
It's a proven fact that's recorded in history.
Lombardi didn't win as a Redskins coach.
Ditka was a loser in New Orleans.
Levy failed in Kansas City but won in Buffalo
Wyche won in Cincy..not in Tampa.

Hue Jackson has very little talent to execute the game plan he wants

True, but if Deshaun Watson is as good as I think he's going to be, who is going to pass on him? The worst teams in the NFL this year are likely to be:

Cleveland - who hopefully would take the QB
San Fran - who would probably take the QB
San Diego - who would probably take the QB since Rivers will be 36 years old
Philly - who would probably take the QB

Then you have possibly the Colts or the Dolphins..

My prediction for the first 6 picks in next years draft.. two of them probably would not take the QB and would be willing to trade.

I'm so sad that I just realized a week before camp starts I'm talking about the 2017 NFL draft.

Andy Lee might be our best player in respect to the other AFCN rosters

We own Philly's 1st round pick, as well as our own in the 2017 draft.

I still see no reason we can't start out 4-0. Hue is worth a couple of fast start wins on excitement alone, and the Teams we play are not all that.

If we start out 2-2 I'll be stunned

quote above by bnb:

"I still see no reason we can't start out 4-0."

Well, there is that opposing team thing.

Lest we not forget....less than 2 yrs. ago we were 7-9, and the core of the Team is still intact.