I like Crow. . . I'd be happy to keep him. But I don't see anything special in him. He's a good starting RB. But no more in my view. I actually want to see more from Duke.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
seems like there are a lot of lessons they are learning. let's hope this continues.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
If he's a good starting running back, then we should keep him. We have to keep our known entities instead of replacing them with unknowns.
They also just started in their roles around this time last year. Not much wiggle room I suppose unlike having an entire year to lay groundwork/frames for deals.
At DT, context and meaning are a scarecrow kicking at moving goalposts.
I like Crow. . . I'd be happy to keep him. But I don't see anything special in him.
You'll see a lot more from him as the blocking gets better. I hope he stays.
Duke makes people miss, seemingly always at least the first guy. He also has a change of gears. Catches the ball out of the backfield as well as anyone right now.
Crow runs hard, holds onto the rock well, he's big and fast for his size. But I don't see him having a ton of vision or patience.
Together I think they make a great 1-2. I hope the blocking does get better and I hope they resign Crow as long as its "fair" to all.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
The Browns set out this offseason to extend their two biggest impending free agents, and they wrapped up one for four years, $50 million Monday in 2015 Pro Bowl linebacker Jamie Collins. $26 million of that is guaranteed.
The other is receiver Terrelle Pryor, whom Browns Executive Vice President Sashi Brown said he'd also like to wrap up, preferably without using the franchise tag. Currently, the Browns don't appear close to signing Pryor.
Collins' blockbuster -- with an average of $12.5 million a year -- deal makes him the fourth highest paid linebacker in the NFL. The top three are Denver's Von Miller ($19,083,333), Kansas City's Justin Houston ($16,833,333) and Green Bay's Clay Matthews ($13.2 million).
He's average more than Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, who makes $12.36 million.
A source told cleveland.com that the Browns had to pay Collins more than his market value -- which was estimated to be about $10 million a year -- to get him to stay.
Will he be worth the money? The Patriots didn't think so, which is why they traded him to the Browns on Oct. 31 in exchange for a 2017 compensatory pick at the end of the third round.
Collins, 27, stepped right in and started all eight games for the Browns at outside linebacker, finishing third on the team with 69 tackles, including 48 solo. He had three games with double-digit stops, and played every snap in six of his eight starts with the Browns. All told, he had 112 tackles in his 14 starts, including six in New England. He also finished the season with three sacks, two sacks and two forced fumbles.
Used primarily as coverage linebacker in New England, Collins rushed more here and was used in multiple ways. He doesn't have the same level of talent around him here that did in New England, but the Browns plan to upgrade in the offseason, through free agency, the draft and trades.
They have the No. 1 and No. 12 overall picks in the draft, and many experts believe they'll draft Texas A&M pass-rusher Myles Garrett No. 1 overall. They'll have more than $100,000 million in cap space, and more than 12 draft picks, including five in the top 65. What's more, new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams promises to "accentuate the strengths and hide the weaknesses of his new players, meaning Collins might have a few Pro Bowl-caliber players around him next season.
Collins went from a Super Bowl contender in the Patriots to a 1-15 team in the Browns, but admitted he'd come back if the Browns money was right.
"(Losing is a deterrent) but at the same time, money comes into play around that time,'' Collins said two days before the season finale. "If the money is right then I could stay here. Obviously I'm not going to turn it down.''
Jackson said last month it would be the coup for the Browns if they could retain Collins, arguably the best player on the Browns defense.
"He's been really good,'' said Jackson. "He's a dependable player. He's accountable. He's always there. We've asked a lot of him. We've played him in a couple different spots. He's taken all of that on and hasn't blinked.''
Cornerback Joe Haden was all for wrapping up Collins long-term and having another Pro Bowler on D.
"You can tell if a guy's got it, if he doesn't,'' said Haden. "You can tell if he understands, you can tell if he plays the way that you can be able to be effective in the league, using your hands, being very, very physical, dominant, understanding stuff. And he does all of that. You could tell when he came out there he's one of the best players on our defense as soon as he steps out on the field."
...and the Iraq War was justified because the WMDs were moved before Bush could find them!...and everyone knows jet fuel can't melt steel beams, according to fox news junkies.
Believe it or not, Sashi finally did something a GM is supposed to do..he worked out a contract to retain a player the coaching staff wanted.
I hope that we are also looking at locking up Kirksey on a long term deal.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Five former Cleveland Browns players will participate in Super Bowl LI, but nobody should pretend those assets would’ve changed things
It’s easy for anybody to make jokes about the Cleveland Browns these days. The Browns, unquestionably, are the worst organization in the NFL, and they may be the worst-run franchise in all of North American professional sports. Cleveland has been a football laughingstock for the better part of 17 years. What’s more, there is currently no reason to believe the club’s current coaching staff and front office can make the Browns a winner between now and the end of the decade—other than blind hope, of course.
Odds are that Cleveland fans have probably already heard and/or read that five former Cleveland players will be represented at Super Bowl LI, as ESPN’s Pat McManamon recently explained. This fact was spotlighted by ESPN during a SportsCenter segment dedicated to the matter, and it has been discussed on sports talk radio and by other outlets. Make them stop—but not because it’s painful or full of regret.
There are real criticisms to make about the Browns heading into Feb. 2017. As of the final weekend of January, zero evidence exists that head coach Hue Jackson can select a true franchise quarterback. The Browns seemingly went all-in on a rebuild last year but then didn’t trade veterans such as Joe Thomas and Joe Haden, two players who won’t win a Super Bowl with the club. This regime’s first draft class largely underwhelmed minus defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah.
However, everybody needs to stop pretending five former Browns playing in the upcoming Super Bowl somehow would’ve turned a 1-15 team into a playoff contender. Atlanta Falcons center Alex Mack is the one that hurts the most for Cleveland fans. Mack proved himself to be an All-Pro at the position while a member of the Browns, and yet the organization actively decided against locking him up long-term. Then he understandably voided his contract to pursue a deal with a competent franchise in 2016, and that decision worked out rather well for the 31-year-old.
New England Patriots running back Dion Lewis looked like the real deal during Browns training camp in 2013, but he suffered a leg fracture and ligament damage during a preseason game as Tom Reed of Cleveland.com wrote. While Cleveland fans can only wonder what might have been had Lewis never gone down that summer, nobody can blame the Browns from moving on from him. Don’t forget both the Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts also cut Lewis during his career.
The Browns drafted current New England defensive end Jabaal Sheard in the second round of the 2011 draft. Sheard enjoyed a solid rookie campaign during which he accumulated 8.5 sacks, but his production dipped in each of the following three years. Sheard had five sacks in 15 games for the Patriots this past season.
Cleveland used the sixth-overall pick of the 2011 draft to acquire New England linebacker Barkevious Mingo, and Mingo will likely be remembered as one of the biggest Browns draft busts of the decade. Mingo did little of note during his tenure with the Browns before the club traded him to the Patriots in August 2016. In reality, the Browns essentially exchanged Mingo for linebacker Jamie Collins, a deal Cleveland seemingly won considering Mingo hasn’t played like an All-Pro as a member of the Super Bowl squad.
Speedy wide receiver Taylor Gabriel became a true playmaker within the Atlanta offense after being released by the Browns this past September. Gabriel spent two years with Cleveland, during which he scored a single touchdown. He found the end zone on six occasions while playing alongside Matt Ryan this past season, and he could be a sleeper pick to win Super Bowl MVP if he can take advantage of matchups versus the Patriots.
This may come as a surprise to some, but the Browns didn’t have Matty Ice at quarterback in 2016. Robert Griffin III, Cody Kessler and Josh McCown together wouldn’t produce as Ryan did, who will probably win regular season MVP honors when all is said and done.
Browns fans should be mad this winter. The team’s an embarrassment, and its owner seemingly has no clue how to run a football team or how to repay customers who continue to spend money on a terrible product for whatever reasons. The Browns look bad all on their own. They don’t need any help from supposed Super Bowl storylines that don’t really exist.
I agree with everything except for the Sheard take. Production dipped because he was put at 34 OLB instead of 43 DE. He was drafted to play DE in a 43.
Yes, I know NE runs multiple fronts but I think there was some stat that showed Sheard is most productive playing at DE in a four man front. Admittedly, I think that was something from 2015 so there may be some new/different information out now.
At DT, context and meaning are a scarecrow kicking at moving goalposts.
Lastly, we have a nugget regarding one of the Browns’ current quarterbacks on the roster, Cody Kessler: Sources say he wasn't as all in on the pick of Cody Kessler as he made it seem last when he said "trust me.''
Lastly, we have a nugget regarding one of the Browns’ current quarterbacks on the roster, Cody Kessler: Sources say he wasn't as all in on the pick of Cody Kessler as he made it seem last when he said "trust me.''
I thought that Hue might be stepping forward to take credit for the Kessler pick, in an effort to direct criticism toward himself, protecting the rest of the draft team.
At the time, I said that I could not believe Hue would pass over Dak Prescott to pick Kessler who was ranked as the +-15th best QB in the draft. Many draft sites had Kessler being drafted in the later rounds (5-6-7) or going undrafted. The Browns jumped Kessler from the projected ranking of 15th best to the 6th best QB of the 2016 draft.
It would be interesting to know how much analytics played in the Browns ranking Kessler as the 6th best QB of the 2016 draft. Maybe in time,we will find out.
I think he was happy with the pick. Just QBs tend to go before they are slotted from 1st round and beyond. For a 3rd round pick at the position he was happy I'm sure but there is a big difference in TALENT from a 1st/early 2nd round pick QB than the 3rd round.
jmho
Defense wins championships. Watson play your butt off! Go Browns! CHRIST HAS RISEN! GM Strong! & Stay safe everyone!
It would be interesting to know how much analytics played
I don't see analytics playing any part in drafting Kessler and I can see Hue wanting him over Prescott. Just look at the other QBs that's been attached to him snice joining the Browns...
1. RG3 2. Colin Kapernick 3. Jared Goff
I think Hue is a very good coach. I question his ability to find a franchise QB. The fact that he is the lead man in finding said QB (at least publicly) concerns me. But it always concerns me (generally, but there are exceptions) when a coach gets more say than personnel guys.
At DT, context and meaning are a scarecrow kicking at moving goalposts.
I've gotten to the point where I don't care who selects a QB, just find one. If Hue has a gut feeling, go for it. If anyone has input, then speak up. There is no magical formula to getting a good QB, and that is apparent even outside of Cleveland.
Kessler did well under horrible circumstances. Can't assume that his numbers would have been better with a healthy oline, but I am hopeful that he continues to grow and becomes a true asset to our team.
JMHO,posters are like some news organizations, they make news or slant it to make their agenda...again, JMHO- our front office has been blamed for not keeping "our guys"- former center and right tackle specifically....those guys wanted to be with winners AND one took LESS money, RT, just to do that- DAWGs by Nature- "Unfortunately, there probably isn’t much the Browns could have done to retain Mack when it came to the negotiating room because I feel Mack was ready to play for a winner, and he didn’t feel Cleveland was close to winning yet." Mack specifically left Cleveland for three reasons- more money, better scheme for him- Shany-, and WINNING.....who can blame them. Thomas is a SAINT for staying... Don't blame THIS front office for the picks and crap going on for decades.....GO Browns!!!!
"You've never lived till you've almost died, life has a flavor the protected will never know" A vet or cop
In case you missed the news, they pulled the offer for Shwartz when he came to sign it.
They pulled it when his agent decided to use it as leverage in FA.
Shocking that an agent would want to do his job and see what other teams might offer. Shocking I say.
He looked around for ..... a day, maybe 2 .... and before anyone was allowed to sign anywhere, came back to the Browns and accepted their offer, only to be told no.
My opinion, and this is only supposition on my part, but the pieces fit ...., is that his brother, who played in KC, told Mitchel that he loved playing in KC, and that he owed it to himself to see what they could offer. I think that KC was the only other team Schwartz even considered. Mitchell was established in Cleveland, his fiancee was in Cleveland, but he wanted to do as his brother suggested, and look at KC. After doing so, he saw no reason to leave Cleveland, and so he came back to accept the offer that had been made to him, but he was told "too bad".
The Browns didn't have some great deal in place with a solid replacement for Schwartz. Within a few days of free agency opening, we signed, again, a free agent from an awful Seattle OL, in Bailey. Blech.
I could deal with the rest of the players we let go, but we had one of the better RT in the NFL here, his fiancee was from here, and he wanted to stay here ..... but instead we blew him off, so we could get a compensatory 4th round pick.
What's done is done, but I think that Schwartz was a huge loss for this team.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
JMHO,posters are like some news organizations, they make news or slant it to make their agenda...again, JMHO- our front office has been blamed for not keeping "our guys"- former center and right tackle specifically....those guys wanted to be with winners AND one took LESS money, RT, just to do that-
LMAO........you got the slanting and making news part right to fit their agenda.
Schwartz was an incredible blunder by an inexperienced FO. Actually it's even hard to blame such stupidity on inexperience. Between that and Hue's ego, I find the future to be very bleak.
LOL - The Rish will be upset with this news as well. KS just doesn't prioritize winning...