DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Thee Cody Kessler Thread

I think it is way too early to make such determinations.

There's actually zero doubt about that Vers.

Not clear what you are getting at. Are you implying that he had a long time to learn the playbook because he didn't play until game 3 or that he didn't have much to learn the playbook because he started game 3 and didn't have many 1st string reps?

How does that affect the opinion of some posters that he's good enough to start?

In both directions

It actually was posted as a rebuttal to people saying that Kizer wouldn't start for a long time because he had to learn the playbook. The point is, you can start pretty early without looking completely lost.

The only determination that I have is that it'll be a long season. None of these QBs can make post snap reads. Glock Osweiler can't look off his number #1 receiver. Kizer throws the ball with good mechanics once a quarter. Kessler has shell shock, but he'll still Charlie Frye the job away. I hope I'm wrong, but that's what I've seen over the past three seasons of each of the players.

I agree. Most young Qb's get a simplified offense. Very few look lost if they have any kind of talent.

I wasn't getting on your case. It was just a generic comment and we probably share a similar opinion on our qbs.

I was just pointing out that w/out a clear-cut, established qb on the roster.......we really don't know who is best. It will play out over the upcoming months.

I have a strong suspicion that we'll be having this conversation again next year. LOL

Yeah, hopefully it's between Sam Darnold/Josh Allen/Josh Rosen/Lamar Jackson though

actually, i hope it isn't between any of those guys. I hope one of our guys steps up and shows he can be the man. that leaves us five picks in the top 64 to add weapons to our team.

How great would it be if we found our QB this year, and the Texans suck so we wind up with high picks with their 1st and 2nd picks?

Cough. Manziel. Cough. Agree with what you're saying though. Just typical we always seem to find exceptions for any rule.....

LOL remember when Johnny made his first national tv appearance and flipped off Washington's bench?

I have this feeling that Kessler will eventually end up in the realm of Hoyer... a guy who can play better than your average 2nd stringer, but can't quite sustain his spot as a starter either.

Only time will tell.

I happen to think Hoyer could have been championship caliber if anyone would have just stuck with him for an extended period. Circumstance plays a huge role.

Kessler's work appears to be paying off

Fred Greetham

Cody Kessler spent most of his off-season working to improve his arm strength, as well as getting rid of the ball quickly, and so far, it seems to be paying dividends

BEREA, Ohio--Cody Kessler is serious about being the Browns starting quarterback.

He knew he needed to get bigger and stronger and improve his arm strength. He also knew he had to make quicker decisions.

Kessler spent the first three months on a special diet regiment to try and give him a chance to be as strong as he possibly could be in preparation for the 2017 season. He also spent most of his time working to improve his arm strength, as well as his decision making with renowned quarterback guru Tom House.

Kessler said he's noticed the difference already in the early portion of the OTA's.

“For me mostly, it is just confidence and being able to make some of those longer throws and push the ball downfield," Kessler said. "In all of Phase 2, we threw a ton of deep balls, a ton of longer balls down the field and being able to push the ball down the field and have that confidence and knowing that you can get it there and put a little more on it is something that definitely helps you out, confidence level and everything.

"Also the mental side of it, being able to go out there and like I said, knowing you can make every throw so now you are focused on what is going on with the defense, what you are going to call, what different calls you can make, change the play and different stuff like that, which I think helped me out a lot and be able to play a lot faster," he said. "Being Year 2, obviously, you have a lot more experience, but yeah, I think the way that I worked this offseason can help me out not only physically, but mentally as well.”

Hue Jackson noticed the difference in Kessler, as well.

“Yeah, I think Cody is stronger and the ball has more zip on it," Jackson said. "He has worked extremely hard. What he is working at now is maintaining it and being able to do it week in and week out and day in and day out. That is his challenge, and we will keep staying after it with him.”

Kessler said he worked a lot on his core strength in the off-season and he credits that to his improved arm strength.

“A lot of core," he said. "A lot of core work, a lot of upper-body work but mostly was working with Tom House and those guys out there, and obviously, Coach Jackson and Coach (David) Lee, just being able to talk to them, especially Coach Jackson when I was leaving last year and stuff he wanted me to work on. A lot of it was just countless hours in the weight room.

"I think the biggest thing, too, was mechanics-wise – being able to not get so far forward and be able to get that power from your legs," he said. "A lot of my throws last year were completely upper body, and I was throwing a ton of upper body and not being able to get my legs into my throw and being able to stay back on your weight and push off your back plant foot is something that is huge, and that was something that I noticed a lot. As well, it comes with being in the weight room and strength and working on different things here and there.”

Kessler said he feels the ball coming out much easier this year.

“The coolest part about it mechanically is it feels like I’m throwing it harder but with a little bit less effort," Kessler said. "It doesn’t feel like I’m putting as much strain on my shoulder and my arm and just trying to throw it as hard as I can every time. It feels like if you do everything in sync and just countless reps of that over and over in the offseason, being able to throw the ball now, it just feels a little bit more fluid. Instead of trying to strain and get everything you have into it, you can get that transition from your legs to your upper body, and it makes it a lot easier.”

Kessler started eight games as a rookie--all losses-- but feels the experience he received has really helped him as he enters his second season.

“First and foremost, you know what to expect coming out here and what the practices are going to be like and the competition level," he said. "You have that first year under your belt. Last year, I was a wide-eyed rookie, where DeShone (Kizer) is right now, coming out there and getting everything thrown at you and that is why it has been really cool to now go from the rookie standpoint to not necessarily a mentor, but kind of helping him out – he has a bunch of questions and being able to talk to him and have answers for him that I necessarily didn’t have last year.

"Just having that year under your belt of OTAs and a full season and getting to start a couple games makes this process or this transition into OTAs a lot easier than it was last year.”

Teams didn't stick with him because circumstance showed he was a back up.

I think FOs and coaches can be just as impatient as fans.

I think his biggest issue ...and granted this is a big one...is his accuracy. Maybe that can't be overcome and I'm wrong about this one. But I think sometimes people get a label and that's it...and their chances are fewer because of it.

I especially like this from HUe himself:

Hue Jackson noticed the difference in Kessler, as well.

“Yeah, I think Cody is stronger and the ball has more zip on it," Jackson said. "He has worked extremely hard. What he is working at now is maintaining it and being able to do it week in and week out and day in and day out. That is his challenge, and we will keep staying after it with him.”

Hue has publicly noted CK's issues with getting the ball downfield. He's now publicly stated that CK is stronger and the ball has more zip...while still pointing out that the proof will show itself with time.

Refreshing to have a no BS leader like that for a change.

Funny how we interpret things. You see it as a definitive statement. When I saw the presser I heard it as he wasn't really sure.

LOL.........and I heard it as if he "thinks" it's stronger, than it is still not strong enough because I do not believe you can significantly increase arm strength at this level. He played at USC, which is a major program. They have great facilities and training regimes.

My favorite part of the article. I'm actually looking forward to preseason and seeing Kessler.

I didn't see that as a definitive statement by Hue...I also included the part where Hue basically said that 'time will tell'. That's all we've got really.

I think Hue is as 'skeptical' as anyone...while also being open-minded to the possibility that CK could be/become the guy for now.

I also don't think Hue would say those things if he didn't believe them...he doesn't seem like that kind of rah-rah guy / BSer. 'Appears stronger with more zip' is just a notch above saying nothing about that at all.

There is no doubt that CK is saying and doing all the right things.

Throwing anything with just your arm/shoulder is more difficult than getting your entire body into the throw. There were some interesting posts in the Kizer evaluation thread about throwing a ball with your lead foot out of whack and how that impacts your accuracy. However, keeping your lead foot in-line won't automatically make you an accurate thrower...just like getting your entire body behind your arm won't dramatically increase your throwing velocity or distance. But doing those things will certainly help.

My concern for a guy like CK trying to get more zip on the throw is in what that effort could do to his accuracy. He played well last year given the circumstances and I'm interested to see how/if he's improved.

Yeah, that's my take away - didn't mean to put words in your mouth.

My take on Cody's arm is that it was strong enough anyway but putting more lower body into it can produce much greater velocity if you aren't using your legs much, (kizer actually used his legs less than any of the QBs on the roster) he has the biggest arm but it could be even bigger with improved footwork.

For me Cody's issues was slow to make decisions and prone to injury. I like the guy a lot but the throw that Devalve was hurt on really summed up the issue I had with him in year one. Either so careful he waited to long or slow to recognize and a receiver with no one within 10 yards of him got laid out.

I believe Hue is gonna run a lot of 2 TE sets, work the run game and allow the rookie QB to game manage and occasionally stretch the field. Kizer learns to throw accurately off the playaction roll out then he wins the competition.

Kessler only wins if Kizer and Brock falter.

GOOOOOO CODY!!!