DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Isaiah Crowell questions the Browns' playcalling only 'sometimes,' but thinks about getting paid 'all the time'

Much ado about nothing.

If Crow doesn't turn it up soon, his next contract will be as a hamburger flipper trainee at McDonalds...

Nah. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry last year. People are just letting their emotions get the better of them because our OL hasn't had time to gel with an entire new right side of the OL from the C out. But then again our fan base remaining calm and rational has never been their strong suit.

Do we want players to be honest or do we want players to spout cliches?

Here's my made-up scenario on how it went down...


What I was reading before the draft was that Haslem stayed out of the way for the most part but he was adamant that he wanted the QB situation resolved. So give Sashi a lot of credit for drafting MG rather than pulling the trigger on one of the QB's at the top of the first round.

I think he felt relieved when Kizer fell in his lap. I'm guessing that was enough to sell Haslem on the idea of having addressed the QB issue. Kizer was the last shot at a top-rated passer. Both Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks from NFL.com had him rated as the top QB in the 2017 draft. (Many draft "experts" had him ranked top-ten and even top-five overall). I've also read that some had Kizer as the QB with the highest upside but also with the lowest floor. I take from that meaning he shouldn't be expected to start right away but to sit and learn at first.

Enter Haslem. I can see him grinning ear to ear and beaming that his FO, (that the "experts" poo-pooed and ridiculed at the beginning of last season), got BOTH the top rated defensive player AND a top rated QB in the same draft.

I'm also seeing Haslem wanting to see his new QB pay dividends as soon as possible. His dream scenario being both the defense and the offense improving by leaps and bounds this year, further evidence that his FO choice was a brilliant move. When a capitalist is making grand progress he doesn't want to slow down for nothing. I can see him lobbying, (demanding?) they find a way to get Kizer ready to start the season.

Sahsi and Hue discuss the QB. Sashi is pressured by the ower's wants and likely approaches Hue with the idea of Kizer starting right away. I'm certain they discussed the need for Kizer to acclimate to the NFL, let Hue work on his throwing mechanics which is of utmost importance, let Kizer get a feel for being an NFL player, the QB meeting room, watching film, learning the playbook, learning his teammates and a thousand other things that need to be addressed and learned by the rookie QB before he steps on the field to start a game. Idealy a minimum of sitting for four or five games would give the rookie a fighting chance.

Sashi is likely pushing Hue on what can be done to address all those things at once so they can have Kizer on the fast track to start the season. Hue is likely cautioning Sashi that they can't expect to win right away by throwing a rookie into the fire like that. That he would like to bring him along slowly towards his best chance to succeed. All the while the wishes of the owner is hovering over their decisions.

When they consider their other QB options they don't see much. Osweiler is junk. He spent five years in the NFL and took four of them to learn Denver's offense. It looked like it would have taken another four for him to learn the offense in Houston. The Browns did not have that kind of time. Neither of the other two guys have ever won an NFL game. And even though Kessler has eight games of playing experince and knows the playbook very well it appears his experience last season has left him broken. Hogan has shown little to nothing at this point though at least he's not broken.

If the Browns had a veteran QB on the team it would be much easier to start him while Kizer waited his turn. That would go over much better with Haslem and the fans than running Brock out there when everybody in the world thinks he already sucks. The chants for Kizer would start at halftime of the first game.

Who knows what to think of Hogan. He was never a top-rated pick. It seems futile to allow Kessler to throw short balls, take sacks and suffer concussions. But they cut their veterans, which was not a mistake, but it left them in the morass they're in and these guys are are all they've got.

After discussions over all that, Hue caves and he and Sashi agree that starting Kizer can be done as per Hue's direction. They can hope Kessler greatly improves but if not they've already started on Kizer.

It begins with the OTA's. Hue works with Kizer as much as possible. This is the point at which he can spend the most individual time with him. It continues in earnest with Kizer getting first team reps in training camp from the beginning, even over the five-year veteran.

It was obvious that the plan was to force-feed Kizer all the way to the opening game. Had Kessler not had the eight games experience from last season I doubt he would have gotten any first team reps. But out of respect for their own draft pick they held out hope that he would snap out of his doldrums. He didn't.

I imagined they talked over the plan with Haslem and made him agree and understand that it will take time and the team will suffer some ugly games and some losing while Hue works with Kizer on the fly. The reason I think Haslem understands is due to what he said in training camp when in a short interview he pointed to 2018-2019 as when we will see much improvement. I believe neither Sashi nor Hue will be on any kind of "hot seat" due in part because of this understanding.

So all that brings us to where we are now. The team is 0-2. But as Terry Pluto says, those two games were against Pittsburgh and the Ravens, what were you expecting?! Moving on we hope to see improvement on both sides of the ball. The Browns are the youngest team in the NFL and the whole roster has a lot of learning to do.

No loyalty, how about Joe Thomas- has he shown loyalty. No loyalty.....some.

Crowell might be telling the truth, BUT it ain't smart to say the thing you think about most is BEING PAID because you are a big time player......dumb, just like his knife slash text.

If he'd made more of his opportunities he'd gotten more chances.......GO Browns!!!!!

How have they not had time to gel, but the right side we had last year did? Didn't we have a different RT and RG last year, too... along with a terrible Center?

Let's call Crow out. Give him the ball, commit to the run and let's see what he can do. We need to run the ball better anyway to help DK out. I like Crow I think he's a decent back but he talked the talk so let's see him walk the walk. JMO

Yet they managed to run block early in the year. Maybe the FO just signed the wrong guys?

Calling out Crowell...how about asking Crowell, who "hasn't been paid"- these are "approximate" numbers- he was paid 1.5 MILLION dollars over first three years and IS being paid 2.7+MILLION dollars this year- how has he invested his money with the education he got at Alabama State- where does 2.7 million put him on list of earners for the entire US population....he needs to get paid- how much per yard has he made this year.....WOW......GO Browns!!!!

Yes, let's not consider his profession. And since when is it any of your business what a person does with their money?

i dont see the big upgrade over greco... or at center for that matter...

I really don't either.

But I do understand that an OL often takes time to learn a blocking scheme and work as a cohesive unit. With that being said, I think it's too early for me to judge.

Still I must say that nothing has stood out to me that makes Tretter, Zeitler or Coleman look any better than the group we had last year.... yet.

Any person complaining about not being paid and making 2.7 million dollars in salary for doing ANYTHING has NO sympathy from me...JMHO. He can do what he wants with his money....hope he invests it wisely......GO Browns!!!!!

EO, with your comments, should we have Kizer under center more with play action pass vs in shotgun. With play action he'd have quick read for open receiver/ second read- throw it away....your thoughts......Go Browns!!!

jc

so, reading through the thread, are people forgetting that he actually does this as a profession?

are some of you guys sitting there telling the board that you have never thought about your salary while at work?

ever?

Actually no ... never for me ... I've never had a salaried job .. never even had just an hourly job ... but I'm more than likely the exception ...

There's a huge difference between Billy Bob huddling around the spittoon on a break talking about what he makes and an nfl running back in a fa year talking about i want to get paid and thats on my mind 24/7 ... he comes off as a sellfish Pr**k ...

Do i have any problem with him thinking it? ... nope ....

Do i have any problem with him talking about it? ... nope .. not even a little bit ...

Do i think he comes off as a sellfish me person with his response ... u bet i do ...

Do i give a crap about any of this ... nope .... all i care about is:

- he needs to get the ball more ... start doing what u said hue ... i expect him to see the ball plenty over the next 4 games ... PLENTY ....

- he needs to do more when he gets the ball .... so far him and the OL have both been UNDERACHIEVING ...

If those two things don't happen ... he won't be getting paid near what he wants ....

I expect over the next 4 games he will get the ball a lot .... if he doesn't over the next 4 games .... he NEVER WILL get the ball near enough!!!

https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2017/9/20/...inst-the-ravens

Breakdown of all of his runs from Ravens game.

i agree completely that he needs the ball more, as well as he needs to perform when given the ball.

but this falls under the line of fans and media upset that players aren't real and give company line answers, yet when they are honest, people get upset about it.

also, most people do think about their checks even at work. i understand that some people make so much that it doesn't even matter at this point, but we are talking about a guy who doesn't have a contract after next season. i think it's beyond reasonable that crow is thinking about his next contract, seeing as that's his future.

Neither one. Out of players I expect production on the field. I have had a bellyful of spouting and fancy explanations. Score. Tackle. Catch.

I get your point, and I am not being snarky. I just do not place a premium on lame interviews. HIS output has been lousy. Play the rook. JMHO.

IMHO, there should have been more running plays, at least twice as many, but you have to give the rat's D props for staying at home and getting off their blocks. That shut down a lot of the runs.

Crowell's days are numbered. He is playing for a contract, then he is not playing for us. We need to draft Sam Darnold and Saquon Barkley with our two first round picks next year. We should not even consider anyone else.

Solid draft strategy.

If you have seen them play, you would know it is very solid draft strategy.

I've seen Darnold. He played very well last year. This year, not so much. I take it you're ready to bail on Kizer. That seem premature. Also, Josh Allen might ultimately be the better of the two... That's if you're bailing on the QB you JUST DRAFTED.

I do like Kizer, and it is too early to tell what he will become. However, having said that, I do think Darnold is a better QB than Kizer will ever be and if we can draft him, we should. He has played very well this year, some of his picks were dropped passes by his WR's. Kizer could get us an early draft pick if we do decide to trade him.

We are also talking about a guy who plays the running back position:

-a position that gets underpaid compared to others
-a position that is often times undervalued by front offices
-a position where the timeline is short; Hit 30 and you're done, prepare for your replacement to get drafted
-a position that most teams consider plug and play (ridiculous).


Hopefully his carries increase, and hopefully the yards gained will too.. more importantly.. lets get some W's.

j/c:

So, we cut guys like Haden, Whit, Dansby, Greco and let guys like Schwartz, Mack, Gipson, Benji, etc walk.........and people are good w/it. Then, those same people freak out and slam a player for not being loyal.

I can't wait to see all the love when he starts ripping of some big runs. Feed The Crow.

I know Dayes had the one bad mistake against Pitt, but I'd like to see him get some real carries as well.

Link has cursing.

And he will. He's done that in his three years here. That's how he made the team as a UDFA, remember? In preseason game 4 he was on the bubble and had huge run against backups. And here he is today.

My problem is those big runs are few and far between, IMO.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap3000000385540/Q4-Crowell-48-yard-touchdown-run

Especially when he's only getting 10-17 carries per game. Let's see how it goes this week.

And I think we did challenge them.. at least a lot more competitive than we have in a lot of recent games with them... now going from competing for moral victories to actually reducing the mistakes and being in a position to win the game is the next step.. hopefully we progress in that direction through the course of the year.

Regardless of what Crowell does this week, next week, or the week after. We need Saquon Barkley.

That is why would should not pass on him.