DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Higgins?

Someone made a comment earlier that I think is true: It seems like OBJ is trying to one hand passes, and dropping them. He needs to use both hands, and secure the darn catch.

That might help a bunch. If we are forcing passes to him, then catch. No style points in NFL.

Regardless, get your entire noodle in the game and hurt some folks with your catches.

Yeah, OBJ has been a terrible disappointment. I don’t even care about the big plays, but he’s not making a lot of the routine ones. Every time the ball goes his way I hold my breath

Nah, ive seen them hit both hands and hes dropping them. He is more concerned with his watch and shoes than catching a ball.

J/C

Back to Higs, I wish someone in the media (local or national) would hold Freddie to the Fire and actually dig and ask why the heck is Higs in the doghouse, yet idiots like Callaway get chance after chance?

I read today that that Callaway was benched last game for showing up late to the game (how that even happens IDK), but Freddie said its a "1 game thing" or something.

Higgins > Callaway.

Talent don't mean jack if you cant make it to gameday.

Rashard Higgins Reportedly Refused to Play Against Seahawks

https://heavy.com/sports/2019/11/browns-rashard-higgins-refused-to-play/

A new wrinkle has been added to the mystery surrounding the diminished role of Cleveland Browns wide receiver Rashard “Hollywood” Higgins.

Higgins, who has earned a reputation as a security blanket for quarterback Baker Mayfield thanks to their great chemistry, has been MIA this season thanks in part to injury and the lack of opportunity.

Higgins missed five games with a sprained MCL he suffered in the team’s opener against the Titans, but since being back, he’s been targeted just three times.

This is coming off a year where he had 39 catches for 572 yards and 4 touchdowns — all career highs.

Both head coach Freddie Kitchens — who also calls the offensive plays — and Higgins have been relatively quiet about the situation.

However, there was a strange exchange the Browns skipper had with reporters regarding Higgins suiting up but did not seeing the field against the Seahawks.

The Mystery Surrounding Rashard Higgins Grows

Higgins initially told reporters he didn’t know why he didn’t get on the field for a single snap. A few weeks later, Kitchens seemed to throw a bit of shade the veteran pass-catcher when asked why Antonio Callaway was receiving more work than Higgins.

“We feel like he’s doing a better job right now,” Kitchens said of Callaway. “Contrary to popular belief, Higgins was not ready to play three weeks ago. Ask Higgins again about two weeks ago, he might have a different answer now.”

Now comes the doozy: Higgins had declined to go into the game against the Seahawks, according to The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd.

Here’s what Lloyd reported in full on Friday regarding Higgins absence in the offense.

Multiple sources told The Athletic in recent weeks that Higgins was told to go into the game and declined. The reasons behind it remain a mystery. When I pressed him again about it this week, Higgins refused to talk about the Seattle game.

The game against the Seahawks came before the trade deadline, so maybe it was possible Higgins was posturing for a flight out of town with his name already swirling in rumors. He has not addressed the subject of playing time since.

Browns Admit Frustration With Rashard Higgins Situation
With the Browns offense floundering and Mayfield in need of a go-to guy in clutch situations, Higgins would be a welcomed addition to the offense in a bigger role.

But as Browns offensive coordinator Todd Monken put it, the situation has been frustrating due to multiple factors.

“Obviously, last year, they also did not have Odell. That is part of it as well. You had some other guys that were more role players. All of a sudden a player’s role changes and he is trying to find a niche, and we are, too,” Monken said. “It is a little more complicated than that, but obviously, he is a guy that Baker has real comfort in. We do have to get him more involved. We do. You are right. Have him a bigger factor in what we do. It is only so much you can do. Like I said before, one ball, but it has been frustrating I am sure for him and for us.”

Higgins will have another chance to get on the field this week as the Browns host the Bills as 3-point favorites at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday.

They have asked, multiple times. Freddie said you have to ask Higgins about it. Higgins refused to elaborate. Any issue, they've done their best to keep in-house.

From Jason Lloyd....

.... Instead, he missed five games. He was finally active in Week 6 against Seattle but never played, something that has been a source of confusion ever since. Higgins was clearly expected to be part of the game plan entering the day since the Browns made Damion Ratley inactive to clear a spot for him. Then he never appeared.

He said afterward that he wasn’t sure why he didn’t play, but multiple sources told The Athletic in recent weeks that Higgins was told to go into the game and declined. The reasons behind it remain a mystery. When I pressed him again about it this week, Higgins refused to talk about the Seattle game.

Adding to the confusion was Freddie Kitchens’ response. When he was asked about Higgins after the Seattle game, Kitchens acknowledged that he should have played but said the situation didn’t arise. Then, when Higgins initially said he didn’t know why he didn’t get in, Kitchens countered a couple of weeks later to go back and ask Higgins again because he’d likely have a different answer.

Instead, Higgins has refused to address it for weeks.

Higgins is very very good.
Am I reading this right? He didnt go into the game because he thought he might be traded? or wanted to be traded?

All this crap reflex's badly on the Club House environment .. This is the kind of stuff that Williams would never had stood for . Greg would be grabbing someones face mask and have a come to Jesus moment...

Callaway may have more physical gifts, but Higgins, besides producing when on the field, is also a bright individual with a fully functioning brain. Callaway seems to be dumb as a bag of hammers.

Today's marijuana ain't yo daddy's marijuana..or gramps...or, the '70's...

Ya Higgins is real special thats why he garnered so much interest this past off season ... i don’t think he got even one offer ... but ya, he’s a stud ...

Did we even tender him .... at how overrated Higgs is on this board ...

Higgs does the intangibles plus he catches the ball ans has length ... hes slightly above average I guess ...

I wish we’d cut the dumb butt and let Higgs play but bone hit the nail on the head .. KJ and Freddie can’t get by the eye candy ... meanwhile Kendricks who got cut supposedly for lying to us is more than likely finishing up his 2nd season with the SeaHags and may very well end up in the SB ...

KJ’S BIGGEST MISTAKE since he’s been here ....ya, even worse than Corbett ...

I don't get the scorn you are showing. . .

For a #4 Higgins is a stud. I think he's a great #3 - based on what we saw so far this year I'd much rather have him than Calloway.

He's not close to being in the same class (or toughness) as Anquan Boldin but he reminds me of AB because he doesn't have the physical measurements but finds a way to get open and catch the ball. I loved Anquan Boldin as a WR.

Agreed. I don't get where this brashness towards Higgins is coming from. For all we know maybe the Browns screwed him somehow.

I do know that my eyes don't lie though. Higgins produces on the field and Mayfield likes him. I want to help Mayfield as much as possible right now. If I'm the coach you play Higgins at slot from now going forward and there is NO REASON not to. Personally I'd cut Callaway as he's not mature enough to be on this team in the first place. Plus he also has drug problems and can't catch the ball, cut him already and be done with it. It's not that hard of a decision IMO.

I dont want Callaway or Higgins let go.
Callaway has room to improve, for sure.
Higgins is already a good WR.
He had wonderful chemistry with Baker last year, and was his go to guy.
It has really hurt our team to keep him off the field this year.
They need to sort the issue starting now.

I don't want to lose Higgins either. I find it disturbing that we have solid players who show great promise who seem to be at odds with the coaches (Higgins, Callaway, Avery).

I was beginning to wonder if Randall was in this list with all of his days missed and his "concussion and hamstring".

The Higgins situation is as mysterious as the "Freddie Zone."

I didn’t say anything I haven’t said about Higgs before .... not a thing but now its scorn ... ok ...

I’d play him over Calloway in a heartbeat .... I hope we trade Josh Jr ... another 2 cent head .... he’s hurt this football team by missing 4 games and then dropping a td pass and as everything else that happens this year it turns into a pick .... he’ll make a big play now and then ... although i don’t believe he hears one yet this year ... it’s kinda tough with OBJ and VG out there .... not a fan of Calloway ... at this point just WASTED TALENT and he shows no signs of brightening up ....

Higgs is a real good #3 ... glad to have him as the #3 ... I’ve said that before also .... some of u guys act like bake can’t survive w/o him ... thats going way to far .... theres a reason he got zero offers this offseason and we signed him for the lowest amount possible i think .... not sure on that ....

It’ll be interesting to see what his market is this year and if the rumors are true or he’s just peed (and i wouldn’t blame him ... if he refused to go into the game ... he’d rot on the end of the bench ... but he oughta be playing over JJ) ...

I agree: there’s no way I play Callaway over Higgins, and would plan our future accordingly

There is a lot more to it than that. They placed a low-round tender (either a 5th by choice or because that's where he was drafted...don't remember) on him rather than a 2nd Rd tender.

Those tenders kick in ONLY if the team chooses to not match the other teams' offer to him and he signs. He wasn't going to bring us a 2nd Rd pick - he's really good, but not 2nd Rd pick good - and the Browns were not going to let him walk for a 5th...we would match whatever was offered. The other teams in the league knew this and weren't about to waste time fishing for a player they weren't going to get without way overpaying the guy.

There's a reason why the Browns did what they did ($$$) and a reason why other teams didn't get in the bidding war ($$$). Those "moves" had very little to do with his ability and development as a WR.

He is the perfect compliment to Jarvis and Braylon and we'd be foolish to let him walk.

Hogwash bro ... if a team saw value in him they would have come knocking ....

This was what I read and interpreted as you being 'scornful' ... if that wasn't your intent then I misread the tone of your text.

How many restricted free agents sign offer sheets with another team?

No clue bro .... nor does it matter ..... the better question is how many get 5th round tenders to begin with ...

I think we gave him the lowest tender but am not sure .... theres a reason for that .... *shrugs* ... its really not that complicated ...

mgh ... ive had this convo with a few in PM’s ... its not that i don’t like Higgs ... i just think pretty much everyone on here overrates him ...

U thought that was scornful? ... have u not ever read me before ... *L* ...

I think it's more about context than tone.

Higgins is pretty good if you're looking at a #3 or #4 WR. In that context he is "good".

But some posters didn't seem to be putting his talent in that context. So to that end, I agree with Diam. Now it seemed that once the parameters of the context were set, he agreed that Higgins was good in "his role" on the team. Which is the #3 or #4 WR.

And when it comes to an offer sheet, how many NFL teams are going to give up a draft pick for a #3 or #4 WR?

Context is everything. Well, okay, actually timing is everything, but I think you get my point.

Exactly. It's a waste of another team's time to go through the process of making an offer only to have the current team match the offer.

WSU's post explained the situation well.

Especially given how flush with Cap space we were/are. A team would have had to not only give up a draft pick, but they'd have to also overpay by a large amount to make us say "no, we don't want him at that price, give us your 5th rounder."

A lot of guys get tendered at the same level they were drafted. Few...very, very few restricted free agents - at/with any tender level - get signed away from their current team. The current team can ALWAYS match any deal...it's akin to a poison pill and is designed to be just that.

The tender difference for Higgins was likely appox $3 million. Why would King John default to a +$3 million deal (required of a 1st Rd tender) if he didn't have to do so UNLESS another team came calling?

It's not hogwash bro. It's the exact reason why his "free agency period" played out like it did.

That depends on how a team sees a players role.

You won't get that kind of effort from another team for a #3 or #4 WR.

I think that was the entire point being made. If they see a player as being valuable enough to make such an effort for, that effort will be made.

But not for a player like Higgins.

^^^^

Not that simple Diam. Signing away tendered players to very rare.

+ < >

U guys are actually making my point for me ... *L* ...

Were splitting hairs here as far as what we think of Higgs ... i think were about 90 - 95% on the same page on his ability .. were debating over 5% or so ...

Have a good one Willie ... I’m out of this one ...

The thread topic originally started out with Higgins prolonged absence from the field. While the part about Higgins and his perceived value (or lack) to other teams is an interesting topic, imo it's not all that applicable to what we're talking about here (why isn't Higgins on the field).

Higgins has shown that he's a good route runner, can get enough separation on a somewhat consistent basis, and (this is the big one) appears to have a really good connection with Baker. This connection hasn't seemed to be affected much by Higgins's absence, as seen by him grabbing the TD.

So, while Higgins may be a dime-a-dozen WR talent when it comes to FA, he's worth his weight in gold in terms of fielding a roster week-to-week.

he is our next Travis Benji or Taylor Gabriel

I actually agree with you. It seems Baker is having trouble developing a chemistry with even better WR's than Higgins is. There's actually no logical explanation for that though I'm sure some will try.

But I'm somewhat old school in many ways. So I say if it ain't broke don't fix it. No matter who the WR is, the ball should be accurate. It should be placed where only your WR can catch it. That situation seems to be getting better. But there's no reason I can come up with that you shouldn't be playing a WR who Baker has already established that with.

Yeah, his chemistry with Higgins is very good. It’s like in basketball, sometimes a shooting guard and a point guard just “click” even if they aren’t as talented as others at the position

Yes, I agree ... in the context of trading Draft picks after the season.