Here is a great article I found...that has in depth details around the injury...Let's all hope it's something that heal in 2-3 weeks, then again it can be the opposite spectrum as well.
I'm thinking back to K2's motorcycle knee injury; it may be a week before swelling goes down enough for them to even do any decent imaging of the soft tissues to determine real damage.
I fully expect that the FO is proceeding today, proactively, as if Mack won't be back this year and are busy evaluating options and beginning to talk to agents. I don't expect they will pull the trigger on any of that until and unless he either requires surgery or is expected to miss enough time to warrant going on IR... unless they have the space on the 80-man roster right now and anticipate carrying a potential replacement AND Mack on the opening day roster.
Basically, patience is the word of the day/week.
Browns is the Browns
... there goes Joe Thomas, the best there ever was in this game.
I agree with you to an extent. But I think one would have to consider that an NFL medical staff has dealt with enough knee injuries to have a pretty good idea if it's serious or not. Nothing conclusive mind you, but a pretty good idea.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
5 free-agent LB Cleveland Browns should sign to replace Mack Wilson
by Nick Dudukovich Factory of Sadness (Blog) / Fansided Aug 19, 2020
1. Darron Lee
Every Buckeye fan knows the name of Darron Lee, a linebacker who played a critical role in helping Ohio State capture the inaugural College Football Playoff national title.
Lee continued to play well in the following season, turning himself into a first-round pick in 2016.
That’s when his career starting trending downward, though. Lee started in 2017 and 2018, but the results weren’t great. He was popped for PEDs toward the end of the 2018. The Jets cut and ran, sending Lee to Kansas City where he played primarily special teams.
Lee’s athleticism got rave reviews coming out of college, and it’s why the Browns should, at the very least, kick the tires on the central Ohio native. Lee hasn’t had a severe injury, and he’s just going to be turning 26 in October.
Something else to consider: The Jets tried to play Lee in a 3-4, when a 4-3 scheme is probably the optimal scheme you’d like to see him in.
The Browns liked Wilson so much because he could fly all over the field. Without him, they need someone who can try and fill that role, and considering who’s available right now, Lee’s one of just a few options.
2. Alec Ogletree
The Browns should look at Alec Ogletree, but the veteran shouldn’t be the top priority in trying to find someone to fill in for Mack Wilson.
The University of Georgia product has logged a lot of miles since being a first-round pick of the Rams back in 2012.
That said, he’s experienced, still flashes some nice speed and has a veteran where-with-all that the Browns could certainly use. Sure, that doesn’t matter to the analytically oriented front office, but this team needs bodies–and the Browns are desperate.
Perhaps the Browns add him, and rotate him with someone such as WIllie Harvey and Tae Davis. While Ogletree’s durable, he’s not exactly been a stalwart at stopping the run or dropping back into coverage.
That said, he could be used situationally as a blitzer, where he compiled a 76.0 game from PFF last season.
3. Jake Ryan
Hard to believe that Jake Ryan is still looking for a job. The Michigan product was a fourth-round pick of the Packers in 2015.
In 2016 and 2017, Ryan really put together two nice seasons, compiling 163 total tackles and 11 quarterbacked hits. His career was derailed by an ACL injury that cost him all of the 2018 season. He played just 35 snaps in two games with the Jags during the 2019 campaign.
Free agency started promising for the Westlake native, as he landed with the Ravens, but the marriage was short lived. Baltimore picked up some linebackers in the draft and Ryan was eventually released with a non-football injury designation.
If the Ravens thought enough of him to give him a deal, the Browns should be willing to do so, as well, if he’s healthy.
Now’s the time to take a look at him. There were no mini camps or OTAs, so it’s unclear what type of shape he’s in.
That said, there is no risk in signing Ryan to a cheap, prove-it type deal. If he can’t play, you release him and Cleveland’s stuck in the same spot as they were before.
4. Clay Matthews
Our own Chad Porto made the case as to why the Browns should take on the 37-year-old veteran. Sure, he’s a future Hall of Famer, and the Browns won’t be getting the player that accrued all those stats, but Matthews can still cause problems at linebacker, as well as on the edge as a pass rusher.
Fans, writers and talk show hosts have been making the Matthews connection to Cleveland ever since Christian Kirksey was released. It amplified after Joe Schobert signed a free-agent deal with the Jags and, when the Browns waited until late in the third round to draft Jacob Phillips, it seemed like signing Matthews was a given.
Nothing happened though, which makes you wonder what’s going on. Perhaps the Browns aren’t interested. Matthews is old and the analytically driven front office doesn’t sign a lot of old guys. Perhaps Matthews’ asking price is too high–that’s hard to believe, and it’s not a good excuse, either.
The Browns are loaded with cap space and need help at this position. No one is saying invest Myles Garrett-type money in Matthews, just get him here to help for 2020!
5. Mark Barron
The Browns recent moves have shown what they think of the linebacking corps and the value it provides to a roster. They clear priorities are on the edge and in the secondary.
Well, having ignored the position group has caught up with the franchise, as the injury to Mack Wilson looks to be one the Browns might not be able to cover up.
Under John Dorsey, the Browns knew their linebacking corps was in trouble, which is why the team tried to use three safeties and two linebackers.
Well, what if they could deploy a “dime backer,” or basically a linebacker to come in on 3rd downs that would help in passing situations.
Enter Mark Barron. He’s 31, but logged 70 percent of the Steelers’ defensive snaps last season. Plus, he should be affordable.
So what's the prognosis on Mack? I've been looking and haven't see anything. His tweet suggested he might be done for the year or at least a long time, but I haven't seen anything official.
we just need to pick the dog with the least fleas and move on. Our lb core needs 2-4 new players next year anyway (depending on the scheme we go with).
there is a real possiblity we only have a MLB on the field for signifcant portions of the game.
(515) could be here to stay or a (614) on pass rushing downs
we just need to pick the dog with the least fleas and move on. Our lb core needs 2-4 new players next year anyway (depending on the scheme we go with).
there is a real possiblity we only have a MLB on the field for signifcant portions of the game.
(515) could be here to stay or a (614) on pass-rushing downs
Blocking those who argue to argue, eliminates the argument.
Malcolm Smith is a journeyman who is basically league average. I would think that he's better in coverage than B.J. Goodson just based on his size but I don't know much about his actual play.
Any LB still unsigned is unsigned for a reason. There will be no one on the market that will Be able save this group as a whole Why they didn't sign a Josh Bynes is beyond me
As I said before. The Browns would prefer to sign somebody who is familiar with our Defensive system. It doesn't mean they will, but they would prefer it at this point in time.
Great list. Please read it to FO. We need some help.
Since 1989,... the same story, the Browns need to sign someone to fill some hole roster wise.
Other NFL teams don't seem to have this need, as often.
I think the team will find a fine player, not really of interest to me. Less worrisome because I think Mack Wilson wasn't a very good player anyway, at least not this stage of his playing years.
Can Deshaun Watson play better for the Browns, than Baker Mayfield would have? ... Now the Games count.
So what's the prognosis on Mack? I've been looking and haven't see anything. His tweet suggested he might be done for the year or at least a long time, but I haven't seen anything official.
By Dan Labbe, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- We spent so much time this offseason talking about linebackers. Why didn’t the Browns do a better job addressing the position? Who’s going to play where? What does this front office and coaching staff even think of linebackers?
Not to make too much of the first two weeks of training camp, but let’s make too much of the first two weeks of training camp and say we feel pretty good about the linebackers, at least for now.
It starts with B.J. Goodson, who has established himself in the middle of the defense. You see and hear Goodson throughout practice, and it’s not just because he’s a linebacker wearing No. 93. Goodson is on his way to wearing the green sticker this season and then the position can really build out from there.
Sione Takitaki has played well, a nice development, especially given the loss of Mack Wilson. Jacob Phillips, the third-round pick, has wiggled up the depth chart and might make a push to start. Tae Davis, a special-teamer last year, is getting some run.
Things get different when the season starts and teams are game-planning for you, finding every little weakness and coming up with ways to exploit it, but it’s safe to say we feel a lot better about the linebacker position than we did a month ago, even if Wilson ends up missing the season.
Mary Kay Cabot and I talked more about the linebackers in Friday’s texter edition of the Orange and Brown Talk Podcast, where we took questions from our Football Insider subscribers. Scroll down to get your free trial started. Click here to listen to the podcast or use the player below.
We desperately need to hit on some mid/low round and/or underrated guys in the secondary too
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
