DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum How good are the Browns WR's - RB's - TE's

We've all commented on how talented our roster is, it's certainly the most stacked Browns team I have seen since the return - I wouldn't trade our RB's for any team in the NFL - I have huge hopes for OBJ being the player he was before the injury impacted him last year - Hooper and Njoku are a very formidable TE pair.

But I've seen comments insinuating we are so loaded with talent, any QB in the NFL would be jealous and it made me wonder how our skill positions are viewed by others - and since I am quite the advocate of PFF I looked up their rankings. I think they have the RB and TE slots about right - I'd like to rank Hooper a couple slots higher but we'll see. But I was surprised exactly where we stood with regards the WR's ... Check for yourself ... but before you do, take a moment to tell us where you think they would rank then read, I think that'd be interesting.

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-rankings-top-25-running-backs-2020-nfl-season

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-tight-end-rankings-all-32-units-entering-the-2020-nfl-season

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-wide-receiver-rankings-all-32-units-2020-nfl-season

I have not tried to compare teams combination of WR, TE and RB ... but if you did we have to be very high on any list. Maybe Stekanski and 2020 will be when we finally get some good karma and bring out the best in all of the parts and help Baker be reach his ceiling!

I don’t think last year was indicative of our WR talent. OBJ was hurt as well as Landry. Higgins was in the dog house. Our top two are healthy and Higgins is refocused, not to mention an emerging Hodge and rookie Peoples-Jones.

I read the PFF report and it was from before cuts since they mentioned Ratley. In my opinion OBJ is a top 10 talent. Landry is probably a top 3 slot guy. Higgins would be the weak link but I don’t believe he is bad enough to drop us to 18th best.

Really good tight ends don't come around every year.

Some years there might not even be 1 really good tight end that transfers to the NFL, in the college draft.

The Browns did not pass on Kelce, but they didn't trade up for him either.

I really wanted him that year,

Travis Kelce's consistency and production was easily visible in write ups about his college career.

He just caught a touchdown, doesn't look overly fast or overly muscular, but he does play football really well.

Not sure how they came up with this list as it wasn't done off of their grading system. How can the Broncos have the #9 WR corp when 2 of their top 3 WRs have yet to play a down in the NFL and then Rank the Rams WR corp #17, they were #6 last year, just because they replaced Cooks with a rookie in Jefferson when Cooks didn't even have a good year.

I’m intrigued by our TE’s and RB’s combined ... they fit what Baker needs way more than WR’s in my opinion. Our WR’s are hood ornaments and not as important as the other spots

I believe we are better this season ITO talent and health over all, and we stack up righteously with most of the better NFL teams. I want to emphasize that I also think we had more offensive ability last year than we managed to show, and the pass on an accomplished OC, Freddy, and other factors made it worse.

We are better on paper. I think it was Maria Muldaur had a song years ago titled "It Ain't the Meat (It's the Motion)." Not the playbook; it IS how you choose to use it. Not interested in arguing talent; just want to see results and output. This group of coaches can use this offense better, at least that is my hope.

I think there are question marks over both WRs returning after injury - so I understand some caution. I also think that this year's WR draft class is as good as any I can remember. I think there is at least four outright number 1 WR's in this group. Guys like Jeudy, Cee Dee Lamb seem like instant plug and play impact players. . . .When you go through the WR list I was surprised at how many teams have really good WRs.

I agree TE's and RB is super important - but I don't think I'd down play the impact of game changing WR's who can create something big out of a routine play. We should have one in OBJ and Vice Grips is clutch. Can't wait till Sunday.

They’re all trash until we have a winning season.

If last season taught us anything, it's that what you have on paper and how you execute on the field couldn't be further apart. It doesn't take a whole lot to get what should be a monster of a team tripping over its own feet.

Theoretically, they are easily among the best in the league across the board.

Realistically speaking, they are only as good as they prove themselves to be. You get nothing until you earn it; they haven't earned anything.

Better than the QB.

#Icantwaittillhesgone !

Hoping you are wrong. I guess you are too.

What's really crazy is just how many players we have on offense that can literally take over over a game if any of them get hot. Most teams are lucky if they have one guy who can show up and be unstoppable... we've easily got 5

j/c

I'm loving the optimism in this thread...I'll play party-pooper and remind us all that with the exception of Hooper, we had all of these weapons last year as well.

Now...both WRs played through injuries that required off-season surgery and Hunt was out for the first half of the season...Baker wasn't prepared and Freddie was a disaster.

This year...new systems...limited prep time...rookie LT who has never played LT in a live game in his life...maybe a rookie at C...and a RG who was "ok" last year.

Point being...circumstances prevented us from unleashing those weapons last year and there are plenty of new/potential circumstances waiting in the wings this year.

I didn't read anything yet!

1st OBJ was more of a distraction then an asset. Every week it was the shoes the hair the face shield. The focus has to be football, and team. I think he dropped to many balls period. I was very disappointed in his play overall, especially the drops.

Laundry, is another world type player.

Not sure about Hooper but I know from watching him play against us he was huge for Atlanta and a weapon that catches everything.

Bryant has by passed Njoku wow. So we will see. He could be huge early. The unknown weapon??????

Show me the team that drops the ball I will show you the loser. When plays are there to be made they must be made. Drops IMO are as much a part of winning and losing as turnovers. I know they track them but seldom if ever do they give it, it's do IMO.

The great unknown is Baker at this point, I think he is more focused and has a clear undertsanding of how hard he needs to work in order to be a winning QB. In same respects he is the victim of his early success. He has the tools now he needs to step it up.

Chubb is one of my favorites not just for his performances but because he is such a fine young man. Proud to have him as a Brown. he is one of the best in the league to boot.

Hunt, is the most hard core players I have ever seen go for the ball and then moving once he has it. He looks to be on track to have a monster year.

This offense IMO is the most talented ever to down the Browns uniform but the pieces have to work together.

The Oline should be top 5 at least in the second half they should be. My biggest concern is Willis, will see???

I think the grades on all the Browns skill positions by PFF was fair and accurate. That said I think the potential is there for this offense to be dominate and that starts and goes thru Chubb and Hunt, then BM.

You have got a good point - but... Njoku was out for most of the season and as has been written, Bryant may have jumped ahead of him. Also, OBJ was injured and for whatever reason kept lining up in the wrong place or didn't seem to know the play book ... and while this thread isn't about Baker - we all saw Baker play badly last year which certainly reduced the ceiling of any of the receivers. Baker might be horrible again and we might have seen fool's gold year 1? But I don't think so.

My big take away from these articles - there are a lot of teams with a lot of talent at WR (and TE). Dallas with Cooper, Gallup and adding CeeDee Lamb? I love what CeeDee Lamb is going to do in the NFL. Cannot wait to see him in action.... Tampa with Chris Godwin and Mike Evans - now with Brady throwing them the ball? Oh my! Michael Thomas - best WR in the NFL. Hopkins. KC with Hill, Watkins and Hardman .... Jones and Ridley. Green, Boyd and Higgins. . . .

Let's hope the Brown's circumstances come together and by week 4 or 5 we start to see the full potential of all talent!

Yes - I agree ...... but in the absence of actual football it's okay to speculate! It's why we grade the draft a couple of days after it's complete! It's why we predict the season!

Not as confident in the OL as you - they need time. But agree with the rest of both posts.

There drive killers, its that simple, just like a TO.

This. They are deflating.

JC

I see that DPJ is inactive. It’s going to be hard for him to get active IMO ... he doesn’t play STs and our system rarely uses 4 WR

I thought he was also a returner.

I'm assuming Natson is active.

yeah i think Natson is our 4WR and Returner

Yep - one before the half today killed us and put 7 on the board for the Ravens. smh

I’m more than worried that OBJ is a bust w/performance, chemistry, and clutch ness ... he’s really been bad for us

I'm more worried about Baker than OBJ.

This.

Told ya. OBJ sucks when we need a play where is he?

I hope the Browns trade OBJ, but not for the reasons that some of our fans are talking about. I would like to see him revive his career w/a decent qb.

I think OBJ was bad today, but it's hard playing w/such a bad qb. Also, turnovers are way more important in regards to winning and losing than drops. That was an absurd comment. Hell, I think penalties are more meaningful than drops when it comes to wins and losses. I just think the earlier comment was an attempt to slam OBJ. That's okay. Trade him. It would be so "Browns."

I hope we trade him, too, but not because I care about making the little diva happy, but because he’s not been good for us. He’s an issue.

Totally on board with the idea of shipping him out.

What WR-needy teams are out there?

Which teams need WRs? Maybe GB? NE?

Most of what I said I said before the game began. That said dude has dropped too many balls and they kill drives, are you saying they don't?

All you have to do is read what I said to get your answer. I said there are bigger reasons as to why teams lose games than drops. Turnover ratio is huge. Discipline is huge. Penalties are a big part of that. Drops hurt, no doubt. But, they are easier to overcome than turnovers and penalties.

I do not believe OBJ went from being a top WR to a bum like Brown's fans make him out to be. I also believe that some fans are using OBJ as a scapegoat for Baker's issues.

I'm okay w/you disagreeing, but I'm not changing my mind on it. And I will have to bow out because 888 will be along soon and things will get ugly.

Please, What people do not realize is that Baker is not good enough yet to be a gunslinger QB!! He needs a ball control offense, focusing on running first. Stefanski did not help him today and Baker started resorting to throwing into coverage, not scanning the field..etc....

OBJ had 1 bad drop, how many bad throws did Baker have??

Braylon had - at least - (3) very bad drops/plays today (again) and fought for (0) catches that weren't perfect. He looked like the pre-surgery Braylon of last year.

On one of those "drops", the diva stepped out of bounds before making the catch on a Baker scramble...then was whining at a coach on the sideline. WTH was that? I would have benched Braylon right there for the rest of the game.

We have (2) really good RB's and yesterday we had (1) really good TE - surprisingly. That (1) good TE was injured during the game.

Yesterday, we had the best slot WR in the game, a diva WR who simply cannot be counted-upon and a Special Teams ace pretending to play WR.

Once Njoku gut hurt...we had as weapons a slot WR and (2) really good running backs...and we were behind by (3+) scores. What could possibly go wrong?

It will be interesting to see how Stefanski handles OBJ - despite what some have said, as a Browns WR he has played poorly and on top of that didn't know the playbook last year. He was fighting injuries last year, so I excused him for much of his issues. There can't be excuses this year. I am not going to rail against OBJ as much as you - for the same reason I am not going to rail against Baker yet .... it's game 1 after a preseason like never before with a whole lot of 'new' everywhere. I posted my commented about the drop at half time yesterday .... and while the Baker haters can clearly justify the drop and say it's no big deal and claim OBJ is playing poorly because of Baker that's up to them, but my comment was that the drop right before the half was [1] a drive killer [2] gave the Ravens the ball with enough time to go and score before the half..... both true and both extremely costly no matter how you want to spin it. Looking at the final score - it would seem that the drop and loss of 7 wouldn't make any difference to the outcome - but who knows. Maybe going into the half nearly tied might have made a difference? We'll never know. In no way does OBJ's drop excuse or deflect from Baker's very bad performance. Nor does the questionable play calling or execution.