DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum NFL released players

That is the key, if the price is right.

We wouldn't be getting a defensive MVP. We would be getting a Vernon replacement player.

Have to add Trey Hendrickson to that list. I am biased as I wanted to draft him coming out, mind.

j/c:

ICYMI: The #Browns are talking to former #Texans' J.J. Watt's camp about signing him, source tells clevelanddotcom

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2021/02/the-browns-have-called-about-jj-watt-source-says.html

I am excited about getting MG some help that might benefit him and the pickup player. Shredding some more cap might be huge for a great FA year. Just interesting development. Let us throw the character issue out there as well. I think the community here would love the man. He is older now, but I have no question about his motor at all. This will, I believe, improve MG who had to come out, and our secondary gets better on pass defense.

Lawson is the guy that would potentially bring our defensive line to a new level (above where it was with Vernon).

I like the idea of Lawson too

My guess is that he gets paid a healthy amount more than most would expect.

AKA..the free agency factor.

Although, this year might be different. For a at least a decade+, free agency has always been followed up by an significant increase in the cap. This year, most likely, that won't be the case.

It will be interesting to follow the economics of the NFL after Covid 2020.

Can you say franchised.

Re: JJ Watt

I'd say it's really between us and Green Bay as far as nailing down Watt's services.

I think whomever we put opposite Garrett could have a monster year. Depth is good. If sign Watt and still draft a DE in the first round assuming BPA.

I don't think it's going to happen. I just have that image of the three Watts hanging out prior to the last Pitt-Houston game burned into my memory. I think he'll use the interest to drive up price (though, that might not work to well to getting into Pitt).

That said, I think we could justify overpaying somewhat for someone like Watt so long as we have a young'in identified that we have to spell him as well as take his spot once his short(er) contract is up. We currently don't have that person on the roster (Captain Obvious here, pointing out the problem requiring us to bring in a Watt). Since getting someone that even has a shot of coming in and locking down the starting position is generally only had in the top of the first round, I think going after a raw, high-upside guy to pair with Watt would be the best move. Keep in mind, this is a guy that's going to be playing opposite Garrett. We don't need to hold out for a world-beater. Solid if unspectacular should be able to get the job done.

I think the defensive side, culturally, definitely has some room for a Watt. While our locker room has improved by leaps and bounds, I don't think we're as solid as we need to be, in terms of attitude. He'd help to continue with that improvement as we're asserting our playoff effort.

I think Curtis Weaver has a shot at being a very decent rotational DE. I think he was likened to Derek Barnett IIRC. He does everything decently but isn't the explosive guy Myles is.

Saying that, I still want Hendrickson. I'd like us to be able to measure snaps for the starting pair of horses so we can still get after it late in games. If you have a decent set of rotational guys - Clayborn did a very decent job, Gustin is a high effort guy - then that helps. I think there is some potential for a rotational rusher in the mid rounds of the draft at edge.

With as violent as he plays and his injury history I’d say 2 potentially good years and maybe a year or two of just hanging on. And I doubt anyone gets 16 game regular season games out of him. More like 10-12. JMHO.

Thing that sticks in my mind that our defense needs, more than anything else, is speed. We’re slow as a group overall. Our first and foremost obstacle to playoffs any given year is going to be catching a running Jackson. Burrows is also an under rated scrambler. You guys know the non-Browns players better than I do so I won’t challenge anyone’s suggestions but I hope the first adjective used for any player we pick up on D is fast or quick. Line stuffers are good of course but we get killed by speed.

j/c:

He has a old body IMO. He probably doesn't have 4 good years.

Maybe 2. I would offer him a 2 year deal with a 3rd year team option.

This could also be his team creating a larger market/ increased demand to drive up price. I'm not saying the Browns aren't interested, but you never know what that interest level could be.

How much money do people think Watt is going to get?

Not sure, but we allegedly were willing to give Clowney a significant 1-year deal. Not sure what that means in comparison to Watt, but it's some sort of precedence for a pass rusher. I think Berry and the FO, if truly interested in Watt, would prefer a one-year deal considering age, injury history, and the ability for him to come off the books in 2022 to mitigate any cap risk.

If Watt were to sign a siginfcant deal that cost us a decent chunk of change in 2021, I think there would be some subsequent moves with current guys that are making a lot of money.

I am not sure what you are talking about. Houston has already released him, so they can't drive anything up.

Are you talking about some other team?

Yes, other teams. If Watt and his team (agent, really) drive up the narrative that other teams are seriously interested, then the price possibly goes up.

I have no idea. I don't try to pretend I have a grasp on what going rates might be.

Until the cap is set, the teams might not have a good idea.

j/c:

There are definitely going to be some quality cheap veterans available this off-season.

I don’t know if Kawann Short is one of those players. He’s 32 and has played five games the last two years.

Short is a little older than our FO probably wants to sign. But not a bad short term option for our DL

I'd be surprised if anyone gives him more than a one year deal.

He’s a minimum contract guy at this point. Anything more than the minimum would be a reach.

He's not for us. We need a solution alongside Richardson that is at least as good as Richardson. We already have Billings for depth/rotation, we don't need a minimum contract guy.

2 years should give us time to bring in a develop a young'in that can then try to make the jump into a starting role.

The ever-slow trickle of released vets...

Let's see...Von Miller? Carlos Dunlap?? Brandon Graham?? Probably Preston Smith. Either Addison or Hughes out off Buffalo. Jurrell Casey?? All thee little Cincinnati birds still chirping about possible Geno Atkins...

Heck, those are just possible front 4 guys



Going to be a ride.

If he signs for the minimum then it doesn’t matter at all. The contract would not be consequential so if it doesn’t work out we could cut him and/or we could continue to build as normal.

It could be consequential. When you start pinching millions, that money spent might be the difference between signing someone of consequence and not.

I agree it probably wouldn't, but you never know.

It doesn't matter. A player like that isn't going to be a first wave signing. He's a left over.

Maybe if we sign Short he'll get injured instead of Ward, Delpit, Greedy and whoever our next defensive end is

Y'all know if we don't have defensive starters missing at least a combined 40 games it ain't a Cleveland Browns' season.

Short and Malik Hooker could combine to take care of 30 of those leaving the rest of the team surprisingly healthy. Just sayin'

Cthulhu needs his tribute.

Has Old Big Ben been released yet?