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$180M

You just make it a four year deal and make a ton of it signing bonus money with small salaries this year and next and larger salaries in the last two years. It spreads the cap hit out and he still gets a bigger pay day in 2021.

This is what the front office did with Jack Conklin. He basically has two false years at the end of his contract.

https://overthecap.com/player/jack-conklin/4721/

I mean the Cowboys did switch D schemes last year, changed coaching...lost 4 defensive starters in FA, Signed DT Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe (Mccoy missed all year with a rupture, Poe was released for being lazy) The front couldn't apply pressure, Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith had poor seasons...They left their best defender walk (Byron Jones left to Miami)

We as browns fans should know, if you can't apply pressure and don't have a center fielder...well your CB play is going to drop.

I don't really see it as a problem...But I do need to pose the question...

Watt has been in a 3-4 his entire career...is there any concern as he will not primarily playing the 5 technique in our 4-3??? Nothing to do with skillset....obviously....but muscle memory, assignments, etc...

My concerns are minor if at all...I just wondered if others were thinking about this...

Personally, looking overall, I think we have the most to offer him as far as allowing him to be the most productive. Any other team he goes to...he will have to be the "man" and continue to be double teamed every play....Except the Browns...Myles Garrett frees him up from constant double teams....I think we can pay more than anyone else....Whether that leads to a Super Bowl can't be answered...But you could say that about any team he would go to...

I don't think it will be an issue at all. I think it will actually simplify his job a bit as he won't have the extra responsibilities an OLB has. He just has to get upfield and get to the QB while containing the run.

I just look at Myles and how he switches sides from play to play and goes back and forth from a down stance to a standing one.... for them, technique and muscle memory are more of what they do when they engage (hand fight, moves to disengage or beat a block, etc..) and not so much how & where they get set before the snap and how they start at the snap. The rest is just athleticism, vision, and awareness.

I've seen him play his fair share outside the tackle's shoulder in nickel packages, and he did well. I don't know if he still has enough gas in the tank to do it at a consistently high level, though.

I remember when it was maybe 2014, he lined up outside Schwartz most of the game and beat him like a drum. Decided to switch it up and play some outside Thomas. Thomas pancaked him, so he went back to Schwartz.

Panthers releasing Tre Boston after safety played one season of three-year deal, per report

Boston will be able to test the market several weeks before the start of free agency

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/panth...eal-per-report/

Worth a look? Insurance if Delpit can't come back near 95%?

Not likely. He was on the free agent market a long time last off-season and there was nothing connecting us to him.

There are a couple decent-sounding safeties on that list.

This free agency has a bunch of starting caliber safeties. I’d like us to sign at least one.

Watching our offense this past year, I always thought you know who would be perfect for this offense DeSean Jackson...Well him in his prime, he is now old, oft-injured, and just announced the Eagles are releasing him for financial reasons.

j/c:

Packers freeing up some JJ Watt money.

Possibly. It certainly doesn't hurt.

good thing kirko didn't take that pay cut to stay in Cleveland last year.

Yes, I know that was mean.

They would still have a ways to go to get Watt. I guess they could ask Rodgers to restructure.

I'd like to be in the room for that conversation.

Would love to have DK Metcalf like receiver here...

I definitely agree with this. For all the gripes about the LBs this year, I think FS was actually the Browns biggest weakness. It must be addressed this offseason.

our linebackers were every bit the issue the safties were.. I think Mike is the biggest weakness on the team

Sorry, but I respectfully disagree. I think people don't realize just how bad Sendejo was.

When your starting "FS" plays 85% of the defensive snaps during the regular season, and has 0 interceptions and 2 passes defended total, that is unacceptable. Especially when he was targeted as often as he was.

I know people are banking on Delpit coming back and helping. But the fact that he is only 1 year removed from tearing his achilles and the stated fact that Woods wants to play 3 safeties more often leads me to believe that we NEED to sign a starting caliber FS in free agency.

I agree. There are injury concerns throughout our backfield. We need to do something to impact that position group.

To me, both DL and the backfield are more important than linebacker. At least traditional linebacker since that is a vanishing position. It's turning in to a position where coverage ability is more important than run stuffing ability.

As noted, the plan is to deploy 2 linebackers, and both are going to be more speed guys. Think about it...anybody who plays behind the Dline is a linebacker....speed and coverage ability is going to be the key moving forward in the changing NFL.

Years ago I wrote about how the QB position was going to change. How the position was changing to running QB's and the big drop back QB was a thing of the past. Well folks, those days are here. Look at the type of QB who has entered the league and look at all the guys ready to be drafted. If you want to stop those QB's you have to be able to run with those guys.

The days of the D having a 2 man advantage are over. I say 2 man because you have 5 Olinemen blocking 4 Dlinemen and a D didn't have to defend the QB position. They just had to defend the players the QB was trying to target with a pass.

Now, you better be able to man up on the QB or he is going to clip you for 8 yards or more all day long. Now you have to man up on the QB. Someone has to mirror his moves to stop him from running wild once the defenders in the backfield aren't watching him any longer.

We absolutely need at least one starting caliber FS in free agency. Then again, last year we set a low bar on what starting quality is.

We also need a starting caliber CB. As little as we should bank on Delpit this season, we should bank on Granny Williams even less.

If you don't have physicality on Defense you don't have sh-t.. Light in the drawers will not serve you well over 16/17 games .. Everyone has his or her idea on what is the best scheme to play .. I prefer an attach type D .. That is not Wilks or Woods ..

attach type of D? is that like a lot of holding???

FA wish list:
1. JJ
2. Matt Milano
3. Jaquiski Tartt (really want Simmons, but he will cost a boatload).

Listening to local sports radio the hosts were saying Green Bay has the inside track to signing JJ because he is from there and went to Wisconsin. They also mentioned the Titans and Bills as landing spots. They felt him signing with us would be predicated on how much more we would be willing to pay him. They didn't feel he would be a good fit for our D. I feel we can adjust our D for him. We weren't that good anyway why wouldn't we make adjustments to make us better. Seems like a silly comment to me.

Watt would be nice, but he's not worth probably what he's going to get unless he takes a discount for a team he really wants. I think Weaver is going to surprise some folks next year. If i was going to throw money at a dline in FA it would be Leonard Williams.. He's the exact kind of guy you throw money at. Uber productive, young, and would improve this defense immensely

I’d like Milano, but he’’s gonna be too costly for us IMO

I don't disagree.

First, none of the QB's I mentioned are run first qb's except for designed plays, which they do have some. Some may run a little sooner, but hey, why not if they are good at it?

I wasn't trying to say baker isn't good. I do wish he was a little faster, but we can always find something we wish for in a player.

My point wasn't that a guy like brady can't win. The point I was trying to make was that more and more QB's are willing to run and will probably look to run before throwing the ball away like Brady. You don't usually have to defend the run once the ball is in Bradys hands. Heck, you probably hope he runs.

As I said, if you want to stop the QB from killing you on the ground, teams now have to allocate a defender to the QB and that person needs to be able to run with the QB.

I agree.

I wouldn't mind Watt, but I would want to see who else becomes available if possible. I would be more inclined to sign maybe 2 good players rather than 1 Watt.

I guess I am just not all that keen on signing aging stars who are flaming out. I also feel that more beef at DT is needed more than a bookend for Garrett. Pressure up the middle is very devastating in a QB's eyes.

I also agree. I wouldn't mind Watt especially if the FO wants him but I'm more inclined to find someone younger with upside whom we'll have for awhile. JMO

Meh, we can always double-dip.

Watt for two years and draft the best pass-rusher we can. Maybe even taking a flyer on Ojulari at 26 at this point. On 3rd down, Watt shifts inside next to Richardson, Garrett stays outside with Azeez on the other end.

I'd accept that. It gives the rookie pass-rusher a year to grow and develop (maybe even two years, gasp), then when Garrett's contract bumps up in 2023 (along with all the pending extensions), we have a cheaper running mate across from him for a few years.

Just an example. Not saying it has to be a 1st round guy. Then again...at 26, whatever rookie it is may not be an every down player until year 2 anyway (regardless of position).

Trying to visualize a front 4 if we were to double-dip (Ojulari is used here just because I used him as the previous example).

Base 4-3 D:

RE: Myles Garrett, Azeez Ojulari*; Joe Jackson (Clayborn is cut if we double-dip)
DT: Andrew Billings, Alim McNeill* (Insert random pick 92 type of guy)
DT: Sheldon Richardson, Jordan Elliott
LE: JJ Watt, Porter Gustin, Curtis Weaver

3rd down, Hurry up, pass-happy defense:

RDE: Azeez Ojulari*; Joe Jackson
DT: Sheldon Richardson, Jordan Elliott
DT: JJ Watt, Alim McNeill*; Andrew Billings
LDE: Myles Garrett, Gustin/Weaver

I mean...yeah, JJ Watt would still fit I think. And the double dip still works (you can insert other day 1 or 2 rookies* if you want to visualize it with other guys).

I'm more in the I think Watt could be our Jarvis Landry-like culture/tone setter on defense camp. He's still a good player, and you aren't just paying for production.

He was one of the most doubleteamed players in the league last season. Teams would have a tough time doubling him and Myles. Someone's going to be getting more one on ones-perhaps opening lanes for that pressure in the QB's face. I also think the ability to compress the pocket and prevent QBs from stepping up/out is vastly underrated. It's not always about getting pressure yourself on the DL.

good teams draft depth, you don't go get it in FA. I have a feeling we will be drafiting 2 high FS/CB/LB tweeners

I’m curious to see how Weaver and Billings look as well

That isn't entirely true. I agree, the draft is where you generally go for depth. You can use FA, but the good teams don't pay for it, meaning high dollar contracts.

Your depth signings would be the players in the last wave or two of signings. Think veteran minimum type contracts brought on after the draft and the high end players have been signed.

At that point you can even find value. A 6-7 year vet who is still out there is most likely better than any 7th rounder you draft. At least you know he has been good enough to hang with a team or two in the NFL.