DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Off-season wish list.

We are a 26-14 week 17 loss to the steelers from switching places with the Bengals.
Though Day of the Dawg has a major point about Burrow and the prospects of the 2 teams going forward.

Baker is still undefeated against Burrow...We have that...

I am in total agreement with Burrow and the WR's. Consideration should be given to the fact that Cincinnati lets Burrow throw thus getting a rhythm and building chemistry with his receivers. I'm pretty certain that Burrow's numbers would be significantly lower if his best WR had a PFF rating grade of 73 like the Browns put on the field and if he threw 250 less passes like Baker. The first 2 games of the year before his injury, Mayfield completed 75.0 against KCC and 90.48 against Houston even with his poor WR group. Baker was also the 5th rated passer the last 9 games of 2020. I'm not so sure that Cincinnati has such an advantage at QB with a healthy Mayfield but it's going to take a monster effort to get WR's half as good as the Cincy group this off season. The one thing I do see though is that Cincinnati was able to have a 1,200 yard rusher with an explosive passing game. Contrary to what the Browns do, for them the run is a weapon that compliments the pass. Amazing that you can still run a spread offense with 1 TE and still have a 1,000 yd plus runner and 2 WR's with over 1,000 yds and a 3rd with 828. All that and it was done with a line that was weaker than the Browns? Unfortunately, seeing that in Cleveland will probably never happen with Stefanski as coach because he hasn't shown he can do it MIN or CLE yet.

I've been agreeing with a lot of your posts lately.

In a recent post, I mentioned that this year's Browns team was only about half-2/3 of the team that bounced PIT from the post season. Injuries impacted everything, including O scheme and play calling. The Browns team that narrowly lost to KC in Game One looked very much like the team that finished 2020. Then, the injury/Covid dump truck backed up to 76 Groza, and emptied its entire load on us.

KS was still calling early 2021 games like 2020 until he couldn't. Lots of folks seem to miss this point.

As to your comments on Joe Burrow being the difference: agreed there, as well. Still, I have to wonder how large the gap between him and #6 would have been had BM remained healthy. I still think that a healthy Baker Mayfield this year would have gotten us into the post season along with CIN. How different would the two teams' records have looked, week-to-week? All #6 had to do was play like he did in 2020, and we'd likely still be in the tournament conversation. He was damaged, all year- and it showed on Sundays. I see no reason why we can't expect a 2020 Baker in 2022. And I'll take that prospect over any other present option.

_______

This team is closer than last year looked. It's prob. pretty hard for some fans to see, when you consider how many seasons of really bad Browns play have conditioned all of us. "Battered Dawg Syndrome" is real, bro. Some of these 2021 games felt very familiar to all of us- for good reason.

I'm with you about where we are, and what we need to do going forward. I see the same strengths and weaknesses as you do.
And, I've been mostly positive about the way Berry handles our off seasons. He directly addresses needs, and hits more than he misses. Very few head-scratchers.


Bottom line: At 8-9, this team was still more complete and ready for its next step than any we've had since The Return.


nice posts.

Incorrect. Prior to the kickoff off the week 17 game against the steelers, the Browns were already knocked out of the playoffs. If the Browns, had manned up and took the initiative against the Raiders the week before,
instead of punting on 4th and 1 with a lead and less than 2 minutes, (2 minutes exactly), and the Raiders not having any time outs,
so literally a 1 yard first down on 4th and 1 from being able to take knees to get the win,
then, maybe, the Browns would have been a loss to the steelers away from switching places with the Bengals.

Thank You!! I appreciate that. I don't think this team is all that far off. Injuries played a major roll in 2021 and so did the schedule. The Browns still went 8-9 and had quite a few things go wrong. The Bengals won 2 more games and had a 4th place teams schedule. They won't have that luxury next year. While the Browns get the Chargers, the Texans, and Washington the Bengals will play Kansas City, Dallas, and Tennessee. The Ravens get the luxury of that last place schedule next year Playing Denver, Jax, and the Giants. They will be bouncing back. The Steelers get Colts, Eagles, and Raiders.

I have full confidence that Andrew Berry will fix the receivers group. He has a proven track record of when focused on a unit he improves them. Look at Safety last year and Offensive line the year before. I think the Browns will have an improved Baker Mayfield under center. That injury hurt him quite a bit more than people want to admit. I still do not see him as a top 10 QB in the NFL but he is just as capable of QB'ing this team to the Super Bowl if he just does what he does best and spread the ball around and let the play makers make plays. Use his feet to extend some drives and hand off. His best games are always when 8 to 9 different receivers touch the ball. He does that and this team will be fine. Only scenerio I see where the Browns go in a different scenario at QB is if the Vikings out right cut Cousins. Stefanski knows he will manage the team and not take risks. Baker is a game manager that thinks he is a gun slinger. He needs to watch film and understand who he is and he will be fine.

Burrows numbers would also be lower if he couldn't find open WR's and had a torn labrum since week 3. I mean yeah, if we had only let the guy with the torn labrum throw more that would have fixed it.

And Burrows' numbers would be lower still if he didn't have one Ja'Marr Chase. Quite often, Burrows just heaves one out there and lets Chase just go get it, and if he can't get it he draws the DPI. That's a pretty good woobie blanket to keep a QB comfy and keep things rolling.

True. There are multiple reasons and that's another one of them.

Didn't want to start a new thread for this though and tjhis was the best existing thread I could find, even though it isn't a great fit.

A lot of people are fans of Drake London in the draft. They love his size and how it creates mismatches with the smaller Cb's. And I agree. So here is my question. With as depleted as were were/are at Wr. Why don't we consider converting Njoku to Wr? Cb's can't handle his size. Lb's and safeties can't handle his speed out wide. It isn't as if we have a ton of Wr's that we need to get on the field because they are so talented. It isn't as if moving him significantly depletes our TE position.

Only within the opponent's 15 or closer do I want him lined up as WR. A decent decoy there as well maybe. Hands issues need to stop. Also he's the best TE we have. Blocking getting better.

Jmho.

This has been suggested several times by different media outlets. I don't know that I would advocate totally changing his position to WR. When Jimmy Graham was with the Saints he actually fought to get paid wide receiver money because they lined him up at WR so much. So to at least some extent this isn't a novel idea.

Saints' Graham gets receiver money in $40 million deal

https://www.mcall.com/sports/mc-saints-graham-contract-0715-20140715-story.html

I don't think the hybrid role the way Graham played the position is such a far fetched idea.

I don't particularly like the idea, nor do I like that it means that we'd likely have to shift WR money toward him because he has not produced well enough in the passing game to warrant that. I don't care where you line up, if you don't fill the role well, you don't deserve that pay that goes with it.


I think we're far better suited with starting off with getting some real WRs in here, seeing what they can do, then seeing how we can blend Njoku in with that. Let's face it, he's pretty good, but he isn't "we need to build around him"-good. He isn't Graham, or Kelce, or Andrews, etc.... heck, he probably isn't even Top 10 for TEs.

I hope we can bring in a good, fast WR .... a guy like Perriman, who we had back in 2018. Man, he could take the top off the defense like nobody's business. He didn't have a ton of catches, but he a big, fast WR, who could catch the ball, and who helped open things up for others as well.

I obviously didn't make myself clear. I'm not an advocate for giving Njoku a huge role as a WR. That was the issue with Graham. I was simply using Graham as an example that NFL teams do line TE's up at the WR position. I would however advocate sliding Njoku out as a WR on plays that have multiple WR sets from time to time. Even if we get two or three WR's signed/drafted I think Njoku would be a good fourth option on plays that called for four WR's. Those don't happen that often but I think that would be a good wrinkle.

j/c

An interesting article in the Athletic. I doubt I can post it here as I think it is paid content. However - the bullet points to a successful offseason:

1. Prioritize offensive efficiency above all else
of the last 20 championship teams - 90% had a top 1/4 offense. Only 40% had a top 1/4 Defense.

2. Do not — under any circumstances — fall in love
Teams are never truly just one player away. (see point 6 maybe?)


3. Don’t confuse possible for probable
Multi faceted - but injuries was a big focus. Andrew Whitworth just played 15 games ... he is one of 3 OL since the merger to play 10 games or more in his 40's. He is the outlier.


4. Use free agency — not the draft — to fill needs
Sort of fill needs before the draft so you can draft BPA


5. Don’t use significant resources for competency at QB
Don't overpay for average.

6. Don’t mistake the Rams’ model for your model
nuff Said?


7. Target coaches and GMs who might be desperate
Panthers and Cardinals might be desperate - might be others. Use to your advantage if you can


8. Employ the two-minute rule
44% of games settled by 7 pints or less. If thinking about significant investment in a player - can he make a difference with the game on the line with 2 mins to go? (duh).


9. Honestly assess the abilities of your coaching staff
Don't over estimate what your coaches can get out of players.


10. Don’t overrate your ability to evaluate talent
Building teams is hard work, can be hit or miss, build in flexibility if you can.

Some parts of the article are a little obvious - others were interesting.

I like "The Plan" model. I think cfrs or Milk has that laying around somewhere.

Do you mean "the guardrails"?

That's the one!

There's a lot of good stuff there.

I did nearly bust out laughing when I saw that the only thing in CAPITAL LETTERS was Hue Jackson's epitaph.

My favorite is they wouldn't seem to have any issues green-lighting "coordinated leaks." Keeps things fresh and edgy!

It's nice that "analytics" is right on top where it belongs!

Yeah, but people read from left to right.

#epicfail
#deposucks
#whereisthismaskedmanandwhyisheneverincleveland

One thing that hasn't been discussed enough, IMO, is Ward. We have more pressing issues this year in terms of locking down DE opposite Garrett, but Ward is a UFA after next off-season. Dude has had some injury issues, and seems to have bouts of poor play, but always seems to bring it around by end of each year. Guy can ball. I'm curious to see how this FO handles high-priced talent retention.

For example, CB is a critical position for them, but do they continue to pour high picks into the CB room, or do they also pay talent to stay here?

Good topic and important player to highlight.

Given Greedy's issues I'd say keeping Ward should be considered a priority. Where he falls in the ability/contract discussion... I am not sure. Maybe top 10? Based on how salaries escalate - that might me $15-18M per.

https://overthecap.com/position/cornerback/

I’d be shocked if Ward is not extended this off-season.

Agreed. Ward will be extended this off-season.

I hope so, but I think Ward is going to want, at a minimum Top 5 Cornerback money, if not highest paid, ever.

I suppose a lot might depend on what the Cornerback market will look like in the coming year and whether or not he and his agent feel he will be in high demand "at any price".

Ward is a top five corner so he should be pay as such.

While he has shown that talent - he has also missed a lot of games. As per the Athletic Article - don't confuse possible with probable. He's started 12 games in each the last 3 seasons. Is it probable he's going to play 17 games in each of his next 4 or 5 years? Or is it probable he will miss a similar number of games - which is about 25% of the season. While I totally get that injuries are can be totally random. There are also players who get nicked up more than others. It is a factor when you are talking about paying a guy $20 m per year with $60-70million in guaranteed money.

The question is whether you can you let him walk. The answer is pretty clearly no (especially with the emphasis this front office puts in secondary play). That means he’s getting paid.

Just a general comment.

In the end, long term you can't extend everybody. Somebody is going to end up a shocking release.

It is what it is. I am not saying it will be Ward, but given his injury history, I wouldn't be surprised, especially if he is thinking he should get top 5 money.

j/c:

I hate that the Browns FO keeps intersecting analytics with pure common sense.

Pick a side! Bunch of stooges...

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...lls-rb-saquon-barkley-says-gm-joe-schoen

New York Giants willing to entertain calls for RB Saquon Barkley, says GM Joe Schoen

Chubb is a far more reliable back. I did not see that coming.

Is he better than Hunt? Can Barkley be had for less than Hunt? There lies the question.