DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum 2022 Browns Free Agency Signings/News

Check out his video the kid is a WR too ...

i mean.. he's 5'7 with 100 catches in 6 years 16 catches a year is not a WR. that's like 1 gadget play a game.

In his most productive season which was 2020 he had 36 catches for 373 yards and 1 td. Last season he had a total of 11 catches which netted 132 yards and 2 td's.

Maybe the Browns plan to use him more as a WR than than Miami did ...

4 former Browns players no one wants.

Higgins had 24 catches for 275 yards and 1 TD last year. Is he suddenly not a receiver? Grant is still Texas Tech's all time leading receiver. Production is somewhat a product of opportunities. I'm not claiming Grant is going to be amazing for us, catching tons of passes. But, he's a receiver.

He's as much of a receiver as Josh Cribbs was a receiver.

He was traded from Miami to Chicago, so he had to learn a new offense on a team who didn't even know who their QB was, ... so last season is probably not a good example and neither is the 2020 season when he had 36 recptions.

The truth is somewhere in the middle.

He played in both Chicago and Miami last season. In Miami where he did know the offense he had 2 receptions for -7 yards before he was traded. I do however agree that neither is best year nor his worst year represent his capability. Which is the reason why I included both.

Anyone hoping Grant is anything more than a return man is being willfully ignorant.

Hey Josh caught a TD in the Pro Bowl.

Top Free Agents Still unsigned:
▫️Bobby Wagner - soon to be 32-year old ILB - could be short time fix to fill a big hole on the Browns defense - over priced - needs good DT's to be elite
▫️Stephon Gilmore - soon to be 32-year old CB - over priced - not a Browns need
▫️Odell Beckham, Jr. - will turn 30 this year - over priced - injured with Nov timeline for return - 2nd straight season with knee injury
▫️Tyrann Mathieu - soon to be 30-year old safety - over priced - biggest boom-or-bust free agent still left on the market
▫️Julio Jones - just turned 33 - career lows in 2021 - injured each of the last 2-years - Titans GM on release: "Availability is just as important as ability"
▫️Jadeveon Clowney - 29-year old DE - another year older (29) and despite not getting severely injured in 2022, does still carry an injury history - has overrated his value - open spot on Browns defense
▫️Calais Campbell - Soon to be 36-year old DE - It’s hard to gauge the market for a 36-year-old pass rusher - has overrated his value
▫️JC Tretter - Browns cap casualty - 31-year old C - too expensive for a backup
▫️Jarvis Landry - Browns cap casualty - 30-year old WR - coming off 2 consecutive down years - has overrated his value - Landry thought he could command up to $20 million per season, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.
▫️Melvin Gordon - 29-year old RB - overrated his value - not a Browns need
▫️Duane Brown - soon to be 37-year old OT - not a need at this age

Plenty of talented players looking for a team.

Only 2 of the above will be under 30 this season, Gordon and Clowney. Two are over 35 going into this season. No defensive tackles on the list and only three WR (all coming off 2021 injuries), two Browns retreads who over value themselves and an oft injured Jones.

Realistically, only Wagner and Clowney address serious needs on the Browns and they would likely have to over pay to secure their services.

If Clowney does not re-sign or drags his feet too long, I'd sigh Jerry Hughes on a one year deal. Like Hughes, Justin Houston could be signed as a situational pass rusher on a one year deal.

Akiem Hicks on a one year deal would be worth considering as well.

I'd throw $9M at the ageless wonder Calais Campbell on a one yer deal.

Linval Joseph could be a Malik Jackson-like signing. Would likely get better production.

Plenty of options still available.

I half expect that, unless Baker is traded before then,we may sign Clowney after June 1 when Tretter's hit falls off.

I wouldn't say that. Maybe optimistic.

I say that because opportunity is a large part of a players success.

This is exactly what I've been talking about. Filling out the roster isn't the issue - upgrading the roster is the issue.

Hughes DE - will be 34-years old when the season starts - just had his 2nd off season surgery - totaled just 2 sacks and 18 total tackles in 2021 - definite downgrade form Clowney

Houston LB/DE - 33-years old - is now officially a part-time player - 2021 sack output — 4.5 — was his lowest of his career in any season he played more than five games - definite downgrade from Clowney

Akiem Hicks DT - turns 33-years old during the season - made 10.4M base salary in 2021 - looking for long-term final contract - definite upgrade but at what cost?

Calais Campbell DE - turns 36-years old at season start - hard to gauge the market for a 36-year-old pass rusher - definite downgrade from Clowney

Linval Joseph DT - turns 34-years old during season - the Chargers needed to upgrade a defense that struggled against the run last year, reason why Joseph wasn't resigned - exact same struggles against the run the Browns have - maybe not a downgrade but definitely not an upgrade

A lot of these guys are in the twilight of their careers and most likely wouldn't be anything close to an upgrade at the positions in question except for maybe Hicks who is looking for a long-term deal. They are all looking for that elusive Super Bowl Ring which might make Cleveland a landing spot for that Berry 1-year wonder deal except for that ghost in the room - WHAT IF WATSON GETS SUSPENDED FOR THE YEAR?

As of now, the Browns are missing 3 starters on defense and sorely need an upgrade at ILB. As a fan, I'm looking every year for upgrades and the pursuit of a championship. With no 1st round pick and only one late second, the Browns are not going to be upgrading the defense through the draft not with the offensive needs also crying out to be addressed.

So, at the end of the day, IMHO - I look at every position and decide whether there's a weakness or not. Then I look at how the team addresses that weakness - do the Browns upgrade or do they regress. What are the 2-3 spots the Browns must address? What about depth - growing or not - 2, 3, and 4-year plans for the position. So, has the defense gotten better so far this off season? I would say "No." Has the offense gotten better so far this off season? Maybe, depending on Watson's availability.

Hence the one year deals. Age not an issue on that type of deal.

Plenty of options available for the Browns.

Tretter was an immediate release so his 8.23M has already been added to the cap. The only post June 1 release was Hooper whose dead cap will be spread over 2-seasons. It means the Browns cannot use any of the salary cap room created by releasing Hooper until that point. But it costs the Browns considerably less dead cap room for 2022. Using the post-June 1st designation creates $9.5 million in extra cap room for Cleveland after June 1, with a dead cap hit of $3.75 million in 2022 and another $7.5 million in 2023. All of that dead cap would hit the books in 2022 without the designation.

The release also means that the Browns will not receive any credit in the compensatory draft pick formula when another team signs Hooper.

Someone on here mentioned that KS loves the jet sweep (which is true), and we had Jarvis running them prior. Imagine if someone could get the hang of that but had some speed.

Ahh, yeah... I thought I had the name wrong. So, scratch that, reverse it. Hooper, not Tretter.

None of those guys fit with the team "analytics" though. I suppose that after giving the most unrealistic contract in the history of the NFL that kicking analytics to the side of the road would be a minor flaw at this stage. If analytics don't sway the decision, the Steelers who have used Cleveland for a whipping post most of the last 2 plus decades has analytic guidelines that creates the prospective mold of a potential free agent acquisition. For example, FA Safety Mathieu at 29 years old doesn't fit that mold, Mathieu is older than the vast majority of the Steelers' free-agent signings, and because of that he would probably command a higher-priced contract outside his value projected over the term of the contract. Those same analytic methods were used by the Browns in the decision-making process involving Tretter and Landry. Hey, but if signing a 36-year old DE that will produce less than what the Browns had in 2021 to a 1-year deal is the answer to the Browns defensive line openings then "go for it."

For a long term contarct which is an actual investment you hope will pay out over time I would agree. But as a one season band aid I think you missed the mark.

I would agree if the player is better than what he is replacing - in this case that is not true.

We are talking about one year deals, not long term deals. Not fitting with "analytics" is off base.

For reference see:

Malcolm Smith

Malik Jackson

Adrian Clayborne

Clowney, Karl Joseph, BJ Goodson, Sendejo, Takk McKinley, …

Reading all of those name..... lots of swings, hardly any hits.

j/c:

Experienced depth. 40 career starts.

Wouldn't be surprised if he's given a legit shot to start over Harris.

I'm dumb. Moving this to 'The Offense' thread.

Minicamp starts April 18, yall.

Decent Center whose best attributes seem to be smarts and leadership. From what I have read, he is not an overly powerful or physical guy.

And they should compete for the starting position. I just do not see him beating out Harris. Seems like the Browns have been grooming Harris to take over for Tretter.

Yeah, I hope he beats him out, just haven't seen much of Harris in games obviously. But the Browns have and that's what matters.

Pocic played tackle, guard, and center in college. He's insurance for an injury to Harris and has positional versatility.

Could signal the end for Dunn/Forbes/Hance/Froholdt, or at least push them to the practice squad.

He kind of sounds similar to Hubbard. Good locker room guy who can fill in wherever.

j/c:

I remember that Dunn was talked about as taking snaps at C. I think Dunn played well a G when tasked and Hance is a G who wasn't terrible at T. Good problem to have and likely makes the draft OL-free this year.

Hopefully Callahan can help this guy out, according to PFF last year was the first time Pocic graded out better than below average.

It doesn't get spead out over two years after June 1st. It does not apply in this case.