DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Browns have signed unrestricted free agent TE Jim Dray

anyone know anything about him?

Arizona TE Jim Dray had career highs last season in starts (15), catches (26), yards (215) and touchdowns (two). Didn't drop pass.

TE Jim Dray is 6-5, 255. Stanford guy. Browns have ton of TEs on roster, but he seems nice complement to Jordan Cameron.

https://twitter.com/ScottPetrak

Barnidge replacement?

FWIW,

14.15: SIGNING! When the Browns aren’t busy messing with the Cincinnati Bengals, they’re busy wrapping up deals. Or something like. According to Vic Carucci they’ve made Jim Dray an offer he can’t refuse. What that offer is we just don’t know yet, but we do know Dray has been something of a subpar player since entering the league. Most recently he earned every bit of his -13.0 grade on 698 snaps with some woeful run blocking while contributing 26 receptions for 215 yards and two touchdowns. If you’re a Browns fan and you’re not underwhelmed by this you should be.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/03/13/2014-free-agency-live-blog-day-3/

I hope he's just a guy fighting for the 3rd TE spot on the roster, but if he is a bad blocker, he probably offers little ST ability too. Strange.

He had a draftnik fan out of College though, read this raving review. We just signed the next Witten/Bavaro, just better, lol:

http://www.thehuddlereport.com/archive/2010profiles/Jim.Dray.htm

Jim Dray TE Stanford


TALENT BOARD

Round 1

STRENGTHS

Jim Dray is one of the most complete Tight Ends in this draft. He is an excellent in-line blocker and has the athleticism and foot speed to block in space as well. Jim has excellent size and speed to play his position. He shows very consistent hands and the speed to catch the ball down the field. He has the strength to out-muscle a linebacker when going after the ball in the air and is too big for most safeties to handle when Jim gets his hands on the ball. His blocking techniques, balance and instincts are the best I have seen so far in this draft. He is very smart and reads defenses like a QB when running routes. Jim reminds me a lot of Jason Witten (TE Dallas Cowboys), but he blocks better. Perhaps, he reminds me more of Mark Bavaro (former tight end for the Garden State Giants drafted in 1985).

NEEDS TO IMPROVE

Jim plays for the pack ten. The pack ten players do not seem to get the respect from the media in the draft (unless they play for USC) that the east coast and mid west players get in a draft. That's the reason no one talks about Jim. Oh yeah, that plus he doesn't have 4.3 speed. Funny...I still can't figure out how 4.3 speed helps a tight end to block!



BOTTOM LINE

The NFL continues to try to protect the QB's without blocking for them. They use rules instead. Give me a fullback and a tight end that can block in the passing game and I suspect you won't see as many QB's getting their heads knocked off their shoulders so much. I'm going to guess from film that Jim runs in the range of a 4.6 to 4.7 sp in the forty. Unfortunately, another problem is that NFL teams want tight ends that do not block, but can catch the ball down the field while running wide receiver patterns and look pretty. Jim is a true tight end. He blocks in line and in space, he catches the ball down the field and in those short, hard to catch areas of the field. So tell me, why would you draft a guy in the first round who could impact your team like Jason Whitten does for the Cowboys? I mean, after all, he's only a tight end...they don't do anything! They just have the potential to impact your run blocking, pass blocking and scoring in the red zone. I mean, really, isn't it better to draft a tight end who is more like a wide receiver so that all he impacts is the passing game? Isn't that what a tight end is all about? To get my point across, do I have to be any more sarcastic? I suppose that Jim will not be drafted in the first round, but believe me, he has first round talent and will be your starting tight end the day after you draft him.

the pack ten?

An offer he can't refuse?

Last night there were reports that we were out to dinner with Ben Tate. Then there were reports that it wasn't Tate, but a tight end.

How do you get these two guys mixed up?

Jim Dray:



Ben Tate:

both have goatees!

I don't really see where we needed him that bad but I can't complain about them signing a blocking TE that didn't have one single drop last year.

What, you didn't like Robert Royal? A blocking tight end who dropped every pass.

I'd love to have that guy coach against my team. Keep the fb and TE's in every play. Sounds fine by me.

i know nothing about him. had no idea we were pursuing a backup TE either. was he a backup for the Cards or what?

Prisco liked this move.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/pete...s-clemons-young

TE Jim Dray to the Cleveland Browns: He is little more than a blocking tight end, but that's what they need with Jordan Cameron. People who don't think he can block need to put on the tape from the 49ers-Cardinals season finale and watch him against Pro Bowl outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks. Grade: B-­minus

I think its a solid signing.

Two brothers, different mothers. Are we kidding?!? Nose, ears, eyes about it. I can hardly tell 'em apart. Thank Gawd for uniforms and jerseys.

Welcome to the Browns! Block your butt off. Good luck!

I don't think Kyles offense utilizes a FB I think they have the HBack or 2 TE offense Barnidge was marginal in his blocking last year we were keeping Cameron in a lot. This guy is a stone cold Blocker but if they do ignore him he can catch the pass in check downs.

jmho solid move.

I forgot that Hoyer would have played with Dray in Arizona ....

Cards' TE Jim Dray reunited with Hoyer on Browns - Sports - The CantonRep - Canton, OH
http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20140313/SPORTS/140319586/10552/SPORTS

New Browns tight end Jim Dray’s little connection with Brian Hoyer figures to get bigger.
Dray, who had a career breakout with the Arizona Cardinals in 2013, hadn’t caught a pass through 14 games in 2012. An odd series of events led to Hoyer joining the team and playing the last two games. In them, against the Bears and 49ers, Dray had his only catches of the season.

Now, Hoyer is the odds-on favorite to open 2014 as the Browns’ starting quarterback. Dray figures to be the often-used No. 2 tight end behind Pro Bowler Cameron Jordan.

“I’m pretty excited he’s here,” the 6-foot-5, 255-pound Dray said of Hoyer shortly after signing with the Browns on Thursday. “He can make all the throws. He can grasp the entire offense, make the right decisions and avoid sacks.”

The guess is that Dray is a better fit for the new coaching staff’s attack than Gary Barnidge, who played a lot as the No. 2 tight end.

Dray seems to be thinking in terms of being on the field a bunch with Jordan.

“I’m sure we can both block and catch,” he said. “Maybe he’s a little more gifted receiver. I’ll probably do a little more blocking. But putting two complete tight ends on the field I think is a pretty good threat.”

Dray, 27, broke into the NFL as a Round 7 draft pick out of Stanford in 2010. He impressed his head coach, former NFL tight end Ken Whisenhunt, and played in all 16 games as a rookie, with three starts.

He had his best year under new head coach Bruce Arians in 2013, becoming a full-time starter for the first time.

Under offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin, on a team that went 10-6, he caught 26 passes; this after totaling seven catches in three years.

One item that appealed to the Browns: Dray had zero drops in 16 games last year. He made three catches in a 17-10 win over eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle on Dec. 22.
His top job will be springing running backs, whomever they wind up being, in coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s outside zone scheme.

“It requires a lot of body control and enjoying run blocking,” Dray said. “I enjoy getting a solid block just as much as catching a first down.”

Dray joins linebacker Karlos Dansby, safety Donte Whitner and cornerback Isaiah Trufant in the pool of unrestricted free agents signing with Cleveland in the three-day-old market.

The Browns are waiting to see if an offer signed by wide receiver Andrew Hawkins is matched by his 2013 team, Cincinnati. NFL Network is reporting that the Bengals are unlikely to pick up the $13.6 million contract.

I kind of hope that we keep Marquis Gray as the 3rd TE, or maybe even as a FB. Man, could you imagine him at FB, taking a handoff, or catching a little pass out of the backfield. That could be a lot of fun. I think that he has a world of talent, with blocking being the current biggest question mark. He has the size to be a strong blocker though. I do think that we can turn him into a player at either FB or TE ..... and I hope we hold onto him.

I like this signing. I don't claim to have thoroughly scouted this player. He's not a first tier TE. He is an upgrade of depth at the position. His skills are very complimentary to Jordan who obviously is more of the "flex" type of player. He does offer potential as a receiver and has a solid reputation for blocking in-line and as a H-back. Shanahan has been know to use the H-back extensively in his offense. He is a known NFL quality player as opposed to say, Friedorowicz who I projected to provide the same skill set.