DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum The Wide Receiver position

I saw Gabriel as a very, very willing, and largely effective run blocker last year. He helped break a pretty fair number of runs, and also a few of those quick screens with his blocking. He might have been our best blocking WR last year, which was odd given his diminutive size.

If Gabriel were 6', people would be talking about him as the answer to the receiver "problem" in Cleveland. He realy seems to understand routes and tricks to get open, and he has that desire to go all out in learning and applying what he learns on the field.

He was the one who lost time when Gordon came back, and he did not complain. When he did get chances on the field, he took advantage of them. When Gordon got benched, Gabriel returned to the lineup, and had 3 catches for 66 yards in the final game of the season. Shaw only threw for 177 total yards in that game.

Back to Gabriel's run blocking, here is a still from the Raiders game. Gabriel made a key block springing Tate for a TD. This is great. I am sure that the defender took a lot of abuse in film study the next week.

Check out the size difference between Gabriel and the defender.



Just for reference, #29 was Brandian Ross, who is 6' and 191#. (and I do really feel bad for my fellow Penguins alum)

Haha I like Gabriel a lot too...I recall S Ross was the guy who laid that hit on Cameron too.

At the time of the Hawkins signing, having lived in the Dayton area for most of my life, I knew he was a well rounded and shifty WR. We got tons of Bengal coverage there. He's a team first guy and a great addition to the WR corp.

My biggest worry with our WR's was the lack of bigger targets. I believe the FO addressed those concerns with the signings of Hartline and Bowe. While I would like to have seen an other WR drafted, even I wasn't for drafting one with the #12 pick. I also wasn't dead set on drafting a WR early. I believe the positions they drafted were every bit as much needs as another WR.

So I do see the WR position as improved over last season and I believe that was the obvious goal.

Jordan Cameron is not going to be missed anywhere near what some people say. First, he didn't block well which is exactly what we don't need with our running O. Second, he couldn't stay on the field. The new guys we got plus our holdovers will more than make up for this guy. Count on it.

I like Dray and Barnidge, but JC will be missed.

The concussion issue had me very concerned in regards to extending a contract to him.

I felt the same way Pit. I hope he doesn't have any more concussion issues but I really have my doubts. The next one could end his career. As you get older it gets worse.

If we develop a competent passing game a player like him will be missed.. but in the grand scheme of things, we should be ok.

It will be academic anyway DC if we can't find a flippin QB. Pardon the pun Josh...

He was a pretty darn good receiving TE.. He'll be missed for that skill.

Dshot, you are correct Cameron, when on field will be missed, however, I'm in other camp, think TEs drafted and holdovers good enough; like poster who believe additions of Bowe/Hartline adequate, agree...hope McCown or any other QB can hit players in stride and score more TDs...see run first, play action pass critical, same O we had when successful....GO Browns!!!

WE are a run based offense and Cameron may have been the worst blocker in professional football. He was soft, he didnt like contact and that was before he started getting concussed. He is a terrific receiving threat but lets be realistic, he had one good year under Norv and Chud and spent almost all of last year on the bench and before Norv and Chud, he was the guy everyone wanted to be cut.

Not taking maxx williams will likely be something we pay for, for another decade but Cameron is more myth than substance.

Remember guys, we signed that non-blocking TE Housler, who will be the Cameron-like TE, perhaps with a little less athletic ability - but where he lacks that, he'll be better than Jordan for the fact he'll be able to take a tap to the helmet and not be out two plus weeks for concussion symptoms.

I was glad/ok when we first reported to have signed Jordan, but felt nothing when it was official he signed at Miami. I'd rather have brought in a guy at the beginning of camp to replace Jordan, than early to midway through the season to replace him.

IIRC, isn't Gabriel supposed to be ridiculously strong for a guy his size? Like he benches near 300lbs or something? I wish I had some links, but I think I remember his strength being talked about when we were first getting looks.

I don't know what he benches, but he wipes guys out with his blocking. He is our best blocking WR, and it just goes to show how much is the desire to be a great blocker.

FOUND IT!
http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2014/08/post_189.html


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Here's an excerpt...

The Browns list the undrafted free agent at 5-foot-8, 167 pounds, making him the lightest player on the roster. But let Gabriel strap on a hernia belt, point him to the weight room and watch him level the playing field.


He benches 350 pounds, squats 500 pounds and cleans 315 pounds.

"I just feel like I'm not a little guy," Gabriel said. "I'm a big guy at heart and I want to play big."

No denying he "was" our best blocking WR last year, he just did an unexpectedly good job there too and clearly had no issues getting his hands dirty, but - I'd say Bowe is now likely our best blocking WR. He too has no issues getting his hands dirty locking up and taking people out of the play.

Taylor Gabriel is probably my favorite stories of this team still to this day. Walk on try-out, overcomes little injury issue there and still found a way to make the team and he spills his heart out every play. Very humble when he speaks and he's one of the players on offense I'll be tuning into and watching him play, and yet another player on offense I believe will have displayed improvement and be even more so productive. Just get this kid the ball! I'd lvoe to see Flip dial in more screen plays to him (and Hawkins and even Crow/Duke) and let them torch people up.