DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Free Agency 2015 (II)

Okay, then how about we withhold judgment until the off-season is over and we actually know who is going to be on our team? Better yet, let's see some games.

your more than welcome to. i will look at the reality though.

The reality of what? That we haven't signed anyone in one day?

I understand if a person has little faith in Haslam, Farmer, and/or Pettine. But they are the guys that are making decisions. None are getting fired (or in Haslam's case selling the team) at this point in the year. How about we see what they are trying to do before raking them over the coals? I know that is hard for some, but it seems like a reasonable request.

It would be absolutely insane to trade for Brees. Even in his prime 2-3 years go he'd suck in this stadium and in these weather conditions...I can't even believe it's a topic of conversation. Of course a number of people convinced themselves that Manziel would be the second coming of Brees so maybe I shouldn't be suprised...

It is weird. I think people don't know what to do when thinking about a good QB playing for our team. It's like Stockholm Syndrome for football fans.

Are we worse?

Hoyer replaced by McCown - Push
Sheard gone - did nothing last year
Skrine gone - #PI flag
Rubin? not gone yet but played 13 games had 14 solo tackle and 1 sack - won't be missed
Cameron? Not gone yet but played 10 games had 24 receptions and 2 Td's - hardly irreplaceable

You do see the difference though, right?

Those teams all made the playoffs w/their rosters. We didn't sniff the playoffs.

W/out a doubt we are worse at this point in time. It is not even close.

That is not to say that we won't improve moving forward, but right now?

LOL ..........it ain't close. We are most definitely worse.

4 weeks ago, the only one of those guys we weren't sure was a goner was Skrine.

Okay, let's look at this again:

"Hoyer vs. McCown: Some will say push. Some would say McCown."
I would rather have Hoyer than McCown. Hard to prove that I am right, so I won't even try.

"Sheard gone - did nothing last year":
Nothing? That is more than debatable. Who replaced him? Are you suggesting that NO ONE is better than Sheard? Is is addition by subtraction? Pffttt......


"Skrine gone - #PI flag":
This is a dumb ass statement. Why would 8 other NFL teams want him if he was just a PI flag? That is biased thinking. Are you saying that Gilbert and Desire are better than he is right now?


"Rubin? not gone yet but played 13 games had 14 solo tackle and 1 sack - won't be missed":
Again, who has replaced him? He was better than Taylor when both played. Taylor is still here and he hardly plays. He was worse than Reubin. Who have we brought in to replace Reubin on the d-line?


"Cameron? Not gone yet but played 10 games had 24 receptions and 2 Td's - hardly irreplaceable":
One more time, who have we brought in that is better?

jest, I like you, but your argument actually proves how bad the Browns have been thus far.

Once again, this could all change and the Browns could sign a ton of great guys and have the most awesome draft of all-time, but as of right now.........it ain't lookin' good.

We are---at this point in time---------way worse than we were last year.

J/C Tampa Free Agency Blues
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdo...-195405829.html

Even if they weren't in the playoffs, they would stick to their plan.

Vers,

Replying to you as your post was as good as any (not trying to pick fights or anything).

I really think that we need to sit back and chill for a little bit. I would be way more worried if we were doing the opposite (signing everyone in sight). The poster asking over and over "are we better than we were 4 weeks ago" as if he's making a point, is being ridiculous. The off-season is longer than a couple days, and has several parts. Moaning and groaning at this point, regardless of how you feel about our FO, is silly.

Am I excited about heading into the season w/ McCown, Manziel, and Shaw at QB? Hell no! Nobody is. But there is way more time and opportunities to add to that sad group. If that is who we go into training camp with, then I'll be right there with you going over the cliff. But until then I'm waiting and watching.

Losing Skrine was a big bummer, but it's not the end of the world. Maybe I'm more hopeful, as I have higher hope for Gilbert than I do Manziel, and Williams played well.

Sheard was as good as gone. Anyone that didn't expect that is blind. He'll play DE for a contending team, and many posters were expecting that.

Going forward, two things that will shake my confidence is if we lose Gipson, and if we don't add another legit (non-camp fodder) QB. Until then, I'll sit tight and watch.

I gotta say, while it would be really nice to have Suh on the team, look what the Dolphins are doing to accomodate him. They had to let their own best DT walk in free agency. They cut their other starter at DT today. They cut their best guard today... the only one who has proven themselves a capable starter. They cut two of their best four receivers and now have to draft another one. They are likely not going to be able to match whatever offer their starting TE is getting and will get no compensation as a result on the transition tag. All to get one guy. Are they better than they were 4vweeks ago?

I will say this, Harline imho was a homerun signing. He had back to back 1000 yard years and slipped last year when they tried to feed wallace the ball and we got him for 2 years for what Buster got for one and Buster is probably still having flashbacks from the embarrassing beat down Hartline has given him.

I also love next years class and i think it is setting up to be a special class. those compensatory picks will be valuable and I mean incredibly valuable.

I would use our 2nd this year to grab the big NT for the Jets. with the money they are spending they will have a hard time matching anything we put together and he does remind me of Ngata.

J/C ......

I really don't get why anyone is surprised by the events thus far in free agency.

The Browns said that they were not going to spend huge in free agency. They also had several guys who are high quality players who either don't fit here, are blocked, or who could see themselves as being blocked. Skrine leaving is not really a surprise. The team has tried to replace him, and they still have Gilbert, who has reportedly been working hard with Haden. If he becomes the starter, then Skrine is fighting with K Williams for the Nickel spot.

Sheard does not fit this team, at all. I was really disappointed, because I would have bet money last year that he would be a double digit sack guy in Pettine's defense ...... and wasn't. He is not a 3-4 OLB, and thus does not fit here.

Hoyer also paved his own way out of town, but because of his salary demands last year more than anything else. His signing for 2 years and $10 million is a huge loss for him. That's a huge way from "I am 10-6 as a starter, and want paid as a starter with that kind of winning percentage".

Skrine, right now, is the biggest loss. Hoyer was too up and down to be a huge loss, and Sheard seems mismatched for this defense. Plus, even a team that is not a big spender in the 1st days of free agency can still be effective in adding players that fit as things move along.

This is why free agency is a farce. While Suh is a Hall of Fame caliber player, he is not worth gutting your team for. The only players worth doing that for are QBs.

Even the Patriots, with the money they saved by not signing Revis they are going to sign three or four other players to fill in holes in other spots (they already started with Sheard).

If Farmer and company are patient there will be some very good deals available to them.

If you want to say that we are a little worse than last year I'll give it to you but way worse? C'mon. While solid players, not one of those guys we lost will be difficult to replace. We just haven't had the time yet but we will.

And I had forgotten to include Hartline improving our Wr corp.

Re: Skrine - He is an okay CB who has way too many PI, defensive holding and illegal contact penalties. I do think D'Quan Williams will be as good next year as Skrine was this past year and with fewer penalties.

If you're looking for a huge pass rush guy in Pettines system you're going to be waiting a LONG time. We run the NPD. Pressure is NOT the goal. Standing around waiting on the secondary to make a play is. So forget a pass rush. We don't have one, nor does Pettine want one. Corner and safety play is EVERYTHING to Pettine. If he could line up 11 DB's every play he would.

I have no problem with them letting Sheard go. He didn't fit here anymore. Losing Skrine however HURTS. Now we have to hand Gilbert the job and hope his head is out of his ass. Good thing is Farmers JOB will depend on Gilbert as well..... So he better PRAY Gilbert gets his stuff together. It's his ass if Gilbert blows it.

By the way, for those that have said Sheard sucks.... Belichick just signed him....

those teams consistently draft well.

Not to argue, because I agree with your observation, but a lot less than last week. Talent is leaving and I want to see some new blood out of this FA round.

Not unhappy to see Skrine go and take his laundry with him. Too many flags at clutch times for my taste. Played bigger than he was when he played well. Best of luck elsewhere. Not every Sunday.

Some of this banter depends on the will of the front office IMO. This looks like a lame FA if we are losing our (relative) best in spots and no upgrades to speak of. And we may have undervalued some players' tags and haven't locked them down either.

Hard to figure the will of the FO/owner in the current stage. Tune in for more eventually, I guess.

He didn't say, can we use them wisely, he just said can we use them. Yes, we will use them.

Disappointing to see Sheard gone. Not one of those wow guys, but solid and a good guy off the field. He is going from a perennial loser to a perennial winner, so why not. I won't miss skrine. He constantly gets beat. BTW, what have the Browns done in FA?? Oh yah, a 3 year contract to a 35 y/o QB and a 3rd or 4th string WR...

Wow. Suh's contract details are even worse than I thought.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/miami-dolphins/ndamukong-suh/

Despite his mega-deal (6 years, $114 MM, $60 MM guaranteed,) he has only a $6.1 MM cap hit this year.

Next year that is a $28.58 MM cap hit with no option to cut him ($53.87 MM cap hit to cut). Wow. Lol.

I believe that was our friend Grossi, if I'm not mistaken. That was a 'sick' statement for a journalist (editorialist?) to make...

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/12/demarco-murray-plans-to-sign-with-the-eagles/

DeMarco Murray to sign with the Eagles? Didn't they just sign Ryan Matthews?

Maybe their injury histories will cancel each other out?

j/c...

Browner was supposedly a guy the Browns were looking at potentially signing. Hopefully, they still get a shot at a visit.

Ian Rapoport Verified account
@RapSheet
Meanwhile, #Saints made a major push to sign CB Brandon Browner yesterday, offering him more than $5M per year. Could help that locker room

Tweet

Confirmed that Charles Clay is visiting with the Browns.


Jeremy Fowler
@JFowlerESPN
CLE will have its chance RT @AbramsonPBP Mike Tannenbaum confirmed Charles Clay is visiting #Browns & #Bills

Tweet

Cool, sign Clay and Browner... Good moves..

Then trade for Drew Brees...

At this point its rather obvios don't you think.

While I would agree that FA isn't the avenue to building a team neither is letting good talent walk.

We are being set up to lose as painful as it will be to watch it will be a great thing if we can actually secure the top pick in the draft and make it pay off in the form of a franchise QB. But they will screw it up just watch.

For this season its about losing, how you change gears to being about winning is where I would like to see it go but the plan I see as of now is to lose. Its obvious to me.

So let me get this straight.

We aren't trying to win.

Because we want the #1 pick.

But we will screw that pick up.

Right?

Then don't watch. If that's how you feel, I mean.. Jesus.. That's depressing..

Amen +1

Minus the Breez trade, Clay and Browner would be excellent additions! I'd be extremely pleased!

You don't want.. Drew Brees.. ?