DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Buster Skrine to Jets

I'm not trying to replace Skrine with a "Skrine-grade" CB. I think that CB is 2nd or 3rd most important position on the field, so I'm looking to replace Skrine with a "quality NFL grade" CB. I know we could replace Skrine with a clone of him, but that's not how you get better. The position's too important, IMO, to do any less than looking for a replacement in the 1st or 2nd round.

What does overpaying Skrine have to do w/Cromartie?

Man, you are so far gone...

Great argument. By that logic, maybe we should cut Haden.



Man, these threads get dumber and dumber and dumber.

You can't be serious?

No Memphis.........I am joking. Having three cornerbacks is totally unnecessary in today's NFL.

The Jets really screwed up by signing him and the Browns were so, so smart to not pay him and count on Gilbert, especially because Gilbert showed such greatness last year that he made Skrine expendable.

Are you for freaking real, man?

You reply with.........."you can't be serious."

Seriously?!?

Man, you are so far gone...........

Wow, great rebuttal.

As far as I know, Haden has a contract with numerous guarantees, and will not be a free agent for many years to come. His contractual situation has nothing in common with spending new money on re-signing Skrine. ("Regime Wars", anyone?)

It's clear (to me anyways) that we are hoping for Desir or Gilbert to play opposite Haden (or maybe a late FA to compete. Williams goes to slot where about 90% of this board thought Skrine was more suited anyways. I liked Skrine, out of position a bit but speed in spades and heart to recover, scrappy player. I guess the emergence of Williams left him surplus with eyes on a supplemental pick maybe.

Well you wouldn't know this, but a couple years ago I was taking REAL heat on the other board for being POSITIVE about the teams direction. I call it as I see it. And I really don't like what I'm seeing. Farmer has me really worried. He reminds me of Savage. Fans loved him. Bought inn to his every move. Right up until he got ran out of town and left us ass deep in misery. EGO drove him. And EGO drives Farmer. It's all about him. Not about building a TEAM.


Things aren't sunshine and roses in Browns Town. The factory of sadness is running overtime. It will take a MIRACLE to win 7 games again this year. I'd really like this team to win something before I croak. I'm not getting any damned younger.

Peace

When Vers and I agree, that sould say something. In THIS defense, where pressure is rare... secondary play is EVERYTHING. So now we HOPE that one of our corners can play opposite Haden. And HOPE another one can play the nickel. And HOPE another one can come in and play well in the dime. Zero pressure means secondary makes a play or their offense wins. Some of you make losing Skrine out to be a GOOD thing. We're going to see. Because we don't play the NFC South this year. We play a lot of really GOOD teams, with really GOOD offenses. You better pray to the football gods that Gilbert wakes the hell up and plays like the stud you all make him out to be.
Or we're looking at another LONG season. Followed quickly by yet another coaching search. And probably a GM search as well. 4-12 or 5-11 is a sure ticket to the unemployment line for Farmer and Pettine.

Skrine was signed to a very mediocre deal that we would have done well to pay. Unless we sign someone of equal or above talent, we took a step back in our secondary. We all saw what we had in the rookies last year and none of them seemed to really make significant improvement over the year to indicate they could unseat Skrine.

That's why it seemed everyone supported re-signing him. Well, at least until we didn't.

I think K'Waun Williams has good potential IF he could stay healthy.

Wow... it probably looks like I'm stalking you, Super. Trust me, I'm just coming to these threads right after you. (No need to start looking over your shoulder, son0)

I liked K'Waun last year, too. He showed me more in his rookie season than I usually expect from someone at his position.

Contrary to what others believe, I'm still holding out some hope that JGilbert can turn around from a lackluster 1st year. He's got size and more physical gifts than KW or Skrine, but needs to get his head screwed on straight before we'll ever see what he might do.

I wish I felt better about our lineup/depth at secondary.... a lot of my optimism hinged on us re-signing Skrine. Now, we have to "check for holes" with that squad.

I really don't think we are as bad at CB as some believe. Williams was a phenom. We drafted the first CB in the draft and we housed the best rookie CB in the league last year according multiple sources. They just weren't the same player. I wish I could find the source but I also read in what limited time Gilbert played he was rather impressive statistically. I feel he's proven how dominant he can be.

I don't know if Gilbert has proven much, but I still have faith the kid can play and will be a fine player for the Browns.

I believe that Gilbert was far from dominant. I believe he was dreadful and that is why he lost time as the season progressed.

There was a quite a bit of separation between him and his man.

He didn't always seem to be in the right spot in zone coverages.

He was not a willing tackler.

There were a plethora of reasons why his teammates and coaches called him out.

We will ride on Manziels shoulders and if its a bust then 2016 we will invest in another.

wouldn't it be wiser to invest before it happens? at least your investment would have one yr experience under his belt. if we wait for it to happen we have yet another yr of depending on McCown and whoever the #3 will be that yr.

My only knock, or concern I guess, on Williams going to #2 corner spot is how he'd do going up against bigger WRs. He's 5'9'', I'm pretty sure he's the smallest DB we have on the roster. One cannot wonder that even if Williams had solid positioning and was shadowing the WR step for step, that if it wouldn't just become a continuously showing of jump balls being thrown to whoever Williams is guarding. Especially in the redzone.

We really needed Justin to pull his head outta his a-hole and show us some hope last year, but...

Not at all...this is a pretty bad QB class if one drops to us in rounds 3-5 I can go for that

that's where i'm talking about getting one. maybe even 2nd rd. at least they will get to sit and learn like they should imo. if they don't pan out have another one ready.

we're too quick to draft one only when we absolutely have to have one and throw them into the fire right away.

season hasn't even started and we are already talking about tanking for 2016.

thats why i'm drinking at 1015am on sunday

i agree 100% mac.

the pats seem to draft a QB every year, and they never have any trouble unloading them. ex pats QB's seem to be a hot commodity in the league.

maybe with the new QB coach we can start developing. it would also help to start drafting the type of QB we actually think will prosper in our system. that is if we can keep the same system long enough.

Does putting your favorite "something" in your coffee count, swish?

thats why i'm drinking at 1015am on sunday


yea that's the excuse i used to use.

Mac, it looks like the Browns might be doing just that. Unproven I agree. Kevin O'Connell gets paid to prepare young QBs for the draft that must mean something.

Question for the board: is it really that unusual for a team to commit to their high round picks at the expense of other players? I mean the team made them high round picks for a reason.

I think that Gilbert can play, and I am very glad to see that he is working with Haden.

Haden had issues early on ... he wanted to party, and be a big man, and so on. Then he moved past that, got married, and matured. Hopefully he can be a good influence on Gilbert, and help him to see how to be a pro.

It's just a feeling, bit I think that Gilbert is going to be hugely improved this year, and will start opposite Haden this year, and will be successful.

Great Post! I agree I was disappointed with Gilbert's performance last season. But he has the talent to improve a be a lock down corner.

I wanted them to re-sign Skrine. He has improved as a player each and every year he was here. His first year he was a disaster much like Gilbert just without the expectations.

If he can improve the same way with much more God given talent that Skrine it could be huge for the defense.

He flashed his talent a few times last year. Like the pick six against Andrew Luck.

It's funny. I remember when Skrine was a rookie, and even in his 2nd year, people wanted him cut in camp. "He sucks" was a frequent refrain, and he did earn some of that with his play. However, he continued to work hard, and made himself into a solid CB.

Hopefully Gilbert can adopt that same mentality, and work his butt off starting this off-season.

I'm curious, what QB did they draft and develop after Brady has turned out to be anything?

My issue with Gilbert is that he plays with way to much cushion. You cant do that at this level. Teams will take a 4 yard curl and stretch it to 6 all day long on you until they sucker u in and beat u for 80.

And I believe the bolded part is the problem some fans have with the current situation.

You can't base the possibility of downgrading your secondary on a "feeling or hope" that someone develops. Of course this FO saw the huge potential in Gilbert and believe Desir can develop. I'm sure we all hope they reach their full potential.

But our secondary last year was one of the bright spots of our D. Skrine was a critical key in that. The contract he signed most certainly wasn't long term nor was it a break the bank contract by any means. It would have been an excellent signing as that needed insurance policy until such time as our young CB's reach their potential.

As it stands, we "hope" they will develop. Some "have a feeling" they will be okay. But if that's what a FO bases their needs upon, it could just as easily be a very rough season for the secondary at the CB position. Some simply believe that's a very risky venture and that only stands to reason.

I think a lot of rookie corners play with cushion, especially if they don't and get beat deep early on. Corner is a learning process.

I don't see any way Gilbert doesn't improve. Corner is a hard position to play, but a fairly easy position to scout. Either you can play it or you can't, and the measurables at that position do mean something. He has those.


He may not live up to his draft position, but I have no real doubt he will become a plus corner in this league.


We drafted the guy. Just like with Warren, we can't place unrealistic expectations on the kid. Just like Warren, he is going to be a solid Pro IMO. OK....maybe not all-pro, and I know that is what some expect due to draft position, but it doesn't always work out that way.

I completely agree. Note that I did, however, say how dominant he can be which is the exact opposite of how dominant he was. I only urge you to watch tape of the end of the season when injuries forced his play. He flashed the reason he was considered the top CB prospect. Under Haden's wing and with a renewed concentration I see no reason to believe he can't put it together.

Yeah I definitely like Williams as a pure slot corner. Skrines was able to slide outside because of his physical nature/speed and I'm not sure Williams has that in him. I'm more than open for him to try though!

I don't dispute that, but as fans we often only have half of the picture regarding any particular player. (if that) A guy like Cameron was nothing as a rookie, yet the team pretty much committed to him as a 2nd year player.

Look at Skrine. The coaches have committed to him over the years, and he has slowly developed. Every year he has become better than the year before.

Often the time off between the 1st and 2nd seasons for a player can be one of great reflection. I hope that it is for Gilbert. I truly believe that his problems were in his head, so if he is training with Joe Haden, that is a potentially huge, positive 1st step forward. It's obviously not a guarantee, but it is encouraging.

Tramon Williams visiting Browns on Sunday

Posted by Josh Alper on March 15, 2015, 2:26 PM EDT

Green Bay Packers v Buffalo Bills
Getty Images

The Browns’ search for a veteran cornerback continues on Sunday.

According to multiple reports, Tramon Williams is visiting with the team in Cleveland. Williams is a free agent after nine seasons with the Packers and previously met with the Saints during his search for a job for the 2015 season.

Williams has started every game for the Packers over the last three seasons and has missed just one game since the start of the 2007 season. He had 70 tackles and three interceptions last season, which helped make him the No. 47 player on PFT’s list of the top free agents this offseason and one of the top players at any position still available on the open market.

The Browns lost Buster Skrine to the Jets as a free agent and Justin Gilbert’s rookie season did little to inspire confidence that they can count on him stepping up alongside Joe Haden next season. They met with Perrish Cox during the first week of free agency, but Cox signed with the Titans on Saturday.


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/15/tramon-williams-visiting-browns-on-sunday/

Did not know if this had been posted anywhere or not.. if it has.. then pull it or move it where it needs to go

I'm with Ytown 100% - I think the FO has to base their decision making on the belief that the talent they see/saw before they drafted some of these players is coming through.

If you don't - you'll forever be resigning average or marginal talent "just in case" .... what we all have to hope is that the FO got their eval right. We have 3 young, unproven, high potential CB's on the team. 1 stud CB and two very good safeties ... I don't think it's that much of a risk. If there were question marks in other parts of the secondary, then the importance of resigning Skrine increases ... but that's not what the Browns are looking at. . . . . SURE - in the case of someone like Manziel who has had issues on and off field, the diagnosis is different. I think we need a plan in place for JM not starting (or starting and being bad). Situation is different with the 3 CB's IMO.

If we resign players based on fear of not being able to replace them with equal or more talented players - we'd still have Sheard and a host of other decent players who never really excelled for us. Heck - look at DQ - a fan favorite who many including me were sad to see him leave. However, I thought Dansby was a way bigger threat to make game changing plays than DQ ever was ... and the DL was pretty banged up last year. A less injured DL this year - possibly with some help from the draft - and I think Dansby will have a Probowl season.

I'd sign him to a 1 or 2 year year deal, if possible. We're running out of options and we are clearly looking to hedge Gilbert if he doesn't work out.