DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Depth Chart and Draft Picks

Well the first depth chart is out and while I know thing will change over the next 4 weeks. I do not find in encouraging that of the 17 players drafted by the Browns over the last 2 years only 2 are starters. Especially considering those 2 drafts include 4 #1s, 2 #2s and 4 #3s. While anything past the 3rd round may be a little more risky to only have 2 starting out of the 10 picks from the first 3 rounds does not scream homerun drafting to me. Hopefully some of these guys can develop quickly. Looking forward to seeing these guys in action against the Redskins so we can see what we have. Any realistic chance of making the playoffs would seem to rely on at least a few more of these guys being better than what we had before.

Year Player Round Depth
2015 Shelton 1 2
2015 Erving 1 2
2015 Orchard 2 2
2015 D. Johnson 3 INJ
2015 Cooper 3 4
2015 Campbell 4 2
2015 Mayle 4 3
2015 Gaines 6 3
2015 M. Johnson 6 INJ
2015 Telfer 6 INJ
2015 Pullard 7 3
2015 Ekpre-Olomu 7 INJ

2014 Gilbert 1 2
2014 Manziel 1 2
2014 Bitonio 2 1
2014 Kirksey 3 1
2014 West 3 2
2014 Desir 4 INJ

Not all that worried about it. The one that bugs me the most is Gilbert. Especially with the departure of Skrine, I would have hoped he was ready to step in...

Shelton will be heavily involved in the rotation from the beginning and may well be starting by the time the season starts, Erving was drafted to our best unit to back up pro bowlers, so there is no shame in not starting from week 1, Orchard will also see a lot of PT more than likely and could be starting at some point... West will be given a lot of chances, and who cares who starts at RB, it could change from week to week. Duke Johnson will get his fair share of chances when healthy..

I like that Pettine doesn't just pencil these 2015 guys in as starters from the very first release of the depth chart. It might also speak to the fact that we have more talent than we've had in the past that these guys DON'T just rush to the starting job.

I agree with this. Back in the day, most draft picks, even Rd. 1 picks, had to earn their way to a starting job. Most were given time to ease into their job. Now with the high $$$ and a win now attitude most clubs can't afford to let their picks develop. Some clubs that do win most of the time are the ones who can afford to bring their draft picks along slowly and not rush them in. I think that's been a problem for us, we throw them out there before there ready and just destroy them. This has been true of QB since we came back.

Why is this bad? So we're not forced to have low round picks start?

I am going to pile on.

You have got to be kidding. The first depth chart released and the Browns don't show any rookies as a starter..

It's a complete travesty and we need to FIRE Farmer and Pettine NOW...

I do not want any rookie at this point of camp showing up as a 1. If there is, that is a problem.

We try to emulate team... well the better teams do not start rookies.

And maybe, just maybe the team is a bit better than they were... it is this thing called depth..

The best teams start the best players regardless of how long they've been in the league.

Gutty.

I read posts about Hoyer saying all the wins were a result of him and not the team and I read posts about McCown's abilities and Farmer's talent evaluations and you choose this one to rip????

LOL........shallow.

It is the silly season for sure.

I will be glad when we at least have some games to talk about. I'm kinda bored with the whole she said, he said, routine we all seem to be stuck in while being bored waiting for the season to start.

I like Petine's approach to players earning their keep. If anything, what we saw with the dealings of Gilbert, Manziel, West, and Tate last year was proof that nothing is given as far as playing time.

In year 2 you certainly hope your previous draft has established starting positions, but I will admit that this is probably going to be the best talent fielded on the defensive side of the ball that we've seen in a long time. With Gilbert, we are pretty deep at the position and if he ever does EARN the starting position aside Haden, then he will have proven to be a pretty darn good CB.

I love it. Danny Shelton comes in day one and guess what, he's taking second team reps. He'll need to earn those first team reps. HewDawg provided many other examples and more are out there.

LOVE IT!

Yeah and he is not doing it for show to prove he is the boss or something either. You can tell he is dead serious about them earning their spot. It's one of the things I really like about him as a coach.

What?

I thought Gilbert was the 8th overall pick in the draft? Am I wrong about that? He has been beaten out by Skrine [drafted in round 5], DeSir [drafted in round 4], K. Williams [an undrafted FA], and T. Williams [an older player who wasn't wanted by Green Bay.} Heck, even Poyer played ahead of him at CB towards the end of last year.

It kills me that people rip Migno unmercifully. He plays a lot of snaps. Has a good attitude. Works hard. Plays through injuries. But, people say he is a BUST. Then, we have Gilbert, who says he would rather sleep than study tape. He says he "we'll see what happens" when asked if he wants to start this year. What?!?!!!!! He misses meetings. He misses practices. He is late to both. He gets suspended by the team for being late right after he gets called out by Dansby.........yet, people defend him and rip Mingo?

Wonder why that is???????????

More people would be defending Mingo too if they hadn't actually seen him play. Regardless of how well he plays in the coaches' eyes, most fans don't like what they are seeing on the field.

With Gilbert there is still hope because there is very little on the field to go by. As soon as he takes the field and sucks it up the fans will turn on him as well.

LOL...........okay. That doesn't really make sense to me because I think the coaches know more than we do, but whatever.

And I don't agree w/the last part. I think Mingo gets ripped on because he was drafted by Banner and Gilbert is protected because he was drafted by Farmer.

Not saying all people view it that way, but I can guarantee that there are many that view it that way.

Well, let me be the first to tell you, I don't give a rats ass who drafted who. Play the game, if you can't, sorry. Mingo has had more years. Gilbert needs to put up, or go. Same with Mingo.

Mingo gets crushed because he doesn't do what people expected him to do. He was drafted to rush the passer and he has been subpar in that area. People don't understand that he has been excellent in other areas of the game.

Gilbert doesn't get crushed because he is a corner and corners take time to develop. This is only his second year.

I really don't think it has anything to do with Farmer/Banner.

Mingo has had ONE more year than Gilbert.

He has started for the team most of those two years. He played through injury. He changed his game to fit what Pet and O'Neil wanted. He has a great attitude. He has been somewhat productive. He plays on Special teams. He might play more snaps than anyone on the team. Sorry, but he has been WAY BETTER than Gilbert in every regard.

Good post, but I disagree w/the last part. I think for many people [not you] that that is indeed the case.

Mingo was a 4th round project taken top 10. He has already performed above my expectations. He had no skills other than being an athlete. He is arguably our best cover backer and has played through some major injuries. The guy has busted his ass to learn how to be a linebacker.

Now gilbert has been a major underachiever in my eyes. He has really struggled to play in this press system. Right now, he looks like a pure tampa 2 zone type corner and for a guy with his ability thats unacceptable.

Vers, you gotta read the board more closely. Gilbert doesn't get beat out because he isn't good. It's the other guys who are doing so much better.

That's kind of a good way to compare the two people but also an unfair comparison. IMO - you can't downgrade our expectations of Mingo because of where you thought he should have been picked, he was a top 10 pick - as was Gilbert.

Likewise to me it doesn't matter where the other players who are beating Gilbert out were drafted. People give the Patriots Kudos for landing Brady in the 6th round -- but here in Cleveland when we find late round gems, instead of kudos for the gem, we focus on bashing the higher draft pick who they beat out.

Anyway - I think Mingo and Gilbert have both been a disappointment so far based on their impact and where they were picked. Mingo has benefitted from much less competition for his roster spot than Gilbert. If there was a LB of Skrine/Willaims quality behind Mingo on the depth chart I really think Mingo would have seen much less playing time. I agree Mingo has shown to be a very capable coverage guy - but he's disappointing for a top 10 pick.

What I do get 100% - and it is a factor on who you want and what type of players you want on your team - you can SEE the effort Mingo gives on every play. You can sense that he is doing everything in his power to be the best football player he can be - I don't get the same sense from Gilbert, but that's not to say that with the work he did with Haden this year and it being so early in the season, that we won't see that soon from Gilbert. Gilbert will be one of the players I am most interested to see in preseason.

He never accomplished working himself into any starting positions to be able to work himself "out" of any. Williams and Haden out and you "still" don't get first team reps?

I don't know if I buy into the "Gilbert is not bad, it's just everyone else is playing so good" aspect. I think I buy into he's just not putting it all together for whatever reason(s) more.

I admit that I am extremely disappointed in Gilbert this year. He had a great off-season, working hard with Haden, getting in great shape, and saying the right things ..... then he came to camp and has really underwhelmed. When he speaks it's almost like he isn't all that concerned if he starts or not. That is a huge concern for me. I want players who have the desire to take every single snap, and to be the very best. I just don't get that feeling from Gilbert, and I had hoped that he had turned the corner ..... although it seems like maybe he hasn't, and perhaps he never will. I really hope that he gets to the point where football is extremely important to him, and he is willing to do darn near anything to be the very best. Right now, though, I just don't get that vibe from him. That is really sad, because he has incredible physical talent, and could be a great CB if the game mattered to him more.

seams to be a common theme with young browns players.

Which is exactly the point. We can look at a great investment is a 1st round high draft pick in Haden who was drafted at pick #7 and then look at Gilbert at #8 to see the contrast.

Then once again we can hear the excuses of many who try to rationalize how 4th rounders and UDFA's are getting more playing time.

It is what it is when you peel back the onion.

I believe it is more because Mingo is going into his 3rd year and should have turned a corner, Gilbert is entering his second year...

If Gilbert still can't break the starting line up next year the criticism will grow considerably..

Last year at this time, a lot of people were still putting Mingo on their "players who could break out this year" list..

And several posters still believed that going into this year until the injury hit him.

Overall, I agree with your post. If Gilbert doesn't perform well, people will be circling the "bust" wagon for sure...and probably for good reason.

I don't think I'd be calling Mingo a bust in terms of talent...more like an unknown. His injuries have been a major problem in seeing what he can do in the NFL if fully healthy. Every year he's had an injury, much like Phil Taylor. It's tough to see what a player can tap into if not 100% or even 75-80%

Wow - how did this become a Farmer/Banner thread. That's just crazy.

Because Couch & Holcomb are gone.

I think you are a good and fair poster, but I don't really get this post. People were classifying Mingo as a bust before he ever took a snap. He played in almost every game as a rookie. He started many games. He played a ton on special teams. In year two, he battled through injuries and still played a ton of football. I think he had to have played more snaps than most guys on the team. Yet, people still say he is a bust.

Meanwhile, Gilbert was almost handed the starting job but played his way out of it. He was a malcontent. Lazy. Missing meetings. Being late. Yet, he has got a ton of love as a breakout player on this board.

Mingo has only one year on Gilbert. I just ain't seeing what you're saying.

What's crazy is your transparency.