With the offseason here and nearly 3 months til training camp the hype train is in full motion. I know we try to temper expectations and its only natural as a Browns fan. That being said with free agency and the draft over what are still some concerns you have with the team moving forward that could potentially derail the season?

1. Stopping the run
We've added a decent amount of talent this offseason. We got a playmaker in OBJ, brought in Richardson and Vernon to shore up the D-line and pass rush, drafted several young prospects in the secondary and in the LB corps who can be potential starters this year. That being said most of the talent we acquired are considered "pass rushers" and not necessarily "run stoppers". Last season the Browns gave up on average 4.7 yards per carry to opposing teams and 20 TD's including 296 yards to Baltimore at the end of the season (and now that they're fully in on Lamar Jackson that's how the offense is going to look moving forward, and we see them twice a year). I know the NFL is considered a passing league and I think we've done a great job revamping that area but if a team comes in here with a good game plan involving the run we may have a hard time stopping it.

2. Team Chemistry
WE added a lot of talent, not question about that. The question now becomes "will that talent be able to co-exist". This seems to be what the media focuses on the most when it comes to Cleveland's faults, that we're a ticking time bomb that the moment we hit a slide or fail to live up to expectations will implode. There's no denying we have taken on some players that come with "baggage". OBJ is well documented from his time in the Big Apple but Vernon, Richardson, Greedy and Mack all supposedly carry a bit of ego as well. Add in the personalities of Baker, Jarvis and Randall among others and you're sitting on a potential powder keg. Personally I think we'll be fine because Baker seems the type of leader that can keep his teammates in check and keep their focus on the bigger prize, same with OBJ and Jarvis. Its not my biggest concern but that's not to say it doesn't have the potential to become one.

3. Freddie Kitchens
Don't get me wrong, I love me some Kitchens. He seems beloved by his players, respected among his colleagues and a man that just has an overall love and understanding of the game. We saw what he was able to do with the offense when he took the reigns last season. The reason he is on here is essentially he remains the biggest unknown. We've yet to see the kind of head coach he can be when it comes to gameplanning, keeping players in check, handling adversity, etc. As with the reason above he has a lot of talent and personality that he'll need to control. I believe he's the right man to do it, I've just been wrong before.

4. The o-line
Lets take a realistic approach to the offensive line. According to the NFL stats and rankings our o-line last year ranked 14th, just below the Jets and ahead of the Vikings. PFF also had us ranked 2nd so there is quite a bit of discrepency but I think we can concur our o-line was above average/good. Since then we traded our Pro Bowl RG. Again breaking it down: we have Robinson at LT on a one year prove it deal. He had a decent 2nd half last season and ranked as the 63rd best tackle by PFF but is it a sign of things to come or a mirage from a player that was out of the league we picked up off the scrap heap. The LG is the most solid out of the group, Bitonio is going to be a perennial pro-bowler for years to come and is one of the best in the league coming in as the PFF #5 guard last year. At Center Tretter had his best season last year ranking 8th best center by PFF. This year however he will only have one pro-bowler playing beside him. How will that affect his production? At RG we replaced the #6 rated guard in the league with a high 2nd round draft pick from last season. Corbett is an unknown having played very little last season. Dorsey though gave him a huge vote of confidence when he decided to make the trade with the thought Corbett could step right in and fill the void left by the trade of Zeitler. We shall see. and then at RT we signed Chris Hubbard at RT who did a decent job, ranking the 50th best tackle from PFF last year. He played better than he did in Pittsburgh, can he maintain that once again. I like the depth we have but the is all going to come down to Corbett being able to hold down the RG spot and Robinson maintaining his play from the 2nd half of last year.

5. Special Teams
I think we can all agree our special teams was a mess last year; missed FG's and PAT's, missed tackling which led to big returns for our opponents. The coaching staff has changed and we drafted Seibert in the 5th round to compete with Joseph. Again we won't know until we see the product on the field but its something that'll be in the back of the mind of all Brown's fans


Thoughts?

My major concerns:

The LBs.

Stopping the run.

Covering the TE.

Agree with all the above - would also add Safety play and depth.

- what will i wear to the Paradise Island Super Bowl kegger ...

I think #1 is a legit worry, but that's more of a smaller, day-to-day type worry. I think some of our additions will help in that regard. Baltimore's offense will be tough just because it's so different from the norm right now. I think building our defensive line is the right response, though.

#2 is always a worry. Football players have egos, and good football players have bigger egos. I wouldn't have it any other way. We went out to get talent, and we got it along with the egos that go with it. I think it might take a little time and a couple bumps for each ego in the roster to find their spot/niche, but I think the leadership is up to the task. Plus, the egos that we have are the right egos. OBJ... yeah, he's can be a bit much, but he's an intense guy that teammates (supposedly) love and comes in and works his butt off. If a guy like him is running free down the field and isn't getting the ball.... I'll just say that I get it.

#3... yeah. This is one of my big worries, but not the biggest. I like Freddie, but nothing other than seeing him be a good coach for the Cleveland Browns will stop my worrying about this HC hire. I'm a worrier... that's just how I am.

#4. This is another worry of mine. I hope Corbett can step in, but I worry about taking the best guard in football out from in front of Baker. It's not that I don't trust Dorsey... I do... I just worry.

I think special teams will sort itself out. We added personnel which should help with covering kicks and punts, but more than that, we just had a complete cluster* at the kicker position. That's a fluke thing, and I don't see us having to deal with that 2 seasons in a row. It will be a new fluke thing :-p



My big worry is Baker. For me, he has to turn in another positive season in order to convince me that he is, in fact, THE guy. I love Baker. This isn't meant as a dig on him at all. It's just that you have to show what he showed for longer than almost a full season to prove that you can be a true franchise QB in this league.

1.Stopping the run.

I think adding Richardson will be a big improvement in stopping the run. While it isn't his strongest suit he certainly does a pretty good job in that department. I don't think we'll be a top run stopping defense but I do believe with a year of development from our younger players and the addition of Richardson we'll certainly see an improvement.

2 Team Chemistry

I think that any concerns about this have been media driven. Winning solves everything and unless we just fall flat on our faces I don't see this as an issue. Sure there are some strong personalities and some egos but I think Freddie will be sure to make the players leave that at the door. OBJ will certainly get his opportunities and every good player will follow their QB if they see him as a leader. Baker is one reason I don't see this as an issue.

3. Freddie Kitchens

This is probably the biggest unknown. We've seen great OC's and DC's make the leap from coordinator to HC and simply not adjust well. Much like you I think Freddie is the perfect candidate to succeed in that elevation but the jury is still out. We can project the best possible scenario but nothing will prove it until we see the evidence of it.

4. The OL

This is most likely my least worry by far. When Corbett was drafted last year there was a clear plan in place. That plan is now coming to fruition. We had two studs at the G positions last year and no rookie was going to come in here and unseat either Zeitler or Botonio. It wasn't going to happen. But all good teams have the ability to draft and develop players. A plan to use younger, less expensive players to gradually replace more experienced and expensive FA players on the roster. It allows those savings to be used to sign people at more rare and expensive positions on your roster.

Once Freddie took over, we used the run game and the quicker passes to loosen up the opposing D's. That creates a situation where our opponents must maintain outside containment. That's one less blitzer. Baker has the ability to extend plays and avoid pressure. You live by the blitz and you die by the blitz. When your opposition can gash you with the short pass it will loosen up your D. When Baker gets rid on the ball quickly, it forces our opponents to drop more people into coverage and loosens up the pressure on the OL.

Your play selection and the way you execute your offense can be an OL's best friend. And that's exactly what a coach like Freddie combined with a QB like Baker bring to the table.

just limiting myself to the concerns that you raised. In order of severity:

1. Stopping the run. I've said it many times we haven't done enough. I think the team needs another above average interior player, probably a veteran signee at this point.

5. Special teams. Where to begin? Coverage, return and FG and PA all need improvement. Oddly I get the feeling we would be OK with 2 point conversions but that seems like an extension of offense.

4. The o-line. Mostly I"m concerned with Corbett's adjustment. I think he can do it based on his college performance. I do worry that RT won't be of particular help to him with Corbett's first stint as a starter. Hopefully, Tretter can help him from play to play. I think Robinson has all the skills needed to succeed. I think Campen will help get the best from him. Not, no worries, but hopeful.

2. Team chemistry. I'm no more worried by this than I was last season. We should have less roster upheaval than we did last year and that was a year of significant improvement. Confidence and on-field experience will help the 2019 Browns. The "big name" acquisitions" share one thing in common. They haven't come close to winning. I can't imagine that any of the players added this year and specifically OBJ are more interested in individual success than pursuit of a championship. All the greatest of the greats in team sports desire to be champions not simply stars. I think Manning or
Breese or Rogers would trade a little of their individual luster for another SB win. I think our players would too.

3. Freddie Kitchens. I've heard Freddie say this several time, "football is a people business". I have little concern for his grasp of the fine details of coaching at this level. I think he has assembled a great staff and I think he intends to take their input and use their strengths. I don't think he'll allow ego to stop him from getting help where he needs help. I expect that he will grow into a coach that can lead this team deep into the playoffs.

I don't know what concerns I have or if I will post them here. I just want to say great post. Thank you for breaking things down!

Good topic.

1. Stopping the Run.
We should be improved. Vernon and Richardson will help. Obgunjobi will benefit from having Richardson next to him and his added experience. Getting Kirksey back will help. Peppers was good against the run but ultimately I think the safety position will be better. I am very high on Avery. I believe he will a very good player. Schobert already is a good player. He will be the qb of the defense.

2. Team Chemistry.
IMO not an issue. Of course winning is important. I agree with Pit here. I think it is media driven. I will add more to this under Freddie.

3. Freddie.
IMO Freddie will set the tone early. "We have not done a thing until we win." Freddie is an old school grinder. The players will understand what is important from him. He has experienced guys like Wilks behind him. He communicates well with players. At the same time he is serious about his work and team effort. The players will buy into Freddie. They will respect his straight forward honest approach. I feel strongly about Freddie. I think he will succeed.

3. The OL
This to me is the big unknown. A concern? Maybe. I like the adds of Kush and Lamm. They are experienced guys and will add depth. I feel pretty good about Corbett. He has had the benefit of year to learn and I think he will step in and perform. There maybe a drop off at first from Zeitler but each game he will improve. The tackle position at best will be adequate. Neither guy will be highly rated. Tretter at center will do a good job. The OL is more of a unit than individuals. Harrison is a question mark. James Campen the OL coach will have to have them communicate well and play as unit.

4. Special Teams
It is clear from Freddie and Dorsey this area needs to play better. They drafted LB's who will have to contribute. Competition has been added at kicker and punter. That alone should help. A lot of attention will be payed to Special Teams all through camp. It is an area of emphasis. I expect improvement.

5. Injury
That is always a concern for any team. Salary structure makes it hard to have great depth. So second and third string players have to be hungry young guys ready to make a name for themselves. Some injuries we could handle others? No. We can't lose Baker for many games. Like any team losing some key guys would hurt bad.

None of the above are concerns for me. I'm not worried about stopping the run. The D is going to be punishing. I'm not the least concerned about the O-line. They will protect Baker and he will get rid of the ball quickly or buy time to find the open man, and our run game will be one of the best in the league. Special Teams can only get better. Team chemistry is a non-issue, IMO. And Freddie Kitchens is highly qualified, smart, prepared, a straight shooter, and the right man for the job, ergo no concern at all.

My only concern at this point is if I'll ever be able to score/afford a ticket again.

Expectations.

Not just that we went 7-8-1 and people think we'll moderately improve, but after the OBJ trade, there are legitimate media sources predicting we win the north and maybe go deep in the playoffs.

Maybe it's the same thing, but since we "won the offseason", according to many in the media, that isn't a label I want. The team that normally "wins the offseason" falls flat on it's face. Yes, I'm looking at you Washington Redskins.

It feels like we went 0-16, 7-8-1 and now are expected to win the division. If we don't, it's a failure and the OBJ trade was dumb.

Maybe I'm wrong, which is usually the case.

It's a new year, a new coach, a new team.


Everything concerns me.

I feel good about things and know you will never have a perfect team or fix everything in a few years. And even when you do, other areas start to lapse.

For years I wanted us to spend more towards the cap. Now that we are and how we have had plenty of cap space in the past, that concerns me. John had KC in a bit of trouble cap wise.

Hopefully he isn't over that. Depo is the strategy officer. Maybe cap falls under him. John has done a GREAT job to this point, but I don't think numbers is his gig, and managing the cap is about numbers.

We are getting to the point we have players we MUST keep, and it isn't going to be cheap. I hope we have a firm grasp on that.

No doubt we will lose some decent players we would like to keep, but we have to keep some foundation players in to a second contract if we want to maintain. Dorsey and the scouts need to bring in new blood to step in for the players we do lose, and the numbers guys must balance things so we don't lose the players we CAN'T lose....and we have some can't lose players.

LMAO!!!!

Just be sure it isn't a thong speedo. The crowd will thin out quickly.

1) Don't be the Browns.

This is really all that's stopped us from winning over the years (except the 2 purposeful tank seasons).

Last year we lost to the Steelers due to bad ref calls, the Saints due to 4 missed kicks, the Bucs due to a kickoff fumble (after a bunch of other wacky mishaps), another to kicks, then a bunch of in fighting, etc.

The problem hasn't really been any one thing, the Browns have just found ways to lose despite talent, coaching etc.

Just need no flukes or Ref interference for once and that alone should get us to a winning record.

I have similar thoughts to cfrs. I might add some things later, but for now, I just want to let your post stand.

Superior effort, man. Logical, rational, fair. Great football takes w/out all the BS that has overtaken this board. I'm very impressed.

Hmmmmm......I was thinking about this as I was typing. I will add my thoughts soon because it's important to keep good threads active. And dawg, this is a good thread!

GC. Nice topic, let's see, some might not see as truth the point I'll try to make, but I see it that way.

Not yet discussed, Since the return, and even before to some extent, it seems like the Browns have done the same thing every year, (formula wise at least), to differing levels, and to what extent, i.e. how far they go, but the same formula, almost every time, and I think some of the other 31 teams follow a different formula, (formulas), and the Browns have 2 winning seasons, 3 wins vs Pittsburgh, and everybody knows the track record.

My concern, one of em, is it seems to me they still followed the same formula, (even if it's going to finaly work this time, thumbs up! Yay! ) , and everybody probably already knows the formula already, can get specific later.

That's my concern,

I am not understanding what formulas have to do with what is in place today?

The players, the coaching staff, and management under Dorsey.

Seems to me that we have a team that should be judged as they are today. Not from the past other than last year. And even though last year should be a consideration even that has changed significantly.

1) Injuries

2) Reading the hype....

I'm not particularly concerned with stopping the run. While we've kitted out the defense with some great pass defenders, we've also kitted out our offense with the talent to score early and often.

If you can score early and often, you force your opponent to become one dimensional, the same dimension we appear on paper to be stacked at.

Lmao. I'm wearing a Bikini and I don't care what anyone thinks. Lol.

I am concerned about the Browns believing too much of the hype. All the Super Bowl Predictions...the media fluff. We have possibly the most talented offense in the NFL. But that is only potential. We have to do the work to actually BE the best Offense in the NFL. And if people keep blowing sunshine up where the Sun don't shine....well then there is a much greater possibility to not do that work.

They need to stay hungry and in our case, based on the types of egos on the team...they need to keep feeling disrespected. They need to pump Colin Cowherd into the locker room quite a bit. LOL I am not sure I see that 'HUNGRY' team yet...But I do think it is coming.

We have no dress code ... everyone can be what they be.

j/c:

In no particular order:

1. Freddie Kitchens
I don't think he is a bad coach he is simply an unknown and it is yet to be seen how he handles the responsibility of a HC.

2. Denzel Ward and his concussions/injuries
Two concussions in one season is a big deal. He is very small and lightly framed comparatively. Another concussion or serious injury could call a lot of things into question....like his career and long-term health.

3. Zeitler leaving and Corbett taking over
Another unknown scenario re: Corbett but Zeitler was one of the best interior pass blockers in the NFL. Team defenses are focusing on interior pass rushing and this is something to monitor moving forward. Again, I don't think Corbett is bad, I just don't know what we have. We know what we had in Zeitler.

4. Odell Beckham's Past Antics
The past couple of years between Odell and Manning were concerning to see. What if things bounce badly for the Browns early in the season and they start slow....how will Odell react? When things are going swimmingly, Odell seems to be sunshine and rainbows, but when times are tough, it's been documented how he reacts. If he reacts poorly will it have a trickle down affect?

5. Sophomore Slump for Mayfield?
Mayfield had a great season last year. He's skyrocketed in popularity in the NFL. Will that popularity coupled with a mindset that he has made it in the NFL equate to a lack of work ethic or productivity? I don't know. I don't think Mayfield comes across as the guy to slow down in terms of work ethic but seeing if he can continue the upward trajectory will be important. Or when he has slumps, and all players do, how will he react?

Exactly!

Fair and reasonable concerns...

Mayfield has never experienced a slump.. A bad game, sure, but a total slump,, no...

Kitchens is the great unknown. If we base it on his time as the OC, we'll love him being the HC.

Beckham has Landry around him now and that might be a positive.. I think it will

Ward and Concussions are a fear of mine.. I can't get around it.

I can't believe, based on history, that Dorsey would let a guy like Zietler go and not feel confident in Corbet.. But keep in mind, they added a few bodies,,, so we'll see.

It is difficult to maintain a wait and see attitude with this team. We've all waited so long for this much talent, that it is difficult to remember 2008. Coming off a 10 - 6 record and just missing the playoffs in 2007, we were all so sure that the Browns had arrived. There was talk of Playoffs.. Championships .. Super Bowls.

Nope. Didn't happen.

That was 11 years ago. In the preseason, the fans thought WOW .. Finally !!! We had a QB ( Derek Anderson ) who had finally shown something, Wide Receivers who were doing their their jobs ( Edwards/Stallworth ), a solid Offensive Line ( Thomas, Steinbach, Fraley, Hadnot, Tucker ), a prolific RB ( Jamal Lewis ), 2 good Tight Ends ( Winslow, Heiden ), solid linebackers ( McGinest, Davis, Wimb1ey ), solid CBs ( Wright, McDonald ),good safeties ( Pool, Jones ). We all saw a bright Future. Final Record ?? 4 W - 12 L

Yes.. I see potential with the 2019 Browns, just as I saw potential with the 2008 Browns. Excuse me if I'm not ordering my Super Bowl tickets, or celebrating an AFC North Championship and Playoff berth .. IN MAY. Let's let the season play out and see what happens. Once the season is over, we will see where we are.

I certainly won't try and debate your points. All browns fans have been snake bit for a very long time. But I will say that it's certainly nice to have concrete talent and a roster to get excited about. It's been a long time since I've been able to say that so I'm just going to enjoy the moment.

Once again, nice job w/your opening post. I have a few concerns. They are not actual negatives, but they are mildly concerning due to the fact that there are some things unknown.

Coaching: This staff could be great. They could be okay. They could be poor. I don't know. Thus, that unknown concerns me. Freddie went from never even being a coordinator to HC in less than a year. I don't think he was a HC at any level, but I may be wrong about that. Wilks was only a DC for one year and his defense wasn't that great in that short stint. Our OC was fired due to a change at HC. But, didn't he lose his play calling responsibilities at one point? Maybe not, but I thought I read that. I don't know.........there are some questions w/this group and that is mildly concerning. It is NOT a prediction that they will be bad. Just a concern.

OL: Losing Zeitler could prove to be a major loss. I don't put as much stock into PFF grades as some, but he was rated very high for legitimate reasons. Corbett is another unknown. I think Hubbard played better than he got credit for, but we don't know what we're going to get at LT. Once again, there is some uncertainity w/this group. That's concerning.

Run Defense: I agree w/you here. Our DTs are not real run stoppers and this was an issue last year. Not sure how great our two edge guys against the run, either. Losing Peppers might hurt a bit. I don't think Greedy is a good tackler on the perimeter and while Ward can tackle, I'm not sure how much I want to see him do it. We can be vulnerable to big plays against the run.

Quarterback: I think we have enough offensive talent to be productive even if we lost Baker due to injury if we just had an adequate backup. I don't have faith in either of our backups. While I think Baker will continue to ascend as a QB, I do find it concerning that he sneered at working w/a qb coach this off-season and chose to dedicate his time to living the life. The second year is important for quarterbacks. This is not a huge concern, but I'm mildly concerned.

Outside Expectations: The Browns are darlings in the media. They are getting a lot of pub and they themselves are talking some smack. What happens if the team doesn't live up to their lofty expectations early on? Is this young team w/so many new pieces on the roster and the coaching staff capable of displaying the fortitude to fight through adversity?

He "sneered" at it?

I will PM you the quote because I don't want this thread hijacked. President did a nice job of starting it.

In the meantime, do you have anything to add to the rest of what I wrote?

No, I didn't really take issue with any of the rest of it. For the most part I can see where people could easily see this from differing viewpoints.

Concerns 1-3 are similar to me, I'd say. I wouldn't rank Freddie as my #1 concern. I can already tell that the players love him and that's half the battle. I will be curious about his in game decisions.

I'm also not worried about OBJ. If he's acting up it's because we're losing and if we're losing it's because of something or someone else. Landry was an issue for the Dolphins and he did fine last year with us, but he was also our "go to" player. We'll see how things will go this year.

I'm not worried about a sophomore slump from Baker, but I am worried about an injury to him. If that happens we are toast. We might win a few games, but Mayfield is the one who can take us to the promised land.

I practically begged for us to take Baker. Once we did, I knew we wouldn't have to worry about the QB position for the next 10-15 years.

I'm concerned with the secondary still, very young or new to the team.

I am concerned with the offensive line, Greg Robinson really this good? ehhh Chris Hubbard is decent but ehh.

I am luke warm on our linebackers.


depth across the board.

Some of you guys sound like you really know the portion of the game that involves individual player technique. I do not so I in no way do I consider myself a football talent evaluator. Saying that, my concerns are based mostly on things I read and just from watching so I could be way off base.

1) Replacing Zeitler. I realize a lot of people are high on Corbett (sp)and he may be great, but he was in so little action he is my biggest concern. I think with Baker's size, protecting the middle is crucial & I think we did a great job last year and one new man can make a difference.

2) The defensive backfield. Ward's 2 concussions concern me a lot. He may never get another one, but to me he is critical to our success. I am not knowledgeable enough to truly know the quality we have at safety but we seemed vulnerable to the TE and crossing routes. Maybe they don't have anything to do with the other but it concerns me.

3) LBers. I think we have some talent but it seems like it was not always used well LY.

4) Expectations, possible arrogance on our players part. Not saying they are, but they may fall into the trap of success will be "easy" and lose a killer instinct.

5) Expectations of other teams. We should be taken more seriously this year and get everyone's best shot.

This all sounds negative on my end, but these are much more tolerable concerns than previous seasons.

Anyway, just my 2 cents. By the way, pretty cool topic.

Just a question, does anyone think we'll miss Perriman? He didn't do a bad job for a guy that came in Cold in mid season?

considering we basically replaced him with odell, I think we'll survive..lol

LOL Yeah, but I was just wondering. the guy was fast and at least for us, had some good hands.... But in the end,, you are right, OBJ takes the prize.

One thing I've considered and may come into play... Winning "shootouts"...

I think our offense will have the propensity to "strike quick". That will have an adverse effect on our defense. I'm concerned about our depth on the D-Line because I think they'll be spending a lot of time on the field with very short breaks at times. Scoreboard is rolling, defense is tired, gunslinger behind center who isn't afraid to, but will make mistakes. I can see us losing a few heart-breakers with 35 points on the board.

Other that that - really just the obvious:

Denzel Ward - big issue for me. Concussion #2, the contact did not look like something that would rattle most players in the league they way it did him. Very concerning. Big reason why we drafted Greedy IMO.

Getting GASHED with chunk yardage in the run game and turning run-of-the-mills into superstars. Been going on for decades here on the lake. I won't believe it stops til I see it with my own two eyes.

A slow start - it will be hard enough to steer all this young talent in the right direction with a new coaching staff. We don't need the extra "noise" that goes along with not living up to expectations. Many in the media (even those that have been touting us as a playoff team) are salivating... waiting for the first chance to see us "brown it up".

Completely understand what you are saying.

I can only speak for myself about that 07 team.

I never bought into Anderson. Besides the late Bengal game. He attempted throws that made anyone wonder? Dude what were you thinking?

In addition although there was some talent on that team. I don't think it compares well to this team.

Wait one!

Now we gotta dress for the Island? I gotta go shopping in November. It will be a public service.

Go, Browns!

the DC.

offensive guard, OT.

I am not worried about Freddie any more of the past bum coaches we have had.

He doesn't seem to have a big ego. Having been a assistant, non-coordinator, he has ground it out year after year. He was worked under some really good coaches, so he knows how to set up a practice schedule.....Heck, he was a first year RB coach pleading with Hue to let guys suit up but not be overly active participants, only to hear about he wasn't the captain of the ship, bla, bla, bla.


He may not end up a good head coach, but I think his ego is in check, he has ground it out for some good coaches, and can relate to players. I think that is all you can want in a new head coach.

Freddie is a Cleveland guy. I don't like to simply say a blue collar guy because white collars don't get much handed to them either, but Freddie has a work ethic. Nothing came easy in the Kitchens house.

So Freddie ignores analytics. Interesting.

I don't think so. I think he embraces the old and the new, just like John.

Just like most smart people would.

Pick all the fights you want. I love ya man. I am not going to engage.

I think it was you who brought up the same old crap and did not follow the guidelines of the thread.

The reason for resting guys during TC was an analytics decision and that was clearly translated. Let it go, man.

Do you have any concerns w/THIS particular team?

I have stated my concerns or lack of concerns.



I am not going to worry about injury. It happens, but you can't really plan on it. You can't have equal players at all positions.


I worry about John going all in maybe a year or two to soon....we have guys we do need to retain, but I have already said that

Concerns? At this point I have but one ... And that is, that we are sailing into uncharted waters ...
"Just do it"

Go Browns!!!

My concern is the OC. He's an "air-raid" guy. That concerns me a bit. Not a lot though. Waiting to see what offense we will be running. I'm hoping we run what we ran last year under Kitchens. If it ain't broke... That was a really good mix of run/pass. Do not want to see us get pass happy.

My only concern is how much playoff tickets are going to cost me.

Concerns:

1. How we'll handle being the Hunted rather than the Hunter. Teams won't overlook us any more. Will we take any of them lightly? Dorsey and Kitchens are saying the right things now and seem to be cognizant of the potential problem. Still, we haven't had a large sample size of how most of the team handles success at this level. Will we be the team that everyone circles on the calendar and gets their best shot ready for?

2. Hell freezing over. I could see us making the Super Bowl only to have a new Ice Age start before the game is played.

2b. Armageddon-like scenario corollary.

3. Wanting to bleach my eyes out after seeing a live feed from the Island.

4. Injuries, opioids, and other Brownsian bad luck that leaves me shouting, "Are you serious!?!?" and shaking my fist at the sky.

5. People ruining threads by complaining about people ruining other threads, in every thread.

As far as Freddie goes, I "think" his head coaching career is going to be an immense success here.

After that everything is gravy.

Freddie has worked under some impressive coaches. Stallings (college), Saban (college), Whisenhunt & Arians (AZ)

We all know how well he did on short notice as an OC. We also saw the good chemistry he and Baker had.

On defense we have head coaching (all be it inconclusive) and DC experience with Steve Wilkes.

Really, the only unproven one in his position is Freddie, and that's OK. As I said in another post, I think his ego is in check unlike, well, unlike our previous head coaches.

Freddie will be able to learn from his assistant coaches rather than think he knows it all.

This is the best coaching staff since our return IMO.

I'm just concerned with all the media hype. It feels good to be liked but after getting OBJ everything has been outrageous. It feels great to have a team that should compete after all these dreadful years. Expectations are just way too highly set by outside influences that never , ever believed in our beloved Browns. You know the same voices that used to joke about us at every chance! Whats going to happen when the Browns don't live to their expectations? More trash talking against us? Maybe I'm just suffering from beaten dog syndrome but to hear the word Super Bowl, really!! I want to compete for the division as we haven't won it since before the realignment from AFC Central to now the AFC North. That was a LOOONNGG time ago.
After last year I'm still concerned with our over all defense. Especially stopping the run should be a priority this year as it will make or break this defense. Is adding Vernon and Richardson going to stop teams like Chargers,Chiefs,Colts, or even the Texans? I know we don't play them but if the Browns make the Playoffs, we most likely will play them and need to be ready. I just don't want to be a flash in the pan.

Remember, last off season Jacksonville was favorites and we know how that ended.

Agree. I am confident about how Freddie will handle the team and succeed.

j/c:

I thought this was a thread about "Concerns?" Guess not.

That's concerning.

The huge OVERHYPE of the Browns for next year!
AND our players telling everybody the Browns are going to the SuperBowl and we are creating a dynasty.
AND a NEW FIRST TIME head coach who has to manage all the HYPE and PERSONALITIES.

Despite all the positives, this has the potential to go the wrong direction in a big way!

All the hype and cocky predictions will definitely put a target on our back, especially in the AFCN. Will the Browns IMPLODE internally if we come out of the gate slowly/poorly?

THESE ARE MY CONCERNS!!!!

1.how Kitchens can handle the strong egos of Landry and Beckham.
if the Browns are winning..everyone is happy....
but if they hit a 2 game slide.....hmmmm.

2. if Baker gets hurt....then can the backup weather the storm until he returns.

3. how physical or not will the practices be under Kitchen?

Legit concerns, but ppsshhh don't be too worried. This team is talented and they have every right to have confidence. I would rather have a team that is over confident and beliving than one that is not.

If you're not confidient you're not going to win at anything. Life lessons.

Unfortunately, the team we have right now, this year, might be the most talented we'll have for the next 10 years or so. There's no way we'll be able to pay all our stars, mayfield, obj, garrett, ward, and even landry down the road. We will have to get creative.

Mayfield: 4 years left on his rookie contract ...

OBJ: signed through 2023 ... thats 4 or 5 seasons depending on if thats before or after the 23 season

Garret: 3 years left on his rookie contract

Ward: 4 years left on his rookie contract

VG: signed through 2022 ... thats 3 or 4 years before he needs to be re-signed ...

But since were cutting him after this year according to you, we won’t have to OVER PAY for him again .... *LOL* ...

We are going to have a GREAT PROBLEM TO HAVE when it comes to re-signing our guys, but its not all doom and gloom just quite yet when it comes to the cap .... were still a few years away from a possible exodus of good talent ....

Just to let you know... as things are right now, we really don't have any cap space heading into the 2020 season. Unless we trade away all our draft picks, we are going to have rookies to sign. Someone is getting cut or will have to restructure their contract after this season. My guess is Landry will be prime for "exodus of good talent."

I don't want you to be disappointed.

A reminder to those who have steered away from the thread topic. The original poster made a very thoughtful post on what might derail the season. No one has to agree w/him, but perhaps we could stay on topic instead of all this agenda crap?

Here is what he said again before voicing his own concerns:

Agreed...

Diam tried to divert us... I should have ignored his agenda crap.


Other that him, I'd say everyone has been pretty well on topic here.

If there was one thing Browns fans should have learned since Haslam bought the Browns...being #1,#2 or #3 in cap space available wins the franchise NOTHING!

Most Super Bowl competitors spend the cap space allocated by the NFL, rather than saving the cap space.

I'm glad to see the Browns finally try to win something besides
which team is #1 in cap space available...jmho, mac

We currently have $33 million in cap space. (top 51, which is what matters) I would guess that we have approximately $5 million in cap allotment with our draft picks. (no 1st, remember)

We're fine for right now.

We will also have several deals that can be terminated to increase cap space. Many of our current contracts do not have a ton of guarantees, which makes it easier to terminate for cap space. We can terminate Kirksey's deal next year for a solid cap savings. Same with Vernon, if we choose. Carrie, Burnett, and yes, even Landry and Richardson have deals that are structured to create cap space if we need to. Those 4 could, if needed, save us almost $50 million next season. We'll see what happens.

This is life in the NFL, though. It is basically a 1 year game. Look at how many players the Patriots typically lose every season. Not everyone on your team is a core player. You identify those core guys, try to keep them, and work in the pieces around them. No team is 100% perfect in every position, from top to bottom of the roster. We're in good shape for this year and next. That's really about all any team can hope for.

My major concern is now how do I post.
For years I have decided to post positive thing in a logical way to bring some hope to our fans instead of taking the more realistic negatives to just make sound bites of being correct.

Now what? We got us a franchise QB who is better than most will expect. We got a GREAT not good but GREAT WR room with a nucleus of OBJ, Landry, Calloway and Higgins. Is there a better 4 in the NFL?

We got a young and still developing TE in Njoku, I still say Devalve will be a weapon but we got more in the TE room.

We have Chubb, Duke and Hunt as the RB - possibly we will lose Duke down the road but Chubb and Hunt is a pretty good duo at that.

We have a young OL with some veterans who are OK but some youngsters who can progress into something Good.

We have one of the most Amazing front 4 possibly going into the real of EVER ASSEMBLED...start making a name for this group. Orange Crush has been taken in history but some magical name for them cause they will be GREAT!

I guess most will say there is a concern cause we do not have an equally great LB core. But we have the progress of Avery to be expected. The welcoming back of Kirksey who shows that he is a football player. Schobert who plays at a pro bowl level and is consistent along with the new addition of King from the formidable NFL type D of Alabama and our old friend Nick SABAN.

Good young Corners and Safeties that have to progress - I guess the concern is do we have a Top 3 Defense in the NFL to go along with our hopeful Top 3 Offense. The concern I have is how to react to a dynasty and winning team as opposed to the consistent LOSING Organization we have been since 1999.

My concern is how to say THANK YOU to our Owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam as they have delivered on their promise to us. And how do react to a Football Man of tremendous proportions in the likes of JOHN DORSEY...man o man is this going to be fun!

This is correct.

We were just talking about down the road. As things sit now we don't have much room for 2020. I will defer to cfrs, in my opinion he's always been on top of this stuff. If I'm wrong, he'll tell me.

One of the high priced players you named will most likely not be here next season, although it's not guaranteed, there are other things we could do, yes... In my mind Vernon and Landry would be the top two candidates to be moved.

I believe and despite what people are saying or thinking, we are looking to win the Super Bowl this season. We are not spending money just to spend money. Some fans will be happy with playoffs, but I would have to believe the entire organization would be disappointed if we weren't hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February.

Agreed. It won't be a "thing" until it happens...but if we deliver on being a 'winner' like we hope we will...I think you'll see older vets being willing to re-structure to stay on a playoff team that has a chance to win it all...while providing cap relief to keep the train rolling.

That will/would-be the next journey for Browns fans into uncharted territory.

J/C

This thread seemed like the best place to put this post. There certainly are question marks with our OL. What do DawgTalkers think about the Browns rating in this article and the league ratings overall?

Browns OL ranked below average.


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Brandon Thorn ranks NFL Offensive Lines, Browns fare poorly

Pete Smith
by
Pete Smith
12 hrs
In a ranking of offensive lines in some relatively broad categories, the Cleveland Browns were ranked below average and put in the range of the 22nd to 28th best offensive line in the league. It's harsh but fair, though it does have some upside to improve.

Brandon Thorn, host of the Trench Warfare podcast, is an analyst that has really focused his work on the offensive line and he tweeted out a ranking of all 32 NFL teams in six different categories. The Cleveland Browns are in the second lowest ranking of below average along with six other teams. And in terms of what the Browns will have in 2019 that's proven, it's difficult to argue with him.

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Brandon Thorn
@BrandonThornNFL
Here are my OL unit tiers. It's obviously early but I feel pretty good about it. I think most units could bump up or down one as the season plays out:

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1:13 PM - May 25, 2019
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Joel Bitonio is fantastic at left guard. J.C. Tretter had a good year and center on one leg. He may well get some post season honors if he can be healthy for an entire year. Those are two high quality offensive linemen the Browns have up front and perhaps those two warrant having the group bumped up to average.


The problem is the rest of the line is made up of guys the Browns hope to provide average play and a spot that's up in the air to be decided in right guard. Chris Hubbard was average at best and Greg Robinson was enough at left tackle. Both benefited a great deal from Baker Mayfield's ability to work in the pocket and make his tackles look better. It's not a given that Hubbard will win the job either as he faces off against Kendall Lamm in a competition.

Robinson, in a contract year with an opportunity to secure a lucrative contract after this season, seems likely to be no worse than last year, but may take a step forward. He has a ton of reps to learn from and should have more confidence. Robinson has remarkable physical gifts and hopefully this coming season, he can take more advantage of them when it comes to the running game.

Right guard is a question mark, but the Browns do have talented options. Austin Corbett, the team's second round pick from last year and Eric Kush stand out among them. They have Kyle Kalis who has made some noise in OTAs as well. Replacing Kevin Zeitler is an incredibly difficult task and they have to expect some drop off there.

Overall, the list seems solid. It seems like the Minnesota Vikings offensive line is no better than the Browns even if they did draft a very talented center in Garrett Bradbury in the first round. No one is great on that unit and he has them as average.


In a vacuum, it's not unfair to have concerns about the Browns front heading into the season. Beyond cost, the Browns are just hoping to upgrade the unit, likely moving on from both starting tackles. The Browns do have some depth though, so outside of an injury to Bitonio or Tretter, they can survive an injury up front. On the year, they need to get through the year and keep Baker Mayfield up right. If they can do that, it was a successful year.

What is a Brandon Thorn??

sorry, had to do it lol

The OL is returning with the exception of RG Zeitler...our OL got praises last year not sure what this Steeler fan had us ranked last year (they all seem to be Steeler fans...lol )

Its an UNKNOWN...Corbett that is. for all we know he will be better than Zietler? Just as well as he might be Worse than Zietler.

But outside of that our OL is exactly the same as last year. RT n LT are the same. LG and Center are the same. Just the RG change. If I remember we were ranked top 10 in OL at the end of last year. Now bottom around 28th??? lol like how that works.

Didn't I see somewhere that we were looking to make Corbett the back-up Center and we had someone else at RG?

Did I read that here or somewhere else? I don't remember.

We played Corbett at C for part of one day.

You don't take a guy with the 1st pick of the 2nd round one year and make him the backup anything before camp even opens the next.

Exactly. Campen wants to find out who can do what. There are 5 starting OL slots. Each slot doesn't have a designated back-up because it is rare a team keeps 10 O-linemen. They keep 8, maybe 9, so a few of them will need to be back-ups at several positions.

Yeah, we aren't "looking to make" anyone anything in OTA's.

As far as biggest concern, mine is I hope C-Town Eats only has one serving area rather than 2 and someone new enters the Club food service options. It's all good, but it has been the same for 5-6 years now. There is a vendor in the lower level who makes a pretty good Philly.

I'd also like to see the Browns Hospitality Group come back. Sometimes they had a carving station set up. Others it would be breakfast burritos. I liked that option.

It cost a bit more, so maybe people didn't make it worth the bother. I know I used them quite a bit.

Go ahead and scrap Street Frites while your at it. If your claim to fame is fries - serving them "cold and old" isn't gonna cut it, regardless of how much fresh rosemary you toss on 'em.

Oh, and Happy Hour after all wins, so I can wait for traffic to thin out. Actually, scratch that too, probably not a good idea lol.

I have only been there once. Not a big fry eater.

I usually end up getting some Rosie's and Rocco's meatballs. B spot once or twice a year.

There isn't even any contact in OTAs. However, 1 writer is sure that a different player getting some 1st team reps at RG means that Corbett is a sure fire bust.

Unless you have someone better, and nobody wants to admit it may be he's not good.

You also don't give a guy a starting spot, only based on where he was drafed, especially if he's had a year to show his abilities.

------

Gc.

The Concern I still have, I see an update on the Cardinals, they went 3-13 worst record in the league, (surprised to realize it wasn't the Browns)
Then they say, key departures Head Coach Wilks,..

The Browns are putting their Defense in the hands of the guy who took the Cardinals to 3-13...
The Browns Head Coach is an offensive backgrounded guy, mainly because of what he can do with the quarterback...

The media and Vegas are speculating the Browns are going to be a top 10 team in the entire league,

And if everything goes wrong and the wheels fall off, the finger pointing and blame assigning are going to be EPIC!

What happens if this team fails to go 8-8 even, or if that's where they end up also?
If they go 8-8, everyone's going to act like they went 3-13.

And what happened to Gregg Williams,

And what happened to getting a decent field goal kicker in the offseason, if they go 60% on kicks this year, that might cost them 3 wins again.

And if I'm a team that is playing against the Browns,
I'm going to run outside and use my tight ends on offense,
and since they have a dozen receivers I can't stop, my only choice is to rush two blitzers over center right in the Qb's face from the first snap.


A bunch of concerns, #1 of which might be overblown expectations.

I think it's going to be real hard to make the playoffs in the AFC this year, look at these teams, I think each of them, from their perspective, thinks they are going to make the playoffs and are just as suited on paper to have high expectations.

Raiders, (no, but they're getting there)

Patriots,
Chargers,
Chiefs,
Texans,
Colts,
Jaguars,
Steelers, and
Ravens,

Everybodys got "A" quarterback, everybodys got continuity, and all of them have a recent trip to the playoffs in the last 2 years,

only 6 teams make the playoffs in the AFC, it doesn't matter what hype the Browns get, it's not going to be easy.

I hear all of that, and I still LOVE our chances of ruling the roost for a change.

I feel that barring injuries we have very capable O-line talent. It may not be top 10 at this point but we can be good. The x- factor is we have a top O-line coach in Campen. He is highly regarded and probably makes the guys we have better with his coaching much like Dante Scarnechia does in N.E. He retired and had to come back because halfway into the season their O-line was in a shambles. When he returned they played like all pros.

All I read (on this board) really don't go around too much on others. Is somebody crying about how a UDFA is playing RG so that means that Corbett is a bust from a 2nd round pick.

I will unsheath my Homer clothes here.
If any can remember I questioned the pick (#33) of Corbett immediately only for the simple reason that we expressed uncertainty of where he was going to play. For me you don't pick the first guy taken in the 2nd round for OL without a specific plan in where he was playing. That was just me doing my Sherlock Holmes on Corbett. It just is not done, taking a #33 pick at OL and not having a specific plan of where he was to be used.

I will now put back on my Homer jacket.

Corbett still has not answered any of the questions concerning him. I know he got some reps at OG last year and he did not look good.

But I know OL pretty well and its rather hard not to got to ONE SPECIFIC position and work on that all season. It does not help a young supposedly very talented OLman like Corbett to jump around at LT, RT, C, LG and RG which is exactly what he did last season.

Now about midseason we did settle him down to one position. That position was Center. We all thought...OK finally we know the plan, he will be settling down at the Center Position and obviously be the heir apparent to Tretter - Physically Corbett is the spitting image of Tretter.

The Irony of all this is that the person I hear mentioned is Kalis from Michigan who was a stud there and played Center his senior year. Who btw is the exact height and weight of Corbett.

Kalis I thought was very talented, Nasty and a good technical blocker. What I told everyone, It just might be that Kalis would in fact beat out Corbett for that RG position but that might not mean that Corbett was that "BAD" and LOST THE POSITION but possibly Kalis Progressed in his 3rd season by leaps and bounds and WINS the RT position rather than Corbett losing it.

Now keep in mind where did this Kalis in and Corbett out come from. OTAs - which in OL speak means we are out there in shorts.

Right away (don't know if its media) what happened??? A blurb of OH SHOOT KALIS was getting Reps with the ones at RG...right away in FAN SPEAK it must mean OH NO CORBETT IS A BUST!!! Who knows what happened. Kalis worked out all off season in Berea and caught the eye of our new OL COACH! Possibly Corbett tweaked a leg/ankle/bicep??? and we decided to let Kalis get reps there???

1. I am confident with either one winning the RG position.

2. RG is the easiest OL transition from college to NFL.
This does not mean you do not have to work hard at it. Just means anyone with talent can actually become pretty good at the position!

3. As long as the position is won early on. But both can play RG and Center. Kalis has a year up on Corbett and quite frankly I thought Corbett was a wasted season last year playing "ALL" the positions.

4. RG to be our ??? mark position on the OL is the best one to have in an unknown competition. Cause you never know who can stud out.

5. What do I know about Kalis. Kids dad played OL for 7 years so he grew up with excellent technical background and a knowledge of the game.

His first 2 seasons with Michigan was under one of the worst OL coaches in the history of Michigan. So coming to Michigan he was one of the highest touted HS OLmen. And he went to Michigan for the specific reason to play for Brady Hoke.

Guess what he's a Ohio bred boy and I'll just take a guess and think the kid loves the Browns!

Anyways, we got a very sound and intelligent football player who worked hard on his game his last two seasons in Michigan and in the NFL the last playing the entire season with the Browns.

Maybe he is getting reps at RG right now as we are in SHORTS cause he knows it all at this point over Corbett who I cannot stress more the wasted year in 2018 by not learning a specific position.

When Training camp starts and we start hitting. That is when we will find out who studs out at RG!

Corbett btw has better mobility and I know that will be a big time variable in our OL next year!

jmho

I only have one concern:

Freddie Kitchens calling plays

going right back to Hue Jackson type of nonsense.

Kitchens needs to focus on being a Head Coach and ONLY at HC, not calling plays too.

Todd Monken has 3 years of experience calling plays in the NFL (2016, 2017, and 2018) with Tampa Bay. He was also a Head Coach at Southern Miss, and a Offensive Coordinator at Oklahoma state.

Todd Monken has more experience calling plays than Kitchens does, and is more qualified to be calling plays at this point then Kitchens.

Kitchens is already becoming a problem. Guys that won't delegate to the people they hire end up becoming problems much sooner than later. Even Bellichik delegates. Sure, Bellichik has his hands in all the pies, but he lets his coordinators call the offense and defense on game day and only intercedes when needed.

Kitchens needs to let Monken call the plays and maybe over ruled every once in awhile as needed.

Kitchens being the playcaller and head coach means other areas of the team and weekly game plans like D, Special Teams, etc will suffer because they won't be getting the attention they need to be getting.

Being a Head Coach means you have a macro level control over the entire team and game plan, you can not do that when your calling plays.

The ONLY reason McVay can get away with that in St Louis is because of Wade Phillips is pretty much the 2nd best Defensive Coordinator in the modern NFL(Only behind Bellichik) and Phillips might as well be a head coach himself.

We don't have that here. The fact this is Kitchens 1st ever NFL head coaching gig, and he won't let the more experienced guy he hired call the plays tells me were in for a ride...this is going to be a problem much sooner than later...

Good summary of the line situation. This is probably my biggest concern-- trading away Zeitler, the possibility that Corbett can't replace him and/or injuries elsewhere on the line. There's definitely some volatility there.

Interior line play is easy to overlook but it makes a big difference. Pressure up the middle is extremely disruptive, especially with a shorter QB. It's much easier to find throwing lanes with a clean pocket.

i think the dream would be Harrison has but on some weight and strength and will supplant robinson in TC. Robinson is bad, like really bad. Alot was masked by baker and Freddie's playcalling.

j/c:

I think Todd Monken coming on staff is one of the more overlooked acquisitions this offseason.

I imagine Dorsey was looking to add a tackle at some point. Yet we saw Trent Brown get 4 yrs/$66m in free agency (ridiculous), first rounder went to OBJ, second rounder to Greedy. The situation just didn't present itself, so we gamble a bit with Robinson/Harrison and reevaluate when needed.

Good point. We've gone over what the new defense might look like under Wilks but haven't really seen much scheme-wise on the offensive side of the ball.

There's a video here: https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2019/5/26/...and-pick-routes

This is all supposition and baseless.

What is fact is what the offense did under Freddie calling plays last year.

In addition a part of the hiring of Monkin was that he was clear that Freddie would call the plays and that he was good with that.

So it has nothing to do with delegation. Monkin will have his say in the offense and that was made clear and he has stated that. And has restated it during OTA's.

"Kitchens is already a problem?"

Based upon what you said and nothing else.

If Kitchens is a concern for you - fine.

However, trying to make it sound as if it is fact.

Is fiction.

J/c

Newest concern: will I be able to keep my OBJ hype in check with so much time still to go before real games.

We should be calling him Vice Grips.

Man, the last few posts are like GEESHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.....

Talk about gloom and doom....

Freddie is Ready.

Calm down!

True. Sometimes you even see a team go to 7 active OLine on gamedays, which to me is kind of crazy. Gameday rosters are tight but I'd take my chances with one too few tight end or safety or whatever.

Even with 8 though, you need guys who can backup multiple positions. Sometimes a starter may have to slide over somewhere too, especially if the center goes down. You have to have guys who can make the line calls and snap the ball consistently in shotgun.

So, you're saying Corbett hasn't busted yet?

I am not taking away what Kitchen did last year BUT he did not have the duties of HC at that time either. Willaims pretty much did everything else associated with the team, thus Freddie was able to soley focus on Offense and game plan.

He won't have that now. As a Head Coach there is far more then just game planning. There is a reason so many coordinators fail as head coaches, and Freddie is already going down the path that has the greatest chance of failure.

As much as I was not a Jackson fan, he did have a considerable background of expereince calling plays in the NFL(far more then 6 or 7 games Kitchens has) and even Jackson struggled and the team struggled because of it.

If we all want Kitchens to succeed as HC here, than he shouldn't be calling plays. At least not right now.



Freddie needs to be focused on the macro aspects of the team and managing the team as whole on game day. He is not ready to do all of that and call plays. He cna still have significant input on the game plan, and even over rule Monken when needed, but him calling plays at this juncture is a mistake. I think its too much for a young guy who has only been a play caller for 7 games before becoming a head coach.

Maybe 3 years down the road, once he has proven himself as successful coach and then he wants to call plays? sure...

We always do this kinda stuff. i'll never understand why we can't just set up a simple traditional system like the Patriots, the Rooney's, and such use and then just follow it...I mean this isn't rocket science.

I have no idea how anyone could know this... There is no textbook on how to be a HC. It works differently for everyone. Some can handle it and some can't. I would say each head coach in the NFL is different.

I don't have a problem with how we are doing things. We haven't seen the body of work. If I wanted to be just like the Patriots or the Steelers I would just go root for one of them.

I don't either but Freddie, being a rookie HC, certainly has a lot on his plate...

I can think immediately of a handful of HC calling plays. I don't think its that big of a deal.

Time consuming is in the preparation and I think that is why we got a very experienced OC and he came here with the knowledge that he was not going to be calling the plays.

Kitchens as head coach is involved in the GAME PLAN...

I think with the background and knowledge Kitchens has accrued he showed us last year that he has an excellent vision of what defenses do and how to put us in the best possible opportunities with the talents that we have. He was the first OC we have had that was able to stretch vertically and Horizontally creating space for some very talented impact players.

I think he has a special skill in that vision and is several plays ahead. He showed no delays in his play calling. He knew what where and how ahead of time. Also during the game his attention to our defense will be limited due to the DC he chose and trust in that DC to be able to execute the game plan on that end. Calling Time outs??? If being HC hinders his play calling duties or vice versa then we can go a different route.

But Kitchens is not the type of coach to have Panic in him...he stays calm and knows what he is doing. I don't think he will have a problem implementing that during games.

So that concern should be wiped out by mid season.

jmho

As far as Freddie calling plays goes, he did have a knack for that last year. As you mentioned, different structures can work. I believe Reid and Payton call their own plays, as do a few others. I think Belichick is going to go back to calling plays on defense now that Flores is in Miami. Those guys have much more experience so it's not a direct comparison... guess we'll find out how well this works. I think Freddie can handle it.

edit: deleted some off-topic stuff

Another concern is the ticket situation. I like real tickets in my hand, not some BS on my phone.

As I understand it, all tickets will be E-mailed to us and we have to pull them up on the phone. I like my tickets in my ticket holder hanging around my neck.

I have zero concerns with this team in terms of talent or coaching ability. None.

My only real concerns are in wondering how soon we'll be together as a team - will we be able to start hot and maintain it? And how will we handle adversity? If we hit a stretch of bad luck, how will the leaders of this team get the team to respond?


Beyond that, I'm All In on this team.

as long as our OL holds up, we will score a lot of points. Too many weapons, & Bake will find them. Often.

I truly believe we can win the Super Bowl next season.

Have u decided what your wearing to the PARADISE ISLAND Super Bowl kegger yet ... i’m still having trouble deciding ... at Freddie “who is ready” request it will be brown and orange but other than that there’s just so many choices ...

Let me know you’re thoughts please ...

I completely disagree. Monken is an "air-raid" guy. Do you really want Baker throwing the ball 50+ times every game? Getting beat up, taking all of those hits? What worked last year is we started keeping guys in on pass protect, we ran the ball and that opened up the play-action. Hell, we ran a reverse wishbone. lol We had a really good balance of run/pass and with our backfield this year we should be really effective running the ball. The only reason Kitchens was hired was his play calling last year. That got him the job. I hope he calls it much like he did last year. I want to see Nick Chubb early and often. Teams can't afford to put 8 in the box on us now. With the weapons we have, they just can't. Nick Chubb can have a stellar season this year.

*Replying to the quote*

Many offensive minded coaches prefer to cal their own plays. They have a coordinator who can help design and install the offense, but the head coach calls the plays.