What a value pick. Well done.

The player people wanted at 26 we get 26 picks later.

This draft could not being falling into place any better for Berry.

This Defense is going to be tough ...

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!


2 FIRST ROUNDERS IN 2 ROUNDS!

JOK Highlights

I am over the moon.

I love this guy. I believe he will be the steal in this draft. I do not give a damn about when we got him.

HELL YAEAH!! The new Lamar Jackson Neutralizer No More BS 20 yard scrambles, he can be flying around anywhere. AWESOME VALUE PICK

LOVE the pick. Hate that we gave up a 3rd round pick though. We did gain another 4th, but man that 3rd.

I am as happy now as when we beat the Stillers in the Playoffs

I absolutely love this pick! Koramoah is a playmaker! I thought Detroit was going to take him. Glad the Browns didn't wait any longer and traded up for him!

They will use a couple 4ths to come back into the 3rd ..

This is a really good night thus far

We will have the 5th and 8th picks in the 4th. (along with a later pick) There will be value to be found there.

plus, one thing that people tend to forget: when you have early 4th round picks, you have all night/morning to discuss and talk to other teams as well. It’s a good spot

Excellent!

Andrew Berry is building us a powerhouse

So who does he replace? Delpit? Jordan Phillips? I dont see how he fits in

He'll fit.

Now everyone who bemoaned not drafting JOK in the 1st is happy!

haha now lets hope we can get Brown

I don’t care who he replaces, he’s going to push someone not as talented off the roster. As far as fit, this dude is perfect for what Woods wants to accomplish.

We needed that aggressive center fielder against the run game and we got him at a bargain basement price. It's too bad Joe Woods doesn't value the LB'er position enough to have moved up to get this kid.

DePodesta said that the defensive coaches are already drawing up plays for him.

j/c...

Dear JOK,

Go tackle Lamar Jackson and cover Travis Kelce.

He is certainly a special athlete that you can design plays for to maximize his skills.

JOK - Lamar's new divisional SPY!

I think the Browns will finally have a player that can cover a TE.

Specifically, Mark Andrews.

Yes!!!

We are Good enough that it will be VERY difficult for a Rookie to see the field, these first 2 dudes will see the field early and often and will contribute to wins. Smart drafting, lets get some depth now!!

I love our front office...

He is a 4-3 WILL.

In Woods defense I see him as a rover with Smith or Walker on 1st down. Down and distance will dictate. In other sets he may line up with Phillips. If they go to a fifth db (extra safety or corner) they my rotate assignment.

He closes out a whole area. He is excellent in the blitz. He blows up RPO's.

Taki and Wilson will really have to show up to get snaps.

Really happy.

Takitaki has a clear role on run downs.

This should help us defend both Baltimore and KC

Just something to think about....JOK has been compared to Darius Leonard....I understand why...but Leonard has some length advantages on JOK....In any case...many comparisons were made...But here is the interesting part. We also signed Anthony Walker of whom Leonard essentially said made him what he was....So not only do we have a possible Leonard Clone...we have the guy who was a huge influence in molding him....

I tend to agree with you. I think it's more likely this move relegates Mack Wilson's role on the defense.

Imagine being an offense and the defense rolls out Garrett, Clowney, McKinley, and whoever along with JOK, Johnson, Harrison, Delpit, Hill, Ward, and Newsome. JOK, Johnson, Harrison, and Delpit are basically interchangeable.

I don't think Mack Wilson will be on the team.

That would scare the hell out of me.

j/c...

I like the versatility of the LBs and safeties. That allows you to do so much

Poor guy. He sells the hell out of himself on Twitter, too!

The Browns do not value the...... Never mind.

Owusu-Koramoah won the 2020 Dick Butkus Award as the top linebacker in college football. The first-team All-American led Notre Dame with 11 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles, while also recording 62 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception and three pass breakups in 12 starts.

A Hampton, Virginia, native, Owusu-Koramoah redshirted his first season and appeared in just two games in 2018 before a breakout 2019 campaign in which he led the team with 80 tackles and 13.5 tackles for loss. His three-sack performance in the Camping World Bowl to cap the season served as an omen for what was to come in 2020.

Owusu-Koramoah was also finalist for the Nagurski Trophy, Bednarik Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy in 2020. He was also named ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah ranked Owusu-Koramoah as the No. 18 overall prospect in the draft. Pro Football Focus ranked him at No. 19.

The Browns acquired the pick to select Owusu-Koramoah in a trade with the Carolina Panthers. Cleveland parted with the No. 59 pick and a third-round pick (No. 89) while also adding a fourth-round pick (No. 113) in the deal.

Owusu-Koramoah is the second player to join the Browns through the 2021 NFL Draft. Northwestern CB Greg Newsome (1st Round, No. 26) was selected Thursday.

The Browns are back on the clock in the third round with the No. 91 pick.

What

For some reason you felt the need to say this twice in the thread. Neat.

It's been impressive to see all the people who are Browns fans... several of the announcers have said they were Browns fans or they had a family member who was...

definitely quality draft.
Not quantity.
Looking good!

He can cover too.

2021 NFL draft: The biggest steals in the second round

https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/lists/2021-nfl-draft-second-round-picks/

Cleveland Browns: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB/S. Notre Dame (52nd overall pick)


In my final mock draft, I had Owusu-Koramoah going to the Browns… with the 26th overall pick. To get a player of Owusu-Koramoah’s excellence and versatility 26 picks later is not only an absurd example of player value, but it also fills two roles the Browns are trying to redefine — linebacker and safety, because Owusu-Koramoah can play both. He’s a plus thumper against the run, he can cover short and intermediate routes as a safety, and he’s more than credible in the slot. It will be fascinating to see how Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods deploys Owusu-Koramoah, as the Browns will want to avoid the schematic schisms the Cardinals had with first-round defender Isaiah Simmons in 2020. The Simmons example may have been one reason Owusu-Koramoah dropped — perhaps teams are more reluctant to go all-in on positionless defenders unless they know exactly how to use them?

[video:youtube]https://youtu.be/xcoKhKZvTp8[/video]

A great breakdown on this guy... Dude is solid first round talent

This was the first video I watched on JOK, and the reason I hoped the Browns would draft him.

Is it possible he can be our Troy Polamalu? Just absolutely terrorizing QB's and eating up running backs? Finally getting real pay back against our AFC North rivals?

I was thinking that too.

I was just going to say the same thing

I am happy with the trade up for the pick. Ultra productive college play and a pass coverage specialist. We need someone to give RB’s and TE’s problems.

I would have been disappointed at the selection at 26, no issues with his selection at the point in the draft.

The video shows home lined up to cover Devonte Smith. Yikes. That says something..

Don’t follow college football very much or read mocks - or even the DT draft forum. I did when we were always drafting top 3, but not when we draft in the 20s.

Never heard of the guy until two hours ago, but after reading about him here, watching some videos and getting opinions from DTers, I really like this pick. Looks like a baller to me. A strong tough athlete.

It's highlights but still worth watching... Shows that he can cover and thump

His legs are thick - he looks strong from the feet up / and he is fast. This will sound like hyperbole, fueled by brewskies on a Friday night, but he reminds me of MG: His stature, build and athleticism.

Edit: obviously not as big as Myles. But the MG of our back/middle end of the D.

I’m just glad we’ve focused on speed and athleticism on both ends. We needed to get faster.

Somebody is going to have to be cut. I am not saying it has to be Wilson. Maybe it's Redwine, or somebody else.

In the end, neither of Wilson or Taki are all that good, but I do understand your and others reservations. We have been conditioned that backers need to weigh 230+ pounds.

I guess my position is that speed is what matters in todays NFL. You don't need to put crushing hits on backs to make a tackle.

The Browns are like country music. You have the fans, then the fans when it is cool to be a fan.

I am glad we finally have a bandwagon that people want to jump on.

I am so thrilled about this pick.

Before the draft this is the guy I wanted. IMO he will be the steal in this draft.

This guy is picture perfect for this defense. I wanted him at 26. But completely understood the pick of Newsome.

To land JOK at 52 is just mind numbing. We are so lucky.

The reason we got him at 52 really does not matter.
It was all about scheme fit. He would not fit in a 3-4. He is not a traditional linebacker. He can play outside WILL and then play nickle. He is exactly the guy Woods needs.

Berry. Stefanski, Woods all come from a DB background.

JOK is a player that those guys can relate to.

The addition of Clowney, Takk, and Malik Jackson will add pressure.

We now have coverage all over the field. JOK at the second level.

JJ3, Ward, Newsome, Hill. The return of Delpit and Greedy. The late addition of Ronnie Harrison last year.

I hope everyone sees what this team is capable of.

I am over the top.

The best off season IMO that the Browns have ever had.

This defense looks really good on paper.

Lets hope the HC & DC can get these guys in sync quick so it translates to a top 3 defense.

Speed and coverage ability everywhere - 1st Air Cav - but these guys can also play the run. That roster isn't one dimensional, it isn't peppered with weaknesses or trade-offs to get us that good coverage.

I wanted no part of him at 26, and I'm still a little in the "why not just play a Safety?" boat, but at this point he's here and he was better than the Safeties on the board, so it's Win-Win-Win!

As long as he isn't so light that he gets caught in traffic a lot, this could be AMAZING.

He may certainly play like one, and be used like one, on the field.

The versatility with the secondary and now JOK, will be interesting to see unfold.

Man that real is exciting to watch. Exactly what we need in the middle. Like... exactly.
My only quip... those big thump, non-wrap bump tackles will have to get dialed out of his game. Too many guys in the nfl can take those and keep their feet. Gotta wrap em up!

Definitely going to be a hard sale on his part with his...err..3 special teams snaps last year.

Why is a depth LBer not pounding on the coaches' doors trying to get on the special teams unit?

And Takitaki is one of our main special teamers.

Just a quick look at our linebackers:

JOK
Walker
Smith
Takitaki
Phillips

All of the above would seem to be ahead of Mack Wilson.

That was some amazing film. JOK might help us get off the field AND help with turnovers.. Get your popcorn!

I was impressed with MG last night at the podium. Anybody else? He has to be close to being his own zip code . . . .

It would not shock me if Wilson is cut

j/c

I was very happy to see DePodesta come out and say that JOK is a LB and will play LB. I think the notion of a S/LB "tweener" is very flawed. I don't think those guys really exist...and I certainly think that if one DOES exist, you won't know that until they've been in the league for (at lest) a bit.

It's hard enough to project a guy from college to the NFL...let alone project how a college player will "re-invent" a position in the NFL.

I'd like to see him gain 10-15 lbs and the team commit to him as a LB and not some dreamed-up tweener.

I think I would be a little shocked.

Totally agree

As you pointed out in the first quote above, the team already has committed to him being a LB'er and not a tweener.

From reading some of the responses in this thread some people didn't seem to get the message. Sometimes people become so ingrained in what they feel and believe they won't even accept the facts when they come straight from the horses mouth. There's really not much we can do about that.

Why? He lost his job last year, and asked to be on special teams, and missed a tackle right out of the gate.

PLAYMAKER!!!!

yeah, Wilson is a good hype man on Twitter but has left a lot to be desired on the field. He misses tackles and struggled in coverage most times ... he’d be a decent backup, nothing more IMO

lol

I stated that they SAID it...then stated that I want them to DO IT.

Excellent! Woods has zero excuse for this defense not to perform

Unless you think DePodesta is lying to us.....

Sorry, my response was intended for WSU.

Where did i say - or infer - that? My goodness.

It's really quite simple. Joe Woods is certainly a part of the drafts process in regards to how the players we draft on defense fit into his scheme. There's no doubt they discuss what position they will play on our defense.

There was a lot of confusion among our fan base what role he would take on if he was drafted. Just look at our own board as a reference.

This FO made a statement to get out in front of any further confusion by making it plain in defining that role by saying in no uncertain terms he was drafted to play the LB'er position.

So either you take that at face value and trust what they are saying or you don't. If you don't you do not trust what they're telling you. If you do they answered your question.

Pretty sure I read that Wilson was the only starter that responded to a call from the ST unit to help out there at one point last season.

This might be more of a Joe Woods question than a JOK question....

If we're running a 5-2, or some other DB-heavy scheme, then wouldn't it make more sense for the LBs we do have out there to be more of the run-stuffing hitters? The big boys up front have to pick up more of the bangin' responsibilities for all the speedy guys you have out there to fly around. Or is that not how it works?

I believe the thought is that the offense is going to score. A lot. And it will be a threat to get 7 on every drive.

Opposing offenses are going to be forced to throw to keep up, so we need to be "pretty good" against the run, but the value comes in being "ridiculously sick" against the pass and with the pass rush.

Factor in that our 4 DL are all pretty good against the Run as-is, and JOK is supposed to be good in that area, and we should be Ok.

And that's a lot of the issue here. This FO under its current structure and with little invested on defense last year, it is far too premature for fans to have preconceived notions about Joe Woods defense and what he is trying to build. It appears from the JOK pick, it seems that speed and aggressiveness is what Woods is looking for at the LB'er position. It seems that is far more valued at a high investment than the larger, thumper style of LB'er that some other teams employ.

You don't have to be big to hit hard. But you do have to be fast enough to catch the target you are trying to hit.

I can understand that, but we have Balt and Pitt in our division. Both love to pound the ball.

Didn’t the Steelers run the ball less than anyone last year?

When this pick was made for me it was a drop the mic moment.

He reminds of Polamalu in some ways.

IMO he will become the Nick Chubb of our defense.

This guy is about one thing. Playing football at the highest level he can. He is a passionate player.

A day will come when all those who passed him by will regret they did.
===================================================

The rest of the drafted players besides Newsome are guys we will try to develop. They will play special teams and try to crack the lineup. But they are depth now with hopeful upside.

For me the draft was golden when his name was announced.

Correct. Bottom 5 in rushing plays last season.

Ravens ran the most in the league.

I wonder what their run to pass ratio is if you take out the Lamar Jackson runs?
I know that skews things byt changing the criteria but the Lamar runs are different. That is not pounding the ball. Those runs need quickness and speed more than size to keep in check.

This guy always has an interesting take.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWF87LkqkVQ

I don't think there is enough holes in this roster to fit 8 or 9 new bodies in.. Probably won't matter in the end.

You can always fit them if that is the desire but that isn't always the smart thing to do. I agree, we are at the point where quantity of players isn't an issue because we don't have all that many players who simply need to be cut.

Good take - thanks for sharing.

On the play list to the side was another good one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcoKhKZvTp8

Really good breakdown focusing on what makes JOK special.

I promise I'm not stalking you this morning...but...we have many guys who could easily be cut/upgraded.

DE - Jackson/Malveaux
LB - Lee/Wilson/Meander
S - Benton/Moffatt (Redwine)
CB - Wm Jackson (who I like but who gets a lot of hate on here) and Brian Poole (who has already been a project for awhile).
QB3 - I had to find someone on the O who could be upgraded.

To add to your point about new guys making the roster...we got these guys who were on the team but not the 53 due to various reasons - not draft picks but essentially the same:

DE - Weaver*
DT - Billings*
LB - Phillips (NOT healthy from the start)
CB - Greedy*
S - Delpit*
OL - Forbes*, Gossett*
WR - OBJ (LOST EARLY IN THE YEAR)

If we just count the 'new" guys with an *...that's (6) new guys to add to the (8) draft picks...aka (14) NEW GUYS...then the UDFAs.

So...I'm agreeing with you...just adding to your point.

I saw that guy before the draft.

Part of my research into Koramoah.

It is hard for me to contain my excitement about this player. First off I love players that embody natural football skills.

In today's game playing in space is imperative at the second level. So, many skill players on offense. Formations
that include double TE pass catchers. Guys in the slot. Triple wides. RPO's. Running quarterbacks.

We lost the KC game on defense because of that very reason.

JOK is a defensive weapon. He beats offensive plays.

He does not take on blockers like a traditional linebacker. He eludes blockers and beats them to the spot. It is all over his tape.

When he reads a RPO and closes on the runner. He is there in a flash.

His skill to drop into coverage is crazy good. He can handle slot receivers. This guy is a four down player.

Before the draft I felt I knew what Woods wanted from linebackers. But I was unsure. The reason for uncertainty was if his base was going to be 4-2-5. I thought he may want his backers to be gap tacklers to support the run. And have his nickle and dime guys to play in space.

Zavon Collins type guys.

But my intuition was he wanted Koramoah types. The guy he added later in the draft Fields is version of JOK.
So, talk about scheme fit. JOK is the prototype.

I am over the moon about watching JOK in a Browns uniform.

Mentally he is defensive version of Nick Chubb.

Brown's fans are going to love this guy.

I don't consider you a stalker Willie. We go back and forth sometimes but it is all good. Some people bicker because they don't have anything better to do, so they do it here because if they did that at home their wife would punk them in a hurry.

I have said for a long time that no matter how good your team is, you always have a best player and a worst player. That player might be really good, but none the less he is last man on the roster. But, it doesn't work out as easily as that.

I agree with you that there are always players you can replace. I guess I just view it as does it do any real good to replace last years 6th rounder with this years 6th rounder? Sure, sometimes it does, but more often you are just replacing one guy for another guy.

That is why I am big on gaining future picks. As we saw this year, it allows us to move up to get players who actually have a better than average chance to get a player who can make a difference. We are to the point I wouldn't be upset if we traded in a manner that our draft was over before the 5th round. Get 3-4 players who will make a difference and head to the house.

There's a difference in draft strategy from when you're trying to fill a roster than when you're trying to finish a roster.

I hope some posters can see from this years draft that your situation impacts your strategy. That seemed to be a bone of contention for many prior to the draft.

There were a few popular myths going into this draft I hope it put a rest to.

I think Berry put some myths to rest when he said the draft isn't so much about need.

No doubt need is considered..a few of our early pick reflect that to some degree, but they are also good players.

A couple of players who stand out as BPA with an eye on the future would be the Otackle.

The one that really stands out to me is the 6th round back. I have read he could be a major steal.

We don't need a back. No way, no how. When you look a bit deeper, can we keep both Chubb and Hunt? If not, we need a back. To look even deeper, the back is a great pass catcher and has played slot. Could he be a possible replacement for Landry if we can't keep him? Mostly a stretch to think, but....you never know.

I certainly understand and agree with what you're saying. I think all fans must realize that as all of these FA's contracts come to pass, hard decisions will have to be made. If I had to venture a guess, I can see how more than a couple of our draft picks were made with the future in mind, not with now in mind. I'm certainly not sure how it will play out but I can see some possibilities.

RB Demetric Felton.

When Chubbs contract comes up, it will be close to the same time Hunt will need to be re-signed. With Felton having the skill to both run and catch, I can see him filling in the role Hunt is currently playing.

Anthony Schwartz. WR

I actually see him in the role of a duel threat. Sure his speed can take the top off of a defense, but his value as a slot WR could be something people are overlooking. Not only does he have blazing speed but his feet are quick. That's a dangerous combination to have. I see how he could be not only be Landry's eventual replacement, but be a Landry with even more uses depending on down, distance and situation.

I'm sure we agree that both the DT selection and the OT selection have very similar possible scenarios.

We may not need a RB, but the Browns do need a PR/KR.

The team could improve in that area.

I saw one of the highlights was a KR.

Punt returner I can agree. Kick returner not so much. Those guys usually just wave their hands to let guys know it isn't going to be returned.

Yeah I agree. Heck, I’d tell the KR to literally never return them. It seems like we are starting inside the 25 (or even 20) more often than not

Doesn't cost that much, knows the system, has speed and talent, he's a thumper, and is one of the few LBers that has any experience. And he's only in what, his third year? Sure, he may not the best LBer out there, but he's still developing and I'd be surprised if we cut him.

If he's not starting to show something going into year 3, he's probably not going to show anything at all.

The NFL world has changed. There are far fewer camps. The team is going to look at their starters and their draft picks. They already have a good idea where guys will slot in on their team. If a guy left a poor impression in year 2, he's going to be hard pressed to recover in year 3.

Andra Davis, linebacker, and Joel Bitonio, OG, (I think),

improved their on field effectiveness after year 5, it's not unheard of.

( I wouldn't be able to understand being a football fan who hates players.)

The Koramoah player is going to be a really solid selection.

... Einstein Himself!, would not, be able, to remember all the pass rushers on this Browns defense, not in the time he is going to have!

No doubt it can happen, but the LB position is transitioning with the Browns for sure, and probably the NFL as a whole. What was once adequate speed for a backer is no longer adequate as long as TE's like Kyle Pitts keep entering the league.

Teams need backers who can run above all else. If they don't, they might as well put you or I out there to cover the TE.

I agree, he'll have to show development, but he does have some fine qualities. I think his biggest flaw is that he plays out of control. Which is exactly what JOK doesn't do. So who knows, another year under his belt and a different LB locker room could make a lot of difference in his play. We really have no idea about the impression he left or anything about his relationships with the coaches and front office, only speculation, so I won't speculate on that. I really don't see the upside of cutting him at this point though unless he's so talentless he can't make the roster, which I don't think is the case. But we'll see.

Yes, and Wilson has speed. And why I think Taki would be the first to go. More lumbering that fast.

Still trying to understand how JOK fell so far?

That is another argument, but I don't disagree.

If we need either to contribute in a significant way - either one of them would need to show a major improvement. I had high hopes for Wilson based on his rookie flashes - but he might have been the worst LB on the field all season. Taki has limitations in his speed and athletic ability - but as a 2 down thumper, he was kinda average instead of flat out bad. Based on last year I would take Taki over Wilson regardless of speed.

Scheme fit. He doesn't fit any traditional LB role completely and he doesn't fit either safety role completely. Unless you have a hybrid role that you plan on using prominently, then he is devalued on your list of needs/wants. There just aren't enough progressive defensive coordinators employed yet to have that much competition.

Take OT for example, you are either in a zone scheme or gap scheme, OT usually have traits that can do one, the other or both efficiently. So every player can be used by the majority of teams.

JOK is a new breed of player that many teams haven't adapted to yet, simply because there aren't enough available to build a scheme around. It is a risk reward. I think he will be very effective, BUT God forbid he has an injury, you don't have anyone else that can fill the role, which then sends you into a secondary defense until he returns from injury.

In case you don't know who Tony Fields II is.. He is the poor man's JOK. He has very similar traits, albeit JOK utilizes those traits on a much higher level. Though, in case of injury or rotation, he potentially do what JOK can do, which helps Joe Woods build a scheme utilizing this TYPE of player better, knowing they have another piece on the roster than can do similar things.

It would be like comparing Kevin Johnson and Denzel Ward. If Kevin needs to go in, he has the capability to play at a professional level, but he won't do it as consistently as Ward does.

That's how I would compare JOK and Fields.

On the local morning show (Carman & Lima) they were talking about what to call JOK, conversationally. Should he be called Owusu-Koramoah, JOK, or Joker? Lima reported that his teammates called him "Woo", kind of like the Ric Flair thing, or that annoying sound Indians fans make at home games. Although it would be pretty cool to hear 70,000 "WOO's" when he makes a big play. Some of us old Steely Dan fans might call him Dr Wu ...

Wilson missed a lot of tackles last year. That's won't fly. He actually got worse last year from the year before.

Well said. And from what I gather, we are one of the few teams that can really plug him into our scheme. We were obviously worried that someone would snag him (Pittsburgh or Tennessee), so it really worked out

Takitaki is one of the best run defenders in the league. He’s not going to play a ton of snaps but he has a meaningful role. He also plays special teams. Wilson doesn’t have a role and doesn’t play special teams.

Wilson's pro day 40 was 4.71
Takitaki's combine 40 was 4.63

Well, Wilson does a better job on Twitter.

Now if Joe Woods could just come up with a Twitter package on the field to make Wilson more valuable.

Thank you.. I was hoping that it was that rather than what we did with Babatunde Oshinowa (sp) He was very well thought of leading up to that draft in 2006.. Then he dropped, we snagged him and he was basically gone right away..

I watched lots of tape on JOK and he's special,, No question. sounds like you've hit the nail on the head.

This showed up on FB today!

I'm not sure why this is all of a sudden a big story. This was revealed earlier that the heart "question" came up from a test that was run. His agent quickly had other testing done and the results were in before the draft took place, which debunked the heart "issue". I think Adam is getting a click bait story going.

I have Browns hats and jackets.

Never bought a jersey.

Most drafts I go maybe to the third round, around the top 100 rated, looking at players. After that when guys are drafted. That is when I look at them.

This year I knew we take a corner and a linebacker. So I checked out the top five of those positions.

At linebacker once I saw Parsons. I knew he would go to high for us.

Then I watched Koramoah. Right away I loved his game.

Lots of info and tape on him now. This is like some kind of cosmic deal. Some players go to teams and fail because they don't fit.

This is a case of the right player going to the perfect scheme.

IMO he will have a good shot of Defensive ROY.

I truly believe this guy will be a great player for Cleveland.

I may have to buy his jersey.

(might wait a little in case I am dead wrong)

Did the Browns know before they made the pick for JOK...or did they just learn about the JOK heart problem?

It was a surprise that he dropped into the second round but I sure didn't expect news like his heart be an issue.

anyone know if our scouts and draft team knew of this?

From the way it sounds everyone was well aware.

"According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Owusu-Koramoah had a heart issue come up late in the pre-draft process, which was a cause for concern for most clubs. Doctors ultimately cleared Owusu-Koramoah leading up to the draft, but that issue certainly contributed to him falling out of the first round."

Absolutely they knew. He was cleared.

There was a bad test. They retested and he cleared.

The more I read and see Newsome, the more I like that pick ... and still can't believe we got JOK as well. Unreal.

I respect that POV. It's even possible neither get cut.

Interesting. Not how it looks on the field. And I don't really know how that correlates to how they play on the field, or if it makes a significant difference in a straight line, let alone moving around at the LB spot, but it is interesting.

He moved to the other side and had about a third of the snaps. I can tell you have a hard on for him, that's cool. It's not all that important to me, I just hope he finds some success.

The only thing I care about is that players play well, and don't cost us games.

I don't remember which game, but I remember seeing somebody cheapshotting Ward and Wilson ran over and thumped him. Though it was well out of bounds we didn't get a penalty and notice had been served. I thought that was great. That play alone makes me hope he'll stick and take a leap forward. One of the biggest disappointments to me is the way our team didn't stick up for each other ever since the return. I wanted to puke when Harrison concussed our players at will with no consequences. And then our players were on the field chatting and giggling with those guys after the games. That was my only beef with Joe T. He also seemed to put up with the cheapshot crap from the Steelers.

I remember that play. It was in bounds. Ward was getting stiffarmed and pushed back by a bigger TE. Can't remember the team, but Wilson came over and laid the big hit...

...and then had the video captioned on Twitter within about 5 minutes of the game ending.

I totally forgot that play from Wilson. Good point. I don't remember who it was that hit Ward, but it was a large TE (so the physical mismatch was pretty obvious).

I know this may ruffle some feathers, not that it's ever stopped me before...

But this is why I say fans let their emotions and feelings get the best of them. This is a single play. This is no way shows what Wilson has contributed as a player.

The most critical thing we need to think of in regards to our Browns is improvement. That includes everything from starters, to depth, to special teams.

I have no idea if that means Wilson will no longer be on our roster. If it does that's a good thing. It means we have a better quality player to replace him and his services are no longer needed here.

Looking like a tough guy on a single play means nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Holy "let's make an argument where there is none" Batman! I said "That play alone makes me hope he'll stick and take a leap forward." Nothing else.

Everything isn't all about you.

Taki was one of the best run stopping LBs in the league last year, he has value on special teams too. He is a liability in pass coverage,

Mack has the tools. The injury hurt his development last year. I would like to see how he responds to the competition this year. If he steps up, he, Phillips, and JOK could be the future.

We will be playing one or two linebackers most of the tine. I think we will ease JOK into a role because it’s not clear what he can do in the NFL. I think Walker and Phillips will be getting the most snaps with Takitaki behind them.

At least to start I can agree with that.

That's what I'm talking about..a LBer who plays the game handing out punishment when needed. Wilson was not going just stand and watch his teammate get jacked up by the Eagle's TE.

Also, the tackle by Wilson on Mahomes was not a cheap shot..it was a legal tackle.

How many LBers did we keep on the roster last year, or maybe plan to keep this year?

Last year we had 7 LBers on the official roster after cut downs. Right now we have 10 on the pre-season roster.

SAM Sione Takitaki, Malcolm Smith, Curtis Weaver
MLB Anthony Walker, Mack Wilson, Tony Fields II
WLB Jacob Philips, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Elijah Woods, George Obinna

I wouldn't pay much attention to the designations, this is just where they had them on Ourlads.

The thing to watch is the correlation to positions between the LB and DB.

Last season we had 10 DBs, 4 CB and 6 SAF.. We could drop 1-2 SAF with the additions of JOK and Fields. However, I expect them to keep 5 CBs this year. Injuries put them in a bind last season.I could easily see them keep 5 CBs, 4 safeties and 8 LBers.

On that list I count 7 who make the team. That includes Weaver who I would actually count with the Dline group.

j/c...


I love this pick for the simple reason this is a kid that is PERFECT for what Woods is looking to establish here. His defense His PLAYER!! Now to get this piece of the puzzle to do its damage to our opponents!!

jmho excellent pick up for us!

The more I think about this trade/move up, I wonder if the team we really wanted to get ahead of was Pittsburgh.

I think it was the "sweet spot" ahead of a few teams that we would rather not see him go to. It really couldn't have been much sweeter when you look at all the teams we don't really care about above the slot, and the powerhouses below it.

2 40 Atlanta Falcons
2 41 Detroit Lions
2 42 Miami Dolphins
2 43 Las Vegas Raiders
2 44 Dallas Cowboys
2 45 Jacksonville Jaguars
2 46 Cincinnati Bengals
2 47 Los Angeles Chargers
2 48 San Francisco 49ers
2 49 Arizona Cardinals
2 50 New York Giants
2 51 Washington Football Team
2 52 Cleveland Browns Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
2 53 Tennessee Titans
2 54 Indianapolis Colts
2 55 Pittsburgh Steelers
2 56 Seattle Seahawks
2 57 Los Angeles Rams
2 58 Kansas City Chiefs

The calls probably started (in earnest) when he slipped to 40. In the span between 59 and 52 we leapfrogged FOUR AFC playoff teams; six playoff teams, league wide.

You just simply can't do it any better than that.

I didn't have cable TV or internet for the first 2-1/2 days of the draft (thanks Spectrum!), so I had to listen to Nathan Zegura and Ken Carman covering the draft on the radio. Anyway, Zegura said that the Browns moved up specifically to get him before the Steelers could pick him. I imagine there was some swearing going on in the Pittsburgh war room when that happened.

Ha! That makes me feel even better about the pick, (and I was beyond happy when we picked him) because the one position Pittsburgh seems to always get right is LB.

Rabbit ears.
$20 at CVS or Amazon; all the local channels for free and better picture than the compressed cable feed. I'm south of Medina and get all the stations, so if you're in NEO, you definitely can.

No way Pittsburgh passes on this guy if he was there.

That would only get me local network affiliates, right? If so, there's nothing on those channels I want to watch, unless it had happened during the football season.

It's all I watch... channel 19.2, MeTV.

But, yes, it will only get you all of the local over-the-air channels - there are like 35 to 40 available.

You would have been able to watch the Draft, and you will get every football game on ABC/CBS/FOX/NBC for our area, and you see it without the delay of cable/satellite, so you can annoy family members by texting them things before they see it happen

I rent and my landlord wont let me put up an antenna. I had an antenna and needed and still have digital boxes to receive the signal.

You need those boxes for rabbit ears ?

meant to pm you on that and not hijack a thread, been awhile

You pick up ESPN on rabbit ears? Or was the draft broadcast on a local channel? If so, I wasn't aware.

Dave, the draft is also on ABC. It is with the College Game day team.

Tenants have won the rights in court cases, a landlord has to let someone put up a Dish network or Direct tv type antenna. Now a 40 foot tall 1970's style antenna probably not. ( Was widely advertised 2.5 years ago when I may have been researching the costs of switching to direct/dish)

As long as your TV has a built-in tuner, all you need is a set of rabbit ears. If your TV doesn't have a tuner, and there are some that don't (Google your model number), then you'd need a tuner box.

Mine all have tuners, so I just put a splitter on the coax coming from the antenna and run it to each TV.

Also, like Pdawg said, the Draft was on ABC (channel 5?). I didn't miss a thing, and it was funny listening to them complain about how cold it was, lol!



To get us back on track.... I'm looking forward to seeing how we use Woo and what he's able to do within this defense.

One things for sure, teams should find it PLENTY tough to pass against us this year. We shouldn't be a cinch to give up a 1st on 3rd or 4th and Long anymore.

My understanding is that the vast majority of the more recent flat-screens don't have a built-in tuner.

your less expensive models generally do not. That's part of how you're getting larger screens so cheaply, especially a Vizio and similar budget brands. Not putting one in can shave $50-$150 off the price of a unit. I've always specifically looked for sets with one because without that, to me, it's just a large computer monitor.

It's easy to like the pick, but one broadcast challenged themselves to review the picks they liked by finding some thing they don't like about it, because it's easy to get caught up in the moment, and they'd rather have a longterm view.

It's easy to like the pick of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. I do.

The downside is he's not Elijah Moore in the 1st round; nor Terrace Marshall, Wrs'.
The other is he's not Rashod Bateman Wr, in the 2nd round.

The same Browns thinking led to Julio Jones going to the Falcons in a trade everyone of Browns' fans in general seemed to love at the time.

Moore went in the 2nd round, bud. At the top of the 2nd. Bateman went at 27.

Terrence Marshall had a medically flagged knee.

The Browns traded up for JOK, nothing like the Julio trade at all.

Odd post and horrible reasoning, my man.

Jibber Jabber

Terrace Marshall went at 59! Overall.

JOK is not a Wide Receiver. The Browns had a chance at a real WR, not Schwartz who will have to be taught how to catch, and other nuances of the NFL game.

So you caught me I transversed the two names, Bateman and Marshall and where they went in the draft order, but the bottom line is,
when considering the Browns selection of JOK, and the selection of Greg Newsome II,
The Browns passed, when making both picks, on the opportunity to get a Viable solution to the WR needs, including if one of their stars gets hurt again,

in a draft where plenty of teams, (there are only 32,) found a viable WR.

In the April 2020 draft, and the April 2021 draft, there were supposedly 2 of the greatest WR draft classes of a long while, and can we list the NFL teams who got a viable solution, at WR out of the draft in those two years.
Or how many Wrs the Browns got, who are not.

I liked Mr. T. I wonder whatever happened to that guy?

He's still around. He pops up in the media from time to time. Mostly, on social media, doing good things. I've come to the conclusion that the Mr. T thing is not an act it's authentic. There's not a lot of room in Hollywood for authenticity.

The Browns took a WR with starting potential in both years. I'll wait to see Schwartz with a real QB before I claim baseless statements like "he can't catch" because he sure as hell looked like he can catch to me. Just that he was constantly missed by his QB.

The Browns have the luxury of not needing to take skill positions highly in the draft. And truthfully, I'm glad because those skill guys typically aren't the most reliable guys to draft in the first round.

Looking at the tape on Schwartz it reminded me of James Lofton!

Why do you even think we need another receiver..

His idea of an offensive side of the ball is a QB and 10 WR.

Other than Jarvis, OBJ, Higgins, People-jones... Who do we really have?

A new draft pick, and a bunch of no named depth fighting to make the roster… like every other NFL team. It could be argued that no team has a better starting two. With that our depth is already better than every other team. Now you want to go to the 5th guy on our roster and try to find another team with a more recognizable name? Good luck.
Our depth is what it needs to be. My guess is next year the WR room will be drafted for in a more focused manner. Until then I feel good about our WR squad as it compares to any other NFL squad.

This can't be serious. sigh, I'll address this later.

Who do we have??? we got Hodge and Schwartz! that makes 5 solid WRs and 1 rookie that I who am not a big WR fan think this kid Schwartz is a keeper and could become an elite WR...if not then just solid.

Keep in mind we got 3 TE in Hooper, Bryant and Njoku

also our RBs Chubb and Hunt along with the new kid.

6 WR, 3 TE and 3RB in the mix. keep in mind there are only 5 eligible Receivers per play and we got at least 12 in the mix.

We don't need more... jmho

That tackle at 2:40?!

That is how you wring out every possible drop of punishment. It's ridiculous to watch in slo-mo. Look at that impact... look at that follow through!

Lots of shoulder checks in that highlight reel.

Smoke em, if you got em.

What does concern me about that video is how much it looks like he leads with his helmet. That's something they'll have to work on.

Yeah, me too. He's pretty good at making impact with the pads, but he resembles a guided missile. I'm sure every time it's questionable, especially if a player is slow to get up or the hit looks violent, he'll get popped.

You can lead with your helmet just not the crown correct?

Yeah, but the way it seems to be officiated that rule goes straight out the window on big hits.

"He separated his soul from his body".

I noticed the same thing...


But can he be our Ray Lewis? Geez he hits like a train.

That's the problem. These plays happen so fast that if it's very close, it's more about the perception of what the refs see. I didn't see these plays in slow motion. I saw them in real time. And in real time it looks to me that NFL refs may have a problem with some of these hits.

He could be a smaller version of Ray Lewis. The problem is that with the concussion issue being so much a part of the safety protocol now, Ray Lewis couldn't hit the way Ray Lewis hit.

Whether it's not wrapping up or leading with the helmet, that highlight reel showcased some poor tackling technique. Maybe that's not indicative of his overall game, but I have to wonder about an undersized LB with poor technique. Please do correct me if I'm wrong here.

The big problem to me is the way we "officiate". Fine, you're not sure... throw the flag. But for the love of all things good, review the play and pick a flag up once in a while. That NEVER happens.

2020 was so unusual for so many reasons.

But for the Browns it was a dream season.

Normally I start looking at the draft come Thanksgiving. That is about when we are out of the picture.

I didn't look at the draft till the season was over. Saw where we would pick. Knowing the roster it was clear where we needed players.

Looked at the rankings of linebackers and saw that Koramoah won the Butkus award. Started looking at his tape.

His play jumped off the screen for me. In short order I sent my son a text and said "this is the guy I want."

Never have the Browns drafted the one player in range that I wanted.

I went wacko when that young man said "Jeremiah."

This guy win plays. You have to love this guy. He slices in front of blockers and wins to the spot. He reads and explodes to the ball carrier. He drops into coverage and his make up speed is unreal.

He will play every down on defense. IMO he will be as impactive on defense as Myles.

I for one can not wait to see him play for us.

Yeah, boy- talk about your "bare cupboards"...

Yup, we're doomed.
We have nobody to line up Week 1

All I saw in that video was JOK slugging someone into the turf with much physicality. Hopefully he can do that at the next level.

He is going to, I suspect and hope, kick some ass and take names, and he doesn’t look like a kid fresh out of college, either - he looks like a man. JOK ain’t no joke.

But can he cover like Lewis..

I think his smaller size will prevent him from physically beating up on the NFL talent that's around him. He also won't be so much faster than the opposition.

I'm not poo-poo'ing the pick. He's a Brown so therefore I'm a fan. Our roster is also such that he won't be thrown straight into the fire. If that highlight video is any indication, I just think he needs to tighten up his tackling technique or he's going to have a tough time on Sundays.

One thing about highlight videos is that they love showing the big blow up hit. The textbook tackle rarely show up because it just isn't as exciting for most people.

Having said that, it doesn't meant that he mostly uses good technique and the few blow ups are exceptions. Just pointing out that we cannot tell from that video.

Personally, I have not watched many ND games the past couple of years so have no comment on his tackling techniques.

Seriously. Sigh.

The rest of the NFL is getting more WR's and getting them in rounds higher than the Browns, (with the exception of OBJ.), but OBJ entered the league more than 2 years ago, but he's not even 27 yet.

The Browns had to give up a free/strong safety, a 3rd round pick and a 1st round pick to get OBJ in a trade.

The Browns history of players in the draft shows a tendency to show players selected outside of the top 120,(actually more like top 104), fall off in effectiveness.

Felton, (who should be a WR,) and Donovan Peoples-Jones, along with Ratley and some other I forget were selected outside of the top 104 picks in the past couple of years.
(again to remind, I'm answering, sigh, "why I think" so, if someone disagrees with my next reasoning, just move on;) but;
Rashard Higgins' superseded his late draft status, (status of selection after pick 104), the week he was brought back to the team after being waived, way back in like 2016/2017 because he fought his way back onto the roster.) but!
To go back to the point. ( because I think, and 3rdly we have to receive Schwartz, because he's a straight line speed guy, about along the lines of a UDFA, not a 3rd round pick, until he proves he can play;
""Based on"", he only had 7 rec. td's in 3 years as a WR in College football, scratch that, 6!

Yet the team used a 3rd on him so there's that.

Such that. (I think) ... ... and I didn't address Khaderal Hodge yet.
Hodge, appears to be a team favorite, because of the playing time he got last year early season, and Radio hosts point out he blocks.

Yet drives show they punt more when Hodge is in the lineup, (and featured), to which I say/think, he hinders the flow of the offense, and isn't the threat to score deep that most of the others are.

Is! One Wr enough in an offense? NO, how many? 2, no, 3 + yes because they all feed off of each other and NFL defenses are coveraged to easily remove only 1 or 2 good options from an offense, including Te's + Wr's yet even w/te's they lack, usually, speed and cut/- ability, breaks, whatever to get open, ..." in the same way" that WRs' do so that a 3 wr. A "real" 3 wr set is a necessary tool for an offensive arsenal, ( at least, if not a 4 or 5 plus depth)

So, scheme-ily, One WR is not enough, but Jarvis, is one, and Beckham was injured, between the two of them the sad fact of the NFL is injuries happen.

So If I think after Higgins, and Jarvis, and OBJ, that Donovan Peoples-Jones is going to fall off,
(side note, I always liked how Baker and Derrick Willies seem to play with so much chemistry,)
that DPJ is going to fall off, that between Schwartz and Felton, you don't have anything proven, yet two roster spots, are going to be used, where One would be great, if the player were... (and do just enough to not be replaced, yet hold just enough problems to hinder really overcoming as an offensive whole,
and if I believe Khaderal Hodge, blocks, and probably does the route running well, or "whatever" but the team punts more when he's in there, so he's going to take up a spot that just won't go to a special player,

and If I believe we have the game before the injury where a no shoes Beckham was widely videod, kinda shows he wasn't all in, at least at the time, with team plans and attitude whatever,

Not even to mention contracts,
NOt even to mention the Browns' historically, if the team has needs,
go Defense, 1. Defense 2. " Wait'! We gotta go Defense!, followed by double checking the Defense,
before they can get around,
to addressing the offensive skilled positions,

In a league that sets up so many rules to demand more offense, (automatic 4th down penalties... < wait they don't exist) (automatic 1st and goal penalties, automatic 15 yards +first down you hurt the quarterbacks 'feelings'.

Then YA, I'm always going to say the Browns need another WR, (but there's an opportunity cost, so it's not at the expense of putting out a Defense that can't stop grandma;)
And,
Even in all of this,
One of the Browns biggest dangers' to success, which they are trending toward being more likely to get caught up in, is looking back after a loss at how they abandoned the run game,
Got caught up in trying to throw the Ball too much, ( See (2020) Joe Burrow, < he looks so great w/ another game in the loss column, because their team didn't seem to realize you can throw for 300+ more often in a loss than a team with a balanced run and pass 250+ which more often wins.
-----
So, They need, 1 more Better Receiver, and they need to throw the ball less, (I mean get caught up in drives that "only throw the ball" less often.)
vs. drives that throw and run balanced.

So they need 1 more better Wr. instead of 3+ roster spots of guys who are going to struggle.

And remain balanced on Run vs. Pass, and don't trend toward abandoning the run.

and 3, Remember proper use of the Tight ends, the team with the best Tight End(s), play, will once again win the AFC North, probably.

Unpopular beliefs.
(The Browns are going to tell us in 11 months that the best player(s) in the draft are cornerbacks, again.)

Which is fine if it's a need, DRAFT SIX!!!, until one year, the need is something else!

You know I can't back up that statement about Hodge and punting more, I don't know, it just, it just seems that way in my mind, in my memory.

You know, TL ... every single thing that pops into your head doesn't necessarily need to be posted here.

You do know that, right?

I honestly think that JOK could be our Ray Lewis type player for us. He looked like someone in college that will strike fear into the hearts of QB's and RB's for the next decade in the NFL.

I could see not posting if I had ongoing correspondence with the team, ownership on down. Have you ever boo-ed or cheered?
--------
JOK, may be more like Troy Palumalu than Ray Lewis.

Ray Lewis earned it, but was not appreciated by big media really before his 3rd year and later.

And Grant Delpit may be more impactful than Koramoah.

1. As long as he creates fumbles.
2. As long as he hurts Lamar when he takes off for a run.

Those are 2 things I'm looking forward to.

jmho
When I say hurt Lamar I'm not talking about hospitalizing him. I'm talking about him remembering the hit and if he continues to meet JOK in the process of a play he will break down mentally.

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2021/05...h-the-tape.html

I just watched JOK's Rookie Minicamp presser. I really like this dude's energy. He was very composed and mature in the way that he handled himself. I really liked how he showed no irritation about the multiple questions about his heart health. Then when he said his thoughts on the KC game were all focused on himself and the team and not the opponent I thought that was 1) authentic and 2) the correct approach for a rookie to take. He also seems very confident in himself without being puffed up.

This 100.

Same with his snippets on Building the Browns...
Acts and talks like he's an adult.
Confident but not cocky (not that "cocky" really bothers me).
Intelligent and well-spoken.
Calm demeanor for someone who's a "guided missile" on the field.
Very charismatic.
Does not carry himself as a rookie at all.

Doesn't have that "got something to prove to all the naysayers" attitude, more like "I'm gonna reaffirm everything I already know about myself".

Over the years I have heard maany comments of young players. Most are not note worthy.

This comment is note worthy:

The slide to the second round would cause some to stew over the slight, building a giant chip on their shoulder. Owusu-Koramoah takes a different approach.

“My motivation lies strictly within the game of football and my appreciation for football,” he said. “I am not going to use something that is external in terms of a draft and people not picking me.”

That is the single most mature response I have heard from a young player.

Jeremiah will be a leader on this team and it will be a natural transition. He will do it on the field. In the locker room and in the community.

The Browns got themselves a real man here.

Your concept of WR is totally skewed. How many SB did they Lions and Falcons get with pretty much the two most dominant WRs in the NFL.

Its about getting 4-5 WRs with good hands and are disciplined to run good routes and block unselfishly. That is what you cove in a WR. We have that you keep talking as if you are swayed via Fantasy Football which totally over rates WRs on a pedestal. As they score a lot of points for you. Get realistically in the NFL game you got TEs and RB actually involved.

Look Throw, I don't know if you are here to troll or talk football. But let me give you a lesson about the game.

On Offense as an OC what you wish to do is CREATE SPACE! You stretch the field vertically as well as horizontally. If you play the ONE on ONE game you will lose. Just like early last year we were going one on one with OBJ when he had single coverage but there was no flow to the game. The O looked stagnant - oddly when OBJ was out we had to depend on the entire OFFENSE and we created space. The Running game did more for our passing game then any Stud WR could.

Its all about Flow, spreading the field and creating SPACE. That is the name of the game.

once you have learned that concept then you are on your way to an NFL offense. Fantasy Football...I could care less I do help my sons who like to play it and win money.

Oh didn't see it anywhere but JOK is now signed.

Only Newsome III and Schwartz are out there ready to sign Newsome a 1st rounder and Schwartz a 3rd rounder.

Then it's a good thing we're paying OBJ and Landry $15M each.

Which, as each year passes, is looking to be more and more affordable.

https://overthecap.com/position/wide-receiver/

Afford and worth are two different things.

The Cavs could afford Tristan Thompson. That didn't make it a good deal.
The Browns can afford Austin Hooper. So far, that isn't looking like all that good of a deal, either.

we are just fine,, in fact we are way better than fine in the WR department... no issues...

How did this turn into a receiver thread?

What a train wreck? lol

JOK gonna give us a something we haven't seen in the LB department in a long time. He's got skills.

Don't know what the lmao is for...ignorance is a blessing I guess. If we got it we will pay for it. Obviously we don't need to spend anymore. It came at a time when FA just weren't coming here at all. So we over spent a little at a time when we had the cap space. Landry came and we grew as a team.

We finally got our Franchise QB... We have a foundation of a great offense and when the time comes you can get off your laughing ass and understand that there is a time for everything. As long as the owner has the money and we got the cap space I don't care what we give. The time and place to invest more is not now if you had a concept of football you would understand this. There will come a time when we will have to make $$$ room due to the cap we know where we can go to get that space. That is the time to draft more. We got Higgins, Hodge, People-Jones and now Schwartz...as noted to those who KNOW football you don't nee that super star WR to have a good Offense well you don't have to invest high in getting one but there will come a time when we will draft a WR high in the draft and probably let loose of one of our 15Million dollar men. Landry might work with us in price.


There are 12-15 solid WRs coming out in most drafts. No need to panic. WRs is also a position that one who wishes to win a SB will sacrifice $$$ for that ring. We are getting there.
So your snide lmao of a team spending 15 mil each on Landry and OBJ is a mistake by our GM well he is carrying on the decision made by another but we can afford it as we have the space. Where have we had to give something up (Sheldon maybe) cause of cap space???

Not a WR of course. Schwartz can be a stud or a one trick pony. We will see again I think it is a prime example where if you do your homework you can get a stud anywhere in the draft for a WR. But our day will soon come where we will have to invest high in the draft for a stud WR.

Don't forget our use of TE and RB that can over come the need of 4 or 5 WR with game.

So you can stop laughing and once again join Throw and learn some football!

I'll keep that in mind. I could always learn some football.

After your post I read the thread title. I thought it was a WR thread that someone accidentally mentioned JOK in.

First thought is he will be used in coverage, but this makes me think he was brought in to boost the run defense.
Similar to Clowney,
First thought is Jadeveon Clowney is a pass rusher but further look makes me think he was also brought in to boost the run defense.
Similar to Tony Fields II. First thought is he is a coverage player, but a further look makes me think he also was brought in to boost the run defense.

I'm hoping what he becomes is a defensive problem solver. If it is TE coverage against Mark Andrews or containment against Jackson. If it is gap filing against Mixon or pass rushing against Ben. Whatever is needed week-by-week to take away something the opposing offense relies on. Ideally, the defense beocmes good enough to make these adjustments series-by-series.

Move him around the defense to solve these problems.

I hope he becomes the problem offenses have to try to solve; I want to move from solving problems from other teams and shift to continually causing THEM problems.

Good point. This defense has the potential to dictate to opposing offenses. That might not happen early though. If they become that dominant by the last quarter of the season that will position us for a deep playoff run.

I would be hesitant to expect to much from JOK this season as he is still just a rookie. I can see the moving him around and letting him palomalu in a year or two bit that would be too much to ask of him this year.

Depending on the amount of time he spends on defense, he also seems like a dude that would be good to have on kick/punt coverages.

Word is already coming in (see Anthony Walker)about the freakish nature of JOK's skills.

Once Camp begins and the reports start coming in on practices. JOK will be headlines.

It may take some time for Woods to really get the feel for how and where he is best suited.

From his ND tape you can see how he was used there.

Will Woods use him the same way? That remains to be seen.

At Will I see him used as a zone defender against the pass. A read and react on RPO's. And finally as a zone blitz guy.

He may peel and play flat zone coverage and blitz off that.

X factor role for him is to make the defense try and read his role. When you hear a center call a Mike number it signals blocking scheme.

JOK at Will can be a problem for offenses. Because he could be run support, pass coverage (both zone and man), or blitzer.

He will be used because of his speed and his reaction time once reading a play.

By week 12 he will be weaponized.

When you say "Palomalu" to me it implies freelancing. I think he will be asked to perform multiple assignments but do so within the structure of the defense. Remember, this is what is appealing about a player with his abilities. We didn't trade up for him just to wait to exploit his skills 2 or 3 seasons down the road. I think they will bring him along at a pace where he can absorb the scheme and he is confident on the field. Of course, this won't be without adversity but if Baker an learn on the job I expect JOK can too.

When I say palomalu I do mean freelancing. That was an impression that I inferred from the posts of others.

I would also like to see him learn 1 job really well then add stuff on.

Just remember, Polamalu was pretty unimpressive his first season. He didn't fully become him until year 2 and 3.

I think this year will be a LOT of structure and rigidly following the scheme and calls until Woods & Co start to see him not only have a firm command of things, but also show good instincts in the little bits of freelancing he may be permitted to do. They aren't just going to allow him to do it simply because he's athletic; he still has a job to do.

That was the point I was trying to make. Thanks for reiterating it much more clearly than I did.

Remember Jabril Peppers rookie year the joke was he lined up so deep he was in another city.

Now, I'm not saying he could do this as a linebacker, but, with everything else that exists on this defense,

If they put him there, ( If they put JOK at deepest safety), I like how it frees up everybody else on the defense.

Among you, Jester, and I the three of us are closer to each other on this point than first appearances might suggest. Meaning he will be tasked with multiple assignments as any LB would be based on down and distance, opponent tendencies, etc. So he will likely cover TEs and fill/spill on outside runs, and zone blitz if called on to do so. I also think he'll be involved in some disguised coverages from the LB position, emphasis on the LB position. I suspect these will all be defined within the scheme and he'll have clear assignments. Then as he develops the way he is used will expand.

The idea has just popped into my head (shout out, to TL, lol) that we fans might be expecting too much from him immediately and as a result, could be setting ourselves up to be disappointed if his production doesn't meet up with those expectations. The difference between a rookie Polomalu and JOK is that I don't recall Troy coming into the league with the same jack-of-all-trades expectations.

I agree. Some seem to think he is some sort of superman. The reality is he is a mid 2nd round pick. Emmanuel Ogbah was picked higher.

Pre-judging JOK and how the DC uses him will depend on JOK's on-the -field performances in practice and pre-season games.

I won't short change the guy but I sure won't be giving him props that he has not earned on the football field.

Also, what round or where a player is drafted in should have little bearing on the actual talent level of that player. JOK was a 1st round talent who fell to the second round due to rumored health concerns. JOK is still a 1st round talent unless those health concerns prove to be legit and affect his play on the field.

JOK's talent level will remain as a 1st rounder until something occurs to change his talent perception.

Don't get me wrong. I am not trying to short change the kid. I am thrilled we selected him.

I am just not expecting the next LT out there.

Yup.
Besides that, the draft is done an over with, and with that goes the accolades for anything unproven.

Now, he's just another guy that needs to prove his worth. We've invested highly in him, so he'll be given every opportunity and then some, and while his roster spot is absolutely guaranteed, he still has to earn his playing time and prove he doesn't need to learn from the bench. He's just another "Nobody with Potential" until he proves otherwise.

j/c...

I think the beauty of the pick JOK is that he is perfect in design for a player key into our defense.

Forget comparisons to Palu and others. Fact is he is going to be utilized in our defense as a LB who can blitz, cover and play the run sideline to sideline.

And we got the perfect LB to be along side of him in Anthony Walker who is only 25. These two can be roaming that middle for us for years. Forcing teams to go outside as we take away the vertical middle and we got an attack defense.

Great vertical leap and long arms will make JOK special. Him and Walker will be the answer to Lamar Jackson This league is about having perfect pieces of the puzzle. And that is exactly what we got in JOK.

jmho

The whole concept behind Wood's defense is. Play in space.

The Base 4-2-5 and options off that including 4-1-6.

You must have the right personnel.

The safety's have to be dual. They have to cover and tackle well.

The linebackers have to be able to play in space.

They have to be able to play some zone and gap fill in run support.

This is where JOK fits. He can handle any responsibility and shut down a huge area. Plus blitz.

His strongest attribute is read RPO's which for the most part are run to the right. He has that ability cut in front of the OL block and take a quick angle to the runner. If the qb keeps. You are not going to get around him.

The one thing he does that he will have to tone down is gamble on the big hit. You can't miss tackles because you are trying to splatter a guy.

In the end JJ III and JOK will be huge.

Delpit and Harrison will IMO be more like SS.

This is my point about personnel is these guys must all be diverse in skills.

That is why continuity is so important. Get the guys who fit the scheme.

Of course we can't assume young players can translate the skills they demonstrated in college to the NFL. Some do, others don't, and many take a few years to figure it out. The O-Linemen that JOK skirted so easily in college are mostly not in the NFL. The guys who are in the NFL are not so easily out played.

Don't get me wrong, I love that JOK is a Brown, and want to see our young players all stud out. The odds are against all of them doing so are pretty high though. And odds are also very high that the learning curve isn't smooth and friendly.

It is a learning curve for all. No doubt.

You can't assume success. In this case it is about scheme. He is not traditional in stature for the position.

It is part of the reason he dropped. If they didn't envision a role for him. I don't think they would have drafted him. The first "talk" was about how they were drawing up plays for him.

A player can be used wrong. It happens.

I like his chances because IMO he is good fit for what Wood has described as his defense.

I agree.

Funny. It sounds like a classic description of a system player. A player so many around here seem to dismiss.

Listening to Joe Wood's press conference today.

Sounds like JOK is already making an impression.

I have been a part of some high level baseball camps.

You can see players flash early. Some guys just move different. As camp unfolds and more an more exposure happens. Comments will come out from coaches and other players.

Real talent stands out. I am sure that JOK will attrack attention.

What I like on D is the veteran leadership even though some of those leaders are young in age but have the experience to be leaders.

Up the middle as over the years many dawgs have noted as important in the D.
veteran leadership:
DB JJ 3
LB Walker
DT Malik

I think Newsome and Ward provide good leadership even though Newsome is just a rookie.

Then of course we got Garrett and Javon.

I think we have team speed on D and all are eager to hit.

Shame we are probably facing the best Offense out there in Game #1 but its a good test.

jmho

Next step real Camp. So, until camp opens not much if anything will happen.

From today's press conferences the thing that stood out was. Staff and scheme continuity.

What some other teams like the Steelers and Ravens have. We have not had. So, this off season and upcoming camp will be way different.

IMO so much was learned last year that will help this year. Same language and building upon instead of learning anew.

Some good in teaching methods may have come from zoom last year as well. In the end I believe it will show up in how we begin this season.

I am glad we have the Chiefs first. It will be a huge incentive to the team to start strong.

The vibe coming from all parties inside the Browns is work and prepare to win.

I love the attitude of high expectations but knowing only work will produce results.

Camp is not far off. I will be notching the days.

You sound ready for some football, Bonefish! I am ready as well. Camp is better than most sports summer. I am eager for the Browns to bring some pain and get some wins.

Pretty sure we all are