It might seem early (or late) for the draft but this is important:

Trade up to 10 and take him!

We certainly need to address this area whether it’s the draft or FA

He is good. Smmes he will probably get drafted high for a punter....maybe round 5. We would probably have to go round 4, which we probably won't do.

The RB for Oklahoma State, Warren, reminds me of Chubb....speed, vision, and breaks tackles!

Maybe not too early?

Any QBs going to be good enough to take mid first round?

Maybe that Corrall dude from Ole Miss? Seems to be a QB that interests me

We gotta get this guy.

We might have to trade up to get him

The Browns draft to biggest team weakness. And As they can't ever keep a roster togetether, for the 27th straight year at least, they will draft a CB, or Db in the first round.

2021 is showing. The Browns can't compete unless then can find a tandem of Qb and WR that can march the whole field on two, or 3 passes, to reach field goal range, maybe 4 to get to the touchdown.

But This constant! NON SENSE of 27 plays to cross the field, or,
One breakaway that goes the distance,

Ain't never going to be reliable enough to win 3 post season games.

you can see it. you can see it all over the NFL. Week after week, team after team, it's widespread. there is widespread evidence.

Until then they are just changing the paint color on a race car, no benefit.

I knew about Matt Araiza before it was cool.

Read about him in the Athletic. Pretty amazing leg. Thought this was crazy, talking about his 81 yarder...







Just curious as to your opinion on the following, cfrs. Let's say he keeps it up for another season (he's a JR), and there's plenty of evidence that he could be one of the best ever... What is the highest you would draft a punter?

Dude will probably come out after this season, it's hard to imagine improving your draft stock as a punter with all the buzz he's been getting.

Don't know about this guy, but Ray Guy was a 1st round pick. The thing about having a Punter like this guy is that he basically flips the field from anywhere on the field. Jim Tressel always said a punter was the most important weapon a coach had, and in this case he might be right.

But, but, but.... analytics say "don't punt". Punts are at an all time low. Teams regularly go for it on 4th on their own side of the field. Hell, sometimes even within their own 25 yard line.

No doubt he's "first round talent", but I have a hard time seeing him go higher than the fourth, mostly because of the narrative driving the league right now.

I’d take him with a third round pick.

j/c...

Dane Brugler Mock Draft 1.0

15. Cleveland Browns — David Ojabo, edge, Michigan*

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see a wide receiver like Treylon Burks or Chris Olave here, but Ojabo might be too enticing to pass up for Cleveland. The Nigerian and Scotland native is remarkably disruptive for a player who is still a football novice. Ideally, the organization would like to bring back Jadeveon Clowney, which would give Ojabo a chance to be a sub-package rusher as a rookie as he realizes his sky-high potential.

Be still, my heart.

It would certainly surprise me to see this FO select a WR in the first round. I think they would be more inclined to sign mid level veterans in the FA market or later round picks at WR than a first round pick at the position.

I like Chris Olave. Great route runner and good hands. Fits the scheme well. Has ability to get deep.

I also like Alabama Junior LB a lot Will Anderson. He is the type linebacker that this defense needs to get nasty.

An immediate need has either gotten the FA or FA/draft combo treatment (especially depending on how the draft shakes out).

Depending on which is the root cause of our woes on offense, I think we should see a significant change in WR or QB. If Jarvis is on the outs, then you're going to need at least a legit FA WR on the way in and probably at least a depth WR pick. At QB, depending on where your blame-finger is pointing, you are either looking at an upgrade to Baker or are questioning how much you're paying your backup QB who you refuse to put in.

So who do we take at pick 6?

Gillian definitely needs to get the hammer !!

Is that too early for the punter?

Bump

Cade York - Round 1

Matt Araiza - Round 2

He could be the best punter since Ray Guy.

That's a big leg, but how well does he control it?

Can he control it, while under pressure and being rushed, approximately the way a golfer can control the distance on a wedge shot?

If we're punting from the 50, we need him to be able to hit it 45 with enough hang for our guys to get there and down it before it hits the endzone.

As for the Draft.... a LOT depends on what we end up doing in free agency, of course, but we will have a large number of holes to fill, and I think the biggest and most important are Right Tackle and Wide Receiver.... and then Wide Receiver, again.

Njoku may be gone, so we may need a TE, too.

In free agency, we have some big questions to answer at DE and DT. I'd like to see us extend Clowney for three years, and the same for Malik McDowell.
I'm hoping we extend Takk to throw him a bone, but we still need to fill his shoes; that's potentially two higher-end DE's we need.

Fortunately for us, picking in the middle to lower-half of the round as we are likely to be, a lot of our needs are kinda the prime positions in those areas.

We'll find out three things when it comes to the WR position.

1. Does the FO and coaching staff believe we are in as bad of shape at the position as most of the fans do?

2. Does this FO and coaching staff believe in investing heavily in the WR position at all?

3. Will Landry be returning for another season?

Like the next episode of SOAP, we'll learn that, and a lot more.

I almost forgot that show ever existed. DAMN YOU!

You're welcome.

I'm sure our coaching staff has strong opinions on whether our WRs are good enough, are getting open, and Baker just isn't getting them the ball.. or if they are not getting open and are dropping an unacceptable number of balls.

I do not believe they will invest heavily in a WR, thought tie points 2 and 3 together, if they let Landry go, they almost have to make a big push for a WR, either in the draft or in FA... right? We can't go into next season with DPJ, Higgins, Schwartz and JoJo Natson... can we? please tell me we can't do that.

I like Kenny Pickett.

I think that relies heavily on what you consider a splash to be. I certainly think they will address the position. But I have no idea how far they'll go to address it. Some people think the biggest problem is not having a deep threat. So we could see WR's that most would consider mid tier that address certain aspects of our passing game. There are several WR's that fit such a description. The Adam Thielen's, Courtland Sutton's, and even the Kendrick Bourne's of the NFL. Not what most would consider #1 WR's but well into the upper half of WR's. It wouldn't break the bank to sign this type of WR but it would certainly be an upgrade.

When it comes to the big names, big money guys I'm not too sure.

He controls it well. He also does kickoffs and is the placekicker.

My son brought him to my attention maybe in mid-October. A weapon no doubt.

He will get selected high for a punter. How high is the question?

My feeling is he doesn't fit all that high on any BPA list just due to the position he plays, and even looking at need he wouldn't be all that high on our list. All of our lists would be different but I think most everybody would have 3-4-5 positions ranked higher.

Next year is a good QB year. I could see the punter come in to play as I think we will be in tradeback mode this year to gain picks for next year. We might select him in one of those trade backs. I mention the QB's because I am not sure if we elect to move forward with Baker after next year and will want extra picks to hedge our bet if we do elect to move on.

As for this year, I think a WR, DT, and another LB will be high on the list of targets depending on how the board starts to fall.

So is it possible to be the punter and placekicker in today's NFL? Probably not, hasn't happened in like 40 years. I feel like there have been a few teams "splitting duty" at kicker with someone different designated to kick the long FGs. At the end of the day, no real added value there.

I think we spoke about this "Guy" (pun intended lol) before, I don't see him going higher than the 4th round... one reason being all the geeks that devalue punting and think you should go for it on every 4th down.

He’s definitely not a place kicker in the NFL but he can do kickoffs.

I’d realistically take him in the fourth round.

Me too. In a heartbeat. This last year we burnt a 3rd round pick on a sprinter with about two drops of #realfootballplayer in his DNA. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. This guy is worth the gamble.

I'd spend a 4th on him. After a trade down.

Guys, I am not clamoring for it, but I have a feeling we will be QB shopping come the 2023 draft. I hope we collect a few extra picks.

I'd accept it if we were, but damn I hate to even think of it because it means we've wasted four more years of just trying to get started, and in the interim, everything we've built will be going away.

Likeliest QB scenarios:

1. Keep Baker until someone better is available
2. Keep Baker long term
3. Draft a QB

I don't think anyone wants that outcome. The positive to all of this is we have Baker under contract next year and we'll see a healthy Baker returning. I'm sure we're all hoping for the best.

Oh, there are definitely those around here that are hoping for it.

You may be right but for the life of me I can't think of how that would make any logical sense.

Maybe, maybe not. If it is a QB that is a better fit to the Stefanski system, then we are only behind a year...(while the new guy grows).

Look how it is going to change just next year. OBJ gone. Landry soon to be. On D...who knows how much that will change?

I know I am. I am just beginning to think that there is some sort of disconnect between the two on how a O should operate. Again, I am not saying one is wrong and the other right, or predicting this will happen.

Just a feeling for what it's worth.

If Ski stays the OC this next season , and I where Baker ; I would tell my agent to get me the heck out of Cleveland.

No Kickers or Punters in the draft.

--------

What are the Browns expecting to improve with the draft that they didn't already have in 2021.

Get the agent on the phone.

So are saying we are on opposite sides of a coin ? lol

When you are a below average QB you don’t get to make demands.

You don't have to sign a new contract either. When I say " opposite sides of the coin " I mean Baker .. We just disagree .. I think Bakers problem is Stefanski!

I hate the fact Stefnaski threw three int's yesterday when he let "Baker be Baker".

There are open receivers. The QB isn’t finding them. I don’t see how that is Stefanski’s fault.

I’m hoping we find a way to keep Jarvis. One of our goals as an organization should be to get him into HOF consideration. He’s been a great leader and consistent contributor when healthy. Can’t lose guys like him. I think the Haslam’s should request feedback from guys like Jarvis and other vets like Myles, Bitonio, Conklin, etc. as to how we can upgrade the team heading into next year. Maybe a stud linebacker in round 1 and the best wide receiver available in round 2.

Buckeye fans - thoughts on Garret Wilson or Olave? Worth it?

Landry HOF consideration? Sorry, I can't see how that is even close to being possible.

Certainly not before Gary Collins.

Olave is a great route runner with a really good football IQ. Good separation, good hands, great quickness. I don't know what he'll run, but I'll guess low 4.4s. I can see him outside or inside. He'd be a great addition to the team.

Wilson I think is more of a slot guy than an outside guy, but it doesn't mean he can't play outside. Good route runner, but not as good as Olave. IIRC he was prone to drops, though I didn't see that much this year. Incredible release and once he has the ball in his hands, he's deadly. Good separation, decent to good hands, very goo quickness. I suspect he'll run similar to Olave, maybe mid 4.4s, but again, he's quick as heck. I view him as more of a twitch guy.

I think if we keep Landry (please!), Olave is the better fit. If we get rid of Landry, I think either would be a good fit.

I like the former Buckeye Jameson Williams too - more of a sheer speed threat. And also George Pickens - bigger (and not as fast) guy in round 2 or 3, but another good route runner.


I've said this before, but the guy I want is Nakobe Dean (LB). He's another JOK in my opinion. If we're able to re-sign Clowney, McDowell, and Harrison - he could be the guy that takes a good D to great D (despite Joe Woods).

Why not? If you look at his numbers, he's about 60% of Hines Ward across the board (years, catches, yards, TDs) and already has more Pro Bowls. No championships clearly, but I'm not sure if that matters. Ward is a semi-finalist for the 2022 class, that's why I bring him up. Clearly Jarvis has a lot of work to do, but it feels possible if he stays healthy

He's got a decent shot if he can remain healthy, if he just averages 70 receptions a year for the next 4 years that puts him top 20 all-time, ahead of Art Monk and Andre Reed and right behind Randy Moss.

This morning for the first time I looked at a mock draft.

Knowing that the draft will be a topic for four months. I just wanted to see names, positions, and who would be around approximately when we would pick.

I don't watch much college ball. But I do get into the draft.

After watching Huntley with the Ravens and of course Lamar. You can see why running quarterbacks could become a trend. I don't know if I am there -yet?

There are pros and cons. But I don't think you can generalize. You have to evaluate the individual.

I saw a name Malik Willis mocked at 5 and 28. I thought that was odd so not knowing who he was I looked at his highlight tape and read a scounting report.
He is 6'1" 225lbs and was clocked at 4.37.

He reminded me of RGIII a little.

I was just curious. I am not saying draft a qb in the first.

This guy can run. And nothing wrong with his arm. I don't know about his head or much else. When I read the scounting report. He presents a challenge to evaluate. Weird that he played high school ball in Roswell, Ga. which is where I live.

This young man will get drafted and be one of those guys who can run like crazy.

Over the next four months I am sure he will be under the microscope. So the warts will show. The Ravens in a way have cracked the door open for these types of players. Meaning they built an offense around that skill set.

Every time I think about drafting a quarterback I kinda feel ill. I don't even want to think about it. The thought of going back to watching a quarterback with training wheels on is far from where I want to be. I want to win now. I don't want to develop any more.

I think KS and Berry are simply looking for a QB that can read the field and deliver the ball on time.

I don't think anything is simple when it comes to playing quarterback.

In fact there are are only a handful of teams who are truly set at quarterback.

The questions are close to never ending. The Bucs have Brady. They decided why not? Knowing he may play only a season or two.

Rodgers next year could be in a like type position. Although IMO he will stay put.

What will happen with Wilson? Why pay Lamar $35 when you could pay Huntley $3?

The Browns have to have some serious discussions because there is a "good Baker" and a "bad Baker."

They have not been a team to draft receivers high. They place heavy emphasis on certain positions.

The 2022 draft for the Browns will be interesting to say the least. It will challenge their previous patterns because the team is in a uncertain place.

I'm just saying that our offense runs through Chubb. I doubt we're not looking for any sort of exotic running QB (especially because they tend to not work so well on the precision passing part), and I don't think the offense really calls for a Patrick Mahomes creative gunslinger type. Arm strength helps a little, but it seems their ideal quarterback is one that's a little more boring than Mahomes or Baker. They'd trade the big plays for reliably hitting completions.

IMO the days of long term qb deals will come to an end.

Unless you have someone special. The guys like Cousins, Carr and others will be shorter deals. The Browns don't have to decide on Baker. They are in a "wait" mode which I agree with.

They would like a young DE to go with Myles. Even if they sign Clowney because you need depth and you want someone there developing.

The Conklin injury is serious. The depth is poor at tackle. So, that will be a position I think they will look at.

For the most part the Browns should be a BPA team.

I do believe something will happen at receiver. They are not going to pay Jarvis $14. He will have to make a team friendly deal or he will be gone.

Higgins will not be back. So, the cubbard is bare with DPJ and Schwartz. I would expect a free agent signing maybe two and a draft pick.

While I agree with you about how this FO should be a "BPA team" in t5he draft, you mentioned something else in your post that I think has a major component on determining who that player will be. And that's what positions they find as a rare commodity. I think at least in this years draft they wouldn't consider a QB or a WR a value in the first round because first they don't feel there is a need.

My dad used to explain it to me this way even though it was not about football. Yet I think it still applies. "Just because something is on sale doesn't mean it's a good deal. Something on sale is only a good deal if you need it and feel you have a good use for it."

Now I can't say for sure but I think this FO believes more in a WR who can run good routes. The entire "separation" issue I think is widely overblown. The NFL window is much smaller than in college because the players are so much better. In the NFL if you have a half step, a step or position on the defender in the NFL, you are considered open. For someone to be "wide open" means the defender blew their coverage in most cases. That is done with quick footwork and crisp route running. I don't believe they consider it necessary to make a first round investment to find that.

How much a FO values a position in part helps them decide who and what position BPA is to a large degree IMO. I think that's why last year serves as a good example to their approach in the draft. They targeted good players but they tended to be positions of needs in areas they wanted to address well before the draft even took place. Until I see a change in direction from them that's the way I tend to think they'll approach it this year as well.

The draft in general is where analytics comes into play.

It is a combination of "premium" positions and salary structure.

This season like last brings covid and injury into play. It can not be ignored. That is why spending massive amounts on long term deals really has to analyzed.

I am beginning to believe that chasing a quarterback is like hunting Moby Dick.

You maybe better served building a defense and roster depth because by this time of year it seems to boil down to available players.

I am coming around to the idea of find a quarterback you can win with and have roster strength rather finding Moby Dick.

I'm still hoping we've already found a QB we can win with. But I certainly understand the point you're making. And actually I think that seems to be the pattern they've been trying to follow in the draft as it pertains to addressing the defense and a combination of drafting and signing OT's. I think we both know that nobody bats 1000 in the draft but the pattern they've established in the positions and FA signings they've made certainly seems to indicate that's what they're attempting to do.

There's only one catch however. Nobody could have predicted that Chris Hubbard would go down. As far as a utility OL player that's third on your depth chart at OT, I think we were pretty well set up. I know fans aren't happy about our OT situation as it stands, but with the salary cap being what it is I think it's only realistic to understand you can only spend so much on players when you get to fourth and fifth on the depth chart at any position. That said I certainly agree with those who feel we should have looked very hard at getting another OT before the trade deadline passed. I also don't know that they didn't and that the cost was too steep or they couldn't find a willing trading partner. I doubt any of us will ever know.

Until we know the draft order it is fruitless to try to even speculate on a pick.

Gabe Brkic is a field goal kicker from Chardon, Ohio. Big leg kicker who was a finalist for the Lou Groza award at Oklahoma.

Hard to guess when a field goal kicker would get drafted but I would say round five.

I want a long term solution. I am tired of praying for our kicker to make an xtra point.

So…

We drafted Zane Gonzalez. He won all the awards the year he came out.

That didn't work, or we gave up too soon.

McLaughlin is not one to put much faith in.

We need a good reliable kicker. They can win close games.

I have no clue who else will be in the draft but we need to find a good kicker.

No worries. I wasn't defending McLaughlin or saying we shouldn't draft one. I was only pointing out we drafted one considered the best in the class a few years back. Last year I wanted McPhearson who is now with Cincy. I was familiar with him since he kicked for the Gators. He's had a great season for the Bengals.

I know SEC best since i watch most games I can on television.

Both Cade York of LSU and Will Reichard of Bama are pretty much money. I'd take either one.

The Entire Organaization isn't asking enough...
Look, draft, Tommy Togiai is not a bad player, was a good player, may be a good player,
is not a bad player, BUT!
IT WAS A HORRIBLE DECISION TO DRAFT HIM edit! I wasn't finished

because how hard is it to find a big guy who can hit, all the UDFAs like Day and others

the team needs to draft 8 wide receivers every year until they can get a passing game because as we all see
nothing else matters!

How is the Draft going to help the Browns in any way. Because this next statement is mostly if not completely true.

Man for Man the Browns in 2021 are Twice as talented as the Tennessee titans and those losers, (because of their division,) are about to get the first round bye.
So it's not Talent acquisition! It's the 2 minute offense.

j/c...

With draft season officially here, PFF has released their first mock draft:

13. CLEVELAND BROWNS: WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State Buckeyes

Wilson is a route-running savant. He’s sudden and fluid, and he ranked in the 93rd percentile in separation percentage against single coverage for the 2021 season. The 6-foot, 192-pound receiver played primarily in the slot in 2020 before transitioning to the outside for 2021, yet he still managed to average more than 3.00 yards per route run each year.

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2022...broncos-quarterback-matt-corral-ole-miss

sounds good to me.
We need at least two big-producing additions at WR. We also need a Right Tackle *and* a Swing Tackle. We also need to load up some more developmental OL. We need DT, LB, too.

AND, we need to replace all of the guys we have on 1-year deals, which is like half the defense.


Next year's Browns will either take a big leap forward, or we will sink back into the abyss. What Berry does over the next 10-12 weeks will decide that.

With as many guys as we have on one year deals the roster turnover in terms of starters next year is going to be crazy.

That would be a solid choice. I guess the only receiver I would say I like more is Traylon Burks, Arkansas.

If we're considering OSU WRs, I might prefer Olave, based on what I've read about his dedication to the craft of being a good route runner, plus he's a bit taller than Wilson (6-1 vs 6-0) and a little faster (4.38 vs Wilson's 4.5). Smith-Njigba and Marvin Harrison Jr (who's 6-3) are pretty intriguing too, but they're only freshmen.

I watch and follow the Buckeyes almost as much as I do the Browns and I love both WR's but if I had a choice I would take Wilson because he is more explosive runs great routes just a little bit more than Olave but if it wa Olave I would be ok too ...

My draft wish list depends on what we do in free agency ....

Address the WR position in free agency then I want Devin Lloyd the LB from Utah in the 1st round.

I love the idea of sticking him next to JOK and letting those two wreak havoc on opposing offenses together.

If we DO NOT address the WR position via free agency then I definitely want a WR in the 1st round.

I'm good with either Olave or Wilson.

Depending on who falls in the draft, I wouldn't necessarily mind double dipping at WR in the first TWO rounds.

We're THAT weak at the position .... especially with Landry and Higgins both likely to be gone.

(Though I hope we bring Landry back, just on a cheaper deal).

If the season ended today, we're picking 13th. That is PRIME territory to get our RT for the next decade***.
Yes, I want a WR, too, but we have seen that we need a RT a lot more. I think we sign one in free agency, but doubling down allows whichever one isn't the starter to be the Swing Tackle. A WR taken at the top of Round 2 will still be plenty good. Just look at our very own Four Deuces.




*** If there is someone worthy sitting there, grab a natural LT and then play with flipping Wills back to RT.

Are you cutting Conklin or thinking he’s not going to be ready to play after this injury

Evan Neal, Alabama, might be your guy, Prpl. He likely won't make it out of the top 10, but you never know....

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/jack-conklin-18956/

His deal is effectively done AND I don't think he will be healthy and ready in time to warrant him staying. A $6 million cap savings for releasing a guy that that tore a patellar tendon is pretty solid. That jumps to $12 million if it is a Post June 1 release.
In short, unless that tendon repair recovers more on the 6-month side and not so much on the 12-month side of the average recovery window, I just don't see us keeping him.
At best, because we can't cut an injured player without an injury settlement, I'd expect that he is here through the summer. Maybe even through camp.... but, if we're getting through mini-camps, or even training camp, and he has returned but isn't quite right, there is no way he ends up staying here. You cannot count on him being here, OR being the player he has been.

I believe the injury settlement has to happen if the injury happens in that league year.

I’d expect us to keep Conklin.

I think we need look at the makeup of our lineman group. The injuries this year were crazy, but we quickly found ourselves without any viable tackles really quickly. I think it shows how much we relied on Hubbard, and went he went down, then we were just praying for no additional injuries there (which obviously didn't happen).

I don’t think many teams anticipate being on their third tackle for much of the season.

Yeah... it just feels like once Hubbard went down we were totally screwed at tackle.... yet we have guards for days.

Or maybe we should gone out and got someone (like we did with Hance last year).

That sounds great in theory. That would first mean that you found someone that a team was willing to deal. I think seeing how high OT's are drafted and some of the money the position commands gives us an indication that just going out and finding one may not be as easy as it sounds.

I wouldn't expect them to swing a trade for a starter, but scour squads for a backup tackle.

It's all hindsight, which sucks, but you're telling me they couldn't sign someone off the street that could've turned in a better performance than Hudson in that last game? Especially since they were going to leave him on an island.

I'm saying it would be hard for me to believe that they could "sign someone off the streets", yes. Every NFL team in the league has depth charts. Each team has fourth and fifth option at the OT position. Once you get that far into your depth chart, the talent is not good and I don't believe NFL teams would want to weaken their depth at the OT position. So yes, if a player is on the street that can't make it to the fourth or fifth position on any one of 32 NFL depth charts, I doubt that anyone could consider them an upgrade.

Leaving him on an island is a different topic all together. There was certainly no excuse for that.

I don't know my friend. I think sometimes you have to go with what you have.

We drafted the guy in the 4th round. Maybe around pick 115? Hudson had been with us all season in the system. I don't see a whole lot of value in plucking someone off a PS late in the season or how that would have done much good. We also have to consider we have our own PS. I would assume we have a O-lineman or two stuck there.

I think it was just his time up.

I fully admit the team might not feel as good about the guy today as they did the day they drafted him. A lot of 4th round picks end up in that boat.

I think we will be looking at WR DT RT C and LB in FA and the same positions in the draft but I Believe WR regardless of FA will be our first pick In the draft … just some early thoughts

Do we look at TE?

Hooper is paaid a lot and has underperformed.
Njoku is a FA and may not want to stay here and/or may ask for a lot of money.

TE in this draft is deep.
Draft a guy like Jalen Wyndermyer Texas A&M in the 2nd of Sam Laporta Iowa in the 3rd or 4th
Pair them with Bryant then resign Carlson or go with Forristall

I think that would save us a lot of salary cap space and actually be a talent upgrade

TE is another possibility…

One of the main uses of analytics is the draft.

Numbers used in analytics point toward the impact of position priority.

Pass rushers are a premium position. So, what happens with Clowney and Takk's injury will mean alot come draft day.

Takk was playing well with good effort. He tore his achilles. His return given he was on a one year deal will be monitored closely. The med staff will have to say grace over if he can recover.

Clowney was outstanding. Very disruptive player who excels against the rush. Myles is on him to come back. The Browns will no doubt make him a good offer. But Myles hinted at he might want to play in warmer weather. We don't control his return. He does.

The third rated DE in the draft is George Karlaftis from Purdue. He should be there around where we pick. So he will be scouted hard.

We may go with a receiver in the first "if" someone is there when we pick that Berry falls all over. That would mean the guy is rated really high because a receiver in the first is not a analytics pick.

My guess is we go after free agents or maybe a trade for receivers. If I were Berry I would be looking to trade Hooper. He is not worth the money he is getting. He is a decent blocker. He does not have good hands. And he is terrible in run after catch.

I could see a BPA receiver in the second or third if it goes down that way.

I just think that when we were starting guards at tackle (emphasis on 'starting' and 'guards') might've been a signal that we needed to find a guy.

I dunno... I hate making hindsight arguments because they're usually unfair. I do like what Hance showed us in some tough situations. I give Hudson a pass because he was a rookie.

I believe we still have Taylor on the roster. Not sure what to think about him never getting time over a guy that doesn't play the position and a rookie.

My problem was that I sat back in my easy chair after our 11-5 season .. This season brought me back to reality , the Browns, Browning ! Now I am back
into challenge , question , squint at all aspects of their decisions . Starting with Berry and working my down through the ranks to Callahan. It has been beat to death , but one decision will haunt me all off season. Hudson one on one with Watt.

We pick 13th. The perfect spot to take the punter. If we picked earlier it would be too early.

Trade up for Cade York or cancel the 2022 season.

All the teams you will see in the playoffs will have offenses that can impose their will
they will have offense that can throw the ball down the field,
and they will have offenses that can score points quickly.

I don't think in any way, that trying to find a Right tackle for the next decade is going to help the Browns in that category of developing a quick strike, 2 minute, down field offense.

If the Browns are going to play, 2 yard screen pass offense!
then they will Never get back to the playoffs.

Where the Browns pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft
Updated: Jan. 09, 2022, 8:50 p.m. | Published: Jan. 09, 2022, 8:49 p.m.
John Kuntz, cleveland.com



By Scott Patsko, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns began Sunday with a chance to move as high as seventh and as low as 16th in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In the end, they didn’t move at all.

The Browns will pick 13th in the first round of this year’s draft, which will begin April 28 in Las Vegas. The Browns began Sunday in the 13th spot and didn’t move despite their 21-16 win against the Bengals.

The Browns last picked 13th in the first round in 2014, when they selected linebacker/edge Kamerion Wimbley out of Florida State. The team’s best pick at No. 13 has been Texas running back Eric Metcalf in 2002.


Here’s a look at the first round for non-playoff teams:

1. Jacksonville.

2. Detroit.

3. Houston.

4. N.Y. Jets.

5. N.Y. Giants.

6. Carolina.

7. N.Y. Giants (from trade with Chicago).

8. Atlanta.

9. Denver.

10. N.Y. Jets (from trade with Seattle).

11. Washington.

12. Minnesota.

13. BROWNS.

14. Baltimore.

15. Philadelphia (from trade with Miami)

16. Philadelphia (from trade with Indianapolis)

Pick 17 and 18 will be decided by the outcome of Sunday night’s game between the LA. Chargers and Las Vegas. New Orleans will have one of the spots. Pittsburgh is also in play for one of the spots.



https://www.cleveland.com/browns/20...e-first-round-of-the-2022-nfl-draft.html

There is no way that Wimbley was 2014 and Metcalf was 2002… Metcalf was around before the move, Wimbley was 2006 ish.

Without looking it up, I thought Metcalf was 89 or 90. I did look up Wimbley and he was pick 13, 2006.

Looks like cleveland.com & the Plain Dealer can't afford to employ copy editors. Pretty sloppy work by Patsko.

picking 13th should garner us a top flight WR. There are between 3-5 of them based on my quick research. There are a couple of CBs who will be drafted high, of course a few QBs and edge guys too … I like our spot

Check out the Browns 5th round pick in this mock draft on Draft Countdown ...

https://www.draftcountdown.com/mock-drafts/2022-7-round-nfl-mock-draft-6-0-round-4-7-shane/

We are in a good position allowing us to go any number of ways.

My hope is we do enough in FA to be able to draft a great player no matter the position. It's obvious we aren't good enough to be selecting for "a" position. We can use good players at 4-5 positions.

Just my initial feeling is we can use a player at the following positions. I base this on feeling players suck, or won't be here next season for one reason or another.

WR
C
RT
DT
DE
LB
K
P

Those would be positions we need to address through FA and or the draft.

I am not even touching the QB dilemma.

I remember a couple years back when you could watch video of draft prospects from this one site. Does it still exist? What site do you all use for reference on the draft? Here's a few of the sites I read during draft season:

https://www.nfl.com/draft/

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/

https://www.drafttek.com/Default.asp

https://www.draftcountdown.com/

I used to read Walterfootball.com, but it just gags my browser, so I ditched it.

Our defense has to get better up the middle: DT, LB especially (granted we re-sign Clowney)

Our offense has to get better on the perimeter: WR is a massive hole (of course, QB is the primary issue if we dont think Baker can)

I could definitely see us allowing Njoku to walk and take the compensatory pick next year in return.
Not only has he not really shown himself to be worthy of a mega-contract, our offensive scheme doesn't really allow for it. We're not predicated on having offensive super weapons, but more on having a ho-hum bunch of JAGs at the skill positions. i.e. we spend a ton of time with 3-TEs out there, but we don't really utilize them, never feature or lean on any specifically, and even when we do use them, they don't do much. ANY Tight End can fill that role. The one thing Njoku has going for him, however, is YAC. Far and away, he had the most of any TE on the roster, and he almost had as much as Landry who had like 16 more receptions (and led the team in catches and YAC). Njoku also led the team in receiving TDs, but that's more a function of being called and getting the opportunity. Hunt had more receptions than Bryant, and Hunt missed half the season.

I thought Harris looked pretty good at center, no?

Do we know Conklin's timetable/availability? I would think, if necessary, we address that later on in FA since we're expecting him back at some point (essentially, finding Hubbard's replacement).

I hope we re-sign Clowney. If not, we have a gaping hole at the position. The problem is, he knows that too. It doesn't take too much reading between the lines to see he wants that green. Even if we get him back, we still need to draft someone to be groomed behind these 2 guys and to replace Takk.

If we are able to retain Njoku, we are still going to need another depth TE (probably more of the blocking variety). If we lose Njoku and ditch Hooper, we will need 2 starter-caliber TEs, so our need at the TE spot is totally up in the air.

Similarly, WR needs depends largely on what we do with Landry (and to a much less degree, Higgins). We need to find a guy that can look like a #1, and we'll need to find a solid-to-very-good possession receiver if Landry is cut. Finding those 2, that can be starters right away, in one off-season is a big ask.

Between WR and TE groups, at least one of those has to be totally solidified to start the year.

!

My 2022 draft to chose from

RD 1 & 2

WR - George Pickens, Georgia, 6’3”, 205, JR, 4.61 sec

WR - Justyn Ross, Clemson, 6’4”, 210, RJR, 4.53 sec

WR - Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State, 6’3”, 207, SR, 4.49 sec

WR - Dahu Green, AR St, 6’4”, 201, SR, 4.51 sec

WR - Alec Pierce, Cincinnati, 6’2”, 213, SR, 4.48 sec

WR - Jahan Dotson, PSU, 5’11”, 184, SR, 4.34 sec

WR - Wan’Dale Robinson, UK, 5’11”, 185, JR, 4.38 sec

RD 3

ILB - Damone Clark, LSU, 6’3”, 245, SR

ILB - Leo Chenal, Wisconsin, 6’2”, 260, JR

ILB - Mike Rose, Iowa State, 6’4”, 245, SR

ILB - Jack Campbell, Iowa, 6’5”, 245, JR

ILB - Quay Walker, Georgia, 6’4”, 240, SR

ILB - Aaron Hansford, Texas A&M, 6’4”, 236, GR

ILB - Nate Landman, Colorado, 6’3”, 235, SR


RD 4

EDGE - Logan Hall, Houston, 6’5”, 260, SR

EDGE - Kingsley Enagbare, South Carolina, 6’4”, 270, SR

When in doubt, take the SEC player.

When in doubt take the younger of the choices.

my personal opinion is that Jameson William is a body catcher and will not be good in the NFL. He never high points the ball and likes to catch the ball around his waist.

If we take a WR in the first, I think Garrett Wilson might be the guy to get.

Hhe likes to catch the ball away from his body and he seems to have that Landry/lunchpail kind of attitude with a 4.43 speed and good size at 6'

My top 2 Wr's are Drake London USC and Treylon Burks Arkansas (in no particular order at this time)


I am torn on the best way for us to go in round 1. I would love a premier receiver but there are a lot of really good receivers in this draft. Starting with Burks Arkansas, London USC and Wilson OSU, followed by Jameson Williams Alabama, Olave OSU, Bell Purdue, Dotson PSU, Metchie Alabama to Ross Clemson and Pickens Georgia. urely one or more will be available when we pick in round 2.

I really Nakobe Dean. I would love to see Dean, Jok, and Delpit all on the field at the same time. Talk about speed on defense. I do wonder if Dean and Jok together would be too small?

At 13 we could get a top DE such as Karlaftis from Purdue. Especially if Clowney doesn't come back.

And we need a DT at some point. Leal from Texas A&M or Davis from Georgia would really bolster our d-line.

Should the Browns bring back Jammie Gillan at punter, off of the bills practice squad.
Two recent punts from the Browns punter were less than 30 yards. I'm not sure the Bills appreciate the Scottish Hammer.

Just because there are two WR's entering the draft from Ohio State, and just because they had a lot of catches, does that mean they will be any good in the NFL?

Idk. I do know the one kid, Wilson catches the ball very well and just seems to just go to work. Not sure about Olave.


Keep in mind... Williams also was from Ohio state. Lol

Kid tore a ligament... maybe ACL... likely MCL...

This is why these kids don't play in the playoffs.

To take a receiver at thirteen I would have to be really high on the guy.

In the NFL corner is a premium position. Receivers are not open like they are in college. A NFL receiver has to be able to high point a ball and win 50/50 balls. Guys that win on separation like Tyreek Hill are rare.

Drake London are the types I like over Olave and Wilson.

If there is a good pass rusher there at 13 that is where I would go.

A receiver drafted to this team really needs to have that 'lunchpail attitude' as someone said earlier. This is not a place for diva "I want all the accolades" receivers. Dude needs to be able to catch, and our O could really use some speed, but right behind those 2 is attitude and work ethic.

Before last night I was in the take a WR camp. After last night I am all in on Nakobe Dean from Georgia if he is available to the Browns at #13. I think he is the type of linebacker and leader on the field that wins Championships. He is a fiery player that not only makes plays all over the field he pushes his teammates to fly around and make plays. His speed and toughness could really take the Browns defense to the next level.

Bunch of nice LB'ers there. One can only hope !

Bama lost 2 elite receivers this year. Metchie and Jamo. They may stay in school and come out in 2023.

There is a decent chance that at 13 only one quarterback would be drafted.

Is it possible that Berry would draft a quarterback with our first pick?

Honestly I don't know the answer.

Berry will never say what he truly believes. He will give stock answers.

So there really is no way of knowing if he would draft a quarterback.

Obviously it would cause a stir.

Jimmy G has handled it well. The 49'ers are in the playoffs because of him.

My gut says he will not draft a qb. But that means nothing.

Between now and the draft I am going to do a deep dive into the top five qb prospects. Just because I don't know what Berry will do.

In the end I think we will draft a pass rusher with the 13th pick.

j/c...

Dane Brugler Mock Draft 2.0

13. Cleveland Browns — Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas

The Browns passing offense desperately needs another playmaker and Burks has the ability to create big plays. He has an outstanding blend of size (6-3, 228) and speed (4.45) with the tracking skills and catch radius to be a quarterback’s best friend. Burks, who led the SEC with 22 plays of 20-plus yards in 2021, reminds me of a linebacker-sized Deebo Samuel.

44. Cleveland Browns — Drake Jackson, edge, USC

I agree, but this the reason Garrett Wilson is the top WR in this draft he catches everything with his hands and high points the ball , I would never pass on Wilson if he is there at #13 ...

While I completely agree WR is a need, I don't see us going there in round 1 (clearly a lot can change in the next 3 months). I've pimped Nakobe Dean before and I think he (or Devin Lloyd) combined with JOK would be a nightmare for offenses to plan for. Lloyd may be the better all around LB, but Dean's speed and ability to process makes up for it. To be open, I saw more Georgia games (4 or 5) than Utah (2) this year so I don't have a fair comparison.

In round 2, I'd like to see Leal if he drops. He didn't play as well this year as well as last year from what I read, but the one A&M game I saw he was hard to miss. Otherwise, there should be a few good WR to pick from (Dotson, Pickens, Moore). Its a little early to be specific but it makes the offseason more fun

I like dean also and if we do not go WR in Rd. 1 he would be a great pick. I also like DT Jordan Davis from Georgia ...

Nevermind. They are both in the 2022 draft.

I agree. I may not say going WR in the 1st would be a mistake.

Evidence shows that #1 receivers don't make much of a impact on ths O.

I also don't think a receiver would meet the criteria of best player available, but that remains to be seen.

While it may meet some need criteria, it isn't the only top need, so I wouldn't place receiver as a singular need. I also think that as you get further in to the draft, it gets easier to find good players v other positions.

One other thing about the O. We are a ball control O. When you have that you need a D to limit TOP for other teams and points scored.

I would lean towards the D with the #1 pick. I also expect us to drop down in the draft. If we do that, then receiver might become a play.

I think that it's our Dline that really makes our defense work (getting pressure with little blitzing as well as handling the majority of the run-stuffing in front of our mediocre LB corps), and I think McDowell was going to be counted on as a significant contributor going forward. I hope, between FA and the draft, we hit DT hard. WR is also a dire need. Too many holes to fill while also planning for a potential need at QB in the next draft.

You have a couple of tackle situations (McDowell on D and Conklin on O ) . Do you get Clowney back under contract ? Are you going into the 2022 season with Jackson and with questionable rotation ) at the other ? As , and others have stated , we have mediocre LB play . You could conceivably need a Starting DE and two Starting DT's .

right now our Starting tackles are Day and Togai .. both starters from this year are FA

Really early to figure out needs since AB could go multiple ways in free agency.

We have 1 more year to see what we have in Baker. I'm still a believer in a healthy Baker, but we HAVE to see it this year. That said, we have to give him the tools to succeed in the passing game. We have an all-star OL and running game, but if everyone is being honest, all our recieving options were subpar this year. We really missed Hunt on 3rd downs.

To properly evaluate Baker in this final year, we have to give him some targets.

My top 2 WR in the draft are London and Wilson. If we go DT, I'd like to see DeMarvin Leal, but I don't know howmy the Browns value DT as a position - we were able to have a pretty good defense this year with subpar play from our DTs. I think EDGE is pretty deep this class, so I'd be inclined to wait until the 2nd or 3rd round this year to draft one. However, if Karlaftis were to somehow fall to us, he would be hard to pass on.

Just my thoughts early in this offseason.

If Baker plays well, do you think he wants to play here any longer? I don't think it is a crazy question.

Where could he go where he can play as inconsistently as he has here and get a pass?

I’m sure he’d be willing to take the Haslam’s money.

Some seem to think it's all about the money. I'm not one of them .. I posted several times this season that I could see the utter discuss in Bakers facr when coming off the field and he had to fight himself on the side lines . My opinion and maybe I'm all wet , but that's what I saw. I am very curious to see who signs here in the off season.

If the Browns do not draft WR in round #1 I like a couple 2 day WR's quite a bit. Justyn Ross Clemson is a 6'4 WR with a large catch radius, physical receiver, and a very good blocker at the edge. Which should work nicely in our run heavy ball control offense. His size and catch radius would help Baker out quite a bit. He should be available in the 2nd round. In the 3rd round Cincinnati Bearcats WR Alec Pierce 6'3 with a very good catch radius. Also a willing blocker which fits our run heavy offense with size and catch radius that would really help Baker out. I would be very happy if the Browns grabbed a Linebacker like Nakobe Dean in round 1 and then went Wide Receiver Ross, and Wide Receiver Pierce in rounds 2 and 3.

I honestly feel getting one of them would be better then investing in a WR with a first round pick. Wrs like to get the ball thrown to them and the scheme Stefanski uses would limit them getting the ball as much as they would like. I can see an unhappy first round WR saying "hey you picked me in the round, I'm a first rounder, why aren't you throwing the ball to me more ? "

So would our offense be more geared towards loading up on solid-if-unspectacular vets FAs?

I think we will have to go DL or an Offensive Tackle in the first . A lot depends on if we are resigning Clowney and the FA period. Take a look at Chad Mamu ( LB. Wyoming ) as a mid round pick.

If an OT is the pick when the draft gets to us, the so be it. Finding our short-term stand-in and eventual replacement for Conklin (or even Hubbard) is still a step forward.

What spot is the OL playing if Conklin is back?

We still need a replacement for Hubbard (our 6th Olineman has played a decent # of snaps in the past).

Like OOB says , You need 3 OT that can step up.. We played with 1 last season . I wouldn't bet my season ( ol ) on Conklin making it back AND playing at his usual level. I also think there are folks who still question Wils at LT .

I certainly won't disagree that we need a swing tackle. But with all of our other needs at the time, I think a mid 1st round pick to address that would be a price that's too high to pay for depth. I really can't disagree that we may have to look at replacing Conklin when his contract is up either. I just feel they will see other priorities as more critical at this time to spend a first round pick at the OT position this year in the draft.

Oh, I agree with you. I'm just saying that if that's how the draft falls (somehow), it actually wouldn't be the worst thing in the world given our short (and long) term RT situation and how much we've used 6 OL plays in the past.

It's not just depth, though. It's planning for the future. It's uncertain, I think, that Conklin plays a significant amount here next year, and with his injury it is questionable that he is ready in time or whether he can play at the level we need him to play.
It's generally 6 months to recovery, but 12 months before you're "optimal" following a patellar tendon rupture (and then he may also be getting a surgical repair for that triceps, too... we don't know).
On top of that, his contract voids after 2022, so unless he is 101% recovered and plays at a Pro Bowl level, we likely won't be sending another contract his way unless he is to become the Swing Tackle following 2022.
So, the prudent move is to get a new RT now when we're actually positioned pretty darn well to grab one.

Plan B could be to move Bitonio out to LT and sign a FA LG, or pick one in a later round of the draft -not in the 1st round. Wills could return to his familiar RT spot. I think Bitonio graded out really well when we used him at LT this past season

Free agency aside; If you have a bonified LT sitting there at 13 and a bonified DT sittin , you might just flip a coin ! lol

W I D E Receiver!

You might, but I think DT would have to get the nod. A DT who can collapse the pocket would be huge.

I just believe that for one thing, it's not even possible to know where we are and what we need until the FA signing period is complete. And secondly, as it stands today, without re-signing players whose contracts are expiring it appears that our DL is certainly a much more immediate need with that first round pick.

I like this kid a lot...


For his size, Burks has deceptive speed and can make a lot of defenders miss in the open field. He’s also an extremely physical receiver, showcasing Derrick Henry-like stiff arms.

Here’s more on his strengths, per Oliver Hodgkinson of Pro Football Network:

“Burks contains deceptive speed, which, combined with his size, makes him a handful in coverage. Additionally, he is extremely fluid in his movements. This allows him to ghost through soft spots in coverage, often resulting in chunk plays for Arkansas’ offense.

The unique combination of size, speed, and athleticism allows Burks to produce yardage after the catch consistently. It’s rare to see him brought down on the first contact.

Finally, Burks’ versatility should only add value to his NFL Draft stock. Although Burks took most of his snaps out of the slot, he has experience out wide and in the backfield. Arkansas uses him in motion, and there are even examples of him aligned on the end of the offensive line as if he were a tight end.”


Weaknesses

Despite having huge hands — Burks has custom 5XL size gloves — he can lapse into complacency, resulting in some frustrating drops. Other scouts have concerns about a high-motor to finish plays.

Brian Lamb of NFL Draft Lounge goes into greater detail:

“His blocking is inconsistent and he has a tendency to give up on blocks before the play is over. At times, Burks will round off some of his routes, giving up the space create from his quickness off the line of scrimmage. Finally, he has an inconsistent motor when he’s not the intended target and will give up on plays before they’re over.”

https://titanswire.usatoday.com/lists/2022-nfl-draft-titans-treylon-burks-scouting-report/


Weaknesses seem coachable. Can't coach that athleticism and size into many other candidates.

Baker needs a big, reliable target. Someone that opens the window much higher and helps him "trust his eyes".

Upside? Our own Deebo, with more speed, size and strength... and a Nick Chubb-sized stiff arm.

Hype is hype, but watch some YT vids, dude makes some unbelievable catches and makes most everything look easy.

I agree on the DT being a big, big hole for us but ( wait for it lol ) don't know if I could walk by a Big time for sur LT ... I really count on handful of our posters when it comes to College players and the Draft. Only so much College ball I have tome to watch.

And for the "Analytics" haters out there, this is why we have them around.
They can look at all of the players hitting free agency and all of the players coming the draft, and they can model the best paths to take ... e.g. sign this guy, draft that guy.
They have grades on every player out there, and I'd be surprised if they don't have secondary grades specific to how they'd fit within our schemes, and they can roll all of that into the models and then start talking to agents to explore whether or not a FA is even a possibility to come here. If not, he gets removed from the models, if he might, then he gets priority in the models based on their grades. It also lets the models start looking at what it might look like in terms of cap & contracts, how that changes the look for the coming year, etc... and we can then prioritize the moves that net us the best outcomes.

BUT, in the absence of anything happening in Free Agency, yet, I'm still more in favor of taking an OT. We saw how poorly our offense performs without Conklin and we're looking strongly at starting the season without him, and we're looking beyond next season - almost guaranteed - to be without him, and I don't think Hudson is the long-term answer there. We need an OT and Hudson can be the Swing.

Now, all of this is absent any sort of player grades... if the DT sitting there at 13 is graded way higher than whatever OT, then we ABSOLUTELY go with the DT. It's all about the conjunction of Need, BPA, Fit.

I don't really disagree with you. That's why it's so very hard to know with any degree of accuracy what positions we will be most in need of heading into the draft. Because as we've seen, need and position play a consideration in the draft. While I certainly also agree that we have anybody waiting in the wings at the RT spot, I think it's too early to give up on the likes of Hudson as being the long term answer. I think what they see as the progress and potential of guys like Hudson moving forward will also have an impact in their decision.

I think 'haters' could have been in the singular form.


On a side note, for anyone hoping we draft in OT with the 13th overall pick, I'd say the chances of that happening are zero point zero, considering the amount of money already tied up in the OL. Especially, considering the contracts just given out both Bitonio and Teller and the recent high investment in Wills. I'd be surprised to see them even go after an OL in the second round let alone the first.

I like the versatility, but those weaknesses are hard to get past. IMO, if you put together a list of qualities from a starting WR that will NOT work in this offense, it would be that section of his writeup.

I have always been one to say never go into the draft and say we will take position X.

Maybe when you have the first pick and you don't have a quarterback and Andrew Luck is there.

But as a rule keep you options open. Your hope is that your biggest need intersects with the BPA.

With that being said: Check out this film study.

https://watchstadium.com/videos/liberty-qb-malik-willis-film-study/

I don't know bro. As to the first part, "hands" are obviously a prerequisite to being a solid WR, but everyone drops passes. Sounds more like maybe someone over-analyzing as everyone drops passes from time to time. For Njoku, all it really took was Landry calling him out on Hard Knocks and telling him he better "hit the jugs machine". The same Landry that dropped two critical 4th quarter passes against the Steelers for the first nail in our coffin this year. Drops happen. (and yes, I know, Njoku is still not the poster child for "sure handed").

As to the rest, that's where you dive a little deeper... almost along the lines of "teammates didn't come to his birthday party" lol. Is he some arrogant a-hole that thinks those things don't matter or is he a work in progress?

Every year around this time we have the "experts" (not picking on you) tell us what is correctable and what is not. Mahomes and Allen were "way too raw"... and that's nearly every analyst talking.

I argued that Allen was generational talent. The experts here (and everywhere else) patted me on the head and told me accuracy was NOT correctable. I countered that it didn't even matter -- Give me Paul Bunyan in the AFC North, a QB that can make any throw to any part of the field, on the run... can run around you or over you and jump up with a smile on his face... every third and short is a first down, runs like Rob Gronkowski in the open field... Would you trade that for 2.2 bad passes a game? Didn't have to... his completion percentage and accuracy have improved drastically, 52.8 his rookie year, 63.3 this year (69% last year).

It's all a crapshoot. Invest in the things that truly can't be coached (size, speed, athleticism) and let the chips fall where they may. Obviously behind plenty of due diligence.

Uh oh

It is very early in the process.

Malik Willis played his high school ball about ten minutes from my home.

I want Baker to play this year.

However, that would not stop me from drafting a quarterback in the first round "if" I loved the guy.

Quarterbacks have been successful in the NFL with many different skills. Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Lamar.

Mobility and real run skills with arm talent, decision making, and accuracy adds a different dimension.

The Bears are all in with Justin Fields. The 49ers gave up a lot to move up and take Trey Lance.

The Chiefs /Bills game Mahomes and Allen led their teams in rushing.

You don't want to be a GM and five years down the road think "damn, I wish I would have" because you were looking for a receiver.

Let’s just say I’ve been watching a lot of Malik Willis lately. . .

Check

It looks to me like Willis has a strong arm and a quick release and is very athletic. The criticism I heard (that I can neither confirm nor deny because I just don't know) is that there are questoins about his decision making. My impression is that he could be very good in the right system. I actually thing he would thrive in Baltimore's Lamar Jackson system. I however so not think he would be a great fit for the Stefanski offense. JMO

The reason I became interested in Willis was because I was listening to a podcast where they discussed him a bit and they said he was a great fit for our scheme.

Berry is going to have to trade down to get him...... and I wouldn't hate it.

I don't know who said that but I would disagree.
If they are right and I am wrong, I wouldn't have an issue taking him at #13

It was Dane Brugler and Lance Zierlein on The Athletic Football Show. They said it and then I watched some Willis highlights. I then imagined Willis rolling out on a bootleg and then taking off for 30 yards.

Those guys tend to know their stuff. I still disagree with them.
The only way to know which one of us is correct is for the Browns to draft Willis.
If we do, I hope I am epically wrong.

He's my #1 choice at receiver.

So far for me the receivers I like are:

Burks and Drake London.

I like power forward type receivers that win 50/50 balls and high point the pass.

The NFL is loaded with fast corners. Really hard to get separation. You have to fight for the ball.

The back shoulder pass is deadly to try and cover. I really like the physical type receivers.

There are a few guys like Hill that have serious quickness to separate but they are rare.

We have that extra 3rd rounder this year....I would use it to draft Cade York, K LSU.

Let's just fix that position. The kid has been clutch, accurate, and has the leg from around 60 yards.

Let's just fix the dadgum position. Use the 3rd rounder we didn't have last week and fix the position rather than monkey around hoping someone falls to the 6th or 7th round. York will probably go 4th round, 5th for sure. Just take the guy.

I think decision-making can be improved so long as the QB has the capability to process what he's seeing quickly.

I read where Todd McShay said Mahomes made him evaluate quarterbacks differently.

I used to have this argument with vers.

Look more at what a quarterback can do well than what he does not so well.

Look at the ceiling. Mahomes and Allen are now in a separate class because of the xtra things they bring to the table.

I heard Tomlin he is looking forward to evaluating quarterbacks and mobility counts.

When a quarterback is in third and long from the shotgun and runs a quarterback draw for 30 yards. It scares defenses. They have to honor that ability or get killed by it. As Any Reid says "when it is grim: be the grim reaper."

Malik Willis adds a dimension. I have a lot more looking to do before I would say draft him. But he has my attention.

I’ve banged the drum for Cade York as well.

A quality kicker matters.

I think Malik Willis has a ceiling like Mahomes and Allen. He’s likely going to move up quite a bit on the draft boards as the draft nears. I don’t think any other QB in the draft has a ceiling as high as Willis.

Bingo. I’ll buy the Malik Willis lottery ticket over anything else at this point.

If the Browns take WR at 13 and he's available...Garrett Wilson is my choice. I think he's the best WR in the draft with Jameson Williams second, but he has the injury to rehab.

He will be gone before #13 - most likely. Too many teams drafting ahead of the Browns that need a QB.

See: Redskins, Falcons, Lions, Panthers, Giants, Panthers, Broncos, etc.

Long way to go.

Willis will be broken apart under a thick magnifying glass. He played for Liberty.

His tape is not all good. He makes mistakes.

The evaluation process is long. Lots to look at. He maybe the first quarterback taken. He may not be.

Over the next three months his game will be broken down.

With that said. I love his upside. He can do things many can not.

Whoah! It's not very often 'Peen drops the "dadgum"! Get 'er done Mr. Berry!

Williams will be a bust imo. he is your typical body catcher. I think he should go in the 3rd round. Wilson's hands and ability to high point the ball are really, really good.

Daniel Jeremiah - NFL Network

The pick: EDGE Travon Walker, Georgia

The analysis: Jeremiah views Walker (6-5, 275) as a "physical freak" who could be among those who show out at the upcoming NFL Combine. He sees Walker as the third EDGE player to come off the board after Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux, both of whom he projects in the top five.

This guy would be a great compliment to Myles.

I watched some tape today. Powerful dude. Very explosive. Overpowering bull rush. Can move inside. Takes great angles.

I will watch some more of him, but I see why Jeremiah picked him to the Browns.

It would be a good pick. Then we could address WR or LB in FA or in later rounds.

I've watched a number of GA games this past year and Walker really stood out to me. I think he would be nice complement to Myles if we don't resign Clowney.

Analytics play a large role in draft analysis.

Especially with position priority. Edge rushers are right behind quarterbacks.

In this coming draft the first two picks are most likely to be edge rushers.

Berry likes waves of pass rushers. Takk was playing well for us. I hope he can fully recover from the achilles injury.

At this point Clowney is close to being a must have. Berry will get no discount. Clowney may want to move to warm weather. At the same time he likes Myles. He knows Myles helps him. He may wish to stay because it is a known situation. But he will want fair market value.

No matter if they resign Takk and or Clowney. Berry will not hesitate to invest in a guy like Walker if he is the BPA.

I would hope our plan for DE is to re-sign Clowney for 2 or so years and draft a guy this year that needs to work on his game/strength some or needs to rehab an injury. Get a guy that you need a year or so to get ready for starter-level workload.

That may be the plan however, Clowney may choose to move on. Myles said this before the season ended:

"You know I have tried, but you never know,” Garrett said. “Guys have their own agendas and want to be in certain places. I can’t help it if a guy wants to be in Miami, he likes the weather there more or he likes to be by the water. At the end of the day, I want this team to stay together, and I want the defense to stay together. I think we have a good future ahead of us. I am going to do my best when I speak to them about it after the season.”

Berry will have a plan B.

Here are some of the first round draft predictions for the Browns......



Mel Kiper Jr. - ESPN.com

The pick: WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State

The analysis: Kiper calls this an "easy pick" for a variety of reasons, including Wilson's versatility as a slot or outside receiver. Wilson had 70 receptions for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

Daniel Jeremiah - NFL Network

The pick: EDGE Travon Walker, Georgia

The analysis: Jeremiah views Walker (6-5, 275) as a "physical freak" who could be among those who show out at the upcoming NFL Combine. He sees Walker as the third EDGE player to come off the board after Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux, both of whom he projects in the top five.

Bucky Brooks - NFL Network

The pick: WR Drake London, USC

The analysis: London, at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, is one of the tallest targets in this year's class. Brooks has him as the second wide receiver off the board behind Wilson.

Chris Trapasso - CBSSports.com

The pick: WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas

The analysis: While London is the tallest among the top-rated receivers, Burks, at 6-3 and 225 pounds, is the biggest. Burks was a beast for Arkansas in 2021, hauling in 66 passes for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns while also adding 112 yards and a score on the ground.

Ryan Wilson - CBSSports.com

The pick: WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State

The analysis: Ryan Wilson doesn't think Burks will be available at 13 but likes the potential of Garrett Wilson, who would give the Browns the kind of downfield threat they've coveted in recent years.

Josh Edwards - CBSSports.com

The pick: WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas

The analysis: Jeremiah recently compared Burks to Titans WR A.J. Brown because of his strength, physicality and toughness.

Vinnie Iyer - Sporting News

The pick: WR Chris Olave, Ohio State

The analysis: Iyer zags from the majority of mock drafters by pegging Olave as his first receiver off the board. Olave played four seasons at Ohio State and finished with a program-record 35 TDs.

Austin Gayle, Pro Football Focus

The pick: WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State

The analysis: Gayle calls Wilson "a smooth route-runner with spectacular-catch ability and dynamism with and without the ball in his hands."

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz - USA Today

The pick: WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State

The analysis: Wilson, a former five-star recruit, starred at the same high school (Lake Travis in Austin, Texas) as Browns QB Baker Mayfield.

https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/new...ume5-AJAKMkNnpVO7IAFL1u1LIM4MpQRtyzxsjC0

Not saying any of this means anything. Just showing what some of the talking heads are saying.

I really hope Treylon Burks is available at 13. I'll take the extra 3" in size, 35lbs of beef and truck-driving stiff-arm over Garrett Wilson every day of the week.

I really don't think that we take a Wr at #13.

Wr is a huge need, true but it is so deep at the top.
If we are going to take a Wr in the 1st I think we trade down for picks in next year's draft.
If we miss out on the guys we like the most at Wr there is a fallback to Bell, Metchie, Pickens... in round 2.

If a guy we like at a higher positional value is available like Karlaftis DE Purdue then I think we take him.
JMO on what we will do.

Personally, at this time, I would take Burks or London. I go back and forth on who my favorite is.

I agree. I am no expert by any means, but I do watch a lot of SEC football and Burks is a stud and a half. He reminds me of Michael Irvin, the former Cowboy. The guy runs, jumps, catches the ball, and is a strong, thick receiver.

Some looks...I post just to show why i say Mike Irvin. Looks just like him IMO.

I can see the Michael Irvin comparison, I said Deebo Samuel... kinda looks like a mix of the two.

Neither of us mentioned his speed... not world class but still very fast... and quick. Actually probably about 1/2 second faster than Garrett Wilson (4.4s).

I have Treylon Burks set to run a 40 time in the high 4.3 range, such as a 4.39. This would be above the league average of 4.48. On film, Burks has good speed off the line of scrimmage to accelerate upfield. Additionally, the defense plays several yards off of Burks to accommodate for his quickness. Finally, he plays with a great second gear once the ball is in his hands to breakaway from defenders in space.

https://nfldraftlounge.com/2022-nfl-draft-scouting-report-arkansas-wr-treylon-burks/#:~:text=I%20have%20Treylon%20Burks%20set,to%20accommodate%20for%20his%20quickness.

I agree... I'd be a bit surprised if we draft a WR at 13... can see us trading down and taking a late 1st round WR or 2nd round Wr...

I agree. I only commented on Burks in the event we do draft a WR in the 1st, which to be honest would make me unhappy. Burks will go round 1.

I could see us going WR in round 2. A couple that should be there that are as good as most of the guys mentioned early are Romeo Doubs of Nevada, and George Pickens of Georgia. I would be happy with either of them in round 2.

IMO Berry will get one maybe two free agent WR's.


13th pick I leave wide open to take the best player. And, incorporate position preference in the ranking.

If a WR is ranked the same as DE. Take the DE. You will have a better chance getting a receiver later.

The key for the Browns next year is defense and speciafically pass rush pressure.

I agree and pretty much always do on draft strategy. BPA is almost always the best route. Wanting a QB can change that some, as can some special need lke a kicker or long snapper, and as you said, if you have 2-3 players with basically the same grade, then you can use positional need to make the selection.

I will add that you can also eliminate positions, or at least diminish various positions if you are pretty much set at starter and are happy with depth at the position. As an example RB might be there assuming we get Johnson signed. Between Chubb, Hunt, Johnson, Felton and the guy(can't think of his name at the moment) on the practice squad, I could see not being interested in drafting a RB.

I agree, pass rush pressure is a big thing. I may see it more needed at the tackle position, but anywhere is welcomed as we have questions across the line.

It has always astounded me how risky the draft still is in the first round.

When you are getting a pick at the top 32 players in all college football. How can you blow that pick?

Scouts are tracking players for years. The team has a huge budget to scout players. Then you have tape and records of pretty much everything the prospect has done from birth. You get multiple chances to interview the guy. Work him out privately. Look at his medical records. His Combine results. Break down all his game tape.

And still the failure rate is high? That blows my mind.

I agree. With all the top QB's in the AFC pass rushing is at a premium. I would take a good edge rusher over any other position except a top QB prospect. We all remember what Guys like John Elway and Ben did to us in past years. An excellent pass rush would have made a difference in a lot of those games.

The best QBs don't give a (hoot) about your pass rush, because they can release the ball and hit a completion in a short enough time than any pass rusher could ever arrive.

The Real best thing that would have made a difference in games like those would have been to have had a really Great Quarterback of your own to put the moves on the other team!

May I suggest Jordan Davis out of Georgia /

Rasheem Green from Seattle or Arden Key from San Fran.
Both are young, hitting their first non-rookie contract, and both had really productive seasons hitting the QB and getting sacks.

Re-sign Odenigbo, re-sign Clowney.
Draft where available as well.

DE fixed.

You are a baseball guy. How many 1st round MLB picks end up pretty average?

I get baseball to some degree because teams project more since they draft kids just out of HS. In football you generally see them for 3 more years.

The process is so different in baseball.

Especially for internaternal players. I just saw that the Braves signed a 17 year old shortstop for $2.4 mil from Venezuela.

That kid will be in the minors under their eye for maybe 4 or 5 years.

College ball is the conveyor belt to the NFL. As you know many leave early.

After each round I get that it becomes harder. But damn 32 players in the first round out of all the college players.

All that goes into those picks. Yet the failure rate is really high considering all of that.

I'm not out on any of the QBs I've seen mentioned, but I'm not in on them either. Carson Strong from Nevada is an interesting QB prospect that I haven't heard much talk about on here yet. I need to watch more of him.

I wasn't impressed with Travon Walker in what I saw of him in the Kentucky game, though I need to watch more of him.

Normally I'd prefer not to take a WR high in the 1st, but the way this class seems to be stacking up, the Arkansas guy is intriguing.

I've been trying to find a DT I like, but none of them have made me go whoa yet. Davis brings Shelton too much to mind for me.

The Iowa center is interesting. Tretter's been solid for us, but he seems to always be dealing with something and he's not getting any younger. We do have a lot invested in the OL already, but he might be BPA.

If we stay at pick #13 I see us going after one of these guys WR Wilson, WR Burks, C Linderbaum, or possibly a LB like Lloyd or Dean. Of the top OTs available (Neal & Cross) I see Neal as a RT and I don't think Cross is as good of a LT as Willis is. As for DTs I don't see any worthy of a 1st round pick. I would love either Wilson or Burks but I'm not sure how much emphasis Berry and KS place on the WR position so I could easily see us taking Linderbaum, trading Tretter, and signing a stop gap RT like Morgan Moses.

Who are your starting DT's next season ?

When I look at college prospects, whether they went to Liberty or tOSU or Alabama, I focus on their games vs the best teams they played. I ignore their games vs teams like Old Dominion or Southeast Western Alabama St. With that said, here is a cutup of Willis vs the Ole Miss, the best team Liberty played this year.

I think it's going to be a weak spot again next season. Hopefully we can sign a guy like BJ Hill or Akiem Hicks or bring back Sheldon Richardson. There are some decent DT prospects in the draft but there are no studs, the top rated guys are;

Jordan Davis from Georgia but he is a Shelton clone in that he's pretty good against the run but offers virtually nothing as a pass rusher.

Devonte Wyatt (My #1 DT) from Georgia who is a more rounded DT and has shown flashes but he hasn't dominated with his play.

Logan Hall from Houston he is 6'6" but only weighs 260 lbs. and is better suited at DE.

DeMarvin Leal from Texas A&M is a guy some have listed as a DT but he played almost exclusively at DE during his college career and he was only average at stopping the run and didn't exactly dominate as a pass rusher.

A couple of other guys who I like;

Travis Jones from Connecticut
Neil Farrell from LSU

There was good and bad in that game.

The Liberty OL was getting trashed. Obviously, he has running ability. He made some good passes.

Most of his passes were off platform on the move. Rarely in the game could he throw from the pocket.

Still you can see his abilities. He sets up quickly. He has a quick release and a strong arm.

I will continue to study him but thanks for the tape.

I'm certainly not trying to disparage your opinion here because I really haven't even looked at the QB's coming out this year. It's probably because I see no way that we would draft a QB this year. Lord knows I could be wrong about that though.

I just quoted the parts in your post that sounded so eerily familiar to me. It's almost the exactly same thing if not exactly the same thing that was being said about Josh Allen when he came into the draft. Of course I'm not saying this kid will be the next Josh Allen or that he can beat the odds the way Josh Allen has. I mean how many kids coming into the draft have a completions percentage under 57% in college go on to be as good as he is in the NFL? But just seeing it in print was like déjà vu.

More than you think. I've always felt that Allen's completion percentage argument was BS, where he could never become accurate or more accurate. He could spin the rock and that was enough for me. Wyoming ran a pro style offense unlike the spread and air raid offenses most other QBs were running where completion percentages would be a lot higher.

See:

Brett Favre
Dan Marino
John Elway (1st 3 years at Stanford)
Eli Manning
Russell Wilson (@ NC State)

Thank you John Dorsey.

I have watched two breakdowns of Malik Willis game tape.
Although early he has my attention

At this point all I can say is.

Given Baker's contract and performance and the doubt surrounding all that.

"If Berry does his due diligence on Willis, and he loves the guy."

When pick 13 comes up and Willis represents to the Browns the BPA.

I could see no reason why he would not draft him.

I would be shocked if we draft a QB in the 1st Round ...

Whoops

This just popped up in suggested videos for me. Anybody follow this kid? Booming punts in this game.

Never heard of him. . .

He has a booming leg but takes 3 to 5 steps before kicking the ball. He is going to have to shorten that up once he gets to the NFL.

Yes, a few of us have mentioned him over the last few months. No doubt a big leg. He also placekicked, but I am not sure he is as awesome in that regard.

I would like to have the kid, but I would have to see more in the placekicking. IMO we need a field goal kicker who is more reliable from say 45 yards and shorter.

If we were set at placekicker, I would draft that kid with our comp pick in the 3rd round. As it is, I want to draft Cade York, LSU in the 3rd. All things being equal, I think a top field goal kicker wins you more games over a top punter, but I don't know if there is any way for the average fan to measure that. I don't have an analytics department to crunch those factors, but no doubt that flipping the field can be a big advantage.

Like Allen, Willis works with a private QB coach. This is from the Sports Illustrated QB article Arch had recently mentioned discussing QBs training to throw off platform and make plays out of structure...

In Atlanta, Sean McEvoy, a trainer with QB Takeover, a firm that works with Deshaun Watson, Jalen Hurts, Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor and potential 2021 first-round pick Malik Willis of Liberty, runs drills that simulate the evasion of a defender, escape to the sideline and eventual off-platform throw. The field is dotted with cones that prompt the quarterback to drop back, sprint shuffle to his blind side, sprint in the other direction, then spin back toward the blind side, until he releases a throw from a potentially vulnerable, unset position. Willis completed a pass comically similar to the path taken in this drill against Virginia Tech a year ago.

Here is a draft prediction I will make.

If the Steelers get a crack at Malik Willis. They will take it. I truly believe that Tomlin along with Colbert (who will retire after the draft) believe in the importance of quarterback mobility.

In fact they might move up to get him.

Between now and the draft; tape will show that Willis will need time to develop. The Steelers will be patient. If they think he is ready. They will play him. If not they will make do with others till he is ready.

When you are uncertain about your quarterback position. You may have to take a calculated risk. The calculation part comes from trusting your ability to evaluate the prospect.

Right now I could not fairly evaluate Willis. That is because I have limited information. NFL teams have the resources and the opportunity to perform those evaluations.

In the end the Steelers will go with his upside potential.

Willis to me looks like a bigger version of Murray.

I'm certainly going to take a closer look.

I agree on the mobility part. If you look around the league, most or at least many QB's are mobile, I guess a watered down version of running QB. If I have any big beef with baker at this point, it is his mobility with his short, choppy stride.

QB was the one position teams didn't have to defend from a rushing standpoint. I'd love a QB who could regularly gain 500 yards per year on the ground. That is like 30 yards a game. Hardly huge numbers, but yards that would result in more 1st downs. It would also make the other team defend the position not only from a passing standpoint.

IMO if you don't have a QB who can and will run, you are playing 1 skill position short.

There was a time not so long ago that I would and did argue this point with you. Not anymore. I do like that you qualified it the way you did. I think accuracy and the ability to go through your reads is a higher priority in the grand scheme of things. But having the ability to scramble and run to a degree is also high on the list in today's NFL.

That didn’t take long. Looks like it’s time to put a call into whoever is running the Jaguars.

Interesting. People can have their opinion on Todd but he is serious about his job.

As soon as I looked at Malik Willis's tape. I felt he would be on those guys who would come up the draft Boards.

The reason is because potential is being graded higher than before. You can not look at a players tape today and judge them as is.

You have to forecast what he can become. That is not easy when you look at guys who are 20-23. They can and do make mistakes. They are far from finished products. What can this guy do if we can clean up his shortcomings?

That is why the 49ers gave up so much to get Trey Lance.

Kyle Murray is 5' 10" and 207lbs. He was taken number one because of his overall skills with mobility a huge factor.

Malik Willis is 6' 1" listed at 225lbs. He has the same type skills. Malik Willis is incredibly fast. In his sophomore year at Auburn Univeristy back in 2018, it was reported that he ran a 4.37 40 yard dash.

He also can spin it and has a quick release.

His tape shows sometime poor judgement. He had a 64.2% completion rate in 2020.

He will get picked apart for all kinds of things between now and the draft.

But people will look at the potential of the skills that can not be coached up.

I purposely set the number low so as not to freak people out. Since most QB's only run when the field is open in front of them they tend to gain yards in chunks. Being such, if they sort of think about running more, I could see a pretty easy 40-50 yards a game. QB's can still slide for protection. That type of yardage per game puts them around 800 yards per season. QB yardage doesn't take the same type of punishment running backs take.

At any rate, I want a QB who can be a threat with his legs and arm.

The Browns most likely will select a wide receiver or DE.

Berry would have to be really taken by the player to draft a qb.

This year quarterback class is considered poor.

That is what they said in 2017 when we took Myles. Trubisky was taken second.

However, in that poor qb class.

Mahomes was taken 10th and Deshaun Watson was taken 12th.

I never buy into "this years class." Look at the players and judge them on their own merits.

I think about Harrison Bryant. They really liked him, and when he dropped they pulled the trigger. I would think something similar would need to happen with the QB.

You may well be right.

As of today when you look at the early mock drafts. Most drafts have the first quarterback taken after pick ten.

As we all have seen in the past. The Boards change quite a bit as each week passes and the draft process plays out.

Teams however go through their own process. Their Boards are not mock drafts they are rankings of players and positional rankings.

After the draft events like the Senior Bowl, Combine, and Pro Days. Teams bring in guys for private workouts.

Their evaluations may differ quite a bit from media picks and mock drafts.

Very difficult to know how the Browns will view the quarterbacks in this years draft.

This morning this:

https://dawgpounddaily.com/2022/02/02/browns-mock-draft-malik-willis/

Funny how the draft world turns.

This is an excellent film breakdown of Garrett Wilson.




Wilson has elite skills especially route running. This tape really shows how you create space.

Good breakdown. He will blow up the Combine.

How dumb are the Jaguars? It seems like they are pretty dumb. Maybe we won’t have to trade the standard three first to trade up to #1. Maybe we can just get away with 13 and next year’s first.

I don't know if the Steelers would trade up.

But I will stand behind what I predicted.

That the Steelers will pick Willis if they get a crack at him.

I think he’s going to be the first QB off the board. That means the only way you get him for sure is if you trade up to one. If you love a QB and don’t have a QB you should always trade up to get one if you can.

You play the draft game.

You have to really believe in the guy to trade up.

I firmly believe and have stated it. Sometimes you have to take the risk knowing you could be wrong.

A calculated risk means you trust yourself and are willing.

I am not there yet on Willis.

But I stated clearly that if Berry loves Willis and believes he will be a big improvement at the position.

There is no reason why he should not take him.

I was talking to my son who is very football savy. Both of us were like; we have to find out about the other side of Malik Willis.

I watched his tape but have not heard him speak. Don't have a clue about his intangibles.

So. that is interesting. Interviews are huge. When you are in evaluation mode character, work ethic, leadership etc. those are major factors.

It is obvious Malik Willis has physical tools.

I am going to look around and see if I find out more on this part of him

j/c...

If any of those first three names are interior guys, we should be giving them a strong look.

https://twitter.com/realcorykinnan/status/1489284566615478274

Malik Willis is going to be the first QB taken and will probably be taken first overall.

I hope for his sake that he's not overdrafted and has expectations he can't handle put on him.

I have faith in Stefanski and AVP to develop him. He also has trained with a QB coach in the off-season so that should speed up his progress.

I have zero faith we draft a QB in round one period.

That’s understandable. If a person thinks we should stick with Baker for another year then they should come to that conclusion. I am not that person.

I watched an interview with him last year.

He appears very grounded and humble.

Knows he has much to learn.

Personally I am one who really believes in a rookie qb sitting a year. Unless you know you can not compete and the young man knows you will live with his mistakes. He is told do your best we will help you. You are starting because we want you to gain experience.

For those guys getting picked mid first or later. Let them sit. They could have come out early. Lack experience. Gone through a wirlwind of activity going through the draft process. Then thrown into a first year camp. You should not expect him to start.

Willis is raw. Played at a small school. He will need time.

He has the upside ceiling.

I have no idea at all if the Browns would take him.

My guess is no they will not. IMO they will take a DE or receiver.

I think it far more depends on what you think the FO and coaching staff plans to do. It's true that we disagree on Baker being our QB next season. But I'm basing my opinion as to drafting a QB in round 1 this year on what I think the FO will do. I'm quite sure that neither of our opinions will be a part of their decision.

Speak for yourself. Each of my posts is shown directly to Andrew Berry.

I believe the front office knows the importance of taking shots on QBs. Berry has said that he learned the most from Howie Roseman. Roseman’s philosophy is to keep taking shots at QBs until you find one. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if we took a QB at 13 or traded up for a QB.

So you think a first round draft pick on a QB is "taking a shot"? I see that as more of a huge investment. Giving up multiple first round draft picks to move up is much more than just taking a shot.

By taking a shot I mean keep looking for a QB if you don’t have one instead of being complacent. Roseman traded a ton for Carson Wentz when he already had Sam Bradford. He then used a second round pick on Jalen Hurts when he already had Wentz. If the front office doesn’t think Baker Mayfield can be a quality starter going forward then I’d expect them to do something drastic. I don’t think they think Baker can be a quality starter going forward (despite what they have said publicly).

I guess we'll find out in April.

This is the beginning of the draft season. There is a long way to go.

The hype on Willis has begun. Lots will come out over the next months and up to draft night.

Will the Browns bring in someone to work out? There will be leaks.

Is it possible that Berry will draft a qb? Sure it is possible.

I will wait till at least sometime in April.

I do believe the Steelers will go after Willis. I believe they are looking for a guy like him. They want the run ability option. They want mobility.

One thing to bear in mind. Berry and this coaching staff expect to win. They will be expecting to be in the playoffs. They believe in the core talent.

One view may be invest to improve now. Use the draft to get supporting talent.

Another view maybe they don't expect to be picking 13th again anytime soon. Maybe go after a quarterback now.

What intersects those views is how they see a guy like Willis or another qb? If they go over the moon on Willis. They damn sure may take him.

Free agency will be interesting.

We have some decisions to make. Of the UFA IMO Berry will make offers to:

Clowney, Walker, Njoku, McKinley (if he clears a medical and be ready to start the season), MJ Stewart.

Impossible to say if they return. But, I think Njoku and Walker will return. I hope Clowney will but not sure at all. Berry will have to be high bid.

I wonder if the Browns will make an offer for Sheldon Richardson who is UFA?

IMO they will go hard after a veteran receiver like Chris Godwin.

Malik Willis is a better prospect than Lamar Jackson was coming out of college.

https://heavy.com/sports/cleveland-browns/malik-willis-draft/

I have watched a bunch of his tape not just highlights.

If Berry is sold on him. I have no problem drafting him.

I have no problem drafting a QB that could (at least eventually) push Baker off the roster. I have a BIG problem sinking our entire draft into a QB. Neither our team, nor the draft is such that we should be sinking so much into one of the QBs.

We are literally a QB away from being a powerhouse.

FIFY

I can understand how a person might have this opinion and won’t dispute it. I don’t think we have the best wide receivers but I think the ones we do have are adequate.

j/c…

Don't forget DT.

Need some draft pick sites to play, anyone ???

Enjoy!

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/mockdraft/

Do you realize what you just did?

Most of the draft analyists have the Browns selecting a receiver with the 13th pick.

The top receivers listed by most are:

Garrett Wilson, Treylon Burks , Drake London. Some others are listed Chris Olave and Jameson Williams.

I am going to go over the top three listed above. They are really different in what they do well.

Garrett Wilson is 6', 192 lbs. He is a polished receiver who wins by creating space. He is also an excellent route runner. He is not that burner type but will run a 4.4's to 4.5. He is an excellent athlete. He has all the moves to create space. He can set guys up. He has those subtle moves that he uses to work off coverage. He is hard to cover. He will get his YAC as well. He is like a veteran who should be good right away.


Treylon Burks is 6'3", 225 lbs. He is an athletic freak. He will blow up the Combine. Run 4.3 and jump high. He is not as smooth as Wilson. He uses his size, strength, and speed to win. Physical type receiver. He is developing. Does not have the route running skills of Wilson. He catches the ball well. He has monster size hands. Not a great blocker. Doesn't always give full effort. Has big upside with natural abilities.


Drake London is 6'5", 210lbs. Great size. He was the offense at USC. He got the ball 33% of the time. He will run 4.48. He is a former basketball player. His greatest strength is getting the ball. There is no 50/50 ball with him. It becomes 80/20. He posts up defenders and high points the ball. Huge catch radius. He is hard to bring down. He played in the slot and at X. For a guy his size he is a fluid athlete. He will run the routes but relies on his abilty to get the ball. He doesn't create much space. He is deadly in deep routes but also in slants. He was unstoppable. He is very good blocker. A smart player who beat zones. Not a burner or fast off the line. But he is not slow and shows abilty in YAC.


One can make a case for all three of these guys. I would happy with any one of them. They are very close.

I lean a little towards Drake London. Because of his catch radius. The throws can be a little off and he will still get that ball. I like receivers like him because NFL coverage is good. And I like guys who win at taking balls away from defenders. I also like that he played in the slot. He can screen guys with his body. He is kinda like a TE with deep route ability.

I will add though Wilson is a brilliant receiver. He is so good at creating space.

They are very close.

I’ll be happy with a good player who contributes to the team. Any of the above receivers has a lot of upside, but, each has a question ark. Can Wilson get the same separation in the NFL. My buddy says that the best route runner is the pick. Can the other guys get any separation? I like size over speed. Both of the other guys are big enough to fight off DBs, so they are equal there.

I don't like Garrett . He is frail IMo and even more, he is a hand clapper when he catches the ball. He claps it out of the air rather than catch the ball.

The tape on Wilson that I put a link to is a very good breakdown.

He is really good. He is ranked very high with PFF.

I would ok with any of the three I listed. My preference in receivers are the guys like Mike Evans. And I think Drake London will be better than Evans.

Kinda partial to Chris Olave .

Having not really studies these WR's (I usually don't start studying the draft until after the SB), your description of London seems more like the type of WR I think we need. The type of WR who when your QB is pressured, or we are behind needing a score, the QB can throw it in his direction with a fair amount of certainty he can come down with contested passes.

The links I provided on Wilson and Burks are very good. They are detailed with game tape to illistrate their points.

There is plenty of good tape on London. I love his game. He plays football like a power forward.

He is deceptive as an athlete because of his size. He is damn tricky.

Hard to say who would go as the top receiver. But we should be able to get one.

I am going to be doing a breakdown on edge guys. There are some good ones.

I could be wrong but I do believe pick 13 will be either a receiver or edge rusher.

These are considered the top edge rushers:

Aiden Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux.They are expected to go in the top three picks. I am not going to cover them.

I will cover George Karlaftis, David Ojabo, Jermaine Johnson, Travon Walker. We should get a shot at one or more of htese guys with pick 13.

George Karlaftis he is 6'4", 275 lbs. On most Boards he is the third ranked DE. This is a profile on him.
"Aside from ideal length, George Karlaftis has just about every trait necessary to bloom into a star power-rusher. Karlaftis coils and explodes off the snap even without having to time the snap perfectly. In turn, he often gets the jump on opposing offensive tackles, opening up the floor for him to show off his relentless bull-rushing or array of hand-fighting tactics. Blend that together with the ability to change directions and get skinny much better than any player his size should, and Karlaftis lands in special territory as an athlete. He also has all the awareness, anchor and motor to be a high-end run defender right away." My take is he overall good. Not exceptional.

David Ojabo he is 6'5", 250 lbs. He is a edge rusher but is more of linebacker in a 3-4

Being a one-year starter, David Ojabo is only scratching the surface of what he could be. Ojabo sports a long, lean frame that probably has room for a few more pounds. In turn, he is exclusively a speed-rusher right now. He is not a power rusher. I don't him as a fit for the Browns defense.


Jermaine Johnson is 6'4", 262 lbs. He had a great week at the Senior Bowl.

I like this guy a lot. I believe he would be great with Myles. He has all the tools to excel. He is big strong and fast. He ran a 4.5 in high school.
He is explosive and has that natural bend ability. He can go outside and come inside. He is a good fit for defense.


Travon Walker is 6'5", 280 lbs. He is mocked to the Browns by Daniel Jeremiah.

He is a big powerful dude who could play DT.
At 6'5" and 280 pounds, Walker played with his hand in the dirt as a 3-technique, 5-technique and 6-technique, as well as from a stand-up outside linebacker position. He'll likely play 5- and 6-technique in the NFL, but his flexibility at other alignments could make for some devastating situational packages.

Walker thrives in run defense. His initial punch is as violent as it gets and he rarely misses. He tends to do a great job controlling blocks following his initial punch, allowing him to keep eyes in the backfield and leverage his gap correctly.

He also seems like a good fit for the Browns.

I am not keen on Ojabo for the Browns. The other guys are all good fits for us. It will be who Berry sees as BPA.

I agree. Several of the players you mentioned are good receivers. There are more.

My only deal with a receiver is if you aren't going to target him 90-100 times a season, he isn't worth the pick. That is 5-6 times a game.

If that isn't the plan, don't waste the pick. Select one of the others in the 2nd or 3rd round and toss them the rock 30-40 times a season.

We don't need a 1st round decoy running around like a chump.

If we bring in the talent; they will be used.

We are going to run the ball. We will not be a spread offense. However, there will be games when we will have to pass effectively.

And that does not mean just dink and dunk. We will need to be able to score quickly at times. There will be games when the defense dictates that we throw a bunch. There will be games where the defense we play could have a weak secondary and we should attack it.

I have no doubt that Berry will improve the pass game potential and KS will use it.

Reading the reports you posted of these three, I’m picturing comparisons to

Wilson = Terry McLaurin (with a tenth slower in the 40)
Burks = DK Metcalf
London = I can’t think of a newer generation player, but all I am coming up with is a raw Randy Moss. (Height, high pointing jump balls, speed)

London doesn't have Moss's speed. He is kinda like Mike Evans.

In a way he is unique. He has great size and is versatile. But he plays like a TE but with more speed.

Burks is like Metcalf.

Wilson reminds some AJ Green

Thanks

There we go… Mike Evans is a good one, my mind blanked out over a comparison.

AJ Green is interesting, and I can see that comparison too.

There's no way 100 targets isn't the plan. Landry had 87 this season and only played 11 games.

As far as the decoy thing... every good WR is also a good decoy.

Se, he (whoever he is) is worth the pick and is a necessity to getting this offense back on track.

The Bengals are in the Super Bowl. And about the only thing they were better at than the Browns in 2021 is throwing it and catching it.

We have a good team. Baker healthy should make a difference. But the receivers are nowhere close to the Bengals.

I have no doubt that Andrew Berry will address the receiver group. We will be better at throwing and catching it.

The receivers in this draft are damn good. And most likely Berry will get a top notch guy in free agency as well.

Berry is the guy who will make or break the Browns. I have great confidence in him. Last year overall we had a good draft.

I expect the same thing this year.

I knew eventually that a full picture of Malik Willis would be exposed.

Also, I knew there were flaws. He played against weak competition.

This tape goes over the good and bad.



Before i saw this I made the statement that Malik is not ready and he would need to sit for at least a year.

The tape backs me up on that point. He is a guy who has to develop. He has a high ceiling that is true. Because he is a gifted athlete.

Playing quarterback in the NFL you need more than that. Decision making and reading defenses comes with experience and good coaching. There is a lot to learn. And the school room is not at Liberty.

Malik has the potential but if he does not pick up what is needed at the next level. He will fail.

Maybe it's me, but it does not make sense to me to draft a player in the top half of the 1st round who will need to sit and develop for 2/3 years and maybe be the guy, when you can draft a player at a position which can provide immediate impact.

Give me the best DE/WR available at #13.

Most likely that is what will happen.

But when you have any doubt you must investigate.

So, Berry will. what comes from it? I don't know.

I have always believed that playing is how you get better. I don't buy in that sitting for a year or so does any real good.

It helps some, but playing at the speed of the game is the only real way, especially at QB.

There is no set rule that fits all circumstances.

It depends on the player and the team he goes to.

If the player goes to a bad team and they have no way to compete. They can say to the player. We will live with your mistakes. We support you and we want you to gain experience.

In a case like Mahomes going to the Chiefs. They had Alex Smith. They were a competitive team. Mahomes was raw. He needed to learn.

Trey Lance sat this year behind Garoppolo. Fields sat. Rodgers sat. Lamar sat.

If as an example Malik Willis came to Cleveland. He would sit and rightfully so. He has a lot to learn.

Prospects come off the college season. Then they enter draft season. Go through Senior Bowl, Combine prep, Pro days, team workouts and interviews.

Then they go through the draft. Go to OTA's "here kid." "This is the playbook. Learn it." Then they are expected to lead grown men? Most are not ready.
Especially those who came out early.

A four year starter in college who played in the SEC. Maybe he is ready?

So each case is different.

My belief is that if you can't give your rookie QB protection, you need to sit him. Nothing good comes from letting a rookie QB get beat to death. Nothing. And that's often times a part of the problem. They draft a rookie at the QB position and place him in a position where the OL is crap and they have no running game. Having no support system on the field for a rookie QB can be an early death knell for a kid.

Garrett Wilson’s 2022 NFL Draft scouting report overview
For all projective purposes, Wilson’s smooth, sudden athleticism, combined with his attention to detail and his sheer instinct at the catch point, makes him an extremely promising wideout in the 2022 NFL Draft. Wide receivers who can create at all three levels are coveted in the NFL, and Wilson fits this description better than most in the 2022 class.

Before the catch, Wilson can create separation with his explosiveness, suddenness, fast feet, hip sink, and technical use of deception. At the catch point, he can create opportunities with his natural, effortless body control, ball tracking ability, and strong hands. And after the catch, he can create extra yards with his twitch, elusiveness, and urgent style.

With his high-level instincts at the catch point, and his high-level athletic upside everywhere else, Wilson is a worthy WR1 candidate in the 2022 NFL Draft, and a potential top ten prospect.

Also he isn't Frail he missed 1 game (Not Counting the Rose Bowl) in his OSU Career ...

I hope so.

Looking at the mock drafts which are based upon team needs.

It looks like the Browns will be able to get one of the top three guys.

Wilson, Burks or London.

Pass rushers the top two Hutchinson and Thibodeaux will go way before pick 13.

Karlaftis who most have as 3rd best will most likely go before pick 13.
The next three pass rushers are"

Ojabo, Trevon Walker, and Jermaine Johnson those three should be available at 13.

Walker and Johnson are good fits in our defense. Ojabo is more of a 3-4 lb.


So, it would seem that BPA will be a receiver.

I have been thinking about how to post something like this and was struggling. You did a nice job.

The way I was thinking about it was to ask something like: IF our top rated Wr is available at #13 is there anyone that would fall to us that we would choose over that Wr?
I agree with you that Hutchinson and Thibodeaux will go way before pick 13. As well as Karlaftis. If any of those 3 are available I would consider it but still likely take the Wr.

Kyle Hamilton? Talented player but I don't think position value is there. I also think a top Wr would improve this team significantly more than adding a top safety

There are no o-line or interior d-line players that I would consider here
I would be tempted to go with one of the top Lb's but again: Talented players but I don't think position value is there. I also think a top Wr would improve this team significantly more than adding a top linebacker. But thinking of having JOK and Nakobe Dean running around on the field together does make me smile (admittedly they would be a light Lb duo). Lloyd is bigger but I haven't seen him play.

I just started looking at Jahan Dotson from Penn St.
I would put him in that category from the highlights film
Of course there is more to evaluation than highlights which we don't have access to.

Fast and quick. Hands catcher. Excellent at adjusting to poorly thrown ball

With so many top Wr's so closely rated (at least at this point), it raises the question? If there is an offer to trade down do we take it?

If we can get a 1st rounder next year while only dropping to a point that we think we could still get one of those 4, then yes I do it.

If we can get a 2nd rounder next year while only dropping to a point that we are certain we could still get one of those 4, then yes I do it

If we can get a 2nd rounder this year while only dropping to a point that we are certain we could still get one of those 4, not sure.

If I am trading down I want to add picks in next years draft. There is a real chance that we will be looking to draft a Qb in 2023. I want as much ammo as possible if that situation should arise. I don't think I risk losing out on a top Wr for an extra pick this year.

Ideally you would like BPA to intersect your biggest need.

Trade down could be an option. You play the draft game.

Who is left? Who are the teams and what are they looking for? If you drop can you still get who you want?

Jameson Williams is in the mix at receiver. He tore a ACL in the championship game. Will he recover in time?

I love Drake London. He is the guy I want. If he had not fractured his ankle. His numbers would be off the charts. He should be ready for camp easy. The injury was in October.

He is a mismatch on every play. He played in the slot and as X receiver. He is versatile. Huge catch radius. Very athletic for a guy 6'5".

He does not lose 50/50 balls. He is a go to receiver. He can run a slant and go deep and win. He can be used all over the field.

I have full faith in Andrew Berry. If the guy you really want is there sometimes it is best to grab him.

I'm not so sure I would agree that there's a "real chance" we will need a QB next year but more that there's a slight chance. But any time you can move down in the draft and still get your intended target it's a good thing. I think once you get past the top two or maybe three top players at any one position, most often the gap in talent seems pretty wide beyond that and player evaluations tend to lump players more closely into groups of players rather than individual players. This year seems to be a year where the WR class is very strong. With where we are currently slated to pick, #13 I would guess the top 2 or three WR's may be gone by the time we pick. But I don't see a huge drop off between the #3 WR on draft boards and the #5 WR on draft boards.

If you can get a player of fairly equal value while still stocking additional draft picks for the future it's always a good thing. Of course you shouldn't just give them away for peanuts or a ham sandwich, but if you can add quality picks and still draft a player of equal value at a later pick, it would be foolish not to whether you think you may need a QB next year or not.

The ones I see also show Linderbaum(sp) the center from Iowa being available. I would consider drafting him. He is going to be a all-pro center. I also consider that a need. Treeter isn't going to play much longer, and Harris is a back-up type player. Taking a best of the best at any position is never a bad move.

I think this year and all things given. We will take a receiver.

I have thought about this quite a bit. Unless the Browns were to trade for Russell Wilson which is a real long shot.

They go all in with Baker and select a receiver.

There could be a slight chance they would take a quarterback. But they would need to land two really good receivers in free agency. And, they would have to really love a qb at 13 and he would have to be there.

Not all that is likely to happen.

So, receiver is most likely the pick.

If you look at Berry's past off season's when he targeted a position of need and decided to fix the position he doubled down. 2020 - Signed Jack Conklin in Free Agency and drafted Jedrick Wills. Then 2021 signed Troy Hill in Free Agency and drafted Greg Newsome. If he has zeroed in on fixing the receivers positin like many of us think I think he will use this same method and sign a pretty big name receiver before of after cutting Jarvis Landry. Someone like Allen Robinson. Then draft whoever is best player available at the WR position at #13.

Then he is all in all in as you mentioned on Baker and he has a put up or your gone 2022 season. I do like how Mayfield has responded in the past after bad season's and bad performances. 2020 he responded pretty well after and rough 2019. The Bengals game this year after OBJ was cut loose and all eyes were on Baker.

I agree completely. Berry will do as he has done in the past.

During the season there was a press conference with AVP. He made a telling statement. "We are not very good in the passing game."

Maybe not a direct quote but that was what he was saying.

Andrew Berry is a bright guy. He knows precisely what needs to be done. And there is no doubt that he will upgrade the entire receiving room.

He will look for an explosive playmaker. He will want stiff competition and depth. They will want to be able to attack the entire field.

I expect a much improved offense.

I like the Allan Robinson thought, in combo with a #1 pick of a WR. I also wonder if Michael Thomas might be available from the Saints now that Drew Brees and Sean Payton are gone and secondly, if he is healthy.

I don't disagree. I just don't think we should. The bust rate is pretty high for 1st round receivers. There is increased risk in doing so. PFF stats over the last 15 years show you have as good or better chance of getting a quality receiver in rounds 2 and 3.

I also any totally against drafting for need in the 1st round unless you are needing a QB. You might be able to do more of that as you go deeper in to the draft. IMO drafting for needs early in the draft is what loser teams do.

I'd address needs in free agency and with at least the 1st pick I'd draft the BPA unless he is at a position you are totally solid.

Here is the problem i have with drafting a receiver #1. As mentioned, the bust rate is high. Bust may not mean totally crappy, but not nearly as good as you would expect. Playing like Higgins might not be a bust, but it isn't what you are looking for with the 1st pick.

Next is the fact i don't have confidence we will be able to get the returns on a real good receiver because of parameters around the position due to coaching plan, and or the QB play.

I am not saying the coaching plan is wrong, it just isn't conducive to big numbers at the wideout slot. Did OBJ fold because he didn't want to be in Cleveland or did he fold because we could never get him the ball? He seems to be doing pretty well in LA. As for the QB, it is a question...we will see which QB shows up. Again, I am just not convinced we would allow a guy like Chase to put up the same type numbers as the Bengals do. A ball control O is usually designed to be fairly risk adverse.

Good post 'peen

The way I see it 2021 was an offensive failure.

What we saw is not what I believe to be their vision of what they want to see.

The way this draft seems to be laying out with the qb class and the top players rankings.

It looks like BPA may well be a receiver at 13. As far as bust rate. That pretty much is the case with any position.

Look at the OT draft when we took Wills. There were about four guys who were close. We took the second guy chosen.

This year looks like that except it is the receiver position. The top three are very close. We may get the second one.

Big numbers at the position does not matter. It is about making plays when you need to.

Odell is not drawing double coverage because he is not the number one guy Cooper Kupp is that guy. So, Odell benefits.

Berry will address receiver no different than he has addressed other positions of need. First the OL. Then the defensive secondary. He brought in free agents and drafted guys.

I really think that if we don't go WR and Linderbaum is there that he's the pick. Tretter is a free agent after next season and Linderbaum will give us a younger and cheaper O line, we already have a bunch of money tied up in Bitonio, Teller, and Conklin plus like Tretter, Conklin will be a free agent after next season and I really can't see us giving out big money to both of them.

I agree. OBJ struggles being the #1 WR. He loks much better being robin to Cooper Cupps batman.

I would be ok with this pick helps our Run Game ....

Here are my players and position I would be ok with picking at #13:

WR - Garrett Wilson OSU - Treylon Burks - ARKANSAS - Chris Olave OSU - Drake London USC

OL - Ikem Ekwonu OT/G N.C. STATE - Charles Cross MISSISSIPPI STATE OT -

DL/EDGE - Jordan Davis DT UGA - George Karlaftis EDGE PURDUE -

C - Tyler Linderbaum C/G - IOWA

QB - NONE

Link



Draft history by position


Anything’s possible, but if we are targeting a center….then I would expect a trade back.


Edit: last time a center was drafted close to our pick 13 was Steve Everitt (#14) 1993 Browns

I highly doubt the first round pick will be a center.

It not a priority for this team at this time.

Does any think that Harris is good enough to take over for Tretter when he leaves. From the couple games I saw him play, both at guard and center, he didn’t look awful.

To be fair, as far as the Draft goes, the priorities mean very little until after the first three weeks of Free Agency.
So, whatever priorities you see now, may not be, at all, come mid-April.

Free Agency is for "now". The Draft is for planning for the future... and, depending on how we feel about the guys we're developing, Center *could* be viewed as a need because there is a hole there this time next year.

I guess it depends on your view of Nick Harris.

All he has done is played some backup guard. He was drafted as a center. That is considered his strongest position.

He has been on the team now two full years. I thought he was being groomed to replace Tretter?

Free agency will tell a bunch. But analytics plays a big role in both free agency and the draft.

You never know if someone will drop in your lap when you pick.

What I will say is that thus far the positions Berry has signed as FA's hasn't had as much impact as is being presented. In the past two years he has signed and drafted people on the same unit. Signing Conklin and drafting Wills both in 2020. Using both the FA market and the draft to build the secondary in 2021. So while I think PPE makes a point about what our needs will be is subjective in terms of FA signings, I also feel Berry has shown that when he decides to rebuild a unit on the team, the positions he signs in the FA market are no real indication that he won't invest heavily in the draft to complete a unit he thinks still needs talent infused in.

I have made the same point numerous times about how Berry has rebuilt.

That is why I said IMO Berry will restack the receiver room. He will use free agency and the draft.

There will be depth and competition.

JMHO, Nick Harris is smart enough to be center, making all the calls, etc. BUT he seems a little light in the butt for me. He's 6'1" and 293....imagine a 340 driver in his face/breaking thru the gap....our C is 6'4" and 307....Just saying.

I like Landon, USC, he's young, big, and could be somebody....GO Browns!!!

I'm not sure that he will. I see at least two added if we keep Landry and possibly three if he gets released. But your scenario certainly seems like a distinct possibility. The thing I wonder about most is what type of investment will he be making filling those spots? Will we see a top level FA with a mid level FA signed along with a first round pick at WR? Or two mid level FA's signed and a second round pick? Somewhere in between?

I have no idea of the answer to those questions but one thing is for sure. By the time we start next season we will know exactly what value Berry places on investing in WR's.

I get exactly what you're saying about the C position. I have no idea if Harris will or can be the answer. But he is light. Putting on 10 to 15 pounds I don't think would be that hard for a kid as he fills out though.

This is strictly a guess.

Jarvis will leave. They will make him an offer and he won't accept it. He will be released early so he can sign with another team.

Berry will sign one big name. My guess is Chris Godwin. He is a UFA and the Bucs don't have the money. Berry will make a fair offer.
No control over a FA.

He probably has a few guys in mind in case guys go elsewhere.

I don't have a feel for their opinion of Schwartz and his future role. Do they think he could play slot?

The draft is looking like pick 13 could be BPA and be a receiver. If that happens. Yes that will be the pick. If they sign a top free agent wideout. IMO they see DPJ as a number two wideout. They would still pick a receiver high. They will want competition.

However, ya never know if somebody will drop who is graded much higher like a pass rusher. If a highly ranked player falls to them. They will use round two. If they love a guy they may move up in the second to get him. You have to be flexible in the draft.

The shocker would be taking a qb. I doubt it but it is possible.

I was looking at some tape of Desmond Ridder. I kinda like him as a second or third rounder. He could be a good developmental guy.

Malik Willis is a wild card. He has great upside. But, he is a project that would need to sit a year or more.

I don't know if Berry would do that? It would give the signal that Baker would be done after 2022. Not unlike Garoppolo in SF. Unless he feels like he could franchise Baker in 2023 if he played really well. That is all very hazy.

When it comes to quarterbacks all the cards are on the table. There is no telling how Berry and his staff perceives Baker or the prospects.

As it stands today Baker is our quarterback. That is all we truly know.

Berry is a detailed planner. First up free agency. After that the draft strategy takes place.

and the distinction would be whether something just needs a hole fixed, or if a unit needs to be rebuilt. There's a bit of a difference.
A rebuild, simply because of the number of quality bodies you're trying to bring in, requires multiple approaches.
Fixing a hole is most likely and Either/Or proposition.

Our WR corps needs to be rebuilt.
The center position may warrant a fix, and since we have Nick Harris, I would NOT look to there being any sort of doubling down at the position. If anything is done, it will be either FA or the Draft; not both.

DT/DT/DT , and a real Middle Linebacker !

In the end, I think we will be working hard to find trade partners and trade out of the #13 pick.

It is evident we aren't totally sold on Baker or he would already be signed. Next year is the year you want to get a QB, not this, so we will probably be looking to build draft picks for next year in the event baker looks flimsy next season OR, he has a inflated view of his worth and or won't sign because he harbors some sort of chip against the FO or fans.

Trade down could be a move to make.

It will depend upon how the first 12 go. There are a number of receivers lumped close together.

So if they are all there and the drop is not to far and they feel like they can still a guy they like. Sure.

Pick 13 is a interesting number because this year nobody knows when quarterbacks will come off the Board.

If there is a run in the top 12. A top ranked player could fall in our lap. If a pass rusher who they love drops to us. Then IMO they will take him.
And then look for a receiver in round two.

Of course free agency plays a role in draft strategy.

74 days till the draft. Long way to go.

who's the best DT's coming out?

There is a very good chance that no DT's go in the 1st round. The highest rated is Jordan Davis from Georgia but the guy is a Danny Shelton clone, excellent against the run but offers very little as a pass rusher, his ideal position is NT. PFF rates him as the 36th best player in the draft. After Davis most places differ on how they have the guys ranked but the next few are Devonte Wyatt from Georgia, he's a more well rounded DT , he has some quickness to his game and gets off the ball in a hurry but he isn't as physical as he should be for a guy who is he's 6'3" 315lbs. Perrion Winfrey from Oklahoma is another top rated DT but he's built more like a DE, he has long arms but a thin lower body and is probably best suited as a 3-4 DE. Another guy is Phidarian Mathis from Alabama, he's average as a run stopper and as a pass rusher. There is also Travis Jones from Connecticut who like Jordan Davis is basically just a run stopper and ideally suited as a NT. This is a very weak DT class in my opinion.

I'm betting this will be solved in free agency.

There are a number of younger DTs hitting the market in addition to a bunch of older veterans.
Ogunjobi & Sheldon Richardson will be available, but I doubt either's coming back.


B.J. Hill (CIN), Quinton Jefferson (LV), Jarran Reed (KC), Taylor Stallworth (IND), Harrison Phillips (BUF) are all young guns that have shown production hitting their 2nd contract; exactly the type of free agent Berry tends to prefer.

I really want the best WR in the draft be it: Landon, Burks, Wilson, or Olave. Then hopefully we have already signed Godwin. Then trade for Michael Thomas if he is healthy.

WR1: Brandon Godwin
WR2: Michael Thomas
WR3: Chris Olave
WR4: DPJ
WR5: Swartz

Or we ignore the WR position completely and draft LB Nakobe Dean, who knows.

So you would consider a second round pick at WR in a WR heavy drafts class ignoring it?

Yes, if you got a Jahan Dotson, David Bell, Jameson Williams, or a Justyn Ross. All good wr’s as well just the 2nd tier guys.

.. If that is Berrys plan, he better sign at least TWO !

I'm expecting that he will.
Additionally, depending on the outcome of what went down with Malik McDowell, I wouldn't rule out him returning.

They would have to trade for Michael Thomas. He is under contract till 2025.

So, I would not count on that.

Chris Godwin maybe.

I do not think they will sign more than one FA. Unless they cut Jarvis then maybe.

They may draft two.

I think Wr's are vastly overrated. To me, the QB is maybe 75% of a receiver's success. That isn't towards a dig a on Baker. My point is you can find good receivers in the 2nd and 3rd rounds about as easily as you can in round 1.

Having good receivers is necessary. Having the best receiver isn't.

All good.

I would ok with all of them

You could find a receiver in any round.

But, some of these guys are better than others. A third rounder could develop in being great.

But those skills of greatness are high level skills. Cooper Kupp is great. So is Chase.

The top five receivers in this draft look damn good. They will be drafted high for reasons.

I watched a bunch of tape on Wilson, Burks, and London. I would be happy to have any of those guys.

Agreed.
Folks can just about scratch Thomas off their wish list UNLESS it is a Post-June 1st trade, or unless the Saints find themselves to be insanely desperate to shed a mere $2 million, because that is all they save by moving him before June 1st.
That said, I would totally ship off a 2023 1st & 3rd rounder for him.

With their Top 51, they are roughly $76 million OVER the cap, so they WILL be dumping guys, but moving Thomas would probably be a last resort. They will try to hold onto the best target their young QB has.
Also, there is a 0% chance of this happening if Jarvis is still here because the contract for Thomas is massive, and we would need the cap space eaten up by Jarvis to make it happen and still be able to rebuild our defense.

Josh Gordon should be available ::ducks::

Prp, Your right. The Saints trading Thomas won't save them much in cap space but they may be interested in moving him just for the picks since they are supposedly going into rebuild mode and Thomas will be 29 in a few days. I'd give them our 1st pick this year and a conditional 3rd next year.

That's a very good point, and I'd even go as far as to make it a 3rd that could become a 2nd based on his production & playing time.
Then, I'd look at restructuring him as soon as he gets here and shift a bunch of that salary to a signing bonus to make him much more affordable between now and 2025.

The question we have to answer before doing that, though, is whether or not we feel we can get someone in the draft this year with that 1st that would approximate his value to us. If the answer is yes, then you cannot make that trade because you've just acknowledged that you're throwing away a future pick and tens of millions of dollars in cap space each year until 2025. We'd have to think that Thomas was something well above and beyond any of the guys in the draft for this to make any sense at all.

The more my brain chews on that, the less I'm convinced that trading for a WR makes sense given this year's draft and where we sit in it. Sign a free agent WR and draft one... sure. Sign a free agent and trade for one... doesn't make sense UNLESS we cannot get one that we covet in the Draft. You can't both draft one and trade for one with this year's 1st.

There's a chance that because of the draft that he is devalued. Perhaps he gets traded for a 2nd and a 3rd. But, now we're getting into the territory where N'awlins has to think whether or not they value his production at his cap hit, or the draft picks, more.... AND, we still have to account for that salary (almost identical to what Jarvis is getting) while also still keeping enough to rebuild the defense. We may have to look at a restructure; put a fat chunk in his pocket now for lower salaries down the line.


Heh, so many options and facets to consider. It will be interesting to watch what Berry & Company end up doing.

I'd take Thomas over an untested rookie but who knows maybe the Saints would settle for a 2nd and a 3rd or even if we gave up our first we could still possibly get a guy like Jahan Dotson or George Pickens in the 2nd round. Better yet maybe we could trade down in the first round before we make the trade.

Yikes….I am a Michael Thomas fan, but there is no way in hell I am giving up a 1st rounder for him.

He’s an amazing receiver….but he’s 29 and very injury prone.

https://www.nfl.com/news/three-roun...five-trades-five-qbs-selected-in-round-1

Glenn Cook gives behind-the-scenes look at scouting process with NFL Combine on the horizon

Cook, the VP of Player Personnel, provided a glimpse of what the Browns will look for as the NFL Combine returns in Indianapolis following a one-year hiatus

The Browns have been in offseason mode for the last month, but Glenn Cook and the rest of the Browns' front office and scout team are knee-deep in perhaps their most important season of the year.

Draft season.

It's already here even though the real draft isn't for another 73 days, but countless hours will be spent by Cook, the Vice President of Player Personnel who's been with the organization since 2016, and the rest of the Browns' scouting team breaking down prospects and sorting out which players will be worth doing extra digging for ahead of the 2022 Scouting Combine.

That event, a week-long gathering where some 300 prospects will conduct drills and complete several meetings with numerous teams, is set to take place March 1-7 in Indianapolis. It's a return to normalcy for NFL front offices and scouts after the event didn't take place in 2021 due to the pandemic, and Cook provided a glimpse on just how valuable the week can be for evaluation purposes.

"It's a nice snapshot for a couple of things," he said on a recent episode of Best Podcast Available. "One, you get the medical information, which is important to understand where they are physically. Two, it's another exposure to them as a person, getting a preview into how they think or the things they believe. Three, it's competition. What are they doing on the field, and what drills do they participate in or don't participate in?"

Even though this year's combine will largely look closer to the normal schedule the Browns were accustomed to before the pandemic, Cook and his squad are still preparing to scout among some slight drill changes the league is implementing for prospects. The changes are being made to better simulate game-related movements and actions.

Wide receivers and tight ends, for example, will run crossing routes instead of wheel routes, where the player runs horizontally behind the line of scrimmage before bursting straight upfield and looking for a pass. Crossing routes will have the players run upfield first before cutting horizontally — a route that is a bit more common for receivers and tight ends in an actual game.

Drills for offensive linemen, defensive players and running backs have also been revised to more closely mirror in-game movements.

"We'll see over time how effective (the changes) were," Cook said. "I like how the league and teams incorporate the feedback, and we need to grow. Things change. We're playing the game a little bit differently. You do want to see if you can absorb or get different information out of doing something maybe a little unique to what we've done the last couple decades."

Much of Cook's work, however, won't revolve around the workouts, but rather the meetings. Teams will meet with several prospects across the week to discuss college film, their football backgrounds and ask questions that will help the Browns decide how well a player might fit on the team — both in the schemes and locker room.

Those discussions, especially for players likely to be drafted in the middle and late rounds, are just as important, if not more valuable than the workouts themselves. And it's something Cook and the Browns are looking forward to doing after completing many of those meetings in the last two years via video calls.

"It's really our first time being able to get a first-hand account of who they are, how they got to the university and what their experience was like," he said. "There are other bits of information that our coaching staff can get, or our other auxiliary groups, into assessing who they are as an individual.

"The way we talk about it is we will not know who they are after a 15 minute meeting … but there are bits and pieces you can get that maybe answer a few small questions along the way."

The work won't slow down for the scouts after the combine as colleges host their individual pro days in the eight weeks that separate the combine from the draft. Free agency will be wedged in between those two dates, too, which could drastically affect the Browns' draft plans depending on who they're able to sign.

So casting a wide net for who to evaluate at the combine is always important. It's still early in the offseason, but the Browns already have a large pool of prospects they'll be monitoring in the next few months — and their evaluations of many of those players are likely farther along than usual after the Browns sent four of their coaches to coach and develop players in the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Plenty of work, though, remains ahead, as the Browns' front office and scouts seek to make the most of perhaps their most important time of the year.

"Once we get through this part of our draft meetings, we'll double back and make sure our plan is really tight and clean in terms of free agency," Cook said. "We'll have a full-boar, aggressive process there, and then we'll have our minds on the draft and make sure we bring in the right men and talent into the organization."

https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/new...p7f-m3vtAB7VOhd4Rw0kj8z-qX2kanQ4qH7JlOso

Jordan Davis " While Davis showcases nimble feet and impressive play speed, he could be quicker at the point of the snap. In the games studied, he seemed slow off the snap with little explosion. If he could make strides in that area, it would significantly improve his play. "

This is were the right Team and right D line Coach will be so important to this Young man. I believe he has greater skill's yet to be developed ..

j/c:

Lolz....

"Say it with me now, it's all in the hips... it's all in the hips.... just easing the tension, baby!"

What an odd way to come out.

Todd McShay came with his 2.0 mock today.

He had the Browns getting Wilson. I am ok with that.

Then he had the Steelers trading up to 17 to get Malik Willis.

I am NOT ok with that. In fact I would be pissed. I know they are on him. I had already posted weeks ago if they got a crack at getting Willis.

They would jump at getting him. My hope is Willis goes way earlier. Willis is loaded with talent. He has a lot to learn if a team is patient with a plan.

The Steelers would have that in place.

We do not need the Steelers landing Willis.

My First Attempt at the Draft in First-Pick Draft game (Doesn't include our New 3rd Rd. Pick)

Round 1 Pick 13: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State (A)
Round 2 Pick 12: Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota (A-)
Round 3 Pick 17 (NYG): Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State (A)
Round 4 Pick 2: Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma (A+)
Round 4 Pick 7 (NYG): Brandon Smith, ILB/OLB, Penn State (A+)
Round 4 Pick 13: George Pickens, WR, Georgia (A+)
Round 5 Pick 12: Alec Lindstrom, C/OG, Boston College (A+)
Round 6 Pick 14: Chris Hinton, DT, Michigan (A+)
Round 7 Pick 2: Cameron Dicker, K, Texas (B+)

www.first-pick.com