The new DPL.

The conflicting reports seem to be who to blame. The Browns apparently are blaming the Bengals for sending in a copy of the paperwork that didn't include the Browns signature. They are saying the Bengals made the error. Question is if it's true or if they are trying to save face. Or if that report is even coming from the Browns at all.

 

Grossi admitted he was wrong? I didn't see that

 

Then you probably also didn't see that the whole story was fueled by one Aaron Goldhammer (both Grossi and Goldhammer work for ESPN Cleveland radio). Goldhammer has made a career by riding the fence and slinging crap at whoever / whatever is not doing well in Cleveland. And he uses both sides of the fence. He'll say anything for the sake of his ratings.

Grossi at one time was the Browns beat reporter for the Plain Dealer. He was removed from that beat at the insustence of the Browns themselves for falsly reporting stories that weren't true simply to increase readership.

 

Lym I actually heard the news at football practice 2day....all I heard was the Browns missed out on McCarron cause they were celebrating and missed the deadline by less than a minute...reported by Grossi

 

Disgusting that this team almost gave up their second and third picks in 2018 - two picks in the top 65 - for a QB half as talented as Cody Kessler.

Per Mike Silver, Hue Jackson *really* likes McCarron. This was his move. Must be fired immediately for gross negligence.

Kudos to the F/O guy who “fudged” the paperwork.

 

So the trade deadline was a non event in Cleveland. We stayed home while a top rated left tackle, a highly desired QB, and a deep pass threat, who used to be ours went to new teams.

Wow. glad we didn't get sucked into any of those deals.

 

THE PLAN lives on.

 

Deep pass threat??

 

You have it reversed...Kessler isnt even half as good as McCarron who has won 2 games in his career...but to be honest they both stink

 

Bye week pluses: Garret and Peppers back at practice. Coley and McCourty next, I hope.

Bye week minuses: Coach and FO not on same page, and not keeping it "in house".

That disconnect could be purposeful, in so far as Hue hasn't gotten the memo, we're fighting for number 1, not wins. I'd like to think otherwise, but.... It also could mean Hue is a goner.

They may be telling him, "coach your way into the HC job for 2018", or we'll find one.

 

The reason Hue Jackson won't have a job in Cleveland next year isn't because of anything he did, it's what he didn't do.


OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR


They hire a TRUE offensive coordinator and we could all be having different conversations right now. They still wouldn't be lighting up scoreboards because of the lack of talent, but I believe Hue being a HC instead of an OC would have prevented a lot of these stupid penalties. If he had been overseeing every aspect of the team, he may have beat his hands on the table when it came time to pick the kicker, instead of allowing the front office to simply keep their draft pick.

Thing is, both sides need to realize they are in this together...It isn't black (We pick the players) and white (you coach the players). The front office needs to do their job in putting them in position to get the good players (job accomplished), then allow the coaches and scouts to HELP them choose the right players (I believe is lacking).


The best thing that happened yesterday is what didn't happen....

McCarron is just the same player in a different package. The call for mediocre players on this team will keep this team down for more years to come.

As bad as Kizer has been, he is the most talented QB this team has seen since Tim Couch. He may not be football smart enough to "get it". But acquiring more mediocre QBs will not help the situation at all, we have two of those on the team now who have proven that road doesn't lead to wins either.

The other thing that didn't happen is trading away the rights to a talented WR...what's the BIGGEST need on this team? Obviously that is arguable and if we took a poll QB would win in a landslide, but obviously I disagree. We need receivers who can take over a game, we don't have a single one on this team that can stay healthy or on the active squad due to suspension...however, we do have one...if he comes off of suspension and is playing, he needs to be playing for THIS team not helping another franchise.

Everyone is up in arms, and I was just breathing a sigh of relief about the things that looked like might happen, but didn't. If anything they should have been acquiring a Kelvin Benjamin.

2018 NFL DRAFT
First round: (2) Own pick, Texans' pick via 2017 draft-day trade.
Second round: (3) Own pick, Eagles' pick via 2016 draft-day trade, Texans' pick via Brock Osweiler trade.
Third round: (1) Own pick.
Fourth round: (2) Own pick, Panthers' pick via Andy Lee trade.
Fifth round: (2) Own pick, Chiefs' pick (conditional) via Cam Erving trade.
Sixth round: (2) Own pick, Steelers' pick via Justin Gilbert trade.
Seventh round: (1) Own pick.

That is what the Browns have in their arsenal...

Benjamin was traded for a third and a seventh from the Bills who will DEFINITELY have worse picks than the Browns. If all they gave up were a Third and Seventh, the Panthers would have been in a better position than they are now, so I have to believe they would have done the deal. The Browns still would have had ELEVEN picks in this draft including (5) in the first two rounds. So you have to ask yourself, is Kelvin Benjamin worth a 3rd round draft pick, because with 13 draft picks, you have to believe that seventh rounder won't be sticking around anyway. That's the ONLY thing you are giving up, you are still acquiring 12 players, just one that is seasoned a helluva lot more than a third round draft pick will be and is performing better than a third round pick is expected to perform. This is the one move that really pisses me off.

 

The latest report seems the most likely...

The Browns inquired about McCarron (which makes sense as Jackson was his coach and may have some faith in him), the Bengals gave a price of a second and third round draft pick in the 2018 draft. The Browns said no and countered (the report doesn't state what the counter was). The Bengals came back with, that is our final offer, hung up the phone and because the deadline was imminent sent in the paperwork so that their part was done. The Browns did not send in the paperwork agreeing to that compensation beause, well, two draft picks for McCarron is stupid and they aren't stupid. So in the end, this was much ado about nothing. The Browns inquired, the cost was ridiculous and just as ridiculous reports ensued. The "leak" at the league office that a trade came in started everything it seems, then most of the rest was made up reporting that gets all of us to click on websites and listen to ridiculous radio and television people whose job is to get us to tune in. They talked about it all night, they will talk about it all day today and in the end there was NO story to begin with other than the Bengals and Browns had a phone call and one team sent in paperwork just in case the other was so desperate they would agree at the last minute.


Now, which is the most likely story?

The one described above or 3 Harvard graduates couldn't tell time and failed to get paperwork in before the deadline?

Now mind you, the league office never received ANY paperwork from the Browns whether before or after the deadline and to my knowledge the paperwork doesn't have both teams on it so that one team sends the paperwork to the other team so that both signatures are on the same piece of paper, which was another made up story reported.

The saddest part of all of this is, tomorrow the story will be dead and the dumb ass reporters have no responsibility in what they report at all. BUT, these same reporters will continue to point to these made up stories as reference material down the road as to the ineptness of this team so that they can keep the fans blood boiling and clicking on their websites and listening/watching them be fools on the radio/TV.


(edit I have to disagree with my statement above...the saddest part of this whole episode is that we all get engulfed in said lies, believe them and make what they do relevant by rewarding them with clicks and air time, even though 90% of the "rumor" mill part of sports is made up fluff. At the end of the day, all this is about is entertainment. None of this has anything to do with the main aspect of sports, the competition. These are just things put into our lives to keep us entertained long enough to miss out on more important things happening in real life. I am getting more and more frustrated with how much I give up in order to follow a sports team that doesn't give me back anything in return. I'm close to giving up the NFL all together. I will say this, if they fire everyone and start over this off season, I am done. This team will never understand the importance of continuity and I am CERTAIN that I can find something more fulfilling to fill my days and nights year round. I would love to feel that feeling I had in the 80s for this football team, but most of those feelings are disintegrating from the negativity that the whole Browns environment brings...Sad really

 

Not sure what you like in Hue....he's a terrible in game manager, cant develop QBs and will be gone at seasons end...draft picks are a joke unless you hit on them....your right how can this team not go hard after KB....plz stop w the Gordon talk....he's done even if he comes back...hasnt played in yrs...finally you keep discussing these arsenal of draft picks but then will come back and say their the youngest team in football...well ya thats gonna happen when you keep trading down or passing on guys that can help your team

 

FTR: It was Kelvin Benjamin that got traded, not Travis...But yeah, seeing other teams making moves, while the Browns do nothing, is hard to take...

 

Hue hasn't shown anything about what he can or can't do because he took on too much, which obviously is a flaw in his management skills. But, the Bengals were a different offensive team when he was in charge of it, that tells me he can coach...maybe he just isn't cut out to be a HC. As far as "the guy", I like Hue, sue me. What he needs to do is pick a job and do it to the best of his ability, not try to do 2-3 different things half assed.

I won't stop with the Gordon talk, as of right now his rights belong to the Browns and if re-instated he would immediately become the best receiver on this team without playing for 3 years. That is how desolate a roster we have at the position. I don't care what you say about his off field issues, that is your opinion if you don't think he deserves to be here, but his ability has been on display and you simply cannot deny it was there at one point, and until proven otherwise, there is no reason to believe he can't get back to that point at the age of 26. I'm not expecting them to end the search if he comes back, you would have to treat your roster as if he isn't on it, no matter what.

I discussed the arsenal of draft picks suggesting you use two of them on a veteran, I don't know what your point is. The team needs a healthy dose of veteran and youth. Each year, the current "young roster" gets more experience. A healthy dose of young talent will ALWAYS be needed. I still love having 10 draft picks a year, that way when you need to cut one, you still have a youth movement. There is nothing that proves a #10 pick works out more than a #20 pick or a #2 pick works out more often than a #12 pick, having two first rounders every year ups your odds more than taking a top 7 pick and only having one shot at it...That is my opinion. These prospects are so close to being the same talentwise, it is rare that one in the top five is the top prospect out of their draft class. Why? Because you are comparing those 5 players to 250 other players and odds are there will be one out of the other pool of 250 that will end up better. Trading down, imho, is almost always the way to go, unless you have an Andrew Luck or a Myles Garrett or a Saquon Barkley staring you in the face. Getting 2 for 1 ups your odds of hitting on a pro.

 

lmao! Gimme a g.d. break..REALLY? We all knew that this trainwreck was actually going to regress from last years 1-15 nightmare?????? I don't think so...Seriously man, don't preach patience to Browns fans, while we are getting blasted every minute of EVERY day by national and local media for being the most ridiculously inept organization in the history of this sport...We have the worst QB ever.....The worst coach ever....and the worst front office of all time... Our owner is under federal indictment for his shady business practices, and we have ONE win in our last 25 games...You have to go back FOUR seasons to find the last time we strung together consecutive wins...We are the laughing stock of not just football, but the entire sports world...If you want to be the official Cleveland Browns apologist/excuse maker, that's fine. Just don't tell me to be patient, and when they all get fired at the end of this miserable season, I won't say, "i told ya so"...

 

Spoken w reason and from the head not heart

 

This is patently un-true.

Derek Anderson, Brandon Weeden, and Johnny Manziel were all more talented.

"As bad as Kizer has been" doesn't really tell the story. He's historically bad. He's the worst rookie to start since Ryan Leaf (how'd he work out again?). He's fifth-worth starting quarterback in the modern era and he's the ninth-worst starting quarterback in the history of the NFL.

And this is a pass-first league. As bad as Bradshaw and Leaf were, they played in an era when a dominant running back was the path to the Super Bowl. So yes, when I say "modern NFL", I absolutely discount the examples of Peyton Manning and Troy Aikman - both of whom were first overall picks in their respective classes. Sure, Manning threw 29 interceptions as a rookie (Kizer is on pace to throw 29). He threw 28 touchdowns to go with that (Kizer is on pace to throw just 8).

 

The gut punches just keep on comin....This from the Plain Dealer, sums it up pretty well.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- That's it?

That's what crossed my mind when I heard the New England Patriots traded Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2018 second-round pick.

Here's a reality check: No one is sure if Garoppolo will become a viable long-term starting quarterback in the NFL. His NFL experience is a grand total of 94 passes over 2 1/2 seasons.

In two starts last season, he was 42-of-59 passing (70 percent) with four TDs and zero interceptions. He led New England to victories over the Arizona Cardinals (23-21) and Miami Dolphins (31-24) while starter Tom Brady was suspended.

We don't know a lot about the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Garoppolo. But I'd love seeing him in an orange helmet for eight games to learn about him.

If the Browns had traded their 2018 second-round pick and a third-rounder, I'd be raving about the trade.

Check that: The Browns could have traded two second-rounders for Garoppolo -- their own pick and that infamous Brock Osweiler/Houston Texans 2018 second-rounder to New England.

I'd have given the Browns two HUGE thumbs up.

Garoppolo is only 26, heading into the prime of his career. It's the ideal time for him to take over as a starter.

THE BIG PICTURE

Part of the reason I've endorsed the Browns general approach of piling up picks is for moments like this -- when they can "overpay" to take a chance to fill a vital need on the team with a promising young veteran.

I heard the Browns were talking to New England. I don't know what was offered. I just know Garoppolo went to the NFL's other 0-8, quarterback starved franchise.

The bottom line is San Francisco beat the Browns for Garoppolo.

Furthermore, the 49ers didn't pay an excessive price.

Finally, this Browns front office has made two previous deals with New England involving Jamie Collins and Barkevious Mingo. So they have a working relationship with head coach Bill Belichick and his key people.

Yet, they failed to make a deal.

And it is a failure, a major one.

This bothers me more than passing on some of the quarterbacks available in the draft. There was less data available on guys coming out of college than on Garoppolo.

The odds are overwhelming against Garoppolo being a major a flop.

He has played enough preseason and regular season games to show he is an NFL-caliber quarterback who can set up his teammates, run an offense and play with a certain degree of poise.

That's a good start.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Adding Garoppolo would not have meant the Browns write off rookie DeShone Kizer. The Notre Dame product is only 21 and ill-prepared for playing on a bad NFL team.

Kizer is under contract for four years. There is plenty of time for the coaching staff to work with him. He also could learn a lot simply from watching how Garoppolo prepares for games.

In his time with the Browns, Brian Hoyer was 10-6 as a starter and showed the benefits of having been in New England.

Hoyer's career has had some ups and downs, but Hoyer is a pro in his ninth season. He was cut by the 49ers after they added Garoppolo. Reports have Hoyer headed to New England to ... you guessed it ... replace Garoppolo as Brady's backup.

As the trading deadline ended, ESPN reported the Browns and Cincinnati thought they had a deal for Bengals backup quarterback A.J. McCarron. Not sure what happened, other than the deadline came and the Browns roster remained the same.

That's a major problem for the front office, regardless of the details.

McCarron didn't have anything close to the same appeal as Garoppolo. But it would have been interesting to see him play with the Browns.

Like Garoppolo, McCarron can be a free agent at the end of the season. So there would be some risk. But the Browns would have had the right to keep either quarterback with the expensive $23 million franchise tag.

But in the end, there were no deals.

And for the Browns front office, this was perhaps the worst day since they took over the franchise early in 2016.