Apologies on one point, McCaffery is a bit lower thanks to return yards but he should pass the 1000 yard benchmark in a game or two. A reason he hasn't been the workhorse is because Stewart has become that while they are using Christian differently and finding success doing so. Why pound the rock with someone just to prove a point to a couple people that he can?
Sadly True but the Kid has talent and it will show more over the next few years. Unless he turns into John Stephens.
Mine and Tim's point being is look at this. Yes you can find a back later but if the odds drop quite a bit. If you need a back badly, you draft one earlier and increase your odds, just like any position in the draft. RBs aren't immune. I've said this before and I think said it today, if you can get a stud RB along with your true QB of the future then growth for the QB and the rest of the team only becomes easier and you could even see real success much sooner than later.
Oh, don't get me wrong, I think Cousins will bring a premium, as well he should being possibly the best free agent QB to ever hit the market (at the time of his career he hit the market). But, as soon as he is signed, Alex Smith becomes the best QB on the market (if the Chiefs let him go at all..they have him under contract for another year at only 20.6M). If the Chiefs are 1-6 out of their last 7 games, and are still going with Smith...Mahomes may not be coming along as fast as a top 10 pick should. Which means they may want to continue with Smith in case he doesn't come along at all.. I think you are letting your love for rookies blind you. I cannot understand why you would think there is ANY better option than Cousins, considering what he has accomplished the past 3 years. A team wins championships and the Skins have not built a team worthy of contention. In order to build that team, you must add the best pieces possible..Right now, HE is the best "possible" piece to this roster in order to move towards a Championship caliber team. He immediately becomes the best QB in the AFC North. This alone helps make the Browns contenders for the division, with contention brings possibility. If YOU want a 3 year contract, then you are unwilling to sign the best options and you must cede any complaining when the Browns continue wallowing below even mediocrity. The problem with your theory is...No matter how many QBs are chosen in the top ten, MOST of those QBs fail to ever become a high caliber QB, let alone a franchise changer. I don't have any confidence in this draft class based on history and their shortcomings in the evaluation process. If we aren't discussing Mayfield, I don't want to discuss a QB for this team coming from the draft. And Mayfield comes with his own set of physical shortcomings, sincerely, no pun intended. Cousins is proven, Smith is proven, NO draft prospect is proven...The Browns have historical money available to them, they need to use it and stop the fans bleeding. The NEW offensive coordinator will do what is necessary to get the most out of the offense in HIS way. I believe that is going to happen fairly early on after the Super Bowl, possibly before then. Hue Jackson will be in charge of the team in 2018, not the offense...otherwise, he has sealed his fate. I can say with great certainty, if his future relies on a rookie QB, he will not be employed by the Browns in 2019.
That is why Sashi Brown no longer has a job...He was thrown in too soon because of a lack of choice. Although he was historically bad, he STILL is the best choice on this roster...That must change this off season.
I'm good with Cleveland taking Barkley #1 overall, then if other teams are stupid enough to pass on Mayfield, taking him immediately after..
Sorry, Irish, but that's the mentality that got us Brandon Weeden, Johnny Manziel and DeShone Kizer. IF you need a QB (hint . . . WE DO!), then you don't place your fate in someone else's plan. You go get one . . . WHAT EVER IT TAKES!
I must have watched a different Kirk Cousins the last few years. Then again, as I'm in the Washington / Baltimore market I've actually watched him play a good bit and not used stats as my guide. Cousins is a slightly better Andy Dalton. Extremely comfortable in a scheme that doesn't require a QB who can make all the throws because like Dalton he doesn't have the arm strength necessary for a more traditional offense. Not a bad QB but limited in what you can do with him. If I had an opportunity to get a young guy with more arm talent I wouldn't hesitate.
Not when I have the RB rated that much higher and I am MORE worried about losing that player than the QB that has about a 50% chance to make it in this league. Give me Kirk Cousins who has proven he is making it in this league. You have the money, go get him!!
And play that QB day 1?? Here's the reality of the situation... The Browns have #1 overall AND a probable top 7 overall.. Moving from #7 to #2 would cost you the #7, the second round pick from the Eagles and your 2019 first round pick...IF you feel there is a QB worth taking, you can have both...because I would pay that price for Barkley. Barkley moves this team further in 2018 than ANY QB in this draft class.. AND, you can have Kirk Cousins for 4 years to ease that rookie's future. Personally, 4,000 yards and 25 TDs is all I need to know for me to be convinved Kirk Cousins can help this Browns team win games...Currently we have won 4 out of the last 44 games.. FOUR out of FORTY-FOUR A rookie QB will mean a reset for this team...Dorsey might survive, but that is all. If this regime wants to legitimize their jobs, a veteran QB that is capable of moving the chains must be acquired.
You might get your chance sooner than later beach... It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Roethlisberger retires after this season...Do you advocate the Steelers drafting a QB and starting him the first play of 2018? Even if you could take your pick of any of these rookie QBs.
No it isn't, you are talking about waiting until the 20+ picks in the draft have been taken... I am talking about MY #1 QB somehow being rated lower than 4 other guys because of his height. Thus he will be available with your second pick which is likely to be 6th or 7th overall...not 20 something or the second round. Hell, take the guy #1 overall, I don't care, but trade up and get that RB that will be that actual player to help your team in 2018 and beyond, because I KNOW he won't be sitting there with that second pick.
I agree that for immediate results, Kirk Cousins is the best option. You've said yourself that you think he's the best QB to ever hit free agency, if it happens. How many other franchises will be interested? Our history of instability throughout the organization means we'd have to dramatically overpay to have any shot. And even then, I don't know if he'd choose to come here. We'd have to really sell him on a plan. Players don't sign up for losing situations when they have options. Still lots of work needs to be done to this roster. I just don't think about Kirk Cousins because I see him as the longest of longshots for this organization... Plus, there's the fact that we will once again be at the top of the draft...I like a couple of these young QB's enough that, I would not make Cousins the highest paid player in NFL history. That's what it would take. I think he's a good QB, but not sure he's worth what it would take for us to get him...
So you would rather risk losing for the next 10 years, than go get a QB that has proven he can play in the league? Which one's are you that high on and why? This is a legitimate question, I am not trolling...I simply am not that high on this QB class. Make me believe...SAS has me believing in Baker Mayfield after watching his film. I am not immovable on my thinking.
Unless he has changed his mind recently, I believe Josh Rosen is his arm in this draft. Here's a little something for you, Irish. I'm putting together a 'Market Watch' for the site this year. It compiles draft information and player rankings from various sites and puts it together for a valuation on players. It's something that I do in a loose format every year for myself, but this season I am putting a set standard on it. Here's how the early market for quarterbacks is shaping up - Josh Rosen – U.C.L.A. (1.8) Lamar Jackson – Louisville (2.5) Sam Darnold – U.S.C. (2.6) Josh Allen – Wyoming (4.2) Mason Rudolph – Oklahoma State (4.8) Baker Mayfield – Oklahoma (5.8) Clayton Thorson – Northwestern (7.75) Luke Falk – Washington State (8.5) Jarrett Stidham – Auburn (9.0) Ryan Finley – N.C. State (10.75) Mike White – W. Kentucky (12.5) Nick Fitzgerald – Mississippi State (13.25) Nic Shimonek - Texas Tech (14.7) Riley Ferguson – Memphis (15.0) Will Grier – W.V.U. (17.7) J.T. Barrett – Ohio State (19.0) Austin Allen - Arkansas (20.3) Matt Linehan – Idaho (21.7) Quinton Flowers – South Florida (22.25) Richard Lagow – Indiana (23.25) You'll notice some projected names are missing from this list but in order for me to add them to the market they had to have a set number of rankings to be compiled. As we get closer to the draft the market will grow and shrink with players that get added and removed.
