The Browns are getting high praise for the Dorsey, Highsmith, and Wolf hirings. Do those guys still show up here if the Browns don't have #1 and #4, three seconds, and 12 picks overall? $111 million in projected cap space?
I am a believer in the promise of 2018. We have players. We still need more, but we are armed with the draft capital, and the cap space to make a huge leap in the year ahead. The biggest challenge lies in Slam's structure, and Hue's apparent refusal to be accountable for his shortcomings. Slam refuses to put in place the proven reporting structure that breeds unity of purpose. Keeping the dual reporting, pits one side against the other, and we know how that "works?". I am hoping having a new voice, in Dorsey & Co, leads to a diminishing of Hue's influence. I am hoping that a true OC, with a set, is hired and "expected" to handle the O. I am hoping that Hue goes to school on how to be "The HC" and demands his minions do the same at their positions. That starts with the draft. Decide who is going to have final say, and keep Slam sequestered on Maui, while the professionals go about building the roster. Then put your oars in the water and pull. For maybe the first time in what can only be described as a miserable 20 years, this fan base is ready to bail. This year may be the last chance Cleveland has to matter. Make it happen.
SAS the short answer is NO. The only thing attractive about those jobs is the "promise of what that draft capital and that cap space" offer. Or maybe they just really like Slam......
On the field: OL please come back Joe. If so we are good, not to say getting a developmental guy would hurt. RB Crow goes, and we need to draft one, Anybody heard about the guy from Penn State? WR Still don't have a #1 if Mary Jane shows up. Get one. DL Solid. If guys come back healthy, we're in pretty good shape LB Eh. We can get better here CB Some talent, but plenty of room to improve SF Help K if Lou Groza available. I'd like to feel confident here, but it isn't a top priority ST May be time to change coaches Oh yeah, and QB!!!!!!! How do we prioritize these needs, accepting that QB is #1 through 5 ?
Just don't overthink things. After we get our QB, simply take the best football player available...We don't have any NFL All Pro's outside of Joe Thomas, and he's in the twilight of his career. If our highest rated player at #4 is Barkley, and he is available, then we should take him. Same as if it's the LB from Georgia, or the DE from N.C. State. Just take the best players, period.
I won't complain if the Browns go out and get Kirk Cousins...But I don't believe he is worthy of the biggest contract in NFL history, and I fear that is exactly what it'll take to sign him... If I'm in charge, and I'm strangely married to Hue for some reason... I'm taking the best QB prospect at the top of the draft, and I'm doing what it takes to get Alex Smith in here. I'm hiring Sean Ryan to be my OC and play caller, and I'm giving all the players on this team a legit reason to believe...
^^^And I'm not trying to knock Kirk Cousins, because I think he's a good QB that would give us instant legitimacy. It's just that i think Alex Smith is just as good, and ya never know how good the top prospect in the draft might be. It's a gamble I have no problem taking if Smith is in the fold... Certainly I'd feel differently if we weren't sitting there with the #1 pick of the draft. That is what my decision would hinge on. I'd rather take a shot at the top prospect, and hope he's the next great one, as opposed to making a huge commitment to Cousins. But it is close...and if we end up with Cousins or Smith I will be very happy.
QB Tea Leaves So where do all the free agent QB's end up? Kirk Cousins: back to Washington. If he's truly a franchise-caliber QB, the Redskins would be ignorant without a succession plan to let him hit free agency. Even if it means tagging him for another season, why wouldn't they? They're not completely cap-strapped as a team and can free up a ton of room by cutting ties with over-priced Josh Norman. Worst-case would be franchise tagging him and trying to negotiate a trade for a team in the Top 10 because #13 overall is too long to wait for the next franchise QB. Tag Cousins, cut Norman, draft Denzel Ward at #13. Washington. Case Keenum: rumors have Pat Shurmur headed to Arizona and Case Keenum following his coach. That's nice and all, but the Vikings still have a shot to re-sign him. It's an extremely odd case as they have three guys at once to make a decision on and Keenum is the one who got them to 11-3 as a starter. Arizona also has a pick at #15, but that's too long to wait for a franchise guy. I would think Minnesota tries to keep Keenum and let's Bradford follow Shurmur (as he's done his entire career) to Arizona and then they can draft a developmental guy to be Shurmur's franchise QB of the future. Minnesota. Sam Bradford: (see above) Arizona. Teddy Bridgewater: If Keenum and Bradford fall like that, Minnesota should opt to keep Bridgewater as Keenum's backup. If they lose Shurmur and the shine comes off Keenum, Bridgewater could again take over the team. Minneosta. Alex Smith: Denver would make all the sense in the world, but I highly-doubt that they trade him within the division. Cleveland makes sense and has the natural connection with Dorsey, but this is a team with the #1 overall pick that almost assuredly will be used on a quarterback and a lame-duck head coach who'll likely be trying anything next season to keep his job -- how long would Smith be the starter here? Honestly, New York (Jets) if they don't retain McCown would be a good fit. New York Jets. A.J. McCarron: naturally, everyone will want to put him in Cleveland because of the trade that almost happened, but it's not a foregone conclusion. Haslam seems to be allowing Dorsey to do his job without the same level of interference he gave Sashi and Dorsey might not want to part with a second and third round pick. If he wins his injunction and becomes a free agent, I think it's a lock but without that, he's not getting moved to Cleveland. Cincinnati. Eli Manning: if Blake Bortles sh*ts the bed against Pittsburgh, Jacksonville would be beyond reproach if they didn't pony up for Manning. He's not an elite QB any more, but he's got a running game and defense in Jacksonville who can carry him into the playoffs where he has been one of the most clutch players in memory. New York should be in full rebuilding mode and looking to acquire as many picks as possible. Geno Smith can hold down the fort until the QB taken at #2 overall is ready. Jacksonville. Blake Bortles: if Manning gets moved, Bortles becomes expendable. They could flip QBs, with Bortles moving up to the Giants, but could say in Florida and sign with the Dolphins (if released). Miami. Jimmy Garoppolo: San Francisco. Drew Brees: New Orleans. Jay Cutler: retirement. Josh McCown: Denver would be a good landing spot for him - veteran QB to take a quality defense to the post-season (not unlike Peyton Manning) and step aside in a year for the rookie QB they take in 2018 (Josh Allen, Wyoming). Paxton Lynch has been a disappointment, Osweiler will likely move on, and Trevor Seimien is poo. Denver. Brock Osweiler: last-option back-up for some team. Matt Moore: last-option back-up for some team. Doesn't leave us with many options...
Alex has already been to two teams that drafted his replacement. I think he understands the nature of this business. The thing is, since we would have to acquire him via trade, it's not like he would really have a say in the matter, right? If he was a free agent, I'd absolutely agree that he wouldn't want to come here for all the reasons you cited...We are all but certain to take a shot at the "future" of the franchise with the #1 pick in April...Smith could make a lot of money for himself by winning in Cleveland in the final year of his contract...Or we could sign him to an extension...Ideally, we will only truly need Alex for one season. There are two acquisitions that I'm probably foolishly expecting for the Browns this offseason, because they both just seem to really fit.....One is resigning Terrelle Pryor, and the other is making a trade for Alex Smith...We'll find out the plan soon enough.
As I said your trading for Smith w/out an extension done? Also what is the infatuation w Pryor? He just spurned the franchise and was hurt most of the yr
Yes. In a heartbeat. I would have for Garopollo too...Did you enjoy 0-16, and seeing a young QB get destroyed, because we foolishly put him in when he clearly wasn't ready, and backed him up with nothing? I'd give up a 2nd rounder to avoid going through that again, any day....even if it meant we only get Smith for one season. Anything is better than consistent losing and ruining another young QB...If he has a good season, good for us. If he has a great season, we may have to ante up. If he leaves via free agency at the end, ideally Mayfield will be ready to take over by then anyway....It's a no lose situation. They need to make that happen...
I feel like I'm getting in way over my head Tim, but if you guys need a Chiefs GM, I'll do my best. I'm really lost in the salary cap conversations though, just warning ya.
lol I can dig it. You asked at the end of last year to save you the spot, so I did. It's up to you if you want to participate or not but I need to know so I can get it filled up before February creeps up on us.
Not sure how it's an infatuation but, he's a talented player in his prime, that's barely scratched the surface of what he can do....He's been successful in our system even with our inadequacies at QB.....He plays a position the we need considerable help at....and he WANTS to play in Cleveland for Hue.
John Dorsey hiring well-respected, qualified talent evaluators to fill out his front office and make this franchise successful. "Clueless" Hue hiring lackeys - his third QB coach in as many seasons - to give himself another meat shield.
I'm actually more thinking it's the Browns that don't pursue Smith that heavily. Sure, I'd love his steady hand and veteran leadership here, but again... we're talking about adding a QB at #1 overall plus potentially keeping Kizer. How long is Smith going to remain the starter? It's going to come down to what the Browns offer versus what the Chiefs think they can get. If he isn't going to last even all of 2018, why would you give up more than a fourth rounder for him - which the Chiefs certainly would balk at. From the Browns' perspective, would you give up #60 or #35 overall for a guy who's filling in for a half-season or so? I know the ideal situation is: Trade #60 (if they'll accept it) to KC for Smith Add two years to Smith's current deal Draft a QB #1 overall Let said QB sit until 2019 or 2020 How long before that plan comes careening off the rails? We just had Joe Thomas yesterday say what everyone really knew but no one wanted to corroborate - the 2014 season was torpedoed by the F/O overstepping and forcing an un-prepared and immature Manziel on the head coach. In the 2018 version, the roles are reversed with a desperate and impetuous head coach trying to save his career pitted against a venerated front office who's building for the long haul.
