I agree with everything you said, except purging the QB room of Kizer. A) I won't give up on any player after one season B) His intangibles are just as high as Josh Allen, which is why I think it is ludicrous to even suggest drafting Allen C) With McCarron in the fold, I would feel better about a veteran leading this young squad...HOWEVER, if an injury were to befall AJ, I would rather have a "broken" Kizer who already has been through the rookie roller coaster go in and see if he learned anything over the off season, rather than "breaking" another rookie who isn't ready. Mayfield, imho, comes to the big dance MUCH more suitable for starting early in his career than Kizer did, however, time on the sideline learning could be essential to his overall growth process. Kizer didn't have that opportunity, I don't want to rob Baker of that.
I'm just not a McCarren fan. I'd rather get Taylor, even at a higher price. He would cure our turnover problem right now, and how many games might we win if we just stop shooting ourselves in the foot. Plus that guy actually has NFL experience, on the field, for more than a handfull of games. I wouldn't be surprised if they keep Kizer, but only because Kessler is a goner, and Hogan crapped himself when given the start. I figure we get a vet, we get a top QB prospect, and #3 becomes Kizer by default. I'm OK with that, as he's seen more playing time than either Kessler or Hogan, anyway. I sure hope Joe comes back to keep whoever is taking snaps alive. I definitely don't want a sad repeat of the RG3, Kesler, Hogan, and the the peanut vendor from the upper decks we experienced a year ago, even though that guys can put a peanut in your lap from 30 seats away. I get the sense only Hue sees him as a legit starter, and there won't be a lot of bidding there. Frankly I think this team "needs" to win in the first couple weeks to shed the 0 fer anchor around their necks. Close won't count, and the Hue watch will crank up pretty early, if they don't. I'm not a Hue fan, but at least he's been penned in, with a new GM and a new OC, sending the clear message that it' s time to "be" the HC.
If Cousins goes to NY, then I vote for McCown as our vet / mentor. The guy was born to be a teacher of QBs, and if we can protect him,, he'll make us competitive, while we wait for our #1 to grow into an NFL QB. Joe Thomas thinks Cousins is either Denver or New York bound, and if he goes to NY, the need for McCown drops. I'd love to have that guy in my QB room, in any capacity. If not then Taylor, Kenum, Bradford, and somewhere down the list McCarron, as a last resort. I don't expect any of the FA QBs to be my long term answer, and that said, I'd like a guy who will embrace the role of mentor. I don't see that happening with any of the other guys. They'll be looking to be "the man", and I would hate to have our rookie QB left out of the learing curve by a guy who doesn't really want to see him succeed, in the near term. so there's my .02
Here is the "why" behind AJ McCarron Start with your list: McCown, was cut, not allowed to leave via free agency, traded for his best interest at getting a shot to win or asked for his release. No matter what the situation, no player forgets being cut. If he has any other opportunity, he will take it before returning to a team (especially the same HC) that cut him. Tyrod Taylor. I love this idea, question is, why is it that every year the Bills are trying to get rid of him? What would the cost be? I want an interim veteran for sure, but taking away players that could help the future QB that he is place holding for is counter productive imho. It really depends on the deal. If you are talking a high 5th round pick, then yes, I would be all about getting a one year contract Taylor in the fold..If you are talking a high 3rd, then I would be less apt to do it as high 3rd rounders in this draft could be valuable assets. This is a very deep draft to give someone like that away for a one year guy. Case Keenum, I would like to see them explore this option, but I have a feeling his market value will skyrocket after the season he just had. If he approaches $20M per season, I am not even in on the bidding. He has a good skillset as a placeholder, but I think his ceiling was exceeded on a team that was extremely talented and didn't ask much of Keenum. Once a QB reaches above that $20M barrier, you are committing to him imho. I'm not sure I want to give up Baker Mayfield's potential to all of my eggs in the Keenum basket. Some team will though... Bradford, The least player on your list that I want anything to do with. There is a 70% chance that he misses significant time to injuries. His career filled with injuries suggests you won't need to sign Sam Bradford, but signing Bradford AND a veteran backup for when he is not playing, which more than likely is half the time or worse. Next in line are backups, or players that have proven they shouldn't be starters in this league. At least when McCarron has been in the lineup, he has been successful. I'm not so sure he garners that $18M a year salary...like SAS already eluded to, he will get a 3 year $35-40M deal, but only about $15M of that will be guaranteed. That is a drop in the bucket for a player eager to show he should have been the starter in Cincy. Although I am not a huge fan of McCarron and would still want a QB at #1 overall, I do think he deserves a chance to start somewhere and Cleveland probably gives him the best opportunity to do that right now.
@IrishDawg42 My first preference would be to bring in a capable veteran along the lines of McCown - I've been thinking Drew Stanton. McCarron, on a team-friendly deal, does make sense and I think a name not mentioned yet is Teddy Bridgewater. He could be a cheap-ish option since no one knows exactly what his health/production is going to be like. I still think Minnesota will retain Teddy, but we'll have to see.
I liked Bridgewater coming out, but he really didn't put much together his two healthy seasons. 12 game rookie campaign got him 14 TDs, then a 16 game second year only netted him the same 14 TDs...THAT was on a really good football team, one that didn't change much with Sam Bradford getting 20 TDs in 2016 over 15 games, then the out of nowhere emergence of Case Keenum taking them to the NFC Championship game and netting 22 TDs in 14 games... I don't want our near future relying on a Teddy coming off of an injury and never really showing a whole lot when he wasn't injured. The rookie would be playing sooner than later in that case, I'm afraid. I really wouldn't be opposed to McCown, it is an EXTREMELY long shot that he would come back though after just being cut last season, as a "veteran replacement" Drew Stanton would be on my short list of "last resorts". A career 52.7% QB with his BEST year bringing 7TDs and 5 INTs...Not exactly what I was looking for in a bridge to the future. If we're talking all this non-sense, why aren't we talking about bringing Brian Hoyer back for God's sake? If these are our best options, I might start leaning back towards giving Kirk Cousins $50M in 2018 to "entice" him to come to Cleveland. I am sick and tired of losing, Drew Stanton of all people, will not change that. Hell throw Cody Kessler back in as starter before I go to Drew Stanton. If we are just going to throw darts at a veteran name to put on this team, I would take Ryan Fitzpatrick over Drew Stanton. This is a SAD SAD state we are in when names like Stanton and Fitzpatrick are being thrown around...NO WAY I would put them anywhere near AJ McCarron, and I don't even like AJ McCarron. I can say this, I would rather pay McCarron $20M in 2018 than sign Drew Stanton to a $4M deal to be the Browns bridge QB. Hell, we just paid Osweiler $16M to simply go away...in order to get a #35 draft pick. That's one guy that is going to have a helluva lot of pressure on him to perform well. I think that pick right there is where you go get your offensive lineman...Most Likely To Succeed Pick...
Thanks for the feedback Irish. I get your point on McCown, but he is my fantasy vet, if the Gods allow. Taylor is a wild card. Who knows what he garners in a salary, but he's got tons more expreience than anyone wearing a Browns uniform, and more than Keenum and McCarren. As for why Buffalo wants to shed him......? It's not as though their staff has much of a record for QB expertise, much like the Browns. I'd certainly like to see his asking price, and I would still want a QB in the draft. I can think of worse things than having more than one capable starter at season's end. I have to agree that Keenum's work history is pretty short, and thus questionable. Bradford attracts me only in so far as I want our QB to come from the draft, and Bradford won't create an obstacle because, he is likely to go down again. As long as we could get 5 to 7 games from him, I think we'd all be ready to see our rookie. One hopes the coaching staff is capable of bringing him along, so he is ready for the oppty. I'm just not very comfortable that Bradford would be remotely interested in helping a rookie to take his job. Bridgewater is also suspect, mostly IMO due to his injury. His mediocrity doesn't bother me so much, assuming he is purely a bridge. In the end, my love for McCown lies in his character. He will gladly lead the team on the field or in the QB room, and do it well, without rancor towards the rookie, or Kizer, if that's who stays. God I wish they hadn't let him go.
All this QB discussion leads me back to how incredibly stupid last year's QB decisions were. I'm no Osweiller fan, but my God he was the only guy in uniform who actually had live experience, besides Kessler who clearly did something or did nothing to impress the staff, and was behind Hogan at the season's start. Why did we keep him instead of Ossy? That demonstration of genius left us completely defenseless when the rookie everyone but Hue thought needed a year of seasoning, failed as expected, we had no where to turn, and no experience to draw on. Brilliant! Nothing in our recent history demonstrates we have the wherewithawl to either pick of develop a rookie, let alone recognize the need for experience. Thank God we hired an OC, and a new QB coach, who one would hope negates that sad history. It had better. They "have to" win in the first four games or this season is going to derail quickly. The entire nation thinks we are crazy for retaining Hue already, and if come out and lay 4 eggs, it's over for Hue. He may not be fired that soon, but the team will lose what little confidence they have in him, and it will go south. Get it right!
I would say that depends on free agency...They MUST use some of their assets to fortify this roster. If they do that with respectable names, then I would agree 100%. If they write this off as another rebuild year, we could be in for another long season...Yes, Hue would get fired, but then, he should have been fired last season if you aren't going to put players in place to improve your opportunity for wins. I don't care how many high draft picks we have, I will never rely solely on 20-23 year olds as any basis to improve a professional football team. They will certainly help the overall talent level, but first year players, whether 1,2 or 6 should not be the catalyst used for a first year improvement. I am hoping this draft class is the reason they are hoisting the Lombardy in 3-4 years, not the turnaround in 2018. They need veterans for 2018!
INDIANAPOLIS -- Hue Jackson knows Browns fans haven't forgotten his promise. In 2016, Jackson vowed that he would jump into Lake Erie if the Browns had as bad a season as they did in 2016 when they went 1-15. Well, the Browns had a worse season in 2017 (0-16). "Oh, I'm going in," Jackson said laughing at the NFL Combine. "When? Everybody wants to know when. I'm going to plan that here pretty soon. Again, we've had so much going on, doing so many different things. But I am definitely jumping in the lake. That's not going to change." Jackson said at the end of the season that he intended to wait until "warmer" weather. Jackson said he intends to raise money for his charity in the process. "Yes, it will be (for charity)," he said. "It will be tied to our foundation, the Hue Jackson Foundation, and hopefully I can get the whole organization to go jump in with me. It's going to be a cleansing of the Cleveland Browns. That's what it will be." For all of your Browns news follow @FredGreetham on Twitter
Maybe I took him to seriously when he said "We won't go 0-16. I'll jump in the lake if we go 0-16."...Hell, I was disappointed when he wasn't massively pressured by the media into a quick plunge within a week after the win-less embarrassment became official....
Other "glorious" options at QB Glennon will be available soon Savage Shoot. Fitzpatrick still thinks he can play, and he's a super smart dude. I guess if I had a preference McCarron Taylor Fitz Glennon Savage ugh... whatever
Irish, we've had two years of multi draft picks, and frankly if they aren't "planning to win NOW" then they should all be dismissed. I get the need for veterans, and expect they do too, but we "have to" rely on 2nd and 3rd year players, and we should be able to. If we can't then the problem is the coaching. I am serious when I say they have to win this year. First of all they will never sell the idea of a 3rd year of building if they come up with 4 or fewer wins. I don't want to hear it, and I think I have a lot of company. Asking for 4 wins is the bottom of the expectations IMO. Yes some solid vets are needed, and again I expect them to do that. With that done, and 3 years of young "talent", yes I expect them to win games. A vet QB is priority #1 IMO. We cannot go into the season with Kizer as our most experienced guy in the room. I would argue that overpaying a Keenum or a Taylor to ensure that gaping hole is filled, is a price we are willing to pay. Either of them should still be tradable next year should we miraculously actually find our QB of the future in the draft. Given the years of crappy football on the shores of lake Erie, if they don't have that as priority #1 then they are risking their jobs, and driving this once loyal fan base away. Simple competency would be a giant leap forward in offense, and it has to be done, whatever the means and cost. I will say it again: if they don't win in the first few games Hue is gone, and while I don't think highly of him, his leaving still means another year of crap, before we can even hope to see any real progress. I am hoping he makes a better full time HC instead of the part time gig he's had the last two years, by keeping the OC job. Had to get that off my chest.
One min your not relying on 20-23 yr olds but then you say your hoping this draft class is the reason their hoisting the trophy
The words are right in front of you stopper, all you need to do is read them... I said hoisting the trophy in 3-4 years..by that time they will be veterans. In other words, if they win a Super Bowl in 2021, it won't be because of the 2019 or 2020 draft class, but because of the 2016/2017/2018 draft classes... One minute you are writing something comprehensive and the next you seem to lack the ability to comprehend.
Care to explain? I said that a one year turn around can not be relied upon by 21-23 year olds. I AM hoping they are part if the reason we have a Lombardi 3-4 years down the road... What am I missing?
