2018 Season | The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Name a player you would: PART DEUX

• Trade for Golden Tate, it is being reported and quite honestly, I am on board with this. Beckham is a luxury that would be at a high cost.
• Trade away I'll go with TD here, Tyrod Taylor should be able to bring us back a 4th rounder from Jax. Their season is in jeopardy with Bortles.Sad part is the Bills need a QB worse than any other team...Could we just cancel that trade like it never happened?
• Cut Greg Joseph
• Promote to starter Greg Robinson to Guard, move Bitonio to LT
• Bench Desmond Harrison

 

This game is harder than I thought...

Now, I'm not so sure on Tate. A) He is 30 years old B) he is in the last year of his contract, so we only have him for 8 games if they can't extend his contract BEFORE the deadline today.

 

• Trade for: Golden Tate from Detroit (fifth round pick)
• Trade away: Jamie Collins to New England (for Lawrence Guy, DE)
• Cut: Orson Charles
• Promote to starter: Seth DeValve at tight end
• Bench: J.C. Tretter (promote Austin Corbett)
• BONUS BENCH: Jabrill Peppers (promote Derrick Kindred)

So to start with... sounds like the Tate rumor has legs and could actually get done. Not getting overly excited about a 30-year old slot receiver, but this team needs receivers with sure hands and Baker needs targets to help him develop. Tate's a career 67.6% catch rate guy, so this would seem to give us a reliable guy.

I don't like how thin the Collins move gets us at linebacker, but it's a nice salary dump, moves a low-energy veteran, and sends a message to everyone else that lack of tackling and effort will not be tolerated in Gregggggg Williams' world. The Browns receive a rotational end like Guy who can spell Garrett. The good news is Schobert should be back soon, at least after the BYE, so you're only short-manned here for a week or two.

Orson Charles... why? Hue Jackson said he's a fullback (he's not). I don't want the team keeping a fullback or even using one, so...

Seth DeValve not starting is criminal. It's not to say I'm giving up on David Njoku, but rather that I want to see Baker developed and he does that by having a reliable hands guy like DeValve over an athletic seam-buster who drops a lot of balls. To his credit, Njoku has been getting better with Baker, but safety valve (more like safety DeValve - I'll show myself out) tight ends are a rookie quarterbacks' best friend. There's room for both DeValve and Njoku to get looks.

J.C. Tretter playing through injury is commendable, but he's not the future at center and with a reset for the last eight games, we need to see what Corbett has. This would also help to validate his high draft spot. For whatever reason, the offensive line is not getting blitz pickups or line calls correct. If so much of that falls on the center, then it would seem Tretter is the one letting us down.

Putting Peppers back at an in-the-box safety spot has helped, but he's still not the player that Kindred is. Kindred is more physical and more instinctive. Peppers truly is an "ATH" out there trying to play defense. Give him (Peppers) looks at weak side linebacker, reserve safety in sub-packages, or even running back. Kindred in the lineup would dramatically improve the tackling and run support. Worst-case, Peppers is a full-time punt and kickoff returner.

 

What would he do during practice since we don't practice special teams?

 

Can he take reps at left tackle?

 

Instead of Tate to Detroit and Collins for Guy... Collins to New England for Hogan? Similar situations, 30-year old slot guy in the last year of his deal, but Hogan is making considerably less than Tate, which would make extending him much less costly.

 

Rumor has it New England is trying to deal for a top WR, possibly Demarious Thomas....I imagine Josh Gordon is on super thin ice after showing up late for team bus.

 

Definitely think Tyrod would be a good trade away candidate but would Jacksonville be a willing partner? As bad as Bortles is, they've already committed to him as the starter this week. It would seem this is their last year with him and maybe swinging a trade for Winston would be better for them.

 

So with these two, I actually prefer keeping Harrison in the lineup until it becomes apparent he's going to get Mayfield killed. To be clear, it's been close... but Harrison evidently has enough "it" to impress Joe Thomas. As a rookie, the more reps he can get, the better. He can't do that on the bench.

Same thought with putting Corbett in at center.

 

Nice video on Kitchens.

 

Here's a name I would be happy to spend capital to get: Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix.

MMQB mentions him as a viable candidate. Dorsey's guys (Wolff, Highsmith) would obviously have exposure to him and we've not been shy about raiding the Packers to date. He's a former Pro Bowler and a starter, so the price tag would undoubtedly be higher... but a vet like Collins and a third, maybe?

Clinton-Dix and Randall would be a nice safety tandem back there.

 

Maybe it's not your memory, rather it's the memories, that you want to forget.

 

Receptionist a Giants HQ: "Mr. Gettleman... John Dorsey is on Line 1."

Dorsey: "Dave, how's it going, buddy boy? I've got Tyrod Taylor and a third rounder here for you if you put Odell on the first plane to Cleveland."

 

Freddie: "Yeah... that's about to change."

 

I am irrationally excited about Kitchens taking over play-calling duties. He obviously can't install his own offense, but with running backs being a strength of the offense, I'd love to see him get them more involved in both running the ball (Chubb) and in the passing game (Duke).

Re-watched Mayfield's throws from preseason Week 4 contest, the one Kitchens called. (If anyone knows where to find the full game, let me know!) Mayfield lined up in shotgun on 11 of his 16 attempts. The other five, he was under center and used play action four of those five attempts. It's one game, but those would all far exceed his percentages with Haley calling plays.

 

Moves are starting to be made now.

• Demaryius Thomas to Texans for a fourth and swap of seventh round picks.
  
  
• Golden Tate to Philadelphia for a third.

 

So I guess the answer for the Browns trade day was:

Nothing

 

Nothin...

 

Looks like Buddy Boy decided to stand pat with the WR's he doesn't have and the O-line he does have. Good luck, Freddie.

 

Yeah, that's disappointing... I thought for sure we would at least go get Pryor. Hopefully Freddie simplifies the attack. Baker seems on the verge of being overwhelmed. Though considering the state of our O-line, that's understandable.