Looking forward to 2019, Browns Free Agency/Trades

You guys can whitewash this Zeitler for Vernon trade all you want. IMHO, it sucks and it's stupid.

1. Vernon was virtually nonexistent in the Giants pass rush last year despite little or no double teams to slow him down.
2. The Giants were routinely gashed in the run game (reportedly on Vernon's side of the field).
3. This . . . After he signed a huge contract to rush the QB and stuff the run. (Smells a lot like Jamie Collins)

On the flip side . . .

1. The Browns' O-line was one of the few units that actually progressed last year.
2. Austin Corbitt certainly didn't show he could handle a starting position last year. He was bad enough they had to bump Bitonio back inside and start Des Harrison at LT.
3. It's not a stretch to say, while Tackles are more important in pass protection, Guards are more influential in the running game. Take a peek at the roster and tell me the Browns dont want to run the ball this year.

https://nypost.com/2019/03/08/giants-trade-olivier-vernon-to-browns-for-kevin-zeitler/

 

I don't know that anyone's whitewashing this... I even called it a "meh" move. But, to continue the discussion...

Shurmur and Bettcher switched to the 3-4 defense and moved Olivier to outside linebacker. He missed the first five games of the season recovering from injury and still managed to be pretty productive as a pass rusher when he returned. I gave you his ranks from Mike Clay's tweet, but he was in or near Top 10 in the NFL in all categories.

Haven't watched enough Giants to know. His run grade from PFF.com was 71.2 among EDGE defenders, good for 45th. To give some context, Garrett (80.2) was 14th. Vernon's mark is better than Ogbah (69.9), Bradley Chubb (68.6), Dee Ford (67.6), Joey Bosa (65.1), and Clay Matthews (64.3) - just to name a few.

This, I can't defend. This is probably the part I like least of all is that we've got a highly-paid rush end on the roster who's at best a #2 guy. I guess the reasoning is the Browns have a ton of cap space, so whatever? If memory serves, this was the season the Giants set a record for free agency spending though, so really we can't be too hard on Dorsey for another GM's contract mistake.

And the take-away for me on this must mean that the staff feel Corbett can produce 80-85% of what Zeitler was able to.

Very true. But I would counter, who was making the personnel decisions at the time?

I would agree with you and even add that when you have a shorter quarterback, your guards are more important than your tackles. Just look at Drew Brees. Corbett was the #33 overall pick for a reason. If we are choosing to trust Dorsey, who's first draft was one of the best in recent NFL history, who's to say that Corbett isn't an All Pro in waiting?

Lastly to this point, do we know what the Browns want to be next season? Nick Chubb is the best running back in the NFL. Kareem Hunt, when he's available, is a Top 5 to Top 10 guy at the position. So yeah, they should be able to run the football as well as anybody. BUT... they also have Baker Mayfield who's a Top 5 quarterback in the NFL as a rookie with at least five or six active guys who're going to Canton after they hang it up. Once Brady, Brees, and Roethsliberger retire, Mahomes and Mayfield are going to run the NFL. I have no objections to Baker throwing it 650 times a season to anyone with a pulse and if I forget who our running backs are during that time... so be it.

 

Yadda, Yadda, Yadda . . .

This smells a lot like Dorsey trading Hyde so he can get yet another player he drafted into a starting position.

IMHO, He would have been better off trying to convert Corbitt to Center. Tretter's contract is up after this year and there is NOTHING in the pipeline (other than Practise Squad level) Kyle Friend.

 

^^^^^

I don't want that post to make it seem like I'm championing Vernon, either. All we know as of this news is the following: we improved our fifth round pick to a fourth round pick and traded a very, very good interior lineman for an edge guy. Emmanuel Ogbah is not an NFL-caliber edge rusher. Maybe he can be moved inside to give us help/depth there - at least in the last year of his deal.

Ultimately, if Corbett can't go, then this was a stinker trade for sure.

 

I mean...

 

It's a win win for both teams IMO. Both players signed big money deals under previous regimes, so it's not a surprising trade at all ...Dorsey is trying to win a SB, not stack Guards. Obviously, the Browns feel Corbett is ready to rock, and he makes a fraction of what Zeitler does. So why not move the very expensive Kevin Zeitler, to try and improve the roster elsewhere. Makes perfect sense to me.

 

You realize he played 5 games last year right?

 

I do, yes.

You realize this is the Browns' board and I like bantering with you guys, right?

 

Free up that cap space to make C.J. Mosley the highest paid linebacker in the NFL.

#worthit

 

You say it like it was a bad move. lol! Dorsey managed to get a 5th rounder out of that guy...The Jags just cut him a few hours ago. That was brilliant move. Clearl;y Chubb was the better option, no?

 

I can promise if Dorsey moves Zeitler solely to put Corbett in there, and Austin goes on to have the same kind of season Chubb did after being promoted (i.e., be the best in the NFL at his position), no one is going to miss Kevin Zeitler and his way-too-small shirt choices.

 

Yes. Chubb was the right guy to start. My problem was that this front office yammers on and on about consensus decisions, working as a team, sharing thoughts and ideas, etc. But when the now departed coaching staff didn't embrace Dorsey's thoughts, he made a move to force them to embrace it. Turns out he was right on that one. I have serious doubts that he's right on this one.

Serious question: (you can only pick one.) If you had to improve the defense or lose your job, would you improve the rush defense or pass defense?

 

One thing I do take issue with though is the perceived "big money" aspect. Zeitler is one of the top paid guards (third, by yearly average), but he's also one of the best guards in the NFL. He's earning his. Due $10 million this season and next and $12 million in his final year.

Vernon is one of the top paid EDGE guys in the NFL. He's very much not earning his. He's due $15.5 million a year for the next two. He's the highest paid defensive end (by year) not on a franchise tag and only behind Khalil Mack and Aaron Donald in terms of all defensive players.

 

Pass defense.

 

You do realize that Vernon's cap number is $19,500,000 with $8,000,000 dead cap. Zeitler's is $12,400,000 ($10,700,000 dead money)?

 

It's 19.5 on the Giants roster. Only 15.5 as a Brown .

 

I'm pretty sure this is the sort of thing that led to his departure in KC...Andy Reid didn't like him making moves without getting everyone's nod of approval.

As far as the Cleveland situation goes, I can't blame him for stepping all over Hue Jackson.

 

Without knowing how the contract money details will be resolved, that's still $3M less in cap space for the Browns.

 

I didn't think you would.