Looking Forward to the 2021 AFC North

So frustrating because he flat out isn't a good quarterback in the NFL right now but he wins so many regular season games because of that speed, elusiveness, and just honestly piss-poor defensive game-planning against him.

 

Feeling good about our position going into next year. Excited!

The caveats:
#1 well we won't be playing the NFC L East next year.
#2 Cincinatti Burrows will be improved
#3 Greedy Williams is nothing but a question mark
#4 Delpit is also a question mark, but should be a factor
#5 Garret - will he recover fully
#6 Is Joe Woods the right guy

 

It very well could be that #3, #4 and #5 will answer #6.

 

So true Lym.

Speaking of coaching: Can someone get Callahan signed for life?

That guy has to get 50% of the credit for our success this year on O.
Rookie LT, Teller has his best year ever, and backups played well. He's a genius, and Stefanski was/is smart enough to recognize it and value it highly.

Speaking of which: Stefanski is "gold". Rock solid, no ego, smart, and willing to admit and learn from mistakes. Probably the biggest reason for optimism.

 

Some "whys"
Why is Baker better without Beckham?
Why is Hooper "just another guy" in Cleveland?

Anyone else got a Why?

 

I think you answered those questions in your prior post . . .

Stefanski has convinced this team to check their egos at the door and work as a unit - not as 11 individuals. The good news is that now they've seen the results of this and they should demand it from players returning or joining the locker room next year.

And that, gentlemen, is called "changing the culture".

 

True... but we get the AFC West. Kansas City is obviously no joke, but Las Vegas, Denver, and Los Angeles are all extremely beatable. No one (at least in the mainstream) expected the NFC East to be so bad. New York and Washington, yes. But for many the curtain was pulled back on the Carson Wentz wizard (many of us, however, knew he was a bum from the word 'go') and the Dak Prescott injury obviously hampered Dallas. Dak should be able to name his price in the offseason because that team went from post-season contention to six wins (against awful teams).

We also get to play the third-place schedule (crazy!), so sign us up for New England (and the Patriots of the 90s... these aren't Tom Brady's Patriots any longer) and the Houston Texans, who'll likely either have moved on from Deshaun Watson (trade demands) or will be dealing with players holding out. New England was 7-9 this season with Houston at 4-12.

Lastly, on the NFC side... we get the NFC North. Should be some good games there. I expect Green Bay to be picking #31 or #32, so they'll be tough as always. Chicago is a dumpster fire and both Minnesota and Detroit were down this year. Sure, they could rebound, but I bet Stefanski has the Vikings game circled on his calendar. Plenty of motivation there.

I love it... Cincinnati/Cleveland is the rivalry we deserve. Joe Burrow is going to be great for them.

I would say flop verging on bust, at this point. Greedy has shown an inability when available and a lack of availability - two critical things. I expect a make-or-break season, the latter getting the nod over the former at this point. I'd expect us to go corner in the free agent market as well as the upcoming draft.

Delpit looks like he'll be a good one. It was an unfortunate injury to him this past season, but he should bounce back. Ronnie Harrison proved to be a steal (finished as the fourth-highest graded defender for the Browns, per PFF.com). If he's re-signed and stays healthy, we should have a good one-two combo at safety with some solid depth in there with Joseph (stop-gap) and Redwine (developmental).

Myles Garrett at 90% is 100% better than every other EDGE rusher in the business. I'll take him every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

My gut says no. He plays way too much Cover-2. Part of that could be the hand he was dealt which, to @Lyman's point, ought to flush itself out during the 2021 season. If he gets better pieces and is able to run the defense he wants to versus the one he has to and we still see lackluster results, it will be time to move on. However, with a team on the upswing, a Top 5 offense, a franchise QB, and Super Bowl aspirations, that Browns DC job should be a highly-coveted one if/when we decide to move on from Woods.

 

SAS's Way-Too-Early-and-Probably-Unrealistic-Mock-Draft 1.0

(For our first iteration, I'm using the PFF.com mock draft simulator (https://www.pff.com/draft/nfl-mock-draft-simulator) with randomness down, positional value weighted highly, and needs drafting moderate)

1-26: Zaven Collins, LB Tulsa. Probably not my preferred pick, but Gregory Rousseau was off the board. The film on Collins is impressive. Period. He can actually do all three phases: pass rush, pass defense, and run stop - very effectively and, if he tests well, will likely be out of reach for Cleveland at this pick. His size is tantalizing (6'4" 260 pounds) if it holds up because he moves much quicker than this on the field. Given his size and talents, he could play really any position in the 4-3 linebacker group which is a benefit because we could stand to upgrade all three. Takitaki, at the WILL, seems to offer the most upside of the current group which is good because Collins -- at this listed size -- likely isn't the smallest linebacker we trot out on Sundays.

Best available: Nick Bolton, LB Missouri

2-58: Shaun Wade, CB Ohio State. Like Greedy Williams and Grant Delpit before him, here's drafting a player in hopes that film from years one and two were better than the last, most recent one. Wade transitioned from the nickel spot -- where he was a projected first round pick -- to the perimeter in 2020 and struggled. Per PFF.com's ranking, he was the 69th best player on the board, so bit of a reach in terms of drafting for need here. However, I'm going to take the approach that you're picking up a first round talent on the interior if you play him there. All of our corners missed time with injury and nickel was no exception. Wade comes from a big time program and had the initial hype. Let's roll the dice.

Best available: Javtone Williams, HB North Carolina

3-89: Richie Grant, FS Central Florida. Another position group that was marred by injuries and an overall lack of talent. Starters Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo should be relegated to either back-ups or free agents in 2021. Grant was used as a true single-high free safety but played a variety of roles for the Knights, lending some versatility to the pick. I would plan on Delpit and Harrison being the starters next season, so he could earn time in sub packages and special teams as well as bolstering a group with a much needed influx of talent behind the incuments.

Best available: Dylan Moses, LB Alabama

4-107 (f/Philadelphia): Jaylen Twyman, DL Pittsburgh. Admittedly, the pick was made in haste as he was available and I enjoyed film on him from last season before he decided to return and then subsequently opt out. Twyman is an ideal pass rush defensive tackle for the 4-3 but has position flexibility and could serve anywhere along the line -- again, as a pass rusher. His 2019 line for an interior player was impressive: 12.0 TFL and 10.5 sacks. The Browns will have a decision to make with Larry Ogunjobi (my guy) who's quietly been a very solid player for the team. He doesn't have stats that pop, however. Free agent signing, Sheldon Richardson, has a contract expiring after 2021, too, so the position could thin out quickly making a move to add depth now prudent.

Best available: Jaylen Twyman

4-127: James Hudson, OT Cincinnati. Admittedly, I don't know anything about Hudson, so the pick is based on the mock draft's value and position. While our starting five linemen are in tact, we saw plenty of players missing time with injuries, including Wyatt Teller at guard and Jedrick Wills at tackle. With Mayfield being introduced to his blind-side protector for the first time in the postseason game at Pittsburgh, it's probably not a bad idea to make sure that "sixth lineman" is a good one.

Best available: James Hudson

6-206: Trevon Grimes, WR Florida. At 6'4" and 215 pounds, Grimes gives the wide receiver group something it lacks: size. While a deep threat is probably the missing link, at this point in the draft there are few available. The situation with Odell Beckham Jr. will be interesting to watch as he returns from yet another injury. Rashard Higgins is a free agent who I'd resign in an instant, but we don't know if the Cleveland brass feels the same way. With Kha'Darel Hodge taking almost 300 snaps on offense, it's critical the team upgrade the talent at the position.

Best available: Whop Philyor, WR Indiana

7-231 (f/Carolina): Demetrius Taylor, EDGE Appalachian State. Productive, late-round pass rusher to give us some rotational depth at the position group.

Best available: Larry Roundtree III, RB Missouri

7-254 (f/Buffalo): Tuf Borland, LB Ohio State. Adding a high-floor, low-ceiling linebacker doesn't seem like the worst idea. He's my Scooby Wright of 2021. Plus, kind of a homer pick.

Best available: Ta'Quan Graham, DL Texas


Turns out PFF.com did not like my Zaven Collins choice.

 

Well, I don’t like your Collins pick either - but that’s because I hope he goes 1-32 to the Buffalo Bills.

 

Chargers very well could be next years Cleveland Browns. They get a new coaching staff and several of thoae games that slipped through their fingers might not slip away. Also the Raiders at least offensivly improved in their second year under Grudens return. They also beat the Chiefs and pushed the to the limit the second time. The only easy out may be denver and now that elways sticky fingers are off they might get better too.

 

@SAS ,

I wonder why PFF didn't like your Collins pick at #26. I have him as the 3rd best LB in the draft (behind Micah Parsons - Penn State and Owusu-Koramoah - Notre Dame) and coming off the board in the mid-20's.

 

Hilton one of the best slot CBs in the NFL. Great tackler even though he's like 180 soaking wet. Good blitzer too.

Sutton plays everywhere. Outside, inside, safety. Good cover guy, good tackler on the edge.

If I had my choice I'd keep Sutton so they can jettison Haden's salary. Not that I don't like Joe. He's played well for us and unlike his time in Cleveland has remained pretty healthy. But that would give us two solid starters and Pierre and Layne both having some experience. Sutton could move to the slot in Nickel.

 

Maybe but feel like 7-9 is probably where you've slotted us 4 out of the last 5 years lol.

 

Mason has never had a chance to really show us. Couldn't stay healthy last year. No opportunity this year. He didn't look too bad Week 17. In a perfect world the Steelers find a physical center, left tackle and run the damn ball. Let Mason use play action. He's not built for the offense Ben works out of.

 

We'll agree to disagree on Baker. In a weird kinda way he reminds me of Lamar. Stop the run and you stop the Browns offense. When asked to throw the ball around he's been pretty inconsistent.

 

Coaching goes a long way. Steelers line was so much better under Munchak. Sarrett spent 4 years under Mike and just couldn't duplicate the success.

 

If Javonte Williams is available last 2nd the Steelers better sprint to the podium!!

 

lol -- fair... that's probably the average. I think I spotted you a 9-7 one time but that probably offset a 6-10 along the line.

 

I don't think they rate off-ball linebackers very high ever.