Nick Chubb, Myles Garrett return to practice The Browns have gotten a few key players back at practice on Thursday. According to multiple reporters on the scene, running back Nick Chubb (foot), defensive end Myles Garrett (illness), and safety John Johnson (thigh) are all participating in Thursday’s session. All three players didn’t practice on Wednesday. But the fact that they’re on the field should bode well for their availability this weekend. The only one who isn’t participating in the session is defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who is in the concussion protocol. Cleveland will host New Orleans on Saturday afternoon in a game that is expected to have frigid conditions along the shores of Lake Erie. The Browns’ full injury report with game statuses will be released later on Thursday. PFT
Browns, Jack Conklin agree to four-year extension After Elgton Jenkins reached an agreement on a four-year extension earlier on Friday, another key offensive lineman has closed on a new deal with his respective club. The Browns and right tackle Jack Conklin have agreed to a four-year extension worth $60 million and $31 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports. A Titans first-round pick back in 2016, Conklin signed a three-year deal with the Browns as a free agent back in 2020. He’s started 34 games for Cleveland since then, missing just over half of the 2021 season with an elbow injury and then a torn patellar tendon. Conklin returned to action in Week Three of this season. He was a first-team All-Pro as a rookie in 2016 and in 2020 when the Browns made the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Cleveland currently has the league’s No. 5 rushing attack and is No. 8 overall in total yards. The Browns will host the Saints in what’s expected to be frigid conditions along the shores of Lake Erie on Saturday. PFT
Go Browns! Show em how you do it under tough weather conditions on the shores of Lake Erie. Take no prisoners, take no quarter and take no shit!
Four games in - 57.7% completion, 175.8 yards per game, 2 TDs (1.6 rate), 3 INTs (2.4 rate), 5.7 yards per attempt, and a 69.3 QB rating. How we feeling, Browns Nation?
On a brighter note... The Browns have a chance to dash the Redsk...er Commanders... playoff hopes this weekend. If certain events happen (actually not that farfetched), they then will have the opportunity to send the Steelers home with their fans holding on to playoff hopes week 18. I hate Deshaun Watson, but I'd still get a lot of pleasure watching that happen.
Well.....Watson has no excuses today. There should be no more "rust" to talk about. This is his 6th game back. The weather is typical late season AFCN weather without the wind gusts. Not sure what to think if he sucks it up today. QB? Stefanski? Offensive staff? Shitty game plan? All of the above? We'll find out at the final gun.
Arm Kelly was able to do something that hadn't been done in three decades -- he had me rooting for the Steelers.
Update: 2022 season wrapped (6 games)... 58.2% completion, 183.7 YPG, 7 TD (4.1 rate), 5 INT (2.9 rate), 6.5 YPA, 79.1 QB rating, 3-3 record as a starter. Maybe more concerning was the rate at which he took an increased number of sacks as the games progressed: 1-2-3-2-5-7 over those six games. For a full 17 games at that pace, that's: 280 completions (18th), 482 attempts (13th), 58.2% completion (33rd), 3,122 yards (18th), 20 TD (19th), 14 INT (19th), 6.5 YPA (t-29th), (an alarming 57 sacks (32nd), and a 8-9 finish. I'd say he's washed, but that's not accurate -- he's exactly who I said he was nearly a year ago this time: a game-manager on a .500 roster with a mid arm and a penchant for taking sacks. He had WR#2 in the NFL can managed to be a career .500 guy until his last season when he put up gaudy, garbage-time stats en route to a 4-12 finish before quitting on his team. For TFQB's 14 games in 2021 (spread over 17 for comp sake): 307 completions, 508 attempts, 60.6% completion, 3,655 yards, 21 TD, 16 INT, 7.2 YPG, 43 sacks. Makes you wonder if maybe the problem is bigger than the guy under center, but the guy calling the shots:
2017: "The problem was Sashi Brown." 2018: "The problem was Hue Jackson." 2019: "The problem was John Dorsey." 2020: ... 2021: "The problem was Baker Mayfield." 2022: "The problem was Joe Woods." 2023: "The problem was... <insert name here>" Now taking bets on who that name is... any guesses?
Browns request to interview Jerod Mayo for defensive coordinator The Browns are looking at someone with the Patriots to potentially fill a key role on their coaching staff. According to multiple reports, Cleveland has requested to interview New England linebackers coach Jerod Mayo for defensive coordinator. Mayo’s title was inside linebackers coach for his first three seasons on Bill Belichick’s staff before that shifted to linebackers coach in 2022. Before transitioning to coaching, Mayo, 36, played 103 games for the Patriots with 93 stats from 2008-2015. He was the AP defensive rookie of the year after New England selected him at No. 10 overall. He twice was named a Pro Bowler and was also a first-team All-Pro in 2010. Mayo also received some interest for head coaching interviews last year before returning to the Patriots’ staff. Cleveland announced the firing of former defensive coordinator Joe Woods on Monday morning. PFT
Browns hire Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is the new defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns. The Browns finalized the hiring of Schwartz this morning, according to multiple reports. Cleveland began its defensive coordinator search a week ago after firing Joe Woods. In addition to Schwartz, the candidates were Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores, Seahawks associate head coach Sean Desai and Eagles defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson. Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo declined a chance to interview. The 56-year-old Schwartz is best known for his five-year stint as head coach of the Lions from 2009 to 2013. He has also been defensive coordinator of the Eagles, Bills and Titans. His first NFL job was in Cleveland as a personnel scout in the 1990s. He was more recently an assistant on the Titans’ staff. PFT
Gonna be interesting to see how the front office reconciles their zero value ranking on defensive tackle with Schwartz's very pro-DT track record.
Overall... pretty mixed results over the last 20+ years: Since he was a defensive assistant in Tennessee, the rankings don't count apparently, but Tennessee was (2021) 6th in points, 12th in yards, 25th in passing, 2nd in rushing; and (2022) 14th in points, 23rd in yards, 32nd in passing, 1st in rushing.
Vikings trade Za’Darius Smith to Browns The Browns get Smith, a 2025 sixth-round pick and a 2025 seventh-round pick, while the Vikings get a fifth-round pick in 2024 and a fifth-round pick in 2025.
