I mentioned in another conversation about a week ago that I believe 3 wins locks in Gregg Williams as the head coach in 2019 (that would make it two more after beating ATL). If he wins one more from today on but the defense takes a step back from how they looked so far this season, I think he may have to interview to keep the job. As for Kitchens - No matter what the success rate is for the offense the rest of this season they absolutely have to stick to the type of scheme they played with this past weekend. I don't care if they struggle in a couple games and it looks like defenses have caught on to a degree, they still have to work on playing to Baker and the ground games strengths. It's the only way they are going to find what they can work with long term, what they need to change up and what alternate adaptations they can infuse to maximize the value of the offense with Mayfield running it. Regardless of who the Browns hire/retain at head coach in 2019, Kitchens should remain the OC and Cleveland should start working on bringing in or extending position coaches that will work with the adapted philosophy or learn how to.
Look at this beauty... Taylor frees up $16 million in cap space and we fill the spot with a late-round development QB pick. Drew Stanton is your primary back-up. E.J. Gaines should be re-signed. Greg Robinson, if he continues to play well at left tackle, should be re-signed. Then, just Rashard Higgins (WR1) and Briean Boddy-Calhoun make the list of "must retain" kind of guys. Really don't have any other holes there and you can replace those players with draft picks and mid-level free agents.
At the rate of Baker's growth, do we even need a 3rd string? Only if he is the type that you can get to your practice squad... I would add Breshad Perriman to the group if he continues his growth. For whatever reason, he seems to be doing a fine job of getting open. Baker targeted him 5 times last week and twice this week, catching both. Honestly, I think with Baker in as QB, we have a really good group of players here right now. He was able to pass to 9 different guys successfully, in only 20 targets. The only one I worry about is Jarvis Landry, who is used to being the #1 target. I don't know if he gets antsy if he continues to give up looks. I would hope not, he seems like a total team guy right now...but if he doesn't start earning more looks, that $16M per year will also stop being necessary. I think he is GREAT for the WR room and worth every penny, as long as he stays in line. Here's the thing, all 4 (5 including Perriman) are reasonable free agents. Gaines will require the most money, and he has the most to earn because of his injuries. If we could get all of those guys signed except Gaines, I think we could use that first round pick on another CB and be fine. I'm not convinced of any of the OTs coming out, but there is a lot of defense available in the 2019 draft. Robinson will have to continue playing at a high level, I have been pleasantly surprised so far, but that might be more credit to Baker than to Greg. Not sure, to be honest.
I'll take the next step with a BOLD prediction . . . The Browns go 4-2-0 to finish the year at 7-8-1 and will not finish in the basement of the AFCN. Who are the four wins? The Bengals (twice). They're falling apart at the seams as we speak. At Denver. The Broncos are offensively challenged. It won't take a lot of points for this W. At Baltimore. Unless the Ravens figure out their QB issue, they could be ripe for the pickings by week 17. The two losses are week 13 @ Houston and week 14 home against the Panthers.
More judging by Dorsey's draft history/inclinations. He, or staffs he's been with, have routinely spent low round picks (R5-R7) on quarterback prospects knowing it's mostly a tradeable investment. Plus, the pending free agent class of wide receivers (here) isn't really anything to get hot in the pants about. I would think Dorsey spends a second round pick on a receiver this year to bring into the mix. You've got Jarvis Landry, Antonio Callaway, and (if he's re-signed) Rashard Higgins as a pretty good trio. Imagine a world where Cleveland can draft Greedy Williams (Louisiana State) in R1... Agreed. And there's no pending free agent left tackles to speak of, so if that position is going to get an upgrade this offseason, it's going to need to be through the draft.
I think I like this one the most. Primetime match-up on Saturday night. And Denver leads the series 23-5 all-time with Cleveland.
I don't disagree with this at all.. BUTT, if it gets handled in the draft, it will most certainly be a developmental kid. I don't see a sure fire LT in this class. Even the one's being projected in the first round are developmental, many that are being considered, are actually projected at other positions, RT or G. I'd rather go with the kid I know, in Greg Robinson, than the developmental prospect in the first round.
I love the team Williams and Kitchen have fielded so far, but i'm not ready to hand them the keys to the kingdom yet. I think Bye weeks are tricky and am very interested in how this team comes out of this one. The post Baltimore faceplant makes me uncomfortable with how they respond to a win. I think they were smelling themselves then, and I sincerely hope with Hard Knocks a distant memory, they've grown up a little. Kichen's gameplans are worlds better than what Haley was dishing up, but he's still an unknown, to his advantage so far. How will we look when we are up against better Ds and there's film on Kitchens and Mayfield with this new scheme? The Diamond won't be a surprise next game, so what's the next wrinkle? Everything is rainbows and unicorns after yesterday, let's see what our new braintrust brings in gameplan and in team intensity in 2 weeks. Put that one away and I'm impressed. I said last week that Atalnta would tell me more about William's Kitchen than the KC game, and I'm impressed. Show me more. BTW having to wait two weeks is going to kill me, but if Houston goes down to Washington, a little sunshine peeks through, and if Balitmore could somehow beat Cinci, it opens ever wider. Then it's on us. Will we come back fired up and ready to take on all comers, or find road games too much to ask.
