The Morning Kickoff ? Schedule reset: With the draft complete, NFL rosters are 95 percent settled. There may be a trade, a waiver pickup, a free agent signing, or two. More than likely, no acquisition this late in the transaction season will impact a team significantly. Thus, now is the time to take a stroll through the Browns? regular-season schedule to see what storylines await them. Game 1, at Pittsburgh: Before the draft, CBS-TV announcer Jim Nantz said, ?The Cleveland opener in Pittsburgh is going to be the most talked about game Week 1 if Johnny Manziel is the quarterback.? If Manziel is not the quarterback, it will be native Clevelander Brian Hoyer?s first game against the Steelers as Browns QB. Either way, it?s the biggest Browns opener since they rebooted the franchise in 1999 ? against the Steelers. Game 2, home vs. New Orleans: The last time these teams played, the Browns blew out the defending Super Bowl champions in the Superdome. Remember David Bowens? two Pick 6?s of Drew Brees? Eric Mangini was the coach, Colt McCoy the quarterback. Rob Ryan was Browns defensive coordinator. Now he?s the Saints D-coordinator, when not moonlighting as a Mardi Gras float. Game 3, home vs. Baltimore: This will be the Ravens? third division game in a row to start the season, first on the road. They will be coming off the extra layoff following a Thursday night home game against Pittsburgh. Jason Campbell and Davone Bess combined to beat them in Cleveland last year. Week 4, bye: Early byes sometimes result in an early lineup change. Just sayin?. Game 4, at Tennessee: Jimmy Haslam?s first game as Browns owner against the home-state franchise he once tried to buy. New Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt didn?t want to coach the Browns. And Titans D-coordinator Ray Horton was fired by the Browns. Horton will have an armful of statistics to support his opinion he has the best defense in the league. Game 5, home vs. Pittsburgh: This will be the earliest wrap-up of the season series with the Steelers since 1976. Game 6, at Jacksonville: By now, we should get a look at Blake Bortles ? the quarterback the Browns didn?t have a chance to take, and probably wouldn?t. Game 7, home vs. Oakland: Two rookies of interest ? linebacker Khalil Mack and quarterback Derek Carr. If Carr isn?t playing the Raiders will still be in the hands of Matt Schaub, the quarterback that Browns O-coordinator Kyle Shanahan nurtured in Houston and supposedly had an interest in bringing to Cleveland. Game 8, home vs. Tampa Bay: You wanted Mike Evans? You can get a close look at him in this game. Game 9, at Cincinnati: Nantz and Phil Simms call this game for the prime-time national audience on NFL Network. Andy Dalton?s still in control of the Bengals? offense at this point, right? Not Jason Campbell? Not A.J. McCarron? Game 10, home vs. Houston: By now, Jadeveon Clowney could be threatening the NFL rookie sack record. Or Texans fans may be inquiring, ?Why exactly did we pass on Johnny Manziel, coach Bill O?Brien?? Game 11, at Atlanta: Our first look at receiver Julio Jones since the Browns passed him up in the 2011 draft. For offensive line-ophiles, Jake Matthews will also be on display vs. Paul Kruger. Game 12, at Buffalo: Browns coach Mike Pettine returns to Buffalo and hosts the pre-game meal at his unsold house. Other than that, this says it all ? Joe Haden vs. Sammy Watkins. Game 13, home vs. Indianapolis: Andrew Luck?s first game in the hometown of his dad, Oliver. Trent Richardson?s return. Rob Chudzinski?s return. Game 14, home vs. Cincinnati: A sandwich game for the Bengals. They play the Steelers the week before and the Broncos the week after. Game 15, at Carolina: Browns? first look at Cam Newton. They haven?t visited this market since 2006. Charlie Frye was Browns quarterback. Game 16, at Baltimore: With Bengals at Pittsburgh, this game could decide the AFC North title and possibly an AFC wild card.
Wouldn't you? At this moment, he kinda has the Browns somewhat over a barrel with the WR situation. It reminds me, in a way, of the Jimmy Graham situation with his franchise tag. Is Graham a TE or a very large WR.
I would just like to know why Graham waited until he wanted the bigger tag payout to try to get re-classified as a WR. He should have brought this up prior and try to get it done last year or the year before having to take it to arbitration (or wherever the case is being heard). Everybody knows a WR gets more than a TE on the tag, especially his agent. I'm also assuming that if Graham is re-classed and gets the big payout on the tag as a WR, the Players Union and NFL owners are going to have to sit down and write up job summaries for every position and then specify what percentages that you can be moved around here and there before you are considered that other position. Sounds like a big headache to me.
Not saying I wouldn't. I'm more phrasing it to ask do you pay big dollars to a guy for one good season? He has struggled with injuries throughout his entire career.
I like Johnny football, but Im gonna have say no to that t-shirt...lol! Oh boy. It's only just begun.
Man, Where do I start??? How about we make it REAL interesting and go this route: Joe Haden vs. Robert Woods and let the rooks battle Justin Gilbert vs. Sammy Watkins Would really shut some mouths if Gilbert shut him down... This is why I think it will be difficult to get Cameron signed early. He will most likely want to test the free agent market imho. He never had a reason to. he was playing on his rookie deal and had no reason to question the classification because it wouldn't get him any more money on his then current contract. NOW that he has been tagged there is a significant reason to challenge the classification. It could also be significant to Cameron's contract negotiations.
I think the question really is whose idea is it to challenge his postion designation/tag price, Graham or his agent? My bet is on the agent who is hoping to find a loophole in the system. I just see this whole thing as opening a huge can of worms that is not addressed in the current labor agreement that may take quite a bit of doing to spell out any and all future rules regarding position designations.
From Rotoworld: Browns agreed to terms with WR Miles Austin, formerly of the Cowboys. Castigated for failing to draft a wideout as they awaited word on the length of Josh Gordon's suspension, the Browns have finally added a body in the second-best receiver on the open market. That's not saying much, of course. Released on March 11, Austin had yet to make a single-known visit, and appeared to be at the end of the line last season. The Cowboys were a better team when he wasn't on the field. Positively racked by hamstring injuries, Austin turns 30 next month. In theory, he's an option on the outside, but he's best left in the slot at this stage of his career. That's a crowded position in Cleveland.
