but we do have very good depth on the D Line . the Packers have very very good depth at WR and a need for a D Lineman . why not make a deal there ? or wait and se who they cut .
For the sake of every Cleveland Browns fan that continuously comes back annually to support this team, here?s hoping Thursday is the last time we see Johnny Manziel on an NFL field ? this year. If Manziel plays as part of a two-quarterback system this season, the Browns are screwed. If Manziel plays for an injured Brian Hoyer this season, the Browns are screwed. The Browns are already halfway there to screwed-ville thanks to the Josh Gordon ruling Wednesday, but let?s not go down that path. Let?s keep on the quarterback situation. So why don?t I want to see Johnny Football play this year? It?s not that I think Manziel is going to be a bust or that Hoyer is the next coming of Tom Brady. For once, how about the Browns stick with an opening day starting quarterback for, oh, I don?t know, 16 games? Look, continuity is a foreign concept in Berea. Wouldn?t it be nice for all 16 games the team features the same starting quarterback? That?s not to say I want to prevent Johnny Manziel to eventually taking over this team and be the type of franchise quarterback this team so desperately needs. But we?ve waited since 1992 to find that franchise QB, what?s one more year? There isn?t going to be much to observe from Thursday?s preseason finale against the Chicago Bears at FirstEnergy Stadium. This is the most boring game of the year for Browns fans, save for that annual season-finale butt-whooping against the Steelers. (SPOILER ALERT: Browns don?t finish with Pittsburgh this season. So, yay!) The starters aren?t expected to play much, as the opener against the Steelers is barreling down the tracks a little more than a week later. The quarterback decision has been made, the final cuts are almost here and Gordon?s future is decided. It?s time to play football that counts. Instead of breaking down this final preseason game, let?s take a look at what the 2014 Cleveland Browns season has to offer from two points of view: optimist vs. cynic Josh Gordon Optimist: The Browns still have him under contract for one more season. This will finally be the wake up call he needs to get his life off-the-field on the right track. He?ll be reinstated for the 2015 season and return to his impressive ways. Plus, I've always wanted a reason to watch the Canadian Football League. Cynic: The guy is a moron. There shouldn?t have been any traces in his urine since he?s facing his third strike. And then there was the DUI? He?ll never play for the Browns ever again and he?ll go down as one of the biggest wastes of talent in NFL history. Browns defense Optimist: This is going to be one of the top 10 units in the league. They are strong up the middle, albeit a little older, and these guys are really going to take to how coach Mike Pettine and defensive coordinator?s Jim O?Neill coach ?em up. Those two did good things with the Jets defense and Bills defense and it?ll continue in Cleveland. This defense showed signs last year, but they have only improved talent- and coaching-wise. Cynic: Karlos Dansby and Donte Whitner are a year older than the players they?re replacing. Paul Kruger and Barkevious Mingo were hardly the world beaters we expected last year. And now the team?s top two corners are banged up? Sorry, Joe Flacco, Ben Roethlisberger and Andy Dalton will carve ?em up again. Running game Optimist: Ben Tate, when healthy, can be an explosive back and coupled with that rookie tank, Terrance West, gives the Browns a dynamic 1-2 punch that was sorely lacking last year. Bring back that old-school run-first offense and shove it down the throat of AFC North opponents. Cynic: Tate is injury-prone and West is a rookie, meaning he?ll hit the wall around late October. Not to mention if this team tries to run right, Mitchell Schwartz simply can?t block. Need two yards on third and 1? Might as well punt. Overall Optimist: This team?s talent level has risen. From the owner to the GM on down there is a clear line of command and most everyone is on the same page. Continuity? The Browns may be starting down that path. Maybe. Not to mention it can?t get any worse than the last few years. The AFC North foes aren?t among the league?s best anymore and nine wins just might get you a conference title and playoff berth. Every year a team comes out of now where and makes the playoffs. Why not the Browns in 2014? Cynic: You can change the coach, the quarterback, the GM and even the stadium, but it?ll be the same ?ol 4-12, 5-11 season because we?re talking about Browns football. It?s just what they do.
Heard Gordon is heading to the CFL this season ? or maybe he sues Adolph Goodell ? whatever they do to Goodell I am onboard with . this azzhat is ruining the league *HELP*
I don't think the CFL idea is going to fly... 1) The CFL implemented the Ricky Williams rule, basically banning any NFL player under contract from playing in the league while under suspension. There seems to be some loophole that he could still play if the Browns gave him permission and they asked the league to allow it... 2) The Browns do no intend on giving Josh Gordon permission to play in the CFL, so that idea is pretty much a dead issue after only one day...
anyone can cherry pick a great player from any position that never won a super bowl. not sure what that proves.
OK, how about: top 15 wide receivers from 2000-2009 Andre Johnson Muhsin Muhammad Laveranues Coles Larry Fitzgerald Donald Driver Steve Smith Isaac Bruce Derrick Mason Reggie Wayne Chad Ochocinco Marvin Harrison Hines Ward Terrell Owens Torry Holt Randy Moss So out of these top 15, these have a Super Bowl Trophy Donald Driver, won his SB well past his prime, playing on a team full of talent, including Aaron Rogers,Greg Jennings and Ryan Grant. He was actually the 4th WR by this time, behind James Jones and Jordy Nelson. Issac Bruce AND teammate Torry Holt..so two combined to get their trophies along with a great QB and great RB Reggie Wayne AND teammate Marvin Harrison..again, combined with one of the greatest QBs ever to win theirs Hines Ward played on what many consider to be one of the best defenses ever..Although, the offense did come on during their playoff run. So all of these top wide receivers of the recent decade produced 4 Super Bowls...none of which was won or lost by a single WR.... This doesn't even include more recent WRs like: Calvin Johnson Dez Bryant Tandem of Brandon Marchall and Alshon Jeffery and of course....Josh Gordon Show me a WR that was an integral part of a championship and I will show you several other moving parts that were more likely a much higher influence to the victory. I am not saying WR isn't an important position, it is becoming moreso every year with these new rules..But a great defense and an elite QB will get you much much faster than a WR. (edit) Just for the sake of argument, the example above, Larry Fitzgerald DID get to a Super Bowl...with the same QB that got Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce THEIR rings!!
so are u saying that any GM who uses a high draft pick on any offensive player besides quarterback is a fool?
Depends on what state the teams roster is in at the time...The Lions did it how many times in a 10 year period and where did that get them? I am simply saying, imho, there are other positions that are more vital to a NFL roster than WR..However, I am not saying comprising your entire roster of 5th round WRs will give you a successful combination... Once the defense is built and a QB found, then you have the advantage of taking high quality receivers. Again, this is simply my philosophy on building a roster...a hyper fan with no background or ability to do such things.
Pettine is a rookie coach making many rookie mistakes IMO, but 2day culd b the topper....how on earth is this guy sending out the 1st team offense vs 2nd and 3rd teamers from Chic? Doesnt he realize he is in a no win situation...if the offense has a good drive or 2 their doing it against the backups, if they cant move the ball or put pts on the board they will b ridiculed all week that this offense is so bad they cant score vs backups and guys prbly gettn released.
I don't give a damn who they are playing against, they need time to gel and that happens in game situations. I could care less about ridicule, I want this team to come together sooner rather than later! I think this is one of the smarter moves he has made.
LOL, ya, because matt millen is the gold standard of NFL GMs. everyone looks to matt to decide the right way to do things *CRAZY* i understand your point, and it's far more credible that SAS's cute sound bite - but it still doesn't mean that drafting a WR is necessarily a bad idea. like u said - depends on the state of the roster. u guys did draft a QB. that still left other picks to fill other needs, right? fun fact: in this year's draft, in the first round, three QBs were drafted - along with five WRs
Cmon Irish....if they light the world on fire u really think it will help for week 1? They will probably play 2 series so how much gelling is gonna really happen...this is a mistake and hes opening up a can of worms for his offense if they struggle
I don't think lighting the world on fire OR laying an egg makes a difference, I do think reps make a huge difference. You are discarding the fact they are professionals. Again, I think you put too much merit in the media. Will it give them something to talk about? maybe...but that will also have absolutely NO bearing on the outcome in Pittsburgh. Which will have a bigger impact? Reps together in game situation or The media talking about a preseason series or two?
It wont just b the media...it will b media, Browns fans, football fans etc....Joe Thomas blowing open a hole vs Austen Lane or Trevor Scott does nothing for me if Tate gains 15 yds on a run play...Miles Austin beating Kelvin Hayden on a deep pass route doesnt mean hes ready for the season....it just means their doing what their suppose to do vs backups or guys on the bubble of making a roster.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AEj3LA2vSo[/video] Irish is right... to a point... Regardless of who they are playing against the 1st team needs reps to gel and get on the same page. Yet I don't want to see any injuries to the starters as well. It is a tough choice and one we have to rust Pettine to make. Here's hoping the browns have a great season... *DRINK* Here we go Brownies Here we go Woof Woof!!!!
Actually, I was looking to Matt to decide the wrong way to do things.. *YES* We will all have to have a wait and see stance on who has a better career between... Justin Gilbert and... Odell Beckham, Brandon Cooks or Kelvin Benjamin...who were all WRs taken in the first round behind Gilbert OR Joel Bitonio and... Marquise Lee, Jordan Matthews, Paul Richardson, Davante Adams, Cody Latimer, Allen Robinson or Jarvis Landry who were all taken in the 2nd round after Bitonio OR Christian Kirksey and... Josh Huff, Donte Moncrief or John Brown who were all taken in the 3rd round after Kirksey and before their 2nd 3rd round pick of Terrance West. I can say this... Of the Browns picks, they have sure starters in Justin Gilbert and Joel Bitonio, with Christian Kirksey looking like he will also be a day one starter... Compared to the list of Wideouts who are also starting: [del]Odell Beckham[/del] [del]Brandon Cooks[/del] Kelvin Benjamin Marquise Lee [del]Jordan Matthews[/del] [del]Paul Richardson[/del] [del]Davante Adams[/del] [del]Cody Latimer[/del] [del]Allen Robinson[/del] [del]Jarvis Landry[/del] Browns = 2, possibly 3 starters out of their picks not named Johnny Manziel (whom will be starting sooner than later) WRs = 2 starters out of 10 We will all have to wait and see who has the most impact though..
Then don't watch it or listen to the radio for 10 days... The fact is, reps in game situations (and you should agree with this more than anyone else on these boards being a coach) are more meaningful than any other training provided.
Injuries be damned, no one wants to see that...but when you are team with new leadership and role players, you need reps. You can't make a decision to get those reps based on the possibility of injuries, otherwise you shouldn't have practice either...then where would you be? I just don't subscribe to the theory that only the real games matter...When you are made up of a team that has played together for 3+ years, you have the luxury of taking "practice" or "practice game" reps off. They are already on the same page, just not maybe in mid-season form. This Browns team certainly is not near that point and need what ever time they can get before facing the AFC North, which is what they are doing 2 out of the first 3 weeks of the season.
dawg, don't get me wrong. i'm not trying to say the browns should have drafted a WR, or done anything else in particular. i just took exception to what i interpreted as a post using a horrible method to "prove" something. if it indeed IS always a bad idea, your explanation is worth far more consideration than "look at larry fitzgerald". one way or another, i'm reasonably sure the browns front office gave it a bit more thought than SAS did.
