I totally agree. McCown played superbly with what he had. Class act too. I'd love to have him stick around but if RG3 has pulled his head out of his azz and returns to some form of his Year 1 self, I don't think there would be any argument that he'd be "franchise QB" they've been looking for since '99. And with McCown's age and durability being a ?, I truly think they let him mentor Kessler and Davis to help them along through the pre-season. Since Hue drafted Kessler earlier than most expected, I think he's a lock for at least one of three QB spots. Pryor gets the emergency QB spot while he plays WR, whether that would qualify as one of the three spots, I don't know. This is all based on RG3 being prepared and a team player. That would mean RG3 at QB1. Doubtful they keep a true QB3 with Pryor on the roster, but if they do, McCown gets my nod for the 3rd spot. Pretty sure Kessler makes the roster and not the practice squad. Kessler was drafted to high to move down. And I'm not sure Davis could be placed on the practice squad as either he'd be claimed or request release to get a shot elsewhere at backup QB, in my opinion.
Need to stop by more often Crex. Not enough boobs in here much lately. (Except the same old bunch of posters we usually have)
Look, like everyone else in here, I like McCown. It isn't anything personal, it's merely age discrimination, and I am guilty... I'm not sure what you have to back up your argument about the gas in the tank. He has had two straight seasons shortened due to injury, because he plays like a 26 year old in a 36 year old's body. He doesn't know how to stop. I commend him, but I certainly can't count on him. At the moment, I can't count on RGIII or any other QB on the roster either, but at least they have youth on their side of the argument.
Honestly, I think they end up with RGIII and Kessler. I don't think they keep 3 QBs and in the end, they may even end up trading McCown to the Jets or someone else in need for a really late round draft pick, 6th or 7th. Depends on team situations, right now the neither the Jets or Fitzpatrick are blinking, so if they decide to call Fitz bluff, they may decide to go with McCown instead. I can't imagine a world where they think Fitz is their future...even if they felt he was their near future/holdover QB, they would offer him a decent deal instead of backup money. If they do keep 3, then McCown stays, but I still think Griffin is their starter on day one.
CLEVELAND, Ohio ? Former Browns quarterback Connor Shaw has been awarded via waivers to the Bears, where he'll be re-united with his rookie quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains and former Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer. Shaw will likely be the third-team quarterback behind Jay Cutler and Hoyer, who signed a one-year deal with the Bears in April. Hoyer and Shaw were teammates in Cleveland in 2014, when Shaw started the season finale in Baltimore because of injuries to Hoyer and Johnny Manziel. Loggains, the Bears' offensive coordinator, helped prepare Shaw for that game, where he had the Browns up 10-3 heading into the fourth quarter before losing 20-10. Shaw, who sat out last season after undergoing thumb surgery, was waived by the Browns on Thursday and claimed by at least two teams: the Saints and Bears. After word leaked that the Saints claimed him, the Bears swooped in. With the former undrafted free agent out of South Carolina gone, the Browns are down to four quarterbacks heading into camp: Robert Griffin III, Josh McCown, Cody Kessler and Austin Davis. Shaw will likely see time against the Browns in the final preseason game in Cleveland Sept. 1.
14 straight baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tribe 2-1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Longest winning streak in Tribe history!!!!!!! *BRAVO* *DRINK* *DANCE* *YAHOO* *HI* *DRINK* *DRINK* *DRINK*
Browns Salary Cap Notes: Rookies, Manziel, Shaw Andrea Hangst Thursday at 3:08 PM With a few roster moves and signings of note, it's time to take a quick look into the latest happenings affecting the Cleveland Browns' salary cap situation. While there has not been a significant amount of salary cap movement for the Cleveland Browns, there have been enough notable personnel additions and subtractions that warrant another look at the Browns? current cap situation. On the Rookies As it presently stands, the Browns are still over $40 million in expected Top-51 cap space. To recap, the Top-51 number stands for the 51 highest cap hits for the 2016 season, which are the only ones to count against the team?s salary cap (even though the final roster will have 53 players). While there are close to 90 players on the present roster, putting that ?all-team? cap space at $22.8 million, the Top-51 number is the one that matters in terms of official league business. It?s also worth noting that this number will continue to fluctuate as players are added and subtracted from the roster; it will be close to it?s final resting spot once the 53-man roster is sorted, but even then the true cap number won?t be completely clear until the 2016 season wraps, given the numerous personnel moves that can happen in-season. That cap number includes the drafted rookie class. All 14 are now signed under contract with Round 3 selection, defensive end Carl Nassib, inking his deal this week. Should all 14 make the 53-man roster?something neither a given nor likely?then the 2016 drafted rookies will cost the Browns around $10,047,339 in cap space this year. The group is led by Round 1 wideout Corey Coleman, who will make $2,119,090 in total compensation for 2016. Emmanuel Ogbah, drafted in Round 2 will make $1,201,753. Carl Nassib, Shon Coleman, Cody Kessler and Joe Schobert will all have cap hits in the $600,000?s, and seventh-round pick, Scooby Wright, is set to earn $465,173 this year granted he is on the active roster for all 17 weeks and 16 games. That, as noted after the draft, is key. We can only pencil in these rookie cap hits for this year until the final roster shakes out. These rookies will earn $1,000 per week in training camp this summer, but they don?t start being paid their contracted money until the regular season begins and they are on the active roster. Practice squad players, meanwhile, will make $6,900 per week in 2016, so any rookies who land there can make a maximum of $117,300 if they remain there for the duration of the season?also not another given, as practice squads are infinitely more fluid entities than the main roster once the season commences. Rookie Total Contract Values and 2016 Cap Hits (*=Estimated) Player Max Value 2016 Cap Hit C. Coleman $11,654,984 $2,119,090 E. Ogbah $6,609,640 $1,201,753 C. Nassib* $3,229,756 $672,000 S. Coleman $3,278,816 $646,884 C. Kessler $3,389,082 $616,197 J. Schobert $2,973,956 $608,489 R. Louis $2,907,848 $591,962 D. Kindred $2,839,356 $574,839 S. Devalve $2,453,392 $545,848 J. Payton $2,907,848 $511,000 S. Drango $2,584,000 $501,912 R. Higgins $2,254,384 $496,096 T. Caldwell $2,254,384 $496,096 S. Wright $2,400,704 $465,175 Manziel Notes As wonderful as it would be to make like an NFL coach and not comment on players that aren?t on the roster, there are relevant Browns-related points to make regarding former quarterback Johnny Manziel, who was handed down a four-game suspension on Thursday for violating the league?s substance abuse policy. Manziel is also subject to discipline related to the domestic violence charges against him by former girlfriend Colleen Crowley, a suspension that could span another six or more games on top of the four the currently-jobless quarterback would have to face should he sign with a new team. But this suspension means that the Browns can recoup a portion of the $4,333,487 in dead money they had to absorb on their salary cap when they released Manziel earlier this year. According to a copy of Manziel?s contract obtained in March by Pro Football Focus, the deal includes his guarantees being voided if he is suspended by the NFL for any reason, as well as being voided if Manziel?s reason for being released is unrelated to ?skill, injury or salary cap.? With Manziel?s remaining two contract years including two guaranteed salaries of $1.169 million in 2016 and $1.004 million in 2017, the Browns are set to receive another $2.173 million in salary cap room. For a team whose dead money has ballooned to over $18 million (after it being at just $7.3 million a year ago), any decrease in those dollars is welcomed. If this money does indeed get returned to the Browns? coffers, their cap space could be as much as $42.3 million in short order. Shaw?s Release With the Browns spending the offseason carrying five quarterbacks on the roster, it was clear that at some point a cut or two would take place. Indeed, that was the case on Thursday, with the Browns cutting 2014 UDFA addition Connor Shaw. Shaw had one Week 17 start for the Browns in 2014, completing 50 percent of his passes for 177 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception, and his 2015 was spent on injured reserve after undergoing surgery on a broken thumb. Shaw had a base salary of $450,000 in 2016 and no signing or other bonuses. Because he was an undrafted player, none of his contracted money was guaranteed, which means no more dead money will be added to the Browns? salary cap. Instead, they recoup that cash, giving them a touch more cap space on the year. The cut reduces the Browns? quarterback crop to four. Robert Griffin III is the highest-paid of the bunch in terms of cap hit, which totals $5,046,875, but his $3.25 million base salary is lower than that of Josh McCown?s of $4.375 million. As such, McCown?s cap hit isn?t far behind Griffin?s, totaling $5,041,666. Austin Davis has a cap hit of $1,766,666, $1.35 million of that in base salary. Kessler?s $616,197 hit is now the least expensive of the group. All told, the Browns? quarterbacks room ranks 24th in the league, with a current cap allocation of $12,471,404. That number will almost certainly decrease later in the summer as the roster shrinks in turn.
Crazy Crex?s Fourth of July Edition of ?The Darwin Awards? A friendly reminder that alcohol and fireworks don't mix. First Runner up: Spoiler America's Independence Day celebration is a festival for pyromaniacs. People routinely lose fingers and eyes in fireworks explosions, year after year, seemingly oblivious to the dangers. And the bigger the fireworks, the greater the damage. Keith, 34, suffered partial decapitation when he peered into the mouth of a launching tube containing what he thought was a malfunctioning aerial firework. The unlicensed pyro-spectacular display was to be the grand finale of his party, and in his haste to correct the problem he placed his head directly over the opening. After a short delay the fireworks exploded, giving both his head and his party an impromptu yet spectacular grand finale. And yes we have a winner: @= Spoiler A man celebrating the Fourth of July died when he tried to launch a firework off the top of his head, Maine State Police say. Twenty-two-year-old Devon Staples of Calais had been setting off fireworks with friends on Saturday night in the backyard of a friend?s home, according to Stephen McCausland, a spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety. He says Staples placed a fireworks mortar tube on his head and set it off, injuring his head. He died instantly. Police say the friends had been drinking. The New York Daily News spoke with Devon?s brother Cody Staples who was standing just five feet away from his brother when the firework went off. While police maintain that Devon was trying to launch the firework off of his head, his brother describes the incident as ?a freak accident.? Spoiler ?a freak accident.? *ROFL* *ROFL* *ROFL* *ROFL* *ROFL* *ROFL* *ROFL* *ROFL* *ROFL* *ROFL* And our grand-finale: Spoiler Three young men in Oklahoma were enjoying the coming Fourth of July holiday and wanted to test fire some fireworks. The only real problem was, their launch pad and seating arrangements were atop a several hundred thousand gallon fuel distillation storage tank. Oddly enough, fumes were ignited, producing a fireball seen for miles. They were launched several hundred feet into the air and found dead some 250 yards from their respective seats. An eye-witnesses said, "that was the best Fourth of July Fireworks display I've every seen!" Spoiler At least we now know the real reason Duff hasn't been brewing any kool-aid lately Celebrate safely Lounge Houndz *DRINK*
I'm off of work this week and my girls are on summer break so we went out to breakfast. As usual I had either AM 850 on or FM 92.3 on the radio. of coarse the girls didn't like that but HEY! it is my ride,lol Anyway the topic on the radio was..... With the Cavs winning a championship and the Indians in 1st place is this still "BROWNS TOWN"? I mean could the Browns top a 1.3 million people parade? After all it was the biggest sports parade of all time. People in Ohio are in love with the game of football. It is our game, founded here! I see hundreds of people at CYO games on the weekends. EDs and Iggy play at a D-3 college stadium. There is 4/5 high school teams from Ohio in the national top 25. Yet the Browns sellout almost every home game. Even the Lake Erie Monsters won a championship,lol In my opinion the Browns are the weak link. I feel people watch the Browns now because football is in an Ohioans blood. Not because they win or its good entertainment. Thats what they were talking about on the radio and I agree. I have been saying this for a while but it's time to put up or shut up for this franchise. The most beloved team is the weakest link. Anyways GO BUCKS, GO TRIBE, GO MONSTERS and GO CAVS! The Browns well we all know,lol just get to .500,lol
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns training camp opens exactly three weeks from Friday. It will be the first opportunity for fans to get a look at Hue Jackson and Co. as they prepare for the 2016 NFL season. There are battles aplenty, as you'd expect under a new regime fresh off of selecting 14 players in the NFL Draft. Beginning today, cleveland.com will take a look at each position group. We'll tell you who's slated to start (for now), the key battles within each group and the names you need to know. Group No. 1: The offensive line. The starters Joe Thomas (left tackle) There was some question as to whether Thomas would even be with the Browns this far into the offseason. The sure thing Hall-of-Famer still is, though, and he's ready to go under Jackson, going so far as to say he was jealous of other linemen that got to play in Jackson's offense. Thomas, who has yet to miss a snap during his NFL career, will continue to take veteran days off as part of his weekly routine, but if anyone has earned that right, it's him. "There's only so many sand grains left in my hourglass," Thomas said, "and we don't want to tip the hourglass over here in the spring. We want to save some of those sand grains for Sundays in the fall." Joel Bitonio (left guard) After earning rave reviews following his rookie season, Bitonio struggled through injury during his second season. It doesn't change how his head coach feels about him. "I think Bitonio has the potential to be one of the better players in this league, bar none," Jackson said. He'll slide back into his familiar left guard spot this season. Cameron Erving (center) It's show-me time for Erving. He was viewed by many as a potential replacement for Alex Mack when the Browns drafted him No. 19 overall in 2015 and, well, here we are. Erving struggled last season shifting between guard spots and admitted that he needed to get stronger in the offseason. One plus for Erving this season will be Jackson's scheme emphasizing his athleticism. "He may be one of the most athletic centers," offensive line coach Hal Hunter said. "He's really, really athletic." "Cam has some ability and some characteristics that we love and we're going to continue to coach him and get him better," Jackson said. "I think he's worked his tail off to come back here prepared and willing to accept the challenge." John Greco (right guard) Greco is perhaps the least-heralded player in this group, but all he's done is offer consistency at his right guard position. Entering his sixth season with the Browns, he is slated to slot between center and right tackle again. His value goes beyond that spot, though. If the Browns find themselves in need of a center in a pinch, Greco could be the guy. "I have no question that he could come in if he had to come in (at center)," Hunter said. "(We) dress maybe seven or eight guys (on game day) so somebody has got to be the swing man." The battle: Right tackle Barring a complete collapse by Erving, the most unsettled position along the line is the one vacated by Mitchell Schwartz. Here are some of the contenders. Alvin Bailey Bailey comes to the Browns following three seasons in Seattle. He played some left tackle in place of Russell Okung last season. "When they had me evaluate him, I was like, 'Why am I wasting my time because they're not letting him go?'" Hunter said. "Then, I was really excited when he came in here for the visit." Hunter said that Bailey has been making progress in flipping his technique to the right side and adjusting to a more complicated scheme. Shon Coleman (rookie) It's too early to read into anything on Coleman at this point. The third-round pick is coming off of surgery for a torn MCL that occurred during Auburn's game against Georgia. Jackson said the plan is to take it slow with Coleman. Hunter is excited to get his hands on the 6-foot-6, 313 pound prospect in training camp. "Shon Coleman was a really impressive guy at Auburn when we watched him on tape," Hunter said. "He reminded me a lot of a guy I had at San Diego from Auburn named Marcus McNeill, who played for me and was All-Pro for the first two years for me in San Diego -- Shon Coleman, they have a lot in common. He'll be ready for fall camp." Spencer Drango (rookie) It would be a surprise if the fifth-round pick won the job at right tackle, but he's in the discussion for now. Hunter called him "a little bit of a surprise." "He's a tough, competitive kid, fairly athletic," Hunter said. "He's a four-year left tackle. We've gone to right tackle so we're getting his technique. He's gone in there and competed. He's still got a ways to go, but he's in there." Jackson said during rookie minicamp that Drango "absolutely" would have a shot to compete at right tackle. "If he can grow in the area of run blocking and do what he has done as far as pass protection, you never know what could happen," Jackson said. Michael Bowie Another Seahawks castoff, the Browns originally claimed Bowie off waivers in August 2014. Bowie spent the spring playing right tackle and guard and even spending some time at left tackle. Names to remember Mike Matthews (rookie) The son of Hall-of-Famer Bruce Matthews was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M. He'll be competing to spend his rookie season as an interior backup and has been getting work at center. Austin Pasztor He received time at left guard last season after Bitonio was injured and Erving struggled. He's likely competing for a similar backup role this season. Fighting for spots Conor Boffeli Signed to the practice squad in December, he was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by Minnesota in 2014. He was on Chicago's practice squad in 2014 and spent time with the Bears in the spring and during training camp in 2015. Dan France He was added to the practice squad last December and has a connection to Jackson as the Bengals were the team that signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan State in 2014. He spent all of that season and part of 2015 on Cincinnati's practice squad. He's a native of North Royalton. Garth Gerhart This is his second stint with the Browns, who signed him to the practice squad last November. He originally signed with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He appeared in two games with the Packers in 2014. His brother is Toby Gerhart. Kaleb Johnson Johnson was claimed off of waivers from Baltimore in December. He was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of Rutgers and spent 11 weeks on their practice squad before he was elevated to the active roster. Erle Ladson After signing with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2014, he bounced between the Browns' practice squad and the Arena Football League in 2015. The team signed him last October.
