Da Dawg pound

The_Honeybadger · 15-04-2020 5:14pm

gstack166 wrote: »

The thing that will be the most disappointing from the Browns point of view is if we look back in 5 years and realise we have the 3rd best QB in the division. The worst scenario is if Big Ben is still around in 2 years and we have the 4th!

Ben is 38 and coming off major surgery on his throwing arm, he is not Tom Brady that can play in to his forties. I’d give him two seasons max.

Browns probably have a window of a few years before some of these young guys come looking for money, they might start losing key pieces as a result and their ability to sign free agents like they have been doing will be severely hampered. I think they have a proper coaching setup now after the Kitchens debacle but they are running in to a juggernaut in the Ravens who somehow have five picks in the early rounds of the draft and are already loaded! Unless they get bitten hard by the injury bug I don’t see them giving up the division

BonnieSituation · 15-04-2020 5:17pm

New uniforms announced...

Back to the classic look. Shame they changed the Colour Rush jersey. I liked that. And curiously, an orange one is absent.

https://twitter.com/Browns/status/1250454417125638146

gstack166 · 17-04-2020 2:47pm

BonnieSituation wrote: »

New uniforms announced...

Back to the classic look. Shame they changed the Colour Rush jersey. I liked that. And curiously, an orange one is absent.

https://twitter.com/Browns/status/1250454417125638146

The Brown uniform would look so much better with Orange pants.

VillaMad · 23-04-2020 1:58pm

Draft Day!

All talk for the past few months is taking one of those 4 tackles but as we stand here now, we don't know what's going to happen.

The Dolphins are rumoured to be looking at a tackle which could alter the draft board while talk of a trade for Trent Williams hasn't gone away.

If there is a run on tackles at the top of the board, I could even see the Browns trade down. We know with the Browns going back to more analytics type decision-making that the previous regime loved to pick up picks.

VillaMad · 24-04-2020 3:22pm

Very happy with Jedrick Wills last night. By the sounds of it the Browns would have traded down if he was already taken so he must have been very highly rated in their scout reports. All the tackles looked pretty high quality to me so taking any of them was fine by me. Hopefully we have turned a major weakness now into a strength with Conklin on one side and Wills on the other.

For tonight, we should be looking at safety and linebacker as the two priorities. No safeties were taken last night, so a pretty good one could fall to them. Two picks in the third round so they might look at a wide receiver as well for some depth.

Panrich · 24-04-2020 4:21pm

VillaMad wrote: »

Very happy with Jedrick Wills last night. By the sounds of it the Browns would have traded down if he was already taken so he must have been very highly rated in their scout reports. All the tackles looked pretty high quality to me so taking any of them was fine by me. Hopefully we have turned a major weakness now into a strength with Conklin on one side and Wills on the other.

For tonight, we should be looking at safety and linebacker as the two priorities. No safeties were taken last night, so a pretty good one could fall to them. Two picks in the third round so they might look at a wide receiver as well for some depth.

It was good to see Berry not trying to be too smart and just taking what came to him. We can say that Wills was at worst #2 on the Browns board and so it has to be seen as a good night.

For tonight, I just want to see best talent available no matter the position. There is a good chance that a good first round projected talent might fall to 42 and I think we should take what comes to us. Having said that I see that no safety has come off the board yet so we might get our top rated in the second round.

VillaMad · 25-04-2020 4:28pm

So Andrew Berry got a little creative last night by trading back two of the picks.

Took LSU's Grant Delpit at 44 and picking up a 5th rounder today. Seems like Delpit was a definite first rounder coming into the college year but a mixture of playing with an injury and also missing a lot of tackles seen him drop down. Looks excellent in coverage though and is a good pick at 44 similar to Greedy Williams last year who also fell into the middle of the second round.

Berry traded the number 72 pick with the Saints for the 88th pick and got a third rounder next year while also giving up a seventh rounder today. DT Jordan Elliott was taken at 88 out of Missouri. The pick was met with a bit of indifference on ESPN last night, but PFF are extremely high on Elliott as they had him at 23 on their big board. The Browns didn't have much depth at DT coming into free agency but having picked up Andrew Billing from the Bengals and now Elliott here they have good backups to Richardson and Ogunjobi. Elliott looks like somehow perhaps for the 2021 season.

At 97, they took Jacob Phillips, a linebacker again out of LSU. It was a big need for the Browns having let Joe Schobert go in free agency. Doesn't seem highly rated by too many but is seen as a reliable player rather than a spectacular player.

So 3 picks as we stand for Day. 115, 160 and 187. Positions to target are probably a guard or centre. Not much on the roster at wide receiver if Landry or Beckham went down, so one of the picks should be here. TE could also do with a bit of depth and possibly another at DE if more picks are got from a trade down.

VillaMad · 26-04-2020 2:00pm

So a pretty solid day 3 and overall in general by Andrew Berry in his first draft as GM.

It was a TE taken in the fourth round. Harrison Bryant out of Florida was the one chosen to bulk up the TE depth. Was the college player of the year last year at the position, but looks like a lad that needs to bulk up as the competition will rise. Very good catcher as he was a wide receiver in high school. Hooper, Njoku, Pharaoh Brown, Carlson and now Bryant gives them a good few options. Njoku's future is in doubt a bit, but he should be here for the following season. Expect lots of double tight-end sets with all those options.

At pick 160, Nick Harris was taken. A centre out of Washington which was the pick got from the Colts which proved very handy. Seems like the consensus was that this was a great value pick as he was touted as a third rounder. He will learn as back-up to JC Tretter.

With their last pick, they took Donovan Peoples-Jones a WR from Michigan. A 5-star recruit out of high school, he never lived up to his potential, being more athletic than a true football player. The guy has all the traits though, which makes it a good punt in the sixth round.

Skimming through the undrafted free agents that were signed, they took AJ Green a CB from Oklahoma who was expected to go late yesterday, so that's seems to be a decent one.

Overall, a pretty good draft. The roster looks pretty good which nice quality and depth in most areas. The linebacker position still looks underwhelming while the way their was little or no pressure on the quarter-back once Garrett got suspended hasn't really been fixed. With the highest cap space still available in the whole of the NFL, they could still have a shot at Jadeveon Clowney if they wanted to.

VillaMad · 28-04-2020 8:39pm

Rashard Higgins has signed a 1-year deal to stay with the Browns.

He was Baker's man at the end of the 2018 season and for whatever reason was rarely seen last year with Freddie Kitchens as coach. I would love to know what happened. It claimed that he turned down more money at other clubs to stay with the Browns.

Myles Garrett and David Njoku have had their fifth year option on their contracts exercised which was expected.

Panrich · 28-04-2020 10:19pm

VillaMad wrote: »

Rashard Higgins has signed a 1-year deal to stay with the Browns.

He was Baker's man at the end of the 2018 season and for whatever reason was rarely seen last year with Freddie Kitchens as coach. I would love to know what happened. It claimed that he turned down more money at other clubs to stay with the Browns.

Myles Garrett and David Njoku have had their fifth year option on their contracts exercised which was expected.

I thought that Higgins might not be back especially after taking Peoples-Jones and yet another TE in the draft. As you say though, there seems to be a bit of chemistry between him and Baker.

VillaMad · 29-04-2020 12:04am

Panrich wrote: »

I thought that Higgins might not be back especially after taking Peoples-Jones and yet another TE in the draft. As you say though, there seems to be a bit of chemistry between him and Baker.

I read somewhere and I'm not sure if it's true but apparently Higgins is the first Wide Receiver to get a second contract at the Browns since they returned in 1999 which is crazy.

There was as he had four touchdowns but it was just bizarre that he never got any snaps once he returned from injury at the back-end of last season where guys like Damion Ratley and Khadarel Hodge were ahead of him on the roster.

OBJ did play the whole of last season but did so with an injury and also missed quite a bit of time with the Giants the previous two seasons, so a back-up wide receiver is definitely needed so it's nice to keep Higgins in the fold. People-Jones can develop in a minor role and special teams.

VillaMad · 09-05-2020 11:40am

That's the schedule anyway for the upcoming season if everything goes to plan. Will be difficult for Stefanski and his coaches to get their ideas across with what looks like will be at best a limited coaching off-season.

As tough as it gets with the Ravens first up but should be a couple of winnable games against the Bengals and Redskins at home afterwards before a trip to Jerry World which would be a good barometer of this side.

4 of the last 6 are away and the two home games are against the Ravens and the Steelers so that's a tough stretch if they are in playoff contention.

Panrich · 18-08-2020 10:46pm

So Wilson grabs Chubb around the neck and puts him in the concussion protocol. He's relegated to seconds where he has to be carted off.

JC Tretter has gone under the knife but will hopefully be back for the first game. 5th rounder Harris is taking snaps in the meantime

Myles Garrett is sitting out practice with an injury.

A typical start to the season.

VillaMad · 19-08-2020 6:23pm

Not good with Mack Wilson. The Browns Linebacker position was already one of the weakest in the NFL, so this is pretty bad news. With Lamar and Baltimore in the same division this is not a good weakness to have.

As for the other injuries, they don't seem too bad and you rather have them now than a week before the season.

VillaMad · 24-08-2020 11:19pm

Training camp disaster for the Brown with a heck of a lot of injuries now.

Second round pick Grant Delpit's rookie season already looks in serious doubt as he went off with an achilles injury. Any tear there and he is done. It was non-contact too, so he is almost certainly a goner. Greedy Williams left practice early with a shoulder injury while another CB, MJ Stewart felt his hamstring.

Adding to this previously with Karl Joseph having a foot injury and a freak injury to Kevin Johnson who has a lacerated liver.

Depressing.

Panrich · 24-08-2020 11:33pm

VillaMad wrote: »

Training camp disaster for the Brown with a heck of a lot of injuries now.

Second round pick Grant Delpit's rookie season already looks in serious doubt as he went off with an achilles injury. Any tear there and he is done. It was non-contact too, so he is almost certainly a goner. Greedy Williams left practice early with a shoulder injury while another CB, MJ Stewart felt his hamstring.

Adding to this previously with Karl Joseph having a foot injury and a freak injury to Kevin Johnson who has a lacerated liver.

Depressing.

I saw Delpit go down earlier on Browns live. It was very innocuous but sometimes they can be the worst.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohShUqFGwsQ at 18:45

I don't think Ogunjobi has been involved in any action either yet and Njoku has had the last 3 days off with a wrist injury.

Silver-Tiger · 25-08-2020 2:32pm

So when are we signing Earl Thomas?

VillaMad · 05-09-2020 2:38pm

Cuts today as the roster goes from 80 down to 53.

The Browns cut 4 on Thursday, so have to say goodbye to 24 today.

Safety Ronnie Harrison was traded from the Jaguars on Thursday evening for a 5th rounder which was very decent value for a guy taken in the 3rd round a couple of years ago. Still on a rookie contract. Solid player by all accounts and gives the safety department a bit of depth after losing Grant Delpit for the season.

VillaMad · 28-09-2020 4:42pm

So the Browns go 2-1 and go over 500 for the first time in 6 years. A topsy-turvey game yesterday was finally settled with a good last quarter. A good team response after a chastening opening weekend when the Ravens handed them a new one. To be fair though playing the two worst teams of last year at home on consecutive weekends, it really was expected.

Seeing signs I suppose of an identity on offense now with Chubb having a greater role than last year and Hunt then coming more into the game late on. Chubb couldn't get anything going early on, but once he did, there was no stopping him. Trying to get Baker to force the ball to Beckham or Landry is not the recipe for success.

Due to injuries, it's no surprise that the secondary is struggling. Denzel Ward can't seem to go a few games without struggling with an issue again while the back-ups are average enough. The defense did well to turnover the ball on numerous occasions yesterday however.

Still give the Brown's an outside chance of getting to the playoffs provided the offense continues to go through Chubb. Going two scores behind leaves it up to Mayfield and he isn't showing signs of throwing dimes like he did in his rookie year. The schedule is quite nice with having the NFC East to face which is arguably the weakest at the moment, whilst also having the Jets late on. It could well be the games against the Steelers which will telling of where this team will go.

Panrich · 12-10-2020 12:33am

4-1 start but look a bit banged up with the Steelers up next. Still would have taken this after week 1. Stefanski is really beginning to mould a team here.

happyoutscan · 12-10-2020 6:50pm

Team on a high, great to see.

VillaMad · 15-10-2020 7:50pm

4-1 is fantastic considering that opening weekend when it looked like last year all over again.

Stefanski has been excellent in recent games and it makes a huge difference.

Steelers at the weekend with the Browns slight underdogs. I have found the team to be a little Jekyll and Hyde with the offense in particular looking electric for a couple of quarters and then seemingly unable to get a first down. The defense still has huge issues at safety and always looked likely to give away big plays but on the other hand, they have had quite a number of interceptions.

Myles Garrett is absolutely unbelievable and he alone is causing havoc. Mayfield on the other hand is still a concern. If he gets pressured at all in the pocket, he starts to panic and makes silly mistakes.

Also, being without Nick Chubb for an extended period will inevitably hurt despite how good Kareem Hunt is and has been.

Silver-Tiger · 16-10-2020 3:13pm

I think keeping it competitive until the last play of the game would be a result this week and anything else a bonus.

The whole team is fairly banged up as said above. Garrett going to get a lot of attention and i think this could turn sour.
Just get out of here in reasonable shape. Even if it is a loss. We are 4-2 with the best roster and coach in decades and an absolute cupcake of a schedule the rest of the way bar Ravens Steelers again.

No more stupid mistakes like getting banned for half a season and we (i say it quietly) should reach a 7 team AFC playoffs.

What is the story with persistence of Sendejo at safety. He's so bad. Damm shame Delpit went down in camp.

VillaMad · 21-10-2020 3:18pm

Awful performance on Sunday again which echoed the Ravens defeat in Week 1. It was pretty much a carbon-copy with no positives. Dominated everywhere and honestly, the look a million miles off competing for the Division.

Anyone would have taken 4-2 before the season started but the manner of the 2 defeats have just been horrible. Mayfield albeit playing with an injury was horrendous on Sunday.

To me, this team has an 8-8 type of vibe. Too much bad along with the good. The schedule is relatively tame however with the likes of the Jaguars, Giants, Bengals and Jets still to come but when you see the display on Sunday, it's hard to be confident.

Silver-Tiger · 26-10-2020 10:34am

Sometimes you're just one injury away from being a good team.

Hope it's not his ACL but not looking good for OBJ. Higgins and DPJ were excellent. And Baker... That was your finest moment. Sensational performance.

Silver-Tiger · 30-10-2020 10:51am

A lot of talk that Baker may open up now that OBJ is gone but i'm not buying it. I get it but at the end of the day we're down a top 15 receiver and that's a negative.

Biggest worry is we don't have a proper deep threat. Haven't seen any talk about trading for anyone. Don't see anyone there that can properly stretch the field.

Panrich · 30-10-2020 9:33pm

Silver-Tiger wrote: »

A lot of talk that Baker may open up now that OBJ is gone but i'm not buying it. I get it but at the end of the day we're down a top 15 receiver and that's a negative.

Biggest worry is we don't have a proper deep threat. Haven't seen any talk about trading for anyone. Don't see anyone there that can properly stretch the field.

The biggest loss from OBJ might be in the run game. Opponents will have less to worry about downfield so can throw more at defending the run.

Tristram · 31-10-2020 2:02pm

Panrich wrote: »

The biggest loss from OBJ might be in the run game. Opponents will have less to worry about downfield so can throw more at defending the run.

He is a massive loss. Landry is an incredible receiver too but teams will be able to focus on him and I think your point about a negative knock on efft on the run game is spot on.

Silver-Tiger · 04-01-2021 10:13am

Last two weeks were torture.

Funny that now that the playoff weight has been lifted.I think there'll be a better performance next week. Same outcome though? That's a different story. Vernon loss could be huge. Garrett very quiet today and if Cleveland want to win he'll have to be the difference in what will hopefully be Ben's last ever game.

Awful time for us next week being the NBC game on Sunday.

Baker i tip my hat to you. When he's good he's very good. Few years with decent coaching under Stefanski and should get better. He'll get the contract i think and i'm happy with that.

Stefanski should get coach of the year. So strange to have a competent coach at the helm.

Silver-Tiger · 05-01-2021 5:19pm

No pain like Browns pain. Heartbreaking

VillaMad · 05-01-2021 5:35pm

First things first, it's amazing to get to the playoffs. Ever since I've been following the Browns, you are always looking at the draft next year so to actually get 11 wins in a season is just fantastic. Baker Mayfield has proven himself enough to get a 5th year and with Stefanski looking like a proper coach, a relationship should develop between the two for the coming years which is great for the franchise.

At the start of the season with Covid and all the issues for a new head coach, I thought that just reaching the playoffs would be a magnificent achievement and so whatever happens from here on out, even a blow-out against the Steelers on Sunday night, it has been a very good season and something to build on as the organisation is finally settled behind the scenes.

Of course the Browns being the Browns, you are only allowed to celebrate for 24 hours or so and seeing that Stefanski now has covid along with plenty of coaches from the past week and today, it's almost impossible to see them now win on Sunday. Looks like a significant player has it also. As it's only Tuesday and there has been a drip-drop of cases over the past couple of weeks, I would say there are more to come before the week is over and the news will get bleaker and bleaker on that front.

Panrich · 05-01-2021 5:35pm

Well it's the playoffs but we'll be limping in to Pittsburgh all banged up. Even if Ward gets back, we've seen the effect that Covid can have with Garrett who has looked a shell of the monster he was earlier in the season.

Our O-line is back to full strength apart from utility Hubbard but Vernon is a huge loss on the D-line.

Peoples-Jones was coming along nicely so hopefully can clear protocols.

Panrich · 05-01-2021 8:16pm

https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2021/1/5/22215132/welp-browns-head-coach-kevin-stefanski-and-others-just-tested-positive-for-covid-19

And we just can't have nice things.

happyoutscan · 11-01-2021 9:41am

That'll do.

Guffy · 11-01-2021 12:54pm

Un f*ckin real

Slept in for work this morn, don't care. Some first quarter. Baker had a good game, a few drops by Higgins. Have to watch it back again properly but buzzing. Worried Kelce and Hill will tear us asunder next week but at least we're there!! Epic!!!

BonnieSituation · 11-01-2021 3:42pm

Drink it in lads. It was an absolute belter.

Watching GMFB here now. Reckon I'll throw the game on again in a bit.

ELM327 · 11-01-2021 4:38pm

That's the superbowl for the Browns IMO. Nothing says one and done like that

VillaMad · 16-03-2021 1:23pm

First day of free agency brings John Johnson from the Rams. The highest rated safety available according to most experts and so a massive weakness may become a big strength for the Browns next season. With Grant Delpit due back, having those two and Ronnie Harrison gives them a pretty potent group. A huge jump from Andrew Sendejo.

The Browns clearly are targeting a pass-rusher having had interest in Trey Hendrickson and Carl Lawson and previously TJ Watt but the money proved to be too much in those deals. Money needs to spent at corner also with the huge issues there also last year.

VillaMad · 30-04-2021 1:17pm

Greg Newsome was the Browns first pick in this draft last night/morning in Cleveland.

With the issues of so many injuries in the backfield last year, the Browns are effectively covered now on so many bases. The future of Greedy Williams is uncertain after his nerve injury last year which was shocking in its gravity and so the Browns pretty much needed to go and grab a CB. With Troy Hill also joining in free-agency, things should be ok there now. Newsome looks a really nice pick. Young, athletic and looks a really driven player.

For rounds 2 and 3, I would think possibly line-backer, wide receiver or a defensive linesman will be targeted.

Panrich · 30-04-2021 2:15pm

VillaMad wrote: »

Greg Newsome was the Browns first pick in this draft last night/morning in Cleveland.

With the issues of so many injuries in the backfield last year, the Browns are effectively covered now on so many bases. The future of Greedy Williams is uncertain after his nerve injury last year which was shocking in its gravity and so the Browns pretty much needed to go and grab a CB. With Troy Hill also joining in free-agency, things should be ok there now. Newsome looks a really nice pick. Young, athletic and looks a really driven player.

For rounds 2 and 3, I would think possibly line-backer, wide receiver or a defensive linesman will be targeted.

I was watching some videos of his play and he is very competitive. He has said that he hates if a receiver makes a catch of any sort and his record backs that up. No completions allowed on 3rd or 4th downs in 2020.

He doesn't get many interceptions but I'm ok with that because his sole focus is on preventing completions so he won't sell himself for the glory of an interception.

If he stays fit, he'll make a great complement to Denzel.

VillaMad · 30-04-2021 5:10pm

Panrich wrote: »

I was watching some videos of his play and he is very competitive. He has said that he hates if a receiver makes a catch of any sort and his record backs that up. No completions allowed on 3rd or 4th downs in 2020.

He doesn't get many interceptions but I'm ok with that because his sole focus is on preventing completions so he won't sell himself for the glory of an interception.

If he stays fit, he'll make a great complement to Denzel.

Coming from a not so fashionable college probably brought out the best in him also. I wouldn't worry too much about the durability concerns as unfortunately in the NFL, injuries are going to happen. Denzel Ward has missed a few games every season as it's the nature of the beast. As long as the depth is there, that is all that matters.

With Jarvis and Odell now with the highest numbers against the cap and with it being uncertain whether they will be here next year due to extensions for Garrett, presumably Mayfield, Ward and probably Chubb, I think they will probably look at a Wide Receiver tonight. There are a number of them out there.

Panrich · 01-05-2021 1:56am

Great pick up of first round talent at 52. I was hoping that he'd have been the pick at 26 so I'm absolutely over the moon to get him where we did.

VillaMad · 01-05-2021 3:31pm

Panrich wrote: »

Great pick up of first round talent at 52. I was hoping that he'd have been the pick at 26 so I'm absolutely over the moon to get him where we did.

Yeah absolutely delighted the way it fell for them. JOK was spoken by so many as a possibility in the first round and so to get him in the middle of a second is a proper steal. The reasons he fell seem to be that is a bit of a positionless player with teams unsure of how to use him. Seeing that the Browns coaches were overjoyed with the pick is fantastic though.

Watching them against the Ravens in the past couple of years has been a hugely frustrating experience in that they simply can't get near Lamar Jackson. Now many, many teams have the same problem when they face the Ravens but if the Browns want to win the division, they have to find a solution. Hopefully, JOK can be that man they need.

In the third round, they did go Wide-Receiver with Anthony Schwartz. He is quick, super quick. Production hasn't quite been there for him, but that could well be the issues at Auburn where the QBs have been inconsistent. Could well see him being used in a few trick plays and special teams in the upcoming year.

Day 3 picks are pretty much a lottery and even more so with limited scouting because of the pandemic. Defense is now stacked pretty much. They may look at a Defensive End perhaps but hard to see many roster spots still available. Might get a bit more help on the offensive line today too perhaps.

Panrich · 05-05-2021 2:36pm

Really nice set of youtube videos on our new speedy receiver Anthony Schwartz. Well worth a look to see his journey to the pros and he comes across as a really likeable young lad that you can root for.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkHk_pda_TQ

VillaMad · 05-11-2021 12:48pm

So OBJ is being released today which ends a disaster of a spell of his time in Cleveland. Going back to when they traded for him, the excitement levels were unbelievable as the team had a promising QB with Chubb and his best friend Landry on the offense and yet it just never happened for various reasons. He had a good game against Dallas last year and that's it really. You can blame Baker mostly for not getting him the ball, but Odell had a fair few drops as well. They never clicked and it's best to move on and leave the drama behind. With the Browns hitting form last season when Odell got injured, I think that's probably made the decision to let him go easier.

Baker has been way below average this season and with his shoulder injury now hampering him, the Browns really only have an outside shot of the playoffs with the AFC North looking very tough this year. The injury report every week seems to get longer and longer as well. Was hoping that getting to the playoffs last year would have begun a bright period for the Browns, but it's hard to be optimistic at the moment.

Da Dawg pound

Comments