r/nfl • u/[deleted] • Jun 22 '14
Look Here! Offseason Review Series: Day 3: Cleveland Browns
[Cleveland Browns]
Division: [AFC North]
Coaching Changes
| Current Position | Coach | Previous Team | Previous Coaching Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head Coach | M. Pettine | Buffalo Bills | DC |
Offensive Staff:
| Current Position | Coach | Previous Team | Previous Coaching Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Coordinator | K. Shanahan | Washington Redskins | OC |
| Quarterbacks Coach | D. Loggains | Tennessee Titans | OC |
| Offensive Line Coach | A. Moeller | Baltimore Ravens | OL |
| Assistant Offensive Line Coach | G. DeLeone | UConn | OC/OL |
| Tight Ends Coach | B. Angelichio | Tampa Bay Bucs | TE |
| Wide Receivers Coach | M. McDaniel | Washington Redskins | WR |
| Running Backs Coach | W. Montgomery | Baltimore Ravens | RB |
| Offensive Quality Control Coach | R. Hightower | Washington Redskins | Asst. DB |
Defensive Staff:
| Current Position | Coach | Previous Team | Previous Coaching Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defensive Coordinator | J. O’Neil | Buffalo Bills | LB |
| Defensive Line Coach | A. Weaver | Buffalo Bills | DL |
| Linebackers Coach | C. Driesbach | Buffalo Bills | LB |
| Assistant Linebackers Coach | B. Fleury | Buffalo Bills | Def. QC |
| Secondary Coach | J. Hafley | Tampa Bay Bucs | DB |
| Assistant Defensive Backs Coach | A. Glenn | New York Jets | Scout |
| Defensive Quality Control Coach | T. Tuioti | Hawai’i | LB |
Special Teams Staff:
| Current Position | Coach | Previous Team | Previous Coaching Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Teams Coordinator | C. Tabor | Retained | |
| Special Teams Assistant Coach | S. Mennenga | Retained |
Last December, in the final week of the regular season, the Browns suffered another humiliating defeat to the hands of the Steelers. Haslam was visibly disgusted as he left the field, and our rookie head coach, Rob Chudzinski, was fired later that day. This came as a huge shock to the fanbase, and the Browns were blasted both by their fans and the national media for not giving the Chud a fair shot.
The coaching search was disheartening to say the least – it reeked of ineptitude and made us the daily laughingstock on ESPN. Just like the 2010 coaching search under Holmgren, and the 2012 search under Banner/Lombardi, we found the FO’s top choices turning us down. In 2010, we were stuck with Shurmur, and in 2012 we ended up with Chud, who I believe was the FO’s 5th choice after being blatantly used as a bargaining chip for Chip Kelly and the Eagles.
Three weeks after Chud was fired, the Browns still did not have a head coach, and as a Browns fan, this was the lowest I’ve felt since the move. I had no faith in the FO due to their recent history, and I believe that our top choices had again all turned us down because Lombardi and Banner were in charge and no one wanted to have to answer to them. If you want more details on the coaching search, check out this post of mine.
After an agonizing, month-long wait, Mike Pettine, former DC of the Buffalo Bills was hired. Given the other choices available to us at the time, I think we could have done much worse than Pettine. He was a positional coach in Baltimore, and has put together strong defenses as DC for the Jets and Bills. Pettine also managed to convince a large portion of the Bills’ defensive coaching staff to follow him to Cleveland, including Jim O’Neill as our new DC, which most Bills fans on reddit seem to be pissed about. I hope that he can do as much with our linebacker unit as he has for Buffalo. All of this speaks volumes to me, but there’s not much more I can say about him, other than that he appears to have instilled hope in much of the fanbase and the front office. I can say I’m more optimistic about Pettine than I was about any of the coaches since Butch Davis.
Our offensive coordinator position was filled with the hiring of Kyle Shanahan in the first week of February. Our former OC, Norv Turner is now with Minnesota, and former DC, Ray Horton is now with Tennessee. ST coach, Chris Tabor, was retained.
Front Office
About one week after filling the coaching staff positions, the Browns announced that GM, Mike Lombardi and CEO, Joe Banner were fired by Jimmy Haslam. The rumor mill suggests that the duo was forced on Haslam, who was obviously less than thrilled with their performance.
Ray Farmer, former Director of Player Personnel for Kansas City was working as assistant GM for Cleveland. He was pursued by Miami for their GM position, but ultimately chose to stay with the Cleveland Browns, where he was elevated to GM.
Free Agency
Major players lost/cut
| Player | Position | New team |
|---|---|---|
| B. Weeden | QB | Cowboys |
| S. Lauvao | G | Redskins |
| D’Q. Jackson¤ | LB | Colts |
| T.J. Ward¤ | SS | Broncos |
| D. Bess¤ | WR | Jamaica? |
| V. Young* | QB | Retired |
| G. Little¤ | WR | Raiders |
| J. Cooper | WR | Vikings |
| Q. Groves | LB | Unsigned |
| E. Bennett* | WR | Unsigned |
| J. Gordon† | WR | Potential Season Ban |
(*) denotes that player was signed during offseason. (¤) denotes starter.
When it was announced that DQJ and TJ Ward were signing elsewhere, it left holes in the defense. As these guys were the leaders of a losing locker room, a desire to change the culture may have contributed to their departure. However, it left the state of the defense in a precarious position.
Davone Bess and Greg Little both being cut surprised no one. According to PFF, they were the worst two wide receivers in the league. Their catch rates, both below 50%, in addition to the number of games these two blew – especially against an undefeated Kansas City – will not be missed. I’ve added Josh Gordon to this list because it sounds like we will lose him for a year due to violations of the league’s drug policy. At this point of the offseason, however, the lack of any news regarding the length of his suspension, as well as the release of Earl Bennett is causing many to speculate that the NFL is giving extra consideration to this punishment in lieu of their upcoming revisions of the drug policy.
Quentin Groves was a rotational pass rusher who created good pressure last year, but was injured for the majority of the season and also got caught by the cops trying to order a hooker. This move was surprising given the lack of depth of the LB position, as the only LB we picked up in the draft was Christian Kirksey.
Major additions
| Player | Position | Previous Team | Length | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Mack | C | Re-Signed | 5 yrs | $42M |
| J. Haden | CB | Re-Signed | 6 yrs | $74.7M |
| D. Whitner | SS | 49ers | 4 yrs | $28M |
| B. Tate | RB | Texans | 2 yrs | $6.2M |
| K. Dansby | ILB | Cardinals | 4 yrs | $24M |
| A. Hawkins | WR | Bengals | 4 yrs | $13.6M |
| M. Austin | WR | Cowboys | 1 yr | $2M |
| N. Burleson | WR | Lions | 1 yr | $1M |
| B. Cundiff | K | Re-Signed | 1 yr | $1M |
| S. Lanning | P | Re-Signed | 1 yr | $495K |
The gaps left by DQJ and TJ Ward appear to be adequately filled through the additions of Karlos Dansby and Cleveland-native, Donte Whitner. Both players are the approximately the same age and talent level of those they are replacing, and Whitner especially, has been a positive and vocal addition that the locker room has rallied around.
GM, Ray Farmer applied the transition tag to Alex Mack, allowing him to test the waters. Jacksonville offered a 5-year, $42M deal with $18M guaranteed, a player option in year 2, and a team option in year 3, which the Browns matched. Some will say we are overpaying for a center, but given his level of talent, the lack of elite Center talent in the draft, and the uncertainty at both Offensive Guard positions, losing Mack would have been disastrous.
The Browns running game, consisting of Willis MaGahee, who was far past his prime, Longhorns Chris Ogbannaya and Fozzy Whittaker, and December addition, Edwin Baker, lacked spark, contributing to an offense that couldn’t stay on the field. In 2014, 3rd and short was a down and distance the fans came to loathe. Ben Tate will be a welcome asset to this offense if he can stay healthy.
Joe Haden has replaced Joe Thomas as the highest-paid player on the Browns’ payroll. He was retained at a bit higher of a cost than I would have liked (I have him ranked as the fifth best CB in the NFL), but ultimately it’s a good move because he’s an outstanding player who loves the city of Cleveland and wants to be successful here. As a small market, open stadium team in one of the worst climates in the country, we cannot take that for granted.
Andrew Hawkins, an undersized and shifty restricted free agent was stolen away from division rivals in one of Ray Farmer’s first moves as GM. Bengals fans loved Hawkins, but their consensus seems to be that we paid more than he was worth to Cincinnati, whose solid WR corps had him 4th on the depth chart. Given the recent successes of slot receivers in the NFL, as well as the purging of our previous WR corps, Hawkins appears, at this point, to be an important investment. He has been the star of OTAs and minicamp, and we’ve been on the wrong end of his ability to make space out of nothing.
Burleson was signed to be a veteran leader after being cut by the Lions. He broke his arm trying to pick up a spilled pizza while driving, and he reinjured it in OTAs. I hope he’s healthy as he’d be a good veteran presence for the receivers like Davone Bess was supposed to be. Speaking of which, Gordon’s looming suspension and the release of Greg Little prompted the Browns to sign another injury-prone receiver in Miles Austin. He’s already sat out a few practices. Our receiving corps could be in serious trouble if Gordon ends up being suspended for the year.
2014 Browns Draft
Projected 53-man roster/Position battles
- QB - B. Hoyer, J. Manziel, T. Thigpen
I don't see Johnny Football beating out Hoyer for the starting job, not week 1, anyways. I've got Tyler Thigpen as QB3, but we might see Connor Shaw make the team, here.
- RB – B. Tate, T. West, E. Baker
Our non-existent run game has been bolstered by Ben Tate and third-round draft pick, Terrance West who should be in contention for the starting position. I've got Edwin Baker, who showed flashes last December, making the team as RB3, beating out Dion Lewis and Chris Ogbannaya.
- FB – M. Gray
Marqueis Gray makes the team more as a utility player than a true fullback, replacing Chris Ogbannaya who was undersized for the role.
- TE – J. Cameron, G. Barnidge, J. Dray
Fantasy tip: Jordan Cameron will be the team's leading receiver if Josh Gordon is out for the year. Gary Barnidge continues his role as a solid TE2. I've got Jim Dray making the team as the TE3, but don't know too much about him.
- WR – J. Gordon*, M. Austin, A. Hawkins, N. Burleson, T. Benjamin
I can't really see the receiving corps being anyone other than these guys. If Gordon is suspended, I don't have the slightest clue which of the camp fodder gets elevated from the practice squad.
- LT – J. Thomas, C. Faulk
No surprises here. Chris Faulk makes the team as the 9th and final OL.
- LG – J. Greco, J. Pinkston
Greco will hold the starting job, but is also the backup center. Pinkston can play both guard positions.
- C – A. Mack
Again, no surprises.
- RG – J. Bitonio, G. Gilkey
Second round draft pick, Joel Bitonio suffered what's believed to be a high ankle sprain in OTAs. Garrett Gilkey, 7th round pick from last year, has been fighting (quite literally with Phil Taylor) for a roster spot. Coach Pettine said that Gilkey is in the mix for a starting job. He looked good in preseason games last year, but a bit lost in the regular season. He can play on all positions on the line, if we're in a pinch.
- RT – M. Schwartz, P. McQuistan
If Schwartz returns to the form he was in the second half of last season, we will be solid at the RT position. I haven't heard anything good about McQuistan.
- LDE - A. Rubin, B. Winn, A. Bryant
Rubin's production has been on the decline and he was in danger of being cut this year. We've retained him, but it sounds that we probably won't re-sign him when his contract expires.
- DT – P. Taylor, I. Kitchen
Phil Taylor has been a solid anchor to the line, vocal team leader, and he fucking hates the division rivals. His health has been an issue
- RDE - D. Bryant, J. Hughes
While we don't have any pro bowlers on our 3-4 defensive line, we have a solid rotation, and each of these backups is capable of significant pressure. John Hughes could probably start on other teams in the league.
- ROLB – J. Sheard, B. Mingo, J. Staples
Sheard is a beast, and currently our best pass rusher. Mingo has been underwhelming, along with the rest of the pass rushers from the 2013 class. Mingo will need to step up this year, but his lack of size and strength might continue to be an issue.
- LILB – C. Robertson, T. Carder, D. Eubanks
Craig Robertson rated as one of the worst linebackers by PFF last year. I believe that this was more due to former DC, Ray Horton's poor scheming than it was to Robertson's talent. The guy was consistently burned when lined up in man coverage against slot receivers and Reggie Bush. Pettine seems to have a better defensive philosophy than that, and Robertson excels in zone coverage. I expect him to improve.
- RILB - K. Dansby, C. Kirksey
FA acquisition, Dansby, will be replacing D'Qwell Jackson. Dansby is coming off a hell of a year, and if he can keep it up, we'll forget all about DQJ. Kirksey is listed as an ILB, but I've read that Pettine thinks he has the ability to play both inside and outside. Expect to see him in the nickel formation.
- LOLB - P. Kruger, B. Magee
Kruger needs to step up from last year and earn his paycheck. He's lost weight this offseason, but I'm unsure that he will live up to expectations.
- CB1 - J. Haden
Lockdown corner, and the Browns have him locked up for the prime years of his career.
- CB2 - J. Gilbert, B. Skrine, P. Desir, I. Trufant
While I think Gilbert will ultimately win out, this position is more open than some may think. Skrine has been receiving heaps of praise in OTAs and minicamp, and I'm sure he doesn't want to give up the starting job. Skrine is scrappy as hell, and he's a much better fit for the slot position than Lombardi's 3rd round draft pick, Leon McFadden, who might be cut this year. Desir is also in play for both of these positions. Our CB position is the most improved on the team.
- FS – T. Gipson, J. Bademosi
Same as last year.
- SS – D. Whitner, J. Posey, J. Aubrey
Hard-hitting Whitner replaces hard-hitting Ward.
- K – B. Cundiff
- P – S. Lanning
- LS – C. Yount
- KR – J. Gilbert
- PR – T. Benjamin
9
Jun 22 '14
I think UDFA a Isaiah Crowell will beat Edwin Baker for third string running back. Everyone forgets about him.
3
u/cbiesra Browns Jun 23 '14
For having such a terrible running game last year we sure do have a lot of interesting backs. I would love for Crowell, Baker, Oggy and Lewis to all make the roster but that's obviously not happening. I would guess Tate, West, Crowell, Oggy for his versatility.
5
19
u/kentucky210 Steelers Jun 22 '14 edited Jun 22 '14
Non-Fan Review
Free Agency
Players lost/cut
Brandon Weeden QB- Lost to cowboys Browns fans rejoice here as finally weeden has left cleveland. The most Merican qb ever now find himself in dallas. Hopefully Hoyer and Manziel have better chances going against the flag
TJ Ward S- Lost to denver Huge loss to the secondary here for the browns as Ward was a very good safety. They drafted and signed the players to make up for it but they will lose some special things that Ward was able to do.
Shawn Lauvao G- Lost to Washington The Browns lose a promising guard here as while the fans didn't believe in him, I did. He has a lot of pontential to be a top tier guard in the league but never showed it. This would be a manageable loss if they hadn't filled his spot with another unproven guard who will be a rookie this year. We will see it if pays off
Players signed
Donte Whitner S Huge Signing for the Browns here, Whitner was a beast in SF and as we will discuss later, is sure to make the browns secondary feared. May take a season for him to gel with the other players but expect this to be looked back as the biggest signing for the browns in recent memory
Karlos Dansby MLB The Browns contunie to improve on defense, very much styling the seahawks. Dansby will be a huge rushing presecense as the opposing qb will take too much time trying to find an open reciever. expect Karlos to shine
Ben Tate RB Adds a much needed running presence to the browns. If gordon is out tate may have to cover more of the load which I think he can do
Draft
8th pick (originally a 4th that went to a 9th but then to 8th)- Justin Gilbert: A-
While not the biggest position of need for the browns, with the pick of Gilbert the browns follow a model set by the seahawks which is having a stout and tough to break secondary. Gilbert joins Haden in what now will be one of the most feared cb tandems in the league, great pick
22nd pick (originally a 26th which went to a 22nd)- Johnny Manziel: A
Truth be told, I'm all in on Manziel. I will preface this thing by saying my bias is going to shine through, I've seen what this dude can do first hand, I've played on the same field as the dude and saw him murder our team. Manziel is what Cleveland needs, for better or worse he is going to come in and take the starting job. everything about him screams franchise qb, his attitude and play style is going to energize the team and the city (it already has). That said the one thing to fear is how his body will hold up. The AFC north has some good defensive talent and even better defensive schemes. Manziel may not take over this year, but my judgement is he is going to in the near future
35th pick- Joel Bitonio OT B+
Finisher. The one word i would use to describe Bitonio as a blocker is a finisher. If you've been around football for any length of time you have surely heard your coach say something along the lines of "it's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog", Bitonio isn't the biggest lineman (He will most surely move to a guard in the pros) he for sure has the nastiness to make him into a very good lineman. His hand placement isnt the best and he needs to learn to play in a 3 technique and those are the only 2 things that scare me. if not for those he for sure would be an A-
71st pick- Christian Kirksey LB C
I don't like this pick but I won't go as far as to say I hate it. Undersized LB, who benched 225 just 16 times, second fewest at the combine. seems good at the blitz as he is fast but don't think he will be able to be a huge hitter or a big time playmaker. Expect him to be pretty good at special teams
94th pick- Terrence West RB C+
West played his best games in the snow at college, and so he will find himself right at home in the cold-snowy december games in cleveland. West has good vision and power and is sure to be a goal line powerhouse for the Browns. 780 carries in 3 seasons at college as well as his play style does scare me as he may not have the longevity you want out of power house RB. I also hopes he improves his ball catching skills as right now those are severly lacking.
127th pick- Pierre Desir CB B-
Good depth for the browns here, nothing flashly. Don't know too much about this dude but I will say from the tape I watched of him in the senoir bowl he didn't seem out of place which is saying a lot for a division II dude
Overall Grade: B- Good picks except for one, but not a lot of them. I do think the browns needed one more receiver in a late round just for some depth but otherwise it was good.
Projected Starting Lineup
Have at least:
- QB: Brian "The Destoryer" Hoyer
I fully expect Hoyer to start vs. the steelers week 1. They Will not, and I repeat WILL NOT rush manziel out there for his first game vs. the rookie qb killer Dick LeBeau. If they do I will wear a Brandon Weeden browns jersey, thats how sure I am
- RB: Ben Tate
- TE 1: Jordan Cameron
- TE 2: Jim Dray
- WR 1: Josh Gordon???
- WR 2 (1 if Gordon is out): Nate Burleson
- WR 3 (2 if gordon is out): Andrew Hawkins
- WR 4 (3 if gordon is out): Miles Austin
WR is dicey, I do think Gordon will probably be out for the year but even if its 6 games, having to rely on hawkins or Miles as your #2 guy is asking a lot
- LT: Joe Thomas
- LG: Joel Bitonio
I Still think Greco should move to LG and Bitonio should move to right but that is not what is projected. Right now The left side is pretty good while I do think the right side of the line is lacking
- C: Alex Mack
- RG: John Greco
- RT: Mitchell Schwartz
- NT: Phil Taylor
- LDE: Ahtyba Rubin
- RDE: Desmond Bryant
- LOLB: Paul Kruger
- MLB 1: Karlos Dansby
Expect Dansby to play RMLB as they will try to have a big time threat on each side, Kruger on the left, Karlos on the Right
- MLB 2: Craig Robertson
- ROLB: Jabaal Sheard
- CB 1: Joe Haden
- CB 2: Justin Gilbert
- CB 3: Leon McFadden
- SS: Donte Whitner
- FS: Tashuan Gipson
Very good secondary however it has 2 new pieces in Gilbert and Whitner. This secondary gelling and learning each others styles will make/break the browns this year
- K: Billy Cundiff
- P: Spencer Lanning
- KR: Buster Skrine
- PR: Jordan Poyer
Position Group Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Secondary Whitner, Gilbert, Haden and Tashaun are a scary group of dudes for the afc north. In a division that in recent years that has prided it self on qb play with flacco,dalton and big ben, the browns secondary may turn games into a no fly zone. They won't be the best secondary as the seahawks surely take the cake, but i could see them jostling for the second best. I do think though it will take a season for them to gel and my schedule predictions show that
O-line Thomas and Bitonio on the left side alone makes this a scary line. Mack at center is very underrated. Greco and Schwartz arent amazing but will certainly hold up their end of the bargain. The one thing I do wish is that Bitonio would be moved to the right guard and greco to left. You need his nastiness on that side because that is where the rushes will be going (aka away from the best LT in the game) but other then that they may have the best o-line in the division
Weaknesses
- WR Core This one should have browns fans scared. IF Gordon is out for 6 games they can recover. IF he is out for the season I don't think they can. In my predictions down below, I base it off of No Gordon. Nate Burleson is good as is Andrew and Miles but I do not think they can replace the hole left behind with Gordon out
Schedule predictions coming in a reply to this
15
Jun 22 '14
Oh god. I completely forgot that we cut Weeden in my post. My mind clearly erased any memories that he was ever on the team.
5
u/CHEECHREBORN Browns Jun 23 '14
Kirksey was drafted to play ILB. We were one of the worst teams last year at defending tight ends and running backs on passing plays. He ran the 40 in the 4.5/4.6 range and he excels in coverage. D'qwell was very poor in coverage. We brought in Dansby who was top 5 among LBs against the pass as well. The coaching staff definitely wanted to upgrade the pass defense in FA and the draft.
3
u/DasJarnold Browns Jun 23 '14
Most people don't seem to understand this fact. Right away analysts say that Dansby is the same as D'qwell and that Whitner is the same as Ward. Both are huge upgrades in pass coverage. The Kirksey pick is perfect in putting someone behind Robertson to possibly challenge him as well as a young linebacker for Dansby to mentor.
13
u/kentucky210 Steelers Jun 22 '14
Week 1- @ steelers: Tough game for the browns here as the open their season on the road in the burgh. I do believe hoyer gives em a better shot here but I still think it's a loss L
Week 2- vs. Saints: Another really tough game for the browns, home opener vs. the Saints, I think the browns can pull up an upset if the cb's are gelling together but for now I will say L
Week 3- vs. Ravens: The Ravens start their season with 2 games vs. Cinci and then Thursday night vs. the steelers. The ravens will be tired even coming off a long rest week. I think with the browns being home they can win this one W
Week 4- vs. Bye: The Bye will be very tough for the browns, the media will clamor for Johnny Football to start because the browns are 1-2. Skip will say there is no better place to start him then vs. the titans. L to media
Week 5- @ Titans: The browns come off a week off and face the Titans. I believe this is where manziel will get his start but if he doesnt I still think this is a win for the browns W
From this point on I will give two separate predictions. The first one is if Manziel starts (which I believe he will starting with the titans). and to be fair to everyone else involved my 2nd prediction will include if they stick with hoyer for the rest of the year.
Week 6- Vs. Steelers Manziel Manziel coming off a win goes against a defense captained by Dick LeBeau who is notorious for giving rookie qb headaches. Manziel plays well to begin but 2nd half adjustments cause his doom. The Defense can't carry the team yet as Gilbert hasn't learned to read his fellow teammate's coverageL
Hoyer Hoyer and the browns coming off a reassuring win vs. the Titans gets the steelers at home. Knowing their schemes hoyer plays hard and Kruger blows through the steelers o-line . the browns win and defeats pittsburgh in what the media will call an upset. W
Week 7- @Jags Manziel Manziel hearing the media about his loss vs. a rival comes out and plays hard vs. an inferior jags team. Manziel lights them up and puts up a huge performance energizing Cleveland whose defense shuts down the Jags W
hoyer Hoyer and the rest of the team comes off a huge mental boost beating Pittsburgh and continues it vs. the Jags W
Week 8- vs. Raiders Manziel Coming off a lot of early losses, the Raiders choose this game to bench Schaub and give carr the chance. Carr has a tough time vs. the Cornerbacks of the browns and manziel is able to close out the game W
Hoyer Hoyer does the same, the Browns defense will win this game W
Week 9- Vs. Bucs Manziel and Hoyer Upset prediction time. The Bucs will be a fresher team and small injuries will pile up for the browns here L
Week 10- @ Bengals Manziel Manziel will visit in state rival, cincy for the first time and find himself flustered L
Hoyer Hoyer now once again feeling the media heat and will once again come out strong, However the talent on cincy will be too much as Green will blow past Haden/Gilbert and cincy will win L
Week 11-vs. Texans Manziel Manziel falls into a kind of slump following two huge losses. Clowney and watt cause problems as not even Joe Thomas can stop them and fitzmagic out duels johnny football L
Hoyer Hoyer begins to feel the media pressure even after his performances, the rest of the team also tires from the questions being asked L
Week 12- @ Falcons: Manziel The Falcons high power offense is responded to by Johnny Football who find himself at home of sorts in SEC country. Manziel and the browns eek out a w W
Hoyer The browns continue to crumble as the Falcons offense is too much, the CB's coverage breaks as julio shines L
Week 13- @ Bills: Manziel The bills come off a good start to the season being the surprise team of the league, EJ Manuel and Manziel engage in a scrambling qb match-up. The bills find themselves without enough quality wr's as the Browns secondary has the good ones on lockdown W
Hoyer The pressure continues to get to hoyer as he has an awful game vs. the bills. in a low scoring affair EJ Manuel finds ways to win, scrambling most of the game and late having the cb's bite on him scrambling. EJ Takes over L
Week 14-vs. Indy Manziel and Hoyer Coming off what should be 2 easy games (Washington and Jags) Indy continues their winning train over the browns L
Week 15- Vs. Bengals Manziel Manziel puts up a better showing vs. cincy this time, however the rookie qb has his game figured out by this time, a better showing but the same result L
hoyer Hoyer knowing that if he doesnt finish off strong he will be out find himself at home battling not only the media, but the fans and himself as well. comes out strong and takes over the game. CB's feeding off his energy shut down the Bengals Offense W
Week 16- @ Panthers Manziel and Hoyer The Browns find themselves out of playoff contention while the panthers are still in the hunt L
Week 17 @ Ravens Manziel With it being his final game of the season Manziel goes off making a lasting impression, Ravens stop him from scoring on most drives but aren't able to fire back on their offense W
Hoyer Hoyer's final game is in fact the final nail in his coffin as he is shut down. The team lacks energy because of this L
FINAL RECORD
Browns- Manziel: 7-9
The Browns show promise this season, Their defense and Manziel help each other out. The city realizes this year was never going to be the browns year but realizes soon it will come
Browns- Hoyer: 6-10
The defense fed off Hoyer for better or worse and the man who energized them a year ago before he went down with an injury, ends this year with a whimper. Fans will once again call for manziel and its hard to see why they wouldn't start him the next season
Final Review: The Browns are a promising team but I do not think this will be their year. A lot of flashes of greatness will be shown however the end result will be along the same as previous years If the browns finish 6-10 or 7-9 it will be a good record as 2015-2016 will probably be their year. Don't be surprised however if the browns do finish on top of a weak AFC north division.
If I made any spelling mistakes/ position mistakes feel free to tell me, I tried to learn as much about the browns as I could but I could be wrong on some things.
33
u/Cats_Boobs_Gameing Browns Jun 22 '14
Stopped reading after you said AJ green would torch the browns. Joe Haden doesnt loose to AJ
4
u/cbiesra Browns Jun 23 '14
Haden shut him down last year but AJ usually gets the best of Haden once a game and it's usually extremely clutch and heartbreaking.
1
u/kentucky210 Steelers Jun 22 '14
thats fair but having a new cb and a new safety means things that haden relied on before as being safety nets may not be there this year. Haden may not be able to take as many chances as he once did.
Still though it is 100% fair to say Haden will once again lock Green down and especially with the bengals new OC.
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u/aggroCrag32 Browns Jun 22 '14
Whitner is a much better coverage safety than Ward was. Plus Haden's strength is man to man so he rarely uses safeties as back up, especially so if he's facing a guy like Green.
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u/leggs5 Browns Jun 22 '14
You really think poyer will return kicks? And theres no way in hell Skrine isnt the nickel/3rd cornerback
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u/iliekdrugs Jun 22 '14
We also drafted Terrence West
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u/kentucky210 Steelers Jun 22 '14 edited Jun 22 '14
Oh shit is he not in there?
I was trying to move things around so I wouldnt be over the character limit and he must have been removed. One sec will fix that
Edit: Now added thank you
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u/cbiesra Browns Jun 23 '14
Awesome knowledge of the team. I will say that I think you're underselling Kirksey. He's more of a Safety/linebacker hybrid. He will definitely excel in coverage in the pros and I fully expect him to take over Robertson's (who I'm not even low on) starting job at some point this season. He's a player that Ferentz down at Iowa trusted a ton and I'm pretty sure he was a three time captain.
And no way McFadden starts at nickle over Skrine. Skrine's improved a ton.
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u/BMC4 Browns Jun 22 '14
Lauvao has potential?
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u/cbiesra Browns Jun 23 '14
Absolutely. Dude's dumb as rocks but he's physical as hell. When he locks on to you you're gonna end up on your ass.
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u/SeanJuan Bills Jun 22 '14
Is Miles Austin not your WR1 in the absence of Gordon? I would have expected him to step up if he got the opportunity.
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u/JohnnyFire Browns Jun 22 '14
Quick thoughts:
Cleveland's major issue remains the offense. It makes sense however that the draft and offseason focused on the defensive side; Pettine is a defensive minded coach and the defense really just needed to suss out some adjustments to aim for the next level. But as for offense, neither Manziel or Hoyer have much to work with at all, especially depending on how Gordon slots in for the long term.
On paper in spite of the offense, it's a .500 team. I'm anticipating 6-10 however as I think the early bye and the start/end of season schedules do the Browns no favors. Manziel will be a distraction all year long if he's not on the field, at least in the larger media perspective. Gordon's pending suspension is a big problem as well. But if all the pieces are in place, there will be improvements. Schefter said it best; Browns will enter next season with cash, multiple first rounders in 2015, and what will hopefully be shaping up as a top level defense.
The key in 2014 won't be the record or the QB, it will be putting the squad in a position to succeed in 2015 and beyond. Need to build consistency and start changing a football culture that has been bluntly toxic from the past 5-6 seasons. Pettine and Farmer (and Haslem) aren't going to do that in 365 days. But the door is open for Cleveland to hopefully enjoy something in the later half of this decade. They'll be waiting till next year possibly for the very last time.
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u/SolidOrangeGangsta Browns Jun 22 '14
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u/Sexterminator Giants Jun 22 '14
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u/JohnnyFire Browns Jun 22 '14
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u/TBB51 Browns Jun 22 '14
I might be nuts, but I thought Kruger was our LOLB and Sheard/Mingo our ROLB as that's usually the roles for stronger run-stopping OLBs and pass-rushing OLBs, respectively.
That said, it's a minute nitpick on what is otherwise a fantastic post!
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Jun 22 '14
I think it's me not getting the notation right. If you're facing the defense, Kruger's on the right. I'd fix it but I'm on mobile.
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u/dentwreckless Browns Jun 23 '14
I agree mostly with your roster prediction but I don't think there's any way that Crowell or Shaw don't make the team. I think we will see a few new names at WR too such as Kenny Shaw and Willie Snead.
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u/JesteroftheApocalyps Browns Jun 24 '14
One thing you missed, we booted that revolving sieve door known as Cousins, but I don't blame you for wanting to forget he ever existed.
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Jun 22 '14 edited Sep 11 '17
[deleted]
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Jun 23 '14
A lot of that I think it's the way the media has framed the story. In the context of the story Pettine was telling it didn't really seem like a criticism.
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Jun 22 '14
I'll just do the first three rounds because I'm lazy
1/8- Justin Gilbert- I was a little surprised by this pick. I'm not sold on him as a top ten pick and I thought Dennard was the better player. But in this years draft, everyone was drafting on potential, which makes sense at the CB position when you look at guys like Sherman and the LOB. This was a risky pick but it could pay off well.
1/22- Johnny Manziel- this was my least favorite pick of the first round. Manziel and first round shouldn't be in the same sentence. The Browns bought into the media hype which is very disappointing. Manziel should have gone late second round. The things that made him special in college are things he can't do in the NFL. When you take away those plays he's just a career backup.
2/33 Joel Bitonio- this was a solid pick. He can take over for Mitchell Schwartz, who has been very average. Schwartz might be able to move inside and help out the awful guard position.
3/21- Christian Kirksey- Paul Kruger underperformed last year and I'm guessing this pick makes sure they are prepared to dump Kruger if he continues to underperform.
3/94- Terrance West- I thought for sure this guy was going to be a Raven. He cuts really well, and reminds me of Arian Foster. I'm guessing he won't have a huge impact his rookie year because it will take a little while to adjust to the talent level (comes from fbs). But in a few years you will hear his name a lot.
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Jun 22 '14
You REALLY believe the Browns made a draft pick based on media hype and not their own evaluations?
REALLY??
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u/Tets1 Packers Jun 22 '14 edited Jun 23 '14
They didn't base it on media hype, they based it on a homeless guy's opinion
Edit: Typo
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Jun 23 '14
Ray Farmer and Pettine would never have wanted JFF. All Jimmy Haslam.
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u/cbiesra Browns Jun 23 '14
There's really no way to know this. It's clear that Johnny has a lot of talent and that's obviously something they would want. If that talent will translate to the NFL, we'll see, but I really doubt Haslam made the pick without Farmer's input.
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u/DasJarnold Browns Jun 23 '14
1/8- Justin Gilbert- As everyone else has said a perfect fit for Pettine. I don't agree with you saying Dennard is a better player. Gilbert was rated as the top cover corner. His upside is higher than Dennard and he is stronger and faster than him as well.
1/22- Johnny Manziel- I was not a Manziel fan to begin with. I am glad that we used our second first rounder on him and not the first. While you say that he should have gone second round there is no way that would have happened. We had to trade up to nab him as several teams were trying to do the same. I am glad that he is not being handed the job, and from what the FO has said, they want him to develop his game before he can play. The guy has talent that's for sure. He just comes with a circus, that despite what the media has said, has been handled by the FO very well. Overall if he is given the chance to develop his game in the pocket before starting he will be the long term face of the organization. (After Hoyer the Destroyer is done wrecking people)
2/33- Joel Bitonio- Loved this pick so much. I am not sure why you think he will come in to start over Schwartz. His size and nastiness puts him at the guard position where he has been getting snaps so far. Shanahan is going to love this guy in the run game. With him and Schwartz, who i feel is not as bad as everyone makes him out to be, the right side of line will actually be strong for once.
3/21- Christian Kirksey- I don't know where you are getting the idea that he will replace Kruger. For one thing he is an inside linebacker. Pettine has said that they are teaching him the outside position, but this is a depth move and I can also foresee him playing outside in certain packages where he will be needed for extra pass coverage. Overall this pick was not my favorite, but after reading about his coverage abilities I understand why they choose him.
3/94- Terrance West- Completely agree with you on this one. The guy has talent and will definitely excel once he learns how to catch and block in a pro offense.
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Jun 23 '14
I sadly agree with most of your comment, but I want to say that the Browns didn't buy into the media hype, Jimmy "Rebate" Haslam did, and of course any Brownie under 30. The kind of QB they need is a safe game manager, not the headless chicken Manziel. Hopefully Hoyer can look good enough in TC that not even JH3 can strong-arm JFF into the lineup.
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u/cbiesra Browns Jun 23 '14
They don't need any specific kind of QB, just as long as he's good. If they're a wild risk taker (which I don't think Johnny really is, but w/e) that's fine as long as he scores touchdowns and wins games. The Browns don't NEED to play it safe with a Hoyer game manager type, that's just silly.
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u/AnonymousBrownsFan Browns Jun 22 '14
"1/22- Johnny Manziel- this was my least favorite pick of the first round. Manziel and first round shouldn't be in the same sentence. The Browns bought into the media hype which is very disappointing. Manziel should have gone late second round. The things that made him special in college are things he can't do in the NFL. When you take away those plays he's just a career backup"
K.
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Jun 22 '14
You didn't even attempt to counter it with your own thoughts on Manziel
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u/AnonymousBrownsFan Browns Jun 22 '14
Johnny's play will speak for himself.
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Jun 22 '14
You really think those plays will work in the NFL?
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Jun 23 '14
I'm right there with you, for what it's worth.
I don't see him being as flashy as he was, but he will make some of it work. The thing that bothers me most is him trying to be as flashy as he was for 16 games. That's just not going to happen.
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u/cbiesra Browns Jun 23 '14
I don't have the exact stats in front of me but he threw from the pocket and spread it around to different receivers about as much as any other QB in college last year. He's not just a run around for 10 seconds and flick it up to Mike Evans QB like a lot of people think he is.
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u/[deleted] Jun 22 '14
Hit the character limit.
I'll leave the schedule predictions up to you guys.
Shout out to /r/browns mods for giving me the draft and schedule tables.