Tag Archives: Cleveland Browns

Lavonte David could be possibility for Browns

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The Cleveland Browns are reportedly interested in the services of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker.

Could the Cleveland Browns look to make a move to bolster their defense? According to reports the team is interested in Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David.

On the surface it does not appear like this is a perfect match. The read on the Browns front office is that they do not value the linebacker position. This is in part due to how the position was handled last year and how things went in Philadelphia where general manager Andrew Berry spent a year with. The fact of the matter is that this position group is in desperate need of help and punting on it would be foolish.

Lavonte David is not the only defensive player connected to the Browns recently. Rumors of interest in J.J. Watt continue and would also be an upgrade on the defensive side of the ball. If it would come down to one of David or Watt, David would be the better addition to the Cleveland defense even if the commitment money-wise would be more and for a larger dollar figure. In a perfect world the team would add both, but it seems more like it will be one high priced free agent if any.

Browns still in the mix for J.J. Watt

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Contrary to an earlier statement, the Cleveland Browns are still in the mix to sign the former Houston Texans defensive end.

There was some belief on Wednesday that the Cleveland Browns were no longer an option for free agent defensive end J.J. Watt. A follow up statement from John Clayton clarified what was taken an ran with.

The Browns would be wise to strongly consider adding J.J. Watt to their defensive line as he would be a clear upgrade over their current secondary options. Watt with Myles Garrett would be one of the better tandems in the league, especially if Cleveland moves Watt all over the line to take advantage of potential mismatches.

There is one obstacle that the Browns have to clear first, making it work money wise. A couple moves involving players with little or no dead money left on their deal would free up space to sign J.J. Watt in addition to other impact players. Yes, Watt would improve their defenses tremendously, but they need help all across the board and not just one position. If the Browns are going to take that next step they need to make improvements at multiple positions and not be laser focused one the defensive end position. Cleveland can live with their current defensive line depth, but that does not apply to their secondary and linebackers.

J.J. Watt not an option for Browns

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Despite having interest in the free agent defensive end, the Cleveland Browns appear to be out of the running for his services.

It appears that the possible dream scenario of pairing J.J. Watt with Myles Garrett is no longer in the cards. John Clayton stated that the three teams that the free agent could sign with are the Titans, Packers, and Bills with the Raiders being a dark horse.

The two notable teams not listed are the Browns and Steelers.

Adding J.J. Watt to this Cleveland defense would be a huge get, but would require some other moves to improve the defense. While it would have been nice to add someone with that talent of Watt, Cleveland has a ton of holes on the defensive side of the ball. The secondary is a huge issue as is linebacker, that is before addressing depth on the defensive line.

Cleveland could opt to use a similar approach to how they handled their offense last season, drafting and signing a player at a position of need. While this does create short term solutions, it does present problems beyond year one of the signing.

UPDATE

John Clayton sent a clarification tweet after a lot of attention came from the above tweet he was tagged in. Clayton states that the Browns and several other teams are still in on Watt.

Richard Sherman should be on Browns radar

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The Cleveland Browns should be interested in the San Francisco 49ers cornerback.

If the Cleveland Browns are going to compete in the AFC next season they are going to need help on defense. One name that could make an intriguing addition to their secondary is Richard Sherman. The veteran corner is entering free agency after the conclusion of a three-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers.

Cleveland’s defense needs to find upgrades any way possible and the addition of Richard Sherman would be a huge boost. It would make opposing quarterbacks have to make a decision when throwing the ball that simply is not avoid Denzel Ward. Even if Sherman is no longer featured as a starting corner but a safety or nickel corner he could be a game-changer for the Browns defense.

Signing Richard Sherman would require adding another corner through free agency and drafting at least one other. This would be a move that would be more short term focused while they look to add long term pieces through the draft.

When noted Browns fan and Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum proposed the idea Sherman did not seem all that opposed.

At the end of the day what the Browns need to do is keep their options open. Eliminating a clear upgrade from their search due to age would be foolish. This front office is smart enough to know how to add the right pieces. If the Browns follow a similar pattern as they did on offense, signing and drafting a cornerback and safety seems to be a realistic possibility. Sherman could be one of the signings the Browns make in order to get their defense to a respectable level.

Kevin Stefanski named NFL Coach of the Year

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Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has been named 2020 AP NFL Coach of the Year.

This really seemed to be a formality, but Kevin Stefanski has been named the AP NFL Coach of the Year.

Kevin Stefanski was already named Coach of the Year by the PFWA, but the AP award is the one that really matters. Simply put, the award from the Associated Press just carries more weight.

The way everything unfolded prior to the season seemingly set up the Browns for failure. Another new offense, overhauls on defense, COVID-19, doing everything over Zoom. Yet, Kevin Stefanski found a way to succeed in situation where it appeared they had no chance.

Under Stefanski, the Browns had their first winning season since 2007 and made the playoffs for the first time sine the 2002-03 season. Their win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card was Cleveland’s first playoff win since 1994 and their first win at Heinz Field since 2003. All of this combined not only proved that Kevin Stefanski is more than deserving of the award, but that the Cleveland Browns are indeed back.

Browns must keep OBJ-Landry together

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The Cleveland Browns have no choice but to keep the dynamic wide receiver tandem together.

If the Cleveland Browns made roster decisions based off ideas that originated on Twitter they would be in a bad spot. There is some prevailing thought that Cleveland must move on from one, if not both Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. Not only is this thought incredibly dumb, it should never happen. The Cleveland Browns must keep the duo of OBJ and Landry together.

The salaries of OBJ and Landry

One of the biggest perceived obstacles is the contracts of Beckham and Landry. Both are due high salaries which results in a large percentage of their financial commitments being dedicated to one position group. OBJ has cap hits of over $15 million for the next three seasons while Landry sits at $14.7 million in 2021 and $16.5 million in 2022. The aspect most circle back around to is that Beckham has no dead cap after next season while Landry’s is $3 million for each of the next two seasons. This presents a reasonable out for the Browns if they choose to move on. Even with the opportunity to do so, they should not.

For those who only focus on the salary cap it can be tempting to try and move on from the duo. The temptation is to combine cheapness and performance in order to find some sort of less costly alternative to having to actually pay talented players. This may work for backup roles or third or lower receivers, but it simply does not work with the starting lineup. If a team actually wants to have production from a player who is not on a rookie deal, the price is going to be much higher than what some who have no say in the matter want to pay.

Browns are better off with more weapons on offense, not less

Based off his performance this past season, there are a lot of people making definitive statements on Baker Mayfield. The fact of the matter is that he is still a relative unknown product. The variance in performance shows a large margin of where Mayfield lands on the talent scale. Chances are after more information is learned that he will end up in the middle of that scale. The fact of the matter is that the Browns need as many weapons on offense as possible and keeping OBJ and Landry together in Cleveland will help elevate the play of Mayfield.

Having receivers such as Beckham and Landry in addition to others puts Mayfield in a position to succeed. Well, the receiving duo combined with the excellent coaching and scheming from Kevin Stefanski. Subtracting the best two receivers on the team from the equation would be foolish. There is no easy or less expensive alternative that would be an adequate replacement. This would result in opposing defenses keying in other players or aspects of the offense resulting in things being more difficult. Instead of sabotaging themselves according to an agenda of misguided individuals, the Browns are better off now and in the future by retaining both Beckham and Landry.

Browns can learn from the Rams and Jared Goff

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The Cleveland Browns can learn from the mistakes of the Los Angeles Rams.

On the surface there is not a connection between the Cleveland Browns and Jared Goff. After some brief information gathering reality starts to set in. The Los Angeles Rams have provided a template in what not to do with a quarterback and that should allow the Browns to handle their own quarterback situation correctly.

That quarterback situation of course is Baker Mayfield. Mayfield and Jared Goff are not that different, they require a certain type of offense with a certain talent level around them to be successful. Both quarterbacks began their career with less than adequate coaching and eventually found their way to a better coaching situation. It was then that the quarterbacks improved and appeared to be worthy of a contract extension, that is when the trouble started for Los Angeles. The Rams picked up Goff’s fifth-year option and just a few months later handed out a contract extension that has aged horribly. Goff’s contract has to be one of the worst quarterback deals in the league which is why so much draft capital was attached in order to acquire Matthew Stafford from the Lions.

So how does this relate to the Browns and Mayfield?

Here is how. Los Angeles was not able to determine who is more responsible for his turnaround. Was it Jared Goff himself or was it Sean McVay? As it turns out, it was clearly McVay. For the Browns they find themselves in the situation the Rams were once in. Not only do the Browns run an offense that at the core is similar to that of Los Angeles, they have a quarterback that succeeded in it.

Cleveland now needs to determine who is more responsible for the success of Baker Mayfield during the second half of the 2020 season. Was it Mayfield or Kevin Stefanski? This one is even easier than the question for the Rams, it is Stefanski. Stefanksi is the reason why the offense was catered to Mayfield’s strengths. It was Stefanski who schemed players open which gave Mayfield easy passes to complete and put him in a position to succeed.

How do the Browns approach contract extension talks with Mayfield?

This is easy, right now they don’t. The Browns should pick up Mayfield’s option and make him prove that he is able to be successful over more than half of a season. Right now there has been two seasons where Mayfield played better over the final eight games and that should be in the minds of the decision makers for Cleveland. The mistake the Rams made with Jared Goff was committing too early when they didn’t have to.

The temptation for those who like to discuss a potential extension with Mayfield is getting out ahead of a large number and the pursuit of a bargain down the road. As we saw how things unfolded with Goff this is not a guarantee and can backfire fairly easily. With the numbers that a lot of people are projecting for Mayfield, it would require moving on from players at the skill positions that he needs in order to be successful. This is all before acknowledging the possibly of regression from Mayfield and how it would negatively impact the team.

What the Browns must do is not repeat the mistakes of the Rams. Sure, they’ve essentially failed upward, but they had to pay a price in order to do so. Cleveland must wait until after year four of Mayfield before even entertaining contract extension talks. The way things worked out with Jared Goff in Los Angeles is the perfect example of why they should operate in that manner. If not, a repeat of the mistakes of the Rams could play out in Cleveland and result in a much larger issue for the Browns.

Browns should explore trade for J.J. Watt

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The Cleveland Browns should explore a trade with the Houston Texans for the dynamic defensive end.

There is a certain player from the Houston Texans that the Cleveland Browns should consider trading for. No, this is not about Deshaun Watson (although there is merit to that), this is about J.J. Watt. There is the possibility that Watt has played his last game in Houston according to reports.

Let’s look at the facts. The Browns defense desperately needs help and it appears that the Texans are about to begin a total teardown resulting in J.J. Watt being available. Cleveland needs someone to play on the opposite side of Myles Garrett and even if they re-sign Olivier Vernon it is doubtful he is ready to go Week 1. While Adrian Clayborn and Porter Gustin filled in admirably, they are simply not starting quality defensive ends.

There is one major obstacle for the Browns when it comes to trading for J.J. Watt, his contract. Watt is due $17.5 million this upcoming season and that is quite the sizable chunk for a team that needs to make improvements across the board defensively. Luckily there is a solution. A simple restructure would give the Browns flexibility and could result in Watt having financial certainty beyond this upcoming season. Combine all of this with the fact that the Browns appear to be in a contention window and this is a win for all sides involved.

In the end it is possible that the Browns do not trade for J.J Watt, but if they do not at least explore the idea it would be foolish on their part. Cleveland’s defense is bad and needs help in the worst way. Not just in the draft and free agency, but the trade market as well. Adding Watt to other acquisitions they make would be an absolute home run for their defense. Especially after this front office essentially punted defense last offseason.

What to make of and do with Baker Mayfield?

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The Cleveland Browns quarterback improved as the season went along, but what does that mean in the big picture?

Entering the 2020 NFL season there were more questions than answers when it came to Baker Mayfield. A hot second half of his rookie season led to high expectations for his sophomore campaign which ended up being a massive disappointment. It was a make or break year for the Browns quarterback and his performances were on both ends of the spectrum. There were times when Mayfield looked spectacular and there were other times that he did not look like he belonged on the field. So that brings us do the multi-million dollar question.

What do the Browns have in Baker Mayfield?

If this was pure fan speak or people who focus on aspects of football that do not relate to play on the field the answer would be something like saying he is a bonafide franchise quarterback, sign him to a large extension, so on and so forth. Unfortunately it is not that simple. The reality is that Baker Mayfield was inconsistent for a large part of the season, only improving with a simpler game plan and coincidentally the absence of Odell Beckham Jr.

In Mayfield’s full six games with Beckham in the lineup he completed 60.6% of his passes with 10 touchdowns and 6 interceptions while averaging 182.5 yards per game. Every full game after Beckham was lost for the season Mayfield completed 62.5% of his passes with 11 touchdowns and 1 interceptions with throwing for 241.2 yards per game. It is worth mentioning that Mayfield averaged nearly four more pass attempts without Beckham than with him (32-28.3).

Mayfield improved as the season progressed

As mentioned above, Baker Mayfield improved as the season went on. A key aspect of this was becoming more comfortable in yet another new offense that was thrust upon him. Another was the overall simplification of the game plans from Kevin Stefanski. A lot of the offensive success actually belongs to Stefanski due to his scheming players open and catering the offense to the strengths of Mayfield. That being said, credit where credit is due, Mayfield executed and was able to propel the Browns to the playoffs including a win over the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

Where do the Browns go from here?

You know that part above asking about the multi-million dollar question? This is the secondary part. The first part is What do the Browns have in Mayfield?

The second part is Where do they go from here?

So looking at the first part it appears that the Browns have a quarterback who has succeeded in the offense that the coaching staff installed. The second part is the tricky part. After there were legitimate questions about what the Browns would do with his fifth-year option it is a no-brainer to pick it up. While some like to take the way too premature approach of extending Mayfield now, the reality is that Mayfield still has not been consistent over a full 16 game season. This is the second time in his short career where he has shown better numbers over the second half of a season and that is something to keep in mind. Granted the offensive schemes were completely different, but a massive second half improvement has been seen before which led to disappointment the following season.

What the Browns need to do with Baker Mayfield is sit tight in regards to extension talks. Considering his inconsistency thus far in his career, they still need him to prove he is worthy of an extension. The worst thing they could do is prematurely extend him and have the contract age poorly. There have been plenty of teams that have signed a player to an extension before they should, resulting in it blowing up in their face. If an opportunity for a mulligan presented itself, have to imagine they would take it.

So, do the Browns extend Mayfield sooner rather than later?

The fact of the matter is that a premature contract extension can lead to a premature death of a contention window. Once a team signs a quarterback to a big deal it results in sacrifices made elsewhere on the roster. Considering the large dollar figures belonging to key offensive players this could result in a reduction of quality players at skill positions and a lower quality of offensive execution overall. Taking away talented payers from a player who appears to need it hardly seems like a good idea.

Baker Mayfield has not yet earned a contact extension and the suggestions made by some are just preposterous. The argument of setting the market for other quarterbacks drafted in his class simply does not apply. Lamar Jackson has won an MVP and Josh Allen is at or near an elite quarterback. The fact of the matter is that their offenses are driven by their quarterback and this does not apply to Cleveland.

Cleveland’s best path forward is to pick up his fifth-year option and stand pat. There is no reason to rush into signing an extension just because the player is now eligible for it, the player has to earn it. Currently Baker Mayfield has not earned a large big money extension.

If Baker Mayfield is able to continue the trajectory of the 2020 season and leads the Browns on a deep playoff run this would qualify as earning it. This would mean that Mayfield is their franchise quarterback and that questions no longer remain about his future. The fact of the matter thought is at this point being consistently inconsistent with one winning season and one playoff win under his belt is not worthy a deal which will more than likely cripple the franchise in the future.

Browns upcoming free agent decisions

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The Cleveland Browns have some tough and not so tough decisions to make in regards to some of their upcoming free agents.

Just like every team in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns will have free agents and they must decide whether or not they want to bring them back on another deal. The decision in regards to some players is pretty clear, while others it is not as easy. Let’s start this off with a group of players that really do not require an explanation, but should not be back next season.

Easy no decision

Kevin Johnson, Karl Joseph, Kendall Lamm, and Andrew Sendejo. That’s the list and it’s a pretty easy one to figure out why. Three of these players were signed on one-year deals on defense and were either unavailable to play, flat out bad, or both. In regards to Lamm, the Browns can look elsewhere for a backup tackle as he was not that impressive when he did see the field.

Olivier Vernon

Olivier Vernon is an interesting case considering he suffered an Achilles injury that ended his season. With the nature of his injury it could be a situation where he is not ready Week 1 and that could have an impact on what his market is this offseason. The Browns should consider bringing him back with the expectation of missed games and also adding another defensive end into the mix either through the draft or a low-cost free agent. If Cleveland goes down that path it would make an interesting dynamic on their defensive line which could prove to beneficial later in the season.

B.J. Goodson

B.J. Goodson was another one-year deal that the Browns made on defense, but unlike those mentioned above, it hit. Goodson was easily the Browns best linebacker this season and was an impact player on a regular basis. Cleveland is going to have add linebackers through the draft and free agency, but bringing back Goodson should be somewhat of a priority.

Hollywood Higgins

There’s something to be said about the chemistry between Rashard Higgins and Baker Mayfield. The two clearly have a connection and just seem to click. That being said, here’s the deal when it comes to Higgins. He is a perfectly fine third or fourth receiver on a team that has already invested in pass catchers. Looking at just receivers he is firmly third behind OBJ and Landry. Add in tight ends he drops down to fourth or fifth on the list depending on the formation. Finally, add in the running backs and his place on the hierarchy drops even further.

The fact of the matter is that Cleveland needs to add on the defensive side of the ball and spending on offense should not be a priority. Unless a return on another bargain contract is in the cards, the Browns should look elsewhere to fill a role that honestly should belong to a much faster receiver. Cleveland lacks speed with their receivers and when looking at who they have invested in versus who they haven’t, it is much easier to find a burner type to compliment their current group rather than to replace them with explosive receivers and retain Higgins.

Larry Ogunjobi

It has been an up and down career for Larry Ogunjobi so far which is why this is a difficult player to properly assess. There have been moments of equally good and bad play from Ogunjobi which is why the Browns need to be careful when evaluating this position. Cleveland currently has Sheldon Richardson under contract for next season, but there is an out available if they decide to choose that path. The Browns did draft Jordan Elliott in the 3rd round of the 2020 draft and Andrew Billings flies under the radar due to his opting out of the season. It really seems like Ogunjobi’s status could be tied to Richardson. Keep Richardson and let Ogunjobi go or move on from Richardson and re-sign Ogunjobi.

Cody Parkey

Cody Parkey was not terrible last season, but considering his track record why gamble on this again? Find a new kicker.

Terrance Mitchell

Terrance Mitchell started all 16 games for the Cleveland Browns this past season and he was fine, but did not play at a level that a starting cornerback should. If Cleveland can sign Mitchell to a similar deal he is coming off of and play him as a sub-corner it could work.

KhaDarel Hodge

A lot of the reasons that apply to why the Browns should not re-sign Rashard Higgins apply to KhaDarel Hodge. Hodge does not give Cleveland what they need for a wide receiver behind their other receivers and the team should look to find another option as a bottom of the depth chart option.

Porter Gustin

If the Browns do decide to bring back Olivier Vernon as mentioned above it might be a good idea to consider also bringing back Porter Gustin. Cleveland might need to put together a combination of players at the start of the season to manufacture the production that will be missed with Vernon being out. Gustin, Adrian Clayborn, and a defensive lineman in the draft would certainly be able to hold down the fort in a rotational scenario.

Stepen Carlson

As of now Cleveland has three other tight ends on the roster and it does not appear that any of them will be going anywhere any time soon. Austin Hooper, Harrison Bryant, and David Njoku are ahead of Stephen Carlson on the depth chart so there might not be an urgency to re-sign him. Carlson did appear in 88 offensive plays (8%) this season and 335 special teams plays (79%). Cleveland could continue to use Carlson in this capacity if they were to bring him back. It’s not a must sign scenario, but having a fourth tight end for a team that seems to be fond of them seems like a wise decision.