2018 Browns: We now have a dedicated thread. I'll give you a moment to let that sink in.

SMU_Sox

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YES! This is great news. I do not know if the Browns will be successful this year and I do not think very highly of Hue Jackson but that roster is loaded with young talent. Once these young guys get a year or two to develop look out. On paper they are not a 0-16 team or even, I think, a 1-3 win team. But that's not important. What's important is Baker Mayfield. With his attitude and competitiveness this will be must-see-TV.
 

SMU_Sox

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Tyrod Taylor, and I know I might be beating a dead horse here, is an underrated QB. He's at least an average starter and I think slightly above average. He has his limitations but you can win with Tyrod Taylor. So many people focus on what he can't do or that he is not a top 10 QB that they miss what he is. I like to go to a lot of different sources when trying to solidify an opinion on anything football related. PFF, FO, the NDTs/ITPs of the world all think Taylor is, to some degree, a capable starter. It is unusual when most sources are largely in agreement. But when the scouting matches the standard numbers analysis and they both match the advanced stats it makes me feel much more confident in my own opinion. Average to above average QBs can win with the right talent around them. And about that talent...
The Browns upgraded their interior offensive line, got their QB of the future, signed a solid veteran QB you can win with, have weapons (some young) at TE/WR, and with Chubb should have a good RB committee. On offense aside from needing Chubb and Njoku to develop they are weak at tackle but that's about it. On paper this offense should not be last again, or, I think even in the bottom 10, for points per game.

On defense their front 7 has the potential to be elite even this year but their secondary is a work in progress. Adding Ward helps but CB is even more difficult than average to play well in year 1.

I am excited to see how this team comes together. I think in the next 2-3 years they will mature into a playoff contender.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Hard Knocks debut tonight.

First takeaway...….OC Todd Haley despises the way Hue Jackson is steering this ship. You could sense his frustration in the coaches meeting as Jackson is a proponent of resting his main guys in camp whereas Haley is like, wtf we need to be mentally tougher coming off last seasons trainwreck.
 

sodenj5

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Hard Knocks debut tonight.

First takeaway...….OC Todd Haley despises the way Hue Jackson is steering this ship. You could sense his frustration in the coaches meeting as Jackson is a proponent of resting his main guys in camp whereas Haley is like, wtf we need to be mentally tougher coming off last seasons trainwreck.
When you’re coming off one win in the previous two seasons combined, whatever the hell it was you were doing needs to get thrown in the trash. Haley gets that. Jarvis Landry gets that. Something has to change and resting guys two weeks into camp isn’t how you spark a change.

There’s a difference between being a “player’s coach” and being soft. Hue seems soft to me.
 

HomeRunBaker

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When you’re coming off one win in the previous two seasons combined, whatever the hell it was you were doing needs to get thrown in the trash. Haley gets that. Jarvis Landry gets that. Something has to change and resting guys two weeks into camp isn’t how you spark a change.

There’s a difference between being a “player’s coach” and being soft. Hue seems soft to me.
I 100% agree with all of this. Did you see Haley's reaction when Jackson essentially told him his opinion carries no weight?
 

MillarTime

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Hard Knocks debut tonight.

First takeaway...….OC Todd Haley despises the way Hue Jackson is steering this ship. You could sense his frustration in the coaches meeting as Jackson is a proponent of resting his main guys in camp whereas Haley is like, wtf we need to be mentally tougher coming off last seasons trainwreck.
This was exactly my main takeaway too; Not a good look for Hue.
 

sodenj5

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Jarvis Landry is fucking awesome.

I’m not afraid to admit that I still love Landry. That’s the passion he played every down with. You can knock his production and his low YPC, har-har-har he’s basically a running back, but the dude stirs the drink.

You need that mentality if you’re going to try and rumble in the AFC North.

Hue Jackson should not be an NFL head coach. I feel bad for him on a personal level, losing family members like that is difficult. However it doesn’t change the fact that he is a terrible head coach.
 

Red Averages

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Hue Jackson should not be an NFL head coach. I feel bad for him on a personal level, losing family members like that is difficult. However it doesn’t change the fact that he is a terrible head coach.
Completely agree - on both the personal and professional side. His whole "I've been in your chair" approach to completely squashing their input wasn't exactly motivating/empowering. Particularly when he's been so awful in his current chair. They need a culture change, which guys like Landry are trying to bring. Frankly the whole QB RV thing is just further proof that they are a joke franchise.

Separately - the Josh Gordon stuff has been interesting to watch from this side of it. Really rooting for him to come back and make an impact. Have to wonder if he would do much better in a Patriots style organization (not because I'm a Pats fan, just making a point) where there is far more structure and accountability.
 

InstaFace

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Let's run through the checklist of the AMP model for employee engagement:

Autonomy: Nope! Hue don't care!
Mastery: They went 0-16. Nobody is learning anything.
Purpose: They went 0-16. If they had a hope, they might feel they had a purpose, but otherwise the players' purpose is not to get injured.

Seems to be working out for him.
 

sodenj5

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Completely agree - on both the personal and professional side. His whole "I've been in your chair" approach to completely squashing their input wasn't exactly motivating/empowering. Particularly when he's been so awful in his current chair. They need a culture change, which guys like Landry are trying to bring. Frankly the whole QB RV thing is just further proof that they are a joke franchise.

Separately - the Josh Gordon stuff has been interesting to watch from this side of it. Really rooting for him to come back and make an impact. Have to wonder if he would do much better in a Patriots style organization (not because I'm a Pats fan, just making a point) where there is far more structure and accountability.
The RV thing was funny on the outside and Baker is a good sport, but you can clearly tell that he’s annoyed by it. I get that it’s a cultural “you’re the first overall pick so you have the money” kind of friendly initiation, but it reeks of amateur hour.
 

HomeRunBaker

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So they traded one WR, have one WR in rehab and have a 3rd WR get in trouble with the law and we haven't even gotten to the first preseason game?
…….while "disciplining" another WR by playing him for the entire preseason game, which is certainly an injury risk (interesting to see what the Players Union has to say on this), while actually punishing the other WR's looking to win a roster spot by taking live game reps away from them.

This fool has to go.
 

dcmissle

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Completely agree - on both the personal and professional side. His whole "I've been in your chair" approach to completely squashing their input wasn't exactly motivating/empowering. Particularly when he's been so awful in his current chair. They need a culture change, which guys like Landry are trying to bring. Frankly the whole QB RV thing is just further proof that they are a joke franchise.

Separately - the Josh Gordon stuff has been interesting to watch from this side of it. Really rooting for him to come back and make an impact. Have to wonder if he would do much better in a Patriots style organization (not because I'm a Pats fan, just making a point) where there is far more structure and accountability.
The Browns have been very enlightened and generous with Gordon. Sucks for them both that this was the year for Hard Knocks, which I suspect had more than a little to do with Gordon skipping camp. It is far from clear that Gordon is going to be able to overcome his anxiety issues.

Calloway is a different matter. Browns were and are packed to the gills with draft picks and there was no good reason for them to take this kind of flier. There is a damn good reason he fell in the draft, and I’d want no part of him on the Pats.
 

Silverdude2167

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God Hue Jackson has to be one of the worst head coaches ever.
Watching him on Hard Knocks is amazing, how has this guy not been fired yet?
 

sodenj5

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The Browns have been very enlightened and generous with Gordon. Sucks for them both that this was the year for Hard Knocks, which I suspect had more than a little to do with Gordon skipping camp. It is far from clear that Gordon is going to be able to overcome his anxiety issues.

Calloway is a different matter. Browns were and are packed to the gills with draft picks and there was no good reason for them to take this kind of flier. There is a damn good reason he fell in the draft, and I’d want no part of him on the Pats.
I think he’s a lame duck this year. You don’t go 1-31 by accident. No idea who the next “big hires” would be in terms of coaching, but Cleveland actually has a lot of young talent, and now they have a promising young QB.

I bet they can attract an up and coming coach next offseason.
 

sodenj5

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Legitimate good news: Denzel Ward looks really good and Myles Garrett might be a monster.

Legitimate bad news: this team will win nothing of consequence as long as Hue Jackson is the head coach and Tyrod Taylor is their starting QB.
 

joe dokes

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Legitimate good news: Denzel Ward looks really good and Myles Garrett might be a monster.

Legitimate bad news: this team will win nothing of consequence as long as Hue Jackson is the head coach and Tyrod Taylor is their starting QB.
So I assume that Haley called the brutal late pass in regulation. Is he trying some sort of F.U. to Jackson?
 

sodenj5

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So I assume that Haley called the brutal late pass in regulation. Is he trying some sort of F.U. to Jackson?
The play call seemed ok to me. Josh Gordon had a step behind the defender. Taylor has to put the ball in front of Gordon not throw up a 50-50 ball where he has to come back for it.

Hue’s “we aren’t starting Gordon” but Gordon still starts because of the opening personnel is a microcosm of his tenure. He’s trash at every aspect of being a head coach.
 

Deathofthebambino

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Just saw a scroll on ESPN breaking news that the Browns are going to release Josh Gordon on Monday. The quote said "it's come to a point where we just need to part ways," which I assume is from Hue Jackson.

Not sure what happened since the end of Hard Knocks, where they seemed excited to have him back, but if it wasn't a relapse of his drug issues, or some run-in with the law, he'd be an interesting choice to come into Foxboro for a workout....
 

DeadlySplitter

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he was just ruled out for tomorrow with a hamstring injury. wonder if he's dogging it.


#Browns WR Josh Gordon came into the facility today and complained about his hamstring. Team medical staff checked him out and ruled him out for Sunday, I’m told. Unexpected.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 15, 2018
 

Caspir

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Belichick's plan cing along nicely.

I do wonder what's up, but man, forget Dez. Get Gordon, give him three weeks to rest the hammy a d learn the playbook, then deploy him and Jules in week five.
 

Caspir

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On Josh Gordon: He was late today to the facility, source said. In addition, he was fine at Friday’s practice, then injured his hamstring. The question of how is part of the reason they released him. My understanding is it’s an overall trust issue for a player on thin ice.
 

Cellar-Door

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Just saw a scroll on ESPN breaking news that the Browns are going to release Josh Gordon on Monday. The quote said "it's come to a point where we just need to part ways," which I assume is from Hue Jackson.

Not sure what happened since the end of Hard Knocks, where they seemed excited to have him back, but if it wasn't a relapse of his drug issues, or some run-in with the law, he'd be an interesting choice to come into Foxboro for a workout....
He has to go through waivers because he lost so much service time to suspension. Can't see him making it all the way to the Patriots since he's making only $790k this year.


Edit- Nevermind, apparently the suspension time is calculated differently for waiver and benefits than FA. He won't go to waivers
 
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HomeRunBaker

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On Josh Gordon: He was late today to the facility, source said. In addition, he was fine at Friday’s practice, then injured his hamstring. The question of how is part of the reason they released him. My understanding is it’s an overall trust issue for a player on thin ice.
Talk of the hamstring injury occurring Friday night during a promo shoot which wasn't a team-related activity. Didn't Josh report to camp with a hamstring injury costing him some practices too?

Complete headcase, want no part of him.....(watches tape of Cordarrelle Patterson running a route and Riley McCarron trying to get separation)…..Hey, he'd look great next to Gronk and Hogan!!!


He has to go through waivers because he lost so much service time to suspension. Can't see him making it all the way to the Patriots since he's making only $790k this year.


Edit- Nevermind, apparently the suspension time is calculated differently for waiver and benefits than FA. He won't go to waivers
I'd confidently guess that Gordon won't go to waivers OR free agency and the Browns will receive some type of conditional compensation in the form of a low draft pick. There are a ton of teams needing talented receivers to take a flier on......aside from Patriots you've got the Cowboys, Bills, Niners, Seahawks, and the Jaguars just lost Lee for the season.
 
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Jed Zeppelin

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Feels very Brownsian to announce you’re releasing a player before entering trade negotiations.
 

dcmissle

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For one reason or other, you have to go back 5 seasons to find a productive year from Josh.

http://www.nfl.com/player/joshgordon/2537931/careerstats

And after what the Browns invested in him, getting hurt in a non-team related activity would be the final straw for me as well.

But let’s get him, if for no other reason than to quell an obsession. He’s been a binkie since some enthusiastically advocated flipping a first rounder for him.
 

Bergs

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Jul 22, 2005
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That was a spectacular bit of Brownsiness yesterday. Miss the go-ahead extra point with 1:16 left, proceed let the Saints march right down and kick a FG, and then come right back and miss a game-tying FG. Brutal.
 

luckiestman

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Jul 15, 2005
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Browns impressed me way more than the Lions or Fins (Jets opponents). If Baker can play, and it looks like he can, the North will be a bloodbath this year. Can’t wait to watch it.