(03-13-2019 07:17 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(03-12-2019 10:56 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  Look, I don't mean to rain on your parade but they are still the Cleveland Browns, yes?

The Cleveland Browns of old they are not. I understand that there are good teams on paper and teams that get it done on the field. They have to show they can do the latter. I am confident they can because they have all the main pieces in play and the key is Baker Mayfield. This has been a QB-driven league for some time now and teams only go as far the QB takes them. Staying away from a major injury is key too (see Carson Wentz). Mayfield has been counted out his whole career going back to college and he steps up every time and gets it done. Had he started for the Browns from day one this past season, the Browns very well could've made the playoffs and he'd won ROTY. The other reason for optimism is the AFC North is wide open with Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Cincinnati trending down and in some cases aging out in key positions.

Yeah, I was mostly just being a smart ass, and I think it would be great for the Browns to make some noise this year. You make several good points but you make a very strange choice for an example of the importance of avoiding injury.

(03-13-2019 11:51 AM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  

(03-13-2019 07:17 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(03-12-2019 10:56 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  Look, I don't mean to rain on your parade but they are still the Cleveland Browns, yes?

The Cleveland Browns of old they are not. I understand that there are good teams on paper and teams that get it done on the field. They have to show they can do the latter. I am confident they can because they have all the main pieces in play and the key is Baker Mayfield. This has been a QB-driven league for some time now and teams only go as far the QB takes them. Staying away from a major injury is key too (see Carson Wentz). Mayfield has been counted out his whole career going back to college and he steps up every time and gets it done. Had he started for the Browns from day one this past season, the Browns very well could've made the playoffs and he'd won ROTY. The other reason for optimism is the AFC North is wide open with Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Cincinnati trending down and in some cases aging out in key positions.

Yeah, I was mostly just being a smart ass, and I think it would be great for the Browns to make some noise this year. You make several good points but you make a very strange choice for an example of the importance of avoiding injury.

Well, the Browns don't have a "Nick Foles" type as a back-up. I just meant Carson was well on his way to an MVP type level of player and suffered a major knee injury. It hampered his development and we'll see if he can return fully to form.

(03-13-2019 12:59 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(03-13-2019 11:51 AM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  

(03-13-2019 07:17 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(03-12-2019 10:56 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  Look, I don't mean to rain on your parade but they are still the Cleveland Browns, yes?

The Cleveland Browns of old they are not. I understand that there are good teams on paper and teams that get it done on the field. They have to show they can do the latter. I am confident they can because they have all the main pieces in play and the key is Baker Mayfield. This has been a QB-driven league for some time now and teams only go as far the QB takes them. Staying away from a major injury is key too (see Carson Wentz). Mayfield has been counted out his whole career going back to college and he steps up every time and gets it done. Had he started for the Browns from day one this past season, the Browns very well could've made the playoffs and he'd won ROTY. The other reason for optimism is the AFC North is wide open with Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Cincinnati trending down and in some cases aging out in key positions.

Yeah, I was mostly just being a smart ass, and I think it would be great for the Browns to make some noise this year. You make several good points but you make a very strange choice for an example of the importance of avoiding injury.

Well, the Browns don't have a "Nick Foles" type as a back-up. I just meant Carson was well on his way to an MVP type level of player and suffered a major knee injury. It hampered his development and we'll see if he can return fully to form.

The question for the Browns will be whether the HC is capable of managing of these personalities. Kitchens proved he could me an OC and I thought keeping Williams would have been smart. The minutiae that the Head Coach has to manage might be the biggest hurdle.

(03-14-2019 12:20 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  The question for the Browns will be whether the HC is capable of managing of these personalities. Kitchens proved he could me an OC and I thought keeping Williams would have been smart. The minutiae that the Head Coach has to manage might be the biggest hurdle.

IMO you can't retain Williams in any capacity less than the head coach after he was the interim head coach. He made it clear that he wanted the head coach job and was interviewed for it. You're right that Kitchens is unproven but until John Dorsey shows he's erred in all the organizational/player moves he's made over the past two seasons I won't expect anything less than success. According to all reports, OBJ was loved in the locker room and was supported by his teammates. I don't think he did anything that rose to the level of what AB did in Pittsburgh. Winning and having a QB that can consistently deliver you the ball cures a lot of ills. Time will tell but I remain confident and optimistic that "personalities" will be managed. It also helps that Jarvis Landry's and OBJ's wide receivers coach at LSU, Adam Henry, is on the Browns staff in the same capacity.