ballpeen

On 4/27/2024 at 9:41 AM, Orion said:

I agree to a degree.  In the later rounds your drafting players that you think could help you.  Just like after the draft.  You've already got your ideas on who you'd like to sign once the draft ends and the remaining players become free agents.  

I said back in February that, for a change, we're a BPA team.  We don't have a roster full of glaring needs right now.  Yes, I wanted to target a WR and a pass catching TE.  But that's because I'm acting as a fan...and not a GM.  With no 1st round pick we HAVE TO be successful with our 2nd & 3rd round picks...and to me that means NO REACHING.  Take the best darned player available.  (obviously we wouldn't pick a QB at that point in the draft)  You can target positions in the later rounds of the draft if ya want since basically many of those guys are just glorified free agents....but the obvious goal is to find the players of good value to add to your team.  As a season wears on and players get hurt, it's the teams that did a good job of acquiring those glorified free agents that continue to fill injury holes and keep on winning.

He was our 2nd pick.  I contend it wasn't a later round.

Teams have two boards.  A vertical board and a horizontal board.  The vert is simply a list of the BPA.  The horizontal is the board that fits the teams needs.  Teams match the two.

43 minutes ago, Orion said:

It's a good spot for a G pick.  But I saw that he was ranked 4th round.  We don't have a 4th rounder so I guess we'd just take him in the 3rd.    

I don't like to bring fantasy in to reality, but with our draft position and lack of a 4th round pick, it can make sense to draft a round ahead of the other teams and get some of your targeted players.  No matter if Zinter had a 4th round grade, with no pick in the 4th you take him in the 3rd or wait and hope you get a 5th round target.  If any of you have played fantasy sports, you know what I am talking about.

I think the team sees a potential need for an interior lineman next year and felt it had to get on this year.  If Zinter was the next highest graded player at that position, just take him and regroup tomorrow.  It's not like a lot of the players we draft from this point forward will even make the team.

Uninspiring picks sometimes turn out to be the right pick.

I think he is here to replace Ika.  I think Schwartz said Ika can't play in his D.  Maybe Hall turns in to a MD Perry type player.

I seem to be in the minority.  Unless the Browns are on the clock, the draft is boring.

2 hours ago, mjp28 said:

A  $4.6B  new enclosed stadium  on mean  ol' Lake Michigan ....  sweet.      

Face it in November, December  and  especially January I for one would  lo♥︎e  to be in a nice 68°  seasoned surroundings  versus a  7° with 25 mph winds blowing straight in off the lake for hours on end.

The players would agree with me  100%  guaranteed.   

No doubt.  Ony simpletons think you should be playing in the snow and slush.  I'd also bet most don't even go to games.

IMO if you don't attend 3-4 games a year, your opinion is moot.   

Big talkers who don't spend money.  Pfft.

It's easy to say what you want while sitting at home.  I go to games and live 600 miles away.

I saw where Roman just passed away.

R.I.P. Roman.

9 hours ago, Flugel said:

Yeah, who knows?  You might be right Ballpeen.  If you are right - the good news is a lot of productive college tackles (lacking arm length) get drafted to play OG creating a bigger supply of Guards (ie: Joel Bitonio was a Tackle in college) overall.  This also means we wouldn't have to draft one in round 2 in order to secure a good one.  Besides, we don't need immediate impact at OG with Bitonio and Teller so they can defer to a later round for a developmental guy.

Just thinking out loud here. I think we have more depth inside at this time than at LT. Michael Dunn can play LG extremely well; and I'm guessing he could do the same at RG if we needed him to (that's an easier transition from 1 side to the other than OT).  He helped us beat SF without Bitonio.  They just signed a backup RG Germain Ifedi (who would only play RT if both Conklin and Jones are injured). Luke Wypler will also be counted on to backup Center an OG spot. Right now, I don't think we have a backup LT on the roster that anyone would have a great deal of confidence in (unless I'm forgetting someone I shouldn't be).

There's been mentions and thoughts on our board about moving Dawand Jones to LT.  I've warmed up to this idea more than I thought I would.  However, trying this the 1st training camp after a serious knee injury that landed him on IR and a surgery table might not be the best time to try this.  Like Dutch reminds us, we're not having any luck keeping Conklin healthy so we'll probably see more of Jones than Conklin at RT again.

My guess is we'll go LT with our first pick in round 2 unless a run on the position depletes the supply of them too far to consider what's left for round 2 value.  Very possible this could happen. 

Stay tuned... 

 

Berry seems to draft a year ahead.  We may be deeper at guard today, maybe not so much next year.  We also have next year needs at DT.  We very well could go that way.

"Annie" opened on Broadway on this date in 1977.

1 hour ago, Flugel said:

I have to agree. I think we're begging for trouble pretending 1 more year of Casper the Friendly Ghost at Left Tackle helps this team in any way.  This was like 2022 when the Browns pretended DT wasn't important at all.  End result?  This team couldn't stop the run or keep offensive linemen off the LB Corps. In fact, we had portions of the 2022 season where the entire 1st string of LBers were injured because of it.

Yeah, Wills under contract but does that light his fanny or make him feel entitled 1 more time?  I don't see a lot of playoff teams that have their biggest weakness upfront at Left Tackle. There may be some exceptions to that - like the Browns at the expense of needing 5 different QBs. When Wills went on IR, the Browns won 4 of their last 5 games.  The only one they lost in that stretch was in Cincy.  That day, they rested a lot of valuable starters while starting Jeff Driskell at QB.

Unfortunately, none of this means they'll take a LT.  There's probably going to be a run on them before we draft in round 2.  We'll see what happens...

 

I'd say there is a higher probability we take an interior O-lineman before we would take a LT.  The only reason as I see it is there should be better guards on the board than LT prospects.

But, as you said, we will see what happens.  You never know who might or might no be there.

I don't care one way or the other about the color of the facemasks, but if this board is any indication of the broader public, cool beans.  Looks like JW got it right.

Just a comment on completion percentage.  DB's could mug up on receivers a bit more back then.  No doubt that through training QBs are more accurate, but it's not like QBs of old weren't accurate.  The rules have changed to help increase the percentage. 

It just goes to show that it doesn't matter how or where you made it in to a pro training camp.   All that matters is what you do once you are there.

No doubt highly drafted guys are going to make the team pretty much no matter what, but being undrafted doesn't mean you are a sure cut.  The bottom of the roster is always subject to change.  Building the bottom of the roster is just as important as building the top.

2 hours ago, gumby73 said:

in short.. any player deciding on retiring.. tells his agent what team he'd like to retire from.. signs one day deal.. Player's chose to Retire as Cleveland Browns..

Congrats to both ! 

I understand the 1 day deal.  I guess it makes sense the agent would contact the team about signing his guy to a 1 day deal.

20 hours ago, Flugel said:

For example, NE drafted Kent State QB Julian Edelman in round 7 who began returning punts/kickoffs before he emerged as a Pro Bowl WR.  Prior to that, Cleveland signed another former Kent State QB Josh Cribbs as an undrafted free agent who excelled as a Kickoff/Punt Return Specialist.  He also played WR and some QB in the WildDawg. He made 3 Pro Bowls and earned a 1st Team All Pro honor.  He was also recognized as a member of The NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2000s.

I wouldn't mind an equivalent find this year...

Exactly, Purdy could be another.  They don't even need to be that good.  There are dozens of UDFA who ended up solid players. Once they get there, the Browns have to "bid" to get them, and the player needs to make a choice between several offers.  Lot's of factors go in to that decision.  Money, opportunity, and location being the main factors, and not necessarily in that order.

Who started this trend?   

I agree with Nick.  If this is some sort of honorary deal, maybe up the bar a bit. They were both decent players, but hardly candidates for the HOF, or even the ring of honor, or like Haden who was "all in" Cleveland. 

How is this done?  Do the players call the FO to do this or does the FO call the players?

9 hours ago, Orion said:

...truth be told, I view 7th rounders as glorified free agents.  But they're free agents that have to come to your team.  -  A week and a half 'til we're on the clock!

9 hours ago, Orion said:

...truth be told, I view 7th rounders as glorified free agents.  But they're free agents that have to come to your team.  -  A week and a half 'til we're on the clock!

I agree, as I said here:

The Brooklyn Brothers is a decent Italian cooking show.

These guys aren't gourmet by any means, but more simple home cooking, which is probably more authentic IMO.

The Cleveland Browns arrive.  

21 hours ago, Orion said:

It would be easier to attract players to the organization.  Believe it or not, there are players that don't like playing in the freezing wind, rain and/or snow.  Like Anthony Walker who just told his agent to find someplace warm and that he's sick of the cold.  Or Deshaun Watson who doesn't like the cold such that it took a quarter billion guaranteed to get him here.

I'd go so far as to say nobody* likes it.  My question to those who say so is why are nearly all Clevelanders so ready for spring and summer?

Who in here wants Cleveland cold and slop weather to be a year round deal?  Ask any lineman for the public utility in Cleveland if they like being up in the bucket in February.

*  OK, there are always a few simpletons in the crowd.

Just now, TexasAg1969 said:

So we trade away an OL and then we drop one in favor of a DE. Any bets on which OL we take 1st in the draft? I'm having to revise my DL take back to the inevitable OL, unless of course it's Ainias Smith.😘

I have no idea.  I won't have much of an idea until we are maybe 5 picks away from our selection.  The variables are too numerous to have any sort of accuracy other than lucky guess.  Throw a dart at any name of guards and you stand just  as good a chance.

16 hours ago, mjp28 said:

I like the wood scale .... and it's true.   Like the bat scale from whiffle ball bat to the Louisville Slugger.

You need to  "fill those pants up" .... from Jim Tressel when he was at YSU.   And when he got those pants filled up they won 4 of 6 NC tries.  It does start up front.

I don't see how we don't draft a O lineman this year.  Maybe 2.  Both Teller and Bitonio are somewhat questionable moving forward after this season.

Much is made of LT's, but IMO the most important part of a O line is the middle 3 in passpro.  As long as the QB has that wall in front of him, allowing a step or two forward, as long as whoever is playing at tackle protects against inside rush, that step or so forward destroys the DE's angles and puts him right in to the tackles angle allowing him to just get in the way and ride the DE outside.  

I think if you asked any QB, they would rather have a clean middle.  A rush up the middle puts them in that "deer in a headlight" position. That's the panic position for a QB.

1 hour ago, Dutch Oven said:

Honestly, I don't know...

But generally between Guardians, Cavs and Browns games, plus concerts at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, and Playhouse Square, downtown seems pretty busy on the weekends.

Would a ballpark village in Brookpark be the same, especially considering the anchor tenant in reality is barely there? Of course, a dome would allow them to try and attract the Final Four, etc...

I guess we'll see. 

Fair answer.   Nobody really knows.  The Cavs and Guards would still bring in crowds.  Concerts, the Dome would take some and probably/ possibly bring in some the Rocket doesn't.

In the end I think Haslam is going to make the move.  My feeling and my feeling is if I was Mr. Billionaire, if the city wasn't going to give you what you wanted and not pick up some cost and I had to pay the full bill, I would move to where I had it all and the way I wanted.

I suspect you and anybody else would too as well.

6 hours ago, Dutch Oven said:

What I think the Haslams want is a dome in Brookpark surrounded by a ballpark village of sorts. 

I just question if there really is a demand for that out in Brookpark? You really think 20somethings are going to pass on going to downtown for... a TGIFridays in Brookpark?

This should be interesting. 

I don't think it would be a TGI Fridays, so to speak.

I think a lot of people would go to bypass downtown.  You might lose some people who live on the east side, but people on the west or south side would easily go.  

I don't live in the area, so I have no clue, how busy is the Barley House as an example on an everyday Saturday night? I can't imagine a flock of people heading downtown.  It's probably full of central city dwellers.

3 hours ago, Flugel said:

Understood. I need my day job so I don't buy the magazine/guide to try to be like Mel Kiper Jr; and I hope no one else does either.  It's more of a last minute Cliffs Notes summary of research and rankings of guys at all positions - many that weren't televised in the region I live in very often. For example, a guy like BYU WR Puka Nacua last year or Brock Purdy (Mr Irrelevant) in 2022.  Most of the guys we've heard/seen a lot about are often drafted within the 1st 2-3 rounds of a 7 round draft.  On the 3rd day of the draft when it starts moving faster - names of selections appear and sometimes you don't even see their quick highlights until 10-15 minutes later.  That's when I'm really happy to have the resource to look up the guy the Browns picked.

As for the price, they stamp those prices right on the bar card on the bottom left corner of the magazine cover. And if they're going to over-charge a consumer - you're the guy I'd hand select to argue that all the way down to a discount Ballpeen.

Lindy's Sports Pro Football Mag was only $10.99 so I drank less beer that weekend.  Unfortunately, that still didn't help me find the 6 pack in my mid-section.  Should I put that on a milk carton?  "Has anyone seen Pus-Gut Flugel's Abs since 1982? Okay, did anyone ever see them before that?"  

Athlon Sports NFL Draft was a little more at $12.99. 

Don't get me wrong.  I don't care if some like that.  I wasn't trying to insult those who do.  I was just speaking for myself.  You are probably right on cost.  I haven't bought a draft guide in a long time.  The net overloads me with that information.  II was thinking of fantasy draft guides. Those seem to run in the $17 range.

Also, the draft is only interesting when your team sucks or you are actually in the draft and you are 4-5 picks away from your pick.  When you pick 4th, draft forums are non stop because it is pretty easy to cross off 2-3 players from a draft board and start to discuss players who you actually have a shot at drafting.  When  you are picking in the 2nd round, it's futile to try to pinpoint guys we might draft.. 

Not until the 1st round is over  will it be possible to even have a fair shot of picking our guy.

On 4/12/2024 at 7:11 AM, Dutch Oven said:

I would prefer they stay downtown, but wouldn't be upset if they did the Brookpark thing.

And this is a private business. Interesting how all you free-market capitalism is king guys get all Bernie Sanders when it comes to these billionaires getting stadiums for their sports teams - stadiums that skyrocket the value of the teams they own.

The Haslams bought the Browns for $1 billion dollars, a team now valued at four times that amount. They had so much money from flipping their RICO-investigated truck stop business that they could buy the Columbus Crew AND buy a big chunk of a NBA team that competes with the Cavaliers. 

Let THEM build the palace they want. Let THEM maintain the palace they want.

If it comes to that, I am sure they probably will.  The rest of what you said sounds like sour grapes to me.

On 3/10/2024 at 5:44 PM, Ibleedbrown said:

Any of you guys watch cooking shows? It’s sort of a Sunday morning thing my gf and l do, and much to her chagrin it’s how l discovered Mary Berg. She’s a total dreamboat my dudes. Very animated, kinda nerdy, and very charismatic with great facial expressions. I could watch her for hours. 

She’s Canadian, so that’s close to Cleveland, right? 

Yep welp, linky mclinkerson…

https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/mary-makes-it-easy

I like cooking shows a lot.  I have never seen her.  I will check it out.

A few Youtubers i like..

Jean Pierre

Sam the cooking guy