ballpeen

Why not? As a lawyer I would always advise my client to test the water. It would be stupid and dereliction of duty to do otherwise. If you are hired to find the best deal, you are bound to do such and advise. Then the player makes the decision based on other reasons. Then you move from there. Agents catch a lot of crap for doing their job.

At this point, Schwartz not making it doesn't make us any thinner. It can only go up if the guy has somehow learned to catch, which I doubt since most people learn how to do that when they are 9 years old. If you were never hit in the face by a baseball, you never learned to catch or learned at an early age. I'd make Schwarts field about 50 fly balls. If he can't catch or at least track them, forget him. If you can run 25 yards and catch a baseball, a football is easy peasy.

Call it what you want. I will say that if the guy plays well in camp, I wouldn't just summarily dismiss him based on a feeling. That said, I have already said he shouldn't stick, so we don't disagree. If he didn't perform well while he was still a rookie or 2nd year player and didn't have much pressure on him from the staff, I don't think that will change now that he is up against the wall.

You are getting to the age where you are probably already pissed just going to work, so what else is new?😁

Browns agree to deal with ex-Titans QB to be Deshaun Watson’s backup (msn.com) Good move IMO. The guy already knows the basics of the O and is a similar player in style as Watson, which I think is important. If you have a QB who can move, you don't need to have a drop back statue as the back-up.

You brought up a point I failed to mention. It doesn't have to be a drafted player. There is still time for a trade, June 1 cuts, and camp cuts to find a receiver. We now have a QB who can make pro bowl wide receivers. All top receivers aren't that because they are just that much better than anybody else. Many of them are because they found a connection with a top QB who feeds them the ball. QB's tend to throw to the guy who has caught passes before.

No doubt about Schwartz. If he doesn't ball out in camp, I don't see any way he sticks. We have enough bodies that someone should be better. Harley as an example was the leading receiver in Miami history. I am not saying he is going to be good, but it has to mean something. No doubt we look towards the draft and the odds are a receiver will be the pick. I think out starting guys are good enough. We just need a few players behind them to step up to provide options. It's time for a few of those guys to step up and time for a few of those guys to be cut and replaced with the next wave of prospect receivers. If a receiver doesn't show some sort of reliability after 2-3 years, it time to move on and quit wasting time and resources. For every guy we continue to keep on the main roster or practice squad, that is one less position for another player who might become decent, be it at receiver or another position.

But to answer you. I don't want to see 2 TE sets. If you are bringing in a extra TE to block, you might as well bring in an extra lineman.

It's still listed. Here under interests.

Because they realize that if blocking is the goal, a back-up tackle or guard is going to be able to block better than a back-up TE. We saw a regular dose of o-linemen reporting as eligible last season. Maybe I am confusing years, but one even caught a TD pass.

Look, we can go round and round talking about "what about this, what about that?". Bottom line is I don't give a shit about a TE's ability to block. Will I take if they can? Sure, but they have to have the other. Ozzie Newsome wasn't known for being a blocker. I'll take that. Simply getting in the way for a second or so works for me if they can catch and score TD's. If the guy is known as a blocking tight end, I don't want the stiff. Fair enough?

I like Hayes. Mich has had a good O line for several years now.

Sure. Who wouldn't? I am just saying that if you have to have one or the other, I want a A+ pass catcher who is a F blocker over a TE who is a A+ blocker and F pass catcher.

First, I didn't want it to sound like I was putting you down for mentioning blocking. It is important, but it is last thing I care about at positions like that. As for signaling, in 90% of the cases they already know what you are going to do. Somewhere on the team we have a big guy who can catch. They aren't total clods, at least all, and catching is as basic as it gets. I would also say signaling one thing, then throwing to the guy who signals is a good option. You are only doing that in short yardage situations. I will also say it is only signaling if you never throw to them. Do it once or twice, now you have the great blocker in line that teams do have to at least think about as a receiver. You don't have to show it much for it to become a threat.

Not sure I understand your comment on giving us time on Nick Harris? I think we kept Pocic because Pocic is better. I wouldn't be surprised if we drafted a true center in the mid/late rounds and move on from Harris. You might be right on a LT prospect. Wills has been up and down at the LT position. A move to the right might be in order at some point as Conklin is getting older. A LT might be the pick if a player is there who we think has promise. Even if Wills plays well, it gives us options as we move forward. Having too many good players really isn't a problem. You can find somewhere to play them or trade them. Then you can trade for need.

Whales don't have anything better to do with their money.

Thanks for the info. I have to be honest, I will be a bit unimpressed if we take a backer in the 2nd, maybe even the 3rd. LB is one of those positions where unless they are 1st round caliber, it's almost impossible for them to be the BPA until maybe the 4th round, but that is just my opinion.

I don't know, I don't really care if a TE can block. If blocking is what you want, line up a back-up tackle or guard to grind out that yard. I want TE's to be offensive weapons more than being a blocker.

No doubt. FA is where you address needs. You get proven players at positions of need. Those guys may flop, but it is a far surer thing than trying to fix that in the draft. If you try to do that in the draft you end up reaching for players at the expense of passing better players. You are also banking on rookies stepping right in and making significant impact, which doesn't happen all that often. I don't think there is any doubt that Haslam has let Berry and Stefanski know in no uncertain terms that this is a very important season for their continued employment with the Browns.

Seems like there are a few every year.

I still think the draft is about BPA. That said, needs do come in to play. I think needs and BPA will joint for us this year and a receiver will be the selection in round 2. There are several receivers who should be available that will fall in to a grouping of players from which we can choose. By that I mean you can probably make a nice, neat list of the top 10-15 players, but after that groups of players begin to grade out the same, or close enough to allow some flexibility in your choice. The wildcard is if somebody starts to fall. At that point you probably just need to take the guy and readjust your draft plans.

Who knows? Maybe Gaines was of interest, but we got a cool reception by his agent. Maybe that was a way of saying his guy didn't want to play here, or a signal he was going to play one team against the other in salary talks? As for age, I don't think a year makes much difference when you are talking about guys going for a 2nd, or maybe it is 3rd contract. He is still inside the window for a DT. As for anything longer, I never really look for that outside of drafted rookies. If the guy is still stout enough, maybe we extend him for a few more years, but as you say, I wouldn't count on it. In todays NFL landscape, it's hard to project anybody out much more than 4 years.

OBR Free Agent Probability Rating: EDGE, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (247sports.com)

As someone who has actually eaten the things, that recipe leaves out an important step IMO. You then have to fry them up in a little bacon grease after the boil.