Dear Lord indeed. Bernie paid to have our ancient parish cathedral air conditioned when I was a child. The man is a saint in Cleveland, you take that back.Quote:
Originally Posted by Danno
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Dear Lord indeed. Bernie paid to have our ancient parish cathedral air conditioned when I was a child. The man is a saint in Cleveland, you take that back.Quote:
Originally Posted by Danno
Jeff Garcia looked surprisingly good in a Cleveland Browns Jersey, got his head taken off every week due to a shitty line at the time, and still got back up and played. Respect.Quote:
Originally Posted by BmillsSkier
Belichick ruined him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Danno
Your favorite quarterback, whoever that is, never had a song written about him, had worse hair, and probably threw the ball over the top instead of slinging it sidearm between defensive linemen. Boooooring.Quote:
Originally Posted by Danno
Kosar is absolutely untouchable in the Land.
Article in The Athletic re the QB situation: The Browns made up their minds on Baker Mayfield before their pursuit of Deshaun Watson
Quote:
It has been a tumultuous week on the periphery for the Cleveland Browns, a team whose only official moves in the player movement period have been predictable and unspectacular.
But the outside noise hit a fever pitch Thursday afternoon when Baker Mayfield’s representation demanded a trade, something that had been brewing since earlier in the week (at least) and something that was met, not surprisingly, with Browns sources immediately issuing a message that, no, the team wouldn’t be trading Mayfield. This whole thing is about choices, but it’s about leverage, too.
Going back to last season, it has been rare that what Mayfield said matched what the team said in any public forum. Mayfield battled multiple injuries that clearly affected his performance in a season that was wholly disappointing not just for Mayfield but the organization as a whole. Coming off their first playoff appearance in 18 seasons and first playoff win in Mayfield’s lifetime, expectations were high. Those expectations, like the Browns passing game, cratered.
You knew all that, so back to the choices. The Browns effectively broke up with Mayfield when they got on that plane to Houston earlier this week to court Deshaun Watson, a talented quarterback who would have brought with him baggage in the form of 22 civil cases alleging sexual misconduct. The people in charge knew there could be repercussions with Mayfield that included both hurt feelings and lost leverage — and the Browns did it anyway. Their choice was clear, which made Mayfield’s Tuesday night letter to fans and his later choice to publicly demand a trade the logical next steps. Both things always felt like they could be part of Mayfield’s offseason playbook, and the Browns’ choice to visit Watson brought them to the forefront.
This all seems a little bit sloppy and awkward, but none of it comes as a massive surprise. Nor is it an emergency. This is the result of the Browns taking all of their observations, evaluations and plans and putting them into motion, as all 32 teams do at this time of year. There’s not a team in the league that went into this offseason with Mayfield as its first choice at quarterback — including the Browns — so they had to consider all of their options. Their choice, as made clear by their actions this week, was to try and land someone better than Mayfield if at all possible. At the game’s most important position, the Browns want more effectiveness in reading defenses and less time on social media. They wanted Watson but were ready to move on even if they didn’t get him.
Of course, Mayfield was hurt by finding out via the internet that the Browns were meeting with Watson. And Mayfield was absolutely within his rights to respond to the franchise’s courting of Watson by concluding that it’d be best for both sides to move on. It was his choice. Like it was last October, when Mayfield chose to say it would be up to him whether he was able to play in a short-week situation and then chose to leak further details of his injury the organization had kept under wraps. Last November, Mayfield chose not to speak to the media after a game, a violation of NFL policy and basically unprecedented for a quarterback. In January, Mayfield chose to sit out the season finale and instead be placed on injured reserve ahead of his labrum surgery.
Those were all his decisions.
They all led to the Browns deciding that they’d take a swing at trading for Watson. But they did so knowing that if they missed, they’d be forced to go elsewhere.
Inside the Browns facility right now, there’s likely no crying or regrets. There’s no “break glass in case of emergency.” Plans that have long been discussed are being put into motion with the intent of finding a quarterback who can deliver similar or improved play with fewer selfish choices.
The signs have been there. The Browns never offered Mayfield a new contract despite him becoming extension-eligible last March. In visiting Watson, the Browns decided not just that they were ready to move on, but that they were willing to give up something like three first-round picks and a player to do it. This Browns regime says little on the record — about anything, ever. But before this week, it had made its stance pretty clear by what it hadn’t said and hadn’t done. The decision-makers continued to make their feelings clear this week, even if the Browns have still officially said nothing.
So what’s next? The outside quarterback options are few, something else that has long been clear. The Browns might be scrambling a bit to protect what little leverage they have with Mayfield while also trying to complete a trade for an older player who’s not the long-term answer. Timing always matters, so with Watson’s next stop uncertain as of this writing and Matt Ryan likely to be moved soon if Watson chooses Atlanta, the Browns must be ready to pounce. They need clear lines of communication with other teams as there could be a late scramble involving three or four quarterback shoppers and not that many sellers.
On many levels, this was always going to be complicated, as is anything that involves coach-quarterback relationships, optics and the state of the most important position in sports. Sure, choosing between drafting a wide receiver and a defensive end is a crucial decision, but it’s generally not a franchise-altering one. Cutting a tight end or safety because he’s disgruntled or underperforming is nothing like making a similar decision at quarterback. There’s no doubt that whatever comes next will be a big decision and a big deal.
But let’s be clear: This is not one decision by the Browns spiraling out of control. It was expected. It’s part of the process of trying to get better. It’s a time of uncertainty, yes, but it’s not a time for panic.
Late March is a bad time to not have a starting quarterback, for sure. But the Browns had already decided that they didn’t.
HOLY SHIT.
DESHAUN WATSON IS GOING TO CLEVELAND.
I'm not entirely stoked about this, but what a few days.
Yay sexual assault!
mistake on the lake, part umpteen
I can’t wait to hear the spin attempts on this one.
Grabbing my popcorn in 3…2…1…
Well, I've been on record that I'm completely happy with Baker and this whole foray into the bizzare was a bad idea from go.
There's actually a small grass roots effort in Oklahoma for the folks there to try and Green Bay the Browns. Someone was saying $650 per person ought to raise enough cash. They do realize that Baker's not going to be there forever right??
I couldn’t get to this thread fast enoughQuote:
Originally Posted by BmillsSkier
Me too. Kobe still makes me uncomfortable. This ought to be interesting.Quote:
Originally Posted by BmillsSkier
How someone goes from 15+ sexual assault accusations to 0 is beyond my comprehension.
Rapelisberger retires so the Browns decided the AFC north needs a new sexual predator. Definite upgrade from Baker though.
What a giant pile of burning shit that front office is.
Fixed it for youQuote:
Originally Posted by Asspen
Him and Kareem Hunt are quite the duoQuote:
Originally Posted by Asspen
Quote:
Originally Posted by Danno
Thanks for sharing that Danno, I’ve been meaning to sign up for the athletic but haven’t gotten around to it yet.
Well, a day ago I would have warned you that both of their beat writers are diehard Anti-Baker-ites, but I guess it doesn't matter anymore.Quote:
Originally Posted by BmillsSkier
I mean....as a lifelong Steeler's fan...this is a great day. $230MM GUARANTEED over 5 years....3 first round picks, 2 thirds and the guy might miss half of the next season due to suspensions.
When blowing a first round pick on a QB every 4 years isn't enough....trade the next 3 and spend 25% of your cap on one guy. Only in Cleveland! This is going to be fun to watch...
Speechless here
Sent from my iPad using TGR Forums
Your QB1:
https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comment...tm_name=iossmf
Browns fans, I hope it’s worth it
+1. Just when I thought we were headed to the bottom of the division, Browns gonna Browns.Quote:
Originally Posted by gretch6364
And just like that every female on the Browns staff just quit,
second.Quote:
Originally Posted by I Skied Bandini Mountain
texans are their own dumpster fire of which double the picks would not have solved, but the browns mortgaged their immediate future for watson ? he's just not that good. he's really good but not that many picks good with a looming suspension and his own dumpster full of baggage.
browns are in an ascending period and were never going to be top of the afc favorites and wont be with watson but would have a shot the next few years with baker and those first round picks to plug a hole the next 3 years; gone now.