Month: April 2022

The NFL Draft is one week away, and this has to be the quietest draft I’ve ever seen. I can understand Browns fans not talking about it due to the lack of a first-round pick, but it’s still an important draft. It’s true the Browns are better at this point this year than they were last year when it comes to talent, but this draft will fill holes on the roster for the future. Good teams play for the playoffs every year and draft for the future.

The biggest news this week was the Denzel Ward extension. If you look at the contract, GM Andrew Berry while extending Ward, saved about $5 million on the 2022 salary cap. Ninja GM. The Browns are currently around $27 million under the cap. Quite a few Browns fans are worried the Browns will end up in cap hell after all the money the team spent this year. Nope. I do expect the Browns to restructure QB Deshaun Watson’s deal a couple of times before it expires. Just remember the 2023 salary cap will go up to around $220 million due to the new television deal. More money, more money, more money. The five most important positions on an NFL team are QB, WR, LT, Edge and CB. The Browns have all four locked up with Watson, Cooper, Wills, Garrett and Ward.

Other signings this week were, DT Sheldon Day, DE Stephen Weatherly, WR Ja’Marcus Bradley, OG Michael Dunn, WR Javon Wims and DE Issac Rochell. Day, Bradley and Dunn were on the roster last year and the rest are veteran backups. Weatherly and Rochell were not signed to replace Jadeveon Clowney, I still expect Clowney to resign with the Browns. But if I’m Curtis Weaver, I’d be worried. Time to show your talent more consistently young man. These types of moves allow Andrew Berry to let the draft come to him and draft for talent not need.

The first voluntary workouts started this week, and I was glad to see Watson, Brissett, Dobbs, Cooper and Winovich show up. Have you noticed the Browns quarterback room is taller? Watson is 6’2″, Brissett is 6’4″ and Dobbs is 6’3″. My only knock-on Baker Mayfield was he was short. Speaking of Mayfield, after he was on the “Dog Package” podcast, Seattle signed QB Gino Smith. However according to the experts, both Seattle and Carolina are the favorites to land him. Is Mayfield better then Drew Lock or Sam Darnold? Yes. Carolina is interesting because their first draft pick is number six and then they wait till pick 137 (fourth round) for their second pick. While many mock drafts have them taking a QB at six, I think their greater need is edge because of the loss of Hasson Riddick in free agency. Mayfield would be the perfect bridge till the 2023 draft where the draftable quarterbacks will be far superior. As for Seattle, they have the draft capital to make a trade. It will come down to how much of Mayfield’s salary the Browns will pay to trade him. My guess would be $8 to $10 million for one of Seattle’s 2022 fifth round picks or a conditional 2023 pick from Carolina.

As I mentioned earlier, the NFL Draft is one week away. I expect a wide receiver at pick number 44. Followed in no peculiar order by defensive line, offensive line, cornerback and possibly linebacker. I don’t expect a quarterback or a running back to be drafted. A kicker is possible, but I expect an UDFA to be signed after the draft. Andrew Berry loves him some rookie UDFAs. I’ve done three mock drafts for https://clesportstalk.com/ and this weekend I’ll complete my final mock. Be sure to look for it. It’s starting to feel like football season again. Players in the building in Berea, NFL Draft next week and then the schedule comes out. Everyone stay safe and Go Browns.

When I heard the taped “I Love You Bro” podcast with Baker Mayfield had dropped, I was curious as to what he said. I knew he wouldn’t go scorched earth on the Browns. As I mentioned in last week’s blog, the Browns can void all guarantees in Mayfield’s contract if he does or says anything detrimental to the team. He did have some interesting and self-serving comments. This guy is more passive-aggressive than my ex-wife. Some highlights.

He feels 100% disrespected by the Browns because they told him one thing and did another. First of all, the team didn’t sign you to an extension last summer or early in the 2021 season, there’s your first clue. Yes, the Browns started looking for a replacement six months ago, but did you expect them to tell you then? I was fired from a job once, they told me that day and escorted me out of the building. Mayfield and his representatives were told at the NFL combine that if a top tier quarterback became available, the Browns were going to pursue that quarterback. It’s not the Browns fault Mayfield and his representatives didn’t believe what the team told them.

His play last year didn’t help him now. Okay, I understand you’re a warrior playing through all the injuries, but a true leader knows when he’s a liability to the team. The back-ups went 2-1 and if not for one busted defensive play late in the Raiders game, should’ve been 3-0. The AFC North favorites, Baltimore, didn’t win a game with their back-up QB. Are the Browns absolved of blame for this situation? Hell no. Head coach Kevin Stefanski should have made a head coach’s decision and sat Mayfield. However, the medical staff can only go on what the player tells them concerning their pain index and the coaches goes by the medical evaluations. When this subject comes up, I always think of the time during the season when Mayfield was asked by the local media who makes the decision if he plays in a game, he said, “that’s my decision.” Okay, live with it and take responsibility for it, that’s what true team leaders do.

He also burned the bridge to the current locker room by saying there were some players who weren’t playing to win and only playing for their pensions. What? I’m sure Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, Wyatt Teller, Joel Bitonio, Jarvis Landry, Anthony Walker, Denzel Ward, Troy Hill and John Johnson, III would like to have a word with you. Has anyone noticed that no current Browns player has commented on the podcast? Telling.

Finally, you can come to my office and boo me anytime you want. I’ve been a self-employed accountant for thirty years and had to deal with the Internal Revenue Service and the Tennessee Department of Revenue. All I’ll say is, when you’re done booing, go get me another cup of coffee while you’re up.

On to real Browns news. The list of players visiting the team prior to the draft is growing. Added to the list I gave you last week are, Mississippi LB Mark Robinson, Mississippi Edge Tariquious Tisdale, Arizona State CB Chas Lukas, Arizona State RB Rachaad White, San Diego State K/P Matt Araiza and Georgia RB James Cook. Araiza and Cook are very interesting. Matt Araiza could be signed as a rookie UDFA and give Chase McLaughlin training camp competition. James Cook could be a possible replacement for Kareem Hunt after this year. Both could be stashed on the opening day practice squad. Players report next Monday for the first off-season workouts, if Clowney is going to resign with the Browns, you would think it would happen before then. Finally, I have a feeling a Mayfield trade will happen during the draft or shortly afterward. Let’s hope so, because as a Browns fan who really wanted him to succeed with my favorite football team, I feel 100% disrespected after listening to the “Bro Crush” podcast. Everyone stay safe and Go Browns.

Browns news keeps trickling in at a slow pace right now, so I thought I would provide an update in between preparing tax returns. So far in free agency, the Browns have traded for WR Amari Cooper, DE Chase Winovich and QB Deshaun Watson. They have signed DT Taven Bryan, KR/WR Jakeem Grant, C Ethan Pocic, QB Jacoby Brissett, P Cory Bojorquez, TE Hayden Hurst and QB Josh Dobbs. The team has resigned LB Anthony Walker, OT Chris Hubbard, K Chase McLaughlin and S Ronnie Harrison. Positions still needing to be filled in free agency are DE, DT and WR. The two defensive line positions should be filled by Jadaveon Clowney and maybe Sheldon Day or Akiem Hicks prior to off-season workouts beginning on April 18. Last year Clowney and Day waited until April 14 to sign. As for wide receiver, who knows. I believe the sticking point with Jarvis Landry is money. He wants more than the Browns are offering. The other WR mentioned with the Browns is Will Fuller. He’s younger than Landry but has an injury history.

On the Baker Mayfield front, the Browns are in no hurry to trade him, and they have time on their side. First let me reiterate, the Browns are not going to release him. There are $18.8 million reasons not to release him. The team isn’t going to carry that much dead money on their cap for one player. That’s not how this front office works. With the signing of third string quarterback Josh Dobbs, Mayfield isn’t going on the roster when training camp starts. Some fans and media have speculated Mayfield will remain on the roster to start if Watson is suspended. Not. Going. To. Happen. Besides owner Jimmy Haslem already said goodbye to him. When the man who signs the checks wishes you well in the future, you’re gone. The reason the Browns can be patient is because they have the new CBA working for them. Yes, Mayfield’s contract is guaranteed, but there are provisions in the CBA that can void those guarantees. As Jason Fitzgerald said in an article for https://overthecap.com/, “While I do not have the particulars of Mayfield’s contract language, standard blanket language would generally void guarantees include refusing to practice and suspension for conduct detrimental.  Many often have clauses related to being publicly critical of a team that can void a guarantee. In addition, Mayfield can rack up hefty fines were he to not show up to camp this year- $40,000 per day missed and $1.048 million for every preseason game missed.”

Mayfield recently taped a podcast that will air this week and I hope he was very careful in what he said about the Browns. The Browns have the cap space ($20 million) to keep him on the roster a while longer. Like I said, there’s no hurry. As for Watson, two of the civil suits have been expanded which means they won’t be heard until 2023. With the NFL Commissioner saying Watson won’t be put on the exempt list because of no criminal charges being brought, the new speculation is Watson won’t be suspended in 2022. The NFL will wait until all civil cases run their course before issuing a suspension if any. Watson and his lawyer are adamant in saying they aren’t going to settle any suit.

As for the NFL draft, the Browns have picks 44, 78, 99, 118, 202, 223 and 246. Currently the Browns have visits scheduled with UCLA TE Greg Dulich, Tulsa OT Tyler Smith, Arkansas WR Treyon Burks, North Dakota WR Christian Watson and Oregon WR Trevon Bradford. Burks and Watson are interesting because they might be first round picks. Could GM Andrew Berry be considering trading back in the first round or is trying to convince other teams he’s thinking about it? He might have a certain player he’s looking at to draft at 44 and trying force other teams in drafting Burks or Watson. I do know the Browns are very interested in Burks. Maybe they’re hoping for a draft day fall. Bradford is considered a UDFA signing, but it never hurts to show off the facilities in Berea to convince a player you want to sign after the draft.

Finally, as I write this, it’s being reported that former Buckey’s QB Dwayne Haskins was hit by a car this morning in south Florida and killed. RIP to a Buckeye legend. Everyone stay say and Go Browns.