Month: January 2024

Moving On.

After watching the NFL games this past weekend, I’m reminded how important it is to find the right kicker. All I know is, I can’t take the Ravens winning another Super Bowl, so I’m rooting for Kansas City this weekend. I’m also rooting for San Fransico; I just can’t root for Detroit because that would mean another team besides the Browns made it to the big game. I know, I’m weird, but the next team to go to the Super Bowl for the first time should be Cleveland. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Now that the off-season has started, I thought I would remind my readers of the upcoming important dates on the NFL schedule.

February 20: Teams can designate Franchise and Transition players.

February 27 through March 4: NFL combine or as I call it, illegal tampering period.

March 5: Deadline for teams to designate Franchise and Transition players.

March 11 through March 13: The legal tampering period.

March 13: League year begins, 4:00 pm EST.

April 15: Off-season workout program begins for the Browns.

Today Browns GM Andrew Berry addressed the local media. The noteworthy information was his efforts in this off-season will be for the Browns to host a playoff game and make a deep run. That would mean the Browns would have to win the AFC North. Is it possible? Sure, anything is possible. The Browns won eleven games starting four different quarterbacks. The focus now is to hire a new offensive coordinator, running backs coach and tight end coach. They’re looking to hire someone who will maximize the talents of Deshaun Watson. If they don’t hire an OC before the AFC and NFC championship games, then they’re waiting for someone on one of those coaching staffs. Personally, I think hiring Duce Staley as the running backs coach would be a homerun. Berry also said the rehabs of Watson and Nick Chubb are progressing well.

The next question about the Browns involves what players they will attempt to resign for 2024. Some I would like to see are Za’Darius Smith, Shelby Harris, Cory Bojorquez, Mike Ford, Rodney McLeod, Mathew Adams, Murice Hurst, Michael Dunn, James Proche and Nick Harris. The key decisions will be to restructure and bring back Amari Cooper and to restructure Chubb. Other key players who might be restructured are Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller and Myles Garrett. The Browns are currently about $16.9 million over estimated cap of $242 million. Finally, the most important position that needs an upgrade is backup quarterback. The Browns would love to have Joe Flacco as the backup QB and Flacco would love to come back. But if he’s offered a starting gig, you really can’t blame him for taking it. If he does come back to the Browns, it will be to backup Watson, nothing more. Stay Safe and Go Browns.

Time to Reload.

I don’t say, wait till next year, not this team with this front office. It’s time to reload. As for the game Saturday, the Browns ran into the better team on that day. There’s no one player to blame and there’s no conspiracy by the league against the Browns. What I saw was a team with a rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback execute and perform better than the other team. To be honest, I thought the Browns looked a little tight. Since Flacco has been the starting quarterback, the Browns have marched down the field on their first possession and scored a touchdown. Not Saturday. They were three-and-out. The moment was too great. After the game, I wasn’t mad, only because I had more than a quarter of football to decompress. The game was over at the end of the third. My only question after the game was is how in the hell did The Ohio State not win a national championship with C.J. Stroud. I bet the Carolina Panthers are kicking themselves right now. Bottom line, on offense the Texans took advantage of what the Browns defense did well, aggressiveness. On offense, a team’s offensive line always looks better when your QB throws the ball in about two seconds. Stroud got rid of the ball in 2.4 seconds, Flacco held the ball longer. It showed how bad the Browns fourth and fifth string offensive tackles are and the Texans pass rush took advantage.

Don’t get me wrong, the 2023 Browns season was one wild ride. Most fans said wait till next year when Nick Chubb was hurt, or when Deshaun Watson was put on IR for the season. Injury after injury every week. If I had to pick one week when things started to get bad, (thank you CLEology, @CLEology for posting this) it would be the week 14. Prior to the Jacksonville game it was announced RT Dawand Jones was placed on season ending IR. Then pregame, S Juan Thornhill started down the injury road with a calf injury that would not heal. Finally, during the game, LB Anthony Walker injured, out for the season, DT Maurise Hurst, injured, out for the season and S Grant Delpit, injured out for the season. The team had the players to beat Trevor Lawrence, Case Keenum and Trevor Siemian, but not a motivated Stoud and Texans team.

I have faith in GM Andrew Berry to return the Browns to the playoffs next season. Next year they’re going to have to win the division. No more road wildcard games, playoff home games, please. Look at the moves he made in 2023. Dustin Hopkins, Kareem Hunt, Joe Flacco, Dawand Jones, Ogbo Okoronkwo, Mo Hurst, Shelby Harris, Dalvin Tomlinson, Ronnie Hickman and Duron Harmon. Looking forward to the 2024 season, according to https://overthecap.com/ the estimated salary cap will be $242 million. As of right now, the Browns are $13 million over the cap. With restructures, Cleveland can trim over $60 million off the payroll, starting with around $30 million of Watson’s contract. I’m sure in the coming weeks, local and national media will use the phrase “cap hell” to describe the 2024 Browns. Don’t believe them, they’re only looking for clicks.

Next up are contract extensions for head coach Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry and yes, they deserve extensions. Stefanski mentioned there would be some tweaking of the coaching staff and I don’t expect anything major. The Browns are set at the most important coaching positions, defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator, special teams coach and offensive line coach. I also feel JOK and Grant Delpit deserve contract extensions. In future blogs, I’ll express my opinion on which Browns free agents I would like to see return. Finally, some important dates moving forward. February 3, Senior Bowl, February 27 through March 3, NFL combine, March 11 through March 13, legal tampering period, March 13, 4:00pm EST the 2024 league begins and April 25 through April 27 the NFL draft. Stay safe and Go Browns.

It’s Playoff Time.

That was a dud of a game yesterday, but it was stress-free Browns football. The Browns have played in meaningless year end games before, only because they were terrible. Then we as fans had to wait till the next day to see if the GM and/or head coach would be fired on “black Monday.” Those days are gone. Yes, the backups looked terrible against the Cincinnati starters, but who cares. Their playoff seed was already locked up and all they had to do was play a game and get the hell out of Cincinnati unscathed. There were a couple of injuries, DT Shelby Harris and WR Cedric Tillman. Harris has a shin injury and Tillman is in concussion protocol. It was good to see WR Elijah Moore, DE Ogbo Okoronkwo and P Cory Bojorquez return and play. Hopefully the rest will help with the return of S Juan Thornhill, WR Amari Cooper and K Dustin Hopkins.

As for the game, like I said, I really didn’t care. The only question to be asked is did Jeff Driskel do enough to be the backup QB for the playoffs? P.J. Walker has won some games for the Browns this year, but I think the team has got all they could get out Walker already. The team will practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week. Still no news on if S Grant Delpit will be able to return for the playoffs. I did notice the team took S Ronnie Hickman out of the game yesterday pretty early, that might mean the team is getting ready to be without Delpit. Finally, congratulations to DE Isaiah McGure on recording his first NFL sack.

Because the Jaguars faltered down the stretch and exhibited terrible play calling in the final moments of the Titan game, Cleveland will travel to Houston for their wildcard game. While most Browns fans are concerned about facing Houston and C.J. Stroud, I’m not. I have faith in the Browns coaching staff and the key players performing well. The Texans do get defensive help with both their pass rushers and their best linebacker returning from injury, but the last time I looked, their starting cornerbacks are still playing and Cooper and Flacco lit them up last time.

If the Browns can take care of business in Houston, their probable next opponent would be in Baltimore. However, there is a scenario where the Browns could host the next game. The Browns need to beat Texans, the Steelers need to beat the Bills and the Dolphins need to be the Chiefs, then the Browns would host the Dolphins in a divisional game. Going to Baltimore seems to be more realistic, but you never know, it’s been a strange year in the NFL.

The Browns 2024 opponents have been announced. Cleveland will host the Bengals, Steelers, Ravens, Chargers, Chiefs, Cowboys, Giants and Dolphins. Cleveland will travel to the Bengals, Steelers, Ravens, Broncos, Raiders, Commanders, Eagles and Jaguars. It’s been a while since the Browns and the Eagles have played overseas, so this game might be the one. Because the NFC has the extra home game in 2024, the Eagles would be the home team.

Finally, because it’s “black Monday” some Browns fans are worried about losing defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to another team if they hire him as their head coach. I’m not worried. He loves Cleveland and the trend now in the league is to hire young up and coming coordinators. Schwartz will turn 60 this year. Also, it would have to be the perfect situation, and right now I don’t see that situation. Besides he’s being paid extremely well by the Browns.

It’s playoff week Browns fans. enjoy the week, stay safe and Go Browns.