2015 Cleveland Browns Training Camp Thread

[Randolphkeys]

I don't think they grabbed up McCown solely because they thought he could help Johnny, but because they thought he could actually play. The Bills thought he could play too.

Media releases and the press conference afterwards highlighted his playing ability and his willingness to support Manziel.

Ian Rapoport

✔@RapSheet
The connection between OC John DeFilippo & Josh McCown was the 2007 #Raiders. It got him to visit. Now, McCown can compete with & mentor JFF

4:02 PM - 27 Feb 2015

His willingness to mentor Manziel was the standard second point made after his ability to start and know DeFilippo's offense.

What QBs from last year's FAs would you have preferred they go after?

I preferred the Hoyer situation to not be fucked or a trade for a starting QB who was on the market. Some QBS who were on the trading block were moved, many others are still with their teams playing out their contract in limbo.

 

[godfather]

Looking back, I wish they were able to pull the trigger on the Bradford trade. Although, giving up a first rounder was never something I wanted to do for him.

Given we had two of them, I would have rolled the dice though. But Philly had no interest in the deal.

I don't blame the Browns going after him. With the right line around him, he'd be fine. He'd be instantly better than anything we've had in a very long time.

Too bad they couldn't pull it off. There was risk there given his history of injuries, but one worth taking.

 

[Randolphkeys]

Looking back, I wish they were able to pull the trigger on the Bradford trade. Although, giving up a first rounder was never something I wanted to do for him.

Cameron Erving better start looking like something more than a utility 6th offensive lineman. So far he hasn't blown me away, has gotten beat a few times by 2nd teamers, and he has picked up a few penalties. You can get a utility 6th offensive lineman in the 4th round.

 

[spydy13]

Media releases and the press conference afterwards highlighted his playing ability and his willingness to support Manziel.

Ian Rapoport

✔@RapSheet
The connection between OC John DeFilippo & Josh McCown was the 2007 #Raiders. It got him to visit. Now, McCown can compete with & mentor JFF

4:02 PM - 27 Feb 2015

His willingness to mentor Manziel was the standard second point made after his ability to start and know DeFilippo's offense.



I preferred the Hoyer situation to not be fucked or a trade for a starting QB who was on the market. Some QBS who were on the trading block were moved, many others are still with their teams playing out their contract in limbo.

As I said though, it wasn't the sole reason as you seem to suggest. I think they valued his ability to mentor so that if Johnny got good enough to win the starting job in the next couple years there wouldn't be a vet throwing a fit in the locker room. It's clear though that they are relying on him to start going into this next couple year period.

Basically they wanted a true bridge QB. Hoyer is not in that mindset yet because he truly believes he can be a legit starter, which is fair enough. I think his play over the second half of the year proved otherwise, and the Browns, I think, were worried about potential pouting that could occur if Johnny won the job down the road.

As far as trading for guys, I agree that there were some guys I would be intrigued in, but obviously it has to be for the right price and the prices were pretty high.

 

[spydy13]

Cameron Erving better start looking like something more than a utility 6th offensive lineman. So far he hasn't blown me away, has gotten beat a few times by 2nd teamers, and he has picked up a few penalties. You can get a utility 6th offensive lineman in the 4th round.

Do you think that has anything to do with them making him a 6th utility lineman? I know his versatility was one of the main reasons he was drafted, but I wonder if throwing a rookie into the deep end of the pool and making him learn 5 positions is a recipe for disaster.

 

[Lee]

Do you think that has anything to do with them making him a 6th utility lineman? I know his versatility was one of the main reasons he was drafted, but I wonder if throwing a rookie into the deep end of the pool and making him learn 5 positions is a recipe for disaster.

I was thinking that. This season learn right guard and back up center. Only.

As he develops, he can learn to backup other positions. But playing OL in the pros is so much more advanced with all the reads. Its one thing for a player to understand everything n paper, which I am sure he does, but its another to make it instinctual so the player can be proficient at the position.

You are lucky if a rookie gets instinctual at one position, we tried to get him to be proficient at 5. Stupid development, but horrible development seems par for the course over the years for the Browns.

 

[macbdog]

Cameron Erving better start looking like something more than a utility 6th offensive lineman. So far he hasn't blown me away, has gotten beat a few times by 2nd teamers, and he has picked up a few penalties. You can get a utility 6th offensive lineman in the 4th round.

Mack looked like hot garbage at first, too. He's been ping-ponged around, I will reserve judgement until he gets consistent burn at one position. Not to mention that he was drafted to replace Mack and that is where he needs to be getting playing time.

 

[Pick6]

Pettine said today that he sees guard as Erving's natural position.

 

[chrisrich91]

Looks like the Browns did draft a quarterback with the intent to develop and that quarterback is developing.

yet the people who've been clamoring for a quarterback to be developed the "right" way seem to be the same ones declaring the Browns have no quarterback because they dont like who the Browns selected.
If the plan was to groom Manziel to be a 3rd or 4th year starting quarterback. its too early to make declarations and campaign to start the process all over again.

The people clamoring for the Browns to develop a QB prospect the right way also have the right to disagree with WHICH prospect the Browns choose to develop. Torn, sorry to break this to you, but the Browns have no QB.

I despise people telling me I have judged Manziel "too early" and after "only 7 quarters of football". I'm not judging him solely based on what he's done in the NFL so far. I thought he was a garbage prospect coming out of school and everything thus far in his short pro career has backed that opinion up.

 

[godfather]

I keep wanting to see if Manziel can make the really tight throws in coverage while remaining in the pocket.

The touch down throw was by far his best throw he's made in a Browns uniform, but that wasn't exactly a tight coverage throw. It was a throw any half decent NFL QB should make.

I think Johnny's size clearly hurts him. He does struggle to get through his progressions fast enough while in the pocket, because at times it's obvious he just can't see the entire field.

I just don't see it for him in this league. Nothing we've seen in preseason has shown me that he'll be able to play in the NFL, either.

And it's not that he's been bad either, but Johnny hasn't really been given a true test to demonstrate in any way if he can really play in this league either.

I wish the coaching staff would cut him loose a little more in the preseason just to see it though.

 

[Tornicade]

The people clamoring for the Browns to develop a QB prospect the right way also have the right to disagree with WHICH prospect the Browns choose to develop. Torn, sorry to break this to you, but the Browns have no QB.

I despise people telling me I have judged Manziel "too early" and after "only 7 quarters of football". I'm not judging him solely based on what he's done in the NFL so far. I thought he was a garbage prospect coming out of school and everything thus far in his short pro career has backed that opinion up.

Despise all you want. The Browns seem intent on giving Manziel a chance to develop. I really doubt they take a quarterback in the first round
outside of a "relapse" Manziel isnt going anywhere for this season or the next. people should accept it.

 

[MoFlo]

Would have been better off letting Manziel prove his worth with Lewis/Shaw backing him up than gobbling up a career journeyman......yea McCown is solid according to one poster....a solid piece of poo.

You can say it was me. No need to hide it, I stand by that statement, that he can be solid here

He was behind one of the worst OL's last season in Tampa, so I put very little stock in what he did for them.

On the other hand, he did have a ton of weapons when he went off in Chicago, so he obviously won't come close to repeating that kind of success.

However, I do think, with our line and D, provided that our running game doesn't tank, he can be a solid QB here. Not saying he'll be anything close to a pro-bowler or anything.

There was no point in rushing Manziel, when he looked like shit last season and proved that he was nowhere close to being ready going into the off-season.

 

[DJTJ]

You can say it was me. No need to hide it, I stand by that statement, that he can be solid here

He was behind one of the worst OL's last season in Tampa, so I put very little stock in what he did for them.

On the other hand, he did have a ton of weapons when he went off in Chicago, so he obviously won't come close to repeating that kind of success.

However, I do think, with our line and D, provided that our running game doesn't tank, he can be a solid QB here. Not saying he'll be anything close to a pro-bowler or anything.

There was no point in rushing Manziel, when he looked like shit last season and proved that he was nowhere close to being ready going into the off-season.

I agree, to be honest. Part of the reason Tampa got decent at the end of the season wasn't because Josh McCown was out, it was because he influenced the gameplay heavily once the OC drama started to happen. Dude is really smart.

Two bad throws in a preseason game doesn't make him atrocious.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

If you are taking a QB that needs 4-5 years of development without a QB that is an above average starter that can bridge that gap in the first round. Well, then you are in the position we are in. Trying to talk ourselves into josh McCown being anything but atrocious. I would honestly prefer captain checkdown Campbell. (This message was Mary Kay Cabot approved)

 

[brownindian]

I understand that we have a not enviable QB situation and hence see the discussion - But i am more worried that we seem to have regressed in almost all offensive roles based on the eye test.

Our RB seem unimpressive, Our WR's are getting shorter every year (Stop washing them) and our TE spot which was our supposed strength with JC last year is also a weakness. As far as O-Line goes I am am not seeing the quality that we saw the last year.