2019 Browns Off Season/Roster Discussion

[CBBI]

I know Greg Robinson sometimes looked competent when he didn’t look wholly inept, during a stretch in which the Browns looked good.

But a historically bad player protecting your investment in Mayfield is awfully concerning.

Right like... Greg Robinson really wasn't very good at all this year. He graded poorly. He had a couple of backbreaker penalties in crucial spots.

He and Hubbard both benefitted greatly from the Haley to Kitchens change in play calling. They didn't magically become better players. Kitchens just dialed up a lot more quick hitting routes, a lot more screens, a lot more max protections on his deeper/slower developing routes.

On top of that, once Kitchens took over Mayfield seemed to have a much more noticeable "I'm not going to take a sack for any reason" mindset which led to him forcing a couple of throws that ended up being interceptions rather than eating sacks.

 

[chrisrich91]

All this talk about Trent Brown will be for nothing when they retain him. He's just 25 years old.

Bill is known to let players go at the end of their rope. Not guys in their prime and plays left tackle. Probably the second most important position in football.

Just retain Robinson. It'll cost less.

Not sure shelling out a lot of money for Brown is really needed.

It might be a bit more complicated than that. The Patriots have both Trent Brown and Trey Flowers becoming free agents at season’s end. Those will be two high dollar guys to retain.

I’d say Flowers is the one between those two that they simply can’t allow to walk right now with their lack of talent on the edge...they drafted Isaiah Wynn this year, and depending on his rehab he could be the backup plan to losing Brown.

We’ll see how it shakes out. I’d be inclined to think they’d franchise one of those guys. But they’ve only used their franchise tag once since 2012, and that was in 2015 on their kicker, Gostkowski.

It also seems a bit contradictory that you insist Bill will pay what’s necessary to keep “the second most important position in football”...but then dismiss our need for an upgrade by saying Robinson is just fine as a cheap option.

 

[Jordan]

I know Greg Robinson sometimes looked competent when he didn’t look wholly inept, during a stretch in which the Browns looked good.

But a historically bad player protecting your investment in Mayfield is awfully concerning.

I said this before we hired a coach when people were talking about how good Robinson looked under Freddie... but his PFF pass protection numbers were just as bad as they’d always been and he allowed just as many hurries as he always had. Robinson improved in run protection, but really, it was mainly Baker doing a great job getting the ball out quickly.

I worry that, as the playbook expands, Robinson is going to be a glaring hole. I feel like the Browns need to take care of LT this summer and have a set offensive line for the next few years.

 

[AZ_]

I said this before we hired a coach when people were talking about how good Robinson looked under Freddie... but his PFF pass protection numbers were just as bad as they’d always been and he allowed just as many hurries as he always had. Robinson improved in run protection, but really, it was mainly Baker doing a great job getting the ball out quickly.

I worry that, as the playbook expands, Robinson is going to be a glaring hole. I feel like the Browns need to take care of LT this summer and have a set offensive line for the next few years.

He was absolutely whiffing on some blocks, but the nature of the offense was such that Mayfield already got rid of it and they could work around it.

But crafting an offense that has to put less pressure on the OL shouldn't be the ultimate goal. They should be constructing a line with bookend tackles who can protect their investment.

If that's a high pick, I'm good with that. If its investing in Trent Brown, I'm okay with that as well.

They've got a window of low average salaries at QB, RB, DB, DE right now. Invest in protecting the QB, don't resign some marginal talent because he looked capable within the teams larger success down the stretch.

 

[Jordan]

He was absolutely whiffing on some blocks, but the nature of the offense was such that Mayfield already got rid of it and they could work around it.

But crafting an offense that has to put less pressure on the OL shouldn't be the ultimate goal. They should be constructing a line with bookend tackles who can protect their investment.

If that's a high pick, I'm good with that. If its investing in Trent Brown, I'm okay with that as well.

They've got a window of low average salaries at QB, RB, DB, DE right now. Invest in protecting the QB, don't resign some marginal talent because he looked capable within the teams larger success down the stretch.

Just to add, those last eight games, the Browns faced defenses that either had bad pass rush or bad pass coverage. So that makes it much easier to pass quickly and scheme around a weak left tackle. But that won’t be the case over entire seasons, and especially during the playoffs.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Just to add, those last eight games, the Browns faced defenses that either had bad pass rush or bad pass coverage. So that makes it much easier to pass quickly and scheme around a weak left tackle. But that won’t be the case over entire seasons, and especially during the playoffs.

This really goes beyond just winning particular games. We've all seen how adversely the career of Luck, the most touted QB prospect of the last decade, has been affected negatively by injuries. You can certainly make an argument that "over-investment" in the offensive line may not be the most efficient way to build a team built to win the maximum number of games. But, Mayfield is the most important player this franchise has seen since the Return, and keeping him as healthy as possible is critical for the long term.

Protecting his health has to be a major priority -- more so than the yards per play advantages/disadvantages of having a stud OL would suggest.

 

[Lee]

So is this a crazy idea?
Some talking heads say move Bitonio even though he plays at a pro bowl level at LG.

We have another guard on our roster who played LT in college in Corbett. I know we see him as interior lineman, but why not give him a shot at LT?

 

[AZ_]

So is this a crazy idea?
Some talking heads say move Bitonio even though he plays at a pro bowl level at LG.

We have another guard on our roster who played LT in college in Corbett. I know we see him as interior lineman, but why not give him a shot at LT?

He's been pretty adamantly opposed to it, because he doesn't have any level of comfort there.

Bob Wylie, I believe, said he was a last resort option.


It was Hue Jackson who seemed to be pushing the idea most, during camp, if I recall.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't looked back to double check that though.

 

[dark2332]

He's been pretty adamantly opposed to it, because he doesn't have any level of comfort there.

Bob Wylie, I believe, said he was a last resort option.


It was Hue Jackson who seemed to be pushing the idea most, during camp, if I recall.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't looked back to double check that though.

I'd also have to think getting his first Pro Bowl and 2nd team All-Pro as a guard means he's firmly entrenched where he is.

 

[MGMT]

Bitonio said he’d do it but he wouldn’t be excited about it along something of those lines; he made it obvious he wasn’t feeling it. I can’t speak to what any coaches pushed or said. I’d like to keep Bitonio where he’s been outstanding and just acquire an actual tackle. Don’t understand why you’d want to fix what isn’t broken.

 

[FrontPageNews]

Time to put the full fledged recruiting press on joe Thomas. Get that man some cheeseburgers.

 

[natedagg]

Bitonio said he’d do it but he wouldn’t be excited about it along something of those lines; he made it obvious he wasn’t feeling it. I can’t speak to what any coaches pushed or said. I’d like to keep Bitonio where he’s been outstanding and just acquire an actual tackle. Don’t understand why you’d want to fix what isn’t broken.

I think he could be great at OT too but my speculation is that he would want to be paid like one, and that’s why he went right back to G. I would just pay him like one and move him to OT, if that was the case.

Corbett was a high level pick. Where is he going to go? Who are we going to cut or move? I get that we have cap space but we have quite a bit invested in the OL already. If we sign a stud LT, do you think we cut any pricey OL who we already have?

Our defense sucked. Yes it was coaching but we need to plow resources into that as well.

 

[Randolphkeys]

So is this a crazy idea?
Some talking heads say move Bitonio even though he plays at a pro bowl level at LG.

We have another guard on our roster who played LT in college in Corbett. I know we see him as interior lineman, but why not give him a shot at LT?

I remember Joe Thomas worked with him in the beginning of camp, along with Bitonio and Shon Coleman. Thomas said he didn't have the body type for LT in the NFL. I agree - Corbett isn't athletic enough to make up for his lack of measurables. He is a very good interior blocker, but that is his ceiling. It is a little surprising the Browns never had a need for a center or guard all season due to injury.

 

[dark2332]

It is a little surprising the Browns never had a need for a center or guard all season due to injury.

Probably because Tretter basically played on one leg.

 

[Real Deal]