Cleveland Browns 2023 Edition

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great TRADE by the Brownies!!!
 
I believe PFF assessed the moves the Browns made in signing the DT, WR and their draft is factored in. However, the biggest belief has to be that Watson plays like he did in 2020 and not like 2022.

The front 7 on their D is suspect at best and who is their outside rusher opposite Garrett?
Za'Darius Smith.
 
I'll give the Browns credit. They went out and addressed their needs in the off-season. The only place I'd have liked to see another addition is linebacker.
 
The trade for Za'Darius Smith. definitely adds a talented Edge Rusher to play on the opposite side of Garrett. The Browns didn’t give up much, basically just had to drop from two 5th rounds picks to a 6th & 7th but they will have to incur $1.6 mil in dead cap space for 2024 season (unless the trade stipulated otherwise).

The concern - Smith’s play dropped off the 2nd half of last season due to injury and some discontent. Smith should be motived to play well & try to cash in as a FA next year but if he/Browns gets off to a slow start…..might he check out like he did with the Vikings last year? One concerning pattern w/ Smith:
* First 4 years with the Ravens
* Next 3 years with the Packers
* Last 1 year with the Vikings
* Now with the Browns…..

Career path seems as though it is going in reverse regarding his employers. Why?
 
I'll give the Browns credit. They went out and addressed their needs in the off-season. The only place I'd have liked to see another addition is linebacker.
a few guys coming back from injuries for them... hopefully they can stay healthy this season
 
The trade for Za'Darius Smith. definitely adds a talented Edge Rusher to play on the opposite side of Garrett. The Browns didn’t give up much, basically just had to drop from two 5th rounds picks to a 6th & 7th but they will have to incur $1.6 mil in dead cap space for 2024 season (unless the trade stipulated otherwise).

The concern - Smith’s play dropped off the 2nd half of last season due to injury and some discontent. Smith should be motived to play well & try to cash in as a FA next year but if he/Browns gets off to a slow start…..might he check out like he did with the Vikings last year? One concerning pattern w/ Smith:
* First 4 years with the Ravens
* Next 3 years with the Packers
* Last 1 year with the Vikings
* Now with the Browns…..

Career path seems as though it is going in reverse regarding his employers. Why?
browns NEEDED to improve their D front.... i think with this addition, and the interior D lineman , they did what they needed to!
 
The trade for Za'Darius Smith. definitely adds a talented Edge Rusher to play on the opposite side of Garrett. The Browns didn’t give up much, basically just had to drop from two 5th rounds picks to a 6th & 7th but they will have to incur $1.6 mil in dead cap space for 2024 season (unless the trade stipulated otherwise).

The concern - Smith’s play dropped off the 2nd half of last season due to injury and some discontent. Smith should be motived to play well & try to cash in as a FA next year but if he/Browns gets off to a slow start…..might he check out like he did with the Vikings last year? One concerning pattern w/ Smith:
* First 4 years with the Ravens
* Next 3 years with the Packers
* Last 1 year with the Vikings
* Now with the Browns…..

Career path seems as though it is going in reverse regarding his employers. Why?
I must have missed something. I keep seeing that he'll be a FA after this year. He signed a 3 year deal with Minnesota with last year being the first year. So he should be under contract for this year and next. Did the Browns void a year of the deal in exchange for more money this year or is there an opt out in year 3?
 
I must have missed something. I keep seeing that he'll be a FA after this year. He signed a 3 year deal with Minnesota with last year being the first year. So he should be under contract for this year and next. Did the Browns void a year of the deal in exchange for more money this year or is there an opt out in year 3?

You are correct, Smith technically did sign a 3 year deal prior to last season with the Vikings and is under contract in 2024 with a cap hit of $21.6 mil. However, if he is cut before June 1st, 2024 it would be a cap savings of $20 mil in 2024. Thus, the Browns would have a dead cap hit of $1.6 mil in 2024.
 
I must have missed something. I keep seeing that he'll be a FA after this year. He signed a 3 year deal with Minnesota with last year being the first year. So he should be under contract for this year and next. Did the Browns void a year of the deal in exchange for more money this year or is there an opt out in year 3?

It was reported that Smith agreed to a reworked contract that will pay him $11.75 million this season and make him a free agent next offseason.
 
The success or failure of this season depends a lot on the team being absolutely ready to play week one; don't have time for the " working out the kinks" because the starters didn't have time to work together in a game situation, as has been the case under Stefanski. This will entail the starters actually playing in the pre-season more than they have had in order to get down the timing, especially between the line and an improvising qb. There are so many new players who need to get used to playing next to each other, and mere practices aren't sufficient for that. Two new co-ordinators and their schemes will also require adjustment. But, if they sit out the whole pre-season, they will not be successful in the first part of the schedule, which is challenging enough, and another season will be wasted.
 
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The success or failure of this season depends a lot on the team being absolutely ready to play week one; don't have time for the " working out the kinks" because the starters didn't have time to work together in a game situation, as has been the case under Stefanski. This will entail the starters actually playing in the pre-season more than they have had in order to get down the timing, especially between the line and an improvising qb. There are so many new players who need to get used to playing next to each other, and mere practices aren't sufficient for that. Two new co-ordinators and their schemes will also require adjustment. But, if they sit out the whole pre-season, they will not be successful in the first part of the schedule, which is challenging enough, and another season will be wasted.
That all will certainly help, but the ultimate success of the Browns depends on two men…Stefanski and Watson. If Stefanski proves he really is a smart guy and lets Watson be Watson the Browns can win a lot of games. If Stefanski insists in making Watson play like Kirk Cousins the Browns will lose a lot of games and Stefanski will be fired.
 
That all will certainly help, but the ultimate success of the Browns depends on two men…Stefanski and Watson. If Stefanski proves he really is a smart guy and lets Watson be Watson the Browns can win a lot of games. If Stefanski insists in making Watson play like Kirk Cousins the Browns will lose a lot of games and Stefanski will be fired.

Agreed. Another important part of that formula is Watson returning to his old form. That goes all the way back to 2020. He's young enough that he should be able to recapture it, but who knows.
 
Agreed. Another important part of that formula is Watson returning to his old form. That goes all the way back to 2020. He's young enough that he should be able to recapture it, but who knows.
I think a lot of Watson’s struggles were due to being forced into a rigid drop back/read system that was used for Cousins in MN and for Brissett in CLE. Watson addressed that in the last press conference of the season and said the offense for 2023 needed to be adjusted to his strengths and style of play. Will Stefanski do it? Can he do it? That is the season, right there.
 
I know players do it all the time, but I'm not sure I'm thrilled about the Watson beach party. I read an article of it and it included a picture of who went. I didn't see Chubb or Cooper there. Chubb, maybe because he's a back and not a receiver, but I thought it was strange for Amari not to be there. I would think those would be two dudes you'd want to emulate.
 
Possible problem?

Jones, who turned off some NFL teams by quitting after his first day at the Senior Bowl in January and sitting out his pro day at Ohio State in March, threw up midway through the hour-long practice on Friday afternoon and had to take a knee on the sideline to collect himself.

Before that, he was bent over a few times as he tried to catch his breath, and spent time with the head athletic trainer. He tried hard to stay hydrated, but struggled on a hot and humid Day 1.


 
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Any way the Browns could figure out the cap and get Hopkins back with Watson?

Sure but it would take:
1) Hopkins wanting & willing to take less than what he was under contract for with Arizona
2) Browns would have to be willing to redo someone’s current deal or cut someone.

Currently the Browns have $6.9 mil in cap space. When was the last time someone came to Cleveland on a team friendly deal?

Doesn't sound like Hopkins is thought to be headed to Cleveland anyway.
 
Sure but it would take:
1) Hopkins wanting & willing to take less than what he was under contract for with Arizona
2) Browns would have to be willing to redo someone’s current deal or cut someone.

Currently the Browns have $6.9 mil in cap space. When was the last time someone came to Cleveland on a team friendly deal?

Doesn't sound like Hopkins is thought to be headed to Cleveland anyway.

It's unlikely that he will sign with the Browns, but you have to remember that the New York-based media will always choose the east coast teams in hope that he will sign there, or one of the " glamor" teams. What shocks me is that the perennial media darling Dallas Cowboys aren't on the list. Cleveland would never even be considered by the NY talking heads....ever.
 
It's unlikely that he will sign with the Browns, but you have to remember that the New York-based media will always choose the east coast teams in hope that he will sign there, or one of the " glamor" teams. What shocks me is that the perennial media darling Dallas Cowboys aren't on the list. Cleveland would never even be considered by the NY talking heads....ever.

Yes there is/can be East Coast and Dallas bias but in this case regarding Hopkins & Cleveland, I do not believe so. It doesn’t appear Hopkins & Watson were ultra close in Houston and again, name one player who signed a team friendly deal with Cleveland? Hopkins has stated he want to play for a contender……..don’t know it that is what one would say about the Browns
 
Yes there is/can be East Coast and Dallas bias but in this case regarding Hopkins & Cleveland, I do not believe so. It doesn’t appear Hopkins & Watson were ultra close in Houston and again, name one player who signed a team friendly deal with Cleveland? Hopkins has stated he want to play for a contender……..don’t know it that is what one would say about the Browns

I said I didn't think it would happen, but you sound frightened that it will. Don't worry, your Steelers will still finish higher.
 
Yeah, I don't see the Browns going hard after Hopkins unless he basically comes to them...which I doubt will happen.
 
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