The surprising Guardians

Full disclosure: I am a baseball fan. A big baseball fan. I have followed a baseball team nicknamed Indians for my entire life. The Indians are ingrained in who I am. When they won. When they lost. They were still Cleveland's professional baseball team. My team.

When they won the 1948 World Series against the Boston Braves, I as a kid rejoiced. Yep, I'm old enough to remember. And when they were swept by the New York Giants in the 1954 World Series, I was crushed. Players came and went over the years that followed, but they were still my team. 

There were some pretty bad teams. The faces and names of the players changed, but wait'll-next-year hopes kept the dream alive. The great seven-year stretch from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s (six post-season appearances) ignited those hopes. Set home attendance records, too. But no championship.

The Terry Francona era has produced exciting baseball and wonderful memories over the last decade (five more post-season appearances) as the Indians seriously threatened to finally end the World Series drought of 73 years. But again, no championship.

That brings us to the present, where the Indians are no longer. Gone. Just another Cleveland professional baseball team that managed to win only two World Series titles in 107 years. Nothing now but memories. 

That's because the owners of the Indians bowed to political correctness and changed the nickname to Guardians, cutting off my allegiance to the only baseball team I followed religiously and zealously, living and dying with them in my youth. 

They are not my team anymore. I don't know for certain, but the guess here is many others at or near my age feel the same way. The Indians are gone. Long live the Guardians. Uh, no thank you.

"You'll be back," say fans either happy with the nickname change or the die-hard fans who really don't care and enjoy the game too much to abandon it. "When they win, you'll change your tune." Yeah, right.

I still proudly wear my block C and Chief Wahoo caps in public and do not get stares. I refuse to wear a Guardians cap. That's not going to happen, Even if they win a World Series. Stubborn? Definitely.  

Being a sports fan in general, though, I every now and then check on the exploits of the Guardians. But I sometimes refer to the Indians in conversation before correcting myself. Turns out they are doing quite nicely thus far this season. 

And that's where we begin to tip a cap -- an Indians cap, of course -- at the job Francona is doing in the club's inaugural season. Time to take a look.

This a fun baseball team.  Outside of the amazing Jose Ramirez, it's a team comprised of young, eager players who find numerous ways to win games. They enter their three-game series in Minnesota Tuesday night at 34-28, just a game behind the first-place Twins in the AL Central.

They have won 15 of the last 19 games, including a 5-1 record on the current trip west. They were languishing at 19-24 and looking less than mediocre when they caught fire, winning six straight series at home (8-2) and on the road (7-2) and shaving Minnesota's lead from seven and half games to just a game.

When the season began, pitching was thought to be the club's hallmark with Shane Bieber, Aaron Civale, Triston McKenzie, Zach Plesac and Cal Quantrill. With few exceptions -- Civale missed some time with a glute injury -- starters pitched far enough into games where the bullpen was not worn out.

That enabled the likes of Eli Morgan, Anthony Gose, Sam Hentges, Nick Sandlin, Enyel De Los Santos, Trevor Stephan, veteran Bryan Shaw and closer Emmanuel Clase to post MLB's second-best earned-run average (2.81), allow just 64 earned runs (again second-best) and an MLB best 1.09 WHIP.

Clase has been a marvel, racking up 15 saves in 17 opportunities. The last time he allowed a run was back on May 17 against Cincinnati. His four-seam fastball arrives at the plate routinely from 100 to 103 miles an hour. His 94-mph slider buckles knees. And he has walked only four batters in 30 appearances.

But it's the offense that has lifted this team time and again and made the difference with guys like Josh Naylor, Andres Gimenez, Amed Rosario and Ramirez around the infield and an outfield of rookies Steven Kwan, Richie Palacios and Oscar Gonzalez, slugger Franmil Reyes returning from injury and Myles Straw. The latter is struggling this season, but has provided Gold Glove defense in center field.

Gonzalez has been a revelation since his recall from Class AAA Columbus about a month ago. He hasn't stopped hitting with at least one knock in 18 of his 22 starts. The 6-4, 240-pound right fielder is currently hitting .337.

Behind the plate, you'll find veterans Austin Hedges and Luke Maile, who don't hit much. Their worth lies in the savvy handling of the pitching staff. Quality utility play around the infield is provided off the bench by the versatile Ernie Clement and Owen Miller, who has scored 33 runs and driven in 31.

The switch-hitting Ramirez once again has a leg up on AL MVP honors (that seem to elude him) with 16 home runs, 62 runs batted in, 41 runs scored, a .304 batting average and a robust OPS of 1.036 behind just Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels and Paul Goldschmidt of St. Louis.

This team exhibits great discipline at the plate, striking out only 428 times this season, nearly 60 fewer times than the next best team. Small ball seems to be their strongest suit. They lead the AL in sacrifice flies and straddle the top in getting runners home when in scoring position.

Want stolen bases? How about a success rate of 81% (43 of 53), 11 each by Straw and Ramirez. The young kids play with infectious delight. Kwan has become a staple in left field. Palacios doesn't play much, but is batting, 500 as a pinch-hitter. 

Excited about this team? Not yet. Still too early for that. Where they are at this stage of the season, hanging with the likes of the Twins and talented Chicago White Sox,  sure got my attention. Consider me intrigued. I'd be much more excited, though, if the name Indians adorned the shirt.

Off-season thoughts (Vol. XXXIV)

The Browns spent their second day of mandatory minicamp Wednesday traveling down the road to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. It was more of acquainting the 90-man roster with their teammates as well as the shrine itself. 

The workout was informal. No helmets. No pads. Just shorts, jerseys and caps. Nothing fancy. Maybe a half hour of practice inside the stadium. 

A great many of them had no idea how special this franchise was in the second half of the 20th century with 17 Hall of Famers and numerous championships in the old All-America Football Conference and National Football League. For the longest time, the Browns in the glory years correctly called themselves "The Greatest Show in Football."

All the current group knew was the misery the franchise and its fans suffered after the NFL unfairly and unjustly allowed it to be ripped it away from Cleveland in 1995 and transplanted to Baltimore before finally getting it back in 1999 as an expansion team.

It also was an historical indoctrination for them into what and who preceded them into the pantheon of greatness as they toured the Hall. The only member who did not tour was defensive end Myles Garrett, well on his way to becoming a member of the Hall five years after he retires.

The two-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler (in five seasons) made news late last week when he declared he would not step inside the Hall until deemed worthy of induction. "Until I have my face (he probably meant bust) in it, I don't want to go (in)," he said.

That didn't stop him from making the trip and practicing. "I understand his feelings on that," said head coach Kevin Stefanski, who obviously rubber-stamped Garrett's absence inside. 

Perhaps this is Garrett's way of keeping his eyes focused on the ultimate reason he plays this game; a self-motivating reason to play it at the highest possible level as consistently as possible. With the exception of a helmet-swinging incident in 2019 against Pittsburgh that led to a season-ending six-game suspension, he has put up Hall of Fame numbers.

Despite getting double- and sometimes triple-teamed, Garrett has racked up 58.5 sacks in just 68 regular-season games, including a career-high and club record-breaking 16 last season. It's a pace that ranks right up there with the all-time greats.

Bruce Smith, who played 19 seasons with Buffalo and Washington, is the all-time NFL sack leader with 200 in 278 games, or 0.72 a game. The late Reggie White in 15 seasons with Philadelphia, Green Bay and Carolina is right behind with 198 sacks in 232 games, or 0.853 a game. Both are Hall of Famers.

Garrett checks in with 0.860 a game, arguably the best per-game stat in history in the category. At  this pace, he'll surpass Smith and White in about a dozen years if he lasts that long. He'll need good health and longevity to reach that territory.

Then he can finally take the trip inside. 

Off-season thoughts (Vol. XXXIII)

Deshaun Watson stepped front and center with the Cleveland media for about 10 minutes for the first time in about three months Tuesday during the first day of the Browns' three-day mandatory minicamp in Berea and absolutely nothing changed.

The Cleveland quarterback steadfastly maintained his innocence regarding sexual misbehavior allegations and civil suits brought by at least 24 massage therapists that still hang over his head. Football questions were left unasked.

It was all about the civil suits and Watson, to his credit, calmly handled them all almost as though he fully anticipated the tenor of the conversation and had stock replies ready.

"Like I said (previously), I never assaulted anyone," he declared. "I never disrespected anyone. I  never forced anyone to do anything. I'm going to continue to say it until the facts come out (in court)."

His lone regret appears to be the effect all this has had on everything in his life. "I do have regrets as far as the impact (it has had) on the (Cleveland) community and people outside of just myself," he said. "That includes my family.

"That includes this organization . . . My teammates in the locker room who have to answer these (kinds of) questions. That includes the fan base of the Cleveland Browns. . . . the impact it has triggered on so many people. It's tough to have to deal with it."

Asked whether he considered countersuing, Watson said his only goal -- he called it the "biggest thing" -- is "clearing my name so I can get back to being in an environment I'm most comfortable in. . . . Just focusing on doing what's right and being honest." Assume that's a no.

He admitted the journey thus far has been tough. The hardest part, he said, was "trying to make sure I stayed balanced with my mental health and social life. When I walk into that building (in Berea), all that (other) stuff is outside. I want to be the best teammate I can be."

Until there is absolute closure to his well-tentacled situation, Watson better get used to the non-football questions. No one knows how long this will last. The National Football League has yet to render a decision on Watson's punishment.

The only certainty is the decision will be handed down eventually. When? Anyone's guess. For how long? Ditto. Because it is an unprecedented case, it's entirely possible the punishment could be unusually harsh to make certain something like this never happens again.

No one knows for certain why it's taking so long to adjudicate. Perhaps the uncertainty of whether further lawsuits will be filed against Watson has delayed it. Then again, the New York Times piece recently that revealed Watson contacted 66 massage therapists in a 17-month span got the league's attention.

Watson says he wants to be the best teammate he can be, but too many obstacles remain in his path to achieve that. Right now, there is little normalcy, so important for the good and welfare of any sports team (professional or otherwise), with Cleveland's professional football team.

Now it's time for owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam III and General Manager Andrew Berry to follow suit and step front and center, face the media and provide answers that need to be heard by Browns Nation.

Off-season thoughts (Vol. XXXII)

It is time. In fact, it is high time owner Jimmy Haslam III, General Manager Andrew Berry and Chief Strategy Office Paul DePodesta of the Browns stop acting like cowards and come out from their commodious Ivory Tower offices and talk through the media to their constituents.

The fans need and deserve to know what's going on. The silence from 76 Lou Groza Blvd in Berea is deafening.

This whole Deshaun Watson thing is getting way, way, way out of hand. In case the club hasn't  noticed, its $230 million quarterback is piling embarrassment after embarrassment upon the team, reducing it to a laughingstock.

The next positive article I see about the situation in Cleveland will be the first. It has met with near universal disdain in the media. Is Haslam walking around with blinders on these days?

It was bad enough the Browns traded for and then signed Watson despite 22 female massage therapists filing civil suits for sexual harassment against him. Or bad enough when numbers 23 and 24 joined the already overcrowded docket in the last week. 

Maybe the well-documented New York Times story the other day caught Haslam's attention, revealing Watson had contacted at least 66 massage therapists in a 17-month period from the fall of 2019 to the spring of 2021. It was a damning piece with specifics of Watson's personal sexual behavior sprinkled throughout.

Sixty-six!!

In rationalizing the controversial signing, Haslam and his cohorts several times initially cited "extensive" research over a five-month period when the decision to go after Watson was made. That included personal interviews with quarterback.

So much for the club's "extensive" research. I'd be surprised the Browns knew about that eye-opening total. Maybe it's my bias for strong, well-documented investigative pieces by one of the planet's most respected newspapers, I'll side with them just about every time.   

Haslam said he found Watson "humble, sincere and candid" during the interview process and declared he and his front office "confident in Deshaun and excited moving forward with him as quarterback and supporting his genuine and determined efforts."

After citing the extensive nature of the investigation, Berry curiously declined to reveal specifics at the news conference announcing the signing. He pointed out the legal and reference work "provided us with the appropriate information to make an informed decision about pursuing him."

Wonder if Haslam and his wife, Dee, feel the same way now following the NYT revelations. We don't know, of course, because the club has trotted out poor head coach Kevin Stefanski instead to face the tough Watson questions, a situation that suggests it probably isn't part of his job description.

All he wants to do is talk about his team but can't because his quarterback's story is much bigger now and dwarfs everything else. All he can do is repeatedly -- and respectfully -- decline to answer directly, preferring instead "to be respectful of the legal proceedings." It's like a broken record. And worthless.

It's all because his bosses have decided to play hide and seek, causing just about everyone with any remaining interest in this soap opera to speculate what the end game will be. It also would not be surprising if the Times story affected those fans on the fence immediately following the signing.

To his credit, Watson has been consistent in claiming his innocence as the allegations have continued. "I've never assaulted or disrespected or harassed any woman in my life," he insists over and over. "I've never done those things people are alleging."

The unfortunate part of this saga is the likelihood of it eventually going away lessens with each new revelation. And right now, given what has transpired in just the last week, we have no idea when that will be.

And that's the saddest part of all. 

Off-season thoughts (Vol. XXXI)

There are nasty rumors making the rounds the last 10 days or so that suggest Odell Beckham Jr. just might be headed back to the Browns.

Up first was free safety John Johnson III, followed by defensive end Myles Garrett, who put the rumor out there in the Twitterverse to see if it would fly. Why not? It's the offseason where just about anything goes. Voila! It grew wings.

You know the old story that if you lie enough -- or in this case, exaggerate in a semi-plausible way -- it eventually becomes the truth. Here we are just a week out for the annual mid-June minicamp for the entire club and the focus is on Deshaun Watson and his 24 civil suits and OBJ possibly returning.

First of all, that bit of nonsense -- doesn't take brains to figure out where this is going -- gives rumors a bad name. The likelihood of Beckham returning to the team that cut him loose halfway through last season is ludicrous, right? 

And then comes word from Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald that the Cleveland front office is, indeed, discussing that very possibility. That the Browns have not responded to that item is curious at best, unsettling at worst.

If true, that would suggest General Manager Andrew Berry, head coach Kevin Stefanski and the rest of the Ivory Tower gang is not as sanguine about the wide receivers room as they profess. Saying it is one thing; meaning it is entirely different.

The news out of Miami spawned stories about how popular Beckham was in the Cleveland locker room. "Great teammate." "Hated to see him leave." "Come home. The fellas miss you." The love flowed. So why not bring him back? He'd be welcomed back with open arms. What happened last season was not his fault.

What has given this legs is Beckham is a free agent after helping the Los Angeles Rams knock off the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl earlier this year. He was a completely different player after leaving Cleveland, scoring all six of his touchdowns last season with the Rams before re-tearing an ACL in the big game.

Adding to the plausibility of OBJ even thinking about returning is the changed Cleveland offensive landscape with regard to the quarterback position. Baker Mayfield, with whom Beckham never really connected, is -- or soon will be -- gone. The much more heralded Watson is now the man.

Trying to make two and two equal four is the notion Beckham would have no trouble playing pitch and catch with Watson. The very thought might, in fact, intrigue him. Imagine playing with one of the bright, young National Football League quarterbacks and redeeming his poor Cleveland reputation.

He'd return as the theoretical No. 1 wideout with the Browns ahead of Amari Copper instead of heading back to the Rams as the clear WR2 behind the peerless Cooper Kupp. To those Browns fans who yearn for an OBJ return, that would make some sense. 

I personally hope -- and believe -- Beckham winds up anywhere but Cleveland. He is not even close to being the same player who burst onto the NFL scene with the New York Giants almost a decade ago. He still dazzles with his speed and ability to make the tough, almost impossible reception, but he has also become injury-prone.

He won't be available to play well into this season after his second ACL surgery. He'll be 30 by then and slowly approaching the downside of his checkered career. That, however, doesn't seem to hinder the distinct possibility of Beckham returning to . . . the Rams.

Rams coach Sean McVay has made it clear he envisions OBJ back in the huddle once he fully recovers. "We really want Odell back on our team," he said. "That's our goal. We're continuing to work toward a solution of his resigning with the Rams."

Beckham also seems quite fond of McVay, so much so that he crashed McVay's recent wedding despite not receiving an invite, which went only to team captains. McVay nevertheless said he "loved it."

The only other possibility of Beckham not landing with the Browns or Rams stems from the fact college -- and Browns -- teammate Jarvis Landry is trying to recruit him to come back home and play with him and his new team in New Orleans. 

Odds, though, favor the Rams at this juncture because Beckham finally realized his goal of being fitted for a Super Bowl with them. That right there is reason enough to re-up 

It is certain to once and for all shut down those nasty rumors of a return to Cleveland. 

Off-season thoughts (Vol. XXX)

Very few moves the Browns' front office make during the course of the year baffle me. I mean absolutely, head-scratchingly, didn't-see-that-coming moves with regard to monetarily rewarding personnel.

The news out of Berea the last couple of days reveals Andrew Berry somehow has come to the conclusion tight David Njoku has risen to at least Pro Bowl caliber. That one floored me.

How else can one explain why the Cleveland general manager is about to lavish a multi-year contract on the tight end for something in the neighborhood of $13 million a season?

What in the world has Njoku done in the last five seasons to warrant a contract that will make him the fifth-highest paid player at his position in the entire National Football League? I apparently seem to have missed when he became a star worthy of that kind of money.

I was either sleeping or in a delusional fog in those five campaigns because I don't remember much to get excited about with Njoku, who has given the word "mediocre" a whole new meaning. Is he a bust? No. But he's awfully darn close.

A general rule of thumb says statistics do not lie. Time to check that out.

In his five seasons, Njoku was a comparative afterthought in the Cleveland offense with just 240 targets, catching 148 for 1,754 yards and 15 touchdowns. (To be fair, he hardly played the 2018 season after climbing into head coach Freddie Kitchens' doghouse and remaining there most of the season.)

Now take those essentially four-year numbers by Njoku and compare them to an honest-to-goodness All-Pro at the position in Mark Andrews of the Baltimore Ravens, who has haunted the Cleveland secondary in his four pro seasons. (Cherry picking? You bet. My prerogative to make a point.)

Andrews, one of Baker Mayfield's favorite targets at Oklahoma, has accumulated 3.466 yards (nearly double Njoku's career total) and 29 touchdowns (ditto). Last season alone, he caught 107 passes for 1,361 yards, grabbing 70% of his targets. He is worth every penny of his $14 million a season.

So is it unreasonable to expect Njoku, when he ultimately signs his contract, to be be better than the 22nd most productive tight end in the NFL (last season)? Not at all.

It's difficult to understand when and how Njoku became good enough to earn the kind of money to join George Kittle of San Francisco, Travis Kelce of Kansas City, Dallas Goedert of Philadelphia and Andrews at the top of the tight end list. Where is the justification?

When the Browns signed Austin Hooper as a free agent in 2020 and made him the focal point in new head coach Kevin Stefanski's two- and three-tight end offense the last two seasons, Njoku was targeted just 82 times (only 29 in 2020). Why? Only Stefanski can answer that one.

On the plus side, Njoku refined his blocking. And now that Hooper has departed, I guess the natural move was elevating Njoku on the depth chart, giving him the chance to justify, albeit five years later, making him a first-round pick in the 2017 draft.

This is the guy, it would appear, the Browns want to be Deshaun Watson's top tight end target. Someone who catches just 61% of the footballs thrown in his direction. Hmmmm.

Truth of the matter is the most reliable tight end on the roster is Harrison Bryant, who has caught nearly 70% of his targets in two seasons and is very effective in the red zone. Why Stefanski hasn't targeted him more often (just 66 times in 33 games) is just as baffling as the kind of money being dangled with Njoku.

Unless Stefanski dramatically and surprisingly changes his offensive philosophy with his new quarterback and involves Njoku a whole lot more in what promises to be a a much heavier passing attack, all the pressure this season will be on the tight end to finally come through.

It will need to be seen to be believed.

Off-season thoughts (Vol. XXIX)

Sure has been a busy week for the Browns' front office as they add and subtract from the pre-season roster, loading up for OTAs, minicamp and training camp with a distinct emphasis on the defense.

With an obvious nod to the club's credo that you can never have enough cornerbacks (safeties, too) on your roster, the Browns added to a crowded field in the secondary with three more additions Tuesday and Wednesday to a roster that now totals 88 men (47 on offense, 37 on defense, four special teamers).

After claiming safety Luther Kirk and cornerback Reggie Robinson II off waivers Tuesday, they signed free agent corner Parnell Motley (presumably no relation to Browns Hall of Famer Marion Motley) the following day, swelling the secondary field to 16, nine of them corners. That's 43% of the defensive roster.

It sure appears as though General Manager Andrew Berry and his Ivory Tower buds are not totally convinced that area of the defense is adequately staffed with the kind of talent worthy of blunting the efforts opposing offenses. In reality it is. Explained later.

So why else would they continue to feed the defensive backfield when there are numerous other much more important areas that require help? Like the defensive line, where success -- or failure -- of the pass defense begins. 

It is entirely possible Berry knows it's only a matter of time before Jadeveon Clowney finally acquiesces after deliberately skipping the OTAs and mandatory minicamp and signs on for a second season on the edge opposite Myles Garrett, allowing Browns Nation to breathe a little easier. 

Then there is the big problem at tackle with a half dozen inexperienced candidates at a position that screams to be addressed because the current group is not quite ready and too young to be savvy enough to blunt the running attacks of some very good teams on this season's schedule. 

The presence of at least one or two seasoned veterans in the middle of Joe Woods' defense -- there are still a few free agents out there who would fit nicely in his 4-2-5 base -- is almost mandatory. Losing Malik McDowell due to serious off-the-field personal problems during the offseason was a big loss.

While Berry continues to help the secondary, he seems puzzlingly content with two other areas mentioned here before -- the offensive line and wide receivers room - and I can't figure out why. If you can't have enough cornerbacks on your roster, where does it say you can't have enough quality receivers, emphasis on quality? Only Amari Cooper qualifies among the 11 on board.

At least the secondary has enough young talent to begin with where those others being signed right now seem to be nothing more than training-camp fodder. 

We know Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome II are staples at cornerback and John Johnson III and Grant Delpit will handle the deep secondary with help off the bench from Greedy Williams, A. J. Green, rookie Martin Emerson Jr., Ronnie Harrison Jr. and Richard LeCounte III.

The wide receivers room and offensive line, seemingly vastly overrated by Berry and his men, are being ignored. Both areas lack the quality depth necessary to sustain a 17-game regular season and possibly beyond.

If the GM does not parrot his moves with regard to the defense with ones on offense, Deshaun Watson's initial season in Cleveland very well could be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Off-season thoughts (Vol. XXVIII)

Pounding away at a pair of trouble spots for the Browns this season, both on the same side of the football . . . 

The offense without question has been substantially improved with the addition of quarterback Deshaun Watson. On the surface, no problem there whatsoever. At least right now. But there are warning signs elsewhere.

The landscape could -- and probably will at some point  -- change when training camp opens up in late July and extends through the three-game exhibition season. Unless changes are made, the situation very well could prove deleterious for Watson and affect his performance.

To be successful, the $230 million man must receive massive help from his line and receiving corps. Right now, it appears the Cleveland front office is solidly behind -- foolishly I believe -- both aspects of Kevin Stefanski's offense. 

The line is nowhere close to being as dominant as the 2020 unit that protected quarterback Baker Mayfield zealously and provided Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt with enough running room to become genuinely one of the most dangerous offenses in the National Football League.

Not anymore. From the softness at left tackle with Jedrick Wills Jr. to the rawness at center with smallish (shortish?) Nick Harris to the uncertainty of whether Jack Conklin at right tackle fully recovers from major surgery, the newest unit from tackle to tackle is, at best, average. 

You can't count on the quality of Pro Bowl guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller to carry this group throughout the season. Too many glaring question marks even if Conklin regains his Pro Bowl form. Wills and Harris, taking over for the departed JC Tretter, are soft spots that will be exploited on a weekly basis.

In order for the line to be effective, it needs to be -- no, must be -- cohesive on every play. Work as a unit, not five pieces that sometimes operate independently. All it takes for a play to break down is one mistake.

A missed block, for example. A fraction late on assignment like a sloppy kick step in pass protection. Timing is everything on offense, particularly in the passing game, and it starts with the line at the snap. Bottom line, this is a very average offensive line.

As for the receiving corps, expected to carry the brunt of the offense with the arrival of Watson, there is little to get excited about once you get past wide receiver Amari Cooper. When third-round draft pick David Bell is your second-best pass receiver, you're in trouble. 

Bell should have no problem adjusting to the NFL. He's got the size, hands and knowhow of a veteran to succeed event though he hasn't played a down as the Browns' slot receiver. He's a larger Jarvis Landry and will be a chains mover as he helps improve the third-down conversion rate.

Beyond that, there ain't much about which to get excited. 

The rest of the wideouts are either unreliable, inconsistent or both. Donovan Peoples-Jones, playing as disappointingly for the Browns as he did as a five-star athlete at the University of Michigan, is back for another crack at trying to be a solid pro.

Once and for all, and not for the last time, Anthony Schwartz is a track star posing as a football player. The coaches and front office love his speed. Of course they all do. He is a world-class sprinter who has trouble running routes and doing what he's paid to do -- catch the football.

That's about it unless General Manager Andrew Berry has a veteran free-agent ace -- two would be better -- up his sleeve and there are quite a few on the street. 

Watson won't get much help from the tight ends room with David Njoku and Harrison Bryant. The club slapped a franchise tag on Njoku, who has yet to play a season that can be labelled consistent. And  Bryant, a better receiver, hardly had the ball thrown his way last season.

Unless the front office sees the warts on offense between now and the season opener at Carolina and does something about it, looks like yet another bumpy and disappointing journey through the 17-week schedule.

Off-season thoughts (Vol. XXVII)

Today, we look at the Browns' wide receivers room as of this date and look at what two high-level members of the organization see and then break it down. 

First up, it's head coach and de facto offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski, who couldn't hide his glee after watching his wideouts play pitch and catch for the first time during a Phase II workout a couple of days ago in Berea.

"I feel better even watching them throw finally," he gushed to a local radio station. "I think we have some different traits. Obviously Amari Cooper, his career speaks for itself. . . . And then seeing how the quarterback rhythms up with Amari. What you want ultimately is that route between the two of them where it's a gimme, it's a nine out of 10, we're going to take it."

Stefanski then turned his attention to the younger receivers. "I  like having the youth in there," he said. "I like having the competitive group in there. . . . It's a really, really smart group. 

"You break the huddle and with Amari and Donovan (Peoples-Jones) and Schwartzy (Anthony Schwartz) adding a young guy like David Bell who is really a smart, young player, it's a group that has a ton of good traits and you can move them around the formation."

Then there's Chief Strategy Office Paul DePodesta, responding to a question after the National Football League college draft last Saturday night. This is what he had to say in the form of an assessment.

"We feel like the room can sort of do everything," he began. "We have some speed. We have some great route runners. We have guys who are tough after the catch. We have guys who have contested-catch ability. In terms of building our concepts within our scheme. there's an awful lot we can do with these guys."

Well at least they're on the same page. Not certain it's the right page, though.

The concern here is they seem to have donned blinders and don't see the warts with this group. It's a room that needs to be improved dramatically for Deshaun Watson, who saw eminently better and more productive talent in his four seasons with the Houston Texans. 

Watching quarterbacks and receivers work with their timing is nice . . . when you're not in uniform. What solid conclusions can be reached watching them against zero defensive effort? Too early for that, you say? Of course it is. It's also too early for a coach to get that excited.

As for the talent in the room, hopefully DePodesta's generous observations are not shared by many in the Ivory Tower. It's clearly the wrong message.

Agree to a certain extent the room has speed. Anthony Schwartz is a world-class sprinter. But can he catch a football? That's kind of important. Getting open and making yourself available is, too. Schwartz had trouble doing both in his rookie season. He's a track phenom first, a football player second. Other than that, stretching the field will be difficult this season.

It's an indictment that Bell, a raw rookie, most likely will be WR2 behind the well established Cooper because he is better now than Peoples-Jones, a third-year pro whose sophomore season was disappointing even though he led the club in receiving yardage (a measly 597 yards).

Some great route runners, DePodesta bragged. Outside of Cooper and Bell. who would that be? DPJ? Nah. Schwartz? In his dreams maybe. Ja'Marcus Bradley? Practice squad material. Draftee Michael Woods II? Not yet. If (when?) GM Andrew Berry brings a veteran or two on board, I'll reassess.

I'll give the CSO the notion the room, for the most part, has players who are tough after the catch with the ability to win 50-50 balls. But that's it. Catching the football consistently helps. There are those in this group that lack that consistency. It is clear DePodesta sees something entirely different than what these veteran eyes see.

This situation carries a warning label titled "To Be Continued."

Off-season thoughts (Vol. XXVI)

It sure looks as though Andrew Berry is attempting to play anything but fast and loose with Jimmy Haslam III's money.

If reports over this past weekend are to be believed, the Browns' general manager had an opportunity to unload Baker Mayfield's pricey contract to the Carolina Panthers as the college draft unfolded, but couldn't come to terms regarding who would pay the quarterback's money and how much.

Berry is playing a tight-fisted game with his owner's money, a game that has little chance, at best, of winding up in his favor. He found that out in his dealing with the Panthers, one of only a handful of teams looking to improve their quarterbacks room.

Again reportedly, the two teams struck a deal but were not on the same page on how to divvy up paying Mayfield's $19 million salary this season. That's where Berry's reluctance to part with too much of the boss' dough queered the deal.

The Panthers, who had no picks between their first-rounder and round four, almost immediately traded back into the third round and took a quarterback when talk ceased. It slammed a promising door and kept Mayfield on the Browns' roster.

Due to circumstances he had control over only momentarily at one point but not any longer, this has become a a major challenge for Berry and a big story nationally on a daily basis. There seems to be no satisfactory solution that would satisfy both parties.

"I wouldn't say it's any more challenging than really a lot of situations that cross a general manager's desk," Berry said recently. "It's a fluid situation. We'll deal with it day-to-day."And then he turned to the draft. "We are pleased with the weekend and with the guys we added," he said. Of course he did.

The list of teams even remotely interested in Mayfield seems to have dwindled to just one, the Seattle Seahawks, and that interest has reached only lukewarm status. 

Unless someone is lurking in the shadows with secret interest in Mayfield and waiting for the best opportunity to strike and go public, it has reached the point now where Berry probably is better off waiting and continue to monitor the situation on a daily basis.

This little soap opera -- A Divorce in Progress or Slow-Motion Divorce, take your pick -- will most likely have legs through mandatory minicamp and OTAs right through to the beginning of training camp in late July. Look for Mayfield, still recovering from shoulder surgery, to be excused from all activities until then.

That's when the story should regenerate to daily status. It very well could reach the point where Berry might have no choice but to tap deeply into the boss' extreme wealth and pay up to move his recalcitrant quarterback.

It's either that or flat-out releasing him and I don't see that happening. That way, any team could grab him. That, of course, would delight Mayfield the most. By loosening the pocket book, at least the Browns can dictate where he lands.

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The Browns signed 14 free agents following the draft, eight of them on offense. They include two linemen, a couple of tight ends, three wide receivers and a quarterback. The defense includes a linebacker, safety, two tackles and two cornerbacks. Don't get excited. They are basically training camp fodder.

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They also signed one college basketball player who quit playing football as a high school freshman to concentrate on basketball and invited another player, a local product with no football experience, to rookie minicamp. Both are big tight ends. 

Marcus Santos-Silva, a 6-6, 260-pounder, played five years of collegiate basketball before deciding he'd like to try football again. He joins Malik Smith, a 6-6, 265-pounder who played basketball at Cleveland Heights High School and just one year in college.

Smith, older brother of former Ohio State defensive lineman Tyreke Smith (drafted over the weekend by Seattle), got the invite from the Browns after impressing scouts during Ohio State's pro day last month.

Perhaps the Browns are hoping to get lucky with one of them as the San Diego Chargers did at the beginning of this century with Kent State basketball's Antonio Gates, a virtual certainty to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame within the next few years.