Off-season thoughts (Vol. XIX)

Odds and ends . . . 

It was an "Oh by the way we signed" moment at the annual National Football League meetings in Florida this week. Ethan Pocic became the newest member of the Browns, arriving a bit under the radar.

The signing of the versatile free-agent offensive lineman to a one-year contract Tuesday hardly moved the needle in Browns Nation, quite the opposite of the Deshaun Watson megawatt announcement last week. This, too, will have repercussions.

Pocic, who put in five seasons with the Seattle Seahawks after being selected in the second round of the 2017 college draft, has a very good chance of replacing center JC Tretter, who was released for financial reasons after five very productive seasons.

Pocic ostensibly will back up third-year pro Nick Harris initially at center, but General Manager Andrew Berry strongly hinted that situation is not necessarily chiseled in stone. "We think this is a good veteran signing and look forward to seeing him in camp this summer," he said.

"(He) definitely will be in the mix. We obviously feel good about Nick Harris . . . but once we get to camp, everybody has to compete for a job." A not-so-subtle hint Harris can expect a fierce battle for the job.

Pocic and Harris are physical opposites. Pocic is a legit 6-6; Harris is a thumbnail clip shy of 6-1. Both men check in around 310 pounds. Sort of a Mutt and Jeff (an old-time newspaper comic strip) twosome. They are opposites, too, when it comes to NFL experience.

Pocic, a second-round pick in 2017 by the Seahawks, has played in 57 games (the last two seasons in the pivot) and started 40. Harris, a fifth-round selection by the Browns in 2020, has started only three games in his brief career, just one at center.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski speaks in hyperbolic terms when discussing Harris. "Very intelligent player," he said. "Plays very hard, athletic, so excited about him." Can't wait to find out what he thinks of Pocic.

If he was good enough to start for Pete Carroll in Seattle, Pocic should have few problems proving Harris is best suited to remain a backup. The Browns will miss Tretter's savvy and experience in the middle more than they think. Pocic will better provide some of that experience.

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Residue from the Deshaun Watson signing . . . 

Like it or not, Watson has become the face of this franchise. This is his team for the next five years. He needs to play well. No, he must play well. He is the linchpin. Everything on offense revolves around him. And now that he has placed himself in this unique position, he better have thick skin.

The big unknown is how he handles the enormous pressure certain to accompany him in every game. He better not have a bad game. When, not if, he does, the fans will let him have it. It will be interesting to see how he handles it. All that other nonsense comes with signing a record-busting contract.

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The Browns proudly announced recently middle linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. has been re-signed to a one-year contract. The announcement was replete with glowing words of praise from Stefanski.

"When we brought in A-Walk (last year), we knew we were getting a smart and productive linebacker," the coach said. "He proved us right. He also possesses those leadership qualities you can't have enough of on your team. We're thrilled to have him back." High praise indeed.

Walker played in 13 games last season, starting 12, and was the runaway team leader in total tackles (113) and solo tackles (69) despite missing four games. So after all that, why in the world did the Browns sign him for only one more season?

With lavish praise like that and statistics that suggest something more than another one-year pact is ample reward for anchoring a defense that played surprisingly very well in the second half of the season, why in the world did he agree to those terms?

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Watson got paid like a top five quarterback. He's definitely not a top five quarterback. That's rarefied air in the NFL. Top 10 for sure. Arguably top eight. FWIW, here are my top five: Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes II, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and Josh Allen. Then Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, Watson, and Dak Prescott with Kyler Murray and Joe Burrow closing the distance.