Q&A Part II

Scattershot questions and answers not yet addressed regarding the 2022 season for the Browns. . . 

Q: Assuming Deshaun Watson draws a suspension of at least six games for being a bad boy off the field and Jacoby Brissett opens the season at quarterback, in what way will head coach Kevin Stefanski tailor the offense?

A: That would be Plan B, which means the offense will look very much like it has the first two seasons of Stefanski's tenure in Cleveland. Brissett is not nearly as talented or dangerous as Watson, so he will be limited to high-percentage, low-risk passes and numerous handoffs to his terrific running backs.

Plays that stretch a defense will not be on his wristband as Stefanski dumbs down his offense. Safe short- and medium range throws will dominate Brissett's stats sheet, especially with a receiving corps that will not frighten many teams. His strongest attribute: Taking care of the football.

He has thrown only 17 picks in more than 1,200 career passing attempts. And when he is flushed out of the pocket and uses his feet, ball security is yet another strength. He has lost only three fumbles in the last several seasons. 

Q: Assuming he is 100%, how much playing time will Kareem Hunt get? And how often will he share the backfield with Nick Chubb?

A: Hard to say because Stefanski the last two seasons has rarely paired the two. Still can't figure out why not. They have similar skills in the ground game, each extremely difficult to get on the ground. Hunt has more of an edge with his surer hands when he slots or flanks out.

When you have two of the best backs in the NFL, both in their prime by the way, it makes more sense to not just share the reps, but maximize the offensive potential by utilizing both frequently. And each is a willing and effective blocker.

It will be interesting to see how long Stefanski stubbornly keeps at least one on the sideline this season. Just guessing here: Maybe he'll change his mind when Watson returns and load up the backfield with all three. That begs the next question.

Q: When Watson returns, how quickly does Stefanski's  favored run-first offense disappear?

A: Does immediately pretty much cover it? Stefanski says he strives to play to a player's strength. He likes to put those players in "the best position to win." And Watson's biggest strength is chucking the rock. A lot. 

Q: Will the real David Njoku please stand up and reveal himself? 

A: After five seasons of mediocre football, the former first-round draft choice was rewarded with a $57 million contract, which easily qualifies as the biggest surprise of the year. He is now clearly the No. 1 tight end on the depth chart.

For the first time since being drafted, Njoku will see a majority of time on the field and be one of the prime targets for Brissett and Watson. You can bet he will be targeted more than the 82 times Stefanski called his number the last two seasons. He might reach that number by game 10.

His biggest challenge will be improving his concentration with regard to his iffy hands. How many times have we seen the last five seasons Njoku break wide open only to drop the ball, Once he holds on, though, he eats up chunks of yardage. So to answer the original question, the answer, based on his past, is no.

Q: How satisfied are you with the wide receivers room?

A: This will be brief. After Amari Cooper, not at all. You?

Q: How confident are you in Stefanski as the head coach?

A: He is somewhat of a puzzle. In his rookie year, everything seemed to fall into place offensively. Qualifying for the playoffs and then knocking off the Pittsburgh Steelers in the opening round elevated him to star status in Browns Nation.

Then came year two. Call it a sophomore jinx. Maybe the rest of the league caught up with him. He worked with a quarterback who had one arm tied to a badly injured shoulder. Call it whatever you want. Stefanski's star burned out.

So . . . one great season, one awfully disappointing season. The popularity scale is balanced. Does what eventuates this season determine Stefanski's fate in Clevelqand? Nah. The gravitas of that playoff season lingers and buys him at least two more seasons.

Q: So what about Kevin Stefanski the playcaller?

A: I've said this before. He is the head coach. As such, he is responsible for all aspects of the game. Offense, defense, special teams, strategy, tactical management, managing the clock. Everything. 
Concentrating on the offense robs him from the overall rhythm of the game and the ability to make critical decisions intelligently on the spot.

He needs to trust Alex Van Pelt, the offensive coordinator in name only, with the responsibility of running the offense with the help of the assistant coaches on that side of the ball. Until he can do that and become the head coach, he will have problems.

Q: Now that the defense seemingly has been fixed, can fans look forward to a more opportunistic group in the turnover department?

A: Definitely. It can't get much worse. The Cleveland defense created only 19 takeaways last season -- six fumble recoveries and 13 interceptions -- to rank near the bottom of the NFL.

It took almost half the season, but defensive coordinator Joe Woods figured out how to put his men in the best position to make plays last season. And the players now have a greater understanding of Woods' schemes. Combine those aspects and the turnover numbers will definitely rise this season.

Q: Can fans look forward to more blitzing from this unit?

A: Absolutely. Now that they are comfortable (and confident) with each other, it's time for Woods to turn his men loose against opposing quarterbacks. 

Q: One last question: How bad were the special teams last season? 

A: Really, really, really bad. Like 30th in the 32-team league. Placed tied for dead last in many categories and all by themselves in three, all dealing with field goals: Fewest field goals (16); worst field-goal percentage (72%); and worst opponent field-goal percentage (96.2%). But they were the best in opponents' starting point (23.2-yard line).

The coverage will be better this season -- it can't be any worse -- as will the return game. Jakeem Grant, with seven NFL seasons as a specialist, mostly with Miami, was signed as a free agent. The 5-7 speedster has booked two kickoff returns and four punt returns for touchdowns.

General Manager Andrew Berry made certain the kicking game would improve this season, taking Cade York out of Louisiana State, grabbing him in the fourth round, making him the highest drafted placekicker since 2016.  

Considering his sterling collegiate career, it's not too hyperbolic to suggest York has a great chance to be the best kicker the Browns have had since Phil Dawson was foolishly cut loose 10 years ago after 14 seasons.

Worry about the offense

As usual at this stage of the National Football League season, there are always many more questions than answers regarding the future whether immediate or far-reaching. Time to place the Browns under the inquisitive microscope.

The following questions will receive answers based more on expectancy than what will actually eventuate. A large part of this exercise will deal with the offensive side of the football. That's because the solid defense, scrutinized the last time, required just a handful of questions.

Let us start with the obvious strengths. Like the running game and new quarterback. That's it. No offensive line. No receivers or tight ends. All of which begs the first question.

Q: Why not the offensive line? Isn't it supposed to be one of the best in the NFL?

A: That's what the experts say. Maybe a year or two ago, but not this season. There are two weaknesses and a huge question mark along that unit. Outside of guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller, trouble lurks at the tackles and center.

Jedrick Wills Jr. is not playing like a high first-round draft pick at left tackle. Hasn't for his first two seasons. Last season, he couldn't stay healthy. He needs to get stronger in pass protection. He's a turnstile to the quarterback.

Jack Conklin at right tackle is clearly a more superior player. But he's coming off major surgery and might not be ready for the season opener in Carolina. Until he is ready, that's a minus because no one on the bench even approaches Conklin's talent.

The Browns are gambling on the most important position on the line -- center. The anchor. He does a lot more than snap the football. He's responsible for calling the blocking schemes depending on the defensive alignment. And be ready to make quick adjustments if the quarterback calls an audible.

In other words, it takes more than brawn to play the position, It takes brains and the Browns had one of the best in the NFL in JC Tretter, who missed only one game (COVID-10) in his five years with the Browns before they released him for penurious reasons in mid-March. 

Filling Tretter's big shoes is Nick Harris, a smallish third-year man with precious little playing time in the league. The barely six-footer played a couple of games at right guard as a rookie and failed miserably. He fared slightly better subbing for Tretter in a game last season. Trimming Tretter was a big mistake.

The success or failure of an offensive line depends largely on everyone being on the same page from a timing and execution standpoint. In other words, cohesion. All it takes is one slip-up to blow up a play. Right now, I see at least two weak links. That's two too many.

Q: How is that going to impact guys like Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, and D'Ernest Johnson and Demetric Felton off the bench?

A: First of all, I see one of this group (not Chubb) being traded close to the start of the season. It's an embarrassment of riches at running back and with the drafting of Jerome Ford of Cincinnati, someone's gotta go. 

Hunt, who should be starting elsewhere instead of backing up Chubb, probably fetches more in return. Johnson's star-turn season last year earned him more than just a look-see for clubs seeking workhorse running backs.

As for how this group will perform, look for less running, especially when Deshaun Watson returns from his suspension. Watson is not a game manager. The game revolves around him. Chubb and whoever backs him up will see fewer carries.

Q: Now that the passing game has been brought up, how jazzed should fans be for the club's wide receivers and tight ends?

A: Don't know about the fans, but this group does not excite me. Too many question marks with one notable exception. Amari Cooper is clearly the No. 1 wideout. And that's it. The cupboard is bare after that. 

Right now, it looks as though the disappointing Donovan Peoples-Jones and rookie David Bell will battle it out for WR2. After that, you'll find the unreliable and oft-injured Anthony Schwartz, who boasts world-class speed, along with Ja'Marcus Bradley, rookie Michael Woods II and lanky free agent Isaiah Weston.

Outside of Cooper, who will probably draw double coverage most of the season, and Bell, it's hard to understand why General Manager Andrew Berry pronounces himself satisfied. Watson, who had several reliable receivers with Houston, will be severely challenged upon his return unless changes are made.

Q: And what about the tight ends? Only two this year in the new Kevin Stefanski offense -- David Njoku and Harrison Bryant.

A: Still trying to figure out why Berry signed Njoku to a four-year contract worth nearly $57 million a couple of months ago.The former first-round pick has operated a notch or two below mediocre for five seasons. But if you follow the notion a player should be paid handsomely for the future regardless of the past, then it makes perfect sense.

It says here, though, Bryant is the better receiver. Better hands, has little trouble being available for his quarterback, runs well after the catch, works hard at blocking. Only one problem: His head coach/playcaller rarely calls his number. Only 66 times in two seasons, including a measly 28 in 16 games last season.

The forgotten tight end catches 68% of the balls thrown his way, including six touchdowns. Njoku has caught just 62% of his targets. Taking into account again that Watson's offense will heavily feature the forward pass, it's reasonable to assume both tight ends will be busier this season.

Q: So what should be expected of Jacoby Brissett, who will keep the starting quarterback's seat warm while he sits out his suspension?

A: A lesser game-manager version of Baker Mayfield. He doesn't have the tools to throw the ball like the former Browns quarterback. But he is smarter from the neck up and will not be a turnover machine. Until Watson returns, Stefanski will button it down on offense and rely on the defense to duplicate its strong finish last season.

Next: More Q&A            

It's the defense, stupid

As the 2022 Browns opened up training camp for the entire squad Wednesday in Berea, one question more than any other occupied the minds of many observers and pundits.

No, it did not center on the whens, wheres and hows of the Deshaun Watson Saga. Those questions have been massaged ad infinitum to the point where the actual verdict by National Football League disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson will seem anticlimactic.

So what's the question?

Hold on.

It is much more team related and focuses on the defensive side of the football, easily the most valuable unit last season. Without it, the Browns wind up somewhere around 5-12 or 6-11 because the offense was AWOL after the first six games of the season.

The highly disappointing 8-9 record masked the outstanding job Joe Woods' defense did after regurgitating 156 points in those six games. With an offense, featuring a partially crippled quarterback, rapidly falling apart, the coordinator performed a miracle and kept the Browns in playoff contention.

The defense that allowed 26 points a game clearly overachieved, with one notable exception (a 45-point blowout), in the final 11 games. It played the kind of defense Browns fans hadn't seen since can't remember when despite working with a patchwork group crafted by General Manager Andrew Berry.

The tackling was sharp, the pass coverage tightened and blown coverages in the secondary disappeared. When no one was looking, a switch had been flipped.

In those last 11 games, the defense that coughed up 156 points limited 10 of those opponents to just 159 points, a per-game average drop of 10 points a game. It was as though Woods figured it all out by game seven and everything almost miraculously fell into place.

The only problem was the offense that put up 156 points in the first six games scored just 152 in 10 of the remaining 11games. It was the exact opposite of the 2020 season when the high-powered Cleveland offense had to flat out outscore the other team to barely win.

So what's the question? Is it unreasonable for the fans to expect to see the defense of the final 11games again this season? Most everyone is back from that still very young unit. Surely, it stands to reason they are comfortable with Woods' direction.

With the offense clearly better when Watson clears whatever punishment Robinson deems fitting, you can bet head coach Kevin Stefanski would like nothing better than to wed the achievements of the 2020 offense with those of the 2021 defense.

If there is a weakness on defense, it resides at tackle where Berry has failed to plug holes following the departure of Malik McDowell (off-the-field problems) and Malik Jackson. Woods is counting on free agent Taven Bryan and third-year man Jordan Elliott to finally blossom after two disappointing seasons.

Many fans seem to be excited about rookie Perrion Winfrey, who fell to the fourth round of the draft despite a second-round grade. If he plays as well as he runs his mouth, he could earn more reps than returnees Sheldon Day and second-year man Tommy Togiai.

The last two seasons, the Browns played relatively well against the run, holding opponents to around 110 yards a game. If Berry chooses to gamble and stick with his group even though there are some notable veteran defensive tackles still on the street, fingers crossed on the run defense,

The rest of the defense is basically set with incumbents and/or significant contributors at all other positions. Myles Garrett, Jadeveon Clowney and newcomers Chase Winovich and rookie Alex Wright are set to harass opposing quarterbacks from the edge.

The linebacking crew of Anthony Walker Jr., Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Jacob Phillips, Sione Takitaki . and Tony Fields II returns, as well as the majority of the secondary with third-round pick Martin Emerson Jr. replacing nickel corner Troy Hill (back with the Los Angeles Rams) on the roster.

Like the Cleveland running game on offense, there is an embarrassment of riches in the defensive backfield. Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams, Greg Newsome II with help from A. J. Green, Reggie Robinson II and Emerson man the corners.

The entire safety crew is back with John Johnson III at free and Grant Delpit at strong with Ronnie Harrison Jr. and Richard LeCounte III off the bench.

With a perhaps a rare exception or two, these are the men who will strive to duplicate the final 11 games of 2021 season. this time, though, with the assistance of an improved offense

Next: Q and some A

Off-season thoughts (Vol. XXXVII) 

While Browns Nation waits -- almost, but not quite -- breathlessly for the verdict to finally arrive regarding Deshaun Watson's availability this season, a couple of quarterback-related items with ties to the Browns occupy their time.

In no particular order, the Arizona Cardinals have made Kyler Murray just a tad wealthier than Watson with a multi-year contract that will pay him $46.1 million a season once it kicks in two years from now. That point one is exactly point one more million than Watson will earn in the next five seasons.

This modern world of oneupmanship from a money standpoint gives Murray bragging rights until . . . well . . . until Lamar Jackson beats that when he and the Baltimore Ravens agree to terms on his new contract in the very near future. 

And then Jackson will be eclipsed in 2023 when Joe Burrow and the notoriously cheap Cincinnati Bengals decide southern Ohio is where he belongs and they -- probably reluctantly -- open the vault, shedding that penurious reputation.

So much for bragging rights.

Watson, who reported to training camp Friday, doesn't really care what the others get. He's laughing all the way to the bank with owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam III dropping (foolishly in the eyes of just about every National Football League owner) a fully-guaranteed $230 million in his lap.

Meanwhile . . . the Browns Friday announced the signing of veteran journeyman quarterback Josh Rosen, making Cleveland his sixth stop in five seasons as he wends his way through the National Football League.

The main goal for the former first-round pick by the Cardinals in 2018 is to play well enough in training camp and the exhibition season for the Browns to make current third-stringer Josh Dobbs an ex-Brown and be ready in the event Jacoby Brissett, who will start after Watson is suspended, either falters or is hurt.

There is a reason Rosen has bounced around the NFL. He was the third of five quarterbacks selected in the opening round of that draft and is easily the most disappointing after a stellar career at UCLA. His only consistency is his inconsistency at each of his first stops.

The Browns will find out soon enough why. He is what his résumé says he is: A puzzle still looking for the right answers. The Browns apparently hope head coach Kevin Stefanski, considered by some a quarterback whisperer, can unlock the mystery.

It's a never-ending search by Rosen to revive a career that never really got off the ground. He's got the arm and pocket awareness as a strictly dropback passer. His biggest flaw, it seems, is a lack of mobility to sustain plays. 

Off-season thoughts (Vol. XXXVI)

When the Pro Football Hall of Fame recently announced the names of 54 semifinalists for possible enshrinement in 2023 and Art Modell's name was among them, the expected hue and cry arose resoundingly around Browns Nation.

Numerous Browns fans, who will carry their utter hatred for the former Browns owner to their graves, believed his numerous failures in previous voting for the Hall eliminated any possibility for him to gain entrance.

Obviously not the case as the late Modell's name keeps appearing on a list of candidates. In reality, though, fans are wasting their time gnashing their teeth at the mere possibility. It is not going to happen. Repeating for emphasis -- it is not going to happen.

Modell's unconscionable move of the franchise to Baltimore in 1995 has been rewarded with so many HOF rejections by the voting media, I've lost count. And each time, Browns Nation exhaled a sigh of relief and subsequently rejoiced.

There are way too many roadblocks this time for Modell to hurdle in the Coach/Contributor category, which is handled by a 12-man committee. A separate 12-man Seniors committee takes care of nominations for long-retired players.

On July 27, these committees will advance 12 finalists for their respective groups for consideration to the Hall. On Aug. 16, the Seniors committee will meet and narrow the field to the final three men. A week later, the Coach-Contributor committee will meet and advance ONE person for consideration for the Class of 2023.

What are the odds Modell will make it to the final six, let alone the final one? His competition includes heavyweights like influential television pioneer Roone Arledge, coaches Marty Schottenheimer, Dan Reeves and Don Coryell, team owners Robert Kraft and Bud Adams and long-time game official Jim Tunney.

So just chill, remember those dates and watch Modell go down. Again.

Off-season thoughts (Vol. XXXV)

It's a road down which Baker Mayfield has traveled before. 

From Austin, Texas, where he was a high school star, to Lubbock, Texas, where he walked on as a freshman and starred at Texas Tech, to Norman, Oklahoma, where he walked on again at Oklahoma University and ultimately won the Heisman Trophy, to Cleveland Ohio, where he became only the second quarterback to lead the born-again Browns to the playoffs in 2020, it's been a well-traveled road.

He knows this road well. 

And now, after four eventful seasons in Cleveland, he is Willie Nelsoning it to Charlotte, N.C., where he can once again knock another chip off his shoulder as a member of the Carolina Panthers after the Browns made him an ex-Brown Wednesday morning.

He made a lot of friends in Cleveland, thrilling countless fans in that unforgettable playoff season, becoming the only quarterback since the return in 1999 to win a playoff game, coming thisclose to advancing to the AFC title game.

After all those quarterback failures during a two-decade span that saw the once-proud franchise become the laughingstock of the National Fotball League, Mayfield was the franchise quarterback this long-suffering fandom had longed for.

He suffered through numerous idiotic coaching changes in his first two seasons before Kevin Stefanski arrived and then he flourished. This past season, he was victimized by some terrible thinking by the front office which ultimately paved the way for the Carolina deal.

A bad (non-throwing) shoulder injury early in the season robbed him of his ability to throw the football with any degree of accuracy. He was fitted later with a harness on the injured shoulder which seemed to make matters worse. The club floundered. That's when the critics showed up. 

Mayfield by then was a half cripple (from a football standpoint) and the medical staff kept green-lighting him for the starting lineup when it was blatantly obvious he should have been placed on injured reserve earlier. (And no, I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on the Internet.)

Working with a wide receivers group that had become one of the worst in the NFL with injuries (Jarvis Landry) and defections (Odell Beckham Jr.), Mayfield wasn't even close to being the same quarterback who led the Browns to the playoffs. It was tough to watch.

Teammates praised him for playing under those difficult physical circumstances. A lot of good that did. He was sacked a career-high 43 times in 14 games, including nine times in the penultimate game of the season against Pittsburgh. After that game, Mayfield wisely decided to get the surgery.

By then, as it turned out, the Browns had made the decision to move on from Mayfield, although they publicly insisted he was still their starting quarterback and gave no hint Deshaun Watson was on their radar. 

The acrimony that has accompanied this little chapter in Cleveland Browns history will ultimately fade. Mayfield will go to training camp later this month with the Panthers and, it says here, will win the starting job.

He's too smart, savvy and determined to fail. Now that he knows his new team opens the 2022 season at home against the Browns on Sept. 11, odds are better than even he will be in charge of the offensive huddle.

He reportedly has fully recovered from his shoulder surgery. If that's the case, you can also bet he will show Browns fans he's not nearly as bad a quarterback as they think he has become. It will be a fascinating matchup the schedule makers had no idea would turn out this juicy.

Bye bye Baker

Just when you thought it wouldn't happen, it happened. When speculation began to wane, everything came together for the Browns in their slow-motion divorce with Baker Mayfield.

It was far from amicable, although both sides appeared to breathe huge sighs of relief after Mayfield's trade to the Carolina Panthers for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2024 National Football League draft was announced late Wednesday morning.

That pick could improve to a fourth-rounder depending on how much Mayfield plays this season, including what is instantly a drama-filled season opener against the Browns in Carolina on Sept. 11. 

Considering Mayfield's competition with the Panthers are incumbent Sam Darnold, backup P. J. Walker and rookie draft pick Matt Corral, the Browns will get that fourth-rounder. Mayfield, reportedly fully recovered from the severe shoulder problems that seriously hampered him last season, is automatically the Panthers' best quarterback.

Panthers head coach Matt Rhule begins his third season sitting squarely on a hot seat with a 10-23 NFL record. The offensive-minded coach needs someone strong to take charge of the offensive huddle. He discovered last season Darnold was not that someone.

To that end, Panthers General Manager Scott Fitterer strengthened the offensive line, a decided weakness, by drafting tackle Ikem Okwonu and signing a couple of veterans in center Bradley Bozeman and ex-Browns guard Austin Corbett in free agency. 

In order to make the deal happen, the Browns agreed to pay $10.5 million of Mayfield's $18.8 million contract with the Panthers shelling out $4.85 million and Mayfield agreeing to convert the remaining $3.5 toward incentives. The Browns also save around $8 million in salary cap space.

It was a situation both sides wanted done before training camp later this month. Speculation ever since the Browns successfully courted Deshaun Watson earlier this year suggested Seattle, Atlanta and Carolina were good fits for Mayfield and became fodder for rumor mongers.

With Watson's legal problems commanding most of the attention and the possibility of a suspension looming, a few rumors ridiculously hinted the Browns would hold on to Mayfield as insurance instead of moving up backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett in that event. No way was Mayfield coming back to Cleveland. 

Wednesday's news culminated one of the messiest chapters in the club's storied history, the relationship with the quarterback who led the club to its first playoff appearance in two decades splintering to pieces after news broke that Watson was being targeted.

That it took so long to arrive at this juncture was the only surprise. The Browns backed themselves into a corner, balking at paying all the money owed Mayfield. It is obvious they realized it would take a lot more than they were originally willing to spend to make it happen. Capitulation was the only solution.

The club in a statement said all the right things."We want to thank Baker for all his contributions to the Cleveland Browns. . . . With his fierce competitive spirit, he excited the fan base and accomplished things no player at his position had done for a very long time." Yada, yada, yada.

With the Mayfield divorce now final, all that remains is how hard the NFL comes down on Watson. Both sides in the matter have been heard. All that remains is the decision of retired federal judge Sue L. Robinson, who has completed her investigation into whether Watson violated the league's determining personal conduct policy and will soon rule with a suitable punishment.

It is my understanding either side can appeal the decision to Commissioner Roger Goodell, who will be the final arbiter in the matter, which conjures up all sorts of possibilities if it gets that far. One of them is a full-season suspension with Watson having to apply for reinstatement after a year. The NFL Players Association has indicated it will appeal if Watson is suspended.

After that, it's finally on to football, where conversations will involve blocking and tackling, throwing and catching the football, and strategy and tactical approaches on both sides of the ball. 

About damn time.