Special teams thoughts

It was reported, at least in some media circles, that the Browns surprisingly fired Mike Priefer as special teams coordinator a few days ago. 

Surprisingly? More like what took them so long.

After all, it took the Browns mere hours to cashier embattled defensive coordinator Joe Woods after the season finale in Pittsburgh a few days into the new year. And he deserved it after three agonizingly inconsistent seasons.

Priefer, whose special teams fared somewhat worse than Woods' defense, appeared to escape a similar fate as the days and weeks mounted. Nothing but silence emanated from 76 Lou Groza Blvd. in Berea with regard to Priefer. For six weeks.

All kinds of speculation arose, of course, and then died down as preparations for the 2023 season slowly came into view. A few assistant coaches moved on to higher ground with other National Football League clubs. Priefer, it appeared, was safe. Until he wasn't.

That's when head coach Kevin Stefanski dropped the hammer on the native Clevelander with what seemed, at least to me, a by-the-book sendoff. Annotation in bold is mine.

"I appreciate everything Prief has done for this team in his three seasons as my special teams coordinator, but I have decided to move in another direction for the best interest of organization," he wrote. Is this how you reward appreciation? The other direction is for the better. Best interest of the organization is with you somewhere else.

 "I know this city will be forever grateful for the job he did as acting head coach in our AFC wild-card win (in the 2020 season) and for all his contributions while leading the Browns' special teams unit for the last four seasons. We wish Prief the best in his next opportunity." Forever grateful? In a wild-card game? More like a footnote. You're fired. But good luck, anyway. 

It seems many of the same words appear in carefully-worded statements whenever someone of importance is fired from a sports team, whether it's a general manager, coach or player. Words like appreciate, move in another direction, wish him (or her) the best.

So again, what took the Browns so long to pull the cord on Priefer's parachute? Not saying it wasn't warranted because it was. Didn't seem right, though, that they left him dangling while other teams were firming up their coaching staffs for the new season.

*****

Didn't take nearly as long to find Priefer's successor. A couple of days later, Stefanski pronounced himself "thrilled" to welcome Indianapolis Colts special teams boss Ray (Bubba) Ventrone on board. Adding assistant head coach to his job title removed it from being a sideways move.

Ventrone comes with sparkling credentials. A special teams ace his entire NFL playing career with three teams -- including a four-year stint with the Browns  -- helped him become one of the league's most highly-regarded coordinators, annually turning out top-rated special teams.

The former college safety, who began his 10-year pro football playing career as an undrafted free agent, cut his eye teeth as a coach under Bill Belichick while at New England. 

"He brings a proven track record as both a player and a coach in this league," gushed Stefanski in a released statement. " . . . He has an infectious passion for the game and we are excited to have him leading our special teams unit." 

So now with the addition of Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator and Ventrone in charge of special teams, there ostensibly will be no excuse whatsoever for the Browns to flounder as they have the last two seasons with disappointing play from the defense and special teams leading to a 7-10 record.

With Deshaun Watson playing a whole season leading an offensive unit that averaged 24 points a game under journeyman Jacoby Brissett while Watson sat out his 11-game suspension, it isn't unreasonable to assume that side of the football will be even better this season.

Put it all together and . . . well, you get the idea.

Roster guessing Part II

Now that Super Bowl el-vee-eye-eye is history, time to shift gears and peer into the future of the Browns.

As in what we can look forward to in the form of who returns, who departs and who is barely hanging on to a spot on a roster that, once again, put their fans through another disappointing, underachieving season in 2022, returning to the AFC North basement in the process.

There is a lot of quality talent on that roster, a majority of which lies on the offensive side of the football. The defense, meanwhile, bears a sizable portion of blame for the 7-10 record, which could easily have been 9-8 and, arguably, 10-7 with any kind of clutch football by the defense.

Following is a breakdown of the current 80-man roster, which consists of the 53-man main squad, 15 contributors last season currently on injured reserve and 12 on the reserve/future list. The chances of each playing for the Browns in 2023 will be judged with these possible outcomes: No brainer, solid, iffy, barely hanging on, gonzo. Yesterday, it was the offense. Today, spotlight's on the defense and special teams. . . .

               DEFENSIVE END

Myles Garrett: No brainer. Perennial All-Pro and Pro Bowler. This future Hall of Famer will be a fixture in a Browns uniform for a very long time, producing numbers that very well could land him in the top five NFL sack artists of all time. Barring injury, he is on pace to record at least 150 by his 12th season, 

Jadeveon Clowney: Gonzo. Talked his way out of Cleveland. Nothing more to add here. Replacing him will be difficult.

Alex Wright: No brainer. This is who new defensive boss Jim Schwartz and his staff hope can at least come close to the player Clowney was in his first season with the Browns. Coming close would be an accomplishment since his quiet debut as a rookie. Started five games with less than below-mediocre results, the most notable of which was no sacks.

Isaiah Thomas: Iffy. Another rookie who was not overwhelming. He should get enough reps in training camp to determine his future in Cleveland. He'll probably be kept around if free agency and/or the draft don't help.

Chase Winovich: Barely hanging on. Missed a good portion of 2022 with a hamstring injury. Needs a big training camp and exhibition showing to warrant a second season in Cleveland.

Chris Odom: Gonzo. Won't get past training camp..

Stephen Weatherly: Gonzo. Ditto.

               DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Taven Bryan: Barely hanging on. There were many reasons the Browns' run defense was awful. He's one of them. A free-agent signing that did not turn out well. Won't take much to make him an ex-Brown.

Jordan Elliott: Solid. Why after three seasons of mediocre football? Your guess is as good as mine. Moved up to starter last season because no one was better -- that's an indictment -- and delivered just 19 total tackles and two sacks (don't remember either) in 17 games. So why is he sticking around? Call it a hunch. 

Perrion Winfrey: No brainer. The only one in this group. Fourth-round draft pick whose play does not match his loquacious nature. Played fairly well in the latter portion of the season after watching most of the first half from the bench. If the quality of his play ever matches his mouth, he becomes interesting.

Tommy Togiai: Barely hanging on. Erstwhile Ohio State star who has had a tough transition to the next level. Not going to be any better than he is now. That might not be good enough.

Roderick Perry II: Gonzo. Suited up for just two games. Might make it to training vamp.

Ben Stille: Gonzo. No chance. Think training camp.

Michael Drumfour: Gonzo. Ditto.

               LINEBACKER

Anthony Walker Jr.: Solid. The first of four frequently-used backers who hit injured reserve throughout the season, crippling a defense that never recovered from their absence. Should be healthy enough from a torn quad tendon to be ready for training camp. That's if the Browns seek to resign the free agent. It's a mistake if they pass on the true middle backer.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah: No brainer. It will be interesting to see how Schwartz uses this wildly versatile player because Joe Woods certainly did not capitalize on his worth. JOK, utilized correctly, could be the key to the success of an improved defense.

Sione Takitaki: Solid. Another free agent worth resigning. Missed the last five games on IR, but played surprisingly well at middle linebacker after injuries weakened the position. Schwartz should love his aggressive approach to the game.

Jacob Phillips: Iffy. His biggest problem is staying healthy. The 2020 third-round pick has suited up for only 20 (of a potential 49) games, starting only eight. He has finished all three seasons on IR. That's what qualifies him for the projection. The club might release him before he gets hurt again.

Tony Fields II: Solid. A strong finish this season, mainly because injuries wiped out all the starters, should give him a boost toward playing significant minutes this season. Started the last six games and finished with 48 tackles overall. 

Deion Jones: Iffy. Acquired in desperation in week seven last season due to the injuries, but played out of position (an outside backer playing in the middle) before switching back with Takitaki taking over inside. Contributed 2.5 sacks and 44 tackles, Iffy because the linebackers room ostensibly will be healthy again.

Reggie Ragland: Barely hanging on. Signed off the Las Vegas practice squad last Dec. 7 in desperation and put up a 10-tackle game in a Christmas Eve loss to New Orleans. The biggest of the linebackers at 6-2, 250 pounds. Could use his veteran presence.

Jordan Kunaszyk: Gonzo. Too many healthy bodies ahead of him. Best bet: Special teams. Update: Kunaszyk has been released. 

Tae Davis: Gonzo. Might make training camp, but that's it.

Sam Kamara: Gonzo. Ditto.

Storey Jackson:  Gonzo. Ditto.

Jermaine Carter: Gonzo. Ditto.

                 CORNERBACK

Denzel Ward: No brainer. One of the league's best cover corners when healthy. Fact: He has never played a full season in five years -- 66 out of 82 games. Came close with 15 of 17 in 2021. Should flourish in Schwartz's scheme.

Greg Newsome Jr.: No brainer. Played mostly slot corner last season and didn't like it. Better suited to play outside, but needs to be more of a ballhawk. Still looking for his first NFL interception. 

Martin Emerson Jr.: No brainer. No one had a better rookie season with the Browns than this hard-nosed defender, who led all cornerbacks with 63 tackles, 51 of them solo. Was picked on early in pass coverage and graded out well. Very strong in run support.

A. J. Green: Iffy. Used more as a dime back last season. Had one of the club's 11 interceptions. Too many solid corners in front of him. Special teams again?

Greedy Williams: Barely hanging on. Played in less than 10% of the plays from scrimmage last season. His only hope of sticking around is if Schwartz sees something Woods didn't. 

Thomas Graham Jr.: Gonzo. Training camp. Period.

                    SAFETY

Grant Delpit: No brainer. Despite all the trouble he seemed to have last season (think blown coverages), he wound up with a very good season in other statistical categories. Led the team in total tackles (105) and solo tackles (72) from his strong safety spot, playing a team-high 99.72% of the plays. He also swiped four of the team's 11 interceptions.

John Johnson III: Solid. The only reason he isn't a no-brainer is because rumors being floated have the Browns cutting him to save on cap space. Even though the free safety's tackling numbers almost matched Delpit's, he hasn't been an impact player with only four picks in two seasons.

Ronnie Harrison Jr.: Iffy. He was iffy last season, too, while testing the free-agent market. Came up short and remained with the Browns. Played mostly in dime situations. How Andrew Berry fares in the free-agent market could determine whether he shows up at training camp.

D'Anthony Bell: Iffy. Surprisingly made the team as a free-agent rookie last season at the age of 25. Booked only 72 plays (6.6%), but had 14 tackles (12 solo).

Bubba Bolden: Gonzo. Training camp. Maybe.

               SPECIAL TEAMS

Charley Hughlett: No brainer. One of the best long snappers in the NFL. Can't remember his last bad snap.

Corey Bojorquez: No brainer. The left-footed punter tied for seventh place in the league with a 48.5-yard average. His disappointing 41.1 net average was due to a combination of bad coverage and sloppy tackling. Has tendency to outkick the coverage, resulting in fewer fair catches. 

Cade York: No brainer. Spotty rookie season. From the 58-yard field to win the season opener against Carolina to three blocked field-goal attempts (to lead the NFL with Baltimore's peerless Justin Tucker of all people), it was up and down for 17 games. Missed two extra points and connected on just 75% of his 32 field-goal attempts. He can't get any worse as a pro sophomore, can he?

Roster guessing

Now that Super Bowl el-vee-eye-eye -- never understood why the National Football League chooses Roman numerals instead of much-easier to-understand regular figures to herald its biggest event of the year -- is history, time to shift gears and peer into the future of the Browns.

As in what can we look forward to in the form of who returns, who departs and who is barely hanging on to a spot on a roster that, once again, put their fans through another disappointing, underachieving season in 2022, returning to the AFC North basement in the process.

There is a lot of quality talent on that roster, a majority of which lies on the offensive side of the football. The defense, meanwhile, bears a sizable portion of the blame for the 7-10 record, which could easily have been 9-8 and, arguably, 10-7 with any kind of clutch football by the defense.

Instead, fans were tortured with what felt like a season-long epidemic of blown pass coverages at the most inappropriate times. Like late in games after the offense played well enough to win. Out goes Joe Woods, in comes Jim Schwartz, ostensibly to fix the gaping wound that hoisted a stop sign on any postseason.

The new sheriff in town coaches antithetically to his predecessor. Rather than watching Woods' back-on-their-heels soft approach to defense, Schwartz's defenses over the years are known for their bellicose aggression. That right there should excite the fan base.

And with Deshaun Watson on board for the entire season after serving an 11-game suspension to start last season, there is no question the offense will be significantly improved, especially in the passing game. It helps immensely that the coaching staff on that side of the football is pretty much intact. 

Following is a breakdown of the current 80-man roster, which consists of the 53-man main squad, 15 contributors last season currently on injured reserve and 12 on the reserve/future list. The their chances of each playing for the Browns in 2023 will be judged with these possible outcomes: No brainer, solid, iffy, barely hanging on, gonzo. We start with the offense. . . .

          QUARTERBACK

Deshaun Watson: No brainer. Pay no attention to the six games he played after escaping his suspension. That's not the quarterback you'll see this season. He'll be fully indoctrinated in Kevin Stefanski's system.

Jacoby Brissett: Gonzo. He's a free agent and the sneaky (pun intended) good season he had in Watson's absence will land him elsewhere with a chance to start. GM Andrew Berry will scour widely and find a quality backup for his $230 million quarterback.

Kellen Mond: Who? Gonzo. He was strictly insurance.

          RUNNING BACK

Nick Chubb: No brainer. Duh! But I believe we'll see him get more touches. Watson is best when he spreads the ball around. That means Chubb, whose receiving skills have improved nicely, will get a chance to break even more tackles in space.

Kareem Hunt: Gonzo. The vaunted Chubb-Hunt tandem in the same backfield never materialized. It seemed as though Stefanski never figured out how to maximize their unique talents. He'll make some RB-starved team happy.

Jerome Ford: No brainer. Stood out as a rookie as a kick returner. Figures to take over the Hunt role as Chubb's backup. Bright future.

D'Ernest Johnson: Iffy. The Browns like him, especially after a 2021 season when he filled in nicely when injuries hit the position hard. But he was puzzlingly almost totally ignored  last season. Touched the ball only seven times. A free agent who might look for greener pastures.

Demetric Felton Jr.: Gonzo. Didn't stand out in anything in his two seasons. Was he a running back or wide receiver? Turns out it was neither.

John Kelly Jr.: Gonzo. Reserve-future who might be good enough for the practice squad.

Nate McCrary: Gonzo. Ditto.

          TIGHT END

David Njoku: No brainer. He tops the depth chart here, but not worth the $55 million the club invested to keep him for the next several seasons. But he is entrenched. Maybe Watson can help him unfurl a big season.

Harrison Bryant: Solid. Used primarily as a blocker in a two tight-end scheme. Not given much of a chance to showcase his receiving skills.

Pharaoh Brown: Barely hanging on. A free agent who most likely will play somewhere else.

Jesse James: Gonzo. Ditto. A non-contributor last season.

Zaire Mitchell-Paden: Gonzo. Reserve/future candidate for the practice squad?

          WIDE RECEIVER

Amari Cooper: No brainer. One of the NFL's best -- 1,160 yards, nine touchdowns, 15 yards per reception. 61 of his 78 receptions gained first downs. Produced nine of the club's 19 touchdowns through the air. He and Watson form one of the league's best passing tandems.

Donovan Peoples-Jones: No brainer. Was on his way to a 1,000-yard season, but slumped toward the end. Like Cooper, made numerous clutch catches. Noted for his downfield blocking. 

David Bell: No brainer. Rookie slot receiver who emerged midway through the season. Made several tough short-yardage catches, grabbing nearly 70% of his targets. Not fast, but extremely reliable.

Michael Woods II: Iffy. The Browns like his speed. His spot on the main roster depends on how much Berry tries to strengthen the position's depth. Otherwise, practice squad.

Anthony Schwartz: Barely hanging on. Fastest guy on the team. One of the fastest men on the planet. Not a football payer. Bad draft choice. 

Jakeem Grant: Gonzo. Brought the All-Pro in last season to return kicks. Ruptured his Achilles in training camp. With Ford now handling the job, Grant is as good as gone.

Jaelon Darden: Gonzo. Fodder for training camp.

Mike Harley Jr.: Gonzo. Ditto.

Daylen Baldwin: Gonzo. Ditto.

Marquez Stevenson: Gonzo. Ditto.

Isaiah Weston: Gonzo. Ditto.

          OFFENSIVE LINE

                CENTER

Ethan Pocic: No brainer. Signed as a free agent last season as insurance and paid off that policy when he filled in beautifully after presumed starter Nick Harris went down with a significant knee injury in training camp. Graded highly all season by Pro Football Focus. Resigning him should top Berry's to-do list. 

Nick Harris: No brainer. Versatile enough to play either center or guard. Because of his size (barely six feet tall), cannot be counted on to play on a regular basis, but good enough to make the final 53.

Dawson Deaton: Barely hanging on. Late-round draft pick tore his ACL in training camp last year. Will get another chance this year. At best, he's a maybe. A practice squad candidate.

                 GUARD

Joel Bitonio: No brainer. Perennial Pro Bowler. One of the best pulling guards in the NFL. Stands out as one of the team's leaders. Keeps on going and going and going with no dropoff in consistency.

Wyatt Teller: No brainer. Had a slight dropoff from his terrific 2021 campaign, but sill one of the best in the NFL as he and Bitonio form the best guard tandem in the league.

Drew Forbes: Solid. Most of the action he saw last season was as an extra lineman in jumbo packages in the red zone. Coaches like him. 

Michael Dunn: Solid. Ditto. 

Hjalte Froholdt: Iffy. Showed his versatility late last season when he filled in admirably in the pivot when Pocic missed several games and did not embarrass himself. He's one of those types of players who make rosters because of their versatility. He leans toward solid.

                   TACKLE

Jack Conklin: No brainer. As solid as they come.You can pencil in his name at right tackles for at least the next three seasons. 

Jedrick Wills Jr: Solid. Was tempted to write iffy because the first-round pick in the 2020 draft  has been a big disappointment. He is mediocre at best in pass protection and not that much better in the ground game. His biggest problems: False starts and holding. Would not be surprised if the Browns fail to pick up his fifth-year option.

James Hudson III: Solid. Has not developed nearly as much as the Browns had hoped after his first two seasons in the NFL. Owns neither the quickness nor toughness required of an offensive tackle. He makes the final 53, though, because he's, well, better than anyone else. Love to see him challenge Wills.

Chris Hubbard: Barely hanging on. One of these years, he will graduate to gonzo. He'll be 32 in April and not nearly the player he was when he joined he Browns in 2018 after four seasons in Pittsburgh. 

Joe Haeg: Gonzo. No chance whatsoever.

Tyrone Wheatley Jr.: Gonzo. Ditto.

Next: The defense and special teams