Tag Archives: Mitch Trubisky

Browns, NFL

Haden Says Goodbye to Browns, Hello to Steelers

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Berea— Earlier on Wednesday, the Cleveland Browns terminated the contract of seven-year veteran and two-time pro bowler Joe Haden. The move saved the Browns $7 million, leaving them to pay just $4 million of the $11.1 million he was owed for the 2017 season. Of course they would only owe that money if Haden signs a deal for less with another team.

Enter the Pittsburgh Steelers who signed Haden to a three-year, $27 million contract just after 4 p.m. eastern time on Wednesday. The deal is basically a one-year deal worth $7 million that allows the former first round pick to play with a winning team for roughly the same he would’ve been paid to play for the rebuilding Browns.

Haden, who three years ago may have been the best cornerback in the league, has dealt with a number of injuries that have slowed him down. The injuries to his groin and legs have restricted his change of direction ability and forced him to change the way he plays. If he can get his mind and body right, a big if, he can be a huge addition for the Browns AFC North rival.

In a statement, Browns Executive Vice President of Football Operations, Sashi Brown said,

We want to thank Joe for all he has done for this organization both on and off the field. He has been a great teammate and true asset to the Cleveland community.

These are very difficult decisions, we have the utmost respect for Joe, and in my eyes, he will always be a Cleveland Brown.

Haden added a statement on his Instagram account, stating,

I’d first like to take the time to thank Browns fans all around the world from the bottom of my heart for making Cleveland a happy home for the past seven years. I want to thank my coaches, the organization, and especially my teammates who have become family.

My god doesn’t make mistakes and I know the future is bright.

Good luck Joe. It’s been a pleasure.

For more of my thoughts, check out the video below where I discuss Haden, Cam Erving whom the Browns dealt to Kansas City for fifth-round pick, Chicago, and Cody Kessler.

 

Browns, Draft

Browns Draft About More Than 2017

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With reports coming out over the past few days tying the Browns to North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky, rather than Texas A & M monster defensive end Myles Garrett with the first overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, pundits around the country were quick to jump on the downtrodden franchise for a number of reasons.

Among the reasons mentioned is the point that Garrett will be an immediate impact player on a roster clearly void of such players. While I agree that this is most likely the case, if the Cleveland Browns front office determines that Mitch Trubisky is in fact a guy they believe can lead their franchise beyond 2017 and into the future, then the pick is a no brainer, it’s the quarterback every time.

With the Browns being atrocious in the NFL draft every season since 1999 and keeping the team from being competitive due to awful decision-making, it is easy to second guess any move they make. We all have been guilty of it at some point. However, there are no guarantees in the NFL Draft and that includes Garrett.

While Garrett most likely will be a star in the NFL as an edge rusher, quarterback is the most important position on the field in all of sports. With the number one overall pick in the draft, the Browns have their choice of every available player and the organization owes it to themselves and their fans to look at every conceivable option before making a final decision.

Regardless of what the Browns do in this draft, it takes a full three years to truly determine the success of a draft class. So patience is necessary.

Basically what I am saying here is that while Garrett will be the best player for the Browns in 2017, he may not be the best choice for the long-term future.

In the end, Garrett is most likely the pick, but if the Browns think any quarterback is heads above the others in this class and there is any chance they will lose out on a possible franchise guy, they must select them first overall, even if it costs them Garrett.

Draft, NFL

QB Search 2017: Player Profile Mitch Trubisky

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*This is part four of a 10 part series where we will take a look at the Cleveland Browns options for the elusive quarterback of the future.

Name: Mitch Trubisky

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 220 pounds

Throws: Right

School: North Carolina

NFL Team: N/A

Draft Spot or Projection: Top 15 overall

strengths:  Very accurate…throws a catchable ball…shows great anticipation…leader on the field and off…athletic and will surprise people at combine…throws with a strong base…solid mechanics…good velocity…great on short to intermediate routes, decent deep ball…goes through progressions well…looks off safety well…shows above average pocket presence, especially given minimal playing time…will only get better as he plays more…extremely coachable and smart, a true football loving gym rat.

Weaknesses: May not be as big as listed, want to see how tall he truly is at combine…velocity looks good on tape, need to see how hard he actually throws at combine. I like to see 56 mph or above from an elite QB prospect…has tendency to throw off back foot at times when rush in his face…limited playing time in college…

Summary: Trubisky looks the part of an elite quarterback prospect. The limited playing time does have me worried some, but the playing time he did have shows a quarterback with little weaknesses in his game. His ceiling might not be as high as some, but he is the safest of all of the quarterbacks in the 2017 draft and at worst will be an Andy Dalton or Alex Smith type quarterback.

Up Next: Texas Tech QB Pat Mahomes

Previously: Buffalo Bills QB Tyrod Taylor

Browns, Dawg Biscuits

Dawg Biscuits: Myles Doesn’t Want to Be a Brown?

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***Dawg Biscuits is a daily rundown of thoughts, news, and opinions on the Cleveland Browns.***

  • A video came out this weekend of possible number one overall pick and Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett pleading with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to trade up for him. In it, Garrett tells Jones that he should trade Tony Romo and picks to the Browns so that they can take him number one overall and he can be a Cowboy. Browns fans are losing their minds about this and it is so unnecessary. Yes, Garrett would prefer to be a Cowboy and yes, he did say he didn’t want to play for a cold weather city, but in another video, posted on twitter by Fox 26 (Houston) sports director Mark Berman Garrett talks about wanting to be a Brown. There are two sides to all stories and unless he pulls an Elway or an Eli he should be the number one pick. He is a talented monster.
  • Many people have talked about how deep this edge rush class is in the 2017 NFL Draft, with as many as seven guys going in round one. That talk has brought about the argument that the Browns should take a quarterback (which is not as deep a unit) at number one. No. NO, they should not. This quarterback class is filled with questions all around. At number one, the Browns need a sure thing and Garrett, who is clearly the best edge rusher available, is the closest to a sure thing you can find.
  • While the quarterback class is weak, I am still among the few that think North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky can be a very good NFL QB. The kid has everything you want in a franchise signal caller.
  • Speaking of Trubisky, the fact that he was not a starter until 2016, as  a redshirt junior, has been brought up ad nauseam. Carson Wentz sat for years behind a guy who wasn’t an NFL prospect (Brock Jensen), let alone future starter, and how did he look last season? Pretty damn good. College coaches are paid to win games not develop NFL type signal callers. Marquise Williams, who was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Vikings, was a good college quarterback and an athletic freak who helped his college team win ball games. Jensen won National Championships while keeping Wentz on the bench.Just because Williams started over Trubisky does not mean Trubisky won’t be an excellent NFL quarterback. It’s just a weak take.
  • More on this, last night Ken Carman of CBS Radio tweeted out a take from North Carolina quarterbacks coach Keith Heckendorf…
  • carman-mitchy
  • The reasons most likely are that Williams was a very good college quarterback. Some guys are great college quarterbacks, but not suited for the NFL game.
  • Last thought on Trubisky…Biggest worries with him are his true height (hope he is at least 6’2″) and his velocity (hopefully clocked over 56 mph). Outside of either of those coming up short, he will most likely remain my number one QB in this draft.
  • My current top five in this draft at QB…Trubisky, Mahomes, Watson, Kizer, Kaaya.
  • Mahomes is rising because of what he can be. He’s a mix of Favre, Cutler, and Manziel…As long as the good outshines the bad, the future can be very, very, bright.
  • After releasing Josh McCown and Tramon Williams, the Browns have more than $100 million in cap space. Even with that, don’t expect them to go crazy in free agency. They will add some pieces, but they won’t go overboard.
  • The reason they have so much cap space is because they don’t have the piece that takes up most of a teams cap, a franchise QB.
  • That’s all for today. Want to finish off before I say anything about a certain growing legend that rides the bench for the Patriots…