YattaOkasan

Agree Spector at SAM with Bernard at Mike is the best way for us to run 3 LB. I agree big ask for those two. I would just stick with Lewis who is playing well and probably will continue to work so he can actually get a contract after this year (all the backups doing money signs after making any plays makes me chuckle)

His RAS was also a bit low so I think teams didnt want to pay top money to someone playing above their testing. And as you said he decided to stay with Kromer who was helping him overperform. Crazy we have him for 3 mil cap hit next year.

This team has so much trust from me on player development right now that I dont even care. I just assume hell get it sorted if it didnt look good. Just insane how they have been able to grow so many players that when we need them its hardly a drop off.

RAS says both our backups are bigger than the starters. So as far as size only we should be ok. However, I do worry about their processing. Thankfully the thing they do best (though Dorian has continue to take a step in coverage) is come down hill against the run. Derrick Henry I feel fine against. We have answered that question before and it feels like penetration from the DL is critical (as you mention) to slow him down so the rest of the team can get him down. As for the slowest set of safeties they managed to limit the leagues fastest set of skill players in miami just fine. I will acknowledge this is a slightly different problem because baltimore will happily stay with the run but it wont be "speed" that gets us. I worry more about processing from the second level when its play action. That said we sorta played a very similar offense (but with better outside weapons) week 1. Conners and that run game is very efficient and Kyler is probably the closest to Lamar's skill set. I think they are too good to be stopped but I think we have played a very similar offense. If you scrap nickel, it has to be morrow right? Still need to cover either or andrews or likely in the middle. I think we stay with Lewis.

I told my wife that Jax didnt earn the right to be hurdled on that play. Don't look at the PFF grades for the opener where they had Kyler (75.6) with a higher grade than Josh (75.1). https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/2024/9/11/24241720/cardinals-week-1-pff-grades-and-observations#:~:text=QB%3A,Kyler Murray —- 75.6 https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-why-your-nfl-team-won-lost-week-1-2024-nfl-season#:~:text=Buffalo Bills 34%2C Arizona Cardinals,a 75.1 PFF overall grade.

Brown has been great taking a bigger leap than ed oliver did when he got his contract last year. But I want to focus on Dawkins. Dude is playing just as awesome and is doing it very uniquely. He wasnt crowding the line like other weeks (asking the ref if he was too far forward on a passing play) but he still had the huge splits. He trusts his atheletcism and his technique. He obviously wouldnt be lining up that way without Kromer and Brady's blessing. cool that hes been going at it different than anyone else I can remember.

I think duo with lots of double teams and make their corners tackle. Particularly if they are following the receiver in man they will have realize he’s blocking then make the run fit. Lot to process for the Cb. It’s also more of an outsider hitter so we get to pummel their good DEs.

Love the defensive strategy of keep everything in front and tackle in the back 7 and let the D line eat. If Josh gets a lead you have to consider sitting back there with Groot, Von, Epenesa, and Ed coming in that pass rush package. Thats gonna be a problem for teams.

I dont think we see less Dime. Plan was to have Lewis play dime on passing downs against cards and they just had to move everyone up a peg when taron went down. Dorian has been getting better but he (and Baylon to a lesser extent) are weaker in coverage. Before the Cards game I was trying to figure out who the dime backer would be. I assumed safety like last year but Lewis makes a lot of sense given his ability to play nickel and safety. So in all, Dime is here to stay.

Anderson was rough too. Saw him whiff in the Jumbo set at least once. Im hoping Kromer is just tinkering with Torrence and he takes a small step back while he tries to incorporate the new approaches. My reason for optimism is he seems to be making attention mistakes (false start, not realizing cook stepped up to the A gap for pass pro) but is still really engaged with the team. The conditioning is tough too cause its always gonna be something to watch. He started playing football to keep his weight down. So it can be a struggle so not sure if this normal or a concern basically.

I dont know that hes a great restructure candidate. I think thats the cost they pay to have flexibility in the contract. His salary isnt greater than 10 mil until 2027. With a cap hit of 19 mil itll be interesting cause both cutting him and restructure could be on the table.

I think his clutchness is underappreciated though. He has left the field with a lead so many times and not gotten the credit cause the defense let them down. These are all leaving the field in the last or second to last possession with a lead (most were within the last 2 minutes. CLE 2019 ARI 2020 KC 2021 NE 2023 DEN 2023 PHI 2023 (TWICE!!!) Theres also very close ones like HOU 2019, TEN 2021, MIN 2022, KC 2023 which dont fit the criteria above we either tied the game or just weirdness happened (sometimes josh or kicking). Considering he only has 30 loss in total its crazy to think he should have 10 more wins! Thats in addition to his 13 4th quarter comebacks and 19 Game Winning Drives. 2 comebacks and 3 game winning drives per year not count the 10 i listed here.

I think you have a certain amount of time to win the pass rush (ESPN uses 2.5 seconds). Since Browns pass blocking held up longer than that its not a pass rush win. On the flip side Torrence would get dinged for allowing the rusher in super quick on the 3rd and long that went to Cook even though Josh escaped.

Agree its fair. But the option bonus hits next year. So thats 16 mill more. Then 7.1 mil more in 2026 if hes on the roster (assuming early in the league year, prior to the draft). Thats why people are putting the 45 mil number out there. Cause there are very likely to be earned money that is guaranteed once the contract gets to that point. I agree its a fair deal. The cap hit is pretty manageable through 2026 (that year gets a bit high at 19 mil), and if they want to get out after that year then it saves 7 mil. The downside of this contract seems to be that we cant restructure for a few years so we will be pretty stuck with that 2026 cap number.

I think the 45 million is correct but has a 7 million roster bonus in 2026 that everyone is assuming will be granted (I think this is a good assumption). The reason for the lower number is the option and roster bonus not being included (signing bonus and guaranteed salary only)

If we cut him before the 2026 season we save 2.8 mil. what is so tough about that? Being able to move on after two years (including the final year of his rookie) is pretty easy to me. Being able to get out in 2 years seems super team friendly to me.

Yeah but they are not guaranteed so if hes not performing we can cut him.

See above

Thanks. I think thats a very reasonable assessment. There were a few processing errors that I found interesting. He misses the blitzer in the B gap on the cook 3rd down conversion after Josh bails Torrence out. The false start. Im hoping they were/are working on a couple things and hell get it sorted. Conditioning is always gonna be a big thing with him. Think he started playing football to keep his weight down cause he was pushing 400' at one point.

Good starting post. I agree on your Buy's and Holds, but added a couple. Buy: Kincaid (for reasons stated) Ed Oliver. He was affecting things last week. I think this week it leads to stats Sell: Torrence or Cook. Torrence I think is gonna need a few weeks to find his footing. Cook I think gets his workload eaten into by the other RBs. Hold: Groot (for reasons stated), Shakir, dude is gonna continue to show out

Broadcast was rough and wanted to hear about the all 22. He still seems very engaged (picking teammates up, running to celebrate). Think this is sophomore slump or is this Kromer working on things in the offseason and so hes taken a small step back before he gets go a better place?

need that picture to better note that its aaron donald hes stiff arming. the flag on the play (its in the frame) made it moot but he got out and made a good play out of this ridiculous.

Lol ken jeong is an ACTUAL doctor when apatow cast him for Knocked Up. So i feel great if he knows more than chao.

I really don’t like how it stops the clock. That was crazy useful for them. Almost as conceding the down which was also crafty.

If all you knew last year was that Oliver got extended would it be 50/50? I agree the numbers for Oliver are great. Optimistic they are good for brown too