Brownies sign Clowney

[just1hugheser]

id bet he has around 6-8 sacks during the reg season, he'll play especially well in primetime games and when/if they make the playoffs he'll blow up

[eball]

So I see the Browns are @ScottLaw‘s new Jets.  After all, he nailed that one.

 

Cleveland has a nice roster.  They’re limited by their QB.  Need to prove they can get over the Baltimore hump before I’ll put them in the top 3 in the AFC.

 

Clowney is terribly overrated, but he’s better than JAG so I guess it’s an upgrade for them.  He’s a player who is so clearly just in it for “me” though...not what I’m looking for when building a culture.

 

Nobody in the AFC has Pat Mahomes or Josh Allen.  The next best QB might be Herbert.  Jackson, Watson, Tannehill, Derek Carr (!) were all better than Baker last year.  And now the AFC will add Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson.

 

The Browns are certainly no pushover and should be a playoff team again, but I’ll pump the brakes on calling them great just yet.

 

[GunnerBill]

  On 4/15/2021 at 11:50 AM, eball said:

So I see the Browns are @ScottLaw‘s new Jets.  After all, he nailed that one.

 

Cleveland has a nice roster.  They’re limited by their QB.  Need to prove they can get over the Baltimore hump before I’ll put them in the top 3 in the AFC.

 

Clowney is terribly overrated, but he’s better than JAG so I guess it’s an upgrade for them.  He’s a player who is so clearly just in it for “me” though...not what I’m looking for when building a culture.

 

Nobody in the AFC has Pat Mahomes or Josh Allen.  The next best QB might be Herbert.  Jackson, Watson, Tannehill, Derek Carr (!) were all better than Baker last year.  And now the AFC will add Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson.

 

The Browns are certainly no pushover and should be a playoff team again, but I’ll pump the brakes on calling them great just yet.

 

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Agree. The Browns are a playoff team. They are a team that can win a playoff game. I don't see them as a team who can win a Championship. That isn't just on Baker either. The back 7 of their defense is way too inconsistent.

[machine gun kelly]

  On 4/15/2021 at 11:50 AM, eball said:

So I see the Browns are @ScottLaw‘s new Jets.  After all, he nailed that one.

 

Cleveland has a nice roster.  They’re limited by their QB.  Need to prove they can get over the Baltimore hump before I’ll put them in the top 3 in the AFC.

 

Clowney is terribly overrated, but he’s better than JAG so I guess it’s an upgrade for them.  He’s a player who is so clearly just in it for “me” though...not what I’m looking for when building a culture.

 

Nobody in the AFC has Pat Mahomes or Josh Allen.  The next best QB might be Herbert.  Jackson, Watson, Tannehill, Derek Carr (!) were all better than Baker last year.  And now the AFC will add Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson.

 

The Browns are certainly no pushover and should be a playoff team again, but I’ll pump the brakes on calling them great just yet.

 

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Overall, well said mean.  He had 2 sacks total over two years.  He is incredibly overrated.  He’s never had double digit sacks in a year.  There is some fascination with this guy and for several years was opposite Watt in his prime.  Garrett is great, but if Watt can’t make him look great, then I doubt Garrett can do better.

 

$8 mil. With $2mil. In incentives is overpaying.  Overall Cleveland is a solid team and ahead in my opinion than Pitt.  They are basically neck and neck with Baltimore.  I’m happy for Cleveland fans as they’ve suffered as long as we did for the last two decades.  I think they will be a very good team and should expect to see them in the playoffs in the future.  At this point I’d rather see clevelandas a repeat playoff contender than Pitt.

 

I see the afc usual suspects are going to be Indy, us, Cleveland, KC, Baltimore, Chargers, and possibly Miami.  There are always surprises, but these teams look like either good or on their way to being good.  There may be others but we’ll see.

[BarleyNY]

  On 4/15/2021 at 12:29 PM, GunnerBill said:

 

Agree. The Browns are a playoff team. They are a team that can win a playoff game. I don't see them as a team who can win a Championship. That isn't just on Baker either. The back 7 of their defense is way too inconsistent.

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Very true about last season’s back 7.  But the Browns have made a lot of improvements already.  They’ll get back from IR two players that took zero snaps last season in 2nd round picks Grant Delpit (2020, S) and Greedy Williams (2019, CB).  They also signed safety John Johnson III and cornerback Troy Hill.

 

They still need work at LB and could use insurance on the outside for Greedy who has been injured the last two seasons with nerve damage in his shoulder, but that’s about it.  Their back 7 is going to look a lot different than last year.

 

As for Mayfield, last year he was in his 3rd system in 3 seasons and had no preseason game or real offseason to prepare.  He was horrible early in the year and it looked bad.  But by mid season he’d learned it well enough to look like an entirely different player.  In fact he was rated the second best QB in the league over the second half of the season.  For the season that brought him up to 10th in QBR and 8th in PFF’s rankings.  It will be interesting to see how he does in 2021, but if he picks up where he left off then it looks pretty damn good for him. 

[GunnerBill]

  On 4/15/2021 at 12:57 PM, machine gun kelly said:

 

I see the afc usual suspects are going to be Indy, us, Cleveland, KC, Baltimore, Chargers, and possibly Miami.  There are always surprises, but these teams look like either good or on their way to being good.  There may be others but we’ll see.

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Still think the Titans too. They zig while the league is zagging and a bit like Baltimore it is that uniqueness to their style of play that makes them a tough matchup. Might not feel that way but they have had five winning seasons in a row. I know they lost their starters at corner (though they were not very good last year in any event) and their OC but I still see a QB-RB combo that compliment each other, I think they have one of the best young receivers in the game and a top half dozen left tackle. They will be in the playoff hunt again IMO. 

  On 4/15/2021 at 1:10 PM, BarleyNY said:

Very true about last season’s back 7.  But the Browns have made a lot of improvements already.  They’ll get back from IR two players that took zero snaps last season in 2nd round picks Grant Delpit (2020, S) and Greedy Williams (2019, CB).  They also signed safety John Johnson III and cornerback Troy Hill.

 

They still need work at LB and could use insurance on the outside for Greedy who has been injured the last two seasons with nerve damage in his shoulder, but that’s about it.  Their back 7 is going to look a lot different than last year.

 

As for Mayfield, last year he was in his 3rd system in 3 seasons and had no preseason game or real offseason to prepare.  He was horrible early in the year and it looked bad.  But by mid season he’d learned it well enough to look like an entirely different player.  In fact he was rated the second best QB in the league over the second half of the season.  For the season that brought him up to 10th in QBR and 8th in PFF’s rankings.  It will be interesting to see how he does in 2021, but if he picks up where he left off then it looks pretty damn good for him. 

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Delpit and Williams are still maybes though and Johnson and Hill are solid role players but they are not difference makers. If they all mesh together than yes, it could be significant upgrade but until I see it on the field I still have question marks about that back 7. 

[Charles Romes]

  On 4/14/2021 at 4:49 PM, Logic said:

Clowney had zero sacks last year.

He has 12 sacks in the last three years COMBINED.

He has played a full 16-game season just ONCE in his seven year career.

I have never seen such an overhyped player in my life. He's still making a living off of one amazing college play and a really cool name.

 

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Amazing college career?  You mean that one play where no one even blocked him?  The hype started long ago. 

[BarleyNY]

  On 4/15/2021 at 1:12 PM, GunnerBill said:

 

Still think the Titans too. They zig while the league is zagging and a bit like Baltimore it is that uniqueness to their style of play that makes them a tough matchup. Might not feel that way but they have had five winning seasons in a row. I know they lost their starters at corner (though they were not very good last year in any event) and their OC but I still see a QB-RB combo that compliment each other, I think they have one of the best young receivers in the game and a top half dozen left tackle. They will be in the playoff hunt again IMO. 

 

Delpit and Williams are still maybes though and Johnson and Hill are solid role players but they are not difference makers. If they all mesh together than yes, it could be significant upgrade but until I see it on the field I still have question marks about that back 7. 

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It’s fair to say that the Browns back 7 has question marks, but you’re very much undervaluing Hill and Johnson.  Johnson was easily a top 10 and probably top 5 safety last season.  Hill has been solid outside at CB but graded out as the best slot CB in the league.  Delpit is probably the third safety behind Johnson and Ronnie Harrison, who’s also probably a top 10 safety.  When in Nickel it’ll be Denzel Ward at CB1 with CB2 either Greedy, Hill (with 3 safeties) or a player to be found.  LB is definitely more of a concern and the defense has to come together, sure.  But I can’t believe that they are going to look the same as last season. 

[machine gun kelly]

  On 4/15/2021 at 1:12 PM, GunnerBill said:

 

Still think the Titans too. They zig while the league is zagging and a bit like Baltimore it is that uniqueness to their style of play that makes them a tough matchup. Might not feel that way but they have had five winning seasons in a row. I know they lost their starters at corner (though they were not very good last year in any event) and their OC but I still see a QB-RB combo that compliment each other, I think they have one of the best young receivers in the game and a top half dozen left tackle. They will be in the playoff hunt again IMO. 

 

Delpit and Williams are still maybes though and Johnson and Hill are solid role players but they are not difference makers. If they all mesh together than yes, it could be significant upgrade but until I see it on the field I still have question marks about that back 7. 

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My bad the great GB, my Brit friend.  You’re absolutely right on the Titans.

[GunnerBill]

  On 4/15/2021 at 2:19 PM, BarleyNY said:

It’s fair to say that the Browns back 7 has question marks, but you’re very much undervaluing Hill and Johnson.  Johnson was easily a top 10 and probably top 5 safety last season.  Hill has been solid outside at CB but graded out as the best slot CB in the league.  Delpit is probably the third safety behind Johnson and Ronnie Harrison, who’s also probably a top 10 safety.  When in Nickel it’ll be Denzel Ward at CB1 with CB2 either Greedy, Hill (with 3 safeties) or a player to be found.  LB is definitely more of a concern and the defense has to come together, sure.  But I can’t believe that they are going to look the same as last season. 

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I like Harrison but I thought he struggled last year in the scheme. I've never been a massive fan of Denzel Ward as an outside corner. I still think now what I thought on draft day. He can do it but he will always be a 7/10 there..... I think he'd be the best nickel corner in the league. 

Edited April 15, 2021 by GunnerBill

[Richard Noggin]

  On 4/14/2021 at 8:48 PM, gjv001 said:

I think there is a very good chance the AFC Title Game this season will be the Battle of Lake Erie.

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The mistake by the m'lake

[Patrick Duffy]

  On 4/15/2021 at 12:29 PM, GunnerBill said:

 

Agree. The Browns are a playoff team. They are a team that can win a playoff game. I don't see them as a team who can win a Championship. That isn't just on Baker either. The back 7 of their defense is way too inconsistent.

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Maybe, but they did do fairly decent against the Chiefs playoff game. Hell of a lot better than Bills defense did against Chiefs anyway. 

  On 4/15/2021 at 1:28 PM, Charles Romes said:

Amazing college career?  You mean that one play where no one even blocked him?  The hype started long ago. 

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Yeah really. It was just and impressive tackle/hit basically....

[Mr. WEO]

Has any player who was never coming to the Bills ever generated so many threads and thread pages?

 

I'm asking for a friend  before he  starts the next Clowney thread.

[Patrick Duffy]

  On 4/15/2021 at 3:35 PM, Mr. WEO said:

Has any player who was never coming to the Bills ever generated so many threads and thread pages?

 

I'm asking for a friend  before he  starts the next Clowney thread.

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JJ Watt? Well guess you can say it was possible he'd be a Bills. Many thought he was anyways,

[GunnerBill]

  On 4/15/2021 at 3:33 PM, Patrick_Duffy said:

Maybe, but they did do fairly decent against the Chiefs playoff game. Hell of a lot better than Bills defense did against Chiefs anyway. 

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They did. But they sucked against the Steelers the week before. That is exactly my point. They were wildly inconsistent back there all season. They gave up 34 or more on SEVEN occasions out of their 18 games. That is way too many. The Bills defense took a step back last year, we can all agree that.... they only gave up 34 or more on 3 occasions in their 19 games.  

[Patrick Duffy]

  On 4/15/2021 at 3:40 PM, GunnerBill said:

 

They did. But they sucked against the Steelers the week before. That is exactly my point. They were wildly inconsistent back there all season. They gave up 34 or more on SEVEN occasions out of their 18 games. That is way too many. The Bills defense took a step back last year, we can all agree that.... they only gave up 34 or more on 3 occasions in their 19 games.  

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Yeah you're right. I guess I meant they did about as well as one could hope for when it mattered the most with Chiefs. The week before against Steelers, if I remember right Browns had that big lead right? Could have took the foot off the pedal in that particular game.

 

Either way, throughout the season I agree they were inconsistent.

[Mr. WEO]

  On 4/15/2021 at 3:39 PM, Patrick_Duffy said:

JJ Watt? Well guess you can say it was possible he'd be a Bills. Many thought he was anyways,

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With Clowney, it's an annual phenomenon.  

[NoHuddleKelly12]

  On 4/15/2021 at 3:35 PM, Mr. WEO said:

Has any player who was never coming to the Bills ever generated so many threads and thread pages?

 

I'm asking for a friend  before he  starts the next Clowney thread.

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Ertz? 🤷‍♂️

[Mr. WEO]

  On 4/15/2021 at 4:04 PM, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

Ertz? 🤷‍♂️

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Just since March 2020, there have been 8 Clowney threads.  Plus another in 2019 (38 pages!).  There's even one in 2014!

[GunnerBill]

  On 4/15/2021 at 4:21 PM, ScottLaw said:

If Baker improves again they can absolutely win the AFC, IMO.

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Not without their back 7 getting better. Now as @BarleyNY has articulated they could take a decent jump there but they need to if they have aspirations to win the AFC. They ain't playing in a Superbowl giving up 34 points or more 7 times next season.