J Giles Band
Footballguy
Recouped the 5th round pick they traded for him. Not bad at all.
Got a free look to confirm... he isn't him.
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
2025 Cleveland Browns - 1-3, Gabriel Experiment Begins in London (9 Viewers)
- Thread starter amnesiac
- Start date
Got a free look to confirm... he isn't him.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
Fannin is going to get used lots and in many ways.
Now with Pickett dished, Gabe takes over as the deuce.
Hunnington was flying under my radar, but he isn't now.
Could turn into a part-time two-way player AND special teamer.
Adin Huntington impressed during preseason, starting as a fullback and contributing significantly on the defensive line. With 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and leading special teams tackles, Huntington's versatility has earned him a spot on the roster as noted by coach Kevin Stefanski. ... elite numbers like a 4.64 40-yard dash at 281lbs with an insane 1.61 10-yard split. He also showed off with a 38" vertical, and 10'6" broad jump,
RAS.football
@MathBomb
Adin Huntington is a DT prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 9.64 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 74 out of 2021 DT from 1987 to 2025.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
I grabbed Fannin for $1 at the end of my $250-cap PPR Superflex auction tonight (20-man rosters). Some of the other owners were scratching their heads. I like when that happens.
rockaction
Footballguy
That's awesome. Good pull.
Born to Run
Footballguy
What's the latest on Isaiah Bond? Only been with the team a short time. Did he show enough to make the roster?
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
He's got a three-year fully guaranteed contract, he is definitely making the squad, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's used on a limited basis in the very first game. He's got jets and can be utilized by Stefanski. I think he'll even make at least one 'big' play and cause a fantasy stir. Buy cheap if you can, then sell high if/when he creates a buzz.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
amnesiac
beer is good
huh. didn't see that one coming.
as long as they keep Bojorquez, i guess i don't really care.
Last edited:
amnesiac
beer is good
OK, let me preface this with saying I haven't listened to talk radio in several months.
Ken Carmen has lost his mind.
he was going on a rant that the Browns aren't trying to win, because they traded Kenny Pickett.
Kenny ****ing Pickett.
i'm willing to go out on a limb that Gabriel and/or whomever they can sign off the street is about as good as Pickett at this point.
please tell me this is just someone who has to fill radio time on a Thursday morning a week before there's any real games on?
tia.
Ken Carmen has lost his mind.
he was going on a rant that the Browns aren't trying to win, because they traded Kenny Pickett.
Kenny ****ing Pickett.
i'm willing to go out on a limb that Gabriel and/or whomever they can sign off the street is about as good as Pickett at this point.
please tell me this is just someone who has to fill radio time on a Thursday morning a week before there's any real games on?
tia.
MAC_32
Footballguy
Part filling air time when there isn't much to talk about and part him being too close to the org / other media resources that were too high on Pickett.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
The offense really needs Judkins for it to work effectively.
Till he’s up to speed we’ll have to win the turnover game. That’s primarily on two guys, Joe and Myles, possibly Schwesinger.
Over the course of the year the QB drama unfolds.
It’s going to be interesting.
Till he’s up to speed we’ll have to win the turnover game. That’s primarily on two guys, Joe and Myles, possibly Schwesinger.
Over the course of the year the QB drama unfolds.
It’s going to be interesting.
MAC_32
Footballguy
Oh, yeah. The defense is nasty, as expected. Consider the opponent, but the pass game was more than functional despite being put in a position to be predictably one dimensional. As long as Flacco is playing I expect greater efficiency and less volume as Judkins acclimates. While overly simplistic, despite no run game, this loss was because both Jeudy and Tillman temporarily thought we were playing volleyball and the ****ing kicker.
beer 30
Footballguy
I don't understand the inability to land a kicker but then I look around the league and see we aren't the only ones with issues, just seems like we've been dealing with it longer than others. I see a kicker jersey is out in the wild now similar to the QB jersey.
I think Flacco looked like the consummate professional he is, as long as he is upright, we have a shot at most any game. The defense looked really, really good. I'd like to see the LB's step up into the fray to stop the run a little more but no complaints with that group. They absolutely shut down everything the Bengals were doing. Just so disappointing to lose the game the way we did. hate to see it after a great effort by the team. We're the Browns, we absolutely will find some ****ed up, never before dreamt of way to lose this season. It's a given. We don't need help from the ****ing kicker.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
As I said before the game, we need Judkins on offense.
Till then we have to win the turnover game.
The margins are too thin for a kicker to miss two gimmes AND the team to have a two turnover deficit without a viable run game.
Till then we have to win the turnover game.
The margins are too thin for a kicker to miss two gimmes AND the team to have a two turnover deficit without a viable run game.
ghostguy123
Footballguy
Losing that game was silly. We outplayed them.
Kicker sucks, and two INTs that should have been caught, or at the very least just incomplete passes.
Kicker sucks, and two INTs that should have been caught, or at the very least just incomplete passes.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
11.5 dogs to the Rats 
when they tap dance on the 30 year anniversary of stealing our team.
I wouldn’t mind if we beat the living **** out of these mother ****ers.
Yea, wouldn’t mind that at all.
when they tap dance on the 30 year anniversary of stealing our team. I wouldn’t mind if we beat the living **** out of these mother ****ers.
Yea, wouldn’t mind that at all.
amnesiac
beer is good
we can dream.11.5 dogs to the Rats
I wouldn’t mind if we beat the living **** out of these mother ****ers.
Yea, wouldn’t mind that at all.
MAC_32
Footballguy
OL was fine while the game was still in doubt. The WR play was atrocious though. Then the blocked punt put us in a bad spot. The flood gates didn't open til Hospital Ward couldn't stay in the game (backups gave up the td's) and Flacco started forcing things (cause the WR play was atrocious).
amnesiac
beer is good
so they just can't get open?
MAC_32
Footballguy
Yes. They also dropped multiple passes and fell down when breaking open. More Tillman than Jeudy, but it was mostly a disaster of a half for both. Jeudy had the one big play down field, but that was pretty much it for the offense and we couldn't afford it in this matchup because the run game is not there yet with Judkins only having 2 practices under his belt.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
Yep, to everything Mac said.
The fact that Joe and the first team got 'more' work than the backups doesn't mean he got the sort of work that firmly established NFL QBs like Burrow and Lamar got with their dudes. The QB and WRs are still working it out but...
Bottom line is we have no vertical threat.
Safeties can drop right in the box.
Our TEs will eat but defense's will/have already adjusted to our 'weak' WR room.
The new guy had better get up to speed quickly because as far as a deep threat, he's our Obi Wan
Yet, ANOTHER killer special teams failure.
The margins are TOO SMALL for that sort of killer special teams failure. We can have ANY ****ing special teams failures against the Rats on the road before complicating things like..
Defensively, we lost Denzel so they simply targeted Cam Mitchell who gave up three tuddies.
Jud is getting up to speed, that helps because it will help with play action, but we need a deep threat.
As far as the simple/stupid/dumbest thing that peeps will start scream for.
No QB swap at this time.
Joe threw the poor INT, yep. He lost the fumble, yep. It isn't close to the point the locker room would or should throw in the towel with Joe.
Gabe got PT in garbage time. They were dropping the safeties and letting him have everything underneath and he completed EVERYTHING horizontally to the LEFT. And gosh did he ever look short. I mean, great in the very limited debut but nah. Don't even think about a QB change.
Right now, focus on the future. Mason, Schweninger, Fannin, Jud, and Dawand at LT.
If those guys turn into SOLID starters and we actually find a QB next year?
This season isn't about this season.
Never was.
The fact that Joe and the first team got 'more' work than the backups doesn't mean he got the sort of work that firmly established NFL QBs like Burrow and Lamar got with their dudes. The QB and WRs are still working it out but...
Bottom line is we have no vertical threat.
Safeties can drop right in the box.
Our TEs will eat but defense's will/have already adjusted to our 'weak' WR room.
The new guy had better get up to speed quickly because as far as a deep threat, he's our Obi Wan
Yet, ANOTHER killer special teams failure.
The margins are TOO SMALL for that sort of killer special teams failure. We can have ANY ****ing special teams failures against the Rats on the road before complicating things like..
Defensively, we lost Denzel so they simply targeted Cam Mitchell who gave up three tuddies.
Jud is getting up to speed, that helps because it will help with play action, but we need a deep threat.
As far as the simple/stupid/dumbest thing that peeps will start scream for.
No QB swap at this time.
Joe threw the poor INT, yep. He lost the fumble, yep. It isn't close to the point the locker room would or should throw in the towel with Joe.
Gabe got PT in garbage time. They were dropping the safeties and letting him have everything underneath and he completed EVERYTHING horizontally to the LEFT. And gosh did he ever look short. I mean, great in the very limited debut but nah. Don't even think about a QB change.
Right now, focus on the future. Mason, Schweninger, Fannin, Jud, and Dawand at LT.
If those guys turn into SOLID starters and we actually find a QB next year?
This season isn't about this season.
Never was.
amnesiac
beer is good
Gabriel did have nice touch on the TD pass, but yeah, garbage time is basically like preseason.
not so sure how Dawand is working out at LT, it seems like a real mixed bag so far. not saying he can't get better.
i still think they need to get to around .500 and look competitive, or the coach and gm will likely be flushed and we would be looking at a full rebuild.
the only contract i can think of that they would need to trade would be Garrett, and obviously there would be plenty of takers.
i'm all for winning some games and keeping the team intact for another year or two.
not so sure how Dawand is working out at LT, it seems like a real mixed bag so far. not saying he can't get better.
i still think they need to get to around .500 and look competitive, or the coach and gm will likely be flushed and we would be looking at a full rebuild.
the only contract i can think of that they would need to trade would be Garrett, and obviously there would be plenty of takers.
i'm all for winning some games and keeping the team intact for another year or two.
beer 30
Footballguy
All this and what @Bracie Smathers said as well. Nothing much to add other than what was up with Dawand Jones and cramps? And Ward taking up residence in his little blue tent this early in the season really bodes well
Kid is pretty f'n great when he's on the field but he can't stay on the field.
ghostguy123
Footballguy
Can we still trade everyone? This is going nowhere 2-3 years minimum no matter what we do
Godsbrother
Footballguy
This isn’t saying much but I think the Browns would destroy the Steelers if they were playing Sunday
I agree as the Browns defense may be the best in the league and Garrett is just a beast. The Steelers, meanwhile, look DOA, imo.
MAC_32
Footballguy
Garrett is not a viable trade candidate.
amnesiac
beer is good
why?
MAC_32
Footballguy
An avalanche of reasons I think I covered before, but the biggest is the cap hit.
amnesiac
beer is good
oh, right. i momentarily forgot that they pay everything in bonuses.
i blame all the cold medicine.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
The Boys only got 2 LATE first-round picks for Micah so say we got 3 LATE first-rounders for Myles.
Ok, now lets take a realistic look at what we'd get.
We have no idea how this year's draft class will turn out and its too early to say for certain what last year's class will do so RANDOMLY go back at least 3 to 10 years and furthermore we know we'd get LATE first round picks. The Boys dished with GB who picked in the 20s over the past few years so RANDOMLY plug in 18 to 26 in a random number generator.
Do a search to find one. Here's a link. https://numbergenerator.org/randomnumbergenerator
First randomly pick three different years from 3 to 10.
Here's what I got.
5
10
3
Next, pick 3 numbers between 18 and 26. Got these.
23
23
25
Ok, now go back 5 years and see was available at the 23rd pick of the first round.
https://www.drafthistory.com/index.php/rounds/round_1
I have no clue who these guys will be or how they turned out but here's the results.
2021 first round with the 23rd pick was OT Christian Darrisaw
2016 first round with the 23rd pick was WR Laquon Treadwell
2023 first round with the 25th pick was TE Dalton Kincaid
This is who we could randomly get for HOF DE Myles Garrett.
Turns out that OT Christian Darrisaw is a very solid OT. He started out OK but improved and got a fifth year extension earning one of the highest PFF grades.
WR Laquon Treadwell failed with the team that drafted him and is playing for his EIGHTH team so he's just baaaaaaaaaad.
TE Dalton Kincaid nothing special, mid to low tier NFL TE. Started out hot but has petered out.
So, would you trade a HOF DE for THAT?
Does THAT make the Browns better? One of the best DEs in NFL history for THAT?
A guy that opposing OCs have to game plan for, a guy that installs FEAR into opponents, a guy who will go down in NFL history for that crappy return? Seriously? I can't even believe people don't have an inkling of a clue of how stupid that suggestion is.
amnesiac
beer is good
hey Bracie, i was only suggesting it if they blow everything up at the end of this year.
if they do, you're looking at a multiple year rebuild imo, and yeah, i believe additional draft picks could be useful.
you don't agree, and that's ok.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
My reply was not personal in any way.
The thing is we've all been patiently waiting for the team to be competitive.
We have an absolutely PROVEN commodity.
You build around HOFers like Myles. Without him the defense sucks.
We have heard impatient people in the media and fans wanting to trade an unquestioned proven asset for unproven rolls of the die 'thinking/hoping/wish'n that every roll would work out when we know the history of the draft shows it simply doesn't.
That is all.
The thing is we've all been patiently waiting for the team to be competitive.
We have an absolutely PROVEN commodity.
You build around HOFers like Myles. Without him the defense sucks.
We have heard impatient people in the media and fans wanting to trade an unquestioned proven asset for unproven rolls of the die 'thinking/hoping/wish'n that every roll would work out when we know the history of the draft shows it simply doesn't.
That is all.
The_Man
Footballguy
Ravens fan here, I expected the Browns' D to be good going into the game but I was not prepared for how really good they are. Was a close game at halftime, would have stayed close without 2 brutal Flacco turnovers resulting in 14 instant points, plus another 3 from the blocked punt.
Too bad Cleveland's schedule is so tough to start because if they had gotten to the Steelers - Dolphins - Patriots stretch a little earlier, they could easily have put up a bunch of wins and be a "surprise" team
Now I can see them getting to 0-4 and then benching Flacco, and then the Defense getting worn out and angry at the offense, all before they get into some very winnable games. I hope they don't pack it in because that Defense is formidable and I would enjoy seeing them give Rodgers and the Steelers a couple of very long days.
Also anyone talking about trading Myles Garrett is crazy. He's the best defensive player in the NFL, no way do you ever recoup the value of a guy like that in a trade. Also, the Jacksonville First Round pick the Browns own might end up being a Top 5 pick, certainly Top 10. The only thing stopping them from being a potential playoff team - obviously - is the Quarterback position. If they and/or their Jacksonville pick end up as very high picks, maybe they finally get that QB, either at one of their own picks or by packaging the two of them to move to the very top. That's the kind of trade they should be thinking about because I think they are otherwise a competitive team
Too bad Cleveland's schedule is so tough to start because if they had gotten to the Steelers - Dolphins - Patriots stretch a little earlier, they could easily have put up a bunch of wins and be a "surprise" team
Now I can see them getting to 0-4 and then benching Flacco, and then the Defense getting worn out and angry at the offense, all before they get into some very winnable games. I hope they don't pack it in because that Defense is formidable and I would enjoy seeing them give Rodgers and the Steelers a couple of very long days.
Also anyone talking about trading Myles Garrett is crazy. He's the best defensive player in the NFL, no way do you ever recoup the value of a guy like that in a trade. Also, the Jacksonville First Round pick the Browns own might end up being a Top 5 pick, certainly Top 10. The only thing stopping them from being a potential playoff team - obviously - is the Quarterback position. If they and/or their Jacksonville pick end up as very high picks, maybe they finally get that QB, either at one of their own picks or by packaging the two of them to move to the very top. That's the kind of trade they should be thinking about because I think they are otherwise a competitive team
MAC_32
Footballguy
I don't think it's that simple, but from a macro level agree with you that this team is not as far off as most. I just look at where this team is now relative to legit contenders and understand why this iteration can't get to a similar position for several years. While we've wasted resources chasing QB, the top of the food chain has been spending years building around theirs. Your team is a great example.
Since drafting Lamar Jackson, you've added 9 first round and 4 second round talents around him. You've also had 32 picks in the 3rd and 4th rounds - none of which went towards QB. Compare that to the Browns - after wasting all that capital on Watson we were only left with 3 first round 6 second round talents. We only made 19 selections (discounting QB) in those same 3rd and 4th rounds to bookend. Us being note on the same stratosphere as Baltimore is more than just a QB issue - it's the lack of talent around them that's compounded by the QB issue. Yeah, we have a good (great?) defense, but the offense? This is what the end of the season may look like:
29 yo TE that's expiring
21 yo rookie TE (3rd rd) that may or may not make him^^^ expendable
26 yo moody WR that's better fit as a #2
25 yo 3rd rd WR that may or may not be starting material
22 yo rookie RB (2nd rd)
21 yo rookie RB (4th rd)
24 yo LT that's not conditioned enough to play a full game in September (and may or may not be good enough to start anyway)
34 yo guard that's probably retiring at season's end
31 yo guard that's expiring at the end of the season - no obvious replacement for either of these 2
30 yo center that's expiring at the end of the season - also unsure if there is a replacement on the roster
31 yo RT that's struggled mightily staying healthy
Now, if the QB were in place, then the above may not be a labor intensive fix, but is any rationale person going to plant their flag on Gabriel or Sanders? If significant capital goes towards QB then that takes away from adding badly needed resources around him and it's important to remember that it's difficult to sustain a high quality defense. That said, I get it, culture change isn't instant; lay that ground work now instead of laying down so if the QB ever gets right this becomes something sustainable but we're looking at a minimum 3-4 years before this team is theoretically as strong as other contenders.
The_Man
Footballguy
This is such an interesting insight. Of course the Ravens are now running into the other problem of how do you pay everyone when your QB is one of the 5 highest-paid players in the NFL but it's a good problem to have.
MAC_32
Footballguy
It's a big reason why I find myself frequently coming into conflict with those that have had the pitchforks out for this group since various times throughout the Watson contract. And to a lesser degree how we squandered Baker. Jokes about Browns / Baker? All good, comes with the territory. It's when those jokes transition to ire. Baker himself talked about how he screwed things up here, that he needed to hit rock bottom (professionally and personally) to right the ship, pun unintended. Had he kept his head on straight we could be looking at an offense like this:
Baker
Quinshon / Achane
Brian Thomas / Jeudy / Tillman
Njoku / Fannin
Broderick Jones
Bitonio
Linderbaum
Teller
Conklin or Dawand
Cherry picking? Yeah, of course, intention is just to model how this could've looked. Pair that with this defense (less Mason Graham cause we're not picking that early but plus Xavier Watts cause we're not picking Dillon Gabriel) and you have a legit contender. Instead we're operating down 3 first round picks and a third, so there aren't reinforcements in place to replace aging vets, and when this group has available capital they generally do a good job using it. The only glaring whiff not requiring hindsight outside the QB room was Wills or Wirfs (woof). I'm also sure AB is still smarting over getting sniped for Nico Collins. His reaction was to panic pick Anthony Schwartz, which indirectly led to Baker's demise in Cleveland.
It's fun being a fan of this team.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
Gotta hand it to Stefanski for sticking with Szmyt.
Nails on the 55-yard field goal as time expired.
Happy for the kid and hope he sticks.
amnesiac
beer is good
happy for the team and happy for Szmyt.
Godsbrother
Footballguy
Didn’t see the game but congrats Browns fans. No one have them a chance in hell if beating Green Bay
MAC_32
Footballguy
The_Man
Footballguy
I am so impressed with this D, especially the Front 4. Schwartz has them playing great. Should be 2-1 with wins over a Burrow-led Cincy team and the Packers, who a lot of power rankings had as the NFL's #1 team this week. Flacco just needs to play like it's 2008 all over again and he's a rookie QB game manager just not trying to mess things up for his great D.
Still 2 more tough games ahead over the next 2 weeks, at Detroit, then hosting the Vikings. After that I could see a 4-game win streak (@Pitt, vs Miami, @ Pats, @ Jets). Or maybe they split the next 2, then win 3 of 4. Either way, I don't think a 5-4 record by mid-November is at all out of the question
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
Look at the disruption Garrett causes and how many blockers OCs use to scheme him. That has been happening for years, but we've never seen the sort of chaos from the rest of the front 7 that we saw yesterday.
The DTs are getting push and pressure. Mason Graham and Maliek Collins. Graham finally got half a trap sharing it with Maliek. Mason is a rookie NFL DT. They typically take time but when you have a HOFer taking on 3 blockers... it SHOULD give a boost, but we've never seen the sort of pressure from the rest of the front 7 that we did yesterday.
The top two rookies are having an impact.
LB Carson Schwesinger had 2 sacks, one got erased by a penalty that didn't affect his great play. Mason is already a force against the run. His pass rush will come. I've met the dude in person and he's impressive. The presence, the power, the sheer magnitude that eradiates off of Schwesinger is incredible.
The scary thing is last year's 2nd round draft pick was starting to come around before he got injured last year, DT Mike Hall. He's nearly ready. He was applying pressure inside and 'I think' he is a natural fit as a wide-9 DE in Schwartz's scheme. Add in the DT FA find Adin Huntington who is a physical phenom along with DE Alex Wright who was also starting to come into his own last year as a pass rusher before he went down with injury and is now healthy and bringing heat off the edge.
I will pump the breaks a bit because...
Browns got an assist from GBs O-Line injuries, one that happened on the first snap. They play on the road as 8.5 dogs to Detroit and the splits have shown the team struggles on the road.
The defense got 5 sacks and Garrett only had .5 of them so teams will be forced to make an adjustment if the rest of the front 7 continues to get that sort of production.
The offense is a different story.
amnesiac
beer is good
i've been saying they need to keep this thing around .500 to keep it on the rails and keep the rookies on the bench.
the offense has to find some sort of rhythm, and to your point, Flacco just needs to move the chains a bit and be a game manager.
all that said, i'm not holding my breath in Detroit this Sunday.
Similar threads
