Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
I must tip my cap, very good Bloom. Textbook shock jock tactics of doing a drive-by bomb-toss to create havoc, either intentionally or completely innocent that generates a response. After that lead in, here ya are on a silver platter.
For those not aware, Football Guy potentate Sigmond Bloom is the head writer for Bleacher Report. I like Sig even though he's a Steeler fan I respect him and really enjoy his rapid fire mental acquity and very amusing and witty reparte in the weekly Football Guys podcasts.
I have noticed Sig seems to fire from the hip on his Bleacher Report analysis when he reports on the Browns and even much to his credit Sig has confessed he probably has shown a bit of bluster on at least one past Browns Bleacher Report so he probably enjoys the bully pulpit to tweak the Browns and knows full-well his reports will generate a good natured reply.
Latest Sigmond Bloom Bleacher Report on the Browns OTAs.
Don't want to cheat Bleacher Report of any readers so go to link.
Which Rookies Could Start Right Away for the Cleveland Browns?
I'll address only a few points.
First, I do believe Bloom has come to the conclusion that the Browns do indeed have a plan at QB which would discount a previous Cleveland Bleacher Report and for some reason Sig did not make a note he has reversed his previous report so I wanted to point that out in order to give him full credit that he has done a 180 from his previous Cleveland Bleacher Report and I'm sure he would want full credit.
Good job Bloom.
Instead of saying that Cleveland has no idea what they are doing at quarterback Bloom basically states that the plan by the Cleveland coaching staff is that rookie first round QB Brandon Weeden will be the starting quarterback unless he completely bombs out.
I agree, that does seem to be the plan by the Cleveland coaching staff.
Bloom also sees the Browns top pick, RB Trent Richardson and Cleveland's second round pick ORT Mitchell Schwartz as opening day starters.
The portion of this recent report that I take acception with is that Sig also sees three other rookie starters on opening day and he gives a predictable tag-line to his reportL
Misfortune, mismanagement and missives from league offices about intent to injure have combined to leave the Browns in a position to have six players starting their first regular-season game in the NFL. Thirteen years into the reboot of their franchise, the Browns still feel like an expansion team.
I don't agree that the Browns will have three other rookies starting on opening day.
DT John Hughes was drafted prior to the injury to DT Ahytaba Rubin. He was selected with the intentto have him play a supporting rotational role on the D-Line. His role will only be part time. If DT John Paxton replaces Rubin or even if the guy who takes the first snap is Hughes that player is only a starter in name until Rubin comes back. Their long term role is a rotational DT. Hughes isn't a starter and most likely will not be on opening day.
WR Travis Benjamin may or may not win the third wideout role. A third WR in Cleveland's offense is a situational role by definition. Benjamin has speed to stretch the field vertically but the Browns took Richardson with the third pick and they took a ORT with a high second round pick. They took their second fullback in two years later in the draft, they have four TEs on the roster, they basically they are going to run the football so any use of a third wideout will be situational. The two starting WRs will be Greg Little and Mohomed Massaquoi. Guys like Josh Cribbs and Jordan Norwood and Carlton Mitchell could very-well be in the mix ahead of Benjamin for PT but for vertically stretching the field the two guys with deep speed are are Mitchell and Benjamin.
The Browns took James-Michael Johnson in the draft and LB Scott Fujita is scheduled to be suspended for bounty-gate accusations (that he plans to appeal BTW so this isn't a done-deal) so the Browns will have to do some shuffling to replace Fujita is the suspension plays out. James-Michael Johnson is an inside LB, Fujita played the strong side LB spot.
Last year Fujita went down so the Browns moved LB Scott Gocong to the strong-side and bumped up LB Kaluka Mawavia (sp?) to the weak side. That line-up worked out very well.
Bloom references former PD sports writer Tony Grossi's speculation that the Browns would bump up the rookie LB James-Michael Johnson to take over the inside spot from D'Qwell Jackson and then move Jackson to the weak side and then shuffle Gocong over to the strong-side, basically scrambling the entire LBer positions from last year.
Um, I don't know how Grossi or anyone can ascertain an opening day complete overhaul of the linebacking starters from two OTAs sans pads. I don't think any rookie LB won a starting role based off of non-pad OTAs ever. Just don't see that or agree with that take at all.
I do agree with Bloom that the Browns will see their top-three drafted rookies as opening day starters and I take that as a positive. Bloom's doom and gloom report needed a good natured reply so I'm sure he is pleased to get a respectful reply.
A few years ago the only decent players that the Browns had for at their core were, LB D'Qwell Jackson, DT Ahtyba Rubin, OLT Joe Thomas, and OC Alex Mack. All of those players are still young and in thier prime but the Browns have added, CB Joe Haden, SS T.J. Ward, DE Jabaal Sheard, and DT Phil Rubin who lead all rookie D-Linemen last year and he is due to be back in late October. Now the Browns have drafted three rookies who project to start even by Bloom's jaundiced eye. T-Rich seems to be a blue-chip talent and both Weeden and Schwartz have impressed and are already taking first-team snaps.
I would veiw that as far better than an expansion franchise. The current Browns roster is light years ahead of the expansion roster from 1999.
Expansion franchise Cleveland Browns 1999 starters:
Expansion roster 1999
Go to the above link and tell me how RBs like, Terry Kirby and Adbul Karim Jabbar compare with RB Trent Richardson or how an old broken down OLT on his last legs like Lomas Brown compares with OLT Joe Thomas. Or how C Dave Wohlabaugh compares with C Alex Mack. Or how DE Roy Barker compares with DE Jabaal Sheard. Or how CB Daylon McCutcheon compares with CB Joe Haden.
The Browns are far, far, far, better than 1999 just and that doesn't even begin to compare the depth which was non-existent in 1999 but the majority of guys who started on that team would be hard pressed to make the current team as depth. The depth on that team wouldn't make the team at all.
I understand where you are at Bloom but you changed your tune from your last report and I am sure your tune will change on the Browns at some point during this season but for right now I thought I had to offer a different viewpoint.
For those not aware, Football Guy potentate Sigmond Bloom is the head writer for Bleacher Report. I like Sig even though he's a Steeler fan I respect him and really enjoy his rapid fire mental acquity and very amusing and witty reparte in the weekly Football Guys podcasts.
I have noticed Sig seems to fire from the hip on his Bleacher Report analysis when he reports on the Browns and even much to his credit Sig has confessed he probably has shown a bit of bluster on at least one past Browns Bleacher Report so he probably enjoys the bully pulpit to tweak the Browns and knows full-well his reports will generate a good natured reply.
Latest Sigmond Bloom Bleacher Report on the Browns OTAs.
Don't want to cheat Bleacher Report of any readers so go to link.
Which Rookies Could Start Right Away for the Cleveland Browns?
I'll address only a few points.
First, I do believe Bloom has come to the conclusion that the Browns do indeed have a plan at QB which would discount a previous Cleveland Bleacher Report and for some reason Sig did not make a note he has reversed his previous report so I wanted to point that out in order to give him full credit that he has done a 180 from his previous Cleveland Bleacher Report and I'm sure he would want full credit.
Good job Bloom.Instead of saying that Cleveland has no idea what they are doing at quarterback Bloom basically states that the plan by the Cleveland coaching staff is that rookie first round QB Brandon Weeden will be the starting quarterback unless he completely bombs out.
I agree, that does seem to be the plan by the Cleveland coaching staff.
Bloom also sees the Browns top pick, RB Trent Richardson and Cleveland's second round pick ORT Mitchell Schwartz as opening day starters.
The portion of this recent report that I take acception with is that Sig also sees three other rookie starters on opening day and he gives a predictable tag-line to his reportL
Misfortune, mismanagement and missives from league offices about intent to injure have combined to leave the Browns in a position to have six players starting their first regular-season game in the NFL. Thirteen years into the reboot of their franchise, the Browns still feel like an expansion team.
I don't agree that the Browns will have three other rookies starting on opening day.
DT John Hughes was drafted prior to the injury to DT Ahytaba Rubin. He was selected with the intentto have him play a supporting rotational role on the D-Line. His role will only be part time. If DT John Paxton replaces Rubin or even if the guy who takes the first snap is Hughes that player is only a starter in name until Rubin comes back. Their long term role is a rotational DT. Hughes isn't a starter and most likely will not be on opening day.
WR Travis Benjamin may or may not win the third wideout role. A third WR in Cleveland's offense is a situational role by definition. Benjamin has speed to stretch the field vertically but the Browns took Richardson with the third pick and they took a ORT with a high second round pick. They took their second fullback in two years later in the draft, they have four TEs on the roster, they basically they are going to run the football so any use of a third wideout will be situational. The two starting WRs will be Greg Little and Mohomed Massaquoi. Guys like Josh Cribbs and Jordan Norwood and Carlton Mitchell could very-well be in the mix ahead of Benjamin for PT but for vertically stretching the field the two guys with deep speed are are Mitchell and Benjamin.
The Browns took James-Michael Johnson in the draft and LB Scott Fujita is scheduled to be suspended for bounty-gate accusations (that he plans to appeal BTW so this isn't a done-deal) so the Browns will have to do some shuffling to replace Fujita is the suspension plays out. James-Michael Johnson is an inside LB, Fujita played the strong side LB spot.
Last year Fujita went down so the Browns moved LB Scott Gocong to the strong-side and bumped up LB Kaluka Mawavia (sp?) to the weak side. That line-up worked out very well.
Bloom references former PD sports writer Tony Grossi's speculation that the Browns would bump up the rookie LB James-Michael Johnson to take over the inside spot from D'Qwell Jackson and then move Jackson to the weak side and then shuffle Gocong over to the strong-side, basically scrambling the entire LBer positions from last year.
Um, I don't know how Grossi or anyone can ascertain an opening day complete overhaul of the linebacking starters from two OTAs sans pads. I don't think any rookie LB won a starting role based off of non-pad OTAs ever. Just don't see that or agree with that take at all.
I do agree with Bloom that the Browns will see their top-three drafted rookies as opening day starters and I take that as a positive. Bloom's doom and gloom report needed a good natured reply so I'm sure he is pleased to get a respectful reply.
A few years ago the only decent players that the Browns had for at their core were, LB D'Qwell Jackson, DT Ahtyba Rubin, OLT Joe Thomas, and OC Alex Mack. All of those players are still young and in thier prime but the Browns have added, CB Joe Haden, SS T.J. Ward, DE Jabaal Sheard, and DT Phil Rubin who lead all rookie D-Linemen last year and he is due to be back in late October. Now the Browns have drafted three rookies who project to start even by Bloom's jaundiced eye. T-Rich seems to be a blue-chip talent and both Weeden and Schwartz have impressed and are already taking first-team snaps.
I would veiw that as far better than an expansion franchise. The current Browns roster is light years ahead of the expansion roster from 1999.
Expansion franchise Cleveland Browns 1999 starters:
Expansion roster 1999
Go to the above link and tell me how RBs like, Terry Kirby and Adbul Karim Jabbar compare with RB Trent Richardson or how an old broken down OLT on his last legs like Lomas Brown compares with OLT Joe Thomas. Or how C Dave Wohlabaugh compares with C Alex Mack. Or how DE Roy Barker compares with DE Jabaal Sheard. Or how CB Daylon McCutcheon compares with CB Joe Haden.
The Browns are far, far, far, better than 1999 just and that doesn't even begin to compare the depth which was non-existent in 1999 but the majority of guys who started on that team would be hard pressed to make the current team as depth. The depth on that team wouldn't make the team at all.
I understand where you are at Bloom but you changed your tune from your last report and I am sure your tune will change on the Browns at some point during this season but for right now I thought I had to offer a different viewpoint.
