2017 NFL season thread

[rubecube]

Uggh. Jordan Hicks ruptured his Achilles. Losing Hicks and Peters is going to be really difficult to overcome.

[devo22]

Watching Wentz (and Watson) every week must be hell for Browns fans. Two potential franchise QBs taken with Browns picks ...

Trading the 2018 1st and seeing Darnold turn into a star somewhere else would be so Browns.

[Weitz]

Ha that Sack at the end of the game on Cousins caused me to lose my week in Fantasy, Brutal.

Wentz is a great QB. Eagles look like the team to beat out of the NFC this year.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by devo22

Watching Wentz (and Watson) every week must be hell for Browns fans. Two potential franchise QBs taken with Browns picks ...

Trading the 2018 1st and seeing Darnold turn into a star somewhere else would be so Browns.

No kidding. You have to think this is the year they finally stop messing around and use their first pick on a QB (Darnold or Rosen). You have to question the people running the organization when they pass over a guy like Wentz to drop down to pick a receiver like Corey Coleman that's been kind of a bust. The Browns are arguably a worse team this season than last season and that's the wrong direction when you stockpiled a bunch of draft picks to add talent to the roster over the past few seasons. Hue Jackson is a fraud as a head coach so I would imagine they aren't going to see a lot of improvement until he's replaced.

[GirlySports]

Wouldn't matter.

I think the Aaron Rodgers Browns go about 5-11

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

No kidding. You have to think this is the year they finally stop messing around and use their first pick on a QB (Darnold or Rosen). You have to question the people running the organization when they pass over a guy like Wentz to drop down to pick a receiver like Corey Coleman that's been kind of a bust. The Browns are arguably a worse team this season than last season and that's the wrong direction when you stockpiled a bunch of draft picks to add talent to the roster over the past few seasons. Hue Jackson is a fraud as a head coach so I would imagine they aren't going to see a lot of improvement until he's replaced.

There are whispers that Darnold might not come out this year.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by rubecube

There are whispers that Darnold might not come out this year.

yeah I saw that. Would surprise me though, he'd be a high pick in 2018 for sure and then why would you go back to college? It just takes one unlucky play to suffer a career-ending or -altering injury.

I saw Schefter make the argument that Darnold is a California kid and wouldn't want to be drafted by the Jets and live in New York. I just don't see that.

[ResAlien]

Originally Posted by devo22

yeah I saw that. Would surprise me though, he'd be a high pick in 2018 for sure and then why would you go back to college? It just takes one unlucky play to suffer a career-ending or -altering injury.

I saw Schefter make the argument that Darnold is a California kid and wouldn't want to be drafted by the Jets and live in New York. I just don't see that.

Depends if it’s about money or career for him. He’s progressively looking less ready for the NFL and maybe is thinking another year of seasoning couldn’t do anything but help. Not a fan of redshirt sophomores coming out anyway, I think it stacks the odds against him.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Wouldn't matter.

I think the Aaron Rodgers Browns go about 5-11

Dennis Allen went 4-12 in 2012 and 2013 with rosters just as bad or worse when Reggie gutted the roster of Al's bloated contracts. Browns shouldn't be this bad as there's so much parity in the NFL a lot has to go right for a team to win only one game in two seasons.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by rubecube

There are whispers that Darnold might not come out this year.

Well yeah. Honestly if you were Darnold and the Browns are looking like a high probability to have the first overall pick would you not consider maybe staying in college one more season? If it was my son I would probably advise him to consider staying in college if there was a high possibility of him being drafted by the Browns. I really don't know if any young QB could survive the carnage of that organization. It's where careers go to die.

[rubecube]

I also just don't think Darnold is ready. Both him and Rosen haven't been consistent enough this year.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Wouldn't matter.

I think the Aaron Rodgers Browns go about 5-11

I disagree with that. Maybe for one year, but it wouldn't be 15 years of it.

At one point the Browns had an offensive line of Joe Thomas, Alex Mack, and Mitchel Schwartz. That's on par with what the Cowboys have on the line in my opinion. Yet without a QB...they couldn't do anything.

The Browns inability to identify talent at the QB position is their downfall.

As much as many of us bemoan Andy Reid for his boneheaded clock management...his teams generally win because he is one of the better guys in the NFL at identifying and working with talent at the QB position.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

I disagree with that. Maybe for one year, but it wouldn't be 15 years of it.

At one point the Browns had an offensive line of Joe Thomas, Alex Mack, and Mitchel Schwartz. That's on par with what the Cowboys have on the line in my opinion. Yet without a QB...they couldn't do anything.

The Browns inability to identify talent at the QB position is their downfall.

As much as many of us bemoan Andy Reid for his boneheaded clock management...his teams generally win because he is one of the better guys in the NFL at identifying and working with talent at the QB position.

Alex Mack was the missing piece for the Falcons last year and was a big reason for that team ascending to the Super Bowl. Taylor Gabriel, Dion Lewis, Travis Benjamin, etc are all contributing players on other teams that would look pretty good on the Browns roster right now. It seems when players have good seasons for them, the Browns can't get rid of them fast enough. Terelle Pryor has a surprise 1000 yard season in his first year as receiver for them which was 400 yards better than the next closest receiver on the roster and they literally had no interest in bringing him back.

[GirlySports]

or 1st round pick Trent Richardson with the Roughriders!

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Wouldn't matter.

I think the Aaron Rodgers Browns go about 5-11

Haha this is exactly what I was thinking watching the game last night; "Wow Wentz looks good. Bet the Browns would've ruined him though".

It's the Oiler Effect, at least in the KLown era. They'll find a way to ruin top end talent (at least at that position).

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

It's the Oiler Effect, at least in the KLown era. They'll find a way to ruin top end talent (at least at that position).

I don't think the Oilers ever ruined top end talent. I think their problem was that what they thought was talent...really wasn't as good as they thought it was. Sure they moved away from guys like Dubnyk, Schultz, and Cogliano way too soon and for little in return. But it's not like they ruined their careers.

Similar with the Browns, it's not like any of their former QB's made a mark elsewhere.

I think San Francisco came very close to ruining Alex Smith....Jim Harbaugh eventually saved that, and he's gone on to be a viable NFL QB. You don't see that with any of the Browns former QB's...they just wouldn't pick a guy when they had high picks...and when they moved to get guys like Brady Quinn and Johnny Manziel...they proved to be not talented enough to be good NFL QB's.

Talent identification is their issue. It's pretty much impossible to not at least draft 2-3 useful players every year. But with 4 years until most guys are free agents...a lot of guys who prove good enough to be in the NFL leave for other opportunities as soon as they can. Imagine what would happen if players could have left Edmonton after 4 years.

But with Franchise tags and cap floors...teams like the Browns also end up overpaying the few guys who will consider signing there.

[devo22]

Steelers are benching Martavis Bryant this week. Good.

[Skaloper]

Originally Posted by devo22

Steelers are benching Martavis Bryant this week. Good.

It's clear that they weren't fully utilizing his talent but at the same time he shouldn't be publicly making a scene about it. When you have Bell and Brown they are bound to get majority of the touches. The Steelers are 5-2 so he should just sit back and wait for when they need him.

[Frank MetaMusil]

Originally Posted by devo22

Steelers are benching Martavis Bryant this week. Good.

He's still super rusty as well. It's not like the guy has a sterling reputation either.

Juju Smith-Schuster has been better to this point anyway.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil

Juju Smith-Schuster has been better to this point anyway.

which is why Bryant is pissed IMO. Juju is doing well and stealing his targets while Bryant does very little with his (which isn't his only fault of course, Bens deep ball has been atrocious his season). Causing unnecessary drama when team comes off two big wins after that horrible Jags game is just stupid. I'm glad he sits for a game.