Red Right 88

In Cleveland, hope dies last

15 Jul 2015

Browns defensive depth chart: PFF fair or not?

Following their first non-double-digit-loss season in seven years, the Cleveland Browns will be looking to its defense to improve in one critical area if they want to build on the 7-9 finish of 2014.

We’re talking, of course, about the run defense.

Last season, the Browns were last in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game, 27th in yards per carry, and 28th in runs of 20-plus yards by opposing ball carriers. The Browns were the favorite opponent of running backs across the league, as teams ran the ball 500 times on the Browns with 87 of those rushes gaining eight yards or more.

Pro Football Focus examined the defensive depth chart for the Browns, ranking each player in one of seven categories: Elite, High Quality, Good, Average, Below Average, Poor, Not Enough Info, Rookie and Rookie Undrafted Free Agent.

According to their rankings, the Browns’ defense is solid, but still has some work to do. Seven presumed starters earn a ranking of good or better, while three of the remaining four are just average or worse.

We take a look at each position group, see how PFF ranked the players, and determine if the ranking is fair or not in our latest post at Dawg Pound Daily.

Posted in Cleveland Browns and tagged | Leave a comment
13 Jul 2015

Time to consider Wes Welker has passed for Browns

Entering the 2015 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns have what many believe to be one of the worst group of wide receivers a team could assemble.

So it is somewhat understandable when a site gets lazy and starts throwing out suggestions that the Browns should sign every free agent wide receiver to fill the perceived talent gap, while conveniently overlooking the fact that just weeks before training camp starts, there may be a valid reason why a particular player is not currently on an NFL roster.

Which brings us to free agent wide receiver Wes Welker.

There was a time when it would have made sense for the Browns to consider Welker, but that time was 2013.

To find out why it would be folly for the Browns to bring in Welker, check out our latest at Dawg Pound Daily.

Posted in Cleveland Browns and tagged , | Leave a comment
08 Jul 2015

Cleveland Browns position preview: Defensive Line

browns run defense
The Cleveland Browns spent a large part of their off-season working to fix one of the biggest problems that has plagued the defense for years.

And if they didn’t get it right, the problem will negate the defense’s biggest asset.

We’re talking, of course, about the defensive line and the team’s inability to stop the run.

We preview who will make the roster cut in our latest post at Dawg Pound Daily.

Posted in Cleveland Browns and tagged | Leave a comment
07 Jul 2015

Dwayne Bowe ready for a season of firsts with Browns

Kansas City Chiefs v Buffalo Bills
Veteran wide receiver Dwayne Bowe is preparing for plenty of firsts in his debut season with the Cleveland Browns.

After spending the entirety of his nine-year NFL career in Kansas City with the Chiefs, Bowe is getting ready for new uniforms, new fans, new division rivals and what may be the most important first of his career.

This season will be the first time he will be playing with a quarterback like Josh McCown.

To learn the rest of the story, check out our latest post at Dawg Pound Daily.

Posted in Cleveland Browns and tagged , | Leave a comment
06 Jul 2015

Mike Pettine only the 28th best coach in the NFL?

mike pettine no panic
Heading into his second season in charge of the Cleveland Browns, head coach Mike Pettine may already be the best coach the team has employed since the glory days of Marty Schottenheimer.

Granted, that may not be saying much for a franchise that has made just one playoff appearance since 1994, has had only two winning seasons since 1999, and has lost 10 or more games six times in the past seven years.

It was Pettine, however, who broke that streak in his first year in charge by leading the Browns to a 7-9 record in 2014 and giving Browns fans hope that a better day is truly finally on the horizon.

Even in NFL.com views things a little bit differently.

To see where the league’s website ranks Pettine among NFL coaches, and why they may have gotten it wrong, check out our latest post at Dawg Pound Daily.

Posted in Cleveland Browns and tagged , | Leave a comment
03 Jul 2015

Should the Browns take a chance on Isaiah Battle?

deshaun-watson-david-johnson-ncaa-football-south-carolina-clemson-850x560
The NFL will hold its supplemental draft on July 9 with seven players eligible to be selected.

Joining West Georgia defensive linemen Darrius Caldwell and Dalvon Stuckey, are Houston defensive end Eric Eiland, UConn tight end Sean McQuillan, Kansas defensive back Kevin Short, North Carolina Central wide receiver/kick returner Adrian Wilkins and the one player that could be of interest to the Browns: Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle.

The Browns are no strangers to the supplemental draft, having been the last team to select a player when they picked wide receiver Josh Gordon in 2012. The best supplemental pick in franchise history, and one of the best in league history, was the selection of quarterback Bernie Kosar in 1985.

So would the Browns go back to the well one more time and take a chance on Battle?

We weigh the pros and cons of Battle in our latest post at Dawg Pound Daily.

Posted in Cleveland Browns and tagged , | Leave a comment
01 Jul 2015

Brett Favre to the Browns? Get out of here!

brett-favre-3061f1617c3a4148
Five years after he last threw a pass in the National Football League, Brett Favre still believes he can play in the NFL.

Good for him.

More importantly, there is absolutely no scenario where the Cleveland Browns should even consider signing the 45-year-old Favre.

To see why this would be a disaster, check out our post at Dawg Pound Daily.

Posted in Cleveland Browns and tagged , | Leave a comment
30 Jun 2015

Opinions plentiful when it comes to Johnny Manziel

johnny manziel starter
We are now into the second week of the summer break for the Cleveland Browns and all is quiet with nary an inflatable swan in sight.

But that doesn’t mean there are not plenty of people ready to offer up an opinion on second-year back-up quarterback Johnny Manziel.

To see what people are saying, check out our post at Dawg Pound Daily.

Posted in Cleveland Browns and tagged , | Leave a comment
26 Jun 2015

Joe Haden at No. 23 on NFL’s Top 100 List

Joe+Haden+Cleveland+Browns+v+Miami+Dolphins+qJtuun2SoObl
Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden came in at No. 23 on the NFL Network’s list of the Top 100 players of 2015.

The results are from voting by the league’s players, who moved Haden up 13 spots from his ranking in 2013.

Haden has been the Browns’ top cornerback since entering the starting lineup midway through his rookie season in 2010. Since then, the two-time Pro Bowler has grown into the best player in the secondary and one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. In 2014, Haden had three interceptions (giving him 16 in his NFL career) and had 20 passes defended.

To read the rest of the story, visit Dawg Pound Daily.

Posted in Cleveland Browns and tagged , | Leave a comment
25 Jun 2015

Joe Thomas at No. 25 on NFL’s Top 100 List

2014_01_mack_browns_right
Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas came in at No. 25 on the NFL Network’s list of the Top 100 players of 2015.

The results are from voting by the league’s players.

The longest-tenured player on the roster, and without question former general manager Phil Savage’s best move while he was in charge, Thomas is the first offensive lineman in NFL history to earn Pro Bowl honors in each of his first eight seasons. He has also been a First-Team All-Pro selection five times.

To see the rest of the story, visit our post at Dawg Pound Daily.

Posted in Cleveland Browns and tagged , | Leave a comment

Post Navigation

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →