article Cleveland Browns Lose 4 Free Agents

Sashi Brown, head wheeler-N-dealer of the Cleveland Browns, was quoted as saying the Browns needed to sign some of their own FA--guys who had done things right. So much for that! The Browns lose 4 FA in the first day.

1. Center Alex Mack went to Atlanta for an average of 9.5 M a year. Is now the highest paid center in NFL.

2. Mitchell Schwartz to KC for 6.6 M a year and 2nd highest paid right tackle.

3. Travis Benjamin will get 24M over four years.

4. Tashaun Gipson, 5 years, 35.5 M.

What's the deal with the Browns letting four FAs walk? Well, Hue Jackson, and owner Jimmy Haslem both have said very definitively that this team needed to build through the draft and that they would not be major players in FA. I guess they proved they meant it. It also would seem to mean that Haslem realizes this process of rebuilding will require more than 2 seasons to accomplish. Let's hope Hue is given a chance to see it through.

The only move in FA that I am upset with is not re-signing Mitchell Schwartz. Mack was a forgone conclusion last year when they gave him the transition tag and he tested out the market. Cleveland matched the offer the Jags made then but it was pretty well assumed Mack would go to the highest bidder when he hit FA. He opted out of the last three of his contract and Cleveland didn't want to play the highest bidder game. Okay, I agree with that.

Benjamin also came with a too-high price tag. He is getting paid #2 WR money. I see him as a returner and a #3. I don't think he will last long in this league if he gets a lot of targets from a QB. So I see why the Browns didn't try to keep him. Get compensatory picks and build through the draft.

Tashaun Gipson has had one good year--made the pro bowl. But I don't think he is that good without a supporting cast. He can be replaced. Again, take the compensatory picks and find a replacement somewhere, perhpas on the roster.

But Schwartz... he is just entering his prime and he said he wanted to stay around. It is believed he had a goal of around 8.5 M per year. Cleveland made an offer shy of that, reported to be 7.5 M. Not bad, right? But something happened in the negotiations and things went south. Cleveland rescinded the offer. Schwartz looked elsewhere and ended up with 6.6M per year from KC. Surely, Cleveland would have been willing to pay that!

What happened? Schwartz's brother tweeted something about the "nonsense" he endured earlier in the day, presumably from Cleveland. And reports are that several agents have complained about Cleveland's negotiating not being in good faith. I don't know if there is anything to that but it is clear that Cleveland lost out on at least one FA they could have kept at a competitive price.

I guess the plan is to dig the hole deeper before getting out. Makes sense, right?

Hope Hue does well there but there is no reason, other than greed, to stay in Cleveland. Horrible city, bad weather and no chance of ever winning.

Get out while you can.

Hope Hue does well there but there is no reason, other than greed, to stay in Cleveland. Horrible city, bad weather and no chance of ever winning.

 

Get out while you can.

The same could have been said about Cincinnati through the 90s and early 2000s.

The same could have been said about Cincinnati through the 90s and early 2000s.

Absolutely. Cincy changes started with a coach. For Clevelands sake, hoping Hue is their Marvin.

I am glad you started this thread og. I was laying in bed last night thinking we were all fooled by the Browns going into FA. We thought they were going to be active. Instead it looks like Coach Jackson is going to build the Browns from the ground up and concentrate on the draft and affordable FAs just like the Bengals.

Frankly, until the Browns have the right QB they shouldn't be spending in FA.

2016 will probably be a rebuilding year.

I think your perspective is right, theguru.

However, there are those that look at this from a slightly different angle. They would say that BECAUSE Cleveland needs a QB, they should take one at #2 on draft day. And if you are looking for a franchise QB at #2, you certainly ought to protect him. So why would you let two of the best lineman in the league go to FA? A rookie QB needs protection. If he doesn't get it, you set him back one or two seasons. Sports writers in Cleveland think this will be the last straw for LT Joe Thomas who will now ask to be traded. That would be 3 of the best lineman in the league exiting at a time when you are trying to land a franchise QB in the draft.

Rebuilding is not for the faint of heart. Maybe this is why Cleveland always seems to be in rebuilding mode. No one has had the commitment to go all-in with rebuilding. They have needed to "win-now" so they keep around veterans who show signs of decline, not willing to risk jettisoning a decent player for the sake of draft picks that may turn into the kind of player you are really looking for.

I don't know. I am just trying to make sense of it from a lifetime fan's perspective. But no matter how you slice it, rebuilding stinks.

I think your perspective is right, theguru.

 

However, there are those that look at this from a slightly different angle. They would say that BECAUSE Cleveland needs a QB, they should take one at #2 on draft day. And if you are looking for a franchise QB at #2, you certainly ought to protect him. So why would you let two of the best lineman in the league go to FA? A rookie QB needs protection. If he doesn't get it, you set him back one or two seasons. Sports writers in Cleveland think this will be the last straw for LT Joe Thomas who will now ask to be traded. That would be 3 of the best lineman in the league exiting at a time when you are trying to land a franchise QB in the draft.

 

Rebuilding is not for the faint of heart. Maybe this is why Cleveland always seems to be in rebuilding mode. No one has had the commitment to go all-in with rebuilding. They have needed to "win-now" so they keep around veterans who show signs of decline, not willing to risk jettisoning a decent player for the sake of draft picks that may turn into the kind of player you are really looking for.

 

I don't know. I am just trying to make sense of it from a lifetime fan's perspective. But no matter how you slice it, rebuilding stinks.

Because that is the cart before the horse.

There is no sense in paying a premium for all those OL when you don't know if you have the right QB. Spitballing, you draft your best bet at QB, you use 6 OL/multiple TE's to protect him and if the QB pans out then you set your team up around that QB in 2017 and beyond.

The Broncos might consider 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick their “chief target,” but they’re apparently not the only ones thinking that way.

According to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, the Jets and Browns are also interested in trading for Kaepernick, but the 49ers haven’t heard enough offered their way to be interested in making the deal at the moment.

Browns and Jets interested in Colin Kaepernick along with Broncos | ProFootballTalk

Because that is the cart before the horse.

 

There is no sense in paying a premium for all those OL when you don't know if you have the right QB. Spitballing, you draft your best bet at QB, you use 6 OL/multiple TE's to protect him and if the QB pans out then you set your team up around that QB in 2017 and beyond.

I think you are correct in this. It appears to be what Hue, et al are working towards. If Hue takes a QB at #2, then he must be pretty sure the guy is going to have a successful pro career, even if not an Andrew Luck-type; an Andy Dalton-type will do.

The Broncos might consider 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick their “chief target,” but they’re apparently not the only ones thinking that way.

 

According to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, the Jets and Browns are also interested in trading for Kaepernick, but the 49ers haven’t heard enough offered their way to be interested in making the deal at the moment.

 

Browns and Jets interested in Colin Kaepernick along with Broncos | ProFootballTalk

Quote from the linked article:

And if the Browns are still expected to use the second pick in the draft on one, having veteran Josh McCown sitting there as a mentor might keep them from coughing up too much for Kaepernick.

I think this is accurate. Josh McCown played very well this year but he is old and prone to injury. Though Cleveland has the cap room, my guess is they will make an offer that if another team really wants Kap, they will be able to out bid the Browns.

The plus side of this for the Browns going after Kaepernick is that Hue Jackson scouted Kap when he was with the Raiders and really wanted him when Kap came out of college. I believe Hue could figure out a way to make Kap good again, if Kap's shoulder, thumb, and knee injuries don't prove too big of an obstacle. a big IF.

I think there are too many ifs with Kap for the Browns to go all in.

Browns seem to be taking Jags and Oakland method. Release everyone and start from the bottom up. Next two years will be awful but it's what has to happen. Building through the draft is a looooooong process but better for the franchise in the long term. The biggest question mark will be if the front office will wait it out.

Browns seem to be taking Jags and Oakland method. Release everyone and start from the bottom up. Next two years will be awful but it's what has to happen. Building through the draft is a looooooong process but better for the franchise in the long term. The biggest question mark will be if the front office will wait it out.

Well, it can't be much different than what they've already gone through. I hope Hue has some success there. But drafting the right guy under center will be the key. I wonder if they feel like that guy is available for them this year?

The Moneyball guys running the Browns’ front office apparently think Kaepernick is only worth $7 million or $8 million a year, and that’s what they’d want Kaepernick to take, with the possibility of more money in the form of performance incentives.

Kaepernick reportedly wants to play for the Browns, so it’s possible he would be willing to restructure his contract to help them out. But it seems unlikely he’d take that steep a pay cut for the privilege of playing in Cleveland.

Browns will trade a third-round pick if Kaepernick will take a pay cut | ProFootballTalk

Browns seem to be taking Jags and Oakland method. Release everyone and start from the bottom up. Next two years will be awful but it's what has to happen. Building through the draft is a looooooong process but better for the franchise in the long term. The biggest question mark will be if the front office will wait it out.

Yep, and the key is whether Jimmy Haslem can wait. Perhaps it would be good for the Browns if Halsem were indicted on the Pilot Flying J fraud case and spent a couple of years in prison so he can't mess things up any more. j/k

The Moneyball guys running the Browns’ front office apparently think Kaepernick is only worth $7 million or $8 million a year, and that’s what they’d want Kaepernick to take, with the possibility of more money in the form of performance incentives.

 

Kaepernick reportedly wants to play for the Browns, so it’s possible he would be willing to restructure his contract to help them out. But it seems unlikely he’d take that steep a pay cut for the privilege of playing in Cleveland.

 

Browns will trade a third-round pick if Kaepernick will take a pay cut | ProFootballTalk

Well... if you put it like that. That article makes a pretty strong case for why Kap won't be going to Cleveland. Big pay cut and if he waits to be cut by the 49ers he'll be able to go to the highest bidder. If money means anything to an NFL player :sarcastic: I'd say its pretty certain Kap will take the open market route.

I guess the only hope for Cleveland is if he really likes Hue and his agent is telling him that he needs to choose wisely because if he doesn't do well at his next stop, his stock will bottom out. One plus for him going to Cleveland, he'll start there. Who's in front of him on the depth chart? A 37 yr old Josh McCown? I don't think so. A rookie getting drafted? If Kaepernick has a competitive bone in his body he will like those odds. He will start at the beginning of the 2016 season. His job will be to play well enough (i.e. win games) to keep everybody else off the field. If you are a starting QB in the NFL, you couldn't ask for a better opportunity. Unless you want the money now.

I've got to hand it to Cleveland, they know they are rebuilding and aren't going to reach for a veteran.

Browns releasing Karlos Dansby... Browns going all out on this rebuild..