Mind Character

It's why I said "survive the 2-year historic tanking blah blah blah," ... mainly because after 2 years of historic losing what happens to the coach no matter what their quality (trash or good) is what Joe Thomas called "the shattering of belief in what they say and what their program is,"... it's why when you then go and bring in a new class or rookies and free agents entering year 3 "the stench" of losing is everywhere and the players see you as a loser. Joe Thomas also said it well when he said "whenever the new players come in or new coaches join the media, fans, and family immediately talk to that person about the popular narratives: that the coach is awful and everything is negative." Maybe McDermott could've won a few more games in that 3rd year given we almost did with a tie, multiple overtime games, and getting screwed in the Raiders game. However, Todd Haley and the political games might've doomed McDermott or whoever the coach was in that 3rd year as well. Point is. Hue was nowhere close to the type of coach to maintain sanity during the 2-year tank job. Mostly, no coach's reputation or players' belief in them can survive becoming an historic 2-year course loser. The plan worked as designed. It was meant to be terrible. The only thing people forgot to keep in mind at the outset of the tank was that it's also part of plan that at the end of the 2-year tank that the coach and coaching staff gets flushed along with any evidence of a tank plan in order to achieve the perfect sports crime.

No coach on earth would've survived that successful 2-year historic tank-job with Kessler, Kizer, and the great Kenny Britt-Bryce Treggs show. That plan was designed to break everyone and everything except for the draft picks. However, McDermott would've probably would've went 5-27 instead of 1-31 and there would've been less media frenzy around players being thrown under the bus and less noise. All in all it would've been a more peaceful, miserable tank. Less screaming and ringing of hands while the ship sunk but sink to the depth the ships most definitely would've. McDermott also wouldn't have accepted Haley from Dorsey meaning the year 3 offense would've gotten off to a better start.

Will cost a lot as he's going top 4. That's why I've been trying to make the case that Wills is the guy we should target. He'll go 6-12. We'll probably have the 14th pick. That's more realistic. And he's just as good of player as Thomas if not better at this point with Thomas just being the absolute freak of nature. Netane Muti has been one of my favorites to watch over the last few months and will be in my top 5 updated big board. He has an extensive injury history which I think could push him to the 20s but that's where it will end because he's just too special. Oddly enough, Muti's tape last year as a Left Tackle was exceptional as well and I wouldn't be shocked if someone tries him there. He also can play Center at a high level. In my dream of dream drafts, we somehow lose to the Bengals and end up with the 8th overall pick. We then trade that pick to the Raiders or Dolphins for 2, 1st round picks. Then, we magically are able to draft both Jedrick WIlls Jr AND Netane Muti. Then, trade our extra 3rd and 2nd round pick to get up in the 2nd high enough for Prince Tega Wanogho, Josh Jones, or Terrance Steele. That would fix our OLine for the next decade.

It's interesting where opinions and evaluations of Wills are at this point in the process. A lot differing evaluations a lot of places and I'd bet that disagreement will go up until the draft for many. We see Wills completely different as I think he has some of the best, fluid, smooth, and quick feet of anyone in the draft. Most times there are a thing of beauty. Now, I do agree that he might lumber a little bit when he has to get to the second level or in space moving down the line, but really he's fine there as well. He lacks some power, but he has everything athletically and feet-wise to play Left Tackle. The best feet in the draft are Netane Muti then it's probably Wills, Wirfs, and Jackson in some order.

1.) Joe Lombardi 2.) Mike Kafka 3.) Greg Knapp, 4.) Rich Scangarello, 5.) Jim Caldwell (had to step away for health reasons) 6.) Luke Getsy 7.) Marcus Brady 8.) Press Taylor, 9.) Sean Ryan, ----- Kafka, Lombardi, Knapp, and Scangarello are the cream of the crop. I've heard that the coaching of Marcus Brady has been one of the most enjoyable things this year for HC Frank Reich and the Colts. Reich thinks he's a star. Luke Getsy is known by a lot of people int he league as having next level eye and footwork drilling that integrates defensive key reading. I've heard good things about Sean Ryan and Press Taylor but not that much detail about their actual coaching techniques or approaches. There are others as well but those are some off the top of my head.

Biggest worry is Ryan Lindley. If we can just get a QB coach that isn't buddy buddy trying to establish his career and ascend up the coaching ranks and get one that will coach the heck out of Baker to squeeze the greatness out, then a lot of core issues can be cleaned up. Other issue is if John Dorsey is adept at coaching search and whether or not he is just looking for a coach that won't usurp his power in the organization. Dorsey is a heck of a talent scout for a wide majority of football positions, but identifying a head coach is an entirely different thing. If we do make a change, I wonder and am worried about how the Analytics, Haslam's search firm, and Dorsey's search team will work together or not work together to produce an effective search.

Currently, we sit with the 4th hardest schedule in the league a few decimals away from the 6th hardest schedule. Most projections after the Bengals game have us with the 6th or 7th hardest schedule for the full year. Crazy how the Patriots have the 30th hardest. Out of our division, the Bengals have the 7th hardest thus far; the Ravens 19th hardest; Steelers 21st hardest.

I probably won't get into the TEs until early next month so unfortunately I don't have a clue as I've only watched 1 or 2games here or there of the big buzz names except for Albert O, Jared Pinkney, and Adam Trautman. Trautman's my guy for now. You're absolutely right in that we have to find that core TE piece. The only problem is given our holes on OLine and at DE or other positions, I'm not sure we could justify spending our 1st to 3rd round picks on a TE. Now, are there TEs that can get the job done in the 4th and beyond? History says probably so, but I just don't know if that's true about this class yet. I hope it is. The only thing I do know is that Jared Pinkney isn't the amazing or great player that the draftniks claim him to be and is more likely a late 2nd, early 3rd round talent which means he's a solid/good player.

Spending our pick on a Safety would be the absolute worst thing and use of pick given where our OLine and DLine are. Simmons and Delpit are the true fools gold in this draft and aren't even on the level of Darnell Savage last year who went in the first. IMO, we either have to spend our primary picks on getting either 1 of the top 7 Tackles, AJ Epenesa, DE Iowa, --OR-- one of top OGs (Netane Muti, Tristan Wirfs, Shane Lemieux). All other positions be they safety or wide-receiver should be further down our priorities list. Austin Jackson's a good one. I think he falls anywhere from the 4th to 7th best Tackle in the draft. The Top 10 Tackles: 1.) Andrew Thomas, LT Georgia 2.) Jedrick Wills, OT Alabama Drop-Off in Quality 3.) Isaiah Wilson, RT Georgia 4.) (Better at Guard) Netane Muti, OG/OT-Swing Fresno State (#4 LT; #2 OG) 5.) (Light-years better at Guard) Tristan Wirfs, OG-Phenom/OT, Iowa (#5 OT; #1 OG) 6.) Austin Jackson, LT USC 7.) Prince Tega Wanogho, LT Auburn 8.) Alex Leatherwood, LT Alabama Drop-Off in Quality 9.) Josh Jones, RT Houston 10.) Terrance Steele, RT Texas Tech

A d*mn shame. Many have been saying it; you can tell when there's no quality program in place. It's even more evident when there's not a high quality or elite program in place. Program-building involves a ton of various thoughtful things including the design of programmatic curriculum, mult-layered skill development, creative focus and habit forming techniques and training in various domains that supports football behaviors, integrated emotional and mental resilience training techniques, design of how to cope with successes and failures, etc etc etc... so much more.... the program becomes the culture. It's clear that Lindley (who had one of the laziest footwork's when he played) doesn't do the adequate work with Baker on his drop mechanics or tightness of footwork, or speed of his punch step or else we wouldn't see such a stark fall off an regression in his time to drop depth. We need a program/culture leader/builder. Not a hot name assistant coach.

Honestly man... after yesterday... I'm starting to be all in on this. F-it...

Usually, a OC-HC can save his job by: 1.) Turning over play-calling to an OC, 2.) Doing a song and dance about how they'll be better at coaching the coaches and the team without focusing on play-calling 3.) Firing a few other staff members and/or scapegoating a few others. But in this case, what does that really achieve? Freddie the HC has been worse than Freddie the OC. Terrible in situational football, doesn't understand or implement analytics by deferring, makes emotional decisions and challenges, and his program at its core seems flawed as a habits teaching and next level culture development program. In the most important game of the year when we're up 6 we go: 1.) HB Pass, 2.) Punt, --Ravens Score-- 3.) Pass, 4.) Pass, 5.) Pass, --Ravens Score--, 6.) b/c of idiotic decision to receive the ball Ravens get ball after halftime and --Ravens Score-- The Ravens triple up and blow our season away on the back's of Freddie's incompetence. Steve Wilks called a masterful 1st half all destroyed by giving the Ravens 2 consecutive possessions where the defense has to go 2 minute defense prevent getting gashed followed by 1 more drive starting the 2nd half where defense has already been demoralized. After that the defense and offense puckers up. ------ I just don't see how firing Ryan Lindley, elevating Todd Monken, firing Steve Wilks, tweaking a few other positions, and keeping Freddie does anything at all for our program. I think the Haslam's have to see that Freddie is not the guy as an OC but primarily as a HC.

0.0% Chance Urban Meyer is coming to the Browns. He's making a ton of money with FOX Sports and will only return to coaching in college football. It would be a dream of dreams to get an elite culture/program leader/builder in Meyer. To then have delegate to big-time OCs/DCs while he coaches the team and the coaches would be the best thing ever. Wade Phillips and an Elite Offensive staff... throw in Larry Johnson as the DLine/Senior Assistant and Micky Mariotti as strength coach... what a dream.. won't happen... and i hate you guys for making me even think about it...

Baker with the "Whatever happens happens I don't make those decisions" kiss of death comment in the presser about whether or not coaching changes would be a setback in progress Freddie might actually be gone. I don't know now. I was certain he'd be back no matter what.

My biggest fear ever with Baker is that he's not really ever going to obsess about greatness and put in the time like a Brees, Brady, Watson... Baker's comments seem to me that he thinks a better OTAs will lead to the team taking the next step. He keeps putting it on chemistry issues and getting guys together in the off-season. That is very important and glad to see he's seeing that improvement is important. While OTAs are very very important, but he has to look inside and has to take leaps and bounds forward even before OTAs in regards to his footwork, speed to drop depth, overall mechanics, overall understanding of defense, eye discipline and training, and more. He has to make up ground before OTAs. OBJ and Jarvis coming off surgeries may or may not be available in OTAs. Baker has to have the mindset that there's no excuses and he has to take responsibility for his own progression. A new QB coach can help him. The Team and players have to help him. All is not lost with Baker, but this off-season is colossal. He has to go get it. So, many QBs are working hard to elevate... can his work and obsession with the game and winning separate him or at least give him a chance to become a real consistent force? I don't know. Watson, Dak, Wentz and Lamar obsess over improvement and put in elite time as younger QBs... can Baker become what Urban Meyer once called "an offseason personal growth maniac." We need it; we need it desperately.

That Kareem Hunt Half-Back Pass was a real gem of a call... Taking the ball instead of deferring to get an extra possession against the Ravens offense was a beauty... Throwing 3 straight times when they had no timeouts before half was a gift...

Who's excited to run this thing back next year.

He isn't the Rodgers or Favre where he can sling it in that sistuation and fire an accurate laser down field off one leg under pressure. Really nice arm talent, but he's not on that level

Objectively, Baker has been trash this year. Period. Objectively, we honestly don't know if Baker will be trash going forward. It's not about one play here or there. Consistently, he's not played well all year and it's okay to say that even after taking into account things he can't control (WR drops, tipped INTs, bad oline play, play-calling issues, etc).

15 Points was never going to get it done...

and that TD definitely proves it one way or another

RSJ has to get his head around there sooner and catch that

On 4th down even with the penalty... Baker has to throw that up...

Chubb's been exceptional all year. He has to make bynes miss 1 on 1 on that 2nd down. He's still amazing

I clearly remember multiple people on here calling for TEs and some even calling for two based on Baker's affinity for them. Some even wanted Hurst and Andrews. Ravens ended up getting them.