The whole is less than the sum of its parts...or is it?

[bruceb]

Reflecting on this past season and looking at the entire organization I have decided that many posters have an inflated view of the talent we have on this team.

Ruling out obviously deficient position groups that are atrocious (e.g., OL) or that are top notch (e.g., RBs), the coaching because we just don't know yet what we have and ownership which we can do nothing about, how do you rate the following groups on the team?

Edited February 16, 2020 by bruceb
Related thought

[Kiwibrown]

The dlinemen are above average with garrett, and bad without him. 

Sheldon richardson doesnt get enough pass rush, neither does larry o. 

Dorsey completed screwed us at end, grtting rid of an average de in nassib, an average one in ogbah, a solid pass rusber in  Avery, and yoking us to scrubs like smith, who was terrible, and forcing us to have the depth of porter g and cox jnr.

We could of had, myles, nassib, ogbah, chad, and avery, that is a beast with great relief really.

[Kiwibrown]

Wide receivers, we have two questions, can beckham get his elite bend back after groin surgery? If so he will be fine. 

How is Jarvis' hip? If he has a bad hip the end of the road might be very close to us. A lot of players hit a brick wall, especially guys who arent A+ athletes.

[Kiwibrown]

Corners i think will be 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️, they are going to take the ball away, and shut down the passing lanes. I think greedy and ward will be an A+combo for 3-4 years.

[NudeTayne]

I will not take injury risk into consideration but just talent at each position. 

All we need at WR is another solid piece and we have a top-5 unit, so I'm going with elite.

I bank on Larry returning to form, so I'm going above average to our four starters on the DL.

I expect Greedy to make the leap in year two and thus to have an above average/elite CB unit. One more quality CB would really put us over the top.

Thanks, bruce. You got me hyped for how good this team is going to be this year now that we are going to have better usage of our talent.

[bruceb]

1 hour ago, NudeTayne said:

Thanks, bruce. You got me hyped for how good this team is going to be this year now that we are going to have better usage of our talent.

Save the thanks and getting hyped until you see "The whole is less than the sum of its parts...or is it?" 2.0

[Mind Character]

Without an additional key piece our WRs will in effect be average, and it has everything to do with how Jarvis Landry and OBJ's skillsets work off one another, synergize, and how defensive play them.

Without a 3rd it's difficult to create favorable match-ups that can adapt to defensive calls.

An NFL roster is a living organism. One part of the organism's optimal functioning relies on other parts working in proper order.

The Browns WR personnel (i.e., a quick but slow possession receiver in Jarvis and a more explosive all around WR that attracts double teams and defensive rotations in OBJ) requires a 3rd dynamic play-maker via the WR, TE, and/or Receiving-RB position to gravitate and pull-in defensive players coverage attention and field-focus so that Jarvis' slower developing routes cannot be sat on via conservative coverages while the defense rotates its resources toward OBJ.

It creates terribly murky passing pictures for the QB to make a decision on when he looks out and sees conservative zone coverages overtop Jarvis  and both a Safety and CB devoted to OBJs side of the play with LBs zoning underneath.

In the end, without that 3rd piece to threaten the defenses and take away attentional and coverage responsibility focus away from Jarvis and OBJ, the sum of the WR parts will remain average.

It can be argued that Kareem Hunt can serve in that role, but as long as Nick Chubb is on the team, our primary personnel packages lack that dynamic passing threat that can help create space or match-up opportunities. As much as Nick Chubb is arguably the best player on the team (and despite that Bengals circus TD catch his rookie year) his receiving and route running deficiencies limit his ability to be that although his running prowess can help create clean passing pictures via an effective play-action game.

Maybe a healthy David Njoku can be that for us (there have been flashes throughout both of his healthy years), but it's nothing to bet on.

The Browns DLine is also missing an additional piece in either an effective situational rusher at DE beyond Myles, a run stopping specialist at DT, a pass rushing specialist at DT, or some hybrid impact DLineman.

The CBs are talented but injury prone, and they'll be helped when the opposing QB knows their is competent Safety help at various levels of the field threatening to disrupt plays.

The good news is a piece here or there could make the whole far better than the sum of it's parts.

We need 4 players to unlock the full synergistic power of our WRs and DLine groupings and transform both sides of the ball. We need a force at TE and a 3rd reliable, speed threat WR. That will unlock the full powers of OBJ and Jarvis. We need a pass-rushing or run-stopping force at DT and at least a situational pass rusher to squeeze the pocket and QB platform opposite Myles.

Such players don't have to be stars, but they need to be stars in their roles. That's why roster-building synergies have to be taken into account for draft and roster decisions.

That's a particular free agent approach could transform this team... or why a draft approach could.

1.) [Insert Impact DL Here] Javon Kinlaw, DT South Carolina // Derrick Brown, NT Auburn // AJ Epenesa, DE Iowa ... etc

2.) [Insert Impact WR Here] Henry Ruggs, WR Alabama // Jalen Reagor, WR TCU // Justin Jefferson, WR LSU // Laviska Shenault Jr., WR Colorado ... etc

3.) [Insert Impact WR Here] Adam Trautman, TE Dayton // Brycen Hopkins, TE Purdue ... etc

We all our focused on OLine because it's a real need, but between Free Agency and the Draft we have to get those key pieces to unlock what we already have and elevate the whole to be more than the sum of its parts.

[Don Roshi]

We need a lot more depth on the DL for it to be effective consistently. Right now we have two-three players who are at least good enough when we require six.

Two-three receiving threats is also not enough to provide a good offence.

CB wise, depth... If both Denzel and Greedy look good then offences are going to just pick on the slot, LBs or safeties.

In each case there's quality, they're just incomplete.

[LETSGOBROWNIES]

We have more than enough talent to be successful at WR, two dudes who consistent All Pro/Pro Bowl talents.  Depth isn’t great, but most teams would kill for the talent we have at WR.

Similar theme at the other two position groups, great high end talent with little depth.

Not ideal situations but it’s easier to add depth than it is studs.

[NateDawg]

Callaway not having his head on straight and whatever has become of Njoku (injuries?) is really hindering this offense. Our third receiving option should absolutely thrive. Between what we have out at receiver and the running game/ play action potential. This is a really big year for David Njoku. My guess is they turn down his fifth year option this offseason. Not enough consistent production there. That doesn’t mean he can’t still have a big year and get a contract extension after the season however. We need him to be a matchup problem in the seam and draw safeties away from guys like OBJ. With his athletic ability, there is no excuse for him not having a bunch of touchdowns.

[LETSGOBROWNIES]

1 hour ago, NateDawg said:

Callaway not having his head on straight and whatever has become of Njoku (injuries?) is really hindering this offense. Our third receiving option should absolutely thrive. Between what we have out at receiver and the running game/ play action potential. This is a really big year for David Njoku. My guess is they turn down his fifth year option this offseason. Not enough consistent production there. That doesn’t mean he can’t still have a big year and get a contract extension after the season however. We need him to be a matchup problem in the seam and draw safeties away from guys like OBJ. With his athletic ability, there is no excuse for him not having a bunch of touchdowns.

That 5th year will only cost about 6 million and he’s young as hell.

I’d roll the dice tbh, but I can see why a GM wouldn’t.

[NateDawg]

12 minutes ago, LETSGOBROWNIES said:

That 5th year will only cost about 6 million and he’s young as hell.

I’d roll the dice tbh, but I can see why a GM wouldn’t.

I’d be cool with it. Upside is worth it to me. Just wonder if the previous regime has left seeds of doubt about whether it’s a good investment or not at this stage. 

[candyman93]

They will keep Njoku until it doesn’t make sense financially

[bruceb]

On 2/17/2020 at 1:30 AM, Mind Character said:

Without an additional key piece our WRs will in effect be average, and it has everything to do with how Jarvis Landry and OBJ's skillsets work off one another, synergize, and how defensive play them.

Without a 3rd it's difficult to create favorable match-ups that can adapt to defensive calls.

An NFL roster is a living organism. One part of the organism's optimal functioning relies on other parts working in proper order.

The Browns WR personnel (i.e., a quick but slow possession receiver in Jarvis and a more explosive all around WR that attracts double teams and defensive rotations in OBJ) requires a 3rd dynamic play-maker via the WR, TE, and/or Receiving-RB position to gravitate and pull-in defensive players coverage attention and field-focus so that Jarvis' slower developing routes cannot be sat on via conservative coverages while the defense rotates its resources toward OBJ.

It creates terribly murky passing pictures for the QB to make a decision on when he looks out and sees conservative zone coverages overtop Jarvis  and both a Safety and CB devoted to OBJs side of the play with LBs zoning underneath.

In the end, without that 3rd piece to threaten the defenses and take away attentional and coverage responsibility focus away from Jarvis and OBJ, the sum of the WR parts will remain average.

It can be argued that Kareem Hunt can serve in that role, but as long as Nick Chubb is on the team, our primary personnel packages lack that dynamic passing threat that can help create space or match-up opportunities. As much as Nick Chubb is arguably the best player on the team (and despite that Bengals circus TD catch his rookie year) his receiving and route running deficiencies limit his ability to be that although his running prowess can help create clean passing pictures via an effective play-action game.

Maybe a healthy David Njoku can be that for us (there have been flashes throughout both of his healthy years), but it's nothing to bet on.

The Browns DLine is also missing an additional piece in either an effective situational rusher at DE beyond Myles, a run stopping specialist at DT, a pass rushing specialist at DT, or some hybrid impact DLineman.

The CBs are talented but injury prone, and they'll be helped when the opposing QB knows their is competent Safety help at various levels of the field threatening to disrupt plays.

The good news is a piece here or there could make the whole far better than the sum of it's parts.

We need 4 players to unlock the full synergistic power of our WRs and DLine groupings and transform both sides of the ball. We need a force at TE and a 3rd reliable, speed threat WR. That will unlock the full powers of OBJ and Jarvis. We need a pass-rushing or run-stopping force at DT and at least a situational pass rusher to squeeze the pocket and QB platform opposite Myles.

Such players don't have to be stars, but they need to be stars in their roles. That's why roster-building synergies have to be taken into account for draft and roster decisions.

That's a particular free agent approach could transform this team... or why a draft approach could.

1.) [Insert Impact DL Here] Javon Kinlaw, DT South Carolina // Derrick Brown, NT Auburn // AJ Epenesa, DE Iowa ... etc

2.) [Insert Impact WR Here] Henry Ruggs, WR Alabama // Jalen Reagor, WR TCU // Justin Jefferson, WR LSU // Laviska Shenault Jr., WR Colorado ... etc

3.) [Insert Impact WR Here] Adam Trautman, TE Dayton // Brycen Hopkins, TE Purdue ... etc

We all our focused on OLine because it's a real need, but between Free Agency and the Draft we have to get those key pieces to unlock what we already have and elevate the whole to be more than the sum of its parts.

Great post!

Mostly where I was going with this subject.

Too many average (WR, DL and DB) and below average (OL and LB) groups at the moment.

We are a 6-10 team despite the stars we have.

I am sure that all hell would have broken loose when I opined that right now we also are average at QB for all we know.

 

[NudeTayne]

18 minutes ago, bruceb said:

Great post!

Mostly where I was going with this subject.

Too many average (WR, DL and DB) and below average (OL and LB) groups at the moment.

We are a 6-10 team despite the stars we have.

I am sure that all hell would have broken loose when I opined that right now we also are average at QB for all we know.

Glad you didn't do that, though; hell remains safely contained.