Marecic's Role

[VaporTrail]

So is Vickers gone, now? I'd hate to see that, the guy just goes out there and clobbers people. Does Marecic play FB here or is he going to be the tandem back with Hillis? Also, any word on Hardesty?

[Harry Buffalo]

So is Vickers gone, now? I'd hate to see that, the guy just goes out there and clobbers people. Does Marecic play FB here or is he going to be the tandem back with Hillis? Also, any word on Hardesty?

 

All signs point to Vickers being allowed to pursue free agency once the lockout ends. Marecic was brought in to play FB. There reasoning behind bringing in Marecic is that he is not only a really good blocker and hard worker (which Vickers is too) but he is also a good pass catcher out of the back field, which a fullback needs to be able to do in the WCO. I thought that Vickers would be able to work on his hands and be a decent pass catcher (was known as a pass catching FB when drafted) but apparently the front office doesn't think he will be able to get the job done. They will also be able to pay Marecic to do an equal/if not better job than Vickers at a fraction of the price that it would take to resign Vickers.

 

Vickers said that he was surprised to see the Browns pick a FB and thought that he could come in and catch passes if that's what the coaches wanted him to do. Said that he was never asked to be a pass catcher in the old system so that's why he never worked on it out of college. He also pointed out that he wasn't tendered, which kind of upsets me because we could have given him a 4th or 5th round tender and a team would have jumped and taken him, which would have given us another draft pick next season, but regardless I am going to be sad to see him go and he is going to be a great lead blocker for another NFL team, hopefully a team not in the AFC North.

[cambridgeho]

Vickers has earned what ever money he gets, the dude straight up blows people up, and then lets them know about it. I will hate to see him leave, and I hope we use his money on some damn good FAs. We dont have to dish out that much for Taylor anyway, so we will have some for a Sidney Rice, or who ever!

[Harry Buffalo]

I don't understand this move. "FB needs to be able to catch passes" is not a good enough explanation. Vickers is a BEAST blocker and doesn't have BAD hands.

 

Oh and on the "Sidney Rice thing"... Brett Favre made Sidney Rice. That is all.

 

Well that is why they did it. That don't want someone who doesn't have bad hands they want someone who has good hands which Vickers still doesn't have. I don't want to see Vickers go as much as the next person but the front office didn't just spend a 4th round pick on a FB to just drop him and resign Vickers.

[roach]

That don't want someone who doesn't have bad hands they want someone who has good hands which Vickers still doesn't have. I don't want to see Vickers go as much as the next person but the front office didn't just spend a 4th round pick on a FB to just drop him and resign Vickers.

 

Dude, what are you thinking? Are we deep at RB? Do you know of players that the rest of us don't?

 

Just because we draft someone that nobody has heard of before (no disrepect to Whathisname), we're going to let Vicker slip through our fingers? Let's here your list of our RB's if they let Vickers go. I've got Hillis, Hardesty (ouch), and journeyman Mike Bell. Am i missing someone?

 

Didn't we need to draft Whathisname or some other whathisname? BTW, Vickers is a reliable receiver out of the backfield.

 

roach

[Tim Couch Pulls Out]

I don't understand this move. "FB needs to be able to catch passes" is not a good enough explanation. Vickers is a BEAST blocker and doesn't have BAD hands.

 

Oh and on the "Sidney Rice thing"... Brett Favre made Sidney Rice. That is all.

 

I didn't realize Brett Favre played at S.Car with Rice when Rice broke the schools touchdown record in his two years playing there.

 

If Rice had stayed for the full four years, he would have been a top 5 NFL Draft pick.

 

But go on, keep thinking you know everything.

[runyon27]

Dude, what are you thinking? Are we deep at RB? Do you know of players that the rest of us don't?

 

Just because we draft someone that nobody has heard of before (no disrepect to Whathisname), we're going to let Vicker slip through our fingers? Let's here your list of our RB's if they let Vickers go. I've got Hillis, Hardesty (ouch), and journeyman Mike Bell. Am i missing someone?

 

Didn't we need to draft Whathisname or some other whathisname? BTW, Vickers is a reliable receiver out of the backfield.

 

roach

 

I like Vickers too, he does blow people up in the running game. He doesn't have great hands. I can remember two drops he made on dump offs from McCoy, one where McCoy visibly reacted too as it would have bee a 1st down when we were pinned deep in our own territory. Maybe its those plays that stuck out, I think if Marecic comes in and blocks well, we will see the value of this pick, if not then the front office will have some splainin to do.

[Harry Buffalo]

Dude, what are you thinking? Are we deep at RB? Do you know of players that the rest of us don't?

 

Just because we draft someone that nobody has heard of before (no disrepect to Whathisname), we're going to let Vicker slip through our fingers? Let's here your list of our RB's if they let Vickers go. I've got Hillis, Hardesty (ouch), and journeyman Mike Bell. Am i missing someone?

 

Didn't we need to draft Whathisname or some other whathisname? BTW, Vickers is a reliable receiver out of the backfield.

 

roach

 

We are not talking RB's we are talking FB's. I'll tell you right now I don't want this guy or Vickers every being a primary/backup RB for the Browns and don't act like the team has room to hold onto two FB's. At this point in his career Vickers has lost his ability to catch out of the back field. I think he could work on it and do fine, but last year he did a horrible job with any chance he had to catch to ball. I can remember on instance where he wasn't even paying attention when he ran out in the flat and the ball hit him in the face mask. Based on the fact that it has already been pointed out that Marecic was drafted as a FB and not a LB and based on the fact that the team isn't going to sign a multi million one year deal to see who is better, Vickers is on his way out. That's just the way it works sometimes. I like him as a player and as long as he doesn't sign with another AFC North team I will root for him through out his career.

[Riffer X]

Vickers was gone when they made the decision to get rid of EM and go WCO with Shurmer. He costs money being up for FA at a position where you can get away paying damn near league minimum for a good player. He came into the league a pretty decent athlete and receiver, but he dropped too many balls over his career and appears more of a dump off guy than someone who can actually run routes.

 

I will also swear that DA and Queen really screwed this kid up. I think he lost confidence simply from dropping or juggling passes from those two and started thinking too much.

He is also at a position where the longevity factor comes into play. How much do you want to stick with a guy like that at a position normally without a very long career---and pay him?

 

Not only that, but I have always felt he may have been a bit of a character concern in the locker room. He was tight with Winslow and Edwards and they had a clique thing going, but he was also precariously close to dumbass penalties quite often. He may have been popular because of his style of play and all that, but I am not sure he was the best influence around.

 

Another point: The Browns have made it quite known that they are really looking forward to using Hardesty with Hillis when he gets back, so although Marecic will be the “starting” FB on paper, he will be mostly a part of a rotational trio with the 3. Marecic is going to bring a lot more to this team than just playing a part time FB role though; he will be on every special team and maybe even see some backup looks at LB.

[ballpeen]

I agree. We aren't going to keep both Vickers and Owen...and we didn't draft him to cut him.

 

 

Bottom line is FB is a throw away position that probably isn't going to be used very often in this offense, and when it is it needs to be a position that does more then block.

 

I don't care what anybody says....Vickers can't catch and he can't run. He is also in line for more money.....enter Marecic.

 

 

He fits, Vickers no longer does.

[Thomas5737]

Will miss Vickers when (if) he goes. Has been a great Browns since he was drafted.

 

Let me preface this by saying that i'm not questioning anyone's fanhood or trying to tell you what kind of fan you should be.

 

I was thinking about how the modern day fan judges current and former players on their team, not just Browns fans. I understand that when you get a new player we usually improve his grade, like if you veiwed him as a C player when he was with the Redskins, now that he is a Browns he's more like a B or B- and that is cool. I have also noticed that when a player leaves, lets use Winslow as an example, most fans automatically drop him a full grade. Winslow was a B+ with us and is a C- as a Buc. I think we as fans should continue to embrace our former players (obviously not if they go within our division or take the Braylon route on exit). This is the age of free agency when you root a lot more for a team than a player but it may not have to be that way. If we were loyal fans of players I think players would be more loyal to us. Yeah, they have money on the line and that will win out more times than not but if we had a great reputation for loyalty to the player and the team we may do a better job with free agents and easier dealing with current players upon contract negotiations.

 

That got long winded, sorry.

 

Once again, do as you please I just miss the way it used to be sometimes

[burgels]

Marecic seems like a good fit for what Vickers did. Hopefully it will all work out.

[Gips]

I have a very high opinion of vickers as a blow em up blocker but his hands and running skills leave much to be desired, its most likely because he really hasnt been called on much to catch or run the ball..

The regime is really high on marecic but until we can see him at the pro level i would find it hard to believe he can blow a guy or two up to make a lane like vickers can..

[The Gipper]

I understand man but I don't respect guys that turn down offers from the Browns and then leave to go elsewhere. I respect loyalty to the team.. these guys, for the most part, are all millionaires. They are set. Have some friggin loyalty and stick with the guys who gave you your shot and your millions?

 

OK, I agree, somewhat. But just remember, an NFL team will dump a players ass quicker that you can say "Touchdown for the Browns" (courtesy of Gib Shanley) if they believe that player is no longer worth keeping.

 

Can you name in Browns history any long time veteran players the Browns may have kept past their prime out of loyalty to them?

 

Maybe Ozzie Newsome?

[Nw220]

Im hoping that Marecic becomes a great player for the Browns but the question still remains to be seen he hasnt played a down in the NFL yet, so i wouldnt be so quick to call him a better FB than Vickers because we still dont know...

[ballpeen]

I know some get off on Vickers blocks....and he does block well.

 

 

I can't imagine this kid being worse than Vick and catching a running.

 

 

I guess what I am saying is if blocking is what we want, just line up the 3rd best guard or 2nd best center at the position and we will have blocking.

 

 

 

Shoot....go back to lining up a D player like Dave Pisouli....he creamed whoever was in his way.