Article on trade deadline fiasco

[LondonBrown]

The debacle at the trade deadline for the Cleveland Browns makes it clear that the organization as its currently constituted cannot continue.

 

The Cleveland Browns trade deadline fiasco involving A.J. McCarron is a defining moment for an organization that was trying to prove that it had a plan and was operating according to it. Whether a product of pressure from the owner, simple desperation, out right incompetence or some combination of everything, the Browns came to the conclusion that McCarron was worth multiple draft picks and somehow was the answer to this team’s woes. That alone makes it impossible to trust this organization to continue forward.

 

It’s impossible to believe that Hue Jackson wasn’t the driving force behind anything McCarron. He coached him in Cincinnati and it’s the only possible answer to how the Browns would offer more for him than the San Francisco 49ers did for Jimmy Garoppolo.

That also makes it impossible to believe that this is the first time Jackson was heavily involved in the quarterback decision process. In other words, Jackson didn’t want Carson Wentz, didn’t want Deshaun Watson and did want DeShone Kizer. Certainly the front office is part of that decision-making process and owns their part of the blame for those evaluations, but clearly Jackson was heavily involved, if not the deciding factor.

 

This whole thing started when the earth moved at Robert Griffin III’s workout for Jackson, who they signed. That was a perfectly reasonable signing, but helps illustrate how Jackson has done when it comes to evaluating the quarterback position. He’s been terrible. Griffin, Jared Goff who he was all in on, Kizer and now McCarron, compared to Wentz and Watson.

 

McCarron is sitting behind Andy Dalton for the Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns shouldn’t want Dalton, let alone McCarron. Neither does anything to truly help a team elevate past their current situation. It’s throwing assets away to make no meaningful difference. Dalton plays exactly as well as his supporting cast enables and McCarron has never played up to even the level of Dalton.

 

Despite all of this, the argument could have been made that the Browns were improving, even if their record wasn’t, and that this whole process concluded with a quarterback selection in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. And that’s what still should happen, but this catastrophe kills the idea that this organization is working according to a cohesive plan.

 

The first thing that has to happen is determining exactly what happened. Anyone who was in favor of this trade for McCarron should be removed, effective immediately. Second, whether it was pure incompetence or some lone hero or troop of patriots who actively made sure this trade didn’t happen, the fact is the Browns are better for this trade not going through. There isn’t a situation that isn’t better for having those draft assets for next year as opposed to having McCarron on this team.

 

If Haslam was involved, it shows that he hasn’t learned from his “rookie mistakes” or the Manziel disaster and will be subjected to another extremely embarrassing teachable moment. He has to stop meddling and let the organization work.

If any part of this organization is salvageable, the only way to even attempt to win back public trust, other than winning, is to have a revealing and certainly humiliating press conference that lays out exactly what happened, where and why it went wrong, what’s been done to eliminate the problem and how this doesn’t happen again, which most certainly comes with an announcement of someone’s ouster.

 

For many, the 0-8 record is enough reason to think the organization is incompetent. For those that can see the improvement of the team and were willing to believe there could be a light at the end of the tunnel with the 2018 NFL Draft, they need a thorough explanation of the events and where this goes from here.

If the Browns were forced to clean house, they could still find themselves in an extremely positive situation. A young, improving defense that is the best this team has had since the team came back to Cleveland and a ton of draft assets allowing a new organization to choose a quarterback, add talent around him to improve the offense and proceed from there. While not necessarily the most attractive option, it’s a viable one.

The only thing that is clear is that the organization as it currently stands cannot continue. Hue Jackson should be fired immediately. His game management and tactics on the field have been mediocre at best, but adding in his disastrous quarterback evaluating and this latest mess trying to acquire A.J. McCarron, he’s got to go. The rest of the coaching staff can be evaluated independent of Jackson, having Gregg Williams as the interim coach. 

 

If the front office was complicit in this move and simply failed to execute the trade, they also need to go. And if Haslam was involved, he deserves all the criticism he gets and must figure out a way that he can effectively own the organization without being the source of its downfall. If he picked sides, was a source of the division, or simply tried to enable a power play by one side over the other, he is the biggest problem this organization has to overcome and they’ll struggle as long as that continues.

As bad as the Cleveland Browns have been in terms of their record the past season and a half at 1-23, it’s not difficult to make a case for their improvement and how this team makes a big leap forward next season. But when there’s a situation like the one that played out on Tuesday, decisive action must be taken in order to preserve the long term outlook and get rid of anyone who would stand in its way both now and after the season. Otherwise, it’s just the same ol’ Browns.

[Mark O]

The only thing I"ll disagree on is that somehow being all in on Jared Goff is a bad thing.   Goff and his Rams are 5-3 and in first place in their division.  He's played really well this year.  

[gumby73]

not sure the writers name? but he proverbially/professional nailed it...........imo Williams will step down if Hue's axed..Tabor maybe your next man up? My Next up..Captain Morgan

[LondonBrown]

Apologies the actual link seemed to be cut off at the top, it’s by Peter Smith, here 

https://nflspinzone.com/2017/11/01/cleveland-browns-trade-deadline-debacle-tipping-point/

[TexasAg1969]

Funny no one has mentioned one QB that tour and I both wanted, one Dak Prescott who was taken AFTER Cody Kessler. Where's the f/n firing squad for all these fools?

[LondonBrown]

31 other teams passed on Prescott, some four times. Dallas wanted to trade up for Paxton Lynch long before settling for Dak

 These we passed on him they took him comments are just so irrelevant,

 

[Dutch Oven]

Oh you have to be Shmucking kidding me.

Peter Smith? I know this dude. He used to be on the message board mjp and I have been on for years. This guy is a joke. Probably watched a half dozen drafts with this guy.

Some Pete Smith highlights: Absolutely loved and defended the '08 Browns draft, where the Browns received next to nothing to drop from the top of the first round to the bottom. Loved Mingo and tried to convince everyone how great he was, how much the Browns coaching staff loved him up to the day he was traded. Also pimped Cam Erving when it was obvious he was horrible. The guy is an assistant coach on a shitty local junior varsity highs school team who tries to convince people he's a football guru. He was literally laughed off the board.

[TexasAg1969]

14 minutes ago, LondonBrown said:

31 other teams passed on Prescott, some four times. Dallas wanted to trade up for Paxton Lynch long before settling for Dak

 These we passed on him they took him comments are just so irrelevant,

 

Well I'm just a better picker than all of 'em then. I thought he was the best in the draft and could not believe how many fell for his DUI incident as if he was the next JM. Had that not happened he would have been the first QB drafted. Funny thing is he was found not guilty of the charge the summer after the draft. It was the charge just before the draft that made teams shy away, not his playing abilities.

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/mississippi-state/2016/07/27/former-bulldog-dak-prescott-found-not-guilty-dui/87640062/

[Dutch Oven]

1 minute ago, TexasAg1969 said:

Well I'm just a better picker than all of 'em then. I thought he was the best in the draft and could not believe how many fell for his DUI incident as if he was the next JM. Had that not happened he would have been the first QB drafted. Funny thing is he was found not guilty of the charge the summer after the draft. It was the charge just before the draft that made teams shy away, not his playing abilities.

I didn't want Prescott in the first round, but he specifically was the guy I hoped the Browns would take (when it was obvious they weren't taking one high) in the mid rounds. I couldn't believe they took Kessler over him. To be honest I never thought he'd be this good so quick.

[BaconHound]

LB going full Cal.

Going to post an opinion piece by a "journalist" who has zero shred of evidence but that supports his agenda.

This is about as solid as the Mary Kay Cabot's reporting on who was to blame for the debacle yesterday.

I'll play

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/11/01/ownership-went-nuclear-on-browns-front-office-on-wednesday/

[LondonBrown]

3 minutes ago, BaconHound said:

LB going full Cal.

Going to post an opinion piece by a "journalist" who has zero shred of evidence but that supports his agenda.

This is about as solid as the Mary Kay Cabot's reporting on who was to blame for the debacle yesterday.

I'll play

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/11/01/ownership-went-nuclear-on-browns-front-office-on-wednesday/

What agenda do I have? 

I say give the FO some time because they’ve done some good things. And give my reasoning for it

Your opinion seems to be keep Hue because Sashi is a lawyer. Real insight that bacon. 

[TexasAg1969]

My favorite of the comments:

"My wife has birthed more children in the last two years than they have wins. You guys are a joke. Sell the team."

[BaconHound]

1 minute ago, LondonBrown said:

What agenda do I have? 

I say give the FO some time because they’ve done some good things. And give my reasoning for it

Your opinion seems to be keep Hue because Sashi is a lawyer. Real insight that bacon. 

In multiple threads you've put much of the blame on Hue Jackson while glossing over the FO mistakes and applauding their great drafts and FA acquisitions.

My opinion is if you are getting rid of one or the other I'll keep the cook who has bad ingredients over the guys who bought the ingredients in the first place

[LondonBrown]

Those ingredients Hue bought are the QBs. And he very nearly did it again with AJ f’ing McCarron

[bbedward]

I still think Jared Goff is going to be a solid franchise quarterback - not sure why he's being written off by some, and isn't it also rumored that hue loved Watson - many are creaming their pants for Watson. 

The trade that lost us Wentz, was also considered a great trade by most at the time it happened.

[Mark O]

6 minutes ago, bbedward said:

I still think Jared Goff is going to be a solid franchise quarterback - not sure why he's being written off by some, and isn't it also rumored that hue loved Watson - many are creaming their pants for Watson. 

The trade that lost us Wentz, was also considered a great trade by most at the time it happened.

Agreed.  Goff looks really good this year.  

[BaconHound]

8 minutes ago, LondonBrown said:

Those ingredients Hue bought are the QBs. And he very nearly did it again with AJ f’ing McCarron

You have zero proof of that but hey don't let that stop you.

[LondonBrown]

Just now, BaconHound said:

You have zero proof of that but hey don't let that stop you.

Come on, he’s coached AJ, he said himself the RG3 workout floored him. It doesn’t take the biggest leap to think he’s the one making the QB moves?

[BaconHound]

1 minute ago, LondonBrown said:

Come on, he’s coached AJ, he said himself the RG3 workout floored him. It doesn’t take the biggest leap to think he’s the one making the QB moves?

Then why wouldn't he have burned the place down to get Deshaun Watson who is RG3 2.0?

This is conjecture.  Until Hue says "these are my moves" or the front office says "those were Hue's decisions" we are going full blogger and making stuff up.

 

[wargograw]

3 hours ago, LondonBrown said:

What agenda do I have? 

I say give the FO some time because they’ve done some good things. And give my reasoning for it

Your opinion seems to be keep Hue because Sashi is a lawyer. Real insight that bacon. 

If you want to keep him then why post the garbage in the OP? Do you think it helps your cause?

[LondonBrown]

5 minutes ago, wargograw said:

If you want to keep him then why post the garbage in the OP? Do you think it helps your cause?

My cause? Whether I want to keep him or not is irrelevant to anything the Browns are going to do. I doubt Jimmy comes on here much for advice. 

I thought it was an interesting article so I shared it. That’s it. 

[hoorta]

4 hours ago, Mark O said:

The only thing I"ll disagree on is that somehow being all in on Jared Goff is a bad thing.   Goff and his Rams are 5-3 and in first place in their division.  He's played really well this year.  

Golly gee- CarsonWentz was a really nice consolation prize.... And DePud said "he's not a top 20 QB." Right- he may be top 5.   

4 hours ago, gumby73 said:

not sure the writers name? but he proverbially/professional nailed it...........imo Williams will step down if Hue's axed..Tabor maybe your next man up? My Next up..Captain Morgan

Personally- I prefer Meyer's over Captain Morgan- we're talking rum right? 

[SD_Tom]

I've heard the opposite. Jackson wanted Watson and Garoppolo bad, and also liked Hooker a lot, and of course they ignored all of those wishes.

I think Wentz will be up for MVP if they keep winning and he keeps playing like this. Seriously, in his very first game against us (of course), he looked like a HOF QB. Was like "i'll show these fools who they passed on"

[200lbMumford]

In regards to the article, there are lot of assumptions on who was making QB decisions.  Having a guess about that is one thing.  Presenting it as fact is another.  Especially when the author seems to be cherry picking those "facts".  

Quote

didn’t want Deshaun Watson

Where does one come up with that?  Common conjecture is that since he was texting Watson to be ready he wanted and thought the Browns were taking him.

Quote

didn’t want Carson Wentz

And yet it was DePodesta that came out with the Wentz not being a top 20 QB comment.

Quote

That also makes it impossible to believe that this is the first time Jackson was heavily involved in the quarterback decision process

Holy freaking leap, Batman.  

 

This article is garbage.

[TexasAg1969]

9 hours ago, hoorta said:

 

Personally- I prefer Meyer's over Captain Morgan- we're talking rum right?

Don't get me started or I may RUM away with this thread.

[wargograw]

10 hours ago, LondonBrown said:

My cause? Whether I want to keep him or not is irrelevant to anything the Browns are going to do. I doubt Jimmy comes on here much for advice. 

I thought it was an interesting article so I shared it. That’s it. 

It affects the general mood of the fan base which strongly affects the general mood of the Haslam’s. How do people still not get this?

 

You’re stocking up the anger of these pitchforkers with stupid, most likely inaccurate articles like this. And the angrier they are, the faster this thing is blown up. I just think it’s unwise.