Cleveland Browns 2023 Season Thread

DTR was completely overwhelmed. 

posted by Laley23

DTR was completely overwhelmed. 

No doubt but I can't say Stefanski set him up for success.

I know they picked up the 5th year option with Jed Wills but that experiment needs to end, along with the jet sweeps/reverses to Elijah Moore.

I'm giving them a mulligan on this one but that loss to Pittsburgh (last year's Jets game 2.0) hurts since they will likely be 2-3 after facing San Francisco after the bye.

Watson was medically cleared to play yesterday, but he didn't want to play. I guess from his perspective, why bother playing, I have $250 million guaranteed either way. It's hard to believe that we gave away three first round picks and other picks for this piece of garbage.

posted by Al Bundy

Watson was medically cleared to play yesterday, but he didn't want to play. I guess from his perspective, why bother playing, I have $250 million guaranteed either way. It's hard to believe that we gave away three first round picks and other picks for this piece of garbage.

Not hard to be medically cleared from a sore shoulder though. Doesn't mean it's a good idea to play. 

posted by kizer permanente

Not hard to be medically cleared from a sore shoulder though. Doesn't mean it's a good idea to play. 

Your're right. Mayfield was medically cleared to play that whole last season with a bum throwing arm. It obviously wasn't a good idea to keep playing.

posted by kizer permanente

Not hard to be medically cleared from a sore shoulder though. Doesn't mean it's a good idea to play. 

He supposedly has some kind of fluid situation going on in there. Who the Hell knows with the Browns. After the game, Garrett was in a walking boot but said he'd be "good to go" for the SF game. I expect him to be out 3-4 weeks with the way these things go with the Browns.

I look at Watson sitting out as looking at the big picture, not the short-term fix (Baltimore). What is a little disappointing is the Browns giving up Josh Dobbs for peanuts when he's been doing well in AZ. I'm sure he'd have had a better showing than DTR last Sunday. Likely not a win but also probably more competitive.

The thing with Watson is that he's polarizing. If your take (not you specifically) is that "well he did this so he's getting no slack from me", so be it, but like it or not, he's likely QB1 for the next 3-5 years. He could lead them to the AFC Championship game and the Baker Bro's are still gonna "bro."

posted by kizer permanente

Not hard to be medically cleared from a sore shoulder though. Doesn't mean it's a good idea to play. 

Yeah, your team might be a great example of that. Joe Burrow is banged up, but is cleared to play and is playing. And, uh, the results haven't been what one expects from Burrow so far into the season and the team is 1-3. Just because someone can play and they're really competitive and want to be out there doesn't mean they should be out there. It can be a good idea at times to look at the long game and decide whether it's more important that a player is out there at 75-80% during an early-season week or potentially available at a high level a little farther down the road.

posted by Heretic

Yeah, your team might be a great example of that. Joe Burrow is banged up, but is cleared to play and is playing. And, uh, the results haven't been what one expects from Burrow so far into the season and the team is 1-3. Just because someone can play and they're really competitive and want to be out there doesn't mean they should be out there. It can be a good idea at times to look at the long game and decide whether it's more important that a player is out there at 75-80% during an early-season week or potentially available at a high level a little farther down the road.

And this is the problem with Cincinnati. At 1-3, they're at the point of no return. 

I've heard Burrow's said that he hasn't had any setbacks but it also sounds like it won't get any worse? They will keep trotting him out there until the season spirals out of control and they have to sit him. If they sit him now, and play Browning, it's going to spiral out of control anyway. 

I don't see that injury improving as the season progresses.  The Bengals have tried to fix that O-Line and it hasn't really worked. With no mobility he's a sitting duck back there and the offense is predictable (short/quick passes, limited deep attempts). Will likely be a lost season for him and the Bengals.

posted by Heretic

Yeah, your team might be a great example of that. Joe Burrow is banged up, but is cleared to play and is playing. And, uh, the results haven't been what one expects from Burrow so far into the season and the team is 1-3. Just because someone can play and they're really competitive and want to be out there doesn't mean they should be out there. It can be a good idea at times to look at the long game and decide whether it's more important that a player is out there at 75-80% during an early-season week or potentially available at a high level a little farther down the road.

The problem is that Watson didn't want to play and isn't competitive. He got his big guaranteed contract either way, so why show up and compete? It would be one thing if the team decided to sit him, but he just didn't care enough to even try. It's even worse that we gave away three first round picks for this dumpster fire. At least he took the team partying in the Bahamas in the off-season instead of working on his fundamentals.

posted by Al Bundy

The problem is that Watson didn't want to play and isn't competitive. He got his big guaranteed contract either way, so why show up and compete? It would be one thing if the team decided to sit him, but he just didn't care enough to even try. It's even worse that we gave away three first round picks for this dumpster fire. At least he took the team partying in the Bahamas in the off-season instead of working on his fundamentals.

Go root for Buffalo.

posted by Al Bundy

The problem is that Watson didn't want to play and isn't competitive. He got his big guaranteed contract either way, so why show up and compete? It would be one thing if the team decided to sit him, but he just didn't care enough to even try. It's even worse that we gave away three first round picks for this dumpster fire. At least he took the team partying in the Bahamas in the off-season instead of working on his fundamentals.

This is becoming insufferable. You dont like him and wish the Browns didnt sign him. Thats fine. Stop bringing the same argument to every post every week.

posted by Laley23

This is becoming insufferable. You dont like him and wish the Browns didnt sign him. Thats fine. Stop bringing the same argument to every post every week.

Baker Bro's gonna Baker Bro. Even when Mayfield was pissing down his leg most of us were still rooting for him to get his crap together. Didn't happen, they moved forward. 

Old cliche...."always root for the name on the front of the jersey, not the back." 

Like you've said previously, almost all of these guys have warts. You root for your team. I bagged on the fat man over in Pittsburgh for the longest time and now I see what a lot of them dealt with during his tenure.

posted by Laley23

This is becoming insufferable. You dont like him and wish the Browns didnt sign him. Thats fine. Stop bringing the same argument to every post every week.

I root for him (when he feels like playing), but he sucks. I'm a Browns fan, so I root for the team. It's just sad that they mortgaged the future for this. To throw away three first round picks is just stupid, but go ahead and keep dreaming that Watson hires you for a massage. He literally quit on his team last week. 

posted by Al Bundy

I root for him (when he feels like playing), but he sucks. I'm a Browns fan, so I root for the team. It's just sad that they mortgaged the future for this. To throw away three first round picks is just stupid, but go ahead and keep dreaming that Watson hires you for a massage. He literally quit on his team last week. 

posted by Al Bundy

I root for him (when he feels like playing), but he sucks. I'm a Browns fan, so I root for the team. It's just sad that they mortgaged the future for this. To throw away three first round picks is just stupid, but go ahead and keep dreaming that Watson hires you for a massage. He literally quit on his team last week. 

I definitely don’t support this guy outside football, although if Bauers case has taught us anything…

But he was going to be playing in the NFL. I’d rather it be for my team than another team. He may end up sucking, and in 3 years we will have a top-3 pick and get a QB. Which is exactly what would’ve happened if we wasted 2 years on Fields, and then 3 more on Bryce Young. And then at that point we can draft Archie Manning and somehow ruin his career.

My point has always been and remains, as far as the football side, Watson was a proven QB1 you can win a SB with entering his prime. There were always risks — even beyond the off-field. But the Browns, and myself, felt those were worth overpaying for. QBs with Watson’s resume, age, and ability (almost) NEVER hit the open market like that. So the Browns went for it, along with probably 1/3 of the league in addition to the 4 who went public with their courting. 

Again, it may backfire (though that is a relative term considering the Browns lack of success had they just stayed the course anyway). And so far it doesn’t look great. But there is a history of him being great, and a lot of the analytics are pointing at him snapping out of it — like him leading the league in EPA for throws over 20 yards. He is 5-5 as a starter with us. We have PRAISED guys for that record in the past, and he’s had like 1 normal weather game (Tennessee) and he balled out.

As for him not playing, let’s wait and see if that becomes a normality, or if he just didn’t think his shoulder could take it. Medically cleared to play vs should be playing is a lot different. Baker playing hurt probably cost them the playoffs 2 yrs ago. Burrow is killing the Bengals this year. 

PJ Walker expected to start if Watson can't go (which it's sounding like) on Sunday.

I'm really sick of Stefanski/Berry's BS with the "he should be able to go" schtick. It's come out that it's a rotator cuff contusion. Throwing on it is only going to continue to make it worse or not heal properly yet we keep hearing "he's good" a week and a half out to "he's day to day" 5 days out to "he's probably out" by Friday.

I may be pleasantly surprised but I don't expect to see him until after the Colts game which likely means the season's shot.

I know how you feel. Burrow couldn’t throw a pass over ten yards or even run but everyone was saying he was fine.

Good news? You wake up one day, the QB all of sudden looks fine and you’re putting up 34 on the Cardinals. And for another week you’re teased into thinking the season isn’t over and you might overcome a disastrous start. 

Also, who the hell is PJ Walker? Why not start DTR again.

posted by friendfromlowry

Also, who the hell is PJ Walker? Why not start DTR again.

Probly to see who is worse.

posted by friendfromlowry

Also, who the hell is PJ Walker? Why not start DTR again.

I think the front office/coaching staff thought that after preseason that DTR wouldn't have had the "deer in headlights" look when he played against Baltimore. It was actually worse than that. 

PJ Walker has NFL starts under his belt so he might not be as overwhelmed and maybe will be able to try to go through progressions. 

Either way, starter, backup or 3rd through 5th string, Browns aren't winning this game.