Adrian Fedkiw
Each day leading up to the official start of the NFL football season, I will be providing you with player rankings, team previews, analysis, predictions, opinions and a whole lot more.
It’s a new era in Cleveland … again.
Hue Jackson is in charge this time, the seventh head coach the Browns have had since 2004. The quarterback whisperer and his staff decided to not use their No. 2 overall pick on a signal caller, instead trading it to the Philadelphia Eagles for a bundle of draft-pick goodies.
Robert Griffin III will become the 25th different starting quarterback since the Browns re-entered the league as an expansion team in 1999. The former No. 2 overall pick gets a fresh start following an injury-plagued stint with the Washington Redskins, who decided that Kirk Cousins is the future at quarterback.
It’ll essentially be a one-year experiment to see if Jackson can work wonders with the former Heisman Trophy winner from Baylor. He’ll get some help from the recently re-instated Josh Gordon, who has all the talent in the world. He just needs to stay on the field and keep the off-the-field mess behind him.
Grading the Roster
QBs- Robert Griffin III (7.3), Josh McCown (7.3)
RBs- Duke Johnson (7.3), Isaiah Crowell (7.2), Raheem Mostert (7.1)
WRs- Josh Gordon (7.8), Corey Coleman (7.2), Andrew Hawkins (7.3), Terrelle Pryor (7.2)
TEs- Gary Barnidge (7.4), E.J. Bibbs (7)
Ts- Joe Thomas (8.8), Austin Pasztor (7.2), Shon Coleman (7.1)
Gs- Joel Bitonio (7.4), John Greco (7.4)
Cs- Cam Erving (7.4), Garth Gerhart (7.1)
DEs- Xavier Cooper (7.3), John Hughes (7.3), Nick Hayden (7.2), Carl Nassib (7.1)
NTs- Danny Shelton (7.3), Jamie Meder (7.1)
OLBs- Paul Kruger (7.3), Nate Orchard (7.3), Armonty Bryant (7.3), Emmanuel Ogbah (7.2)
ILBs- Demario Davis (7.5), Christian Kirksey (7.3), Justin Tuggle (7.2), Scooby Wright (7.1)
CBs- Joe Haden (8), Tramon Williams (7.3), K’Waun Williams (7.2), Pierre Desir (7.2)
Ss- Rahim Moore (7.4), Ibraheim Campbell (7.2), Jordan Poyer (7.2)
K- Travis Coons (7.3)
P- Andy Lee (7.4)
KR- Justin Gilbert (7.3)
PR- Ricardo Louis (7.3)
Team Rankings
Team- 7.287 (32/32)
Offense- 7.290 (31/32)
Defense- 7.272 (32/32)
Quarterbacks- 7.3 (29/32)
Running Backs- 7.2 (31/32)
Receivers- 7.32 (27/32)
Offensive Line- 7.43 (3/32)
Defensive Line- 7.22 (16/16)
Linebackers- 7.28 (16/16)
Secondary- 7.36 (17/32)
Special Teams- 7.325
Coaches- 7.3
PREDICTION– 1-15 (4th AFC North)
QUARTERBACKS
Despite the fallout in Washington, RGIII might be the most talented quarterback the franchise has had in years. That’s not saying much, check out some of the former first-round busts. . Johnny Manziel picked partying over football, while Brandon Weeden and Colt McCoy weren’t the answers.
Griffin still has great mobility and a big arm, it’ll be up to Jackson to get the most out of him. He helped Andy Dalton have the best year in his career last season in Cincinnati, there’s no reason he can’t do the same with RGIII.
Since Griffin scrambles a lot and runs, the injury risk will always be there, thus having a capable backup is important. The 37-year-old Josh McCown comes off a solid campaign and could provide some stability. Third stringer Cody Kessler is a third-round rookie from USC.
RUNNING BACKS
Last year’s third-rounder Duke Johnson will get the first crack at running back. He’s only 5’9 and a little over 200 pounds, but his shifty in space, especially in the passing game where he totaled 534 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 61 receptions.
Isaiah Crowell is the more bruising in-between-the-tackles type although he weighs less than Johnson. He doesn’t do anything spectacular, but runs hard.
RECEIVERS
Gordon has played in just five games the last two years, but led the league in receiving with 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns on 87 catches in 2013. He’s still only 25.
Gordon has great hands, concentration and body control when getting vertically down the field. He gets to top end speed quickly and breaks tackles after the catch.
Terrelle Pryor is one of the most interesting stories in the NFL. The converted quarterback has flashed during the preseason with his playmaking ability, but will it translate when it really matters? First-rounder Corey Coleman of Baylor, the first wideout taken in the draft, has speed and can stretch the field, but is still learning how to properly run routes in the NFL. Cleveland drafted five wide receivers in all.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
So far in nine seasons, Joe Thomas hasn’t missed a snap, been named a first-team All Pro six times and to the Pro Bowl each year.
At 6’7, 315 pounds, he’s the best pass protector in the league. Thomas has great agility and range, which allows him to recover better than any tackle in the game. He’s the epitome of consistency and rarely gets beat. Run blocking hasn’t been a strength of Thomas’, but he made huge strides in this area the last few years and is the reason why he’s the top dog among all tackles. Thomas uses the patented power he has in run blocking by pushing the pile off the left side and holding the angle to allow the running back to bounce runs to the outside.
While Thomas remains on an underrated unit, right tackle Mitchell Schwartz and center Alex Mack were key losses. Last year’s first-round pick Cameron Erving takes over at center after struggling as a guard. Austin Pasztor will take over at right tackle.
The guards Joel Bitonio and John Greco are solid and underrated. Bitonio had an outstanding rookie season, but regressed in his second year. He’s a better run blocker than he is pass protector. Greco is strong and balanced, although he isn’t going to overwhelm you.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
The Browns attempted to upgrade their putrid run defense last year by drafting Danny Shelton, but he needs to improve in year two. He’s only a two-down player also as a nose tackle.
John Hughes and Xavier Cooper will most likely be the starters at defensive end. Desmond Bryant tore his pec and will be a big loss. Hughes is a stop-gap until third-round rookie Carl Nassib is ready to step in and start. Nassib is strong and can get after the quarterback.
LINEBACKERS
The No. 6 pick in the 2012 draft Barkevious Mingo was a disappointment and traded to the New England Patriots. So that leaves veteran Paul Kruger and second-year Nate Orchard as the probably starters at outside linebacker.
Kruger put up a career-high 11 sacks in 2014, but took a step back last year and the 30-year-old needs to watch his back with second-round rookie Emmanuel Ogbah waiting in the wings. Ogbah is powerful, but inconsistent and doesn’t give it his all every snap.
Demario Davis and Christian Kirksey are the starters at inside linebacker. Davis is a run-stuffer, but comes off a down year in that department after starting the last three years with the Jets.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Following a wildly inconsistent 2014, Joe Haden only played in five games in 2015 due to injury. He’s coming off an ankle injury and when he did play last year, he underwhelmed.
When he’s on his game, Haden always seems to be around the ball, but hasn’t been doing that too much the last two years. Haden might be the best tackling cornerback in the league which is remarkable considering his size at 5’11 195, but Haden’s feisty and likes to mix it up.
Tramon Williams will start opposite of Haden, but is 33 now. That job was supposed to go to Justin Gilbert, who has yet to live up to his 2014 top-10 billing. The undrafted K’Waun Williams from that class has contributed more so far than Gilbert.
Both starters at safety are gone. Donte Whitner was released and TaShaun Gipson signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. It appears that they will be replaced by Ibraheim Campbell and Jordan Poyer in the starting lineup, although Ramon Moore might be in the mix as well.
TEAM PREVIEWS
Buffalo Bills | New England Patriots | Miami Dolphins | New York Jets
Baltimore Ravens | Cincinnati Bengals | Pittsburgh Steelers
NFL PLAYER RANKINGS