2018 Browns Free Agent Thread

Binkster said:

Hard pass.

So much baggage, this kid wouldn't be able to fit it on the plane to Cleveland. Collins is far from the only person Apple clashed with. He clashed with several teammates, coaches, and has abandoned family members.

He was Tweeting during games and Retweeting negative videos against his own team (i.e. go ahead touchdowns for their opponents, etc.).

He's alienated everybody - friends, family, teammates, coaches, and more.

Haven't we had enough of the sideshows here? No thanks.

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Family problems seem to be the root of Apple's troubles this past season. His attention whore of mother and his stepfather divorced in May. Eli's stepfather Tim was essentially his football sounding board, mentor, and rock throughout his HS and OSU days. Once they divorced, Eli went to live with his mother, who seems to be quite the manipulative force. He hasn't spoken to his stepdad since June, coincidentally the same time Eli began to act out. This piece sheds light on the problem and sure, it may just be a hit piece against Annie Apple but regardless, it doesn't paint a pretty picture for Eli's immediate future. Sounds like he is pretty mentally weak.

Randolphkeys said:

I am betting that he stays in Washington and this is his leverage play. I have no faith in this getting done for Cleveland.

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Cousins is getting out of Washington without a doubt. He would have signed long term if he wanted to sincerely be there. He is essentially trying to do what Mack did, just play until he can hit free agency and bolt. The owner of Washington is the main reason why he is trying to leave and not the coach.

Essentially he has the choice of a bunch of teams, Browns, Jets, Broncos, Jags all want a starting QB for next season.

Teams like the Giants, Bills, Miami, Colts could all trade their starters if they try to go get Cousins.

Coughlin runs the Jags now, he could try make a deal to get Eli and then draft a young guy to succeed him. Bills aren't fond of Taylor it seems for whatever reason, so finding a different QB isnt something they are against. Miami has mixed reviews on Tannehill and Luck may never be Luck again, so they could try to move him if they can sign Cousins.

Broncos overall have the better team, but not the best available cash so going to Denver would be for wins and not for money. Jags is a nice looking destination overall since they have some solid offense in general on paper. Teams like the Jets and the Browns are younger, but can pay more.

I think b00bie is wrong for ruling out Cousins so soon at the end of the day. He is a slight pipedream, but at the same time, he isn't out of reach. Now we would have to be able to convince a top WR to come here as well with him like a Robinson and then have to go get him weapons in the draft. I feel if we get Cousins, we are trading out of number one and trading down in the first round to get more second round picks. Heck I wouldn't be afraid to trade down two or three times from one and get Sutton, plus a couple 2/3 rounds picks to go along with it.

trading down to 5 or 6 from one would merit a 1st next season and a 2nd this season at least and going down to like 15 would net us another 2nd this season and another day 2 pick next season.

Would you guys rather have Barkley or like WR Sutton, RB Michel and like S Justin Reid? I would go that second route for the number one pick. Barkley is the top RB prospect in this draft, but with the fact we have the cap to sign a Hyde and or spend two second round draft picks on RBs. Not drafting Barkley and taking advantage of the bidding war for the QBs makes a ton of sense.

sportscoach said:

Would you guys rather have Barkley or like WR Sutton, RB Michel and like S Justin Reid? I would go that second route for the number one pick. Barkley is the top RB prospect in this draft, but with the fact we have the cap to sign a Hyde and or spend two second round draft picks on RBs. Not drafting Barkley and taking advantage of the bidding war for the QBs makes a ton of sense.

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I just don't think this coaching staff would be able to get the best out of Barkley. Duke's game looks pretty similar, albeit a very poor man's version, and our coaching staff still couldn't figure out how to put him in mismatch situations. You don't take a RB in the top 5 unless they're an every down back and Barkley isn't that.

I like Hyde but I feel like we will have to overpay him regardless and while he has shown that he is more durable as of late, I still think his production could be reproduced by a RB in the later rounds when i'd be looking to take a chance on a downhill running prospect. I really like the RB prospects coming out of this draft. I think you could nab Guice or Michel in the 2-3 round. One guy that isn't being talked about that just reeks AFC north RB to me is Josh Adams from ND. Big physical guy that can get tough runs between the tackles - reminds me a lot of DeMarco Murray.

Kirk Cousins is the classic Brown example of "Better than what we've had" there aren't many option that are worse than what we've had a QB. That's an extremely low bar to hurdle. Kirk Cousins has gawdy stats but he also sucks against teams with winning records. He hasn't won shit and to think he would be the answer to losing here is....bold.

Call me crazy but I think we'd get the same results and stats if we had Cousins, Bradford, or Alex Smith. So why opt for the most expensive option in history? Exactly.

Kbiz said:

I just don't think this coaching staff would be able to get the best out of Barkley. Duke's game looks pretty similar, albeit a very poor man's version, and our coaching staff still couldn't figure out how to put him in mismatch situations. You don't take a RB in the top 5 unless they're an every down back and Barkley isn't that.

I like Hyde but I feel like we will have to overpay him regardless and while he has shown that he is more durable as of late, I still think his production could be reproduced by a RB in the later rounds when i'd be looking to take a chance on a downhill running prospect. I really like the RB prospects coming out of this draft. I think you could nab Guice or Michel in the 2-3 round. One guy that isn't being talked about that just reeks AFC north RB to me is Josh Adams from ND. Big physical guy that can get tough runs between the tackles - reminds me a lot of DeMarco Murray.

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I am so far spending the money for Cousins since that solidifies that position and gives us so many options. Trading down twice from one, gives us two extra picks in the second round probably and could allow us to both get Guice and Michel. Hence why I want to go that way in free agency and the draft.

We do need the best players, but at the same time, with the way this draft is looking to setup their isn't a ton of elite prospects in areas that we need them in, but a ton of tier 2 guys that are available in the second round. I almost want to get 5-6 picks in that second round and fill out this roster.

sportscoach said:

I am so far spending the money for Cousins since that solidifies that position and gives us so many options. Trading down twice from one, gives us two extra picks in the second round probably and could allow us to both get Guice and Michel. Hence why I want to go that way in free agency and the draft.

We do need the best players, but at the same time, with the way this draft is looking to setup their isn't a ton of elite prospects in areas that we need them in, but a ton of tier 2 guys that are available in the second round. I almost want to get 5-6 picks in that second round and fill out this roster.

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Have no issue spending on a top QB free agent. Just don't think you need to break the bank on RB free agents not named Bell.

Los216 said:

Kirk Cousins is the classic Brown example of "Better than what we've had" there aren't many option that are worse than what we've had a QB. That's an extremely low bar to hurdle. Kirk Cousins has gawdy stats but he also sucks against teams with winning records. He hasn't won shit and to think he would be the answer to losing here is....bold.

Call me crazy but I think we'd get the same results and stats if we had Cousins, Bradford, or Alex Smith. So why opt for the most expensive option in history? Exactly.

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We could have had Cousins for a second round pick instead of drafting Manziel by the way...

Honestly we have to do something and signing Cousins wouldn't be a stupid move at all. We cannot sit here and hope this move and this move works. We know who Cousins is and what he can do. He is better than anyone we have had and numbers wise is a top 15 QB in the league. No he hasn't won, but at the same time, he hasn't had an amazing team either any of the seasons he has played. Drafting a QB out of college is still going to be an unknown and its hard to tell with this bunch since the one likely to be the most NFL ready won't play here and the rest need some time.

Personally I would rather go with an established NFL QB, who has the starts and experience to lead a team rather than do a stopgap and hope a young player is ready in a season or two. Getting Cousins also allows us to do anything we want in the draft and even pull some moves you may make in the console game of Madden. I mean shoot, moving down from one allows us to draft 7-9 players in the top 65. Adding that many talents to this roster, plus veterans like Robinson, Joyner/Johnson, Boston, Etc makes this team a legit wild card team on paper.

Going with a stopgap and then drafting a QB, we lose out on a few players we could have had otherwise. Going from the numbers and everything like that, getting Cousins actually makes the most sense overall. We need a veteran QB to lead this team and if we go Cousins, we can build around him since we already have a solid OLine, and fill in the rest of the holes. We get a Boston and Johnson for the DBs and add Minkah and S Reid in the second round, plus depth pieces as well between draft/free agency, we have a top defense now on paper.

Instead of spending number one a QB, we can now trade down, get a couple more draft picks on day two, and then get the top WR in this class and add 1-2 RBs and 1-2 WRs in the second round to go with a Gordon, Robinson, Coleman type of scenario.

Will we likely be over paying for Cousins? Probably to be sincere.

Will we be a wild card team in 18 with him? If we aren't then we know whose fault that is.

Isn't that what you want Los? A team that is actually winning and one that is young and everyone under contract for the next few seasons?

FrontPageNews said:

I’d do whatever it takes to sign him.

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Would you get pegged if it meant signing Kirk? You did say anything.

Kbiz said:

Have no issue spending on a top QB free agent. Just don't think you need to break the bank on RB free agents not named Bell.

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I do not disagree with you there. It would be nice to have a veteran RB with this group. Guys like Forte and Gore could be available for one season and we can always have them help out this young roster. I think they would rather go to winners, but heck, they still put up some good numbers and the younger RBs probably would respect them both in a locker room. We need veteran leaders, so I am not against bringing in one of those guys.

RB though we can easily take care of through the draft, we dont have to sign a free agent if the money doesn't make sense at the end of the day. We have 3 second round picks, so drafting two guys in that round at RB isn't out of the question as well.

Los216 said:

Kirk Cousins is the classic Brown example of "Better than what we've had" there aren't many option that are worse than what we've had a QB. That's an extremely low bar to hurdle. Kirk Cousins has gawdy stats but he also sucks against teams with winning records. He hasn't won shit and to think he would be the answer to losing here is....bold.

Call me crazy but I think we'd get the same results and stats if we had Cousins, Bradford, or Alex Smith. So why opt for the most expensive option in history? Exactly.

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Because Bradford has huge injury concerns and Alex is only a stop gap solution at 34.

Kirk is 5 years younger and should be a top 10 qb for the next 8 years or so. If 5 years 150 million gets him, you do it. Stafford signed a 5/135 last year and he is every bit as good as Stafford, in fact very similar qb's.

Issue is I dont think he comes here even for 5/150.

Lee said:

Because Bradford has huge injury concerns and Alex is only a stop gap solution at 34.

Kirk is 5 years younger and should be a top 10 qb for the next 8 years or so. If 5 years 150 million gets him, you do it. Stafford signed a 5/135 last year and he is every bit as good as Stafford, in fact very similar qb's.

Issue is I dont think he comes here even for 5/150.

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He's barely a Top 10 QB now. Projecting that for 8 years is pretty naive, IMO. Repeating the Stafford contract would be a major misstep, especially when you could simply take Rosen.

Lee said:

Because Bradford has huge injury concerns and Alex is only a stop gap solution at 34.

Kirk is 5 years younger and should be a top 10 qb for the next 8 years or so. If 5 years 150 million gets him, you do it. Stafford signed a 5/135 last year and he is every bit as good as Stafford, in fact very similar qb's.

Issue is I dont think he comes here even for 5/150.

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Should be top 10? Iono.

5/$150M would be the worst contract in league history. Worst than Albert Haynesworth. Stafford and Cousins aren't similar IMO. Stafford is better. Guy has had the worst running game in the league since he was drafted and he's gotten The Lions to the playoffs twice. Remarkable. Always leading comebacks too. Cousins otoh does not beat winning teams but his stats look pretty.

AZ_ said:

He's barely a Top 10 QB now. Projecting that for 8 years is pretty naive, IMO. Repeating the Stafford contract would be a major misstep, especially when you could simply take Rosen.

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Option 1:

So Rosen, Minkah, Michel, and 2 other prospects S Reid, WR Kirk in the second round

Option 2:

Or signing Cousins

Then something like Minkah, Sutton, Michel and 4 other prospects like S Reid, WR Washington/Kirk, RB Guice, in BPA the second round

hmm... I am going option two.

I would rather get an established QB and the ability to put a ton of talent around him rather than getting a young QB from the draft, who probably doesn't want to play for Cleveland and has major injury concerns.

I like Rosen as a QB, but going with option two makes a heck of a lot more sense.

We still have the money to get a Robinson, Johnson and Boston in free agency after signing Cousins as well. Let's get this team winning.

sportscoach said:

Option 1:

So Rosen, Minkah, Michel, and 2 other prospects S Reid, WR Kirk in the second round

Option 2:

Or signing Cousins

Then something like Minkah, Sutton, Michel and 4 other prospects like S Reid, WR Washington/Kirk, RB Guice, in BPA the second round

hmm... I am going option two.

I would rather get an established QB and the ability to put a ton of talent around him rather than getting a young QB from the draft, who probably doesn't want to play for Cleveland and has major injury concerns.

I like Rosen as a QB, but going with option two makes a heck of a lot more sense.

We still have the money to get a Robinson, Johnson and Boston in free agency after signing Cousins as well. Let's get this team winning.

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You'd have the money for that...this year.

But thinking one year at a time would be short-sighted, obviously.

At some point, you have to be able to tell people why you just paid Kirk Cousins the most money of any QB in the league when you have a guy like Rosen there in the draft and other options in free agency.


The only reason people want to do this is to vault the Browns out of the basement and into mediocrity, but to truly build a winner, mediocrity ain't the path.