Still nursing their hangovers from Game 7 of the World Series, the NCP fields your Week 9 Browns questions.
1) Getting Jamie Collins for a 3rd-round pick seems a little too good to be true. What’s the catch?
Big$: Hard to say how this trade will bust, but with the Browns track record, odds most likely will be defied. With that said, one way to utilize an abundance of picks is to try and get lucky through trades. It’s pretty clear the lb corps are in desperate need of help, so unless we find out Collins is shacking with Johnny fb at The Nine, he is a value add (#analytics).
K-Dubs, the Soldier: I am not sure what the catch is. There were rumors this week that Collins is lazy, that Bill Belicheck needed to shake up his locker room to maintain his team’s focus, and that this trade was simply a pre-emptive salary dump by the Patriots. Whatever the reason, I like this trade. Collins is a playmaker that can make tackles in the running game, sack the quarterback, and defend the pass. The Browns’ D needs help in all of these areas. I am not sure how many snaps he will get this week, but this is a positive move for Cleveland, who would be hard-pressed to find a guy in the 3rd round as good as Collins anyway.
2) Speaking of catch, when is Corey Coleman coming back and who is the starting QB this week?
K-Dubs, the Soldier: Coleman is returning to the lineup this week for the first time since catching 5 balls for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Ravens in week 2. He had broken his hand in practice that following week. Cody Kessler is also going to start at quarterback today, returning from a concussion. The offensive lineup has been such a patchwork all year because of injuries, but with Coleman and Kessler on the field, this could be a preview of the Browns future.
3) An 0 -16 season is starting to creep into the picture. Could Hue’s seat get hot before he gets a chance to rebuild with all these draft picks?
Big$: So help me God, if they make a change, I’m done FOR GOOD. You can put that in writing. Let the Harvard guys do their thing and trust the frigging process.
4) Speaking of the draft, what are the positions of need that need to be addressed sooner than later?
K-Dubs, the Soldier: The defensive backfield. The play of the DBs has been so inconsistent this year. Joe Haden has missed a ton of games the last few years, and with few exceptions he has not had many good games when healthy. The Browns also need a center. Cam Erving, who was a 1st-round pick last year, has gotten a pass because of his inexperience, but the more time he’s on the field, the more it looks like he just can’t hang.
Big$: Defense, Defense, Defense. I think a franchising of Collins is in play, so I expect the play to be outside - in. ( DB to DL). Conventional wisdom used to believe D lines made secondaries (2015 Panthers), however I think the opposite is being shown to be true (2016 Panthers).
5) Let’s give LeBron a week off, who should a member of the Tribe start for this week?
Big$: Speaking of secondaries, I’m starting Frankie L. at cornerback. Kid is clutch and doesn’t let anything get by him ( honorable mention to letting Tito take the Head Coaching reigns).
K-Dubs, the Soldier: So many good choices, but I have to go with Rajai Davis. His two-run homer off of Chapman to send the game into extra innings was as clutch as anything has ever been. The Browns are a young team that needs to learn how to win. Rajai would bring some of that swag.
6) Other than Zeke coming back to Ohio, how much do you hate the Cowboys?
Big$: I’m nothing if not loyal to my Cleveland roots. Garrett is a Cleveland guy. Plus, I love their O line play. We’ve had enough to hate about the Browns over the last decade to worry about hating other teams*
(* except the Bengals, I hate the freaking Bengals)
K-Dubs, the Soldier: Couldn’t agree less. I hate every team that is not the Browns. Sorry to say that includes Zeke now, too. This week is really about the return of Coleman and Kessler.