Depth Chart - rough

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by Vegasdogg

The liked Cribbs somewhere at WR because it helped disguise the WC. But he might not be as bad at WR with a decent QB. Look man those QBs were the worst ever. Ever.

I completely agree! I don't think Holmgren is a BIG fan of the sandlot football craze known as the wildcat. 1) He understands the defenses in our division are fast and won't be fooled more than once by a wildcat, 2) He just inked for Cribbs for more cake prior to adding another RB like Hardesty to share the ballcarrying duties with Harrison and any of the others.

Holmgren WANTS the passing game to be better and he sees how good Cribbs is in open fields. ALSO, if you're the gunner on punt coverage teams, you're consistently beating a double press coverage at the line of scrimmage. Significance? You're best on the team at getting off the line of scriummage vrs a press.

I've said it all along, I think the biggest inhibitor of Cribbs' success at WR is multi-tasking pracices with - punt coverage, kickoff coverage, punt return, kickoff return, direct snap & runsies, and when he catches his breath he plays a little WR. SAME with game day. Difficult to make this your GO-TO guy during the week preparing for the game. I'd rather see us let the RBs run the ball to get to open fields and have Cribbs get more reps at WR.

Alot of the multi-taskers like Desmond Howard, Randle El, Donte Hall, Denise Northcutt, Steve Tasker and even Eric Metcalf are always only remembered for their STs brilliances. Hines Ward wanted to be more than an All Pro STs guy so he focused more on the WR thing and became a repeat All Pro performer. I really think there's alot more to making oneself a go-to guy for a QB than part timing the position. It also says there's ALOT of hard work involved in perfecting such a position.

Has Cribbs been wonderful at receiver thus far? No, but remember the first game we saw him misfielding punts when Northcutt was injured? I believe the QUICK conclusion was "we don't have a punt return man replacement for Northcutt on the roster." That came from Opie. 1 season later, Cribbs REALLY worked at it and became an upgrade over Northcutt. Now he could return kickoffs AND punts and look elite doing it. He also proved he was invaluable covering kicks and punts.

I'd like to see what Cribbs is capable of under the guidence of Haskell and the urgence of Holmgren at the other end of the contract. If we adore Harrison and are excited about Hardesty - why not try to have Cribbs work MORE as a WR than another RB catching snaps? He caught a nice slant in the end zone for a TD late in the year, which might have been a good sign.
- Tom F.

[Solon16]

Michael Clayton is better than anyone we have .... I'd take him in heartbeat! Should be let go by the Bucs

[Dan in Florida]

Tony Grossi takes a stab at the Browns DEPTH CHART today:

LINK: Tony Grossi's blog: Cleveland Browns 2010 depth chart still lacking at some positions | cleveland.com

[Legacy Fan]

Originally Posted by Flugel

Holmgren WANTS the passing game to be better and he sees how good Cribbs is in open fields. ALSO, if you're the gunner on punt coverage teams, you're consistently beating a double press coverage at the line of scrimmage. Significance? You're best on the team at getting off the line of scriummage vrs a press.

Boom.

This guy needs to be on the field. We have a WR/PR/KR (Ironman) who wants to go over the middle. When's the last time we had a guy on the team like that? Kellen Winslow? Before him? Brian Brennan?
I'm really looking forward to what Holmgren and JDH (as a teacher) can do with these WRs. Cribbs included. The 'bright, offensive geniuses' on the team need to find a way to get your playmakers the ball. If he can't run a post route - don't draw up fucking post routes, assholes.

[YtownBacker]

I hope this is what Haskel is trying to pound into Daboll's head.

You can't keep Cribbs on coverage teams as a gunner and expect him to step back on the field on 1st down and run a go pattern or a slant over the middle. Don't we have enough guys like Asante, Ward, Adams, Elam, Constanza, Ventrone, Maiava and Veikune that are core special teams players. So, get Cribbs the fuck off the coverage teams and get him the ball.....................It isn't rocket science.

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by YtownBacker

I hope this is what Haskel is trying to pound into Daboll's head.

You can't keep Cribbs on coverage teams as a gunner and expect him to step back on the field on 1st down and run a go pattern or a slant over the middle. Don't we have enough guys like Asante, Ward, Adams, Elam, Constanza, Ventrone, Maiava and Veikune that are core special teams players. So, get Cribbs the fuck off the coverage teams and get him the ball.....................It isn't rocket science.

Eggs-actly. I think you and Legacy pretty much nailed it!

Not only that BUT it'll give him more focus in practice to just concentrate on the routes and improving upon that hand-eye coordination thing.

I look it at from a prong of attack mode. If the RB prong is ALREADY strong at RUSHING the ball, I'd rather see Cribbs in the slot - giving us someone for opponents to be concerned about. There's noone bettter on our football team in open fields. Playing slot receiver will be much EASIER with a TE like Watson defenses can't snooze on. Just ask Wes Welker that one. Speaking of Wes Welker, in Miami he multi-tasked special teams returns and kick coverages and he was basically seen as a STs guy. In NE, I think he returned punts now and then BUT he perfected the slot receiver position. Now people everywhere think of him as a receiver first, punt returner second.

It'll be interesting to see how Evansville Central Moore does at TE and the Mexicutioner Estandia (whom I will also call Eric Estrada on occasion for future reference). If these guys grow and develop the way I expect them to along with a good running game - I think our WRs will find life alot easier.
- Tom F.

[Legacy Fan]

Originally Posted by Flugel

the Mexicutioner Estandia

Greatest player nickname ever.

[Irisheyez]

Ratliff > Mccoy

[Dan in Florida]

Originally Posted by Irisheyez

Ratliff > Mccoy

Maybe so BUT you know they won't keep 4 QB's on the roster...3 at most.

Jake is the Starter

Seneca Wallace is a Holmgren Guy and Solid Backup

McCoy just got drafted and won't get cut

Odd man out = Ratliff

[Sez.EJ]

linebackers..while not outstanding.. looks like a better group across the board and more depth than last year.. My worry again are the guys in front of them ..

Cribbs has been trying to learn reciever for 5 years.. He is a special team and wildcat guy.that's it. You can give him reps at wr for the next decade and he will not be a WR.. The best he will ever be is a #4 or #5 guy.. anything higher on the depth chart.. means our recievers truly do suckass.. so pray he is not on the field as a WR. It's not good.

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by Sez.EJ

Cribbs has been trying to learn reciever for 5 years.. He is a special team and wildcat guy.that's it. You can give him reps at wr for the next decade and he will not be a WR.. The best he will ever be is a #4 or #5 guy.. anything higher on the depth chart.. means our recievers truly do suckass.. so pray he is not on the field as a WR. It's not good.

Not for nothing but what WR on our team has been anything more than disappointing in the last 5 years? Any or all of the following could be true:
A) Every single WR we employed stinks (is there a such thing as law of averages?)
B) The QBs were inexperienced, inaccurate and not seeing the field well.
C) Every single OC completely forgot their coaching art that got them their OC job here or the more convenient answer is he just wasn't a good coach in the first place.
D) WRs CAN be better than we've seen - love takes time, patience and practice, practice and more practice. Quick conclusions = Lance Moore. Or another school of thought is that Lance Moore looking that good never happens without a Drew Brees making it look like a breeze (see explanation B above).
E) Worth Noting: seemed like an overwhelming majority of fans couldn't wait to see Antonio Bryant leave town for all his dropped passes. However, 2 seasons later in TB he had 83 rec 1248 yds 7 TDs. The coaches here released him for attitude; but that wasn't why our fanbase complained about him.
F) The BEST I've seen our passing game was when Winslow commanded attention over the middle and Edwards turned in his 1 memorable season of 5 as a result of it.
G) Writing on the wall about where our passing game ended: Quinn couldn't even hit receivers on a day Harrison was rushing for 284 yards and NO Safeties were helping corners as our our receivers were getting Bobby Slowik-sized cushions. BQ threw 2 INTs and 0 TDs anyway. That was against the SAME team that felt compelled to draft Eric Berry btw.

I really think we need to give it 1 more try with Cribbs before I join ya in concluding it's a waste of time to try to get Cribbs more involved in the passing game Sez. I can almost assure you Pittsburgh and Baltimore will have an easier time stopping the Wildcat fad the next time it's put in front of them. It'll be like the Miami Hurricanes FAST defense waiting for Oklahoma's wishbone and we've already seen how that story played out. Pittsburgh is a different team with Pollyneedsahaircut as we've seen. I think Holmgren's statements about the reliability factor of just looking to the running game exclusively and the contract extension might provoke a better prepared Cribbs for game day.
- Tom F.

[Sez.EJ]

Originally Posted by Flugel

Not for nothing but what WR on our team has been anything more than disappointing in the last 5 years?- Tom F.

Just because we are dissapointing does not mean you resort to putting cribbs..nearly the worst reciever on the roster (next to steptoe) into the lineup.. That does not make sense..

I also dispute that every receiver in the past 5 years has been dissapointing.. forget Braylon's amazing year 3 years ago.. he's a Jet now..

Momass was NOT disappointing last year..he was very good considering how raw he was and our QB situation.. He will be better this year with a veteran QB to work with him. Momass was considered a VERY raw draft pick ......so considering he put up 34 catches for 624 yards an 18.4 average (explosive) a long of 59 yards and 3 td's is not bad.. for a guy who was considered a project. I think he will be a good one for us for a long time. That we have not made any moves at WR tells me H3 thinks he can be our #1 guy.. I tend to agree based upon how explosive he can be. He still needs a lot of work.. not saying he doesn't.. he does. Gotta remember this team is building a structure..not contending for the Superbowl this year.

Robo.. while very dissapointing.. has great hands.. and I believe he will come in with a chip on his shoulder and prove last year was a fluke. Steptoe may be the worst in the league and should not be on the roster.. Robo is going to destroy all of the recieving numbers for the team last year.. while that is not saying much.. He will definately be over 50 this year. I would call that good progress as a 2nd year #2.. I would like to think he will be between 50 and 65..with momass between 60 and 85 for the year.

As for Cribbs.. You want to talk about dissapointing.. this was Cribbs 5th year.... and considered a starter in the same lousy offense as Momass and he only put 20 catches for 135 years a 6.8 yard average (not explosive) a 35 yard long and only 1 td....for a guy in his 5th year as a reciever..that's not dissapointing..that sucks!!

I am not saying give up on him.. maybe year 6 is the magic number for him..I am just saying..people keep seeming to think he is suddenly going to explode into this amazing reciever.. If cribbs gets up to marginally average.. I would call that amazing progress.. Let's hope he takes that next step.. in the meantime..we need to get all we can out of him at what he already excells at.. special teams. .. I would really like to see furry come back on a 1 year deal. He is a good little reciever and can assist in teaching the young guys.