Dueling reports on Browns interest in Oklahoma’s Stoops
January 5, 2014
Cavalier Film Room: The D-Waiters Zone and Stale Inbound Plays
January 6, 2014
Cleveland sports fans are waiting. Thus, while we’re all waiting, the WFNY editors thought you might enjoy reading. Because you never know how long we might be waiting. So here are assorted reading goodies for you to enjoy. Send more good links for tomorrow’s edition to tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
“Following an 82-78 home loss to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, the Cavs are 11-23. That’s three more wins than at this point last season. That’s probably not what the Cavs were shooting for.
Worse, the Cavs aren’t really playing like a team with a clear identity. Now, in fairness, they’ve been without star point guard Kyrie Irving (bruised knee) for three straight games. They were also without Irving’s replacement in the starting lineup, Jarrett Jack (back spasms), on Sunday.” [Amico/FSO]
—-
“Now that Mack put up such a monster year the Browns will have to dip even deeper into their big pile of unused cap space to bring him back. Pro Bowl players in the prime of their careers don’t hit the free agent market very often (if ever), and if the Browns don’t bring Mack back it will create yet another hole for the team to fill. And since Mack is one of the best players at his position, how exactly are the Browns going to improve at such a key spot? And when was the last time the Browns had a free agent that you actually cared about the team resigning, let alone two of them?
Remember that next season when Mack is in San Francisco and Ward replaces Troy Polamalu in Pittsburgh.” [Moore/Red Right 88]
—-
Classic. “Sometimes, though, an athlete does something so thoroughly ludicrous that it lays bare the whole moral uncertainty of any such action. Take, for instance, one such ploy from New York Knicks enigma J.R. Smith in the second quarter of Sunday’s road game against the Dallas Mavericks. With the Knicks already up 48-33 and Dirk Nowitzki at the line for the second of two free throws, Smith bent down and pulled the shoelace of Shawn Marion right before the shot. Take a look below:
Smith’s gambit forced Marion into a difficult decision: to tie his shoe, thereby forcing his team into a 5-on-4 defensive situation, or to play until the next stoppage in a danger over which adults caution children as soon as they’re able to walk. Ever the capable pro, Marion played the Knicks’ possession with shoe untied, although Andrea Bargnani — not his man — did sink a mid-range jumper. Smith, to his credit, restrained himself from stomping on the loose lace to restrict Marion’s movement. [Freeman/Ball Don ‘t Lie]
—-
Don’t expect the Tribe to add any power hitters this off-season. “The only other areas the Indians have room to add a hitter is third base. There is only one currently available third base free agent that hit 20 or more home runs in 2013, his name is Mark Reynolds. I don’t think anyone wants to go down that road again.
Kendrys Morales is the only other free agent available that hits for any significant power. The trouble is, he is basically only a designated hitter at this point, and the only position he could play in the field, first base, is a position of great depth for the Indians. A team like the Tribe cannot afford to have an every day starter that is relegated to an almost exclusive DH role. He is projected to earn a contract in the $14M per year range and he would cost the Indians a draft pick to sign, so this doesn’t make a lot of sense as an option for the Indians at this point.” [Tellalian/DTTWLN]
—-
A number of underclassmen declared for the NFL draft including QB Blake Bortles.
9 Comments
While I understand not wanting to use a franchise tag on Mack since all OL are in the same bucket, why wouldn’t the Browns use it on Ward if they need to?
I think you have to on Ward. The number last year was 6.9M…He is deff worth it.
I saw somewhere that the number for safeties next year will be around 8 million…i just dont see them doing it. Not that I dont want them to do it, I just dont see it happening.
Both of them should have been locked up long ago
Why wouldn’t we do a non exclusive?
A “non-exclusive” franchise player must be offered a one-year contract for an amount no less than the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position for the previous year, or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, whichever is less. A non-exclusive franchise player may negotiate with other NFL teams, but if he signs an offer sheet from another team, the original team has a right to match the terms of that offer, or if it does not match the offer and thus loses the player, is entitled to receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.
Number for S is 7.47 next year i think. Eric Berry for KC is at 8.4. Polamalu is 8.25, Weddle 7.5, Rolle, 7, Griffin 6.2.
I think they might dip into that bucket for Ward only because it’s a 1 year commitment. They could get the number lower if he does agree to a lower term.
I truly hope they are working hard with Mack right now (though he obviously would likely pause until after we hire a HC). He is young, he is good, and he can help aid in some stability to our OL.
Mack in SF if they can find the $$ is a good call though from the writer as his biggest fan is a coach there (Mangini).
I need to give @jimkanicki credit for the Mack to San Fran thought as he was the first one that I saw who floated the idea.
And FWIW, Mangini is a consultant, not a coach with the 49ers. Harbaugh is smart enough not to go down that road.
consultant/coach is basically the same thing to me (though I guess Mangini is actually being utilized more as a pro-scout as he’s breaking down opposing defenses to figure out how to attack them with the SF offense).
Dawson looked good celebrating yesterday no reason Mack shouldn’t experience it as well although I kind of wish it was Joe Thomas instead. He deserves it.
#FreeJoeThomas
Question for the masses: Would you rather never make the NFL playoffs a la the Cleveland Browns or would you rather make the NFL playoffs and never win a game a la the Cincinnati Bengals?