Saturday, September 3, 2016

Browns trade Justin Gilbert to Pittsburgh

The Cleveland Browns are still in the process of trimming the roster to the required 53 players (90 minutes from the time I type this) and that roster will likely look different than this one after teams make cuts,but the team made two moves to improve in two different ways....

The move getting the most attention is the trade of 2014 first rounder Justin Gilbert to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The return was nothing to get excited about-a 2018 sixth round pick,but considering Gilbert was unlikely to make the team in a few hours,getting something more than a set of orange cones for him was more than I thought they would get.

Gilbert,who has tremendous physical tools and was my top rated corner (in a very weak crop) in 2014 just never seemed to grasp the concept of professional football-physically,mentally or in basic professionalism and struggled consistently.
Gilbert will be most remembered for the players passed over for his selection than anything that he ever did on the field,but I do admit to having some trepidation on trading him to Pittsburgh.
Gilbert's physical skills might have made him worth a position change to safety,he does return kickoffs,but his physical skills and comfort with the ball in his hand make me think that the Steelers could look at him as a project and turn him into a receiver (like the Browns are trying to do with Terrelle Pryor).
Pittsburgh's a smart organization,I find it hard to believe that they are going to give up a pick (albeit a late one) without some idea of trying something else with Justin Gilbert.

The Browns upgraded at punter after trading Andy Lee to Carolina and needing a good one and they got one in Britton Colquitt,who was just released by Denver.
Colquitt averaged over 43 yards a kick last year with the Broncos and in his six seasons there,only had one kick blocked.
Colquitt isn't of the level of Andy Lee,but he is a solid veteran leg that cost nothing to sign and is good enough that he shouldn't hurt you.
I hope he is ready to go to work-with this team,that leg will swinging a lot!

Back later with Browns cuts and the Ohio State win over Bowling Green...

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