It is well written and as I said will make you think and though I disagree with much of his opinions, it is still worth the read.
However, I disagreed so much with so many of these opinions that I decided to comment here.
I'm not going to quote each statement as I've linked above and will be paraphrasing a Lesmerises statement and adding why I occasionally agree and more often disagree.
The first is that should Sashi Brown and company's "Grand Brief Experiment" ends and "it shouldn't, oh it shouldn't" the foundation is built.
I beg to differ.
Other than the best player in the draft being taken in Myles Garrett, I don't see a lot of players that I would consider "foundation players".
I see a few that could be above average players (trading for Jamie Collins), but other than Garrett and perhaps Emanuel Ogbah (who I think could flourish opposite Garrett, but not as the main pass rusher) David Njoku, I don't see a lot of foundation players that have been acquired by the current regime.
If anything, the lack of foundation players among all of these picks is the biggest indictment that I just don't trust this bunch to deal with the 2 first rounders and 3 second rounders next year.
Credit them with accumulating these picks, but let's also keep in mind the talent that they passed to have that capital.
Let's look at the talent that Lesmerises claims that is wonderful that has been brought in and I will quote from the article for this purpose.
" (Emmanuel)Ogbah, Carl Nassib, Shon Coleman, Joe Schobert, Derrick Kindred, Seth DeValve, Garrett, Peppers, Njoku, Kizer, Larry Ogunjobi and Caleb Brantley are out there playing from their first two drafts."
I like Ogbah, Carl Nassib had a great start in 2016 but has done little since, Shon Coleman starts mainly because they have no one better and struggles weekly.
Joe Schobert has played fairly well this season, but linebackers like him aren't difficult to find. Derrick Kindred is a similar case in being an average starter on a bad team.
Seth DeValve has potential as a pass-catching tight end, Myles Garrett is going to be a franchise-level pass rusher, Jabrill Peppers may not be used to his strengths currently, but I wasn't a fan, to begin with, and has been a disappointment to date, David Njoku is a player that I really like and I do give this group credit for moving up to get him, Kizer is a talented project that is being pushed way before his time, Larry Ogunjobi has shown some strong flashes of potential, but is backing up Trevon Coley (credit for finding him as a free agent) and Caleb Brantley hasn't played a lot as of now.
My point is these aren't foundation guys and most are in baseball parlance "Replacement Level Players", which means most could be replaced by average players and not miss a beat.
When Lesmerises reaches the wide receivers, he is fair in looking at Corey Coleman's issues in staying healthy, the massive disappointment in Kenny Britt and blames "us" for being disappointed in failed middle round wideouts like Ricardo Louis (a four-tool WR missing the fifth tool-catching the football), Rashard Higgins (who I still think can help, but as a 3rd or 4th guy, not as a starter) and released players like Jordan Payton with the line of middle round picks aren't sure things.
They aren't- but it's a matter of judgment to have that group of receivers and add just a Kenny Britt and wonder why things haven't gotten better.
Lesmerises then says they haven't solved QB, but give them one more chance and "you can't really think they will trade down again to avoid picking a QB".
Maybe not avoiding altogether, but the best one available? Sure I can and here's how- if someone- anyone in their bunch thinks Josh Rosen is equal to Sam Darnold or Josh Allen is equal to either, Can these guys not talk themselves out of taking the best player?
Not take an A player when they could get picks and a B+? I'm not convinced these guys would be able to do that.
Lesmerises next offers some featured players that the Browns could take in the draft and maybe they would, but I wouldn't trust them to do so and compares this rebuild to the one Sam Hinkle did with the 76ers in scrapping everything and going with a plan.
My issue with the Hinkle comparison is that no matter what you think of Hinkle and his plan, the Sixers drafted reasonably well, the Browns haven't drafted remotely as well in their sport and Hinkle knew talent,- I'm not convinced this bunch really does.
The finishing paragraph mentions that the fans may not be strong enough to finish the plan, but the rewards will be reaped anyway-even if the architects aren't around to see it.
My problem isn't the blueprints, it's the guys buying the materials and the best blueprint can turn into a lousy building with the wrong materials.
I just don't trust the people doing the shopping to continue the plan...
Thanks for reading.
Back tonight with the Devils hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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