Another contract casualty-Browns cut Paul Kruger

The Cleveland Browns continue to be all in-for down the road that is as the Browns released a group of players in order to hit the mandated roster limit.

There were four names that stood of the bunch,but one name carried the most weight-that of linebacker Paul Kruger.
Kruger,who was brought into Cleveland to be the classic edge pass rusher for the Browns in 2013,only produced the expected numbers in 2014 with eleven sacks as the other two seasons saw Kruger combine for just seven and with Ray Horton's return to Cleveland as defensive coordinator (Kruger had 4.5 sacks under Horton),you could make a case that both teams could profit from the decision to release Kruger.
The Browns are trying to get younger (and cheaper) and for the money they would pay Kruger (6.5 million) the team could use that time to play and see just what they have in players like Nate Orchard for one example.
Cleveland saves 6.5 million in actual dollars that they do not have to pay Kruger,but they also save money under the salary cap by releasing him now.
I'd rate Paul Kruger as a disappointment in Cleveland,but I'd wager that he could flourish in a new environment,especially if it is one where he is not the main pass rushing threat.

The other releases of note saw a new kicker decided and a quarterback released.
Travis Coons was released,which means former Buccaneer Patrick Murray will be the starting kicker.
Coons struggled with long field goals in his only season in Cleveland and on a bad team,a big leg goes a long way.

Austin Davis was released and set the Browns quarterback situation for a bit.
Davis played a few games late last season with injury issues at the position and despite signing a long term contract,Davis looked to be on borrowed time with the coaching change after a less than shiny stint.

The other player was tight end E.J.Bibbs,who looked to have the physical skills for a pass catching tight end,but rarely saw the field and his skill set seems to be different from the tight ends that Hue Jackson prefers-think Tyler Eifert rather than the stockier target rather than the taller more angular types.
I liked Bibbs and had hoped he'd get a chance to play more....

Will try again to be back later with the Pulaski trip...

Josh McCown done for the season-Now What?

The Cleveland Browns announced that Josh McCown suffered a broken collarbone in their loss to Baltimore Monday night and will miss the remainder of the regular season.
McCown completes a competent regular season with 12 touchdown passes against just four interceptions,but the Browns would win just one game that McCown started (over the Ravens) during the season.

Now that McCown has exited stage left (even),the Browns have some decisions to make.
The first of which is bringing back former Buckeye and was released as the teams final cut before the season Terrelle Pryor.
Pryor will be the third quarterback as he is familiar with the system of John DeFlippo from his days in Oakland and training camp and may get some receiver reps as well.

The bigger of the questions is this-which quarterback will be the starter on Sunday against the Bengals-Johnny Manziel or Austin Davis?

Editor's Note-Davis was announced as the starter after this article was written.

Manziel makes sense as the "what can Johnny do" questions are still as valid as from the first pass that he threw,but Mike Pettine would have to let his personal bias go in order to do that.
Davis makes sense as the Browns signed him to a contract over the next few years and the Browns could argue (in-house of course) that it's Davis that needs to play to show his abilities-not Manziel.

I think the Browns should be considering quarterback anyway in the draft,but if I had to make this difficult decision,I'd go Manziel very reluctantly.
Simply because we have one thing on Austin Davis that we don't on Johnny Manziel-a sustained run of playing time of Davis taking snaps with the Rams.
Davis played with ten games with the Rams,starting eight,going 3-5 with 12 touchdowns against nine interceptions,while Manziel would have to start these final five games to match that level of playing time.

I don't think that there is a wrong way to go as legitimate reasons can be given to start either and I'd wouldn't have any problem with either player getting the start.
I think the Browns are going to go 1-4 at best down the stretch and I don't think either player is going to have a better chance than the other to better that possible record.
What it has become is a typical Browns season-Looking towards next season and that season's reason to hope....

Browns waive Terrelle Pryor,add Robert Turbin

Before I begin,a housecleaning word-My PC has been awful all day-to the point of being ready to buy a new one this evening!
However,I have gotten it moving a bit now after all day problems,so as long as it's rolling-I'm going to try to save more money to buy a new one...

The plan is this,since the PC is unreliable at this point,I plan on moving the Browns podcast preview up to tonight from the road office in order to have it (hopefully) uploaded in case of potential issues...

I mentioned the Browns signing Austin Davis as another quarterback a few days and I don't have a problem with that.
Davis was at least average (11 TD 9 INT) in a starting stint forced by injury with the Rams and for free to be a backup for Josh McCown (compare the stats of Davis in 2014 with those of McCown),I think its a decent enough addition.

The Browns looked like they were going to continue the conversion of former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor to wide receiver after his appearance in the final pre-season game in which he took snaps and did everything but catch a pass.
Pryor made the final 53 man roster,but Mike Pettine said yesterday that the team had little time for projects,which seemed odd at the time.
It made sense today as the Browns waived Pryor in favor of former Seahawk running back Robert Turbin.

I'll write more on Turbin in a bit,but first this.
I'm not sold on Terrelle Pryor.
Now that's because I've never seen him catch a football in a game more than anything else because athletically,Pryor certainly has the skills to make this move.
The problem that I have with the release goes back to Mike Pettine's statement about carrying projects-The Browns had to know that Pryor was going to be a work in progress,if they weren't willing to be part of that,they were wasting both theirs and Pryor's time.
That is just so typical Browns-wasting time with something that in the end seemed that few were interested in....

Robert Turbin has been the caddy (along with Christine Michael,who was just traded to Dallas) for Marshawn Lynch in Seattle,but the sudden availability of veteran Fred Jackson made the Seahawks willing to let both young backs go.
Turbin is suffering from a high ankle sprain that will keep him sidelined for the first few weeks of the season,but Turbin is easily a good addition for the waiver price.
Turbin has the capability to be in the hunt as the Browns top back and you rarely get those type of players off waivers.
Although I liked Michael better,Turbin at that price is a theft,once he gets to full speed,which won't be a while....
I just wish that the Browns could have found someone else to waive to order to add Turbin....

As I wrote,I plan on the Browns podcast tonight and maybe even the PPM while things are running smooth....