NFL insider notes: Buying the post-hype Browns, an odd opt-out deadline, rough road for New York teams – CBS Sports

Its prematurely to see much concrete evidence of the buy in on-field, with this remodelled training school and all, but its worth noting how rapidly that dissatisfied tight end David Njoku changed his tune about a trade demand. He went from being the one dissenting voice amid a locker space well-known for them over numerous coaching routines, to declaring his delight to stay a Brown a mere couple of weeks later.

You d select up something from a player or 2, or an agent who represents multiple gamers on that team. A player who is in line for a contract extension that his group might not want to pay, in part since of the unpredictability of lost earnings amid this uncommon season, who notifies that group he might stay away is simply exercising his collectively-bargained rights. Groups routinely apply the franchise tag to squat on a players rights for another year, or to keep his rights to later trade him that offseason, and not as a “good faith” trigger to a long-term deal, as meant per the CBA. Groups regularly extend a gamer and revamps contract not as a real means to keeping him around longer, however to get short-term cap relief.

Rough road ahead for New York groups.
I might see New York winning 6 football games this season..
Oh, which team you state? Sorry.
The New York Giants and Jets, combined, might strike 6 wins. Thats where I would set a Big Apple over/under should we actually see these clothing take the field 16 times each in 2020. Its not going to be pretty.
The Giants continue to lose players to injury and/or breaking the law, and currently had among the thinnest and worst collections of skill in the NFL. The defense has major concerns at every level, and the offense will have two weeks of cushioned practices to absorb a brand name brand-new system and brand-new coaches with a second-year QB. Novice coach Joe Judge has no shot. Godspeed..
Would anybody be shocked if this team was selecting in the leading five, again? Their best weapon on offense is a running back for a team that figures to be playing from behind rather a bit.

Please. Save that good faith garbage. Especially in a pandemic.
The mere truth that there is an “opt-out due date” at all seems odd to me given what the NFL and its players are up versus. That anyone believes its just to bump it up due to the fact that players are mulling all choices is horrible under these situations and, from the chatter I am picking up, will ultimately lead to more players saying no thanks to what may be a doomed experiment anyway.
As Pats veteran safety Devin McCourty put it in a recent online interview with reporters: “Its an outright joke that NFL is changing the opt-out period, mainly since they dont want to continue to see guys opt out. Im sure theyre stunned about the number of men have pulled out. Its the same thing when we sign the CBA; in some cases some of those things that we think are good often backfire.”.
By Wednesday, this agenda may backfire even more, with numerous gamers presently on the fence about choosing to skip 2020.

Obviously, Njoku must have known better than to fall victim to the siren call from representative Drew Rosenhaus as he recruited the tight end away from his former representatives– it was never ever going to be simple to get the talented but star-crossed gamer traded and paid– and kudos to rookie GM Andrew Berry for the level-headed method in which he browsed the situation, keeping a gamer crucial to their tight-end heavy offensive attack and getting him back in the appropriate headspace with camp opening in earnest.
I believe Stefanski is going to limit the volume thrown at Baker Mayfield, get him to provide the ball quickly and confidently, and use a bruising two-back attack to soften up opposing defenses. Less hero ball; more three-step drops and quick delivery like a point guard. With an expanded playoff field, the Browns are going to be an interesting team to enjoy, and if the AFC North ends up sending 3 teams to the postseason I wouldnt blink.
Odd opt-out deadline could backfire a lot more.
The rhetoric coming out of some NFL front offices about players pulling out is sad but not shocking. Its relatively disgraceful, and these team or league officers would never ever dare say it aloud, but have no problem trying to apply pressure to the NFLPA and its players through the media anonymously.

The much deeper we get into this most unusual offseason in NFL history, the more I find myself purchasing the Cleveland Browns. And, in specific, purchasing Kevin Stefanski as the best antidote to their flawed, Freddie Kitchens-led 2019 campaign.
Given that March I have actually been hearing positive reviews, primarily whispered, not yelled, from those within the Browns long-toxic building about Stefanskis cerebral approach and calming impact. You d select up something from a player or more, or an agent who represents several gamers on that team. They would be salient however small texts or asides in a phone call about some digressive subject.
” This guy appears to truly get it,” one agent opined after speaking to his Browns customers months back..
” Could be the right man for the task,” another passed along a couple of weeks back. “Players seem to react to him, even if its all remote.”.

Please keep the following in mind when you check out anything about gamers not acting “in great faith” as it applies to choosing out of the 2020 season– these specifications were literally just jointly bargained in between the NFL and NFLPA about football in the middle of COVID-19. Nobody is acquiring anything by leaving the sport for a year with a lot danger and unpredictability about how it will play out. The owners actually simply agreed to two tiers by which players of different lineup classifications and experience can collect a stipend– to be paid back in 2021– in order to stay at home in 2020.
The concept that a player would exploit these guidelines for self gain is, on its face, ridiculous. A player who is in line for a contract extension that his team may not want to pay, in part due to the fact that of the uncertainty of lost profits amid this unusual season, who notifies that team he may remain away is simply exercising his collectively-bargained rights.
This coin always has 2 sides, and its quite abundant originating from management in a league without ensured agreements. Groups consistently apply the franchise tag to squat on a gamers rights for another year, or to keep his rights to later trade him that offseason, and not as a “great faith” trigger to a long-lasting deal, as intended per the CBA. Teams consistently extend a gamer and reworks agreement not as a true methods to keeping him around longer, but to get short-term cap relief.

I do not desire to get heady or too high about this stuff, since truth be informed I believed this group would lastly emerge from its decades-long despair in 2015. But something does seem various, and Stefanskis Ivy League, uber-prepared, detail-oriented method appears like the perfect yin to in 2015s anything-goes yang. The vibe is more expert and arranged– even via Zoom– and I continue to hear that Stefanski is all-in on combining his offending technique to the strengths of this team, and not requiring some super-complicated system down everyones throat.
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Gone from that locker space in the period of a week are Jamal Adams, their finest player, linebacker CJ Mosley, arguably their next-best gamer, and now protect Brian Winters, their longest-serving gamer.

Gone from that locker room in the period of a week are Jamal Adams, their best player, linebacker CJ Mosley, probably their next-best gamer, and now guard Brian Winters, their longest-serving gamer. Owner Woody Johnsons possible return in November, in the middle of accusations of improper comments regarding race and gender and a principles scandal as Ambassador to the UK, is simply one more cloud hanging over them, and if you were composing a script for groups doomed and damned to fail, this would be a good one to take.
I think young GM Joe Douglas has the abilities to eventually turn this around, however this has become an overall tear down and well see what else he could bring for the couple of veteran assets that remain (LeVeon Bell, anyone?). I visualize a bleak football horizon in New York. Its honestly tough to believe otherwise, provided the occasions of the past few weeks and months.

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