CLEVELAND, OHIO (TheOBR.com) -
THE DAILY BLOVIATION
Good morning, Cleveland Browns fans!
I believe that there should be more father-oriented holidays, like Official Watch Crappy Action Moves with Dad Day. Yes, our families should be required to hang out with us once per year while we watch brain-dead trifles like the new War Machine movie and the Predator films, and they bring us beer and snacks. It's best for everyone.
But we're still a pretty well-off bunch of guys, with Christmas (for us Christians), birthdays, and Father's Day providing excuses for children and wives to give things to their dads and husbands. That's almost 1% of the year in special days for Dads, which is pretty good, all things considered.
I am pondering holidays because I'm trying to figure out where the start of NFL Free Agency belongs on the list. It's more like a birthday to me than Christmas. There are no downsides to Christmas, but a birthday represents getting older, which, to most of us, is a shudder-inducing prospect once one gets beyond a certain age. Plus, as breadwinner and budget-balancer, I don't want my family to spend too much money on things I probably don't really need.
The NFL Draft is most like Christmas, with few downsides since all the rookies are young and "cheap". At the same time, free agency means that we Browns fans get new things, but there's a price: high salaries, which contribute to a team's inability to maneuver under the salary cap and collect more shiny things. I'm hoping our GM brings in cost-effective new players. Don't go all crazy spending, now.
So, that's it. The NFL is our fan Christmas, and free agency is more like a birthday when you've already got a few years in the bank.
Unfortunately, sometimes our dreams of what's in that wrapped box get away from us. Some of us may be dreaming of a Malik Willis or a Tyler Linderbaum, but our cost-conscious significant others may be thinking more along the lines of a serviceable but needed new pack of socks.
With an expanded salary cap and a number of teams flush with cash, spending is likely to be downright stupid as things kick off today. Subscribers should read up on what Lane's written in Rumor Central to get a sense of where the Browns really stand.
One potential gift could be WR Mike Evans, a six-time Pro Bowler who is hitting free agency and can sign with any club. So, as a receiver with ten straight 1000-year seasons - the model of consistency – he's probably going to have opportunities all over the place. The Browns have a massive hole at WR, and Evans would fit in nicely.
But, friends, let's be honest with each other. Why would a guy like Evans, who has accomplished so much in his career and undoubtedly is looking for a last big opportunity to go out on top, want to come to Cleveland? The Browns don't have a franchise quarterback (sorry, Sanders fans), and they don't have a realistic shot at the Super Bowl in the next year or two. Evans can get money just about everywhere, and it's not like the other 31 teams aren't going to notice that he's available.
On the offensive line front, free agency brings options but no great ones. CBS Sports ranks the available interior linemen as solid if unspectacular, while Rasheed Walker (Packers LT) is drawing interest with the Browns among potential destinations. Getting the OL right has to be a priority, and there are many holes to fill. Look for Andrew Berry to look at every possible avenue to rebuild the line, but spending big money on Walker and having little left over for the other positions doesn't make a ton of sense.
Of course, there's the ultimate need to be filled: Quarterback. The QB carousel continues to spin. The Jets are reportedly going to be an annoyance in this area, with plenty of cap space to spend, a big market to play in, and a dire need at quarterback. Rumors are swirling around Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith, Derek Carr, and Malik Willis. None of those names may land in Cleveland right away, but how the QB market shakes out at the top directly affects what's left for teams like the Browns who need to address the position carefully.
Have a good one! GO BROWNS!
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Mike Evans
Mike Evans (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
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When not seeing if there's any leftover ice cream for breakfast, Barry McBride is the Publisher and Founder of the OBR and bloviates this nonsense every morning. You can follow him on Twitter @barrymcbride or write him at barry@theobr.com if you are so compelled.
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