CLEVELAND, OHIO (TheOBR.com) - Good morning, Cleveland Browns fans!
Man, oh man, will this be an adventure. I'm going on just one to two hours of sleep last night, as a new medication threw me off, so this morning's bloviation is a race against time. Can I put together the usual batch of incoherent takes before passing out once again? The web-dork's life is one of constant adventure. I bet they'll make a movie about my life someday.
NOT FEELING FREELING (AT SIX): A local sportsyapper yesterday "reported" that the Browns are leaning towards Georgia OT Monroe Freeling at pick six. On the very long odds that there's actually some meat to this, I must register my protest now. This is not the offensive tackle that I want at that spot.
Of course, I get it. Freeling is showing up as the Browns' first pick in a lot of mock drafts, and the appeal for Andrew Berry is clear. He's young, he's big (6' 6 ⅝"), and he's got some scary RAS numbers. He fits in the Berry wheelhouse of offensive tackle acquisitions. The size-athleticism combo is very, very appealing.
But he's only a one-year starter, and there are options out there that have proven themselves over multiple seasons, like Utah's Spencer Fano, for instance. In addition, Freeling's a developmental prospect, one who needs to be coached up at the NFL level. George Warhop may be up to the task, and there's an argument to be made that Freeling is a good scheme fit for the Browns. But there are also gaps in his game, particularly in run blocking and in his feet, which will often stop moving after his initial punch (or so I've been told by more knowledgeable people).
Monroe Feeling
Georgia OT Monroe Freeling (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
What worries me is that the number six pick needs to be as close to a sure thing as possible. Fano isn't a sure thing, but he's closer to it. He's got slightly shorter arms, would have to move from RT to LT (maybe), but it seems to be NFL-ready. To me, he's a lower-risk option than Freeling.
Big offensive tackles who get off to slow starts are a "thing" in Cleveland, and I can just see Browns fans and media jumping all over Berry as Freeling goes through that learning curve. If Berry doesn't "hit" with that pick, the questions about his job security will get louder. Maybe it's just my conservative, risk-averse nature, but Feeling's not my guy, if I'm Andrew Berry.
MOCK DRAFT CRAZINESS: Mina Kimes and Daniel Jeremiah collaborated on a mock that has the Browns landing WR Carnell Tate and LT Monroe Freeling at 24. I'd feel very comfortable with that. But not at six. BTW, we have a full film room breakdown of Tate right here on the OBR for those who want to dive deeper.
Meanwhile, Pete Prisco over at CBS Sports dropped his mock 2.0, taking a different view — arguing the Browns can't pass on another quarterback at No. 6.
Uh, yes, they can.
The Browns already have three quarterbacks. One who cost them $230 million and their last five years. One who cost them a third-rounder. And one, who is most likely to start, who cost them just a fifth-round pick. None of them, to my eyes, is the answer, although I'm anxious to be proven wrong. Do the Browns "have" to take another quarterback who is far from a sure thing? No. Especially not at six. Throwing another rookie QB out there with limited WR and OT support (because you passed on those positions with your top pick) is a show I've watched before.
Have a good one! GO BROWNS!
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Reboot your mind for flow, unanxiousness, and resilience
I've written about mindfulness and meditation in the spot in the past, and I feel both are helpful for people struggling with anxiety and challenges in concentration. This article takes it a little further and discusses how you can get into a "flow state" with your work. I get this way when I'm involved in coding and building applications, something I haven't been able to do in a long time. But I am again, with the help of coding-capable AI, and I love it. I've often said that I'm happiest at work when dealing with a challenge (but not over-challenged), and coding does that for me. The time passes, the anxiety fades away, and I can create something. What I create may suck, but I'm still better for the experience. Finding your flow state is bliss.
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When not getting into a flow state, 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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