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OBR Newswire Bloviation Header
Good morning, Cleveland Browns fans!
One would think we would be used to it by now. But, no. We all fall for the same old tricks every year, helped by a gullible chase-the-narrative media and our desire for soap operas.
We're not amidst the annual March/April draft circus, where the media has to write about something. What they write about is the shifting buzz about players. This year, it just happens to be Shedeur Sanders and his draft "slide."
All noise and commotion aside, it's hard not to notice over the years that the Combine and the actual draft frequently result in what looks very much like what we thought teams would do back in February. I once did an analysis with the old Mock Draft Muncher that showed that mock drafts in February were more accurate than post-free agency simply because the mock drafters get caught up in the latest storylines and suffer from groupthink as the various ruses emerge.
When will people learn that much of what is leaked about NFL team desires and internal impressions is flat-out lies? I know because the OBR has been told these by Browns personnel over the years—and they later told us we were being used. We've been around long enough to learn skepticism, but many media outlets miss the annual lesson.
In the interim, though, the consensus veers all over the place thanks to nonsense like:
Obvious ruse is obvious.
The Titans are putting a lot of work into looking obsessed with Miami quarterback Cam Ward, and the media is believing them, creating stories about much they're so-very-gonna take Ward first overall. Then you get texts like this from Schefter that seem to give the game away, making it sound like a giant con job to inflate the value of the #1 pick in the draft.
Is the Titans' love of Ward real? I have no idea. I have no inside information from them, and if I did, I would look at it skeptically anyway.
Circus
There is no explanation for circus peanuts. (Photo: Unsplash.com)
I always drop back to "what did we think before the Combine and the lies started"? Back then, we figured that Sanders was a top-ten pick with some dubiousness that he's worthy of a #2 selection, but would go somewhere near the top of the draft. All the stuff about Sanders slide after supposedly weak interviews all started from anonymous sources from various teams and the Combine, who may or may not have been lying. All it takes is one team to think Sanders is the answer.
All I can say at this moment is that one of the reasons I don't do many mock drafts is that my short-term memory is shot, and I don't remember well what I thought a month ago. If I did, my mock draft would look very much like that.
Have a good one! GO BROWNS!
Newswire Bloviation Archive
OPTIONS ARE GETTING FEWER
Giants agree to terms with Russell Wilson - (nbcsports.com)
2025 NFL free agency QB tracker: Giants add both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston; Colts sign Daniel Jones - (cbssports.com)
Browns miss out on another veteran QB as Russell Wilson agrees to 1-year deal with Giants - (beaconjournal.com)
GREAT DOME BATTLE 2025
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine trying to sack lawmakers' proposal to give $600 million to Browns - (ohiocapitaljournal.com)
“Time to Pivot:” Cleveland and Cuyahoga County should end the Browns stadium standoff - (cleveland.com)
I-Team: New developments in battle to fund Cleveland Browns dome - (fox8.com)
Browns left with one less veteran QB option after Russell Wilson agrees to deal with Giants - (brownszone.com)
Survey on new Browns stadium in Brook Park tells team to stay in Cleveland - (beaconjournal.com)
DON'T COUNT ON CAM
Browns Schedule Second Cam Ward Meeting - (profootballrumors.com)
Why No. 1 pick in 2025 NFL Draft might now be set, plus Tom Brady talks about split from Patriots - (cbssports.com)
Cam Ward impresses at pro day, looks to solidify spot as No. 1 pick - (brownszone.com)
MOCK DRAFTS AND SUCH
The Browns have a glaring need that NFL mock drafts keep overlooking: Ashley Bastock - (cleveland.com)
Pete Prisco 2025 NFL mock draft 1.0: Steelers take QB while rest of AFC North addresses defense in Round 1 - (cbssports.com)
Tannenbaum's updated GM mock draft: A former exec's own first-round picks for every NFL team - (espn.com)
Browns 7-round mock draft: No suprise at the top, but knocking out big needs in the first 4 rounds - (cleveland.com)
THE SHEDEUR MYSTERY
Ex-NFL GM Predicts Browns Will Pass On QB Shedeur Sanders To Draft ‘Extremely Rare Player’ - (profootballnetwork.com)
NFL Analyst Boldly Predicts Shedeur Sanders Could Be ‘Bigger Than LeBron’ Under 1 Condition - (profootballnetwork.com)
2025 NFL Mock Draft: Shedeur Sanders moves up, New England Patriots take best available - (247sports.com)
THE REST
Former NFL QB Reveals Intriguing Playoff Team He ‘Loves’ As Landing Spot For Jaxson Dart - (profootballnetwork.com)
Only up from here? White Sox join teams that had to bounce back from league-worst years - (espn.com)
2025 NFL Draft: How good is this class of safeties? - (cleveland.com)
Return to Kevin Stefanski’s scheme means Browns need to find tight end help: Film Review - (cleveland.com)
Devin Bush believes the Browns can return to competing in 2025 - (clevelandbrowns.com)
Njoku Strong: The connection between a Browns star TE and a new fitness facility with unique technology - (news5cleveland.com)
The Data-Driven Secret to Finding NFL Draft Steals - (frontofficesports.com)
The Lift from CHF
Presented by Core Home Fitness
Positive news from the world of sports and beyond...
Ping, You’ve Got Whale - (nautil.us)
Sixty years ago, my family considered themselves lucky to have a black-and-white television with a big-ass knob you had to twist to tune in a different station. Sixty years before that, our great-grandparents thought airplanes were science fiction, perhaps along with indoor plumbing. The rate of change started over a century ago and hasn't let up.
With all the challenges presented by technology that changes faster than we poorly-furred monkeys can adapt, there's a lot of good along the way. Witness this complex system that detects groups of swimming whales from a distance, allowing the vast human-made ships to dodge them, leaving the whales in peace. We often focus on the damage that technological change wreaks, and take the benefits for granted. Personally, I think this is some amazing stuff, and just want to pause for a second to think how cool it is.
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Russ Signs With Giants, What Next For Cleveland Browns At Quarterback - THE REACT
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Cleveland Browns News and Rumors 3/25: Deion Sanders Says Something Slightly Insulting. Maybe. - Barry
OBR Daily Mock Draft: Elite Athletes and an Experienced Quarterback - Sam
Cleveland Browns Draft Profile: Luther Burden III, WR Missouri - Jacob
Free Agency Reset: What Moves the Cleveland Browns have Made on Defense so Far and What Do They Do Next - Fred
What Cleveland Browns Lose in D'Anthony Bell and a Potential Replacement - Pete
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THE WATERCOOLER
Russ Wilson to Giants
The Sum of All Browns Fears
2025 NFL Draft Top 10 QB Rankings
Third helmet?
LiveWire Thread for 3/25 - Twitter, Video, Articles
OK, let's try this again: Pick your combo
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JOK post by Grossi
OT: Anyone else post here and at Buckeye Scoop
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When not irritating a fellow team member by creating lousy graphics to accompany his bloviations, 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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