Watch out for the Steelers - Justin Fields returning kicks?

Thus far the Browns have spoke about the new kickoff return as if it's this impossible to predict new rule.  That is confusing to me because the NFL have basically taken the XFL's kickoff rules and tweaked it.  Bubba Ventrone can watch every kickoff in XFL history and I hope he has.

Meanwhile here is a prediction.   The Steelers will win at least one more game this upcoming season by making a few big plays on kickoffs.  Talk of Justin Fields on the kickoff return team is one sure sign that at a bare minimum, the Steelers are thinking outside the box.

It should not be that hard to envision what the Steelers are thinking.   They invested in Cordarrelle Patterson as a kick returner.   If the Steelers are thinking about pairing him with Justin Fields it demonstrates that the Steelers understand the nuances of this new play.

Since kick placement can make it extremely difficult to make a big play on a kickoff return by placing the ball in a corner and affording the kickoff team the opportunity to focus their tacklers in an area, make sure one of your returners can pass the ball accurately.   

Get it?

2024 AFC North Division BROWNS - Draft Observations: Skillsets

 One has to be impressed with the 6 athletes the Cleveland Browns drafted in the 2024 draft.   The only issue I have with the Browns draft is in fact, that total number of 6.   In the AFC North, the Browns have 3 rivals who all draft well.   The Bengals drafted 10 athletes, the Ravens drafted 9, the Steelers drafted 7 and the Browns came in last with 6.  Therein lies the problem.  Unless the Browns hit on all 6 picks, it's highly likely they lost ground in the draft to their rivals because all the Bengals et al have to do is bat around .500 and they will add more talent than the Browns did.

The pain of the massive price of trading for Deshaun Watson to this point has been minimized by excellent drafting.  The Browns scored big with first round talent drafted after the first round.  Martin Emerson is going to be a Pro Bowl player for years to come and Dawand Jones was an absolute steal in the 4th round last season.   Jones has Hall of Fame level potential and he showed it last season against the best possible competition with his amazing shut down of TJ Watt.

So, will the lack of early draft picks and the lack of draft picks in general in 2024 finally sting the Browns?   Only time will tell however one has to be impressed with the Browns strategy.  They scouted and drafted specific skills in the hopes that their draft picks can immediately fill roles productively and I believe they may well have hit the skills jackpot.

A great strategy combined with great scouting, may just yield a perfect score of 6 players who contribute in 2024.  Unfortunately, because the Browns had 6 picks, 4 of which were in rounds 5, 6 and 7, a Lenny Barker like Perfect Draft, is probably what it will take to view the 2024 Browns draft as a success.  Did the Browns have a "perfect draft"?  As difficult as that is, I think there is a chance they may well have hit 1.000 or at least .830 in this draft.

Let's take a look at the new athletes drafted by Cleveland:

- Michael Hall Jr - His skill is explosiveness at the interior line of scrimmage.  It's easy to imagine Jim Schwartz squeezing plenty of pressures out of Hall this season.

- Zak Zinter - A steal whose value slipped because a late season injury prevented Zinter from participating in the combine, Zinter's skill is his size and mobility.  He can get out in space and put a body on speedy linebackers, he will contribute on the kick off return team in 2024 and be an able back up to Bitonio and Teller

- Jamari Thrash - The ability to separate deep.  Douche-on and Jameis Winston will need this guy on the field 10 to 15 times a game. 

- Nathaniel Watson - Experienced big body linebacker whose skill is tackling and he has the potential to be great in the new kick off format immediately. 

- Myles Harden - Hard to draw any conclusions about an athlete from South Dakota, but i do trust the Browns scouting process.   Harden is a depth player whose skill is his tracking ability and his path in 2024 might be the practice squad but I can imagine Harden being a punt team asset in games during the 2024 season. 

- Jowon Briggs - off the charts strength and character.  I listened to an interview with Briggs prior to the draft on the Bengals Booth Pod and was totally impressed.  Given that the Browns had a rare miss in 2023 with Siaki Ika, who had trouble staying on his feet even when nobody blocked him, it is not a stretch to imagine Briggs seeing quality time in 2024 in the interior D line.  Briggs skill is more that of a traditional tackle, he can occupy and control space and unike Ika, he will stay on his feet.

2024 AFC North Division RAVENS - Draft Observations - Culture

I enjoy listening to podcasts that include interviews with team leadership and in particular the Ravens put their front line leaders in front of the press more than any team in the AFC North.  The Browns are by far the most secretive, the Ravens are by far the most transparent.   

I understand that the Browns might still be in recovery mode from the era when Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi made Berea "leak central" but the Browns focus on being discreet appears overdone when contrasted with the Ravens relative openness.

Eric DeCosta and John Harbaugh are a breath of fresh air for this Browns fan, and speaking of the Browns, it's obvious that Ozzie Newsome built a culture in Baltimore and that culture in particular is what stands out about their 2024 draft.  

As I listened to interviews with their drafted players, they all sound very similar.  In particular Nate Wiggins stood out.  I could tell by listening to him speak how competitive, knowledgeable and motivated he is and those traits stood out in every single athlete drafted by Baltimore.   Mind blowing.

Here is the list - 9 athletes and if attitude counts, I could see 8 of them contributing in 2024.  Even if 5 of them get regular snaps, this 2024 Ravens draft feels like yet another big win.

Round 1 – CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson - This gentleman feels like an all-pro in the making - year 1 

Round 2 – OT Roger Rosengarten, Washington - I loved Rosengarten's knowledge of the game, you can tell he is a huge fan, he knew the names and backgrounds both of current players and past.   A true student of the game but again his competitive nature stood out

Round 3 – EDGE Adisa Isaac, Penn State - How did Baltimore get this guy in round 3

Round 4 – WR Devontez Walker, North Carolina - another very fearless sounding player

Round 4 – CB T.J. Tampa, Iowa State - Steal of the draft? 

Round 5 – RB Rasheen Ali, Marshall

Round 6 – QB Devin Leary, Kentucky

Round 7 – C Nick Samac, Michigan State - year one contributor on kick returns for sure

Round 7 – S Sanoussi Kane, Purdue