Tag: 2021 offseason

Browns Bye Week Review: 2021 free agent additions

While the team has a late bye week, it is a good time to review the offseason moves. We start with their free-agent additions. Who has met expectations? Failed expectations? We include their PFF grade:

The Cleveland Browns are 6-6 going into their bye week. At a base level, that is all that matters. Outside of that is the fact that the team had high expectations going into the season. Building off a playoff appearance, and a win, with a great offseason seemed to set up for bigger and brighter things.

Instead, the team is 6-6. The expectations don’t change the record nor does the, seemingly, quality offseason the team put together.

Bye weeks are good times for evaluating different aspects of a team in the NFL. Unfortunately for the Browns, their bye week comes very late in the season. While the team is squarely in the playoff hunt in the standings, their very difficult closing schedule and inconsistent play have their playoff odds very low.

Despite all of that, we want to spend a little time looking at the team’s offseason additions and their performances so far. We start with free agency:

Kellen Moore looks to mix league’s trends with Cowboys’ loaded offense: ‘It’s going to be fun’

The Dallas OC spent the offseason studying offensive trends from around the NFL; he’s ready for the Cowboys playmakers to put them to work. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Kellen Moore is entering his third year as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator. But this offseason has been dramatically different for him in one very big way. And what’s made 2021 unique for Moore should have opposing defenses more than a little worried.

“I think this year is really the first time I’ve ever been a part of a staff where we didn’t have a bunch of change,” the 33-year-old told reporters this week in Oxnard. “The previous year, we were a staff coming together. The year before was my first time coordinating, and so we were kind of trying to piece it all together that year as well. So I really enjoyed this offseason.”

As a first-time OC, Moore was handed the keys to a high-octane muscle car before he even really knew how to drive. In his second season, a bunch of parts ended up in the shop just a mile into the trip, and he had to navigate unfamiliar roads with the hazards on.

But now he’s had time to spend in the garage. Revving. Tweaking. Tinkering. Fine-tuning. And one gets the distinct sense he’s ready to fully fire the engine and see what this baby will do.

“It’s a fun task,” Moore said of juggling a roster full of playmakers. “We got a lot of guys that we feel really, really confident about. And so it’s a matter of viewing this thing [with] a little bit wider lens. This is a long season. Everyone’s hopes is to be in it in February. So we’re going to need all of these guys at certain times in certain games. I really don’t care. There may be a certain game we have to hand the ball off to Zeke [Elliott] 40 times. I don’t care if we’ve got to throw it 50 times. I don’t care. Every game’s going to present different challenges and different opportunities. We’ve got an opportunity to utilize all of these guys. And throughout the season, there is going to be different opportunities that Blake [Jarwin], Dalton [Schultz] may have- a tight end opportunity or a matchup- and maybe we need to spread it out a little bit more and utilize these receivers. We’re going to be able to utilize it all. It’s going to be fun.”

Obviously, having quarterback Dak Prescott back from his catastrophic ankle injury is the biggest piece of the puzzle. A newly-energized running back in Elliott leads a potent ground attack, with Tony Pollard as a dangerous change of pace. The wide receiver trio of Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb may be the best in the game. All the way down to fourth- and fifth-string receivers and the tight ends he mentioned, Dallas is unequivocally loaded with versatile pieces that can be moved all around the field in a multitude of ways.

“This game’s a matchup game,” Moore noted. “Teams are going to play certain matchups. Some teams play a lot of man; they’re going to try to match up specific defenders on specific players. So if we can identify those matchups, we can put guys in certain situations that hopefully give us a really good chance and a really good opportunity.”

How they actually use all that talent is just as critical as having it in the first place. And while Moore may be an offensive mastermind in the making, he’s also smart enough to look anywhere he can for inspiration.

Consider it yet another benefit of a full offseason without major upheaval and under normal circumstances.

“It was actually really, really good for us. We were able to watch ourselves from 2020, but then just go explore the rest of the league. Because obviously, the league’s made up trends and themes, and when you get a chance to watch all those teams, you get to, maybe, find things that you’ll be able to utilize. Some of it we threw in: ‘Hey, that’s going right in from Day One. We’ve got to hop onto this and we’ve got to go.’ There’s other things that are going to be sitting in back pockets. It’s on your list of, ‘Hey, we could probably utilize this as the season progresses.’ So it was really good just to watch the entire league, every single team, as much as you could. Obviously, once you get to the college aspect of it, the NFL draft, you kind of start watching a lot of these prospects, and it just kind of [leads] you into different teams or schemes that you think, ‘Hey, there’s something intriguing about those guys; I want to watch that.’ And so it’s been a really fun offseason, I feel like, just to be able to do all that.”

But Moore was reluctant to identify exactly who he’d been impressed with, or even watching.

“I’m trying not to give too many secrets out,” he cautioned himself before continuing. “You know, I think the league is full of trends. And so you’re trying to stay on top of trends. I think that’s always, ‘What’s the next thing? Okay, I can go watch and see, obviously, some of these top offenses, the play-action game of L.A., Tennessee, all of these teams that are obviously utilizing the play-action really, really well.’ So you see where they’re at. ‘Maybe what’s the next step? How can we try to stay ahead of this thing a little bit?'”

Moore admitted that he also tries to chart trends on the other side of the ball, too, knowing that- in a copycat league- one team’s revolutionary defensive wrinkle often becomes everybody’s primary scheme in short order. If his offense ran into it once last season, Moore expects to see it over and over this time around.

“And so you’re always looking at these trends, okay?” he went on. “Where is this thing going to go? So you’re trying to stay ahead of that, watch the teams that maybe have had success against those types of teams in the offseason so that you’re better prepared when the season comes up.”

With the Cowboys about to break camp in California and the 2021 season opener less than a month away, the rest of the league- and Cowboys Nation- are going to find out soon if Kellen Moore’s first true offseason provides truly special results.

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WATCH: Torre Becton implements ‘All Gas no Brakes’ culture during workout

There’s a new culture in Austin and success starts in the offseason.

The Longhorns are in dire need of a hot start in the upcoming 2021 season, especially given the fact 247Sports declared Texas as having the ninth toughest schedule in the nation.

One slip-up can change the trajectory of the whole season and starting off with what could be back-to-back trap games will be an indicator of where the program stands. The Longhorns take on a very well coached and deep Louisiana team, and follow that up with a matchup against SEC school  Arkansas, who had shown improvements under Sam Pittman.

A change of culture was needed after the Tom Herman era displayed constant disappointment and looked as if the program had never felt success. Steve Sarkisian had just the guy that would be able to implement his desired culture that emphasizes improvement and simply just having a swagger that shows the program fears none, in Torre Becton.

Becton can be heard emphasizing that nothing they have done in the past matters, because the program is all about moving forward. Something that Longhorn fans are hoping happens, as the team has fallen short of expectations for the past four years.

Texas needs Sarkisian and staff to get the program to a point where the whole world can tell they are back, rather than having to say it.

Cowboys announce return to Oxnard for training camp with fans

America’s Team will host fans during its 42nd southern California training camp, which begins with their arrival July 20.

The Dallas Cowboys are taking a big step toward a return to normalcy. The club announced this week that they’ll return to Oxnard, California to open their 62nd training camp following a one-year absence due to COVID-19 travel restrictions last summer.

Fans are invited to attend all practice sessions that are open to the public, beginning with the first workout at 11:00 a.m. (Pacific time) on Thursday, July 22nd. The camp’s official opening ceremony will take place on Saturday, July 24th at 10:00 a.m. (Pacific) and will be followed by an 11:00 a.m. practice session.

Additional details regarding fan attendance, safety protocols, and parking at the team’s practices will be announced at a later time, according to the club. But for now, simply being able to plan the traditional excursion is huge.

“We’re looking forward to getting back to training camp in Oxnard and getting back to normal,” said Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones. “I view the team’s return to Oxnard as a very positive sign that the Cowboys and the NFL are moving one big step closer toward the traditional camp, preseason, and regular-season experience that we have been accustomed to for generations, and that includes everything from the players, the fans at practice, the media, and, of course, the great weather in Southern California.

“We learned last year that the absence of NFL preseason games and the training camps being closed to the public were things that our fans really missed as part of the ramp-up period heading into the regular season. We believe our approach to this year’s camp and preseason will help us provide a safely-managed return to the July and August weeks that have been such an important part of our country’s football culture for decades. This time of team-building and preparation will serve as a strong foundation for a successful 2021 season for all 32 of the NFL clubs, and- most importantly- the fans of all of those teams.”

The Cowboys will arrive in the southern California town of 200,000 on July 20th, with an opening press conference scheduled for the next day. On August 4th, they’ll take a break to travel to Canton, Ohio to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Hall of Fame Game on the 5th. Then the team will return to Oxnard for a joint practice with the Rams on August 7th. They’ll break camp on August 12th and head to Phoenix for a preseason game versus the Cardinals on the 13th before finally coming back home to finish out the preseason.

The upcoming trip will mark the 42nd year that the team has spent at least part of its training camp in the Golden State. From 1963 to 1989, the Cowboys called Thousand Oaks their summer home. After a hiatus of a decade-plus, they returned to California in 2001 with their first visit to Oxnard.

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Did Celtics wing Evan Fournier’s postseason play cost him a big chunk of his next paycheck?

The veteran wing was probably asked to do too much, but will his offers consider the context?

If it is in the plans of new Boston Celtics team president Brad Stevens to try and re-sign veteran shooting guard Evan Fournier, the offers Stevens might need to match could be smaller than perhaps previously anticipated based on reporting coming out of our sister site HoopsHype.

Michael Scotto reported that rival front offices believe the St. Maurice native is hoping to garner a hefty paycheck on the open market when free agency begins this offseason; “He’s going to look for $15-20 million a year,” said one per Scotto. Expressing doubts on where Fournier might find such a deal, that anonymous executive noted Boston’s aversion to paying the tax for some time now.

“If they let him walk, there’s no replacement,” they added.

News: Julio Jones slams Cowboys rumor, Dak Prescott makes return

Also in Cowboys news, Jabril Cox contract details and defensive preview, Randy White remembers, and is Ezekiel Elliott the most overpaid?

Falcons wideout Julio Jones being photographed wearing Cowboys gear caused a bit of a minor stir, prompting whispers that maybe he was being traded to- or at least lobbying for a trade to- Dallas. But a Monday phone call from Shannon Sharpe of Fox Sports 1 all but registered on the Richter scale around the league. In the span of 90 seconds, Jones not only confirmed that he wants out of Atlanta, but he also dismissed the Cowboys as losers, and stated for the record that he has no interest in wearing the star.

The Cowboys nevertheless added to the wide receiver room before the day was over, providing yet another pass-catching target for Dak Prescott, who made his first appearance in a helmet and game-speed action since last October’s injury. The quarterback looks to build on his return with Tuesday’s OTA session. Contract details have been revealed for linebacker Jabril Cox, who could be the key to fixing the team’s woeful pass defense. Ezekiel Elliott is part of one of the NFL’s best rushing duos, even as one outlet pegs him as grossly overpaid. Amari Cooper could be on the verge of something big, and Cowboys legend Randy White sits down with his college alma mater. That’s all ahead in the News and Notes.

Cowboys add depth, sign new WR after recent tryout

The Cowboys have announced the signing of WR Johnnie Dixon, who played at Ohio State and has spent time with three NFL clubs.

The Cowboys’ tryout last week of Brett Hundley resulted in a signing after all. But it wasn’t the journeyman quarterback who Dallas inked to a deal on Monday.

It was one of the two guys Hundley had been throwing to.

The Cowboys announced on Monday that they have come to terms with wide receiver Johnnie Dixon. Dixon played college ball at Ohio State, where he caught 67 career passes for 1,146 yards and 16 touchdowns. He went undrafted in 2019, but spent time with the Texans before landing on Arizona’s practice squad. He worked out with the Browns this spring, but left Cleveland without a contract.

At Ohio State, Dixon was a teammate of Ezekiel Elliott in 2014 and 2015, and was voted a team captain as a senior in 2018. He helped lead the Buckeyes to three Big Ten titles and a national championship during his time in Columbus.

 

Dixon now joins a talented group of receivers in Dallas that includes Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson, Noah Brown, and fifth-round pick Simi Fehoko, among others.

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Dak Prescott returns to practice on first day of Cowboys OTAs

The veteran QB returned to the field for live practice, the first real action he’s seen since his gruesome October 11 ankle injury.

Two hundred and twenty-five days. That’s how long Cowboys Nation held its breath. On Monday came the long-awaited exhale.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a horrific injury on October 11 in the team’s Week 5 game against the Giants. On a first-down play nearing the red zone in the third quarter of the contest, Prescott received a shotgun snap and took off running. Trying to pick up the first down, he went to the turf awkwardly in the grasp of a Giants defender. He had suffered a total dislocation and compound fracture of the right ankle. His season was over, and by the time he had been driven into the tunnel, in tears on the back of a cart, most Cowboys fans assumed their season was, too.

On May 24, the first day of voluntary organized team activities, Prescott was back on the practice field, wearing a helmet and throwing real-speed passes to route-running receivers being covered by actual defenders for the first time since.

Along the way, there were photos from hospital beds, visits with his teammates while balancing on crutches, a second cleanup surgery, and various appearances at local sporting events and community service opportunities. Oh, and the high drama surrounding whether he would come to terms on a new contract or play the second straight year on a franchise tag.

And through it all, a vow from Prescott himself that he would be ready in time to participate in the 2021 offseason program.

As recently as May 4, the five-year veteran said he could go play in a game “and be very successful.” He went on to say say, “By training camp, I’ll be in dominating fashion, better than I was before I came off the field.”

Seven months and 13 days after the injury, Prescott was back out there. Whether he was actually dominating on Day One or noticeably better than he had been before is something that perhaps only Prescott himself would be able to answer.

But for now, for Cowboys fans everywhere, for the team’s owners and coaches and players, this is cause enough for a collective sigh of relief.

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Five former Longhorns land within 247Sports’ top 100 transfer portal rankings

There were over 2,000 players who entered the NCAA transfer portal this offseason.

There were over 2,000 players who entered the NCAA transfer portal this offseason. Continue reading “Five former Longhorns land within 247Sports’ top 100 transfer portal rankings”

Jaguars announce several veteran number changes

The team announced a handful of number changes for veteran players on the roster on Wednesday.

With some of the rules regarding jersey numbers by position being relaxed this offseason, some Jacksonville players (like rookie running back Travis Etienne, who wears No. 1) have taken advantage. Though it doesn’t seem any of the veterans on the team chose to try out one of the newly allowed jersey numbers, the Jaguars did announce a handful of number changes for returning players on Twitter.

Here’s a quick recap of all the changes.

  • Running back Carlos Hyde, who wore No. 30 in Seattle last season and previously wore No. 34 during his stint with the Jags, will wear No. 24. That number was occupied by cornerback Josiah Scott last season, who was traded to Philadelphia on Tuesday.
  • Cornerback Sidney Jones changes jerseys from No. 22 to No. 21. Though no one wore that jersey last season, it was owned by A.J. Bouye before that.
  • Aaron Patrick, a defensive end who was signed late in the 2020 season, will take Dawuane Smoot’s former No. 91. Smoot changes from No. 94 to No. 91, the jersey that was formerly occupied by Yannick Ngakoue before he was traded.
  • Cornerback Jameson Houston, who was acquired from the Eagles in the trade involving Scott, will change from the No. 46 he wore in Philly to No. 34.
  • Cornerback Shaquill Griffin will retain the No. 26 jersey he wore in Seattle. Safety Jarrod Wilson, who wore that jersey last year, has changed to No. 25.

With a lot of new faces in town and a new era taking over Jacksonville, it’s as good a time as any for players on the team to rebrand. Coach Urban Meyer just hopes the changes in Jacksonville in 2021 aren’t limited to the jersey numbers listed on the roster.