Tag: B.J. Goodson

Mack Wilson ‘in good spirits’ but still on an unknown timetable with his knee injury

Fellow Browns LB B.J. Goodson says Mack Wilson is ‘in good spirits’, while Kevin Stefanski says the injury timetable remains unknown

Mack Wilson was a hot topic of conversation in the Cleveland Browns pregame Zoom sessions for the second day in a row. After a tumultuous Tuesday tackle that forced RB Nick Chubb into the concussion protocol, Wilson suffered an injury of his own during Wednesday’s practice.

Wilson went from defending himself and testing head coach Kevin Stefanski’s tolerance to being the focus of an uncertain 2020 with his injury. He suffered a hyperextended left knee that required him to be carted off the practice field.

“Unfortunate injury there for Mack,” Stefanski said before Wednesday’s practice session. “I feel for him. I talked to him last night. I really don’t know the extent and how long this will be.”

When pressed for a timetable, Stefanski deferred to the team’s doctors.

“We’re just waiting on the full extent [on the medical evaluations] from the medical staff,” Stefanski said.

Wilson’s fellow linebacker, B.J. Goodson, also talked about the second-year backer and his message to No. 51 during his Zoom teleconference.

“It’s definitely disheartening to see a teammate, and for me a brother, to go down like that,” Goodson said. “But hopefully we’ll get him back soon. He’s in good spirits, and he’s staying positive. I’m on top of him on staying positive.”

 

6 Browns in need of a good training camp

6 Browns in need of a good training camp to stick around on the team

Training camp is still scheduled to begin in late July. When the Browns players return to Berea for the annual rite of football passage later this month, some players will be fighting for their right to get one of the (great) new redesigned Browns jerseys with their name on the back.

Regime changes are nothing new for the Browns, and the associated roster turnover with them is a sad reality. There are some current Browns who will not work out in the new schemes with the new coaches, sometimes through little fault of their own.

Here are six Browns who need to show they belong in Cleveland in 2020 by having a strong training camp.

Chris Hubbard

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

The veteran right tackle has already lost his starting spot to free agent Jack Conklin. Hubbard has already taken a pay cut to stick with the team, but that doesn’t ensure his place on the roster.

Hubbard will need to prove he’s worthy of keeping as the backup tackle. Kendall Lamm is younger, cheaper and more athletic than Hubbard and he’s fighting for that same gig. Hubbard has been the better player and has certainly proven more durable, but that will only carry so much weight if he’s not impressive to the new coaching staff right away.

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B.J. Goodson ‘up for the challenge’ of leading the young Browns LB corps

Goodson has big shoes to fill in replacing Joe Schobert

The Cleveland Browns defense has major questions at linebacker. With veteran standout Joe Schobert now in Jacksonville and longtime leader Christian Kirksey in Green Bay, the group is very young. Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki are entering their second seasons, with rookie Jacob Phillips joining the fray.

Newcomer B.J. Goodson is the new established vet of the corps, if there is one at all. Goodson signed a one-year deal to join the Browns after a season with the Packers. The 2020 campaign will be his fifth NFL season, making him the greybeard of the precocious unit.

Goodson is ready to be the leader.

“To get these guys better, including myself, for us to be the best linebacker core across the league,” Goodson told reporters in a conference call on Thursday. “That is my job, and that is why they brought me here. I am looking forward to that. I am up for the challenge.”

He plans on filling the role vacated by Schobert in free agency, the MIKE position with an emphasis on coverage and pre-snap diagnosis. At least that’s Goodson’s plan,

“It is where I see myself playing. I love the middle linebacker spot. To be able to call it and to be able to be on both sides on multiple plays, I love playing in the middle.”

Goodson is hopeful that he can stick beyond one year in Cleveland, too.

Browns Wire joins Locked on Browns to break down free agent moves

Browns Wire’s Jeff Risdon joins Locked on Browns to break down free agent moves

Locked on Browns and host Jeff Lloyd was gracious enough to invite me to appear on Tuesday’s show to represent Browns Wire and talk about all the moves GM Andrew Berry and the Browns have made in free agency.

For those readers here who want a more unfiltered look at my thoughts on some of the moves, this is a great opportunity to learn more. We go over a handful of listener questions. Find out which new Browns player’s father once cursed me out on live radio, too!

 

B.J. Goodson: What the Browns are getting in their new inside linebacker

Goodson should not be the end of the Browns imports at LB

Free agency has been utterly insane for the Cleveland Browns. They have grabbed their fair share of headline grabbers as well as solid pieces to the puzzle and that is what we have with B.J. Goodson. We all saw the news of Christian Kirksey signing with the Green Bay Packers and it appears a former Packer in Goodson will be coming to Cleveland.

Name: B.J. Goodson

Height: 6-1

Weight: 242 pounds

Age: 26 years old

Previous Team: Green Bay Packers

Goodson was drafted in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the New York Giants and at the time the selection was viewed to be a bit of a reach. After primarily playing special teams as a rookie, he worked his way into the starting inside backer role in 2017. In 2018, New York transitioned from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 and Goodson was again a starter on the inside and finished the season with a PFF grade of 66.2.

After his third season in the league, the Giants waived Goodson and the Packers snatched him up. Goodson actually started nine games for them last season. Goodson is your typical downhill stack linebacker that can really thump the opponent, but his snaps decreased last season due to Green Bay electing to bring in an additional defensive back. He is an okay off-ball linebacker that will fight for a starting spot, but also has a bit of an injury history that makes me believe the Browns aren’t done adding defenders.

We discussed above the decrease of snaps with the Packers and that is related to his lack of athleticism and struggles to work in space, which is even more evident in coverage. It is also not uncommon for backs to beat Goodson to the edge or flat out burn past his pursuit. Goodson is a solid player, but should not be viewed as the answer at the inside linebacker position.

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Browns agree to sign Packers LB B.J. Goodson

Goodson started 9 games at middle LB for the Packers in 2019

Linebacker B.J. Goodson has agreed to contract terms in free agency with the Cleveland Browns. The former Green Bay middle linebacker will join the Browns, per ESPN’s Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo.

It’s a de facto swap with Christian Kirksey, who signed with the Packers earlier this week after being cut by the Browns, in free agency.

Goodson played in 15 games, starting nine, in 2019 for the Packers after coming over from the New York Giants. He was a fourth-round pick out of Clemson by the Giants in 2016. His most productive year was his final one in New York, recording 61 total tackles, two INTs and a half-sack. The interceptions and sack are the only ones in his four-year career.

No terms of the deal are immediately available.

Former Packers LB B.J. Goodson signs with Browns

The Packers are losing free agent LB B.J. Goodson to the Browns.

The Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns effectively swapped inside linebackers.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Browns signed former Packers linebacker B.J. Goodson, just two days after the Packers signed former Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey.

Goodson, who the Packers acquired in an August trade with the New York Giants last year, produced 37 tackles over 16 games and nine starts in 2019. He played 254 snaps but didn’t have a single tackle for loss, quarterback hit or pass breakup.

The Packers have lost both starting inside linebackers in free agency, with Goodson heading to Cleveland and Blake Martinez agreeing to a new deal with the New York Giants.

The Packers will move forward with Kirksey, Oren Burks, Ty Summers and Curtis Bolton at inside linebacker.

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Several ex-Giants will play in Sunday’s conference championship games

Several former members of the New York Giants will take the field on Sunday in the AFC and NFC Championship Games.

The AFC Championship Game and the NFC Championship Game will be played on Sunday to determine who moves ahead to square off in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

In the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs will meet the red hot Tennessee Titans, while the NFC will feature a game between Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers and the team that passed on him in the 2005 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers.

Both games promise to be physical and entertaining, so no real sidebar is needed as far as rooting interest goes. But in case you were wondering, several former New York Giants will take the field on Sunday.

Here’s a quick look at each.

Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com via USA TODAY Sports

Kalif Raymond, WR, Tennessee Titans

Raymond entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Holy Cross, originally signing with the Denver Broncos in 2016.

After a brief cup of coffee with the New York Jets, Raymond would sign with the Giants in 2017 and then re-join the team in 2018. Ironically, he made a brief stop with the Titans between those two stints, again finding his way back to Tennessee in 2019.

Raymond appeared in six games for the Giants, primarily on special teams. He recorded one reception for 12 yards, lost one yard on one carry, while returning 13 punts for 61 yards and 11 kickoffs for 186 yards. He also recorded three special teams tackles.

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