Tag: Rashard Higgins

Our (sorta) bold predictions for Panthers vs. Browns in Week 1

Our weekly Panthers predictions are back! And in our first forecast, we see another former Browns player getting a little revenge of his own.

Welcome back, Carolina Panthers fans, to our weekly prediction series!

This is where we make 10 (sorta) bold forecasts on 10 (sorta) specific outcomes. And last season, we (sorta) did kinda well.

Overall, we hit on 88 of our 170 total predictions (51.8 percent correct) with a 10-7 record on the final result. So, can we top it in 2022?

Let’s get started with Sunday’s season opener against the Cleveland Browns.

 

Panthers Stock Watch: Who’s up and who’s down after preseason opener?

Which Panthers saw their stock rise and which saw their stock fall in Saturday’s preseason win over the Commanders?

Despite the result, Saturday’s victory over the Washington Commanders isn’t what mattered most for the Carolina Panthers. Because in the preseason, it’s all about progress.

Here’s who made some leaps (and who didn’t) in the team’s first go at exhibition action in 2022.

Watch: Sam Darnold finds Rashard Higgins for Panthers’ 1st preseason TD

After Baker Mayfield led the Panthers to a solid opening drive, Sam Darnold returned fire in the QB competition with a nice TD pass to Rashard Higgins.

The Carolina Panthers gave Baker Mayfield their first crack on offense this preseason, starting the newcomer against the Washington Commanders on Saturday afternoon. And he wouldn’t disappoint.

Mayfield, who completed four of his seven attempts for 45 yards, led a strong scoring drive on Carolina’s opening possession. The 13-play, 57-yard trek—which lasted just under six minutes—set the Panthers up for a 41-yard field goal from Zane Gonzalez.

But Sam Darnold, who had next, didn’t disappoint either.

Refusing to fade away in this battle, Darnold took full advantage of a short field thanks to safety Jeremy Chinn and rookie defensive end Amaré Barno.

From the Commanders’ 19-yard line, the fifth-year passer would hit wideout Brandon Zylstra for an 8-yard completion to start the touch. Two plays later, he’d find Rashard Higgins on another 8-yard completion—with this one settling into the back of the end zone for a touchdown.

Darnold then came out for the next series early in the second quarter—where the Panthers were forced to a three-and-out.

[lawrence-related id=656224,656199]

[listicle id=656249]

Matt Rhule doesn’t like end zone celebrations. He shouldn’t be worried.

Panthers head coach Matt Rhule was upset with receiver Rashard Higgins after an end zone celebration. Perhaps the end zone was a foreign concept.

Apparently, Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule got all in his own feelings on Saturday following an end zone celebration from receiver Rashard Higgins. Higgins, who played with Baker Mayfield in Cleveland from 2018-2021. During practice, Higgins caught a touchdown pass from his old buddy, who is now figthing it out for the starting quarterback position with Sam Darnold, for whatever reason. Apparently, Higgins reached the ball over the goal line before he went in the end zone, and that displeased Rhule enough to have everybody running gassers.

 

“Sometimes as a coach too, you just gotta make sure the intensity stays throughout the whole practice,” Rhule concluded, per our friends at Panthers Wire. “But I wanted the defense to understand we can’t give up explosives and the offense to understand we don’t celebrate until after the play is over.”

Perhaps everybody was so excited because they’re not used to passing touchdowns. Last season, only the Jaguars (12) had fewer passing touchdowns than did the Panthers, with 14.

So, Coach — give your guys a break. They’re not used to explosive plays.

Panthers HC Matt Rhule irked after offense celebrates 50-yard TD

Panthers HC Matt Rhule stopped practice and made his offense run the sidelines after they celebrated a 50-yard TD during on Saturday.

The Carolina Panthers haven’t had much cause for celebration under head coach Matt Rhule, especially on offense. And even when they do have that cause, as they did on Saturday, it’s pretty fleeting.

Quite the scene broke out during scrimmage action this morning, immediately after quarterback Baker Mayfield found receiver Rashard Higgins for a beauty of a 50-yard touchdown pass. The score prompted what was a particularly jubilant celebration from the wideout and his teammates, one—in fact—worthy enough of a taunting penalty from a camp official.

That, in turn, ticked off Rhule—who halted practice, yelled at his players and made his offense run the sidelines.

Rhule told reporters following practice that although celebrations are encouraged, they must come at the right time.

“We’re not a team that reaches the ball across the goal line,” he said. “I told the guys, ‘Hey, after you score a touchdown, celebrate. Have fun today.’ This isn’t a true game, but we’re playing it like a game in between the white lines and so. Great play by Higgy. He made a great touchdown catch. But I just wanted to make sure they all understood we won’t win if we don’t protect the football.

“Sometimes as a coach too, you just gotta make sure the intensity stays throughout the whole practice,” he added with a smirk. “But I wanted the defense to understand we can’t give up explosives and the offense to understand we don’t celebrate until after the play is over.”

[lawrence-related id=656011,656000]

[listicle id=655826]

Data: Browns created third lowest separation in 2021

Today’s data backs up what was very clear to see on the field in 2021 and what led the team from moving on from three of their top targets:

Sometimes data (analytics, statistics, research… whatever you may want to call it) can provide an interesting nugget about sports. Sometimes data can surprise you as it shows you something you didn’t know or didn’t think was true.

Other times, like today, data can show you exactly what you saw on the field.

Last year, the Cleveland Browns had significant trouble separating from defenders while running routes. With WR Jarvis Landry and TE Austin Hooper leading the team in targets and WR Rashard Higgins fifth on the list, the Browns threw a lot of passes to players without elite speed or quickness.

None of those three had more than 11.5 yards per reception. Not surprisingly, all three of those players are now gone with WR Amari Cooper brought in to replace them.

The two holdovers slotted between Hooper and Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones and David Njoku, had 17.6 and 13.2 yards per reception in 2021.

Overall, Cleveland’s pass catchers were third worst in the league at creating separation on routes:

Again, that data is not overly surprising if you watched the games last year. The Browns are hoping that Cooper’s addition, development from Peoples-Jones and WR Anthony Schwartz along with the drafting of WR David Bell will improve this data for 2022 and produce a more explosive offense.

Rashard Higgins leaves the Browns, expected to sign with Panthers

Hollywood has walked his last red carpet in Cleveland. According to a report, Higgins is headed to Carolina after an interesting six years with the Browns:

The Cleveland Browns have lost some players based on reports of agreements that can become finalized at 4 PM on Wednesday and a few releases:

Cleveland still has Jadeveon Clowney and Ronnie Harrison as starters who have hit the market but have not agreed to a deal elsewhere. While the rumblings that Baker Mayfield could be traded, whether the team acquires Deshaun Watson, are also out there.

Mayfield’s, basically, goodbye letter to Cleveland now is just, most likely, his first as one of his favorite targets is moving on from the Browns:

Higgins had a unique career in Cleveland. Drafted in the fifth round, cut in his second year. Brought back to the practice squad after no team picked him up. Brought back to the main roster shortly after that then signing consecutive one-year deals with the team after reaching free agency in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

For his six-year career, Higgins has caught 137 passes for 1,890 yards and 12 touchdowns. He had a strong connection with Mayfield but never tallied 600 yards or more in a season and topped out at four touchdowns, in two different years.

Nicknamed “Hollywood” before even arriving in Cleveland, fans loved his touchdown celebration of walking the red carpet while his teammates took pictures like they were paparazzi.

With Mayfield’s future seemingly up in the air, perhaps a reunion between the two in Carolina could be in the making.

Panthers agree to one-year deal with former Browns WR Rashard Higgins

If Baker Mayfield is a backup plan for the Panthers, he could already have a friend in Rashard Higgins waiting for him in Carolina.

Can you call this the New World Order of the Carolina Panthers . . . brother?

As first reported by ESPN’s Jake Trotter, the Panthers have agreed to a one-year deal with free agent wide receiver Rashard “Hollywood” Higgins. Higgins has spent the entirety of his six-year NFL career with the Cleveland Browns.

The Colorado State University product was drafted by Cleveland in the fifth round of the 2016 draft. Over 82 games in the league, he’s gone on to amass 1,890 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns on 137 catches.

Higgins’ best campaign came in 2020—where he notched career-highs in starts (six), yards (599), yards per reception (16.2) and touchdowns (four). Despite not having reached the relatively strong expectations placed upon him coming out of college—the 6-foot-1, 198-pounder should add an intriguing wrinkle into a position group that already features DJ Moore, Robby Anderson and Terrace Marshall Jr.

Whether or not this agreement will bolster the Panthers’ pursuit of Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson (it probably won’t), at least they’ll have a familiar face awaiting a potential backup option in Baker Mayfield.

[lawrence-related id=651233,651230]

[listicle id=651097]

Browns WR Rashard Higgins prepares for free agency

“Hollywood” may not have the red carpet rolled out for him again in Cleveland but is preparing for another team to do so in free agency:

One of the longest-tenured members of the Cleveland Browns organization is set for free agency, again. While WR Rashard Higgins has been released by the team and been a free agent before, he has never played for another team since being drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft.

That could change this offseason.

Higgins struggled, along with most of the rest of the passing offense, in 2021. He had 24 receptions, 275 yards and 1 touchdown last season playing in just 52% of the team’s offensive snaps. With Odell Beckham Jr. coming back from injury, and then waived, and Jarvis Landry missing games due to injury, Higgins’s lack of playing time and production could signal the end of his time with the Browns.

With free agency looming, Higgins is getting ready as shown by this workout video:

Nicknamed “Hollywood,” teammates loved to roll out the red carpet when he scored a touchdown. Despite never having 600 or more yards receiving in a season and topping out at four touchdowns, twice, in his career, Higgins was a fan favorite in Cleveland.

While his legacy may be of some big plays, Higgins was also on the wrong end of a head-to-head hit by Dan Sorenson that lead to him fumbling away the ball in the 2020 playoffs. His Browns legacy was discussed on the Browns Wire Podcast recently.

If Higgins moves on this offseason, what will you remember most about his time in Cleveland?

Podcast: Browns futures and legacies of Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins

What are the futures and Browns legacies for Juice and Hollywood? Today’s shared Browns Wire/OBR podcast discusses:

The Cleveland Browns may see a big change in their wide receiver room this offseason. Wide receiver has widely been mocked to the team with the 13th overall pick while we looked at how to add a receiver in a trade in our mock offseason as well.

Today’s Browns Wire Podcast takes a look at two of the long-standing members of the team’s receiver room: Jarvis Landry and Rashard Higgins. With Landry’s contract having only one more year on it, the team could decide to move on while saving a lot of cap space. Higgins once again is a free agent and could be finally moving on from the only team he has known in the NFL.

This week, I am joined by Jake Burns of The OBR as we cross-post our segment together.

As always: Like, comment and subscribe:

What do you think the future holds for Landry and Higgins? What are their legacies from their time in Cleveland?