NEW BROWNS GM RIPS HIS PREDECESSOR
Dorsey says the man he replaced failed to get ‘real players’ to compete in the NFL
The Cleveland Browns’ new GM isn’t exactly a fan of the job his predecessor did.
John Dorsey plainly told a local radio station Thursday morning that Sashi Brown let down head coach Hue Jackson.
“You know what? You’ve got to get him players,” Dorsey said on WKNR AM-850, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “And you know what? I’ll come straight out with it. The guys who were here before, that system, they didn’t get real players.”
That’s a direct shot at Brown and his crew of Analytics Andys, who still work with the club, and who somehow deduced with their plastic pocket slide-rules that Carson Wentz (last year) and Deshaun Watson (this year) weren’t worth drafting.
Under Brown’s regime from early 2016 until a week ago, Cleveland lost 27 of 28 games, before losing Game 1 under Dorsey last Sunday in overtime to Green Bay.
The Browns are 2-38 since early in the 2015 season.
“As Bill Parcells would always say, ‘You are your record,’ ” Dorsey said. “And you know what? There it is, so that’s the truth-teller in this thing.
“And I’m going to do my darnedest to get Hue players. And that’s all I can ask for, and that’s all I’m going to do. I like the man.”
Ah, but is Dorsey willing to commit to retaining Jackson, for 2018, as principal Browns owner Jimmy Haslam proclaimed would occur when introducing Dorsey as Brown’s replacement? Dorsey wouldn’t offer the same guarantee.
Jackson’s reaction to Dorsey saying he wants to get him “real players”?
“I’m not going to really get into those particular things,” Jackson said. “John Dorsey has been outstanding. He is football 24/7. I have enjoyed getting to know him more, and spending time with him, and talking about our football team and what we need to do.
“Obviously, there are some good players in our locker-room. The guys work extremely hard. I think John’s big focus is to try to get us more guys as we move forward on our football team that can best help us get this turned, and become what we can become.
“He’s walking up and down these halls preaching, ‘Let’s win. Let’s get to winning as fast as we can.’ I appreciate that.”
It’s crazy that urgency can be a fresh approach within a pro sports franchise.
SHAZIER STARTS REHAB
Although Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier remains in hospital following last week’s spinal stabilization surgery, he has begun “physical rehabilitation as part of his recovery process,” according to a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center news release, posted at ProFootballTalk.com.
The hospital provided no further indication as to Shazier’s condition or chances for a full recovery. The linebacker seriously injured his spine in Cincinnati a week ago after making a hard, fast-paced, head-down tackle.
TORONTO’S GIANT
Interim New York Giants GM Kevin Abrams — a born-andraised Torontonian — held his first news conference with the Big Apple press corps Thursday afternoon. Abrams confirmed he’s indeed interested in having the “interim” tag removed.
Reports have pegged former Giants front office assistant Dave Gettleman — fired earlier this year as Carolina Panthers GM — as the likely candidate to replace Jerry Reese, fired early last week as GM along with head coach Ben McAdoo.
Seldom is Abrams mentioned in any story without being identified as the club’s front office salary cap ace. He made sure Thursday to underscore that his contributions to the club’s football operations don’t end there.
“I don’t want to interview or campaign for a job today, here and now, but my role has been more than just doing the cap stuff,” Abrams said. “I wasn’t raised to be a cap guy. It was just the opportunity that was given to me, and I was grateful of the opportunity, and the Giants do a great job with everyone, not just me.
“But we’re all encouraged to grow professionally, and like everyone else, I was getting a lot of opportunities to do that. I tried to take advantage of them whenever I could, and a lot of that included being involved with our personnel departments.”
SATURDAY FOOTBALL
A reminder that with the U.S. college football regular season concluded, there are two NFL games this Saturday and next. This week features Chicago at Detroit at 4:30 p.m., as the Lions attempt to stay alive in the NFC playoff picture, followed at 7:25 p.m. by the AFC West showdown pitting the Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City. The Chargers and Chiefs are tied atop the division with 7-6 records.
Next Saturday’s doubleheader features Indy at Baltimore followed by Minnesota at Green Bay. TSN in Canada is picking up the root NFL Network feeds from all four games.
THE BRITT PATRIOT
Cleveland Browns discard Kenny Britt is the latest veteran WR trying to earn a lasting role on the New England Patriots. Some make it, many don’t. Why’s that, Tom Brady?
“I think for most people, what you do is kind of up to the player and the professionalism, and the ability to come in and put the work in every day,” the Pats quarterback said. “Some guys make it, and some guys don’t.
“Our offence, it’s a pretty high degree of difficulty. So, the guys who have been around a little bit know how to play football, know how to play professional football and prepare and study and all those things, can come in and do pretty well.”
So far, so good for Britt, Brady said.
“He’s just kind of come in and worked hard the last couple of days, trying to understand all the things we’ve got going. Hopefully we can add something to the mix here in a short period of time.
“It’s always challenging for a guy to come in late and pick up everything at once, but hopefully, he can figure out a role.”
As Bill Parcells would always say, ‘You are your record.’ And you know what? There it is, so that’s the truth-teller in this thing.