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Tyrod Taylor says it¡¯s Browns¡¯ time to win now B
« on: December 28th, 2018, 4:12pm »
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There hasn¡¯t been a quick fix for changing the Cleveland Browns¡¯ culture http://www.brownsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-larry-ogunjobi-je
rsey , but the team¡¯s recent investments into winning players may help expedite that process.Veterans Jarvis Landry and Tyrod Taylor have breathed fresh air into the Browns¡¯ sails, uplifting the team to believe in itself. It makes sense then that the ideas of rebuilding or planning for the future don¡¯t seem to interest Taylor very much.The former Buffalo Bills quarterback, fresh off a playoffs appearance last season, knows his new team needs that culture change, and that the only way they¡¯ll change the perpetually negative narrative surrounding the Browns is by winning as soon as possible.¡°We have a great opportunity in front of us to change the culture, change the narrative of what¡¯s been said around here for a long time,¡± Taylor said before the start of Monday¡¯s training camp session. ¡°That window of opportunity isn¡¯t a couple years.¡°We need to win now. Whatever it takes to get that done, I¡¯m all behind that.¡±What makes him think he can be the guy who comes into Cleveland and finds success at the quarterback position, a spot that has been the Bermuda Triangle of signal callers?For one thing, Taylor is confident in Todd Haley¡¯s offense, which he says is a organic and allows the players to have direct input.¡°It¡¯s a very flexible offense, player friendly, and it allows us to have our own input on the offense by putting our own stamp on it. We¡¯re definitely bouncing ideas off each other,¡± Taylor said. ¡°As well as finding ways to give certain guys the ball with ways they¡¯ve had success with in their careers.¡±There¡¯s another important factor fueling Taylor¡¯s determination to win now. He¡¯s playing on the second and final year of the $30.5 million deal he signed with Buffalo¡ªhe¡¯ll make $16 million in Cleveland this season¡ªwhich means this is probably the most important season of his career as he looks for a future landing spot, and a future salary.Taylor has a big hurdle, though, in dealing with uncertainty and hype surrounding Baker Mayfield, the first pick in April¡¯s NFL draft.Although coach Hue Jackson has tirelessly expressed his support for Taylor, and also his hesitancy to again name a rookie quarterback his starting quarterback after burning through Cody Kessler and DeShone Kizer over the last two seasons Jarvis Landry Jersey , the questions about Mayfield¡¯s future, and present, are not going away anytime soon.¡°Focus on me, I can¡¯t necessarily focus on anyone else on this team,¡± Taylor said, describing how he¡¯ll deal with the hype. ¡°Of course it¡¯s my job to lead, but I have a job to do each and every day, and I¡¯m going to keep focusing on that and what I need to do to turn this organization around and win games.¡±Whether Taylor can lead the Browns¡¯ resurgence by holding off Mayfield¡¯s progress and pressure to play him depends largely on his own performance.But things happen. Mayfield appears to be progressing quickly, and he¡¯s flashing great arm talent and understanding of the magnitude of everything it takes from an athlete to become a successful NFL quarterback.This isn¡¯t a negative for the Browns, or for Taylor. The overarching theme in Berea this offseason has been fueling success through competition and depth.As if Taylor needed any other motivation, Mayfield¡¯s rise is going to help push him to helping deliver wins in Cleveland now, not later. He doesn¡¯t have much choice.It¡¯s time to win games again in Cleveland. John Dorsey's roughest week running the Browns will close with a reunion.The Kansas City Chiefs were once his football family ¡ª before the feud.On Sunday, Cleveland's first-year general manager will get an up-close look at the team he helped build into a Super Bowl contender playing against the one he's trying to revive after years of decay ¡ª and just days after another coaching clean-out.Dorsey served as Kansas City's GM from 2013 to 2017, and was instrumental in the team drafting quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who leads the NFL with 26 touchdown passes, and in just his second year, has become the face of K.C's franchise.Before he was fired by the Chiefs, Dorsey also selected running back Kareem Hunt, wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce ¡ª a trio of options who have sped up Mahomes' development."John picked 'em Authentic Nick Chubb Jersey ," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said this week. "Yeah. He picked 'em."It was an honest admission from Reid, who arrived with Dorsey in 2013 and appeared to win a power struggle when the GM was surprisingly let go in 2017, not long after the Chiefs gave their coach a contract extension.The team has never given a direct reason for Dorsey's firing.On a conference call this week, Reid didn't want to get into specifics about his relationship with Dorsey or why Brett Veach was promoted to replace him."I am friends with John. I have been friends with John. I will leave it at that," Reid told Cleveland reporters. "Things happen, and it happened. I have the utmost respect for him. You just watch how he gets that thing turned around right there."Mahomes wasn't with Dorsey for very long, but got to know him during the pre-draft process."Dorse is an awesome guy," Mahomes said. "He is the guy who sent the pick in and got me. He is an awesome talent evaluator, as well as a guy. It was nice to get to know him for a little amount of time."In the 10-plus months he's been on the job in Cleveland, Dorsey has disassembled the team's roster, added talent through free agency and the draft and maybe found the team's franchise QB in rookie Baker Mayfield.There's plenty of work ahead, but Reid believes the Browns have the right man in charge."I think John is going to do a phenomenal job for you guys," he said. "He has already done it. You have seen what he has done. You guys are in good hands."MAHOMES-MAYFIELD PART IIThe previous time they squared off, Mahomes and Mayfield broke records and nearly the scoreboard.Mayfield passed for 545 yards and seven touchdowns, Mahomes had five and they rolled up over 1,700 total yards in 2016. Mayfield led Oklahoma to a 66-59 win over Texas Tech."That game was crazy, a lot of numbers, but I wish we'd have come out with a win at the end," said Mahomes Darren Fells Jersey , who passed for 734 yards.Mahomes also had another big number the Browns can't let him duplicate."They were 20 of 25 on third down," he said. "I think if we can keep them from completing 20 of 25 third downs, then we will have a better chance of winning."BUILT FORD TOUGHChiefs linebacker Dee Ford was the AFC defensive player of the week after sacking the Broncos' Case Keenum three times and stripping him twice of the ball. Ford has eight sacks this season and, perhaps more importantly, has remained healthy after a career marked by a series of nagging injuries in his first four seasons."Just to see him back enjoying the game and playing at the level he is, man, I'm just happy for the kid," Reid said.STRETCHING THE RULESThe Chiefs defended how they use downfield blocks on their run-pass options this week after the Broncos argued their offensive linemen are cheating. Broncos coach Vance Joseph said he noticed several instances in which they headed downfield early, setting up blocks against the Denver linebackers and helping turn short gains into big ones."I haven't heard that but I can tell you what we tell them. It's timing and we keep it as precise as we can," Reid said. "I always ask officials beforehand if there's anything I need to tell my guys and that's never been an issue."BRAGGING RIGHTSBrowns interim coach Gregg Williams raised some eyebrows by boasting he's had other chances to coach since being fired in 2003 by Buffalo."I have had 11 letters sent in to interview for head coaching jobs," he said. "Four of them I did not even have to show up. Just sign the contract and come."It wasn't clear if Williams was joking, but he stood by his comments.The next day, new Browns offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens took a playful jab at his colleague."I thought this was going to come up, but it didn't come up and I want to address it," Kitchens said to end his first news conference. "I have not been offered any head coaching jobs."AP Sports Writer Dave Skretta in Kansas City contributed to this report.
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