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The Browns drafted Justin Gilbert with a top 10 draft pick this offseason, intending for him to become a fantastic option across from Joe Haden. Unfortunately he has failed not only to beat out Buster Skrine for the 2nd CB role, but he now sits 4th on the depth chart behind undrafted fellow rookie K’Waun Williams. Williams was in on every single play at slot QB last week (about 70% of the snaps) and the highly touted Gilbert didn’t even take the field once on defense.
I’ve been really impressed with Williams, who IMO really started to show some talent right before he was sidelined by an injury. Now that he’s back, he doesn’t seem to have missed a beat. For an undrafted rookie he’s playing great and some day he may even take over a starting role for the team.
Meanwhile Gilbert is growing roots on the bench. He hasn’t shown any of the talent or physical gifts that got him drafted so highly. He’s missed assignments and gotten toasted on a regular basis when the Browns were forced to play him.
it happens though all time…i don’t fault the Browns one bit for addressing a need at CB. We still get burnt when it comes to the bigger players
Hue Jackson is a loser.
CB is so difficult in the NFL that I’m not going to rule out Gilbert yet. He’s athletic – has no technique. The only way to play CB in the NFL now is all technique. If he gets that down he can be deadly. It comes down to coaching.
Look at Haden this year. Downright horrific for the first 7 (?) games this year. The last 3 (or more if I’m wrong on the 7 number) he’s been pro-bowl Joe again. It took a pro-bowl player 7 games to adjust to this D. Gilbert will take longer. I’m also not panicking because as a rookie – Troy Palamalu was the worst safety I’d ever seen. He was beyond horrible. Year 2 the light kicked on.
Freedom!!!
Not disagreeing with that at all. If Gilbert gets the technique down then we have no need whatsoever at corner. We’ll have 4 solid ones.
Freedom!!!
@soup quite an amazing change from last year isn’t it. Last year we were embarrassingly short on both corners and RB’s…. this year neither of those positions is a problem. BIG props to Skrine for a vast improvement.
@soup quite an amazing change from last year isn’t it. Last year we were embarrassingly short on both corners and RB’s…. this year neither of those positions is a problem. BIG props to Skrine for a vast improvement.
we were embarrassing short in more than one way…
seriously, skrine was burnt up and down last year not based on his coverage skills which have COME A LONG WAY….but his size.
Hue Jackson is a loser.
I swear these people copy my thoughts and write them up. The only difference is they have access to the teams to get quotes and they get paid.
This is the one thing I respect about this staff. The best players play. They don’t justify draft positions. They justify it by production.
Freedom!!!
I know that 1st rd players are supposed to (generally) be ready to start or look like starters be the end of the season.
BUT, some take longer. I think this can be especially true at CB.
So, while I am very pleased with Williams, I don’t think that Gilbert is a bust at this point. For example, Skrine has taken a while to develop. For me, I would just be happy if our first rd picks developed into long time starters.
Conversely, it seems like Gilbert’s development has been very slow. And definitely not what you would expect from a high 1st rd pick.
This is the one thing I respect about this staff. The best players play. They don’t justify draft positions. They justify it by production.
Exactly. Previous regimes have played the high picks because if they didn’t they thought it meant they made a mistake when drafting. Farmer found some mid-late gems and to his credit he did not mandate that those 1st rounders play. Separation of powers. It’s working.
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