Saturday Dawg Chow: Browns news (2/4/23)

Feb 4, 2023 - 11:30 AM

Dawgs By Nature at the Senior Bowl:

• Senior Bowl Interviews: EDGE K.J. Henry & DT Keeanu Benton (Barry Shuck) - Clemson’s K.J. Henry finished his college career with 139 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks and 11 passes broken up over 58 games, while Wisconsin’s Keeanu Benton started two seasons but played in games all four years. He had 36 tackles last year with 4.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Benton played for the Number 1 defense in the nation in 2022.
• Senior Bowl Interview: EDGE Andre Carter (Barry Shuck) - Andre Carter of Army played some linebacker but mostly defensive end as a stud pass rusher. After his NFL career is completed, he will be required to fulfill his Army commitment. As a junior, he accumulated 15.5 sacks which set a new school record. He was also named to the All-American team.
• Senior Bowl Interview: DT Karl Brooks (Barry Shuck) - The Cleveland Browns will have to address the defensive tackle position this off-season and Bowling Green’s Karl Brooks should be there on Day 3 to help out with run support.
• Senior Bowl Interview: S Jay Ward (Barry Shuck) - LSU safety Jay Ward is a player that fits the position group the Cleveland Browns are looking to add a body. He had 60 total tackles this past season and 69 in 2021. He played cornerback all through high school and was recruited as one. After his sophomore year at LSU, they switched him to safety where he excelled.
• Senior Bowl Interview: WR Puka Nacua (Barry Shuck) - Are the Cleveland Browns set at wide receiver? Are they satisfied with David Bell, Anthony Schwartz and Demetric Felton as their backups? The Reese’s Senior Bowl has plenty of talent to choose from. BYU wide receiver Puka Nacua is a player that fits the position group the Browns could be looking to add to in the offseason.
• Senior Bowl Interview: DE/LB Will McDonald (Barry Shuck) - The Cleveland Browns may have an EDGE rusher on their list of players to bring in and Iowa State’s Will McDonald has a high motor and does a solid job setting the edge against the run.
• Senior Bowl Interview: DE Derick Hall (Barry Shuck) - Auburn defensive end Derick Hall is a player that could interest the Browns in Round 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft.
• Senior Bowl Interview: TE Cameron Latu (Barry Shuck) - Alabama tight end Cameron Latu is a potential player to keep an eye on for the Cleveland Browns in the draft.
• Senior Bowl Interview: EDGE Adebawore Adetomiwa (Barry Shuck) - Northwestern defensive end Adebawore Adetomiwa is a self-described hard worker who likes to fly to the ball on defense.

Dawgs By Nature (closer to home):

• Picking free agents for Browns among Top 50 list (Jared Mueller, Thomas Moore and Chris Pokorny) - ESPN put out their list of top 50 free agents for this year and instead of just reviewing the list, Chris Pokorny, Thomas Moore and Jared Mueller took a look at the list and selected one player they believed is realistic for the Browns to select.
• Pro Bowl skills recap: Watch Myles Garrett in dodgeball, Joel Bitonio playing quarterback (Chris Pokorny) - Part one of this year’s Pro Bowl event, which was being referred to as the skills challenge, took place Thursday night. It was a fun-filled atmosphere in Las Vegas, and here is a recap of how members of the Cleveland Browns performed.

Cleveland Browns:

• Grading the Browns’ 2022 draft class: No A’s but optimism with rookies’ early production (Beacon Journal) - The players the Cleveland Browns selected in last April’s draft went through a very similar adjustment period as they progressed through their rookie seasons. Some handled the adjustment better than others. What follows is a grade for the rookie season of each of the draft picks. Much like a first-semester college freshman, there’s room to grow for all of them, some more than others.
• Inside the Browns’ 2023 salary cap: Numbers to know and players to watch (cleveland.com) - The NFL’s salary cap will raise to $224.8 million this season, a record and a swift recovery from the COVID years. What does this mean for the Cleveland Browns?
• What Browns hope to learn at the Senior Bowl and how it can impact free-agent spending (The Athletic) - Let’s start February with run-through of the Browns’ offseason priorities, potential avenues and reminders on key dates and figures.

NFL:

• Pro Bowl Games 2023: Ravens’ Tyler Huntley is clutch for AFC (ESPN) - Baltimore Ravens backup quarterback Tyler Huntley didn’t ask for an invitation to the Pro Bowl Games, and he certainly didn’t expect the jokes that were told at his expense when he was named. But that doesn’t mean Huntley would pass on trying to make the most of his opportunity.
• Derek Carr firm on deadline for contract to become guaranteed (Las Vegas Review-Journal) - Derek Carr reiterated Thursday he won’t extend the Feb. 15 date for his contract to become fully guaranteed, which essentially means the Raiders will need to release him or have a trade worked out in principle by that date.
• Bobby Beathard, Mastermind of N.F.L. Dynasties, Dies at 86 (New York Times) - Using unconventional tactics, he built powerhouse teams in Washington and Miami and helped mold teams in Kansas City, Atlanta and San Diego, his hometown.
• The Eagles’ last trip to the Super Bowl: A look back at the 2018 victory (inquirer.com) - The Philadelphia Eagles will take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12. Here’s what happened when they beat the New England Patriots in 2018.