Daily Dawg Tags: The continuing madness of Pro Days

NFL teams, including the Cleveland Browns, continue to be participants in Pro Days for college players. But why?

With a few weeks still remaining until the 2017 NFL Draft, and with free agency cooling off considerably, NFL teams are gearing up their evaluation process.

One of the biggest – and ultimately most useless – part of the process are the Pro Days that schools hold for their draft eligible players.

The days are very scripted, are often run by the agents for the players involved, and provide very little useful information for teams.

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• 3 Cleveland Browns who should see an expanded role in 2023 and 1 who should not
• Is Marcus Davenport on the Browns radar in 2023?
• 5 Free agents from Super Bowl LVII Cleveland Browns should target

Yet there will be numerous stories and reports in the coming weeks about how a player was “successful” or “disappointed” at his Pro Day. There will also be breathless reports and considerable speculation when a team skips a Pro Day, especially if it involves a player at a position of need.

But in reality, what can truly be learned from watching a scripted 50-play event in shorts? NFL evaluators already have the most important piece of information they need about a player: the game tapes.

If an NFL talent evaluator can’t look at two, three or four years of actual game tape and determine whether or not a player has what it takes, then something is wrong. And if they need a Pro Day to validate their conclusions, then something is even more wrong.

Remember that in the coming weeks when media and fans try to shoot down a player they don’t like because they had a “bad” Pro Day, and prop up a player they do like after a “good” day.

We are deep into the NFL’s silly season; buckle up for the ride.

Cleveland Browns news:

ESPN gives Browns a low grade in free agency

NFL free agency has been open for a week, giving everyone time to take in all that has happened. ESPN.com Browns writer Pat McManamon recently handed out a grade for the Browns after one week of free agency, and he doesn’t seem to be too impressed. He gave the Browns a “C-minus” after all the moves, which is a bit lower than how we here at Dawg Pound Daily saw things.

Building around Cody Kessler in 2017

While some want the Cleveland Browns to draft a quarterback, sticking with Cody Kessler may be the best option for the team in 2017.

Dabo Swinney doesn’t back down from Watson-Jordan comparison (ohio.com)

"Clemson coach Dabo Swinney doubled down on the claim he made in January that the Browns forgoing national championship-winning quarterback Deshaun Watson in April’s draft would be akin to passing on Michael Jordan."

Hue Jackson and Sashi Brown skip Deshaun Watson’s Pro Day (cleveland.com)

"Browns coach Hue Jackson and Executive Vice President of Football Operations Sashi Brown skipped Deshaun Watson’s Pro Day at Clemson today because they’ll have a private workout and visit with him, league sources told cleveland.com. The Browns are believed to have conducted a private workout with another one of the top quarterback prospects on Thursday, a league source said."

NFL news:

Kaepernick and RG3: Is there anything left? (MMQB)

"Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III changed the quarterback position in 2012 and seemed destined to dominate for years, but their magic turned out to be fleeting. Now free agents facing a soft market, both could be out of football this fall."

It is Bill Belichick’s NFL now (Boston Herald)

"Bill Belichick prevails once again. That phrase is getting a little bit redundant but still worth repeating in the wake of recent events. The Patriots coach and chief decision-maker had the Dont’a Hightower free agency situation pegged from the outset. No franchise or transition tag was necessary. He let his defensive captain take a stroll on the open market and find his worth, knowing no crazy money would be offered. At least, not by any desirable teams. The Hoodie was right, of course."

Each team’s one glaring need after week one of free agency (Sporting News)

"Even after a zany week of player signings, every NFL team still has roster holes to fill. Yes, that includes the New England Patriots. Here’s a look at a remaining need for each team now that almost all of the top-tier talent is off the free-agent market."

5 biggest free agency winners so far (PFF)

"Free agency is still bubbling away under the surface, but the biggest moves have all been made, and all that is left is for teams to pick up the occasional scrap of quality and help for 2017. With a week having passed since the craziness began, it’s time to take a look at the teams that have come out of the period with the most help. “Winning” free agency doesn’t always, or even usually, translate to on-field success the following season, so it remains to be seen how the following teams put their new acquisitions to good use. On paper, though, these are the teams that have added the most quality over the past week."