Joe Schobert on the open market is a failure for Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns will reportedly let Joe Schobert walk in free agency, but the decision to do so is a failure by the new Browns front office.
What a mistake. For only $10 million a year? That was the hometown discount for the Cleveland Browns and they still couldn’t pull the trigger on a man who has led this team for years. Cleveland has fumbled yet again by not re-signing Joe Schobert.
What a joke. Schobert was a tackling machine for the Browns and is a leader on and off the field. To pay him $10 million a year should have been seen as acceptable to the front office. This blunder raises serious question marks moving through the remainder of the offseason.
Cutting Christian Kirksey, which is expected soon and allowing Schobert to leave and get a $15 million dollar deal, which is too much, on another team opens up massive gaps on a defense that already cannot stop the run.
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Kirksey has been injury prone, to say the least, for the last couple seasons. It’s a sad truth because of the player he has proven to be when healthy and a leader for the team on and off the field. However, cutting him and freeing up his money makes infinitely more sense than allowing Schobert to walk into free agency and ask for the moon and the stars for his next contract.
Losing two leaders on this defense in the same offseason, with no clear-cut option to fill those voids is a mistake for the Cleveland Browns. Kirksey will be missed but it will be understood because of the injuries and cap space.
Schobert being allowed to walk does not make sense. The man played his way to a starting role through preseason games. Schobert, before this season was a dominant play-maker in the middle of the defense.
Being injured last year, Schobert was still pacing for top-10 numbers in tackles, which he finished 10th in 2019 and third in 2017. Schobert is elite in the middle of the defense and his numbers show it. Losing him is losing a lot.
Disagree all you want, numbers don’t lie. Retaining Schobert for $10 million a year, while expecting top-five in tackles and solid linebacker play in pass coverage would have been a no-brainer.
dark. Next. Endless OBJ trade rumors are not going to stop
Do the Cleveland Browns draft a left tackle or a linebacker at tenth overall now?