Damarious Randall to Cleveland Browns

[homer]

Not sure what the return is yet. Probably mid round pick.

 

EDIT: Whoa...for DeShone Kizer

[PeaveyFury]

Well, that was unexpected....

[burnzy24]

Making room for Richard Sherman hopefully.

[pacopete4]

Randall had his issues but Kiser is flat out awful and we are very thin at defensive back. Not sure what we are doing

[homer]

Also swapped picks in 4th and 5th rounds which is a pretty big jump for GB. They go from 114 to 101 in the 4th and 150 to 138 in the 5th.

[homer]

I think it's hard to judge Kizer. They had no skill people whatsoever on that team. Hard enough to start at QB as a rookie but it helps to at least have people that can run and catch.

[LouisEly]

Making room for Richard Sherman hopefully.

Hope not. Two Achillies blowouts... no thanks, at least not for anything guaranteed or significant.

 

Kizer was a rookie last year on a bad Browns team. I give rookie QBs a pass. Dude was a 2nd round pick for a reason. Rookie QBs that look good are few and far between. Hell, Goff and Wentz were considered busts after their rookie year. Not so fast...

[GAME05]

Randall was also sent to the locker room during a game and left the stadium. So maybe there's some personality issues with the coaching staff. Add in that maybe GB didn't see him as a starter and you're effectively trading a nickle CB for a significant upgrade at the #2QB position. If those are true it seems like a fair trade. Plus the upgrade of swapping the 4th and 5th round picks.

 

Although there's a need for at least two CBs now. You want to think there's a FA CB coming along with a high-round CB being drafted.

[Eye Black]

I think it's hard to judge Kizer. They had no skill people whatsoever on that team. Hard enough to start at QB as a rookie but it helps to at least have people that can run and catch.

I think this is spot on. Kizer has some important attributes such as a strong arm, but was thrust into an awful situation before he had any time to develop at the NFL level. He had no business being the starting QB for any team last year, let alone one with very little offensive talent around him.

 

If you want a glimpse of his throwing arm watch the throws he makes in this video from last preseason (it is every throw of the game, but some impressive throws, especially near the end)...

 

https://youtu.be/5EQJnJqYVE4

[Kelbysdaddy]

I think the pack crushed it with this trade. Kizer is/can be far better than Hundley. He showed flashes last year in a god awful situation. He just needs to be developed.

[adambr2]

Hell, Goff and Wentz were considered busts after their rookie year. Not so fast...

 

What? Goff, sure. Wentz? No way.

[PeaveyFury]

To elaborate on my thoughts following the initial surprise, I think this says a couple of things: First, Pettine and the defensive staff either didn't think Randall was suited to play in the new defense, or his attitude issues with McCarthy were bigger than they let on. Or both. Second, clearly the recognition is there that there must be a better plan B than Hundley. Picking up Kizer is an interesting move, for sure.

 

EDIT: Reports tonight indicate that some of the veterans wanted Randall released last year. Rather than releasing him, at least they moved up in the middle rounds and grabbed a QB prospect instead. The move also frees up ~$800k in cap space.

 

Also, the Packers really liked Kizer in the draft last year:

 

http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/236387/deshone-kizer-to-packers-makes-more-sense-as-trade-talk-than-actual-pick

[bjkrautk]

The other aspect about trading Randall now is that the Packers didn't have to make a decision on the 5th year option for the former 1st round pick. They get 3 years to see if MM can do better with Kizer than he did with Hundley (+/- restricted free agency) for what works out to basically 1 year of Damarious.

 

...plus they move up in the 4th and 5th rounds...which means having the top pick on Day 3 (a highly tradeable commodity). They have to draft 1-2 CBs this time around (if they don't sign a FA), but realistically they had to do that anyway. Getting their backup QB via trade also means that's one less early (day 1-2) pick they have to commit to a passer, which makes it easier to target DBs.

 

 

Randall made some tremendous interceptions, but he had a lot of opportunities because teams felt comfortable throwing at him. Immaturity and stupid penalties are always going to be a thing with him until he figures out how to get out of his own way.

 

 

Difficult move to assess in a vacuum, but trading 1-year of control for a lottery ticket with considerable skill and athleticism is at least justifiable, particularly after the season the franchise just went through.

[superfly]

I really love this deal. Sure Kizer could be a flameout but he was a project coming into the league and quite frankly when they reined him in he wasn't half bad. They had BAD talent around him and i'm not sure that accurately describes it.

 

Now we don't necessarily need to draft a QB this year and moved up in the draft twice. Thank you very much I say.

[pacopete4]

I’m fine with not drafting a QB this year but we are in the same position as last season with Kizer. He isn’t a guy, right now, that steps in and keeps you afloat.

[docduany]

I really dislike this trade. This team is going nowhere when Aaron Rodgers goes down as he did this past season. Back up QB was a lower priority on my want list. Did I want a better back up QB ? Sure. But not at this cost.

Randall is an immature player. He gets hurt multiple times a game. But the last time I checked he was the best corner on a horrible defense that has serious salary cap problems. Randall was a cheap, uber talented starting corner (slot corner is a starting position ) for two more seasons.

So the "guys" didn't care for him? Boo hoo. Shut your mouth and play ball. Big Mike didn't like being challenged? Do your job big boy (you sure as hell defended Haha whom punked out in week 17). They can't afford to give up on cheap talent when they have so many holes to fill with such limited resources. You didn't plug a hole, you made a new in your crummy strating lineup.

[PeaveyFury]

The "best corner on a horrible defense" doesn't mean that you're a quality player. He graded out as the #81 CB in the league last year- not a ringing endorsement. Coupled with his attitude issues with the coaches and apparently the players as well, no big loss. You can live with stuff like that from a quality player like Talib or Sherman, but not from a guy who barely grades as a passable nickel corner.

 

Sure, if this is the only move they make prior to the draft, I can understand the concern of opening another roster hole to fill on defense, but this is literally the first move the new GM has ever made. If we end up with a better group of corners come camp, no one will remember that Randall was even on the team.

[pacopete4]

Blind faith is fun until we go another season of not winning. I’m on board with the trade but this “new” front office won’t get a pass from me if the status quo continues. Start being creative and filling holes, building depth. Other teams are positioning themselves, we better have a plan to do the same.

[PeaveyFury]

Well sure. But 1) how is this trade status quo? When was that last trade the Packers made that was player-for-player? and 2)it's the first move of the offseason! How can we possibly know if there is a plan or not at this point?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I'm good with this deal. According to a source I have that is familiar with the situation, while Pettine was willing to give Randall a chance, McCarthy was done with him, and he's been on the market all offseason. They wanted to be rid of him, and consider him a cancer in the locker room. They would have released him if no one came calling, so to get some value for him was good. The team has already contacted Sherman, and look for them to be in contact with most of the top FA corners come next week. They like Malcolm Butler, but know he's going to be pretty expensive. Trumaine Johnson is a good fit in Pettine's defense as well. Corners are going to want to play in this defense, because it is geared toward highlighting their play and making them look like superstars. King, if he returns from injury, is going to be a stud in this defense.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Also, the Packers loved Kizer coming out of college, and see him as smart and moldable into the quintessential McCarthy QB. They are very very happy to be able to get him for what they consider a throw-away player.

[pacopete4]

Didn’t call this trade status quo, it was a generalized statement towards what we have done in previous years. You know, street free agents over real free agents and thinking you can fix every problem via the draft. That type of thing. And to the last part, how can we know if there is a plan?!? Lol there better be a plan to position this next years team to win a super bowl. It better include using picks to obtain quality players. Other teams have no issue with using a draft pick to get players and yet we treat them like each one will turn out to be a pro bowler. Too conservative in the past. Too many missed opportunities. Hopefully our new GM realizes this. Otherwise we might as well trade Rodgers and become the Browns of the nfc for awhile. Heck, we already have their bum QB. It will be really interesting to see where our franchise is compared to Cleveland in a few years. See which people we maybe should have retained.

[superfly]

I would guess there are big plans in store remaking the defense via FA. Hopefully they cut Clay Matthews too because he's served his purpose here. Heck if they really want to go big let Cobb and / or Nelson go and sign Allen robinson.

[pacopete4]

Also, the Packers loved Kizer coming out of college, and see him as smart and moldable into the quintessential McCarthy QB. They are very very happy to be able to get him for what they consider a throw-away player.

 

Like Hundley, accuracy will probably be a huge factor if he has a future in this league or not.

[pacopete4]

I would guess there are big plans in store remaking the defense via FA. Hopefully they cut Clay Matthews too because he's served his purpose here. Heck if they really want to go big let Cobb and / or Nelson go and sign Allen robinson.

 

They’ve already told Matthews he will be back and won’t need to restructure. Pettine had good things to say about him too. Also, I don’t get the dislike on him by a lot. He was one of the actual performing pieces to our defense last year. Did well for the most part.