Green likely to find role on field with Browns this fall
Once mini-camps and OTAs rolled around, it didn’t take the Cleveland Browns long to figure out what everyone else already knew about former Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green.
That’s why, just like Razorbacks were when he arrived in Fayetteville after an up and down career at Boise State, the Browns are cautiously optimistic.
“It’s probably too early to tell (if he will be used in special packages), but anybody with that kind of athleticism, should he progress in certain areas of his game, there would be a possibility of him, whether it’s short yardage, once you get in the low red zone, maybe some third down stuff that we could utilize,” Cleveland head coach Todd Monken said shortly after Green logged his required work in rookie mini-camp.
With often troubled veteran quarterback Deshaun Watson and second-year QB Shedeur Sanders locked in one of the most unstable brawls for the starting job in NFL history, the Browns are looking for anyone who might can come in and provide a spark, and a lot of that hope appears to be pinned on the uniquely athletic Green who destroyed multiple records for a quarterback at the NFL combine.
The good news for Cleveland is for every flaw Monken identified in Green during mini-camp, he also pointed out the perfect foil to that flaw in a corresponding strength.
Identifying Green’s Issues
For instance, he wants the former Hog to develop a consistent cadence that will work well for his linemen and also proper repeatable footwork, both things Jon Gruden pointed out and placed major emphasis on heading into the draft. Monken also wants him to work hard at knowing where the ball should go on any set of read progressions and make sure it gets delivered to the right spot on instinct to speed up reaction time, yet another thing Gruden drilled him on over and over.
In contrast, Monken quickly put together the same observation Gruden voiced openly on camera. Multiple years of learning Bobby Petrino’s much more complicated offense has him far ahead of the curve as far as pro-ready knowledge and a strong ability to assimilate lots of information into his game quickly.
In other words, what comes out of a coach’s mouth starts showing up on the field almost immediately. This can be an important attribute, especially if Watson and Sanders slide into stubborn streaks.
The other item Monken emphasized as a point of needed improvement is working on tightening his release. In other words, he wants to see more zip on shorter throws.
The faster and straighter the ball gets to his receivers, the less likely it is to get picked. Arm strength was a question coming out of high school and Boise State, but time spent in an SEC strength and conditioning program took care of that problem for the most part.
That’s why Monken’s counterpoint is his note that Green has developed tons of arm strength and is just in need of fine tuning. Odds are, if the Browns have already issued him a virtual reality throwing program to use at home that he is up late wearing out the flooring in an effort to have that critique fully addressed by the time practices officially begin in late July.
Other coaches around the league pointed out that Green needs to get better at taking what the defense gives him, while immediately pivoting to say the entire quarterback room in Cleveland needs to follow suit.
Local Media Perspective
As for the local media, most were stunned at how big he is in person. At 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, he looks like an old school NBA small forward.
They also struggled to interlock a body of that size with the speed and athleticism he possesses. Here is a man who should be able to outrun most players, leap over others, and run through those who are left.
There’s not a lot of footage of the latter because teams wanted Green protecting himself, but there is certainly plenty of footage of the others.
That’s why the Cleveland media, and most likely the fan base, is anxious to see him on the field. Of course, Monken has already expressed an interest in that also.
The comparison that keeps coming up is for Green to slip into a Taysom Hill type role until the day he perhaps grows into the starting quarterback position. For the most part, Hill’s game is essentially what Green would call running the offense at Arkansas except for the instances where they start lining him up at running back.
Yes, Green is 230 and Hill is 240 which is not much of a difference, but Green is not built for that type of hard-nosed downhill running. There is a lot to be said for the fact Hill is a natural tight end who happens to have other skills.
Last season he carried 3.24 pounds per inch to go along with a bruiser mentality. Meanwhile, Green currently carries 2.9 pounds per inch, significantly less compacted muscle, and has a lifetime of programming to avoid contact whenever possible.
He will be great at the traditional wildcat stuff and sneaking into the flat for a catch here or there to go along with his passing, but lining him up in the backfield behind either Watson or Sanders and handing him the ball to smash himself between the tackles is a bad idea. His body took a beating at times the last two seasons that slowed him without intentionally subjecting him to that kind of punishment.
Yes, the comments from Monken and the instability at the quarterback position make it likely Green will see the field in spots this year. It just won’t quite be in a Hill type role.
Green’s contributions in Cleveland will come with a touch more finesse when all is said and done.
