Updated on 9 Feb 2021, Arranged in Chronological Order
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PART 1: MAJOR INCIDENTS

(1) Balfour Declaration (1917) was a letter of British support towards Lord Rothschild for the Zionist aim of establishing a Jewish state in Palestine, which at that point of time was already inhabited by the natives. It was highly controversial as the declaration was made by an European power regarding a non-European territory in flat disregard of both the presence and wishes of the native majority in the territory. Upon the start of the mandate, the British facilitated the immigration of European Jews to Palestine.
The British disarmed the Palestinian people from 1936-1939 during the 'Great Arab Revolt' whilst turning a blind eye to illegal immigration by European Jews and their procurement of arms, greatly hindering the Palestinians in the future Arab-Israeli War. (Sources: Righteous Victims: A History of the Zionist–Arab Conflict, 1881–1999 by Benny Morris p.159, The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi)
In 1939, the British altered its policy, setting a limit of 75,000 further immigrants and ending immigration by 1944, unless the native Palestinians of the region consented to further immigration. Zionists condemned the new policy, accusing Britain of favouring the Arabs. This point was made moot by the outbreak of WW2 and the founding Israel in 1948.
Britannica, Wiki, BBC, AJ
(2) Assasination of Jacob Israël de Haan (1924), a Dutch-Jewish diplomat, for attempting to make a peace deal with the Emir of Mecca - his plan was a Palestinian state in a Jordanian federation, the Zionists would drop the Balfour declaration and any claim to a state in exchange for unrestricted immigration. He was assassinated when leaving a synagogue by Avraham Tehomi (who admitted to it much later), on the orders of Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, who later became the 2nd President of Israel:
Wiki, Haaretz, 972mag
(3) Patria Disaster (1940) was the sinking of a French-built SS Patria by the Zionist Paramilitary Group, Haganah, killing 267 people and injuring 172. Patria was carrying about 1,800 Jewish refugees from Europe whom the British authorities were deporting from Palestine to Mauritius because they lacked entry permits. Zionist organizations opposed the deportation so Haganah planted a bomb intended to disable the ship to prevent it from leaving Haifa after Irgun's attempt to plant a bomb was unsuccessful. They claimed to have miscalculated the effects of the explosion causing the SS Patria to sink.
Wiki, JPost
(4) King David Hotel Bombing (1946) where right-wing Zionist terrorists attacked a British HQ located within the hotel killing 91 and injuring 46. The leader of the perpetrators, Manachem Begin became the Prime Minister of Israel in 1977.
Wiki, Haaretz
(5) Deir Yassin Massacre (1948) where 117 villagers including women & children were slaughtered by Zionist Paramilitary groups, some members of the perpetrators were at a later time, absorbed into the IDF, one (Menachem Begin) became PM of Israel:
Wiki, Haaretz, Britannica
(6) Palestinian Exodus "Nakba" (1948) was an expulsion of 700,000 Palestinian Arabs from their Homeland during the war and establishment of Israel in May 1948, these includes testimonies of massacres, rape and looting. During and immediately following the state’s creation, Israel expropriated approximately 4,244,776 acres of Palestinian land.
Haaretz, Haaretz, Atlantic, Vox, TheWallsOfJerusalem
(7) Assassination of Folke Bernadotte, (1948) UN Mediator for Palestinian Refugees by Israel's Zionist Paramilitary Group, Lehi. The killing was approved by the 3-man 'center' of Lehi, one of which, after the assassination, became 7th Prime Minister of Israel (Yitzhak Shamir). No one was convicted for the assassination:
Wiki, Independent, Haaretz, WRMEA
(8) Document from IDF archives (1948) which after translation states:
"In the villages lying between Nahraiya and Tarshiha there are no foreign troops for the time being.The villages are armed and ready for action^1. Your orders are to occupy, kill the men^2, destroy and burn down the villages of Kabri, Umm al-Faraj and al-Nahr."
[1] Ilan Pappe notes that the villagers had no proper arms, only for hunting purposes and people who served in the police; without Arab troops that were absent they stood no chance [2] In April 1948, the Intelligence of the Hagana defined men as anyone above the age of 10
Sources:
-Photo taken from IDF Archives 1676\51\12
-Benny Morris, The Birth of the Palestinian refugee problem, 1947-1949, ISBN 0-521-33028-9. P. 133
-Hagana archives, 100\35, dated May 19, 1948
(9) Al Dawayima Massacre (1948) occurred after the town was occupied by the IDF's 89th Commando Battalion. According to the village leader, IDF troops fired indiscriminately for over an hour, during which time many fled. On returning the day with other villagers, 60 bodies were found in the mosque, mostly elderly men. Numerous corpses of men, women and children, lay in the streets. 80 bodies of men, women and children were then found in the entrance of the El Zagh cavern. According to an IDF soldier:

"the 1st [wave] of conquerors killed about 80 to 100 men, women, and children. The children they killed by breaking their heads with sticks. There was not a house without dead."
"1 commander ordered his men to put 2 old women in the house and blow it up. 1 soldier boasted that he had raped a woman and then shot her. 1 woman, with a baby in her arms was employed to clean the courtyard where the soldiers ate. She worked a day or two. In the end they shot her and her baby."

Wiki, Mondoweiss, Haaretz
(10) Safsaf Massacre (1948) after the Upper Galilee village surrendered to the IDF, 54-62 villagers had their hands tied, shot dead and buried in a pit. There was also 3 reports of rape, including the rape and murder of a 14-yr old girl. Yosef Nachmani (Senior officer in the Haganah as well as the director of the Jewish National Fund) confirmed the incident in his diaries.
Wiki, JewishCurrents, Haaretz
(11) Hula Massacre (1948) occured in a village in Lebanon where according to an IDF superior, 35-58 men ages (ages between 15-60) who posed no resistance and surrendered immediately were executed by 2 IDF officers w a sub-machine gun and had the house blown up on top of them as a revenge for a separate incident the men had nothing to do with.
Wiki, Haaretz
(12) Baghdad Bombings (1950-1951) was a series of False-flag bombings on Jewish targets in Baghdad with the intention to encourage Iraqi Jews to immigrate to Israel. According to Moshe Gat, Meir-Glitzenstein, Samuel Klausner, Rayyan Al-Shawaf and Yehouda Shenhav, there is wide consensus among Iraqi Jews that the Zionists were behind the bombings. This belief was shared among Historian Abbas Shiblak, Iraqi Jew Naeim Giladi, CIA agent Wilbur Crane and the British Embassy of Baghdad. When the 'Lavon Affair False-flag operations (1954)' broke out, Shalom Cohen (Knesset Israeli Politician at a later stage) remarked, "This method of operating was not invented for Egypt. It was tried before in Iraq." In a 2006 publication, Yehuda Tager, an Israeli agent who operated in Baghdad, confirmed Zionist involvements in the bombings.
Wiki, Journal, Haaretz
(13) Qibya Massacre (1953) where IDF troops under Ariel Sharon killed at least 69 Palestinian villagers, two-thirds of them were women and children. 45 homes, a school and a mosque were destroyed. The attack began with a mortar barrage on the village. IDF deployed explosive charges to breach the barbed fence and mined roads to prevent Jordanian forces from intervening. At the same time at least 25 mortar shells were fired into Budrus (neighbouring village) before IDF troops simultaneously entered the village from 3 sides. Ariel Sharon wrote: "The orders were clear, Qibya was to be an example for everyone." Original documents showed that Sharon personally ordered his troops to achieve "maximal killing and damage to property", and post-operational reports speak of breaking into houses and clearing them with grenades and shooting.
Wiki, 972mag, Cambridge, Haaretz, CounterPunch
(14) Lavon Affair (1954) a failed false flag operation where Egyptian Jews were recruited by Israeli Military Intelligence to plant bombs inside Egyptian, American, and British-owned civilian targets, their foiled plan was to blame the attacks on the Muslim Brotherhood:
Haaretz, TimesofIsrael, Wiki
(15) Kafr Qasim Massacre (1956) where Israeli Border Police killed 49 Arabs (19 men, 6 women, 23 children, 1 unborn child) returning home from work during a curfew they were unaware of. Those involved in the massacre were found guilty but were pardoned and released from prison in a single year. The highest ranking official prosecuted for the massacre confessed before his death, that the massacre were planned to ethnically cleanse Israeli Arabs from the region, and that his trial was staged to protect Israeli political and military elites, including Prime Minister Ben Gurion, from taking responsibility for the massacre:
Wiki, Haaretz, 972mag, Medium
(16) Apollo Affair (1965) an incident where 200-600 pounds of highly enriched uranium disappeared from a Nuclear Materials and Equipment Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Highly suspected to have gone to Israel's Nuclear Program particularly given the visit of Rafi Eitan who was under the guise of a chemist but later revealed as an Israeli spy and who was later involved in the Jonathan Pollard incident:
Wiki, LATimes, Mondoweiss,
Archive of the findings of Roger Mattson, a Physicist who investigated the Incident for the Nuclear Regulatory Commision,
YouTube, 1968 FBI Report, FBI's Declassified Memo PDF
(17) USS Liberty (1967) where Israel deliberately attacked an American Cargo Vessel, killing 34 and wounding 174 without any repurcussions:
Sacrificing Liberty Trailer, Haaretz, Wiki
(18) Ras Sedr Massacre (1967) where 49-52 Egyptian prisoners of war were executed by the IDF during the six-day war. The mass grave was found in June 2000. A report has detailed confessions of Israeli officers who witnessed the act including an IDF Brigadier-General who admitted to killing 49 Egyptian prisoners of war in the Sinai Desert in later interviews after retirement.
Wiki, IOL, AlAraby, Reuters, NYT
(19) Sabra & Shatila massacre (1982), perpetrated by a Lebanese Christian militia (Phalangists), which was under the political & military control of Israel. For 3 days, they engaged in rape, murder and mutilation w the knowledge of IDF troops surrounding the refugee camps. Israeli forces fired flares into the night sky to illuminate the darkness for the Phalangists, allowed reinforcements to enter the area on the 2nd day of the massacre, and provided bulldozers that were used to dispose of the bodies of many victims. Estimated death count: 2000 - 3500. Ariel Sharon was held responsible for the Massacre, but he was still voted as PM of Israel in 2001:
SciencesPo, TRTworld, AJ, IMEU
(20) Jonathan Pollard Incident (1984), where Israel handsomely rewarded an American Intelligence Officer in return for US Classified information. According to his handler, Rafi Eitan (Mossad Spy involved in "Apollo Affair"), before Pollard's capture, he had been warned that he was uncovered and that he was given a signal to leave the US, but instead Pollard:

"wandered around for 3 days. He had many opportunities to do what I told him and he didn't do it".

After his release from prison in 2020, Pollard and his wife immigrated to Israel, he was given a hero's arrival by Netanyahu upon his arrival. after his flight on a private jet owned by Trump's Zionist Mega donor, Sheldon Adelson.
Britannica, Haaretz, Wiki
(21) Israeli former nuclear technician turned whistleblower was lured to Italy where Mossad drugged and abducted him back to Israel for the trial that was held secretly behind closed doors. He spent 18 years in prison, including more than 11 in solitary confinement. Says he suffered "cruel and barbaric treatment" at the hands of Israeli authorities while imprisoned because he was Christian. After his release in 2004, he was subjected to a broad array of very strict restrictions on his speech and movement (1986):
Wiki, Youtube, NYT, Guardian, CNN, Wired, Telegraph
(22) Operation Trojan (1986) according to ex-Mossad agent in his book, Mossad instigated the US bombing of Libya by planting a transmission device and impersonating as the Libyan Govt sending terrorist orders to its embassies around the world. (Story in Page 113-117) (Downloadable PDF File):
Other Side of Deception PDF
(23) Cave of Patriarchs Massacre (1994) Israeli Settler Baruch Goldstein opened fire in Ibrahimi Mosque, killing 29 worshippers and wounding more than 125:
Wiki, JPost
(24) Qana Massacre (1996) IDF fired artillery shells at a UN Compound where 800 Lebanese civillians were taking refuge. 106 civillians were killed, 116 injured, 4 Fiji UN forces were also seriously injured:
Wiki, AlAraby, Independent, DailyMotion
(25) 5 Israelis working for an Israeli Company "Urban Moving" were arrested on 9/11 after being seen documenting (their own words during an Israeli interview) and celebrating the attack on the WTC. Owner of the company, Dominik Suter, fled to Israel after the incident. His name appeared on the May 2002 FBI Suspect List, along with the 9/11 hijackers and other suspected extremists. Israel has yet to extradiate him (2001):
9/11 War by Deception, YouTube, YouTube, ABC, Forward, NYT, Haaretz
(26) New Zealand imposed diplomatic sanctions on Israel over an incident where 2 Australia-based Israelis, who were allegedly working for Mossad, attempted to fraudulently obtain NZ Passports by claiming the identity of a disabled man. 2 others, are believed to have been the 3rd and 4th men involved in the scandal but they managed to leave NZ before being apprehended. NZ PM viewed the incident as "not only utterly unacceptable but also a breach of NZ's sovereignty and international law". The following year, Israeli foreign minister apologized for the incident. (2004)
Wiki, NZHerald
(27) 2nd Qana Massacre (2006) air-strike carried out by IDF on a building Lebanon during the war. 28 civillians were killed out of which 16 were children. Upon investigation, IDF concluded that there was in fact no rocket launched from Qana on the day of the deadly strike by IDF:
Wiki, BBC, Norman Finkelstein
(28) CIA Memos: Israeli Mossad posed as CIA agents to recruit terrorists to carry out False Flag Operations against Iran (2007-2008):
Haaretz, ForeignPolicy
(29) Operation 'Cast Lead' (2008-2009): estimated 1391 Palestinians killed, 759 to be civillians, 344 children, 110 women. 13 Israelis killed, out of which 10 are soldiers. Israel also admits using 'White Phosphorus' during their military offensive:
Haaretz, Haaretz, Amnesty, France24, Investigation: F.A
(30) 4 Iranian nuclear scientists were assassinated and another was seriously wounded in an attempted murder between (2010-2012). US officials confirm that Terror Group, MEK was financed, trained, and armed by Israel in killing the nuclear scientists:
NBC, Guardian, Guardian
(31) In 2013, Israel awarded 'Genie Energy' (American Oil and Gas company), rights to drill in Golan Heights (Syrian occupied territory) despite international opposition including Israeli experts on international law. In 2015, Israel claimed a massive discovery of oil in the area, reportedly believe could supply the country’s oil needs for many years to come:
Prominent figures in Genie Energy's Board of Advisors:
Jacob Rothschild (British banker of the prominent Rothschild family), Dick Cheney (Ex-Vice president of USA), Rupert Murdoch (Billionaire American Media Mogul), James Woolsey (Ex-CIA Director), Lawrence Summers (Ex-Head of US Treasury), Bill Richardson (Ex-Energy Secretary of USA), Michael Steinhardt (Wall Street Trader, Investor and Hedge Fund Manager)
BusinessInsider, TRTworld, Yahoo Finance
(32) Operation 'Protective Edge' (2014) after the Kidnapping & Murder of 3 Israeli Teens allegedly by Hamas (Opinions divided among Israel's Security Services on who was actually behind it), Disproportionate Collective Punishment ensued against the people of Gaza (estimated 2104 Palestinians killed, including 1,462 civilians, of whom 495 were children and 253 women. 17,200 homes destroyed or severely damaged. More than 10,000 injured):
Image, NYmag, BBC, B'Tselem, Amnesty
(33) Duma Arson Attack (2015) Israeli Settlers firebombed a Palestinian home, killing an 18-mth old baby and his parents who succumed to their 3rd degree burns weeks later. Their 4yr old son who suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns on more than 60% of his body becomes sole survivor of the attack. Graffiti left by the arsonists read "Revenge, Price tag, Long live the Messiah". Months after the incident, Israeli Radicals celebrate wedding by stabbing photo of 18-mth old Palestinian baby that was killed in the Arson Attack
In 2020, Yair Netanyahu retweets crowdfunding legal appeal for Israeli terrorist convicted of the Arson Attack. Two dozen senior Israeli Rabbis have also issued a statement supporting the terrorist.
Wiki, Guardian

PART 2: PEDOPHILIA & SEXUAL BLACKMAIL

(1) Jewish Community Watch: "Israel becoming a safe haven for paedophiles worldwide" (2016):
Independent
(2) According to Ari Ben-Menashe (Israel's Ex-Military Intelligence Officer & Foreign Intelligence Advisor), Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell worked with Israeli Intelligence to run a Sexual Blackmail Enterprise for the purpose of entrapping powerful individuals and politicians in the United States and abroad. Former Israeli PM, Yitzhak Shamir also eulogized Ghislaine Maxwell's Father during his funeral, stating: “He has done more for Israel than can today be said."(2019):
7News, MintPress, Telegraph, Narativ, TRTworld, Haaretz
(3) Jeffrey Epstein has also invested millions of dollars in Carbyne, an Israeli start-up company in which former Israeli prime minister and current election candidate Ehud Barak is the controlling shareholder (2019):
NYT, Haaretz, Haaretz
(4) Photos show Former PM Ehud Barak entering Epstein's home. At a Later stage, a woman came out saying Epstein forced her to have sex with Former PM Ehud Barak (2019-2020):
JPost, DailyMail, TimesOfIsrael, YnetNews
(5) In newly uncovered photos taken on Epstein's island, Ghislaine Maxwell seen cavorting with fugitive rape suspect Jean-Luc Brunel - who gave Jeffrey Epstein three 12-year-old triplets as a birthday present'. In the photographs from the source, Jean-Luc Brunel is wearing an Israeli Army hat. (2020)
NZHerald, NYPost
(6) Maria Farmer, one of Epstein's victims gave an interview with Independent Journalist Whitney Webb. In the interview she talks about the sex ring and how Jewish Supremacy played a major role. She mentions how none of the mainstream media was willing to talk about it. Alan Dershowitz, a pro-Israel Attorney, who was also involved in Epstein's sex ring smeared her as anti-Semitic for her statement. Dershowitz is well known for his Defense team for Harvey Weinstein in 2018 and for the impeachment trials of Donald Trump in 2020 and 2021. He was a member of the legal defense team for Jeffrey Epstein and helped to negotiate a 2006 non-prosecution agreement on Epstein's behalf. (2020)
Maria Farmer Interview, Epstein's victim says Dershowitz had sex with her 6 times while she was underaged, InformationLiberation, NYmag, Vox
(7) Child abuser Malka Leifer, wanted for 74 charges of sexual abuse escaped from Australia to Israel. On October 2019, Jerusalem Court released her on bail despite many opposing it. The Israeli President refuses to meet alleged victims of Malka Leifer during his visit to Australia (2019):
Guardian, APnews, Abc Australia, The Australian
(8) How Jewish American paedophiles hide from justice in Israel (2020):
CBSnews

PART 3: INTL. LAW

(1) Apartheid Against Palestinians:
Protected Wiki
(2) International Law (Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, UN Resolution 37/43) dictates that Palestinians have a legal right to an armed struggle to resist occupation:
Add. Protocol I, Geneva Conventions (PDF), UN Resolution 37/43 (PDF)
(3) Israel's building of settlements in occupied territories such as the West Bank and East Jerusalem are illegal under international law, violating Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 as well as the Statute of Rome, Art. 8 (2)(b)(viii) which states: "The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.":
Wiki, UN, International Law on Occupation, A.J, Amnesty, Amnesty, B'Tselem, YouTube
(4) Israel's destruction of homes in occupied territories such as the West Bank and East Jerusalem are illegal under the Rome Statute as well as violating Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 which states: "Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons ... is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.":
Fourth Geneva Convention (PDF)
(5) List of Discriminatory Laws against Palestinians in Israel and Occupied territories:
Adalah, AlJazeera, HRW pdf Report

PART 4: RACISM/BIGOTRY

(1) Advocating racial purity in Israel, Chinese workers in Israel sign no-sex contract (2003)
Guardian
(2) Palestinian who claimed to be a Jew after a consensual sexual encounter with an Israeli woman jailed for 'Rape By Deception' (2010)
ABCnews
(3) Hierarchy of the Human species according to Eli Ben-Dahan, Israel's former deputy minister of defense: Goyims (Non-Jews) placed below Homosexual Jews (2013):
Haaretz
(4) Israeli Trade Minister: "I've killed alot of Arabs in my life, there's no problem with that" (2013)
JPost
(5) 800,000 mourners attend influential Rabbi, Ovadia Yosef's funeral procession (Largest in Israel's history). (2013) The following are his controversial comments made when he was alive:

“6,000,000 Holocaust victims were reincarnations of the souls of sinners, people who transgressed and did all sorts of things which should not be done. They had been reincarnated in order to atone.”
“There was a tsunami (Hurricane Katrina) and there are terrible natural disasters, because there isn’t enough Torah study…Black people reside there [New Orleans]. Blacks will study the Torah? [God said] let’s bring a tsunami and drown them...“Hundreds of thousands remained homeless. Tens of thousands have been killed. All of this because they have no God.”
“Goyim (Gentiles) were born only to serve us. Without that, they have no place in the world – only to serve the People of Israel.”
“In Israel, death has no dominion over them… With gentiles, it will be like any person – they need to die, but [God] will give them longevity. Why? Imagine that one’s donkey would die, they’d lose their money...This is his servant…That’s why he gets a long life, to work well for this Jew.”
“Why are gentiles needed? They will work, they will plow, they will reap. We will sit like an effendi and eat… That is why gentiles were created.”
"A woman's knowledge is only in sewing...Women should find other jobs and make hamin, but not deal with matters of Torah."
“How can you make peace with a snake?” (Referring to Arabs)
“Those evildoers, the Arabs — it says in the Gemara [Talmud] that God is sorry he ever created those sons of Ishmael.”
“They’re stupid. Their religion is as ugly as they are.” (Referring to Muslims)
"It is forbidden to be merciful to them. You must send missiles to them and annihilate them. They are evil and damnable." (Referring to Palestinians)

TimesofIsrael, TimesofIsrael, Wiki
(6) Muslim & Christian graves desecrated in Israel w Racist graffiti (2011):
Reuters
(7) Israel school textbooks depicts Palestinians/Arabs as terrorists, refugees and primitive farmers (2011):
Guardian
(8) Ethiopian Jews injected with contraceptive birth control without their consent (2013):
Haaretz, Independent, Guardian
CONTINUED IN COMMENTS BELOW

Washington is dead, long live Washington!

Division: NFC East

2019 Record: 3-13, 4th in NFC East

Coaching Changes

As the marketing says, this is a new RivERA. Almost the entire coaching staff has been replaced, except for the running back and special teams coaches, so let's all give a hand to Randy Jordan and Nate Kaczor for being survivors of the Rivera purge. Here are the highlights:
 

Head Coach: Ron Rivera replaces interim Bill Callahan

After an 0-5 start last season, and multiple season of mediocrity, Dan Snyder finally decided to pull the plug on Jay Gruden. Interim coach Bill Callahan did a...job. The question quickly turned to who would be the newest coach of the Washington Football Franchise. Would it be current OC and potential wünderkid Kevin O'Connell? Would they somehow steal away Mike Tomlin (remember this theory?) No. Enter in: Riverboat Ron.
Ironically, the only way that Washington was able to hire him was by defeating him: in week 13 of the 2019 season, Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice stomped through Rivera's defense to the tune of 248 yards on the ground. That was enough to seal his fate with owner David Tepper, who was vocal through the season about the panthers status of mediocrity.
While one can reflect on Rivera's tenure as mediocrity, I'd argue it is anything but. As 2-time Head Coach of the Year, Rivera lead the Panthers to 3 1st place finishes in the NFC South, including a historic 15-1 2015 season where the Panthers made it to the Super Bowl behind MVP Cam Newton. Rivera is the winningest coach in Panthers history, with an overall record of 76-63-1. However, he was not Tepper's choice, and for that as a fan I owe Tepper one.
While I would not fault Jay Gruden for all of the Redskins issues the past 5 1/2 years, he seemed destined to stay at most mediocre, never even reaching the highs Rivera has seen. Key Gruden personnel such as Kirk Cousins, Jordan Reed, Chris Thompson, Josh Norman, Josh Doctson, and more are long gone. Rivera has a brand new cast to work with, and I am excited to see it.
Rivera is a proven head coach with a long and public track record. He is known for being a big believer in a strong player-oriented team culture, and god knows this team needs some major culture help, especially in the front office. Looking at you, Mr. Snyder. GRADE: A
 

Offensive Coordinator: Scott Turner replaces Kevin O'Connell

Losing Kevin O'Connell to the Rams is disappointing, no way around it in my mind. Could the Rams get bitten in the rear and throw a green coordinator into the wind? Maybe. But out of all personnel we didn't keep, this one stung the most.
However, one must not dwell on the past too much. Enter in Scott Turner, son of Norv Turner. Turner comes over from Carolina where he was first the QB coach under his father, and then suddenly replaced his father once Rivera was fired. Some highlights of Turner include:

• Being the Brown's receiver coach during Josh Gordon's monstrous 2013 season
• Vikings QB coach during Teddy Bridgewater's best years

Yeah that's about it. He is young and hungry, and honestly, I am pretty happy with this choice as well. I have faith in him to develop Haskins, who is the future of the franchise as of now. Hopefully he does not fall out of favor as his father did with our favorite owner. GRADE: B+
 

Defensive Coordinator: Jack Del Rio replaces Greg Manusky

The Redskins defense in my opinion has been underwhelming in recent times, and in large part I blame Greg Manusky for this result. The Redskins defense last year ranked 27th overall, which any Washington fan will tell you is at best a slight shame and at worst a goddamn tragedy. Sure, our secondary was nowhere to be seen. Sure, we we're extremely injured a lot of the time.
But here's the worst part: our front 7 is actually really good. I mean come on: Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Matt Ioannidis, Ryan Kerrigan, Montez Sweat, and more should amount to one of the most potent QB rushing attacks of the year. However, the stats show that this is just not true. PFF listed us outside the top ten and in a more general sense the defense overall just seems too ooze mediocrity.
Enter in Jack Del Rio. This man has over 30 years of NFL experience, having multiple positions as both Head Coach and Defensive Coordinators in the past. While his head coaching career has not always been consistent, his defensive strengths are quite apparent. While Wade Phillips was responsible for the Super Bowl winning Broncos of 2015, we cannot forget that Del Rio groomed that defense for years prior, bringing them to the big game as well the year before. His earlier success in Baltimore and Carolina must also be mentioned, but my main point is this: Jack Del Rio is tiers above Manusky.
Del Rio and Rivera are on the same page, and switching to a 4-3 base defense with Del Rio should pay dividends to our defense, particularly our front seven. Look for a strong pass rush with Del Rio under control. GRADE: A
 

Quarterbacks Coach: Ken Zampese replaces Tim Rattay

Zampese formerly worked for the Greatest Show on Turf helping Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce, and Torry Holt achieve offensive supremacy over the league. He worked for 12 years in Cincinnati, developing both Carson Palmer and Andy Dalton. In addition, he helped to develop Baker his rookie year under literal the dumpster fire of a head coaching regime Hue Jackson had in 2018. After seeing many of Haskins sexy throws to McLaurin, Gandy-Golden and Co. on Instagram, I feel some safety in the QB department for once. GRADE: A-
 

Head Athletic Trainer: Ryan Vermillion replaces Larry Hess

If there's one thing that reminds me of a Washington Football season, its injuries. While Washington was not the only injured team, it definitely felt like one of the worst last year. At the end of the day, the blame falls on random injury luck, proper practice, and the athletic training staff. Larry Hess had been employed by Washington for 17 years, so this move may be seen as a long time coming, especially concerning some of the particularly bad injuries of recent years.
Vermillion has rep with Rivera, as he is the former head trainer for the Panthers. While the Panthers have had some injury troubles of there own as of recently, I am still hopeful that Vermillion and his staff can help the situation over here. GRADE: B
 
 

Free Agency

Players lost/cut

Player	Position	New team
Chris Thompson	RB	Jaguars
Colt McCoy	QB	Giants
Case Keenum	QB	Browns
Ereck Flowers	OG	Dolphins
Josh Norman	CB	Bills
Trent Williams	OT	49ers
Montae Nicholson	CB	UFA
Jordan Reed	TE	UFA
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie	CB	UFA
Wendell Smallwood	RB	UFA
Tony Bergstrom	OL	UFA
Donald Penn	OT	UFA
Vernon Davis	TE	Retired

Key Losses:

• Ereck Flowers: Flowers had been written off as a bust. His tenure in New York and Jacksonville were both at best mediocre, and at worst disgusting. He gave up tons of pressures, and questions about his devotion to the team were at play. However, Washington was able to reignite Flowers by transitioning him from a tackle to a guard. In this new role, he only allowed two sacks while starting all 16 games. In the end, he was able to get the best pay-day back home in Miami, and for that I cannot hold any ill-will.

 

• Josh Norman: 5 years. $51.1 million guaranteed. $75 million total. Honestly, I believed in Josh Norman when we first signed him. Coming off an All-Pro year on a stacked 2015 Panthers roster, Norman was proud to declare himself the best corner in the whole league. If you'd ask Norman today, he may still very well agree with that assessment. However, both the film and numbers point to Norman as a one year wonder. He was never able to replicate his 2015 success here, and was barely able to follow receivers like Revis or play the zone like Sherman. I would consider this the worst Redskins free agent signing of the Jay Gruden regime, hands down bar none. At least Matt Jones gave us some 100 yard games. His best games for us were against Cody Kessler and Matt Barkley. I am glad this is over with.

 

• Trent Williams: Oh Trent-y boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling. I am truly sad to see Mr. Williams suit up for another organization this fall, assuming there will be a football season. Trent has been one of, if not the best offensive lineman in the entire NFL since being drafted 4th overall in 2010. Even as poor football and asinine front office moves surrounded him, Trent remained grounded and supportive of Mr. Snyder's hope to win football games. However, this relationship quickly turned for the worse. I could write this whole page about the Trent Williams saga, so instead I shall link this.

Goodbye Silverback.
 

• Jordan Reed: If you thought the Trent Williams saga hurt me, oh boy you are not ready for this. Jordan Reed was probably my favorite Washington player up until last season. I was at his first big game in 2013, and boy was it a sight to see. A 3rd round TE from Florida, Reed was a bright spot on a more distant 3-13 Washington Squad still hoping for RG3's knees to spring back to life. When Reed was on fire, he was on. In his heyday of 2015 and 2016, Reed was a top tier Pro-Bowl talent TE possessing the quickness of a WR with the strength and build of a TE. However, we all know how this story ends. In 2013, he only played 9 games due to concussions. In 2014, he hurt his hamstring twice throughout the season yet still played in 11 games. As stated earlier, 15' and 16' were the golden years, but his hamstring came back to derail almost his entire 2017 season. By last year, he had over 9 known concussions, and one can only assume his hamstring is not in good shape. This is a classic example of injuries destroying a once promising career. If you are ever in need of watching some electrifying tight end plays, check this out, I promise you will not regret it. Thank you Jordan!

 
Players signed

Player	Position	Old team	Length	Salary
Wes Schweitzer	OG	Falcons	3 years	$13.5 mil, $4 mil guaranteed
Kendall Fuller	CB	Chiefs	4 years	$40 mil, $23.5 mil guaranteed
Logan Thomas	TE	Lions	2 years	$6.145 mil, $2.25 mil guaranteed
Sean Davis	S	Steelers	1 year	$4 mil, $2 mil guaranteed
Kyle Allen	QB	Panthers	1 year	$675k
Thomas Davis	LB	Chargers	1 year	$3.5 mil, $1.75 mil guaranteed
J.D. McKissic	RB	Seahawks	2 year	$3.27 mil, $1 mil guaranteed
Peyton Barber	RB	Buccaneers	2 year	$3 mil, $600k guaranteed
Cornelius Lucas	OT	Bears	2 year	$3.8 mil, $1 mil guaranteed
Richard Rogers	TE	Eagles	1 year	$1 mil
Cody Latimer	WR	Giants	1 year	$1 mil, $137.5k guaranteed
Kevin Pierre-Louis	LB	Bears	1 year	$3 mil, $1.5 mil guaranteed
Jeremy Vujnovich	OG	Cardinals	1 year	$825k
Ronald Darby	CB	Eagles	1 year	$3 mil, $1 mil guaranteed
Mike Liedtke	OG	Buccaneers	1 year	$750k

Key Additions:

• Kendall Fuller: We are proud to welcome our 2016 3rd rounder and new Super Bowl Champion back to DC. Fuller has proven himself as a formidable slot cornerback, and should be a day 1 starter immediately. In fact, I could see us playing him on the outside if need be, as our secondary will become stretched dry rather quickly. If we can trade for Malik Jefferson, we could finally have all pieces of the Alex Smith trade back on the roster, including Alex Smith himself (hang in there buddy :( ).

 

• Thomas Davis: A 3x Pro Bowler and bonafide former team leader of the Carolina Panthers, Thomas Davis is a welcome addition to our locker room. While at age 37 he may not start or play the most downs, his presence and familiarity with Rivera lends kindly to helping younger defensive players adjust and learn the new system.

 

• Ronald Darby: Darby has never played a full 16 game season, and the past two seasons in particular seem to be injury ridden. However, our secondary is in need of a #2 to step up behind Fuller and if Moreau cannot make a leap then Darby better be a frog. This one year, prove-it deal will show whether or not Darby is ready to play with the big boys now.

 
Players resigned

Player	Position	Length	Salary
Jon Bostic	LB	2 year	$5.1 mil, $2.25 mil guaranteed
Caleb Brantley	DT	1 year	$750k
Nate Orchard	LB/DE	1 year	$1 mil, $137.5k guaranteed
Aaron Colvin	CB	1 year	$1 mil, $137.5k guaranteed
Brandon Scherff	OG	1 year	$15.03 mil guaranteed (franchise tag)

Important Resigns:

• Jon Bostic: The former 2nd rounder has bounced around the league since 2013, but with Reuben Foster tearing his ACL in training camp last year, Bostic was thrust into the starting LB slot. While far from perfect, Bostic played surprisingly well last year, recording 105 tackles, a sack, and a pick. It is unclear whether Bostic's ceiling is much higher then this going into year 8 of his career. The signing of Thomas Davis and an even better D-Line could help Bostic shine more as there is less pressure on him. Overall, a good team friendly extension on a starte1st off the bench quality player.

 

• Brandon Scherff: Except for some penalty troubles, Scherff has been the most consistent offensive lineman this team has had in the past five years who is not upset at our current front office. While I am unsure if he was worthy of the Pro Bowl this past year, he is a stud OG and I am glad we have kept him his whole rookie deal. Hopefully a long-term can be worked out soon (though the deadline may have just past for franchise tagees), but keeping him on the franchise tag is far down the list of personnel issues.

 
 

Draft

Round	Number	Player	Position	School
1	2	Chase Young	DE	Ohio State
3	66	Antonio Gibson	WRB	Memphis
4	108	Saahdiq Charles	OT	LSU
4	142	Antonio Gandy-Golden	WR	Liberty
5	156	Keith Ismael	C	San Diego State
5	162	Khaleke Hudson	LB	Michigan
7	216	Kamren Curl	S	Arkansas
7	229	James Smith-Williams	DE	N.C. State
UDFA	N/A	Thaddeus Moss	TE	LSU
UDFA	N/A	Steven Montez	QB	Colorado
UDFA	N/A	Isaiah Wright	WR	Temple
UDFA	N/A	Johnathon Johnson	WR	Missouri

Grades and Thoughts:

• Chase Young: How much more can be said about this guy? Young was known for months to be the consensus number one talent of the draft, and that has not changed in the past months. He is a forced to be reckoned with, and putting him alongside our other D-Lineman is a scary sight. The often made comparison is that of the Bosa brothers, who both came into the league and wrecked havoc upon entry. I see Young doing the same thing, having a minimum 10+ sack season. Fear the predator y'all. GRADE: A+

 

• Antonio Gibson: Almost every analysis I have read about Gibson describes him in one of two ways: 1) A swiss-army knife 2) A football player. While I can't disagree with either, these both seem to be big buzzwords that cable football analysis loves to float around to tons and tons of players. No matter how you describe him, Gibson's highlight real speaks for itself. Most project him into a RB role in our system, and with Chris Thompson setting sail with Jay Gruden Gibson can not pick up the slack here. If he can provide support to Peterson and Guice, great! If he could improve our dismal receiving unit, even better! I like this pick, but can also see it failing if Rivera and Turner cannot utilize him correctly. GRADE: B+

 

• Saahdiq Charles: Using a picks here on the O-Line was a smart move, as our bench before the draft was extremely thin. Charles has been a part of one of the best O-line's in the nation at LSU, helping Clyde Edwards-Helaire run over the entire goddamn SEC. While there was a distraction of off-field issues, i.e. his six game suspension in his junior year. My understanding is that this stemmed from maturity issues and possible failed drug tests. Without these concerns, Charles would not have fallen to this round. Even with the character issue, his on the field product is fantastic, and if there was any coach to help Charles stay the right path it would be Ron Rivera. GRADE: B

 

• Antonio Gandy-Golden: My information on Gandy-Golden and Liberty football in general is extremely limited, but the little I have seen is fantastic. At 6'4, 223 lbs Gandy-Golden is prototypical size and his highlights at Liberty reflect that. He is able to utilize is wingspan to have a large catch radius and contend for aired out balls. In addition, while his 4.6 40 yard dash may be slightly underwhelming, his speed on tape is evident and can work. As the receiver competition is wide open, Gandy-Golden can easily become the number two receiver on this squad if he puts in the work. And according to social media, it appears he is trying. GRADE: A

 

• Keith Ismael: Another offensive linemen, but I struggle to see Ismael in any role besides backup this year. Ismael was solid player for his three year college career, and learning behind our O-line can do him well to bring him up to NFL speed. I can see him sitting behind Rouiller most of the year, but there's always the potential for something more if he is a diamond in the rough. However, I would have liked for a TE selection here. GRADE: B

 

• Kamren Curl: Curl seemed to be an intrenched starter for Arkansas, but it is hard to see what is exactly unique with his skill set. At 6'1, 206 lbs he has the body of a safety or even cornerback, which tracks as he played both positions in school. The most known information about him is that he was suspended for flirting with a cheerleader his sophomore season, but if that is his biggest character concern then I don't really care. In addition, he later cleared the confusion, noting that the cheerleader just wanted a photo with him. GRADE: C

 

• James Smith-Williams: A depth signing for our defensive front, which is all good in my book. However, this deep dive into the man shows that Smith-Williams has the potential to be more then a name in DC. His injury history is very troubling, but if he can put that Big Bang Theory Sheldon brain of his to our team then I am all for it. 7th rounders are the time for risks, and Smith-Williams case is a unique one where the injuries are not as much a concern for me. GRADE: C+

 
If the only player we keep out of this draft in the next 5 years is Chase Young, it will still have been a success. However, I have a feeling that other players will make an impact here, particularly with Gibson or Gandy-Golden breaking out in a rushing or receiving competition. For Kyle Smith and Rivera's first draft, it could have gone a lot worse. The amount of BS spewed about us drafting Tua or trading down was EVERYWHERE online before the draft, so I am jus glad we didn't mess it up as bad as we could have. Overall, I'd rate this draft a B+, with the rating going higher if any of these other players break out as well.
 
 

Name Controversy

Look, both you and I know that this subject has been beaten to death, especially on this subreddit. So let us just establish the facts:

• There has been ample push to change the name since the 1990s.
  
• Dan Snyder said in 2013 that he would never change the name. "It's that simple. NEVER — you can use caps."
  
• This month, Fedex, along with other major sponsors such as Nike and PepsiCo called on Snyder to change their name or face financial doom.
  
• July 13, 2020 Snyder issues a press release stating the name and logo are both officially retired.
  

There are many more specifics and points of contention on this issue, and I think this WaPo graphic does a good job illustrating other key times that the name has been discussed or been a point of contention.
My thought? About damn time. Look, I understand that the name is offensive and have been all for changing it, but more importantly I just want us to focus on what ideally should be more pressing for this writeup: the players and the game. The politics of the name has been a distraction and disgrace to the proud men who have worn this city on their back for decades. Do not get me wrong: the actual name itself holds little meaning to me personally. However, I am younger than many fans of the team and understand the attachment some have had for their entire lives. Yet, I do not think we need to forget about Theismann, Baugh, Jurgensen, Doug Williams, Rypien, Riggins, the Hogs, and more just by retiring the name. I say, let this begin a new era in Washington football history where we can be remembered for playing a game we enjoy and love, not hurting others if we do not need to.
My personal preference for a new name as of now is Red Wolves. Maintaining the colors and HttR (Howl to the Red Wolves!) sounds nice, and the animal is theoretically indigenous to DC and the southeast US even as we may not see it commonly. If trademarks issues can settle, I believe we will hear the new name before the next season.
 
 

Sexual Harassment/Misconduct Issues

After finishing the Washington Post article today, I was left with a feeling of disgust and sadness, but not shock. Football has always been known as a "boy's club," and seeing women in positions of power in any NFL organization is not common. This is the reason why. While I do not know the situation of every front office, I would not be shocked if this is more common then one would suspect.
Now, do not get me wrong: this is disgusting and Snyder should be ashamed of himself. Letting this persist for over 20 years and clearly not giving any shits is despicable. I do not want to defend these actions in any manner. These men have done disgusting things, and the fact that Snyder has let them slide and persist for all this time is plain gross. This is a question about human decency and respect: do you respect your fellow person enough that you control what you say around them? That you think before you act? Clearly the Washington Football team has not cared about its female employees nearly enough. This is hurtful for everyone, male, female, non-binary, whatever. Please, just consider your fellow person when you are living your life. This is not hard.
 
 

Projected Lineup and Position Groups

 
Offense:
QB1: Dwayne Haskins
QB2: Kyle Allen
This should be Dwayne Haskins year to fully realize himself as a starting quarterback in the NFL. While I love watching his sexy instagram workouts, I can only get so worked up before needing to see the real deal. Since being thrown into the fray last year, we saw Dwayne progress in his decision making, but keep improvements in accuracy, particularly throwing mechanics, should be a focus this year. Even with a...subpar supporting cast (more on that later), this should be Simba's year to break out, or at least show that he is worthy of his first round draft selection.
I don't expect Allen or even Alex Smith (if he has recovered enough, which I am doubtful of) to give Haskins a run for his money. While Rivera has never stated he is sold on Haskins, do not think any other QB will start this season (barring injury.) Washington is committed, at least for this year, to Dwayne Haskins.
 
RB1: Adrian Peterson/Derrius Guice
RB3: Antonio Gibson
It is really a toss-up here whether or not AD or Guice starts, but if history is cyclical then Peterson will get the nod soon enough. I really want Guice to do well, and when he has not been injured he has done fairly well. However, I have little hope that his knees keep holding up, especially considering how much we may need to rely on our run game this year.
Peterson is old, but has shown to be consistent enough when we have a semblance of an offensive line. Our run game is decent, definitely not the worst in the league, but could be close to it. I imagine Gibson may fulfill the role of a receiver back, catching out of the backfield or taking hand-offs. He is bigger than Chris Thompson, but elusive enough that I could see some similarity in usage, especially as a rookie.
 
TE1: Jeremy Sprinkle
TE2: Richard Rogers, Logan Thomas
TE3: Thaddeus Moss
Sprinkle gets the nod here as the number one due to his experience in DC, but as the new regime is in town this is really anyone's game. Stat-wise Rogers and Thomas are relatively consistent, and while Moss has the obvious name recognition he is not even a lock to make the current roster. Sprinkle has always been subpar as a pass catcher, decent as blocker and not much else. Hopefully someone here breaks out or a trade swings through, otherwise this is one of our worst position groups on the roster.
 
WR1: Terry McLaurin
WR2: Steven Sims Jr.
WR3: Antonio Gandy-Golden/Cody Latimer
WR4: Trey Quinn
"McLaurin and then everybody else" is the best way to sum up our receiving unit. Scary Terry is once again our biggest threat and should have just as good if not a better year than 2019 as Haskins' accuracy issues (hopefully) clear up. I Like Sims Jr. as a returner, but his results as a receiver have been inconsistent. Perhaps he could be used similarly to Antonio Gibson, as I see him getting end around hand offs having big success. Gandy-Golden looks promising, but small school talent can be hard to adapt to the NFL. Latimer is a solid depth signing, and I am very unsure if Trey Quinn is worth his roster spot. While I mentioned the Tight End group being poor, this group is equal in that regard. Hopefully our run game can carry once again.
 
LT: Geron Christian Sr.
LG: Wes Schweitzer
C: Chase Roullier
RG: Brandon Scherff
RT: Morgan Moses
Scherff is a bright spot on this mediocre group, but he has had some penalty troubles and the contract situation for him is still unclear as for the future. Geron Christian should hopefully start and have improved since last year, and Schweitzer seems to be a decent signing. I like Rouiller under center for now. Saahdiq Charles and Keith Ismael could both become starters, but I have a feeling Rivera will not want to throw them into the fire early on. Overall I'd categorize this group as "eh?" and hope that our RBs can find enough holes. Haskins has also been improving his mobile game so escapability could be a needed factor with this line.
 
4-3 Defense:
LDE1: Chase Young
LDT: Matt Ioannidis
RDT: Daron Payne
RDE: Montez Sweat
This is by far the best position group on the entire roster. Calling these four the only starters is somewhat a misnomer, as Rivera and Del Rio will be frequently subbing in and out many linemen. Kerrigan and Jon Allen should still have large roles, but these are my choices based on durability and past success. Chase Young should be a stud, and I have heard him having between 10-15 sacks this year. Ioannidis has been a 5th round gem for us, leading the team in sacks last year. Payne and Sweat are both young and have shown some success, and I am hopeful they can both remain at worst starter level linemen. If our line is not getting after QBs like crazy this year, some big questions will need to be raised.
 
WLB: Cole Holcomb, Josh Harvey-Clemons
MLB: Jon Bostic, Thomas Davis
SLB: Ryan Anderson
While not as impressive as the linemen, our LB core is still a solid group. Thomas Davis brings in some leadership to an otherwise young group. Ryan Anderson will finally be playing in his natural position as a 4-3 LB. Both Bostic and Holcomb were impressive last year, though I am hoping their coverage (particularly Holcomb's) could improve. Harvey-Clemons is good for our depth, and solid rotation player. Overall not a flashy group, but should get the job done with the pressure all being up front.
 
CB1: Kendall Fuller
CB2: Ronald Darby, Greg Stroman
CB3: Fabian Moreau, Jimmy Moreland
FS: Sean Davis
SS: Landon Collins
The only unquestionable starters here are Fuller and Collins, and even Collins has been looking down as of recent. My dark-horse candidate is Jimmy Moreland, who impressed in last years preseason before being hidden or unnoticeable during the regular season. Moreau is decent, and Sean Davis is as good as Montae Nicholson ever was (especially considering his legal issues.) The loss of Quinton Dunbar is not sad whatsoever, and while his play was above-average, his robbery skills are very poor. This is the biggest whole in the defense by far, and my guess is that our team will ride or die by this secondary. If the front 7 is doing what it can to apply pressure, there will be some slack here. However, do not be surprised if next years writeup has many different players here.
 
Special Teams:
K: Dustin Hopkins
P: Tress Way
KR: Steven Sims Jr.
PR: Steven Sims Jr.
I want Tress Way to have my children so that they will be blessed with his punting genes. After a couple years of flying under the radar, Way was finally recognized in 2019 with a Pro Bowl and Second-team All-Pro nod. I am upset that Brett Kern got the nod over him for First-team, but the recognition is still appreciated. Hopkins is decent, though he does have a tendency to miss some close kicks (cough vs. Bengals in London cough), but he has provided stability to kicking for years now. Sims emerged last year as our return man, and with him bringing us our first return touchdown since 2015, I'll let him stay. Perhaps Gibson will try returning as well, who knows.
 
 

Schedule Prediction

 
Home against the Eagles: Loss
3 out of the past 4 years Washington has lost its openers, with two of those loses being against the Eagles themselves. Be ready for growing pains with a new name, coaching staff, and supporting cast. This season is not gonna get any easier.
 
Away against the Cardinals: Loss
This game could be a close one, but the Cardinals seem to be on the up with Kyler and Kingsbury. There air raid will be too much for the DC secondary, especially playing in Arizona.
 
Away against the Browns: Win
It's the Browns for god sake. Josh Norman had a game winning pick a couple years back for us against them. Sure, their QB was Cody Kessler, but different year same stories. No more Freddie Kitchens, still the same Browns.
 
Home against the Ravens: Loss
It's the Ravens. Enough said.
 
Home against the Rams: Loss
McVay and Co. should have our number here. Even without Gurley the Rams passing attack should be enough to take us down. The real downfall of our team is the secondary, that should be a pattern to notice. I'd like to believe in a Haskins comeback win here, but who knows.
 
Away against the Giants: Loss
Going into the Meadowlands, I expect a game similar to the late OT thriller of last season, with the Daniel Jones reigning supreme again. Saquon will distract our defense enough that number one receiver... Sterling Shepard will bust us up. Clap man Garett gets us again.
 
Home against the Cowboys: Win
Come on now, it's the Cowboys. Dak is overpaid, blah blah blah. Coming back home and wanting to prove ourselves after a crippling loss last week, I think Simba can pull off a nice home win here.
 
Home against the Giants: Win
Revenge game of the 2019 QBs, and this time Haskins will stay on top. Expect a nice performance from McLaurin, and Chase Young destroying Mr. Jones.
 
Away against the Lions: Win
I'm praying that Chase Young is able to get after Stafford enough that he does not pull a come back against us here, but I expect this game to be close as well. Perhaps Okudah has a pick six, why not.
 
Home against the Bengals: Win
Haskins vs. Burrow. Burrow vs. Young. A bonafide 2019 tank-bowl matchup. I feel we have the upper hand here, but really this game should be a shit show. Should be juicy though.
 
Away against the Cowboys: Loss
Playing in Jerry World is ass, though I'll never forget Colt McCoy leading us to victory on Monday night. No way in hell we go 2-0 against the Cowboys, so mark this down as a loss.
 
Away against the Steelers: Loss
Big Ben is back and can run around in the pocket, meaning even with ample pressure his offense will do better than ours.
 
Away against the 49ers: Loss
It's the Niners, and they mean business. Last year's game was a 9-0 snoozefest for some reason, so I'm guessing this one will be 30-27 shootout. Should be fun to see a potential Trent Williams vs. Chase Young matchup.
 
Home against the Seahawks: Loss
Russell Wilson.
 
Home against the Panthers: Win
Rivera fights his old team and...wins?? Yep, even with Teddy B I feel our defense will keep us afloat. Shaq Thompson is scary, but I am not particularly afraid of Donte Jackson and Eli Apple... Haskins will now probably throw three picks.
 
Away against the Eagles: Win
Ending the season on a positive note, what?? Yes, this one may be a stretch. However, if the Eagles are in the number one spot, my guess is that they would rest their starters against ours. Then again, I have no clue who will win the East so your guess is as best as mine. At any rate, I am ready to 100 percent lockdown Wentz this game, maybe.
 
Final record: 7-9, miss the playoffs, 3rd in NFC East
In my book, this would be an OK first year for Rivera. Coming in with so many green players and an entirely new system can lend itself to mediocrity, but building off of this year is crucial in my book to finally escaping out of the limbo which Washington has played in since Snyder bought the team in 1999.
Draft wise, this should set us up for a pick between...12-15? A solid early/mid-first, probably drafting a receiver, tight end, or secondary player depending on who pans out this year.
 
 

Training Camp Battles to watch

 

• Wide Receivers:

Like previously mentioned, it is unclear who will be receivers 2 and 3 behind McLaurin. Kelvin Harmon and Steven Sims Jr. emerged as early contenders, but as noted earlier Harmon tore his ACL. Latimer was ok last year on the Giants, but can he beat out Gandy-Golden or Sims Jr. at the top of the chart. I believe players such as Trey Quinn, Cam Sims, Johnathon Johnson and Isaiah Wright are all fighting for a roster space, so seeing them as starters is extremely unlikely. Predicted Winners: Antonio Gandy-Golden and Steven Sims Jr.
 

• Tight Ends:

This whole roster spot is a toss up. I truly am hoping that Sprinkle gets a kick in the rear to elevate or somebody else steps up, as he was far from a special talent last year. His name makes sense, as he was only able to Sprinkle in a few catches from Haskins and Keenum throughout 2019. Both Richard Rogers and Logan Thomas aren't impressive, so the hope for fans is that Thad Moss or an unknown player such as Marcus Baugh is able to claim the spot. No matter who wins here, the position will be weak. Predicted Winner: Jeremy Sprinkle
 

• Cornerback:

The battle here lies between all players not named Fuller or Darby. Known Redskins names such as Fabian Moreau, Greg Stroman, Jimmy Moreland, and Danny Johnson are all fighting to be the number 3 corner or remain on the roster in a bench role. I feel at most one of these players will be cut, but overall secondary job security should remain steady for 95 percent of Washington players. Predicted Winner: Fabian Moreau
 
 

Offensive and Defensive Schemes

Offense:
One of the points I've read stressed about Scott Turner is his ability to fit the offense for the QB. As this will be his first full time OC job, it is unclear exactly what schemes he plans to run, but I assume it will be up to date with the fast and mobile trends of stat and data driven offenses today. Perhaps we shall see some similarities to his father, who utilized both Air Coryell and spread techniques in Carolina.
 
Defense: Base 4-3, 4-3 Under
As mentioned before, Del Rio and Rivera are shifting our defense from a 3-4 of the past to a 4-3. This should help our rush game significantly, with players such as Ryan Anderson and Chase Young being able to fit in the scheme quite naturally, For more in depth coverage, be sure to read this Hog's Haven post which will explain it more in depth.  
 
Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts down below. Agree, disagree? This was my first year writing, so I hope it was bearable to read!
Offseason Review Hub

Part 1
Part 2
Part 4
Part 5
I last visited a mall during an urban exploration outing about three years ago with Joe and Nicole. It was just before Nicole had met Isha, and about a year before Cheyenne had joined us.
It was the largest mall in the region, and I had fond memories of it from its last gasp as a cultural center in the early 2000s. It took my mother thirty minutes to drive me and my then two-year-old brother to it. I remember following her through the massive, snow-covered parking lot into the vast space inside.
People from all walks of life happily bustled between well-stocked stores. A Christmas tree stretched up to the wide ceiling of laminated glass. I delighted at the holiday decorations as my mother plopped me into Santa’s lap. Those were good times.
But, you’ve probably already guessed the derelict state it was in many years later when Joe, Nicole and I snuck in after dark. The factories that left for cheaper labor overseas took the local economy with them. Only a handful of third-rate stores remained, and they were on their last legs. Ceiling tiles were missing. Rubble and shattered glass lay strewn over large areas of the floor. We were there during the summer, but I’d seen pictures of snow falling through the broken overhead windows and covering where the artificial Santa set had once thrilled me.
My present surroundings went far beyond what I witnessed in 2002 and instead represented what I had only seen in movies taking place in the 80s or 90s. Or, at least, they likely did before the floor above spilled a putrid river of decomposed bodies, supplies, and hardening molten metal over its lower level.
This floor was twice as tall as the others, allowing it space for an upper and lower level connected by an escalator. The ceiling was painted light blue – a poor substitute for the sky I yearned to see – and held bright lights. Some flickered irregularly while many others, no doubt affected by the massive hole the molten metal had made in the ceiling, dangled limply and failed to function. I noticed a thin and translucent ladder-like structure extending down from the hole. Dozens of the Chindra who had fallen to B3 ran up it back to B2.
The mall’s stores sold toys, men’s clothes, women’s clothes, lingerie, electronic gear, food, tools, and plenty else. The bottom level had a merry-go-round (I think I rolled off the tarp that covers it earlier), a food court, and a video arcade in which I found myself positioned atop a claw machine. I’d never won anything from one, but Mason had once snagged a giant plush frog that he’d kept in his room through middle school.
“Hey, you!” called a chubby man. He and a curly-haired woman swam towards me through the muck. Both were dressed in grey uniforms. “We’re coming over to you!”
Well, at least not everyone here is a clone of my father. I had every reason to expect them to be hostile and prepared myself to dive back into the water and swim out of the arcade. Hopefully, Nicole and Joe had survived and would be close by.
The woman climbed out of the water and balanced herself on the glass casing of a coin pusher machine a few yards behind me. I rolled my eyes when I saw the face proudly etched into the pieces of silver within it.
The man, not finding a surface that could reliably support him, grabbed onto the top of a mini bowling machine. Their supply belts indicated they were maintenance people.
“I haven’t seen you before. You from B5?” the woman asked.
I nodded. I had access to there, so it was likely an answer that wouldn’t give away that I was an intruder who’d helped cause this mess.
“I didn’t think they let y’all out,” said the man. “The rumors I’ve been hearing are that y’all get pumped full of…well you-know-what, and they keep you on a real tight leash during the pregnancy until you deliver, and then the process starts anew. I didn’t think y’all even had access to the plaza.”
What the fuck, I thought. Oh god.
I recalled the extensive notes on my card about my physical health, and how Isha and I were both assigned to B5. Was “Med/Rep” a place for…fertile women to deliver children? The repairman’s description didn’t exactly make it sound like a mere facility to assist women in pregnancy; I had the feeling that dad’s calculations alone determined whether and when someone got “pumped full of” you-know-what.
The hunter who carried away Isha did so after checking her ID – he must have taken here there after seeing that she was assigned to it. All the more reason to get to her as soon as possible.
“Do you know what this disaster is all about?” asked the woman.
I shook my head, wanting to give up as little information as possible.
“We were here to address an issue with the overhead lighting,” said the man. “But this is absolute hell. Never seen anything like it. Good thing the mall was closed and powered off when whatever this is happened. Otherwise we’d be shocked to death.”
“I need to get back to B5,” I said. “All this flooding has disoriented me…do you know the closest way down?”
“Well, most of the hatches and the door to the main staircase won’t even open when there’s flooding,” said the man. “And, the elevator’s powered down at the moment.”
“There is a door by the restrooms upstairs,” said the woman. “It leads to a maintenance hatch down to B4. It’s on a different system and would probably still work.”
My father’s voice rang out over the intercom before I could respond.
You’re probably surprised to find yourself in this setting, Robyn. Let me give you a quick explanation. This country saw in the 80s and 90s the beauty of a free market left relatively untouched by those arrogant enough to think they should interfere with it. These shopping centers brought together people from across our society. They spawned innovation through competition. They made us wealthy and happy. So, I decided to incorporate consumer culture into Abernathy City.
The denizens of B1 and B2, back when I was still planning on using human workers, would work for a few dimes a day. In their biweekly hour of free time, they would be permitted to spend what they earned down here on the very products they put together. The academics on B4, the medical staff on B5, and the technicians on B6, who earn much more, are still to be the primary customers. Robyn, I’m so close to achieving my dream. All I need is a few more modifications for this whole facility to run like clockwork, and when it does, the plaza will be at the center of its society.
Returning to our present predicament: I’ve got good and bad news for you. First, the good news: based on the responses I’ve found online, your summary has thus far not been lacking in detail. As I said before, I haven’t read what you’ve written yet, but I look forward to reviewing it when this is over! Also, you will be delighted to hear that Mason is alive and well! And, your other friend…Elsa was it? Well, I am delighted to inform you that she’s about to begin contributing to one of the most important tasks of all in a self-sustaining society.
“What is this?” asked the man. “Who’s the boss talking about?”
I feigned confusion even as I fretted over Mason and Isha.
Now, for the bad news, continued my father. You and your friends have been a serious annoyance to me. The damage you’ve caused will take quite some time to repair. I’ve put the Chindra to work on patching up the leak you created, and they stopped the flow of water for now. But, the flood may remain in my shopping center for quite some time.
You may have noticed that the ooze produced by the Chindra has a binding quality to it that assimilates different life forms into one living entity. Well, let’s just say that I did a bit of experimenting with it to produce something that could defend this facility in a situation like this from intruders like you.
This did not sound good. I closed my backpack and tied it tightly to myself. I needed to flee, and I wanted to take my supplies with me.
I’m taking off the kid’s gloves, Robyn. It’s time for you to face your hardest test yet. I really don’t expect us to have another of these conversations. You’ve never held up well against strong adversity. It’s been fun, little bird.
“The hell was that about?” said the repair woman.
As the sound cut off, I noticed a thin red dot on the wall behind me. I followed it as it approached me and then disappeared from the wall.
“What’s that on you?” asked the woman.
I glanced down and noticed that the light now hovered on my chest. I’d seen enough movies to know what was about to happen. I dived into the filthy water and swam away as I heard two gun shots ring out.
When I surfaced at the other end of the room, the man was gone and the woman drifted lifelessly in the water. I pushed her body away from me and noticed two bullet wounds in her; the shots meant for me must have hit her instead.
“You can add poor Ms. Hershing to the list of people who’ve suffered because of you,” said my father – not from the intercom, but from the very room I was in. Was he another clone sent to kill me? “Poor Robyn. Always wanting to do good, always ending up doing harm. You got that from your mother. You certainly didn’t get that from me.”
I scanned the dimly-lit room for him. Did I see something moving near the claw machine where I’d just been stationed? The water shifted unnaturally there, and something solid glided atop it – a submachine gun with a laser sight.
A translucent face gradually turned in my direction. It was my father, but his skin resembled that of the Chindra, in that it heavily blended with the background. “Surprised to see me like this?” he said with a smile. He raised his gun.
I dived again and swam desperately for the arcade entrance as I heard the loud thuds of gunshots. Blood dispersed into the water before me as a shot meant for me hit the corpse of a man I recognized as the owner of another doomsday shelter – the one I’d spray-painted months earlier – and an old business partner of my dad’s.
I surfaced by the Merry-Go-Round, where I gripped a horse’s head for support as I treaded water. The escalator upstairs (not functioning, of course) was on the other end of the shopping concourse. I had to get up there and take the maintenance shaft down. But, it was a long way to the escalator, and the route was littered with wreckage and floating corpses. Hopefully, I could lock it behind me to at least delay this clone and the third hunter from before, if he was still alive.
A ‘thump’ sounded on the roof of the merry-go-round directly above me. “Little bird,” called my dad. He must have climbed up there and seemed to be using a flashlight to scan the area ahead of me. “I know where you’re going. And I’m not going to let you make it upstairs. You could really use a pair of wings now, couldn’t you?” He laughed.
“Boss, is that you!” cried the voice of the repair man. Dad’s flashlight shifted to where he’d waded by the entrance to a toy store. He must have fled after seeing his partner shot.
“Have you seen my daughter?” the clone asked.
This distraction would be my only chance. I knew that I swam for it, I’d never make it to the other side without being spotted. So, instead, I lay on my back, kicked off from the merry-go-round, and floated, doing my best to quietly fit in with the numerous bodies that filled the corridor and only gently kicking to keep myself moving in the right direction. It was hardly a perfect illusion, but hopefully I would avoid detection in the darkness long enough to at least put some distance between me and my dad.
“I think so, a young woman was with me in the arcade,” I head the repair man say. His voice was close; I must have drifted towards him. “Why can’t I see you, boss?”
“Where did she go?” asked my father’s clone. I brushed against another body as I glided further away, measuring the distance by the passing lights on the ceiling.
“No idea,” he said. “Where are you, exactly, boss? All I see is the flashlight.”
I drifted underneath several functioning lights that cast me in greater visibility. I tried not to shiver in the freezing water. Thankfully, my father didn’t seem to notice.
“Then you’re no use to me,” said my father.
I felt myself bump into the maintenance man. “Huh?” he said, startled. “Wait, boss, I think I found-”
Two more shots rang out. The heavy force of the man’s body crashed into me, sending me underwater.
There was no use in pretending any longer. I swam while submerged, pressing onwards despite the weight of my soaked backpack, as far as I could go. When I surfaced for air, only a few shops remained between me and the escalator.
A ring of light appeared around me only a moment later. I dived again as my dad fired. Luckily, a nearby half-eaten corpse shielded me from several shots as I swam closer to my destination. I didn’t have time to process why I recognized the corpse's faded dyed hair.
Bullets hit the water all around me again when I next surfaced. Most landed in the space between me and the stairs; he was trying to block my path. One bullet ricocheted off the wall. The next thing I remember was incredible, reverberating pain as high-pitched noise flooded my head. I grabbed at my left ear and, to my horror, discovered that part of it was missing.
Panic and shock ran through me. I hurried into the nearest store, which sold men’s clothing. I dizzily sputtered in and out of the water. The world spun around me even as I grabbed onto the dry top of a clothing rack and tried to calm myself.
“Clever girl, blending in with the dead like that,” called my father. “But not clever enough. I’m coming for you. We’re about to have a long-awaited reunion.” He was getting closer. I heard distant gunfire from upstairs; perhaps Nicole and Joe were facing a similar enemy.
I needed a place to hide; maybe I could lure him deep into the store and sneak out the way I came in while he searched for me?
I found myself against a wall. How did I even get here? What part of the store was I in? I was bleeding, a lot, and likely to get infected from exposing an open wound to the toxic substance in which I was immersed.
“I’m here, darling! Come to papa,” said my dad. The noise my wounded ear had sent into my head had diminished enough for me to understand him.
I used the wall to push myself along until I found a corridor away from the soaked clothes that filled the store. I realized I had stumbled into a series of dressing rooms. I swam to the last one and locked the door.
“You’ve got a lot working against you, Robyn. Not only am I stronger and smarter than you, but I also know how you think. You’re hiding in here, hoping to draw me in, and to then sneak out the way you entered.”
That was may plan, until my dizziness led me to corner myself. It was only a matter of time before he found me. From the sound of his voice, he was in the area by the check-out counter. I had a few moments as he looked through the store.
“I’ve read your diaries, your emails, your text messages,” he continued. “It delighted me to no end when I learned that you would make a trip out here. If you’d texted the date and time, I would have prepared a welcoming committee. Why did I spy on you like that, you may be thinking? I wanted to see if you measured up to the family name. And guess what? My early assumption was correct. You didn’t.”
I threw my drenched backpack onto a small raised surface for placing clothing as I stood on a cushioned sitting platform that extended from the changing room’s wall. I took out two objects.
“Your grades were painfully mediocre. You didn’t excel at anything – sports, hobbies, you name it. You even lacked your mother’s ability to find a superior marital partner – her only skill.” He was on the opposite side of the store now. If I wanted to escape, now was my chance. But I knew I wouldn’t make it.
“I know everything about you,” said my father. He was at the entrance to the changing area. Luckily, I had a plan. And that plan involved him coming to me.
“I know you had your first kiss with that no-good Sheldon boy after senior prom. You waited over four years after that to get laid, only to lose it in a lousy one-night stand with a guy you’d just met and never talked to again. ‘The most awkward two minutes of my life,’ you texted Nicole the next morning,” he said, in a mocking voice. “Haven’t held a guy for more than three weeks since.”
If he was trying to rile me up, he was succeeding. I’d known about the diary entries, but it pained me to realize that this monster had reviewed virtually every private correspondence I’d ever made.
“It’s no wonder you’ve ended up at a convenience store, spending your free time with a bunch of dropouts and vandals,” said my dad. He knew he’d found me. I heard him push open the door to the first of the three changing rooms. “You always were a disappointment.”
The second door opened. I put on the goggles I’d taken from the hunter earlier as I braced myself.
“I blame your mother for creating you,” taunted my dad. He was in the stall next to me, moving more slowly as he cherished the moment of impending victory before he caught up with his prey. “But after she gave me the male heir I wanted, she became useless to me. She wasn’t worth the trouble it took keep around, much less the trouble of divorcing her. Little bird, you still think, even after all that you’ve seen today, that she died in random accident, don’t you? You inherited that naiveté from her. Not from me.”
I’d never been more furious as rage coursed through my veins. Even so, I composed myself and lifted my arms.
“Our journey is at an end, Robyn,” said the clone. "I hope you've enjoyed the tour so far." He was directly in front of me; only the flimsy wooden door divided us.
I fired three times through the barrier. He made muffled screams. I heard him crash into the water. “You didn’t count on one thing, dad,” I said, kicking the door open.
My goggles saw through the camouflaged skin of my fleeing father. One of the shots had hit his gun, which drifted broken in the water, and the others had hit him. As he feebly tried to wade away, he brushed against the wall and left behind a trail of blood on its white paint as he did so.
“You’re far sicker than I ever realized,” I said as I followed him. “But I knew that you spied on me when I was younger. I knew you were lying when you said that you wouldn’t review my notes until this is over. More specifically, I’m sure the clone I’ve been talking to has been reading them and sharing their contents with you. That’s why I didn’t mention that I picked up a gun from the fallen hunter in the last update. That’s why I wrote that I was ‘unarmed and defenseless’ when I really wasn't.”
I fired a fourth shot into the back of his head. He collapsed into the water and stopped moving. I returned the pistol to where I’d kept it in my backpack.
I’d known that my dad would outgun me in a fair fight. My dad was a gun enthusiast, whereas my only experience with firearms was when Nicole helped me fire a few rounds at a makeshift shooting range the five of us had made out of several weeks’ worth of empty beer cans in my backyard. But I had a plan in case I got cornered, and, miraculously, it had worked.
As I reached the escalator, I heard the sounds of a firefight upstairs. I climbed the steps carefully, staying low and using the metal sides as cover.
I saw Nicole crouched by the front counter of a jewelry store. Her stained, sleeveless white t-shirt exposed the strong arms with which she held the shotgun she’d nabbed earlier. In the back of the store, behind a cash register, was the remaining hunter – yet another clone of my dad. Unlike the one I had just fought, he was fully-visible and didn’t seem to be ‘joined’ to any degree with the Chindra. Did they all retain my real dad’s memories and consciousness? How was that even possible?
He noticed me and let off several shotgun blasts. I ducked and covered my head as the metal around me shook violently. I heard two more shots after that, followed by Nicole’s voice.
“You can come out now, Robyn. I’m so glad you’re alive.” I emerged cautiously to find Nicole standing over the hunter’s whimpering body. “Joe and I have been in a long standoff with him. He didn’t know I was there. Your distraction was all I needed to get the drop on him. Shot him twice in the chest.” She snatched away the dying hunter’s shotgun, removed its shells, loaded some into her weapon, and slipped the rest into her backpack.
“You look like you’ve seen better days,” said Joe as he stood up from behind a sunglass stand. “But I’m glad you’re okay. That guy had me pinned down here for ages.”
“You need to get that treated,” said Nicole, motioning to my ear. She whipped out her first aid kit, removed an antibiotic ointment, and prepared a set of bandages.
“Go ahead,” whined the hunter. A pool of blood extended out from him, and he clearly had no capacity to move. “Get it over with and kill me.”
“Let me have your knife,” I said to Nicole. She looked at me blankly. “Now!” I asserted. She handed it to me. “Hold him down if he tries anything,” I ordered my friends.
I proceeded to drive the blade into the hunter’s chest between his gaping wounds. The hunter screamed in further agony. “What are you doing?” cried Joe.
“How about we make this is long and painful as possible?” I said. “Unless you answer my questions.”
“Robyn, we’re not like that-” Nicole said.
“Do you have all of my dad’s memories?”
“Yes,” croaked the clone. “Up until he last had his brain scanned on B6; about a year before the helicopter accident. After that, I have the memories of the primary clone, who you’ve been hearing on the intercom, and then my own memories once I was created from him.”
“Did you really kill my mother?"
The clone smirked. “I’ve made some mistakes in my life. One of them was waiting six years after Mason’s birth to get rid of her. I should have done it sooner.” He spit blood up at me. Anger coursed through me. I dug the knife deeper into him and twisted it.
“One more question,” I said, as his blood and saliva ran down my cheek and dripped back down onto him. “What does that clone – the ‘primary clone’ – want with Mason?”
The clone nodded through the pain of two gaping shell wounds and a knife protruding from him. “Your real father – the one who died in the crash – has been kept in the same stasis chambers used by the Chindra since the helicopter accident. He isn’t dead, just extremely close to it. The one you saw at the funeral was a clone created just to be used there as a prop.”
“What does that have to do with Mason?” I asked.
The clone eked out a gleeful smile. “Your real dad wants to resume the life he had before the accident. We’ve developed a technology to help him – one that can transfer a consciousness between bodies. Not just create a new clone, but actually cause him to experience his own life continuing in a new body. It is built around the mechanism through which the Chindra queen communicates with the rest of the Chindra.”
“The bodies have to be compatible, and compatible bodies are hard to find,” the clone continued. “They require certain physical, cognitive, and genetic commonalities, and differences in sex and gender can pose substantial obstacles in humans. He also wants a younger, fresher body than the clones we can presently create, and his clones have demonstrated occasional instability that make them undesirable vessels for him. So, for the time being as we continue the testing phase, we rendered the facility only accessible to those fully-compatible with him that fall within those parameters. We were soon going to begin soliciting ideal individuals using our access to medical records. If we got desperate, we would even accept someone half-compatible like you, though your father would be reluctant to try a risky procedure just to inhabit the body of an underperforming female. But, luckily, you and your friends brought an excellent candidate right to us.”
“Your father wants to take the form of the son who better resembles him and bears his name. The procedure will upgrade Mason’s current consciousness. The boy will simply be replaced by an improved version of himself: his father. Have I answered all of your questions? Can I die already?”
“Fuck all this,” said Nicole.
“Mason,” gargled the clone as he raised his head closer to me, “will grow up to be just like me. It is inevitable.”
I kicked the knife deep into him with all the force I could muster. The clone finally stopped breathing.
Joe kept saying something to try to calm me down. I didn’t – couldn’t listen. I walked clumsily in a circle before collapsing on the ground.
When I awoke, Nicole had wrapped a towel around my wet form and bandages around my ear. Joe had gathered our armaments – the shotgun, my firearm with four bullets left in it, a fire ax, and Nicole’s knife. Joe, who still had Mason’s backpack, realized it contained Mason’s key card, which will give us access to the bottom level when we needed it.
I shared with them the information I’d obtained about the service entrance to B4 and then the painful news I’d heard about where Isha had been taken. Nicole was as furious as I expected. A sense of urgency drives each of us – to get Isha, to get Mason, and to get out.
My iPad, barely operating and with a crack in its screen, buzzed, and I quickly typed this update just in case my dad (should I say ‘the primary clone’?) still has the ability to cut off the air supply if I fail to do so. Don’t worry – there are no lies or omissions this time around. I hope, dad, that you can forgive that minor deviation from my otherwise thorough notes.
Nicole, Joe, and I are heading down for Mason and Isha. We will stop at nothing, and I recommend warning anyone else still present in Abernathy City to stay the hell out of our way.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
First up was Hillbilly Elegy
When it was published in 2016, J.D. Vance's memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," unread by me, was slammed by many for indulging in the same hackneyed stereotypes about rural America that it was theoretically designed to deflate, and for reducing the impact of social, political and economic factors in order to favor a more inspirational narrative of triumphing. In this story, a young man, attending Yale Law School, returns to his hometown in Ohio to help his mother, who recently overdosed on heroin. While that story plays, the man's past, as well as flashes from a more distant past, reveals itself, showing us what it was like for him as a child, living amidst economic uncertainty and various unaddressed conflicts within his family.
Indeed, there are at least a few broader stories in the background of Vance's personal account. One of them is what happened to the family's native spot in the Appalachia region of Kentucky, once prospering with the jobs and industry of a local steel mill but later, by the time he is aware of it, filled with boarded-up storefronts, as people linger on streets, sidewalks, and parking lots with nothing to do. This juxtaposes the family's return home with their initial migration to Ohio. The mill was running back then, when J.D.'s grandparents packed up the car and moved.
The other broader tale belongs to the family, beyond adult J.D. (Gabriel Basso) and his younger self (played by Owen Asztalos). In the present, J.D. is looking for an internship at a law firm that will keep him close to his girlfriend Usha (Freida Pinto). While dining with prospective law partners, he receives a call from his sister Lindsay (Haley Bennett), who inform him that their mother Bev (Amy Adams) overdosed. He returns home and tries to arrange a place for Bev in a rehab facility, all while he has a job interview the next morning.
In the past, J.D. had to deal with the mercurial moods of his mother, while seeking support and attention from his grandmother, affectionately called Mamaw (Glenn Close). We see the start and decline of Bev's addiction; she's a parasite, an addict, a narcissist, and a desperate user of others, notably her own family. J.D. foots the bill for a week-long stay on four credit cards, only to learn that Bev has no interest in going into rehab. As a former nurse who trashed her career when she roller-skated through the corridors of a hospital after popping pills, she's been shooting heroin, and she seems to be going down fast.
How did J.D. go all the way from Middletown to Yale? We're not entirely sure, though we know that he got there, so there’s not much suspense about whether he figured out how to transcend his past. The film keeps flashing back to his days as a teenager in the late 1990s. J.D., it's suggested, gets lost because his mother flees from one man to the next. When she marries on a whim, he winds up with a druggie delinquent stepbrother. A scene or two later, he has fallen into delinquency himself, a transformation that is less than convincing.
The movie's tone, guided by J.D.'s narration, veers between romanticizing certain elements of this downhome culture, a scolding attitude toward certain issues and a dismissive outlook on others, and just wallowing in the abject misery of this place and these people. It's all over the place, really, although there's one position upon which the movie never genuinely stops: compassion. Director Ron Howard works in the tradition of Colorful People who relentlessly inflict their colorfulness on us as if we could not see in the first six minutes that they were afflicted.
Give some credit to Glenn Close, who spends most of the movie with a cigarette in her mouth, wisecracking to everything that stands in her way. She acts as a person who is tired of being colorful, and even more tired of having a colorful family. What's best about the movie are the actors' human qualities. Amy Adams has a direct, blunt honesty that is appealing, and it's put to a good effect here. Both Asztalos and Basso have a dry way of sardonically holding their distance, but there you have the role of most narrators, anyway.
If I spent a lot of time performing a census of the cast, it is because the movie seems to rotate among its characters as if taking inventory. Nothing happens in "Hillbilly Elegy" that I cared much about. The movie leaves me with such vivid memories of its times and places, its feelings and weathers, and yet leaves me so completely indifferent to its plot. It presents the cycles of addiction and abuse, not with any insight or thoughtfulness, but with a sense of inescapable fate. From this perspective, these characters are essentially condemned to these lives for reasons beyond the movie's ability or willingness to confront.
"Hillbilly Elegy" hinges on Mamaw's hope that she'll leave her family better off than she found them, and it’s clear that J.D.'s story has fulfilled that wish almost as soon as this movie starts. But the process of watching him cut his losses and recommit to his own success is rendered in a way that just isn't dramatically satisfying. Everyone else's lives and problems really don't matter to this story, except that they give J.D. a few lessons to learn and a whole lot to run from. This is a movie that's surprisingly good in areas where it doesn't need to be good at all, and pretty awful in areas where it has to succeed.

Next up was Let Him Go
The opening images of "Let Him Go" include Kevin Costner standing behind a fence and watching as a horse jogs around in the pasture. He spends a lot of time standing alone, doing nothing, maybe thinking nothing, observing as if it is a task that provides him with purpose. He's not bitter or depressed or anything of the sort. He's simply content. This is just another relaxing start to his day.
George (Costner) and Margaret (Diane Lane) have been married for decades. Living on a ranch in Montana, the two are finally and completely happy when we first meet them. Their house evokes the healing serenity of wide-open spaces, overlooking fields that are perfect for horseback riding. They have an adult son, James (Ryan Bruce), who has married and given the two their first grandchild. All of them live under the same roof. When George and Margaret are sitting at the table eating breakfast, they look so comfortable with each other that they make us feel cozy.
Suddenly, tragedy strikes when James dies in an accident, and their insular, peaceful world is understandably shattered. A few years later, his wife Lorna (Kayli Carter) marries Donnie Weboy (Will Brittain), but it’s obvious from their dour ceremony that this is a union of necessity. While in town one day, Margaret sees Donnie abuse Lorna, as well as her grandson Jimmy. She tells George, and they go to the apartment where Lorna and Donnie live, hoping to take custody of the boy. Instead, they find that Donnie has abruptly packed them up and moved to parts unknown.
Margaret refuses to accept the situation, planning a road trip across state lines to retrieve Jimmy and raise him. George is reluctant, but she eventually convinces him. After packing his suitcase, George wanders out of the room without it. Margaret thinks he has changed his mind, but he explains he's just turning off the water. "I'm not coming home to busted pipes," he says. They pack up the station wagon for a road trip to begin the process of tracking down Donnie. She even packs George's old service revolver, just in case.
They travel from Montana to North Dakota, making a few stops along the way for information or to rest. George's connections as a retired lawman, vaguely famous in the region, help. They meet Peter, played by Booboo Stewart, a young Native American man living off a stolen horse, but not looking for any loot to steal. George and Margaret reminisce and occasionally bicker, but the two mostly share comfortable silences that say everything.
On a plot level, that ramps up the tension as George and Margaret encounter various members of Donnie's family (Jeffrey Donovan plays a false-smiling uncle, and Lesley Manville shows up as the tough, authoritative matriarch), leading to an unstoppable series of threats and violence. There’s a third act that's so wildly out of left field, it could have shifted the tone completely. But somehow, it works, because the movie never made me lose interest in its central characters. There's still a reticence, an unwillingness to push the violence beyond where it wants to go
Faithful readers will know that I have a certain fondness for movies with villains who are so despicable and repugnant that we cheer when we see something horrible happen to them. "Let Him Go" does not disappoint in this regard, although it does cost us something extra in the process. I still have yet to decide if the movie's ending is a particularly good one. As silly as it sounds, I really came to enjoy the company of George and Margaret, and I couldn't bear to see anything nasty happen to such good people. Oh well. Maybe it's another example of how sometimes we just have to face reality.
Many of the reviews of the film have criticized it on the basis of its plot and its tonal shift. I like it because of the time I got to spend with the characters as they dealt with family matters over a period of days. It was intrinsically interesting, not because of what it was about, but simply because of what it was. I think perhaps "Let Him Go" is gently trying to be a movie about imperfect but interesting people, the goodness of whose souls is tested by a private crisis. No great lessons are learned, no great statements made, but by the end of the film we have spent some interesting time with these people, and know them better.

Next up was Buddy Games
Although I am aware sperm is a precious bodily fluid, I don't find it an especially funny one. In "Buddy Games," the male characters are neurotic about three subjects: the size, experience, and health of their reproductive organs. This movie is like a study of de-evolution and man's ability to cheat natural selection. It's full of material that would be rejected from most third-grade recess periods for lacking wit and dignity.
Josh Duhamel, an actor who projects likability, makes his directorial debut with this comedy, which he also co-wrote and stars in. Looking at the film's press notes, he informs us that he always wanted to direct, and that writing a screenplay seemed like the natural way to start. He was close. Writing a bad screenplay is a natural way to start. There's no excuse in making the decision to film it. What he has made is yet another hymn to arrested male adolescence that should be mandatory viewing in convents to prevent nuns from thinking of renouncing their vows of celibacy.
Duhamel plays Bob, a successful businessman who has created the Buddy Games, an annual competition in which him and his friends strive to beat each other in a variety of contests. Indulging their "primal need to dominate," the guys usually aim for a lame trophy and, more importantly, bragging rights. The other members are Durfy (Dax Shepard), Doc (Kevin Dillon), Bender (Nick Swardson), Zane (James Roday). At the beginning of the movie, Sheldon (Dan Bakkedahl), the most avid competitor, is having a glorious time, until someone shoots him in the testicles with a paint gun.
Cut to five years later: Sheldon has been in a funk ever since, having lost both precious orbs of manhood. Bob, meanwhile, has a beautiful girlfriend (Olivia Munn), and he's also quite rich, which enables him to restart the Buddy Games at the behest of Sheldon's mother, who thinks it's the only way to lift her son out of his suicidal depression. When the other members prove reluctant to go along, Bob throws in a $150,000 prize as an enticement.
But Sheldon will only come back if Bender, the guy who shot him, will be excluded. To dissuade Bender from joining in, Bob tells him that there's a substantial entry fee. To his surprise, Bender successfully raises money by prostituting himself and selling vodka in his mini-van. Eventually, the group reunites for a new round of games, which include such not so hilarious exercises as attaching steaks to their heads and confronting a giant lizard. The most extended segment involves the men ingesting laxatives at a crowded bar and trying to persuade women to buy them a drink before the drugs take effect. It's no spoiler to reveal that not all of them succeed.
These guys seem to have it out for each other. Sure, a couple of them talk about how the game has kept them together all these years, long after one would imagine childhood friends would go their separate ways. To what end does it keep them together, though? The movie wants us to simultaneously view these characters as representations of middle-aged vulnerability and sometimes as literal punching bags, constantly to be beaten, smashed, and pulverized. There's something wrong with these people, and the simple fact of the matter is that watching them satisfy their masochistic tendencies isn't fun or funny.
There is a kind of one-upmanship now at work in Hollywood, inspired by the success of several gross-out comedies, to elevate smut into an art form. This is not an entirely futile endeavor; it can be done, and when it is done well, it can be funny. There's a scene in this movie where Bender also tries to appease his guilt by offering Sheldon a refrigerated humidor full of his own semen. Later, when Sheldon is in the kitchen making Pina Coladas, he grabs the semen and mixes it in. Yuck. Millions of little soldiers being massacred for a laugh.
For a fleeting moment, the film stops trying to break the Guinness Book record for offensive crudity and decides to simply be funny. The best part of "Buddy Games," and really the best part of any bad movie, is Olivia Munn. When Bob tells her about his plan to start the games again, she doesn't waste any time ditching him. Then, at the end, she rushes over to Bob in hopes that the games are finally over and they can start a life together. She pulls out the little black box, and shows him a ring. What does he do? He rejects it. At this point, it was clear that none of the idiots in "Buddy Games" are worth saving. I don't know about you, but if Olivia Munn walked up to me and handed over an engagement ring, I would take my chances.

Next up was Happiest Season
There is an emerging genre of movies about family reunions at holiday time. It seems to be a truth universally acknowledged that most reunions at Christmas end happily, while most reunions at Thanksgiving end sadly. That's odd, because the way things shake down in the world of fragmented families, we tend to spend Thanksgiving with those we choose, and Christmas with those we must. If those two lists are identical in your life, your holidays must all be joyous, or all not.
Perhaps what drives audiences to films like "Happiest Season" is that certain sense of empathy. The people onscreen may or may not look like us, but we can find some relatability and understanding in their comic foibles and tragic events. The simplest situations conceal hidden traps, and by the time the story arrives at its more serious point, we fully buy into it, because these characters have so endeared themselves to us through the comedy. It's funny in an innocent screwball kind of way.
The basic setup involves Abby (Kristen Stewart) and Harper (Mackenzie Davis), who have been dating for about a year as Christmas approaches. Abby isn't into the holiday season. Her parents, who really were into it, died when she was 19, as Harper loves to point out in expository dialogue. Being a fan of the season, she wants the woman she loves to have that sensation of Christmas joy again. So, she drunkenly invites Abby home for Christmas to meet her family. Regretting the move in the cold light of day, she waits until the car ride to reveal that she isn't actually out to her family.
Harper asks Abby to keep their relationship a secret while they're at the house, with the promise that she'll finally be honest with her family once the holidays are finished. Abby agrees, although it certainly ruins her plans to propose to Harper on Christmas morning. She meets Harper's parents Tipper (Mary Steenburgen), who's more than a bit of a controlling presence in the house, and Ted (Victor Garber), a local city council member who's running for mayor on a platform of some pretty conservative platitudes. Harper's older sister is Jane (Mary Holland), an odd one who always seems to be vying for attention. The eldest sibling is Sloane (Alison Brie), formerly a successful lawyer who quit to raise her children and make custom gift baskets.
From there, the film becomes a full-on farce, complete with eccentric characters, plenty of misunderstandings, and even some close-call gags involving doors and bedroom escapades. It's everything we expect from such material. Most of the action takes place in the house, and whatever happens will have to happen before everybody heads back to the airport. That creates an artificial deadline that makes everything seem more urgent and requires that the truth be told or love declared right here and now, or not at all.
The film is warm-hearted, funny, and involving. Stewart and Davis are well-cast. But it's not completely successful; I have an idea that writer-director Clea DuVall didn't know how to end it, and so she orchestrates a final scene at a gas station that owes more to screwball comedy than to the truth of the story. Some of the characters are broader than the material requires, but one of them, Abby's gay friend John (Dan Levy), is a wonderful comic creation, and there are some scenes of him just answering the phone that are inexplicably hilarious.
Look, a great movie this is not. A pleasant holiday entertainment it is. The generosity of the film is in how DuVall presents these characters without judgment and with considerable sympathy. Harper is in love with Abby; that's not in doubt. But she is slow to understand the depth and complexity of Abby's fabrications. She's sweet, and naive, but not the brightest bulb on the tree. What defines her for the family is not the fact that she's gay, but her own concealed romanticism. By the end, we understand that although life may not give us too much, it often gives enough.

And the last one was Uncle Frank
"Uncle Frank" presents material that cries out to be handled with quiet empathy and hammers us with it. I understand what the film is trying to do, but not why it does it with such crude melodrama. The tone is all wrong for a story of homosexuality; the conclusion of which is not necessarily false, but it does feel a bit dishonest in its simplicity. When you lay it on too thick, the audience is distracted by implausibility rather than identifying with the characters.
The movie begins in 1969 with 14 year old Beth (Sophia Lillis) dreaming of someday escaping the backwater South Carolina town where she lives with her family and seeing the world. She is encouraged in this by her Uncle Frank (Paul Bettany), who did just that; he now teaches at NYU. Frank's rare returns home are marked by the obvious coldness that his father (Stephen Root) demonstrates towards him for absolutely no evident reason. Four years later, driven by Frank's encouragement, Beth is now attending NYU, and it takes only one surprise appearance at a party at Frank's apartment to discover that he is gay and living with his lover of ten years.
Wally (Peter Macdissi) is Frank's committed partner. Just as Beth is figuring out how to react to this information, the phone rings in Frank's apartment. Daddy Mac has died. It's time for Beth, Frank, and Wally to take a road trip, back to South Carolina for the funeral. That's when the perspective changes to Frank, whose cheerful mood drops upon realizing he has to return home and further declines when Beth starts asking about his romantic past. Through flashbacks, we see what has long haunted the uncle, as a teenaged Frank (played by Cole Doman) experiences his first relationship with a young man.
As you might guess, it ended tragically, and as the memories form more clearly, we understand why Mac's death, which Frank confesses to imagining so often, has brought up not relief, but only so much hidden pain. Frank wallows in self-pity and, upon arriving in his hometown, travel-sized bottles of booze. Bettany plays Frank's overt charms and silent despair with equal degrees of effectiveness, although his internalized performance is let down by director Alan Ball in the third act, when the character lets out all of that built-up pressure in drunken arguments and tearful confessionals.
The movie denies Frank of his big moment for a confirmation of Mac's deplorable nature. Instead, we're given an informative glance at the dynamics and conflicts within the extended family. Mac's wife Mammaw (Margo Martindale) is sweet and kind. Beth's father Mike (Steve Zahn) is verbally abusive toward his wife Kitty (Judy Greer) and anyone whose behavior seems out of line. The sister, Neva (Jane McNeill) is mostly quiet, which becomes odd later, when she becomes a vital figure in Frank's constant debate between keeping his secret and finally being honest with his family.
As for Frank, he stays out of the way, quietly reading on the porch as he lights up cigarettes. Lillis' promise as a young actor continues, but Beth is something of a stock audience stand-in device. Either Frank has been incredibly subtle over the years, or she can't see anything in front of her if it's more than an inch away. "I've never met a gay person before," says Beth. Oh, but she has. Frank also points out that the choir director at the First Baptist Church was also a homosexual. "But he’s so religious!" she exclaims.
"Uncle Frank" is a film that starts with promise; I liked the early dynamic between Lillis and Bettany. But it succumbs to so many clichés that anything remotely genuine gets smothered. It's a deeply frustrating movie as Ball has assembled a cast who can undeniably do deep work and then gives nothing but a shallow script. He seems merely thrashing about in a plot too transgressive for his skills. The movie looks upon his process with such skepticism that the movie doesn't even bother an attempt to explain it.
The story becomes less about the man's attempt to come to terms with those feelings and more about waiting to see what will happen. Each of the family members have at least one scene in which they can be honest with Frank, and the movie's final scene, in which they finally say what has needed to be said for a long time, is quite affecting. It's far too long of a wait for such specificity, though. "Uncle Frank" operates primarily as a message movie, and as necessary as that message might be, the movie's lack of a unique and personal approach to the material means that it's not a necessary part of the conversation.

Cleveland Browns

Division: AFC North
Record: 6 - 10
Introduction
Hey everyone u/goingsouthhiker here to provide you more information than you ever wanted to know about the Cleveland Browns. My first distinct memory as a child is my fathers face in stunned silence as Ernest Byner fumbled at the goaline. I have been gifted through some sick hereditary defect a lifelong love of the Browns. so here you go.
 
Coaching Changes/GM Changes
 
Freddie Kitchens Fired  
On December 29th, 2019, the Browns fired head coach Freddie Kitchens. This is the culmination of a coaching hire that seemed to be entirely based upon folksy blue collar catch phrases “if you don’t wear brown and orange, you don’t matter” and a good relationship with Baker Mayfield.  
Some of Freddie's greatest hits included

• 4th and 9 - Draw Play
• Madden Style 5 WR streaks from your own goal line
• Send out the punt team on 4th-and-11 down 17 points in the fourth quarter to the New England Patriots, only to change his mind and take a deliberate false start rather than burn a timeout.
• 4th and 1 on the goal line and not have Nick Chubb on the field

 
John Dorsey Fired  
On December 31st, 2019, the Browns and general manager John Dorsey mutually agreed to part ways after an up and down tenure that brought in a lot of talent but ultimately the decision to hire Kitchens and some questionable high draft picks sank him.
 
Kevin Stefanski Hired  
On January 13th, 2020, the Browns hired former Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski as head coach. This is another first time head coach hire for the browns after an exhaustive coaching search. This hire is the one Paul Depodesta of Moneyball Fame banged the table for prior to the promotion of Kitchens so ultimately the nerds won the battle a year too late.
 
Andrew Berry Hired  
On January 27th, 2020, the Browns hired former Philadelphia Eagles' vice president of football operations Andrew Berry as general manager. Berry previously served as the Browns' vice president of player personnel from 2016–18 under Sashi Brown. At age 32, Berry became the youngest general manager in NFL history.
Berry has been considered in league circles as the next great rising front office star even from his early days in Indianapolis. Ivy league educated and an analytics darling now paired again with Depodesta the Browns will be heavy into analytics and efficiency in their decision making.
 
Alex Van Pelt Hired  
On January 29th 2020, the Browns hired former Cincinnati Bengals' quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator. Van Pelt, who served as offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills in 2009, replaced Todd Monken, who was not retained by Stefanski.
Nobody is quite sure who will be calling plays on game day, The one thing going for this hire is when Van Pelt was the QB Coach for Green Bay Aaron Rodgers was super angry about Van Pelt being fired so there is that.
 
Joe Woods Hired  
On February 7th 2020, the Browns hired former San Francisco 49ers' defensive backs coach Joe Woods as defensive coordinator. Woods, who previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos from 2017–18, replaced Steve Wilks, who was not retained by Stefanski
Woods is a man of mystery he has coached just about every scheme in existence and has given the ever popular "We will tailor our defense to our personnel" answer every time somebody tries to get anything out of him in regards to what he plans to run in Cleveland.
 
Free Agency
Players lost/cut

Player	Position	New Team
Joe Schobert	LB	Jacksonville
Christian Kirksey	LB	Green Bay
Eric Kush	G	Las Vegas
Demetrius Harris	TE	Chicago
T.J. Carrie	CB	Indianapolis
Damarious Randall	S	Las Vegas
Greg Robinson	T	Prison
Rickey Seals Jones	TE	Kansas City
Adarius Taylor	LB	Released
Morgan Burnett	S	Released
Eric Murray	S	Houston

Going into the 2019 season the Browns defense had a lack of quality depth at LB and Safety. So naturally the first thing the Browns do in Free Agency is let go the remaining veteran players at LB and Safety. I can't say for certain this was a bad thing as you will see below.
 
Top Losses
 
Joe Shobert LB - Was a tackling machine and rare pro bowler on this team, however too many of those tackles were made 8-10 yards downfield on run plays. His coverage skills were raw as well so I get not paying him big money.
Christian Kirksey LB - This one hurts a bit not due to production on the field as Kirko was hurt a lot! But more so as he was that beloved master of the Dawg Check and was a great team guy.
Damarious Randall S - A solid player who the Browns converted back to Safety but was always a bit of a headcase. He will be remembered best as the player who intercepted a Bengals pass and handed the ball to Hue Jackson on the Bengals sideline.
 
Players Signed/Brought Back

Player	Position	Contract
Kareem Hunt	RB	1yr $3.25M
Case Keenum	QB	3yr $18M
Andy Janovich	FB	Trade w/Broncos
Jack Conklin	T	3yr $42M
Austin Hooper	TE	4yr $44M
Karl Joseph	S	1yr $2.5M
Andrew Billings	DL	1yr $3.5M
Kevin Johnson	CB	1yr $3.5M
Andrew Sendejo	S	1yr $2.5M
Evan Brown	C	No Details
Donovan Olumba	CB	No Details
JoJo Natson	WR	1yr $1M
BJ Goodson	LB	1yr $2.4M
Chris Hubbard	T	Restructured
Adrian Clayborn	EDGE	1yr $2.4M
Olivier Vernon	EDGE	Restructured
Myles Garrett	EDGE	So Much Money
Rashard Higgins	WR	1yr 910k

 
Man this is a list... Ok so there were very few holes on Offense going into Free Agency but the ones that stood out were both tackles and depth at tight end. The Browns ultimately solved one tackle spot and TE really early in Free Agency with what most considered the best available players at their position.
On the Defensive side we had a open call for any experienced body who wanted to take a 1 year prove it deal. So much depth added via players that fell through the cracks on their former team.
 
Top Signings
 
Jack Conklin RT - The top right tackle in free agency, had a nice season for the titans after coming off a major injury the year before. Can be a All-Pro caliber RT if healthy. Really filled a huge need.
Austin Hooper TE - or "HooooooP" As the falcons fans tell me I am to call him. Filled a big need for reliable catches at the TE position. With David Njoku in the dog house, unable to catch anything, and now asking for a trade this is a big get for the Browns.
Andy Janovich FB - By far my personal favorite signing. Acquired in a trade with the Broncos he is one of the best pure Fullbacks left in the game. I expect him to be a Fan Favorite quickly. There is nothing more that Cleveland Fans adore than elevating a former Broncos fullback to Legendary status.(See Peyton Hillis)
Case Keenum - Browns fans all hope that the Baker Mayfield of last year was a product of really bad coaching, however Keenum can win games in the NFL and is a familiar face to new coach Stefanski having had a career year with Minnesota with Stefanski as his QB coach. I am much more confident in having Keenum as the backup than Garrett Gilbert.
New Contracts - The Browns have ensured Myles Garrett will be a Brown for a long while, placed a 2nd round tender on former rushing champ Kareem hunt, and after briefly flirting with Clowney decided to restructure Olivier Vernon to a much better contract number befitting his oft injured yet surprisingly productive season.
 
 
Draft - Cribbed from u/Marzman315 with permission who did a very excellent defending the draft and I agree with it in it's entirety. The Grades are mine.
 

Round	Player	Position
1.10	Jedrick Wills	T
2.44	Grant Delpit	S
3.88	Jordan Elliott	DT
3.97	Jacob Phillips	ILB
4.115	Harrison Bryant	TE
5.160	Nick Harris	C
6.187	Donovan Peoples-Jones	WR

 
1.10 - Jedrick Wills Jr., Offensive Tackle Alabama Grade A  
As expected, the Browns used the tenth overall pick on a tackle. The tackle turned out to be Jedrick Wills Jr., blindside blocker for Tua Tagovailoa. The former four star high school prospect started all 28 games for the Crimson Tide over his sophomore and and junior years. As a second team All-American and first team All-SEC player, he paved the way for Alabama's elite offense with his quick feet, smooth redirection, extremely powerful anchor and strength, and absolutely punishing punch.  
This pick was overwhelmingly approved of by analysts both internally and externally. Joe Thomas released a reaction video that was enthusiastic to say the least. He made it clear that Wills was his ideal target for the Browns at 10th overall. The front office and coaching staff made it known that Wills was their priority target going into the draft, and were entertaining the possibility of trading up for him, but ultimately the draft board fell their way and they got their man at 10.  
The only negative to the drafting of Wills is that he has only played right tackle in his college career, and given the free agent signing of right tackle Jack Conklin, Wills is going to be expected to transition to left tackle to start his NFL career. Joe Thomas also gave input on this, and stated that while the transition is difficult it is easier to do early in your career, and that he would personally take Wills under his wing and mentor him. Between Joe Thomas's guidance and the coaching of veteran offensive line coach Bill Callahan, not to mention the phenomenal talent of Wills, the transition should be doable for Wills with a minimum of serious difficulty. The protection of franchise QB Baker Mayfield is of paramount importance, and this selection reflects that.
 
2.44 - Grant Delpit, Safety LSU Grade A  
Most Browns fans anticipated that a safety specializing in coverage would be a priority target on day 2. With replacing Damarious Randall a necessity, the Browns zeroed in on LSU standout Grant Delpit. Boasting phenomenal range, excellent ball skills, and tremendous athleticism for the position, he brings an impressive skill set to the team.
Once considered a top 15 to top 20 pick, injuries and questions about tackling caused his value to drop a bit over the season. His broken clavicle in 2018 likely led to a hesitation in committing fully to tackles, and his production in that sense dropped in 2019. Despite some questions about open field tackling, Delpit's football IQ, versatility, and ball skills are enough to excite Browns fans into thinking that they found a solid starter.
 
3.88 - Jordan Elliot, Defensive Tackle Missouri Grade B  
In a post draft interview, Browns Chief Strategist Paul DePodesta revealed that obtaining 2021 draft capital was a priority coming into the draft. Depth along the defensive line has been an issue for the Browns for some time. Both of these issues were addressed with the Browns first pick in the third round.
Jordan Elliot is well known in the scouting community for being the darling prospect of Pro Football Focus, who consistently rated him as a first round prospect. While he lacks some power and length, he has a lightning quick first step and fluid pass rushing skills. His skill set doesn't exactly project him to be an every down player, but he can be a strong gap penetrating 3T rotating along the Browns defensive line.
 
3.97 - Jacob Phillips, Linebacker LSU Grade C Minus
Joe Shobert led the Browns in tackles in two of the last three seasons. Replacing that production was certainly a concern of the Browns. Phillips is an athletic linebacker that led a powerhouse LSU team in tackles. He is strong against the run, and plays fast and strong with solid instincts.
Phillips likely may not replace Shobert's pass coverage, as coverage skills were a clear negative on Phillips' scouting report. But as far as reliable tackling goes Phillips can contribute early, especially on special teams and base defense.
 
4.115 - Harrison Bryant, Tight End Florida Atlantic Grade A
Kevin Stefanski's offense notably uses multiple tight end sets and 12 personnel. Harrison Bryant is a very exciting receiving threat at the TE position. He projects mainly as a depth player behind Austin Hooper and David Njoku (if he remains on the team) currently while he develops his overall game, but he likely sees the field a bit as a rookie. He doesn't bring much to the table as far as blocking goes, but there is absolutely some exciting upside here.
 
5.160 - Nick Harris, Guard/Center Washington Grade C
While the Browns O-line was the subject of well deserved criticisms in 2019, the interior of the line was quietly fairly solid. Left guard Joel Bitonio is among the best in the league at his position and Center JC Tretter is a pro bowl caliber player. Wyatt Teller was unspectacular but played well enough to bring a bit of stability to the position. Lacking at the interior o-line was any sort of depth.
With years of experience at guard and center, Nick Harris will add solid depth and may compete with Teller for the starting right guard spot. He is a smart and nimble pass blocker, and while he doesn't have ideal size for the position (6'1" 300 LB) he uses his low center of gravity effectively to secure a solid base.
 
6.187 - Donovan Peoples-Jones, Wide Receiver Michigan Grade A (upside)
Wide receiver was sneakily a bit of a need for the Browns going into the 2020 draft. Odell Beckham Jr and Jarvis Landry are among the best 1/2 starters in the NFL, but after them the depth chart is thin.
Peoples-Jones is a perfect prospect to gamble on. He showed flashes of phenomenal play while at Michigan, and was considered at one point to be a future first round pick and NFL star. Injuries and abysmal QB play severely hindered his college career. His production did not come close to matching his talent. He is athletic, runs clean routes, gets solid separation, and is good with the ball in his hands. There is a lot of talent here that can be developed.
 
Undrafted Free Agents:
Soloman Ajayi, Linebacker, Liberty
Elijah Benton, Safety, Liberty
Ja'Marcus Bradley, Wide Receiver, Louisiana
Tony Brown, Wide Receiver, Colorado
Kevin Davidson, Quarterback, Princeton
Drake Dorbeck, Offensive Tackle/Guard, Southern Mississippi
A.J. Green, Cornerback, Oklahoma State
Brian Herrion, Runningback, Georgia
Jameson Houston, Cornerback, Baylor
Benny LeMay, Runningback, Charlotte
Jovante Moffit, Safety, Middle Tennessee
George Obinna, Defensive End, Sacremento State
Alex Taylor, Offensive Tackle, South Carolina State
Jeffrey Whatley, Defensive Tackle, South Alabama
Nate Wieting, Tight End, Iowa
 
Going Forward:
You will have a hard time finding a Browns fan who did not love this draft. They filled all of their pressing needs without reaching, were savvy navigating the board with trades, and acquired 2021 draft picks. The Browns earned one of only four A+ grades from PFF. While the roster is not without some holes, particularly at linebacker, this is a team that is built to compete. With improvements on the offense that will hopefully come with better coaching and a brand new O-line, the Browns are absolutely in a better position this year than last
 
 
Projected 53 Man Roster (starters in bold):
OFFENSE:
QB - Baker Mayfield, Case Keenum (2)
RB - Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Dontrelle Hilliard, (5)
FB - Andy Janovich (6)
WR - Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Taywan Taylor, Donovan Peoples-Jones, JoJo Natson (12)
TE - Austin Hooper, David Njoku, Harrison Bryant (15)
OT - Jedrick Wills Jr. (LT), Jack Conklin (RT), Chris Hubbard, Drew Forbes (19)
OG - Joel Bitonio (LG), Wyatt Teller (RG), Colby Gossett (22)
C - JC Tretter, Nick Harris (24)
 
DEFENSE:
DE - Myles Garrett, Olivier Vernon, Adrian Clayborn, Chad Thomas (28)
DT - Sheldon Richardson, Larry Ogunjobi, Andrew Billings, Jordan Elliot, Daniel Ekuale (33)
LB - Mack Wilson, Sione Takitaki, BJ Goodson, Jacob Phillips, Jermaine Grace, Tae Davis (39)
CB - Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams, Kevin Johnson, Terrance Mitchell, Donnie Lewis Jr., Tavierre Thomas (45)
SS - Karl Joseph, J.T. Hassell (47)
FS - Grant Delpit, Andrew Sandejo, Sheldrick Redwine (50)
SPECIALISTS
K - Austin Seibert (51)
P - Jamie "Scottish Hammer" Gillan (52)
LS - Charley Hughlett (53)
 
 
What to expect in 2020
 
QB Grade: Incomplete
Baker Mayfield - This is the wildcard for the entire team. There is arguably not a better supporting cast in the league for a Quarterback. Assuming at minimum competent coaching there is no excuse for Mayfield going into year 3. There will be a long leash I am sure but Keenum is waiting in the wings if Mayfield looks like he did last year as opposed to the record setter he was in year 1.  
As goes the arm of Mayfield so goes the Browns Playoff hopes.
 
RB Grade: A+++
Nick Chubb - Quiet, professional, will run you over and laugh at your pitiful tackle attempts. Nick Chubb is a beast, lead the league in yards after contact and nearly won the rushing title. In this new RB friendly system with an improved O-Line and an actual fullback Chubb is going to eat.
 
Kareem Hunt - It's not often that your backup running back is also a league rushing champion. Last year after serving his suspension he came in and made quite a few spectacular plays in the passing game and showed he still had that spark in the running game. This one Two punch is going to be fun to watch!
 
Pass Catchers WTE Grade: A
Goodness where to start... This might be an unpopular take but Jarvis Landry is the Best WR on this team and a top 5 pass catcher in the league. He has the most catches ALL TIME in a players first 6 seasons in the league. No longer relegated to slot duties as he was in Miami he had is best year in 2019.
 
Both Landry and OBJ went over 1000 yards last year which is stunning to me because it felt like both were under utilized all year long. With an increased emphasis on the running game and a deceptive scheme there should be a lot of wide open receivers for the Browns this year
Adding in a third down catch machine in Austin Hooper oh my.. The room is stacked.
 
Offensive Line Grade: B Minus
The OL has been a major issue at the tackle spot since Joe Thomas retired. It now feels like the Browns have the complete package assuming Wills can make the transition to LT in this super strange offseason. The interior is still super solid. There will be a lot riding on the rookie.
 
Defensive Line A Minus
Oh noooooo MYLES!!!! How different would 2019 have been had Myles Garrett kept his cool. Fresh off signing a new mega deal Myles Garrett needs to be the great pass rusher he has been in his first few seasons. He was averaging a sack per game before the suspension and should easily go into double digit sacks this season as well.
Olivier Vernon when healthy is a QB pressure machine but he has problems staying on the field. When he is playing though He and Myles make a great bookend.
The interior is solid with Sheldon Richardson and Larry O, in the middle. This will probably be Richardson's last year with the Browns so I expect him to show out to push for that one last contract.
 
Linebackers Grade: I was told there would be no math
Do I believe in Mack Wilson? Ask me on a day he writes a fired up hype tweet and I will say he is going to be a stud. In the quiet times though I think to myself boy I hope the opposing team does not have a decent tight end because our LB core is going to get burned. I don't know what to think of the rest of the room as it is totally shuffled. Maybe Takitaki is something more than a special teamer? Was B.J. Goodson a diamond waiting to be polished?
The Browns need Takitaki, Wilson, and Phillips to grow up fast in this defense. Goodson has been a part-time player in his career and should have the opportunity to get more playing time than he has had to date in his career. With a one-year prove-it deal, Goodson has the motivation to show that he deserves a multi-year deal.
This is by far on paper the weak point of this team.
 
Cornerback Grade: B
This is the Ward and Greedy Show. Ward is occasionally dinged up but most of the time he is a shut down corner. Super young and is a willing tackler if a bit reckless in his form. Ward has the potential to be a top 5 CB in the league.
Greedy Williams had a decent season on the other side when he got into the game but it is his spot full time now and he needs to step up. The talk when he was drafted was he could not tackle. (Much like Delpit this year) but he showed he was more than willing to tackle and even come up and rush the passer and play the run when needed. With Ward on the other side he is going to be targeted a LOT.
 
Safety Grade: D
Who the hell knows.. Really. I know I said that Linebacker was the weak point but man Safety is as much of a question. Karl Joseph is a Thumper and with that he ends up injured a bit. Delpit has huge potential but is a rookie at FS and supposedly has tackling issues. Outside of those two you have Sendejo in his 11th year in the league and Sheldrick Redwine who was a beast in college but has yet to really prove himself in the league.
Here is hoping Delpit lives up to his potential because man this is a thin group.
 
Specialists Grade: B
Scottish Hammer That is all... The Punter might be the best form tackler on the team hopefully he does not have to do that this season. Or we can stick him in at Linebacker.
But seriously things stabilized with two rookie kickers last year and they both look serviceable. Jojo Natson was brought in to do one thing and that is to return kicks.
 
 
Training Camp Battles
 
On Offense there is very little up for grabs maybe who wins the 3rd WR spot but given Higgins relationship with Mayfield it is his job to lose.
On Defense a lot of the battle is going to be who shows up at LB and Safety as discussed above. there are slim pickings at both positions and really the only people who seem to be safe are Mack Wilson just due to the playing time he got last season and Karl Joseph just based upon his experience in the league.
 
 
Scheme Descriptions
 
Offense: Kevin Stefanski as Minnesota’s offensive coordinator in 2019 produced an offense determined to run the ball and crush teams with play-action. Under the watchful eye of consultant Gary Kubiak he installed a Wide Zone blocking scheme that is time tested and very OL and RB friendly. It is considered a Run first offense which should play right into the Browns strengths. If Mayfield can tighten up the play action fake game the Wide outs should feast as well.
 
Defense - Who knows? I am not even sure Joe Woods knows yet what type of Defense the Browns will run. During his tenure as the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator he ran a Base 3-4 Under defense. During his time with the Minnesota Vikings the team ran a base 4-3 which is also the case for the San Francisco 49ers defense this past season.
When asked Woods usually replies with something along the lines of "it's a secret"
Based on the Browns current roster,the preference would be an attacking 4-3 scheme given the strength on the defensive line and questionable linebacker core.
 
 
Season Predictions
It is an impossible task to predict a Browns season. Typically you could say 3 - 5 wins and chances are you would be right. This season with a new head coach, no preseason, maybe no training camp who the hell knows. It is a weak schedule on paper.
So instead of going game by game I am going to make some bold predictions.

• The Browns will make the playoffs
• Nick Chubb will win the rushing title
• Jarvis Landry and OBJ will both go over 1000 yards again
• The Browns will split all of the division games
• The Steelers, Ravens, and Art Modell still suck
• Final Record 10-6 with a Wild Card game win

 
 
Thank You's and Final Thoughts
If you read all this you are a better person than I. Big thanks to u/Marzman315 for lending me the draft section. Also a hearty Woof Woof to u/Usuallyrelevant who keeps us entertained over at Browns
Also the crew at LakeErieBros for sharing together our collective misery.
And finally I want to thank the Bull City Browns Backers in Durham NC for being awesome and showing up to every game with hope in your heart and unwavering dedication.

I did not hear from the non fan for the post so maybe we can add it later.

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