Cleveland Browns General Discussion

[kalbears13]

With a short offseason and a switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3, it could have been worse. I hope the Browns can find a starting RDE this offseason.

[Iamcanadian]

With a short offseason and a switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3, it could have been worse. I hope the Browns can find a starting RDE this offseason.

Going to be tough to draft for defense with all our problems on offense. FA is the only possibility.

[keylime_5]

Ryan was a good coach, but when he left it's not like we didn't replace him with another great coach. Dick Jauron has a proven track record as a defensive assistant in this league, he's nothing to sneeze at.

If we find a RDE (I think 2013, not 2012 might be the year we get one of those) then I think our defensive line has the potential for greatness. Sheard and Rubin were great this year, Taylor is going to be very good as well. If we had a young Pierre-Paul/Jared Allen/Dwight Freeney/Jason Babin/etc. type on the right side we would be scary in the front four for the future.

[Iamcanadian]

Ryan was a good coach, but when he left it's not like we didn't replace him with another great coach. Dick Jauron has a proven track record as a defensive assistant in this league, he's nothing to sneeze at.

If we find a RDE (I think 2013, not 2012 might be the year we get one of those) then I think our defensive line has the potential for greatness. Sheard and Rubin were great this year, Taylor is going to be very good as well. If we had a young Pierre-Paul/Jared Allen/Dwight Freeney/Jason Babin/etc. type on the right side we would be scary in the front four for the future.

Wouldn't every team wish for one of those, hope we find somebody close by 2013.
I love Dick Jauron, solid defensive coach.
Love your posts by the way, really enjoy reading them.

[Brown Leader]

Still no OC. Not surprising. It's messy. Shurmur basically failed as a strategist and play-caller in his first year but it's still basically his offense. How are we going to get a good OC to come in here and run someone else's offense, maby not even calling plays? This is really in Shurmurs hands. He needs to take a backseat and allow a top notch OC to come in and take over the offense. Hue Jackson comes to mind.

[Iamcanadian]

Probably just waiting till the playoff smoke clears to announce an OC.

[Brown Leader]

Probably just waiting till the playoff smoke clears to announce an OC.

That makes little sense if we're not looking to hire anyone off those squads.

[Iamcanadian]

That makes little sense if we're not looking to hire anyone off those squads.

Well, I'm not privy to those discussions so I really haven't a clue to what their intentions are.

[j05son]

The past week has been pleasant for Browns fans. We get Chilly as an OC and Grossi gets removed as a Browns writer for a stupid tweet about Lerner.

Both are pluses and all in all it's been a good week.

[fear the elf]

The Browns and D'Qwell come to terms on a new contract (http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/02/cleveland_browns_agree_to_mult.html).

A source told The Plain Dealer the contract was for five years and $42.5 million. It includes $19 million in guarantees and bonuses.

It seems a bit pricey, but I really like DQ and he played great last year. This system really seems to be a better fit to his skill set.

[Brown Leader]

WTF is going on here. Cleveland Browns RB Peyton Hillis says CIA story false, would take discount to stay with team (http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/03/exclusive_browns_rb_peyton_hil.html)
No matter what the truth is, it makes the Browns look bad-we must really have some idiots in our FO. Watch Hillis go to Pittsburgh. Ughh, how terrible would that be?

[Iamcanadian]

The past week has been pleasant for Browns fans. We get Chilly as an OC and Grossi gets removed as a Browns writer for a stupid tweet about Lerner.

Both are pluses and all in all it's been a good week.

What did he tweet about Lerner since I have no access to Cleveland Press?
If he criticized Lerner then it is a sad removal because Lerner needs to be put under the gun for the rotten job he has done since owning this team.

[BuckeyeDan17]

Dude I wish when the offseason started that we would have just kicked him to the curb. Hillis, I mean. I think our FO is a bunch of nutless pushovers.

[Clarkpba]

Just an outside observation about the browns offseason and draft considerations so y'all can take them for what they worth.

First off all the talk of the Browns trading up to take RGIII seem very unlikely to me. Holmgren has never been a guy to take an early QB in the draft and he likes to get draft picks not give them up. I think the Rams are ask for to much and Holmgren isn't going to give it up. With that being said I feel thats the best move for the franchise is to trade some of the picks and get an impact player the Browns desperatly need I just dont see the front office doing it. What I can see them actually doing is trying to trade down but I dont think there will be anyone wanting to trade up to number 4 so they end up taking BPA.

I can see the Browns signing a QB in free agency like Kyle Orton. He'll fits the kind of style Holmgren wants to see the team run. Allthough he isn't much of an upgrade over Mccoy he is more accurate and has a stronger arm.

[fear the elf]

Does anybody know the story on Dimitri Patterson and Mike Adams? Those are the two guys I want to make sure we bring back (especially Dimitri), but I haven't heard any news on either of them. Is Heckert not interested or are they testing the FA market?

[stlouisfan37]

Just a thought...if Manning were to sign with Tennessee, it would almost certainly mean that Hasselbeck gets cut, and I think the first one to call him would be Mike Holmgren. How would you guys feel about bringing in Hasselbeck and then drafting Tannehill to be groomed? This pure speculation.

[kalbears13]

Just a thought...if Manning were to sign with Tennessee, it would almost certainly mean that Hasselbeck gets cut, and I think the first one to call him would be Mike Holmgren. How would you guys feel about bringing in Hasselbeck and then drafting Tannehill to be groomed? This pure speculation.

Honestly I would rather wait until next year to draft a quarterback but that's just me.

[fear the elf]

Does anybody know the story on Dimitri Patterson and Mike Adams? Those are the two guys I want to make sure we bring back (especially Dimitri), but I haven't heard any news on either of them. Is Heckert not interested or are they testing the FA market?

Dimitri is coming back. Posted this in the FA thread...


Browns re-sign CB Dimitri Patterson. Three-years, $16 million. I really liked him last year but that's probably more than we should have spent.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/15/browns-re-sign-cornerback-patterson-for-three-years-16-million/

[CowboyFan73]

Good Morning Browns fans,
I am a Cowboy Fan but I have always admired the Browns. I have been seeing alot of talk about the browns draft Trent Richardson. That would be a good pick up but in my personal opinion, how about Morris Claiborne. That will be a tough secondary with Haden, Claiborne, and Ward. By the way, I live near Baltimore. Second 1st rounder, pick up a reciever. You can find a good running back in the 2nd or 3rd round, we did last year. Don't waste the money on a running back use on a top 5 corner!

[keylime_5]

IMO Claiborne is the favorite to be the Browns pick at #4, all things being equal........there might be a decision to draft a similarly rated player who plays offense instead though since we are so talent-deprived offensively and pretty good defensively - so they might draft Richardson (or maybe even Blackmon, but I don't think so) just to get some offensive playmakers on this team.

Our only offensive building blocks in place are Joe Thomas, Alex Mack, and Greg Little. Defensively we have D'Qwell Jackson, Chris Gocong, Joe Haden, TJ Ward, Jabaal Sheard, Ahtyba Rubin, and Phil Taylor - plus a lot of nice stopgap role players and some decent depth (Frostee Rucker, Juqua Parker, Marcus Benard, Scott Paxson, Sheldon Brown, Usama Young, Dimitri Patterson, and Buster Skrine are all decent). We are ready to roll for the 2012 season defensively - but offensively we need a new starting RB, OG, RT, WR, and QB as bad as any team in the league. 4 or 5 MAJOR holes offensively.

Personally I am against drafting RBs in the first round unless it's Peterson or Tomlinson or Sanders type once in a generation guy. I want us to take a premium position like CB, DL, OT, QB, or even WR with our #4 pick, which might mean we should trade down.

I think this will be a decisively offensive draft for the Browns, even if it means taking a RB or OT in a bad value like round 1 when you can get a really good one in round 2 or 3.

[Brown Leader]

tRBDMMVctu8

[Brown Leader]

Our new uniforms...

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/524023_10150716589624684_87392379683_9225669_60693 5075_n.jpg
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s720x720/529307_10150716582519684_87392379683_9225625_31900 9140_n.jpg
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/528815_10150716573139684_87392379683_9225582_12182 22686_n.jpg
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/398967_10150716587624684_87392379683_9225660_12232 39761_n.jpg

[fear the elf]

Not much changed, which I'm sure is what we all expected.

I don't like the gloves. They should have used a different logo, LIKE THE DAMN ELF! Or the football with the 'B' in it. I've never really cared for using a picture of a helmet as a logo...

[diemertsdawgs]

I like these options with our two first rounders:

1. #4 = T.Richardson RB Bama & #22 = Stephen Hill WR Ga. Tech
2. #4 = J.Blackmon WR Ok.St. & #22 = Stephen Hill WR Ga. Tech
(Both of these options make our offense instantly better and help McCoy)
3. #4 = M. Claiborne CB LSU & #22 = Stephen Hill WR Ga. Tech
4. #4 = R.Tannehill QB A&M & #22 = Dont'a Hightower LB Bama
(I don't really like taking Tannehill this high.)
5. #4 = trade down with either STL/JAX/MIA/SEA & #22 trade down again.

[diemertsdawgs]

We can't have a helmet logo. We can have a team logo other than a blank helmet though. I like the Elf, the B in the football shape, and I've always liked the dog head logo. We just can't put something on the helmets though, changing the uniform I would consider but not the helmet...never.

[keylime_5]

Early early early 53-man roster outlook:

Brandon Weeden-QB
Colt McCoy-QB
Seneca Wallace-QB
Trent Richardson-RB
Montario Hardesty-RB
Brandon Jackson-RB
Owen Marecic-FB (or) Brad Smelley-FB
Greg Little-WR
Mohamed Massaquoi-WR
Joshua Cribbs-WR
Jordan Norwood-WR
Travis Benjamin-WR
Benjamin Watson-TE
Evan Moore-TE
Alex Smith-TE
Jordan Cameron-TE
Joe Thomas-LT
Alex Mack-C
Mitchell Schwartz-RT
Jason Pinkston-OG
Shawn Lauvao-OG
Oniel Cousins-RT/OG
John Greco-OG
Ryan Miller-OG/RT
(OG/C not yet on roster)

Jabaal Sheard-DE
Frostee Rucker-DE
Juqua Parker-DE
Marcus Benard-DE
Ahtyba Rubin-DT
Phil Taylor-DT
John Hughes-DT
Billy Winn-DT
Scott Paxson-DT (or) Brian Schaefering-DT
D'Qwell Jackson-MLB
Scott Fujita-SLB
Chris Gocong-OLB
Kaluka Maiava-WLB
Titus Brown-MLB
James-Michael Johnson-LB
Emmanuel Acho-LB
Joe Haden-CB
Sheldon Brown-CB
Dimitri Patterson-CB
Buster Skrine-CB
Trevin Wade-CB
TJ Ward-S
Usama Young-S
Eric Hagg-S
Ray Ventrone-S

Phil Dawson-K
Reggie Hodges-P
Chrisitan Yount-LS


some bubble players:
Emmanuel Stephens-DE
James Dockery-DB
Chris Ogbannaya-RB
Carlton Mitchell-WR
Thaddeus Lewis-QB (if we trade McCoy)

one more draft IMO before we start to look like a real NFL team talent-wise. We need pro bowl caliber players at WR, RDE, and DB added before we can start thinking about competing.......and that's assuming that Brandon Weeden turns into a good, franchise QB.

[Brown Leader]

http://hqplayer.nbcsports.com/Player.html?PID=86

Tom Heckert on PFTL. All he makes me want to do is smh.

[Iamcanadian]

I'll I heard was a lot of wishful thinking and little real facts. The guys job is on the line and another 4-12 season may well be his last in Cleveland.
I think Keylime is a lot more realistic and God help us if Weeden flops or doesn't come up to snuff for 3 or 4 seasons.

[Brown Leader]

recent news...

rotoworld: Coach Pat Shurmur says Greg Little and Mohamed Massaquoi are the Browns' "early starters" at receiver.
Little can be safely penciled in as the No. 1 wideout, but Massaquoi will have to fight off fourth-round pick Travis Benjamin. It's an advantage for Massaquoi to begin OTAs atop the depth chart, but he'll be far from guaranteed of starting in Week 1. He hasn't been the same player since his October 2010 concussion, and turned in a thoroughly unimpressive 2011. The Browns have proven almost comically hesitant to cut the cord on disappointing players, however, so Massaquoi's chances of winning the job can't be discounted.


Massa v Benjamin for the #2? Oh ****. I'd sooner make Norwood the #2. And are they forgetting which WR had the best camp last year? (Cribbs)Or are they going to phase him out like they did Hillis?

How to fix the Browns offense:
1-6. Someone innovative help Pat Shurmur. It's really head scratching that his offense actually did worse than Mangini's. Classic example of trying to fit guys to a system rather than building a system around your guys.

rotoworld: 5/21 - Browns GM Tom Heckert says CB Sheldon Brown will not be moving to safety.
"Sheldon Brown is never going to play safety unless some disaster happens," Heckert said. "You can put that to bed." There have been rumblings of a position switch for Brown since his Philly days, but it's not happening in Cleveland. Now 33, Brown will be pushed for the No. 2 corner job by Dimitri Patterson and Buster Skrine. Usama Young and T.J. Ward are the Browns' starting safeties. rotoworld: 5/22 - Browns S Eric Hagg is working as the first-team free safety in OTAs.
Usama Young is running with the second team after starting eight games in 2011. A seventh-round pick last season, Hagg appeared in only 10 games, notching 11 tackles.

Yikes. Looks like a disaster to me.

rotoworld:Browns GM Tom Heckert reiterated that the organization views rookie Brandon Weeden as its starting quarterback in 2012.
"The best guy’s gonna play, but we fully expect Brandon to be that guy," Heckert said. "... Right now that’s our goal is to have [Weeden] be the guy." Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace are considered expendable backups at this point. Heckert said learning Pat Shurmur's West Coast offense has been "nothing" for Weeden.

I watched a ton of games of Weeden from last season but hadn't watched much of 10'. This is a good cut up of his first year starting at Ok State. Evaluate for yourself.

hpkLIET5uvA

rotoworld:Browns GM Tom Heckert says NT Phil Taylor (torn pectoral) will "definitely" return during the 2012 season.
"100%," said Heckert. "We think he'll be back end of October, early November. ... It's six months at the most, and that's being very, very cautious. He could be back earlier." Taylor will start the season on PUP, but the Browns expect him to return not long after. Scott Paxson is penciled in as the interim starter.

For a guy out of nowhere I liked Paxson last season. He was a better run defender then Taylor. I'm intrigued to see what he does with the opportunity.