Dawghouse Blog

March 2006 - Posts

• The Worthless, the Worthy, and the Damned Blather

  You probably already saw this SI article lavishing priae on the Browns. It's a guilty pleasure, these sort of things. It's the offseason, and we haven't won jack yet, and who knows how it will all work out. But it is damn nice to read a complimentary article in a national publication. Some thoughts for the upcoming NFL draft: Every team at the top of the draft says they are very interested in drafting a quarterback, even if they are not. Every team past the first 5 or so picks will claim they are interested in drafting a running back too. The running backs are the quarterbacks of the middle of this draft. The Browns will go defense. The Ravens will too. The Steelers won't pick Nick Manigold. It seems like every OSU fan is worried they will. They might go for Bobby Capenter though. The Titans will take a quarterback. The Jets should take Vince Young but they inexplicably won't. Afterall, part of the fun of draft day is watching Jets fans contemplate taking their own lives. I think this is a good deal for the Texans. Moulds has come off as a whiner lately but he's a good receiver. And think of how bad the quarterbacks have been in Buffalo the last 5-6 years. He'll fit right in with the Texans! With Sam Adams apparently gone to the Bengals, it's worth asking -- would you prefer him over Ted Washinigton? Personally, I was never quite sure which one was which. I like Steve McNair quite a bit, so it's a little disconcerting that the Ravens are reportedly interested in him if he gets the axe in Tennessee. But then I think that, while I wish McNair well, odds are he'll have a rough go if he plays in 2006 and wind up injured for much of the year. Which in the Ravens case would mean Kyle Boller is still the key to their season. So McNair to the Ravens may not be too big a deal. More evidence that supposed "drunk-driving" law enforcement is increasingly becoming flat-out anti-drinking efforts. I'll say it again: MADD, you achieved your stated goal 15 years ago; now you either should disband or rename yourself to reflect the prohibitionist stance you've adopted. Posted Mar 31 2006, 05:05 PM by MikeB with 5 comment(s) Filed under: General, Browns

• Grady Inked, NFL Notes

  I was out running this morning doing a "long run" for marathon training (today: 15 miles, and lots of ice and Advil) and was totally dragging, just gutting it out. Then on my headphones Bob Dibiasio mentions on WTAM that Sizemore has been inked to a long-term deal. Sweet! And then I was able to cruise through last few miles... at least that's the way it felt. To a bystander I'm a slower, more toroisesque adjective may have seemed appropriate. Anyway, what's really suprising is the mammoth contract size for Grady Sizemore. When I read the Indians were trying to work out a deal and it was taking a while I didn't expect it was because it would be for six years (five would have been expected) with a club option for a seventh. That's crazy good for all parties involved. I'm a huge Sizemore fan and consider myself sort of an early adopter in this respect and it's flat out awesome that he'll be here through the 2011 season. Does this deal entail some risk? Definitely. But, c'mon, if you are going to stake out some ground on one young player in the major leagues you'd be hard pressed to find a more worthy one (except maybe another Indian -- Peralta). This is great news only days away from the opener. As cool as the Browns offseason has been, the Indians have been impressive too. Maybe they didn't exactly replace a guy like Millwood, but they've wrapped up most of their core players and pretty much have gotten themselves ahead of where they were in the Alomar days. And the prospects for then next few years are great. Will 2006 live up to the 93 wins of '05? Not a sure thing, but we'll see. But '07 and beyond are looking pretty sweet. This article doesn't really say much, but, after living through Butch and Palmer, man am I glad we have some good guys at the top of the Browns org chart. Expanding the playoffs: dumb. There's already plenty of examples of not-very-good teams making it in as a wildcard (see the Browns a few years ago). Obviously this is being considered for additional tv revenues (gotta pay for that CBA!), but Im not sure how watchable this would be. I guess they could add sort of a play-in week of games where all these wild-card teams face off. That's about the only way I can see it being entertaining. Oh yeah -- 1/3 of the NFL makes the playoffs each year. That's what's cool about being a "playoff team." What is up with Peter King discussing his colonoscopy preparation and Vince Young's workout in the same sentence? My god man! King is already more entertainment and gossip than actual football reporting, but when the entertainment factor drops this low... it's really time for some new blood over at SI. I really don't get why the Pats let their kicker walk. Not with all that cap space. Viniteri doesn't have a great leg, so in that sense he's a bit of a weakness, but he makes the big kick and is a veritable hero in New England. Oh well. And I guess that is the Belichek way -- every player, no matter how popular, has flaws, and no flawed player can not be replaced with a cheaper facsimile. Brett Favre is not coming back anymore than Kurt Warner circa 2002 is coming back. Of course, Kurt Warner also plays on a better team at present. It wouldn't be suprising if they pick a WR at any point after the first round. Braylong Edwards will be a question mark in 2006. And you can't count on Northcutt and Jurivecious being long-term fixtures on this team. The Browns will need another young weapon. The NFL in Los Angeles. Nobody cares in the rest of the country and you'd be hard pressed to convince anyone that people in LA care either. Maybe this is part of the NFL's conspiracy to force more people to buy the Sunday Ticket -- after years of always seeing the best games of the week, suddenly LA would be saddled with crappy expansion/Saints football. Seven teams are taking a look at Joey Harrington. I remember reading questions from from Lions fans in the Watercooler asking, "How much would the Browns give up for Harrington" and all I could do was laugh. Really, I'll be very suprised if the Lions get more than a 5th or 6th rounder for Harrington's services. While it's in Harrington's best interest to get traded soon instead of signing on late as a free agent, we may see Harrington's career take another Couch-like turn. Though Harrington is at least healthy, apparently. I am Harrington I go to Cincinnati to play for peanuts and try to rescue my career as a starter. Afterall, if you've already made ten of millions of bucks as a quarterback, do you really want to spend the next 7 years bouncing around the NFL holding clipboards? Interestingly, the Dolphins are one of the teams meeting with Harrington. Why does it seem like the Dolphins are interested in every player out there? You think Saban is just doing that to make clear that he is definitely interested in a QB so that other teams will fear him taking Vince Young in the draft? This all looks very similar to 2005 with Braylon Edwards. Of course, in this case the Dolphins should take Vince Young if they have the opportunity. In which case the Dolphins shouldn't be broadcasting their interest in a QB. It's all so complicated. NCAA Tourney. 1) GMU making the Final Four is awesome. 2) What is up with the coaching? How many times did team take a time-out to diagram a last second play and then proceed to dribble and heave a three pointer? That is not a play, folks. That is what you do when a play breaks down. Posted Mar 29 2006, 12:57 PM by MikeB with 4 comment(s) Filed under: Browns, Indians

• Playing Catch

  Just some random stuff.... Interesting PatMac interview with Lerner. Among the tidbits: Lerner "wants Savage to retire with the Browns." That's nice to hear. But Lerner strikes me as a bit schitzophrenic, a biss who is too eager to say the comforting thing to whoever he's speaking to. After the Collins thing it's difficult to not view Lerner with some skepticism. Of course, if Savage retires a Brown that means he was pretty damn successful... Lerner specifically mentions that Savage and Trip MacCracken did a good job wiht the salary cap. Again, kind of weird following the Collins thing. (But I agree completely.) "Charlie Frye, if the dice roll right, could just have a great career." Ok, I hope so. But right now, in the cold light of the offseason, Frye still seems a bit of a not-certain thing. Personally I prefer Savage's consistently subtle praise over Lerner's almost Butch-like overtalk. Like, when Savage says about a player, "He could be a consistent contributor" it fits in with his worldview that an NFL player has to stay hungry. It's far better than saying, "He's gonna have a great career," which is too congratulating and, really, is the sort of thing you should only say in hindsight or at least in the twilight of a career. The free agent signings "give Phil the ability to have a more tactical focus and less strategic focus." I'm not so sure this is the way we want it. Shouldn't Savage focus on longer term strategy and let the coaches be the tacticians? Maybe I'm getting too caught up on semantics. I suppose a GM has to be more tactical these days since player movement is so commonplace. "The Cleveland Browns are simply about football. And the business operations and activities should be quiet and behind the scenes." Maybe they will stop blasting music between plays at CBS? Grossi has an interview published to, which pretty much the same comments. Personally, I don't see the point in Lerner even giving these interviews. If he longs for the days when you didn't hear from the owner (and I do too), then don't do such interviews. The actions of the FO is all anyone cares about anyway, unless we're talking about a new stadium or moving the team or some other unpleasant topic. The Patriots still have upwards of 20 million bucks to spend. What could they possibily be waiting for? Even if they sign a host of B and C level free agents, can they really spend all that money? Or maybe they are planning on extending the contracts of a few guys already on the roster? Their offseason so far has been a head-scratcher. I am still curious to see if they will make a run at LaVar Arrington. They might be the only team left who can give him a huge upfront bonus. And he'd probably be very effective playing under Bill. Just a thought -- is there anyone left who thinks Ozzie Newsome was "the brains" in Baltimore as opposed to Phil Savage? I'm hard pressed to think of any good offseason moves by the Ravens the past two seasons. Sure, signing WR Mason last season was decent but it had almost no net effect on the offense (unless you count compensating for the giant Jamal Lewis drop-off as an accomplishment). And this season the Ravens have been pilfered of youth and replaced some of it with the older Trevor Pryce, and then inexplicably overpaid to resign Jamal Lewis. And, um, who is going to play quarterback again? Not only am I thrilled to have Savage calling the shots in Cleveland over the departed Mr. Collins, I'm happy the rumored lure-Ozzie-from-Baltimore scenarios never played out back in early 2005. Injuries aside, I think the Browns selection of Kellen Winslow in 2004 will be considered something of a wasted drafts pick(s). Winslow might be a fine player, we hope. But it seems like the past few years have been full of very athletic tight end prospects, and there a few more in this year's draft. It won't be long until the NFL is full of effective pass catching tight ends. And Winslow will have to be pretty good just for the Browns to have the same type of weapon everyone else already has. Don't get me wrong, I am excited to see Frye, Winslow and Edwards play together and think Frye could be a great "tight end quarterback." It's just that I think Winslow will have to play incredibly well to ever live up to that lofty draft slot. Water under the bridge, I guess... I'm suprised the Steelers haven't gone shopping for a running back in free agency. Parker/Staley/Haynes is a little uninspriring, and it doesn't quite fit into the Steelers image of having a power back. The Steelers and Ravens are getting a draft-pick bonanza of sorts for all the free agents they lost in the 2005 offseason. Damn. Quincy Morgan still has a job in Pittsburgh. He blocks, which is a nice thing if you are a running team. But otherwise I just don't get why the Steelers would want a guy like that. Maybe so they can eventually pound it into his head that he has to catch the ball with his hands, and then they can rub our noses in it. If so, good luck with that. Keyshawn to the Panthers. I agree with Mike Goldberg -- Me-shawn is no longer overrated, he's somewhat underrated. Receivers like these are among the most significant free agent signings because they move the chains. Of course, we got perhaps the best receiver of this type now playing for the Browns n '06... Vinatieri to the Colts. It's a good move for any team that signs this guy. But, in a weird sort of way, I wonder if he'll be as good a kicker when he's not kicking outdoors all the time. Aaron Brooks to the Raiders. Good move, I guess. Brooks have been horrible in many respects, but he could do better tossing bombs to Moss (didn't we all say this last year with Kerry Collins?). And he might be the perfect 1-and-done type fo guy to play in front of a just-drafted Vince Young. He'd also be a horrible mentor to a young QB. But since when did the Raiders have a starting QB who was a good mentor? Anyway, this is a good move cause it means someone else will prematurely blow a fantasy pick on Aaron Brooks. Memo to whoever needs a QB and doesn't get Leinart: Pick Vince Young. Didn't everyone watch the games? How could anyone think Jay Cutler is a better prospect? Sure, young is not the brightest bulb but the guy can play and the draft is all about taking chances -- and Young offers the possibility of a much bigger reward than Cutler. It's not even close if you look at it that way. And I;'d rather pick a guy and have him flame out ala Akili Smith than pick a Cutler and spend the next 6 or 7 years pretending he can play ala David Carr. Faine has permission to seek a trade. This seems like a bad thing -- not because the Browns wish to trade him, but because they have needed to give him permission to shop himself. Which means Savage wasn't getting any good offers prior to this, and making it public isn't going to improve those offers unless a potential trade partner is able to work out a favorable contract extension with Faine before pulling the trigger. In fact, that's probably the only reason to allow Faine to shop his services around. I don't expect much in the way of compensation, but let's hope for the best. I'd be thrilled with a third round pick but worry that in unlikely. Faine does have value -- he's a good player as long as he doesn't have to power over DTs. But it's clear Faine is on the way out one way or another, and I just don't see the Browns keeping him as a backup when they just signed Hallen. I'm prepared for an Andre Davis-type trade -- something is better than nothing, after all -- but reserve the right to be pleasantly suprised. The retirement of Paul Tagliabue is just an acknowledgement that the NFL is a vastly different league than 7-8 years ago. In trugh, I think he's been sort of coastiing these past few years and the new CBA agreement, which was a big win for players, adds a slight tarnish to his legacy. So long. It'd be cool if the next commish was a little more fan-friendly but that is unlikely since it's the owners voting on it. I'll say it again: Nick Saban is not going to get it going in Miami. Especially not with Culpepper. I read in a recent issue of SI that the Ravens "helped themselves the most" in free agency so far this offseaon (the Browns were second, the Cardinals third). How do you figure that? Trevor Pryce and Mike Anderson are nice signings, but they merely replace guys the Ravens lost. And the Ravens inexplicably overpayed-by-a-mile to resign Jamal Lewis when a combo of Anderson-Taylor would have looked a lot better. They Ravens still don't have a quarterback even though there were several potentially good QBs on the market, including a Pro-Bowler in Brees. I like Anderson but beyond that there isn't one position where the Ravens have improved. I believe the correct term for their offseaon so far is "treading water." Julian Peterson gets big money from the Seahawks. I was not one of the people who wanted to see Peterson in a Browns uniform, at least not at this price. And for I don't really see how this will be a good deal for the Seahawks. With Peterson it all comes down to his injury history -- if he plays he's a very good player, but who knows. So the Seahawks are taking a big chance. In the process they have remade their team quite a bit from the one that lost the Super Bowl. Gone is the best guard in football, and that will presumably affect Shaun Alexander and the ground game. In comes Peterson to bolster a sometimes leaky defense. And with Jurevicious gone it's not a forgone conclusion that the Seahawk offense will overall be nearly as effective as in 2005. Posted Mar 28 2006, 09:51 AM by MikeB with 4 comment(s) Filed under: Browns

• Casey & Many Others

  Required reading. I've always liked Casey Coleman for his frankness, and his quick words. He is a real person and it's always easy to tell that the person you hear on the air is probably the same guy off the air. I had heard he was an alcoholic, but you hear so much about so many people... The pancreatic cancer that Casey finds himself with is a particularly brutal form of cancer, and it kills often. Say a prayer for the guy and, probably even more importantly, put yourself in his shoes for a moment and consider how you'd live. Then go and do that. I bet Casey would love that. And in a way that sort of response gives a little meaning, a little bit of purpose to such harsh circumstances. Our lives and our situations are all temporary. You can bemoan that fact, but it's more productive to be motivated by it. Take advantage of your opportunities. Plan for the future, but don't neglect the present. It's what humans are meant to do. Life -- use up every bit that you get. Posted Mar 24 2006, 12:47 AM by MikeB with 1 comment(s) Filed under: General

• Crocker Dealt, +Blather

  The big news over the weekend Browns-wise -- Chris Crocker traded to the Falcons for a 4th rounder. Seems like a good deal for both teams. Crocker isn't a bad player at all and did well starting last year. He's competent and I think he might have been a little better as a nickel back than at safety, but in either case he was quietly solid. For DBs, that is often a good thing because the only time your name is mentioned is if you get a pick or get toasted. Crocker didn't get many picks, and only got toasted occasionally. More of a cover guy than a hitter, he'll do well at FS for Atlanta. Considering that the Browns have a lot of bodies at safety but not many proven above-average commodities, this deal is a risk for the Browns. But it seems like this came down to value, upside, and the roles players would play in '06. If all goes according to plan Crocker would be a backup in 2006 with Pool entering the starting lineup. Crocker had a very solid 2005 but has only average speed and size -- obviously the Browns conclusion on Crocker was that he wasn't going to get much better than he already is. That doesn't mean he isn't a good player to have on the team, however. It's netting a 4th rounder for Crocker that makes it a good deal for the Browns. In years past a guy like Crocker might have played out '06 and then became a free man but Savage instead managed to deal him for maximum value. By most accounts the 2006 draft is a deep one where the Browns could actually get a decent player, so you could also rationalize that 4th rounder as being more valuable than usual. Considering we are still in the "get players for the 3-4" mode Savage clearly valued a mid-level draft pick more than a spot-starter at safety. This trade isn't a slam dunk, but I'd have to agree that it fits the Browns well for where they are now at. With this pick the Browns now have nine picks in the draft, and seven picks in the first five rounds where you can actually get players who can contribute. After this draft we should have plenty of the "right type" of players to play the 3-4. And Savage should have some ammunition if he wants to move up in the 2nd or 3rd rounds to get a particular player. The trade also writes Brodney Pool's name in ink on the depth chart. Pool looked impressive in early season duty last year before getting a concussion, and the FO is obviously very high on him. Will Pool have a better '06 than Crocker had an '05? Maybe, but it should be obvious that Pool has much more physical talent. If anything, this trade illustrates that Crennel and Savage's vision for the defense includes a real presence at free safety, not just a decent player. As for Sean Jones, it's hard to say if this trade means he's in the team's plan. Last year in camp Jones got a lot of playing time but then rarely got on the field once the games counted. We can hope that this trade means the FO views Jones as, at least, a competent back-up. But I think the jury is still out on Sean Jones. Certainly 2006 will be an important year for the safety position on this team. Hopefully Pool rises to the occasion. Russell holds down the fort for another year. Jones finally gets on the field consistently and shows something. And presumably Savage will draft a SS to groom. Dinkins = blocker. He apparently can catch a little but I doubt he is coming here for that. Peter King this week, in defending the Patriots track record after letting McGinest walk: "(The Patriots were) right to dump Antowain Smith for Corey Dillon." Um, I don't think so. Dillon really hasn't been very good and has only been a modest upgrade over Smith. And you have to think Pioli expected better production out of Dillon when they signed him. What any of this has to do with McGinest, I haven't a clue. TO to Dallas: Good move for Dallas considering where that team and coach are at. I think Owens will play great (I thought that last year too), at least for 2006. After that I don't think Jerry Jones cares. But beyond football, this is a great PR move for the Cowboys. We'll never be able to get the Cowboys off the news now. Let's hope Vince Young has a great workout on Wednesday and convinces another of the top 11 teams in the draft to go for a QB. I think it's safe to say Cutler has squeezed his way into the top of the draft, and now it's up to Young not to slip out of it. World Baseball Classic: great baseball, but the US players are soft mentally, at least for this competition. It's an afterthought to those guys the same way Olympic basketball is to NBA players. That kind of sucks. I hope the entire Cuban baseball team defects tonight immediately following the final pitch. All they have to do is refuse to walk off the field into their dugout. Instead they should just climb into the stands and hitch rides home with fans. Caught the speech by President Bush while out jogging at lunch. It was pretty weak to spend 90% of the speech talking about a Northern Iraqi city that isn't quite emblematic of the country's problems at the moment. It was an important story and it deserved being highlighted, but not for the whole speech. This speechw as billed as a "major policy speech" but contained no new policies and did not even try to set out the long-term vision for the US in the Middle East. A lot of people, I'm sure, are convinced Bush has no vision. I am not one of them, but I can hardly blame anyone for feeling that way after listening to this speech. After the speech Bush took questions from the audience. Unfortunately I only heard one, but it was a whopper. The scene -- embattled wartime president gives a rather hollow and weak speech and the time is right for an intelligent and challenging question -- and instead the questioner asks, "Do you agree with evangelicals who think the Iraq war is a sign of the coming apocalypse?" (I'm paraphrasing). How depressing. I did see on a muted TV that Bush was still answering questions 20 minutes later so hopefully the questions got a lot better. I like the fact that 1100 is now doing "local talk" at 9AM each weekday. I've only caught it a couple times and it hasn't really been that great, but it's something that is needed, assuming it is done well. We'll see... Speaking of that time slot, WKNR's Greg Brinda is absolutely unlistenable. The guy never has anything intelligent to say, and it takes him way too long to say it. (Ed: maybe that's why you should like him!) Posted Mar 20 2006, 05:53 PM by MikeB with 6 comment(s) Filed under: Browns

• What Does McGinest Mean?

  Phil Savage compared the Browns signing of McGinenst to the Packers signing Reggie White in 1993. It does beg the question -- what does signing McGinest mean to the Browns? After White signed, the entire Packers organization was transformed from a nearly forgotten NFL backwater into a city so full of football adoration it was the center of the NFL universe for a solid five years. And most importantly, players actually wanted to join that team. Is the McGinest deal a sign that the same thing, albeit on a more modest scale, is happening in Cleveland? Well, McGinest is not Reggie White. He's not as dominating at his position, he's a few years older than White in '93, and the Browns did not committ to him the way the Packers committed to White. So we can stop dreaming right now. But McGinest did make a White-like decision in that he's a very successful veteran who has freely chosen to join what hasn't been considered a Super Bowl contending team; this isn't a case of a guy hopping to a new team for one last chance to get back to the Show. Instead, McGinest appears to be looking for the more satisfying challenge of helping push an organization into ranks of NFL contenders. This is admirable, at least. While Phil Savage is overstating it by recalling White-to-the-Packers, it's true that Willie McGinest carries a certain reputation among football fans -- a winner, a comepetitor, a true football player. Certainly very few Browns free agent singings have been subjects of falttering articles like this one. And if McGinest is as well respected among fellow players (as is reported) then his signing with the Browns (for modest money, no less) is indeed a sign that the franchise is back on the map. No, we aren't a marquee free agent destination. But we aren't Detroit either. And if all the Browns do is attract the non-flashy, hard-nosed types like McGinest then good days are coming. And while reading quotes from prepss confrerences with Bentley, Jurevicius, and Zastudil has been a collective wet dream for Browns fans, I'd rank McGinest's comments right up there: "A big part of my decision was the building process and [joining] young, hungry guys wanting to win. They're not spoiled. They haven't won a lot of championships. But this is a football town and I think they're hungry for it. I can make an impact. "We're not going to sit here and predict Super Bowls, but we are going to make a run at being a very good team. We're going to be tough, physical, and we're not taking a backseat to anybody." It's almost hard to believe the Browns preferred Kalimba Edwards to McGinest as recently as 48 hours ago. They must expect Edwards to grow into quite a player. That ought to be interesting to see over the next few years. The Browns immediately gave McGinest Matt Stewart's number 55. Also, in honor of St. Patrick's Day I believe McGinest's name should be spelled and promounced "McGuinness" on Friday, March 17th. Of course, with any luck I won't personally be posting anything as I will be too busy drinking Guinness and talking about the Browns to relatives who could care less. That's what happens when you are an Irish kid who marries into a big Lebanese family... Anyone have the text to this article as it concnerns the Browns? Since I got married I have forgone the expense of being an ESPN Insider and don't miss it until I see an headline like, "The Browns, Vikings and Redskins hit the ground running when free agency finally opened, and they have a lot to show for it." It's rare that the Browns gets such love. What do the Browns see in potential free agent signings WR Tim Carter and TE Darnell Dinkins? They obviously would be brought in for backup roles and probably some special teams play. You have to assume that the FO is looking for a backup TE who is a good blocker, considering Winslow should be available and Shea is a free man. Carter, I know very little about. But we do need a receiver, and we'll probably get another in the draft unless the staff is very high on Frisman and Cribbs. Here's the first article I've seen grumbling about the most obvious effect of the new CBA -- making it a certainty ticket prices will shoot upward. Also, in the glee of the past 5-6 days, I did hear that Randy Lerner had been "putting off" raising ticket prices until the team was more competitive. I'm still stewing about a long Indians post. But damn, it's nice to see Boone and Marte both tearing it up in FLA. You could see this coming and it's a great problem to have. It's only SPring Training and already it seems like the whining about losing Coco has been totally silenced. Which is the correct reaction. It's very early, but it already seems clear the Indians got a very good deal in that trade. NCAA Bracket note: I'm all excited cause I picked Boston College in a point spread pool. They were favored by 8 points over Pacific. It didn't look good as they were in a close game. My only hope was overtime and hope BC ran away with it. Pacific held a lead throughout overtime and BC managed to force a second OT. Where they outscored Pacific 12-2 and covered. That's the beauty of March Madness -- the rest of my tournament picks could bomb out, but for the moment I feel destined to win it all... hehe. Posted Mar 16 2006, 05:04 PM by MikeB with 3 comment(s) Filed under: Browns

• McGinest Inked, & the Offseason So Far

  According to this. Sweet. I was kind of a fence sitter on signing him or Ted Washington, but I've come around. I'll append more to this in a few minutes... OK--- here's the rest of the post... It sounds like the Browns are signing, no wait, _have signed_ McGinest. I like him as a player quite a bit and he's still playing very well so age isn't an issue as long as contract length isn't too long. I'd love to see the Browns sign lots of young, promising veterans in free agency but that just isn't possible these days. So getting proven veterans like McGinest would be great as long as Savage drafts well and the team has young talent learning behind the old horses. Which is what the plan appears to be. Now that we have a LB in the fold, I think it's appropriate to look at the whole offseason to date and why it has been a good one. The last few days they appear to be focusing attention on older veteran players, which are often a mixed bag in free agency. But on the whole the offseason has been full of signing or resigning good, young, and promising players. First off, the free agent youth they've signed is all on the offensive line, which should warm the heart of any Browns fan. Bentley and Shaffer should provide years of potential continuity along the offensive line. You could repeat this point everyday for a month and it still wouldn't be enough. Finally!!! Is Shaffer a sure thing? It doesn't seem like it. But look around the NFL and you'd have to admit he is a good starting caliber LT, and still improving by most accounts. And will Bentley live up to that huge contract? We'll probably get what we pay for. I'm not so worrid about the salaries after looking at how much the salary cap has and will increase over the next few years. Washington is replacing Jason Fisk, who might be a bit younger but probably at the end of his career. This is a wash on age. And of course Washington is a better player, and seems to have an eye towards coaching. There are no guarantees but you can easily imagine this being a nice benefit after the Browns draft a potential NT next month. Jurevicius steps in for Antonio Bryant, who was clearly not wanted by the FO. Jurevicius is older, but it's not really a one-for-one swap since Edwards is moving towards being a true #1. The team probably needs another young WR. The Browns are losing absolutely no players they actually wanted to keep. Think about that for a second. And much of their younger talent is signed for a while. Andra Davis is signed long-term. Imagine if he had hit the market -- he could have been an RFA (right?) and could have been lost, or been a UFA next season and the Browns would have been in a world of hurt. Instead, he was re-signed while the cap room was there. Leigh Bodden is signed long-term. I'm a huge Bodden fan and am thrilled about this. He might not be a #1 CB but he'll be a solid starter for a long time. And the Browns are going to be getting a pretty good deal on this contract. Droughns is probably here for the long-term too. You never know with running backs, but the Browns at least have a legitimate starter wrapped up until a successor presents himself. And hopefully Droughns will make sure that isn't even necessary for a few years. Roye is resigned. This is a "finish his career" type of signing, but of all the veterans on this team in 03-05 he was clearly the best of the bunch. Roye is playing at a high level, but kind of like the Washington signing this move buys the Browns time to develop some young talent on the DL. Winslow is apparently rehabbing well. I have no illusions he's gonna be a game-breaker (though that would be nice), but if he's pretty good that is a huge boost. And don't forget his contract has been extended following the whole motorcycle fiasco, so he isn't going anywhere. If he plays well he's another piece that is signed for a few years out. All in all it is hard to be very negative about these moves. It goes without saying that ANY signing involves some risk on each side of the contract. The best you can do is take caluclated gambles. This year the Browns have risked a lot of money in long-term deals, but all of them are going to players you'd have to say are pretty good bets to earn their money. And everything else have gone into shorter-term deals to veterans who should provide an immediate benefit. Sort of reminds me of the 1994 Indians, though we can only hope we have a Thome and a Manny on the roster. Let the feel good stories continue -- Mentor High and Kent State grad Bob Hallen has been signed to backup at guard. The Browns appear to have the East and West Sides covered pretty well. Now we need someone from the south, Parma, Brecksville, etc. I really know nothing about him as a player, but his signing would appear to indicate that Jeff Faine is not in the 2006 plans, unless the team really wants to carry a backup center who can't play guard (I'm not going to believe he can play guard.) In the same article, NT Jason Fisk was released. He mostly got manhandled in 2005, though he had some better games in the second half of the season. His release would appear to mean that Ethan Kelley is considered a legitimate backup at NT. That seems right. Apparently the Vikings got a 2006 second round pick for Culpepper. The first media reports I saw yesterday said it was a 2007 pick. Not that I am a stickler for accuracy here... I guess it should have been obvious, but I am a little suprised that Aaron Shea is going to leave town without much interest from the Browns. Yeah, he was hurt a lot but he was always a pretty good receiver. Hopefully this is a sign that Winslow is on track (please Lord -- it's been two years and I want to see him play already). The Browns will be fine without Shea. Favorite memory of Aaron Shea -- seeiing him at the Harp with his wife and sitting at a table of about 9 other young women. He looked bored out of his mind, which is why I assume his significant other was his wife and not a girlfriend. Oh, and it bothers me not at all if he goes to Pittsburgh -- the more 1999-2004 era Browns they have the better. One side note about Culppeper -- in the wake of the Love Boat thing of 2005, you can only imagine how that guy is going to be living in an around South Beach. Jeez. On the other hand, I'm not that excited about a Julian Peterson signing. I haven't had the (dis)pleasure of seeing many 49ers games lately, but {eterson always struck me as being a little soft. Maybe I'm wrong here, but Peterson doesn't seem like the sort of linebacker Crennel has used effectively in the past. Posted Mar 15 2006, 04:40 PM by MikeB with 7 comment(s) Filed under: Browns

• Kalimba We Hardly Knew Ya; Extra Tuesday Blather

  Kalimba Edwards has resigned with Detroit, meaning the search continues for a pass rushing LB who won't break the bank. Willie McGinest is in town today. For a year or two he would seem to fit the bill nicely, but apparently the parties don't agree on the numbers. To me, that means the Browns will probably make a standing offer and have to wait/hope the market settles down. I'm not too upset about losing Edwards -- he sounded like an intriguing guy, but opinions certainly varied. McGinest would bring more to the table, but, kind of like Ted Washington, he would not be part of the long-term plan. That's okay if the price is right. Brees to New Orleans. I love this move for the Saints, and I like the move for New Orleans. While draft speculation had the Saints picking Leinart, it's far better to pay the price for a Pro-Bowl QB when he's on the open market -- afterall, it doesn't happen often, and Brees is not an EX-Pro Bowler but a current one with basically no baggage. But more than that, the fact is that the Saints need players at a lot of positons and needed to fill some of their needs in free agnecy. Unless they wanted to overpay a stubborn free agent holding out for a big offer (insert name here). This way they get a proven NFL QB, will still get a top player in the draft, and will likely be able to trade down and get at least one more promising young player who can help right away. I do like Lienart as a pro prospect, but it's unlikely he could succeed in New Orleans without some better players around him. Culpepper to Miami. I have to say I am suprised Nick Saban likes Culppeper enough to trade for him (as well as pay him) while he is hurt. While the trade price wasn't too high (a 2nd in '07, which is like a 3rd or 4th in '06), the fact that Culpepper's knee is seriously injured makes the whole deal a gamble. A bigger gamble, though, is whether Culpepper can be a very good quarterback without a Randy Moss to throw to. The 2005 season really explosed Culpepper as a purely instinctive player who couldn't adjust to a defense. Apparently Saban thinks 2005 wasn't a bad sign. Even granting that, I wouldn't have thought Culppeper would be Saban's type of QB; it's akin to Butch Davis signing Jeff Garcia. Of course, I'm still of the mind that Saban is more or less the next incarnation of Butch Davis in the NFL so maybe this all makes perverse sense. I do think Culpepper can be a decent QB, but I looks like Saban thinks he can be a bit more than that. The Patriots have $20 million in cap room. I wonder what they are waiting for. That team would be interesting with LaVar Arrington. Posted Mar 14 2006, 05:23 PM by MikeB with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Browns

• "Policy of Not Commenting" No More, Plus Blather

  Big news -- Toni Grossi wrote an article that didn't mention the Browns' "new policy of not commenting" on possible free agent acquisitions. And in the article Savage openly comments on Kalimba Edwards, though Grossi doesn't note that this represents a change from the new policy. I don't know why I am so entertaining by this.... Even still, Grossi is uncharacteristically optimistic about the past few days. He correctly notes that Savage, Crennel, and the Browns as a whole took a big step towards respectability and competency by signing guys that were wanted by other clubs and will clearly help the team. He also correectly notes how cool it was that the Browns got three guys who grew up rooting for the Browns. Really, this can't be underestimated in terms of satisfying hardcore fans. Even if these moves don't bring a winning record in 2006, they will surely improve fans' relationship with the team. And whatever you think of Grossi, he does reflect the attitude of many fans and if he's encouraged it's a very good sign. Heard an interview on 1100 with LeCharles Bentley this morning and, man, he is really well spoken. He sounded like a genuinely nice guy, and far more mature than what you'd stereotype a 26 year old offensive lineman to be. I had missed the audio from news conference after he was signed so maybe I am late to this, but I was really impressed with his love of the Browns and excitement to be playing in Cleveland. Anyone co uld say those words, but the tone in Bentley's voice was genuine. It was so cool to hear. I also like the fact that Bentley flat out admitted he didn't know much about Charlie Frye as a player. Most just-signed free agents would say soomethiing strupid about how he was such a promising young QB, etc. I guess it was just refreshing to hear somebody admit his ignorance of something instead of trying to fake it. I do, in fact, really like the signing of Dave Zastudil. I think he's a pretty kick ass punter and am about as excited as can be considering he is a punter. It's just that I don't think a punter was a top priority (though replaciing Richardson might have been). But now that we have him, cool. And I've been reading lots of usually smart people on the BI.com boards saying he'll make a big difference, so hopefully my impression was wrong and Zastudil will routinely drop punts inside the 10 yard line and it will be the difference in some games. If that happens the Browns could possibly compete for a post-season spot. I'm only cautiously optimistic about the Ted Washington signing due to his age, but this sure seems like a nice plus: he's been a defensive line coach in NFL Europe this season. It sounds like Washington is prepping for a post-playing career in coaching, and I have no problem if he starts this year by tutoring our first round draft pick and a couple other young backups while still anchoring the defensive line for a couple years. It looks like the d-line will consist of Roye - Washington - McKinley, assuming a rookie doesn't enter the picture as a starter. I have no problems with this lineup. Roye is proven, Washiington will at the very least be a significant improvement, and I think McKinley is underrated. Besides getting a pass rusher, the best next acquisition for this defense might be to get another good inside linebacker. I'd kind of like to see Chaun Thompson get a shot inside if the Browns don't draft a rookie to groom there. Check out the beautiful prose offered by Mark Leonard, who has the smart observation that the gross overpaying of Randle El in Washington might be one reason the Browns had no qualms about paying Northcutt a roster bonus -- he still may make nice trade bait. That is true. But I'd also point out that Northcutt is _still_ valuable if used correctly and creatively, and he and Edwards are really the only truly explosive players on the roster. Now, if Carthon still can't figure out how to use him then it's all for nought but, on paper, I have no problem keeping Northcutt especially with Edwards's status uncertain. Anyway, Mark follows up with lots of other great observations, all of which I agree with until he proclaims "There is no excuse for not proof-reading" which caused me to re-read and reconsider the entire post, and diagram all sentences contained within (they checked out okay). Just a reminder that last week, ESPN did not feel like the Browns were one of the top 5 "teams to watch" in free agency. It's kind of funny that teams like the Redskins get so much attention. I guess you can't help but look at a car accident. That is, I suppose, why people read John Clayton, right? I read that Peter King doesn't like the Browns moves -- that they grossly overpaid for Bentley, and Joe J is not a #2 receiver. They paid Bentley a ton, but I disagree. Bentley by all accounts is worth the price and if you see the contract offer Steve Hutchinson signed (which King inexplicably considers a fair price) it's hard to get too worried about Bentley's paycheck, particularly since Bentley can play two positions at an All-Pro level. And in case King didn't notice, a new CBA was just signed that will continue to increase player salaries well into the stratospehere so in two years Bentley will be a bargain and only 28 years old. And Peter, all Jurevicius has ever done in the NFL is play well. Compare that to the Antonio Bryants of the league and tell me which you'd rather have as your #2. King seems to think Jurevicius is just a possession guy. Did he not see the Seahawks play last year? Does he not remember Jurevicius when Tampa won a Super Bowl? We can only hope opposing defenses share King's opinion of Jurevicius! Posted Mar 14 2006, 10:09 AM by MikeB with 4 comment(s) Filed under: Browns

• Random FA Notes

  Monday: What, no signings today? Andre Davis to the Bills -- I think we can safely say Phil Savage aced his first trade as Browns GM. If you think back to the 2004-2005 offseason, Andre Davis was still looked at as a posible starting #2 receiver, and a pretty good one at that. Now, not one Browns fan regrets dealing him, and I didn't hear the slightest whisper that the Browns should pick him back up as a free agent this past weekend. And the Browns bascially got a free fifth rounder for the speedy, intriguing, and good-on-paper Andre Davis. I'll make a little prediction too -- Davis won't do much in Buffalo. He's a decent and competitive receiver, but not a starter because he just can't seem to get open against good coverage. With Moulds leaving the Bills, Lee Evans an established deep threat, and the QB situation still looking problematic, I can't see Davis being in the right situation to succeed. I read somewhere that all of Tim Couch's recent workouts for teams were very dissappointing. If he can't even latch on as a backup somewhere, it appears his career is over. I'd be interested in hearing the perspective of some of the scouts and GMs he worked out for, but that may never happen. Maybe Barry McBride and the Insiders can dig up some off the record details? Jamal Lewis back with the Ravens! Check out Ozzie's quote: "If you look at his history, he always rebounds in a big way from adversity. He had a tough 2005 that started with surgery, his incarceration, and then dealing with all of the turmoil during the season with the contract hanging over his head." HAHAHA. The whole incarceration thing was what it was, but the "turmoil" of playing with a contract that pays you handsomely while trying to earn another lucrative deal and have that "hanging over your head" -- i really feel for the guy. What the hell are the Redskins thinking? And why do I keep hearing people rave about their free agency signings? I know evberyone likes a car crash, but c'mon -- the Skins have a terrible track record, and the news here is that they probably made another boneheaded decision (unless your name is Randle El). I am not nearly as into the NCAA Tourney as in years past. Maybe that's because my alma mater (Dayton) had a bad year. I'm finding as I get older the rapid player turnover in college basketball is fricking impossible to keep up with, and thus stay informed enough to actually like or dislike teams. Also, the fact that the Browns offseason (aka, the best part of the Browns calendar) is going on. Kalimba Edwards: I had never heard of this dude until the past week. He sounds like an interesting potential addition because, even even though he didn't light the world on fire in Detroit's 4-3, he's still pretty young, was highly drafted and presumably has some talent, and, as usual, I have faith that Savage/Crennel can pick a player. What I don't understand is why Detroit is apparently willing to outbid the Browns to keep him if, in fact, he hasn't been a real impact player for the Lions. Can anyone explain this to me? Archueta to the Redskins. I like this dude. He's tough, though like all tough safeties he is also prone to whiffing from time to time. I'm wondering how he'll pair up with Sean Taylor though. A day's reflection on Ted Washington -- he's old, and didn't play that well this past year. To me this means he probably won't play on third down and the Browns are paying him a fairly generous salary for it. Still, he will be an improvement over Jason Fisk if he merely gets blocked away from the play instead of getting absolutely manhandled. What should also be clear is that this signing does not solve the team's long-term plans at DT/NT. Washington merely buys the Browns up to a year's time to draft a nosetackle. A year of Washington/Ethan Kelly would not be the worst thing. Posted Mar 13 2006, 05:23 PM by MikeB with no comments Filed under: Browns

• Beyond Words

  Saturday = Wow!!! I've been keeping a little list of my "ideal offseason" and the top two players on my list were LeCharles Bentley and Joe Jurevicius, and by a wide margin. During the past two weeks it seems less and less likely that Bentley could wind up a Brown. And it seemed like Jurevicius was just as likely to get extended by the Seahawks as it was he'd hit the open market. But here we are and both are now on our team. I'm the same age as Joe Jurevicius and was a skinny teenager watching in the stands while Jurevicius and Lake Catholic played some epic games against the bigger and more talented Ignatius. But Jurevicius was obviously the best player on the field and he proved it with some great performances. As a high schooler it was easy to scoff at kids from opponents' schools. But not Jurevicius -- he carried himself with class, played the game the way it was meant to be played, and was gracious regardless of the game's outcome. And he was as competitive as they come. As the years went by it was cool to see him be a standout at Penn State and even make the cover of SI. And then on to the NFL where he's done nothing but play well and help teams win. It's kind of a amazing that he's on his fourth NFL team because I can't think of a good reason why he was allowed to leave the Giants, Bucs, or Seahawks. To see him come home to Cleveland to play for the Browns is almost beyond words, and it's unebeliveably cool to see a guy like this be so excited to suit up in orange and Brown. One of the reasons it's so exciting is that Jurevicius is doing what so many of us Browns fans would long to do, and it's something that seems a rare occurrence in the NFL these days. A great guy gets to come back and be a key part of the local team. So cool. And lightning struck twice in the same way as the Browns snagged All-Pro LeCharles Bentley. Bentley, besides being a dominating blocker and a standout at two positions, brings to our roster the same passion for Cleveland and the Browns.For several years my #1 complaint about the Browns has been that the players and organization just didn't seem to care as much about the Browns as the fans do. Yesterday, that changed. And it changed with two guys who are going to make a big difference on the field. The Browns acquisition of Bentley represents another kind of coup for the team too -- it's the first time ever that a Cleveland team was able to snag the marquee free agent of the offseason. It's not an understatement to say that this represents a sea change for this organization and the preception of it within the NFL. The message is pretty clear -- the Browns are guided by football guys and players want to play here. Bentley and Jurevicius were the big names of the day, but in the long run new LT Kevin Shaffer may prove as significant an acquisition. Shaffer is a good, not great, left tackle. He's also young with some potential still hopefully untapped, and, as evidenced by the fact that he's getting paid about what Bentley is getting, the Browns expect him to be among the best left tackles in the game. If it turns out that way, this will be a fantastic deal. If Shaffer is merely decent, this deal could be a bit dicey. I'll place my bet with the Browns though. Everything I've read indicates he's a very promising young veteran who is probably already better than some more highely regarded "elite" left tackles in the league. The good news -- this Browns offensive line is better with Shaffer. The unknown -- how much better will be an open question, as is the cost/performance ratio of this deal. More good news -- it's freaking March and the Browns have a left tackle on the roster that could be the answer for the next five years. I'll take it in a second. And today word is out that the Browns have inked Ted Washington to play NT. I'm skeptical of how much Washington will be able to give us, but now that he is signed I'm much more excited than I'd expected. Why? Because Washington has made a difference everywhere he has played. And if he is merely pretty good in 2006, it will be a big deal for this defense. In 2005 Fisk got demolished on about 60% of the plays. That won't happen with Washington. You have to think Andra Davis is a happy man today. Of course, attention immediately switches to what the Browns will do with Faine. He probably can't play guard except in emergency situations. And it doesn't seem likely to me that Bentley won't start at center. The fact that Faine really isn't making much this season is an agrument for keeping him as a backup (he's not too expensive) and an argument to trade him (it makes him an attractive acquisition). But the fact that Faine probably isn't even an adequate backup at guard makes me think Savage will deal him. How many teams keep a second string center who can't also fill in at another position? Hopefully we can get a useful player or a third rounder for him. Savage might even part with him for less. Last night people were excited about the prospect of getting P Dave Zastudil. That would be a nice move, but it's not a big deal either way just because a good punter isn't the thing holding this team back. It would be a great story to get a third native Clevelander though. My guess is Savage likes Zastudil and is going after him in the hopes Zastudil will take less to play in his hometown. And if not, Zastudil will sign elsewhere. I wish I could write for another hour... but the baby's nap is just about over. Thank god for ESPN2 and the Bottom Line. Eventually the cable networks will figure out they ought to put the Bottom Line on other, non sports related shows. If the Food Network and the Disney Channel had the Bottom Line, believe me there would be piece and harmony in my house when it came to watching TV. Posted Mar 12 2006, 02:11 PM by MikeB with 5 comment(s)

• Back In Gear

  So we have a CBA. Cool, I guess. I'm looking forward to free agency Saturday morning. But the CBA is a reminder to me that the NFL is becoming a worse and worse deal for fans who actually want to attend the games. And this CBA guarantees that ticket prices will go up at least 20%-30% over the next five years, and continue rising. That kind of sucks. I'm starting this think the whole CBA negotiation process was an opportunity lost for fans. It would have been cool for a group of fans to have mounted a PR campaign lobbying for some representation in the CBA. The one wish? That non-loge ticket revenues be limited to a fixed dollar amount or, at least, a fixed percentage of revenues. That would basically acknowledge what is apparent anyway -- that the NFL's big revenue growth is going to come from broadcast rights (tv, radio but also internet, mobile devices, and even fantasy leagues), extra programming (NFL network, Sunday Ticket, etc.), and exporting the NFL. If you can imagine that all these things grow at a healthy clip, then it's even possible that ticket prices could not increase. The NFL and the NFLPA would have probably objected to potentially leaving money on the table. But I think they'd be wrong. Instead, they would have guaranteed themselves that they'd always play in front of packed crowds, which would ensure that the most possible fans had gameday experiences, and there would always be an interest in the local NFL franchise. Each team would solidify their base of hardcore fans and help keep demand for other revenue streams high. Stadiums that don't routinely sell-out would see nice bumps in concession/parking/apparell revenue. And it would be a hugely beneficial from a PR standpoint -- the NFL would be the only league who'd ever put in writing some contract languauge that considered the interests of fans. They could legitimately claim to be the most "fan friendly" professional sports league. Oh well. "The Browns' new policy is to not comment on players in free agency." Why is it that the Plain Dealer keeps repeating this line? It's almost as it Grossi is miffed about the policy, especially since the policy has been "new" for a while now. I have to say, the numbers on Ruben Droughns extension are pretty favorable to the Browns. We could have reasonably expected to pay 1-2 mil more per year of this deal. I'd have to think that the Browns had a pretty good bargaining position since Droughns still had a deal remaining on his current deal and since he's been in the league a while he was probably anxious to get a big deal before too long. In that sense, both sides win out. And perhaps best of all I think this contract does not preclude Savage from pairing Droughns with a pretty good complimentary back. If Green/Suggs aren't the answer there (and really only Suggs appears talented enough), it wouldn't suprise me at all to see Savage sign a RB in free agency. But I'm bummed that it won't be Michael Pittman. A couple local sports tv anchors have mentioned on their broadcasts that the Browns are interested in LaVar Arrington. While I don't normally regard tv dudes as the most tuned-in, in this case I think it's indicative of some genuine interest. Arrington could be very interesting on this team. I fully trust Savage and Crennel's judgement omn whether a guy is a good player to have on the team. So while Arrington sort of rubs me the wrong way, I'm quite willing to defer to a guy like Crennel. And let's face it -- this team desperately needs an intimidating presence at linebacker. Arrington has the highest ceiling of any free agent and who knows -- he might even come a bit cheaper than expected. The big potential downside is health. No way can the Browns sign him the day free agnecy opens. They need to give him a physical and probably let the market for Arrington settle a bit. If the health repport is clean and the price is right, then perhaps they make a move. This ought to be one of the more interesting free agency evaluations this offseason. And you can't help be intrigued at the free agent possibilities this offseason. I still get annoyed when I read quoes from the Poston's. "He could play rugby, if he had to." The quotes from Bills owner Ralph Wilson on how he "didn't understand" the CBA the owners just passed is, well, hilarious and pathetic. I feel bad for Bills fans cause that guy sure seems out of touch in a way that even NFL owners typically aren't. But this dude clearly doesn't understand the NFL's economics anymore. And if he couldn't sit in a room of owners and discuss a CBA agreement that addresses issues that have been on the table for many years now, then frankly the Bills are doomed as long as he is the owner. Of course, just looking at the Bills QBs in the post-Jim Kelly should tell you the same thing. What is the deal with all the rumors of LeCharles Bentley being poised to sign with the Eagles? While it would not be shocking if Bentley wound up there (the Eagles are in the market for player on both lines), it's obviously against the rules for contracts to be worked out prior to the start of free agency. I find it hard to believe a player like Bentley, who will cash in big-time this offseason, would not want to field formal offers from multiple teams. It makes me wonder if this info is just an attempt to cement Bentley's status as being in great demand and driving up his price. Whatever the case, he'll get a lot of attention and it seems doubtful the Browns will want to engage in a bidding war. And apparently the Eagles have him wrapped up. In the above article it's interesting that the Eagles are apparently looking at Jeff Garcia as a backup. That probably makes a lot of sense. This will be the third straight offseason that Garcia signed a new contract. I bet if you add it up he's been paid extremely well these past two years considering he got a fat bonus from the Browns. Obviously it sometimes pays better to be a very marginal but occasionally spectacular player than it does to be a consistently solid guy. Man, it sure would be awesome to get DT Haloti Ngata in the draft. Everything I read about that guy seems exactly what this Browns team needs upfront. It doesn't really look like he'll be there at 12 though. But it's probably more likely than AJ Hawk being there. And I'd rather have Ngata from what I've read. I read the other day on Football Outsiders that Sean Landeta is the only active NFL player who was in the original Techmo Bowl game. And Ricky Proehl was in Techmo Super Bowl. It will be a sad day when those guys retire. My "ideal offseason" Free agents: G/C LeCharles Bentley, WR Joe Jurevicious or WR David Givens, NT Ma'ake Kemoeatu, LB Bart Scott, and a two-gapper at DE Draft: DT Haloti Ngata, OG in the second, DE or WR in the third Two syllables: Kirby Puckett: So long. Barry Bonds: Who cares. Steroids: Who cares. Jason Michaels: Eric Byrnes. Jeff Chandler: Um, why Flip Murray: Great trade. Trevor Pryce: Don't know. Posted Mar 09 2006, 08:25 PM by MikeB with 3 comment(s)

• This Story is Getting Old Notes

  I don’t know about you, but I’m getting reallt tired of awaiting free agency and instead readiing endlessly worthless reports of owners negotiation with themselves and the NFLPA. Sigh. Leave it to the PD to finally write a story on the Browns and the whole free agency and labor issues deal, but not really say any anything. Man is this annoying -- where is the in-depth Browns coverage? Anyway, the lede is kind of negative ("Browns are "in limbo") on the Browns although it should be negative on the _leauge_ and rather positive on the Browns within that context since it this free agency season is one of opportunity for the Browns. The rest of the article is more in line with that and is a rather optimistic rehash of the current state of affairs. Anyway... Ruben Droughns just got a three-year deal. Sweet. That’s about the right length of contract for a decent running back these days. Hopefully the fact that the Browns wrapped him up now indicates they were able to sign him at a dollar amount we should be happy with. And congrats to Mr. Doughns -- you’ve probably earned a nice contract as much as any Browns player of recent years. I’m looking at the early players who’ve been released so far and I gotta say... no thanks. Hardly any of them seem like good fits for the Browns. I’ll be really surprised if Savage targets grizzled veterans in the last few years in the NFL. I think he’s looking for young veterans who could still have some untapped potential and who could stick around for a while. So Ted Washington, don’t bother visiting Cleveland. Same with Sam Adams, though he can still play a little and he’d immediately have the coolest name in Cleveland sports since the departure of Coco Crisp. Roger Brown weighs in with the new that John Collins still is associated with Randy Lerner and "lurks behind the scenes." Is this news or not? It’s only news to me if it causes problems with Savage. I’ve long thought Collins was okay on the business side and was intrigued by some of the moves he attemted (although apparently unsuccessfully). He seemed to have an aggressive and creative posture in a business sense. He may not be President of the Browns but it was clear that Lerner still liked him and valued him. So if he sits at the same table as Lerner or acts as Lerner’s envoy in certain matters that doesn’t seem surprising or alarming. As long as he’s doing the owner’s bidding away from Berea that seems okay. Posted Mar 03 2006, 08:23 PM by MikeB with no comments

• End of the World Notes

  Labor strife has arrived, and we can expect a giant dumping of veteran contracts later today as many teams will have to shave 10 million+ off their cap numbers. Crazy, crazy, crazy. In all this will lie opportunity for the Browns, but frankly I think it’s a pretty hallow situation. Sure, the Browns may be able to snap up some pretty good players for next season. But these guys will at best be one-year rentals, at least if they are any good. About the only way I can see it being a really long term positive for the Browns is if they can stock up on a few young, potential cornerstone-type players and manage to sign them to multi-year deals. That seems impossible, however, since the lack of a CBA will make multi-year contracts very difficult, and other teams are not going to be releasing those types of players. There seem to be only two good options: 1) this whole mess gets resolved with an agreement on revenue sharing and a new CBA. Soome people are saying no revenue sharing may result in better football, but I’m convinced it will mostly result in higher and higher prices to see games as all costs will be passed along to the fan. And I don’’t buy for an instant that more free agency will give us what I’d like to see a bit more of -- relative roster continuity. Another potential path lies in what promiinent agents are sayiing: "It might mean that no rookies get signed because no one is sure of the long-term ramifications," said Tom Condon, the agent for a number of the game’s top players. This could get interesting if teams that can barely get under the cap will value their current players more than draft picks. That would make high first round picks something of a liability for some teams and the Browns could pick up some 2006 draft picks at bargain prices. The Browns could find themselves one of the only teams who could potentially pay first-round rookie contracts and still get under the cap. I know this is a pipe dream but, hey, weird stuff is happening so I’m dreamiing weird stuff. It’s pathetic that the Plain Dealer hasn’t written one article on how these labor issues might affect the Browns considering the Browns have among the most money to spend this offseason and we are on the eve of free agency. Are Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot both on vacation or what? Once again, the ABJ has better Browns coverage. Labor issues aside, I could imagine Stephen Davis being a pretty good part of a 1-2 punch at RB in Pittsburgh with Willie Parker. The Colts are apparently in big trouble with the cap due to contract issues with Manning and Harrison. They’ve got a team with several decent young players that could make good targets for the Browns. LB David Thornton maybe? I wouldn’t mind seeinig the Browns picking up Michael Pittman as an alternative to Droughns. Pittman isn’t going to command much money in this market, he’s a great receiver, and he’s a decent starter if need be. The bad? He’s had some off the field BS that has been kind of uncool. But if we assume William Green and Lee Suggs are likely to get replaced, Pittman would be an ideal type of on-the-field player behiind Ruben. CNNSI is reporting that Kerry Colliins would be the Ravens "top option" at QB if he is released. Are you kidding? Please say it is so!!! Another option? Gus Frerotte. He’s a little better, but I’d be happy to take my chances against him too. Dude, Shaun Alexander’s situation is kind of remarkable -- any other NFL player in his situation would have gotten a giant contract at some point during the past few years. Iinstead, he could be looking at a drastically smaller contract or playing on another one-year deal waiting for an uncapped 2007 or a new CBA that would allow a giant 6 or 7 year deal. Add punter Dave Zastudil to the "ideal offseason." I don’t think Richardson was _that_bad, and I don’t think a punter is a big priority. But the cost of upgrading that position would be so modest that there’s no reason no too. But I’m starting to wonder how much of the talk about Bentley, Jurevicious, and Zastudil is just wishful thinking that former Clevelanders will be coming back home. Posted Mar 02 2006, 03:23 PM by MikeB with no comments

• End of the NFL As We Know It

  It’s hard to judge whether a breakdown in labor talks would benefit the Browns. I’ve read some stuff that suggests teams with a lot of cap space like the Browns could really cash in since so many good players will hit the market and few teams will have money to spend. But a true breakdown in talks would mean an uncapped 2007 season, meaning any decent player will want to cash in come 2007, even the ones who’d be under contract in 2007. But more importantly it’s hard to imagiine 2006 free agents being willing to sign multi-year deals because in 2007 they could hit the market again and really rake it in, and they’d probably have to sign a multi-year deal under rather conservative terms since teams would not know what to project capwise for 2007 and beyond. So the Browns would basically be looking at maybe getting some high-value one-year rental free agents in 2006. And it would come at the expense of NFL labor parity that has made the NFL easily the most entertaining pro sports league in the world. I’m not sure I’d take that deal unless, you know, the Browns could make a deep playoff run in 2006, and I’m not sure 3-4 free agents would even be enough. One interesting side note in the above article -- that the NFL pays matching funds into players’ 401(k) accounts on a "2-1 basis." Wow! As far as I know a personcan contribute up to 10% of their earnings into a tax-free retirements savings account. So a 22 year old player making 1 million could contribute 100K, get 200K from the league, and instantly have 300K saved up for retirement. Think about that for a second -- that player could drop out of the league, live a normal, happy life while never again contributing to his retirement and then STILL retire at age 60 with a whopping $5,942,370 in his 401(k) assuming an average 8% return... All that would be great if the IRS let you save that much. Alas, I just checked it out and apparently an individual can only save 15K per year tax free, with up to 29K in matching funds. So an NFL player could only stash 44K/year in a 401(k). Still pretty sweet, as I’ve been saving for years and haven’t yet accumulated 44K total. It’s interesting that Savage interviewed two highly regarded, potential first-round running backs at the Combine. I think it’s smart to gauge where those guys might be drafted if only to get a sense of how the free agent running back market will be -- the Browns are likely to be shopping for a young veteran. But I’d be pretty surprised if they drafted a RB on the first day of the draft. Who knows though... BPA, right? My current "ideal offseason": Free agents: G LeCharles Bentley, WR Joe Jurevicious, NT Ma’ake Kemoeatu, LB Bart Scott, and a two-gapper at DE Draft: LB Chad Greenway, OG in the second, DE in the third A depth chart that included the following would be pretty good IMO -- not yet imposing on offense but competent and promising on both sides of the ball: DL: Roye, Kemoeatu, McKinley, while grooming a rookie to play end LB: Scott, Greenway, Davis, Thompson OL: Shelton, Coleman, Faine, Bentley, Tucker, with Andruzzi and a some youth in the mix Offensive skill postions: WRs Edwards, Jurevicious, Northcutt, RBs Droughns and Suggs, TEs Winslow, Heiden, Shea I’m intrigued by Adan Archeleta as well, if he’s truly available. He’s always looked good to me especially in run support. And it doesn’t look like Sean Jones and Brodney Pool are both going to pan out. The question with Archeleta, besides what type of money he’ll command, is how much he has left in the tank. Personally, I think he’d benefit by moving away from the Rams, out of a dome, and into a situation where he’s the leader in the defensive backfield on an emerging defensive-oriented team. The worst thing I can say, and this is why I didn’t include him above, is that Brian Russell is a similar (and cheaper) player so a guy like Archeleta is perhaps not much of a priority this offseason. Chad Pennington = Tim Couch. Personally I’d still probably prefer to have Couch. That’s sad, I know... I’ve been thinking about the draft quite a bit and am entertained and perplexed by the Houston Texans. First, why did they let it be known they were settling on Reggie Bush? Doesn’t that limit their options, decrease their negotiating power with Bush, and back themselves into a corner with their fans? Seems dumb. Secondly, Reggie Bush, to my eyes, isn’t a concensus #1 overall player. Dynamic and electric? Yes. Franchise running back? Um, does such a thing even exist in today’s NFL? Shaun Alexander is the reigning MVP and his team doesn’t even seem to be trying to keep him. It’s hard to justify committing long term to any running back, let alone making one the top overall pick in the draft. And finally, Vince Young is from Texas and just won a National Championship in a head-to-head matchup against the two other top players in this draft. The fans in Houston would go nuts if they had Young. It seems like the stars are aligned for Young to be a Texan and I think Casserly is overthinking this whole thing. Just pick Viince Young and hope for the best. Even if Young flops they’ll get four or five years of highly entertaining football and the fans there will love it. And picking Young over Bush or Lienart is a close enough call that you might as well go with the guy everyone wants. Certainly Casserly can’t be fired for that. Just pick Young, trade Carr, keep Domanick Davis, invest free agent money on the O-line, and let it roll. UPDATE: What a joke: "We can stop acting like (Young’s) a unique, can’t-miss superstar cut from the same mold as Michael Vick". If this dude actually think Mike Vick is a can’t miss superstar I’d like to know when he thinks Vick will, you know, start playing like one. Posted Mar 01 2006, 05:22 PM by MikeB with no comments