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!)