This Blog

Home

Syndication

Mike from Rochester

March 2007 - Posts

What! No Carr or Green!

What? No David Carr, no Trent Green, no veteran quarterback for the Browns in '07! We're doomed!

Okay, I know I wrote about this previously, but the topic of who is going to start at QB for the Browns continues to be a hot topic in these forums and especially now that Savage and Crennel addressed the issue at the NFL owners meetings.

I am pleased to say that our GM has not brought in a veteran quarterback from the outside, nor does he have plans to do so. His approach is the sensible one, build a team around the quarterback, not the other way around. That way has failed far too often.

There is no need to bring in a veteran retread with concussion issues (Green), bad wheels (Green), a lame brain (Carr) or whatever. Look, I respect the opinion of fellow bloggers and the fine writers and astute football analysts you hear from on this wonderful site. BUT WE HAVE A VETERAN QUARTERBACK ON THIS TEAM AND HIS NAME IS CHARLIE FRYE. This is his third year in the league and he has a real offensive coordinator to work with this season, even though this will be Chud's first full year directing an NFL offense. I believe Charlie will show one way or the other in '07 whether he can do the job. I think he will prove alot of people wrong.

Savage basically said he wants his quarterbacks to have some mobility and possess an arm good enough to combat the winds of Lake Erie. Charlie has at least the former and perhaps he can make do with his arm. It wasn't a lack of arm strength that hurt him last season, rather it was his decision making and overall pocket presence. Those are things that come with experience, and at times he was good in those areas and at other times he was not. I am counting on the fact that with another year under his belt, Browns fans will indeed see solid performances more often than not.

Tied to all this quarterback banter is the question of who will the Browns select with their first round pick. My choice all along has been Joe Thomas, so we can complete the last piece of the puzzle on that problematic line. Now, if the Browns do not select Thomas, I will not have a cow, PROVIDED THEY ADDRESS THE 0-LINE IN THE SECOND ROUND with a quality pick, such as Joe Staley, Aaron Sears, Justin Blaylock etc. Remember, the Patriots nabbed starting left tackle Matt Light in round two and the Chargers grabbed Marcus McNeill there also.

So that means I won't go nuts if they do take a quarterback with their first choice, as long as they couple it with that lineman in the second. Picking a quarterback first (Russel or Quinn) and stating that Frye could be solid in '07 is not a contradiction nor an indictment on Frye. It is just saying that Frye is the guy in '07 and we hopefully have a future franchise QB in waiting who can sit and watch for a year.

Think of it this way, it is kind of a POOR man's Drew Brees and Phillip Rivers situation. I know you are all gasping on that one!

As I have stated before, if the Browns do take Thomas first, they have alot of options in round two. They can go D-line (Justin Harrell) or perhaps corner (Aaron Ross, Marcus McCauley). Ross, if he was still available at pick 36 could also plug the hole that exists in the punt return role.

Don't be surprised if the Browns do pass on a QB in the first round that they take a good look at our friend from Cleveland via Columbus--Troy Smith in the third. Again, taking a quarterback in the draft is not a slam that Frye definitely won't make it. Rather it is saying a Smith, Quinn or whomever just might develop into something special. Keep in mind, Smith is mobile, has a very good arm and his release is better than people think contrary to reports you may have read. Kind of sounds like Savage's desired quarterback skill sets to me! Quarterbacks taken in later rounds all have some question marks (Smith's height, Montana's size and arm, Brady's whatever) that is why they weren't selected in the first.

So go ahead and make your choice. I've made mine, and it does not include a retread. I think the Browns agree with that.

Go Browns!

Posted Mar 27 2007, 09:18 PM by mikefromrochester with 5 comment(s)

Injuries, Systems & Savage's Dream Draft

The storm has settled down. The first frenzied days and weeks of free agency are over and with it the Cleveland Browns can look back and say they had quite a haul.

Besides Steinbach, the brown and orange did not reel in many big names, rather Phil Savage concentrated on bringing in players to fit the team's system, whether those players have shown "star" potential or not.

We all joke around here that this is the best time of year to be a Browns fan. We haven't lost any games, the injured players are getting healthy, we had money to spend and we capitalized on that fact.

But is there really reason to be optimistic?

Yes. Absolutely. Like everyone else in this league, the players we sign have to come through, perform the roles they are supposed to and most of all stay healthy. The biggest thing for these eight additions--Steinbach, McKinney, S. Smith, R. Smith, Lewis, Peek, Wright and Carter, is that they all have to stay healthy. Did I already say that?

One of the main reasons the Browns have always looked so disjointed since 1999 is the injury factor. Teams use systems and you can't run the system you install in March if the personnel to run it in October are recovering from surgery in Florida!

The teams that march through the regular season and deep into the playoffs do so in large part because the key ingredients to do so are available to the team on a weekly basis. When you see the Browns going with third string personnel, that is not Browns, rather, it is Phil Savage doing his best to plug holes with street free agents--guys that almost always are gone the next season or as soon as the regulars come back. Occasionally you get lucky with a street free agent, such as Daven Holly, who I think has huge upside and showed quite well last year.

To judge this free agent class we need to see Steinbach at left guard, McKinney at right guard, S. Smith spelling Washington, Robaire starting at right end next to Wimbley, Peek rushing the edge from the left, Lewis pounding the ball and making those cut back runs, Carter stretching the field and Wright in the dime.

I believe if these guys are available to Romeo for the majority of the season, we will see quite a difference in the team's performance. It is time to be optimistic. It is time we stay injury free for a change!

Draft musings...

For the Quinn haters out there (and I am not one of them), I don't believe you have to worry about him coming to Cleveland. The Lions will take him and the quarterbacks will go 1 (Russell) and 2 in this draft like they always do.

Barring Detroit being bowled over by a blockbuster trade offer, Quinn is their guy. They signed a starting tackle (Foster) and picked up running backs (Bell and Duckett)... they have Kitna, the fourth quarter or end of the half interception machine..they have Martz on their staff--need I say more.

I am guessing Savage's day one dream draft would be Quinn in one and Joe Staley (Central Michigan OT) in two and perhaps Taynard Jackson (the corner from Syracuse in three). I don't think Savage will be able to see that dream become a reality for the reasons stated above.

If the QBs go 1 and 2, Savage will trade down and still get one of the three other members of the Fab Five--Thomas, Peterson or Johnson, plus an extra second or third round pick. I believe this is his plan B. Remember, he always talks about having alternate plans.

Two of my favorite players in this year's draft are Ryan Kalil (the USC center) and LaRon Landry (LSU safety), but neither player fits our needs any longer. I am sure they will torment us in the future.

Thomas is the Pick

Let's face it, no one really knows for sure which players at the top of the draft are going to make it big, bust or just be mediocre.

In this year's edition we have five players who have separated themselves from the pack-- J.Russell, B Quinn, A.Peterson, C. Johnson and J.Thomas.

Back in 2000 there was a big debate amongst Browns' fans--do we go with Courtney Brown or Lavar Arrington? I was an Arrington guy. With the benefit of history, we realize now that neither lived up to expectations.

So, how should history, uncertainty and the role that potential plays effect the Browns first pick in '07?

Simple. Look at the positions the top five guys play and use that as a key ingredient in making your choice as to whom the Browns should take in round one. We have two quarterbacks, one running back, one wide receiver and one offensive left tackle.

Free agency is barely a week old. Who were the first players signed? Which position garnered the most money? Right out of the shoot Steinbach, Dockery, Davis all signed for $50mm. Yes, Clements had that record contact, but I would argue that was more of the exception than the rule. The point is, linemen, good ones and average ones for that matter, are hard to find and they are in high demand. Today we see running back movement in free agency--Henry, Lewis etc. That is because GMs around the league took care of the priority first, the offensive line.

For years Browns fans have lusted for the Orlando Paces, Walter Jones and Tony Bosellis to shake free in free agency. It never happened. That is why if Joe Thomas is available at three he should be the pick. A good line makes the skill positions better. Don't get me wrong, there isn't one player of the Fab Five that I wouldn't want to have on our roster. They all played great in college. They all have the prototype numbers, but they don't all play offensive left tackle. This could be the first year that we finally can get our hands on that left tackle that has eluded us since Doug Dieken retired. Do you remember there once was a time when for over 30+ years the Browns had only three left tackles--Groza, Schafrath and Dieken. Now it seems we have a different left tackle each season. It is time to bring stability to that position once and for all.

If Thomas is all that he is supposed to be, he should step in and start from day one. Then you could leave Steinbach at his natural left guard position, Fraley at center, perhaps Tucker at right guard and Shaffer at right tackle. Not bad huh?

As for Droughns and Lewis... I see where the Browns are going to move Droughns one way or the other. I would have preferred to keep both and put that position to bed. We could have had two power backs. Now with just Lewis (and I do think he has a bit more talent than Reuben) we have to go out and get another running back. This is an example of spinning your wheels. You don't give away good football players. This reminds me of the Jeff Faine move last year.

On another subject. Admit it. Isn't this time of year like Christmas for us Browns fans? We wait breathlessly for news of the next possible signing. Then when you get one it gives you a high for about 24 hours. Then you come down and you need another rumor that turns into reality. Yes we are all geeks in our own way. At least this is the fun time of year for Cleveland fans. Lord knows when May 1 rolls around the fun ends. Why May 1? That is about the time the first minicamp is held and surely this year's Sean Jones will tear up a knee in a non-contact drill--gosh I shouldn't have said that.

Posted Mar 09 2007, 10:56 PM by mikefromrochester with 2 comment(s)

Filed under: Draft