OBR News-o-rama

Yeah, I try not to think too hard about off season power rankings after CBS's 'thoughts' last offseason.  Follow this, if you will:

1) Browns go into the offseason with the #13 overall pick in the draft, theoretically saying that they're the #19 team in the league.

2) Browns pick up a bunch of free agents (including LeCharles) and are ranked by CBS's Pete Prisco as one of the top 5 'most improved teams' in the league.

3) Pete Prisco does an off-season power poll about a week later.  Browns rank #31.

Review: Browns #19.  Browns 'very improved'.  Browns drop 12 spots in the polls.  How does that happen, Pete?  How could we be one of the most improved teams in the league and still be the second worst?  Especially if we weren't the worst to begin with?  What the $%&#?

Nice to see you complaining again, Bietz. It's what you do.

They're always just tryin to keep us down. NFL's favorite whoopin post. Things are going to turn around here just like in New Orleans. If not this year then next. Once that happens all these "experts" will change their tune like Elton John at a GWAR concert.

The Browns being any better this year would be like the Cavs making it to the NBA Finals.  Impossible.  We should all bow down to our sportswriting gods.

I truely think the biggest difference for this team in 07 won't just be the free agent aquisitions but the consistancy in the OC position in Chud who should call the proper protections, and won't have to run another shlep's play book half way through the season, and if and when this team stays healthy.  The players we added through the draft will certainly make a big difference to our starting talent, but guys like Peak, S. Smith, and even McKinney have added versatile players that can step in and make a difference without being expected to start and be difference makers (with the possible exception of McKinney).

The last few years have been some of the best as well as some of the worst in my life. No, this is not

Oarzero... the team's offense has been a constant underachiever - I remember when Crennel came into town the "common wisdom" was that the team's offense should be well ahead of the defense. It has underperformed the last two years, and Chud has a great opportunity to make a name for himself by turning it around. There's more talent than the results have shown so far.

Barry, while I think Chud has a great opportunity with far more talent than any national pundit gives us credit for, the major question within the question of our offense will be how quickly can our offensive line gel and play as a cohesive unit.  lines like the one in Indy for instance have played multiple seasons together and know where each lineman will be on every play.  too many fans are expecting our new additions to step in and be pro-bowlers right away and its just not that easy.

Oar, what really worries me isn't Chud, it's some of the others on the team's offensive staff. The way the staff was put together this off-season was curious, to say the least, and not all our offensive assistants have the greatest track records. Like everyone else, I'm hoping it falls together quickly for the new group.

I think you are spot on here Barry, the fact that none of our position coaches have decent to average track records is troubling to say the least.  What we are really relying on is our veteran players like Tucker, Fraley, and even the newly added Steinbach to act almost as players as well as coaches.  I wonder what will happen if RAC does get canned to valuable assistants like Mel Tucker and Chud if we are looking for a new head coach.