Cleveland Browns - Week 6

The Browns are seemingly back to their winning ways. With Weeden calling the shots and directing the offense, it's going to be a painful year for the Browns. For the first time in a long time, Browns fans had real hope of doing something: winning the division, making the playoffs, having a winning record. Of course, all of these are still possible, just not feasible.

The worst part is that it was actually there. With Hoyer leading the Browns, we were winning close games. Hoyer basically interned Tom Brady for a few years, so he's had a great teacher as a young NFL QB. Weeden was thrown into the mix from his rookie year and just hasn't developed. There are too many things that need fixing right away, and even though it's a lot to ask of a second-year player, Cleveland has to ask it of him due to his age. Hoyer showed what the Browns are capable of with a decent QB; the rest of this year, if we have to rely on Weeden, will be tough.

Negatives

We're starting to fill up this column more now. It starts with Weeden. He holds the ball too long and doesn't trust his receivers. Part of this is his habit of waiting until receivers are open before he throws it. Hoyer commented that one of the things he picked up from Brady was to lead his receivers and trust them: throw it before they're open. Because of this, Weeden will never be a good starting QB.

Coach Chud is now on the list. After leading 6 games at halftime, the Browns have dropped 3 of those games. Granted, all 3 were with Weeden and he is not clutch. What really worries me is that Chud was quoted as saying halftime adjustments are "overrated." I really love this coaching staff, but it's become obvious some changes are needed. All great coaches make halftime adjustments; that's how great teams stay in games. Look at any great coach: Bill Belichick, Phil Jackson, and Rick Pitino to name a few. Across all sports, these coaches knew how to make adjustments at halftime. If Chud thinks they're overrated, that tells me that he's not going to be an elite coach. How many elite teams are there without elite coaches?

Another coach makes the list: offensive coordinator Norv Turner. I was all set to put the blame squarely on Chud and Weeden, but I read an article that brought up some good points with Norv. In the second half, when the Browns are ahead, we don't run the ball. Granted our run game hasn't been electrifying, but with Weeden in the game, neither has our passing game. At least this way we can eat up some clock. This probably wouldn't do much for the offense, although it would prevent teams from dropping 7 in coverage, but it would give allow the defense to have to defend for a little less clock time which physically and mentally can make a difference.  

Craig Robertson has been exposed on defense. The halftime adjustment the Lions made (which turned out to be the reason they won...take note, Chud) was to pick on the inside linebacker. He looked slow and lost in most of the second half. Our defense is still a top 5 defense and will only get better next year, but one of the key positions to address aside from CB will be inside LB.

Positives

There aren't many. The same play-makers are still play-makers: Jordan Cameron, Josh Gordon, Travis Benjamin. However, they aren't doing as well with Weeden at the helm.

One of the negatives can actually be a positive, or at least a hope for it. The Browns have gone into halftime winning in every game. This means if we can just make some adjustments in the second half and keep up that energy from the first, we really only need to make adjustments for 30 minutes instead of 60. Some teams envy being in that position.  

This year didn't have much hope, but the Browns really are coming together. With this year in the books, the Browns will come out even hungrier next year: especially since Weeden will (hopefully) be out of the picture and we'll have either Hoyer or a young, drafted QB to lead the team.

Take Away

Like most Browns fans, I've given up hope for our current QB. And again, it's possible, but very unlikely anything happens this year for the team. Not only are we dealing with a less-than-stellar QB, but it's a new coaching staff, new regime, a lot of new players, and new management. Granted these things all improved, but it still takes some time getting used to them. It may not officially be that time, but unofficially we need to break out the 'maybe next year' chants. Except next year, we're going to be a scary good team.

Cleveland Browns - Week 5

Let's face it - the biggest story line of week 5 for the Cleveland Browns wasn't the fact that they won 3 games in a row since, overlooking week 14 of the 2012 NFL season (Gordon averaged 90 receiving yards a game during that span), week 16 of the 2009 season. It wasn't that McGahee rushed for over 70 yards and keeps getting better. It wasn't that the Browns stood their ground when the game went into clutch situations. It wasn't the defense and T.J Ward's beautiful pick-six to seal the game. It wasn't the fact that they took first place in the division and were over .500 for the first time since the Browns got a team back in Cleveland in 1999.

It was Brian Hoyer's injury. The new-found excitement Browns fans were finally feeling took a fleeting shot to the stomach as the news broke that Hoyer was going to miss the season. I for one am really saddened. I don't know if Hoyer was the answer at QB, but there is one good thing to come out of this: Weeden and the Browns know that we can win games with a good, not great, QB leading the team. If Weeden fails to live up to expectations as a decent QB this year, he's gone. Like I said last week, unless by some miracle he proves to be a potentially-elite QB, we need to get rid of him, keep Campbell, keep Hoyer, and draft a franchise QB. The big wrench thrown into this was the question as to whether Hoyer could be a franchise QB still. Either way, I'd rather have 2 great QB's than none. Draft the guy you think it'll be and let Hoyer battle it out with him. I think we also grab a second or third-round QB in case we can trade one of them, perhaps dropping Campbell in that situation.

Negatives

The main negative is Hoyer's injury. Now Weeden has to show us what he's got.

Even though the right side of the O-line did better this week, I still think it needs to be adjusted. Once Lauvao starts to get back into his groove while Martin Wallace and Patrick Lewis return from being inactive last week.

I don't think it's a coincidence that once Weeden got healthy, Cameron's touches went down. Maybe the Bills just locked him down since he's been the best TE in the league this year not named Jimmy Graham. Or maybe it's just that, once Weeden came back, everyone's touches seemed to go down a little. Cameron has to be thrown the ball; he's a top-5 TE that nobody knows about yet.

The biggest negative that will come about from this week is the wind being knocked out of Browns fans. Even if Weeden proves to be a good QB, nobody is excited about him. Hoyer was new, doing extremely well, clutch, and he's a Cleveland-area native. Weeden is older, hasn't put up great numbers, and sadly is compared in his class to Andrew Luck, RG3, and Russell Wilson. The Browns and its fans need some excitement, especially at QB.

Positives

Travis Benjamin may not become a great WR in this league, but he's sure going to be a great special teams guy. I know that Josh Cribbs was a good player but I wasn't a fan once it came out that he wanted a bigger role on this team and wanted to be paid for it. Taking a risk on Benjamin by not signing Cribbs was one I endorsed at the time and am glad to see it's starting to pay off.

With Bryant leaving to go to the hospital along with Sheard and Groves being out, the defense really did a good job against the Bills. Granted, EJ Manuel did leave the game injured, so it wasn't against a starting QB, but we weren't at full strength either. Manuel was the guy I wanted the Browns to pick up in the draft, thinking he'd fall to the second or third round. He's going to be a really good QB in this league, and the defense did a good job making stops when it needed to. A bigger challenge comes next week against the Lions.

Trent Richardson only rushed for 56 yards on 18 carries. That's a measly 3.1 yards per attempt. Not that I wish bad on Trent, I just think that trade that caught everyone off guard, even myself, is turning out to not be so bad.

Take Away

Here are the 11 remaining games for the Browns:

• versus Detroit
• at Green Bay
• at Kansas City
• versus Baltimore
• (bye week)
• at Cincinnati
• versus Pittsburgh
• versus Jacksonville
• at New England
• versus Chicago
• at NY Jets
• at Pittsburgh

In looking at the schedule, there are a few very winnable games, some reasonably winnable games, and some tough games. Here are the breakdowns:

Very Winnable Games (6)

Maybe this is too optimistic, but I count 6 very winnable games: vs. Detroit, vs. Baltimore, at Cincy, vs. Pittsburgh, vs. Jacksonville, at NY Jets. Detroit has underachieved so far this year and Calvin Johnson is banged up, even though he may play this week after taking off last week. They're also under .500 on the road so far. We already played Baltimore close this season, and now we get them at home. The Ravens are also under .500 this year, and do we really need extra motivation to play the old Browns? We get Cincy on the road, which will be tough, but we've already beaten them this year. We'll have a bye week to prepare and the Bengals may find themselves in a QB controversy if Dalton keeps slipping.

We beat Pittsburgh last year and it looks like they're going to be the new bottom-feeder once the Browns get their QB. I'll split these games with the Browns winning at home, but they're not doing a lot right these days. Jacksonville is the worst team in the league and one of the few teams who envy our QB situation. And we're at home. The Jets are the last team on the list, which despite their 2-2 record, are not nearly as put together. Both the Browns and Jets have really good defenses and okay offenses. I think the Browns defense will be just a little better. Plus, they're the Jets. Ryan will probably be looking to get fired by week 16 so he won't care.

Reasonably Winnable Games (3)

My picks for this one are at Green Bay, at New England, and at Pittsburgh. Green Bay has always had an electric offense, but their defense seems to be suspect. While their run D will probably stop McGahee, being ranked #8 per attempt, their pass defense is 29th in the league per attempt. This game will depend on our QB, whoever that is, so while not a lock, we have a fighting chance in this one.

New England is probably going to win their division and there always seems to be a great team that loses to the Browns, whether it's the Saints, Giants, or Patriots. It's usually for no reason, means nothing, and they go on to be really good despite the loss. This can be that game for Cleveland as New England may not really care about taking a week off, especially if they start out struggling against a very formidable Browns defense.

Especially if we beat Pittsburgh at home,  the Steelers may end up with a horrible record by week 17: when the Browns travel to play them. If they've given up hope and are 'sucking for Manziel' or whichever QB or college athlete (maybe Clowney?) they really want, this may be a win for the Browns who will hopefully have figured out their QB situation at this point.

Tough Games (2)

At Kansas City and versus Chicago are not looking great for Cleveland. Anything's possible, but both of these teams having something to prove and are very good.


If I had to make a prediction, I'd say the Browns go 0-2 in tough games, 1-2 in reasonably winnable games, and 3-3 in very winnable games. I'd like to say they go 4-2, but with Weeden at QB, I don't know. I'd say that about Hoyer, maybe even 5-1. It looks like our record this year will end up at 7-9 or 6-8. Our record won't reflect the progress we've made, but as long as the team knows it and stays motivated, great things will be coming out of Cleveland shortly.

Cleveland Browns - Week 4

The Browns win again! Thanks in large part to Jordan Cameron and Brian Hoyer. I don't know if he is the answer at quarterback, but I'd really like to try him out. Hopefully Chud won't switch him out for Weeden. Cleveland would be in an uproar and Chud may have to fear for his life. I think Weeden is at a disadvantage because of his age, so he had to learn things quickly. He didn't. I'm not willing to sacrifice on QB, so I say we either stick with Hoyer, draft our franchise QB next year, or both. Either way, let's trade Weeden or cut him. Maybe we can get a 6th round pick for him. That's a little bit of money coming off the books, too, which allows the Browns to pick up another good player.

I wrote a post about the Browns last year giving some hope for future years. While I still think we're a year away from the playoffs, and I could be wrong about that as we may be going this year, we have some promising, young talent. I think the keyword here is young. Not only will the team start to gel more and bring in some more talent, but the current talent we have will grow. Gordon and Cameron can still get BETTER. Isn't that a scary thought!?

Negatives

Offense is still the work-in-progress for this team. This has to be taken with a lot of salt grains, though, since Hoyer has 3 starts in his entire career under his belt and the offense is making a lot of big adjustments. Richardson is gone, Gordon is back, and McGahee is added. McGahee keeps improving, by the way. What a great mid-season pickup. Still, they have some things to set right. The Browns should have scored more points than they did, but we'll get there. Norv Turner is doing a fantastic job with Hoyer.

I don't think this is as big a deal, but the kicking game needs to step up. I'm glad we didn't settle on a bad kicker, but Cundiff can't go 1-3 on field goals and expect the Browns to win tight games. I'm glad to see he punched the 51-yarder in, so I'm willing to give him some leeway, but keep an eye out for any really good kickers in the draft or that hit the free agent market. Dawson was a great kicker, so at least in special teams, the Browns expect a lot.

The right side of the O-line will need to be tweaked a little going into next year. With Mack and Thomas on the middle/left sides, the right side can still be a concern. Granted, we were going up against possibly the best D-line in the NFL this past week, so it's not a huge concern they weren't terribly effective. With injuries always seeming to pile up on that side of the line, though, this issue may need to be addressed by next year, at least in terms of depth.

Positives

This defense is a top-5 defense without question. Right now, they are ranked #6 in total defense, #9 in passing defense, and #4 in run defense. Ranked #3 in sacks. We have a top-10 defense in BOTH rushing and passing. How dramatic a change is that?! Thank you, Ray Horton. This guy really is the real deal. Even Buster Skrine looks good in this new defense! And want to hear something really crazy? In terms of yards per attempt, Cleveland has the #2 ranked pass defense and #1 ranked rush defense. What that means is that even though we've given up a few more yards in each category, it took teams a heck of a lot more tries to do it. You can make the argument that Cleveland has the #1 defense in the NFL right now.

Brian Hoyer is clutch. Having a clutch QB makes a huge difference, especially when NFL games are closer than ever. Remember that Weeden pass that sailed over the WR's head last year? I'll take Hoyer right now. Even when he loses (because he will eventually), he's proven a lot so far. Right now, the Browns are ranked #12 in passing. If we just go by Hoyer's performance and not Weeden's, we're probably top-10. It may be a fluke, but isn't it better than the alternative right now?

Jordan Cameron has my vote for most improved player. I took him on all my fantasy teams and it paid off. He has the build of the great tight ends in this game, and he's shown he can do more than catch. Josh Gordon is a constant deep threat and is still getting better. While Bess, Benjamin, Little, and Cooper are all good options at WR, we still need a #2 guy (or another #1 guy). Wanna hear some of the names next year to get excited about? Keep in mind, last year was the Browns' defensive overhaul. This year it's gonna be the offense:

• Victor Cruz...best WR on the Giants, but if they slip, does he want out?
• Anquan Boldin...if the 49ers don't win it this year, or come close, think he may want to stick it to the Ravens bad enough?
• Kenny Britt...when healthy, he's a really good receiver. 
• Ted Ginn...Ohio State guy, may be the fastest guy in football. With him and Benjamin lined up, how can you contain their speed AND double Gordon?
• Jeremy Maclin...another injury-plagued guy who Chip Kelly may not want anymore. When healthy, he's a top-15 receiver. 
• Mario Manningham...coming back from injury, the 49ers have set up a WR core without him. He may want to feel more needed. 
• Hakeem Nicks...another Giants player who may want out.
• Santana Moss...maybe the frustration in Washington grows too much.
• Emmanuel Sanders...if the Steelers win only a few games, would he want out?
• Devin Hester...another speed guy.
• Jacoby Jones...another Ravens player who may want to join Kruger. 
• James Jones...very good receiver for Green Bay. Rodgers may not be there much longer, though, if he and his coach can't get along. What happens to their receivers without Rodgers?
• Jerricho Cotchery...another Steeler we'd gladly take just to stick it to Pittsburgh, right?
• Phil Dawson...not a WR, but how cool would that be to see Phil come back!?

The Browns were criticized heavily by the media, especially by Jamison Hensley the AFC North ESPN blogger, for not going out and getting more talent through free agency, especially a CB opposite Joe Haden. I loved the Browns response to this. It was basically "we brought in a lot of new guys, we just didn't want to overhaul the whole thing so we cut it at the number of new players that we did." They proved after the Richardson trade that, once everyone started to gel on the team, they were not opposed to bringing in new talent. Hence, McGahee. Don't be surprised if they add in a couple more pieces before season end. This administration is making the right calls for player personnel because, for once, they care about winning. So not only do we have the guts to pull the trigger on some new guys, we have the money. We can easily overpay for a guy on this list.

Take Away

Cleveland has really positioned themselves well. This is what Seattle and San Francisco did a few years ago. They used to be horrible. That division was the bottom-dweller of the NFL. Now it's a powerhouse. What happened? They brought in new coaches, new administrations, new ways of thinking. They collected draft picks and hit a gold mine at QB that NOBODY else saw. Maybe Hoyer is that guy, and if he's not, we'll get our guy in the next draft.

Well guess what, football fans?! The Browns now have a great coaching staff, a great owner, and a great GM. We are finally doing things the right way. We haven't for a while; now we are. This isn't the same old Browns team. Even if they finish 5-11, it's a different feeling. Getting rid of Richardson may have woken up some Browns fans. "We get rid of arguably our best player and get BETTER?!" Holmgren really looks bad now having drafted Weeden and Richardson in the first round. He did pick up Gordon and Cameron, though. So thanks for those.

The Browns are on our way to becoming a contender in the AFC. Contender for what? I don't know, but it's not contending for last place anymore. Suck it, Steelers!!

Cleveland Browns - Week 3

Wow! What a great win for the Browns! And to make this even more special, my in-laws flew out from Utah to watch the game as they're Vikings fans. I get to hold this over them for a looooong time!


Negatives
I don't really want to put any negatives here, considering the circumstances and the fact that it was a win. But there will always be questions about some part of the team, even good teams. The run game was pretty non-existent. Granted this was McGahee's first week and not even a full one at that. I think he'll come along and be a good RB for us this season and possibly next year. Brandon Jackson also remains a good option once fully healthy.

While Cleveland stopped Petersen on his rush attempts, we let Christian Ponder run for two touchdowns. That's a little embarrassing.

Three interceptions are never good, but again, it was Hoyer's first week as a starter. And he matched those with touchdowns.

There are still plenty of gaps to figure out (QB, CB, FS, RG), but the difference between this year and years past is that we're actually figuring some things out right now. TE has been fixed, we'll be getting a franchise QB next year (assuming Hoyer doesn't shock the world and become a true starter, but I still think we take one in the first round this draft), and the defense just held the best RB in the league to under 100 yards on 25 carries! The only other two teams to do that in the past 2 years? Texans and 49ers. We're in pretty good company.

Positives
For the first time this season, and hopefully not the last, there are more positives than negatives!

Hoyer is the only Brown to pass for more than 300 yards in his debut. That should count for something right? He did it on the road, with very little help at RB, against a playoff team the previous year. He may not be the answer at QB, but he's worth a shot at replacing Weeden. Sorry Brandon, you've had your chances, you're old, and you're just not accurate. I'm officially clamoring for Hoyer to start, Campbell to back him up, and a new franchise QB next year unless Hoyer gives us reason to believe otherwise. That would take a lot.

Josh Gordon is a true #1 receiver now. Over 100 yards receiving in his debut game this year. If he can get his head on straight, he'll be competing with the elite WR's in this league. He's bigger and faster than most, which makes Megatron so deadly.

TE Jordan Cameron may just be the best one in the league not named Jimmy Graham or Vernon Davis. He fits that same mold. He's strong, quick, and has great hands. It just took him a little bit of time to get used to being in the NFL. He's our #2 receiver really, and will be a match-up nightmare for opposing defenses. He already has been so far.

Davone Bess had a really good night very quietly. Now with Gordon back and Cameron emerging, Bess is the Browns third option at WR. He's the #1 3rd-down received over the past 5 years and it's not close. A smart, veteran player who does have his head on straight and can provide some leadership in the locker room. I thought this at the time: he was the best pickup of last year's draft because of our need at WR.

Again, this defense is top-10. Right now, it's #8 against the run AND that's having played AP and Ray Rice this year. I still believe next season we get some secondary help in a CB and FS, which would make this defense a top-5 defense next year. We're close this year, though.

We won on the road for the first time since beating Oakland last year. That's something the Browns have to change. We also won by a touchdown or less. Over the past two years, we are 6-11 in games decided by a touchdown or less.

Take Away
The Browns now have actual talent, and if you listen to analysts of any outlet, they will say the same thing. Josh Gordon, Davone Bess, Jordan Cameron, Joe Thomas, Alex Mack, and a lot of players on defense. Don't forget about Travis Benjamin, either, who will be a great speed receiver and is already a great special teams guy. Not only do we have talent, but we're shaping the team the right way. I loved the kicker competition. Who is going to win? Nobody, because for the first time in a LONG time, the Browns are getting some standards. We're not going to take someone because we have to. We can go out and get someone better. We've loaded up on free agents which never happens. Desmond Bryant, Paul Kruger, Chris Owens, and Willis McGahee are just some of the names.

The Browns have taken some baby steps so far and it'll just get better. Our captains, Joe Thomas and D'Qwell Jackson, are both on board with what the Browns are doing. In fact, that's why Joe Thomas re-signed with Cleveland. We have a great owner who cares about winning, a smart GM, a good but unproven head coach, and a great coaching staff in Turner & Horton. This is the only Cleveland sports team, in my opinion, who has a great owner - GM - coach (staff included) administrative line. Indians have a decent one with a great coach. You need that to build a great franchise. That's what the Browns can be in a few years. Until then, we can play some great football games and even make the playoffs (next year, not this year). I think this season we'll come close, though. It's okay to feel good, Browns fans! Feels weird though, doesn't it?

Post Richardson

I thought I published my first post for week 1 on the Browns, but I guess not. So I just barely posted my reaction from week 1. I was going to do week 2 on here, but this week I think I'll discuss what's on every Browns fans' mind now: the Trent Richardson trade.

Even though I've lived in Utah for 7 years now, I know I'm still from Cleveland because the second I heard about this trade driving home from work, I was infuriated. After a day to vent, calm down, decide not to buy another browns jersey for a while, and along with some kicking and screaming, I am now in a good spot to write down some rational thoughts.

The initial reaction to the trade differs between Browns fans and non-Browns fans. As I look to more sports analysts for their opinions on the trade, I realize that not everyone thinks this is a disaster for Cleveland. Some believe that a first round RB was a bad choice anyway, especially at #3. Now the Browns I'm sure will lock up another top-5 pick this season, but the pick they traded Richardson for will probably be closer to #24. Right now, we would have the 21st pick. Plus they save $6.6 million in salary that could go elsewhere.

One argument is that championship teams aren't built on RB's. Minnesota does well with AP, even with a QB worse than Brandon Weeden. Washington has a dynamic young running back. Kansas City has Jamaal Charles and they do well. But none of these teams are championship contenders. The Giants, Patriots, Packers, Steelers, Broncos, and Falcons all have gone deep into the playoffs and/or won super bowls without great running backs. They had serviceable ones, sure, but not great. What they had was an elite QB and great O-lines and D-lines. The 49ers, Seahawks, Ravens, and Texans all have elite running backs but they have elite QB's as well. That's the difference.

Even though most Browns fans, understandably so, feel that their organization has made another classic Browns blunder, this one has a different feel to it. What this move says is (1) Richardson wasn't going to be the elite RB everyone thought he was going to be (although I think he'll do better in Indy than here) and (2) Brandon Weeden is gone. Despite being a 2nd-year player, he's old. He has the big arm, but not the accuracy.

Even though he showed promise, the Browns have some good coaches on their staff who have seen premier talent at RB. They wouldn't have traded T-Rich if they thought he was going to be AP-like. This year, he's only averaging 3.4 yards a carry behind a solid O-line. That's actually less than Brandon Weeden at 3.5 yards a carry. He's going to be good; just not with the Browns.

Speaking of Weeden, this move tells me that he's gone. The organization feels like he may be a serviceable backup, but he's not a starting quarterback in the NFL. They had high hopes for him, but the Browns organization doesn't want to wait around for him to develop. They're actually admitting, "hey, he's not our guy, so we're going to get some draft picks to package together to get our guy." If the Browns don't get the #1 pick, they'll get close enough to trade up to get their QB. And Norv Turner is one of the best at developing the guy he thinks can be a great QB. He took a decent Philip Rivers and made him elite. He'll do the same for whatever rookie the Browns draft, albeit AJ McCarron (my favorite choice), Aaron Murray (a notch below my favorite), Teddy Bridgewater, Tajh Boyd, or, dare I say it, Johnny Manziel. These are franchise QB's.

Does it suck? Of course. We don't exactly tank this year, but we tank. The offense has a lot of holes now, though one just got plugged with Josh Gordon coming back at WR and the right guard situation fixed up. The defense needs some time to gel, and this year will allow them to do that. Last year was an overhaul for the defense. This next off-season will be an offensive overhaul. We'll be getting a new QB, a new RB, probably another WR, and an offensive lineman or three. My guess is that they'll go out and upgrade at CB opposite Haden and also a FS to go along with Ward in the secondary. They'll add maybe another LB.

They can do all this through free agency or the draft. They are now loaded with draft picks for what most are saying is a very deep draft. Hopefully it goes 4 rounds, because the Browns have 7 picks to use up in that time. The Browns currently have two 1st round picks, one 2nd round pick, two 3rd round picks, two 4th round picks, one 5th round pick, one 6th round pick, one 7th round pick, and probably a compensatory pick or two in the final two rounds. Even with no compensatory picks, the Browns have 10 draft slots with 7 of them in the first four rounds. That's a QB (maybe giving up an additional pick or two in order to move up to that spot), RB, WR, G, CB, SS, and LB. QB, CB, RB, and G will be the first four picks I'm guessing. It also depends on who they get in free agency. Last season gave me hope because the Browns have never done ANYTHING well in free agency. Last year they picked up 2 quality additions in Paul Kruger and Desmond Bryant. David Nelson, Quentin Groves, and Chris Owens were also good pickups.

I guess the point of this post is that, yes, the Browns are making some moves that may leave some people scratching their heads, but it's different this time. We;re starting over at a lot of places that we should've done better with in the first place. We're getting our franchise QB this off-season, so watch a lot of college football. We're going to overhaul the offense just like we did the defense this year. With a solid front 7 on D and improvements in the secondary, when we finally can start moving the ball down the field, we're going to be a dangerous team. With the sliding of the Steelers and the Ravens losing a lot of big pieces last season, I think, this time, we really are a year or two away.

Cleveland Browns - Week 1

Here we go! The Browns kick off another season. This season feels new though. There's something a little different about it. It's not the same ol regime...the same ol Browns. It's new, it's better, and despite losing to the Dolphins in their home opener, there's a comfort in knowing the Browns are heading in the right direction.

The stats from the game don't really tell the complete story. For example, one of Weeden's picks wasn't his fault. Granted that still means two were, but it's important to place the blame accordingly. There are a lot of negatives, but there are some positives to hang hope on.

Negatives

There are two stats that are really concerning to me, and this is the one that worries me more: 1-14 on 3rd down conversions. This stat represents how you are in crisis and that percentage is not going to cut it. It doesn't help that Davone Bess is is their go-to-guy on third down (or should be considering his effeciency rating) and the Dolphins knew how to play him. With Gordon out and Benjamin still learning the ropes, that left Cameron and Bess as their only play-making receivers on offense. Cameron didn't come off the line every time, so pretty much concentrate on Bess, especially on third downs. Browns have got to get better in this category.

The second surprising stat was the six sacks. This will get better as their offensive line gets healthier, but the one thing Cleveland has going for them is a strong O-line. This doesn't help that argument.

I'm not as upset at Richardson's mere 13 carries that game. Especially with the way Miami controlled the line of scrimmage, if he had more carries, I don't think much would've changed. As it was, he averaged only 3.6 yards per carry. Not good enough to merit more carries, especially when RB is as thin as it is right now. If Trent did get hurt, the Browns would've probably had to send in the kicker to play RB. Pull the trigger a little more on passing so we can get some mistakes out of Weeden now so he doesn't make them later on. I can agree with that way of thinking. Plus even off of Weeden's three picks, the Dolphins only got a field goal out of them.

Buster Skrine stinks, but we knew that, didn't we? We just need McFadden to grow into the starting spot.

Positives

Jordan Cameron is going to be a stud at TE. He seems to fit just like a Jimmy Graham or a Vernon Davis. Again, once Gordon comes back from suspension, they'll have a good arsenal of weapons for Weeden to work with. Man, Gordon can't get back fast enough!

If Greg Little doesn't drop that pass which turned into a pick, Weeden throws for over 300 yards in his opening game without the Browns' star wide receiver. I don't know about you, but I feel pretty good about that. He outdid Tom Brady in terms of yards. In fact, in total passing yards, he's 12th on the list. I know that doesn't mean he did a fantastic job, but when he's coming from 28th in the league last year, that's a big improvement. Weeden has the talent, he's going to be the guy going forward. Norv Turner has a lot of work to do, but Weeden will be the Browns franchise QB at least for a couple more years (until hopefully we get Jameis Winston from FSU). The efficiency will come.

Paul Kruger and Desmond Bryant are going to be great. Once Mingo gets into the mix, the Browns front seven are going to be really dangerous. Four sacks isn't anything to feel bad about. Aside from his two sacks, Bryant also nailed the Dolphins QB four times.

Everyone in the division is 0-1. At least we didn't let someone put up 7 TD's against us, right?!

Take Away

It's too early for Browns fans to start chanting "maybe next year." We'll know more about this team in about a month. They may be 0-4 by then, and if so, we'll know this year probably isn't it. But we've got some pieces now and next year is the year pegged for the Browns to make a playoff run anyway. Let's have some faith in the new coaches, players, owners, and systems by not over-reacting just yet.

College Football - Week 1

College football is finally here! Every week I will be doing a recap of what we learned from the previous week and a list of games to watch for the upcoming week, as well as my Prime 5 Picks. The “What We Learned” section will include some things we learned from the previous week of football and will always include some info on the Big Three Utah teams (sorry Weber State) as well as some other teams across the country.  

The “Games to Watch” section will list some exciting upcoming games in the next week. Last year I went 44-21 with my “Prime 5 Picks.” I’ll look to improve my record this season. Each week, I will make 5 picks and I’ll try to pick the underdogs who will pull off the upsets as well as road teams. I’ll be sure to include at least one of the Big 3 Utah teams.

What We Learned

BYU is not ready for big time football. They had multiple chances to take Virginia out in the rain-drenched, delayed, firework-filled game. After Hill led the Cougars with a very impressive drive, he wasn’t able to connect with his receivers after they fell behind. His 33% completion percentage should not entirely be a reflection of his performance Saturday with all the drops from BYU receivers. Good thing is it was only week 1 and not week 10.

Utah State showed us that they could score, but we knew that already. Chuckie Keeton had a great performance, but again, no surprise there. The defense didn’t really hold up, they still have some great rushers including Keeton, and they’re still within a touchdown of the Utes. We didn’t really learn a ton about this team and their new coach this past week, so we look forward to watching more of them.

The Utes are even harder to figure out than the Aggies. We knew they’d be close to Utah State. They received a 3-point margin for playing at home, and only won by four, so it’s safe to say this team is pretty even with Utah State. Fortunately for them they were able to extend their lead in the 12^th-oldest FBS rivalry.

 

Alabama is still the nation’s best team until proven otherwise. There is no clear-cut number two out there. 

Oregon had a dominating performance, an injury- and suspension-ridden Ohio State team handled business against Buffalo, Clemson upset Georgia at home, and Stanford is still hanging around with possibly the best coach in college football on their sideline. You also have South Carolina, LSU, Louisville, and Florida along with Manziel and company waiting to make their cases.

Boise State and Oregon State were a little overrated starting off. Boise State has been mostly overrated the past few years, but now I think writers and media analysts are hanging onto past success even more.

Florida State’s young phenom QB Jameis Winston is scary good. The freshmen threw for 356 yards and four TD’s while rushing for one as well. The scarier part is went 25-27. That’s an amazing feat no matter who you are. The scariest part is that this was his first college football game ever.

Games to Watch

We’re still weeding out the warm-up games a lot of teams have on their schedules, but there are a few really great games to watch this week despite the NFL stealing some of the limelight with its season-opener on Thursday. Here is the rundown of games to tune in to:

South Carolina at Georgia – The SEC opener will have title implications; that shows how deep the SEC is. Georgia will look to rebound from their loss against Clemson. South Carolina’s box score looked impressive against the Tar Heels, but North Carolina was able to give them fits with their fast-paced offense. Look for Georgia to improve upon the Tar Heels’ blueprint.

Florida at Miami – Florida will be favored in this game, but look for Miami to really put up a fight. The Canes sophomore running back Duke Johnson is arguably the best in the country. He put up 186 yards last week, albeit against an inferior opponent. Florida’s run-defense looked solid in their first outing.

Notre Dame at Michigan – This will be a tell-tale game for both sides. Notre Dame was really the ninth- or tenth-best team in the country last year despite their perfect record and BCS Championship Game bid. This year they’re ranked in the mid-teens right in front of a Michigan team who has national title hopes. Beating the Irish at home will need to be their first step.

Texas at BYU – Texas is much improved from years past, and BYU will be at home. Most have Texas favored in this game, but if BYU can pull off the upset, they’ll raise some eyebrows nationally.

West Virginia at Oklahoma – Last year, Oklahoma beat out West Virginia by a point in a high-scoring 50-49 game. That was also with Geno Smith leading the Mountaineers at QB. Oklahoma looks to be the better team, but it should be a fun game to watch.

Prime 5 Picks

Here are the Prime 5 Picks for week 2:

1) Texas over BYU (road win). Sorry Cougars, you start the year 0-2. Texas isn’t great, so it’s a winnable game for Bronco and bunch. Based on last week, BYU will also be praying for good weather.

2) Georgia over South Carolina (upset). Even though South Carolina has the best defensive lineman in college football, Georgia can avoid him. The Bulldogs are too much for the Gamecocks defense to handle.

3) Utah State over Air Force (upset). Utah State was able to figure out some things on offense, and this week they make some adjustments on defense to hold off Air Force.

4) Michigan over Notre Dame. While Michigan is barely favored at home, this is going to be a tough game. I don’t think the Irish get the breaks they did last year to finish unscathed in the regular season. 

5) Miami over Florida (upset). Florida will be favored this time, but this is their trap game. Miami has a dynamic runner and are a dark horse for many to make a BCS bowl game this year. Florida’s also on the road. 

NFL Draft 2013 - Cleveland Browns (Post-Draft)

The NFL Draft is over, and what a weird and unexpected draft for the Browns. With tons of cap space, needs on the roster, and a new administration to shake things up, the Browns made less moves than everyone thought they would...in the draft. Grading just the draft, they get a C-. But throw in free agency with the draft (add in the extra picks for next year, a deeper draft than this year as most expect) and the Bess trade, and they get a B+. They did some really good things this year, FINALLY! This is a sign of things to come for this franchise. Let's break it down.

Draft Picks (5)

Round 1 - Barkevious Mingo
Round 3 - Leon McFadden
Round 6 - Jamoris Slaughter
Round 7 - Armonty Bryant
Round 7 - Garrett Gilkey

During the draft, the Browns made three trades. First, they sent the Steelers their fourth-round pick this year for the Steelers third-round pick in 2014. Second, they traded their fifth-round pick to the Colts for their 2014 fourth-round pick. So come 2014, we have a first-round, second-round, two third-rounds, two-fourth rounds, a fifth, sixth, seventh, and any compensatory picks minus any picks taken in the supplemental draft (last year we got Josh Gordon in round 2). I like those moves. The third was with Miami, swapping picks and adding Davone Bess. More on him later.

• Barkevious Mingo was a really good pick. He fits the 3-4 scheme better and is very talented DE. I like taking players who are a little bit more raw than not, because to me that means even though they're good, they can STILL improve. What will it look like when that happens?! This gives the Browns the option to shop Jabaal Sheard they got last year since he's more of a 4-3 guy. Great pick here, even if Dee Milliner was on the board.

• Leon McFadden was the Browns filling their need at CB. I'm guessing he'll get the starting job, but I just don't know how good he'll be in the NFL. He has potential to be really good. His awareness is top-notch, but his speed and size are not (5'9"). Maybe with a much-improved pass rush, it'll take some pressure off the corners anyway. Someone like Bradley Roby may be a better pickup next year from Ohio State, but in the meantime, I think he'll do better than penalty-plagued Buster Skrine at starting CB.

• Jamoris Slaughter is an awesome name for a safety! He is probably the Browns best value pick. This guy was a third-rounder until he got injured last year. He's still recovering, so to get him in the third round probably wasn't a good idea. Getting him in the sixth round was a GREAT idea! With T.J Ward being really the only true starting safety for the Browns, Slaughter has a chance to come in and take the other starting safety spot.

• Armonty Bryant is known as a character risk since getting busted for selling dope last year. He's a DE on a team now stacked with DE's. If he proves to be a head-case, Cleveland can ship him off. He's a seventh-rounder so it won't hurt much. If he can get his act together, he can provide even more depth to the attacking defense the Browns want to run. I don't love this pick, but I don't hate it, either.

• I really like the addition of Garrett Gilkey. He played tackle at his time at Chadron State, a division 2 program. However, the Browns will be playing him at guard. Tackles are typically the best offensive linemen on the team, so by taking one of the best division 2 linemen and putting him in a position to do less than he was asked at Chadron helps fill the Browns need at guard. This guy may win out a starting spot, or at least the #2 guy for the guard-rotation.

Okay, so those are the draft picks that we got. Love Mingo, like McFadden, love Slaughter, not high on Bryant, and really like Gilkey. For a draft, this gets about a C-. Throw in the fact that the Browns basically upgraded their draft picks next year AND that they got Davone Bess. Davone Bess is a proven NFL wide receiver. Not only that, he's a great character guy. The Browns need both of these and got them in the same person for close to nothing! This may be the move that Cleveland fans realize later and say, "Wow! Glad we did that!" Bess has been ranked 2nd in the NFL over the past five years in 3rd down receptions. That means when teams really need a play, this has been the second-best guy to go to. Josh Gordon is becoming a really good receiver, but he's NOT a #1 guy. Davone Bess helps take some of the pressure of Gordon as well as mentoring him. Throw in Travis Benjamin, an under-sized but lighting quick receiver, David Nelson who the Browns picked up in free agency, and Greg Little as another option, and the Browns receiving corp, while not close to elite, became a lot better than what it was. And with Bess, we have a veteran among young players. This was probably the best move they made all week.

So where does this leave the Browns? Well, there are still some holes, but at least they're not as many nor as deep. Let's start on offense. Quarterback will be the next big position to be debated unless Weeden or Campbell does really well this year. The backfield held down by Richardson is fine. He's going to be an elite RB barring injury but the FB Marecic needs to be upgraded. O-line has been upgraded with the addition of Gilkey at guard. Tackles and center are fine. Two are pro-bowl type players in Thomas (LT) and Mack (C).  The TE position changed dramatically with the departure of Benjamin Watson. The Browns believe that they have a really good TE in Jordan Cameron but got some insurance in Kellen Davis and Gary Barnidge during free agency. Receivers have been upgraded.

Defensively is where the biggest strides were made. The D-line may be the best in the division, one of the best in the AFC. Rubin, Desmond Bryant, and Phil Taylor will hold down the tackle positions. With Rubin and Bryant in there for nickel and dime packages, it gives the Browns a great run-stopping tandem. On the outside, we have several guys to choose from including Desmond Bryant (he can play both), Jabaal Sheard, Barkevious Mingo, Armonty Bryant, and even Paul Kruger. This position will be intermingled with OLB, from which the Browns will probably start Kruger and Mingo if he makes it. There's also Quentin Groves, Ryan Rau, and Jabaal Sheard who they're trying to convert to OLB. So really, between DE and OLB, there are seven guys to rotate through who are or may be starting-caliber players.

The rest of the defense is really half-set. Inside linebacker is half-set with D'Qwell Jackson. Craig Robertson's spot will probably be on the table for next years' draft (assuming he gets re-signed). Corner is half-set with Joe Haden though Leon McFadden may prove he's the guy to match with Haden. Look for this to possibly be addressed in next years' draft also. Saftey is half-set with T.J Ward being a proven starter. Slaughter or one of the CB's acquired in free agency may win that spot. With a better pass-rush on the outisde, the DB's may not have as much to worry about this year.

So there you have it. The Browns still have a lot of cap room so I wouldn't be surprised if they made a play for guys like Nick Barnett (LB), Daryl Smith (LB), Winston Justice (T), Quentin Jammer (CB), John Abraham (DE), Kerry Rhodes (S), or Sam Shields (CB). It sucks that the Browns play in arguably the toughest division in football, so if Cleveland can pull out 7 or 8 wins, it will have been a really good year. Their schedule isn't easy but it has some very winnable games on the schedule: at home against Miami, Cincy, Buffalo, Detroit, Jacksonville and on the road against Kansas City, Cincy, and the Jets. These aren't elite, untouchable teams. The Browns for a few years always beat the defending super bowl champions the next year, too (New England, Giants, Saints), so anything's possible.

There's just one thing I would've done differently: I wouldn't have made the Pittsburgh trade. With that pick, the Steelers took Shamarko Thomas (S). He's probably Pittsburgh's second-best draft pick despite being their fourth overall. Since the Browns needed a safety, I would've gone for Thomas here. I still would've used my sixth-rounder on Slaughter as the value was so good. It'll be hard to argue this if Slaughter turns out to be a really good starter. Hopefully we get a really good third-rounder next year to help justify this trade.

What we can take from this off-season so far, and any more additions would make the case even stronger, is that the Browns have finally gotten better in several different ways. We've addressed some needs, have a new enthusiasm among players, and (I can't emphasize this enough) an owner who cares. This is what happens when owners want to win: their team gets better (unless you're Jerry Jones; different topic, different day).

If you're looking to become a season-ticket holder, this may be a good year to get in. The team still isn't great, but in five years if we can find a franchise QB, the Browns may be the new team atop the AFC North.

NFL Draft 2013 - Cleveland Browns (Pre-Draft)

Here we are again, trying to predict what the Browns are going to do with their draft picks. This is the first year of a new Browns era. New owner, new GM, new coaching staff, and everyone wanting to prove themselves to the Cleveland faithful that they can turn the Browns around. Can they?

The answer to that question is yes. We have a solid group of core talent out there right now. Joe Thomas, Trent Richardson, Haden, Jackson, Mack, Ward, Bryant, Kruger, and Gordon. These are guys that would start at their respective positions for just about any team. We also have some up-and-comers like Sheard, Benjamin, and Cameron. These guys could be really good once they mature.

This year, the Browns have 7 draft picks:

1. Round 1 pick 6
2. Round 3 pick 6
3. Round 4 pick 7
4. Round 5 pick 6
5. Round 5 pick 31 (from the Colt McCoy trade to S.F)
6. Round 6 pick 7
7. Round 7 pick 21

Of course, with any team that went 5-11 the year before, there are some holes. The Browns biggest needs are CB, S, LB, and RG. DE and LB are not needs, but they're a little light on them so it wouldn't hurt to stack them a little, especially with the formation change from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4. The Browns got some reserve CB's in free agency in Kevin Barnes and Chris Owens. Quentin Groves is also a nice piece at LB. Ryan Rau was recently added as LB. Gary Barnidge serves as a backup TE. With all that in mind, here are the best scenarios for the Browns on draft night with their #6 pick:

Scenario #1 - Browns trade back with either Miami or San Diego as both are in need of an offensive lineman. With the huge drop-off from the #3 guy to the #4 guy, some teams may look to jump in front of Arizona if and only if the #2 or #3 guy is still on the board. KC is expected is take an OT, and any of the next 4 teams have been rumored to be willing to take one. Arizona definitely wants one, so if Miami or San Diego can send their first, second, and maybe even a late-round draft pick to the Browns, that would be worth it this year. Especially since the Browns don't have a second-round pick. Not a good year to be without that, although I think Gordon was worth it.

If the Browns get Miami's 12 pick, they'll most likely get their second round pick (#42) as well. This is probably the best scenario for Cleveland. They'd be able to get the second-best CB in Xavier Rhodes and get an extra pick (or more) in the second-round for a safety like Matt Elam. They could also pick up an OLB like Jarvis Jones in the 1st round and grab a CB like D.J Hayden in the second round, who some project Miami to get at #42 if they keep it. The Ha(y)den boys would be a tough out for any team, especially with his size.

If Cleveland takes San Diego's 11 and 45 picks, it would be pretty much the same scenario. With Miami, you're giving them a chance to jump more spaces than San Diego, so you may get more in return. Plus Miami's second-round pick is higher than San Diego's.

Scenario #2 - Browns draft Dion Jordan, DE/OLB from Oregon. He is the best guy to fit a 3-4 scheme. He's good in both pass rushing and coverage. This would keep Sheard as a DE where he likes to be while putting Jordan and Kruger on the outsides. Doubtful that Jordan drops this low. Look for him to be taken by Jacksonville.

Scenario #3 - Browns draft Dee Milliner, CB from Alabama. I really like Milliner, so it would be hard for me to choose if both Jordan and Milliner were on the board. I think if both are, Cleveland takes Jordan. If Jordan is gone and Milliner is still on the board (and they haven't traded back), they take Milliner. Some thought he was the best college football player, let alone defensive back, in the country last year.

Scenario #4 - The Browns decide to upset everyone in their fan base and choose Geno Smith, QB from West Virginia. Let's start it off on the right foot, guys, and NOT do anything THIS stupid. With the Browns, I can't take any stupid decisions off the table, though.

Scenario #5 - Jordan and Milliner are both gone, and they can't trade down. Browns pick either Ziggy Ansah, DE from BYU or Barkevious Mingo, OLB from LSU. These are both young players with a lot of upside to them. Horton did a good job with Calais Campbell in Arizona, also a young, raw talent at the time. I'd prefer Mingo but I'd be okay with either.

Scenario #6 - Browns draft Chance Warmack, OG from Alabama. I'm all for this pick as well, especially since Richardson has already worked with him. I'm all for taking SEC guys, especially from Alabama. That's partly why Mingo gets the nod for me over Ansah. Warmack would solidify the offensive line and give Richardson some nice holes to run through.

Except for #4, I would be okay with any of these scenarios. Stay away from QB's and WR's here although I know it's tempting. QB will still be an issue going into the season, but I like Campbell if Weeden doesn't show he's the guy. This gives the Browns another year and a chance at Johnny Manziel next year.    

Good luck, Browns! This is your chance to make a big splash, so do it right! Here's what Cleveland's starting lineup will probably look like this year:


CLEVELAND BROWNS 

Offense 

QB: Brandon Weeden 

RB: Trent Richardson 

FB: Owen Marecic 

WRs: Josh Gordon, Greg Little, Travis Benjamin, David Nelson 

TE: Jordan Cameron or Kellen Davis 

LT: Joe Thomas 

LG: Jason Pinkston 

C: Alex Mack 

RG: Shawn Lauvao (or Chance Warmack)

RT: Mitchell Schwartz 

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Defense 

DT: Ahtyba Rubin 

NT: Phillip Taylor 

RDE: Desmond Bryant 

LOLB: Paul Kruger 

LILB: Craig Robertson 

RILB: D'Qwell Jackson 

ROLB: Jabaal Sheard  (Dion Jordan, Barkevious Mingo, Ziggy Ansah, or Jarvis Jones)

LCB: Joe Haden 

FS: Tashaun Gipson or Eric Hagg (Matt Elam)

SS: T.J. Ward 

RCB: Buster Skrine (Dee Milliner, Xavier Rhodes, or D.J Hayden) 

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Special teams 

K: Brandon Bogotay or Shayne Graham 

P: Spencer Lanning 

LS: Christian Yount 

KR-PR: Travis Benjamin