What Needs To Be Done Next Season

by kardiackids2007 on Nov 23, 2008 5:52 PM EST Comment 53 comments

Today, the season ended. We aren't going to make the playoffs. All of our wonderful hopes for this season are dashed. Were we wrong to believe that the Browns could make the playoffs with our brutal schedule? Or did the team and staff just let us down?

Unfortunately, the latter is true. Poor coaching, pathetic play calling, and poor execution has insured that we suffer through another heart-breaking season of Browns football. How many times must we say, "There's always next year...".

Several things need to be done to return the Browns to respectability. First off, Romeo and Mel Tucker must be fired. Romeo manages the clock terribly and can't get a team riled up to win and get them to execute. Heck, even Butch Davis could get the team excited enough to want to win; we just didn't have the talent then to win many.

Bill Cowher needs to be brought in as the new coach, at all costs. I know that would mean losing Savage, but GM/HC Bill Cowher > HC Romeo Crennel / GM Phil Savage. Cowher will then bring in a competent DC; one that runs creative blitzes and stunts. It's inexcusable to just rush 3 people in a 3-4 defense; 3 DL and 1 LB should always be rushing the QB. That's the point of a 3-4 right; to confuse the defense as to where the 4th rusher (the LB) is coming from.

Now that the coaching staff is taken care of, we can move onto the roster. Major changes should include trading Derek Anderson. We should get a 3rd round pick in return for him. Here's how our draft should look:

1st Round: LB

2nd Round: DE

3rd Round*: DB (Either as a Nickel Back or a backup S)

4th Round: HB

6th Round: WR/HB/OL/DE/LB (Would probably go to Practice Squad)

We should pick up these positional players in the FA market:

Ideally, our roster should look like this for the 2009 season:

QB: Brady Quinn

FA Pickup

Ken Dorsey

HB: Jerome Harrison (If he displays the capability of an every down back)

Jamal Lewis

4th Round Draft Pick

FB: Lawrence Vickers

Charles Ali

TE: Kellen Winslow II

Steve Heiden

Martin Rucker

WR: Braylon Edwards

Donte Stallworth

Joe Jurevicius

Josh Cribbs

Syndric Steptoe

OT: Joe Thomas

Kevin Schaffer

FA Pickup

OG: Eric Steinbach

Ryan Tucker

Rex Hadnot

Lennie Freidman

C: Hank Fraley

Seth McKinney

NT: Shuan Rogers

Shuan Smith

Ahtyba Rubin

DE: Robaire Smith

Corey Williams

Shuan Smith

2nd Round Draft Pick

Louis Leonard

OLB: Alex Hall

Kamerion Wimbley

Antwan Peek

FA Pickup

ILB: D'Qwell Jackson

1st Round Draft Pick

Beau Bell

Leon Williams

Kris Griffin / 6th Round Draft Pick

CB: Eric Wright

Brandon McDonald

3rd Round Draft Pick

Daven Holly

Mike Adams

S: Sean Jones

Brodney Pool

Mike Adams

Nick Sorensen

K: Phil Dawson

P: Dave Zastudil

LS: Ryan Pontbriand

Total: 53

The above roster, while not perfect, sure is better then what we have this season.

Now, about running a 3-4 vs. a 4-3. Hopefully Cowher will be the new HC. He'll bring in a 3-4 guru as DC that will take advantage of the 3-4 scheme and our upgraded LB core. I think it'll take too much rebuilding to switch to a 4-3 and run it effectively. We don't have enough quality D-Linemen to run a 3-4, nonetheless a 4-3. It'd take more then one off-season to get the personnel for a 4-3. So for the 2009 season, I'd stick with the 3-4.

The above steps are what I believe must be taken in order to turn the Browns inot contenders. What do you think?

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Comments

Cowher is my choice, and Then I will trust his decisions. I believe if and that is a big if, he comes on board this roster will have a few moves.
IMO this team needs stern but not over the top stern leadership.

"Have You heard of the Boom on Mizar 5?"

by Grockcubs on Nov 23, 2008 6:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think giving full control to anybody, no matter who, is a good idea. It’s been tried many times in the NFL and usually failed. I think Savage should stay, he’s done a pretty good job of upgrading the talent on this team. He made a great trade for Rogers this year. Let’s give him another draft to see how he does. We don’t need someone to come in and tear this team apart and rebuild. Despite the horrible performance today, we’re not that far from being competative.

We do need a new head coach. I don’t know who, but there are plenty of assistants out there who are ready to step up and lead a team. Look at what Mike Smith has done in Atlanta and Tony Sparano has done in Miami this year. Both of those teams were terrible last year and now they’re in the playoff hunt. It’s up to Phil and Randy to find the right guy.

The best thing probably is to hit [Grady] 2nd -- Jay

by Buckeye Brad on Nov 23, 2008 6:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Mike Holmgren has done pretty well with full control

by Roger Dorn on Nov 23, 2008 6:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Eh, he’s done okay in Seattle. Nothing great.

The best thing probably is to hit [Grady] 2nd -- Jay

by Buckeye Brad on Nov 23, 2008 7:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’d take all those division titles and Super Bowl appearance in a heartbeat

by Roger Dorn on Nov 23, 2008 7:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually, wasn’t he stripped of GM duties? I’m not sure how many years ago that was, but I’m pretty sure they brought in a guy to handle personnel.

The best thing probably is to hit [Grady] 2nd -- Jay

by Buckeye Brad on Nov 23, 2008 8:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

you are right, 2002 he gave it up

by Roger Dorn on Nov 23, 2008 8:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So most of the time he wasn’t doing both duties. I think Shanahan has total control at Denver and he’s done pretty well the past decade (although not as well since Elway retired). I can’t really think of anyone else who’s been real successful with total control. I don’t think it’s a good idea; there’s too much work and you need a GM and head coach doing seperate duties.

The best thing probably is to hit [Grady] 2nd -- Jay

by Buckeye Brad on Nov 23, 2008 8:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Shannahan would be doing so much better if he got a GM and just coached. He gets way more out of his players than he should both from motivating them and scheming, but the talent in Denver is not good at all.

by rufio on Nov 23, 2008 11:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t like the idea of Cowher having total control. It has not worked well lately. The days of Vince Lombardi and Paul Brown being HC/GM are long gone. The HC needs to focus on the game at hand and the GM needs to deal with the contract and player bs.

Roger you are right he gave of the gm duties and then Seattle went to the SB. Give Cowher more money if he wants NOT to be the GM.

by craig19 on Nov 24, 2008 10:21 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The advantage to hiring Marty is that we wouldn’t have to fire or demote Phil and we could avoid giving anyone total control.

by elsandito on Nov 25, 2008 11:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Marty’s specialty is defense, right? Specifically the 3-4?

If we could get a OC who wouldn’t run 95% of the time, Marty, and a DC who is familiar with the 3-4 I wouldn’t be too outraged. I could probably find a way to complain, but it wouldn’t be the worst thing we’ve ever done.

by rufio on Nov 26, 2008 12:51 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t disagree with you. I just don’t know if Savage survives this season either. This sport is intense and demanding, sometimes rash decisions are made. I could see Lerner overreacting and fire Romeo and Phil, or Phil survives, Romeo goes and a young assistant comes in for head job.
My take and it was since the day Cowher stepped down in Pittsburgh, he was the man for this job. To me, IMO, is the right choice for this team.

"Have You heard of the Boom on Mizar 5?"

by Grockcubs on Nov 23, 2008 10:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Make no mistake about it: bringing in another new GM means going back into “rebuilding” mode, with someone who almost certainly is going to want their own people, in the front office, on the sideline, and on the field. That generally means at least 3-4 years before the team considers itself any kind of serious contender. For that reason, I think Phil stays. He has done some good things, although his judgment certainly can be questioned. His main job is to improve the on-field talent, and I think he has done that. The coaching is another thing entirely: I’ve seldom seen a coaching staff which seems as disorganized, unprepared, and consistently out-coached as this one. Romeo’s pulling Quinn yesterday in favor of Anderson screamed of desperation. He might be a stand-up guy, but he is simply not a head coach. Might as well start thinking about how to build on the core of players who propelled the Browns to a 10-win season last year. It’s not time to dump everyone and start over.

by drjeo on Nov 24, 2008 10:59 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I am down with this. Also – how boring were Cowher’s Steelers? I like having an offense.

by joeee on Nov 24, 2008 2:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

At least they won. I don’t care how we win, as long as we win.

Who's the best special teamer in NFL history? Josh Cribbs!

http://goallineblitz.com/game/signup.pl?ref=7249169

by kardiackids2007 on Nov 24, 2008 5:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It looks likely that we’ll picking somewhere between 8th and 12th in the draft. If Malcolm Jenkins is on the board we can’t pass on him.

by gentryholdem on Nov 23, 2008 6:31 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think we need a LB more than a CB, but I would love Jenkins. He’s going to be great in the NFL. Not only is he a fantastic cover corner but he also block two punts this year!

The best thing probably is to hit [Grady] 2nd -- Jay

by Buckeye Brad on Nov 23, 2008 6:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jenkins or Vontae Davis would both be great fits for the Browns. I like McDonald as a player, but am starting to think he would look better as the nickelback

by Roger Dorn on Nov 23, 2008 6:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Is CB really a 1st round priority?

I think it all depends on where we draft (see below)

by rufio on Nov 23, 2008 11:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think CB is our greatest need, but like the point you are making below, I view those two guys as top of the board talents and players we might not be able to pass on

by Roger Dorn on Nov 24, 2008 8:01 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I would take them, I think they will be very good NFL players.

by rufio on Nov 24, 2008 1:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jenkins is a guy that I couldn’t pass on if he was available to the Browns in the first round. Aside from his cover skills, I can’t recall seeing a CB that tackles as well as he does, and Lord knows that’s something this defense could use.

Of course, the draft is a fluid process and the needs will change with free agency, but if they’re drafting later than 10 and earlier than 20, i think it would be tough to pass on him at that point.

You know Selig? Ombudsman.

by rolub on Nov 25, 2008 11:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I honestly don’t think he will fall that far.

OSU’s got a fast track and he could go under 4.40 in the 40. If he does, I expect some team inside the top 10 to pull the trigger. All the reasons you and others have listed, he’s big, over 6 feet and 200 lbs, could probably get bigger, already has lots of experience playing safety, picks off a lot of passes in big situations and hardly drops one when he gets his hands on it….

There is a lot to like about him. Then again, there is a lot to like about Vonte Davis, too, and having 2 guys up there rated that high could cause one to drop.

by rufio on Nov 25, 2008 12:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I have to plead ignorance on most draft prospects at this point as it’s one of the furthest things from my mind. I just know what I’ve seen of Jenkins, and if you don’t think he’ll last till the middle of the 1st round, I won’t argue with you.

You know Selig? Ombudsman.

by rolub on Nov 25, 2008 12:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You can NOT

can not can not can not

just say “we need to pick a LB in the first round”. The draft does not work that way at all. What if you are looking to draft a LB in the first round, but all the LBs left you have rated in the 3rd round? That would mean taking someone you think is a 3rd round talent in the 1st, and that’s a two-round reach. You could at the very least draft a player at another position and reach for that LB in the 2nd round.

This is what Savage does, and this is what you should do:
Lets say you think the 5 best players in the draft are
A. Smith OT
S. Bradford QB
M. Stafford QB
M. Crabtree WR
M. Jenkins DB

in that order. Jokes about how our whole team sucks and we need every position aside, our most glaring need out of those 5 is probably DB, although WR is close. I don’t think we should invest another 1st in a QB. You can always use OTs, but we need a DB or WR more. You then take this information and adjust your draft board leaving the order:
Jenkins
Crabtree
Smith
Bradford
Stafford

You do this for the entire draft, not just the first 5 picks.

Attention to draft stock helps, too. If you have, say, Beau Bell rated as a 2nd round talent but everyone else thinks he is a 4th or 5th round guy, you don’t just draft him in the 2nd round. Of course, you can never know for sure, but you can guess.

We should probably pick up at least one LB in this draft? Yes. We need to get one in the first? No. I would love Maualuga, but I am not sure about drafting anyone else at LB where we would be drafting if the draft were tomorrow.

by rufio on Nov 23, 2008 11:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree completely with everything you said, and your draft order of those candidates. I would love Maulaluga also but he might not be available. I don’t know who the other top LB’s are right now, but if there’s not a top guy available in the first round then you try to take one later. Our top need is not a CB, but if a guy like Jenkins is available I think he’d be a great pick. As I have mentioned before, not only is he great is pass coverage but he’s an excellent special teams player.

Crabtree is going to be a great WR and I would not complain at all if we picked him. Wide reciever may not be a position of need, but you draft the best guy available (with a few caveats, of course). People were wondering why the Vikings too Adrian Peterson two years ago when they had Chester Taylor who was coming off of a 1000 yard season, but I don’t think anybody is doubting that decision now.

I may be wrong, but linebackers seems to be a position where you can find guys in later rounds. CB and OT usually go pretty early, so if you want a top guy there you have to pick them early. I also think we could get another RB in later rounds to take over for Lewis down the road. PJ Hill or Javon Ringer, for example (not that I’m saying we should draft either one). Maybe one of those guys along with Harrison would make a good RB tandem. You don’t need to have one great RB to win in the NFL.

The best thing probably is to hit [Grady] 2nd -- Jay

by Buckeye Brad on Nov 24, 2008 10:22 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I completely agree about running backs.

I was just throwing up a top 5 based on Scouts Inc’s top 5 and then re-ordering it. I sure hope we are not drafting in the top 5, but with the way we’ve been playing lately…

How hilarious would it be if Detroit took Crabtree 1st overall?

I think we will be drafting around 8-12th. Scouts inc has Maualuga at 16th, Aaron Curry from Wake Forest at 9th, and a DE/OLB Everette Brown (from Florida State, stop me if you have heard this before) at 10th. I think it would be safe to say we could get Maualuga where we will be drafting if he doesn’t run a 4.40 or do something equally ridiculous in the draft preseason.

Undersized college defensive ends who we can convert to OLB should be really easy to find, even DEs who had lots of success in college. The only teams wanting them should be 3-4 teams and Cover-2 teams, and there is probably at least one per college team out there waiting to be drafted. Orakpo out of Texas, Selvie out of USF, Hughes out of TCU are all guys who are rated as first rounders right now. I doubt all will get drafted before our 2nd pick but it might happen.

Guys like Crable from michigan, Bruce Davis out of UCLA, Cliff Avril from Purdue, and Marcus Howard from Gerogia who had great college careers came off the board in the 3rd/5th rounds. We could use some of those types of guys.

by rufio on Nov 24, 2008 1:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You can have Chris McAlister and Matt Stover.

My Ravens will be getting rid of those two players most likely after this season and we both know how the Browns love taking the washed up players off of the Ravens’ hands.

ENJOY!

by Mr MaLoR on Nov 24, 2008 11:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, thanks...

…for “stealing” DA off our practice roster. Gee, think he was there for a reason?

Rexx

by Rexx on Nov 25, 2008 8:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I commend you Ravens fans...

you sure do a great job making yourselves look like jackasses on this site.

by Dawg Nuts on Nov 25, 2008 11:02 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Uhhh...check out the FanPost

with all the “intelligent” comments between Browns fans on the Bill Cowher Rumor. Now that’s the reason you do well enough on your own and certainly don’t need any help in that category. You guys can dush it out, but take can you take it? I think not.

Rexx

by Rexx on Nov 25, 2008 11:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Why do you guys keep coming over here to bother us? Don’t you have enough to talk about on your own site?

The best thing probably is to hit [Grady] 2nd -- Jay

by Buckeye Brad on Nov 25, 2008 11:31 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I am sorry but I honestly don’t know if that is a typo or not:

what does dush it out mean?

by rufio on Nov 25, 2008 12:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow

There is supposed to be a civil discussion about why Bill Coward should be their coach, but the first 30 comments are all of the Browns Fans calling each other names that their mommies would wash their mouths out with soap for using.

Gotta love it, these blogs are meant to discuss your team, not tell each other to “Suck It,” as one fan posted. Go over to our Ravens site, you will see nothing but discussions regarding our team, focusing on how we can improve next week. We have a set schedule each week of what we will discuss and everyone shares their opinions. Rexx, have we ever gotten into it with each other over there, besides with the occasional steeler that stops by? NOPE.

But hey, I guess losing to a Rookie Head Coach, Rookie Quarterback, and Rookie Running back when already up 14 points will do that for you. WHY DID WE EVER GET RID OF DERRICK ANDERSON! WHYYYYYYYYYYY

by Mr MaLoR on Nov 25, 2008 12:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Go over to our Ravens site, you will see nothing

I think this is what you mean. 33 comments on your last game thread? Real passionate. Real nice site. Ha. No wonder you have to join the sites for all your rivals, the 3 people that post on Baltimore Beatdown don’t seem to have much to say.

by Ryan Kelsey on Nov 25, 2008 12:55 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Actually

The reason there was only 33 comments is because most of the fan base we have at our site actually goes to our home games. We were all there that day, maybe you should have checked the 200+ comments we had during our away games. You guys wouldnt understand, as it stinks to much in the dog house to go to a home game.

by Mr MaLoR on Nov 25, 2008 1:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If your blog is so great then PLEASE STAY THERE.

The best thing probably is to hit [Grady] 2nd -- Jay

by Buckeye Brad on Nov 25, 2008 1:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah real sorry I couldn’t commute to the game from Colorado. Sorry for not being a real fan, guys. I just couldn’t justify going another $500+ in to debt when I probably won’t make any money as an artist/professor later in life.

by rufio on Nov 25, 2008 1:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I also would like to apologize for not making the commute from New York (although I did drive down to DC for the Redskins game)

by Roger Dorn on Nov 25, 2008 6:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Its now a couple years old, but the most recent comprehensive study of fan loyalty puts Cleveland at #1 and Baltimore at #9. http://www.bizjournals.com/specials/pages/34.html

Your baseless rants will not get too far here.

Plus, I see you have had plenty of other detailed informed discussions: 8 comments on trash talking with Bengals fans, 9 on your last game wrap up, no comments on a NFL picks post, 12 posts on a Eagles preview thread. Not too inspiring.

I’m all for an visitor from other teams now and then, but please try to engage in something of significance. We try to be above the senseless trash talking crap. It doesn’t do anything for us.

by Ryan Kelsey on Nov 25, 2008 1:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly. When Tim from Battle Red Blog stopped by, we had a civilized back-and-forth conversation that should be able to occur between any two teams.

The conversations sparked by those who wear purple couldn’t have been further than that.

You know Selig? Ombudsman.

by rolub on Nov 25, 2008 1:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yea well

I think it is safe to say that we have the smallest amount of contributors on these blogs. We may have only 10-30 comments per fan post, but if you go in there and look at who is postings, it is the same 10-12 guys every time. I would rather talk with a select, intelligent few that we have at our blog rather than 200 random people blurting out how much they want Tim Couch back.

We are a family over there, you guys here are like the distant cousins who just had sex with each other’s wives and want to kill the other.

And the trash talk does something for me, to shut up the ones who have doubted us the whole season.

by Mr MaLoR on Nov 25, 2008 1:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

We are a family over there, you guys here are like the distant cousins who just had sex with each other’s wives and want to kill the other.

That’s not trash talk and it has nothing to do with football. Those are rude, ignorant comments by someone acting like a jerk.

The best thing probably is to hit [Grady] 2nd -- Jay

by Buckeye Brad on Nov 25, 2008 2:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, if you are happy with your 10-12 person readership and community, why do you need to go onto others boards?

Once again, if you want trash talk with Browns fans, you have come to the wrong place. Try another site.

by Ryan Kelsey on Nov 25, 2008 2:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Chris, I thinks this warrants a ban.

by rufio on Nov 25, 2008 3:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, my friend is a Steelers fan and he says these guys go to the Steelers blog to bother them also. It’s pretty pathetic, actually. Maybe if they had a better site then people would actually want to visit. But if these guys talk on their site like they do here then I understand why Ravens fans don’t want anything to do with them.

The best thing probably is to hit [Grady] 2nd -- Jay

by Buckeye Brad on Nov 25, 2008 1:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You are friends with a Steelers fan?

by Roger Dorn on Nov 25, 2008 6:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I know. But he’s a die-hard Indians fan also (don’t ask me how that happened — he grew up in Youngstown). I love him during baseball season and hate him during football season.

The best thing probably is to hit [Grady] 2nd -- Jay

by Buckeye Brad on Nov 25, 2008 6:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This comment has nothing to do what we need to do next year, or specifically in the draft. I’m sorry, but this type of comment does not add anything to our conversation. Please do not add this type of crap here. Thanks.

by Ryan Kelsey on Nov 25, 2008 1:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Do you think Rexx would be the first SBN blogger to get banned from another site if it were to happen?

by rufio on Nov 25, 2008 1:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I can’t imagine it happening before. Unless Rexx has been banned from another site like the Bengal’s or the Steeler’s.

by Ryan Kelsey on Nov 25, 2008 1:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

[QUOTE=DaytonDogg]This comment has nothing to do what we need to do next year, or specifically in the draft. I’m sorry, but this type of comment does not add anything to our conversation. Please do not add this type of crap here. Thanks.[/QUOTE]

Yea, and in my Fanpost!!!

Who's the best special teamer in NFL history? Josh Cribbs!

http://goallineblitz.com/game/signup.pl?ref=7249169

by kardiackids2007 on Nov 25, 2008 1:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs