Dawgs By Nature: FanPosts

Order of must win/highest % of winning in order to make playoffs

2013-05-23T03:29:51Z

Now obviously every game matters and the most important game to win is the one coming up. I was taking a look at the schedule though and was thinking which games are most important to win. Once I got looking at it and tried to rank them from one to sixteen many factors came into play. You want to win your division games. You want to take care of the easier opponents. It's easier to win at home then on the road. So taking in these factors I tried to put together an order of must win/highest percentage of winning the game in order to make the playoffs. 1. Jaguars 2. @ Jets 3. Bills 4. Lions 5. Steelers 6. Dolphins 7.@ Chiefs 8. Ravens 9.@ Steelers 10. Bears 11. Bengals 12.@ Ravens 13@ Vikings 14.@ Bengals 15.@ Packers 16.@ Patriots So basically I view the Patriots as the hardest game to win because they are a really good team and were playing there in New England in December. I view the Jaguars as the easiest/most win game because they are the weakest team weakest team we play. By my rankings it also shows that I think the Bengals are the best in division opponent and the steelers are the weakest. Tell me what you think and if you disagree. If so, how would you rank our schedule?

why i have Cle num 28 in my power poll

2013-05-20T23:33:37Z

for anyone new I Have writings plomens and other things well a new coach gm another 3-year plan
and on Weeden be the guy or Campbell or Hoyer Weeden has a lot to learn to be a Star QB

T-Rich on the other hand is what u are looking for in a star back plus with goron and little u have 2 good WR

J Thomas is a ALL Pro and Alex mack is Solid but i expect your offense to improve under Norv

I Really like R Horton as a DC he will install a attick D that should help u guys out Krueger and Minago Should give u more playmaking ability at OLB

the bad news with the browns is their new GM Is big on copying New England which is fine but not many tom brady's out there

bollom line - yes the AFC North is brutal but i do see the browns getting a little better but u are still 2 years away

this is a 4-8 win team

i say 6-10

for anyone new I Have writings plomens and other things well a new coach gm another 3-year plan
and on Weeden be the guy or Campbell or Hoyer Weeden has a lot to learn to be a Star QB

T-Rich on the other hand is what u are looking for in a star back plus with goron and little u have 2 good WR

J Thomas is a ALL Pro and Alex mack is Solid but i expect your offense to improve under Norv

I Really like R Horton as a DC he will install a attick D that should help u guys out Krueger and Minago Should give u more playmaking ability at OLB

the bad news with the browns is their new GM Is big on copying New England which is fine but not many tom brady's out there

bollom line - yes the AFC North is brutal but i do see the browns getting a little better but u are still 2 years away

this is a 4-8 win team

i say 6-10

Brooklyn NYC Browns Backers

2013-05-20T15:09:17Z

For each of the past 7 years, I have watched the vast majority of Browns games in my Carroll Gardens apartment via DirecTV's Sunday Ticket--suffering in isolation with my wife shaking her head slowly and offering me no succor in my 11 or 12 times of need each season. Anyhow, last season I went to the LA Browns Backers bar for a game (the Thursday night affair vs the Ravens) and realized that even in the midst of a loss it was better to share the pain and disappointment with other inebriated Browns fans. Being as that the NYC Browns Backers is way the hell uptown on the Upper East Side (an hour trip on the subway) I wanted to explore starting up a BROOKLYN BROWNS BACKERS club. I've already spoke to the owners of Union Grounds on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens and they would be up for hosting us. Anybody here on DBN live in Brooklyn or know anybody that would be interested?

A draft for the future that could hurt the present

2013-05-06T17:15:52Z

Did the Browns miss out on an opportunity to improve? By @AJDownattheOne

With only one player that looks ready to contribute in 2013 (Barkevious Mingo) and only five selections made overall, it’s difficult to say that the Browns made themselves better in the immediate future with this year’s draft haul.

The 2012 Cleveland Browns weren’t as bad as their 5-11 record shows but it’s fair to say they needed an influx of talent this offseason to seriously contend for the playoffs in 2013. Despite being relatively active in free agency, the only player that will likely improve the roster is Paul Kruger. Even so, he largely looks like a coup in part due to his impeccable timing in racking up sacks. In his last 12 games as a Raven, including the playoffs, Kruger amassed 12 sacks; in the 37 games previous to that, he only managed 9.5 sacks. He got hot at the end of the season and there’s a reason Baltimore let him walk; he’s not much more than an average pass rusher.

That’s partly the reason they also drafted Mingo. They wanted to ensure they got the most out of Kruger in their transition to a 3-4 defense by pairing him with a top quality rusher on the other side. That’s fair enough but the Browns could really have improved their 20th ranked offensive line by drafting Jonathan Cooper or Chance Warmack and hopefully seen a better return on 2012 selections Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson.

Outside of Mingo, the Browns only made four other picks; once in the third, once in the sixth and twice in the seventh. They used their second round pick last year in the supplemental draft selecting the average Josh Gordon when I’m sure they could have used the 38th pick this year to find an equal or better talent on either side of the ball (Geno Smith, Robert Woods, Menelik Watson, Johnthan Banks, Kawaan Short and Johnathan Hankins were all available where Cleveland should have been selecting had they not sacrificed their second rounder on Gordon). They sent their fourth round pick to Miami for Devone Bess but excuse me if I don’t hold a parade, especially as the two selections directly after the traded 111th pick were Tyler Wilson and Barrett Jones; would a potential alternative to Weeden or a starting interior lineman not have been preferable to a receiver that performed barely above the level of an average replacement last season? Admittedly they turned their fourth and fifth round picks into 2014 third and fourth round selections but what good does that do them in 2013?

I worry that the only additions Cleveland have made this offseason are two shaky pass rushers and fear that they might actually regress if either of those two don’t turn out like planned. The draft is an opportunity to get better, I’m not sure the Browns can safely say they did that.

If you have any comments or feedback for AJ Young, e-mail AJ@downattheone.com with your thoughts or follow him on Twitter @AJDownattheOne

Did the Browns miss out on an opportunity to improve? By @AJDownattheOne

If you have any comments or feedback for AJ Young, e-mail AJ@downattheone.com with your thoughts or follow him on Twitter @AJDownattheOne

#2 corner?

2013-05-05T03:48:32Z

I know we're all curious how the #2 corner position will be resolved, and I'm sure most people assume it will be McFadden. A small-ish rookie is no sure thing, and the rest of our options are very unproven. My question is how do think we'll fill that position? I read a Bleacher Report article claiming that the favorite to win the job is Bademosi, and they referenced his impressive play in the Dallas OT loss. Could someone with better knowledge of his play give me a real scouting report of the guy? Aside from special teams, I don't recall seeing him do anything. Thanks!

The Way Too Early Depth Chart #1- 5/1/13

2013-05-02T02:27:37Z

While I realize it is way too early to be speculating about any sort of depth chart, especially since the draft just ended, here’s an early look at the Browns Depth chart right now. Candidly, I am going to do one on the first of every month for the next couple months and see how the roster changes until the beginning of the season from signings, injuries, free agents, trades and such.

Record Prediction: 7-9

QB:

1. Brandon Weeden

2. Jason Campbell

3. Thad Lewis

Thought: Browns keep 3 QBs because of the constant carousel that is the Cleveland QB since 1999. Hopefully Weeden is pushed by Campbell to put that carousel to rest for the next 6 years. Thad may have been a guy from the previous regime but he proves himself capable of being 3rd string.

RB/FB:

4. Dion Lewis

Thought: Struggled with the idea of the Browns having 4 RBs and also the idea of Owen Marecic being around. But Hardesty has another year to try to prove himself a capable backup, and signing Obi and trading for Lewis show they could be leaving 4 on the roster for depth. Could see Lewis moving ahead of Obi with a strong summer. Short of someone coming out of nowhere, it looks like Marecic has another year on the team, its time for him to show something.

WR:

1. Josh Gordon

2. Greg Little

3. Davone Bess

4. David Nelson

5. Travis Benjamin

6. Jordan Norwood

Thought: Gordon has had a full offseason to better himself and develop as the team’s top pass catcher. He and Little working out together should be encouraging with hopes that new WRs in Bess and Nelson can come in with a veteran presence to compete for the 3 and 4 slots. Benjamin and Norwood round out the 6 on the active roster, both having opportunities to compete as KR/PR as well. I don’t believe Cooper has played enough games to not qualify for the Practice Squad and could be called up for depth if there’s an injury

TE:

1. Jordan Cameron

2. Kellen Davis

3. Gary Barnidge

Thought: While you could probably call me the Resident Smelley fan, I don’t see him making the roster; he’s more of a practice squad guy and could potentially see time if Marecic flops at FB or someone gets hurt. Cameron will get his shot and Davis and Barnidge will see the field in blocking roles and special teams time. I hope Kellen Davis surprises us with his receiving skills, but feel Cameron is probably our best shot to have any chance of a TE capable of playing like others have in Turner’s offense, mainly Antonio Gates.

OL:

LT- Joe Thomas

LG- Jason Pinkston, Ryan Miller

C- Alex Mack

RG- John Greco, Shawn Lauvao

RT- Mitchell Schwartz, Garrett Gilkey

Thought: Joe is the shit, no ifs ands or buts. Pinkston comes back ready to start again and should hopefully improve after some rest. Alex Mack eats iron bars and continues to be a solid presence in the middle. John Greco proved capable of starting and filling in at RG and I see him beating out Lauvao for the starting job. And finally Mitchell Schwartz shows much improvement from a pretty stellar rookie season and challenges to become a Pro Bowl RT opposite Joe Almighty. To provide depth, Miller, Lauvao, and draft pick Garrett Gilkey are there. I like the mean streak Gilkey has and could possibly see him grown into the RG role. I know many are not a fan, but Ryan Miller has potential. If there’s one fault of mine, it would be that I’m a Ryan Miller apologist.

OFFENSE- 25

DL:

LDE- Ahtyba Rubin, Billy Winn

NT- Phil Taylor, John Hughes, Ishmaa'ily Kitchen

RDE- Desmond Bryant, Armonty Bryant

Thought: Very excited about the front guys on the D Line. While most have thought it would be a difficult transition, Rubin, Winn, and Taylor show flexibility and the signing of Desmond Bryant could prove to be the steal of free agency. Hughes and Kitchen provide depth in the middle and late draft pick Armonty Bryant could provide quality depth at the end position if he puts on a little more size.

LB:

LOLB- Paul Kruger, Quentin Groves

LILB- Craig Robertson, James Michael Johnson, Tank Carder

RILB- D’Qwell Jackson, L.J. Fort

ROLB- Jabaal Sheard, Barkevious Mingo

Thought: Candidly, I have been thinking about this one for a few days now. I went with this line-up because I think it reflects the positions the Browns could have concerns about, especially the other ILB spot opposite D’Qwell Jackson. Kruger and Jackson are locks, and I think Sheard will be the starter with Mingo being mainly a pass-rush specialist on 3rd downs to start while he learns coverage and how to run stop. The biggest doubt I have is LILB, where I see Robertson, coming off a pretty impressive season last year, has the edge. JMJ will be there as long as he’s healthy and I could see him being a starter by September. Tank Carder adds depth and another Special Teams body.

CB:

1. Joe Haden

2. Leon McFadden

3. Chris Owens

4. Buster Skrine

5. Trevin Wade

Thought: Haden will finally have a Pro Bowl year, barring another run in with prescription meds. McFadden will hopefully be the #2 corner the Browns so desperately need. He was a 4-year starter and seems to be extremely intelligent and aggressive, even for his size, which I think many blew out of proportion. Owens and Skrine could go back and forth for nickel, but I think Owens could be a low risk/high reward signing. Skrine and Wade would round out a group of only 5 corners; I’ll explain my reasoning next in the FS and SS sections.

FS:

1. Tashaun Gipson

2. Jamoris Slaughter

SS:

1. TJ Ward

2. Johnson Bademosi

Thought: TJ Ward is a lock for one position, but Gipson is my surprise starter here. I’ve given up on Hagg, who had a lot of good recommendations from his Nebraska coaches but has failed to impress. Slaughter and Bademosi act as back-ups, who also provide special teams talent and Bademosi could even be a CB if necessary, making holding a sixth spot on the roster expendable for CB. All 3 of Gipson, Slaughter and Bademosi offer excellent athletes with good upside that could lead to the Browns finding a starter.

DEFENSE- 25

K- Shayne Graham

P- Spencer Lanning

LS- Christian Yount

Thought: The signing of Shayne Graham leads me to believe he is the guy to replace Phil as a stop-gap solution. Banner and Lombardi have both said it’s a process, which means kicker could be something they look to fill next year after a year with a veteran that is solid, just not what we’ve come to expect since 1999. Spencer Lanning is a familiar, comfortable choice at Punter and could prove to be a reasonable choice, considering the punting of the last couple seasons. And finally, no complaints about Yount, has filled in wonderfully since coming in as a replacement.

SPECIAL TEAMS- 3

Total- 53

What’s everyone think? Anything crazy stick out to you? Are you disappointed about anyone I left off? Should the Browns bring back Syndric Steptoe to challenge at WR?

Record Prediction: 7-9

QB:

1. Brandon Weeden

2. Jason Campbell

3. Thad Lewis

RB/FB:

4. Dion Lewis

WR:

1. Josh Gordon

2. Greg Little

3. Davone Bess

TE:

OL:

LT- Joe Thomas

LG- Jason Pinkston, Ryan Miller

C- Alex Mack

RG- John Greco, Shawn Lauvao

RT- Mitchell Schwartz, Garrett Gilkey

OFFENSE- 25

DL:

LDE- Ahtyba Rubin, Billy Winn

NT- Phil Taylor, John Hughes, Ishmaa'ily Kitchen

RDE- Desmond Bryant, Armonty Bryant

LB:

LOLB- Paul Kruger, Quentin Groves

LILB- Craig Robertson, James Michael Johnson, Tank Carder

RILB- D’Qwell Jackson, L.J. Fort

ROLB- Jabaal Sheard, Barkevious Mingo

CB:

1. Joe Haden

2. Leon McFadden

3. Chris Owens

4. Buster Skrine

5. Trevin Wade

FS:

1. Tashaun Gipson

2. Jamoris Slaughter

SS:

1. TJ Ward

2. Johnson Bademosi

DEFENSE- 25

K- Shayne Graham

P- Spencer Lanning

LS- Christian Yount

SPECIAL TEAMS- 3

Total- 53

What’s everyone think? Anything crazy stick out to you? Are you disappointed about anyone I left off? Should the Browns bring back Syndric Steptoe to challenge at WR?

Tebow in the Backfield with TR?

2013-04-30T14:37:37Z

Anyone think the Browns should take a look at Tebow with the idea of giving him a fair shot at running a PRO Team? I am sure our offensive coaches could figure out a way to use his athletic ability, leadership and work ethic to some good.

If his throwing Mechanics have been improved and he is healthy the combination of TT and TR in a backfield should give some concern to the defensive coaches in our division.

TT would not cost much to bring in and I am pretty sure he would work his tail off to show his appreciation.

Semper Fi

If his throwing Mechanics have been improved and he is healthy the combination of TT and TR in a backfield should give some concern to the defensive coaches in our division.

TT would not cost much to bring in and I am pretty sure he would work his tail off to show his appreciation.

Semper Fi

If You Liked Tom Heckert's Drafts, You Should Like This Off-Season

2013-04-29T23:31:20Z

Banner basically said as much at his post-draft press conference: "We were trying to focus on making sure we got players that we thought made us better. I think the difference is on offense we think we have a lot of young guys who are not quite sure what they are going to be over time. So we were inclined to give them some time and see how they develop and then we'll be able to identify where we're at."

I don't know how you can hear that and look at their actions not see that Banner and Lombardi, while they might not be certain, are at least open to the possibility that a lot of the answers for the future of this team may already be on the roster. We'll know by the mid-point of the season if that view was valid, but IMO, that approach - trying to develop the players that a pretty good GM already brought into the organization - is the correct one, and the lack of that ability has been one of the biggest reasons for our perpetual failure.

So if you liked what Heckert brought to our roster in his three drafts, you're apparently in the same company as the current front office.

I've been perplexed by so much of the negative reaction to what the Browns did in the draft this year. I see Banner and Lombardi's actions of adding a few picks to areas of need as a ratification of the mostly good job that Heckert did over the last three drafts. Think about it: We didn't look to replace Gordon, Little, or Benjamin. Taylor or Sheard? Nope. Hardesty or Lavauo or Schwartz or Pinkston. Nope x4. Weeden or Richardson or Haden or Ward or Jordan? You get the picture. Same thing with respect for the UFA's Heckert brought in. How can you see the lack of draft day activity as anything but - at a minimum - curiosity, if not satisfaction with the potential of Bademosi, Gipson, Robertson and Fort? And all of this is even after we've switched offensive and defensive systems. Banner basically said as much at his post-draft press conference: "We were trying to focus on making sure we got players that we thought made us better. I think the difference is on offense we think we have a lot of young guys who are not quite sure what they are going to be over time. So we were inclined to give them some time and see how they develop and then we'll be able to identify where we're at." I don't know how you can hear that and look at their actions not see that Banner and Lombardi, while they might not be certain, are at least open to the possibility that a lot of the answers for the future of this team may already be on the roster. We'll know by the mid-point of the season if that view was valid, but IMO, that approach - trying to develop the players that a pretty good GM already brought into the organization - is the correct one, and the lack of that ability has been one of the biggest reasons for our perpetual failure. So if you liked what Heckert brought to our roster in his three drafts, you're apparently in the same company as the current front office.

5 Things I Think I Know About the Browns Draft

2013-04-28T14:24:54Z

1. My biggest worry in the draft was that the Browns would be impatient in this draft, that they would be over aggressive, perhaps rushing to a QB,or another player in hopes to put a quick and indellible stamp on the Browns, or maybe panic to replace that 2nd round pick. No reason for this fear, these guys are patient. In spades. Like Job from the biblical days. Just hopefully not too patient.

2. It is rare that a draft day would be defined by trade downs in the 4th and 5th rounds but this one is. And they will be skewered by the national media, and some in Cleveland. But I will give them the benefit of the doubt that they "maximized their assets". There are some hidden factors that make me think these moves may be wise, even though I personally wanted players at those picks. First, the trade up from 4th to 3 is bolstered by the fact that you get a wave of compensation picks between the 3rd and 4th rounds. This makes the jump much more significant. 2nd - the team will have much more info on their needs on the offensive side of the ball. Right now they have so many question marks that they may as well wait a year to see how a few things work out. Maybe Jordan works out and you don't have a huge need, maybe BW and TR really surprise or really disappoint. Having this info before committing picks will be valuable. Finally, the scouting team and processes will be much more robust next year. Lets face it, this years scouting team has been together for about a month. It is likely they will be a much more effective team next year than this year.

3. Big winners of this draft are BW and Jordan. With all the angst, coments that these guys are not sold on BW - it is obvious that they think more of him than they have let on. He will get all the opportunity and support he needs to prove himself as the guy or not. While it is comforting to know that we will just not automatically reboot - I personally believe that selecting Ryan Nassib was a golden opportunity. Having that leadership, and mentality in the QB room for a full year would have been a nice insurance policy. I love those QBs that if they couldn't play at QB would volunteer to play LB and special teams.

4. I am unsure how good Javon Bess is - but he is the type of player we have needed for severa. years. A QB needs a professional receiver that he can trust to run precise routes, and is on the Allstate good hands team. It has been so obvious that the QBs of the last 2 years have been victimized by drops and unsure hands. But to these untrained eyes, it also seemed like they were often in the wrong place, at the wrong depths, and the combination of this with the drops left us with a passing game that looked completely uncoordinated.

5. It is obvious why Haslam has been lowering expectations for the coming year. Next year will be defined as an evaluation year. The key will be getting answers on if BW is the QB, and if TR is Pro Bowler or a pedestrian 3.5 ypg guy. Even the first pick Mingo is more of a developmental guy - needing 10 pounds of muscle before he becomes a consistent contributor. With the exception of McFadden the other guys either had film in stadiums that were passed over for Friday night lights, or were nursing serious injuries. When they said they will not rush to fill needs and they meant it.

So how did they do? I have to say I was somewhat disappointed, I was hoping for some starters to come out of day 3 and I see virtually zero percent chance of that. I give them an I for Incomplete, and hope we are calling them geniuses this time next year.

Poll

So what grade do you assign to the Browns moves? Including Bess and the future picks.

A. Mingo will be great and next year's picks are golden

41 votes

B. Happy overall.

132 votes

C. We could have done better

48 votes

D. I disappoint

19 votes

F. These deals reek of poor planning.

50 votes

I. Let me check out Bess and let the picks play out.

41 votes

331 votes | Poll has closed

The Kardiac Draft: The Infamous 2013 Cleveland Browns

2013-04-27T23:09:19Z

One step away from locking the hospital wardroom door, yanking out our IV, and chewing the chord of our life support, all of us Browns fans alike must be going AWOL like a virgin sailor caught red handed in a Taiwanese brothel. Hit the high road like the ship never sailed. Might as well as run back to where the devil found his soul in Baltimore, right?

Wrong.

Albeit, quotes such as,

"I guess the Cleveland fan base is doomed to another 4-12 season and another year of hoping for regime change."

And...

"I have said here before - Haslam bought the team to make them a little better, he'll make tons of money on the fan base - but his heart is with the Steelers. This proves it."

...From message board lobbyist on Yahoo! are just so convincing we must be certifiably insane to expect anything more than the laughing stock of the league as Cleveland sports fans this season. I must simply and wholeheartedly disagree with Silky Johnson and his crew of Player Haters. There will no doubt be a plethora of haters this season for a multitude of reasons, such as: having only drafted 5 players - 3 of which were in the 6th and 7th rounds, having our brand new owner involved in a corporate extortion agenda which could very well lead him to prison in the near future, having yet another unproven coaching staff and front office leading our team in an unfashionable direction, and, if for no other reason but for sheer kicks and giggles, having a 29 year old ginger start as our QB...again...

Firstly, there's nothing any of us could possibly do or say to speculate on the reality of this situation regarding Jimmy Haslam and his Flying Pilot J company. He is at the mercy of the FBI at this time, and what ever is left of him will be vulture scraps for Roger Goodell and the other NFL execs if they so choose to eat him alive as to make an example and please the Player's Association. This really is no laughing matter for anyone in the league unless you're a Steelers or Ravens fan who happened to be the child of a mother whom was as sure handed as Kenny Davis holding a bar of soap in the prison showers with Nasty Nate. I will reserve my worst fears of the future of our franchise until all accounts are finalized within the legal system. Although, I'll admit I fear not even the Squirrel Master himself could do much to save our cocktail fruit now.

Moving along to what is determinable, many of us here at DBN are well aware that at least half of these issues are null. Brandon Weeden for better or worse is our best candidate to lead this team this season. If there's a better option to outplay him as our field general then no doubt our staff did the best they could do with the limited resources presented to us this season, which I personally believe we did by signing veteran Jason Campbell. On that note, concerning the gentlemen making that decision, the specific expertise of each coach at their respective position seems to me the best line up we've had in Cleveland since 99. The only question mark which remains resides within Rob Chudzinksi. However, having seen him coach during his previous tenure here along with innovating a top of the line offense specifically for a young quarterback who many assumed (including myself) couldn't last half a season in this league in Carolina the past two years, I have no doubt he possesses the wherewithal and charisma to spark a fire in the belly of our team.

Sitting across the other side of the desk we find Joe Banner and Michael Lombardi, the leaders of our revamped front office. No doubt these two will bare the brunt of the scrutiny during this 2013 NFL Draft extravaganza. As mentioned earlier, we will have walked away from this experience with only 5 drafted players, as few as ever in recent memory that I care to research at this time. It could easily be determined that only one of these players, OLB Barkevious Mingo, has a clear shot at becoming a starter September 8th when the Dolphins head to Cleveland for the start of the regular season. Even then it is highly questionable as Jabaal Sheard will likely be given the opportunity to prove himself in a 3-4 alignment and having just rescued veteran Paul Kruger from the great dilemma of whether to purchase a Ferrari or a Porsche when now he can easily buy both.

The great question which will revolve around Banner and Lombardi over the next year or two will certainly involve our trades with Pittsburgh and Indianapolis in which we respectively handed over a 4th and 5th round pick for a 3rd and 4th round pick in the 2014 Draft. Initially, most of us were likely a little put off by these decisions. I know I was at first especially when I saw it was Pittsburgh we traded with. But when you see a good deal, even if it means shaking hands with the sweaty palm of a monkey after it picked it's nose, you can't turn it down. Both of these trades were good deals, and I'll tell you why.

It's obvious Banner and Lombardi simply weren't impressed by this draft class. Now I'll admit being as informed as a grandfather slanging jive to fit in with his hipster grandkids, but it seems relevant enough to suggest that this has been the lowest value of draft talent the college ranks have produced for the NFL through the last decade I've followed the league. As a fan and not an expert of player talent and potential, I have no other educated option other than to believe the talking heads on TV and the likes of my Brownie brethren who suggest next year will be jam-packed with better talent. Most importantly to include quarterback talent as this will be the one year Weeden has to prove to this new regime that he deserves to be our future at least for the next few years before his red hair begins turning gray. If not, we go big in the first round with the added ammo we've collected this year in preparation for those events.

Along with evaluating our quarterback situation, this cautiously passive approach by Lombanner will allow Chud and the gang to assess everyone else on our team. Not to suggest they feel fully comfortable with the players currently on board, but if we begin throwing in too many young prospects in the mix now, will the coaching staff have enough playing time for our current roster to showcase their abilities, or lack thereof if such is the case, in order to define what's written on paper? Also, something that seems to have slipped the radar a bit during this whole process, I recall reading a headline recently stating our personnel department wasn't going to be greatly involved in this process of selecting draft picks, which only confirms my belief since the transition of this new staff that Banner and Lombardi will be looking to make a clean sweep of our scouting department in the next few months. By this time next year the duo will have scouts they are more inclined to trust with their vision of aggressively athletic playmakers, rather than relying so much on themselves to make the best evaluation during such a short amount of time as they could have done.

All in all, this weekend was not a failure in my mind. If anything, this could be one of the few saving graces of this season when regarding the atrocity we may be facing in the wake of Haslam's prosecution. Our greatest hope at this point is that the 'Zinski Boys are capable of outshining this dark cloud with their play on the field while Banner and Lombardi continue to build a professionally coherent football organization. If worst comes to worst (knock on my ship because it's a minesweeper made out of Douglas Fur wood), there is no greater motivation for us diehard Brownies than to prove to the NFL why we're the greatest fans in modern sports history. We've done it once. We can do it again, my friends.

Wrong.

Albeit, quotes such as,

"I guess the Cleveland fan base is doomed to another 4-12 season and another year of hoping for regime change."

And...

"I have said here before - Haslam bought the team to make them a little better, he'll make tons of money on the fan base - but his heart is with the Steelers. This proves it."

Poll

Are you satisfied with the direction of our team up to this point disregarding Haslam's legal affect on the organization?

Yes, I'm happy and excited.

76 votes

Meh, kind of undecided or indifferent.

39 votes

No, we're doomed for failure.

9 votes

124 votes | Poll has closed

PRAY FOR BARRETT JONES IN THE 4th!!!

2013-04-27T06:12:25Z

Barrett Jones would be a dream draft steal at 111. His versatility at playing any O-line position in Alabama would make him a valuable asset and solidify our already stout O-Line. He can easily take Pinkston's or Lavaou's starting job. There r 2 more good O-line man as well but Jones is by far superior. Everyone is hyper siked on all the D-moves our FO has been making. But please don't forget we need to protect any QB we start so he has the time to read the field and pop open big holes for Trent to Blast into the Secondary.

What I think actually happens on Thursday

2013-04-23T16:46:41Z

Honestly, months and months of preparation have gone into this. Do you really think this regime is going to start off by drafting a guy with numerous injuries? And you also have to think is all the hype real? He went to Alabama, and anyone that tends to go there gets hyped up more than anyone else. Yes we took Trent and bought into the hype, but that's different because Trent has only had one injury that is worth concerning about in his ribs. The fact that Dee Miliner has more than three injuries and numerous surgeries, is going to cause this regime to highly consider passing on him. Do I think he is good? Yes I do, but in all honesty he's not worth the risk. The same goes for Dion Jordan.

One of the three teams looking for a left tackle are going to trade up and take our pick. And that is perfect for us, because that will put us in the 11-13 range and we acquire more assets. Now the main question? Who do we take? If you all havent noticed, the only player that has been praised by Chud significantly is EJ MANUEL. He straight up told EJ during there workout and film session that he reminded him of "someone he used to coach". The hype is there for EJ and Mayock loves him too. He needs to be drafted at the 11 spot because he has the chance to be the next Cam Newton. He probably won't be as good as Cam, but if we get a quarterback that comes close to him, you wont see me complaining. We pick up another pick and take a good corner in later rounds and walk out of the room content with our next franchise quarterback.

All AFC North Team

2013-04-22T14:46:45Z

down below are NFC West/East. ill try my hand at AFC north

QB Ben Roethlisberger

RB Trent Richardson

RB Ray Rice

WR AJ Green

WR Torrey Smith

SR Antonio Brown

LT Joe Thomas

LG Maurkice Pouncey

2TE Heath Miller

OLB Michael Johnson

MLB LaMarr Woodley

OLB James Harrison

CB Joe Haden

CB Leon Hall

SS TJ Ward

FS Troy Polamalu

this team needs work, here are the others:

RB Frank Gore

2TE Jared Cook

LT Jake Long

LG Mike Iupati

C Max Unger

RG Alex Boone

RT Joe Staley

DE Aldon Smith

DT Justin Smith

DE Robert Quinn

DE Chris Long

LB NaVorro Bowman

SS Kam Chancellor

FS Earl Thomas

P Andy Lee

KR/PR Percy Harvin

NFC East:

QB Robert Griffin III

WR Dez Bryant

2TE Fred Davis

LG Evan Mathis

RG Tyron Smith

DT Justin Tuck

MLB Sean Lee

OLB Anthony Spencer

CB Morris Claiborne

CB Prince Amukamara

SS Patrick Chung

FS Kenny Phillips

Browns Need Chudzinski to Come In and Work Some Magic

2013-04-19T14:45:56Z

The Cleveland Browns have a lot of room for improvement. What more can be said when a teams record puts them at 5-11 and last in their division. New head coach Rob Chudzinski is coming into a situation that is going to allow him some flexibility, but also where he is expected to succeed. However, things aren't all bad. Last year the Browns took a big chance by drafting Trent Richardson with the 5th overall pick. Taking a running back that high these days is considered a gamble at best, stupid at worst. Even though Richardson likely won't be the next Adrian Peterson, he showed enough for us to see that he can be a top echelon back in the NFL. The Browns are coming in to this draft with the number 6th overall selection. There will be a lot of talent on the board, but a pick that high is going to demand a hefty contract. The Browns have some holes to fill, so let's see what is a good scenario for them.

Quarterback

What is unfortunate for the Browns is they have two quarterbacks on their roster who will likely play in the NFL for years, but they don't want either one to be the face of the franchise. The biggest problem comes in to place when you look at the talent available at the quarterback position this draft. It's been well publicized that this isn't the draft to spend a high pick on QB, and the Browns would be wise to follow that school of thought.

Outside Linebacker

The Browns are making the transition to a 3-4 defense and are going to need to retool their defensive personnel to be successful. They already have a star pass rusher in Jabaal Sheard, but they are going to need more. Ray Horton is the new defensive coordinator and he is going to look to build something similar to what he did in Arizona.

Cornerback

The Browns have a stud at one of the cornerback spots, Joe Hayden, the problem is when you line up with 11 men you need to put at least two corners on the field. If they can get a guy who will be a capable starter from week 1, it will go a long way towards bringing this defense to where it needs to be.

Guard

They spent a high draft pick on Richardson last season, they would be wise to protect him. Last year he had to play through cracked ribs, and even behind the best lines an NFL running back takes a lot of punishment. It's likely that John Greco will be able to step up and solidify the left guard position, but they will still need someone on the right side. Many teams have shown in recent years that building your team from the line out, on both sides of the ball, can bring solid success, not flash-in-the-pan highlights.

Tight End

Ben Watson has been here for the last three seasons, and he is not giving the team the production they expected from him when they acquired him. He has only given mediocre play and the team would likely see a big boost in overall offensive production with a more explosive player. Even though it is not the most glaring need for them, it is a position they should pay attention to if the right prospect is available in the later rounds.

The Browns have the 6th overall pick, and they are likely to spend it on defense. Some scouts think there is no way the Dee Milliner will be available when the Browns get on the clock, but if he is they should take him. He has great size for a corner, 6 foot 1, 200 lbs, and is a natural athlete. He is very smooth and fluid with very little wasted motion in his effort. He plays aggressively, fast, and doesn't mind getting his jersey dirty. He routinely is around the football and will gladly kick up some dirt while driving on the ball to make a play. He also has great instincts and thrives in the toughest of assignments; man-to-man coverage against an NFL receiver. He is only a junior, and has some growing to do in regards to his football IQ, but he will be a player in the league for many years to come. If the Browns can get their hands on him, their starting cornerback duo is going to really frustrate the AFC North.

Quarterback

Outside Linebacker

Cornerback

Guard

Tight End

Turf Show Times Mock Draft: HELP!!

2013-04-14T20:58:56Z

Hey guys, W2G here. I'm officially signed up to be our GM in the live 7 round mock draft over at Mocking the Draft. This is a huge job, so i need you guys to sign up to be in the war room and help me make our picks!

Everyone who wants to sign up, i need the following information sent to mtdbrowns2013@gmail.com:

Name, SBN Username, e-mail address, and twitter handle.

I'll need an "assistant general manager" to make trades and picks in case i"m unable to make the picks or trades.

we'll also need someone to handle our twitter and post all the picks/trades.

if you're interested, please post in the comments and shoot me an email. tell me what you'd like to do.