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The 2013 NFL Draft that Browns Fans Deserve

In the midst of debating what players the Browns might draft to make the team better in 2013 in beyond, fans lose sight of what would take the Browns to the next level. Without a touch of irony, I've included some thoughts.

Jason Miller

The Seven Round Mock Draft Browns Fans Really Need to see

7. Brown pants for home games/respect for the uniform

The recent run of futility on the shores of Lake Erie has led front office analysts to seek a rebranding of the Browns image. Uniform/mascot changes are in the works and could possibly be a reality in 2014, which could promote an uptick in sales revenue for the organization.

In reality, jerseys and team goods will sell at a brisk pace when a winning culture is established and the fan base is galvanized to buy memorabilia for players they are proud of. For many fans, the duct tape "tailoring" of an old jersey is easier than replacing yet another fallen giant who leaves to become a CIA agent.

Also, give us the goddamn brown pants for home games. The people demand it.

6. A better security team at First Energy Stadium


Roger Goddell would prefer to peddle his product to the casual football crowd, marketing for a lukewarm football audience that can occasionally be focused on fantasy football results and a sterile environment over passion and energy.

At First Energy stadium, standing at your seat and drinking (to arguable levels of excess) are discouraged and are dealt with severely and without recourse. The Dawg Pound was previously always known as a place where the fanatical football crowd could seethe and froth, but it lead to dog biscuits and bottles being thrown on the field. This inappropriate behavior led to a security zealotry that is depriving many fans of an identity.

Security at Browns stadium needs to ensure that it's providing a safe environment for fans without cuckolding a fan base. Exercise common sense, folks.

5. A media team that is connected to football operations and doesn't shill for the team

As print journalism goes by the wayside, introspection and in-depth analysis of football talent is sometimes sacrificed in the Cleveland media in favor of sensationalism. Quarterback controversies and the ousting of a regime leads to more clicks on web pages, which feeds the bottom line of sites like the Cleveland Plain Dealer and ESPN.

Cleveland DESERVES a media outlet that understands the nature of its readership and the beloved game it reports on. Statistics and media sources should be the standards upon which judgement is provided for players and team actions, and the dark cloud surrounding every article should be lifted. In short.... the fans should draft a beat reporter that isn't best described as "grumpy" and "outdated."

4. A tone setting defensive player

This blue collar city deserves a linebacker or defensive lineman that will put the fear of god in an opposing quarterback. A mean spirited monster who sheds weak blocks and tramples linemen on the way into the
backfield. A wrecking ball that a quarterback keeps in his peripheral vision and keeps a countdown timer in his head on every play for.

Cleveland's defensive teams have lacked the "identity" player that resided in the fearless defenses of the '80's and '90's teams. That player may be a hard hitting/ball hawk safety, or a physical specimen at DL/LB. Every team in the AFC North possesses at least one or two players of this caliber.

3. A quarterback


On the offensive side of the ball, the Cleveland Browns desperately need a field general. Good teams can sometimes win in spite of an average quarterback, but far more teams sustain success by having a
talented quarterback and continuity at the position. The Browns need a quarterback with a skill set to match the plays being run on the field, who can be counted on late in games to elevate his play and win
the trust of his teammates. Quarterbacks exist that have both "tangible" and "intangible" skills, and eventually the law of averages suggest that the front office will find and manage to develop one.

2a. A coach with good football skills and without an egomaniac attitude

A good head coach creates a game plan that maximizes the skills of his players and puts them in a position to succeed, through scheming and utilizing the correct players. Browns coaches have failed to make the
most of what they've been given, consistently making boneheaded in-game decisions and failing to match an offensive/defensive game plan to the talent available. The regular, "we need more time" excuse appears to only be valid in the Browns front office, as teams around the league bring in a new front office and turn things around within three years.

2b. A general manager who knows his head from his ass

The Browns have utilized front office executives and coaches from all branches of the "football trees" for the last 15 years. All of them insist on a system and look for players to fit that system, failing to diagnose where the talent lies in given drafts. The best evidence of these failures is the lack of longevity for Browns talent; when players leave Cleveland without producing, they rarely latch on in starting roles for other teams. The football landscape is full of second and third string linebackers, linemen, and quarterbacks.....none of which are making much of an impact for a contender.

1. A real, honest-to-goodness, appropriate NFL Owner

We foolishly thought that this issue was resolved, only to find that the potentially "invested" owner is linked to a massive corruption scandal. Randy Lerner was uninterested mentally and emotionally in the team, and allowed egos and idiots to run unchecked in Berea. Unfortunately, the road only gets more convoluted going forward, as Jimmy Haslam has total control of the team and could be extracted from the situation in a messy fashion. The NFL may choose to remove him if charges against him prove valid, which could lead to another complete overhaul in the front office. The fact that it could take a long time to determine guilt means that the new system and team will likely not have time to completely settle, and may be judged by a completely new
owner and front office with incomplete data. Fans crave stability and a firm/intelligent hand guiding the franchise, and until that is established, the recipe for the Browns could include a lot of confusion and dysfunction.