Browns receive a D grade from ESPN for their offseason

At the conclusion of free agency, ESPN gave the Cleveland Browns an "F+" for the standup job they had done in the offseason up until that point. Now that the NFL Draft has come-and-gone as well, the same group of analysts updated their grades. Although ESPN specifically makes a point of saying "31 teams received a C- grade or better, and then there was the Browns," Cleveland did at least get an upgrade to a D.

Field Yates didn't know what to make of the Browns' draft approach and the type of players they took, feeling that an "incomplete" grade would be more appropriate for the team:

"'Interesting' is the first word that comes to mind," Yates said. "Speaking to people in the NFL after the draft, it was not the process, it was the players they selected. People are waiting to see what kinds of players they added. The real grade is probably incomplete."

Bill Polian has no idea how the Browns will look in Week 1, but he, along with the rest of the panel, agreed that adding Robert Griffin III was the team's most logical move of the offseason. That sounds like a backhanded compliment, doesn't it? It infers that everything else was illogical. Regarding Griffin, Polian called him "salvageable." Mark Dominik also advocated the Griffin signing, but feels the team let too many good players walk:

"Everyone has taken shots at this team and it is hard not to, but if RGIII is back on track and running around and doing what he can do, they can win a few more games," Dominik said. "I appreciate the picks they have and the ones they will have, but right now, it is hard not to give them a 'D' because they lost so much. The Griffin signing could really pan out, and that keeps the grade from being lower."

Louis Riddick also doesn't know what to make of what the Browns did:

"Go back with free agency and everyone who left, those are all some pretty damn productive players," Riddick said. "Adding Rahim Moore, Justin Tuggle and Alvin Bailey wasn't enough. Then you go to the draft, we will find out. I don't know how many teams draft five wide receivers in a single draft and have it be productive for them. Corey Coleman, I do like him."

So, there you have it. We've got ESPN perplexed and thus were awarded the worse grade by default, but deep down, it sounds like they are at least moderately curious if Cleveland's approach can succeed.