Post Draft 2013.

It all starts back before the draft in 2012 when the Browns couldn’t muster up enough “marbles” to get their guy, RGIII.  The fans, the media, they all went crazy because Heckert and his brain trust fell short, or so the story goes.

The moral of the story is if you want a guy, you can’t sit around on your hands.  You have to put your best foot forward and make it happen no matter what the price is. The Browns front office fell short of doing so and I’ve heard about it for the past 12 months.   

Fast forward to draft 2013. 

What did the Browns do?   

Exactly what they didn’t do in 2012. 

It’s said that Mingo was the guy that this front office wanted, so what did they do?  They got him.  They didn’t fall to temptation and trade down to 16 and grab a second rounder from St. Louis which was on the table, they stuck to their guns and got their guy.  Guess what, the dumb fans are pissed again, go figure.  We don’t have to agree with the Browns talent evaluators but can we stop contradicting ourselves just to bitch?   

The only thing that changes in Cleveland more than the coaches and the weather are the fans personalities. 

Let’s face it, this draft pool was very shallow.  The fact that the front office is smart enough to go against the grain and stock up for next year’s draft says a lot about the integrity of this organization.  Next year has the potential to be one of the best draft classes we’ve seen in a while and as of now the Browns have 9 picks.  Not too shabby.

In summation, I like what the Browns have done this off-season.  The front 7 on defense are going to be a force.  The addition of Bryant and Kruger in free agency immediately made that defensive front very strong.  Pieces were added on both sides of the ball that will impact this team immediately.  David Nelson and Devon Bess are huge additions to our offense and their presence will be felt on day 1. 

I realize that there are still holes on this team.  Middle linebacker and tight end stand out the most to me but would a 4^th and 5^th round pick really of made a difference there? 

Mingo – Not my favorite player in the draft, I had him rated as a mid-late first round selection.  That means nothing though because Mingo has the skill set to be a very good pass rusher.  I’ve said it since the beginning of the draft talk this off-season, if Mingo finds the motivation and drive to better himself, he’s a top 5 pick in this draft.

Josh Gordon – No matter how you look at it, we got him for a second round pick this year.  He’s one year ahead of the curve and he’s a damn good receiver.  I don’t care who drafted him, he cost this new regime a pick.

Leon McFadden – I’m already tired of hearing about how this kid is too small.  McFadden is a good talent.  He’s quick and very good in man coverage.  He should be the starter opposite of Haden when the season starts. 

Jamoris Slaughter – This might be the best pick of the draft.  Jamoris is a stud.  He’s smart and he’s got a lot of talent to back it up.  If he hadn’t blown out his Achilles he would have been taken much earlier in this draft, keep your eyes on him. 

Armonty Bryant – I know nothing about him and I won’t act like I do. 

Garrett Gilkey – I love this kid, if you haven’t read his story please do so.  http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2013/story/_/id/9101543/laughing-now-garrett-gilkey  I really thought some team was going to pull a quick one and jump on this kid in the 3^rd.  Needless to say, I can’t wait to watch his progress and see what he’s capable of.  I will be watching this kid’s career, wherever he may go. 

Candidly, it’s a process.  Go Browns.

Browns Breakdown Mock Draft

1. Chiefs - Luke Joeckel  OT  Texas A&M
2. Jaguars - Dion Jordan  LB  Oregon
3. Raiders - Shariff Floyd  DT  Florida
4. Eagles - Star Lotulelei  DT  Utah
5. Lions - Eric Fisher  OT  Central Michigan
6. Browns - Ziggy Ansah  DE  BYU
7. Cardinals - Lane Johnson  OT  Oklahoma
8. Bills - Geno Smith  QB  West Virginia
9. Jets - Tavon Austin  WR  West Virginia
10. Titans - Dee Milliner  CB  Alabama
11. Chargers - Jarvis Jones  LB  Georgia
12. Dolphins - Chance Warmack  OG  Alabama
13. Buccaneers - D.J. Hayden  CB  Houston
14. Panthers - Sheldon Richardson  DT  Missouri
15. Saints - Barkevious Mingo  LB  LSU
16. Rams - Cordarelle Patterson  WR  Tennessee
17. Steelers - Damontre Moore  DE  Texas A&M
18. Cowboys - Kenny Vaccaro  FS  Texas
19. Giants - Jonathan Cooper   OG   North Carolina
20. Bears - Alec Ogletree  LB  Georgia
21. Bengals - Eddie Lacy  RB  Alabama
22. Rams - Bjoern Werner  DE  Florida State
23. Vikings - Xavier Rhodes  CB  Florida State
24. Colts - Jonathan Jenkins  DT  Georgia
25. Vikings - Keenan Allen  WR  California
26. Packers - Justin Pugh  G/T  Syracuse
27. Texans - Kevin Minter  LB  LSU
28. Broncos - Desmond Trufant  CB  Washington
29. Patriots - Sylvester Williams  DT  North Carolina
30. Falcons - Alex Okafor  DE   Texas
31. 49ers - Tyler Eifert  TE  Notre Dame    
32. Ravens - Robert Woods  WR  Southern  California

Odd #'s picked by Ben
Even #'s picked by Tommy Dee

Smokescreen & Big Board

smoke screen or smoke·screen (smkskrn)

n.
1. A mass of dense artificial smoke used to conceal military areas or operations from an enemy.
2. An action or statement used to conceal actual plans or intentions.

Peter King said in his most recent Monday Morning Quarterback that the Browns could be looking to trade down and take Geno Smith.



There's a few problems with this theory:

- You can't believe anything a NFL team says right now. Whether it's said to Peter King or not.

- If they are targeting a specific player, you don't move down to get him. You take him when on the clock or even trade up to get him.

So why would this be leaked? It's a smokescreen folks. If Geno goes before the Browns pick, it's one more player on their Big Board that falls to them.

Speaking of which, I believe the Browns big board looks something like this right now:

Dion Jordan
Ezekiel Ansah
Dee Milliner
Xavier Rhodes
Jarvis Jones
Barkevious Mingo

I don't think there is one player they would not trade out of 6 for right now to get back into the 2nd. The depth seems to be better in the secondary for the 2nd round pick. So they might want to address the LB position with the first pick and go CB in the 2nd. If they can't trade out of 6, I'd say it's more likely Milliner or Rhodes is the pick.

Fire Brandon Weeden

It’s about time that the people in Cleveland come to grips with the fact that Geno Smith is a legit possibility to be the Browns next QB.  It’s time we all set our personal emotions and attachments aside and look at what is realistic, what makes sense for this franchise and how it can get better. 

For starters look at the Cleveland Browns front office - Joe Banner and Michael Lombardi.  What do we know about these guys, what are their trends and what have we heard from them in the past?

Joe Banner – He doesn’t like aging players.  Look at Brian Dawkins, Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook all players who he let walk away after having amazing careers in Philly.  Why should we think he wants to sink his teeth into a 30 year old unproven QB? Because he deserves a chance?  C'mon man!

Michael Lombardi – He called it a “panicked disaster” when the Browns selected Weeden in the draft.  Does anybody really think his opinion of Weeden changed after his inconsistencies in 2012?  Lombardi hasn’t and doesn’t like Weeden, period. 

Put 2 and 2 together and what do you get?  New regimes typically want to bring in “their” QB, even more so when the QB already in place hasn’t proven a thing.  Weeden is up against it, no matter how you look at it. 

In the long run, you need a good to great QB to win in the NFL and Brandon didn’t show us that he could win last year, he was very inconsistent from game to game.  

 The days of giving a QB multiple years to win are over.  With high school programs and college teams running pro-style offenses these days, NFL QB’s are expected to come in and win immediately.  No team has time to sit around and wait for a 30 year old 2^nd year QB to learn the NFL and see if he can be the guy.  It makes zero sense. 

Brandon has an NFL arm, I will give him that but he lacks vision, mobility, smarts and the will to put in the extra work.  He is also a ginger, and that doesn’t work for me. 

I personally liked the draft pick last year, at the time.  Mainly because Colt McCoy had already proven that he was incapable of being a starter in the NFL and at that point in the draft Brandon was the smartest pick and we were still looking for that franchise QB.  But I, unlike many others have enough sense to admit it was a bad pick and it’s time to move on. 

Is Geno Smith the answer?  Nobody really knows but what we should realize is that Brandon Weeden isn’t.  Put aside your emotions and look at the facts, look at the front office and look at Brandon’s past.  The bottom line is if you don’t have a top 10 QB, chances are you won’t have a top 10 team so until you find that guy you need reach, steal, beg and borrow until you do find him.

Trading Down

Where is Eric Mangini when you need him?  
 
In a recent article done by the Canton Repository, Banner said this: “My history has been more trading down than up or staying,” Banner also said. “I have had some instances where we’ve traded up for a player we thought was really good at a position we thought was difference making.

“But historically I have either stayed or traded back. Accumulating picks over the course of the draft is a good strategy generally.”

So the odds of Banner moving down seem pretty good in my opinion and I agree, the more picks you can accumulate during a draft the better chance you’ll have at improving the team.  That is obvious.  

This year for the Browns, the cards appear to be lined up for a team to move up for an offensive lineman or a QB.  Jumping in front of Arizona and Buffalo is the way to go if you’re looking to improve on the offensive side of the ball.  As Tommy Dee pointed out, Miami is in the market for an O-lineman such as Eric Fisher or Lane Johnson.  Miami has spent tons of money this offseason in an attempt to improve their team through free agency so why would they stop now? 

Moving down to 12 wouldn’t hurt the Browns either, especially if it gains them a pick in the second round.  Some names that come to mind at 12 are Jarvis Jones, Chance Warmack, Barkevious Mingo, Tyler Eifert and Kenny Vaccaro.  I also don’t discount the idea of taking a QB in this scenario either because (1) it’s not a dumb idea and (2) you never know what these guys are thinking.   

In a perfect world the Browns will trade down in this draft and pick up a second rounder but what are the odds and who are they missing out on at 6?  Not everybody can be Bill Belichick and muster up a resume of 37 draft day trades but if Banner and Lombardi can pull one off this year, i don't know many people that would be upset. 

Browns Big Board

1.       Jarvis Jones – Despite his slide on most draft boards, Jones should be the Browns #1 target in the 2013 NFL draft.  Spinal Stenosis is no joke, but I’ve heard rumors that Jones doesn’t even have this disease.  Either way, Jarvis led the NCAA in sacks last year and he didn’t even play the entire season.  The Browns need a pass rusher opposite of the newly acquired Paul Kruger, and Jarvis fills that roll to a T.

2.       Dee Milliner – Opposite of Joe Haden would be fantastic duo.  Minnifield/Dixon good?  I could see it.  Defensive back is arguably the Browns biggest need after what we’ve seen them do in free agency but do they dare go DB at 6?  If Jarvis Jones is gone, I think they should.

 

3.       Geno Smith – I know I know, give Weeden a chance.  How about this, NO!  Weeden had his chance last year and blew it. Blame it on coaching or whatever else you want to but the fact of the matter is that Weeden didn’t get it done.  Geno is the top QB in the draft so if Jones and Milliner are off the board you have to at least give him a look.  My opinion is, if you don’t have “the” QB of the future, you keep trying until you find him.

4.       Ziggy Ansah – You want to talk about a reach, this is your guy, the potential is there though.  The ceiling on Ansah is sky high and 
he has the freak athleticism you look for in a top talent but he lacks experience and that scares me away.  Hell, to be honest i want to see this kids birth certificate.  He looks like he's 40 years old.

 


5.     Dion Jordan – Same as Ansah.  The production isn’t there but the raw talent and upside is.  Somebody is going to take a chance on this kid, do you want it to be your team?

6.   Chance Warmack – If it gets to this point, I hope we can trade down. Chance is one of the best guards to come out in a long time and the Browns could have a spot for him in between Mack and Thomas but is it in the cards to draft an O-lineman at 6 for a team with a very solid line and so many other needs? Who knows, I’ve seen stranger things before.