February 12, 201411 yr ^That was assumed well before Haslam officially hired Banner. It's the same way Lerner ended up with Policy. New owners get an experienced front office guy who is supposed to help ease the transition.
February 12, 201411 yr BREAKING NEWS! New movie "Draft Day" due out in April is withdrawn as real Browns are stranger than fiction. Producers will release a documentary instead.
February 12, 201411 yr There is a story out there that Banner was put upon Haslam by the NFL as a condition of his purchase of the team. Why does the NFL love to destroy Cleveland?
February 12, 201411 yr Why does the NFL love to destroy Cleveland? From what I understand, the NFL only recommended Joe Banner as an experienced NFL executive to aid rookie NFL team owner Jimmy Haslam. I don't think that's any grand conspiracy. Everyone is their own worst enemy. Haslam admitted he's made some rookie mistakes although he didn't specify what they were. He really didn't have to. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 13, 201411 yr Let's hope he's not an Al Davis in training. Hire some GOOD football people and let them bring you glory. That is your destiny Jimmy!
February 13, 201411 yr Brandon Weeden wants out of Cleveland (Was likely going to get released anyway) but I'm happy about it.
February 13, 201411 yr After watching some of the videos on clevelandbrowns.com I am more hopeful with Ray Farmer in control. I think the players definitely respect him more than Banbardi and he seems to know what he is looking for in players. I was especially impressed with his focus on players body language and personal interactions while on the field. I think many people only look at measurables and physical talents. It is important to take into account how the players mesh together. I have no clue if he has experience with numbers, salary cap, etc but I'm sure Scheiner will take some of that responsibility. I'm cautiously optimistic but I've been burned too many times to get too excited until I see results.
February 13, 201411 yr Below is a good read on the Banner-Lombardi saga: http://dawgpoundnation.com/2014/02/11/firing-mike-lombardi-and-joe-banner-what-really-happened/
February 13, 201411 yr It's to the point where I expect somebody else was fired every time I open this thread.
February 13, 201411 yr The view from New Jersey, which "shares" following NFL franchises with New York and Pennsylvania.... 5 reasons why Cleveland Browns fired Joe Banner, ex-Eagles president By Eliot Shorr-Parks/NJ.com on February 12, 2014 at 12:28 PM Joe Banner lasted 18 years with the Eagles as team president, helping them go to NFC Championships, a Super Bowl, and into a new stadium. Banner's time with the Browns? Well that lasted just 16 months. When the Browns decided to hire Banner as CEO, they did so thinking he would be able to carry over the success from Philadelphia to Cleveland. For Banner, it was a challenge that if he got right -- building a winning team in Cleveland -- would solidify his legacy as a great CEO/team president. So how did things go so wrong? READ MORE AT: http://www.nj.com/eagles/index.ssf/2014/02/5_reasons_why_the_browns_fired_joe_banner_ex-eagles_president.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 13, 201411 yr they turned it around because they signed a moderately decent quarterback. And they had a good running game (and defense). "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 13, 201411 yr Added a new poll. See the top of the page of the Browns discussion thread. You can change your vote but you cannot vote multiple times. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 14, 201411 yr they turned it around because they signed a moderately decent quarterback. And they had a good running game (and defense). I like the Chiefs analogy because, like the Browns, the Chiefs' record from two years ago did not match up with the individual talent on that roster. Way too many pro-bowlers to be that bad. Same thing can be said about the Browns last season
February 17, 201411 yr Good analysis of why the franchise will likely be used on Ward instead of Mack.... Franchise/transition tags: Browns February, 17, 2014 FEB 17 8:00 AM ET By Pat McManamon | ESPN.com Franchise-tag possibilities: center Alex Mack, safety T.J. Ward Transition-tag possibilities: none Player most likely to be franchised: Ward Likelihood: 75 percent Mack and Ward have both been productive starters for the Browns since they joined the team, Mack as a first-round pick in 2009, Ward as a second-rounder in 2010. Neither, though, would be a possibility for the exclusive franchise tag. That would simply be too expensive. (For an explanation of the franchise and transition tags, click here.) Ward would be a likely candidate for the non-exclusive tag. That’s because, according to the new collective bargaining agreement, Mack would receive the average salary of the top 10 offensive linemen if he was tagged, not just the top centers. That includes left tackles, which makes tagging Mack a $10 million proposition. A year ago, the franchise-tag cost for an offensive lineman was $9.828 million. That figure will go up this year. READ MORE AT: http://espn.go.com/blog/cleveland-browns/post/_/id/4067/franchisetransition-tags-browns "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 18, 201411 yr Three Free Agents that the Cleveland Browns Should Target This Offseason Yahoo Contributor Network By Shaun Heidrick February 14, 2014 12:08 PM COMMENTARY | If the Cleveland Browns are serious about rebuilding their roster for 2014, then that process needs to begin next month. That's because on March 11, the NFL free agency period begins. While there won't necessarily be that one game-changing player on the market this offseason, there are still a fair number of quality veterans that would be upgrades over what the Browns currently have at certain positions. Cleveland is in a great position salary cap-wise, and would be wise to utilize some of that cap room in the coming months. These are the three free agents that the Browns would be wise to target this offseason: READ MORE AT: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/three-free-agents-cleveland-browns-target-offseason-170800318--nfl.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 18, 201411 yr After doing some reading over the weekend, especially these articles.... http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/02/16/ray-farmer-knows-which-qb-he-wants-but-isnt-saying/ http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1962465-5-realistic-trade-scenarios-for-cleveland-browns-to-pursue-this-offseason http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000325267/article/cleveland-browns-gm-ray-farmer-likes-marcus-mariota-best http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1949312-2014-nfl-draft-highlighting-the-top-10-quarterbacks http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1951787-2014-nfl-draft-top-10-underrated-prospects ....I don't think the Browns will draft a QB with their #4 pick. In fact, I wonder if they will keep their #4 pick and instead use it to get more picks in this draft, which as noted in the second article, is one of the deepest in years. The Browns already have many high picks. I don't think Manziel is loved by Farmer although he may take Manziel if he's still on the board at #4. All three teams drafting ahead of the Browns need QBs. So instead I think Farmer will take WR Sammy Watkins. With the second #1 pick, I'll bet Farmer takes one of the second-tier QBs like Jimmy Garoppolo or Derek Carr who will play back-up behind Brian Hoyer. Both Hoyer and the draftee will surely get playing time this year so that Farmer will have more data from which to make a decision on whether to trade up to get Mariota in 2015. After the first round, I think the Browns will select the best players available. And there's a lot of them in this draft, like an OL for the right side, a DL or a LB. I think other needs (RB, possession WR, OL and S depending on what happens with Ward) will be targeted in free agency which starts in a couple weeks. In fact, I'll bet Coach Pettine urges Haslam to up open the purse strings for the franchise-tagged free agent S Jairus Byrd. Whatever happens, it's going to be REAL interesting! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 18, 201411 yr Byrd would be a nice match next to Ward, but let's face reality..... they aren't going to pay both what their market rate is, especially following an impressive season by Gipson. CB is where the extra cash needs to go IMO
February 18, 201411 yr Byrd would be a nice match next to Ward, but let's face reality..... they aren't going to pay both what their market rate is, especially following an impressive season by Gipson. CB is where the extra cash needs to go IMO I think there's a possibility they may let Ward walk and replace him with Byrd. Consider...... Gregg Rosenthal pegged Browns safety T.J. Ward as a more likely target for the tag, unless Pettine and Farmer opt to pursue Jairus Byrd, the Buffalo Bills safety with experience in the coach's multiple, attacking defensive scheme. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000326195/article/report-cleveland-browns-hope-to-resign-alex-mack Buffalo Bills (63, $18 million under): The Bills have a quarterback on a rookie deal and all the cap space they need to re-sign players and be active in free agency. Jarius Byrd isn't coming back, so there will be no big franchise tag hit. Cleveland Browns (67, $38.2 million under): With all the turmoil, what has gone unnoticed is their fantastic cap situation. Players and agents are looking at Cleveland as an outstanding destination. http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/pat-kirwan/24446780/nfl-salary-caps-browns-in-great-shape-cowboys-again-are-not "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 19, 201411 yr This site makes me wonder why teddy Bridgewater is ranked lower than the other QBs, the description they give him is great. I hope the Browns pick him. http://www.draftsite.com/nfl/mock-draft/2014/
February 19, 201411 yr There could be a lot more brown & orange in the end zone in 2014 if Cleveland drafts this guy..... EDIT: And after watching videos of Derek Carr, I see too much of Brandon Weeden in him. He's a strong-arm bomber who has bad mechanics, holds the ball too long, pats the ball before throwing, and stares down receivers. Scary! Jimmy Garoppolo does the opposite. He has a quick release, has good pocket presence, goes through his reads and does a lot of pump fakes. But he didn't play against top-level opposition (then again, neither did Tony Romo). And I think we'll need to beef up our offensive line for this kid whose more of a pocket passer, unless we can improve his accuracy from throwing on the move. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 19, 201411 yr Teams don't need two #1 wide receivers. Watkins wouldn't get enough touches to justify a 4th pick overall on him. You could get the same productivity from a veteran receiver without wasting a draft pick.
February 19, 201411 yr I say use both of the 1st round picks on the best available quarterbacks. Go into camp saying its a competition for all three to see who starts. Worst case is the picks both bust and Hoyer gets hurt again, so no different than this past season. Best case scenario, both picks light it up and we can use one to trade for whatever else we need. They must find a QB that they can commit to and move the team forward.
February 19, 201411 yr I say use both of the 1st round picks on the best available quarterbacks. Go into camp saying its a competition for all three to see who starts. Worst case is the picks both bust and Hoyer gets hurt again, so no different than this past season. Best case scenario, both picks light it up and we can use one to trade for whatever else we need. They must find a QB that they can commit to and move the team forward. Just pick a quarterback and give him a season to prove himself. If he's awful, the Browns will pick another next year or the year after. No sense in wasting a second first round pick for a backup. Besides Hoyer has shown he can play. Man, I'm glad some of you guys aren't the Browns GM. :-P
February 19, 201411 yr Teams don't need two #1 wide receivers. Watkins wouldn't get enough touches to justify a 4th pick overall on him. You could get the same productivity from a veteran receiver without wasting a draft pick. I beg to differ. Teams that have two #1 receivers had the most prolific offenses in NFL history. I was about to rattle them off from memory, but fortunately the NFL already did...... http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/0ap1000000217110 Now, all of these tandems had good, if not hall-of-fame quarterbacks. But did great receivers make good quarterbacks better (as I believe was the case with Terry Bradshaw or Daunte Culpepper) or does a great quarterback make good receivers better (like Tom Brady or Peyton Manning)? There's no rule that says the Browns have to answer all of their questions in one off-season. Fact is, they won't. So get the best players you can get when you can get them. If you can't find your answer at quarterback this year, then wait until next year. There's no need to panic or make hasty decisions. That includes Haslam sitting back for more than two years (and preferably five) to see what these guys can do to pick up the best players along the way. And that takes time. I am very happy the Browns front office was restructured before we got to this upcoming free agency and the draft. I had zero confidence in Banner and Lombardi to get it right. I can't name more than five pro bowl players drafted by Lombardi in all the two decades he was in charge of player personnel. And Banner was sticking his nose into player personnel decisions where he had no business being. The Browns can play in free agency in a big way -- players and agents know this. Players who know Cleveland want to come to a city where the fans actually care about football. This is also one of the deepest drafts in decades. The Browns have five draft picks in the first three rounds. THAT IS HUGE. So I am grateful we made the front office change now. But we have to let this team build itself up steadily, gradually and deliberately. This is one off-season where we can make a leap forward in talent and build a good foundation to add more to it in coming off-seasons. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 20, 201411 yr Now, all of these tandems had good, if not hall-of-fame quarterbacks. Nearly all of the QB's throwing to those tandems are in the HOF right now. And who is our quarterback? Hoyer? I stand by my comment drafting Watkins would be a wasted pick.
February 20, 201411 yr Now, all of these tandems had good, if not hall-of-fame quarterbacks. Nearly all of the QB's throwing to those tandems are in the HOF right now. And who is our quarterback? Hoyer? I stand by my comment drafting Watkins would be a wasted pick. The point was that in some cases, the receivers made the QB. Is Bradshaw in the Hall of Fame if he's throwing to Fair Hooker and Jubilee Dunbar?
February 20, 201411 yr Nearly all of the QB's throwing to those tandems are in the HOF right now. And who is our quarterback? Hoyer? I stand by my comment drafting Watkins would be a wasted pick. Nice job cherry-picking my comments. Had you instead quoted the next sentence.... But did great receivers make good quarterbacks better (as I believe was the case with Terry Bradshaw or Daunte Culpepper) or does a great quarterback make good receivers better (like Tom Brady or Peyton Manning)? Are you familiar with Terry Bradshaw's performance in his first two years before more he had more offensive weapons to work with? If not, look it up. It's bad. So does that mean Bradshaw stunk? Of course not. But he wasn't the type of player who made his receivers better. I do think his easy-going, humorous personality allowed him to calm down his teammates in high-stress situations. But if his receivers couldn't get open, then he can't complete passes and instead has to run for his life. Bradshaw did a lot of that early in his career. How good is Hoyer? You don't know. I don't know. Hoyer doesn't even know. Is there even a pro-bowl-caliber quarterback in this draft? Maybe. But the draft experts say there's no Andrew Luck or RGIII-quality QB available. Should we wait for that in a future draft and trade up for that? Maybe. Or should we hope that one of the top three QBs (Bridgewater, Bortles, Manziel) in this draft is still available when we draft #4? Or should we trade up to ensure we have a shot at one of them? I don't think we should trade up because there's too many other good players in this draft and the Browns have a lot of needs. Just because the Browns need a QB now doesn't mean we have to pick up a QB now -- especially if the Browns feel that the quarterback they want isn't available when they're drafting. Nor should they use a higher draft pick for a lower-rated player. For example, should the Browns use their #4 overall pick on a QB if Bridgewater, Bortles, Manziel are already gone? I don't think they should. That's a wasted pick, in my opinion. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 20, 201411 yr Now, all of these tandems had good, if not hall-of-fame quarterbacks. Nearly all of the QB's throwing to those tandems are in the HOF right now. And who is our quarterback? Hoyer? I stand by my comment drafting Watkins would be a wasted pick. The point was that in some cases, the receivers made the QB. Is Bradshaw in the Hall of Fame if he's throwing to Fair Hooker and Jubilee Dunbar? LOL. Thanks for the chuckle.
February 20, 201411 yr The Browns have absolutely nothing at WR behind Gordon, if he gets injured or has even a minor off-field incident, we are screwed. Drafting Watkins at #4 makes a lot of sense, and he will most likely be the BPA if still there.
February 20, 201411 yr The Browns have absolutely nothing at WR behind Gordon, if he gets injured or has even a minor off-field incident, we are screwed. Drafting Watkins at #4 makes a lot of sense, and he will most likely be the BPA if still there. Agreed. A second decent WR takes some pressure off of Gordon and makes any QB look better.
February 20, 201411 yr You guys make far better sense and in far fewer words than I. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 20, 201411 yr Nice job cherry-picking my comments. Had you instead quoted the next sentence.... It's easy to cherry pick a comment when the stats themselves are hugely cherry picked. A dozen wide receiver tandems out of decades worth of professional football. The most recent tandem was Harrison and Wayne and they won, what, one title? And that is with arguably the best quarterback in NFL history. Before that, the greatest show on turf 15 years ago? The most important pieces on an NFL team are: 1. Quarterback 2. Coach ... ... ... ... 73. Everybody else. If you are ready to trot out Hoyer as your franchise QB, be my guest and draft Watkins. The problem is people picture two Josh Gordons out there getting twice the yards and touchdowns. It doesn't work that way. There is a limited number of touches to go around. With Gordon as your #1, you can fill out the rest of the spots with veterans and crafty slot guys like Benjamin. The Browns have absolutely nothing at WR behind Gordon, if he gets injured or has even a minor off-field incident, we are screwed. Drafting Watkins at #4 makes a lot of sense, and he will most likely be the BPA if still there. Everybody is one play away from being out from the season. Just ask Hoyer about that. The Browns don't have the luxury of wasting a 4th overall pick as a backup for somebody getting hurt. And if Gordon stays clean, you have a #2 wideout getting the same touches Greg Little would get (if he would hold onto the ball).
February 20, 201411 yr I also think that Watkins might be BPA when we pick and would have no issue taking him at #4. He is a different kind of WR than Gordon. Almost a perfect compliment. He is capable of playing the slot and either outside position, and is terrific at getting upfield on WR screens. There is plenty of passes to go around in today's NFL.
February 20, 201411 yr The most important pieces on an NFL team are: 1. Quarterback 2. Coach ... ... ... ... 73. Everybody else. If you are ready to trot out Hoyer as your franchise QB, be my guest and draft Watkins. The problem is people picture two Josh Gordons out there getting twice the yards and touchdowns. It doesn't work that way. There is a limited number of touches to go around. With Gordon as your #1, you can fill out the rest of the spots with veterans and crafty slot guys like Benjamin. The Browns have absolutely nothing at WR behind Gordon, if he gets injured or has even a minor off-field incident, we are screwed. Drafting Watkins at #4 makes a lot of sense, and he will most likely be the BPA if still there. Everybody is one play away from being out from the season. Just ask Hoyer about that. The Browns don't have the luxury of wasting a 4th overall pick as a backup for somebody getting hurt. And if Gordon stays clean, you have a #2 wideout getting the same touches Greg Little would get (if he would hold onto the ball). Calm down. Just because we have a great need at quarterback doesn't somehow make the quarterbacks in this draft better. They're good, not great. I just think that if Bridgewater-Bortles-Manziel is gone by the time we pick #4, we should pick Watkins. There will still be good QBs when we pick at #26. Even if they aren't this isn't the last draft the NFL will ever be held. We aren't going to fix this team in one more offseason. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 20, 201411 yr Nice job cherry-picking my comments. Had you instead quoted the next sentence.... It's easy to cherry pick a comment when the stats themselves are hugely cherry picked. A dozen wide receiver tandems out of decades worth of professional football. The most recent tandem was Harrison and Wayne and they won, what, one title? And that is with arguably the best quarterback in NFL history. Before that, the greatest show on turf 15 years ago? The most important pieces on an NFL team are: 1. Quarterback 2. Coach ... ... ... ... 73. Everybody else. If you are ready to trot out Hoyer as your franchise QB, be my guest and draft Watkins. The problem is people picture two Josh Gordons out there getting twice the yards and touchdowns. It doesn't work that way. There is a limited number of touches to go around. With Gordon as your #1, you can fill out the rest of the spots with veterans and crafty slot guys like Benjamin. The Browns have absolutely nothing at WR behind Gordon, if he gets injured or has even a minor off-field incident, we are screwed. Drafting Watkins at #4 makes a lot of sense, and he will most likely be the BPA if still there. Everybody is one play away from being out from the season. Just ask Hoyer about that. The Browns don't have the luxury of wasting a 4th overall pick as a backup for somebody getting hurt. And if Gordon stays clean, you have a #2 wideout getting the same touches Greg Little would get (if he would hold onto the ball). The Browns have drafted 3 first round QB's in 14 years, if they draft another one it's 4 in 15 years, and each of the previous times they drafted based on need and most fans were convinced they had drafted franchise QB's. Just because the Browns need a QB doesn't mean you draft a guy at 4 that the Browns scouts may believe is a 2nd round Talent, that's what the new-old Browns always did and is why they've sucked so bad. If they think a QB available at 4 is BPA take him, if not Watkins would be a nice addition and would help any QB look better, whether it be Hoyer or another QB they draft. It is a passing league which means it's also a catching league, and we need more than one guy at the position that can catch.
February 20, 201411 yr ^ I couldn't agree more. If Farmer doesn't like any of those QBs I don't want him settling for one. BPA though is armchair analyst speak. You don't pick players you don't need. If BPA is a left tackle, you taking him? Don't get me wrong. I like Watkins. I just think it would be a wasted pick for Cleveland.
February 20, 201411 yr ^ I couldn't agree more. If Farmer doesn't like any of those QBs I don't want him settling for one. BPA though is armchair analyst speak. You don't pick players you don't need. If BPA is a left tackle, you taking him? Don't get me wrong. I like Watkins. I just think it would be a wasted pick for Cleveland. Yes, if BPA is clearly an OT, take him. He can play at another position of need RT for a couple years before moving to LT. Schwartz stinks and most good teams now have two good DE's. Protecting the QB and attacking the other team's QB are goals 1 & 2 in the NFL. CB is another position of desperate need, Haden is the only guy we have that can cover, and how many leads did the pass D give up in the 4th Qtr last year, 3, 4? The Browns have nothing at WR outside of Gordon, they need to draft 2 and acquire 2 in FA and dump Bess, Little & Bunch.
February 20, 201411 yr ^ I couldn't agree more. If Farmer doesn't like any of those QBs I don't want him settling for one. BPA though is armchair analyst speak. You don't pick players you don't need. If BPA is a left tackle, you taking him? Don't get me wrong. I like Watkins. I just think it would be a wasted pick for Cleveland. BPA's a crock. The Colts won't take a QB in the early rounds. Neither will we take a TE. OT is different because there are two. Watkins isn't a wasted pick as long as we have a QB like Hoyer that can get rid of the ball quickly and spread it around.
February 20, 201411 yr CB is another position of desperate need, Haden is the only guy we have that can cover, and how many leads did the pass D give up in the 4th Qtr last year, 3, 4? Skrine looked much improved as the season went on. I wouldn't consider CB one of our biggest needs.
February 20, 201411 yr CB is another position of desperate need, Haden is the only guy we have that can cover, and how many leads did the pass D give up in the 4th Qtr last year, 3, 4? Skrine looked much improved as the season went on. I wouldn't consider CB one of our biggest needs. Buster is a small, slightly below average CB at best and I hope we're not pinning our hopes on McFadden to play NB. In today's passing league, teams need 3 good CB's.
February 23, 201411 yr In watching the NFL Combine (yes, I have no life), I think the Browns will be able to draft one of the top three QBs in the draft. And there are so many good WRs in this draft that if we don't draft Watkins at #4 we should still be able to get a player at #26 who can help a team out immediately. But we ought to get a veteran WR in free agency who can guide these kids (Bess didn't quite work out!). I like James Jones.... http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/02/23/agent-believes-ted-thompson-doesnt-want-james-jones/ http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1954724-where-to-start-the-browns-and-their-biggest-roster-needs-for-2014 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 25, 201411 yr I am so glad Jimmy Haslam got rid of this control freak now. I couldn't have imagined more years of hell with Joe Banner.... Banner had new Browns coordinators reporting directly to him By Will Brinson | NFL Writer February 24, 2014 4:43 pm ET Ousted Cleveland CEO Joe Banner -- who is transitioning out of his role in Cleveland after being not asked back along with GM Mike Lombardi -- had the new offensive and defensive coordinators reporting directly to him, CBS Sports NFL Insider Pat Kirwan reports. Kirwan spoke to a league source at the NFL combine in Indianapolis who told him Banner was a bit of a control freak and structured the coaching staff so that the new coordinators would answer directly to him. That's atypical of an NFL team, to say the least. Generally speaking coordinators answer directly to the head coach, in this case recently hired Mike Pettine. READ MORE AT: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24455925/joe-banner-had-new-browns-coordinators-reporting-directly-to-him "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 26, 201411 yr A ranking of the top free agents. There's a lot to pick from, but many of these plays reportedly want to stay with their current teams. Some don't, such as WR James Jones or RB Ben Tate. While I'd like to pick up some OL after the first round of the upcoming draft, having another experienced OL from free agency would be good too.... http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/45947/309/2014-nfl-free-agents "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 26, 201411 yr We could sign Colt McCoy, Luke McCown, Derek Anderson, or Brady Quinn. I went through the list yesterday with someone before I posted it and remarked at the number of ex-Brown QBs who are now free agents (BTW, I couldn't remember if Luke McCown was an ex or not -- thanks!). It shows that free agency is as much of a junkyard as it a place to find pieces to improve your team. And sometimes the distinction isn't obvious until after you put them on the field. This article.... http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1972754-blueprints-for-nfl-teams-with-the-most-2014-cap-space ....makes a reasoned argument for the Browns signing a free agent running back, inside linebacker and offensive lineman for the right side. That appears to be their free agency priorities. They might have a shot at Jairus Byrd if the Bills don't franchise tag him. And they might try to pick up James Jones if they can get him for a bargain to replace Bess. If that's what the Browns do in free agency, then I think the Browns will draft Watkins at #4, the best remaining QB at #26, and then add depth at OL and WR (the two deepest positions in this draft) as well as DBs and DLs. I'm very disappointed in the lack of pressure our DL has put on QBs last year. It allowed too many QBs to pick us apart late in games. How many games did we lose in the fourth quarter last year?? I'd be tempted to trade Ahtyba Rubin to get some draft picks for next year (more later). So maybe we could pick up some middle-rounds DL help including Michael Sam. Point is, there's lots of middle-rounders to add. So for the draft picks.... GM Ray Farmer is a patient guy. He doesn't feel the need to stock his roster in a single off-season. And I also know Farmer loves Oregon QB Marcus Mariota who will probably come out in the 2015 draft (http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000325267/article/cleveland-browns-gm-ray-farmer-likes-marcus-mariota-best). I don't know how the Browns will do in 2014, but I hope we're not drafting at/near the top again in 2015. Assuming we don't, we will need to trade draft picks to pick near the top next year in order to get Mariota. http://espn.go.com/college-football/player/_/id/511459/marcus-mariota "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
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