Cleveland Browns

Braylon Edwards: "It's a business."

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:04:26 +0000

Note: It's been a while. Too long of a while, actually, since I last posted here. I wish I could have but life has been busier in the last two months than I can remember for quite a while. For that, I apologize.

What many do not understand about the National Football League is that it IS a business. Organization-wide respect and integrity are nice, but in the end moves are made from a business standpoint. Every owner and organization wants to get better. As Browns fans know too well, some just are more successful in their attempts than others.

At least Braylon Edwards realizes this and, at least publicly, is not bitter about the organization's grumbles about him over what has been close to a year now. For someone who has dealt with maturity issues for a long time, it's good to see this out of Edwards.

"I never said I wanted to go," Edwards said. "The Browns tried to put a trade out there. It's always about progress in any level of sport. It will always be business. Trades happen, releases happen, I never took it personal. They thought highly enough of me to ask for a lot and in doing so, the Giants couldn't give the Browns what they wanted. It's a business."

I'm glad a Braylon trade never materialized. Not because I'm an Edwards fanboy, per-say (I have had my fair share of frustration over his drops and inconsistency), but because it made absolutely no sense from a business standpoint. Braylon has shown us what he is capable of doing, and it's far greater than what he showed last season. I've never been a fan of dealing players at their lowest value, and that's exactly what an Edwards trade would have been.

Edwards' issues are nothing good coaching can't help to correct at least a large portion of. The measurables are there and I have to believe the urge is as well. Edwards is a competitor with talent, and that's not something you hand away for peanuts.

Enough of that, though - it's about moving forward. The Browns are still a pretty young team and probably won't be looking to compete this season, or maybe even next. Thus, it makes sense to allow Braylon to grow as Brady Quinn does.

After all, Edwards is right: It's a business.

NFL Top 10: The Best Offseason Moves Not Made

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0500

We tend to judge coaches by how their actions effect games. We tend to judge front office types by their acquisitions. These are fair game of course, but the best offseason moves are often the ones that weren't made.

In today's NFL Top 10 column, we'll take a look back at all aspects of the offseason, and narrow down just ten player personnel moves that were not made, and how the discussed party is much better off.

10. The Detroit Lions pass on an offensive lineman in the first round of the NFL Draft
This is coming from a man who thinks that Jason Smith should have been the pick at No. 1, the prior Lions regime might have decided that after taking Matthew Stafford at No. 1, the No. 20 pick should have been the best lineman available. And even with OT Michael Oher available, the Lions decided that TE Brandon Pettigrew was a more irreplaceable player, and snagged him. In the running game, he's basically another offensive tackle. The Lions decided that even if their pass blocking struggles again this year, they still have plenty of options going forward to address it. The team has extended the contracts of two interior lineman this year, so once you pass on that franchise LT, they were better off going the developmental prospect route, which they did.

9. The 49ers do not go out and sign/draft a quarterback
This would have been a very defensible move if it happened, but they aren't a) one QB away from contending, or b) in a position where they can cast off any of the current crew without risking losing your potential franchise QB. The shine is off of Alex Smith, but we're still not real sure what, if anything, he is. The thing about Shaun Hill is that you can put the ball in his hands for the time being if no one else steps up, and he won't embarrass himself. And the 49ers were one of the few teams who took advantage of a QB class that was far deeper than it was strong, landing Nate Davis in the 5th round. Davis could be a potential franchise player if he can overcome a learning disability that scared away most NFL teams. It makes sense to give Singletary a season to see if he can get his team to the doorstep of the playoffs before you worry about the next QB of the 49ers.

8. Marc Tauscher was not signed in the free agency rush
Tauscher, a right tackle who was coming off his worst season, not to mention a mid year-ending knee injury, was supposed to be one of the first OTs off the market in March this year. Given his health and declining play, a multi year contract would have been disastrous for the team that took the risk. Tauscher is much better served as a player on a one year deal this year. He remains unsigned, so he'll be allowed to rehab at his own pace, maybe even sit out the 2009 season, and get back on the field next year or in the middle of the season and he can hopefully contribute to someone's playoff push.

7. The Philadelphia Eagles do not match Denver's offer to Brian Dawkins
Denver just gave Brian Dawkins a lot of money for his age 36, 37, and 38 seasons. We all know how big a part of the Eagles defensive units he has been, but we also know how quickly these older players can become a weak link on their own units. The aspirations are too high for the Eagles this year to offer Dawkins more than they believe he is worth to them, and then to put his satisfaction before the team. I'm not at all suggesting Dawkins is a selfish player, just that he's human, and he's worth more to Denver right now than he is to the Eagles.

6. Nnamdi Asomugha does not bolt a bad situation in Oakland
The Raiders may be a total laughingstock, but they could have easily let a mismanaged situation turn into the loss of their best player, CB Nnamdi Asomugha. But the Raiders did the right thing, they stuck to their guns, didn't extend their top player for longer than they were comfortable (the deal is three years) and compensated him like the best defensive player in football, which he just might be. These trade offs have bitten the Raiders in the past, but they avoided a Doomsday scenario with some shrewd negotiations.

5. Ray Lewis stays with the Ravens
The Ravens would have been okay letting their leader walk, but considering that they were willing to offer 8 million dollars per year to the pro bowl linebacker, it would have been unfathomable if Ray had spurned them and gone elsewhere. Because of the legend that Lewis roles with, and the fact that the Ravens are on the verge of something special, it would have been just weird had the team played deep into the playoffs to have Ray sitting and watching from his couch.

4. The Ravens don't overpay for Jason Brown
About four days before free agency began, contract negotiations between the Baltimore Ravens and Center Jason Brown stalled, and Brown publicly criticized the team in leaving them. He got the money he was looking for for the Rams, but ultimately Brown loses out. For less money, the team brought in pro bowl C Matt Birk from Minnesota, who was also being lowballed, and used their first round selection to draft an offensive lineman, Ole Miss' Michael Oher. If they had gone over the top for Brown, I'm not sure those moves are possible, and Birk would still be a Viking.

3. The Browns don't sell low on Braylon Edwards
Yes, his year last year was horrific. Which is all the more reason not to go and trade him. The Browns are a team that needs to hoard their talent right now, not deal it. This is especially true since the team decided that Kellen Winslow was too much of a cancer, and sent him to Tampa for a second round pick. Losing Edwards and Winslow in the same offseason might have handicapped the Browns a bit too much, so by choosing to move Winslow, keeping Edwards became the right move, and allows Edwards to re-establish himself in 2009.

2. The Redskins do not replace Jason Campbell
The one move this year that could have easily been an unmitigated disaster was the proposed three team deal between the Bucs, the Redskins, and the Broncos that would have sent Campbell to Tampa for a second round pick in 2010, and Jay Cutler to the Redskins for two firsts. Cutler would have found himself in a Vanderbilt-like offense with only one competent target and a declining defense. Instead, the Redskins invested in a pass rusher and a cornerback in the 2009 draft, and now have young reinforcements to help out an aging starting defense. The offense is better off as well. Cutler and Campbell don't play the same game, and Campbell's the one who may win more games this year going forward.

1. The Cardinals don't lose an integral part of the 2008 NFL runner-up team
Between Bertrand Berry, Karlos Dansby, Anquan Boldin, Adrian Wilson, and Kurt Warner, and the limited amount of cap space the team had, it's amazing that they've kept all of those parts, have extended Wilson, are close with Dansby, and have made all moves without jeopardizing the team's ability to improve itself elsewhere, via the draft (Beanie Wells) and free agency (Bryant McFadden). It's a remarkable adjustment from the same old Cardinals talk that had flooded airwaves when they let Kurt Warner take a cursory tour of the Niners practice facility. But much more importantly, it gives the current group another go at it, without having to spend a critical season or two replacing the talent lost. This was the very best offseason move not made.

2009 USC Preview: Linebackers - Replacing Legends

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:25:00 -0800

Football is almost here! Now we are less than two months removed from the beginning of Fall Camp for college football.

In the mean time, I am missing USC Football.

So, for the next few weeks, I am going to begin my USC Football preview for 2009. Position by position.

Check back daily to see updates for previews of the other positions.

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In 2008, the USC Football team was loaded at the linebacker position. Brian Cushing, Rey Maualuga, Clay Matthews, Jr., and Kaluka Maiava were all drafted in the first four rounds of this year's NFL Draft.

Two were drafted in the first round.

Another was the 2008 college football defensive player of the year.

The three linebackers that will replace these guys have a whopping total of zero starts in collegiate football.

I think it's safe to say it may be a challenge for the linebacker corps to follow up with what has been such a deep position for the past six years or so.

But wait until you see the guys who are projected to step in and replace them.

The first is outside linebacker, Michael Morgan. Morgan is the backbone of what has been called one of the fastest groups of linebackers in USC's prestigious history. Running a 4.3 40-yard dash in the spring's workouts show that speed at its finest. He has the speed to combat a Javhid Best sprinting down the sideline.

Another linebacker, who is replacing Maualuga, Chris Galippo is quickly evolving into the leader of this year's crew. Playing the Mike backer position, Galippo has a lot of size and speed to play the position very well. He considers himself a good "sideline-to-sideline player" who always continues the play until the whistle.

Chris Galippo and Former LB Clay Matthews, Jr. (Flickr.com)

The third, Malcolm Smith is becoming the scariest and most feared of the linebackers. And someone who has the goods to succeed. When looking at it, Smith seems to bring a little from both Morgan and Galippo into himself. He has the strength and power to make devastating tackles, but also brings a ton of speed to the table, contributing to the aforementioned speed of the Trojan linebackers.

While the new crew may not be as explosive as last year's, these USC linebackers will remain one of the top classes in college football for another year.

Although a young class, with no collegiate starts, each of these three have had substantial playing time, coming in on back-up and mop-up duty situations all last season, as well as being major contributors on special teams.

They are ready to embrace the new challenge

I think it's safe to say it may be a challenge for the linebacker corps to replace legends.

But I also think it's safe to say the projected starting linebackers have what it takes to become one of the best corps in the nations.

Reserve Linebackers: Luther Brown, Jordan Campbell, Ross Cumming, Dan Deckas, Nick Garratt, Uona, Kaveinga,

Recruits: Marquis Simmons, Frankie Telfort

Will This Year's New York Jets End Up Like the 2007's Cleveland Browns?

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:32:53 +0000

A lot of people probably haven't noticed this but I have.

Don't you remember the 2007 Cleveland Browns? Well, let's start from the beginning. The Browns drafted a hot shot quarterback in Brady Quinn. The Browns expected him to be a huge star towards the squad, now that their other two quarterbacks didn't meet their goals with the franchise (Charlie Frye and Tim Couch).

After a successful career in college, Quinn was drafted 22nd overall by the Browns and they looked to have a future with him. It didn't look a quarterback battle would be decided but Romeo Crennel insisted on it because he thought Derek Anderson had something in him.

He was coming off an okay year but they decided to use Anderson and Quinn in a battle for the starting job.

Derek Anderson won of course and the city of Cleveland also knew that Quinn was the second-stringer due to the fact that he may learn something from D.A. With Anderson at starter, fans were questionable about the 2007 Cleveland Browns' season.

But the fans were impressed with Anderson's abilities as he built a team around superstars like Jamal Lewis, Lawrence Vickers, Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, and Joe Jurevicius.

The Browns went on towards a 10-6 record and the city of Cleveland smelled a playoff berth for the first time since 2002 when they went 9-7.

The Browns didn't make the playoffs, because of the Tennessee Titans 17-14 win over the Indianapolis Colts to guarantee Tennessee a playoff berth. If the Colts had won that game, the Browns would have their first playoff berth since 2002.

The Browns didn't get it. But now here we are looking at the same exact thing with the New York Jets. I can literally see this happen. Let's check out the comparisons with this.

Well, Kellen Clemens was coming off a pretty bad season as he had zero touchdowns and one interception for 26 yards including a 34.2 quarterback rating. He did play some games in the 2007 season, however, and did pretty good filling in for Chad Pennington in some games.

Let's compare that with Derek Anderson before he started the 2007 season. Anderson was coming off a pretty bad season and did start some games. He had five touchdowns and eight interceptions for 793 yards with a 63.1 quarterback rating.

The comparison is a pretty similar, don't you think? And people are still questioning Kellen Clemens this year by saying he could start or not. That is exactly what happened with Derek Anderson in 2007.

See that?

Now let's check out the first round draft pick. Well for the Jets, they picked up Mark Sanchez as their fifth overall pick and they expect Sanchez to be the starting quarterback this year and be the future of the franchise.

Now let's compare that to the 2007 Cleveland Browns.

Well, the Cleveland Browns drafted Brady Quinn 22nd overall in the 2007 NFL Draft, looking to have a future franchise quarterback for the years to come. They looked at him as the next best quarterback since Trent Dilfer to lead their franchise to some wins.

So you see where I am getting here.

Now let's check out their weapons, starting with the running backs. Let's see what the Jets have this year, for running backs.

The Jets already have two decent backs to use: Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. The Jets also picked up a star from Iowa, Shonn Greene, to be a helpful back with Thomas Jones to make a one-two punch while Washington is looking for a new contract and probably might just be a return specialist for the team.

They also have a respectable running back in Danny Woodhead who is considered as a "speedy" back and looks to become a punt returner towards the squad.

Now let's compare that to the Cleveland Browns.

Well, after struggling to find backs after looking at Lee Suggs and many other players, they have finally found a running back in Jamal Lewis, picked up from the Ravens and was a player part of the 2,000 rushing yards club.

Then there was Jerome Harrison and Jason Wright to help out Lewis (now that he was aging) and they did a solid job at it.

It's very similar, yes, I know.

Let's get to the other weapons of the offense, like wide receivers.

The New York Jets have five guys to throw to help them out on offense. One you can name right off the bat: Jerricho Cotchery. He has been great last year

and looks to become the leader of the receivers.

Then you got Brad Smith and Chansi Stuckey who are improving and look to become stars on the offense in the future. And then the two tight ends that'll help out greatly: Bubba Franks and Dustin Keller.

Now let's compare that to the 2007 Cleveland Browns.

The Browns also have five good guys to throw to. Two you can name right off the bat: Braylon Edwards and Joe Jurevicius. Then you got Tim Carter who looks to help the offense greatly and here comes Josh Cribbs, who was a standout at quarterback in college but wanted to be a receiver in the NFL. He is also a dangerous returner.

Then you got the son of the Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow: Kellen Winslow II. He is a great tight end but has been experiencing injuries.

Look how close these comparables are!

Now let's see the quarterback battle.

The Jets have a battle between Mark Sanchez and Kellen Clemens. Sanchez got a pretty big deal, biggest in NY's franchise history, so he looks to become a starter anyways. Not really. Sure, he performed well in the OTA's but my blog reported that the coaches say that if they were to start a quarterback right now, it would be Kellen Clemens.

And why wouldn't they?

They have to because Clemens has learned from the best: Brett Favre and Chad Pennington. They have improved his game greatly and I don't think he'll give it up. Give Sanchez a year off so he can learn from a kid that has some

experience.

Now let's compare it to Cleveland.

The Browns had, obviously, a battle between Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn (and with Ken Dorsey, no, just kidding). Many fans believed in Quinn but Anderson was named the starter. And why wouldn't he?

He spent his first two years doing nothing but learn from Dilfer and Frye and he probably got a little better at least. He was named the starter and didn't let anyone down.

Comparable, right? I think so.

So now you get what I am seeing. I don't want to go any further because both of these defenses are pretty similar (they also both have a 3-4 defense as well).

I expect the Jets to go 11-5 this season with a new coach in Rex Ryan who'll improve the defense greatly with a new additions like Bart Scott (duh). I think Kellen Clemens will be named the starter and he will not let people down.

Hopefully, he might not end up like Derek Anderson, who is still in competition with Quinn again this year and now has lost his faith with the team.

Kellen Clemens might have about 2,000 to 3,000 passing yards and about 15-25 touchdowns and about ten-to-20 interceptions this year.

It's going to be an exciting year for the Jets this year, and hey, they may end up like the 2007 Browns with so many close comparisons.

Hopefully, they'll make the playoffs.

And with what I wrote, I may actually be right.

NFL Crystal Ball: AFC North will be NFL's Toughest Division

Sat, 16 May 2009 14:15:00 -0500

Running down the preseason NFL projections this year, only one thing about the AFC looks really clear: that the AFC North is not only the strongest division, but might produce 4 of the top 8 teams in the conference. This coming from a division that saw two teams combine for 23 losses last year.

The four teams in the division all have a legitimate shot at the title, although, clearly, two teams have a better shot than the other two. The division features the defending World Champs, the Pittsburgh Steelers, who probably aren't even the favorite. It features two teams who have produced 10+ win seasons in the last four years, and appear to be on the way up. And the other team is the one I see as the favorite to win the Super Bowl this year. But enough about vague descriptions, here's how the NFL's toughest division breaks down next year:

The Favorite

Coming off of a 4-12 season in which the team lost to the 1-15 Dolphins, and decided to let head coach Brian Billick walk, it wasn't expected to be a year of great achievement for the Baltimore Ravens. But under the leadership of first year head coach John Harbaugh, it was a fantastic season for the Ravens. The team won 11 games in 2008, and went into the playoffs, not just beating the Dolphins in the wild card round, but beating down the upstart Dolphins in a game that wasn't as close as the score suggested. They went in and upset the Tennessee Titans who won 13 regular season games, but no postseason games. The Ravens started to show signs of fatigue in that game, and though the defense kept the AFC Championship game close against Pittsburgh, it never seemed like a game the Ravens would be able to win.

What can't be overstated is that the Ravens were 0-3 against the Steelers in three very close games. And if the Ravens had simply won one of those close games, they are likely Super Bowl Champs. The Steelers took care of business in their own division 7 times last year. I don't think they'll be so lucky again. The Ravens bolstered their already fantastic offensive line with veteran Matt Birk and rookie super prospect OT Michael Oher. If Joe Flacco can make the necessary second year improvement, and the defense stays in the top five in the NFL, I don't see anyone getting in the Ravens way this year. But if even one thing doesn't go according to plan, the division is so tough that this team might miss the playoffs.

The Champs

The Steelers (12-4, 3-0 ps) will have plenty of opportunity to play the "no respect" card this year, but I thought their championship run left a lot to be desired from the perspective of the fan. Don't get me wrong, I ranked the Steelers No. 1 overall in our playoff power poll, and they ended up winning the super bowl. But I wanted to see the Steelers prove they could beat the Colts, the Titans, the Eagles, or the Giants along the way. Those were the four losses the team took in 2008, and though all those teams made the playoffs, the Steelers path to the title (though no fault of their own) did not cross any of the teams that had beaten them during the regular season. I was just hoping the playoffs broke down a little bit different so that the Steelers would face more of a challenge.

So I think one of the most intriguing storylines surrounding the Champs is how they do against the top teams this year. They won't play the Colts, Giants, or Eagles, but they will see the Titans, and the Patriots will likely get them at full strength. Playing that first place schedule, it will be fun to see how the Steelers respond. This team will be back in 2009. But they'll be in a 16 game dogfight for the playoffs.

The Darkhorse

With the way the Bengals offense played in 2008, you would be forgiven for assuming their window of oppertunity has closed. They have declined in wins each year from 2005, and that 11 win AFC North champion season seems very distant at this point. But to lump the Bengals in with the inept teams in the cellar of the AFC ignores the adversity they have been faced with the last two seasons, and the talent this team still has. Move them to another division, such as the AFC West, and you could give them a very strong chance to win their division.

As much as the injuries have hurt, the Bengals have not been shy about relying on players in their offense the last two years, such as RB Chris Perry, who just bring nothing to the table. In many ways, these players mask the contributions of others. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, now departed for Buffalo, got more productive as the year went on, as did the Bengals defense. That Bengals defense will be assisted by the addition of LB Rey Maualuga, a mid first round projected LB who dropped to the second round due to limited demand for MLBs.

QB Carson Palmer returns from injury, and recent comments from Palmer suggest that this Bengals team could be 10-2 by November. Nothing is guaranteed in the NFL, but Palmer's prediction is not foolish given historical trends in the NFL. However, until Palmer makes good on his prediction, the Bengals will remain a darkhorse candidate.

The Future

In 2007, the Cleveland Browns won ten games behind a breakout season from QB Derek Anderson. Metrics suggested that Anderson played worse down the stretch, and might have cost the Cleveland Browns an 11th win and a playoff berth with a 4 INT performance against the 6 win Bengals. While it was easy to look at the Browns 2007 season and be skeptical about their chances in 2008, no one really doubted that the future looked bright for the Browns. They had added three quality starters in the 2007 draft: OT Joe Thomas, QB Brady Quinn, and CB Eric Wright.

But, in overestimating how close his team was to competing, former Browns' GM Phil Savage went out and sold his 2008 draft for reinforcements among the defensive line. Getting NT Shaun Rogers from the Lions for CB Leigh Bodden and a 3rd round pick appears to have been a successful trade. Rogers played great in his new role with the Browns. But trading a 2nd rounder to the Packers for DE Corey Williams appears to have been a terrible trade, and sealed the entire 2008 draft as a wash-out for the Browns. Those moves made us re-think the future of the Browns organization when they won only 4 games in 2008, Derek Anderson looked lost, Braylon Edwards looked like an undisciplined college receiver, and QB Brady Quinn's NFL debut was promising, but short lived, as a broken finger ended his season after three starts (1-2 record). Quinn carved up the defenses of the Bills and the Broncos, but ran into a poor start against the Texans, couldn't throw the ball accurately, and went on IR the next week.

The Browns replaced Romeo Crennel with Eric Mangini, maintaining the status quo of Bill Belichick's influence within the franchise. Mangini spent most of the free agency period putting his touch on the team, rather than improving it, and it appeared that the team was directionless. But a very successful draft spearheaded by the Browns reaping the benefits of the Jets' lust for QB Mark Sanchez has the franchise back on track. Having success with C Nick Mangold in New York, Mangini landed C Alex Mack out of Cal in the first round, probably the best C prospect since Mangold. All of a sudden, the Browns sport a line capable of protecting Brady Quinn, should Quinn do the expected and win the QB job.

The Browns future is still very bright, especially with all the young talent they have accumulated. If it all matures at once, the Browns could crash the AFC North party this year. Until that day though, the team needs to find stability in the passing game, and if Quinn -- or someone else -- can provide that stability, it will be a successful first season for Mangini in Cleveland.