The base offensive package, Davis said, will be a two-receiver, two-back, one-tight end formation.

Reading that, it struck me that drafting Kellen Winslow is probably more likely than may first appear. e isn't my preferred choice, but I can't help by wonder how a good TE might help out this offense (should an OL not be available to us). It's too bad the guy is such a punk.

Modell

"People didn't have the full information [of the move]," Modell said. "It's my fault for not going public with what I just said. I didn't feel it was appropriate for me to start talking to steelworkers about a football franchise going bankrupt. They've got their own problems in Youngstown. But I knew the facts surrounding the move would make people more understanding. I was not helped by the media. They portrayed me, understandably, as some buck-chasing guy . . . greedy. The cover of Sports Illustrated was a shocker. A shocker. I was a caricature of chasing the buck. I wasn't chasing the buck. I was chasing survival."

He's pulling out all the stops. Forget it Art. You stood forward as the embodiement of all that is wrong with professional sports institutions, and for you to be surprised by the response, well, that just proves how wrong you were. Enjoy your Super Bowl. You probably deserved a somewhat worse fate.

Little Going On in Berea

Now this -- Earl Little has received permission from the team to seek a trade. WTF? This is fubar in a number of ways. First and foremost, this team does not have depth at safety, and Little is probably the best proven performer considering how dissappointing RObert Griffith has been (Jameson and Crocker appear to be the backups). Secondly, (and this is pathetically predictable) Little just signed a new deal LAST SEASON, and now he wants out? How many times is this going to happen?

I'd agree with conventional wisdom that this move is the result of Little griping about the Davis regime during the last season, except that Little and his agent are deluding themselves -- "We're interested in renegotiating his contract. We feel we've outplayed his deal and we're looking to do a new one." He went on to say that Little felt he should have been a Pro Bowler last season. Freaking nuts! Was ANYONE suggesting Little was a Pro Bowler last season? I didn't even think he played particularly well! And, for the last time, YOU CAN'T RENEGOTIATE A CONTRACT YOU JUST SIGNED. Idiots.

This would seem to be news

Green Bay is interested. If another team enters the fray, then the Browns may just get something of value in return after all. The early rumor is GB getting Couch and our 2nd for their #1 (25th overall). Sounds good to me.

Garmon Signs

As I was driving home from work tonight I decided it was time to post something absolutely ripping the Browns for not yet addressing the offensive line in any way this offseason. They beat me to the punch as G Kelvin Garmon from the Chargers has reportedly signed a 3 year deal. This can't be the last move the team makes, but it's a good start. The Chargers did not have a very good offensive line last season, but from what I can gather its weaknesses were at tackle with the interior being pretty good.

It looks like the team will have to finagle a draft-day trade to move up and acquire Gallery. For all the talk about that on WKNR, I'm not so sure it's very likely. If Gallery is as good as everyone is saying he is it will not be easy to make such a manuever. But I wouldn't blame the Browns for offering something like 1st rounders in 2004 + 2005 plus Northcutt. And Couch if they want him. The Chargers, afterall, are a team in need of both a QB and a WR. Whatever, I'm talking crap now...

Lastly, today the offseason conditioning program started. I don't know if Gerard Warren or William Green was there, but I did hear that Couch was. That's a class move by Couch, and frankly he's impressed me more the last 6-7 months than in the 4 years prior. But beyond that, moves like that may very well improve the chances of some team pursuing Couch in a trade. I'm not a GM, but if I were I'd be impressed by that kind of stuff. As the offseason progresses and the FA cupboard is bare at QB, a lot of teams with shaky starting QB's ought to be looking for a still-young veteran who could not only serve as a decent backup but could perhaps be a pretty good starter. The price will be right for the buyer I'm sure.

Trading William Green

The rumors are out there, but this is a possible deal that the Browns would HAVE to get enough in return. Like, a 2nd-3rd rounder or a move to get Gallery. I'd be surprised if they could get so much considering where Green is at right now. And they may be better off helping Green get himself back onto the field and have a reasonably productive 2004, even if it's as a backup to Suggs.

FA Safeties and Sean Taylor

There are a lot of veteran free agent safeites still on the market, and all can be had at a reasonable price. Sean Taylor has also had some marginally dissappointing workout numbers. I wonder how much that means he'll slide, and whether he'll be much of a consideration for the Browns at #7.

Bengals getting Sapp?

That's the rumor at the moment. Some Browns fans claim this is an indication that the Bengals are now legit, but that's an overstatement. It could very well turn out to be a wasted contract as Sapp is not the dominant force his reputation suggests (if he ever was). If the Bengals are getting rid of Dillon, one wonders why they are so eager to replace him with Sapp.

Couch Side Note

Jeff Blake, Ty Detmer, Damon Huard, Rob Johnson, Doug Johnson, Doug Pederson, Chris Redman and perhaps Neil O'Donnell -- or Tim Couch? If you are a team looking for a backup QB, who would you prefer?

Once it's apparent to Couch that he's not going to get a big money contract, I think that time will favor the Browns getting something out of Couch in a trade. Not that they'll get much for him, but a mid-round pick would seem to be a perfectly reasonable place to open up trade negotiations.

If I could pick one team that hasn't been reported to be interested in a QB but really should be, it'd be New Orleans. Aaron Brooks is shaky and could use some competition. They play indoors which is right up Couch's alley. And they have lots of cap space to offer Couch a deal he'd be a fool not to take. No secrete sources about this, but from a distance they would seem to be a team that would make a lot of sense pursuing Couch.

Chargers Trade Boston -- And They Will Draft Who?

I normally could care less about David Boston going to the DOlphins, but this would seem to mean the Chargers have a big need for a WR now. If they go that route in the draft and it results in both Larry Fitzgerald (a lock) and Mike Williams (not a lock) going in the first six picks, that would change everyone's mock draft. And mean somebody very interesting should be available when the Browns are on the clock. Or perhaps Dennis Northcutt would make good trade foder to trade up with San Diego.

As a side note, man the Ravens get lucky. They don't get Owens, but they get a free fifth round pick for their troubles. I guess we can hope they burn it on Jerimiah Pharms.

Stokes Gone

I think this kind of sucks -- Stokes was, to my untrained eye, a pretty solid performer (on a line that was, uh, not so good). Maybe the Giants picking up O'Hara and Stokes is an indication that they would not pick Gallery if he happens to be there at #4. Whatever that is worth...

In other news, Ross Verba restructered his contract. That is good in the sense that it means the Browns get a bit more cap room. It may be bad if it's an indication that Verba's biceps tear is still healing andperhps not to be relied upon fully. I hope the guy is healthy cause he's a good player.

Pretty Cool

What a win by the Cavs. It's getting harder to ignore that the Cavs are now the best pro sports team in Cleveland.

Ekuban and Smith in the Fold

Former 1st-round pick DE Ebenezer Ekuban singed on, probably to be a back-up or an emergency starter if C Brown is hurt/cut. Ekuban has been an underwhelming performer, perhaps more so than Brown, in his five NFL years but if Campo wants the guy on his squad again I'm inclined to think he can give this team something.

The bigger news to my eye is the signing of FB Terrelle Smith -- the guy is a devastating blocker and not much else. This should be interpreted as the biggest signal yet that the Browns will be a run-oriented team in 2004. And given that, perhaps it's more likely the Browns will draft OL in April, though I'm probably reading too much into it. Anyway, suffice it to say that the Browns picked up a guy who has blocked for 1,000 yard rushers the last four seasons, and that is a good thing.

All and all, the past week was likely a net gain for the Browns. Garcia is an obvious upgrade over Couch regardless of the way things went down. Ekuban is likely to be the replacement for Tyrone Rogers, maybe a little more. My recipe for an offseason that is officially "good":

• Finish renogotiations with C Brown, resulting in some significant cap savings.
• Get something, anything for Couch. I'd be thrilled with a 4th round pick.
• Find a way to draft Gallery or Taylor, or trade down and pick up Andrews or Rivers. If I don't see a real effort to grab Gallery I'll be rather dissappointed.
• Sign one FA starting offensive lineman, somebody like Cosey Coleman. Doesn't have to be dominating, but a good run-blocker is a must.
• Resolve the Northcutt situation. Considering his favorable contract, there's no reason the Browns shouldn't be able to get at least a 3rd rounder for him. Another pick like that could really help re-make this team in a hurry.
• And even if all this stuff doesn't happen, getting the right component parts for a much improved offensive line is, without a doubt, the bottom line.

And finally, Dwayne Rudd is considering signing with the Cardinals....

What the hell?

I find myself once again caring about the Cavs. I haven't done that since high school, or earlier.

I have no idea if the Browns can really get anything of value for Couch via a trade, but I have to voice disagreement with anyone who thinks Couch will not generate interest from other teams. His performances on the field have been inconsistent, but I have to think there are 4-5 teams who were impressed by Couch's 2003 season -- he shut up, then had more impressive performances than crappy ones. The game vs. Pittsburgh is example 1A proving that the dude can, under the right circumstances at least, be very effective. The games against the Rams (1B) and Broncos (1C) are others.

Considering all that, I will personally be very dissappointed if the Browns get nothing for the guy. But knowing the crazy NFL and our FO, nothing should surprise us.

What a Mess - Garcia Signs (!)

Wow, what a crazy day and half, for better or worse. It all ends with Garcia a Brown, Couch set to be released, and the Browns apparent fiscal conservatism completely abandoned.

Still, it had to happen and the Browns were surely desperate for this deal to be consumated. If Garcia had signed with the Bucs I think I'd be calling for Butch's dismissal. Couch wearily admitted in the above article that his days were likely numbered, and he was merely stating the obvious: Butch didn't want Couch. Now the team will likely release him for nothing.

As for Garica, he should be great -- for a couple years anyway. I question the wisdom of paying him so much (but we haven't seen the salary schedule yet -- it's probably not that bad, maybe even good) but I love him as a football player. I think we'll see a rejunenated offense.

Now the Browns absolutely need some OL upgrades. There's nothing to even debate about that.

Garcia Looking More Likely

Now the PD backs it up. Perhaps the big news of this is that the Browns have not offered the much-reported second proposal to Couch. Can't imagine him staying now.

It's kind of amazing that Garcia is only attracting lukewarm interest (as opposed to , say, Brunell). Not sure what that says about possibly getting anything for Couch in a trade, but it can't be good.

O'Hara Gone

I knew the Browns were not high on O'Hara, but for whatever reason I really didn't consider his loss to be imminent. Well, he's gone now to the Giants and I predict good things for him. I wish the Browns had kept him.

Enjoy the Cavs

The Cavaliers are 7-3 since the All-Star break. If the season ended today they'd go to tie-breakers to determine a playoff berth. What a difference a year makes.

I had the pleasure of watching the last two night's games that they were -- pleasurable. The team is not quite playing great basketball, but they've got plenty of necessary parts. James, Boozer and, yes, Z are playing at a high level. McGinnis has really provided this team with some life (though he's far fror a perfect player). Battie and Williams both have impressive stretches from time to time. And there are actually some promising players riding the pine in Dujaun Wagner, Kapono and even Ollie. Bottom line is that this team should finish over .500 for years to come, which mean consistent playoff berths and a good shot at deep playoff runs. And at this point this year, I think the Cavs make the playoffs comfortably barring a catastrophe.

Who to credit for this? It's hard to give credit to Jim Paxson, though his moves have been fantastic this year (it's hard to even imagine Ricky Davis and Darius Miles on the team anymore). More than anyone, I credit Paul Silas. The guy is a winner and his tough attitude has really shown through in the team's play. And of course Lebron -- the dude is talented. But he is clearly not ready to carry a team (no players really can, not over a whole season) and now he doesn't quite have to.

PD Reports Garcia Did Not Get Offer

Warren Redone, Finally

Not a huge savings, but it nets at least a million in cap space this year.

Garcia Offered $$$ to be New Browns Starter

...And he's spending the night to think it over. That's what I hear anyway. I wonder what Couch is doing tonight? Supposedly the Browns upped their offer to him a little bit. Maybe the first one to accept is the guy?

Davis Releases Another...

This time Jamel White. WILL A REPORTER PLEASE CALL BUTCH ON THIS??? -- Why did they resign White only to release him a year later? Is he a different player than a year ago? Did they make promises to him they couldn't keep? Is it just a matter of changed circumstances? Who is to blame for the waste of more cap space? And what about that press conference where they said the team had "every intention" of paying White's roster bonus?

Once again, this move is not necessarily bad on football grounds -- White is probably 4th on the depth chart anyway -- but it is an exhibition of short-sighted and shady management.

If Couch is shown the door next, I think it will cement Davis' reputation as someone who can't be trusted at all. I mean, say what you want about Couch but last season the dude did everything right and by all accounts seems have his head screwed on straight. And Davis and Policy have generally said positive things about Couch, including expressing a desire to resign him. Well, that desire can be questioned in the wake of their "offer" and the team entertaining Jeff Garcia today. In fact just about everything that comes out of Berea seems bogus.

One conclusion can be safely reached, however -- Butch has chopped off enough heads that there aren't too many left before his is on the block. 2004 is now do or die for this coach.

Oh yeah, Couch Gets Offer

Something like 2 years for 7 mil. Not chump change, but no way Couch accepts that. WHy would he? He ain't gonna break the bank as a free agent but he'll certainly get those kinds of numbers (plus a fresh start and lots of positive press, for a change).

Maybe the Browns think they can sign Garcia in the next few days. Maybe they think Holcombe can hold down the fort and the team picks up Henson or Roethlisberger. I don't know anything except that the Browns don't know either.

Running Backs

Supposedly, the Browns are kinda-sorta interested in Sammy Morris and Brandon Bennett. Why? Afterall, the team is trying to trade a perfectly good running back in Jamel White (for peanuts, no less, a move up the draft board about 20 spots at the end of the draft) and would likely have to give "Jamel White Money" to either of those guys. Completely asinine. Why the hell did the Browns resign White if they're doing this now? I could go on and on but why bother...

TO Makes Early Browns Offseason More Miserable

While one rival is busy acquiring an All-Pro receiver, the Browns are unable to strike new deals with their three underachieving former first-round picks. And they haven't even came close to signing a significant free agent. Ouch.

We are working out QBs who haven't playd football for 3 years. We have had token conversations regarding the big trade. We're bringing in another team's underachieving former first-round pick for a workout. Ouch.

But hey, Butch and Tim posed for a nice picture at the auto show. And maybe the team will get something for Jamel White. Or Dennis Northcutt. Maybe Butch's master plan not only exists, but is credible and is being perfectly executed. Maybe!

OK, whatever, things aren't hopeless. The Steelers aren't doing any better. The draft is still to come and the Browns are in a good place to do something. The Big 3 may yet still procide cap relief. And nobody seems to be winning with big-dollar free agents anyway. But it's frustrating to hardly be a player.

TO to BR

This deal is simultaneously sickening and entertaining.

First, the grotesque. The illegitimate Ravens acquired Terrell Owens, one of the top 5 WRs in the game, for a second-round draft pick. It means the team will now have a legitimate threat in the passing game. In fact, it's likely that any quarterback that starts is going to look significantly better than otherwise expected. Hell, all Boller will have to do is lob a few deep ones to Owens each game and he'll be assured credible passing stats. And you can suddenly envision Owens turning into solely a big playmaker, dropping the annoying side shows that were frowned upon by his 49er teammates.

Second, the fun. In addition to the second-round pick, the Ravens sacrificed most of what remained of their dignity and souls. Owens will demand big dollars, and will bring along headaches which were the whole reason the 49ers shuffled him off the Left Coast. Lewis, Lewis and TO can now hang out and swap unsportsmanlike stories or compare criminal hijinks. Brian Billick can spend all his off hours explaining for his three stars. And it will be that much more fun when the Browns finish with a better record.

Stalled Renegotiations Killing Browns Offseason.

Tim Couch. Gerard Warren. Courtney Brown. The Browns failure to come to terms renegotiating with these guys has handcuffed the team at the start of free agency. It's basically the story of the Browns' offseason to date, and since free agency began yesterday it has now officially damaged the team for the 2004 season.

I honestly thought that, come early Wednesday morning, we'd hear that at least 1 or two of these guys had new contracts. Instead, nobody is resigned and nobody seems to even be talking about it. The only thing I can figure is the Browns are banking on the fact that, after the initial flurry of big-dollar free agency deals, it will be come apparent to these guys that no one is going to give them a better offer than the Browns. That may work as a negotiating strategy, but it lessens the team's margin for error in the later parts of free agency. In fact, I'd say that margin of error is so small that it's hard to be really optimisitc.

Roger has news!

"The list of NFL teams interested in acquiring Browns running back Jamel White has gradually increased from two - Arizona and Pittsburgh - to many, and in a short time." This according to Roger Brown, so take it for what it's worth. But it's not surprising to me at all. White has a rare explosiveness (that was conspiciously absent last season) that teams have to love in a 3rd down back, and his so ripped now that somebody is going to be willing to give him carries on first and second down as well.

Couch & Davis....

I think this says a lot... expect something to happen soon since free agency starts today.

The fact that Drew Henson is working out in Cleveland today isn't, I don't think, really significant to resigning Couch. Whatever happens, Couch would be the starter this season, and after that who knows. At this point in his career Couch should know that is about as much job security as he'll ever enjoy.