Getting Up To Speed

Kind of a busy week after the draft, though nothing like the few days prior to it. Now it's to reflect a bit and look at the current scenarios affecting the Brownies.

The draft gets a B from me. Winslow will offer a lot to this offense, Sean Jones should be a contributor (a starter? That's probably optimistic), and McCown seems to be a perfect sort of backup/developmental QB. The trade of that second round pick isn't a huge deal either -- such aggressiveness is better than the usual passivity. But this can not be a great draft because it didn't seem to get the team any viable prospect to help the offensive line in the near future. The Browns are making the same gamble they've made for the last 25 years -- take an average offensive line without much depth and pray they avoid injuries. I certainly hoped this would be the year we could avoid a repeat of that.

Still, the B grade is justified because the draft made sense for the Browns. My biggest beef with the Browns was the starting lineup -- we need players who can really excel, not more depth. And when you take into account the offseason so far things line up pretty nicely on paper. Garcia is a talented guy, and most importantly he's not a stationary QB. Terrell Smith signals the return to a running game that utilizes a fullback (we might even find this will suit the current OL personnel a bit better -- too hopeful?) and by all accounts the dude is a very good blocker. Winslow should provide a slew of options in the middle of the field; I expect him to both make some fantastic plays and to force defenses to account for him in ways that should make life easier for the rest of the offense.

On defense things are kind of murky. Sean Jones is really the only signficant addition. The d-line continues to have the biggest names, but only average performance. this the year the verdict will be rendered on C Browns and Warren. Warrick Holdman seems like a good signing, but his signing is also a signal that some of our younger linebackers are falling short of expectations. We really need Thompson, Bentley or Taylor to take a step up this year. At CB Anthony Henry really proved himself last season, McCutheon is steady but seems to be falling off, and I like the promise Lehan showed. Cris Crocker is okay. Earl Little is our best safety. Griffith has been dissappointing but not a complete bust; there should be plenty of opportunities for Sean Jones to make an impact. Ultimately it is going to come down to how well Dave Campo can assemble these mostly average to above-average parts into an effective unit. IMO their 2004 performance was fairly positive and its reasonable to expect some modest improvement, which would be more than enough to get the Browns back into the black if the offense does its part in 2004.

Now, there are 3-4 big issues confronting the team from now until training camp. They might take a while to work themelves out. Here's my take on them, in the order they are likely to be resolved.

1) Couch. It's really too bad we couldn't have gotten a 4th rounder is 2004 for him. He's obviously going elsewhere. Although Kerry Collins and Kurt Warner are bigger names on the market, Couch is really the only QB who is both young and talented enough to start (as articles like this attest). While Collins would seem to be the best choice for a team looking for a starter, Couch is the best choice for a team looking for a veteran backup who could perhaps start in a year or two. He's also a good choice for a team with a shaky starter. So it makes sense that Green Bay would be interested. And I suspect there may be 1-2 more teams besides Chicago who may show interest as the weeks roll by. But it's a delicate thing now and ultimately it will come down to whether Couch wants to sign with a team. I wouldn't expect much in return, but doo expect something of nominal value.

2) Northcutt. I'va always liked him as a player and said so. In 2002 he was, more than any other player, the reason the Browns had a shot at the playoffs. And he's been, one painful drop aside, the team's money player on 3rd down and easily the best punt returner since the team came back. We all expected him to bolt somewhere else (even if he wound up a 3rd receiver, kind of like Jamel White I guess), but things happened and the player and team are in a weird standoff. Well, I really hope they find a way for Northcutt to remain on the Browns for a couple more years. I'm not that high on our wide receivers beyond Andre Davis and the team needs a guy like 'Cutt. Hopefully without the attitude. Expect this situation to drag on into summer and either Northcutt resigns, or he's traded far away for a 3rd rounder or another player.

3) The OL. The Browns surely need to bring someone else in. Depending on how confident the coaches are in the current roster it will either be a starter or a backup-guy. Injuries are almost guaranteed to happen. A solid starter at left tackle or left guard would be great. A solid backup who could step in at those positions would probably be just as good. It's impossible to get a read on Berea in this regard, but something has to give sooner or later. Larry Allen's name has been floated about but I doubt that's gonna happen. We'll see.

4) Rookie contracts. Whether or not Winslow holds out will be a big issue. Unless other picks in the top 10 sign early we can probably expect a holdout of some sort, but I think he'll get to camp without missing too much. It's the other guys I wonder about given the Browns insistence on 5-year deals. I wonder how that will go over with McCown, a guy who should have a shot at being a starter in two years. Like last year, I think it'd be great for the team's long-term success if they can swing it, but hope it doesn't do more harm than good.

Day Two

No offensive linemen until the 6th round selection of Stanford OT Kirk Chambers. He sounds okay, but the point is that he's probably not going to be much of a contributor in 2004, and the Browns passed on a few supposedly highly regarded guys like Nat Dorsey and Stacy Andrews. I don't want to overhype those guys, but it seems to me like Butch's day 2 decisions prety much say he doesn't think there is any OL help available today. Too bad.

In the 4th we picked up Luke McCown. Except for not getting OL help I liked this pick. Any QB you take past the 2nd round is going to be a total crapshoot, but considering that I'll take this guy. He seems to be a fighter and is rather aggressive. He certainly fits the bill in terms of getting a QB to develop. We also picked up DT Amon Gordon who cold be an interesting guy. He's a former running back who, at a minimum, be nice special teams player.

But perhaps the big news was that Baltimore traded a 4th round picks to the Jaguars for WR Kevin Johnson. There's really no other way to spin this -- Butch Davis looks bad as a result. He cut KJ loose for nothing last season only to see that player get dealt for a reasonably good draft pick the Browns sure could have used. Stuff like this is what really bothers me and so many others -- that the Browns appear to do a poor job of maximizing value.

The Trade that Was and the One That Wasn't

The Browns also had discussions with Oakland after they picked Iowa tackle Robert Gallery. If the Browns had stayed at No. 7, they considered selecting Texas receiver Roy Williams and then trying to trade him to Oakland for Gallery. As part of the deal, the Raiders also wanted the Browns' first-, fourth- and fifth-rounders in 2005. The Browns said no.

The Browns first offered Detroit their fourth- and fifth-round picks to move up a spot for Winslow, but Detroit wanted the second-round pick and more. The Lions settled on the second-rounder.

I was thinking the same things while watching the draft, and not sure the first deal wasn't the better one. It's apparent now though that the Browns thought an awful lot of Winslow, nearly as much as Gallery.

Sean Jones at the End of 2nd

Maybe you didn't like the move for Winslow, but you have to like this -- Sean Jones at the end of the second round. Besides being the 2nd or 3rd safety in the draft, Jones fills a big need for the Browns. He should immediately challenge for playing time and could be an immediate starter. The Browns gave up their 3rd rounder, swapped 5th rounders with Indianapolis, and tossed in one of their two 6ths. I like this move quite a bit. Jones was, afterall, a guy many mock drafts had the Browns selecting with their original second round pick.

I've felt pretty strongly that the Browns needed 2-3 immediate contributors from this draft and it looks to me like they've got them. This isn't a draft for depth or for improvement on special teams. It's about getting guys who can upgrade our starting lineup.

Of course, the Browns biggest need remains unfilled -- a force along the offensive line. This draft would surely feel a bit more complete if a nice tackle or guard can be brought on board tomorrow, but there's no way the Browns unearth an immediate starter in the 4th round. It's definitely looking like the Browns will have to move past the draft without an impact offensive lineman. But at least it's not hopeless -- The addition of Garmon isn't too bad, a healthy Ross Verba will be very welcome, and we should have the makings of an average line. We can at least hope that the mobility of Jeff Garcia, the great additon of FB Terrell Smith, and the matchup problem Winslow will create will all combine to take pressure off the line. The first day of the 2004 draft has improved the offense; we'll have to see how much, and how it all comes together this fall.

On day two the Browns can do almost anything they want. There should be several OTs and OGs available who have 3rd-grades, so that's obviously the likely direction. But a QB, a WR, and maybe a DL and a punter all likely.

Not sure how likely it will be, but over night it will be interesting if the Browns finally parlay Couch and/or Northcutt into something. It would be pretty nice to pick up another 4th and guarantee at least one offensive lineman with some promise. At a minimum, such a move would keep the naysayers quieted down. For a few days anyway.

The Second Round

It's painfule watching many 2nd-rounders slowly go off the board, guys I thought were possibilities for the Browns. Ugh. Maybe they can make a move back up into the 2nd. But with about 19 picks to go before the Browns' 3rd round pick it's looking less and less likely Butch (it is him, afterall) will be able to make a move up. There should still be some OL guys available, but probably not guys of starting caliber.

Well, in the AFC North at least it does look like the Browns have added the only impact players. Roethlisberger will not make an immediate impact in Pittsburgh. I don't understand at all Cincinnati dealing down for Chris Perry when Stephen Jackson was still on the board, then picking up the CB Ratliffe (who should be pretty good nevertheless). And of course Baltimore didn't have a pick until the 2nd and they went for a DT over WR Keary Colbert. I guess that means they still could be in the market for Northcutt but I doubt that will ever happen. Anyway, so far I think it's safe to say that in 2004 the Browns will realize the most impact out of these first two round, followed by possibly the Bengals with Ratliffe.

Was it worth it?

We paid a lot, no doubt. And frankly I think this deal still gets done if the Browns offered a 3rd-rounder 'take it or leave it.' BUT..... ESPN reported the Browns thought they had a deal with the Giants at #4 to presumably pick Winslow (he was reportedly second behind Gallery on the Browns board), and the odds are that the Browns would have given up more than just a 2nd rounder for such a move. We can argue about whether Winslow will be a great player and how he's a punk, but the fact is the Browns did get a player at #6 and probably gave up less than they were willing to in a trade with the Giants. And, for what it's worth, Winslow should now get slotted a little lower in terms of salary and bonus than if we had drafted him at #4.

I'm not 100% sold on Winslow, but I will say that if you are Butch and believe Winslow is the guy, then a 2nd rounder is not out of the question. Heck, looking at some of the prices other teams paid to move up, it's really not that bad.

That said, we'll all feel a lot better if the Browns can get back into the second round somehow. Sure would be nice if a team that wanted a WR gets desperate enough to consider a package with Northcutt.

We'll see. Butch did sound like he'd try and move into the 2nd, so let's see if he can get it done. [Which makes me think -- if they move up into the 2nd and don't pick an offensive lineman, will everyone freak out or what?]

It's Winslow -- and we give up our 2nd rounder to do it.

I think Winslow is a complete punk ass. Yeah, yeah, he's a soldier. Leave it to Butch to draft a "soldier" two days after a real NFL soldier was killed in action. But on football terms I like getitng Winslow and he could be the guy who can make the absolute most impact in 2004. So that's cool.

But trading #37 to move up ONE PICK? My god. I can see overpaying somewhat if the Browns really wanted the guy, but that's a LOT. And the Browns need a second rounder this year in a pretty bad way.

If Winslow turns out to be a Pro-Bowler it will have been worth it. If he's pretty good, then probably not. And if the Browns don't get back into the second-roun you can expect almost everyone to say the Browns paid a very heavy price.

Compare these two trades.... man the Browns gave up a lot.
Browns get: Detroit's first-round pick (No. 6), which they used to select Miami TE Kellen Winslow.
Lions get: Cleveland's first-round pick (No. 7), which they used to select Texas WR Roy Williams, and second-round pick (No. 37) in 2004 draft.

Eagles get: San Francisco's first-round pick (No. 16), which they use to select Arkansas OT Shawn Andrews
49ers get: Philadelphia's first-round pick (No. 28) and second-round pick (No. 58).

If this happens, it could happen

Word around the league is that the Jacksonville Jaguars remain very interested in leaping to the No. 2 spot in the draft via a trade with the Raiders, where the Jags would select receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

This would, of course, dash Arizona's hopes of drafting Fitzgerald, possibly swinging the door wide open for a trade with the Browns down to #7. This would, in fact, be the most favorable way to get Gallery as well -- it would cost less to move up to #3, and the Browns wouldn't have to shell out quite as huge a singing bonus. The odds may be slim of this happening, but hey, the way these draft-season has gone anything may still happen. And I have a feeling the biggest moves of the draft will probably be "moves of opportunity" as opposed to the long and drawn out mocked up scenario's we've been hearing.

It would also be interesting if Manning, Gallery, Fitzgerald went 1-2-3 with no trades occuring. What do the Giants then do? I think the odds of getting Winslow/Taylor/RWilliams would have to be rather favorable at that point.

Should be an entertaining day Saturday.

Tillman

Former NFL player Pat Tillman was killed in action. My sympathy to his family. The guy was a hero and will be remembered as one. Take a moment to reflect on what that guy did and the sacrifice he made, preferably before the onslaught of cable news and BS statements from politicians come down upon us, cause it's not about that crap.

Barring a trade, and figuring the "nightmare scenario" plays out, I more or less agree with this -- DeAngelo Hall. He'd be the closest thing left to getting an "impact player," and Butch needs an immediate starter out of this draft. In fact for that reason I'll be pretty surprised if the Browns go with a QB (though I guess that would mean Butch thinks he'll be around a while).

Other options in the first-- If Winslow somehow falls I think he's an automatic pick despite that fact I don't like the dude. Roy Williams would be the next guy I'd like to see drop. Sean Taylor, on the other hand, is not a guy I'm partial to drafting strictly on the basis that a safety is the least-important defensive position to spend big bucks on. I'll take a very good corner over a great safety. No one else at #7 seems to make much sense. Perhaps a surprise like Udeze, Harris or Wilfork but they are reaches at #7 and not really a need. I'd actually be happy in 2005/6 with Rivers if Butch went out on that limb. Those are the only guys I see wearing a Browns uniform unless a deal goes down.

And regarding a deal -- this is the year it may need to happen. Butch's drafts haven't scored many big hits, but this team has decent depth. Now we need some better starters. If the Browns could acquire Gallery without losing their 2nd round pick I think it's a deal worth seriously considering. As for trading down, I wouldn't be opposed to moving down 6-7 spots if it nets another first day pick. And later on it makes sent to try and get 3 or 4 significant contributors out of this draft. Getting an extra pick in the late 2nd or 3rd round would be a very good gamble. In fact, if a Couch or Northcutt deal materializes, the Browns would be wise to use that to trade-up their 3rd or 4th round picks.

I'm also of the mind that the Browns are planning on drafting an OG in the second. With Stokes now gone the other guys on the roster are depth-guys. Sure would be nice to trade up for Vernon Carey, but a guy like Smiley or Snee seems the likely choice. In fact, if the Browns don't get awell-regarded OL in the first two round I think the general concensus will be the Browns had a poor draft. Really, there is no reason to get too cute or creative with these first two rounds. Let's get the starter we obviously need along the offensive line and draft one other guy who can make a difference.

In the later rounds a QB seems likely, but not a sure thing -- Hybl still shows some promise IMO and could be fine as a backup. In other words, I'd look for prospects at some other positions first. A WR for certain. A safety, or a corner with the idea that Crocker can step in at safety. A defenseive end since after 2004 either Lang or Brown could be gone. And certainly I wouldn't mind getting an offensive tackle.

OK Let's Do This

Cold Beer. Salty Snacks. Past 11 PM. A Need For Escape.

Kurt Warner. You have to think his impending release June 1st affects any possible market for Tim Couch. It's my personal opinion that Couch is a much better QB/prospect than Warner is at this point, but it's realistic to think many NFL teams feel differently. But whatever, what it comes down to now is that every team in the NFL knows Couch will be released after June 1 unless a trade happens. Does the free agent presence of Warner make teams more likely to wait? Does Warner and the likeliehood that this NFL MVP will be a backup suddenly encourage Couc and Condon to agree to a two-year deal with good backup money? I have no idea, and I admit that I like Couch enough that it seems a no brainer for somebody to trade a 4th rounder for him. It still surpises me that Condon is pushing for a one-year deal though, and it seems stupid. Couch is a young man. Why not take a properly structured two year deal? Say, modest money in 2004, with a team option for 2005 with a 750K or so raise. If Couch reaches some incentives in 2004 (a certain number of plays + a certain level of performance), then he can either be a free agent or take a somewhat better raise and stay the second year. Done. It's hard to tell through news reports if it's really Condon or prospective trading partners who are the obstacle to getting a deal like this done. A Couch trade goes down on or before draft day -- 50%. A trade in the weeks after the draft -- 20%. Couch is released June 1st or later -- 5025%. Couch somehow renegotiates with the Browns - 5% (OK, the odds are high on that one).

Browns trading up. I get the feeling it is at least possible such a deal could happen without giving up the farm, which would be losing its 2004 second rounder. And I still think Northcutt could be part of such a deal since 1) he's a good player, and 2) his current salary cap number is so low.

If the price is right (#7, a third, and a 2nd/3rd in 2005) the Browns have to move up to get Gallery.

There is no point in moving up more than a spot or two if Gallery is off the board.

I wonder about the Giants. All speculation has been with them selecting Manning or Gallery. Who they pick will be a pretty big wildcard. Why not a wide out? Especially if they deal Hilliard.

Wow, I got tired fast.

Would you trade this much for anyone in this draft?

1st round picks this year and next, a third-rounder this year, and a 6th rounder the next. For Gellery, or Manning, or Fitzgerald?

That's what the Browns traded to the Buffalo Bills for the rights to Bernie Kosar in 1985.

96 Hour Rumors

Good ones:

• #7, William Green and 2005 2nd for the Raiders #2. A number of places have reported this, including Chris Mortenson (who's a good guy to watch, but I can't remember him being right on draft stuff). I think it can happen if the Raiders believe Roy Williams will be there at #7. Given that, expect the Giants to suddenly have an interest in Roy Williams.

Maybe's:

• The Browns may draft Phillip Rivers if they stand pat at #7
• The Steelers would like to trade with the Browns for the #7 pick.
  
• Browns talking with Chargers about dealing for the #1 pick. The good -- the price for the #1 pick seems to be decreasing. The bad -- it's still a high price, not to mention any #1 overall pick must be paid more lavishly than the rest of the top 10.

Bad ones:

• The Chargers are serious about Gallery

File this one away

http://www.arbiteronline.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/04/15/407e4c6012662

Well-mannered, Bright, Well-Spoken

I read this and am kind of pleased:

I think, even though I've said it once, it bears repeating: This is the most well-mannered, bright, well-spoken group of top draft prospects I've ever met in my 20 years covering football. I mentioned this to Giants GM Ernie Accorsi last week, and he heartily agreed. "It's not a stretch with guys like Philip Rivers to say, and really mean, that you'd wish your daughter would meet one of these guys," he said. "There's a bunch of really great kids in this draft." It's more than these guys simply being media-savvy. There's no paper trail of off-field crap behind the majority of these players. The NFL has to be thrilled.

And then I think, oh yeah, this is Butch Davis and people are saying we're going to wind up with Kellen Winslow.... It's not that I won't be excited to have a potentially game-breaking tight end, it's just that there are a number of other players that seems like better and, yes, safer prospects.

Also, though, I do like to hear that "if Cleveland, at No. 7, doesn't move up to take Gallery, it won't be for lack of trying," though with the current Gallery feeding-frenzy I have big doubts that the price will be palatable.

The Sounds of Silence

Hear the silence -- all around the NFL coaches, personnel directors, and scouts have returned to the nest and are now presumably ranking and re-ranking players on their draft boards. It doesn't make for much news, however, and it doesn't help speed up potential deals with Northcutt and Couch. But if I had to predict, I'd say Northcutt is very likely to be dealt in the next week for a 3rd rounder (a 2nd is reasonable, but the draft's strength at WR will make it tough; maybe a 2003 playoff team with a late 2nd will be a late bidder). With Couch, things seem much less likely. Maybe Green Bay can come to contract terms with him, but still it's a matter of whether it's worth trading him for a 2004 5th rounder. The Browns might do a bit better after the draft, but only if the market picks up.

As for the draft -- I had a dream last night that Robert Gallery dropped to the Browns at #7. I woke up happy anyway. It's lame to write about dreams/nightmares here, but frankly for the next week you won't be able to believe anything anyone says in the media anyhow. And certainly nothing coming out of Berea.

Northcutt to Denver for a 3rd

That's what is being mentioned on online, anyway. I'm still hoping for a 2nd rounder, but this is an okay deal in terms of getting good value (Denver's 3rd rounder is #85, late in the round). But it's a great deal in the sense that Northcutt should have been a free agent. I'll believe it when I see it.

Sure would be nice to wind up with, say, two extra 3rd round picks after dealing Northcutt and Couch. That'd give us plenty of options 12 days from now.

UPDATE: A source said the Broncos expressed interest in Northcutt two weeks ago, but nothing has happened since. The Broncos cooled on Northcutt when initial discussions with agent Jerome Stanley regarding a new contract for Northcutt hit a brick wall.

Wolf Walks

And the wheel keeps on turning... Ron Wolf exits the Browns, following Carmen Policy. This ain't too surprising on football terms but it adds Butch's volume of troubling episodes. The promising addition of Wolf was pooh-poohed early on by Davis, who seemed to go out of his way to announce the Wolf had absolutely no input on any offseason moves. Which causes one to wonder, why wouldn't Davis just remain mum? Why say something negative about a well-respected guy like Wolf? Nobody is quite saying it, but a reasonable person would have to conclude that 1) Wolf was Policy's idea, and 2) Butch and Policy weren't getting along so well.

Whatever. I'm getting numb to this sort of crap. One thing is clear though -- this more weight is put on Butch's shoulders and the team will sink or swim with this guy. That's curious for a guy who's hasn't had a real great NFL track-record. But he has shown flashes of promise, mostly in his first two seasons. And now there's no one else left to take the blame or reap the rewards.

I think the events of the past week have a potentially large effect on the upcoming draft, the 2004 season and everyone's expectations. Basically, it's time for Butch to win. The Browns must clearly be a team on the rise in 2004, and be a team to be reckoned with in 2005. Anything less and all of this sound and fury will have been a waste.

Considering this, I think it's unlikely that we draft someone who won't be an immediate performer. That means a guy like Roethlisberger is very unlikely IMO, despite some buzz to the contrary. This is almost certainly the perception within the NFL too, making a trade down on draft day less likely (since any trading partner would likely be moving up to get a QB).

But since the pressure is on Davis, we may also see some bold moves in the draft. A trade up for Gallery would cause celebrations throughout the region. More likely, we will see Northcutt and Couch moved for whatever picks they can get. Those picks may be parlayed to a trade up to get a player in the 2nd or late 1st rounds, meaning the Browns could walk away with two true impact players. For this to happen, getting a nice pick for Northcutt would be fantastic.

Northcutt to Denver?

This would make too much sense, especially since the Broncos have an extra 2nd round pick to deal.

Advice for John Collins

Tips on how to keep/make the Browns wildly popular.

1. The Browns are NOT the NFL. I know this is obvious, but it's important -- Browns fans don't really care if the team embodies the NFL. In fact, we'd prefer the team to embody the city, with an emphasis on history and character. I know you're a marketing guy, so if you want to market this team you should differenciate it from how the NFL as a whole has been sold. In a nutshell, take the Cleveland-area market and appeal to it's fundamental instincts. Then package and sell that. This is a town that is both fiercely proud (not a lot of transplants here) and insecure. You'd do the team and a town a great service by positioning this team as the embodiement of Cleveland. And I suspect that wouldn't be a bad way to position the team nationally either.

2. I know you aren't going to be involved in the football aspects of things, but you can make an influence in one very significant way -- push to educate and expose the players and coaches to the history of the team and city. At a minimum, it would make the team's representation at press conferences and in the media much more savvy if the entire organization had a better sense of these things. At best, you could help foster a team who's players are as proud of suiting up for the fans as the fans are as proud of the team. I don't really care how you accomplish this, though I have a couple ideas -- 1) get some well-respected former players involved on a regular basis in Berea, meeting and mentoring players, taking them out to dinner and what not. Show players the lives true Cleveland football heroes. 2) Require some sort of player/coach interaction with fans, and I don't mean signing autographs at the IX Center. Perhaps as part of the end-of-season wrap up the players meet with fans to discuss the season and the fans hopes for the next year. I think Cleveland fans would really love a little recognition that the players really care about winning. With today's pro athlete, sometimes it's pretty hard to tell.

3. Improve the game-time environment at Cleveland Browns Stadium. 1) Lower the volume tone down the flashiness of announcements, canned crowd chants, music during the middle of the game. This stuff is often a distraction, and it kind of sucks away crowd enthusiasm. It certainly hurts the crowd from getting into the rhythm of the game. 2) Get a new PA announcer. They guy prefaces everything with "Attention Browns Fans!!!" as if some people at the game AREN'T Browns fans. I'd much prefer a more plain-spoken voice along the lines of Tribe broadcaster Tom Hamilton. I think the difference would be quite an improvement. 3) Please, my god, please show replays to the fans who have paid to be at the game. There is no reason to deny the paying fans the information that is provided for free to people watching from home. Shouldn't the game experience be better at the stadium? And isn't it the fair thing to do?

4. Browns lunch boxes. Invest in the future.

5. Promote gameday, including tailgaiting. It might be against your better instincts to encourage fans NOT to spend money inside the stadium, but it's the right business decision to encourage people to get downtown early and stay late. It's also the right thing to do for the city. Gameday should always generate an electric feel in the air, and with CBS the epicenter. Some ideas: 1) Work with the City to keep tailgating both fun and secure. It might only take one press conference during the preseason announcing that the team and City want to encourage tailgating. 2) Put the CBS/Fox pregame show on the big screens both in and out of CBS -- not only can fans see this from the parking lots around the stadium, but it focuses everyone's eyes where the action is. 3) Do something visually to CBS during the weeks of home games -- driving through downtown, circling downtown waiting to land -- it should be obvious to everyone that something big is going to happen at the stadium. It's be a great new tradition. Maybe a giant gametime countdown on top of the stadium? Maybe some cool lighting effects?

6. Do what you can to bring Bernie back into the fold. It's really been a disgrace that he's been marginalized. Don't wait until he's somehow involved with another NFL team to realize the value he has in this city.

7. Browns beer cans. This might be shamelssly aping Pittsburgh's Iron City, but why not?

Current Status

Policy Leaving, Collins Coming: Whatever. Policy seems to me to have been middling along for the last year and a half. Really since he retracted his initial comments following the bottle-throwing incident he just hasn't been much of an assett in my eyes. Why? I guess because it was an indication that he just didn't have the guts to be a Cleveland football giant. Instead, he was more cut-out for a slicker, cleaner role where he didn't ever have to get dirty, at least not in public. In short, he tried to hide his toughness at times when he should have relied on it. SOmething like that anyway.... So now COllins comes aboard and I don't know that this is a welcome change either. I guess it's good, but am going to wait and see. I think Collins' presence is interesting in what it says about Randy Lerner and Butch Davis. One, Lerner is serious about the Browns being a successful business, and that's a good thing as long as the Browns focus on being in the _football_ business and not get stupid with marketing tie-ins and trying to be "entertainment" over competitive. And I think that is a real risk. We're already subjected to so much crap that takes away from the football -- the often questionable environment at CBS is the biggest offender. More on this in a bit.

Two, Butch Davis is obviously the undisputed football voice in the organization. OK. I'm of the mind that Butch is on the line in 2004 even if Policy were still around. Now, it's just amplified and simpler -- if Butch produces a winner, awesome. If he doesn't he's gonna be under fire and really in the hotseat. Right now it's a mystery whether Butch's way is trending good or bad -- the honeymoon really ended in 2003 and lots of questionable things have since taken place, with the concensus seeming to be that things are not going well. But it's not clear. Cycle back 10 years and imagine if Bill Belichek had remained coach of the Browns -- ow wait, it doesn't matter cause he helped drive the team away from this town. But the point is, was Modell's faith in Belichek justified when Belichek won a couple Super Bowls 6-7 years later? Maybe. It's a tough sell, but the Belichek experience probably affords Davis the chance to make a lot of unpopular decisions in trying to build a winner. Right or wrong, Randly Lerner is placing his bet on Davis and giving him the resources he wants.

Northcutt -- As Jerome Stanley continues to make a fool of himself, the Browns appear dug in. This is the right response. In fact, anything less would be pretty dissappointing. Now Northcutt has filed a grievance. There are only two possible outcomes -- Northcutt, and especially Stanley, get humbled. Or there's a trade before a verdict is mad public, which would allow Northcutt and Stanley to save some face. The first option would seem to be very likely. And I think it's in the Browns interest for that to happen, as anything that softens Northcutt's stupid stance is likely increase the number of potential suitors and increase the Brown's eventual compensation.

Couch -- I have to hand it to Green Bay; they are driving a hard bargain, waiting for the Browns to blink and give up Couch for a 4th or 5th rounder (which wouldn't be too bad, really). But it's kind of a high stakes game now. Green Bay runs the risk of losing a backup QB and possible Favre successor because they won't pay what, in most QB markets, would be a pretty fair price. The Browns run the risk of the market totally bottoming out and being forced to release Couch and get nothing. As I've said before, I think this is a gamble worth making, even if it's annoying to see it drag out. If one other team enters the fray I think the Browns could parlay Couch into a pretty nice pick. It's a big if, but the difference between a 2nd/3rd rounder and a 4th/5th rounder is pretty big. And I think as time rolls on Couch's 2004 contract expectations will necessarily come down. We'll see.

Draft -- I have a sick feeling the browns are getting pushed out of the Gallery sweepstakes. That really sucks. And, as expected, it's unknown just how likely it is the Browns could trade down (I'd guess it's about 50/50 if a guy like Roethlisberger drops). Barring those possibilities, the prospects at #7 still seem to be: Winslow, Taylor, D Hall, R Williams (my wishful thinking probably), and a few others. It's a mystery.

And right now, would you have traded last season's finale win over the Bengals (and Lee Suggs great performance) for a move up to the 4th pick? We'd certainly have more question marks at the running back position, but we'd also be guaranteed one of the best prospects and a decent shot at Mr. Gallery.

Mike Williams -- he's not going to go before the #7 pick, and people aren't going to be clamoring to trade up for him. That's what I got out of his workout. It's one of the reasons our chances at Gallery seem to be dimming. In fact, after FItzgerald and R Willaims I don't think we'll see a run on receivers until about pick #12.

C Brown restructuring -- sounded good until we heard this wasn't a very significant change. I guess this isn't too surprising -- Brown had a comparatively good year last season, and given his injury history he'd be unwise to give back too much money.

12 days until the draft.... here's hoping for the dark skies to clear.

Policy Gone, Couch Trying to Be

Wow, somewhat surprising news today that Carmen Policy is retiring from the Browns, pretty much immediately (he'll be an "adviser" this season). It's been no secret than his years were numbered since he sold back his 10% ownership stake to Randy Lerner, but this is probably a bit sooner than many people had expected. So long Carmen -- have a nice retirement. You won't have to blow smoke to make people believe your Napa Valley estate is one sweet pad. Speculation is immediately turning to the Browns pursuing Ozzie Newsome, but there would seem to be a few hurdles to overcome for that to happen. Maybe a Newsome/Northcutt swap.

Couch, on the other hand, spent last night in Green Bay getting to know the Packers better and hoping to work out a deal. Tom Condon hopes to have something worked out this week. Now, I'm looking forward to it. It's time to focus on the draft and the future, and resolve the sad story with Couch once and for all.

Oh, and the Browns are asking Robert Griffith to take a pay cut. It's about freaking time. As far as I am concerned, that guy owes us a few dollars for his performance the last couple years. He'll likely accept a cut since the fre agent marke for safeties is not moving at all. Otherwise he's gone and our chances of drafting Sean Taylor increase a bit.

Washington Post has a Sports Department

There's an article, perhaps you've seen it. It's one of those articles that got me mad just reading it. Not that the artcile is wrong, just that it is written from the perspective of a Ravens fan. Sickening, I know.

Some selected quotes:

"Newsome, in effect, was telling the Browns and other clubs: Don't try to swindle us, because we will be patient." Ugh, ok? Yes Ozzie was being a crafty GM by not paying more than he wants to. Guess what -- the Browns were being similarly wise to ask for a an asking price which is fair, particularly if trading with the Ravens. I guess a "fair deal" is considered swindling in Baltimore? I thought it was swindling the considered fair in Baltimore.

Curtis Conway, Bill Schroeder, Oronde Gadsden, James McKnight and Antonio Freeman. These are the currently available free agent WRs. The article acknowledges this is a very weak crop. It goes on to state that getting an impact receiver in the second round (the Ravens 1st pick) would be a long shot. So, tell me again why the Browns are asking too much? If Northcutt is deemed a better bet than whatever receiver the Ravens can get in the 2nd round, isn't that a fair deal? Or at least a plausible place to start negotiations? Does Baltimore expect the Browns to just give them Northcutt the same why they got our football team in 1995?

"They shouldn't ignore a trade offer from the Ravens just because it's coming from the Ravens. That, essentially, is what Northcutt's agent, Jerome Stanley, said recently in a telephone interview." Oh c'mon. Was that _essentially_ what Jerome Stanley was saying? Or was he saying, "I f**ked up and I'm a jacka** but the Browns should just let it slide and be happy they are getting anything"??? I could have sworn that's the message Stanley was conveying.

Grasping at Straws

Browns fans may want to say a prayer that 1) Clarett wins his appeal, and 2) Mike Williams has a fantastic on-campus workout that turns him into a top 5 pick. It might, in some small way, make the Browns getting their man a bit more likely. In the days before the draft you start rooting for crap like this...

Losing It

With 19 days to go before the draft my Browns mental state is getting a little uneasy -- no matter how you slice it, there is only one player the Browns clearly want and need. And it sounds to me that it will take an unlikely trade for Gallery to become a Brown. Booooooooo.

Faced with the likelihood that we'll be drafting someone else, it's hard to envision being fully satisfied with the draft. In fact, I can only envision two possible "positive" outcomes -- we get Gallery, or we draft 1-2 offensive linemen in the first three rounds. Anything beyond that and I'll be sounding like Kendall Lewis for the next four months.

The Nightmare Scenario II

The latest Kiper Mock has just that, almost (he's got Roy Williams going #2, and Roethlisberger sliding to #11 (which, if the Browns don't want a QB, would make this decision even harder). His prediction for the Browns? DeAngelo Hall. I think Hall will be a very good player and he's been zooming up draft boards, but I wouldn't be crazy about burning the 7th pick on him when we so desperately need OL help. But I'd take a shut-down corner if that's what Hall turns out to be. However the draft is moving, it's feeling like the decision at #7 is going to be a difficult one.

Other notable Kiper selections -- Mike Williams falling to #12. WR Lee Evans, who was a 2nd-rounder as recently as a week ago, going at #15. Shawn Andrews at #20. Michael Jenkins cracking the first round at #31 (I think he'll make a very good pro). In total, he's go a whopping eight WRs going in the first.

The Nightmare Scenario

Who do the Browns take if the first six picks are Manning, Roethlisberger, Gallery, Taylor, Winslow, and Fitzgerald? The candidates are:

WRs Mike Williams, Roy Williams
DE Kenechi Udeze, Will Smith
CB DeAngelo Hall
QB Phillip Rivers
DT Tommie Harris, Vince Wilfork
OT Shawn Andrews

I'd suggest the only guys worthy of the #7 pick are Mike or Roy Williams, maybe Harris or Udeze. They are all good football players and while I'd be excited to have any of them on the team, all play positions the Browns are currently heavily invested in. I'd have to think that the Browns would try and trade down are a least a couple spots and then pick Andrews. The Jaguars would certainly like to get a receiver and may part with a mid round pick to move up a couple spots. Perhaps the Steelers would want to secure Rivers (or heck, even Roethlisberger if he's there and the Browns are not interested). If the Browns are absolutely forced to pick in this scenario I'd probably side with Roy Williams who's probably the safest "very good pro" player. And I'd sit back and smile at how either Quincy Morgan's days would be numbered, or he'd suddenly start holding onto a lot of balls.

Draft Wisdom/Folly IV

Time to re-assess the Browns position. In a nutshell, I like it because they're in line to get a very good _football player_, as opposed to drafting for perceived needs. They'll also have options to trade up or down; we're unlikely to ever really know what presents itself, but I'd like to think that it's a big positive to have choices.

The offensive line. This is the one area where the team needs to draft an impact player, and this is also the one no-brainer of the draft -- the Browns will pick Robert Gallery if he somehow falls to #7. As Draft Day approaches, however, it's increasingly unlikely the Browns can get him without trading up into the top 5. Since O-Line is the one must-have of the draft, I think how the team approaches this position will shape it's entire draft. As I see it, there are 3 options:

1. Gallery is there at #7, the Browns pick him. This frees the team to pursue the BPA in the second round, where they should get a very promising player -- there are a lot of exciting WR prospects (Lee Evans would make a nice replacement for Northcutt, no?), some talented corners, or a guy like TE Ben Troupe. At first glance and without any draft-related trades, this would seem to be an ideal draft.
2. Gallery is not there at #7, the Browns go with Sean Taylor, Kellen Winslow or Ben Roethlisberger. That likely leaves the Browns drafting from among OTs Jacob Rogers, Vernon Carey, Kelly Butler or OG Chris Snee in the second round. But frankly I wouldn't be shocked if the Browns opted for anopther player they have their eye on here, despite the needs on the OL. Why? The team won't find a starting LT here, and may decide to go with a guard in the next round. People may be up in arms over the failure to address the OL on the first day, but if it's not there you can't push it. I think this is actually the most likely scenario for the Browns, and it doesn't really upset me as long as the first two players picked are ballplayers.
3. A trade up to get Gallery. This would be great provided the Browns retain their pick in the second. Check here for a very nice rundown of how this could happen. I'm pretty close to officially advocating this position -- we should proceed as if we will not again be picking in the top 10 for many years to come, so making a serious play for a franchise LT makes more sense this year than in the future.... I hope.
4. A trade down. This really could lead us anywhere, but I will say this appears to be a good draft to have lots of picks in the late 1st through the second round.

What else could affect things? Couch and Northcutt. It's not a sure thing the Browns will get significant picks in return for these guys. I think if Couch goes to a place like Green Bay we'll only net a 4th or 5th round pick from it, and we should be happy. If another team shows interest, which isn't at all out of the question IMO, maybe the team gets a bit more.

With Northcutt on the other hand, I think it's very likely the Browns get something of value but it might not be before the draft. It's funny reading comments from agent Jerome Stanley and Northcutt in the paper -- they have essentially no leverage to force a trade. I think they either cave in now or cave in later (as in next offseason). And the Browns stand to gain either way by trading a player they had already planned on getting nothing for. Unless the Browns are really pining to draft a specific player come the 4th round on draft day, I just don't see Policy playing anything but hardball on this. Baltimore remains a possible trade partner, and any deal would probably involve acquiring their 2nd rounder, but if this happens it's likely to be an on-the-clock deal. It seems more likely the Browns will seek to get a 2nd or 3rd round pick from another team before the draft. This will require Jerome Stanley to actually look out for his client's career, however, and that's no sure thing.

Perhaps William Green gets traded before all is said and done. There are rumors of the Raiders being interested, and a swap of 1st round picks would seem to make a lot of sense if Oakland doesn't have one specific player in mind. But right now Green's value would seem to be low, and the Browns would benefit much from Green resuming his career. His trade value would surely be higher if he successfully makes it back on the team and contributes.

Yes, it'd be fantastic if the Browns acquired a 2nd and a 4th for these guys, or better yet used a trade of Northcutt and/or Couch to swap picks with a team like Arizona. It's not impossible, and frankly I think it would be a pretty good deal for some team out there. But this would take a fortunate turn of events that is quite rare in Cleveland sports. I'll be happy to pick up one decent pick for one of these guys. It's nice to have some chips to play with, but for now it's probably best to set expectations as if this won't play a factor.

Local Guys in Draft

Out of the Brown's column, he notes that Ignatius/Indiana safety Joe Gonzalez will be among the local athletes attending the Browns upcoming open tryout. I don't know much about Gonzalez's college performance, but I wouldn't be surprised if he somehow lands on an NFL roster or practice squad. On Kiper's big board he's probably not quite in "draftable" territory, but he'll likely get some interest as an undrafted FA.

OG Jacob Bell (Ignatius/Miami OH) is likely to be the highest guy drafted, somewhere around the 3rd round. I'm not sure that he's someone the Browns would be looking for, but he also is attending the open tryout so the team should certainly get some exposure to him.

Shaker grad Adrian Clarke seems to be more what the Browns are looking for -- a massive sort of run blocker. In the 4th or 5th round he might be a good choice. With Garmon penciled to start and lots of competition for the other starting guard spot, there should be ample opportunity for 1-2 young guys to develop into solid backups and, hopefully, starters in a year or two.

Roger the Rabid

Does Roger Brown have to be so swarmy in his sports gossip column? It's one thing to be grossly wrong half the time (I can forgive that because his column is sort of like the National Enquirer). But the dude chooses to adopt an extremely negative attitude towards every pro sports figure in this town except perhaps Lebron James and Paul Silas. For instance, he doesn't think the Indians will be very good this season, which is fine, but chooses to embellish his feelings by mocking "THE INDIAN PLAN." Roger, that is pathetic -- the Tribe is the only team in town that appears to even HAVE a plan. They may not be perfectly executing it and perhaps the plan itself is flawed, but frankly I'll take that over the Browns' mysterious front office or the Cavs dumb luck approach.

Oh yeah, and this is perhaps the biggest beef -- Roger, what is up with saying "WE" when you clearly should be saying "I"???? Is there a whole gang of interns and reporters who Roger convenes to make concensus decisions on his column? Ha! If he did that, his column would only be half as long cause any random sampling of sports fans could tell you half of Roger's crap is inaccurate!

And finally, one vote in Brown's favor -- his is the only column to ever read news and notes about local athletes trying to make it big, or bits about former Cleveland stars. It's easily the most worthwhile thing Roger writes about.

Newsflash: Northcutt's Agent Is Not Too Bright

"My answer is they claim they didn't receive the certified letter. That's as far as I can go with the facts. They claim they didn't receive the letter."

Asked if he sent the letter, Stanley said, "I'm saying they said they didn't get the letter. I have no reason to disbelieve they didn't receive the letter."

and this: Stanley said the Browns led him to believe a trade with the Ravens would be consummated at NFL meetings here this week.

HUH? All I do is read the newspapers and for at least a week there's been stories on how the Browns did NOT want to trade Northcutt to the Ravens. And you don't need to be in professional football to know that a team would never trade within its division unless it was getting something very worthwhile in return. A 5th round pick is nothing in this scenario. Maybe a 2nd would do it, and even then I don't know.

Policy and Davis are all in the right on this one.