The Cleveland Browns selection of Brandon Weeden comes with “high stakes” for Heckert and Holmgren.

Michael W. Youngman--Lead Analyst C.B.R.

When looking around the NFL over the years you will see a trend when referring to the success of a team’s draft. Specifically when looking at a franchise’s management regime and its success or failure being tied to a quarterback selection. When a team reaches high for a quarterback, it becomes a double edged sword. This is the situation that Holmgren and Heckert now find themselves in with their selection of Brandon Weeden with the 22nd overall pick.

It is no secret in the NFL that a bust selection in the first round can be detrimental to a team and set their progress back for years. No franchise knows that better than the Browns. With Picks like Courtney Brown, Brady Quinn, Braylon Edwards, and Gerard Warren the Browns franchise has been in a perpetual restart mode. But none is as damaging as that highly coveted 1st round quarterback. Draft busts like Ryan leaf, J.P. Losman,  and Akili Smith have spelled the end of couches and GM careers.

Looking at the selection of quarterback Brandon Weeden with the 22d pick is particularly unique. He is not your typical college prospect. He is a 28 year-old rookie who spent time in the Yankees minor league farm system before giving up his Major League dreams and going to Oklahoma State as a QB. Selecting him ahead of other quarterbacks in this draft like Kirk Cousins from Michigan State (who appears to be more polished), is a statement that they feel that Weeden will end up being a huge payday for the Browns franchise.

And this pick has other repercussions that compound the issue and make his high selection even more like a “high stakes” move. Taking a quarterback in the first round is directly contrary to the statements of support that Heckert, Holmgren, and Shurmur have given to Colt McCoy during this off-season. We now know that the Browns’ brain trust do not feel that the team could win with him, and a trade in McCoy’s future is now a distinct possibility.

Put this all together and the formula is simple. If Weeden wins games,  H&H will be geniuses. If Weeden is just another failed project in the Browns QB carousel, then H&H will probably find themselves unemployed.

But only time will tell us how this all plays out. Only the future will tell us if we are on the path to glory once again, or if we will be starting over from scratch. For me, I hope it’s the former, rather than the later. I will put my faith in H&H and hope that they see something in Weeden that I do not. Because I am not sure how much more this city, or this fan base can take.

http://www.clevelandbrownsreport.info/2012/04/cleveland-browns-selection-of-brandon.html

Unofficial list of Browns undrafted free agent signings

Here's an unofficial list of Browns undrafted free agent signings, according to nepatriotsdraft.com

Josh Cooper, WR, Oklahoma State
Jermaine Saffold, WR, Missouri St
Andrew Sweat, LB, Ohio State
Matt Cleveland, OT, Idaho
Antwuan Reed, CB, Pitt
J.B. Shugarts, OT, Ohio State
Jake Anderson, OT, Akron
Johnson Bademosi, SAF, Stanford
William Green, DE, Florida
Tashaun Gipson, S, Wyoming

Also on the list, according to Aaron Wilson of scout.com,  is OL Garth Gerhart of Arizona State.

Cleveland Browns hopes Brandon Weeden starts immediately, noncommittal about Colt McCoy's future

By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio -- Pat Shurmur said he expects quarterback Brandon Weeden to come in and hopefully win the starting job immediately, and he was noncommital about Colt McCoy's future with the team.

"We've added three (offensive) players and we expect them to compete to start and contribute what we hope to be immediately," the Browns head coach said after the team finished its Friday selections in the second and third rounds of the NFL Draft. "We'll see how it plays out. We got a running back (Trent Richardson), a quarterback and right tackle [Mitchell Schwartz]. We feel like we got three players that are going to be there for us."

He added that the Browns are "really impressed with what we saw with Weeden." He also dismissed a report that the Browns were shopping McCoy on the second day of the NFL draft Friday, but didn't rule out moving him in the near future.

"We've drafted a quarterback to come in and compete with him -- at this point -- and that's where it's at," he said.

He also said a report by ESPN's Adam Schefter that the Browns told McCoy Thursday that they wouldn't draft a quarterback in the first round "was absolutely false. For the record, we don't consult our players about what we're doing in the draft. I think it's ridiculous to assume that we would say those things. I just want to be strong about the no."

He said McCoy worked out here all week and then headed to Dallas for the weekend, as had been planned. "I expect him to be here Monday as part of the off-season program," said Shurmur.

But Shurmur was effusive in his praise of Weeden, and adamant that he's set to be their man. When asked if he can make the current crop of receivers better -- seeing as that the Browns didn't draft one -- he quickly responded, "I believe so."

If a team wants McCoy, it would probably only be willing to surrender a sixth- or seventh-round pick. The final four rounds of the draft take place on Saturday, beginning at noon. But a source said the Browns ideally would like to take a little time to think about what they want to do. They might also have to make a decision on Seneca Wallace, who's set to make $2.4 million in 2012 and $2.85 million in 2013.

"We haven't made any plans to do anything about anything yet," said Shurmur. "We haven't made any phone calls, we haven't done anything in regards to Colt."

Asked if McCoy will still be with the team when organized team activities begin May 22, Shurmur said, "let's not take it all the way out to May 22. As it stands right now, I've talked to Colt and we're getting ready to draft [more players]."

He said he talked to McCoy Friday evening, but not about his role in the wake of the Browns drafting Weeden.

"He's fine," said Shurmur. "All we talked about was what we [were] going to do with the next two picks.'"

The Browns' second-round pick, the No. 37 overall, was something McCoy could've really used -- a starting right tackle. They drafted California's Mitchell Schwartz, who has experience playing on both sides, including the last two seasons on the left and 2009 on the right. Schwartz also played two seasons with Browns center Alex Mack at Cal.

The Browns traded their third-round pick -- the No. 67 overall -- to the Broncos for Denver's 87th in the third round and 120th in the fourth round. They used the 87th pick on Cincinnati defensive tackle John Hughes, who will provide depth behind Ahtyba Rubin and Phil Taylor.

"We got two big, tough physical guys (who) are going to help us," said Shurmur.

The Browns didn't draft any of the 12 receivers that went off the board, but Heckert defended that decision.

"We'll see what happens [Saturday]," said Heckert. "We could've drafted one, but we liked other players better."

As of Friday afternoon, McCoy had no plans to ask for a trade, but would like an opportunity to compete with the Weeden for the starting job, a source said. McCoy was given the impression by the Browns all off-season that he was going to be their starting quarterback, at least heading into training camp.

If he remains as a backup, it might not be such a bad situation for him -- or the Browns. McCoy's salary is team-friendly: he's only making $540,000 and 2013: $575,000. If he's willing to back up Weeden, who's three years his senior, it might be a chance to learn the West Coast offense better. He would then get an opportunity if Weeden falters or gets injured.

But make no mistake about Weeden's role. "We have the guy that we think is our guy as we move forward," said Shurmur.

Meanwhile, Weeden conducted himself like a starting quarterback during his introductory press conference. After spending five years pitching in the minor leagues and four years at Oklahoma State, Weeden is not your typical rookie quarterback. He's married and is older than most of the players on the Browns' roster. He was the first player chosen in the 2002 MLB draft by the Yankees and left home at the age of 18 to chase his dream of pitching in the major leagues.

"My baseball background, the adversity I've been through, it really prepares me for what I'm about to go through," he said. "Being 28 years old, I use it as an advantage because my body's still fresh, I have a lot of football left in my tank. I think it's going to help in the locker room. I think it's going to help me prepare on a daily basis to become the best player I can possibly become."

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/04/cleveland_browns_add_two_linem.html

The Cleveland Browns select Alabama’s RB Trent Richardson

50 years after trading for Ernie Davis the Browns have selected running back Trent Richardson with their first selection in the 2012 NFL Draft. Richardson, who was widely regarded as the best non-quarterback prospect in this year’s draft will dawn a Cleveland Uniform.
The Browns decided that they could not risk a team like Tampa Bay to trade with Minnesota for the chance to draft Richardson.
The Browns swapped first round picks and sent a 4th, 5th, and 7th round selections to Minnesota in order to ensure they got him.
Richardson will provide a much needed piece of Cleveland’s offensive puzzle as the team struggled last year winning only 4 games. They were ranked 29th in total offense and 30th in run offense doing little to move the ball up and down the field. Richardson is an all-around back who can stay on the field on all three downs. He has great hands and finishes runs always moving forward. At 5-11, 224 pounds, Richardson is like a bowling ball with wheels.
With the selection of Richardson, this is the first time in the history of the Cleveland Browns franchise that they have taken a running back in the top five. Even the great Jim Brown was select 6th overall in the 1957 draft. The bar is set high for the young man who grew up from Pensacola Florida, but Richardson has the talent to be one of the all-time greats.

http://www.clevelandbrownsreport.info/2012/04/cleveland-browns-select-alabamas-rb.html

Josh Cribbs ticketed for going 103 mph

Josh Cribbs created a lane for himself in the NFL by being a speedster on the field, returning an NFL record eight kickoffs for touchdowns. However being a speedster on the road doesn't cut it in the eyes of the law.

Cribbs was ticketed in Cleveland for going 103 mph in a 60 mph zone.
Cribbs was issued a speeding citation on Friday night at 8:45 p.m. for driving 103 miles-per-hour in a 60-mph zone.

According to a copy of the speeding ticket issued to Cribbs obtained by Fox 8 News, the former Pro-Bowler was driving on I-71 near Fulton Avenue in a 2010 Bentley when he was clocked going 43-mph over the limit.


Instead of complaining about the ticket Cribbs took to Twitter a praised the police for doing their job and admitted that he was at fault for speeding.
Yes I was pulled over for speeding, going too fast, luckily the police were on the job. Wasn't going that fast the entire time obviously but wrong is wrong, gotta face the music just like anyone else.

Much Respect to the police officers who pulled me over! I will lead better on the road now as well as on & off the field!!!


Slow it down Josh.

Cleveland Browns 22nd pick could be the pick that makes the difference.

There has been more than ample talk of the Cleveland Browns 4th overall pick in this year’s 2012 NFL Draft. But the potential draft success for this year will also weigh heavily on the Browns 22nd overall pick which was acquired from Atlanta in the 2011 Draft trade that allowed the Falcons to select Julio Jones. Will Heckert and Holmgren’s gamble in 2011 pay off in 2012? Let us examine the possible options for the Browns.

WR Kendall Wright, Baylor
The 5-10 196 lb four year starter for the Baylor Bears has impressive speed and lightning quick moves. Wright had a lack luster 40-yard-dash time at the combine but then posted numbers between 4.41 & 4.46 at Baylor’s pro day in March. Wright holds a share in 10 Baylor receiving records including setting a season mark last year of 108 receptions for 1,663 and 14 touchdowns. Wright’s career total of 4,004 receiving yards is over 1,000 yards more than any Baylor receiver in school history. Although Wright is not a large target, he does have the ability to get open either short, or deep routes. He has reliable hands and impeccable concentration (which is something lacking in Cleveland). He is also a natural blocking receiver and takes pride in his ability to do what is necessary to win. Many scouts have compared Wright to Carolina’s best receiver of all time Steve Smith.

WR Stephen Hill, Georgia Tech
Stephen Hill is a bit of a mystery package as far as first round prospects go. Hill was Georgia Tech’s number one receiver in a system that runs a triple option offense. Because of this offensive scheme Hill had only caught 28 passes last year. However his receiving yards from those 28 receptions totaled an unbelievable 920 yards which led the nation in yards per attempt at 29.3 (Does anyone remember the passing game in Tecmo Bowl?). Hill’s talent, and ability is not in question however (much like Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill) he is still a very raw and unpolished commodity. When picking in the first round, teams tend to avoid players with little experience. However unlike Tannehill,, the question for Hill is not playing time, it’s about the opportunities he had in the Yellow Jacket offensive scheme. Hill is expected to go no later than the 25th overall pick.

OT Mike Adams, Ohio State
To any Browns fan whom also follows the Buckeyes you are very familiar with Mike Adams from Ohio State. Adams is considered to be the third best tackle in this year’s draft pool, and that pool is a shallow one in 2012. After Adams, many consider the talent level at offensive tackle to be dramatically less. Adams is expected to be picked no later than 27th in the draft, however due to recent events, Adams may slide a little further. During the NFL combine in February Adams tested positive for marijuana. He has since undergone counseling and has been up front with all teams about the situation. Some point out that his honesty about the situation will be a positive in his favor, but the failing of the drug test does call into question a possible character flaw.
These are “best guess” options at the 22nd pick for the Browns. And a guess is all anyone will tell you because predicted selection are useless at 22 if there is any sort of trade or surprise pick from a team ahead. This also does not preclude a trade for the Browns. They also have the 37th pick and with a total of 13 picks in this years draft I would not be surprised if the Browns move back up into the 1st round for another pick. With so much disinformation, manipulation, and out-right lying during this part of the year from NFL teams, it will likely be a mad house in draft rooms all across the country.

http://www.clevelandbrownsreport.info/2012/04/cleveland-browns-22nd-pick-could-be.html

Reports of the Cleveland Browns' demise have been exaggerated (for now): Bud Shaw's Sports Spin

By Bud Shaw, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns are currently favored only against the Colts and the Mayans in 2012, according to some analysis...

NFL.com suggests the Browns could "realistically [start] 0-13" in 2012. Good thing these guys aren't at your side handicapping your chances on the first day of a new diet. With that kind of encouragement, you'd be reading a self-help book and eating a bag of Oreos by lunch time.

Look, the Browns are entirely capable of detonating their season when it rolls around in September. They have a knack for it, in fact. The offense will have to rally in support of a defense facing a quarterback roll call that could include Michael Vick, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Tony Romo and Joe Flacco.

However, it's early in the year and a waste of time to project how the home team will do against that kind of competition.

While it seems safe to say based on 2011 the Browns could well match them punt-for-point unless big improvements are made offensively between now and then, it's silly to wire the Browns for explosives and trip the timer in April. They may not find a way to save themselves but the manner in which some "analysts" are reacting you'd think the season is guaranteed to go down like a MacGruber Saturday Night Live skit.

The analysis, if you can call it that, of the Browns' schedule on the NFL's web site concludes they "can't catch a break."

Let's see. For the 13th time in 14 seasons, the Browns open the season at home. This one is against a 8-8 team that Pat Shurmur and Brad Childress ought to know better than most. Not that there's much proof of it locally, but opening at home is considered an advantage throughout the NFL for a reason that's pretty obvious. It beats the alternative.

Other than being the gift that keeps not giving -- they're 1-12 -- opening at home is still a break considering the game could be in Philadelphia where Eagles fans do a pretty good impersonation of the Visigoths and are coming off a season that left them particularly incensed.

The Browns have home games with Buffalo, Kansas City and Washington. Combined record in 2011: 18-30. Since you have to play somebody, this is the definition of the fairly evenly matched somebody you'd want to get at home.

They'll face two rookie quarterbacks (presumably) in Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. Why wouldn't a Browns' defense that held the Steelers to 27 points in two games be up to confusing rookie quarterbacks (not named Dalton)? It's no more helpful to imagine whether Peyton Manning will be his old self in late December when the Browns visit Denver than it is to imagine him in a neck brace by Halloween.

A year ago, you were looking at the schedule and figuring a game at Indy for a loss and a crack at Alex Smith and the 49ers as a possible win. The opposite happened.

The Browns play the AFC West and the NFC East this time around. Of the eight teams in those two divisions, only the Giants had a winning record in 2011 (9-7).

The Browns have proven they can turn any schedule into an unnatural disaster. Until it happens in 2012 let's agree to hold off on the doomsday scenarios.

At least until 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept 9, when we get a glimpse as to whether the NFL Mayans are on to something.

http://www.cleveland.com/budshaw/index.ssf/2012/04/reports_of_the_cleveland_brown.html

Browns Coach Pat Shurmur...Lost in Space?

Cleveland Browns head coach Pat Shurmur caught a lot of heat last season from sports writers and armchair quarterbacks. Aside from the typical criticism that any coach would receive for his teams lack-luster performance in a 4-12 season he was also criticized for what could be considered questionable play-calling.
Stepping away from the constant chatter about the up-coming draft, Nfl.com has done their annual rating of Nfl coaches and it comes as no surprise that Shurmur is--well--near the bottom, sitting at #29 (Thats 29 of 32--truly in the cellar).
A Quote from Nfl.com:

"It's been a tough go for the Browns' Shurmur. A man hired for his offensive acumen seemed to be lost in space in the play-calling department on occasion last season. Team president Mike Holmgren seemed so eager to push Eric Mangini out the door following a 5-11 season. It's a good thing too, because Browns fans were rewarded with a 4-12 gem last year."

Many fans were upset with the hiring of Shurmur, many believing that Browns president Mike Holmgren should have grabbed an elite head coach, one with a track record of placing numbers in the "Win" column. At times it is hard to defend Shurmur, seriously--how can you defend a former offensive coordinator and now head coach who calls a play to hand the ball off to a running-back who is not in the game, instead handing the ball to a tight-end who has never taken a hand-off and in a critical situation to boot!
But, we are all human and everyone makes mistakes, even the elite coaches. Although I have been a tad harsh on Shurmur in the past and taking into consideration the tools (Players) at his disposal along with him being rather "New at this sorta thing"--is this poor rating justified?
We now have Nfl.coms' opinion, what is yours--is Shurmur really that bad, is he truly "Lost in Space"?

http://www.clevelandbrownsreport.info/2012/04/browns-coach-pat-shurmurlost-in-space.html

Cleveland Browns should build a roof and plan for Super Bowl L

April 15, 2012 By Craig Lyndall

According to PFT, the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys will both be bidding to host Super Bowl L in 2016. For those who aren’t good with Roman numerals, that means Super Bowl 50. We all know that the Browns have never appeared in a Super Bowl or hosted one. While we can’t guarantee that the Browns will ever compete in a Super Bowl, recent history with Indianapolis and Detroit hosting Super Bowls tells us that we could host one if we had a roof on the stadium. Much like Browns fans proved with Peyton Hillis’ Madden cover, we are a powerful group of people. Is it time that we finally controlled our own destiny and got a Super Bowl hosted in the city of Cleveland by building a roof?

I know this is always a controversial idea because Browns football is rooted in history of playing outdoors. Then again Browns football is also rooted in the history of the late 80s that also never produced a trip to the Super Bowl. As hard as we’ve rooted, the Lerner family hasn’t been able to deliver more than a single playoff game. So maybe it is time to take control of our own destiny and at least get in the running to host a Super Bowl.

A retractable roof isn’t cheap. The estimate for the retractable roof in Minnesota accounts for about $200 million of the $791 million stadium budget. The bulk of the materials to build the retractable roof in Indianapolis approached the $100 million dollar range. So, it obviously isn’t a cheap proposition. The positive economic impact isn’t small either.

The NFL wildly overestimates the economic impact of the Super Bowl coming to your town in all likelihood. Some people spout off numbers like $500 million which is kind of crazy. It might be $500 million if you didn’t have to expend any money to earn that $500 million. But let’s say the impact is a couple hundred million. It should pay for the roof all by itself.

In addition to that, it gives Cleveland a venue to host more events. I won’t pretend that the concert industry is doing well or anything. The number of stadium acts that can play rock concerts isn’t high. Still, if you add a festival and a couple of country acts per year that would be nice. In addition you can host high school playoff football like they do in Indianapolis. Point being that it could turn into a public hub for activity double as many times per year as it does right now pretty conservatively without much issue.

Yes, we might have to sell the naming rights to the stadium to defray the cost. Yes, we might have to invest some tax dollars to make it happen. Yes, it does change a bit of the culture around the football team. But you know what? Bernie Kosar isn’t walking back through that door to throw touchdown passes to Webster Slaughter. Hanford Dixon isn’t breaking up anymore passes either. The only portion of the culture that lives is being drunk and cold as players hate to play here. Maybe free agents still wouldn’t flock to Cleveland, but at least it wouldn’t be an impediment.

Certainly the best way to turn the Browns around and attract free agents is to instill a winning culture. Players don’t mind playing in Pittsburgh where the winters stink too. And who knows? Mike Holmgren and company could be doing that, but just in case they’re not, we should take control of what we can control as fans. We proved our power with Peyton Hillis and the Madden cover. Now it’s time to take on something bigger and even more fruitful.

http://www.waitingfornextyear.com/2012/04/cleveland-browns-should-build-a-roof-and-plan-for-super-bowl-l/

Braylon Edwards a Cleveland Brown………….Again?

Braylon Edwards once again finds himself on the free agent market, but this time, he is not thinking he’s entitled to a big-money contract, instead, he’s likely hoping to find a team for the 2012 NFL season. And if he is healthy, do you want him to come back to Cleveland?

Braylon Edwards was a 1st round draft pick (3rd overall) by the Cleveland Browns in the 2005 NFL draft. He subsequently had his break-out year with the club in 2007 scoring 18 touchdowns, 80 receptions, and 1,289 yards that season. Unfortunately a “self-loving” attitude and poor performance earned Braylon a ticket out of Cleveland in 2009. He spent the remainder of the 2009 season, and the 2010 season with the New York Jets and proved he could be a down the field threat for the Rex Ryan’s Green Machine. He signed a one-year $1 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 but an injury plagued year limited Edwards to just 9 games and led to his unceremonious release from the club on December 27th just before the 49ers started their playoff run.

Edwards has suffered as of recent from some off the field issues (a DUI in Manhattan and his part in a restaurant fight in Michigan). Edwards also could not stay on the field as he eventually had knee surgery in September of 2011. He says his rehab has been going well, and he should be good to go for the 2012 NFL season. “IF” healthy, Edwards could be a real bargain for some team looking to add a vertical threat to their offensive lineup and NO team is in more desperate need for that threat than the Cleveland Browns.

Edwards, who is now 29, has matured of recent and although his ability to catch the ball consistently has been brought into question throughout his career, he does possess some talent that has been lacking from the Browns receiving corps of recent. So if Cleveland can acquire a receiver that can stretch the field for a bargain price, do you welcome Edwards back to Ohio?

Even with the upcoming draft, there is no guarantee that the Browns will get a premium receiver. At least there is no guarantee that whomever they draft will be able to make an impact immediately. And even if both the draftee in question, and Greg Little work well as a one-two combination on the field, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have another option, especially at the price that Edwards will play for.

Michael W. Youngman--Lead Analyst C.B.R.

 

http://www.clevelandbrownsreport.info/2012/04/braylon-edwards-cleveland-brownsagain.html

The Cleveland Browns are sitting pretty

That’s right Browns fans our Browns can't lose in the upcoming NFL draft. Even for a me, a fan who has never seen a trade down that I did not absolutely love. Every draft, no matter where the Browns choose it seems they are one or two picks out of the running of the can't miss picks of the draft. Not this year, They chose 4th and with the first two picks locked in, there are still three or possibly four players remaining who I believe will be solid to All Pro NFL players.

Matt Kalil, Justin Blackmon, and Trent Richardson are the top three remaining prospects left and you can throw Morris Claiborne in there for good measure as well. The Minnesota Vikings are reportedly interested in Kalil, so that leaves the Browns to decide between the remaining three.

Nothing against Mo Claiborne, but the Browns are in desperate need of an infusion of talent on the offensive side of the ball. Both Richardson and Blackmon’s stats are excellent so I don’t need to go over them, but I will point out a few details.

First Trent Richardson, RB out of Alabama. He rushed for 100 yds and 2 touchdowns in the BCS Title game as a freshman. He led Bama in yards per carry as a sophomore with a 6.2 avg and was the SEC offensive player of the year this past season. He had 46 plays of 12 yards or more and did not lose one fumble in his career at Alabama. He increased his receptions in each of his three seasons, which I think is a huge attribute that the entire Browns front office and coaching staff require of their running backs. Most of all for me I remember seeing him as a freshman and thinking he was special and that’s when Mark Ingram was the starter.

Then we have Justin Blackmon, WR from Oklahoma State. All he did was win the conferences offensive player of the year award as a sophomore for the first time in the conferences history and took home the Biletnikoff Award as the nations top wide receiver. He repeated as the nations top receiver again this past year and led the Cowboys to a Fiesta Bowl win over Andrew Luck and Stanford with 188 yards receiving on eight catches and three touchdowns. As far as the eye test goes he reminds me of T.O.(Terrell Owens) with reliable hands and a good attitude. We all saw how the Cowboy offense struggled until they got Blackmon involved in the Fiesta Bowl.

In my final analysis the Browns should go with……. Trent Richardson! The deciding factor for me is this. Richardson will touch the ball 20-30 times a game.  If a WR has a great game he touched the ball 8-12 times. I would not be upset if they took Blackmon, but I would take the RB.
So as you can see the Browns cant miss, Right?

Arnie Hamilton

http://www.clevelandbrownsreport.info/2012/04/cleveland-browns-are-sitting-pretty.html

Browns are ready to turn the tide: Blog Roundup

By Glenn Moore, cleveland.com

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians.

Cleveland Browns

Lawrence Dushenski of This Given Sunday talks about how the Browns have a prime chance to build their core for years to come.

"But despite slow progress on the field, the pieces seem to be falling into place at just the right time. They have their franchise bookend with Joe Thomas playing as well as any blindside protector in the league. Their other franchise Joe plays on the corner. Haden was a standout at Florida, and it working his way into the conversation of the second tier corners, behind Revis Island.

Last year the Browns were in a power position with the sixth overall pick in a draft ripe with offensive talent. Julio Jones was on the board and the Falcons simply could not help themselves. They paid a ransom that is still being paid off, and the Browns are starting to pile up highly skilled assets as a result."

Jeremy Stanekenas of Fan of the Game First explains why the running back position is not dead and why it is so important in the West Coast Offense.

"In the NFL, it is almost impossible to win without a running game. There’s no way any Coach or GM will agree with anyone saying they don’t need a Running Back. For the Browns and this upcoming draft it makes no sense to pass on a true Running Back, a franchise caliber back. Anyone saying we can find one in the later rounds, sure you’re right. We can find any position in the lower rounds too. There’s seven rounds worth of drafting. Are we going to draft a Quarterback in the fifth round and start him in the home opener? We don’t have a chance of landing a franchise type Quarterback this year, but we can land a franchise Running Back. Why pass on that chance? Oh, because we all want a Wide Receiver. "

http://www.cleveland.com/sportsnetwork/index.ssf/2012/04/browns_are_ready_to_turn_the_tide_tribes_opening_weekend_and_the_lester_hudson_effect_blog_roundup.html

There is something to be said about the Cleveland Browns fans.

n a corner of the mid-west part of the United States, off the shores of Lake Erie lies the city of Cleveland Ohio. It is a city that has risen and fallen within the zeitgeist of national attention. From the Lake Erie fire in 1969, to the transformation of its blue-collared jobs it thrived on into another stretch of the U.S. Rust Belt the city of Cleveland has had its hard times. But nothing has been as bewildering to the city of Cleveland as the lack of success of its home team Browns. But despite the pain, and the heart-ache, the city of Cleveland has the undisputed title “Greatest Fans of the NFL”.

Named by the fans in the city it represents in 1945, Browns fans have been through the gauntlet of human emotion within the confines of the team’s history. They have rejoiced in victory with triumphs such as the incredible “Jets double overtime”. And they have also been tempered in defeat, infamous moments known as “The Drive” ”Red Right 88:,” or “The Fumble”. Moments such as these have left the Browns fans breathless, holding onto their broken dreams as if they still had meaning. This fan base has experienced it all, including the loss of its franchise to the city of Baltimore. But despite it all, the Browns fans rise up dusting off their old tattered Bernie Kosar, and Jim Brown jerseys hungry for more.

But of recent the Cleveland Browns have fallen on even harder times. Since the teams return to the league after their three year exodus from football the team, which is affectionately known as “The Brownies” have struggled for glory.  They have managed just two winning seasons out of twelve. They have had sixteen starting quarterbacks, five different head coaches (not counting interim head coaches), and a countless number of nameless, faceless players. And despite all that, if you were to travel to Cleveland Browns Stadium on a Sunday afternoon you would see the masses cheering, and celebrating. Perhaps it was the loss of their team that makes them cherish every moment, or maybe it’s just passion for the game, but despite all the losing seasons they remain faithful, and optimistic.

The Cleveland Browns fan-base extends well beyond the Ohio state border. It has become a large living, breathing entity of networked fans known as “The Browns Backers”. And they continue to pay homage to their beloved team from as far as twelve thousand miles away. Browns Backers are the largest sports-fan organization in the country. Browns Backers Clubs can be found in every major city in the United States, in parts of Europe, and beyond. We the fans of Cleveland took a virtual unknown player with a decent season and made him golden having given him a place on the cover of perhaps the greatest gaming franchise in history known as Madden NFL Football. And we did it not because he earned it, and not because he deserved it. But we did it because we love our Browns. And no one, no team, no city, and no mass media network, can take that away from us.

So we will march on. We will cherish the victories, and swallow the defeats. We will celebrate moments both good and bad with equal fervor. And yes, we may be bipolar, and narcissistic, and maybe even a little schizophrenic, but we are Browns fans to the bitter end.

GO BROWNS!!!!
Michael W. Youngman
(Lead Analyst C.B.R.)

http://www.clevelandbrownsreport.info/2012/04/there-is-something-to-be-said-about.html

Cleveland Browns' 2012 preseason opponents, in order: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers on the road; Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears at home

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns have announced their opponents for the 2012 preseason schedule.

It's the same group of teams that Cleveland faced during the 2011 preseason.

The Browns' first two exhibition games will be on the road, against the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. Cleveland then plays home exhibition games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears.

Detroit and Chicago have become regular preseason opponents for the Browns. This will be the 11th straight preseason that the Browns and Lions play, and the ninth straight time that the Browns and Bears will meet.

Dates for the specific games have been announced within a window of a few days. Exact game dates and the game times will be announced in the near future.

 

Game 1: Aug. 9-13     at DETROIT LIONS            Ford Field

Game 2: Aug. 16-20   at GREEN BAY PACKERS      Lambeau Field

Game 3: Aug. 23-26   vs. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES   Cleveland Browns Stadium

Game 4: Aug. 29-30   vs. CHICAGO BEARS           Cleveland Browns Stadium

Cleveland Browns uniforms get a Nike update

The NFL and Nike unveiled the new uniforms today in New York. The Cleveland Browns were represented by Joe Haden as the model for the new uniform. The biggest change is the collar and the brown seems to be darker. Oh yeah the Nike logo on the side. Randy Lerner said in an interview in Scene magazine that the AL would be removed this year also.

The Cleveland Browns, Racing or Stumbling towards the Draft?

The Cleveland Browns along with all NFL teams are approaching the NFL Draft hoping to make vital decisions that will improve their teams performance. This performance will be improved only by adding players that can have an impact whether it be on the offensive or defensive side of the ball. In the case of the Browns these decisions will be numerous as the Browns have multiple positions that need to be upgraded for Cleveland to field a competitive team. Hopefully the Browns "Brain Trust" is racing with eyes wide open into the Draft, instead of stumbling into it with blurred vision.
After the medias explosive and continuous coverage of Robert Griffin III catapulted him from his earlier projected position of a later 1st round choice to sitting comfortably at #2, possibly #1 depending on what the Indianapolis Colts do with regards to Andrew Luck, the medias attention has now turned to Ryan Tannehill. The "hoopla" surrounding Griffin III is now old news replaced by the next attention grabbing headline, the Browns must take Tannehill at the #4 pick!
Several sports writers and respected draft analysts are now pushing the Tannehill train, a train that per them must head towards Cleveland. These sports writers have made bold statements, statements such as it is a "no-brainer" for Cleveland to pick Tannehill, with a draft guru going as far as to say that he sees little difference between Griffin III and Tannehill, an interesting statement when one considers that the Texas A&M quarterback was little more than an afterthought a few months ago. These analysts and draft gurus previosly had suggested that Tannehill was a project quarterback at best and although talented and athletic had only performed in 19 games, so what caused this "turn-around" in opinion--the RGIII love-fest is over, time for the next headline grabbing subject.
Tannehill at #4 would be a major setback for the Browns, a team that has proven they need numerous up-grades at vital offensive positions. Although the book is still out on Browns quarterback Colt McCoy it is evident that improvements to the receiving corp would be a vital improvement along with what many consider another major need, an up-grade at the running-back position. Setting aside these needs to acquire a quarterback, although much heralded by the media, that at best could be considered "a work in progress" at the #4 pick would be a sign of desperation, truly closing your eyes and hoping for the best!

Trading down with the Rams--not gonna happen!
There are those that believe the Browns will swing some kind of deal with the St. Louis Rams possibly sending the Browns into the #6 spot and picking up an extra 2nd round pick. Why? If the Rams had their heart set on moving up to #4 why didn't they merely accept the Browns offer for RGIII, which Browns president Mike Holmgren said was "every bit the offer" that Washington made? Statements made by Holmgren after the Browns attempt to trade with the Rams would lead one to believe that Holmgren will be less than jumping at the opportunity to deal with the Rams.
Browns GM Tom Heckert has stated that the Browns have left the door open for trading down to acquire multiple picks, but how far down. With it doubtful that the Rams will entertain trading with the Browns (tho' they did toss a bone and suggest they would) where would the Browns land? It is likely any trade down, minus one with the Rams would place Cleveland out of reach for much heralded prospects Trent Richardson and Justin Blackmon, two players many feel are on the Browns radar.
It will be interesting how this soap opera unfolds, do the Browns make the costly gamble of drafting the recent media darling in Ryan Tannehill? But then, do they stand firm at #4 hoping to grab the #1 running-back in the draft, Richardson. Of course they could trade down and hope the drafts top receiver, Justin Blackmon is available. However it is possible they will trade "out of reach" for either and go with best player available! Hopefully the Browns "Brain Trust" is approaching this with both eyes open and paying little attention to the media hype.

A.J. Hunley (Senior Writer, C.B.R.)

http://www.clevelandbrownsreport.info/2012/04/cleveland-browns-racing-or-stumbling.html