Surviving the Lockout in Cleveland

And boom went the dynamite. The lockout has begun, the Players' Union is no more, and we must now prepare for the potentially long winter ahead of us without football activities. How will the Browns handle the changes in their offseason schedule? New starting quarterback Colt McCoy cannot study the playbook to get a leg up on his new offense. Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson cannot study the playbook for the new defense he will be leading next fall. Veteran kicker Phil Dawson can still kick as many footballs as he wants in his backyard. So it's not all doom and gloom, even though the Browns will probably be one of the hardest hit teams by the lockout.

I'm not the first to say this, and I'm sure I won't be the last, but this lockout is really bad timing for the Cleveland Browns. Three new coordinators in Cleveland, a new offense, a new defense, a new head coach, and who-knows-how-many new players to add to the mix all mean that the Browns will have a lot of catching up to do before they can realistically compete with the top teams in the AFC North. Fortunately for us fans, the Browns are at the beginning of our latest rebuilding effort so it's not like we were going to contend for the division title anyways. How's that for some optimism? Unlike how Bengals fans must have felt last season, we can begin preparing ourselves for another 4-12 season right now instead of realizing it halfway through the 2011 season! Isn't that something to be proud of?

On the upside, young Colt McCoy was able to gain some valuable experience last season so at least he has something to work off of heading into next season. Fan favorite Peyton Hillis, who wore down at the end of last year, should be very happy about having more time to rest his legs in preparation for another physical season. Running back is a position that doesn't require as much time to catch up as other positions, and Hillis is already well suited to a pass-first offense. Recent second-round picks Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi should spend their free time working on improving their hands, but they will be a little behind in trying to grasp the West Coast offense concepts because of the lockout. Tight ends Ben Watson and Evan Moore should actually benefit a little from having more time off. Watson is a veteran player from New England, so he should be familiar with pass-heavy offenses and Moore can probably use as much time as possible to make sure he is healthy for next season. The offensive line is made up of veterans and smart young players like Alex Mack. Second-year guard Shawn Lauvao is the only inexperienced lineman on the roster that could see significant playing time next year.

The defensive line and linebacking corps will also have a lot of catching up to do to become acquainted with new coordinator Dick Jauron's scheme. These front seven players have the most transitioning to do as they must now learn how to play the 4-3. Veterans Scott Fujita and Matt Roth have experience playing in this scheme, so hopefully they can help the younger guys learn their new positions quickly. The defensive backfield will be the spot least affected by the scheme change, as Jerome Henderson, the defensive backs coach, was one of the few members of Eric Mangini's staff that was retained. There will be some schematic differences that affect them because of the scheme change, but not as much as other positions on the field.

As far as overall strategies are concerned, the Browns are in a pretty good place regarding the lockout. While there will be no free agency until more progress is made on the CBA, the draft will still go ahead as planned. As teams like the Ravens, Steelers, and Green Bay Packers have demonstrated, it is wise to build through the draft and that is exactly what czar Mike Holmgren and GM Tom Heckert will be doing this offseason. So far there have been rumors of many private workouts being held for the Browns, including one for high-profile prospect Cam Newton. As we all know, Holmgren loves working with quarterbacks and any insider info he can glean from a workout can only help us in the future, even if we don't draft a quarterback high in the draft. Overall, I think the concerns about the Browns are a little overblown. Yes, the lockout will hurt, but we are rebuilding anyways so going from a potential 6-10 team to a 4-12 team is not that much of a difference, even for long-suffering Browns fans.

As always, stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed for a new CBA.

Buckeyes and Browns News and Insights

Oh what a great time to be a hater. If you haven't heard, Jim Tressel is in some trouble. He was informed of some of his players selling memorabilia, which is against NCAA rules. In the interests of full disclosure, I'm an Ohio native and a Buckeyes fan. However, Jim Tressel is not the devil he is being made out to be by some, especially on Twitter. He's not perfect by any means, and he made a very large mistake, but I'm with Gordon Gee and Gene Smith on this one. He doesn't deserve to be thrown out for this. Should he be punished? Absolutely, and he has been suspended for two games and $250,000 worth of game checks. I would also expect the NCAA to give out some form of punishment as well, so let's not count our chickens before they hatch. There are still a lot of questions swirling around the whole matter, so it's prudent to wait and see what the NCAA decides.

ESPN.com has ranked the top 10 wide receivers in the NFL. I don't think anyone is surprised to see that no Browns made this list. In fact, no AFC North receiver made the list. Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace got some consideration, and rightfully so, after having a breakout year as one of the best young deep threats in the league, but he still has much to improve on. Hopefully for Cleveland's sake he never joins this list, but I think he's well on his way to being the terror of the AFC North for a long time.

ESPN's James Walker broke down how Mel Kiper's latest mock affects the AFC North. I'll be ecstatic if A.J. Green is indeed the pick, as Kiper is now predicting. I'll be even more ecstatic if the Bengals actually take Cam Newton, as I don't expect him to be an effective quarterback in the pros for several years, if ever. The situation in Cincinatti with Carson Palmer is very unfortunate for them, especially considering the lack of a "slam dunk" quarterback prospect in this year's draft and the lack of trades or free agency that might allow them to get a veteran quarterback like Kevin Kolb and use their high draft pick on another need. While the Browns are generally seen as among the biggest losers in a potential lockout, the Bengals are right there with them due to their QB situation.

James Walker also ranked his top 7 players with the most to prove. Peyton Hillis (#3) and Colt McCoy (#1) headline this list for the Browns. Hillis needs to get healthy and work on decreasing his fumbles for next season. Hopefully the return of Montario Hardesty from an ACL injury will allow the Browns' workhorse to stay more rested throughout the season and not have his production slow down as the season goes on. Colt McCoy needs to prove that he can be a franchise quarterback for a full season. The new West Coast offense should get the most out of McCoy's strengths while minimizing his weaknesses. His accuracy, intelligence, and mobility will help offset his lack of elite arm strength and prototypical QB size, but he needs to show that he can be effective over 16 (or 18?) games. A full offseason to bulk up and get healthy will help, but a lack of team activities in the offseason could slow his understanding of the new offense being implemented.

On the CBA front, it appears that progress is being made but the players want NFL owners to open their financial books to public scrutiny. I believe I am in the majority of fans who feel that this is not a ridiculous request by the Players Association. The owners are claiming they are losing money, so they should support their assertion with evidence. If none is supplied, I won't believe them and I doubt the players will either. Hopefully this situation will be resolved as soon as possible.

Mocking the Draft, one of my favorite sites for draft information, has put up their analysis of the Cleveland Browns' team needs. I think writer "GarrettFalk" is absolutely correct in his assessment of what the Browns should do in the upcoming draft. Wide receiver is the biggest need, with defensive line a close second. As he states in the article, the Browns could get some very solid defensive tackle prospects in round two if they take A.J. Green or Julio Jones in round one.

As always, stay tuned for more news and analysis.

Keeping up with the Browns

Image courtesy of SI.com.

With a lockout looming ahead of us, the Browns have not been standing still. The recent extensions to the existing CBA have not allowed free agency to kick off, but there has still been much to do. And for once I'm not even talking about the draft!





Backup quarterback Seneca Wallace was signed to a three year deal worth $9 million. I'm hoping this means that Seneca is fine with being the backup to starting quarterback Colt McCoy, but we shall see. His familiarity with Mike Holmgren and the West Coast offense surely contributed to this deal, and he could prove to be a good mentor to Colt McCoy.





D'Qwell Jackson was signed to a one year, incentive-laden contract that could be worth up to $4.5 million if he reaches his incentives. I'm all for incentive-driven contracts, it's a win-win situation for the team and it inspires the players to play their best. If Jackson is ineffective, he earns very little money. If he is a difference-maker, he gets every penny of that $4.5 million. What's not to like?





Cornerback Eric Wright was given a second-round tender by the Browns. To me, that means that despite his terrible season in 2010, the Browns are confident that Wright can get right and return to his previous form. GM Tom Heckert has expressed confidence in Wright and a desire to retain him. Wright himself has stated a desire to finish his career in Cleveland. I hope he is still here next year, and can return to form as one of the league's better cover corners. With Sheldon Brown's age starting to creep upwards, a tandem of Wright and young Joe Haden might be seen in Cleveland for a long time. If nothing else, we can at least be very sure that we have the most confident secondary around.





TE Evan Moore also received a second-round tender by the Browns. The two tender offers given by the Browns likely mean that Moore and Wright will be back, because I doubt too many NFL teams will want to give up a second-round pick to sign either of these players. Moore, when healthy, has shown that he has excellent receiving abilities and could be a great target for Colt McCoy in his development.





If you're interested in the ongoing CBA discussions, here is an article at WFNY that might suit your fancy. It's a two-parter, with the first part being linked to in at the top of that page.





While this is a football blog, I can't ignore the Buckeyes. They capped off their impressive regular season with a flurry of 3-pointers and buried Wisconsin (and everybody's favorite coach Bo Ryan). Jon Deibler (also known as 3-bler) has hit 17 of 20 three-pointers in the last two games, and has also led the team in fired-up snarls after a big make. He reminds me of a miniature Wally Szczerbiak with his pin-point shooting and exuberance, and I love watching it. This team will be fun to watch in the Big Ten tournament and the Big Dance. Go Bucks!

Browns Roundup

Photo courtesy of Cleveland.com.

For the first time in a while, it feels like it's actually been a busy week in the football world. Labor negotiations are ongoing, and some progress has reportedly been made. The NFL Combine started yesterday, franchise tags have been thrown around all over the place, and some free agents have already changed teams. It's a fun time.

The Browns have not been standing still while all of this is going on. Longtime Cleveland kicker Phil Dawson received the franchise tag, which will keep him in brown and orange for at least one more year.



Josh Cribbs was involved in a PR uproar involving less-than-beloved Lebron James.



Mike Holmgren has been in the news for his comments about quarterbacks and the team's draft needs. Holmgren still has his support fully behind young Colt McCoy, but he will also be meeting with other quarterbacks in the draft. This will help him gauge their value in potential trade-downs. He is also well-known for selecting a quarterback at some point in nearly every draft he's been a part of. Holmgren also wants "a home-run hitter." To me, that means A.J. Green and I would be ecstatic if that came to pass. However, Green is hardly the only "home-run hitter" in this year's draft.


It's getting to be a busy time in the NFL, so check back soon for more updates and news.

The Case for A.J. Green, Part 2

On Monday we looked into the Browns' current receiver situation and why an explosive playmaker is needed. If you missed it, here it is. Today we'll be looking more closely at one of the most exciting players in the draft, the much-discussed and much-hyped A.J. Green, receiver from Georgia. Does he deserve the hype and the attention? Let's see.

For the sake of the discussion, let's start with the simple stuff. He stands 6'4" tall and weighs approximately 208 lbs. The combine (starting tomorrow) will provide more measurements that will help us quantify his talents even better. His size is prototypical for a receiver, and it gives him a wide range for a quarterback to throw a pass into. However, he could easily afford to add a few more pounds to his lean frame to better absorb the big hits that NFL defensive backs and linebackers like to dish out.

I'm sure Cleveland fans, who were forced to put up with Braylon Edwards for several years, will be ecstatic to see that A.J. Green's most outstanding talent is his hands. He just catches everything. In the Youtube clip I posted on Monday, his coach at Georgia mentioned that it was highly irregular to see him drop a single pass throughout the course of practice. In his (lengthy) highlight reel of catches, we see that he catches the easy passes as well as the ridiculously difficult passes. Potentially coming into a West Coast offense, it's important for him to catch every ball that comes his way, and I think he can do that. His ability to make tough catches while tightly covered also foretells his ability to be a reliable, go-to guy for young quarterback Colt McCoy.

When watching Youtube clips (my best resource for game film) of his highlights, one aspect of his game that really stood out to me was his ability to slip tackles. He doesn't have an overpowering stiff arm or the leg power of a running back to break tackles, but he seems to have a slippery quality that allows him to slip out of a lot of tackles. With so much poor tackling in the NFL he should have ample opportunities to catch a short pass, slip a tackle from a corner and scamper into the end zone. Right now Josh Cribbs is the only football player in Cleveland with that ability, but his skills as a receiver do not allow him to have as many of these opportunities as A.J. Green.

Some aspects of a player that are hard to quantify are the most important when drafting a player, especially with such a high pick as the Browns have. Attitude, work ethic, focus, injury history, and football intelligence are some that scouts will try to keep track of. Personally, I believe that a football player's intangibles are more important than any of his other attributes. While some have characterized him as a diva, I don't see his attitude as harmful. Interviews with Green himself, as well as family, teammates, and coaches would be very useful in divining his attitude towards football, but I can only go on what I see in the media. What I see is a hard working, focused football player. From looking back at his stats from high school and college, he never seemed to have much of a down year. His receptions from his freshman year of high school to his junior year of college are as follows: 57, 75, 60, 87, 56, 53, 57. I believe that this shows he maintains his focus and continues to work hard every season. The quote I mentioned earlier about how he practices also shows that he has a good attitude. He was suspended for four games at the beginning of his junior season for selling a game-worn jersey. I don't think that indicates anything a professional team has to worry about. It's worth noting that Green missed 3 games in his sophomore season due to a shoulder injury. He did, however, return for the Independence Bowl that year and recorded six catches for 57 yards. I don't think he has any significant health questions, and I believe his intangibles will take him far in the NFL.

On the downside of all of this discussion, our friends down south in Cincinatti could easily take him at the fourth overall pick and steal him away from us. I sincerely hope that they don't do that, and I've been trying to rationalize reasons that they won't. Cincinatti's coaching staff was the staff that coached the North team in this year's Senior Bowl. They got to see first-hand the strengths and weaknesses of the seniors going into this year's draft. However, since he declared as a junior A.J. Green was not a participant. It's not inconceivable that the Bengals will stick with drafting players they are more familiar with, especially considering that they are well known for not having a conventional scouting department.

However, it's not all roses and butterflies around here. There is always an inherent risk with drafting a wide receiver high in the draft. This position is often seen as a luxury position that should be strengthened when a team has a more solid foundation. The Browns have many holes to fill on their roster and those may take priority, especially considering the depth of defensive talent in this year's draft. The Bengals are in a very similar position. As James Walker of ESPN writes, "I am strongly against taking receivers in the top 10, no matter how talented they are. Teams picking that high usually have a bevy of needs," and I usually agree with this philosophy. However, Walker continues, "this year might be the exception for my theory of drafting receivers in the top 10." This is also how I feel, but there are more concerns, as well. Green has a very lanky, thin body and he might not be able to hold up to the pounding that occurs over 16 (or even more) games in the NFL season. Youtube clips do not give the best perspective on route running, and I have seen some report that his is not as crisp as it could be while others praise his route running. I think his routes are adequate, but it's very possible that with his outstanding physical talents he has never developed the crisp route running that characterizes great West Coast receivers. The NFL Combine will tell us more, and we might be nitpicking here, but he might not have top-end speed like DeSean Jackson or Mike Wallace. I think 40 times are vastly overvalued and I think Green's open-field speed is good enough to allow him to break away from defenders and score on long runs.

Overall, I think if he is available at #6 for the Browns he is the best option. He is a playmaker, he can find the endzone in many ways, and he has a very low "bust factor." His size, leaping, timing, and hands will quickly make him one of the best jump-ball receivers in the league and his ability to slip tackles also makes him a home-run threat on any given play. These skills would open up the Browns' offense and give Colt McCoy a reliable target to throw to in pressure-packed situation. Hopefully the dice will roll our way on draft day this year and we can add this high-octane talent to our otherwise dreadfully boring offense.

As I've been writing this "argument", much has gone on in the world of the NFL and the Browns. On Friday we'll have a roundup of the relevant news that has been going on. As always, stay tuned.

Browns Free Agents

It's been a slow news weekend for the Browns, but here's an interesting little article from Cleveland.com. The most interesting thing that I took away from the article was the list of key players still on their roster, and their contract status. The Browns have fifteen "key players" that are not under contract for the 2011 season (assuming there is one.)

This list includes:
QB Seneca Wallace
RG Floyd Womack
FB Lawrence Vickers
RB Mike Bell
WR Chansi Stuckey
TE Evan Moore
DE Robaire Smith
DE Brian Schaefering
DE Jayme Mitchell
LB Matt Roth
LB Marcus Benard
LB Jason Trusnik
CB Eric Wright
S Abram Elam
K Phil Dawson

This list includes a lot of players that could help out our new defensive and offensive schemes, but there are some that surely won't be brought back. I would expect more cuts from the linebacking corps, since former coach Mangini chose to have so many on his roster and the new scheme doesn't rely as heavily on linebackers as Mangini's 3-4 defense. I would also expect some turnover at the quarterback position as coach Shurmur gets someone he is familiar with to mentor Colt McCoy. There have been rumors that Lawrence Vickers will not be brought back because he doesn't fit the West Coast offense that our team will be running, but surely his blocking abilities will be missed if he is not retained.

Until a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is ironed out between the owners and the NFL Players Association, don't expect much to be decided. Hopefully the CBA is put into place quickly so we can all get back to worrying about fun stuff, like free agency and the draft. Until then, we'll wait. As always, feel free to comment and check back soon.

Football Friday!

Well, I meant to have a rundown of Senior Bowl news as it pertains to the Browns, but Mother Nature had other ideas. Since this is the last Friday of the football season, it's a good time to focus on the Super Bowl. As a Browns fan, I will be loyally wearing my cheesehead on Sunday and I hope the rest of Ohio will be doing the same. Well, I don't expect any of you to actually own a cheesehead but you get the point.

In the spirit of the Super Bowl, and due to my fanhood of Bill Simmons, I've been taking a look at some interesting gambling tidbits for the big game. The basic line is Packers by 2.5, last time I heard, and I would definitely take the Pack (you know, if gambling was legal). They have quite a few matchup advantages to exploit, chief among them being Aaron Rodgers. From taking a quick peek at their schedule, the only elite quarterbacks they've faced this season were Tom Brady and Drew Brees, and they lost both of those games. They have yet to face an "elite" QB in this offseason, with their wins coming against Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez. This may be pretty tenous, considering that the Steelers did beat Matt Ryan and Rodgers is only arguably an "elite" quarterback, but I'm sticking to it. Oh yeah, I really don't like the Steelers so that may be skewing my opinion.

Some other fun bets concerning the Super Bowl are whether B.J. Raji will appear in an offensive play (+140), points total of 71-75 (100/1), John Kuhn rushing for more than 5.5 yards (-115), and Aaron Rodgers winning Super Bowl MVP (+175). Until recently I had no idea that there were so many things to bet on, up to and including the length of the final word in the national anthem!

Coming back to more local goings-on, Colt McCoy is all set to be the full-time (and healthy!) starter next year. He says he was not fully recovered from the shoulder injury he suffered in his last college football game, but he will be ready to go for next season and he's preparing to be the starter. Considering how the quarterback situation has been handled for the last few years, this is welcome news for Browns fans. Stability at last?!

As always, stay tuned for more Browns news and notes and feel free to comment.

Monday's Roundup: Browns Have No OC

Good morning Browns fans. As you're all recovering from your Pro Bowl parties yesterday, I'm sure that you will be very interested in learning that the Browns will not have an offensive coordinator next season. Head coach Pat Shurmur will be calling the plays, as has been previously stated, and new quarterbacks coach Mark Whipple will work closely with Colt McCoy. Whipple has an impressive resume' that includes an NCAA Division 1-AA national championship, many offensive records at many different schools, and significant work with Ben Roethlisberger when he came into the league. Most recently he was the offensive coordinator of the Miami Hurricanes, where they finished 33rd in the nation in total offense.

In other coaching news, the Browns have reportedly hired Bill Davis to coach the linebackers. He has most recently been the defensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals. Davis brings 19 years of experience to his new job, and he returns to his familiar stomping grounds in Cleveland. He was on the coaching staff in the same role under head coach Chris Palmer in 1999.

There's not much to say about the Pro Bowl, other than the fact that Joe Thomas made lots of money for his third consecutive Pro Bowl (a $1.5 million bonus) and Alex Mack recorded multiple tackles (only one is shown in the box score though) as well as his first known receiving touchdown! If you don't believe it, here's the video:

Alex Mack Rumbles for the Score!

It may not have been all that legitimate and it may have been on a lateral, but he looked pretty svelte rumbling for 40 yards and diving into the end zone. Maybe we should work in some Center End Around plays for this season...

Should the Browns make an offer to the Eagles for QB Kevin Kolb? According to Cleveland.com, about %75 of Browns fans say no, and I agree. I like where Colt McCoy is going, and I think the asking price is too high for Kolb.

Coming up on Wednesday will be my opinions on this year's Senior Bowl, with a few facts thrown in just to cover my bases. As always, the comments are open and check back soon!

An Intro to the Draft: Cleveland Browns

In honor of Mel Kiper Jr.'s first mock draft of the year, let's take a quick look at the upcoming draft and where the Browns stand. It's commonly understood around Cleveland that one of the Browns' most glaring needs is a big-play, talented wide receiver. Fortunately, or unfortunately if you had to sit through every Browns game this season, the Browns own the 6th overall pick in this year's draft. Putting two and two together, it's not rocket science to anticipate the Browns selecting either Julio Jones, wide receiver from Alabama, or A.J. Green, wide receiver from Georgia, with that 6th overall pick. These two players both have NFL size and big-play ability, which goes along well with their exceptional levels of talent. As the draft approaches we will be going into more detail about each player, as well as others that may have an effect on the Browns' draft.

Without going into too much detail, Mel Kiper Jr., draft expert, had the Browns taking A.J. Green in his shiny new mock draft. This would certainly be popular around Cleveland, however, there's certainly a chance that he won't be there by the time pick number 6 rolls around. Just for reference, here are the top six picks in the draft this year:

1. Carolina Panthers
2. Denver Broncos
3. Buffalo Bills
4. Cincinatti Bengals
5. Arizona Cardinals
6. Cleveland Browns

None of these teams are known for having an exceptional receiving corps, and a prodigiuos talent such as Green or Julio Jones would certainly help any of these teams. However, since they are all picking very highly in the draft, it is safe to assume that each team has many glaring needs that would take priority over a wide receiver, which is typically seen as a bit of a "luxury" pick. This year's draft is particularly loaded at the top with defensive linemen, and Kiper predicted three to be drafted in the first six picks. With so many talented linemen available and so many more pressing needs, hopefully that will leave A.J. Green or Julio Jones to the Browns at number six.

Currently on the Browns' roster at the receiver positions are Mohamed Massaquoi, Brian Robiskie, Chansi Stuckey, Josh Cribbs, Carlton Mitchell, Demetrius Williams and Jordan Norwood. Massaquoi and Robiskie were recent second round draft choices of the Browns two years ago, but neither has shown much ability to play receiver in the NFL. Stuckey is a small, quick receiver who thrives on short throws and gaining yards after the catch. Mitchell was a late round draft pick who was taken because of his upside, but he is very raw and cannot be relied upon yet. Cribbs is probably the team's most dynamic offensive player, but his skills are not as well-adapted to the receiver position as some would hope.

Clearly, there is a spot on the team for a receiver that can fill the void left by the departure of Braylon Edwards. While I'm sure we are happy he is gone, it cannot be denied that having a player with that level of talent opened up the field for other players and stretched defenses vertically, something that was sorely lacking on last year's team. A young quarterback, such as Colt McCoy, would also appreciate having a reliable go-to guy that he can target in critical situations and trust that he would move the chains. Last season that guy was TE Ben Watson. While Watson is a skilled pass catcher, he does not have the big-play ability that a player like Green or Jones would bring to the table.

As the draft approaches you will see more in-depth analysis of the Browns and their needs on the field. We will also be keeping a close eye on the Browns' coaching situation, with several spots still open. Bill Musgrave, quarterbacks coach of the Atlanta Falcons, has interviewed for the offensive coordinator position. Dave Wannstedt, most recently the head coach at the University of Pittsburgh, will soon be interviewing for the defensive coordinator position.

The Coaching Roulette: Cleveland Browns

Picture courtesy of Cleveland.com

Oh, the Browns we all know and love... To begin with, welcome to this section of Around the NFL. My name is Jason, and I will be your blogger tonight.

Last Thursday, the Browns hired Pat Shurmur, the former offensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams, as the organization's 13th head coach, and fifth since the Browns returned in 1999. His most recent notable work is his development of #1 overall draft pick and likely Rookie of the Year Sam Bradford. With Shurmur's offense in place, the Rams in 2010 finished 26th in total offense, 21st in passing offense, 25th in rushing, and 26th in scoring (Per ESPN.com). They also finished 7-9 this season, with much help from a revitalized defense under Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo.

While the statistics and win-loss record may not inspire much confidence in Browns fans who have plenty of reasons for pessimism, it is useful to recall that Shurmur worked with a rookie quarterback and a dearth of offensive talent in St. Louis. As of right now, the situation in Cleveland is very similar to St. Louis, at least on that side of the ball. The Browns have a young quarterback that shows promise in Colt McCoy, a bruising running back in Peyton Hillis (with Montario Hardesty waiting in the wings), some bright spots on the offensive line, and a lack of game-changing talent at the skill positions. However, with Shurmur, GM Tom Heckert, and Holmgren himself all on the same page, they can go get the players they want and incorporate everyone into a seamless whole.

The other coaching positions have more in question. As has been reported elsewhere, former Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has been hired by the Cowboys in the same role. Brian Daboll, the former offensive coordinator in Cleveland, has been hired in Miami to run their offense. A few names have been thrown around for the two open jobs in Cleveland, the most notable being Dick Jauron as defensive coordinator, but not much is know for certain yet. As the clock counts down the days until the draft, more will become known and the Browns will surely fill these positions.

Please feel free to use the comments and share your opinions.