Cleveland Browns should focus on defense with pick #6
Unless University of Georgia WR A.J. Smith magically falls to the Cleveland Browns at the number six position, the Browns should focus on defense with their first pick in April’s draft. There is no doubt that the Browns need serious help at the wide receiver position, however, solid wide receivers can be had in later rounds. Last season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had one of the steals of the draft by selecting Mike Williams in the 4th round and he responded with 10 scores and just under 1,000 yards receiving.
With the Browns releasing several veteran defenders last week, and the organization moving from a 3-4 to a 4-3 scheme, the Browns need to focus on re-tooling the defense and there are several players that should be there at number 6 which will make an immediate impact for the Browns in 2011.
This year’s draft is especially loaded with talent at the defensive line position and it appears that CB Prince Amukamara might likely be still on the board when the Browns pick at number 6.
With the Browns playing six games a season against the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, defensive pass rushing talent as well as pass defense should be a priority.
OLB Von Miller of Texas A&M, DE Adrian Clayborn of Iowa, DT/DE Marcel Darius could all likely still be on the board as well. Of course some players stock will rise or fall over the coming week with the start of the NFL Combine, but there are just too many pressing needs for the Browns on defense to think about offense.
The only two offensive players that should interest the Browns are both wide receivers. A.J. Green and Julio Jones. Most mocks I have seen show Green off the board at number 4 to the Cincinnati Bengals as they will most likely release Chad Ochocinco and are not bringing back Terrel Owens. The number 6 pick might be a little too high to select Julio Jones out of Alabama.
Cleveland Browns complete coaching staff and add a surprise veteran in the mix
Pat Shurmur and Mike Holmgren have announced that their coaching staff is now complete as the team made their formal announcement this afternoon and added a surprising veteran in the mix. As head coach Pat Shurmur made the announcement, he told the media, “With our coaching staff now complete, I am excited about the group that we have been able to assemble. I believe we have a blend of coaches with a tremendous amount of experience who have proven to be excellent teachers throughout the course of their careers”.
Seven coaches will be retained from the Browns team and Eric Mangini’s staff last season. Gary Brown (Running Backs), Steve Hagen (Tight Ends), Jerome Henderson( Defensive Backs), Kent Johnston( Strength and Conditioning), Rick Lyle( Assistant Strength and Conditioning), Luke Steckle (Assistant to the Head Coach) and George Warhop (Offensive Line).
The organization announced another five new assistant coaches yesterday. Chris Beake (Offensive Assistant), Chuck Bullough (Defensive Assistant, Shawn Mennenga (Special Teams Assistant, Keith Gilbertson (Senior Assistant) and veteran Ray Rhodes will join the Browns as the teams Senior Assistant on defense.
Rhodes brings a plethora of coaching experience with him. After playing wide receiver in the NFL, Rhodes broke into the NFL coaching ranks as a assistant secondary coach with the San Francisco 49ers in 1981. He has coaching history with the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins and was the head coach of both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers. He most recently was a special defensive assistant with the Houston Texans.
Will the Cleveland Browns retain QB Jake Delhomme for the 2011 season?
It would seem to appear that rookie QB Colt McCoy is going to be the quarterback of the Cleveland Browns going forward, but it also seems as if the Browns are not ready to release veteran QB Jake Delhomme anytime soon. Delhomme was acquired by the Browns last year in the offseason from the Carolina Panthers after struggling mightily with turnovers and failing to move the Panthers offense. Towards the end of the 2009 season, Delhomme was replaced by Matt Moore under center.
Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain Dealer sat down with Browns general manager Tom Heckert to ask him a few questions about the current state of the Browns and to inquire about some of the events which transpired during this season.
One of the questions Heckert was asked was since the Browns purged their rostr last week of veteran players, what are the plans for Delhomme heading into 2011. Heckert responded by saying that the Browns have no plans at the present time to release Delhomme, who is slated to earn $5.4 million in 2011.
I can understand the logic right at this time, if Delhomme were released, he would become a free agent and could sign with any other team. The Browns might want to hold on to him until they see who might be available in the free agent market as a back up for McCoy. Trading Delhomme does not seem likely given his inflated salary, as well as his play on the field for the last two seasons.
It is also possible that the Browns could try to renegotiate Delhomme’s salary for 2011. All in all, I don’t think it is a given that Delhomme will be on the final 53 man roster heading into 2011 with a $5.4 million dollar salary.
2010 NFL season has ended, the Cleveland Browns announce some player cuts
With the conclusion of the Super Bowl on Sunday, the 2010 season has officially ended, and the Cleveland Browns have announced some players cuts this afternoon. Any player cut by a team at this point will be free to sign with another team, prior to the March 3rd deadline which looms ever so large this season.
Cleveland Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot has announced via Twitter this afternoon that the Browns have decided to part ways with six players this afternoon. With the announcements of the cuts this afternoon, it is obvious that a youth movement has begun in earnest in Cleveland.
The most notable name on the list is DT Shaun Rogers, 10 year veteran. Rogers was last in the news for trying to board a plane last offseason with a loaded 9mm handgun. Also on the list is a pair of 12 year veteran LB’s, Eric Barton and David Bowens. Barton finished the season with 66 tackles and Bowens recorded 40 tackles.
Also on the defensive side of the ball is DE Kenyon Coleman, a 9 year veteran who recorded 68 tackles and 2.5 sacks this regular season.
Two veteran players on the offensive side of the ball have been released as well. TE Robert Royal, 9 years out of LSU. A OT was given walking papers, OT John St. Clair, an 11 year veteran.
There appears no doubt, that despite the questions surrounding the Collective Bargaining Agreement in March, the Cleveland Browns under new head coach Pat Shurmur are taking matters into their own hands and bringing in younger players for the Cleveland Browns, for better or worse.
For the Cleveland Browns, what might have been…..
As the NFL world watched the Green Bay Packers take on the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday, at the conclusion of the game, Cleveland Browns fans had to wondering what might have been. If only the Browns would have selected QB Aaron Rodgers instead of Braylon Edwards in the 2005 NFL draft.
WR Braylon Edwards is long gone in Cleveland, and since the selection of Rodgers, the Cleveland Browns search for a starting quarterback has continued with 9 different quarterbacks under center since 2005. Trent Dilfer, Charlie Frye, Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Ken Dorsey, Bruce Gradkowski, Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace and Colt McCoy have all taken their turn in the barrel for the Cleveland Browns.
And to this day, the search for stability at the quarterback position continues for the Browns.
It’s interesting to look back and think that Rodgers could have reproduced his success with the Green Bay Packers for the Cleveland Browns, but in all reality, Rodgers might have been another Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson with the Browns.
He would not have had the opportunity to sit on the bench for three seasons behind an iconic quarterback like Brett Favre. Rodgers likely would have been thrown into the mix right away. In the 3rd round of the 2005 draft, the Browns selected QB Charlie Frye who started in week 13 of the 2005 season.
Rodgers would also not have been given the offensive weapons that the Packers had when it was finally his turn under center. Yet, as the long suffering fans of the Cleveland Browns continue to wait for the organization to either acquire or develop a franchise quarterback, it’s always a fan’s prerogative to look back and wonder “what if”.
As much as the online betting crowd wants to be down on the Cleveland Browns, they are in fact slowly turning things around. There’s optimism at the quarterback position with Colt McCoy, the offensive line is a cohesive unit and the running game is bruising and effective with Peyton Hillis. So does that mean the Browns next need to address wide receiver? It would appear that way. In the 2011 NFL Draft, wide receiver A.J. Green might be the best fit.
