Holmgren's Thoughts at the Combine
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http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/...holmgren_9.html
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Browns arrived at the NFL Scouting Combine with obvious needs on defense. That matches up well with the strength of the 2011 draft, which is top-heavy with blue-chip defensive linemen.
But offense never escapes the mind of President Mike Holmgren. Upon landing here on Wednesday, Holmgren's eyebrows twitched just enough to keep everyone guessing about the direction the Browns will take with their first pick, No. 6 overall.
"I'm also looking for a home-run hitter," Holmgren said, pointedly.
That comment alone will intensify the debate on which glaring need the Browns should satisfy first -- defensive line or wide receiver.
Four defensive linemen are considered worthy of the No. 6 pick. Two are tackles and two are ends. The top-rated linebacker, Von Miller of Texas A&M, and the top-rated cornerback, Patrick Peterson of Louisiana State, could be justified there, too.
But there's really only one home-run hitter on offense worthy of a top-10 pick, a guy who can score a touchdown from any place on the field. That's Georgia receiver A.J. Green. Without mentioning him by name, Holmgren essentially conceded that Green is a strong candidate for the team's No. 1 pick.
"We do [have a lot of work to do on defense] and it is [a good draft for defense]," Holmgren said. "But I think you have to be a little careful of thinking too much about needs so that you reach. I don't want to do that. So our philosophy is to take the best player on our board once it's set up. Now, if you have two guys that are [really close], then we'd have a discussion on which one to take."
Green is considered by some draft services to be the top player in the draft. Some mock drafts have him being taken by Cincinnati at No. 4.
Another position on Holmgren's mind as the draft season kicks off is -- no surprise -- quarterback.
"Oh, yeah, we will draft a quarterback. You can almost count on it," Holmgren said.
But the feeling going into this week is that Holmgren is looking for a developmental prospect and is not planning on displacing Colt McCoy as the team's starter in 2011.
"I believe in the young guy we have," he said. "I'm pretty sure we'll take one later in the draft."
McCoy has been meeting regularly with new coach Pat Shurmur for the past couple of weeks. The Browns want to get McCoy exposed to Shurmur's offensive playbook before a possible owners lockout shuts down all contact with players after March 3.
Holmgren indicated he has no intention at present of bringing in a quarterback to compete with McCoy.
"It works best if you can identify 'the guy,' let him know he's 'the guy,' and train him appropriately to be 'the guy,'" Holmgren said. "It's nice to have all this competition and all this stuff, but it doesn't work very well, usually. So if you believe in a young man, believe he's 'the guy,' then you have to go with it."
Holmgren's apparent plan is to designate McCoy the starter, choose between Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace as the backup, and draft a developmental quarterback for the No. 3 role.
Delhomme is under contract for 2011 for $5.4 million. Wallace is unsigned and has expressed a desire to compete for a starting job. Holmgren conceded that Wallace may fit better in Shurmur's offense because of his past exposure in Seattle to Holmgren's West Coast offense.
"That decision honestly hasn't been made yet," Holmgren said. "Some of it has to do clearly with Jake's contract."
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I think the Browns biggest needs are DL but if Green is still available at six they should pick him up.
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I would love Peterson. I love me some good corner play!
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I usually hate seeing teams trade up in the draft because they usually have to give up too much especially when you have a lot of needs like the Browns do but AJ Green might just be worth the price. There is no greater need than WR for the Browns and he is the best looking prospect since CJ.
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I usually hate seeing teams trade up in the draft because they usually have to give up too much especially when you have a lot of needs like the Browns do but AJ Green might just be worth the price. There is no greater need than WR for the Browns and he is the best looking prospect since CJ.
I usually hate seeing teams trade up in the draft because they usually have to give up too much especially when you have a lot of needs like the Browns do but AJ Green might just be worth the price. There is no greater need than WR for the Browns and he is the best looking prospect since CJ.
I just honestly don't see us trading up from #6. We have too many needs to be giving away picks to take a WR of all people. If anything I see us trading down to grab more picks. Hell maybe Holmgren and Heckert's order of talent doesn't go along the lines of all the mock drafters. I can see Green and Peterson being at the top but I wouldn't be surprised if Fairly, or Bowers was still available and we went with someone else. Considering how well our first two rounds went last year I am excited to see who they pick with 1 and 2 in April.
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i would love to swap places with Cincy but im sure it would cost way to much, i think Green is as good as gone to them and lets hope Haden can shut him down twice a year...Also if they do draft him i wouldnt be even more upset if we were to grab Peterson or Prince that would help the Seconadry alot.....Other than that i think if there really looking for a playmaker on the Offensive why not just trade back a couple of spots and get say Julio Jones while picking up a couple extra picks that we could use towards the D
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with all of the talk of cincy possible drafting aj green do you think the question mark at qb could affect their choice? i'm not sure what the latest is, but didn't palmer want out of bengal town? and palmer hasn't been looking all that great the past few years. any thoughts on cincy going after a qb in the first rd?
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I HOPE Palmer is serious, and that would leave Cincy drafting a qb.. maybe Cam Newton.. @@
Yes, trading up would be too costly, for the Browns.
My hunch is, that Cincy won't draft Green, because with their stud wr's, they still sucked and
finished badly in the division. I see them going after Fairley with his character issues. That'd fit their tendencies...
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I think that Cincy may go for a QB if Palmer does indeed retire like he says he will do, but i see them grabbing Green to try and make his life a lil easier....But ill be hoping they go after Cam Newton or another QB but i just dont see that theres any QBs worth taking at the #4 spot unless Newton blows people away with his Pro day and 40 time and other things
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I would love Peterson. I love me some good corner play!
He's a tank but does he make it to 6? I think he's a top 5 talent.
EDIT: And for those suggesting a trade up it would be ABSOLUTELY mental. You're picking 6th and will have a great talent at that spot no matter what. I don't know what trading up would cost but it would likely too much and you may only need to move up one spot. Most of the mocks I've seen have the Browns drafting AJ Green so I imagine that's the pick especially if the Bengals lose Palmer and even then I don't see them drafting a WR. They still have CJ and Owens will probably stick around. I don't think a WR makes Palmer stay.
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I would love Peterson. I love me some good corner play!
He's a tank but does he make it to 6? I think he's a top 5 talent.
EDIT: And for those suggesting a trade up it would be ABSOLUTELY mental. You're picking 6th and will have a great talent at that spot no matter what. I don't know what trading up would cost but it would likely too much and you may only need to move up one spot. Most of the mocks I've seen have the Browns drafting AJ Green so I imagine that's the pick especially if the Bengals lose Palmer and even then I don't see them drafting a WR. They still have CJ and Owens will probably stick around. I don't think a WR makes Palmer stay.
Homotron said:
He's a tank but does he make it to 6? I think he's a top 5 talent.Most of the mocks I've seen have the Browns drafting AJ Green so I imagine that's the pick especially if the Bengals lose Palmer and even then I don't see them drafting a WR. They still have CJ and Owens will probably stick around. I don't think a WR makes Palmer stay.
I don't see any way that Owens will be allowed to say after running his mouth at the end of last season. But, Cincy has done a great job of drafting receivers in the past and not first rounds. Whosyourmomma and Chad were both second rounders I think
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I would love Peterson. I love me some good corner play!
He's a tank but does he make it to 6? I think he's a top 5 talent.
EDIT: And for those suggesting a trade up it would be ABSOLUTELY mental. You're picking 6th and will have a great talent at that spot no matter what. I don't know what trading up would cost but it would likely too much and you may only need to move up one spot. Most of the mocks I've seen have the Browns drafting AJ Green so I imagine that's the pick especially if the Bengals lose Palmer and even then I don't see them drafting a WR. They still have CJ and Owens will probably stick around. I don't think a WR makes Palmer stay.
Homotron said:
He's a tank but does he make it to 6? I think he's a top 5 talent.EDIT: And for those suggesting a trade up it would be ABSOLUTELY mental. You're picking 6th and will have a great talent at that spot no matter what. I don't know what trading up would cost but it would likely too much and you may only need to move up one spot. Most of the mocks I've seen have the Browns drafting AJ Green so I imagine that's the pick especially if the Bengals lose Palmer and even then I don't see them drafting a WR. They still have CJ and Owens will probably stick around. I don't think a WR makes Palmer stay.
A lot of teams go BPA instead of need and AJ Green is the BPA. I really don't see any way he makes it to 6. As far as being mental for suggesting a trade up, I stated that I almost always hate the idea but when there is a chance to fill your biggest need with the best prospect that has come along in 3-4 years sometimes you have to bite the bullet. Is it worth the price/risk? I am not sure. But if the FO truly believes in McCoy then they need to get him some weapons. If you go into next season with Ben Watson and Peyton Hillis as your top receiving threats then you should just press the fast forward button until it is time for the 2012 draft.
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Lets trade Delhomme and a 4th rounder to Cincy for their pick. I'm game.
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question: where can i find combine results?
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There is no way we trade a pick. If Cincinnati drafts green, we definitely need to draft a corner. This year almost seems like a wash with all the cba drama heading in a bad direction. Also I have a feeling Cribbs will be traded on draft day, for what I am not sure.
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IMO, trading up for a WR would be insane. But exactly the kind of stupid move we have been known for I guess. We aren't a WR away from contending. If we were a strong team with one major weakness at wr then it might make sense. Too many holes to fill on this roster right now.
I don't see how this team can afford to burn a draft pick on another developmental QB, even in the 5th or 6th round. There will be plenty of undrafted guys you can look at for training camp qb's. It is a lot more likely to find a useful lineman, linebacker or special teams player with the lower picks. That is how the best teams solidify their rosters.. by finding useful players in the lower rounds and among undrafted players.
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IMO, trading up for a WR would be insane. But exactly the kind of stupid move we have been known for I guess. We aren't a WR away from contending. If we were a strong team with one major weakness at wr then it might make sense. Too many holes to fill on this roster right now.
I don't see how this team can afford to burn a draft pick on another developmental QB, even in the 5th or 6th round. There will be plenty of undrafted guys you can look at for training camp qb's. It is a lot more likely to find a useful lineman, linebacker or special teams player with the lower picks. That is how the best teams solidify their rosters.. by finding useful players in the lower rounds and among undrafted players.
IMO, trading up for a WR would be insane. But exactly the kind of stupid move we have been known for I guess. We aren't a WR away from contending. If we were a strong team with one major weakness at wr then it might make sense. Too many holes to fill on this roster right now.
I don't see how this team can afford to burn a draft pick on another developmental QB, even in the 5th or 6th round. There will be plenty of undrafted guys you can look at for training camp qb's. It is a lot more likely to find a useful lineman, linebacker or special teams player with the lower picks. That is how the best teams solidify their rosters.. by finding useful players in the lower rounds and among undrafted players.
Tyrod Taylor. Will at the very least become a good Wild Dawg QB, could develop into a Mick Vick type of player who we could either trade for more than we spent, or have take over if Colt doesn't pan out. That is what homlgren was known for, taking QB's late and shipping them out later after he had turned them into something. Think of it as an investment.
Ruining threads since 1897.
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