Of course we're going to get OL help - one of those first 3 picks will be an OT/OG for the right side. If Steinbach is healthy (big if) then we have a great LG; if not, a gigantic contract comes off the books and our big FA signing should be a stud LG to replace him.

Oh, and to those of you who think we should get nothing but skill positions: That's the Dallas Cowboy strategy.. and they're not in the playoffs for two years in a row with All-Pros at QB, both starting WR's, and an all-Pro performance from their RB committee.

Will he fall to us at #4? Highly unlikely.

Will the Colts act like they are set on Luck? Absolutely... If they really want him, it costs them nothing. If they really don't, it only increases the trade value of their pick. It's the oldest draft gambit known to man. The key to watch will be how intense the pre-draft contract negotiations become... and we're a long way from then.

Can the Colts afford Luck and Manning? That gets interesting. IIRC Peyton restructured a couple years ago to allow more talent to be signed. He sure as hell would have no interested in restructuring again to enable them to sign his replacement.

@hempman said:

Luck's main weakness is his lack of vertical prowness. Even in tonights game, a lot of his success came with short compact throws and timing routes showing his great touch.

Yeah.. it's not like we're running the West Coast Offense or anything...

Seriously, in the Tostitos he fit some throws into some pretty tight windows. And when he had WR's open deep he laid the ball right in there. He missed a grand total of 4 passes. I could live with that sort of performance.

@hempman said:

Of course the Rams are going with new schemes and so may the Colts.

Yup... and as pointed out there are Senior Bowls... and can't forget the Combine... and individual work outs.

There's a whole lot of chest thumping and gnashing of teeth 'round here based upon an incomplete data set...

In other words it's a Forum...

@kosar_for_president said:

Isnt the Black Mamba still a Freshman???

@choco said:

and in 2010, we lost 7 games by a TD or less. was that the problem then as well?

Yes. We didn't pick a play maker. I liked our draft very much. But I think if we concentrated on a #1 receiver, possibly sign a vet WR to mentor Blackmon and Little and draft a run stopper. Yes I think that could be the difference between 4 and 6-7 wins.

@kosar_for_president said:

Think about it, it's truer this year and next more than ever. This year the Browns would of really benefited from a top wide out. We lost 6 GAMES, WTF 6 GAMES by a TD or less. 6 Games. One less drop a game, one more big play could of won at least 3 of those (not taking into account the play calling, which will be fixed with Childress). Blackmon for sure.

and in 2010, we lost 7 games by a TD or less. was that the problem then as well?

The colts WILL draft luck as mannings protege and perhaps sooner than not replacement...

We do need to shore up our OL though. Colt could actually work out with a better line. But I still have my doubts about a barely over 6' QB who can't see over his linemen, and has multiple passes knocked down at the line of scrimmage. Colt and Seneca are basically the same player IMO. They both give and take in certain areas, but if you looked at them in Madden, they would have the same player rating. If we could land RG3 and Blackmon in the same draft, that would be stellar, highly unlikely but that would be great.

@choco said:

cause its that easy....right?

lmao....

sigh...every offseason is the same for bronws fans...."so and so is beast and will put us into the playoffs!" julio jones was so awesome this year his team won less games and squeaked into the playoffs....

lets see how the shrine and senior bowl look before we start zeroing in on one player that looks good against guys that will be bagging groceries next month.

Think about it, it's truer this year and next more than ever. This year the Browns would of really benefited from a top wide out. We lost 6 GAMES, WTF 6 GAMES by a TD or less. 6 Games. One less drop a game, one more big play could of won at least 3 of those (not taking into account the play calling, which will be fixed with Childress). Blackmon for sure.

lmao....

sigh...every offseason is the same for bronws fans...."so and so is beast and will put us into the playoffs!" julio jones was so awesome this year his team won less games and squeaked into the playoffs....

lets see how the shrine and senior bowl look before we start zeroing in on one player that looks good against guys that will be bagging groceries next month.

@poeticg said:

Don't think of it as signing at RT with a top 5 pick. Think of it as using a top 5 pick to solidify yourself as having the number 1 offensive line in the NFL period. Think of it as insurance in case Joe T goes down(God forbid and knock on wood)... or think of it as a contingency plan for when Joe Thomas finally retires. Kalil can pick up and give us five years AFTER Joe Thomas leaves us for retirement and we'll still have a beast for a LT. Think of it in those perspectives and it gives those ball-less bastards credence.

Yeah, Lauvao and Pinkston positively blew me away with their stellar play this year. Don't expect an end of career Steinbach to be a huge upgrade next year either.

Think of it, assuming you're looking for a RT as drafting a guy AT LEAST 20 picks higher than he should be taken.

RTs DON'T GET TAKEN IN THE FIRST 5 PICKS. PERIOD. END OF DISCUSSION.

@poeticg said:

...And I think that if you're OL is holding you back, getting your QB killed and committing costly penalties because of a shoddy patched together Rightside, year after year, then you should be strung up by what you referred to.

Let me rephrase...

Only a schmuck thinks you cure your Right Tackle ills with a Top 5 pick.

The Right Tackle covers the 2nd best Defensive End on your opponent's team. That's their SECOND best Defensive End. That's why you don't waste a pick that could get you a #1 QB, or a #1 WR, or a #1 RB, or a #1 CB, or a #1 DE, or a #1 SS, or a #1 OT... etc... etc... on a #2 Offensive Tackle.

No, no, no, on drafting a #2 OT with your Top 5 pick. That's found later. You can find them in free agency, too.

P.S.

At this time, I should probably let you know we shouldn't be looking to draft a #2 wide receiver with our Top 5 pick, either... or a #2 CB... or a #2 RB... or a #2 QB... or a #2 DE... or a...

@cobra-kai said:

If an NFL front office drafts a Right Tackle with a top 5 pick in an NFL draft, they should be strung up by the fleshy sack between their legs, where testicles would normally be found.

...And I think that if you're OL is holding you back, getting your QB killed and committing costly penalties because of a shoddy patched together Rightside, year after year, then you should be strung up by what you referred to.

@poeticg said:

I understand that he is a LT(Kalil) but why not put a guy like that on the opposite side, we would have the best OL in football. Having Thomas with Kalil being his bookend makes for an excellent line... then you have a great center in Mack. Steinbach comes back and thats 4 out of five probowlers. I'm sure you could plug in anyone at RG and have a really successful line!

Think of the lanes Hillis would have to run through, he could pull his truck through one of those gaps! Think of the time it would allow the QB in the Pocket! You've seen the games when the QB has 2 minutes in the pocket to find a wide open wide receiver and always wondered why we don't get that time? Well with Thomas, Mack and Kalil we would have. And since I DO watch football I'd know that more time in the pocket means more time for the defensive coverage to break down. We only need a few more seconds. Plus it would help to stunt all the massive blitzes that Balt and Pitt throw at us twice a year! Just sayin'!

If an NFL front office drafts a Right Tackle with a top 5 pick in an NFL draft, they should be strung up by the fleshy sack between their legs, where testicles would normally be found.

Think of the lanes Hillis would have to run through, he could pull his truck through one of those gaps! Think of the time it would allow the QB in the Pocket! You've seen the games when the QB has 2 minutes in the pocket to find a wide open wide receiver and always wondered why we don't get that time? Well with Thomas, Mack and Kalil we would have. And since I DO watch football I'd know that more time in the pocket means more time for the defensive coverage to break down. We only need a few more seconds. Plus it would help to stunt all the massive blitzes that Balt and Pitt throw at us twice a year! Just sayin'!

@poeticg said:

Honestly, I'd be tickled to land any 1 or more of these players:

Andrew Luck

Matt Kalil

Trent Richardson

RG3

Justin Blackmon

Hey, there's no wrong way to do this and to limit your thinking by just blowing off what I'm suggesting is IMO foolish. The Browns have a HUGE OPPORTUNITY here and the possibilities are endless. I'm just throwing out ideas, if you don't like it, suck it.

Please- hate to be mean, but learn some damn football before you post. Kalil is a LEFT TACKLE. The Browns happen to already have multi-time Pro Bowler Joe Thomas playing that position. You don't freaking draft Kalil- a LT @ #4, and switch him over to play RT. We DO need a RT, but STUD RTs can be found low in the first round- or even in the second round. And why is that? Because the demands of the position are far less than playing LT. Guys wind up playing RT because they're not athletic enough for the demands of playing LT.

Regarding Richardson, I'm not sold on the idea. Five of the top ten rushing leaders (including #1 Jones Drew of the Jags) are playing for teams that didn't make the playoffs.

2 surefire starting NFL Quarterbacks

1 Probowl caliber Offensive Tackle

1 Legit true #1 NFL Wide Receiver

1 Probowl caliber 4 down NFL runningback

There's even talk about a #1 Shutdown Cornerback, a Beastly LB and partridge in a pear tree. There may be more after that as well by the time April comes around, after the combine numbers are registered. Who knows if this will even be the top 5 come april. RG3 could be #1 overall?

go fxxk urself.

Andrew Luck

Matt Kalil

Trent Richardson

RG3

Justin Blackmon

We should have 1 of these if not more come Training Camp this year.

I would be happy to take whoever is left at 4, trade the pick we got from ATL(essentially do what they did last year) and move back into the #5 spot and take the last one on the list!

Hey, there's no wrong way to do this and to limit your thinking by just blowing off what I'm suggesting is IMO foolish. The Browns have a HUGE OPPORTUNITY here and the possibilities are endless. I'm just throwing out ideas, if you don't like it, suck it.