RB- Selecting Trent will solidify this position more than having 6 backs on this team

FB- it looks like we're sticking with Marecic

WR- Little, Momass, Norwood, Mitchell and Cribbs plus #22 should round out this group.

TE- Watson, Moore, Cameron and Smith, not seeing a need yet for a FA

LT- Thomas

LG- Pinkston

C- Mack

RG- Lava

RT- most likely #37 here, should be a good player and finish out our line

DT- Rubin, Taylor, Paxston

DE- Sheard, Benard, Frostee and Parker are a solid Dline

LB- Between DQ, GoCong, Fujita, Maiava I see a draft pick added here somewhere after the second to compete

CB- Haden, Patterson, Skrine, Brown and I'm hoping for Chase to be added to this group

S- Ward, Young, Hagg, we do need some more talent here... maybe a player or two in the draft.

Were not that bad off IMO.

@choco said:

um...we have 9 picks. nine....

4 in the top 100. how many WR's and RB's do we need?

im arguing the point because 1. eric winstons contract would put us damn near the cap (8 mil/yr isn't exactly minimal). 2. its one of the least important positions on the team, right behind longsnapper. 3. an entire probowl line still isn't gonna give colt enough time to make his reads and throw the ball. why does this team need to give its QB's 15 seconds to throw and RB's a hole wide enough to drive a truck thru?

so you dont wanna burn a pick on RB and RT. cool...what were you hoping to use those picks on? cause i dont really see how filling those positions thru the draft somehow sets us back farther than had we signed hillis and winston.

oh noes...we lost a RT. now we'll never win...lol

Sorry wrong on so many points. We have 3 picks in the top 60- that's usually where immediate starters come from. WR (Little and the Three Stooges), RB (Hardly playing Hardesty), OLB (aging Fujita and No-Cong wouldn't be starting for the Steelers), CB (Slowing down Brown), S (man, ain't Usama Young Da Bomb?). Most glaring needs, ignoring RT- and trust me H&H won't. Assuming Heckert will hit on every one of his draft picks is nuts.

FWIW, IF we have Hillis and Winston- the Browns could draft Claiborne, Floyd, and an OLB as insurance in case Fujita gets hurt again. Now it's WR, RB, BPA, and pray you get lucky in the third and fourth rounds.

If you're putting RT on the level of long snapper, you're full of s**t- (or trying to be funny) it's more important than either guard spots. EDIT: IIRC, Pointbriand was one of the very few (perhaps only) long snapper specialist ever to get drafted, and that was 5th round. The best RTs usually get taken in the second, and rarely in the first (Brian Bulaga, GB). With teams jumping their speed rushers around on D line, your RT had better damn well have enough athleticism to counter that. Only difference is if your RT whiffs on a pass block usually the qb can see the guy coming.

Finally- Winston got a four year deal at $22 million- and in case you don't realize it, that's peanuts for a Pro Bowl caliber RT. Probably only about $6 million would count against the $25 million 2012 cap room the Browns have available- and it's damn doubtful the Browns would have come anywhere close to using that other $19 million they have left anyway. Really- where did you get $8 million using up the Browns cap space?

@brownindian said:

There is a clear lack of urgency. I hope I'm wrong but the way I see it, we simply dont have enough draft picks to plug in all our holes and we need to use FA.

The lack of urgency is not so shocking... In addition to the plethora of RBs in free agency, there are a bunch in the draft that can provide some depth and even start for some teams. You'll see teams that missed out in the draft bringing in the FAs in "desperation".

I agree they don't have enough picks to fill all the holes, but enough to not get crazy overpaying in FA, especially at RB and OL. We'll draft the stars and fill in te depth chart with the FAs.

@cambridgeho said:

Remember they are trying to get guys for our system,

however i really dont fn know what that is anymore.

Also why atleast havent they even tried to take a look at a rb in FA, there is no way they can be happy with what we have unless they are targeting trent at number 4, and if they think they can trade out to number 6 to get him they will not be happy when Tampa snags him at 5.

There is a clear lack of urgency. I hope I'm wrong but the way I see it, we simply dont have enough draft picks to plug in all our holes and we need to use FA.

@brownindian said:

It is this regime's lack of involvement in the free agency that worries me. They are not even having a look at the available players. Building though the draft is a very long process and i have a feeling by the time this team gets built to their image they may get fired.

Remember they are trying to get guys for our system,

however i really dont fn know what that is anymore.

Also why atleast havent they even tried to take a look at a rb in FA, there is no way they can be happy with what we have unless they are targeting trent at number 4, and if they think they can trade out to number 6 to get him they will not be happy when Tampa snags him at 5.

@choco said:

no

no

i agree

i agree

winston is the bandaide. drafting one is the cure. i, however, would be surprised if the picked a T before the 3rd (as its a very high 3rd).

See my new thread. Though I don't think they will, I won't snort my beer if they pick one at #22 or at #37.

@the-gipper said:

Are you trying to say that the right side of the line was not a trouble spot for the Browns?

Or that though it was a trouble spot it can be resolved by putting a bandaid on it?

I think a quality RT is necessary for this team.

I don't think we should spend a 1st rounder on the position, but it wouldn't surprise me if they take one in the s2d round.

no

no

i agree

i agree

winston is the bandaide. drafting one is the cure. i, however, would be surprised if the picked a T before the 3rd (as its a very high 3rd).

@choco said:

um...we have 9 picks. nine....

4 in the top 100. how many WR's and RB's do we need?

im arguing the point because 1. eric winstons contract would put us damn near the cap (8 mil/yr isn't exactly minimal). 2. its one of the least important positions on the team, right behind longsnapper. 3. an entire probowl line still isn't gonna give colt enough time to make his reads and throw the ball. why does this team need to give its QB's 15 seconds to throw and RB's a hole wide enough to drive a truck thru?

so you dont wanna burn a pick on RB and RT. cool...what were you hoping to use those picks on? cause i dont really see how filling those positions thru the draft somehow sets us back farther than had we signed hillis and winston.

oh noes...we lost a RT. now we'll never win...lol

Are you trying to say that the right side of the line was not a trouble spot for the Browns?

Or that though it was a trouble spot it can be resolved by putting a bandaid on it?

I think a quality RT is necessary for this team.

I don't think we should spend a 1st rounder on the position, but it wouldn't surprise me if they take one in the s2d round.

4 in the top 100. how many WR's and RB's do we need?

im arguing the point because 1. eric winstons contract would put us damn near the cap (8 mil/yr isn't exactly minimal). 2. its one of the least important positions on the team, right behind longsnapper. 3. an entire probowl line still isn't gonna give colt enough time to make his reads and throw the ball. why does this team need to give its QB's 15 seconds to throw and RB's a hole wide enough to drive a truck thru?

so you dont wanna burn a pick on RB and RT. cool...what were you hoping to use those picks on? cause i dont really see how filling those positions thru the draft somehow sets us back farther than had we signed hillis and winston.

oh noes...we lost a RT. now we'll never win...lol

@badnewsbrowns said:

Yeah dipshit let's wait until July when all the tier 1-5 talent is gone and we can get a right tackle that wouldn't start for any team besides Cleveland again.

Or,according to your logic we can bypass free agency altogether and grab a tackle with one of our top three picks.

Then look to find some offensive/defensive playmakers in the lower rounds where they're so abundant.

Thank you- at least someone gets what I'm saying. I'm not married to any particular FA- but right now, RT is a damn pressing need for the Browns. Usually, you pick up a quality RT in the second round. We took Lauvao at guard (not as demanding a position) in the third, and he hasn't exactly elicited Pro Bowl talk yet.

So that second round pick we could use on a running back or WR may well have to be used to fill a hole we could potentially have filled at minimal cost through FA. We got 3 decent seasons out of Steinbach- I'd have been really happy if we could have gotten the same out of Winston.

Cripe, I'm not saying break the bank on a player, or go crazy as the Redskins have all too frequently done. FWIW, I think the Bills are going to regret signing Mario Williams- but at least do a little bit more than try and solidify one position (DE) in free agency.

Get a room... get some rest.. give us a break.

@hoorta said:

Sorry pal, I'm fed up with yet another 5 year plan. My perception of the state of the Browns might be off, but the perception is the reality of a lot of fans.

It'll pass...

Agree on the Eric Winston effort. You'd think being on a line with Thomas and Mack would have been a selling point.

As for our staff putting off FA's... I'd sooner look at Shurmur that H&H. Winston chose KC who has a "players' head-coach". Not sure we know what kind of HC we have...

@badnewsbrowns said:

You are a pathetic troll.

hmm..lookie here. someone's pussy must be awfully sore after being made the fool. youve been reduced to grudge posting, poorly conceived grudge posting at that. must really suck to be you, now that you've became what you accused me of being.

go away little man....seriously. youre not smart enough to keep up, and you keep proving it...over, and over, and over again. i see no reason to respond to your hyperbole, cause you cant remember what i said earlier let alone yesterday.

@choco said:

why do we need a RT right now? does camp start up next week or something?

i get what your saying hoorta...im saying its not even april yet.

Yeah dipshit let's wait until July when all the tier 1-5 talent is gone and we can get a right tackle that wouldn't start for any team besides Cleveland again.

Or,according to your logic we can bypass free agency altogether and grab a tackle with one of our top three picks.

Then look to find some offensive/defensive playmakers in the lower rounds where they're so abundant.

i get what your saying hoorta...im saying its not even april yet.

TJ Ward has had injury problems since high school and ended the season injured last year. He's a liability in coverage,not a ball hawk and his hard hitting style of safety is becoming extinct with these new nfl rules.

And although Pashos sucked last season, he played injured all year. He had surgery this off season and the Browns flipped him the bird and showed him the door. Releasing injured players isn't going to help attracting free agents.

@hoorta said:

Ever consider players might not want to come to Cleveland because they think H&H are a bunch of jerks? Totally blowing the RGIII deal is a big exhibit A in my book. Wasting a year on Mangini and then bringing in Un-Shurmur was a great waste of a season too. So how much longer you think this fanbase should be patient for? In my book, we had better start seeing drastic improvement THIS YEAR, or tell you what- the stadium will be mighty empty in 2013. Yeah- let's go ahead and let this play out with Colt quarterbacking this year- that's until he goes on IR because the turnstile they picked up in the draft missed a block.

I can forgive them for the RG3 deal. That's a lot of draft picks to give up, at a time when we need all the quality picks we can get. Sorry, right player, wrong time. Bidding would have kept going and the Redskins would have won anyway. I agree with the rest. The Mangini debacle - bad management, Hills during the season and after the season, bad management, Shurmer, a rookie coach without an OC, bad management decision. This love affair with the WCO, bad strategy. Telling the world about it - even worst strategy. Somebody show me where Holmgren is earing his salary? Heckert I can understand, he's made some great draft picks, but what has been the contribution by Holmgen? Colt McCoy?

@cribbs-is-the-man said:

The only complaint I have is that I would love to bring in a couple more adequate, veteran free agents on the short and cheap to fill some holes so we can focus on drafting the best player available.

Exactky what I'm saying. Short and fill in some holes. And if that means a premium payment for a shorter contract, that's fine. With good drafts, we could be 2 years away from a playoff team (assuming some miracle at QB doesn't happen this year). But I don't see that as their direction. However, someone made a good point about not knowing who they may have contacted and whether they would even consider Cleveland. We may need a winning season before that happens.

@choco said:

again...how do you know we didn't? you're assuming it, then getting irritated about it. wanna see a quick breakdown of that logic?

FA goes to other team = the browns didn't do a damn thing to try and attain his rights.

thats quite a jump hoorta....it seems everyone gets all crampy when the browns dont get that one guy that each fan really wants, and this leads to all kinds of...well...conspiracies.

Unless you have Heckert's phone bugged, my theory is just as valid as yours.

I'll grant H&H probably looked at film on the guy- but here's a newsflash- we don't have a RT on the roster right now who's worth a damn. Don't have much of a RB contingent either. Outside of Little, wow we sure have a great WR group too.

Ever consider players might not want to come to Cleveland because they think H&H are a bunch of jerks? Totally blowing the RGIII deal is a big exhibit A in my book. Wasting a year on Mangini and then bringing in Un-Shurmur was a great waste of a season too. So how much longer you think this fanbase should be patient for? In my book, we had better start seeing drastic improvement THIS YEAR, or tell you what- the stadium will be mighty empty in 2013. Yeah- let's go ahead and let this play out with Colt quarterbacking this year- that's until he goes on IR because the turnstile they picked up in the draft missed a block.

Sorry pal, I'm fed up with yet another 5 year plan. My perception of the state of the Browns might be off, but the perception is the reality of a lot of fans.

@rich4eagle said:

Hillis is done he is slow and he sucks.........................good move..............and he is not a team player and will be out of the league in 2+ years

Except, of course, he is better than anything we had...or are likely to get without using our most prime resource: our high draft picks...that are severely needed to be utilized at other positions.

Now it is clear to me that the Browns must use either their #4 on Richardson or their later pick on Lamar Miller.

But by doing that, we cannot now use that pick on a WR, DB, LB or anywhere else we had serious needs. And its not like they have picked up a quality FA RB to replace him

@hoorta said:

Or not even bothering trying to make a serious push at Winston-

again...how do you know we didn't? you're assuming it, then getting irritated about it. wanna see a quick breakdown of that logic?

FA goes to other team = the browns didn't do a damn thing to try and attain his rights.

thats quite a jump hoorta....it seems everyone gets all crampy when the browns dont get that one guy that each fan really wants, and this leads to all kinds of...well...conspiracies.

i hate this FO more than just about all of you....i was one of the few that dared say hiring holmgren was a mistake. but jesus christ.....quit falling in love with a player, or convincing yourselves that A and B absolutely need to happen or this team will suck. im giving these FO jackasses way more credit than the koolaide drinkers here.....so what gives?

i dont get it. its a self-perpetuating prophecy. i cant blame anyone for not wanting to come to cleveland to deal with these fickle-ass fans. we boo our best players demise, throw tantrums for every move or lack of, expect a winner after 1 season and cry for change after 2.

seriously...i think everyone needs to take some time off. way too much emotional investment in a frickin game.