It's a shame it has started to deviate from the topic, but ya'll are making me weak with the flame session you've unleashed on Billy Buckner here. Keep it up.

I guess I should re-enroll in the PATRIOTS WAY 101 course. I must have missed out on some of the key points.

mz. said:

I never thought of it that way!!!

I hate to break this to you mz the pussy but I was actually aware of this. Apparently there have been a couple busts in the past for the Browns, so it does happen.

I had completely forgotten about it though, so a million thanks goes to SixPat for reminding us all that indeed, not every first round draft pick is a guaranteed success.

I feel ready to take on the world with my new found football IQ.

@joesixpat said:

Like look at this gem.

I never thought of it that way!!!

Thank you JoeSixPat!

@joesixpat said:

But chances are SOME of them will - just always wise to keep in mind that even first round picks aren't guaranteed success - something I supect everyone in Cleveland should understand.

They will all be great picks cuz Mangini is truly genius.

I have no clue what you mean about the Browns and having failed first rounders. Perhaps you could enlighten us on those picks since I can't remember any. Thanks

@wpb-dawg-fan said:

Anyway...this discussion has been great...and to everyone who has added another piece to the puzzle...THANKS!!!

Yes - that was my exact point... not sure how you missed that. But suffice to say that while ALL of the picks could be good players - there's also the chance that NONE of them will.

But chances are SOME of them will - just always wise to keep in mind that even first round picks aren't guaranteed success - something I supect everyone in Cleveland should understand.

Rice had Taylor.

Irvin had Harper.

Monk had Clark.

Harrison had Wayne. Now Wayne has help, too.

Even Slaughter had Langhorne

Who has Edwards had?

@nw-ohio-brownie said:

You're correct. My favorite example is Arizona. While Fitzgerald is their obvious #1, Boldin and Breaston had 89 and 77 catches respectively.

You can double Fitzgerald all day long but then you leave Boldin and/or Breaston in single coverage. In the end all three are going to hurt you.

Over the past years...the Browns have gone for the BIG OOOOOH pick. The knock your socks off blockbuster that is supposed to turn the team around immediately....and although we have had some immediate results on occasion, they have lacked staying power.

This draft, while not being dazzling, has the feel of longevity and planning. Of turning the TEAM around instead of adding a flashy PIECE.

I am excited...not because of one individual pick or player...but because we brought in ENOUGH picks and players to get improvement on SEVERAL areas of this team. (hope JoeSixPat is able to understand that)

Anyway...this discussion has been great...and to everyone who has added another piece to the puzzle...THANKS!!!

@hammertime said:

Good point, hammer, and you can really flip that around and say the same thing. I guess that's true all over the field, though. Since Fraley sucked last year, it seemed like our guards were taking a crap. Well, that's over with if Mack is the real deal. We could have a return to the line of '07 this year, and Jamal will have one more moment in the sun if so. If you don't believe it, cue up the Monday night tape vs. NYG. He was running all over their ass when we had our projected starting O-line for the one and only time last year.

Back to the WRs for a moment. Doesn't this corps now remind you of what we had during the Couch/Holcomb era? Several solid guys but not spectacular. Only now we have someone in Edwards who is a true #1. The ball is in your court, Braylon . . . don't drop it.

@oldcrow1945 said:

That's the point about Robiskie I was trying to make. He's been the linch pin of that receiving corps for so long I want to throw up in my mouth every time I think about it. Their #1's have come and gone, but there he is still today making every big and little play.

You can go around the league and identify someone like that on every successful passing team, yet all people want to talk about is the #1 receivers around the league. Remember Moss in NE two years ago? The NFL media were creaming all over themselves about this guy, but who was really moving the chains in Foxboro? Wes Welker with about a bajillion catches.

mz. said:

Fair enough - but if anyone thinks that any of the draft picks are guaranteed to be good players, they ARE Retarded. That goes for the Patriots as well as the Browns.

They could ALL be busts for all any of us can say at this point... probably not, but many or even most could be busts - and even though players that would be cut in a second by other teams could be be the best players on the Browns, thats really not a good thing.

mz. said:

And remember, just because the team we root for is worse than the one you root for doesn't make you any smarter than us.

mz the pussy, what you don't understand is Joe is a NE fan and they are like, really good and really smart. Therefore, he knows football better than us podunk midwestern types. Factor in he's probably from the uber intelligent NE area or Boston and we should feel very fortunate to have him explain football to us.

Remember, he has Belichick for a coach and we wouldn't know anything about him. Plus, when your team sucks it is pretty difficult to actually understand football.

And remember, just because the team we root for is worse than the one you root for doesn't make you any smarter than us.

@riffer-x said:

Sorry - I thought the original poster was actually excited about the picks. So you're saying he was being facetious? If so his sarcasm was lost on me.

@joesixpat said:

First of all, I agree - trading down for quantity over quality is EXACTLY what the Browns needed to do.

They were relatively inactive in free agency so they needed bodies in a big way from the draft - it was clear to everyone that Cleveland was probably the team most desperate to trade back. That created a what is essentially a win win trade with the Jets - a fair trade on all sides I'd say...but also left the Browns taking much less in value trading back later for paltry 6th round draft picks.

But beyond that, the only thing we can say for sure about the draft picks is that no one knows how good they'll be.

Whether its a 1st rounder or 7th, no one can say whether these guys are players or busts. Browns fans of all people should understand that a first round pick can be VERY disappointing.

And while some of the vets that have been picked up certainly may start or be in the rotation, one shouldn't get too excited about that. None of these vets were let go because they're pro-bowlers. On their current teams they weren't deemed valuable enough to keep, and certainly not starters. Given the state of the Browns, it may be likely they'll start here - but that's not necessarilly a good thing.

At the end of the day SOMEONE needs to start - they don't have to be good - just better than the alternative on the team.

Of course you pretty much can say the same thing about a lot of teams - and certainly all the rookies. That's part of the benefit to drafting quantity over quality... there's lots of Top 10 picks that have been turds and busts - but draft enough 6th rounders and even undrafted rookies, and you're sure to find a few diamonds in the rough... simple law of averages.

You really break down the obvious for us dumb Browns fans very well Joe, thanks a lot bro.

@wpb-dawg-fan said:

Coleman and Elam are likely to be starters for the Browns...but at the very least they will be key rotational players. Mack is also likely to be a starter....and Veikune is expected to challenge for the OLB starting roll.

So, instead of getting ONE starter (Raji or whomever) at #5...the Browns filled 3 to 4 positions.

BUT THAT IS NOT ALL!!!

The thing that nobody is talking about is the fact that the Browns ALSO saved about $40M on the rookie salary to their first round player. And this may actually be the most important component of the trade!!!

That means that the Browns will be in a position to make contract extensions to key FA's next year:So...the Browns actually got at least 3 starters (maybe 4), were able to keep options open for trading a QB (DA) or WR (BE), and saved enough money to keep the 5 starters we stand to lose to FA next year.

I would say...for the price of ONE PICK...

THAT WAS AN AWESOME TRADE(S)!!!

A few additional points that should be noted:

First of all, I agree - trading down for quantity over quality is EXACTLY what the Browns needed to do.

They were relatively inactive in free agency so they needed bodies in a big way from the draft - it was clear to everyone that Cleveland was probably the team most desperate to trade back. That created a what is essentially a win win trade with the Jets - a fair trade on all sides I'd say...but also left the Browns taking much less in value trading back later for paltry 6th round draft picks.

But beyond that, the only thing we can say for sure about the draft picks is that no one knows how good they'll be.

Whether its a 1st rounder or 7th, no one can say whether these guys are players or busts. Browns fans of all people should understand that a first round pick can be VERY disappointing.

And while some of the vets that have been picked up certainly may start or be in the rotation, one shouldn't get too excited about that. None of these vets were let go because they're pro-bowlers. On their current teams they weren't deemed valuable enough to keep, and certainly not starters. Given the state of the Browns, it may be likely they'll start here - but that's not necessarilly a good thing.

At the end of the day SOMEONE needs to start - they don't have to be good - just better than the alternative on the team.

Of course you pretty much can say the same thing about a lot of teams - and certainly all the rookies. That's part of the benefit to drafting quantity over quality... there's lots of Top 10 picks that have been turds and busts - but draft enough 6th rounders and even undrafted rookies, and you're sure to find a few diamonds in the rough... simple law of averages.

@oconrecon said:

The Browns have coach with a plan and it feels damn good.

Someone at The Plain Dealer should be writing and article with points from this thread.

I'll second that Ocon.

Of all the places to go for Browns news , info and just stuff in general this is the first place I go.

I've gotta go back even further than this thread to say, thanks Stan for putting this website together. This place can take on a life of its own sometimes but insight like this thread make all the other BS worth sifting through.

The Browns have coach with a plan and it feels damn good.

Someone at The Plain Dealer should be writing and article with points from this thread.