Biggest question marks have to be OL, particularly RG and T. 

What the hell do you need "analytics" for when choosing a HC. Dude is a waste salary. 

Even that assumes good enough drafting and coaching to get to a double digit win season. Patience and a trust in management being not like that of old, I guess.

@vagitron said:

it was amazingly cold Sunday night, Heinz Field was giving away free hot chocolate as a direct result. I had friends at the game that couldn't get over how cold out was annnnnd the steelers have been playing inconsistently and the fan base is disgruntled.

Hell for two tickets to Heinz it still sets you back 150. You can go to a browns game for 40 bucks or less for two people.

1) Boohoo Steeler fans get cold. And exactly, "inconsistent" play constitutes people not showing up Steeler games. Thanks for proving my point. The Browns have been awful, dare I say "chronically inconsistent," for a quarter of a century yet we still show up.

2) And that's indicative of our team, not our fans. If you want people to show up you better A) offer the service of entertainment or discount tickets for the lack thereof. I guarantee you that 25% of teams would stoop to years of JAX attendance numbers if they experienced anything close to what Browns fans experience. We haven't, end of story.

Lemmee throw some numbers at you

Cleveland vs. Pittsburgh:

Stadium capacity - 71,000 vs 57,000

% sold seats - 97% vs. 88%

Away game attendance

(in terms of % seats sold) - 100 vs. 96%

Even Jacksonville sold more seats this year.

Point: Cleveland Browns arguably have proven to be the most resilient and loyal fan group in the NFL. Can't wait to see the desolation of Foxboro in a few years...

Being that I am in Boston, I was watching it on a bootleg site on my laptop. As soon as he came in, I yelled FUCK YOU for about ten seconds, slammed my laptop closed, went outside to shotgun a beer, and miraculously Campbell came back.

My spoiled, Brady-loving roommates still don't get how much it blows to be a CLE fan.

The NFL is a business, not a charity organization. Phil desires new opportunities elsewhere, so we pickup a young K to be our franchise kicker for the next 14 years. End of story.

PoeticG is exactly whats wrong with many US professional sports fans...they treat everything in sports so damn personally. Relax, and remember that its a BUSINESS. If you had more prestigious, higher paying opportunities at a competing company of the one you're working at right now, would you take it? You'd be an absent minded idiot if you didn't. Cya Dawson, and no offense but as a kicker you are incredibly replaceable.

This DL/LB-focused strategy in FA makes perfect sense.

How?

1) The dynamic Horton scheme necessitates LB and DE who can swap to the other position on any given down. It also requires depth in each position, as you are constantly having to adapt and move differently based on your formational position.

2) We play in the AFC North. This isn't a division of pussy-domes and seventy degree weather. If we can dominate the line and the box, even an average secondary will allow this defense to take us places

3) Yes, help is needed at CB. But, CB is an area that very easily addressed in the draft.

@harry-buffalo said:

How so? At middle LB we have, JMJ, Carder, Robertson, Fort, and the one known start in Jackson. Also Acho but who knows where he fits at. So small to play either LB spot. How does letting one reserve MLB go mean a big FA signing?

I still don't get this about Browns fans. Either the that 4th round pick plays like a pro bowler, or he is a wasted pick. Last time I checked teams should feel happy if a 4th rounder turns into a good 2nd teamer.

I didn't say that it was going to be a "big" FA signing nor did I say that anyone on the roster at LB lacks talent. Personally, I feel that another senior mentor-type alongside Jackson would be invaluable. The upside at LB is incredibly high right now, and an additional piece to the LB depth chart makes sense especially after letting go of Maiava. Let's not forget that Maiava started a significant amount of games last year as well, so reserve LB I think not.

TRich-Hardesty->Ob is a great RB corp. They all complement each other well, and Ob's has a superior ability to get open in the passing game

Well this basically guarantees a imminent upgrade of LB either thru FA or draft. I'm down for that.

Like mlxtoxic said, he had a lot of talent that wasn't unharnessed while he was here, especially at WR. I honestly like the replacement of Benjamin with Cribbs with regards to age and overall talent, but Cribbs was great and will be missed.

In all honesty, I haven't been this optimistic about the Browns since the '07 affair. Fuck Lombardi, but other than that we got pieces in place... especially this Horton BAMF.

I'd take him at a senior discount, but otherwise no way.

@browns_fanman said:

What's up everyone? New here but thought I'd stir up some conversation with something I recently discovered. What do you guys think? 9 billion a year and yet tax exempt?

http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-03-05/sports/31123203_1_tax-exempt-status-tax-exemptions-antitrust-exemption

Seeing as the NFL runs our entertainment industry outside of Hollywood I find it hardly surprising that the NFL gets tax exempt status from that fact alone. Think about it. Because the NFL is a money maker everywhere, who in Congress would object to exempting the NFL from Federal taxation?

The guy is 36 (6 years older than Weeden, OMG!!!). Seeing as the Browns is a long term project at present (though a good one at that), getting him makes no sense to me. And, the last thing I'd want is to drop big money on someone who is that old and has been susceptible to injury. Stay young and keep building with the occasional free agent under 30.

Clearly we should release him so that Marcecic can start again, right? And, seeing as he is essentially our #2/3 TE, is he really meant to be more than a "warm body" at the TE position? He is listed as a FB on the roster, and with the offseason he'll be able to actually practice in the position and become formidable.

@poeticg said:

Oh that Alex Smith, I thought we released our Tight End... disappointing.

Why would you want Alex Smith the TE to be released?

there is so much wrong with this map its actually incredible. It's only cool for the fact that they were able to illustrate this random sample on a map....

1) As said before, the demographic of this map is skewed heavily towards younger populations. And, I'll admit that because my generation is so inclined for instance gratification, young diehard Browns fans are very hard to come by outside of the CLE metro

2) NW actually makes sense, though in reality Toledo is extremely Lions-based.

3) This map doesn't illustrate population variances in counties. Who gives two shits if the two voters in hoe-dunk county Wyoming voted for ___? And, Montana looks like an Xmas tree.... wonder why...

4) We fight for fans in one of the most difficult spots in the country. Within 6 hours of CLE we have 6 (or just a shade under 20% of) NFL teams: BUF, PIT, CIN, DET, IND, and CHI. People make fun of the notion that the Browns and Bengals have such small fan bases, but the reality is that pussy organizations like the Cowboys are aided by geographic isolation in terms of the proximity of NFL teams.

and.....

5) Browns backers club. It has chapters in fucking Spain (where I'm at currently... hell yes) and Israel. Nuff said

This guy is hardcore and I'm liking it. The WCO and 4-3 represent the dinosaurs of NFL formations nowadays. Its about time we got some coaches that actually live in the present era of the NFL.