Cleveland Browns Offseason Talk

• Gobuckeyes1

  I'll go ahead and start it...so much to talk about and so many obvious questions...
  
  Does Mangini stay or go?
  
  If he stays, can Holmgren and Mangini co-exist?
  
  If Mangini goes, will we keep Rob Ryan?
  
  If Mangini goes, who replaces him?
  
  What happens at QB for next season?
  
  Who will be the new GM (and does it matter)?
  
  Where will we pick in the draft and how will we use the 11 picks we have?
  
  Will we re-sign Cribbs and Harrison? (We better...)
  
  I never would have imagined just six weeks ago that this team was capable of winning four games in a row. Hell, I wasn't sure they could win one game. The way this team finished the season and the style of football that was being played during the last month is a testament to Mangini and the coaching staff. That being said, I hope he gets another year as they are vastly improved.
  
  The highlight of the year for me was definitely being in attendance at the Stadium when the Browns beat Pittsburgh. Despite the weather, that was as much fun as I have ever had at a Browns game.
  
  Instead of the usual merciful ending to the season, I actually find myself excited for next season and sad that it will be eight months until the preseason begins. Here's hoping that Holmgren can continue righting the ship and that the playoffs might actually be attainable in 2010.
  
  GO BROWNS!!!
• wes_mantooth

  

  They need to immediately make their decision on Mangini. I think he is gone, but I would like to see him for another year. Secondly, they need to take care of Cribbs. The draft is very deep this year, so they need to hit some homeruns with their picks.
• Writerbuckeye

  

  If Mangini goes, forget about Ryan staying. You can't fire the head coach and tell the new head coach he has to keep someone as an assistant. It's all or nothing here, folks.
  
  I hope they keep Mangini for at least one more season. Holmgren is an offensive guy all the way; Mangini is a defensive guy all the way. There should be no reason they can't co-exist.
  
  The most important off season tasks are:
  
  KEEP HARRISON, VICKERS, ROTH AND MOORE. I believe all are at least restricted free agents.
  
  Extend Cribbs' contract. We've already got him signed for a few more years, but bump his pay and extend him.
  
  Hire a GM as quickly as possible so there is time to review personnel before free agency begins and the draft.
• ytownfootball

  

  The one feather in Mangini's cap is how well they played down the stretch with absolutely nothing on the line, (yeah I know they are all playing for their jobs), but this team could have folded like an old lawn chair and didn't. If Mangini stays...
  
  Pay Cribbs
  
  Ryan stays
  
  Daboll goes
• King Curtis

  Mangini gets 1 more year
• KnightRyder

  

  mangini is history
• mucalum49

  

  I hope Mangini stays because the team played disciplined and smart these last few games. Those are direct characteristics to what Coach Mangini has tried to instill in his players. The GM hiring will be an important one because of where the person has previously worked. I can cope with Mangini leaving only if it is for the fact that his philosophies don't match up with Holmgren and the GM. Since Holmgren knows 4-3 and the West Coast offense if he feels like we need to switch to that then I can live with it. Rather have everyone on the same page than a 4-3/WCO front office with a 3-4/whatever our offensive philosophy is, coach.
  
  Cribbs has already stated in the paper that Holmgren has given his extension a green light. Harrison, Roth, Moore all need to stay. Bernard should stay (not sure what his contract is). Jennings should stay too as our 3rd RB. Having a backfield of Harrison, Davis, Jennings is fairly solid. I said during the Rose Bowl I would love to see Blount on the Browns but due to the punch that is not going to happen with the priority of high character guys. He was a 1st round talent and now he has even less tread on his tires which can be had later in the draft.
  
  QB is a huge issue but I don't know where it can go. I don't think either guy we have is the answer and having a rookie next year won't help because I doubt we use our 1st rounder on a QB (we better not). Drafting Eric Berry should be the #1 priority. I like Rolando McClain but next years LB corp of Roth, Wimbley, Bernard, D'Qwell Jackson, Bowens, Veikune, and Maiva isn't that terrible and those younger guys got some reps this season so they won't be as wide eyed.
  
  The last 4 games have hopefully built some momentum for what could have been a tedious offseason. Hope the guys stay motivated to come out next year and continue the win steak.
• slide22

  I want Mangini to stay because unlike some of the previous years(2007 included,) the last 4 games the team had a swagger to them. Like we are going to come out and punch you in the mouth and stomp on you for 4 quarters...something we haven't seen in the Browns in a long time.
• hrspeedmerchant

  Mangini should stay, but if Holmgren pushes for the West Coast offense Mangini should be receptive. With the personnel we now have that would be a wise offense to run with Quinn at the helm.
• pkebker

  Mangini has run the WCO before in New York with Favre. Holmgren cares about Offense, Mangini cares about Defense. They can and will be successful together.
• dazedconfused

  

  i think mangini has earned another year...daboll, on the otherhand, should probably gather his belongings and gtfo
• Fidmeister

  Holmgren sounds like someone who wants his own guy coaching the team, which I can handle. The personnel is better for the WCO and the 4-3.
  
  Also consider the free agent issue. Will any come to play for Eric Mangini?
  
  I think the team played well enough in the final four weeks for him to stay. I also won't be broken up if he's gone.
  
  Priorities should be a safety, receiver and at least one corner. Would help a ton to try again at right guard and right tackle. I think you see what you have in the running backs and Brady Quinn next season.
  
  A new regime might move Veikune back to the defensive line.
• slingshot4ever

  Based on how the games played out today, Seattle, Oakland, and Cleveland tied for the 6th pick in the draft. I am not sure how tiebreakers will work, but it means the Browns will have the 6th, 7th, or 8th pick. I predict this pick to be either Eric Berry if available or McClain from Alabama.
• Al Bundy

  slingshot4ever wrote: Based on how the games played out today, Seattle, Oakland, and Cleveland tied for the 6th pick in the draft. I am not sure how tiebreakers will work, but it means the Browns will have the 6th, 7th, or 8th pick. I predict this pick to be either Eric Berry if available or McClain from Alabama.

  There is no way Berry is still around when the Browns pick.
• slingshot4ever

  ^^^^
  
  I don't think he will be either, hence the "if available"
• wes_mantooth

  

  Al Bundy wrote:

  slingshot4ever wrote: Based on how the games played out today, Seattle, Oakland, and Cleveland tied for the 6th pick in the draft. I am not sure how tiebreakers will work, but it means the Browns will have the 6th, 7th, or 8th pick. I predict this pick to be either Eric Berry if available or McClain from Alabama.

  There is no way Berry is still around when the Browns pick.

  I tend to agree, but there are a lot of cases of guys sliding for one reason or another.
• DaBrowns41

  Gruden won't be available this season, so I think Mangini stays a season. If he fails next year, Gruden is brought in for 2011. If he succeeds next year, then great, we found ourselves a coach.
• osu99

  Nothing moves forward until the Mangini situation is taken care of and I really think it is a toss up at this point. I do lean a little more to him being let go simply because of how important it is for those taking new leadership roles to have "their guy" in place.
• devil1197

  1) Figure of the Mangini situation. I want to see him get another year with this group. The only way I wouldn't be totally upset would be if Holmgren brought in a veteran coach with solid credentials.
  
  2) Find your GM. This needs to be done immediately following the coaching decision. The GM needs to get in and evaluate the overall talent, who to keep and what positions to target in the draft.
  
  3) Settle Cribbs in nicely with a new contract. He has earned it and he won't just be a ST player. The wildcat is obviously going to work if used next season.
  
  4) Keep guys like Moore, Roth, Jennings, and Harrison need another year in Cleveland. I liked what I saw out of these guys towards the end of the year and they earned the right to be brought back to the team next season.
  
  5) The draft is looking anywhere from 6-8th pick. Since Berry will not be on the board by then I am looking at either Rolando McClain LB from Alabama or Joe Haden CB from Florida. Both would be instant starters and are proven guys at two of the best college programs in the nation. Haden and Wright would be a solid duo at the CB position and McClain would be a solid ILB for many years.
• IggyPride00

  

  Drafting Eric Berry should be the #1 priority.

  Well, winning 4 meaningless games in a row at the end of the season 86's that idea.
  
  I know it makes everyone feel good to win a few games, but look know further than the Indians in 08 to see how much momentum for the next season a hot finish gets you. That would be none.
  
  Mangini is gone. Holmgren is going to bring in his own guy, because waiting another year to see if it works out of retarded because if it doesn't another year has been wasted. It is not fair to Mangini, but Holmgren needs to surround himself with people he is comfortable with instead of trying to make something work.
• KnightRyder

  

  hrspeedmerchant wrote: Mangini should stay, but if Holmgren pushes for the West Coast offense Mangini should be receptive. With the personnel we now have that would be a wise offense to run with Quinn at the helm.

  actually running the wco with quinn at the helm could be a bad choice. quinn is far to innaccurate
• devil1197

  IggyPride00 wrote:

  Drafting Eric Berry should be the #1 priority.

  Well, winning 4 meaningless games in a row at the end of the season 86's that idea.
  
  I know it makes everyone feel good to win a few games, but look know further than the Indians in 08 to see how much momentum for the next season a hot finish gets you. That would be none.
  
  Mangini is gone. Holmgren is going to bring in his own guy, because waiting another year to see if it works out of retarded because if it doesn't another year has been wasted. It is not fair to Mangini, but Holmgren needs to surround himself with people he is comfortable with instead of trying to make something work.

  I'd never sacrifice wins for a player unless it was the #1 selection and it was a huge must need.
  
  Losing Berry hurts because I like he but there are multiple other positions that Cleveland needs and there will be the same impact players available at those positions. I really don't see a difference in Berry, McClain, or Haden outside of their position on the field.
• DaBrowns41

  I'm a HUGE fan of Berry as well, but if we don't get Berry, it's not the end of the world. There's always Joe Haden, Rolando McClain, Derrick Morgan, Jerry Hughes, Jason Pierre-Paul, etc.
  
  Not to mention, we'll be in a position to potentially take Berry strictly because teams aren't usually as willing to take a safety top 5. It's only happened a handful of times since the NFL Draft has existed.
• sleeper

  

  I don't even want a top 5 pick, as that's way too much money to invest in an unproven rookie. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if the Browns trade that pick down like they did last year and end up with a pick in the 20-25 range.
  
  Mangini is likely gone, whether deserving or not.
  
  I'd really like to keep Harrison, but I feel like the Browns will try to ship him off for more picks, especially since he looked all world the last couple games.
• devil1197

  Sleeper, the money isn't that much different in the top 10 unless you are a QB really.