Cleveland Browns Offseason Talk

• BR1986FB

  pkebker wrote: Dude seriously Capone, I live near Shitsburgh, and it is WAY worse than Cleveland. They have a great hockey team and a mediocre football team (and the worst baseball team in the history of the MLB), but the rest of the city is crap. What exactly is there in 'burgh. I mean Cleveland has the best team in the nba, our baseball team is better than the pirates every year, (ill admit the past decade the steelers have spanked the browns, but there certainly have been decades where the browns were dominating the steelers). Clevaland also has the rock and roll hall of fame, the cleveland orchestra, the cleveland museam of art, a museam of natural history, the cleveland clinic hospital. My point is, Cleveland is a much greater city than Pittsburgh.

  Never mind him....syphilis will make you say stupid things, REPEATEDLY.
• IggyPride00

  

  I hope Holmgren is working the phones right now and being proactive, because seeing Cromartie and Boldin get traded to other teams for table scraps (hell, Detroit made out really well on the Williams deal with Cleveland) is making me wonder why he isn't trying to get in on any of that action if guys are publicly available. Teams are overly obsessed with draft picks right now, so he should be using that war chest of picks to bring in some proven players who can help immediately (as long as they're not in their late 30's or clearly over the hill) instead of banking on finding impact players in the 3rd round and later when your odds are no better than 50/50 of hitting on a player.
  
  It's only been 1 day of free agency, but I get frustrated seeing other teams bending teams over the table while the Browns big move was to resign their kick returner/ special teams ace (Cribbs absolutely did deserve a new deal though). There needs to be some urgency though, because the free agent market is terribly thin and there is really only so much help to be had out there.
• Al Capone

  My argument wasn't toward the City itself, it's toward the Browns in general. No big time free agent wants to come to Cleveland to play for that organization. The browns are equal to the Pirates that I will agree.
• iclfan2

  

  caplannfl: Browns and S Ray Ventrone agree on 3yr, 2.2 mil deal. HA another special teamer signing?
• Non

  

  pkebker wrote: Dude seriously Capone, I live near Shitsburgh, and it is WAY worse than Cleveland. They have a great hockey team and a mediocre football team (and the worst baseball team in the history of the MLB), but the rest of the city is crap. What exactly is there in 'burgh. I mean Cleveland has the best team in the nba, our baseball team is better than the pirates every year, (ill admit the past decade the steelers have spanked the browns, but there certainly have been decades where the browns were dominating the steelers). Clevaland also has the rock and roll hall of fame, the cleveland orchestra, the cleveland museam of art, a museam of natural history, the cleveland clinic hospital. My point is, Cleveland is a much greater city than Pittsburgh.

  I'm not sure where you came up with that perspective but it's trash just from the sports standpoint alone.
  
  The Indians had a decent run but it produced nothing. The Cavs and LeBron are a hot ticket but they're still chasing that first championship. The Browns have been mostly insignificant since the 80s.
  
  Pittsburgh has won 11 professional sports titles since Cleveland last won one. This is in the four major sports. They won three just since 2005. The Steelers went through the playoffs as the No. 6 and won an unprecedented three road games. Then in 2008 they won one of the most dramatic Super Bowls. Big parades after each of them. The Penguins not only won the Stanley Cup but rallied twice from 2-0 and 3-2 down to beat the Red Wings in Detroit in a fantastic Game 7.
  
  I don't agree with the city debate either. My parents live in Cleveland and my mom works at the Cleveland Clinic. Great hospital but overall Pittsburgh is a much better looking city. One of the best city skylines and many of the same attractions as you mentioned with Cleveland. Pittsburgh is a great modern city. I think both have cleaned up a lot but I'd say Cleveland has maintained more of the rust belt, older feel than Pittsburgh and I've been to both cities many times.
• BR1986FB

  IggyPride00 wrote: I hope Holmgren is working the phones right now and being proactive, because seeing Cromartie and Boldin get traded to other teams for table scraps (hell, Detroit made out really well on the Williams deal with Cleveland) is making me wonder why he isn't trying to get in on any of that action if guys are publicly available. Teams are overly obsessed with draft picks right now, so he should be using that war chest of picks to bring in some proven players who can help immediately (as long as they're not in their late 30's or clearly over the hill) instead of banking on finding impact players in the 3rd round and later when your odds are no better than 50/50 of hitting on a player.
  
  It's only been 1 day of free agency, but I get frustrated seeing other teams bending teams over the table while the Browns big move was to resign their kick returner/ special teams ace (Cribbs absolutely did deserve a new deal though). There needs to be some urgency though, because the free agent market is terribly thin and there is really only so much help to be had out there.

  I'm sure he's working the phones but now I'm curious who their targets are.
  
  I know that McNabb is still their #1 target and they have Fujita coming in tomorrow.
  Walter re-signed with Houston and Bannan never made it out of Denver (he attended Colorado U so that likely had something to do with it).
  
  Still think they will throw an offer sheet at Rob Sims and relinquish our 4th. Thomas Jones will also be highly sought after.
  
  Still need a safety and a WR though.
• just_a_swimmer

  

  Man if Holmgren can land McNabb that would be awesome.
• Non

  

  Al Capone wrote: My argument wasn't toward the City itself, it's toward the Browns in general. No big time free agent wants to come to Cleveland to play for that organization. The browns are equal to the Pirates that I will agree.

  I'd give the Browns the edge over the Pirates but both are nowhere close to being playoff teams or contenders.
  
  Penguins and Cavs are legitimate.
  
  Then it comes down to the Steelers vs. Indians and that's not much of a contest. Steelers just won the Super Bowl in 2008-2009 and went 9-7 despite some major injuries. They can be a playoff team and contender next year. Indians would need a miracle to be in that type of discussion this year.
• spartan

  i wouldnt mind if the browns went after Oshiomogho Atogwe of the rams, the rams gave him the lowest tender (i believe no draft picks would be lost if the browns signed him)
• BR1986FB

  spartan wrote: i wouldnt mind if the browns went after Oshiomogho Atogwe of the rams, the rams gave him the lowest tender (i believe no draft picks would be lost if the browns signed him)

  Good call. I was reading something similar to this on the OBR.
• big_hits24

  The Browns really need to get help in the defensive backfield...which I think they'll draft with their 1st pick...hopefully Berry but I dont think he'll be there, Unless we trade up. What WR's who are considered a legit #1 guy are still out in free agency still or could be dealt?
• Non

  

  I don't know about McNabb.
  
  Everyone is desperate for a winner so they want what is best for right now but the Browns need to build this thing correctly, this time around.
  
  Holmgren needs to find his young franchise QB the team can build around for 10 years.
• BR1986FB

  Non wrote: I don't know about McNabb.
  
  Everyone is desperate for a winner so they want what is best for right now but the Browns need to build this thing correctly, this time around.
  
  Holmgren needs to find his young franchise QB the team can build around for 10 years.

  I think that's the plan. Bring in McNabb for a couple of years as a stopgap and draft a QB to learn.
• BR1986FB

  big_hits24 wrote: The Browns really need to get help in the defensive backfield...which I think they'll draft with their 1st pick...hopefully Berry but I dont think he'll be there, Unless we trade up. What WR's who are considered a legit #1 guy are still out in free agency still or could be dealt?

  This is my BIGGEST concern about where we pick. Brandon Marshall is taking a physical with the Seahawks and will be dealt for one of Seattle's 1st rounders. They have #6 & #14, I believe. If it's #14 no sweat, but if it's #6, my biggest fear is that those bastards will screw us and take Berry.
  
  There's really nothing of significance left as far as WR's go. Boldin was traded, Walter re-signed and Marshall is about to get traded.
• spartan

  what is the asking price for Mcnabb?
• IggyPride00

  

  BR1986FB wrote:

  big_hits24 wrote: The Browns really need to get help in the defensive backfield...which I think they'll draft with their 1st pick...hopefully Berry but I dont think he'll be there, Unless we trade up. What WR's who are considered a legit #1 guy are still out in free agency still or could be dealt?

  This is my BIGGEST concern about where we pick. Brandon Marshall is taking a physical with the Seahawks and will be dealt for one of Seattle's 1st rounders. They have #6 & #14, I believe. If it's #14 no sweat, but if it's #6, my biggest fear is that those bastards will screw us and take Berry.
  
  There's really nothing of significance left as far as WR's go. Boldin was traded, Walter re-signed and Marshall is about to get traded.

  It will be #6 since it is their pick. Adam Schefter today that Seattle would be required to make it be the #6 pick. Ironically enough the #14 pick is actually Denver's from the trade they made last year to get back into the second round.
• Non

  

  Chris Chambers is available. Cleveland native.
  
  I thought he did ok in Kansas City last year.
  
  36 rec 608 yards (almost 17 yards per catch)
• royal_k

  

  Denver has been screwing us for years. Wouldn't be surprised if it happened again.
  
  The more I think about it, the more I want McNabb. IMO he has a couple very good years left....plenty of time to draft our QB of the future and still be competitive NOW.
• BR1986FB

  spartan wrote: what is the asking price for Mcnabb?

  Not sure. Probably a 2nd or a 3rd (and a player).
  
  BTW....didn't mention it earlier but I did hear Tashard Choice's name linked to the Browns. Didn't catch all of it but thought it had something to do with the Cowboys signing DQ Jackson to an offer sheet and then us getting Choice via trade. Wasn't exactly sure how that worked but were are/were linked to Choice.
  
  BTW Part Deux....I wouldn't be too concerned about the lack of free agent signings. I think that Holmgren, Heckert & Company are in full on trade mode. Still expect to see Rogers and possibly Quinn moved.
• IggyPride00

  

  Still expect to see Rogers and possibly Quinn moved.

  Don't understand for the life of me the fascination with moving Rogers when we are going to be unable to replace him with anything that is available. Hell, if they are so determined to move Rogers they should have kept Williams and left him play inside like he did when Rogers was hurt (and was actually more productive than he had been for the Browns up to that point).
  
  Rogers won't bring any more than a 4th round pick in return given the way the market is, and I don't see how that helps.
  
  The D-line was awful for the most part, but gutting it for the sake of gutting it to proliferate it with table scraps we cobble together just doesn't seem too appealing.
• BR1986FB

  Rogers could be packaged to get McNabb
• big_hits24

  If Cleveland somehow pulled of the McNabb deal..when the draft comes, I would first see if any of the teams picking before the browns would accept a trade of the 1st rd picks(basically switch places) If that happened...we could have our choice of Berry, Haden, Bradford? although I'd prefer a DB...but I think we can still get a quality QB in a later round...and still be able to get a solid RB (Jahvid Best, Anthony Dixon(Miss.St, Dexter McCluster, Jonathan Dwyer could be a solid pick in a later round) some pretty solid WR's might be available as well in Rounds 2, and possibly later (Jordan Shipley, Riley Cooper, Eric Decker, Mardy Gilyard, Brandon Lefell) So there are some pretty talented guys in the draft Cleveland could land on the offensive side if things to work out by first getting McNabb and Eric Berry....but this is only wishful thinking
• Non

  

  This might be one of the best defensive line drafts ever. So if they are going to move Rogers this is not a bad year to have to draft somebody else.
  
  Ndamukong Suh
  Gerald McCoy
  Brian Price
  Dan Williams
  Terrence Cody
  Jared Odrick
  Cam Thomas
  Arthur Jones
  Tyson Alualu
  LaMarr Houston
  Jeff Owens
  Jay Ross
  D'Anthony Smith
  
  Those are just the DTs with many NT options.
• IggyPride00

  

  Rogers could be packaged to get McNabb

  I would be just fine with that. I was just making the point that I don't want to see him moved to pick up another 4th or 5th round pick, which is exactly how I see things ending up I have a feeling.
• ytownfootball

  

  I think the thoughts on Rogers surround the question of how much he's got left in the tank.