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Sunday, April 29, 2012

Draft Thoughts

Joe Cleveland does not like this new Blogger format. But, here goes the latest installment of "Joe Cleveland":

The most anticipated draft in Browns history -- debatable, but I've never remembered such hype and buzz about it, even during the expansion year -- came and went Thursday through Saturday, and the Browns did not disappoint in their spashy moves.

Well, at least for the first round. The remaining six rounds were pretty pedestrian by most standards, only because there weren't any "sexy" picks (by the way, Joe Cleveland hates when people describe draft picks as "sexy." To me, there's only one definition of "sexy" and it involves women. Of course, that's just my opinion. Some men think other men are "sexy," not that there's anything wrong with that. But, I digress ...)

The Browns entered the draft with 13 picks and wound up selecting 10 players and signing 11 others as undrafted free agents. Here are your new Cleveland Browns:

First Round:
3. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
22. Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State
Second Round:
5. Mitchell Schwartz, OT, California
Third Round:
25. John Hughes, DT, Cincinnati
Fourth Round:
5. Travis Benjamin, WR, Miami (FL.)
25. James Michael-Johnson, LB, Nevada
Fifth Round:
25. Ryan Miller, OG, Colorado
Sixth Round:
35. Emmanuel Acho, LB, Texas
36. Billy Winn, DT, Boise State
Seventh Round:
38. Trevin Wade, CB, Arizona
40. Brad Smelley, TE/FB, Alabama
Undrafted:
Josh Cooper, WR, Oklahoma State
Jermaine Saffold, WR, Missouri St
Andrew Sweat, LB, Ohio State
Matt Cleveland, OT, Idaho
Antwuan Reed, CB, Pitt
J.B. Shugarts, OT, Ohio State
Jake Anderson, OT, Akron
Johnson Bademosi, SAF, Stanford
William Green, DE, Florida
Tashaun Gipson, S, Wyoming
Garth Gerhart, OL, Arizona State

Well, let's start at the top. The Browns moved up one spot (from 4th to 3rd) to select Richardson, who many believe was the best football player in this draft. They also gave up the fourth round pick they received from Atlanta and their sixth and seventh-round selections to move up. Richardson was the first running back taken in the top 10 since Darren McFadden, and the first Browns first-round running back selection since William Green in 2002.

In fact, he's the highest draft pick the Browns have spent on a running back since they acquired the No. 1 overall pick in 1962 and took Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis. Davis, unfortunately, was diagnosed with leukemia and died without ever playing in a single NFL game.

Some are lamenting the high price the Browns paid to move up to take "The Kraken," but it pales in comparison to the price Washington paid to select Robert Griffin III. In fact, it also pales in comparison to the time Butch Davis moved up from No. 7 to No. 6 in 2004 to select Kellen Winslow Jr. Davis also gave up his second round pick to move up one spot, meaning it was the only time Matt Millen ever pulled the wool over someone's eyes in the draft (Butch was gone by the next draft).

I give the Browns a ton of credit to go out and get their guy. Many fans (unjustly, I might add) lambasted them for trading down with Atlanta last year. The Falcons gave up a king's ransom to move up to take receiver Julio Jones, who had an up-and-down rookie season where highlight-reel plays were augmented by drops and injuries. Suddenly, those same fans (fans who cried about the Browns not giving up a king's ransom to take RG-ME) were now complaining that the Browns gave up too much.

WHICH IS IT?????!!!!!!

God-damn, I love being a Browns fan, but you people are ridiculous sometimes. I know we're jaded from years of losing football, but come on! Give the front office the benefit of the doubt. They did what they had to do get the one player that everyone wanted (after Luck and RG-ME). And, to be honest, other than the fourth-round pick (which was a low fourth-rounder at that), the other picks were junk picks. For every sixth- and seventh-rounder that emerges, there's about 50 others that fade into obscurity.

The next pick drew even more controversy, even though every Browns fan cried and complained that they needed to replace Colt McCoy. Brandon Weeden's lone knock is his age -- 28. He became the oldest player drafted in the first round in many years.

Skeptics immediately brought up the last 28-year-old who had a good college career and went to the NFL -- Heisman winner Chris Weinke. Weinke went in the fourth round, started his rookie year in which the team went 1-15, and then spent several years as a backup and mentor. He was the backup when Carolina reached it's lone Super Bowl, and he now has made a name for himself as a QB guru, running offseason camps for prospective pros.

People like Joe Cleveland brought up guys like Kurt Warner, Steve Young, Roger Staubach, Rich Gannon -- players who didn't do much in their 20s but emerged in their late 20s and 30s to become great. Staubach and Young are Hall of Famers; Warner could very well be one; Gannon will not, but had a fine career, nonetheless.

Weeden has a great arm, a great head on his shoulders, is a natural leader and is a proven winner. Sure, Colt was a natural leader and proven collegiate winner as well, but his lack of size and arm strength caused him to fall to the third round and were exposed last season -- his first full season as a starter.

All the so-called draft experts felt that Weeden was a lock for the Browns, but at No. 37 -- the fifth-overall pick in the second round. The Browns made it clear that Weeden was their guy when they lost out on RG-ME and Luck, and they feared that another team would swoop in between 22 and 37 to take him. They didn't want to gamble.

That essentially became the theme of their draft. The Browns saw the person they liked and, draft gurus be damned, they didn't want to gamble and took them regardless.

Did they reach on a few picks? Probably.

But did they fill a ton of needs? Absolutely.

You could argue that the Browns should have filled the right tackle spot in free agency, that Eric Winston could have been had and been affordable under their cap, which would have allowed them to take a receiver. However, the sad reality is Cleveland is just not a desirable place for free agents.

Part of it is the teams, but a larger part is the area.

We get angry about it because we love our town and we're fiercely protective of it's image (a big reason why I LOVE Cleveland), but the national perception is what it is.

The only way the Browns, Cavs and Indians will lure players is if they overpay them. Tom Heckert and Mike Holmgren made it clear they weren't going to overpay to bring anyone in. They may have overpaid Frostee Rucker a bit, but Heckert and Holmgren believed Rucker would bloster their 30th-ranked run defense.

So, for us outsiders to complain that the Browns didn't do anything in free agency, we're overlooking the fact that free agents may not want to come here.

That could change once the casino gets up and running. It will add to businesses and add other attractions that should appeal to professional athletes. The fact that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is one of the main proponents behind the Horseshoe Casino should tell you that he's trying to make Cleveland attractive to pro athletes.

It will also change once the culture changes and the teams begin winning. The Cavs won with LeBron James, but many players believed LeBron was going to leave so they stayed away (they were right, what a surprise). The Indians just can't afford to spend money on top-flight talent and have made a habit out of letting their own top-flight talent go, which doesn't help the outside image. And the Browns have been a perennial loser for so long.

You have to break the bank on a player if you're a losing team, like the Bills did with Mario Williams. The Browns did that when Phil Savage was running the show, but Holmgren and Heckert made it clear that they won't operate that way.

Now, back to the draft ...

If any player will be nominated for the Montario Hardesty Award, named for the running back Heckert traded up for in the second round of his first draft but never panned out, it will be Cincinnati defensive tackle John Hughes.

Hughes, who shares the same name as one of the best movie directors of the 1980s (The Breakfast Club, Home Alone, Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, etc.), was pegged to be a very late round pick by the so-called experts. The Browns traded down from their fourth-overall spot in the third round to add another fourth (making up for the one they lost in the Richardson deal) and took Hughes.

Fans screamed that they didn't add a wide receiver in the first three rounds. They felt that defensive tackle was the least of their worries. They wondered who the hell this John Hughes guy is.

When the Browns decided right tackle was more of a glaring need than wide receiver (it was, Browns fans, it was), they were gambling that a wide receiver may fall into the third round. They almost got their wish, as LSU's Ruben Randle plumetted like a stone to the third round. However, once he was taken just four picks ahead of the Browns, I believe that gave them the excuse to trade down.

From that point on, the Browns drafted for need. They added another guard (Colorado's Ryan Miller) to push Shawn Lavauo and Jason Pinkston for one of the starting spots. They added Hughes and Billy Winn to add to the depth of the defensive line. They added Wade to add depth to their defensive backfield (which was one thing they were trying to do). And, Smelley's versitility will aid their special teams and give Owen Marecic a challenger for the fullback spot.

Browns fans will complain about their ignoring of wide receiver again. The only one they took was speedy Travis Benjamin out of Miami. Benjamin is small, but has breakaway speed that could be an asset in the return game (Cribbs isn't getting any younger). Then again, the player they may have been targeting at 22 (Baylor's Brandon Wright) is also speedy and smaller, so what does that tell you.

I was hoping the Browns would take a flyer on Western Michigan's Jordan White, a North Ridgeville native. They almost did, but the Jets picked him just one spot before the Browns were selecting. Now that would have been a great story, especially since former Brown Herman Fontenot was a mentor to White when he was in high school.

Free agency isn't over. There are still several servicable veterans out there that will be picked up as we get into June and July. Already there's a rumor that Braylon Edwards would be open to a return to Cleveland (yeesh). Plus, there will be some roster cuts on June 1 when players are due their signing bonuses.

I originally graded the draft an A-, but I'll be realistic and give it a B. The Browns upgraded their quarterback, running back, offensive line and linebacker and added depth at the defensive line, cornerback and wide receiver. I can be happy with that.

I was hoping the Browns would have drafted Virginia cornerback Chase Minnifield (Frank Minnifield's son), and then hoped they would sign him as an undrafted free agent. I guess Minnifield had microfracture surgery on his knee, and it scared a few teams off. Washington signed him as an undrafted free agent.

The Browns got the two players they really wanted in Richardson and Weeden, and those two should drastically change the pedestrian offense. Richardson is about as can't-miss a running back prospect as Adrian Peterson was. The Browns passed on Peterson and took Joe Thomas. The Browns passed on LaDanian Tomlinson and took Gerard Warren (that's one you'd like back). This time, they was the running back, and they went out and got him.

And, the best part about both Richardson and Weeden -- they genuinely wanted to be here. You can't put a price-tag on that.

The Browns are a better team today than they were last week. I am now geninely excited to see how this season plays out and to see our top-two draft picks in action.

***

Now, our thoughts and attention turns to the Cavs draft.

The Cavs won two more games than they did last year while playing 16 less games. They were more exciting with the emergence of No. 1 overall pick Kyrie Irving and No. 4 overall pick Tristan Thompson and were in playoff contention through the All-Star break.

After dealing Ramon Sessions to the Lakers for a first-round pick and Luke Walton, the Cavs only won five of their final 25 games. Irving getting hurt didn't help, and the Cavs resorted to playing a lot of D-Leaguers during the final few weeks of the regular season.

If there is a bright spot, the losses wound up giving the Cavs the third-worst record in the NBA. Thanks to good-luck charm Nick Gilbert, the Cavs won two coin-flips to give them the third-most chances at winning the NBA draft lottery and also made their Laker pick one spot better than Memphis.

Last year, Cavs fans were drooling about the possibility of Harrison Barnes and Kyrie Irving in the same draft. Now, they have a chance to get Barnes anyway, along with Kentucky freshmen Anthony Davis (if they win the top-pick again) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

I feel really good about the Cavs' future. In fact, even though I'm skeptical about the NBA's behind-the-scenes dealings and officiating, I think the Cavs may have the best chance to win a title of our three teams if they draft plays out like we hope.

The Browns' draft is a reason for optimism, as is the prospects of the Cavs' draft lottery chances and subsequent draft.

Who knows, if the Heat don't win an NBA title this year (which is a distinct possibility), maybe Dan Gilbert's guarantee won't look so outlandish after all. I wonder if ESPN would apologize to him after they mocked him for a full year. Probably not.

***

Surprise, surprise, the under-the-radar Indians have found themselves in first place in the AL Central Division with April coming to a close.

Just like last year, the Indians had a miserable first few games. Just like last year, the Tribe found their mojo a bit. And, just like last year, they are in first place at this point of the season.

Attendance continues to be below 10,000 at Progressive Field, and the Indians still struggle to get anything going offensively. Their bullpen has been inconsistant, as have their starting pitching. And yet, somehow, they're in first.

I attribute this more to the Tigers scuffling a bit than the Indians playing well. Once the Tigers find their stride, they will blow past the Indians in the standings. Not to be a Gloomy Gus, but it's true.

We saw it last year, and we'll see it again this year.

If they Indians somehow find themsleves in first place in June, fans will start paying attention again. And, once they do, the Tribe will wilt under the spotlight like they always seem do to. Not even Johnny Damon will help change that.

I'd like to hope that things will come together for the Indians, but this team just isn't very good. They're using smoke, mirrors and luck to do it. Hopefully, the smoke, mirrors and luck continue.

Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!

Monday, April 23, 2012

Draft Madness

Is it just Joe Cleveland, or do you wish the NFL Draft would have already happened?

With not much else to care about in the world of Cleveland Sports (even if the Indians suddenly found their winning mojo under the cover of 10 p.m. starts on the West Coast), the main topic since March has been the upcoming NFL Draft and what the Browns will do with their two first round picks, three picks in the top 37, five picks in the top 100 and 13 overall picks in the seven rounds.

The draft will finally begin this Thursday night with the first round, and Joe Cleveland cannot freaking wait for it to happen. Because all the speculation about who the Browns should take (or shouldn't take) and whether or not they'll trade up or down or stay put or do something to move from No. 22 is driving me insane.

Joe Cleveland does not help his "insanity" by listening to Cleveland talk radio during my daily commutes to my sportswriting gigs or food runs or whatever else I'm doing in my vehicle. No matter if it's WKNR or WKRK (92.3 The Fan) or WTAM, the only topic that seems to be discussed is the draft.

The talk didn't die down after the Redskins made the Rams an offer that they couldn't (and shouldn't) refuse for the No. 2 overall pick and the right to take Robert Griffin III (or, as I'll be referring to him after hearing about his selfishness, RG-Me), especially since every talking head in this town believed that RG-Me was going to be the answer to all of the Browns' fans prayers.

Because this town is so hell-bent on QBs (we love them and then devour them, just as we're starting to do with Colt McCoy), talk turned to the next two guys on the draft depth chart, Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill (not to be confused with poet Lord Alfred Tannyhill, although I think the Browns might as well draft the wordsmith if they're going to waste the fourth-overall pick on this project) and Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden. Tannehill, who was nowhere near the first-round converastion when the college season ended back in January, has suddenly rocketed up the draft boards, to where suddenly draft "experts" like "Chicago" Mike Mayock and Todd McShay were thumping their chests and proclaiming that the Browns "have to" take Tannehill at four.

Suddenly, the possibility of QBs going 1-2-3 appeared to be realistic, as the Vikings were supposedly shopping around the No. 3 pick. The Dolphins, who may need a QB even more than the Browns do and also have the advantage of Tannehill's college coach (Mike Sherman) as their offensive coordinator, may try to move up to No. 3.

Joe Cleveland is praying to whatever God or Higher Power there is for this to actually happen. Because without Tannehill on the board, the Browns won't be tempted to screw the pick up by taking him.

And, with Tannehill off the board, suddenly four top-notch players are there for the taking -- Alabama RB Trent Richardson, LSU CB Morris Claiborne, USC tackle Matt Kalil and Oklahoma St. WR Justin Blackmon. You can bet the Browns' phone will be ringing off the hook with trade offers.

Even though trading down with Atlanta last year was the smart thing to do (they gave up a fortune for Julio Jones, who I still am not 100 percent sold on as the "next-big thing."), fans are afraid about trading down this year. They want playmakers, not nice players.

Phil Taylor was a definite need, but he's not a playmaker. Jabaal Sheard can be a playmaker from the DE spot, but that's not really the definition of a "playmaker."

Richardson = playmaker.

Blackmon = playmaker.

Claiborne = playmaker (even if fans want offense first, a backfield of Haden-Claiborne would harken us old-school Browns fans to the days of Dixon-Minnifield).

Kalil is not a playmaker, however, he makes the playmakers you have do their job a little bit easier.

I believe the Browns have whittled it down to Richardson, Claiborne and Blackmon as their top three choices, with Tannehill on the outskirts. Honestly, I believe the Browns are more sold on "old-man" Weeden instead of Tannehill, and I could not be happier with that thought process.

Richardson is probably the best RB prospect in the NFL Draft since Darren McFadden, although he's more can't-miss than McFadden was. Richardson may be the best "can't-miss" prospect since Adrian Peterson came out. The Browns passed on Peterson and took Joe Thomas (a great choice). A few years before that, they passed on LaDanian Tomlinson and took Gerard Warren. A few years before that, they passed on Ricky Williams and took Tim Couch. I'd still argue for the Couch pick. The Warren pick was a huge mistake (thanks a lot, Butch Davis).

The knock is that so many teams are finding good running backs late in the draft, or not in the draft at all. Those same people also want to say that finding a Tom Brady in the sixth round is an anomaly, so you can't have it both ways.

Also, running backs have an average shelf-life of five-to-seven years in the NFL. Once a running back reaches the age of 30, they suddenly magically start to regress. Jim Brown retired at the age of 29, for Christ-sakes, and he was the best running back of ALL-TIME. So, critics wonder if it's worth taking a guy that high when he has a short shelf life.

With Blackmon, the knock is his size and his attitude. Blackmon gave an interview on Cleveland radio last week that seemed to indicate that he really didn't want to be in Cleveland. He didn't come right out and say it, but some read between the lines and his demeanor on air. The last time the Browns took a WR high who wasn't 100 percent sold on Cleveland, that WR did more to turn off the fan base during the expansion era than arguably any other player (and there have been quite a few). He dropped a lot of passes, screwed around off the field, was a destraction in the locker room and, upon leaving, let Cleveland know how he REALLY felt about them. Today, that receiver is a free agent, and not a lot of teams are lining up to sign him. That receiver was Braylon Edwards.

Do we really want another Braylon Edwards on this team? I sure as hell don't.

Besides, the WR crop is so deep, you can find good guys at No. 22 (Stephen Hill, Kendell Wright, Alshon Jeffrey, to name a few). Unless I trade down, I pass on Blackmon.

Kalil makes sense because right tackle is such a glaring weakness. However, do you want to take a right tackle with the fourth-overall pick? How about a right tackle who primarily played left tackle in college? The draft is also deep in quality offensive linemen. Offensive linemen that could be on the board at No. 22, or No. 37, or in the third round. I love Kalil, but I'd have to pass. However, I'm not going to cry a river if he gets taken.

I mentioned earlier why Claiborne would be a great pick. With the NFL being, mostly, a passing league, you want two great cornerbacks to thwart that. Joe Haden appears to be on his way to becoming a top-notch cornerback. Morris Claiborne is a shut-down cornerback who also has the ability to help in the return game (Cribbs isn't getting any younger). You see two good QBs twice a year in Rapist Roethlisberger and Porn-stache Flacco, and Ginger Dalton had a solid rookie season last year. Yes, the Ravens have Ray Rice, but the Steelers are definitely pass-first, as are the Bengals. Sometimes, your best offense is a good defense.

Of course, you have more glaring needs on offense, and there will be a large portion of the fan base not happy that the Browns went defense. But, here's the biggest thing:

You're not going to please everybody at once. No one is going to be 100 percent behind the pick, regardless of WHO it is. There will be critics if it's Richardson because of the shelf-life thing. It's just the way it is.

The Browns have to do what's best for the Browns. If that means trading down a few spots and adding an additional second round pick (or more), then by all means.

To be honest, the only pick Joe Cleveland will be steamed about is if they stay at No. 4 and take Tannehill. Tannehill is not ready to play this year. He could be a great QB, but he also could be a bust. If you take Tannehill fourth-overall, the pressure is there to play him over McCoy. What does it say if the fourth-overall pick can't beat out a guy who wasn't taken until the third round a few years ago and who many are ready to run out of town?

Griffin would have put more asses in the seats. Tannehill will not.

Which brings me to Mr. Weeden. Yes, he'll be 29 during the regular season. Yes, he injured his arm while pitching in the Yankees organization. Yes, you probably have about a seven-year window on the guy for success.

However, I think Weeden has the most talent of ANY quarterback in this draft. Yep, that includes Andrew Luck.

I think Weeden comes in with a veteran's mentality off the rip. I think he allows you to tell that cancer Seneca Wallace that he can go elsewhere if he wants to be a starter, and best of luck to him in that quest.

I think he's the one QB pick you can make that doesn't damage McCoy's psyche. McCoy is still young enough to be in the future plans. You have Weeden, but Weeden's not under any pressure to beat McCoy out. He COMPETES with him, which is what Holmgren, Heckart and Shurmur want anyway.

If Brandon Weeden is still there at No. 37, you take him. If you select Justin Blackmon in the first round, you HAVE to take Weeden at No. 37, because that's the only way Blackmon will be happy in Cleveland.

Here's who Joe Cleveland predicts for the first two rounds (not factoring in potential trades, which I believe there will be a few):

4. Trent Richardson -- Makes the most sense, and is the least PR-damaging selection you can make.

22. Stephen Hill -- At 6-4 with great speed, he could be the breakout star wideout the Browns have been seeking. Keep an eye out for Jonathan Martin, the OT from Stanford, at this spot as well.

37. Weeden -- I think Holmgren and Heckart really like him, as does Shurmur.

In the later rounds, look for the Browns to address the offensive line (Mike Adams could fall to the third round due to his marijuana test), cornerback (Chase Minnifield would be PERFECT here), receiver again, and the defense (they could use an athletic linebacker on the outside, especially if Scott Fujita gets suspended for Bounty-Gate). If they don't take Weeden, I expect them to take a QB in the third or fourth round (Brock Osweiler, Kirk Cousins and Kellen Moore are three likely names). And, if Richardson isn't the choice, Doug Martin or LaMichael James are almost locks for that No. 37 pick.

Tom Heckart said in January that it would "hard to screw this up." I hope he's right.

This draft holds the key to whether or not the Browns will sniff a Super Bowl in the next 5-10 years, or if they'll continue to be NFL laughingstocks. Since I believe the Browns will be in a Super Bowl (or two) during that span, I am leaning toward the former. Please, make it so!

***

I alluded to the Indians earlier, and how their 7-2 road trip couldn't have happened so quietly. This is what happens when you start your homestand 1-4, blowing a three-run ninth inning lead in the home opener before falling in 16.

I firmly believe, though, that the Indians thrive at this "under the radar" thing. Remember, after they got destroyed in last year's home opener that everyone (including Joe Cleveland) had written them off, that they suddenly went 30-15 through the first two months of the season? Then, when people started paying attention, they folded like the cheap accordians they are.

It will be interesting to see if there is any spike in attendance at home this week. I predict that there isn't.

The Indians went from the largest home opening crowd in many years to back-to-back crowds under 10,000 by the time that homestand came to a close. This is what happens when you have a penny-pinching owner that fans don't trust who has the audacity to criticize them for his own shortcomings.

Joe Cleveland is declaring all crowds under 10,000 to be "Dolan Specials." When you turn a $30 million profit and still cry the poorhouse blues, this is what happens, Larry.

Do you see what happens, Larry? This is what happens, Larry! (yes, I'm quoting The Big Lebowski, but it's apt).

I hope the Tribe can keep winning, but I doubt it.

***

The Cavs have two more games left in their season.

YAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY!!!!! Then we can move on to their draft madness.

Perhaps the NBA will rig the draft lottery in our favor for the second straight year. It's payback for having evidence that LeBron colluded with Pat Riley while under contract with the Cavs. Make it so, Stern!

Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!

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