May 18, 2013

Scouts Inc. is Not Impressed with the Browns

May 5, 2011 by 40 Comments

Here’s a good discussion point for today. While reading through a few things in the ole Google Reader, I come to a Todd McShay 2012 mock draft (which is pretty ridiculous admittedly to be reading a mock draft before the season even begins) in which the Browns pick first and take Andrew Luck.

Now before anyone starts getting excited about bringing in Andrew Luck, and I better not hear any ‘tanking’ talk (I’m looking at you Brendan), I have to ask how the Browns are supposed to be picking first next season? McShay uses the inverse power rankings from Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. for his order, which was compiled ‘after the draft’. So let me get this straight, the Browns are the worst team in the league after the draft?

I understand that there are question marks about this Browns team. We have a new coaching staff. We have holes yet to fill on the defensive line and right side of the offensive line. We have a young QB in Colt McCoy, backed up by Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme. without OTAs it could take this team a while to get up to speed on a new defensive alignment and a different style of offense.

But dead last in the league?

(Photo: Tracy Boulian/The Plain Dealer)

 

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  • Eric D

    Makes perfect sense to me. The lazy Browns haven’t even held a single practice yet and have signed exactly zero free agents. You’re never going to get better that way.

  • 5KMD

    Well just to play Devil’s advocate here, Rick, if the Browns don’t get off to a good start they could be dead in the water having to play Pitt and Balt in 4 or their last 5.

    Young team, new coaches, no summer workouts. Maybe it takes too long for them to gel and then when they do, they play 2 of the tougher teams in the league.

    Just sayin’. Crazier things have happened.

  • mgbode

    @Eric – ‘Camp Colt’ and ‘Camp Cribbs’ beg to differ with your no practice statement.

  • mgbode

    @Rick – well, the Indians were picked to be among the worst (or worst by some) in MLB. it worked for them :)

  • Mike E

    Eric, is that a joke?

  • Garry Owen

    The best part is that people actually pay real money for that feces. But then, I guess you get the title of “ESPN Insider.” Todd McShay and ESPN are laughing all the way to the bank.

    “I’m just going to slap some words down, random words, and charge a monthly fee. People will pay. Oh, they’ll pay.”

    Indeed.

  • Andrew

    A season of being worst in the league sounds awful. Getting Luck sounds pretty sweet as a consolation though. Too bad (good thing?) we won’t be that bad. Maybe the Falcons will go 0-fer though.

  • oribiasi

    @ Mike E — Do you really need to ask?

    Let’s calm down; this team is a work in progress and it’ll be a major year of transition. I mean, think about it, we’ll be putting in a new offense and a new defense! How many teams properly navigate both of those major changes without growing pains? It may be too much for one year, but they will be baptized in fire and I hope, after this year (if it happens) our team will be poised to pounce on a somewhat aging AFC North.

    Now, if The Real McCoy can’t stomach this offense then I would not be surprised to see us go QB earlier. They are likely giving him the same deal they gave Mangini — here’s your year, make the best of it, show me improvement or I’ll show you the door. I want that kid to succeed as much as the next guy, but I am so tired of losing seasons and if dropping him like a bad habit will get us to the playoffs with the addition of Luck, then so be it.

  • stin4u

    Honestly, I don’t think that is a huge stretch given the circumstances. How many teams out there are worse off than the browns right now?

    Carolina will be back and healthy this year, Cincy is arguably better talent-wise, same for Phoenix/SF coupled with that terrible division. The only teams I can really see being worse than the Browns (potentially) would be the Buffalo Bills because, well, they’re the Bills.

    I know we got better but there are plenty of mitigating factors. I hope we don’t end up having the kind of record that lands us the first pick but it really wouldn’t shock me.

  • Mike S

    @ Mike E – yes he is joking

    @ Garry – So what you are saying is I should not have given my credit card # to Prince Alamarkie from Zimbabwe to help his escape the civil war and get my $300,000 reward?

    I have a prediction for Todd McShay and Negative Ned, Andrew Luck does not even go #1 in next year’s draft. He is just another PAC-10 junior QB who will be regretting not coming out a year early (see Jake Locker). Without Jim Harbaugh, the Stanford Cardinals take some big steps backwards.

  • Mark

    Do I think the Browns will be the worst team in the league? No. But….there are still a lot of hurdles to jump.There is no depth on this team anywhere. A few key injuries and then we could be in real trouble. A whole new coaching staff, new systems on both sides of the ball, and no time to implement them? It does not bode well for our boys. I think one of the saving graces for the Browns is the schedule. Thank you for the NFC West and the mess that is the Cincinnati Bengals.

    @Mike E – really? You need to ask?

  • Eric D

    Thanks @Mike S and @Oribiasi, and in case anybody else didn’t get it, I was joking.
    Seriously though, trying to predict how teams are going to finish is supid on September 5th, let alone May 5th when there hasn’t even been a free agency period. If I had to guess I would say the Browns are going to be picking somewhere between 5 and 15, but at this point everyone is just making a blind guess.
    The other wild card is we don’t even know how many games are going to be played. IF we end up missing a few weeks of the season that could really change the strength of schedule balance of every team.

  • C-Bus Kevin

    Here ESPN Insider…I’ll do you one better.

    2011: 2-14
    2012: 8-8
    2013: 7-9
    2014: 10-6
    2015: 4-12
    2016: 11-5
    2017: 12-4 (AFC North Champs; Super Bowl Runner-Up)
    2018: 12-6 (2 Games Added to Regular Season)
    2019: 8-10
    2020: 11-7 (Wild Card)
    2021: 4-3 (Season Shortened by Zombie Apocalypse; Wild Card)

    There, now we don’t have to waste time watching the games. ESPN…what a bunch of schmucks.

  • NJ

    There hasn’t even been free agency! Heck, we don’t even know what free agency will look like. Maybe there won’t be a cap (no, not really) and the Browns will spend mad cash to get every A-list free agent out there (again, no). My point: ESPN d-bags are making predictions about teams that don’t even exist!

    Interestingly enough, an edition of the Encyclopedia Galactica that fell through a time-warp from 200 years in the future defines ESPN pundits as: “A bunch of mindless jerks who were the first against the wall when the revolution came.”

  • boomhauertjs

    @ Mark – Plenty of depth on the team at TE, FB, and special teams players who can’t do anything else.

  • http://gooddoctorzeus.blogspot.com DocZeus

    I don’t know why this is a shock to anybody. The Browns always suck.

  • C-Bus Kevin

    I know this might be old news, but Michael Oher (of “The Blind Side” fame), has bashed McShay publicly for what he considers Todd’s baseless comments about “character issues” that cost Oher money in the draft by dropping him down a few slots.

    This is a major reason why I cancelled my cable. I figured I could live without the Kipers and McShays of the world, and I was right.

  • C-Bus Kevin

    @ DocZeus…

    Ha! You may be on to something. Not only is it total speculation. It’s also a lazy pick.

    He probably flipped a coin and said heads=browns, tails=lions.

  • Harv 21

    The existence of the Todd McShay 2012 Mock Draft is God’s way of telling Rick he has too much time on his hands.

  • 240

    We do realize that for how bad as the Browns have been since they have came back they have only been the absolute worst team in the league once?

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com Denny

    @ Harv – wait, who has too much time on [thier] hands: McShay, God, or Rick?

    Or… all of them?!

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com/ Rick

    The mock draft was just supposed to be a springboard for discussion on whether or not the Browns should be considered the bottom of the NFL barrel.

  • Emjay

    Unbelievable– ALL of you have missed it. Clearly, McShay thinks that the Falcons will be the worst team this year; it’s their pick the Browns will use to take Andrew Luck.

  • Harv 21

    McShay: fo sho
    Rick: preliminary evidence indicates most likely
    God: will not fall into your trap, sir. Refuse to engage you even in general space/time continuum discussions. You know me, my snipe and run tactics. Good day, sir.

  • http://www.60bpm.com/ Robbie

    The eternal Browns off-season optimism began creeping-up again, but I’m holding it down this time. I’m being realistic this time around. The team has a new coaching staff, will be relatively young, had no benefit of a full pre-season to prepare, and still has holes and a lack of depth.

    That being said, they’re not going to be picking first.

    If they do, though, they should be able to get a play maker without breaking the bank if there’s a rookie pay scale and another 1st rounder on top of that. Ifs and buts….

  • Garry Owen

    @ Rick:

    What fun is that? The answer’s “yes,” of course, but if we can’t get sidetracked, what’s the use of the internet?

  • stin4u

    Can you imagine if Colt has a breakout year like Bradford did last year yet the team goes 2-14? Just think about how many teams would be drooling and willing to sell the farm, the dog, and their extended families to get at that number one pick next year. Talk about setting yourself up for a few years on draft picks….

  • Mike E

    im glad that was a joke.

  • bobby

    I see why the browns are considered lower level talent, but I think they have a decent position right now to where they wont be god awful. Now- If luck shows hes the real deal again this year (like he has the past 2) AND McCoy ends up flopping then I would love to have Luck. I actually think getting the Atl pick gives the browns flexibility to where if McCoy busts (I hope we doesnt but if…) then they can a lot of power to go get the #1- if they arent there- and get Luck.

    But no I do not think the browns will be drafting in the top 7 next year.

  • Vengeful Pat

    I think the key to the Browns next year is whether they can stay healthy at the most critical spots. Losing Monterio Hardesty, D’Qwell Jackson, Scott Fujita, and Tony Pashos hurt us pretty bad last year. I got real sick of seeing Eric Barton chasing the play.

  • Garry Owen

    My Insider prediction:

    In 2012, the Browns tank, trade McCoy, draft Luck, fire Coach Whats-His-Name Pat Something-Or-Other (who was only a placeholder), and hire as his replacement . . .

    For $2.50 month for the next 2 years, you can be a GO Insider and hear the rest. Just post your credit card numbers, security number (located on the back of your card), and name as appears on the card (and please include your mother’s maiden name as added security) below.

  • Nate_4

    The talent level on the Browns team is better than last year IMO and we won 5 games. Looking ahead it looks like our schedule will be much easier than last year. I know teams get better year to year through experience, the draft, and free agency but I think the Browns will take 7 of these 11 games: Bengals (2), Dolphins, Titans, Raiders, Seahawks, 49ers, Texans, Rams, Jaguars, and Cardinals. I agree if the lockout continues it will hurt the Browns more than most since they have a young team and a new coaching staff. Maybe I’m too optimistic. Must be a Cleveland sports fan thing.

  • Believelander

    @Garry, I would buy that. Your name (GO Insider) is even -way- catchier than ESPN. Luls and such.

    @23: you win the comment contest of forevar award.

  • Shamrock

    I Just don’t get how they drafted on top of who they drafted. They passed on talent for intangibles. This team needs talent more then anything and for me that didn’t happen. Hope the Browns have last laugh but I don’t know.

  • McKosar

    The Browns have two first round picks, no matter where they finish, they could easily make a package and trade to number one, as long as the pick is for sale. I hope Colt thrives and we dont go that route.

  • saggy

    @Garry
    I thought you were still talking about ESPN. You know: ESPN.GO.COM?? they’ve everywhere you are…

  • CLE

    the fact that this blog even recognizes espn as a legitimate source is absurd.

    if Cleveland (in any sport) won 5 straight titles they would still have us as the worst team in the league the next year, along with a complete fluke for the last 5 that we won.

  • mgbode

    @Shamrock – what intangibles did we target? phil taylor was kicked out of Penn State for getting in a fight. greg little was kicked off the UNC FB team for accepting gifts from agents.

    when I think intangible draft, I think a Mangini draft. this was an anti-Mangini draft. am I missing something?

  • Matt S

    Count me in the “why is this surprising?” crowd. There are teams that could be worse than us (Bengals, Panthers if they start Cam), but this team is likely going to suck next year.

    -No time to practice their new systems
    -McCoy has to prove himself now, not confident he can
    -Hillis needs to stay away from injuries
    -Still no #1 WR, and a profound lack of good targets for McCoy
    -LB core looks shaky, especially in the new system
    -Still don’t have a pass rusher that scares anyone
    -This team wasn’t very good last year, and has clearly taken a step back talent-wise

    While a lot of the drafted guys are guys you’d hope would come in and contribute immediately, that’s going to be hard when they won’t even have the system down because of the lack of practice.

  • mydogsnameisbuckeye

    @38

    Uhh… Denver? New system, new coach, new QB (Tribow wasn’t in very long), didn’t address needs other than TE in the draft, new FO…

    I don’t see how Cleveland can be the worst. Especially when you look at the other bad teams that were this season. I don’t think the bad teams got much better so far…