May 23, 2013

NFL Draft: Jeff Fisher Dubs Browns as “Realistic Trading Partners”

March 28, 2012 by 36 Comments

St. Louis Rams head coach Jeff Fisher has reportedly called the Cleveland Browns “realistic trading partners” when it comes to the first round of the NFL Draft.

Speaking from the NFL owner’s meetings, Fisher’s statement further confirmed the notion that the Browns’ fourth-overall pick is among the more coveted leading up to the late-April festivities.

Fisher, who also said that his relationship with Redskins coach Mike Shanahan had nothing to do with the recently consummated trade which landed Washington the second-overall pick, is rumored to be hot after Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. The Browns, whose drafting is led by general manager Tom Heckert, are said to be in the mix for five different players. Heckert said that the team would be willing to trade down but possibly not past the eighth overall selection — the Rams currently own the No. 6 pick.

If a trade with the Rams were to be consummated, it is expected that St. Louis would take Blackmon with Tampa Bay selecting running back Trent Richardson with their fifth overall selection.

[Related: In support of Trent Richardson to the Browns]

(Source: Mary Kay Cabot)

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  • Natedawg86

    What does he feel bad for what he did to the browns, or did he think he was getting a better value with the skins, expecting them to be much worse in the upcoming years (so he gets better 1st rounders).  I was thinking this could happen all along, but now that Fisher has said it, i think it is less likely.

  • 216in614

    We need to make sure we do a blind offer type situation the way they did with us. 

    If we do trade to 6 then I can’t see us taking anyone other than Claiborn. If TRich and Blackmon are gone are there even any other top 10 offensive guys left? 

  • erchoov

    I was just about to right that.  Tell teams to send their best offer for the pick.  With our luck, nobody sends anything or they offer to only swap their first rounder and we look a little more stupid then we did yesterday.  I would love to add another first or high second and still get Claiborne.  If he’s as good as advertised, that secondary would be fun to watch.  Not to mention, it would allow us to be more aggressive against the run and with our blitzing.   

  • Natedawg86

    We should do an initial bling offer, then play the teams against eachother.  That sounds like a plan.

  • Natedawg86

    I would say second this year and next year to move down 2 spots.

  • porkchopexpress

    Thank God this possible relationship isn’t illegitimate.  If Heckert is going to consumate anything with Fisher it has to be legitimate.  I’m all for winning football games, but not at the expense of morality.  Of course then the question becomes “If we trade with the Rams aren’t we trading with every team they’ve traded with?”  Since I’m certain that any trade consumated with Washington was fouled with ill-repute, any trade between the Rams and Browns would be tainted as well.  Every win birthed from such filth would hang like a scarlett albatross around our necks.  Not for me thank you, better a perenial top five drafter in Heaven than a playoff contender of the damned.

    Is it unbelievable that my horoscope last week predicted I would have to bear out this troubling news?  Well it should, because it didn’t happen.

  • BenRM

    Sweet. Thanks, Jeff.
    /sarcasm

  • BuckeyeDawg

    If this is true, we need to make them overpay for it.   If not, just keep it and make the pick.  No reason to make this move unless we get everything we want and maybe a little more…

  • http://twitter.com/oribiasi oribiasi

    We better get the sun, moon and stars for that pick or I’m not budging.  We have 13 picks already, its not like we’re hurting in that department.  Take Blackmon or Kalil or something amazing at 4, get INSTANTLY better at one position, and be done with it.

  • Tron

    Im in full agreement. If we give this up we better get a LOT, because it’ll end up Washington getting the player they want (RG3) the Rams etting the player they want (blackmon) and the Browns getting hosed (once again). No thanks, unless they want to kick over one of those Skins 1st rounders, screw em.

  • TheRobot57

    I wouldn’t do it for less than a second round pick this year. It would be great to pick up Blackmon or Kalil if he is there. If we could trade back and possibly get Claiborne at 6 and an extra 2nd, among other picks, would give us a broad upgrade of talent on the team.

  • Harv 21

    Why I like hearing this:

    - Fisher is a coach who parlayed the bidding for his services into getting a say in personnel decisions. Apparently to the extent that he is even making these draft plan announcements. 

    - As we know in Cleve know well, empowering a coach in personnel decisions and trades is reeeeal dangerous to the org. Coaches fall in love with players. Coaches don’t think long term.

    - Guessing Fisher is not sophisticated enough in the pre-draft talk thing to be so clever at misdirection and promoting a bidding war. Could be that Fisher has fallen in love with someone, and we (or another team drafting high) can get him by the short hairs and get a done to drop a few slots if we play this right.
     
     

  • TSR3000

    This is perfect. Blackmon is overrated.  We need Claiborne or Richardson.  If we can pick up an extra 2nd then to me, it’s a no-brainer. 

  • http://twitter.com/oribiasi oribiasi

    Precisely.  Why should we be the only jerks stuck in the end with a 1A player when we could have had a a legit “1″ player? 

    I say make ‘em squirm for that pick, make them overpay.

    THE ONLY shred of hope I have is when I look at who Heckert picked in the second rounds (DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy) and I see that he can find powerful offensive value there. 

    But, he needs to bring his “AAAAA” game.

  • Harv 21

    get a ton. Typing like fingers have a head cold.

  • Jack

    just give me blackmon plz and move on

  • Ezzie Goldish

    I think it’s worth it just for their second rounder, but since they picked up a ton of picks, it shouldn’t be hard to get them to give more – they can easily justify to their fans that they got who they wanted all along, and they netted first rounders, etc. 

    The best part is we get the same type of deal in getting the guy we want in Claiborne but net a couple extra picks in the process too – and all because Washington was willing to overpay for RGIII. I’d love that.
    Ironically, if it turns out the Browns were never really interested all along in RGIII at that price (or perhaps any), this would actually be one of the best Browns coups of all time: Netting extra picks to get the same guy they always wanted by giving off the impression they were willing to overpay. That caused Washington to pay through the nose, allowing the Browns to get the Rams to do the same to move back to #4 for Blackmon. The best thing that happened for the Browns may have been Eric Wright signing with Tampa. 

  • http://www.onlinefolkfestival.com/blog/ woodsmeister

    Screw the Rams. Take Blackmon at 4.

  • flipsaari

    you obviously didnt watch the fiesta bowl

  • Jack

    here, here

  • Stinkfist

    If the Browns haven’t made up their mind on Claiborne, Richardson, or Blackmon (which is a shame if they haven’t), they better be willing to trade down, get at least a high second rounder, and let the decision be made for them.  As sad as that is, I am fine with it

  • BisonDeleSightings

    But what if Heckert is legitimately torn between Blackmon, Claiborne, and Richardson and sees them as equivalent?  Trading back to #6 would guarantee that he still gets one of them, plus we’d bag a free 2nd rounder or two.

  • The_Real_Shamrock

    Like I said in the Tannehill section the Browns will trade down a couple spots get an extra first next year or maybe a pick this draft and they’ll draft Tannehill.  This way the Browns have a backup/competitor for McCoy while, for the second year, bypassing on playmakers at the CB, WR and RB positions.  At #22 they’ll probably draft their OT and it won’t be until round three that maybe they draft a WR or RB. 

    Blackmon makes sense for St. Louis would give them their triplets.  Meanwhile in Cleveland you won’t even have twins but hey, you’ll have roster depth!

  • Hetz

    What about Kalil, if the Vikings pass on him?

  • mgbode

    more likely they trade with Miami than pass on him.

    Kalil is a great thought, but I still can’t shake the feeling that he is more valuable as a LT than a RT and by that meaning someone would be willing to trade us more value to acquire him.

  • mgbode

    or the AZ game or the A&M game or the Baylor, KState, Iowa State or Oklahoma games.

    Blackmon had at least 1 TD in all games except LA-Lfyte (OkieState won 61-34 and he had 8rec 144yds) and Oklahoma (OkieState won 44-10 and he had 10rec 95yds)

    Blackmon had at least 6 receptions in every game.  Double-digit receptions in 6 games.  at least 100yds receiving in 7 games (another 2 with 95 and 99).

    Completely dominating WR and he made Stanfords #6 look like a rag doll being thrown at him when he tried to tackle him. 

  • Acrossthefield11

     In a practically pass only offense, with multiple receiver sets against the worst defenses in college football.  If you watch his film, several of his TD’s were the result of blown coverages.  You rarely see that in the NFL.

  • Acrossthefield11

    I still have a fleeting suspicion that H&H were never really sold or interested in RGIII and its all been leading up to this trade down since day 1.  If this is the case, I’m ecstatic that these guys represent us in the front office because they basically played the entire NFL and all the media outlets that cover them.  Still think RGIII could be pretty good though.

  • mgbode

    you can say that about alot of WRs in college though.

    the good points on him are that his play did not fall off against the better defenses he faced.   the bigXII certainly had some poor pass defenses, but they also had some decent ones.  it’s a passing conference.

    and, every team knew that OkieState was determined to get Blackmon the ball.  yet, they were able to do it against every team.

    also, OkieState ran for over 2000yds (#52 overall) and a 5.3YPA (#13 overall) and scored 36 rushing TDs (#9 overall).   they had a pretty decent run game too :)

  • steve-o

    Agreed. That trade would have to include at least an extra first round pick in next year’s draft (we’ll probably need it for next year’s QB derby). Having a wider choice of elite players at 4 greatly increases our odds of picking a future superstar for a relatively small portion of the salary cap. In order to give that up, the return has to be massively in our favor. Ironically, the Rams helped set the price to move up two slots near the top of the draft.

  • nxmehta

    This doesn’t make sense to me.  The Browns allegedly offered three 1s for the Rams pick.  The Skins offered three 1s and a 2.  For the Rams to move up to 4, then would have to fork over a 2, which means they got the Skins three 1s to move to 4.  However, the Browns three 1s are worth more than the Skins 1s because two of them are 2012 picks.  Why the hell didn’t they just trade with the Browns in the first place then?

    The only answer can be that they don’t actually want to be at 4.  This trade isn’t going to happen.

  • edpro1979

    I wouldnt take less than  a second round pick to let them move up two spots.And if they want Blackmon as bad asit sounds…maybe a third also.Never burn your bridges Mr.Fisher!

  • edpro1979

    “You rarley see that in the nfl”… You must have seen many Browns games,LOL

  • edpro1979

    NOT!

  • edpro1979

    If the vikings pass on kalil it would really screw things up for everyone involved.

  • edpro1979

    Two seconds sounds more realistic to me,I could see that happening.