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March 7, 2012Cavaliers give away four thousand tickets to Chardon High School
March 7, 2012
I haven’t said much when it comes to the topic that all of Cleveland has been most interested in for the past month (at least). The topic of course is Robert Griffin III, and specifically whether or not the Browns should trade up 2 spots in order to select him in this year’s draft.
There are likely more than a few reasons for my silence. First and foremost is because I have not seen more than 4 quarters of Baylor football in my life, let alone RG III this season. I’ve seen plenty of highlights, but obviously forming an opinion based on a highlight reel is not smart.
It also matters very little whether I think trading up to get him is a good idea or not. That decision falls on the shoulders of Tom Heckert, Mike Holmgren and Pat Shurmur. For Heckert and company, this decision is like a one question exam that they have to pass. There simply isn’t much room for error.
If the Browns think that Griffin will be a top 10 QB in the next 2 or 3 years, then they likely have to move up and get him. Top ten. Not just better than half. Not just ‘serviceable’. We’re talking mentioned in the same sentence with Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning and Philip Rivers.
If they don’t believe he will be that good, then they have to pass on wasting any ‘extra’ picks to move 2 spots and grab as many players that can start for this team as possible.
And they better be right. Because this regime will be judged by this decision. It is their pinnacle moment. It is the time when all the pressure and every spotlight is upon them. I don’t envy them in the least, but these are the kinds of decisions that they were brought here to make.
Sure, it’s possible that the Browns pass on Griffin and it doesn’t haunt them, but most of those scenarios involve Colt McCoy turning into a Pro-Bowl caliber passer or Matt Flynn signing here and doing the same.
In my mind, those would be the best situations for the Browns, because they could grab someone at #4 and #22 and #37 that can help the team as well. Those seem a little less likely to work out these days. Truth is, if the cost of getting a top ten QB is that extra pick we got from Atlanta, then that is the cost. We all want that kind of QB in Cleveland. I’d much rather it just cost the #37 pick and something else later in the draft, but I don’t get to make those choices.
[Relevant: The Browns can’t win a bidding war]
36 Comments
This is a hard decision for the front office. Almost every draft decision is a gamble, but when you involve trading picks (especially those you just picked up last draft) it makes it that much harder. Hopefully the well seasoned Heckertt can make the right choice, because to all of us it’s a lot of hype that may be only that.
No one really can know for sure what kind of career RG3 will have, but one thing that does seem certain is that RG3 will get someone fired. I just don’t know whether that will be for getting him or failing to get him.
I agree, these decisions are GM-killers. Have a cousin in San Diego who would like to kill their FO for giving up on Brees and leaving them with Rivers. That is, sticking them with just a very good QB while their old sore-armed QB went all HOF-caliber somewhere else.
And the SD decision looked rational to me when they made it.
I completely trust Heckert and Holmgren, I have loved their past 2 drafts since getting here with the exception of a few draft choices (I.E Robiskie) plus it all depends on where Peyton ends up too……..The Browns are unwilling to give away both of our first round picks this year for griffin they wont give up the 22. If we can hold onto the #22 pick and still draft griffin i’d be ok with it because we can get a WR with that pick to give Griffin some options at WR
Robiskie wasn’t Holmgren and Heckert.
How badass would it to get Blackmon at #4, then use the #22 pick to sign Mike Wallace. It’s pricey but we would go from having the worst WR’s in the league to a young force to be reckoned with. Blackmon, Wallace, Massaquoi, and Little.
The Browns can always throw MoMass in to sweeten the pot if the Rams don’t think two No. 1s (or No. 4 and No. 37) isn’t enough.
If the Browns sign Wallace they would have to give up the No. 4 pick, not the No. 22. That’s why a lot of speculation is the 49ers or Patriots will go after him as they are picking at the end of the first round anyway.
That picture of Brady Quinn is dreamy.
So if this is a “make or break” careers type decision, and Heckert doesn’t trade up to get R. Griffin III will we ever find out what the cost was that he deemed too much? How mad will people get if he just uses his draft picks as they come up?
I don’t know what it will take but I don’t think any player is worth the risk of losing out on a lot of picks to get them. I want RG3 desperately but I realize if it costs Cleveland talent across the board it might not be worth it. Just make sure Washington doesn’t get him for only a 3rd or 4th rounder or something. We will have to wait and see who signs with who to get a clearer picture. I haven’t seen a ton of video on RG3 but from what I have watched he is very instinctive which I think is special about him. He threw accurate off his back foot at times when plays broke down which is tough to do. I thought he was very accurate with the shorter passes to give players the opportunity to run in stride while catching the ball. He was accurate with the deep ball. There is always a question mark on players making the transition. He is worth the pick at #4 which is plenty enough risk on it’s own because this is a significant pick to spend on someone. We need to get our quarterback but we have to do it the right way. We have to build talent across the board but we still have to emphasize the importance of qb. Just make smart moves and make picks that work out and things will take care of themselves. I like Claiborne if RG3 is not there. If Kalil is there for some reason I am not opposed to doing this because of the athleticism of kalil. So far Heckert is handling it correctly by just not talking about it. I would love to trade down like we did in the Atlanta deal if RG3 is not there. I just want a lot of picks.
Love Claiborne is RG3 is not there.
But the Browns are going to get Griffin if they want him. Rams are trying to create a market for a trade that may not exist or may drop them too far down to get a player they need.
Holmgren and Heckert will be under a microscope regarding this decsion, and cannot be immune to the torrent of ‘advice’ directed at the process. The easiest thing to do is to go with the conventional wisdom and do what you have to to draft RGIII. At minimum, you have to take him if he is still there at #4, otherwise you will incur the eternal wrath of the opinion-crafters and a desperate fan base.
In this calculation, it would be better for your career if you take him and he turns out to be a bust, than if you pass on him and he turns out to be a star.
My personal opinion is it would be best to use this year’s picks to address more glaring needs on the OL and receiving corps, that even a talented quarterback on a below-average talented team is going to killed, and that there is way too much hype around this guy not to be wary, but there may be too much risk involved for the front office to ignore all the pressure to get RGIII.
Unfortunately, that’s how these (and a lot of other jobs) get evaluated.
Will they come rioting in the streets? I hope not. Im torn on this descision. On one hand I want to use the picks as the come up because I think these guys have done a great job. But on the other hand I know that Ben, Joe, and Andy are all three good QB’s in this division and we will never win if we dont get someone like that in orange and brown.
Not sure what your cousin is so upset about. Brees has so many more weapons to work with than Rivers, and the latter still manages to play very well.
If your reasoning for not writing about it is because it doesn’t much matter what you think on the topic because you aren’t the GM, why are there EVER opinion articles written about anything related to personnel or the direction a team should move in?
Sounding like me a little bit. I think the Browns will trade down to some desperate team like ATL last year. We got (at least) two starters out of that deal. Plus, there are decent players lower in the draft. McCoy deserves another shot, with some WR and right side OL help and a healthy RB like Hillis (who fits the WCO) he might look like an NFL QB instead of a grass stained one.
I am not so sure how I feel about Colt. I think we should draft brock osweiler or brandon weeden if they drop to the 3rd or lower and one of these guys might beat out colt mccoy. I hope if we don’t get RG3 that we pick someone at least in the 3rd round.
Rick, if you want to watch a full 4 quarters of Baylor football, I suggest the BU vs. OU game:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcaJ-xqVwcc
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjYU9Q5xKo8&feature=related
That’s not true at all. Rivers has had LT, VJax, Antonio Gates, and Brees’ fave target this year, Sproles. Their problem was Norv Turner and just some bad luck. There’s a fine line between going to the playoffs all the time and winning the SB, as anyone of us who were alive in the 80s well knows.
Griffin will be able to make due with OK receivers like Little and Norwood and Cribbs. There are a bunch of 4.3/40 guys in the draft, they all aren’t going in round 1. and worse case scenario we can’t find a receiver, then oh well, Griffin will still be better and we can get one next year.
Sounds pretty stupid and impossible.
A talented QB makes those glaring holes a lot less obvious. Griffin is really the only option. Anyone who wants to thinks we can use the 22 and/or 37 and get better than we can with Griffin is delusional.
RG111 will be there at #4 Just wait and see. if the Browns move up and give the 2 1st.round picks Mr.RG111 will need a body bag, and remind everybody of Tim Couch.He didnt have a chance , he was ruined by the ahole coaches we had then just like the idiot we have now.Run RG111 run as fast as you can from the Browns.
No argument on getting a QB later in the draft. Remember that some guy named Tom Brady was drafted in the 6th round by some guy named Bill Belicheck (who sold his soul to the devil after we kicked him to the curb). Not sold on Griffin however. If he is available at #4, we can get a bounty for him from WAS, SEA, ARI, or some other desperate team. Everyone knows STL won’t let division trade up for Griffin.
Something that hasn’t been discussed/considered… Do you think the Rams would consider trading Sam Bradford for the #4 overall pick? I’m sure Holmgren is asking, as he offered a trade package that was declined. Seems to make a bit of sense since his success was tied to Shurmur, and both failed without each other?
tell me why Sam Bradford is better than Colt McCoy?
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BradSa00.htm
Use Sam’s rookie year vs. Colt’s 2nd (both 1st year in Shurmur system) and then account for Sam playing in the NFC West vs. Colt playing in the AFC North (defenses a tad better, no?) and Sam having SJAX healthy that whole year while Colt had a revolving door at RB.
No thank you.
Here’s a question. If Griffin is still there at #4, and Dan Snyder is furiously calling and offering Washington’s #6 overall, their second rounder (#7), and their #1 next year, do you do it?
That gives us quite a young talent infusion: this year’s overall #6, 22, 36 and 38th, plus an extra first rounder next year which might be a pretty high pick.
I don’t see how you could turn that down.
Oh now that would be a dream come true I’d take it today, tomorrow and the next day!
Oh now that would be a dream come true I’d take it today, tomorrow and the next day!
In half of a heartbeat.
If the Rams cannot work a trade for the the second pick, whats stopping them from draftig RG III and putting Bradford for RG III on the market? You have to trade up.
Don’t forget that WAS isn’t the only QB desperate team (besides us), just the one in the best position and foolish enough to make risky moves like signing Haynesworth. Other teams include MIA, SEA, ARI, and possibly KC and DEN. Then again KC will probably fire their HC again next year…
Doesnt matter how good Griff. is,he cant throw and catch the ball at the same time.Dump Momass as soon as possible,heavily fine Little for his drops and thrteaten the rest of the recieving corps with same.WE NEED RECIEVERS WHO CAN GET SEPERATION AND CATCH THE DAMN BALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PERIOD.
If Daniel the Dummy offers us a @*^!)&^load for the 4th pick we have to take it.If not,take Claiborne at 4,the best pass catching reciever or RB at 22.whoever is the best of the two positions.Same thing with the 37th pick, then go right OT.Then go best available talent left in draft at any position for depth.Depth is something this team hasnt had since the 80s.