Browns Backing in to Wide Receiver Improvement
April 30, 2012Damon to report to Indians on Tuesday; will wear 33
April 30, 2012Who better to get the inside info on the Browns’ new draft class than the bloggers that followed them in college? We asked Kyle Porter of Pistols Firing to answer some questions about Brandon Weeden. Kyle claims Ubaldo Jimenez as his favorite current Cleveland athlete “his split-finger is a work of art” and will be burning his Nike “Witness” shirt in favor of a Mohamed Massaquoi jersey-tee to honor his new favorite NFL team.
How would you characterize his college career?
He was phenomenal in every way. From the first time he took the field, as a third-string QB in a throwaway game against Colorado his sophomore year (a game in which he threw a 40-yard game winner), to the last missile he landed in the desert against Stanford (in the Fiesta Bowl), everything he did moved Oklahoma State forward as a program. Even his interceptions were spectacular in a way. I’m not one given to hyperbole with OSU quarterbacks (I never thought Zac Robinson would make a great NFL player), but it’s hard for me to imagine Weeden not being successful in the league.
What are the Browns getting with Weeden?
More than anything, they’re getting a gamer. There are guys in the league (looking at you, Jay Cutler) less interested in winning games and being great than they are with being famous, or so it would seem. All Weeden is concerned about every week is competing and making plays and winning games. I think his 23-3 record in college speaks for itself.
Is there an NFL player that you think is a good comparison?
I hadn’t really made the connection before, but I don’t think Kurt Warner is a bad comp for him. Horrendously immobile, terrifically engaging in interviews, and absolutely prolific when it comes to finding his wideouts on the field.
Everyone is of course talking about the age issue. What’s your take?
Well I’m pretty tired of it, but that’s probably because I’ve been reading about it literally every day for the past 24 months. I think it’s both overrated as a detractor as well as a benefit. It just…is. He’s 28, he can play 10 years, which is great. I keep hearing “but he can’t have a 15-year career!” Question: who’s the last QB to play 15 years for the same team? Bart Starr?
Where would you place Weeden among this year’s QBs?
I’m guessing you’re talking about the draft class of 2012. He played most of them (Luck, Tannehill, Griffin 2x, and Foles 2x) and the only one he didn’t completely outclass in those six games was Luck. So you can talk about upside and potential and having short arms and snarky socks but I’ll take 6-0 any day of the week.
Do you think he can be ready to start week 1 in Cleveland?
Yes, he will be. I saw a scouting report that he’s “a slow learner” which sounds more like an Eli Manning middle school report card than it does an NFL scouting report, but that’s neither here nor there. The point is that he had three different offensive coordinators in college (from the end of 2009 through last year) and never missed a beat. He might make a throw or two he shouldn’t initially but he’s also going to make Josh Cribbs and Greg Little a pair of very happy wide receivers.
Where do you see him in three years-
All Pro, Solid Starter, Bench Contributor, Bust
Can I not get something in between”All Pro” and “solid starter”? Something like “better than Joe Flacco but not on Aaron Rodgers’ level”?
Thanks Kyle for the insights. Check out his work at Pistols Firing.
18 Comments
From everything I’ve read and seen the kid, pun intended, seems like a terrific person. That being said he’s got the weight of the Cleveland Browns nation upon his shoulders. People are going to expect alot from him. The Browns chew up and spit out QBs like no other team in the NFL. It’s a disgrace. I hope Weeden isn’t the next but I to say I have some serious doubts would be an understatement. Those doubts don’t come solely from Weeden himself but the Browns front office and the position they’ve put this guy in now. Oh and lets not forget the coaching staff. Lets see how well Shurmur, Childress and who is it, Whipple, do!
For all my fury at the Browns for how they approached that pick, I can’t argue that Weeden doesn’t seem like a good player.
I just can’t understand how he comes off as any more of a good player than Colt McCoy did at the same stage, which takes me back to the fury…
colt mccoy is much smaller (6’1 versus 6’4). that coupled with his apparently better arm strength indicates he is a much better long term solution.
Well, that’s where Weeden’s measurables (height, velocity, accuracy, ball placement) will put him head and shoulders (literally) above Colt.
Two words: Derek Anderson. Lets see what the rookie can do first before anything long term is discussed. He could throw it 50 yards if nobody can run under it what then?
ridiculous comparison.
DA was a 6th round pick that was only drafted because of his size. Oregon State lost 5+ games every year w/ him and he completed about 50% of his passes in college.
Weeden has the size. AND he was a total baller in college, losing just 3 times in 2 years (w/ 2 top 10 finishes) and completed 70% of his passes.
maybe it won’t work out, but just saying “derek anderson” is pretty irrelevant.
I will agree with all of those measurables, except for accuracy. Colt McCoy was an extremely accurate quarterback at Texas. It’s really a pretty big mystery to me as to why that didn’t translate to the NFL, as accuracy usually does translate pretty well. With that said, I really do like the touch I have seen on Weeden’s passes at all distances from short to middle to long, inside the numbers and near the sidelines. I’m really optimistic, but that’s partly because that’s my nature. I always think my teams (Cleveland and Virginia Tech) are going to be better than they turn out to be.
Well you can start with the arm. For better or worse we FINALLY have a QB with a cannon. I live in Detroit and the past couple of years of watching Stafford has convinced me how important arm strength can be.
There may be some growing pains, but Weeden seems like he should be our QB for the next 3-4 years at least. We should probably just hedge our bets and build up a top 5 defense and a solid run game just in case.
I am not sold on Weeden being the answer for the Browns. However, he is not solely to blame for my skepticism.
At Oklahoma State he ran a hurry up offense where there was no huddle. Plays were sent in to the whole team from the sidelines using hand signals. A vast majority of plays were taken in the shotgun and not under center. Weeden was quite successful within this system.
Shurmur is married to the classic (orthodox?) West Coast Offense with plays sent in from the sideline to the QB and relayed to the team in the huddle with most of the snaps taken under center. McCoy ran a system that was somewhat similar to what Weeden ran at OSU and he struggled with the footwork taking snaps from center in his second year in the NFL. McCoy looked much more productive out of the shotgun. Shurmur didn’t tailor the offense to suit McCoy even when he was more productive out of the shotgun.
Weeden can be a good QB from the beginning of the season if Shurmur is flexible and tailors his offense to suit his demonstrated strengths like Carolina did for Newton and Denver did for Tebow. Within this scenario I bet McCoy could be a decent backup.
I hope this is the case, otherwise Browns fans are in for another season of pain.
All I know is that if this guy’s nickname isn’t “B-Dubs” or “BW3” and/or BW3’s doesn’t sign him to some sort of endorsement deal, a lot of people aren’t doing their jobs.
I’m on board with B-Dubs.
Call me an optimist, but I think we’ve got something with this Weeden guy.
B-Dub. Dubs = multiple W’s or the number 22. Yeah.
They took half their snaps last year from the shotgun
And the other half from the pistol. I watched them pretty intently last year. They don’t even kneel down from under center.
Tim Couch is a better comp. Same height/weight. Same shotgun offense. Couch was younger though and a better athlete
it is a better comp. but he never won anything or did anything under pressure in his entire college career.
Also had a lot less talent around him at Kentucky and played against better teams/defenses…
Actually wouldnt be too upset if Weeden was Couch 2.0. Would be better than what we have had in 20 years. Couch with this OL and he would have been ok probably
The only worse place to play qb is the jets. They ha e narrowed ot had one since Namath. I will be behind him like couch and the 10 other guys on the list. All i know is if clay pigeons translate to the pros we may progress. All we can hope for is 10 good years…..