May 19, 2013

Banner: “We want to do it in a way that’s sustainable.”

December 31, 2012 by 18 Comments

During the press conference today discussing the firing of Tom Heckert and Pat Shurmur, Browns CEO Joe Banner answered a question about whether he felt the talent was there to compete for a playoff spot next season-

“I think we have a foundation here to move forward. I think the team is better than it was. I think it’s got a ways to go. I hope with the right hires here, we’ll be able to accelerate the process of getting to where we want to be. As Jimmy has said, repeatedly, and it’s very fundamental to all the conversations we have privately. We want to do it in a way that’s sustainable. We could if we just made whatever sacrifices we need to be the best possible team we could be next year, we probably could make the playoffs. In fact, I’d be massively disappointed if we didn’t. If you factor in the long term sustainable success we have, that may or may not be what happens next year in order to achieve that goal.”

[Related: Browns will hire head coach first and then GM]

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  • Ezzie Goldish

    On the positive side, sounds like they aren’t starting over. Whew.

  • Anon

    That’s not at all how I heard his comment about the playoffs. In fact, I think he was very clear to say that making the playoffs next year is NOT the goal for the organization. Both Banner and Haslam said numerous times that their goal was to create a sustainable winner, a team that had reasonable expectations for a playoff spot every year. Making the playoffs next year would be nice, but it is not the goal.

    To paraphrase his comments: “Sure, we could be very active in FA this offseason and spend a fortune on high-priced veterans. If we did that, I would expect that we would make the playoffs next year. In fact, I would be massively disappointed if we didn’t. That, however, is not what Jimmy and I want to do. The organizations with which we have been associated and which we admire have built their teams through the draft. THAT is what we will do.”

  • brad

    This is a misleading quotation as you have used it. What he said was that if they abandoned all reason and went out and got a whole bunch of free agents they could be in the playoffs next year and he would be “massively disappointed” if they didn’t. However, he went on to say, they were committed to building the right way (primarily through the draft) so they won’t mortgage the future for a one shot blip at the playoffs.

  • brad

    Oh, looks like Anon and I were writing this at the same time.

  • Jwaggys

    That’s not what he said! I watched the entire press conference! He said he would be disappointed if they went out and signed free agents and didnt make the playoffs next year. In other words he was saying they are more content and focused on building this team the right way through the draft which would allow for this team to compete for the championship every year rather than piece together a team for the short term just to make the playoffs next year.

  • brad

    correct

  • brad

    that’s what i said

  • jwaggys

    Lol, we all must have wrote this at the same time!

  • FearTheRoo

    I still say they are a long ways from the playoffs. Maybe 3-5 years away. Since 1999 we have only made it once. Every year we see the same “what if” games and “should be wins”, what’s to say 2013 will be any different?

  • Josh

    There isn’t a single team in the NFL that is five years away from the playoffs. It’s how the NFL is set up. And unless you are doing a complete rebuild as the Browns began when Holmgren got here, no team is more than two years away. We are clearly a year or two away from playoff contention IF we make the right hires.

  • BenRM

    reply button. learn to love it.

  • FearTheRoo

    Well we haven’t made the playoffs in 10 years. It is very possible to go another 10 without making it. I was being generous with my 3-5 prediction.

  • maxfnmloans

    took that out of context, no?

  • Jaker

    Check out the big brain on Brad!

  • The_Real_Shamrock

    I agree that no NFL team should be 5 years away from contending, well except maybe Cleveland, Jacksonville, Miami and a few other perennials but the Browns last regime made the decision an entire rebuild was necessary. Of course they also decided to keep Eric Mangini for an extra year not to mention trade a top 10 pick and draft two starting QBs one of which was a first round pick too.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com Craig Lyndall

    I changed the headline. I found it a bit confusing too.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jim.gilbert.589 Jim Gilbert

    3-5 years? So you don’t think any of the players we have are good enough to get us into the playoffs? In 5 years most of this roster would be gone. I think they can be there in 2 years if the right people are brought in unless Weedon doesn’t work out and we need to start over at QB.

  • The_Real_Shamrock

    That quote is the same one I tell my neighbor’s wife!