Browns’ Gary Barnidge ranked No. 94 on NFL’s Top 100
May 6, 2016A look inside Nike’s LeBron 13 Elite Experience
May 6, 2016Since Paul Brown was evicted from his rightful place on the Cleveland Browns sidelines, the fans have been desperate for an innovatorβor team of innovatorsβto control the team. Whether it be the allure of Chip Kelly or a non-traditional quarterback in Johnny Manziel, the desire to be on the cutting edge has been a persistent refrain repeated by the masses. The hiring of Paul DePodesta as the chief strategy officer pointed towards quenching this unsatiable thirst.
MMQB Jenny Vrentas, however,Β notes a familiarity to the plan executed by the Cleveland Browns during the 2016 NFL Draft. After noting the coaches and front office were working in lockstep to execute their plan,1 Vrentas noted how a common stated plan was actually executedΒ a few years back.
With the Browns so entrenched in the world of analytics, many pundits missed the history of such a strategy. Vrentas was quick to point out the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers have utilized the most draft picks in recent drafts. But, neither team was starting from such a low point without an obvious answer at quarterback either.
To find a true historical comparison, the holy grail of building a team from scratch was used. Yes, the Jimmy Johnson Dallas Cowboy teams from the 1990s. Johnson utilized draft day trades to accumulate as many picks as he could and through them built the corps of the dominant Cowboy three-time Superbowl champions of that era.
And that plan is building through the draft. Sure, a lot of organizations say that. But few have committed to it the way the Browns did this past weekend. They turned their No. 2 overall pick, via two trades down in the first round with Philadelphia and Tennessee, into this haul: the No. 15 pick, two third-rounders, a fourth-rounder, a 2017 first- and second-rounder and a 2018 second-rounder (they also gave up a sixth-round pick and a future fourth). Thatβs stunning.
Overall, Cleveland made five trades to turn 10 draft picks into 14 rookies, 2017 first- and second-round picks, a 2018 second-rounder and veteran cornerback Jamar Taylor. …
In 1989, Jimmy Johnson took over a Cowboys team that had gone 3-13 the previous season under Tom Landry. If Landry could only manage three wins, Johnson knew he needed to take drastic measures to overhaul the roster, or else he wouldnβt be around long enough to see a good football team. He didnβt need just one player. He needed a lot of players. And he decided he was going to get as many as he could through the draft.
The article has some great, exclusive quotes from Johnson, so please do go read the full story, but Vrentas demonstrates the main narrative here:
Over time, Johnson developed his draft value trade chart, which is still in use today, to determine compensation when trading draft picks. The most famous trade during his Cowboys tenure was the Herschel Walker swap with Minnesota, which netted draft picks that helped his team acquire difference-makers like Emmitt Smith, Darren Woodson, Kevin Smith and Russell Maryland. Those players, of course, were part of the Cowboys core that would go on to win three Super Bowls. …
Trades werenβt as common in the β90s as they are now, but Johnson boasts that in his five years in Dallas, the team made 51 trades, βmore than the entire league put together,β according to Johnson.
Sure, it not only took the Cowboys acquiring a bunch of picks, but also Johnson using all of his college connections to get the inside knowledge necessary to make as many good selections as possible to acquire the stars for those teams.Β No one will view the current Browns draft class as a success if there are not a few gems among the selections.
The analytical world and the historical football worldΒ appear to beΒ working in concert upon the Southern shores of Lake Erie. Historically, the process being undertaken is rooted in success.Β It is worth giving this Haslam-assembled team the opportunity to prove they can finally be the group to push the Cleveland Browns back into relevancy within the NFL. How ’bout ‘dem Brownies?
- A welcome sign from the franchise that is more known for battles between coach and general manager. [↩]
41 Comments
I’m cautiously optimistic, but the Browns fan in me knows, KNOWS, that we’ll end up more like those 90s Buffalo teams than those 90s Dallas teams.
I will take four straight trips to the Superbowl with a last second FG miss among those games. Sign.Me.Up.
2012…….
The big difference this time though, it appears we were revolutionary by not drafting for talent, but drafting for work ethic. Interesting play and it may help build a solid foundation to add talent to in the future.
good post BACK … work ethic , good character & on the analytics side of things , our picks all posted solid numbers as well.
Quite interesting note about Brown saying we were drafting for character “for a period of time” as he basically is acknowledging character won’t weight nearly as much in the future. Establish the program that can handle the crazies before drafting them. Again, nothing off the wall in strategy, but still good to see them realize and execute a specific plan of action.
good read MG … we went into the draft with 10 picks … we came out with 14 solid picks & have set ourselves up nicely for the next 2 drafts.
and the other thing is , never trade-up unless it is absolutely necessary … trading down is what netted a fine draft & future drafts. sure , we could’ve stayed at #2 or #8 & came away with a real fine player … but for a rebuilding squad , i thought they did about as good as you can do.
i know i always think things will be different & better … but this time i really really really feel it in my bones.
#TeamAlwaysSunny
… and we had the opportunities to jump on m.jack & j.smith , but we stayed away from that as well.
Both are known to be high character individuals (noting you likely meant additional risk not taken on – theirs through injury).
correct …
The logic in this is we do not currently have a strong locker room. Until leaders emerge and winning starts to happen THEN, a team can take risk on players with character issues. The veteran players will show a player how they do it here to win. Without any history of winning it is not possible and character issue players will cause a coach lose his team. Winning records solve so many problems.
And this is where I obnoxiously repeat the fulcrum upon which all draft strategy brilliance swings: “Sure, it not only took the Cowboys acquiring a bunch of picks, but also Johnson using all of his college connections to get the inside knowledge necessary to make as many good selections as possible to acquire the stars for those teams. No one will view the current Browns draft class as a success if there are not a few gems among the selections.”
Robiskie, Veikune, Massaquoi will tightly clutch your brilliant moves as they circle the toilet and disappear with them, forever. If it turns out Wentz is the cheese and no one they pick is it would have been better to not be so preciously brilliant.
amen
No doubt.
I’ll give the front office this — so far they’ve passed the Jeremiah Pharms challenge and appear *not* to have drafted a felon. Baby steps…
So you are saying Bowe might not have been the ideal mentor for Cam Erving?
oh now you’ve done it. take it back please. Take it back…….
In other words…
It is very encouraging that they are getting the no brainer things right.
Surprised Farmer didn’t defend his failure to vet Johnny or Justin with that. That was so unbelievable we don’t even talk about it, like it was the sit-com version of the Browns.
Baby Step 1: Don’t draft felons.
Baby Step 2: Draft non-felons that don’t suck.
Ray Farmer just texted Shanahan to ignore RGB.
Banner just tweeted that in Philly they tried that but he came up with something better: draft skinny weak pass rushers and trade all other picks, get some shuteye.
Banners greatest accomplishment may have been making a big enough ass of himself to scare Kelly into screwing up the Eagles instead of the Browns.
The best I have in my memory is 3 out of 4 AFC-Champ games w/ worse conclusions than a Norwood miss…so, my POV is skewed.
If we going to rub the genie lamp, let’s go for the whole enchilada. You can’t accuse CLE fans of being greedy. π
If we can rub the genie lamp and get Mexican food, let’s go for a Crunch Wrap Supreme from Taco Bell. Those are pretty good. And a margarita.
A never-empty warming container of Serranos flour tortillas w/ a never-empty bowl of their bean-queso dip as well. Thank you Genie.
http://i.makeagif.com/media/8-21-2014/hM1eKL.gif
10-6
10-6
6-9
We should be so messed up.
well, the last record was with the Pure Chip Roster. That’s why he’s gone.
and, he alienated those players who were even still on the Pure Chip Roster. but, still…6-9 would be our second best record since 2007.
Yes… But our failed FOs try to build the “right way.”
“He didn’t need one player. He needed a lot of players.” Boy does that sound like Hue Jackson.
Holmgren wished for never-ending ribs and mai-tais…
I live in the NW and seeing how Seattle turned it around it’s inspiring. They turned over the roster in 2010 with tons of UFA’s walking in and out the door faster than they could give they jerseys. Every position was challenged. Their success is no fluke. Every year they find solid starters for the UFA class. And although they draft well they consistently miss in the 1st round. I hope Cleveland does this too. This method allows you to even cut a draft pick early if you made a mistake. It also builds your team faster than places like Jacksonville and Oakland.
Which he received contractually
Love Carroll style practices where everything is competitive.
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Right, it’s next level ineptitude. An outlier amongst data points that are totally skewed.
And yet, in true Browns fashion, the ultimate irony is that the Jeremiah Pharms draft class ended up taking us to the playoffs.
But already I’ve said too much about the Browns – must focus mind on the extraordinary run the cavs are making right now.
He’s still receiving them contractually until 2022
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