12 Days of a Cleveland Christmas: Day 9
Written By: Rick | Category: 12 days of Christmas | Comments: 157
Yesterday’s winner was Michael, who wants to see Clay Matthews’ #57 retired. A great number agreed with Michael, but the favorite was certainly Kosar’s #19. A good showing by Omar Vizquel as well. On to today’s giveaway.
To many fans (including many of our readers), the words Cleveland Browns and tradition of winning don’t seem to go together. Let’s face it, since the Browns came back into the league they have never been a legitimate threat to win the whole thing. But there was a time. Today a lucky reader is going to get the History of the Cleveland Browns double dvd set. In addition, we are throwing in a pair of tickets to see the Indians and the Oakland A’s on July 3rd, and a Cavs Hardwood Classics t-shirt. Sound good?
Once again, here’s the skinny…
That’s right WFNY loyal readers- the December giveaway is back! Each weekday from now until Tuesday the 22nd we will be giving away a great Cleveland sports prize pack. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on the daily prize post answering the question of the day. It’s that simple. Look for the posts at noon.
- You may only enter once each day. You are free to comment on each other’s answers, however.
- The winner will be chosen at random from the qualifying entries. Winners will be notified the following day by email (make sure the email address you registered to comment with is a real one!) You must be at least 18 years old to win, and only one winner per household during this giveaway please.
-Entries must be made before Midnight EST to qualify.
Last year I made everyone give their answer in exactly 64 words, (last Cleveland title) but this year I’m going to be a bit more lenient. As long as you actually answer the question, it doesn’t matter how many words you use.
Today’s prize- The History of the Cleveland Browns dvd, Tribe vs A’s tickets and a Cavalier Hardwood Classic shirt!
Today’s question- If you could give the Browns a Christmas present, which one current NFL player would you add to the team?
Good luck!
Author: Rick
Rick is a co-founder and editor of WFNY. His love of Cleveland sports is surpassed only by his faith and love of his family. Follow him on Twitter- @rickwfny.Rick has written 887 articles for Waiting for Next Year.
Patrick Willis
peyton manning…our line is good enough for such a good qb…he would make it work with the rest of the players
I said it a few weeks back……Chris Johnson…..he’s a beast
O wow, theres just so many to choose from. You have Peyton, Brees, AD, Calvin or Andre Johnson, any RT you want, Gates..but after thinking this through…. the browns take Andre Johnson, WR, Houston. This gives them a guy who is still young, but has experience on a bad team dominating secondaries. Immediately allows MoMass to step back into the two, and Stuckey /Robo to work the slot. JCribbs moves into the backfield with Harrison and Jennings as the 3 continue to split carries, and the Browns draft all D in this upcoming draft (and a pass-catching TE).
I want the best young linebacker in the league, 49ers Patrick Willis. The Browns want to run the 3-4? OK. The Browns have wanted to run this style of defense for quite a long time, but one problem: NO LINEBACKERS.
The defensive line is rounding into shape with guys like Kenyon Coleman, Shaun Rogers, Ahytha Rubin, Corey Williams, C.J. Mosley, etc. The Browns NEED linebackers in a desperate way.
Willis is a great linebacker, who attacks the line of scrimmage and can stuff the run, something the Browns haven’t done in a long, long time.
Asante Samuel. having someone with his coverage abilities can vastly improve our defense, moving Wright onto the opponent’s #2 receiver.
opoo Reep, i forgot about him amazingly… i still like taking a wide out though… one that can catch at that. I also thinking players under 30 so they can stay here a while in Cleveland.
My profile picture namesake, Chris Johnson. Young and already having a breakout career with less of a fumbling problem that A.Peterson.
derel revis hands down…hes having a MONSTER year….having a guy who can shut down any teams number one receiver is priceless
I too would go with Willis. Hands down the best defensive player in the game today and only a few years in.
Eli – I thought that was Zulu Cathulu?
Drew Brees. In my opinion one of the most under-rated players in the league.
Darrelle Revis. The Browns are in desperate need of a good CB (among other positions). Revis is young and is already an outstanding cover guy, and he’s young, so he’s only going to get better. Although, Willis is tempting, a good pass rush can cover the abomination that is the Browns secondary, but I just have a hard time stomaching an also-ran WR playing in the secondary (Furrey).
I would definitely give them Chris Johnson. He would make everyone so much better on offense.
However, if he hadn’t become so injury prone, I would probably take Troy Polamula. He’s the type of player the Browns have lacked on our defense since our return in 99. Fearless, lethal, and a play-maker. Ya, that’d be nice.
Michael Turner. Chris Johnson is tempting and very trendy this year, but not a Cleveland type RB. Turner the Burner is more of a grind it up the middle guy, which is what we need. His season this year has been decent and he’s pretty underrated overall. He’s also young and got a lot of good years ahead of him. He would essentially be what Jamal Lewis couldn’t to this very young, shaky offense.
Hard to argue with Patrick Willis.
So many choices and we have so many needs, but if I’d have to pick one person, it’d be either Larry Fitzgerald or Andre Johnson. Since bobby picked Andre Johnson, I’ll go with Fitzgerald. Even though he’s had a bit of a down year, he’s still one of the most dominant WRs in the league, plus you never hear excuses like we did from Braylon Dropwards. He would be a great weapon for BQ to throw to, he could probably get to the deep balls that BQ throws out of bounds.
Adrian Peterson (Vikings)- No explination necessary
Charlie Frye. i miss the “frye guys.” hopefully they will make a return when Oakland visits.
Jared Allen. Would be a beast with Rogers.
Peyton Manning. A can’t miss HOF quarterback that could beat a defense with his head, make ALL of the passes (long and short) to the receivers in-stride, which would open up the running game.
Peyton Manning
Darrelle Revis, that is hard to pass up
I like the choice of Revis, but I want some with a little more experience as a shutdown. Let’s go with Nnamdi Asomugha from the Raiders.
Willis on Defense.
Brees on Offense.
Patrick Willis FTW.
Clay Matthews III definitely need some legacy and positivity to such a depressed LB core
Drew Brees. More years left in the tank than Manning.
Desean Jackson. #1 WR, plus we’re gonna need a new return man when Cribbs walks cause we were too stupid to give him a new contract…
I’d like to see Antonio Gates in a Browns uni. Hometown guy, Quinn loves to throw to the TE, he’s be a great fit for the Browns
Peyton Manning. To think, if the Bronws would have come back into the league a year earlier he would have been theirs. My, how differently we all would have viewed the last ten years had Manning been the QB.
Talk about tradition, how about Matt Stover?! What a way to tie back to the old Browns… although I’m not sure I could forgive him for those years in Baltimore…
Patrick Willis
Adrian Peterson. We need a running game more than anything. Especially a back who can play in the cold.
Ben Roethlisberger for several reasons
-We need a quarterback that is a leader
-He is an Ohio kid
-He is a Pro-Bowl level quarterback
-and so on and so on
But, maybe most importantly …..
-It would cripple the Steelers!!!
I’d give the Browns Adrian Peterson. This year, we’ve seen Jerome Harrison rush for 100 yards and we’ve seen a glimmer of productivity from Chris Jennings, which leads me to believe that the run-blocking of our O-line isn’t so bad. Inserting a game-changing back like Peterson would solidify the run game and–gasp–open up the passing game to go downfield!
I hate to say it, but Joey Porter in his prime. This team needs a speed-rushing outside linebacker if it wants to continue playing the 3-4.
Chris Johnson. He’d take so much pressure off the QB and it wouldn’t even matter the right side of our line can’t block cause this dude can break tackles like nobody’s business.
They are one and the same Scott.
But, I’d take Willis or Revis as well. I’m really ok with either a mildly competant offense or smothering defense.
by the way is it too big of a stretch to ask for Robert Kraft and his front office, instead of a player?
@39 – Baltimore proved you can go quite far with a smothering defense AND a mildly competent offense.
Peyton Manning. He’s a stud, good PR of the company, and would be awesome leadership. Mainly just because the man wins though, and that would be the best Christmas present ever.
Aaron Rodgers…to watch him tear it up with an actual O-Line.
Peyton Manning. A legit QB who is a team leader and a guy you build your team around.
Gotta go with a running back too… Adrian Peterson or Chris Johnson sound good to me !
I have to go with Antonio Cromartie. One of the best cover corners in the league. It would also allow Wright/McDonald to cover the #2 WR and the other as a nickle. Of all the holes on this team, the secondary is the biggest. Merry Christmas Cleveland Browns. Here’s the cover-corner you haven’t had since you returned to the league.
The browns are so terrible they need a player for years to come. Peyton is not that guy, and I would be hesitant about any running back because their careers are typically shorter.
Similarly, one CB isn’t going to make a secondary. I’m not up on the young players in the league so going off other posts
1) RT – some young player, a strong line makes everyone better
2) Willis, or maybe a DE
3) A saftey
I have to go with Patrick Willis…we need linebackers who are playmakers!!
Chris Johnson
Either Chris Johnson or Ray Rice. Imagine one of these guys catching BQ’s passes out of the backfield.
Peyton Manning
Troy Polomalu, both for what he would do for us and what it would do to the Steelers.
Troy Polamalu… He’s a huge difference maker on defense. Imagine a starting D next year with Polamalu playing next to Brodney Pool. Rogers, Wright, Jackson, and Wimbley who all look like average to above average players, and whoever we draft in the Top 5 this year who could be a difference maker as well. Now you’re starting to talk about a defense that can keep other teams out of the end zone.
I would have to go with either Peyton or Chris Johnson, our O-line isn’t terrible, and I think that our young receivers would really respond to having a QB like Peyton throwing to them. On the other side though, BQ has been playing semi decently better recently so Chris Johnson would be nice to have so we could have another explosive player to take a lot of weight off of Josh Cribbs and Brady
Peyton Manning. We need some hardcore QB leadership.
Gotta go D so sign me up for Patty Willis.
I’d love to have Peyton, but at this point, even he wouldn’t help much. Chris Johnson is another great choice, but I would have to say someone like Polamalu (even though it pains me to say it). The guy is a beast and (as you can see from the games he doesn’t play) a huge difference maker on the field.
My pick would be David Stewart for our RT. Give Brady some more time on the right side of this line. That would be unless we could clone Joe Thomas and call him Tom Johmas, and put him on the right side. Either way I would look to shore up the right side of the O-Line.
Peyton Manning
Ok, if we only get 1 player, we need that player to be an absolute essential piece.
Revis – sorry, shutdown CB is great, but the offense can just ignore that WR for the day and still kill the defense.
Ed Reed / Polamalu – game-changing S is a big key to the defense. however, S’s tend to get injured more than some of the other key positions. I want this player to stay on the field.
That leaves LB or QB as the key pieces (we have our NT and LT).
LB – mentioned here and obvious as best in NFL…Willis.
QB – probably more important to the offense than LB is to defense though….so QB is my choice. Ok, now which one:
Brady – knee surgery and older….pass.
Peyton – brilliant mind and OC wrapped up in one, but older as well. tempting.
Brees – most accurate QB in the NFL, can make marginal WRs better, but does have some shoulder injury history and is as old as Peyton and Brady…very tempting.
Rodgers – very skilled and leading Packers…young gun and can take a sack (may “take” too many though).
my choice:
Philip Rivers – young gun, great leader. proven can accomplish a lot without a running game (SD run game this year has not been good). probably a bit of a surprise, but I think he has the brightest overall future of the QBs listed.
(previous winner, not eligible)
Gotta go with Chris Johnson on this one. Besides, Quinn is going to throw the dump off pass more often than not, might as well be a guy that can make people miss and make it a homerun!
Chris Johnson.
I would give the Browns a running back for Christmas. I believe the best fit would be Ray Rice. While not as explosive as Peterson or Johnson, he is only a step behind them. He also has demonstrated in his short career that he is a great receiver out of the backfield (68 rec. over 600 yards rec. this year). He is in his second year, not injury prone, solid with ball control, good at picking up the blitz, and is a load to tackle. A perfect fit on the north shore.
Peyton Manning, While he is older and would not be around as long as some of the other players around here, he is the best player in the NFL today and he helps EVERY aspect of the game. 1. He makes receivers better look at Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie. 2. He doesn’t need a star RB. 3. A RT can be signed in the offseason. 4. He keeps the defense rested as he can milk the clock better then anyone. Which means the defense improves since its rested, look at the first half of the Minnesota game. 5. He is the best offensive coordinator in football, no more Daboll. 6. My personal favorite he scares the excrement out of Belichick! No diminishing skills there.
I like the Darelle Revis idea too, his coverage skills are better than the rest of the team combined.
Patrick Willis hands down. we need a ray lewis type lb and willis is the real deal
Peyton Manning for president!
Peyton Manning simply because he would make the rest of the offense much more effective.
I would go with braylon edwards. It would be hilarious to force him to go back to the browns.
Definitely Patrick Willis, best Defensive player in the game today. Second would be Revis, but if this were in a few months, give me a man named SUH!!!
clay matthews jr.
Michael Oher, because Disney made a movie about a book written about him, sorta.
Definitely Polamalu. He’d be a beast for us, and you can see what happens to the Steelers’ secondary when he’s not playing.
First, Manning won’t help if the receivers drop passes and fail to break off their routes when the defense blitzes. Second, I love Chris Johnson, but RB’s get injured so often, he’d surely break his leg and get staph as soon as he put on the Browns uniform.
I’d go with Jared Allen or Patrick Willis.
Um, yeah.. PEYTON. duh. a real QB.
I have another idea here too… The Big Tuna, Bill Parcels, DE, Miami. Parcels tricks everyone (and with Mangini, all you have to do is give him a good riddle), and inserts himself as the VP of football ops.
Drew Brees resurrected the Saints and has been a huge contributor to the city as well, while putting up monster numbers in the prime of his career. The one thing the Browns have never had since they returned to the league is a legit QB – only one team in that time, the 2000 Ravens, has won a Super Bowl without one. Drew Brees is my pick.
Beanie Wells, LeSean McCoy, and Ray Muaualuggaaaa!!! In honor of Isis. Because then we would be able to complain about how McCoy isn’t that good, Beanie has game killing fumbles, and how RAY Mauluba over pursues and can’t make reads. Proving Isis WRONG.
Adrian Peterson (Vikings). To be clear, I still think picking Joe Thomas was the right call in the draft, but it would be amazing to have AD on board. Our offense has put together a couple of non-horrible performances of late, and Peterson would be a great boost.
Chris Johnson; nuff said
I would do anything for a dominant LB that would have a Ray Lewis type of impact. And obviously if I would do anything for one, that means it’s the best gift…
Patrick Willis
S-Dub- You are absolutely right about Mccoy. I have Westbrook in my fantasy league, and since hes hurt I have Mccoy not even reaching 5 points in something like 4 straight weeks. He’s killin me.
Ed Reed.
Chris Johnson. We really need a strong running back, and he seems to be ok. I don’t think a deep ball QB would do us good, without any WR’s to air it out too.
oh man, really just one? well that makes it tough, but i think that adding perhaps the best rb in the league would do more for us right now than any other single player. so that of course, would be adrian peterson.
I would choose Darrelle Revis. Young shutdown corners are always a good gift.
robgoblue- We can draft “Ed Reed” with a selection of Eric Berry.
Chris Johnson. No doubt. He has so much of his career ahead of him.
I know so little, but I’ll take Peyton Manning.
Man. Patrick Willis, Mario Williams, Darrelle Revis, Chris Johnson, DeSean Jackson, Calvin Johnson, Ray Rice, any of them in a heartbeat. I’d probably have to say Willis, though. There are always playmaking RBs, WRs, Dline, and secondary players in the first round, but the number of super-stud young LBs is tiny. Even the can’t-miss top-5 ones aren’t always stars (Curry, AJ Hawk). Willis would be a godsend.
Peeyton Manning or Troy (flowing locks) Polamalu. Peytoon could single-handedly make our O respectable. Troy would is just a play-making S that makes everyone around him better. And it would weaking the Stillers.
But after careful deliberation, I’ll take Peyton.
Troy p. No matter what kind of offense he faces, he can change the whole game
If Peyton was a little younger, I would have said him, but at 11 years in the league, I want more value. I would say Adrian Peterson with Chris Johnson as a close 2nd.
It really has to be Peyton Manning. Our biggest need is on offense and that guy just wins, it clearly doesn’t even matter who his receivers are (Garcon, Collie, whos-a-what?).
I’d go with a DB and say either Revis or someone that hasn’t been mentioned in Louis Delmas, a rookie who is going to be an unbelievable player, once he comes back from injury of course.
philip rivers,
young great qb
Troy Polamalu—great impact player—plus addition by subtraction by taking him from the Steelers…
BRAYLON EDWARDS. HE IS STILL YOUNG, HAS GREAT HANDS, IS A “TEAM FIRST” PLAYER, AND HAS SPEED THAT CAN STRETCH OUT DEFENSES, ALLOWING OUR RUNNING GAME TO BE MORE EFFICIENT.
Chris Johnson Chris Johnson Chris Johnson…or Andre Johnson…but not Randy Johnson.
But seriously, since everyone else is going with the same guys (Manning, Peterson, Polamalu, Willis), I’ll mix it up and pick Nnnamdi Asomugha. Imagine our secondary with him, and Eric Berry (if we drafted him next year). Championship.
Lots of great suggestions. How about Walter Payton? Not available? Then let them have Patrick Willis. He would improve the whole defense.
Adrian Peterson was my first pick. If we’re going defense, I like the suggestion earlier of Ed Reed.
I’ll also throw out Terrell Suggs, so he can knock all the fans to the ground and pour bleach on them.
Charlie Fry, that way the Raiders would have to play Russel.
Chris Johnson.
Lebron James…If the Browns have him under contract, then he can’t leave Cleveland, right.
But if we’re talking NFL…Kellen Winslow, so I wouldn’t have to go buy yet another Browns jersey.
Larry Fitz.
There is no leadership on defense amongst the players from what I see. And they need more playmakers…Patrick Willis would be a great fit.
Peyton Manning. He’s just a total professional and who wouldn’t want to build a team around a no-excuses guy.
Nnamdi Asomugha
Don’t see how the answer couldn’t be Peyton manning
Matt Ryan
As much as I would like to pick a QB, I think we need to much around him for him to be successful. I narrowed my choices down to LB, S, or RB. It’s between Willis, Polamalu, or Johnson/Peterson. Looking at next year’s draft, it’s quite possible that we could get Berry at safety. I think we could get a solid linebacker in the 2nd or 3rd round but I don’t really see any RB that is a gamebreaker. So in the end, I’m gonna have to go with Chris Johnson. I love Peterson but he seems a little too injury prone and with the Browns’ luck, Johnson seems to be the better pick.
Mario Williams
There’s been many people recommending Willis or Manning and both would be great additions to the Brownies. But I am doing this for the sole purpose of winning a vintage browns t-shirt and some tribe tickets. So I am going in a different direction and giving the Browns Elvis Dumervil, gift wrapped and ready to start eating sack lunches against big ben, flacco and palmer. The 5’11″ Linebacker plays in a 3-4 and leads the league with 15 sacks. Plus he’s the guy who Marcus Vick stomped on ultimately leading to his dismissal from the Hokies. P.S. I wear a large fellas.
They need a big play WR (that can actually catch the ball), so I’ll go with Andre Johnson. Easier to steal a decent RB in later draft rounds that might break out.
That being said, it would be awesome having LeBron on the team. How could anyone defend the fade to him in the corner? They would score every time they got in the red zone. Just can’t get in the red zone though…
Vernon Davis
Quinn + Great TE = TDs all day long
gotta go defense… Troy Polamalu, look how much the Steelers D is hurting without him
Revis Island would help the entire defense, and as a Bonus Hank Poteat would never have to see the field again.
would take adrian peterson, just because i expected us and wanted us to draft him so badly… though it was hard not to say clay matthews III. would happily take either, but goin with peterson.
troy Polamalu. Just watch the steelers this year compared to last year. He is a total difference maker
Adrian Peterson. Top of the line running back would make more of an immediate impact than any other addition.
Chris Johnson.
Chris Johnson.
Peyton Manning
Kellen Winslow Jr.
Dude is a soldier.
Peyton Manning is the choice
I would go for Troy Polamalu just because see the Steelers with Troy injured and you know how important he is. And we could beat the Steelers again next year
Clay Matthews III. Having #57′s son on the field would be a constant reminder that the Browns were once something other than a door mat. What this team has been missing is a connection to franchise history. Front office people, coaches, and players have come and gone, but no one has appreciated what it means to be a Cleveland Brown. We saw a glimmer of that last week with the Pittsburgh win – I think Josh Cribbs gets it. I would place a premium on drafting players like Matthews, an obvious legacy, as well as Ohio natives / Ohio State guys. Someone who wants to play here will be a much better contributor over the long haul than a slightly higher rated player who doesn’t. A.J. Hawk, Laurenitis, Santonio Holmes should be Browns. There is a lot of tradition here, and a lot to be proud of. Without that sense of tradtion, the Browns are just a rootless expansion team.
Ed Reed. That man is a ball hawk. Anytime there is an INT or a fumble Ed Reed isn’t far away. Anytime a team plays the Ravens, they have to gameplan around Reed. He makes plays when the team needs it most. He changes games. The Browns need that.
Got to be Aaron Rodgers. A good young QB, that’s how you start a franchise. I’d say he’s the closest to a sure thing in his mid-20′s.
If I were to add a back, you can’t go wrong with either Chris Johnson or Adrian Peterson.
Help on the line would be nice, but not a pressing matter.
Defense would have to be either Patrick Willis or Troy Polumalu.
All things considered I’d go with Willis. Especially if we could then draft Suh.
Drew Brees.
Steve Tasker Mangenius would be enamored
Andre Johnson, he can actually catch-unlikely a former “#1″ WR we had here. He can block, runs great routes and maybe most importantly…he is unselfish. He’s a game changer, the best in the game right now at that position. He would immediately give us a playmaker which we solely lack.
A healthy Troy Polamalu.
Wes Welker…Toughness and a guy who can handle the ball and take a hit over the middle.
Chris Johnson on O and Patrick Willis on D
My first instinct is Troy Polamalu, so I’m going to stick with that. Really, any impact player will do.
Seeing as how cornerback is probably the weakest spot on this weak team…Antoine Winfield, former OSU corner and current Vikings stud.
My player to be added to the Browns would be Elvis Dumervil from Denver. After watching the QB pressure literally crush the “Squealers” last Thursday, a consistent outside pass rush is what this defense needs desperately.
Peyton Manning. I can’t even understand that anyone else would be mentioned.
A good draft !
I would give the Browns Adrian Peterson
peyton!
I’d have to say Clay Matthews Jr., I love seeing teams play tough defense. If anything could contribute to our home field advantage it would be some hard hitting D.
LeSean McCoy. I was hoping the Browns would pick their running back of the future in the second round last spring.
Adrian Peterson for sure. He would take loads of pressure off of our recievers/brady. Plus he is one of the top backs of the league and he still hasnt even come close to his peak.
I’m going Darelle Revis. Completely takes opposition’s #1 WR. Huge weapon to have. Close second is Ed Reed, but he gets downgraded for being on the Ravens.
I saw a few other people say it, but I have to agree with you guys who said Drew Brees. He is the real f’in deal people. With or without that “thing” on his face.
I like Oher but I’d say Jake Long. You can’t have enough stud OL’s. Plus many felt he was better than Joe Thomas in college.
Peyton Manning because I like quarterbacks who are 6’5″, 250 lbs., laser-rocket arm…
@ BC – “I’d say Jake Long. You can’t have enough stud OL’s. Plus many felt he was better AT GETTING RUN OVER BY VERNON GHOLSTON than Joe Thomas in college.”
/fixed
I have to go with Rivers… tough, young QB. Loved the way he would get fired up to play Cutler and the Broncos. Would like to see that against Toothlessbuger, Uni-brow Joe, and Paid to Play at USC Palmer.
Bring a cool Brees to the Browns!
It’s really hard to pick one guy, but I’m gonna go with Adrian Peterson too.
I think the best player the browns need would be a young but talented right tackle, like Ryan Harris, to balance out the line and give some protection to harrison, cribbs, davis, or jennings.