June 19, 2013

Dolphins re-sign quarterback Matt Moore

March 8, 2013 by 12 Comments

Almost everyone who talks about the Browns this off-season indicates they think the Browns will bring in a quarterback to compete with Brandon Weeden. Well business just picked up for Derek Anderson.

The Dolphins signed their backup – and frequent Browns rumor victim – Matt Moore to a two-year deal to back up Ryan Tannehill. According to reports, the deal is worth $8 million.

So take a target off the dart board for the folks in Berea at midnight tonight when talks with free agents can begin, well, officially anyway.

Other targets not named Derek Anderson could still include Brian Hoyer, Jason Campbell, Rex Grossman, Drew Stanton, A.J. Feeley and David Carr. Yes, I purposely left off Brady Quinn.

[Related: Banner Report: The Quarterbacks]

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Grossi: Flynn, Griffin III, Tannehill All Lacked Desired Traits

June 6, 2012 by 13 Comments

Citing concerns of size and similarities to current quarterback Colt McCoy, ESPNCleveland’s Tony Grossi reports that the Cleveland Browns never had any serious consideration for former free agent quarterback Matt Flynn.

“[The Browns] needed a strong and accurate arm,” writes Grossi. ”And they needed maturity. Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck? Ideal fits, to be sure … but unobtainable. Manning didn’t want to play here and the Colts weren’t stupid enough to trade the No. 1 pick. Of the more realistic candidates, free agent Matt Flynn was no bigger than McCoy with a similarly popgun arm. He was never seriously considered.”

Following his record-setting performance to close out the 2011 NFL season, Flynn was thought to be a hot-button free agent before he signed a surprisingly small contract with the Seattle Seawhawks, netting him $10 million guaranteed over three seasons.

Grossi adds that Robert Griffin III’s size was also an issue as well as his penchant for running the ball instead of passing. Ryan Tannehill, another quarterback linked to the Browns in several pre-draft discussions, allegedly lacked the maturity and leadership skills the team desired. Griffin and Tannehill were subsequently drafted by the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins, respectively.

“So Brandon Weeden emerged as the best option,” Grossi stated. “Great arm. Great size. Great production. And the very thing that scared off every other team – he’s a 28-year-old rookie because of a failed five-year stint in professional baseball – actually became an attraction to the Browns.”

[Related: Pat Shurmur and the Burden of Proof]

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The Relief of the Arrival of Draft Day

April 26, 2012 by 76 Comments

I really did feel like something of a dummy when the Redskins won the trade battle for the rights to draft Robert Griffin III. I bought into a player and knew that the Browns had the weapons to make the trade happen. When they failed to get it done, I was sad for myself even as I could see some positives for the Browns for not giving up as much as the Redskins did. I was almost more upset that I spent so much time talking about a guy who would never become a Cleveland Brown. That was back when the pre-draft hype was actually fun. Somewhere along the line this turned from being really fun to causing stress and consternation, if not being just downright annoying.

You can figure out exactly where it happened for me because I started reminding myself that this was supposed to be fun in the posts. I lied to you all and said I was still enjoying myself. It’s like when you go bowling once per year and you’re really excited for it. You rent your shoes get a pitcher of beer and play a few games. Then because you haven’t bowled a lot your shoulder starts to groan a bit. Those energetic skips down the lane turn into chores. You’re still bowling and that should be fun, but the beer is low in the pitcher and nearly room temperature. It’s just over. You’ll remember only the fun parts nine or ten months later when you decide that it would be really fun to go bowling again, but if you thought really hard about it you’d actually remember the sore shoulder, warm beer and the strange smell of chemical shoe spray. [Read more...]

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Offensive Positions Outside QB Are The Way Browns Should Go

April 22, 2012 by 30 Comments

With the NFL Draft set to begin on Thursday night and the Browns heavily involved in the first two days with three picks at 4, 22, and 37, there’s plenty of different routes that the Browns could take in attempting to improve an anemic offense and a defense with a need for more playmakers. You don’t hear me talk NFL Draft too often, primarily because I fail to see the point of getting entrenched in draft talk months before the draft or before the season is over. With that said, here is some of what I’m thinking about the Browns’ plan of attack for Thursday through Saturday.

  • I want Trent Richardson at four. Yeah, running backs don’t have the shelf life that quarterbacks do. But, if you keep drafting left tackles, quarterbacks, and defensive ends only because they have longer careers, it’s going to be hard to find the playmakers you need in the lower rounds and in free agency. If Richardson truly is the biggest running back in the draft since Adrian Peterson, you’ve got to take him. Peterson has been in the league for five years now and been at the top of the league from the beginning. If Peterson gives only 2-3 more years at the top, that’s a pretty good run. I’ll take 7-8 years of a top flight running back with a higher chance of success than a QB I don’t believe in who if he hits could be here 10-12 years. That’s if we’re able to sign him to a second contract. [Read more...]

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Cabot: Weeden Senses Browns Like Him

April 21, 2012 by 12 Comments

According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer, Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden senses that the Browns like him enough to select him with either their 22nd or 37th pick in the NFL Draft later this week.

“‘I know Colt had a good year last year, and he’s a good football player,’ Weeden said in a phone interview this week. ‘But I’m a competitor, and I want to play as soon as possible. I’d be excited about the opportunity to come in and compete with him and see how things pan out.’”

Weeden, 28, is regarded by many as the fourth best quarterback prospect in the draft behind Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Ryan Tannehill. He threw for 4,727 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions last season with the Cowboys. His age, however, remains a concern as he will turn 29 in October, and the Browns will have to weigh the value of drafting a quarterback with a limited shelf life that may be able to make an impact sooner rather than later.

 

[Related: Weeden: Treat Me Like I'm 22 Years Old]

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NFL Draft Rumor: Cold water for Eagles trade with Browns

April 14, 2012 by 14 Comments

We all know that the air is filled with lies this time of year as teams posture and pose to try and create scenarios for draft day. If a Philly report is true, the thoughts of trading the Browns fourth pick to the Eagles is just another in a long line of misinformed nuggets.

Citing a high-level Eagles source, CSN Philly’s Reuben Frank reports that the report of Philly’s interest in trading up to the fourth selection was “just another pre-draft rumor,” and there is “little chance” the Eagles would jump 11 spots in the draft’s first round.

Frank’s Eagles source did concede that Philadelphia and Cleveland have “spoken several times,” but that could have just as much to do with Browns G.M. Tom Heckert and Eagles coach Andy Reid’s longstanding relationship as it may with Philly’s intentions to make a costly draft-day maneuver.

But they did talk, right? So you’re saying there’s a chance??!?!?? As I said earlier in the day, I’m still enjoying this ride. Hope you are too.

[Related: NFL Draft: Of misdirection and mocks…]

 

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NFL Draft: Of misdirection and mocks…

April 14, 2012 by 33 Comments

Hey! Come to our draft party!

We are getting closer and closer to the NFL draft and it is officially time to believe everything and nothing. The Browns will draft Ryan Tannehill. The Browns will draft Matt Kalil. The Browns will trade the pick to Miami or Philadelphia. The Browns have to draft an offensive player. Well, on second thought they could draft Morris Claiborne. The fact remains that the Browns have done a pretty spectacular job of keeping everyone guessing. I’m sure there’s still some ongoing debate even among the Browns decision-makers because even they don’t know exactly where everything is going to fall into place in a couple of weeks.

Fan perception is going to make this draft feel more successful to fans than previous drafts. Last year a lot of fans were excited about the trade with Atlanta because the Browns needed more picks this year to accelerate the rebuild. What fans didn’t know about was the Browns’ eventual selection Phil Taylor. This year because the Browns have the 22nd pick and 37th pick, Browns fans’ research and knowledge into guys all over the top 50 is much broader, I think. This knowledge of the players will have fewer fans scratching their heads as names are called for the Browns, regardless of which names end up being called. That’s a good thing, I think, because the Browns could use the good P.R. [Read more...]

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NFL Draft: Browns Schedule Two-Day Visit for Tannehill

April 12, 2012 by 57 Comments

Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill will arrive in Cleveland late Saturday night and will not be leaving until Monday as the the Cleveland Browns will play host to the draft hopeful in anticipation of the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft.

Tannehill is one of the 30 players with whom the Browns selected to meet with face-to-face and this specific meeting will conclude their hosting, having visited with several players at multiple positions over the last week alone. The wide receiver-turned-quarterback started all of 19 games at the collegiate level, but continues to move up the draft board as teams look to lock down the most important position on the field.

The Browns, with several holes to fill via the draft, have said that they will be going forward with Colt McCoy as their quarterback, but continue to undermine their own public comments having attempted to trade up for Baylor’s Robert Griffin III and now setting the stage for a multi-day dalliance with Tannehill. Earlier this week, a report out of Green Bay stated that there are scouts who feel Tannehill could be better than Carolina’s Cam Newton, the first-overall pick in the 2011 Draft.

The NFL Network’s Mike Mayock went as far as to say that Cleveland has to take Tannehill with their first pick.

The OBR has stated that interest in Tannehill is very real and that members of the Browns front office — from Mike Holmgren down to Mark Whipple — are intrigued with the 6-foot-4-inch, 221-pound play-caller, stating ”where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”

It is anticipated that this weekend will be the period wherein the Browns will decide whether they will be slecting a quarterback with the fourth-overall selection or go another route, potentially selecting Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

[Related: Cleveland Browns draft talk round-up]

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McManamon’s Mock: Browns get Michael Floyd and Jonathan Martin

April 11, 2012 by 27 Comments

I don’t necessarily agree with what Pat McManamon is suggesting in his mock draft. I’ve been on record supporting any number of players from Matt Kalil and Trent Richardson to Morris Claiborne. Some have suggested reaching big to get Ryan Tannehill which seems particularly unlikely and unwise to me. Somehow Pat McManamon’s suggestion seems smart to me even though I haven’t considered drafting Michael Floyd of Notre Dame at #4.

Call this the pick I think the Browns should make, as opposed to the one they absolutely will make. Perhaps it’s a reach. Or perhaps it isn’t. A few years back the Colts shocked the NFL world by taking Edgerrin James ahead of Ricky Williams. “How can they do that?” folks screamed. “Because he’s better,” the Colts said. And James was better. He was a better receiver, better all-around player. Same is true here. Floyd is bigger, stronger and as fast at the other top wideout , Justin Blackmon.

It isn’t conventional wisdom to draft Michael Floyd at #4, but as I’ve also said time and again, there is nothing conventional about wisdom. There is no way I actually see it happening because of where draft boards seem to have Floyd located. Still, much like the Edgerrin James vs. Ricky Williams debate, I can’t sit here and scream that I think McManamon is wrong about his slotting of Floyd and Blackmon.

It is an interesting take, especially in a time prior to the draft where there is a lot of groupthink going on.

[Related: NFL Draft: Five 2012 QB Draftees are better than Cam Newton]

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Highlight Videos: 2012 Cleveland Browns NFL Draft Visits

April 8, 2012 by 5 Comments

Pro Football Talk has compiled the list of visits and the dates the Browns have taken from drafted players. I took that list and decided to compile highlight videos for each guy for Browns fans. Keep in mind that lots of players look really good when all their best plays are edited onto Youtube. Also, note that people put some crazy music to Youtube highlight videos. I am posting a lot of videos here and I haven’t listened to every lyric of every song, so to be safe mute your speakers if you’re at all concerned about it. [Read more...]

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NFL Draft: Stocks up and down for the Browns at #4

April 4, 2012 by 57 Comments

What a wild journey it has been already since the Browns failed to acquire the second pick from the St. Louis Rams. Since that time, Browns fans mourned the loss before finally starting to come to grips with the fact that the Browns will most likely be able to get a player with really big potential at #4. So, I figured I would run through the candidates again based on where they are in the pecking order and where their stock is headed.

First, let’s look at the guys who have stocks on the rise.

Stock up

Matt Kalil – This isn’t really a guy who is on the rise, but his stock is really high and he has been announced as a player who was going to be in Cleveland for a visit. Popular belief is that Kalil will go third and never become available to the Browns at #4. Still, should he “fall” to #4 he would either be an extremely low-risk pick for the Browns or give them an increased ability to trade down for premium value. [Read more...]

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Mike Florio on the Dan Patrick Show: “Richardson not a top 15 pick”

April 2, 2012 by 68 Comments

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio was on the Dan Patrick show Monday morning discussing several topics, including his thought that the Browns may end up swapping picks with the Vikings at #3 to insure they don’t get ‘leapfrogged’ for Ryan Tannehill. He also discussed the Browns/Rams RGIII situation.

At the end of his time on the show, he agreed with an assessment of RB Trent Richardson that said the Alabama RB is not a top 15 pick-

“You have to have a team that is willing to make him an every down back, and fewer and fewer teams are doing that with running backs nowadays. He also has to be a truly special talent, and I don’t know that Trent Richardson falls into that Adrian Peterson category.”

He added that there are a lot of running backs that can move the chains at the pro level if you can block for them.

Audio available here.

[Related: In support of Trent Richardson to the Browns]

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While We’re Waiting… More Tannehill suggestions, tanking at another level and no off season for Pinkston

April 2, 2012 by 37 Comments

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.

Now this is just getting ridiculous- “With three teams possibly clamoring for Tannehill, the team that holds the third pick in the draft may finally have a trade market. Whether it’s a flip-flop with the Browns or a five-spot discount with the Dolphins or a nine-position plummet with the Seahawks, three different teams could make a run at the clear shot at Tannehill. At a bare minimum, the Vikings should squeeze the Browns into a one-spot swap, like the Vikings did with the Dolphins back in 2004, when Vikings G.M. Rick Spielman was coincidentally the G.M. in Miami. Then, the Vikings could still pick tackle Matt Kalil and finagle an extra pick (maybe a third-rounder) from the Browns.” [Florio/Pro Football Talk] [Read more...]

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Mike Mayock is right about Ryan Tannehill and the Browns… sort of

March 30, 2012 by 43 Comments

The comments to our headline post about Mike Mayock’s opinion of Ryan Tannehill turned out to be a discussion of what it means for something to be newsworthy. In the case of Mike Mayock’s opinion, as someone who has invested pretty heavily in the Browns, I would rather know it than not know it. That doesn’t mean I believe it all, but it is an important part of the equation of how I go through my life as someone who follows the Browns closely. It sets a precedent not only for players who could potentially become a part of the Browns, but also the critic who puts the opinion out there. In this case, after reviewing Mike Mayock’s statement and really thinking about it, I am left to agree with him… sort of.

The sentence that everyone keeps repeating is when Mayock said, “I think Cleveland has to take (Tannehill) at No. 4 and if they don’t Miami is sitting there at No. 8.” I actually agree with that, but let’s re-formulate the sentence a bit, shall we? Mike Mayock said so much about Tannehill other than that one statement that I think it is important to boost the clarity for him. [Read more...]

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Browns Pre-Draft Visits Include Blackmon, Claiborne, Richardson

March 29, 2012 by 2 Comments

No big surprises here. The Browns are going to host visits from all the front-runners for the fourth pick in the NFL draft including Justin Blackmon, Morris Claiborne and Trent Richardson according to Mary Kay Cabot.

As I was saying yesterday, the Browns haven’t really made any kinds of definitive statements about Colt McCoy regardless of the number of times that Heckert, Shurmur and Holmgren have claimed they are looking forward to seeing his progress this season.

The proof is provided by the fact that the Browns will be welcoming Ryan Tannehill for a visit and now are also reportedly set to visit with Kirk Cousins and Brandon Weeden.

[Related: Digging into the Packers blueprint under Ted Thompson]

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Browns talk hasn’t excluded Tannehill from their plans

March 28, 2012 by 30 Comments

Somehow over the last few days people are under the impression that the Browns stated confidence in Colt McCoy is proof positive that he will be the starter this season. Certainly on the heels of failing to get Robert Griffin III the Browns are talking up the QB that they presently have on their roster. What else could they possibly say about the guy who could end up under center to start this season if they can’t find someone better? My biggest problem is that people seem to be buying into what the Browns are saying as if they’ve said something definitive and that they aren’t going to draft a quarterback like Ryan Tannehill. So let’s look at the facts.

On Monday Tom Heckert talked to Mary Kay Cabot at the owners meetings and said that the Browns really like Tannehill, “but we’ve got Colt. That’s kind of our deal. That doesn’t mean we’re not going to take somebody, but we’re fine with Colt as our quarterback.” [Read more...]

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NFL Draft: Browns to Host Workout for QB Ryan Tannehill

March 27, 2012 by 17 Comments

Though the team has come forward and declared Colt McCoy their starting quarterback for 2012, reports are circulating that Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill will be the subject of a workout in Berea.

Tannehill, the 6-foot-4-inch converted wide receiver, is considered by many to be a high-upside, project quarterback who happens to be relatively affluent in the west coast offense.

The Browns will reportedly also be represented at Tannehill’s Pro Day on Thursday, according to Browns coach Pat Shurmur, who wasn’t certain if that’s the one he’ll be attending that day. Tannehill, one of approximately five players the Browns are considering with their fourth-overall selection, is coming off surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot. He did not work out at the NFL Combine.

[Related: Browns fans shouldn’t pay for Saints bounty program]

(Source: Cleveland.com)

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NFL Draft: My Cleveland Browns dream scenario

March 22, 2012 by 136 Comments

First of all, this is supposed to be at least somewhat realistic, so take that draft day trade with the Colts out of your minds. That isn’t even remotely possible, so I’m not going to entertain it. By the way, neither is Robert Griffin III dropping to the Browns.

With that, I think it is important to look at how big this draft is going to be in a non-abstract kind of way. So many people (especially this guy) have a tough time envisioning just how powerful it will be for the Browns to add at least three starters over the course of draft weekend. So let me paint a few scenarios using The OBR’s stupendous Mock Draft Muncher, which summarizes a great number of mock drafts into a consensus. The picks will never land exactly like these scenarios, but it is still as good a way as any to illustrate a point today.

Before I get to the dream scenario, let’s look at some of the base cases.

This is the case that the Muncher lays out right now. It would have the Browns adding RB Trent Richardson, WR Kendall Wright and QB Brandon Weeden in the first three picks. I don’t love the idea of drafting Brandon Weeden, but the rest seems nice. Some consider Richardson a reach, but he’s the best running back in the draft and he will be touching the ball 20 times per game, presumably. I could buy into that for a team that struggled so much running the ball last season. Right there you’ve added a starting running back, a wide receiver who will play lots and a mature quarterback that will at least push Colt McCoy in training camp. [Read more...]

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Guessing what the Browns’ moves mean… so far

March 16, 2012 by 73 Comments

These are allegedly tea leaves

Even without a ton of movement in free agency, I think we’ve seen and heard enough to start at least making some educated guesses about what the Browns are thinking and doing. Please save me the cheap jokes about them doing “nothing” in the comments.

Defensive line – Regardless of what you think about Frostee Rucker or Juqua Parker, their signings say a few things. First of all, the Browns probably won’t spend one of their high draft picks on a defensive end. It seemed like even the best defensive linemen in the draft were reaches at #4 anyway, so this is good news. The Browns have Sheard, Taylor, Rubin, Rucker, Parker and holdovers like Marcus Benard, Scott Paxson, Brian Sanford, Brian Schaefering, Emmanuel Stephens and Jayme Mitchell. Hold on there, Jayme Mitchell.

Will Burge from ESPN Cleveland reported on the first day of free agency that Mitchell’s people were trying to contact the Browns, presumably to figure out his future. My guess is they were trying to secure his release. Regardless, the Browns will probably draft a defensive end somewhere in the draft, but it won’t be all that high, considering their signings. [Read more...]

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For Browns QB spot, desire can’t create opportunity

March 13, 2012 by 92 Comments

Regardless of how exactly the process went down this past weekend, the Browns missed their man. What isn’t in question is that the Browns wanted RG3 on the team and he will not be. So like any good co-dependent fanbase, we scour the earth to figure out who we can count on to be the quarterback to take the Browns to the Super Bowl. When one door closes another one opens. Usually. Exactly when that door will open, is another question entirely. That’s the biggest problem for Browns fans is not knowing.

Despite RG3 being an unbelievably exciting prospect, he was going to be an unknown at the NFL level too. That being said, it would have been fun just to know where the team was going if the Browns had landed the #2 pick. That makes the wait much easier as we would have started to see just what the Browns had acquired in Griffin as a player, teammate and man in the community. Now that the air has been sucked out of the room the wait has become excruciating as the potential destinations aren’t nearly as exciting. [Read more...]

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