PRESEASON GAMES WITH BERNIE HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF SOME OF MY SEASONS

I created this blog after the first preseason game last season.  This is the first content I have ever posted here.  And ironically enough it may be the last...

Oh no I'm not stopping now, but I am considering changing to a more ambiguous Cleveland Sports Memes site very soon.  But that is not why I am posting this today.

Yesterday I received news that Bernie Kosar had been relieved of his duties as color commentator for Browns preseason broadcasts.  Bernie had become a staple of the preseason.  To be honest who better to be there for fans when hope is still high, than the last QB to have any real success in Cleveland?

The thing about Bernie that made him unique was his tremendous insight into the game.  Nearly every play, Bernie would give his reads on the defenses that were shown.  It was nice to see the game through the eyes of someone who knew what the players should be looking for.  And when it was done, as a fan you felt like you had a better understanding of the strategies being employed by both sides.

Bernie also had a knack for letting you know his exact feelings on a particular player.  His main focus was ususally on QBs and WRs.  Good ones would earn Bernie's praise, but if you weren't so good Bernie usually had a few zingers for you.  And Bernie hadn't had much reason to be very complimentary of the Browns for his career as broadcaster.  But that is what made Bernie great, his honesty.

He also added a fair share of humor to his calls as well. One of his best gags was countering his harsh criticism by being over complimentary to any Miami Hurricanes that would be in the game, which was always funny.  It didn't matter where Ken Dorsey threw a ball, he WAS the future.

Overall, he usually made a meaningless game quite fun.  And looking back on some of our bleaker seasons, Bernie in the preseason was really the highlight of the whole year.  With Bernie there you learned and you laughed.  What more could you ask for?

Then came the 2013 preseason opener vs. the St.Louis Rams.  This was a bizarre game because the Browns came out hot, and looked like a well oiled unit versus the Rams that game.  And the Rams countered with some particularly embarrassing Wide Receiver play.  Bernie recognized the struggles and gave the unit a fairly good tongue lashing throughout the game.  Then at the end of the game when the Rams put QB Kellen Clemens into the game, Bernie saved his biggest zingers yet.  Bernie had remembered Clemens from his time as a Jets backup and wasn't impressed.  Even quipping after a Jim Donovan story that Clemens had met the pope saying, "Bless me father for I have sinned, I have to watch him the whole 4th quarter."

While Bernie was in rare form that game, most fans saw it as a successful opener.  While under most circumstances this would have been another forgettable preseason game, this one created some buzz.  The NFL Network will replay all preseason games over the following week.  They generally use the home team's local broadcast, which in this case was the WKYC broadcast with Jim and Bernie.  The game caught the attention of national sports writer Peter King.

Peter King didn't stop with Bernie bashing last year, he was a leading figure in the "Trade Josh Gordon to New England for a 4th round pick", that went on before the trade deadline

Peter King then brought the attention to his friend Jeff Fischer, who coached the Rams.  Fischer was not happy with what Bernie had said about his team.  King fueled the fire, by quoting Kosar's commentary on his twitter page, using his voice to get the ear of the Browns front office.  Bernie was quickly reprimanded and was asked to apologize.

Bernie commented on the incident repeatedly over the other three games.  He stayed away from his usual harsh analysis, and finished out the preseason giving his usual good insights without incident.

Then came the news that Bernie was fired form his position.  Many people began blasting Bernie's personal life as a reason for the reason for his termination.  I refuse to comment on Bernie's personal life because I don't know Bernie personally, and have no idea.  But I do know that regardless of the reason for the termination, it all began with Peter King's comments.

And while I will agree Bernie isn't exactly a "professional quality" broadcaster, he was unique and original.  However in the end, the Peter King clones of the media demand cookie cutter, positive reporting. Hell even ESPN has Jon Gruden loving EVERYBODY right now.  And in the end those people won, and it is ridiculous and sad.

So sadly the Browns have given in and hired former Cincinnatti Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers DB, Solomon Wilcots.  I don't recall Solomon being a huge friend of the Dawg Pound in his broadcast career as well.  And that just sucks.  

So Jimmy bad move, why don't you put Solomon in the box with Jim Donovan , and let Bernie read defenses.  I hope that maybe as the season draws closer we can start a #FreeBernie movement.  I really hope that the right people complain and maybe we can get Bernie back on the air.

    

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DEAR PROSPECT, DID YOUR COLLEGE GET YOU READY FOR THE PROS?

I always thought that in general, college was the stepping stone to prepare you for your professional life.  But something has happened to the game of football.  Over the past decade, the game of college football has evolved a great deal.  Gone are the safe, conservative traditional offenses of years past.  Present day college football features offenses so far removed from what they can expect in the professional ranks it begs the question... Is the current scouting system in place for college talent an outdated one?

I've already written about the top QBs coming out in the draft.  I gave unfavorable grades to nearly all of them.  But you will notice if you look at the article, never once do I knock one of these young men's ability to throw the ball.  My concerns go deeper than just physical ability.  The best QBs in history weren't just great throwers, they were great decision makers, leaders, etc.

My concerns aren't even so much with the player, but how the player knows the game.  The average NFL coach's attitude about teaching fundamentals to a young player coming into the league isn't where it should be.  With all the evolution in the college game happening at a rapid rate, the evolution of the NFL mindset has proved to be slow.  With the hiring of Kyle Shanahan, and the free agent signing of FB Chris Pressley, it has become more obvious the Browns are looking to run a traditional west coast offense in 2014.

So what is it about these college offenses that scare me?  Nothing, they work... in college.  A well executed "gimmick" college offense can be devastating to an opposing defense.  But they don't prepare guys for the next level properly.  Instead they seduce scouts with inflated statistics and exciting highlights.

Lets take a look at the elements of a good "gimmick" college offense and relate them to a pro style offense:

No Huddle: The biggest difference between playing offense and defense is that offense is about executing a strategy, white defense is about reading and reacting to that strategy.  Up tempo offenses in college are demoralizing for defenses.  Giving less time for defenses to get set, creates confusion for QBs to exploit.  Playcalling in this format is vastly different than what almost all professional teams run.  Most QBs can call quick audibles in these offenses and have full control of what is going on.  Traditional NFL offenses rely on vastly different language and take the control out of a QBs hands.  Further more, up tempo offenses also have less time between throws, allowing many QB's to get into a nice rhythm.  Many good college QB's careers have come to a screeching halt in the huddle..

Shotgun / Spread: Many of the modern college offenses have transitioned to an offense that no longer requires a QB to take snaps from under center.  Being in shotgun in every single play with 3,4 or even 5 WRs becomes a matchup nightmare for defenses.  Having up 5 or 6 defensive backs on the field at all times is a great way to create matchup nightmares.  This isn't only an advantage for QBs exploiting matchups, but also RB's who can exploit 5 and 6 man defensive fronts.  Seeing Brandon Weeden was an eye opening experience, as he failed repeatedly to recognize simple linebacker zone coverages.  Moving to a standard pro offense forces a player to completely relearn defensive strategies.

While on it's own learning defensive strategies is a lot lets not forget something else.  The shotgun offensive system doesn't provide an opportunity to learn simple fundamentals to pro quarterbacking.  Learning the footwork for a 3,5 or 7 step drop back will need to be learned.  Learning how to execute play action and rollout plays tend to be problematic for QBs not used to running them.  Even simple things like taking direct snaps can be tough when they have to be learned at the pro level.

Read Option / Misdirection:  If these gimmicks aren't enough for coaches many of these offenses also feature an option element.  Outside of Chip Kelly's Philadelphia offense nobody in the NFL will cater to this element of a college system.  The read option game is becoming a highly successful strategy in the college ranks.  But the issue is that an option offense creates holes in coverages that QBs and RBs alike can exploit.  Coming into the pros the game changes entirely.  All of the "invisible blockers" that an option offense creates are gone.  And if Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel fail this year, I think more people might start realizing this fact.

As much as I am bashing these types of offense for creating professional quality QBs and RBs I do have another take on the matter.  I believe that these types of offenses have done one positive thing for the NFL.  I think that they have created dynamic offensive linemen, and some beastly defensive players.  The reason is that in these offensive system many quick hitters and screens are prevalent.  Many linemen find that moving to a pro offense is a simple transition, because more was asked of them in college.

The same can be said about the defenders who are tasked on defending these offenses week to week.  Option offenses create defenders who must be disciplined in their assignments.  Once they are introduced into the NFL, they don't have to worry about as much on the field.  Pro coaches are treated to a rookie who comes in with good habits and likely embracing the prospect of not worrying so much about misdirection and options.

So here is the question for the Browns: If we aren't going to tailor an offense around the guy we pick, are we going to pick a guy tailored to our offense?  I'm sorry but if you covet a guy at the top of this draft you might want to consider an overhaul of your offensive strategy or it might be Weeden v2.0.

Let me know what you think on Twitter @BrownsMemes

WEEK IN REVIEW: LETS GO TO THE MOVIES, WRESTLEMANIA, AND MORE BASEBALL

Yes Browns fans, they finally made a movie about the team.  And as expected, most of Cleveland is jacked up about it.

One observation that I made on the move was that Denis Leary plays the coach of the Browns.  Honestly I most remember Leary for this...

But that got me thinking of another Browns coach...

Then we had to deal with the drama of the Alex Mack transition tag drama.  A quick trip to Google left me confused...

But if the Mack drama did anything good, through Twitter Browns fans struck up a nice new rivalry with the fans of the Jacksonville Jaguars...

The Indians had a rough week.  And Justin Masterson made me look like an asshole too...

But the emergence of David Murphy is encouraging.  He's such a Good Guy! #GoodGuyMurphy

And more "shocking" revelations in the incredibly long trek to this year's draft...

But a week ago was the WWE's premiere show, Wrestlemania.  I hadn't watched a WWE event in years, but the return of the Ultimate Warrior sparked my interest.  While Warrior was awesome to see, the big shock of the event was the fact that Brock Lesnar was the wrestler to end the Undertaker's Wrestlemania winning streak.  Any one who watched it take place shared this guy's reaction...

But sadly, just two days later the Ultimate Warrior provided the biggest shock of all...

Follow me on Twitter: @BrownsMemes

THE CLOSEST THING TO A "MOCK DRAFT" I WILL DO

We are still about a month off from the NFL Draft. But since I have seen mock drafts since January, I'm not going to feel too bad about jumping the gun.  I will preface my "Mock" by saying that the exciting part of this draft is the unpredictability of what might actually happen.  So instead of trying to predict what is going to actually happen, I am going to put together this draft in the most likely scenario for a draft following the "Browns Rules for drafting."  If you have followed the team like I have you will know, there are some simple rules for our team to follow in the draft:

• The guy most of the fan base wants is just out of our reach
• The guy we end up with has some question marks and we fear we may have reached
• We pass on a player perceived to be more impactful than the pick we make
• Fans aren't left completely satisfied we did our best

I think most of you will agree with that so with no further delay, I present the "Browns Rules" mock draft.

#1 Houston Texans: QB Blake Bortles, UCF -

The Texans went from the elevator to the penthouse, to tumbling into the outhouse.  They will be tempted to go a different direction, but in the end they are going to take "The Prototype" QB of the draft, and just hope.  I've said before I think Bortles needs to be taught simple fundamentals, and fear the offense he comes from hasn't prepared him for the NFL style of football.   But hey at least they aren't going to be the team that drafted both of the Carr brothers.

#2 St. Louis Rams: OT Greg Robinson, Auburn - 

The Rams will be in great position to take a safe pick for their offense.  Greg Robinson is this year's "can't miss" offensive lineman.  This will be encouraging to many Browns fans, because at this point they will know that either Sammy Watkins or Johnny Manziel will be available for the Browns at #4.

#3 Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M - 

This is where the Browns fans begin to freak out a little.  Jacksonville will not be able to resist the urge to take Johnny Football, because they struggle to sell tickets.  This will be a move by the team to get themselves onto prime time telecasts, sell jerseys and expand the fan base.  It will likely work for them for a bit, but in the end I think the Jags role in this draft will be saving some team who was hoping he would fall to them from themselves.  And now that Johnny is gone here comes the #4 pick!

#4 Atlanta Falcons (via trade w/ Browns): DE Jadeveon Clowney - 

Here is where Browns twitter goes into full meltdown mode.  I foresee the prospect of Clowney being there too tempting for the Browns to leverage into future draft picks.  So they go ahead and make a move.  The Atlanta Falcons will like pay dearly for the pick, and the Browns will move down two spots to #6.  Everyone happy, but the fans.

#5 Oakland Raiders: WR Sammy Watkins, Clemson - 

At this point in the draft, heads begin to explode in Cleveland.  Watkins looks to be the most explosive playmaker in this year's draft.  And another guy high on many Browns fan's wish list for this draft ends up somewhere else.  So now we put the Browns back on the clock...

#6 Cleveland Browns (via trade w? Falcons): OLB Khalil Mack, Buffalo - 

And Browns Twitter officially blows up at this point.  While most people don't realize it, Khalil Mack may very well be the #1 guy on the Browns draft board after a guy like Greg Robinson.  I don't know that this front office covets Derek Carr or Teddy Bridgewater enough to pull the trigger in the top 10 of this draft, and I think Ray Farmer wants his official first pick to be a "lock".  While Mack might be a stretch for being a "lock," he has a ton of potential to be a huge playmaker for this Browns defense.

While I am at it, I will make predictions on who we will land in the first two round of the draft.

#26 - CB Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech

#35 - WR Allen Robinson, Penn State

Love it, Hate it you can tell me on Twitter @BrownsMemes

THE OFFSEASON: MY WEEK IN REVIEW - TRIBE OPENING DAY!!!

Well I am enjoying my offseason the only logical way.  Enjoying my second favorite sport, baseball.  The home opener yet again became a disaster, at least for a while.  Big rains delayed the game, and then it got bleak for a moment, until the Tribe poured it on late in the game and took the win.

 
It was good to see Al Pawlowski on getting me ready for the game.  #NoPantski

This season's Indians don't seem to care to score early in games, or have solid starting Pitching.  This has led to many games being nervous affairs. #NewKardiacKids

But I haven't forgotten about the Browns...

I have heard rumors of people believing that Derek Carr being the Browns choice for their #4 pick:

Yes sir, the king of the spread out, bubble screens and quick hitters is thought to be our guy by a chosen few.  And with Weeden now whining that nobody here was mentoring him and teaching him fundamentals, he forgets this is the professional level where most coaches don't believe that they should have to teach fundamentals.  I fear Carr is just a disaster waiting to happen, a Weeden v2.0.  So I don't think he's the guy, so if his name does get called...

But in the meantime we still have plenty of Tribe baseball to watch.

IN CASE YOU DON'T FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

Here is some of the memes that appeared on my Twitter that I didn't post here this week.

First DeSean Jackson was cut from the Philadelphia Eagles due to rumors of gang affiliation.  The Browns don't appear to be in play for him, but it's not like we haven't had character issue guys in Cleveland before.  And look at Ricky Vaughn now: #Winning

The legendary Johnny Manziel donned some camo pants and wore full pads at his Pro Day / Sideshow.  He made a lot of throws that wowed the crowd, which also included former President George Bush.  Ugh he might end up in Cleveland huh.  Oh shut up, I know some of you are excited about that.

For Eagles fans upset about losing DeSean Jackson there was a silver lining.  They aren't going to have to get used to seeing Mark Sanchez wear a different color than green.  Oh-boy is that an excited lot of football fans out there right now!

And personally I don't think that free agent TE Jim Dray is getting enough hype.  Maybe this will make him more popular with the kids.

Follow me at @BrownsMemes on Twitter

WHY DO I FEAR THE QUARTERBACKS IN THIS YEAR'S DRAFT? ASK BRANDON WEEDEN

When I look at all the quarterbacks that have been drafted recently, I've noticed one consistant thing.  Something that I can't believe isn't more of a concern for scouts and GM's through this process.  What quarterback can you think of that has had success when his college system doesn't prepare him for the NFL's less wide open systems?

I know everybody is saying that the NFL has evolved into a passing league.  But it hasn't evolved into the gimmick laden, spread out, read option, bubble screen fests that these modern offenses have become in the college ranks.

Unfortunately I don't have to dig too deep to give you an example.  Our old friend Brandon Weeden fits this mold perfectly.  His time in Oklahoma State featured him in an offense which kept Weeden in shotgun, with lots of wide receivers.  I noticed that during his time with the Browns he never fully looked comfortable with fundamental footwork, simple play action and screen passes.  And why you might ask, well he never had to do it before and pro coaches aren't into teaching fundamentals to a guy who was a 1st round draft pick.

Don't believe me...  Well I recall Weeden getting outdueled by Kirk Cousins.  What do you know, a guy from a pro style offense in Michigan St, more ready for the pros in his very first start than the bumbling Weeden was after nearly an entire season.  Cousins was a 4th round pick in the same draft Weeden was taken in. Yet still he's buried behind Robert Griffin III, another example of a guy who has been a monumental disappointment in the NFL, because his style only ended up getting himself injured.  Without his legs he has failed to adapt to the NFL game, and is horrible in situations where he really has to read a defense.

Honestly, I believe it is because the criteria for scouting pro quarterbacks is horribly broken.  And the style of offense a QB played in college isn't the only red flag I saw with Weeden.  I have categorized the three concerns I had with Weeden coming in...

1. System - Weeden played in a spread offense at Oklahoma St.  He has yet to show any aptitude to read a standard pro defense.  And is a fundamental nightmare at the QB position.  Not comfortable with play action, typical 3-5-7 step drop.
2. Support - Weeden played with the top WR in the NCAA in 2011 in Justin Blackmon.  It seems to me that college QBs can afford to get lazy with their reads and timing whenever they have a guy wide open on almost every single play.  That pumps up a QBs numbers, and the easiest way to getting noticed is big numbers.
3. Post Season Hype - Weeden's draft hype was severely impacted by his Pro Day at Oklahoma St. Not to mention that many were there to see Blackmon anyway. Blackmon and Weeden put on a show for them.  Very few scouts had Weeden rated as a 1st round prospect before that day.  

To me this trio of simple concerns has been ignored again and again, and consistently now we have found bust after bust.  Meanwhile the Russell Wilsons of the world fall way down the draft.  Why not?  He didn't put up huge numbers in Wisconsin's pro style offense.  And I think we all know what he has that Weeden doesn't.

So here is the top four QB's in this coming draft plugged into my Weeden bust formula.  How does your favorite stack up.

Teddy Bridgewater - Louisville

1. System - Louisville runs a nice system that balances run and pass.  It also features a good bit of traditional play action passes.  Teddy shouldn't have footwork or issues handling snaps from under center.
2. Support - Louisville did feature a couple nice receiving options in Davante Parker and Damian Copeland, but neither of these guys are considered elite guys that would make a bad QB look good.
3. Post Season Hype - Most of Teddy's detractors began to arrive at the combine.  His hands measured small, and some scouts worried about his slight frame (6'2" 214lbs).  His stock then fell further when many said he looked poor throwing at his Pro Day.

In the end he doesn't fit the mold that I described above.  After watching game film I believe that Teddy could certainly be the best of this year's batch.  Of the four QBs I will profile Teddy is my #1.  I just don't know if I would take him with my #4.

Blake Bortles - UCF

1. System - Of the four guys I am highlighting Bortles might be the worst offender in this category.  UCF runs a, up tempo, spread out offense.  Along with typical 4 receiver sets there is always the threat of read option.  In my film review Bortles seemed to really benfit from wide open quick hitters and screens to make his yards.
2. Support - UCF seemed to be more of a product of a well executed system than superstar players.  Bortles didn't really seem to be brought along by talent around him
3. Post Season Hype - Unfortunately this is the other area that Bortles leads the other players.  Bortles stock has risen rapidly since season's end, culminating with his Pro Day effort which was cheered by many scouts and media.

Being an offender of two of my big three things means that in my eyes at this point Blake Bortles looks to me to be an overblown project QB.  Many rumors have him going #1 overall to the Texans.  Far too high a price to pay for a guy who will have to learn simple footwork fundamentals just to be able to exist in a pro offense.  I wouldn't take him higher than the 2nd round.
 
Johnny Manziel - Texas A&M

1. System - I'm not sure what you called the Texas A&M offense under Manziel.  I think the word "Sandlot" comes to mind when I think about Johnny Football's game.  Once again a guy who was a read option QB, and a major part of the running game.  Manziel didn't work under center extended many of his pass plays beyond how they were drew up.
2. Support - Manziel threw up many "prayers" in his two years starting at A&M.  It doesn't hurt when you have a 6'5" WR phenom in Mike Evans.  Evans is slated to be a high first round pick in this year's draft. 
3. Post Season Hype - This is a special situation because Manziel came out of the season with bizarre Tim Tebow style hype.  He won several big games, made some remarkable plays, and played hard on the field.  He also partied hard off the field, and came with a bit of a stigma.  The hype on Manziel seemed to lose a bit of steam.  Then came his pro day.  Which was attended my former president George H.W. Bush.  I think that speaks for itself.  

People love this kid, and I will admit if I was his college coach there were some plays that he did make that I would pat him on the back for.  But I will also admit that some of his biggest moments were nothing but pure luck.  Manziel is not careful with himself or a football.  I admire his never give up attitude, but throwing up prayers down the middle of the field is a great way to have a short NFL career.  He's a third rounder in my eyes, which unfortunately means that if I were the GM we wouldn't get the benefit of the jersey sales.  Sorry Manziel fans, just not with you on this one.

Derek Carr - Fresno St.

1. System - Derek Carr's film unfortunately looks eerily similar to Weeden's.  All shotgun all of the time.  Carr appears to be the king of the bubble screen.
2. Support - Carr was also benefited from Davante Adams, who with Fresno State's schedule was likely a nightmare matchup for defenders.  Adams is currently a 2nd round prospect in the upcoming draft. 
3. Post Season Hype - Carr's Combine and Pro Day all sort of flew under the radar.  His draft status has stayed fairly steady at the tail end of the tier one prospects.

 Carr looks like Brandon Weeden 2.0 to me and that's all I'm going to say about that.  I would like to see him taken in the 3rd or 4th round, so he can progress as a project.  However I also see him going somewhere that is going to have a need to start him early.

So there it is, if the Browns HAVE to take a QB with your 4th pick, I will only be happy with Teddy Bridgewater.  But I see a lot of question marks.  And why pick a question mark when there will be a few exclamation points available?

HEY WHY DON'T WE CHANGE ALL OF THE RULES?

The annual Owner's Meeting has been going on, and of course it is that time where we feel the need to discuss all of the rules.  In honor of the event I will give some ideas for my own rule changes.

• Kick extra points from midfield - This was the kicker position will not become devalued as people fear. In fact it may become more valuable than ever.  If you can even attempt to blast a 68 field goal you will be the new hot commodity in the NFL.  We might even draw some big name Premiere League Player to the NFL, and Europe will go nuts.
• Ban the forward pass - This will solve two hot button issues in the NFL.  First the RB position will finally have value again.  Secondly it will be a foolproof way to protect QBs once and for all.
• Create a penalty box for "Intent to Injure" infractions - How about we just make a team play shorthanded for a 5 minute major if a player lunges at someone's head, does some shitty dive at some guy's knee and things like that.  I bet the N'Damukong Suh's of the world would think twice after facing his teammates who just played with 10 guys on the field because he was in the "Sin Bin"
• Let the players dance in the endzone - However if you choose to dance you will be judged by a panel of professional dancers.   The panel may award an extra point to your TD if they are impressed with your dance, but if they aren't impressed they will take away a point.  And leave the desired option open that is don't dance at all and just take the six points.  I imagine very few guys will pick to dance anymore.  And I imagine some coach will bring in a choreographer.  Win-Win

So there you go Roger Goodell.  I just solved all of your problems.
Do you have any new rules you would like me to vote on? Send them to @BrownsMemes on Twitter 

HERE IS WHAT SOME LEGENDARY MEMES HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE BROWNS

THE NEW GUYS: A FREE AGENCY ROUNDUP

I'm so happy with the Browns right now.  For years we had to sit quietly this time of year.  All the while poor saps like Phil Savage and Tom Heckert had to say that our philosophy was to "BUILD THROUGH THE DRAFT."  Which I'm guessing was really just a way to sugarcoat what they would say if they said what they wanted, "Randy Lerner is cheap."

Well our new friend Jimmy suddenly changed all of that.  Suddenly the Stooges were gone, and the guys he wanted to run the team were running it.  And for the first time our history the Browns have tried to be major players in this new and wonderful world of free agency.  There is a reason that the Browns were, and still are a bazillion dollars under the salary cap.  We've never tried like this before.

Before I even get into the guys that we got I want you to think about this.  We even had impact on some of the guys that didn't get.  You can't tell me that the Browns didn't jump the price on Jairus Byrd, effectively forcing New Orleans to make big sacrifices on offensive weapons.  New England was quick to throw a lot of money at Darrelle Revis just to keep him from talking to us.  It's like Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine are already playing defense, keeping teams from being able to be competitive for other top guys.

But how about the guys we did get lets meet THE NEW CLEVELAND BROWNS

LB - KARLOS DANSBY - 32 years old - 6'4" 243lbs - Auburn 

Right as the bell sounded for the start of the signing period Dansby was announced.  Honestly at first I thought that it was an appropriate Browns pick because a couple of the more positive free agent moves in the past have been for older linebackers.  Scott Fujita and Willie McGinest come to mind, and they came to Cleveland and won over many fans on some pretty rotten teams.  But unlike those guys Dansby won't be surrounded by a bunch of rookies.  And unlike those guys Dansby is coming off of one of his best seasons ever.  He had career highs in tackles (113) and interceptions (4 including 2 TDs) and recorded 6.5 sacks to boot.  Dansby is a very balanced MLB known to be tough against the pass and run.  With our OLBs he probably wont be called upon too much to rush the passer, so he really is a nice fit for our defense.

S - DONTE WHITNER - 28 years old - 5'11" 205lbs - The Ohio State University

If there was a guy who needed no introduction to this fan base it is Donte Whitner.  Donte is a product of Glenville High School and played his college football with the Buckeyes.  Even in his initial press conference he raved about the prospect of getting to play football in high school, college and professionally in the same state.  Whitner wants to be a Cleveland Brown and that is a great thing for this fan base and this team.  Kudos to the organization for making this happen.  Not only is this a good football move, but a tremendous PR move as well.  Whitner or Hitner or whatever we will be calling him by the time the season starts is going to be a fan favorite and I can't wait to see him on the field wearing orange and brown.

CB - ISAIAH TRUFANT - 31 years old - 5'8" 170lbs - Eastern Washington

Isaiah Trufant picked the rough road to the NFL.  The bumps on that road won him an Arena Football League Championship and a Defensive Player of the Year award in the now defunct UFL in 2010.  Winning DPOY against the likes of Josh McCown, Dante Culpepper, and our old friend Jeff Garcia earned him a spot with the New York Jets in 2011.  He has played with both the Jets and the Philadelphia Eagles, mostly in a special teams capacity.  However he was with Mike Pettine in New York for a season, and that familiarity likely make him attractive to Cleveland.

TE - JIM DRAY - 27 years old - 6'5" 253lbs - Stanford

Jim Dray signed with Cleveland after spending his first four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.  He is coming off of his best season as a pro, and first as a starter.  He started 15 games for the Cards last season hauling in 26 catches and scoring his first two TDs of his career.  But Dray was likely brought in for his size and blocking skills above all else.  From here on out this website will refer to Jim as Dr. Dray.

RB - BEN TATE - 25 years old - 5'11" 214lbs - Auburn

When it began to look like the Browns were abandoning the offensive skill positions along came a name that had been being kicked around since the middle of last season.  Ben Tate has spent the last three seasons as Arian Foster's understudy in Houston.  But here in Cleveland he will get his chance to start. Tate's numbers aren't unimpressive, he has a career yards per carry average of 4.7 yards, and 10 TDs in limited action.  Tate hopes to break out this season in a Kyle Shanahan offensive scheme that is designed to create running room.

WR - ANDREW HAWKINS - 5'7" 175lbs - Toledo

"Baby Hawk" has had a long strange trip to the NFL.  At Toledo he was actually a rare two way player.  He split time between WR and CB.    Hawkins actually worked out for the Browns back in 2008 after going undrafted.  With his options limited he played for two seasons in the CFL, and was the runner up on Michael Irvin's reality show, 4th and long. The exposure eventually landed him in with the Bengals, where he has spent the last three seasons.  His best season was in 2012, where he caught 51 passes, and was a very good third down target.  The buzz on Hawkins is his ability to make big plays after the catch.

Who knows what this might mean, we might just be a more expensive 4-12 team next year.  But who knows we might even make it all the way to 8-8.  We still have a draft to go.

JERRY JONES IS A FOOTBALL GENIUS

Brandon Weeden has signed a two year deal with the Dallas Cowboys.  I think there is more than meets the eye on that move.

JIMMY HASLAM ISN'T THE NFL BAD BOY ANYMORE

Colts owner Jim Irsay was arrested for DUI and drug possession.  The Trent Richardson trade is making a lot more sense now, because I thought they had to be high to make that deal.

WELL FREE AGENCY HAS GOTTEN BORING

Well we didn't get all the big names but we did make some moves.  And as we troll along in this 2nd tier of free agency there are still plenty of rumors swirling around.  Once the dust settles I will give my take on how I feel the team did.  In the meantime I am just going to be on my Twitter account making fun of Brandon Weeden. 

WELCOME TO CLEVELAND!

I'm not sure I've ever seen a free agent press conference where the coach and the GM both look like they could kick all of the player's asses.  In any case welcome to Cleveland Karlos Dansby, Isaiah Trufant, and Donte Whitner.

GOODBYE BRANDON WEEDEN

The day has finally come, where the 2012 NFL Draft may have finally become the single worst in NFL history.  Many teams have missed badly with a first round pick.  But missing as badly as the Browns did with both Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden is disgusting.  And now in March of 2014 we are already rid of both of them.  Weeden's walking papers were delivered today, and nobody seems upset.  Anyway here is a collection of Weeden's contributions to this website.  Free Agent review coming soon.