Tag Archives: Future

State of the Franchise: Cleveland Browns

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In the second installment of State of the Franchise, RookieBlitz.com will scout the worst teams in the NFL and find out what they need to get back to the top of the standings.  Our second team is the Cleveland Browns of the AFC North.  Click here for our review of the St. Louis Rams.

Foundation: Coach Eric Mangini has a lot of holes on his team and it is still up in the air whether or not he will be the one dealing with this issue in 2010.  As it stands now “The Mistake by the Lake” at least has a few bright spots.  The offense is led by its above average offensive line.  Left tackle Joe Thomas is one of the best in the league and is a great building block to start with.  Next to Thomas,  left guard Eric Steinbach is in the prime of his career and is locked up to a long-term deal.  Also, rookie 1st round pick, Alex Mack has helped anchor this line at center.  The only  playmakers on offense are receivers Mohamed Massaquoi and Joshua Cribbs, but neither are true number one receivers and are too inconsistent.  Rookie running back James Davis will be looking for a fresh start in 2010 after being injured in 2009, but he does have the ability to contribute to the running game.

Defensive tackle Shaun Rogers hasn’t played to his potential this year but he does lack a supporting cast.  Rogers could be dealt for more picks in 2010 or he could be the anchor of the defense next season, only time will tell.  Inside linebacker, D’Qwell Jackson, was one of the leagues best until he got injured in week 6.  His contract is up at season’s end, but no matter who is running this team, they will attempt to lock him up long-term.  Linebacker Kamerion Wimbley is having his best season since his rookie campaign and can contribute to the pass rush.  Corners Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald still have another year under contract with the Browns after 2009.  I believe they are decent corners but are overly exposed due to the lack of pressure the Browns put on opposing quarterbacks.  I’d still look to upgrade McDonald if I could though.  The Browns have to almost start from scratch when it comes to re-building, but they have some key players in a few key positions to start with.  The only positions I can guarantee you the Browns won’t draft come April are left tackle, left guard and center.  All other positions are up for grabs, but I think the Browns and the Rams are playing for rights to quarterback Jimmy Clausen.

Off-season Needs: QB, RB, WR, TE, RG, RT, DE, DT, OLB, ILB, CB, S

Quarterback: Current Status - Brady Quinn is under contract through 2011 and could receive a huge bonus if he takes 70% of the snaps in 2009.  If the Browns allow this to happen it would be a huge mistake.   After the next two weeks the Browns will know what they have in Brady Quinn when they play the Chargers and the Steelers.  If Quinn plays 70% of the snaps I believe he will be too hard to trade because of his potential contract.  So after the next two weeks, if you don’t like what you see, which they won’t, bench him for Anderson and try trading him.  Derek Anderson is under contract through 2010 and will make between 7 and 9 million.  I’d try and trade him too or simply release him before his roster bonus is due.  Anderson is better suited to play with a lot of weapons, the Browns don’t have that.  Anderson could be a solid starter in the league but not for the Browns.

Possible Future – As it currently stands now, the Browns would be picking 1st overall in the draft just as the Rams were when I wrote the article about them.  This portion is basically the same because the Rams and Browns have a need at the quarterback position.  However, the Browns aren’t guaranteed to draft a quarterback as the Rams appear to be.  I’d go with Jimmy Clausen of Notre Dame with that pick.  Clausen appears to still be the most polished of the top quarterbacks coming out.  Sam Bradford would be a major risk with the 1st overall pick due to his shoulder injury and because of the fact he doesn’t play under center, but you never know if Mangini is still calling the shots.  Jake Locker is another option, but he doesn’t play under center and is not a proven winner.  Locker is rising fast on many draft boards but he is still behind Clausen on mine.

The only quarterback currently in the league that could be an option over the guys they currently have is Michael Vick.  I’d love to see it only for the idea that Vick would be playing in front of the Dawg Pound.  At the very least it would allow the Browns to draft defense in the 1st round and would certainly bring a national buzz to the team.  He would most likely put fans in the stands as well because he is an exciting player to watch.  Vick has a career winning percent over 57%, so why not bring a winner to a losing franchise?

Other needs: If the Browns decide to cut ties with Quinn and Anderson, or pass on Clausen, Bradford, Locker, or Vick, quarterbacks Tim Tebow, Ryan Mallett, and Jevan Snead might be available in the 2nd round of the draft.  Tebow would certainly bring a positive, winning attitude to Cleveland, but doesn’t project to be a good NFL quarterback.  Some believe he could change the pro style game though.  At the very least he would sell a ton of jersey’s.  Mallett has a strong-arm and reminds me of Flacco, but isn’t as ready as Flacco was coming out of college.  Snead at one point was a favorite to be the 1st overall pick but he has struggled as of late.  Snead reminds me of Eli Manning, not because they both went to Ole Miss, but because at times they look very lost and make poor throws.  One more quarterback to throw out there is Tony Pike, who could be available in round 3 or could perhaps rise to the 2nd round.  He is from Cincinnati so I’m sure the Browns scouts have got a good look at this kid as he would be an instant hit with the fans.  In my opinion, all would be an upgrade over Quinn.  Running back Johnathan Dwyer could be a steal in round 2 for the Browns or they could wait on guys like Toby Gerhart, Ryan Mathews, or Evan Royster.  They have too many needs I think to grab a receiver early, the only option I feel is if Dez Bryant falls to the 2nd round or if they draft Clausen and feel like re-uniting him with Golden Tate, who I feel is as talented as Percy Harvin.  Browns will likely address the offensive line in the later rounds of the draft as they might even be able to lure solid free agents to the right side of their line.  Only way they draft line early is if Vick or Tebow is their quarterback.

If the Browns pass on drafting a quarterback in the 1st round, defensive linemen Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy would be solid additions especially if they feel Rogers isn’t part of the re-building process.  Both are disruptive and could change the game single-handedly.  Solid linebackers that fit their scheme could be had after the 1st round, such players include, Jerry Hughes, Sergio Kindle, George Selvie, Eric Norwood, and Von Miller.  I doubt they target a corner early in the draft as it appears to be a weak class in terms of stars and McDonald can get them by if they improve in other areas.  They need lots of help at safety and there are options out there.  If they fall out of the 1st overall pick, they could very well go for Eric Berry out of Tennessee.  He is compared to Ed Reed, I wouldn’t go that far but he is certainly a playmaker.  I don’t see any franchise taking a safety 1st overall but if Mangini is the coach, you never know.  All in all, “The Mistake by the Lake” appears to be in such bad shape that no matter who they draft or sign, it will help them.  If Holmgren or Parcells decide to sign on and take charge over the football operations, that would certainly change everything.  Mike Holmgren appears to be the odds on favorite right now for the job.

State of the Franchise: St. Louis Rams

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In the first installment of State of the Franchise, RookieBlitz.com will scout the worst teams in the NFL and find out what they need to get back to the top of the standings.  Our first team is the St. Louis Rams of the NFC West.

Foundation: Coach Steve Spagnuolo has a pretty solid foundation to work with in his re-building process.  Monster running back Steven Jackson is locked up to a long-term deal and he is and will be the focal point of this offense.  The Rams have a nice young receiving corps led by Donnie Avery, though I feel they lack a true number one receiver.  Left tackle Jason Smith was the 2nd overall pick in the draft in 2009 and has played solid as a rookie.  He should and will be the anchor of the offensive line for years to come.  Center Jason Brown was a great addition to this team this past off-season and he hasn’t disappointed.

Defensive end Chris Long is a great talent, but he can’t do it on his own on the line.  They need to improve upon that defensive line if they want to properly utilize Chris Long and his talents.  Middle linebacker James Laurinaitis proved to be a steal in the second round of the draft as he is a great leader and a great talent.  Safety O.J. Atogwe is a true ball hawk whom the Rams need to sign to a long-term deal this upcoming off-season.  It would be a devastating blow if they couldn’t re-sign Atogwe, but there is no reason to believe they won’t.  Usually when a team is re-building, they focus on six key positions to build from.  A franchise quarterback, one offensive playmaker, a dominate left tackle, a disruptive pass rusher, a leader at middle linebacker, and a play-making safety.  The Rams have all of those except for the franchise quarterback which is the most important.  That is what leads me to believe that quarterback is the Rams greatest area of concern in the upcoming off-season.

Off-season Needs: QB, WR, TE, RT, G, DE, DT, OLB, CB, S

Quarterback: Current Status - Marc Bulger is under contract through 2013, but he is not the answer at quarterback for the re-building Rams.  I’d let him walk with his guaranteed $27 million, or I would keep him another year as a mentor/backup.  Kyle Boller’s contract runs out at the end of the season and he is as good as gone, as he will never be a starting quarterback in the NFL, he should try the UFL like J.P. Losman.

Possible Future – As it currently stands now, the Rams would be picking 1st overall in the draft.  They seem to be locked in to selecting a quarterback with that pick.  I’d go with Jimmy Clausen of Notre Dame with that pick.  Clausen appears to be the most polished of the top quarterbacks coming out.  Sam Bradford would be a major risk with the 1st overall pick due to his shoulder injury and because of the fact he doesn’t play under center.  Jake Locker is another option, but he doesn’t play under center and is not a proven winner.

Current NFL Quarterbacks who might be considered and should available next off-season include: Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson, Brodie Croyle, Kyle Orton, Tarvaris Jackson, David Carr, Michael Vick and Jason Campbell.  The most likely candidate from that list would be Brady Quinn, but the fact that they would have to trade for him, leads me to believe they won’t go with any players currently in the league.  In my opinion, Brady Quinn is not an NFL starter, so he wouldn’t help this franchise, nor would Vick.  Coach Spagnuolo needs to put his stamp on this team, by selecting a franchise quarterback in the 1st round of the 2010 draft, who can also be the new face of the franchise.

Other needs: The Rams need to continue to build through drafting wisely and signing free agents who fit Coach Spagnuolo’s schemes.  They need a big target with solid hands at the receiver position, but without an established quarterback it might be hard to lure free agents such as, Miles Austin, Brandon Marshall, Braylon Edwards and Vincent Jackson to St. Louis.  That being said, the draft looks to be the way to acquire a receiver.  Brandon LaFell from LSU would be a great option if he slides in to the second round and Arrelious Benn from Illinois is another option but doesn’t have consistent hands.  Golden Tate from Notre Dame would be interesting if the Rams pick Clausen, but Tate has a similar skill set to Donnie Avery.  The offensive tackle position appears to be deep with talent for the 2010 draft.  The Rams could select one in the second round by grabbing Trent Williams of Oklahoma, Anthony Davis of Rutgers, Jason Fox of the U, or Ciron Black of LSU.  All are solid talents that could play right tackle for the Rams if they decide to let Alex Barron go, which appears to be the way they are leaning.  Defensive line is pretty deep in the draft too, so you can bet they will take one in the first couple of rounds.

Spagnuolo always had a deep defensive line unit with the New York Giants and I believe he will build the Rams the same way with interchangeable players.  Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins are both free agents and could come to St. Louis as they know and are comfortable in Spagnuolo’s defense.  The Rams need two outside linebackers but I doubt it will be a high priority, since middle linebacker is set in stone and that is a bigger key to his defense.  Cornerback is a need as well but it doesn’t appear to be a deep draft class at that position.  They might address corner during free agency but nothing stares out at me currently.  I listed safety as a need, which is only if the Rams can’t re-sign O.J. Atogwe.  I see him re-signing with the team though.