A little refresher for those that have forgotten

[steel88]

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/...it_clear_c.html

 

BEREA, Ohio -- Mike Holmgren wasted no time trying to quell Colt McCoy-mania, stressing in his post-draft wrap that the plan is to sit the rookie quarterback in 2010.

 

"Things could change, but I don't expect him to play this year,'" said Holmgren. "We did not draft him necessarily to come in and play this year. Now, the final call will be Eric [Mangini]'s and practice will determine certain things, but we have three quarterbacks already here that we feel very good about.

 

 

"I think as we mentioned last night, the best thing that might be able to happen to him is that he just sits, watches, learns and make the transition into the pro game. That's my expectation level for him and it would be the same for any quarterback we picked at this stage. We made the other quarterback decisions for this season and if we were going to draft one, we were probably -- at least I was -- looking beyond [this season]."

 

Despite the recent trend of rookies such as the Jets' Mark Sanchez, the Ravens' Joe Flacco and the Falcons' Matt Ryan having success, the Browns plan to start veteran Jake Delhomme and let him mentor McCoy.

 

"The only one example I can remember of a guy coming in and playing well [as a rookie] was [Dan] Marino," said Holmgren. "It's just that there's a learning curve, particularly at quarterback. And if you're not with a very good team, you really run the risk of scarring the kid a little bit."

 

Of course, Holmgren knows that Browns fans will be clamoring for McCoy, who won 45 games at Texas -- more than any quarterback in NCAA history.

 

"The best way I can [manage expectations] is just try to educate the people on how I feel it works best for his long-term future, and for the club's long-term future," said Holmgren. "If we're playing well and are improved over last year, which is our expectation, then I think people will be less likely to start doing that."

 

In a phone interview last week, McCoy said he was "the best quarterback in this draft" and "whoever gets me is going to get the best." He also said, "I've felt I was the best all through my time in college and I plan on going into a team and working my tail off and ultimately earning my job and earning the respect of my teammates and my coaches -- and winning a lot of games and that's exactly what I did for four years at UT."

 

McCoy won the starting job as a freshman and started for four years, leading Texas to the BCS title game last season, a game that he got knocked out of early with a shoulder injury.

 

Holmgren acknowledged the buzz that McCoy has created, but said that's not why he picked him.

 

"I'm glad there's a buzz," he said. "I think it's healthy and I think it's a good thing that it gets people going. It doesn't surprise me. He's a good football player."

 

 

Mangini, who went through some growing pains with Brady Quinn last year, said, "I'm completely comfortable with a quarterback coming in and spending time developing his craft."

 

Holmgren made Rams offer: Yes, there was an offer to the Rams to trade up to No. 1 for Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford.

 

Holmgren said as draft day approached and the Rams weren't declaring Bradford their pick or negotiating a contract, he decided to give it a shot.

 

"Tom Heckert phoned them two or three times, talked to their guys," said Holmgren. "We never did get an answer in those early conversations [what they wanted]. So it came the day of the draft, I just came in and said 'I'm going to phone him one more time' and [Heckert] said 'go for it.'"

 

About 20 minutes before the draft, Holmgren called Rams GM Bill Devaney and made what he thought was a decent offer. Holmgren said Devaney just told him and the Rams were taking him.

 

"He probably got tired of us ... it was getting close. He had to decide."

 

Devaney told the Associated Press on Sunday, "It wasn't a serious offer."

 

Holmgren said "I thought it was a pretty good deal based on what's been done historically in the last few years." He added that he was only joking about trading away the Browns' whole draft, the way Mike Ditka did with the Saints to get Ricky Williams in 1999.

 

Certain of stardom: Sixth-round pick Clifton Geathers, the massive defensive end from South Carolina described by Heckert as a monster, comes from a pro football family and is exceedingly confident. He said with a little coaching and polishing, "I'll be the best player, probably in the league."

 

His father, Robert Sr., played for the Bills. His brother Robert is an end for the Bengals, and his uncle, Jumpy Geathers, played defensive tackle for the Saints, Redskins, Falcons and Broncos for 14 seasons.

 

"They tell me I could be the next Julius [Peppers] or Jumpy [Geathers]," said Geathers. "It's a great opportunity to join my brother."

 

Geathers said he's grateful the Browns took a chance on him after his arrest in August for public drunkenness, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct during a fight outside a bar that resulted in a cracked right orbital bone.

 

"It was the wrong place, the wrong time," he said. "I learned from my mistake. I'd love to move on and put everything in the rearview mirror and just play football, because that's not me."

 

Heckert said the Browns talked to him and people at the school and "we felt comfortable with it."

 

Extra points: The Browns will introduce McCoy at rookie camp next weekend. ... McCoy was acquired with the third-round pick the Browns acquired from Oakland in the Kamerion Wimbley trade. ... The Browns will sign spend the next few days signing undrafted free agents. ... Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league is exploring spending one day of the draft each year in another city to bring the excitement on the road. ... Jets receiver Braylon Edwards announced one of the Jets picks Saturday.

 

[TheClevelandSound]

Way to resurface an old article. Things change in football. Anything is possible.

[dawgpound3]

Way to resurface an old article. Things change in football. Anything is possible.

 

Yeah, I agree. Anything goes....

[steel88]

No, Holmgren has groomed a few very decent QB's He knows what hes doing....McCoy will not see the field. Which is why even though Delhomme was injured he stayed in and played.

[TheClevelandSound]

So if both players get hurt to the point where it affects their play, he wont put McCoy in? What if both guys sustain concussions or tear ACLs?

[steel88]

So if both players get hurt to the point where it affects their play, he wont put McCoy in? What if both guys sustain concussions or tear ACLs?

 

If that very unfortunate scenario happens then we Might see McCoy, But I think they'll put Cribbs in as emergency QB before they risk the guy Holmgren said could be better then Joe Montana.

[DawgTracker]

If he is the only qb who can walk without a limp he might play next week. It would be a legendary start to his career to beat the stealers