Mock Off-Season

[Dan K]

This is just what I would realistically try to do this off-season if I were head of the front office.

Head Coaching Candidates

Adam Gase ~ Gase is “in charge” of one of the, if not the best, offense in the league. However, looking at that offense, it is loaded with talent headed by this year’s undisputed MVP Peyton Manning. Manning audibles out of many plays and simply is an offensive genius himself. This leaves some doubt for Gase. Sounds like a boom or bust candidate. I’ll pass on the risk.

Ben McAdoo ~ In my opinion, there is one reason he’s even a candidate, and that reason is Andy Reid. Andy Reid became a successful head coach in Philadelphia after being hired away from Green Bay as a QB coach. Banner just thinks he can duplicate that scenario, when odds of that happening are actually very slim. Again, pass.

Mike Munchak ~ I will never understand what makes a coach that was just fired by a team not that much better than you so attractive to teams. What did Munchak do in Tennessee to make the Browns think he will be better with them?

Josh McDaniels ~ Yes, reports are that he has withdrawn his name from consideration, but I’m not buyin it yet. He is an Ohio native, and while this not the ideal situation to revitalize your head coaching career, who wouldn’t love to coach their favorite team growing up? Reportedly, he withdrew because he wasn’t the Browns’ #1 guy. If the Browns can change that and really sell him on coming here, I think it’s still a possibility. He is a smart young mind and I think he has it in him to become successful given a better QB than Kyle Orton or Tim Tebow. This is the guy I’d hire if McDaniels would re-enter negotiations.

Cut/Don’t Re-sign

Brandon Weeden ~ First and foremost, he is not an NFL QB.

Alex Tanney ~ Emergency signing but doesn’t actually deserve a roster spot.

Davone Bess ~ What used to be a sure handed slot receiver has turned to a useless player and the subject of a bad trade.

Greg Little ~ Many fans have turned on him and he clearly has lost confidence as the drops pile up. Time to move on.

Willis McGahee ~ Proved to be nothing substantial and should just retire.

Billy Cundiff ~ Did a decent job replacing Phil Dawson this year but it’s time to find a young, long-term kicking solution.

Oniel Cousins ~ Just an awful guard, even for a back-up.

Edwin Baker ~ Was solid down the stretch, but the RB position needs to be addressed drastically

Re-Sign

TJ Ward ~ Ward is an essential part of our defense, and was rewarded by being named to the All-Pro Team. He is an aggressive safety who won’t shy away from contact. If we give him what he deserves, he’s stated he’ll stay. Him and Joe Haden can form one of the most feared duos in the secondary.

Alex Mack ~ Another All-Pro Team member, and helps anchor a line that could become dominant with one or two fixes. Simply cannot afford to let him walk and create another hole to fill when we already have so many, especially if he’s willing to stay.

Julian Posey ~ No one holds nearly as much importance as the first two, but he was solid down the stretch as a special teamer.

Craig Robertson ~ Not very good in coverage and was one of the weakest parts of this year’s defense. However, already a thin position on the team, he is re-signed as a back-up trying to bounce back.

Free-Agency

Eric Decker, WR ~ Denver is so far up against the cap there seems to be little chance Decker returns. Rather than draft another young #2 WR to go with our new young signal-caller, it makes sense to sign an experienced vet. A guy that was once drafted by McDaniels, and the best WR on the market, the Browns should make him a top target if they don’t want yet another “franchise quarterback” to flop.

Brandon Spikes, ILB ~ After going on the IR as a mixed result of being hurt and being late for practice, the Pats are not expected to re-sign him. This is an opportunity the Browns should jump at as ILB is a weak spot on the roster and a weak position in this year’s draft.

Malcolm Jenkins, FS ~ Jenkins was essentially demoted the second New Orleans made Kenny Vaccaro the 15th overall pick last year. Jenkins has never truly lived up to expectations, but at only 26 years old, he’s got a lot left. He could compete with Tashaun Gipson for the starting free safety spot while helping out in coverage with experience as a CB.

Khalif Barnes, OT ~ The Browns need some insurance behind Schwartz, and maybe even someone to challenge him for the starting job. Barnes is a seasoned vet and could do just that.

Garrett Graham, TE ~ Coming from the Texans, O’Brien likely will clean house, and with Graham a Free-Agent, he likely has no desire to re-sign him. The Browns could use another tight end for depth.

Trades

Browns trade 3rd Rounder (83rd overall) and 4th Rounder (102nd overall) to the New York Jets for their 2nd Rounder (49th overall). Both teams have a lot of holes to fill, but the Browns have a surplus of picks and can afford to make this kind of trade to get a higher quality player.

Draft

Round 1, Pick #4: QB Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M) ~ Yes, he is a cocky, arrogant douchebag, but at the same time, his winning attitude is exactly what this team needs. He does not settle for losing and with the right head coach they could change the culture of a team that is just so used to winning. He makes plays happen, and has such a quick release. The only thing stopping him from possibly being the #1 overall pick is his size, but Russell Wilson proved size can be overcome with the right tools and surrounding weapons.

Round 1, Pick #26: CB Justin Gilbert (Oklahoma State) ~ Buster Skrine was not as dreadful this year as he has been in years past, but he’s still not a #2 corner if we want better secondary success. Joe Haden is a lockdown corner, but we need someone else to be able to cover when teams look the other way from Haden.

Round 2, Pick #35: OG Xavier Su'a-Filo (UCLA) ~ If the Browns want their new QB to succeed, whoever it may be, he needs better receivers and better protection. In this scenario, Manziel already added a top receiver, so on to the next hole. Offensive guard has been an issue, and Su’a-Filo can step right in a plug that hole.

Round 2, Pick #49*: WR Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt) ~ This pick will solidify the receiving corps as Matthews is a big body guy that has solid hands and can move the chains. He runs routes well and would make an excellent slot receiver to almost complete our offense.

Round 3, Pick #71: ILB Shayne Skov (Stanford) ~ This fifth year senior was a huge leader and play-maker for Stanford this year and could have the opportunity to be a starter next to D’Qwell from day one.

Round 4, Pick #123: FB Trey Millard (Oklahoma) ~ The running game isn’t complete without a competent fullback. The Browns had the most success running when Lawrence Vickers was on the team. Millard is a do-it-all type fullback, lead blocking, catching, and running out of the backfield.

Round 5, Pick #133: HB James Wilder (Florida State) ~ As a power back, he could part of a back-up tandem with the speedy Dion Lewis to give our feature back Ben Tate a rest when needed.

Round 6, Pick #164: K Chris Boswell (Rice) ~ Boswell was one of the nation’s top kickers last year but struggled a bit this year. Still, he is the best kicking prospect in this year’s draft, so he will be given the first chance to win the kicking job in training camp.

Depth Chart

Quarterback

Johnny Manziel*

Brian Hoyer

Jason Campbell

Halfback

Ben Tate*

Dion Lewis

James Wilder*

Chris Ogbonnaya

Fullback

Trey Millard*

Wide Receiver

Josh Gordon

Eric Decker*

Jordan Matthews*

Travis Benjamin

Josh Cooper

Tight End

Jordan Cameron

Garrett Graham*

Gary Barnidge

Offensive Line

LT- Joe Thomas

LG- Xavier Su'a-Filo*, Jason Pinkston

C- Alex Mack

RG- Shaun Lauvao, John Greco, Garrett Gilkey
RT- Mitchell Schwartz, Khalif Barnes*

Defensive Line

LE- Ahtyba Rubin, Billy Winn, Armonty Bryant

NT- Phil Taylor, Ishmaa’ily Kitchen

RE- Desmond Bryant, John Hughes

Linebackers

LOLB- Barkevious Mingo, Jabaal Sheard

ILB- D’Qwell Jackson, Craig Robertson

ILB- Brandon Spikes*, Shayne Skov*, Tank Carder

ROLB- Paul Kruger, Quentin Groves

Cornerbacks

Joe Haden

Justin Gilbert*

Buster Skrine

Leon McFadden

Julian Posey

Safeties

SS- TJ Ward, Jonathan Bademosi

FS- Malcolm Jenkins*, Tashaun Gipson

Special Teams

K- Chris Boswell*

P- Spencer Lanning

LS- Christian Yount

KR- Justin Gilbert

PR- Travis Benjamin

[Dan K]

Not only do I applaud you for the time and effort you put into this....

 

 

But you seem to know what the fuck you're talking about.

 

Beers on me dude. This a fan-fucking-tastic plan.

Thanks man, appreciate it. This is something I do every year, but this is the first time I've come across this board so I thought it'd be a good first post. It's time consuming but it's also really fun to see everything that's out there.

[LondonBrown]

I love it all bar the Manziel pick, nice work.

[gftChris]

You missed Ben Tate off of your FA list, unless I'm blind. I think that adding Tate and Decker, plus resigning Ward/Mack will eat up most of our cap space this year - my personal preference would be to use it to resign next year's FAs such as Haden, Cameron, Taylor and Sheard. Tate could probably be avoided, I'd much rather get a generic rookie who works well in our system (yet to be defined) than a big name back that works in any.

 

I like the idea of trading back in to the second round also.

 

On the draft picks:

 

1a: Manziel - I'd be fine with it, but I have a bit of a boner for Bortles!

1b: Gilbert - CB needs addressing either in FA or in the draft. There are a lot of decent to good FAs available this year, so I'd try to find some value there, then use this pick on perhaps a WR like Beckham or Robinson.

2a: Xavier Something-Something - agree with the position choice, but not convinced he's the best best OG there, or if he represents value. Maybe someone like Cyril Richardson?

2b: Jordan Matthews - Solid player, would be happy enough with him. But then if you've got Gordon and Decker, plus Beckham, I guess this pick goes elsewhere?

3: Skov - all aboard the Skov train, love this kid. Might go higher than that though.

4: Millard - it'd be nice to have a big FB blasting holes.

5/6: Don't know enough to comment. But getting a kicker wouldn't be the worst idea, though I'd prefer someone used to kicking in northern conditions, rather than a guy from Rice (Texas, right?)

[Zombo]

 

This is just what I would realistically try to do this off-season if I were head of the front office.

Head Coaching Candidates

Adam Gase ~ Gase is “in charge” of one of the, if not the best, offense in the league. However, looking at that offense, it is loaded with talent headed by this year’s undisputed MVP Peyton Manning. Manning audibles out of many plays and simply is an offensive genius himself. This leaves some doubt for Gase. Sounds like a boom or bust candidate. I’ll pass on the risk.

Ben McAdoo ~ In my opinion, there is one reason he’s even a candidate, and that reason is Andy Reid. Andy Reid became a successful head coach in Philadelphia after being hired away from Green Bay as a QB coach. Banner just thinks he can duplicate that scenario, when odds of that happening are actually very slim. Again, pass.

Mike Munchak ~ I will never understand what makes a coach that was just fired by a team not that much better than you so attractive to teams. What did Munchak do in Tennessee to make the Browns think he will be better with them?

Josh McDaniels ~ Yes, reports are that he has withdrawn his name from consideration, but I’m not buyin it yet. He is an Ohio native, and while this not the ideal situation to revitalize your head coaching career, who wouldn’t love to coach their favorite team growing up? Reportedly, he withdrew because he wasn’t the Browns’ #1 guy. If the Browns can change that and really sell him on coming here, I think it’s still a possibility. He is a smart young mind and I think he has it in him to become successful given a better QB than Kyle Orton or Tim Tebow. This is the guy I’d hire if McDaniels would re-enter negotiations.

Cut/Don’t Re-sign

Brandon Weeden ~ First and foremost, he is not an NFL QB.

Alex Tanney ~ Emergency signing but doesn’t actually deserve a roster spot.

Davone Bess ~ What used to be a sure handed slot receiver has turned to a useless player and the subject of a bad trade.

Greg Little ~ Many fans have turned on him and he clearly has lost confidence as the drops pile up. Time to move on.

Willis McGahee ~ Proved to be nothing substantial and should just retire.

Billy Cundiff ~ Did a decent job replacing Phil Dawson this year but it’s time to find a young, long-term kicking solution.

Oniel Cousins ~ Just an awful guard, even for a back-up.

Edwin Baker ~ Was solid down the stretch, but the RB position needs to be addressed drastically

Re-Sign

TJ Ward ~ Ward is an essential part of our defense, and was rewarded by being named to the All-Pro Team. He is an aggressive safety who won’t shy away from contact. If we give him what he deserves, he’s stated he’ll stay. Him and Joe Haden can form one of the most feared duos in the secondary.

Alex Mack ~ Another All-Pro Team member, and helps anchor a line that could become dominant with one or two fixes. Simply cannot afford to let him walk and create another hole to fill when we already have so many, especially if he’s willing to stay.

Julian Posey ~ No one holds nearly as much importance as the first two, but he was solid down the stretch as a special teamer.

Craig Robertson ~ Not very good in coverage and was one of the weakest parts of this year’s defense. However, already a thin position on the team, he is re-signed as a back-up trying to bounce back.

Free-Agency

Eric Decker, WR ~ Denver is so far up against the cap there seems to be little chance Decker returns. Rather than draft another young #2 WR to go with our new young signal-caller, it makes sense to sign an experienced vet. A guy that was once drafted by McDaniels, and the best WR on the market, the Browns should make him a top target if they don’t want yet another “franchise quarterback” to flop.

Brandon Spikes, ILB ~ After going on the IR as a mixed result of being hurt and being late for practice, the Pats are not expected to re-sign him. This is an opportunity the Browns should jump at as ILB is a weak spot on the roster and a weak position in this year’s draft.

Malcolm Jenkins, FS ~ Jenkins was essentially demoted the second New Orleans made Kenny Vaccaro the 15th overall pick last year. Jenkins has never truly lived up to expectations, but at only 26 years old, he’s got a lot left. He could compete with Tashaun Gipson for the starting free safety spot while helping out in coverage with experience as a CB.

Khalif Barnes, OT ~ The Browns need some insurance behind Schwartz, and maybe even someone to challenge him for the starting job. Barnes is a seasoned vet and could do just that.

Garrett Graham, TE ~ Coming from the Texans, O’Brien likely will clean house, and with Graham a Free-Agent, he likely has no desire to re-sign him. The Browns could use another tight end for depth.

Trades

Browns trade 3rd Rounder (83rd overall) and 4th Rounder (102nd overall) to the New York Jets for their 2nd Rounder (49th overall). Both teams have a lot of holes to fill, but the Browns have a surplus of picks and can afford to make this kind of trade to get a higher quality player.

Draft

Round 1, Pick #4: QB Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M) ~ Yes, he is a cocky, arrogant douchebag, but at the same time, his winning attitude is exactly what this team needs. He does not settle for losing and with the right head coach they could change the culture of a team that is just so used to winning. He makes plays happen, and has such a quick release. The only thing stopping him from possibly being the #1 overall pick is his size, but Russell Wilson proved size can be overcome with the right tools and surrounding weapons.

Round 1, Pick #26: CB Justin Gilbert (Oklahoma State) ~ Buster Skrine was not as dreadful this year as he has been in years past, but he’s still not a #2 corner if we want better secondary success. Joe Haden is a lockdown corner, but we need someone else to be able to cover when teams look the other way from Haden.

Round 2, Pick #35: OG Xavier Su'a-Filo (UCLA) ~ If the Browns want their new QB to succeed, whoever it may be, he needs better receivers and better protection. In this scenario, Manziel already added a top receiver, so on to the next hole. Offensive guard has been an issue, and Su’a-Filo can step right in a plug that hole.

Round 2, Pick #49*: WR Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt) ~ This pick will solidify the receiving corps as Matthews is a big body guy that has solid hands and can move the chains. He runs routes well and would make an excellent slot receiver to almost complete our offense.

Round 3, Pick #71: ILB Shayne Skov (Stanford) ~ This fifth year senior was a huge leader and play-maker for Stanford this year and could have the opportunity to be a starter next to D’Qwell from day one.

Round 4, Pick #123: FB Trey Millard (Oklahoma) ~ The running game isn’t complete without a competent fullback. The Browns had the most success running when Lawrence Vickers was on the team. Millard is a do-it-all type fullback, lead blocking, catching, and running out of the backfield.

Round 5, Pick #133: HB James Wilder (Florida State) ~ As a power back, he could part of a back-up tandem with the speedy Dion Lewis to give our feature back Ben Tate a rest when needed.

Round 6, Pick #164: K Chris Boswell (Rice) ~ Boswell was one of the nation’s top kickers last year but struggled a bit this year. Still, he is the best kicking prospect in this year’s draft, so he will be given the first chance to win the kicking job in training camp.

Depth Chart

Quarterback

Johnny Manziel*

Brian Hoyer

Jason Campbell

Halfback

Ben Tate*

Dion Lewis

James Wilder*

Chris Ogbonnaya

Fullback

Trey Millard*

Wide Receiver

Josh Gordon

Eric Decker*

Jordan Matthews*

Travis Benjamin

Josh Cooper

Tight End

Jordan Cameron

Garrett Graham*

Gary Barnidge

Offensive Line

LT- Joe Thomas

LG- Xavier Su'a-Filo*, Jason Pinkston

C- Alex Mack

RG- Shaun Lauvao, John Greco, Garrett Gilkey

RT- Mitchell Schwartz, Khalif Barnes*

Defensive Line

LE- Ahtyba Rubin, Billy Winn, Armonty Bryant

NT- Phil Taylor, Ishmaa’ily Kitchen

RE- Desmond Bryant, John Hughes

Linebackers

LOLB- Barkevious Mingo, Jabaal Sheard

ILB- D’Qwell Jackson, Craig Robertson

ILB- Brandon Spikes*, Shayne Skov*, Tank Carder

ROLB- Paul Kruger, Quentin Groves

Cornerbacks

Joe Haden

Justin Gilbert*

Buster Skrine

Leon McFadden

Julian Posey

Safeties

SS- TJ Ward, Jonathan Bademosi

FS- Malcolm Jenkins*, Tashaun Gipson

Special Teams

K- Chris Boswell*

P- Spencer Lanning

LS- Christian Yount

KR- Justin Gilbert

PR- Travis Benjamin

 

 

While I don't agree with everything, good work.

 

I'm not crazy about McDaniels, unsure about Manziel, and Baker certainly doesn't deserve to be cut.

 

I like the acquisition of Decker, havent seen that mentioned before.

 

Zombo

[LBC mike]

I am not keen on getting a QB in the 1st round like I have said before. Like the filing the roster up!!

[CLEinCHI]

First of all, really good job breaking everything down. I would say no to Tate, and like Pro Veteran said I would rather draft a young RB vs having a big name RB eat cap space.

 

I love Johnny football @4 and the proposed trade back into the 2nd round... I would like to see us take a WR with our 2nd first round pick...specifically Kelvin Benjerman who is predicted as a late 1st rd, early 2nd round pick. Giving the opposing defenses a 6'5 240 lbs target to keep them honest on Gordon and Cameron would make for some great redzone mismatches and give us a Jefferey/Marshall/Bennet dynamic they enjoy in Chicago.

 

One reality I think all Browns fans need to begin bracing themselves for is that DQ52 will most likely be released before his roster bonus is due... I love DQ and do not think they should do this, but I can't imagine they will not...I expect the browns to move in FA and the draft (as you outlined above) on ILB.

 

A taller physical corner would be preferable, but I do think Buster Skrine has the trust of the FO as a #2 CB but from what i see and understand (heavy on the see, light on the understand:)) he would be great as a nickle cb.

 

PS I love looking at our front 7 on paper...For some perspective below is the depth chart for our front 7 in 2007 (10-6)

 

DL- Simon Fraiser, Bobby Hamilton, Melinla Purcell, Orpheus Roye, Robaire Smith, Louis Leonard, Shaun Smith

LB- Keith Adams, Andra Davis, DQ, Willie McGinest, David McMillan, Antwan Peek, Chaun Thompson, Leon Williams, Kameron Wimbley

[thenew23]

I like most of it except cutting Baker and drafting Manziel. Also, Lauvao is a FA this year, so you are considering re-signing him?? I am not, so if I'm drafting a G he is going to compete with Pinkston to start on the right side and I'm keeping Greco on the left.

 

Other than that... good job. Too early to tell if ANY of this will be feasible b/c all 5 of your FAs may re-sign with their teams...

 

I'll probably post something similar when we get closer to FA time

[Dan K]

I understand people saying they think Tate will eat too much cap, which is somewhat reasonable. But what kind of contract do you think he will get??? My guess would be Reggie Bush type money. He signed a 4-year / $16M deal this past off-season, which I think is reasonable. But I would still be down to look at Ka'Deem Carey out of Arizona, Bishop Sankey from Washington, or Tre Mason from Auburn at some point in the 2nd round. I also like Carlos Hyde, but I don't think he has the speed to be a feature back in the NFL.

 

As for cutting D'Qwell Jackson, I could definitely seeing that happen as well. However, if we stick with the 3-4 we are going to be royally fucked at ILB. I would love to see D'Qwell re-work his contract to stick with the team.

[jcam222]

Great post thanks for taking the time to post a nice in depth post. My comments in red below.

This is just what I would realistically try to do this off-season if I were head of the front office.

Head Coaching Candidates

Adam Gase ~ Gase is “in charge” of one of the, if not the best, offense in the league. However, looking at that offense, it is loaded with talent headed by this year’s undisputed MVP Peyton Manning. Manning audibles out of many plays and simply is an offensive genius himself. This leaves some doubt for Gase. Sounds like a boom or bust candidate. I’ll pass on the risk.

Ben McAdoo ~ In my opinion, there is one reason he’s even a candidate, and that reason is Andy Reid. Andy Reid became a successful head coach in Philadelphia after being hired away from Green Bay as a QB coach. Banner just thinks he can duplicate that scenario, when odds of that happening are actually very slim. Again, pass.

Mike Munchak ~ I will never understand what makes a coach that was just fired by a team not that much better than you so attractive to teams. What did Munchak do in Tennessee to make the Browns think he will be better with them?

Josh McDaniels ~ Yes, reports are that he has withdrawn his name from consideration, but I’m not buyin it yet. He is an Ohio native, and while this not the ideal situation to revitalize your head coaching career, who wouldn’t love to coach their favorite team growing up? Reportedly, he withdrew because he wasn’t the Browns’ #1 guy. If the Browns can change that and really sell him on coming here, I think it’s still a possibility. He is a smart young mind and I think he has it in him to become successful given a better QB than Kyle Orton or Tim Tebow. This is the guy I’d hire if McDaniels would re-enter negotiations.

I doubt McDaniels re-enters discussions. I am not in love with any of the other candidates either. We need to find a decent retread or roll the dice on a college coach.

Cut/Don’t Re-sign

Brandon Weeden ~ First and foremost, he is not an NFL QB.

Alex Tanney ~ Emergency signing but doesn’t actually deserve a roster spot.

Davone Bess ~ What used to be a sure handed slot receiver has turned to a useless player and the subject of a bad trade.

Greg Little ~ Many fans have turned on him and he clearly has lost confidence as the drops pile up. Time to move on.

Willis McGahee ~ Proved to be nothing substantial and should just retire.

Billy Cundiff ~ Did a decent job replacing Phil Dawson this year but it’s time to find a young, long-term kicking solution.

Oniel Cousins ~ Just an awful guard, even for a back-up.

Edwin Baker ~ Was solid down the stretch, but the RB position needs to be addressed drastically

Agree wholeheartedly on all but Baker. There is no reason to not give this guy a shot in camp. The risk is non-existent vs the potential reward.

Re-Sign

TJ Ward ~ Ward is an essential part of our defense, and was rewarded by being named to the All-Pro Team. He is an aggressive safety who won’t shy away from contact. If we give him what he deserves, he’s stated he’ll stay. Him and Joe Haden can form one of the most feared duos in the secondary.

Alex Mack ~ Another All-Pro Team member, and helps anchor a line that could become dominant with one or two fixes. Simply cannot afford to let him walk and create another hole to fill when we already have so many, especially if he’s willing to stay.

Julian Posey ~ No one holds nearly as much importance as the first two, but he was solid down the stretch as a special teamer.

Craig Robertson ~ Not very good in coverage and was one of the weakest parts of this year’s defense. However, already a thin position on the team, he is re-signed as a back-up trying to bounce back.

I would also cut Robertson he was terrible

Free-Agency

Eric Decker, WR ~ Denver is so far up against the cap there seems to be little chance Decker returns. Rather than draft another young #2 WR to go with our new young signal-caller, it makes sense to sign an experienced vet. A guy that was once drafted by McDaniels, and the best WR on the market, the Browns should make him a top target if they don’t want yet another “franchise quarterback” to flop.

Brandon Spikes, ILB ~ After going on the IR as a mixed result of being hurt and being late for practice, the Pats are not expected to re-sign him. This is an opportunity the Browns should jump at as ILB is a weak spot on the roster and a weak position in this year’s draft.

Malcolm Jenkins, FS ~ Jenkins was essentially demoted the second New Orleans made Kenny Vaccaro the 15th overall pick last year. Jenkins has never truly lived up to expectations, but at only 26 years old, he’s got a lot left. He could compete with Tashaun Gipson for the starting free safety spot while helping out in coverage with experience as a CB.

Khalif Barnes, OT ~ The Browns need some insurance behind Schwartz, and maybe even someone to challenge him for the starting job. Barnes is a seasoned vet and could do just that.

Garrett Graham, TE ~ Coming from the Texans, O’Brien likely will clean house, and with Graham a Free-Agent, he likely has no desire to re-sign him. The Browns could use another tight end for depth.

I am least neutral on these. I like Decker but I think Manning is more of a factor in Deckers success than Decker is.

Trades

Browns trade 3rd Rounder (83rd overall) and 4th Rounder (102nd overall) to the New York Jets for their 2nd Rounder (49th overall). Both teams have a lot of holes to fill, but the Browns have a surplus of picks and can afford to make this kind of trade to get a higher quality player.

I like this trade a LOT. Unlike virtually everyone I also favor a trade down from 4 that brings a first rounder in the top 15 and a 2nd round pick.

Draft

Round 1, Pick #4: QB Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M) ~ Yes, he is a cocky, arrogant douchebag, but at the same time, his winning attitude is exactly what this team needs. He does not settle for losing and with the right head coach they could change the culture of a team that is just so used to winning. He makes plays happen, and has such a quick release. The only thing stopping him from possibly being the #1 overall pick is his size, but Russell Wilson proved size can be overcome with the right tools and surrounding weapons.

Round 1, Pick #26: CB Justin Gilbert (Oklahoma State) ~ Buster Skrine was not as dreadful this year as he has been in years past, but he’s still not a #2 corner if we want better secondary success. Joe Haden is a lockdown corner, but we need someone else to be able to cover when teams look the other way from Haden.

Round 2, Pick #35: OG Xavier Su'a-Filo (UCLA) ~ If the Browns want their new QB to succeed, whoever it may be, he needs better receivers and better protection. In this scenario, Manziel already added a top receiver, so on to the next hole. Offensive guard has been an issue, and Su’a-Filo can step right in a plug that hole.

Round 2, Pick #49*: WR Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt) ~ This pick will solidify the receiving corps as Matthews is a big body guy that has solid hands and can move the chains. He runs routes well and would make an excellent slot receiver to almost complete our offense.

Round 3, Pick #71: ILB Shayne Skov (Stanford) ~ This fifth year senior was a huge leader and play-maker for Stanford this year and could have the opportunity to be a starter next to D’Qwell from day one.

Round 4, Pick #123: FB Trey Millard (Oklahoma) ~ The running game isn’t complete without a competent fullback. The Browns had the most success running when Lawrence Vickers was on the team. Millard is a do-it-all type fullback, lead blocking, catching, and running out of the backfield.

Round 5, Pick #133: HB James Wilder (Florida State) ~ As a power back, he could part of a back-up tandem with the speedy Dion Lewis to give our feature back Ben Tate a rest when needed.

Round 6, Pick #164: K Chris Boswell (Rice) ~ Boswell was one of the nation’s top kickers last year but struggled a bit this year. Still, he is the best kicking prospect in this year’s draft, so he will be given the first chance to win the kicking job in training camp.

Not a fan of the Manziel pick for sure. I see him as both too small and also as the personality type that completely implodes at some point in the NFL. I also am not a fan of any other QB in the draft at #4. I know I am in the minority but I would prefer the extra 2nd rounder and take a qb somewhere between 15ish in the first round and our last pick in the 2nd. Let him compete/learn from Hoyer.

Depth Chart

Quarterback

Johnny Manziel*

Brian Hoyer

Jason Campbell

Halfback

Ben Tate*

Dion Lewis

James Wilder*

Chris Ogbonnaya

Fullback

Trey Millard*

Wide Receiver

Josh Gordon

Eric Decker*

Jordan Matthews*

Travis Benjamin

Josh Cooper

Tight End

Jordan Cameron

Garrett Graham*

Gary Barnidge

Offensive Line

LT- Joe Thomas

LG- Xavier Su'a-Filo*, Jason Pinkston

C- Alex Mack

RG- Shaun Lauvao, John Greco, Garrett Gilkey

RT- Mitchell Schwartz, Khalif Barnes*

Defensive Line

LE- Ahtyba Rubin, Billy Winn, Armonty Bryant

NT- Phil Taylor, Ishmaa’ily Kitchen

RE- Desmond Bryant, John Hughes

Linebackers

LOLB- Barkevious Mingo, Jabaal Sheard

ILB- D’Qwell Jackson, Craig Robertson

ILB- Brandon Spikes*, Shayne Skov*, Tank Carder

ROLB- Paul Kruger, Quentin Groves

Cornerbacks

Joe Haden

Justin Gilbert*

Buster Skrine

Leon McFadden

Julian Posey

Safeties

SS- TJ Ward, Jonathan Bademosi

FS- Malcolm Jenkins*, Tashaun Gipson

Special Teams

K- Chris Boswell*

P- Spencer Lanning

LS- Christian Yount

KR- Justin Gilbert

PR- Travis Benjamin

 

[mdmusch]

I agree with the majority of this... my plan I posted in My GM was fairly similar in all the big moves (especially with the trade back in the 2nd, this team needs two first and two seconds for talent purposes)....

 

The only gripe I would have is signing Tate who will probably get something like 5 for 25 mil on the market. Also I know Spikes had a down year but I think he may cost more than he's worth

 

Great job and insight though!

[Osiris]

A lot of nice effort here, though I don't agree with some of it:

 

• Coaches: I live in Patriots country, and I think McDaniels is staying here, and I'm glad, cause I don't want him coaching the Browns. One of my Pats-fan friends said "you guys dodged a bullet" when he pulled himself out of the running. I don't think he is head coach material. Right now I'd take Gase over him.
• Cut List: Why cut Baker? He showed more burst than any of the other guys. I'd keep him and Ogbonnaya and ditch the rest. Agree with the other cuts, except that I think Bess has the potential to recover from his bad year.
• Free Agents: I'm actually not sold on Eric Decker. I think his performance is directly related to having Peyton Manning throw him the ball. I'm not saying he isn't a good WR, but he is going to command the price of a WR1 thanks to what Manning has done for his career, but he will probably provide WR2 production elsewhere. Similarly, I'd rather draft an RB than sign one in FA. RB have the shortest shelf-life of any position, there is plenty of them in the draft, why not just pick one up there? I would instead pick up one of the CB from agency, Grimes, Talib, etc.
• Draft: I like your picks of Manziel (tho I prefer Bridgewater), Su'a-Filo, Millard, and Boswell. I would prefer Christian Jones at ILB as someone who is a great coverage linebacker, and I'd prefer a WR with the second 1st-round pick.

Overall pretty nice though. I think some of the folks on this board would do a better job in our off-season than the people in the Browns FO right now, lol.

[Tour2ma]

This is just what I would realistically try to do this off-season if I were head of the front office.

Re-Sign: TJ Ward - Alex Mack - Julian Posey - Craig Robertson

Free-Agency

Eric Decker, WR - Brandon Spikes, ILB - Malcolm Jenkins, FS - Khalif Barnes, OT - Garrett Graham, TE

Draft

Round 1, Pick #4: QB Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M)

Round 1, Pick #26: CB Justin Gilbert (Oklahoma State)

Round 2, Pick #35: OG Xavier Su'a-Filo (UCLA)

Round 2, Pick #49*: WR Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt)

Round 3, Pick #71: ILB Shayne Skov (Stanford)

Round 4, Pick #123: FB Trey Millard (Oklahoma)

Round 5, Pick #133: HB James Wilder (Florida State)

Round 6, Pick #164: K Chris Boswell (Rice)

 

Great write up... It'll be a while before you'll get a shot at my mock/ roster, but here are my thoughts on yours by position... with some of my early leanings on the draft.

 

QB - While I take one in this draft, I do not spend my #4 on him. I simply do not see a long-term QB solution in this draft's top QB's. I am willing to let '14 ride on Hoyer repaired knee and add a McCarron, Boyd or Shaw as my project "dice-roll". Who depends on how the draft falls.

 

RB - Agree on Tate. Also not sure about Hyde, but question his agility rather than his speed. I like James White a great deal and if he falls to the 5th round (as some services project) think he has "steal" written all over him.

 

FB - I'll shop the FA's; including UFA's. Your pick was a great prospect, but that knee injury was a bad one. He'll miss the Combine.

 

WR - I do not see enough "variety" in your top 3 WR's. My choice with the #4 is Sammy Watkins. The other WR I like a lot in this draft is Aberderris, who I see as the classic possession WR. While it's getting harder to believe in him, I also am not quite ready to give up on Little ... yet. That said Decker is a nice FA choice that might change my mind on Little.

 

TE - Maybe after the combine... and we know what our scheme will be in '14. I saw Graham play 6 or 7 games this season. Nothing special there...

 

OL - I think we need both OG and RT help... badly... Here again, I like to see the Combine (agility drills) before deciding. I think Richardson (Baylor) has a chance to be a great Guard, but Martin (ND) not projects well at OG, but he also might be our RT solution. Either at #26 may be the way I'd go. I have been waiting for Kaliff Barnes to be really good for years, and it just has not happened.

 

Dinner time... I'll do the D later...