Browns may go looking for running backs in NFL Draft

[NewEraDawg]

BEREA — Busy, busy, those Browns.

 

As Head Coach Eric Mangini flies toward the one-week warning before his first draft as Browns head coach, blockbuster upheaval is in the wind.

 

Former Browns personnel executive Michael Lombardi has spent the last two days detailing for the National Football Post the likelihood Braylon Edwards will be traded.

 

Lombardi also reports the Browns can get a first-round pick in exchange for Brady Quinn — and are holding out for more.

 

How crazy would it be if the Browns wound up with three first-round draft picks, including the No. 5 overall choice they already own?

 

Crazy enough to put Chris “Beanie” Wells right on their radar, maybe.

 

Lombardi says the Browns have been offered first-round picks for Edwards and Quinn. There are two ways to look at finishing deals for extra picks.

 

One, they would not get back as much as they paid for Edwards, a No. 3 overall choice in 2005, or Quinn, for whom the price was first- and second-round picks.

 

On the flip side, imagine the stir if:

 

n The Browns spent the No. 5 pick on pass-catching sensation Michael Crabtree, whom Lombardi says the Browns are “in love with,” and who suddenly popped up as Cleveland’s pick in Mel Kiper’s revised mock draft.

 

n One of the first-round picks in a trade is high enough to grab Wells, a big, fast back who could step in as aging Jamal Lewis runs to twilight.

 

n The third first-round pick is used to juice up the linebacking corps, with Clay Matthews an enticing target later in the first round.

 

Lewis is a colossal question mark. He turns 30 in August and is coming off a year of severe statistical decline.

 

Whether Wells or someone else, the Browns would do well to draft a potential No. 1 back. They might draft another back anyway, one to be part of a rotation while the burden of finding Lewis’ replacement is thrown to 2010.

 

Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno is two inches shorter and about 15 pounds lighter than Wells, whose pre-draft speed drills were more impressive than Moreno’s. At the Combine, Moreno’s reputation for being a fiercer competitor than Wells shaded analysts’ rankings. As the draft nears, teams might be back on the Ohio State back’s bandwagon.

 

As for Moreno, Frank Cooney of NFLDraftScout.com touched on what appeals to the Browns:

 

“His quick jump-cut moves are sometimes reminiscent of Barry Sanders or LaDainian Tomlinson, but Moreno’s lack of elite speed will probably keep him out of the draft’s top 10 picks.”

 

A late first-round or early-second round candidate is Connecticut’s Donald Brown. He’s faster than Moreno, and his 2008 season was off the charts — an NCAA Division I-best 2,083 rushing yards plus 18 TDs.

 

On the flip side, he’s undersized for a potential cold-weather workhorse at 5-foot-10, 210 pounds. But if he’s a budding Tiki Barber, as his supporters contend, well ... Barber’s oversized ego, not his undersized frame, was his issue with the Giants.

 

NFLDraftScout.com ranks Moreno 14th, Wells 17th and Brown 29th overall among draft prospects.

 

There’s a dropoff to LeSean McCoy, ranked 44th, and with size as a concern. But here’s a big blast on his résumé: He rushed for 2,816 yards and 35 TDs in his first two years at Pitt. Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett rushed for 2,690 yards and 35 TDs in his first two years at the same school.

 

 

 

Stealing a workhorse

 

Chris “Beanie” Wells and Knowshon Moreno might be the only running backs picked in Round 1 of next week’s NFL Draft. These running backs are seen as likely Round 2 types by NFLDraftScout.com:

 

ANDRE BROWN, N.C. STATE He’s big enough at 6-foot, 224 pounds, looking like a slightly more solid William Green. He’s quiet, as Green was, but comes from a more stable environment than Green did. At the Combine, he ran a sub-4.4 40, hit 37 inches with his vertical jump, and benched 225 pounds 24 times. Foot problems are all that drag him out of Round 1.

 

SHONN GREEN, IOWA He’s a between-the-tackles beast, a bit shorter and heavier than Brown. His final college game, against South Carolina, reflects a meat-and-potatoes producer who won’t make many long runs: 29 carries, 121 yards, three TDs.

 

RASHAD JENNINGS, LIBERTY At 6-1, 231, he’s built a bit like Wells. He flashed more big-play potential than Green at the Senior Bowl, but his game tapes against Liberty’s schedule don’t offer scouts clues they trust. NFLDraftScout.com likens him to Jamal Lewis.

 

 

 

 

[OconRecon]

BEREA — Busy, busy, those Browns.

 

...imagine the stir if...

 

... the Browns get so enticed with a pile of draft picks that they trade away Quinn, Edwards, and Winslow and are left with a rookie WR, servicable TE's and no QB's.

 

With the Browns draft record, I'm not sure trading the farm for the unknown is the way to go.

 

It would make for an exciting draft, but so was the year we took Thomas and Quinn and we figured out a way to not even let one of them see the field.

 

2 cents.

[calfoxwc]

JL has plenty left in the tank, he's just lost a bit more than a step, and is older.

 

Not using Harrison much last year again dammit, led to JL getting worn out. He isn't twenty anymore...

 

It'll be interesting to see if Wells can stay healthy. Wish I knew that, he'd be a great pick for the Browns if so.

 

Doesn't seem like the year for the Browns to nab a rb - center and RT are more important, and you only have so many

 

draft choices or FA's that are a marked improvement over what you have on the oline already. It does no good to draft a rb

 

and have him frustrated with the right side of the Browns' oline, and a qb who can't throw accurately on short or medium range throws. (DumbAss).

 

Quinn deserves the starting qb job, DA deserves to be a backup or starter for another team.

 

 

[YtownBrownsBacker]

I think Lombardi is in left field with all his rumors and speculation. I'd be very surprised if the Browns made one move. Also, they just gave Lewis a $6 million bonus, so he will be in the backfield this year. I'd like to see a RB but do you dare with the big needs of OLB, WR, SS and Center. RB ranks in there with smaller, not as pressing needs. Positions where we at least have someone functional. Like CB, RT, DL and RB.

 

What I laugh about is Lombardi saying all this stuff the Browns are going to do and when 1 out of 10 happens, he says, see I told you it was going to happen.

[Solon16]

Jamal(tippy toes) lewis is washed up....can't stand to watch him dance around anymore! Get rid of him!

[YtownBrownsBacker]

Jamal(tippy toes) lewis is washed up....can't stand to watch him dance around anymore! Get rid of him!

 

Doesn't matter what we like. They gave him a $6 million guaranteed roster bonus in March along with Stallworth and Anderson. So, like it or not, I think we are stuck with him for another year. Not saying they won't go RB later in the draft, but you don't give a guy $6 mil when yu don't hae to and then cut him.

 

and since you already paid him, and have Harrison, then I would think they are looking to address other needs.

[Guest AdaM]

Doesn't matter what we like. They gave him a $6 million guaranteed roster bonus in March along with Stallworth and Anderson. So, like it or not, I think we are stuck with him for another year. Not saying they won't go RB later in the draft, but you don't give a guy $6 mil when yu don't hae to and then cut him.

 

and since you already paid him, and have Harrison, then I would think they are looking to address other needs.

 

 

 

I'm getting to be reasonably sure that the regime thinks Harrison/Lewis will be more than adequate for 1 year.

[hammertime]

I'm getting to be reasonably sure that the regime thinks Harrison/Lewis will be more than adequate for 1 year.

 

Thats not a terrible duo. Jamaal needed more than wright last year

[Alendor]

harrison can't be a 70/30 back, he makes good runs but only after the defense adjusts to JLs style. when they are prepared for his fast runs he usually gets stopped. also it couldn't hurt to consider RB in round 1. we don't know how our defense will play when running more than 1 play. all we ran was a cover 2 and teams knew it, so they played around it. and we didn't change that play. if we run better defensive schemes our D may not be as bad as we all think, and could be patched up to be alot better with some round 2 picks, or only a single round 1.

 

imo we should use our 1st to get a LB instead of crabtree, and go wells with our next pick. there will be pleanty of solid reciever in round 2 if we need em.

[playerjdd]

I dont think we are serious about Sanchez just a smoke screen to push people to trade for our #5 pick but we will see. Here is just a fantasy so dont jump down my throat for this.

 

Trade Quinn for a #1 draft pick.

 

At #5 Draft Crabtree

 

At our second #1 Draft Beenie Wells or Moreno

 

After the first address our defense needs.

 

If we could have a solid offense. We could use RB by commitee. We would have two solid WR's.

 

We could still pick up a DE at #36 like Johnson from GATech, and Delmas might fall to #50.

 

I know Quinn is a decent QB but we really need to do something with our Offense.

I said this yesterday. I think this is pretty close to what the report said from Berea besides trading edwards thing.

[Alendor]

Dude, Harrison never got enough carries to know exactly what he's capable of. Are you telling me the 3-5 carries a game he got was enough to make that assesment?

 

Not to mention Harrison is going to be a much bigger receiving threat out of the backfield.

 

thats what i'm telling you, the only times he ran well was right when he came in. on back to back runs he usually didn't do much. not saying that he can't be an every down back, but i wouldn't bet farm on it.

[Guest Masters]

harrison can't be a 70/30 back, he makes good runs but only after the defense adjusts to JLs style. when they are prepared for his fast runs he usually gets stopped. also it couldn't hurt to consider RB in round 1. we don't know how our defense will play when running more than 1 play. all we ran was a cover 2 and teams knew it, so they played around it. and we didn't change that play. if we run better defensive schemes our D may not be as bad as we all think, and could be patched up to be alot better with some round 2 picks, or only a single round 1.

 

imo we should use our 1st to get a LB instead of crabtree, and go wells with our next pick. there will be pleanty of solid reciever in round 2 if we need em.

 

He showed in college he could do it, and then some. Including lighting up USC's D. The guy didn't rush for 1,900 yards in 12 games by fluke.

[Alendor]

ya, but anyone who can make at least 2nd string in the pros can light it up in college

[Guest Masters]

ya, but anyone who can make at least 2nd string in the pros can light it up in college

 

Not usually for record setting. He put up more that year than Bush by tons, against about the exact same schedule.

 

I can also dig up several times where in back to back carries Harrison gauged NFL D's.

[Alendor]

ya thats the thing, you have to dig up when he had good back to back runs, cause its not a common occurance. granted he didn't play much, and he still may be great. however i think it would be a big risk to gamble that he'll be able to step in as an every down back, one that if he fails we'll be without any running game.