Now what, Browns?
Posted December 24th, 2007 by Ron
The Tennessee Titans control the playoffs in the AFC. So during this holiday week, Phil Savage, Romeo Crennel and the Browns must decide the direction of the team going forward.
Obviously this season is not done, and the playoffs are still better than a 50-50 chance because the Indianapolis Colts aren't going to roll over for the Titans.
To me the bigger questions are what to do about quarterback, running back and linebackers.
Starter Derek Anderson played his worst game at the worst time but probably still will make a trip to the Pro Bowl if one of the QBs in front of him bow out due to injury. This happens every season. He also is a free agent. Brady Quinn is making a lot of money looking pretty on the sidelines. What to do? Sign Anderson. No one knows anything about Quinn other than he will struggle when he finally gets his chance. It probably will be costly but after making the playoffs or just barely missing, the franchise can't go with an inexperienced leader on offense.
Running back Jamal Lewis is also a free agent. He will go somewhere else. Don't overpay for a running back who in the past has been injury prone and who has a lot of mileage on his wheels. Some team will pay him big bucks, but he won't be worth it. Take a pass and draft a running back in the second round.
Linebacker is an area to address through free agency. Willie McGinest is old and might have one season left in him. Antwan Peek was good but injury prone. Kamerion Wimbley had no sacks against good teams but I wouldn't give up on him. D'Qwell Jackson and Andra Davis are serviceable. If this team is ever going to stop the run, the linebackers have to get better.
Like I said, still prepare for the postseason and a likely date with the San Diego Chargers. But thoughts already should be focused on the offseason.
That is the only way to make this season a building block and not a mirage.
December 24th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
I believe you are working undercover for the Steelers.
Good backup quarterbacks are gold and if Quinn is nothing more than that for the next 10 years he would be worth the money and draft picks.
Anderson hasn't proven anything, really. He's Scott Mitchell until he has another good season. He also threw some pretty key, season-defining interceptions yesterday.
Good luck finding a running back as good as Lewis in the second round. That will be a crap shoot. The Browns need linemen and inside backers who possess size and versatility.
December 24th, 2007 at 11:13 pm
Ron, I am so sick and tired of the lame assertion that Brady Quinn is "going to struggle" when he plays. Sez who?? Geez, it's not like Derek Anderson had any experience when he was thrust into the starter's job. And Brady has had much, much more success and high-profile exposure to NFL-style play at the biggest-name college in America. Quinn will be just fine, and probably BETTER, than Derek "throw it too high, too hard, too wide, too low" Anderson.
Get what we can for Anderson, in terms of draft picks, and stop the ridiculous nonsense about Quinn being nothing more than a backup. That's pure crap, and if you don't know that, you don't need to be writing a blog.
December 25th, 2007 at 11:13 am
It really has been a fiasco, the reports on Quinn. It wasn't too long ago I was reading how the Golden Boy was going to hold out all season and never play for the Browns. Then I read how terrible he looked in practice and how he wasn't NFL quality.
Luckily, they televise preseason games so everyone could see that Brady was lights out. Who knows how he will perform in regular season games, but the Beacon has been completely wrong about him all along so I'm betting he'll do pretty good.
December 25th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
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