With two to play.....

[consigliere]

...some random thoughts:

1. Looks like right now we are in the #4-6 slot for the draft. We win out, and we probably move up to #8-11, we split we end up at #5-7 and if we lose out we are a lock for a Top 3 pick.

2. With that said...I hope we lose out. Seriously. I can care less about winning right now, and getting a top 3 pick to help assure ourselves of getting the guy we want works for me. Whehter it is Thomas, or Peterson, or whoever.

3. If we lose out, is Crennel finished (hell, even if we win out against two pathetic teams, does he return)? I am hoping for a coaching change this offseason. Crennel is not the right guy, and we need to nip this one in the bud before we blow another season next year realizing this. I do say, before we axe him, to make sure there are some good candidates out there.

4. No pro bowlers again, although some near misses. Another looming QB controversy next year. Lots of roster decisions with old guys. Bentley maybe out all of next year. Does the future look good at all? We have a few pieces.....but man, this team is still two drafts away from doing anything, which in today's NFL is sad. Savage has a TON to prove this offseason, and he better get things right in FA and the draft, or his head will be on the chopping block next year.

[dpdad]

I am also hoping for a coaching change this off-season, but I believe now that unless there is considerable pressure brought upon Randy Lerner by the corporate community (in the form of suite cancellations, pulling advertising, etc.) that RAC will most likely return for another year. I have heard that there have been some cancellations, but I don't know the extent of it. Probably not enough to make a significant dent in Lerner's wallet.

I have felt from the beginning that Romeo was the right man for the job, and nothing I have seen over the past two years has convinced me otherwise. Keeping him around for another year will just set the Browns back that much further.

General manager Opie also deserves a good portion of the blame for the team's poor performance this year. While Savage has brought in a few players, he has had more misses than hits (and bad luck with injuries). Savage has to connect on a higher percentage of his drafting and FA signings this off-season, or he will deserve to be right out the door after Crennel.

My pre-season prediction for the Browns was 7-9. I felt there was some talent there, more than in the past few seasons, but the team was still not near being playoff ready. If Crennel is back next year, I'd put the over/under at 6 wins, tops.

[swerb]

I really hope this team has the balls to drop the hammer on Romeo at the conclusion of this season.

Listen, I get the arguments for keeping him around. He hasn't had the talent, dumping him after 2 years will sour free agents and prospective coaches from coming here, he deserves more time, blah blah blah.

Romeo ain't the guy. Nice guy, but not THE guy. Can anyone see Romeo winning a SB here? If your answer is no, you must cut bait, admit you were wrong, and make a change.

Outside of the offensive and defensive lines, the Browns have more talent than any other point since their return. Droughns can still run the pill. Braylon, Joe J, K2, Heiden. Add a vet to Anderson and Frye at QB. Defensively, I love Andra Davis, Wimbley, DQwell, Bodden, Jones, and Pool.

This team is atrocious in the trenches though, and its nothing that adding a couple FA's can fix. Really, outside of potentially Shaffer (who is miscast at LT) ... is there one guy on either line that you can point to as a lock to return next year? Maybe Orpeheus ... but he can't play as many snaps as he has these last 4 years.

This team needs to bite the fucking bullet and draft 5-6 OL/DL in this draft. They need to find a coach. They need to upgrade QB.

[consigliere]

They need to upgrade QB.

If Thomas is gone when we pick, and our boy Troy is there.......

It might be blind homerisn, but I believe Tory Smith could be the shot in the arm this franchise needs. Could, on a smaller scale, do what Lebron did for the Cavaliers. A hometown hero saves the franchise.

Do the Browns have other needs? Yes. But, if he is there and Joe Thomas is gone....and Smith's stock stays strong through the combines, I am taking Troy SMith. No question about it. I want him.

[swerb]

The GBN Report, which is in my mind the most reliable and accurate draft site ... still doesn't have Troy in the 1st rd. And they have Brian Brohm going #2 to Oakland.

www.gbnreport.com

[consigliere]

I believe that after the Senior Bowl and the combines, Smith will be pegged as a unanimous Top 10 pick.

[pup]

If he shows up at the combine and measures 5'11", he will not be a top 10 pick. It is the way of the NFL.

On the other hand, someone is going to get him, and it will be the steal of the draft in 2 years.

[yogi]

Outside of the offensive and defensive lines, the Browns have more talent than any other point since their return. Droughns can still run the pill. Braylon, Joe J, K2, Heiden. Add a vet to Anderson and Frye at QB. Defensively, I love Andra Davis, Wimbley, DQwell, Bodden, Jones, and Pool

Outside of the Lines........ that's half the team! Also, the QB situation, outside of the Spergeon Wynn experiment, is the worst since we've been back.

Droughns? I thought he could run, and he still runs ahrd but he hits the hole too late. Yesterday his 8 and 9 yard runs should've been long gainers!

Andra Davis? Swerb, I respect your opinion, so please tell me what I'm missing..........

He's weak, he's slow, he hits the wrong hole half the time and he misses tackles. 2 or 3 EVERY game!

What am I missing?

Oh, BTW, I've NEVER seen him lay the wood on anybody! Christ, I saw Ralph Brown lay the wood yesterday, why can't our ILB?

Leon Williams IMO, is much better.[/quote]

[swerb]

Outside of the Lines........ that's half the team!

Yog, I didn't mean to downplay that. It's a monstrous hurdle to overcome, and will take years to do. The point I was trying to make is that the team has more talent elsewhere than ever before.

Also, the QB situation, outside of the Spergeon Wynn experiment, is the worst since we've been back.

It's also a mess, I agree. And Im not of the camp that is suggesting bringing in a ho hum career backup to compete with Frye and Anderson, just because hes a "veteran". Neither of those kids are the future at QB, and that must again be cultivated. I just don't know if I wanna do it with another rookie.

Droughns? I thought he could run, and he still runs ahrd but he hits the hole too late. Yesterday his 8 and 9 yard runs should've been long gainers!

Droughns is the least of our problems, but has only one productive year left in my view. That also needs addressed, but not as badly as QB, OL, DL.

Andra Davis? Swerb, I respect your opinion, so please tell me what I'm missing..........

He's weak, he's slow, he hits the wrong hole half the time and he misses tackles. 2 or 3 EVERY game!

Put this guy behind some legitimate DTs and he would be a different player. Is he a top tier MLB? No. Is he a more than servicable linebacker and one of the hardest workers in the league? Yes. Andra, Wimbley, Leon, D'Qwell ... I'll go to war with that quartet. They need help in front of them badly though.

[furls]

Fire em all and let god sort em out.