49 Million Dollars in cap space...........

[pod2dawg]

The Browns have 49 plus 000000 in cap space to plug MORE holes of need that cannot be addressed in the DRAFT. Second only to the Bengals in $$ which come in at just over Fifty million. There are no QB's, BUT there are very good Corners, Safeties, LB's, and a few Guards. In my uninformed opinion they take one of the FREAKISH DE/OLB hopefully available for us in the First vs. Milliner. Jimmy has dropped a Billion. If he is the real deal he will direct Napoleon to get the best available FA opposite that 1st Pick , no?

Remember Josh Gordon is our 2nd Rounder.

[e0y2e3]

The cap floor is the fun aspect of all of this....

[swerb]

Getting a coach for only 3mm a year, selling the naming rights to the stadium, Haslam fervor for shiny things ... these guys are gonna go ape shit in FA this year.

[pod2dawg]

^^^^^ Amen!!! And since Jimmy's buyin, howz about:

1. Jarius Byrd S Buff
2. Andy Levitre G Buff
3. Brent Grimes CB Atlanta
4. Anthony Spencer OLB Dallas for starters?

[e0y2e3]

You dolts, when they proclaimed they could make the playoffs but won't mext year because it would hurt the future they told you point blank they are going to minimize what they spend in FA. Figure out how much to get to the floor and you'll hsve roughly what is going out the door.

[bac5665]

I agree. Anyone expecting any sort of splash in FA is not paying attention.

And even if Haslem wanted to spend $$$ this offseason, remember, we're still Cleveland. Ain't nobody gonna come here.

[bookelly]

Banner's claim to fame is his tightness with the purse strings. We ain't getting jack shit. But we probably should and will re-sign Dawson.

A guard would be nice and a corner, but no way are we getting 4-6 guys.

[swerb]

This ain't baseball. These NFL FA's give a shit about one thing and one thing only. The signing bonus. And would play in Siberia for that money in the pocket in a league where the average career is like 20 minutes and contracts aren't guaranteed.

These guys are slowly gonna fool themselves into believing they can win next year. And are gonna feel like they gotta do something after being left at the altar by Chip Kelly.

I'd be surprised if they don't spend like drunken sailors in FA.

[Erie Warrior]

Flush it down the toilet.

Same result regardless.

[peeker643]

Even that amount of cap space goes quickly when you have to pay 120% of what legit teams with actual, functional orgs and a legit playoff dream pay.

Oh... you can get them here. But you'll pay through the nose. Like Buffalo did w/Mario Williams. Who's also the poster child for why you shouldn't pay through the nose, FYI.

I'd actually prefer they go above the floor and sign guys who can play that may not be huge names. An OG, a ball hawking type of safety to pair with the banger (if Hagg ain't that guy in a new defense), couple of solid LBs, etc.

[pod2dawg]

I'm leaning with Swerbie. Jimmy projects "shiny" new things to me. Banner is a financial "guru", he is here to make sure Jimmy rakes like Bann did for the owner in Philly. He may not know shit about football, BUT winning is big part of that equation.

I had been "anticipating" the floor coming into effect, forcing teams like Cincy & CLE to have to spend at least a minimum in FA.

Now EoYo does have a point & I pray he is wrong. IF Has/Ban ONLY spend what they have to, then they ain't fooling nobody. If he really wants to win he has the "jack" and the space to do it.

We get the FA's to plug the holes , draft a pass rusher with his ass on fire, .....we a QB away from making some noise.

Drunken Sailor approach for 50 please.

[bac5665]

This ain't baseball. These NFL FA's give a shit about one thing and one thing only. The signing bonus. And would play in Siberia for that money in the pocket in a league where the average career is like 20 minutes and contracts aren't guaranteed.

These guys are slowly gonna fool themselves into believing they can win next year. And are gonna feel like they gotta do something after being left at the altar by Chip Kelly.

I'd be surprised if they don't spend like drunken sailors in FA.

Sure, we'll be able to sign as many practice squad players as we want, no argument. But any player with 2 options will go anywhere else (except Cincintucky) unless we pay more.

Haslem ain't paying guys more just to get average guys. I'll be shocked if he's willing to play that game.

[pup]

If there was a QB in play that made a difference, I could see them accelerating through FA. Since there isn't, another year of kids through the draft and saving space for after the first year of respectability (if that comes).

Remember. Jimmy is a Steeler way guy and one of the things that led to Banner leaving the Iggles was the spending spree that little kid was taking them on.

[Hikohadon]

It's good that they have that much cap space since it has been correctly pointed out that it will cost Cleveland a boatload more to sign the same Free Agents.

Should make it easy to reach that FA floor, even if they just sign Thing 1 and Thing 2.

[neoleo]

If there was a QB in play that made a difference, I could see them accelerating through FA. Since there isn't, another year of kids through the draft and saving space for after the first year of respectability (if that comes).

Remember. Jimmy is a Steeler way guy and one of the things that led to Banner leaving the Iggles was the spending spree that little kid was taking them on.

I haven't looked ahead to next year's potential FA class, but I can see them going after a guy or two this year to supplement the plan of kids through the draft. That way they don't have to try to fill 5 holes next year when theoretically we'd be closer to winning, especially if next year is a weaker FA class.

[Govbarney]

Id Target in this order:
1)Aqib Talib CB (NE)
2)Anthony Spencer OLB (DAL)
3)Wes Welker WR (NE)

Id also re-sign Sheldon Brown , and move him to Free Safety.

Keep in mind we will probably need to spend $ or a draft pick on a Kicker, and if I where Banner id think really hard about replacing Hodges, guy played like dog pussy last year, cost us at least 1 game last.

[General]

How about refunding my costs over the years associated with following this broke dick franchise. Season tickets, merchandise, tailgates, parking, air fare, pain and suffering. That should come to around $49 Million.

[Hikohadon]

Id Target in this order:
1)Aqib Talib CB (NE)
2)Anthony Spencer OLB (DAL)
3)Wes Welker WR (NE)

Id also re-sign Sheldon Brown , and move him to Free Safety.

Keep in mind we will probably need to spend $ or a draft pick on a Kicker, and if I where Banner id think really hard about replacing Hodges, guy played like dog pussy last year, cost us at least 1 game last.

If I were actually concerned with what they did, I'd vote WAY against signing about-to-be-broke-down-72-years-old Wes Welker, especially for the type of contract it would take to get him to come to Cleveland.

But he would certainly qualify as a Shiny Object, so I wouldn't be shocked to see Jimmy Joe go after him.

In fact, I'd take any FA 30 or over right off my list. Let the teams that are poised to "win now" blow contracts (that the players will never see the end of) on them.

[Gradysmanldy]

Look, Banner has preached before about building the correct way, through the draft, and to expect otherwise here is silly. They'll have to spend to get up to the floor, but look for them to do that by extending the youth on the roster already (there's 2-3 guys that are eligible for longer term deals, like Alex Mack, that they'll look to lock up) and by bringing in some peices and parts. They'll bring in a CB and LB'er, and likely a guard on the cheapish as insurance for Pinkston not making it back 100% by the start of camp.

In a perfect world, the peices and parts they bring in would include Spencer or Kruger, and overpaying them to have a legit pass rushing ROLB'er to make that "attack" D work (combined with a legit 1st front 7 guy) would be tits. Don't kill the flexibility you've earned in one swoop.

I'm not expecting any kind of a spending spree with the backgrounds these two come from.

[mistero]

Boo Hoo

No one wants to come to Cleveland. Free Agents always suck.
We'll just mess it up.

Boo hoo hoo

[Hikohadon]

Boo Hoo

No one wants to come to Cleveland. Free Agents always suck.
We'll just mess it up.

Boo hoo hoo

I hardly think it is whining to state that there are 10-15 teams in the NFL that have to overpay (or pay more than "elite" franchises) to land Free Agents. That's just life in Free Agency - for any sport.

If you pay them, they will come. Even to Cleveland.

[peeker643]

Boo Hoo

No one wants to come to Cleveland. Free Agents always suck.
We'll just mess it up.

Boo hoo hoo

My God, I think you may be an effing idiot.

Go blow some more sunshine up your ass after looking at the last 15 years of actual game play and historical fact or throw out some empirical evidence with any of these franchises about how the top notch free agents have come here and made a difference.

Unless you're 20-25 you'd have to be either dumb as a rock or blissfully ignorant to think otherwise.

Still willing to go with blissfully ignorant for the moment. But that foundation is starting to crack.

[mistero]

You must be in the Chuck Booms Fan Club.

Why do you even care if you already know all the outcomes?

The new coach sucks, Banner sucks, we won't get any FA?

Why even bother? Go watch the Cavs.

[justmebd]

You must be in the Chuck Booms Fan Club.

Why do you even care if you already know all the outcomes?

The new coach sucks, Banner sucks, we won't get any FA?

Why even bother? Go watch the Cavs.

The Cavs still play in Cleveland?

[pod2dawg]

Go blow some more sunshine up your ass after looking at the last 15 years of actual game play and historical fact or throw out some empirical evidence with any of these franchises about how the top notch free agents have come here and made a difference.

OK you score with the empirical evidence/ historical fact thing , and I am aware of the Banner/Has practical roots...BUT I am hoping Has' ego over-rides "the slow steady" and he grabs the f$%%^cking brass ring one time. Call it a Swerb/Pod hunch.....Has has one chance to make a big entrance. First Impression.

I admit FA is not Pro-Bowl caliber & we will have to overspend, that said there is no f$%%^ing way we don't appear next year without a different CB, S, G, OLB, DE/hybrid. Spend money. Cut people, trade them, acquire them whatever. Mr. Haslam plug these holes.

Drunken Sailors for $100 please.

Nobody named Welker.

[Hikohadon]

Boo Hoo

No one wants to come to Cleveland. Free Agents always suck.
We'll just mess it up.

Boo hoo hoo

My God, I think you may be an effing idiot.

Go blow some more sunshine up your ass after looking at the last 15 years of actual game play and historical fact or throw out some empirical evidence with any of these franchises about how the top notch free agents have come here and made a difference.

Unless you're 20-25 you'd have to be either dumb as a rock or blissfully ignorant to think otherwise.

Still willing to go with blissfully ignorant for the moment. But that foundation is starting to crack.

I get this image of Peeks strolling around a mall in mid-December, walking up to 5 year olds and telling them "Hey, dickface! You think that's Santa? That isn't Santa! There's no such thing as Santa, stupid! Fucking retards..."

[FUDU]

You must be in the Chuck Booms Fan Club.

Why do you even care if you already know all the outcomes?

The new coach sucks, Banner sucks, we won't get any FA?

Why even bother? Go watch the Cavs.

The Cavs still play in Cleveland?

Yup, we've got uniforms and everything, it's really great!

[peeker643]

You must be in the Chuck Booms Fan Club.

Why do you even care if you already know all the outcomes?

The new coach sucks, Banner sucks, we won't get any FA?

Why even bother? Go watch the Cavs.

Waiting on your list of impact free agents. Til then, you're nothing but an orange brown goo swallower

You can include Cavs and Tribe too and I'll spot you Robbie Alomar.

Not to mention you can't read. Nowhere have I said Chud sucks or that Banner sucks. I said the process by which they hired Chud sucked and he would have been available in two weeks let alone a week ago.

And Banner spent 20 years with a winning org in Philly which counts for something. Right up til he's doing something new here that he didn't do there.

Of course, that's the problem with the goo swallowers. They can't handle reality.

Continue your consumption.

[peeker643]

Boo Hoo

No one wants to come to Cleveland. Free Agents always suck.
We'll just mess it up.

Boo hoo hoo

My God, I think you may be an effing idiot.

Go blow some more sunshine up your ass after looking at the last 15 years of actual game play and historical fact or throw out some empirical evidence with any of these franchises about how the top notch free agents have come here and made a difference.

Unless you're 20-25 you'd have to be either dumb as a rock or blissfully ignorant to think otherwise.

Still willing to go with blissfully ignorant for the moment. But that foundation is starting to crack.

I get this image of Peeks strolling around a mall in mid-December, walking up to 5 year olds and telling them "Hey, dickface! You think that's Santa? That isn't Santa! There's no such thing as Santa, stupid! Fucking retards..."

You find me in a mall in mid-December (or mid-May or mid-anytime) and I'll pay your mortgage for a month.

[pod2dawg]

Waiting on your list of impact free agents. Til then, you're nothing but an orange brown goo swallower

These are the highest rated FA's at their respective positions of need, impactful ? yes. Pro-bowlers?-no.

1.Jarius Byrd S
2.Andy Levitre G
3.Brent Grimes CB
4.Anthony Spencer OLB

I am not eating orange candy. I quit eating it when the Browns started wearing Purple & Black. The Browns are yet to return. I'd say there are about 12 guys wearing Orange up in Berea that could become Browns with the above FA's and this years Draft picks & next.

I think Jimmy is too driven to wallow in the basement of our division and eat Steeler dung.

You are a realist. Bitter & rightly so.

I won't ask you to come out of that tree stand till Sept. of "13". By then we will have a QB and loaded for bear.

[peeker643]

Waiting on your list of impact free agents. Til then, you're nothing but an orange brown goo swallower

These are the highest rated FA's at their respective positions of need, impactful ? yes. Pro-bowlers?-no.

1.Jarius Byrd S
2.Andy Levitre G
3.Brent Grimes CB
4.Anthony Spencer OLB

I am not eating orange candy. I quit eating it when the Browns started wearing Purple & Black. The Browns are yet to return. I'd say there are about 12 guys wearing Orange up in Berea that could become Browns with the above FA's and this years Draft picks & next.

I think Jimmy is too driven to wallow in the basement of our division and eat Steeler dung.

You are a realist. Bitter & rightly so.

I won't ask you to come out of that tree stand till Sept. of "13". By then we will have a QB and loaded for bear.

Not you, Pod. I'm talking about Mistero. And in regard to FA's, I'm asking him for the long, proud litany of impact free agents this team (or any Cleveland team) has signed in the past 15 years and that has played impactfully. Except for the couple years of Robbie Alomar before he quit running out playoff ground balls and was dealt too.

Mistero would rather spout platitudes about how it's going to be and pet his unicorn named Bernie.

[jerryroche]

Of course, that's the problem with the goo swallowers. They can't handle reality. Continue your consumption.

Gulp.

[Hikohadon]

I get this image of Peeks strolling around a mall in mid-December, walking up to 5 year olds and telling them "Hey, dickface! You think that's Santa? That isn't Santa! There's no such thing as Santa, stupid! Fucking retards..."

You find me in a mall in mid-December (or mid-May or mid-anytime) and I'll pay your mortgage for a month.

Ha! I hear that.

I think that a bottle of chloroform and a very large gym bag probably cost considerably less than my mortgage, and might be enough to procure incriminating photographic evidence that you were INDEED at a mall at that time.

Will you take care of a second month if I somehow come up with a photo of you sitting on Santa's lap?

PS - I found you a new avatar:

[scott]

The defense is only a couple players away from potentially being elite. I'd like to see them bring in a couple veterans and see what they can do. I'm not expecting it.

[Gradysmanldy]

God, I never really thought about it before, but that's a seriously depressing list.

Food for thought: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ss ... nd_bo.html

Sad, sad, sad.

[peeker643]

I get this image of Peeks strolling around a mall in mid-December, walking up to 5 year olds and telling them "Hey, dickface! You think that's Santa? That isn't Santa! There's no such thing as Santa, stupid! Fucking retards..."

You find me in a mall in mid-December (or mid-May or mid-anytime) and I'll pay your mortgage for a month.

Ha! I hear that.

I think that a bottle of chloroform and a very large gym bag probably cost considerably less than my mortgage, and might be enough to procure incriminating photographic evidence that you were INDEED at a mall at that time.

Will you take care of a second month if I somehow come up with a photo of you sitting on Santa's lap?

PS - I found you a new avatar:

We're all equally miserable regardless of what I say. We just deal with it differently.

Everyone on these boards will share an epic drunk/hangover when the time comes (if the time comes).

[TouchEmAllTime]

Have any of you tried to or did turn your fan card in? I'm trying as hard as I can.

[swerb]

Time for a little Jimmy Haslam Free Agency Anger Spending (JHFAAS) after Chip Kelly just embarrassed the Browns org.

[peeker643]

Time for a little Jimmy Haslam Free Agency Anger Spending (JHFAAS) after Chip Kelly just embarrassed the Browns org.

I hope our 'dialed into the pulse of the league' GM is making a list and checking it twice right now.

[Hikohadon]

I'm thinking Jimmy might start to sense that Banner might not be the right guy for the job when Joe tells him "I think we should try and trade up and get that RG3 kid."

[pod2dawg]

Time for a little Jimmy Haslam Free Agency Anger Spending (JHFAAS) after Chip Kelly just embarrassed the Browns org.

clap! clap! clap!