Owner: Dawg Pound South URL:http://dawgpoundsouth.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2007 10:33:07 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: News and opinions about the Cleveland Browns, one of the most storied franchises in NFL history. Written by a life-long fan for the most tortured, die-hard fans in the world. Site statistics:Click here
Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame 2007-04-27 05:57:00 If the Browns decide to choose a QB (and I hope they don't), then my choice would be BradyQuinn
. While JaMarcus Russell is a tremendously gifted athlete with a cannon for an arm, Brady Quinn
is a more polished passer who is more prepared to step into a pro offense.Sentiment has shifted from Quinn to Russell over the past few months, in part due to LSU's bowl win over Notre Dame
, but overall Quinn has a longer track record of quality play with a mediocre supporting cast, than Russell has with a better supporting cast. Russell is raw and probably has more upside, but also more potential downside and therefore is the riskier pick.
Peterson stock drop? 2007-04-26 20:34:00 If this story in SI is true, than Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson
might no longer be a top 5 pick. According to the story, Peterson re-injured his collarbone in the Fiesta Bowl, and might require surgery to properly heal. If so, he might be sidelined until the beginning of training camp or longer. Pictured is the dive that broke his collarbone back in October.One things for sure, this year's draft is anything but boring and predictable.
Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech 2007-04-26 05:08:00 Wide receiver is one of the few positions that the Browns probably don't need to fill with a first rounder. Still, he wouldn't be a bad pick for Cleveland, simply because he is thought by many to be the best player in the draft and the least likely to be a bust. In case you haven't noticed, I'm worried about busts.CalvinJohnson
has incredible size, speeds, and hands, and by all accounts is not a jackass like most "elite" wideouts. While Johnson could help the Browns by giving them another threat opposite Braylon Edwards and by opening up the running game, his best value to the Browns may be his trade value. Several teams are thought to be very interested in Johnson, especially Tampa Bay and Atlanta, however Detroit at #2 might take advantage of this before the Browns get the chance. If the Browns have a shot at him, Phil Savage and company should do everything in their power to trade down a few spots and get some extra picks. Read more:Georgia
Draft busts 2007-04-25 17:29:00 Drafting in the top 5 again, I think the Browns need to determine which top player is has the least likely downside. The last thing they need is another first round bust. I decided to look at some Browns drafts to see who have been the biggest busts in the last 25 years. Unfortunately, a lot of the picks qualify as busts. My top 5: 5. Cleveland Crosby DE--a second round draft choice who was cut after the 2nd game of his rookie season!4. Clifford Charlton LB--hung around a couple years, but certainly not a first round talent 3. Craig Powell LB--I don't even remember this guy. Released after 2 seasons.2. Mike Junkin LB--Marty loved him, but most scouts had him as a 2nd-3rd round pick. Worst part is, they traded Chip Banks to move up to get him at #51. Tim Couch QB--Number 1 overall pick in the draft, still out of footballBelow are the #1 and #2 picks from the last 25 years. Notice how many WRs and RBs have been drafted who have been mediocre or total busts.1980--1. Charles White RB; 2a. Read more:Draft
Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma 2007-04-25 05:57:00 If the Browns don't get Joe Thomas, this would be my next choice. It is an area of need for the Browns, and until a good offensive line is in place, I think that generally a RB would be able to withstand the physical and mental beatings that come with playing behind the Cleveland line better than a QB could (Tim Couch comes to mind).AdrianPeterson
is an awesome combination of power and speed, and has been compared to LaDanian Tomlinson and Eric Dickerson. He could be the franchise back the Browns have been searching for since returning to the league, provided the Browns have a good offensive line and he can stay healthy. Both of these are in doubt. Peterson has had a lot of serious injuries, ala Courtney Brown, but has been plagued by a lot of nagging, non-career threatening injuries (more like a Lee Suggs). My biggest fear about drafting him is that he will constantly be nursing some ailment, and I'm not the only one. On the other hand, he could be very healthy in the NFL where his Read more:Oklahoma
The case for drafting a Tackle 2007-04-24 15:59:00 The Kansas City Chiefs website has a great article which makes a strong case for drafting a tackle in the first round.Highlights:39 players started five games or more at left tackle during the 2006 season. Of that group 20 were selected in the first round of the NFL draft (51%), including 15 in the top half of the round.among the 12 teams that made the playoffs in the 2006 season, 11 had left tackles that’s were selected among the top 50 players in the NFL Draft.Only five of the 39 players (13%) entered the NFL as undrafted college free agents. That’s fewer undrafted starters than any other positions in the league.Bottom line: You need a good left tackle to be successful in the NFL. Left tackles are hard to come by and the good ones are gone early in the draft.
Defining Day for Browns 2007-04-29 16:48:00 What a day! The first day of the draft was a day that will determine the fate of the Browns
for years to come. It will also define the career of Phil Savage & possibly coach Romeo Crennel.As everyone now knows, the Browns drafted OT Joe Thomas at #3. I love this pick. Addressed a huge need that has thus far been neglected in the draft. He was the first tackle drafted by the Browns in the first 3 rounds since 1979, and the first drafted in the 1st round since 1970. A solid player, with very little downside.All the speculation of trades among the top 10 teams drafting never occurred, and when the Dolphins surprisingly passed on Brady Quinn at #9, Phil Savage went to work, trading the Browns 2nd round pick this year, and 1st rounder next year to Dallas to move back into round one to grab Quinn! I don't know if Quinn will be the answer, but I like the gutsiness and aggressiveness that the Browns showed to improve the team."Five years from now we'll be saying, 'That was the day the Bro
Will Brady Quinn win, or be a bust? 2007-05-04 19:10:00 Football Outsiders has a nice article that looks at what factors predict QB success in the pros. It turns out that number of games started and completion percentage in college are the most important predictors of pro success.Based on this, Quinn
should do well, while JaMarcus Russell is a risk. Read more:Brady
How the draft was won 2007-05-03 19:24:00 I love this photo, and I'm still smiling about the draft.If, like me, you can't get enough of reliving the draft, here are two more good articles on the Browns draft. The first, from USA today, describes what happened in the Browns war room during the 1st round. The second, from Foxsports.com describes what Brady Quinn went through while waiting to be drafted. Good reading.
Consensus Draft Grades 2007-05-02 16:23:00 ESPN.com has a nice compilation of draft grades from various sports sites. The Browns got an A from everyone except Mel Kiper, but then what does he know. CBSSportsline.com'sPete PriscoCB-A+B-FoxSports.com'sJohn CzarneckiC-CA+BESPN.com'sMel Kiper Jr.BC+B+BNBCSports.com'sTom CurranCC+ABSI.com'sPaul ZimmermanB-CAB-ESPN.com'sSportsNationBBABSportingNews.com'sWar Room ScoutsBBABUSAToday.com'sTom WeirBBABYahoo.com'sCharles RobinsonBCA-BConsensus GPA2.62.54.02.9 Read more:Draft
The good, the bad, and the ugly 2007-08-20 21:13:00 It's great to have football back again! What a long off-season. On a couple of occassions I have found myself watching the 2nd half of preseason games of teams I have absolutely no interest in, just to get a football fix. I've been away for awhile, but here's my take on the first few weeks of training camp:The good:Getting Joe Thomas and Eric Wright into training camp on time. This is huge. Both have looked good, and will likely start week 1Getting healthy--Gary Baxter and Kellen Winslow have practiced and so far have suffered no setbacks. The LBs--Kamerion Wimbley, Leon Williams, Antwan Peek, and Chaun Thompson are quietly having a nice camp.The bad:Injuries--as always, the Browns have been bit by the injury bug already. Nothing season ending, but of note: Eric Steinbach, Orpheus Roye, Willie McGinest, and Leigh Bodden have all been slowed. Bodden worries me the most since it seems to suggest that his ankles have not heeled and may plague him all season.Brady Quinn's holdo
One more time 2007-09-21 22:47:00 For their stellar performances in the 51-45 win over the Bengals last week, Derek Anderson and Jamal Lewis were named the FedEx Air & Ground players of the week. Anderson was also named AFC player of the week.Don't look now, but the Browns offense is ranked 6th in the NFL in scoring, 7th in total yards, 8th in passing yards, and 9th in rushing yards and 5th in kick return average. Unfortunately, the defense is the exact opposite: 31st in points allowed, 32nd for total yards allowed, 30th for passing yards allowed, and 29th for rushing yards allowed. Of course the offensive explosion by both teams last week definitely skewed the numbers.If you want to relive the game one more time, check out these great highlights from NFL.com.The Browns are at the Raiders on Sunday, one of the few teams in the league that have been as bad as the Browns the last couple of seasons. Cleveland looks for back-to-back wins in the same season for the first time since 2003 when, coincidentally, they beat
What a difference a week makes! 2007-09-21 13:34:00 Last week at this time, I didn't want to talk about, write about, or even think about the Browns after their horrible performance against the Steelers. I was shocked at how badly the team and especially Charlie Frye looked. It seemed that it would be another long miserable year, and it still might.After making the unprecedented trade that sent Frye to Seattle just days later, the Browns named Derek Anderson their starter, Brady Quinn the backup, and re-signed Ken Dorsey to hold the clipboard. Honestly, I think that this is the QB lineup that the Browns wanted all along, but Anderson's poor performance in the preseason didn't give them justification to trade Frye. Plus, there were difference
s of opinion within the organization, as Romeo Crennel preferred Frye's experience, while offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski preferred Anderson and his strong arm. After Frye's performance against Pittsburgh, in which he looked tentative and confused, the Browns had the justification they need Read more:makes
Browns roster ramblings and some predictions 2007-09-04 11:40:00 Looking over the final roster, here are some random thoughts:Best units:1. Linebackers--Their youth could hurt at first, but they are fast with huge potential. Could develop into the one of the best LB corps in the league down the road.2. Tight ends--KWII appears healthy, Heiden is always dependable, Dinkins provides depth.Shakiest units:1. Defensive line--The starting nose tackle is a year older and the guy being groomed as his replacement is unproven and starting at left end due to injury. Free agency and the draft changed a lot of faces, but can any of them play? Run defense has to be a huge concern.2. Defensive backs--The talent is there if it is healthy, but that has been a big "if" the past two seasons. The Browns
kept 10 DBs, 7 of them CBs for just this reason.3. Running backs--Jamal Lewis has looked good, but can he carry the load all season, and if he gets hurt, can either of the remaining guys be a starter week in and week out?4. Wide receivers--Braylon Edwards is t
Browns name practice squad 2007-09-03 14:23:00 Minutes after finishing my previous post, I discovered that the Browns
named their practice squad:Returning players: RB Chris Barclay, OL Cliff Louis, DLs Chase Pittman and Melila Purcell, and WRs Steve Sanders and Syndric Steptoe New faces: CB Tim Mixon, undrafted out of Cal, cut by the Bears; TE Jonny Harline, undrafted out of BYU, cut by the Colts
The Final Cut Down 2007-09-03 13:58:00 NFL teams pared their rosters to the mandatory 53 player limit over the weekend. Nothing shocking, although a few mild surprises among the Browns cuts:QB Ken Dorsey's release--while Dorsey was never a threat to start, or even be the#2, he seemed to have embraced the role of mentor to Quinn, and probably knew Chud's offense better than anybodyRB Chris Barclay's release--following a strong NFL Europe season and some nice pre-season special teams performances, I thought he would make the teamDraft picks cut--7 second day picks from the last 3 years were cut, although I imagine that Purcell, Pitman, and Steptoe from this years draft will probably be re-signed to the practice squad.Baba Oshinowo released, again--wasn't this guy supposed to be the 2nd best NT in the draft last year and a real steal in the 6th round? If he can't make it on the Browns D-line he must suck.Steve Sanders--I think he had a good camp, and is a good story. I hope he gets invited back on the practice squad. Read more:Final
Draft poll results 2007-09-03 11:55:00 New polls are up! Not too surprising, the results
of the draft polls were overwhelmingly positive. Read more:Draft
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