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We’ve gone through this for some years, folks. We’ve had 2 seasons since ’99 that could be considered a success…everything else has been nothing but shit. Every season we’re left to hope that we can build off of the small success we had with this player or that player, this scheme or that scheme, this or that front office decision.
And there has been not one recipe for success that has carried over from one season to the next. NOT EVEN ONE. Our inconsistencies have been well-documented, so I’m not even going to get into that.
But as a fan base, you have to ask…what the hell is wrong? Why can’t we get it right?
Now, let’s dive in to our current situation, right up to the game to take place tomorrow (Browns v. Bengals), current record 2-6.
Let’s start with draft picks. Specifically, Ray Farmer draft picks. 22 of them (18 that resulted in a player picked).
From the 2014 group, we currently have 2 full-time starters (Bitonio, 2nd rd., Kirksey, 3rd rd…and Desir, 4th rd., who wouldn’t be if Haden was), both of our 1st round picks are serving backup roles. Also noteworthy, we started this draft with 10 picks and walked away with 6 players. And of those 6, only Bitonio is playing good football. West got sent to Tennessee, currently in a backup role.
In 2015, we have 12 picks, and again 2 first-rounders. This time though, one is actually starting…Danny Shelton. Feel free to look up his NFL highlight reel. Our 2nd first round pick is, you guessed it, a backup. As it stands, out of all 12 of these picks, you have one true starter, a pair of rotational players (Johnson, Cooper) and a starting FB who is only there because nobody else is (M. Johnson). Oh, and our 4th round pick, Mayle, isn’t currently employed in the NFL. Then you have the guys on IR (Gaines, Ekpre-Olomu) that pretty much get a pass.
And what’s sad about just these past 2 drafts? They’re not even the worst ones.
Yes, Ray Farmer is pretty much fucked unless we start getting wins. I’m pretty sure most of us can agree with that sentiment. Pettine might be as well, although I read an opinion somewhere that he may have been brought up as a head coach a few years too early, and that he has the right mindset to get this team on track…and an opinion I can get behind, personally. I’m thinking that continuity between coaches and players and schemes are very important in regards to the W/L column.
But when a team is 2-6, fingers are going to get pointed…as they should be. Especially when the supposed mindset is to “build through the draft”, yet we’ve only built a house of cards so far.
There’s so much more I could add and say, but I think I’ve given plenty to discuss. What do YOU think is wrong with this team?
I’m about three years past the point where I even want to make an effort to have a serious discussion until I’m half a bottle of bourbon in.
I’ll defer to this oldie but goodie:
http://www.theonion.com/article/cleveland-browns-gearing-up-to-punt-ball-down-oppo-32483
It starts with leadership. When leadership is terrible then what follows will be terrible.
Jimmy Haslam – he had it right with Chud, Turner and Horton. They went through 3 QBs, 0 RB’s and played their butts off. Chud played to win going for it constantly on 4th down. They had something special in the coordinators. Chud, however, was not a yes man so he was fired. Rumor is Norv Turner went off on Haslam when that happened. That rumore must be true because what transpired afterwards was no viable candidates wanting the job. Moral of the sotry – don’t piss off a highly respected 30 year coaching veteran with Super Bowl rings like Norv Turner. It’ll get around the league.
On to his picks for coaching. He wanted Wisenhunt who wanted no part of the job. He was just fired and a disgruntled Leinart ripped him a new one and predicted it. Even came out and stated that Warner was what made Wiz successful. Warner added the plays weekly.
He then wanted Chip Kelly – which I knew from the get go was a moronic thought. He’s currently proving his uselessness in Philly.
Mike Pettine – hired (before even attempting to interview Dan Quinn). A high school coach trying to make a name for himself. Aka the only person who would say yes. They also mistook him for a yes man. Hence Ray Farmer’s texting to put in the worst pick in the entire history of the NFL in Manziel.
Aside from being in way over his head – he is also just like John Gruden – no clue how to develop young players and opting for aging vets over development.
Leadership is so bad Kyle Shannahan bitched until he got out.
Don’t even get me started on Farmer – though I’ll say it again – as bad as he’s been – is it all him or is it the inability of the coaching staff to develop the talent and put them in the best place for success?
Freedom!!!
I was just boredly looking back at our draft history, and I kind of wondered how much better off we’d be if Heckert was still drafting. Not that it’s saying much, but his 2010 and 2011 drafts were far and away the best we’ve had. I’ll give him a mulligan for 2012 due to the team being sold.
2010: Haden, pro bowler
Ward, pro bowler, starter for league’s best defense
Hardesty, bust
McCoy, solid backup QB
Lauvao, starting guard in Washington
Asante, starting in Oakland (yes, that shocked me as well)
Mitchell, bust
Geathers, still in league, doesn’t play2011: Talyor, very good starter, career derailed due to injury
Sheard, productive starter for Patriots
Little, BUST
Cameron, pro bowler, starter for Dolphins
Marecic, bust
Skrine, starter for Jets
Pinkston, starter for two years, retired due to medical conditon
Hagg, bustThat’s actually not bad drafting, looking back 4-5 years later. Had we continued drafting at that level, would we be a better team now? Am I totally reaching here?
…you might be reaching, but who can say? The end result of where we are since 1999 is…we have a decent pass-blocking line. All of the moves that have been made, no matter who’s making the calls, on nearly every level…it’s led to where we are now. Maybe if we played the “mix-and-match” game, we could find a successful combination of ownership, GM, coach, and players through the years.
But damn, you would think that in 16 years, something would have had to have gone right. One back-to-back winning season. Instead, we’re speculating who the next GM (and maybe head coach) will be.
I think my signature says it all.
If we really want to dig into what’s wrong with the team, the first place I’d look is the defense. Opposing offenses are averaging 27.4 points per game against us. That is staggering. Only one opponent has failed to put up 25 points on us. There is only one game where the defense played well, and that was against a rookie QB whose coach has already been fired.
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