[BillWunkle]

Dear Mr. Haslam,

I’m writing this letter to express my deep concerns with the Cleveland Browns organization – both as a fan of Cleveland Browns football and as a member of the electronic media. Before airing my concerns, I want to thank you for making such a great investment in the Cleveland Browns and the surrounding community. A sum of one billion dollars speaks volumes as to what you think of the franchise’s value. I also appreciate your expressed deep desire to bring a winning organization to Cleveland. I truly believe that you’re intentions are true and sincere. That said, on to my concerns.

I have no doubt that you’re well aware of the greatness that was the Cleveland Browns beginning in the 1940’s and continuing into the 1960’s. There was always a tone of respect – if not reverence – when the words “Cleveland Browns” were uttered in those days. And while the 1970’s saw a downturn in the franchise, the 1980’s have certainly given football fans along the North shore a great amount to cheer about. Unfortunately the series of events during the 1995 season – which ended with Art Modell moving the franchise to Baltimore – literally tore this community apart. Fortunately, Cleveland was awarded a new franchise in 1999 by the 31 NFL owners and then Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. However, the time table from the franchise being awarded to the start of the 1999 season – in spite of the additional draft picks awarded – was such that the expansion Browns were set up for failure from the very start. I would highly recommend that you all read Terry Pluto’s book “False Start” for further insight into the subject.

Fast forwarding to the 2014-2015 season . . . You are to be commended for biting a huge bullet and dismissing Michael Lombardi and Joe Banner. Hopefully you’ve learned your lesson that when League officials “recommend” people for you to hire that those are the last people on earth you should hire. Their (league officials) intentions are to keep the organization wallowing in the quagmire of mediocrity – which they’ve successfully done since 1999. Those actions showed a good many Browns fans that you are indeed committed to bringing a winner to Cleveland. Also, it appears that you’ve got the right man in Head Coach Mike Pettine as the Head Coach. By all appearances he’s a man who demands accountability from his players, and I can appreciate that. Ray Farmer seems to be a stand up kind of man as the General Manager. There are concerns, however, with the events that transpired during the first day of the 2014 draft. As an outsider looking in, we only know what the rumors are. What we don’t know is what really happened. Allow me to pontificate more precisely . . .

1 – With two picks in the first round it seemed that, even though Mr. Farmer is the GM, it was actually Coach Pettine who made the call on drafting Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert with the team’s first pick (after trading down from fourth to tenth and then trading back up to eighth). If that indeed was what really happened, then why is the team’s General Manager not doing his job and making the team’s selections in the first round? While rookie cornerbacks are seldom overnight sensations, it’s apparent that Gilbert’s work ethic is/was not what it ought to have been for a professional athlete. Hopefully, the light will come on with Justin and history will look back on him as having taken the path less traveled and not what he already being portrayed as by local and national media – one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history – behind Tony Mandarich (Packers) and Aundray Bruce (Falcons).

2 – As if that weren’t bad enough; later in the very same round, Jimmy Haslam himself allegedly (inspired by a text message to then QB coach Dowell Loggains) prompted Ray Farmer to move up in the draft and select Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel – in spite of the reports that both Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater and Fresno State’s David Carr were ahead of Johnny on the Browns draft board. Johnny’s escapades have been all too well documented, and I commend him for coming to the realization that he needs help; but – barring a miraculous turnaround –  history will remember him as an even greater draft bust than Ryan Leaf (Chargers), Pat Sullivan (Falcons), JaMarcus Russell (Raiders), Mike Phipps (Browns) and Charlie Frye (Browns). Again, I must pose the question . . . If this indeed true, then why did you not let Ray Farmer do his job and make the selection according to the team’s draft board? Missing on first round picks can set a franchise back five years – especially if you miss on a quarterback. Was this a publicity stunt to grab headlines for the sake of having a rookie quarterback lead the offseason in jersey sales before even playing a single down of football in the preseason? If Johnny was the top quarterback available according to Ray Farmer’s board, then who’s doing the evaluations on these quarterbacks as they’re coming out of college and what are their credentials?

3 – Because of what’s transpired with Johnny and the fact that Brian Hoyer is on the verge of becoming an unrestricted free agent, the quarterback position is in even worse shape than what it was this time a year ago. Currently the only two quarterbacks on the roster are Johnny Manziel and 2014 undrafted rookie free agent Connor Shaw. And while Shaw did show some promise as a developmental project in his debut against the Ravens, you cannot in all sincerity say that he’s ready for prime time. So what’s the plan . . . hope that Johnny turns his life around in a single offseason? Oh, PUH-LEASE, don’t insult the fans’ or the media’s intelligence by going there. You have some options: (A) you move up in the first round of the draft and take either Marcus Mariota of Jameis Winston – the latter of the two already has shown some serious character flaws, (B) you select a quarterback in one of the subsequent rounds, (C) you trade for a starting quarterback, (D) you sign a veteran free agent quarterback that played for another team last season or (E) you re-sign Brian Hoyer. The ball’s in your court, Mr. Haslam. How are the Browns going to address the most important position on the football field for 2015 and beyond? Inquiring minds want to know. The path of least resistance appears to be re-sign Hoyer and either trade for a veteran or sign a veteran free agent.

4 – My sole criticism of Ray Farmer’s first draft with the Browns is this . . . Knowing that WR Josh Gordon was facing a long suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, this team neglected to draft a receiver in the first three rounds. That aside, I think that his selections throughout rounds two through four were quite good. I’m still not convinced that the first two picks of round one were all on him.

5 – I still don’t know what to think of Kyle Shanahan leaving the organization after only one season. Is he a bit of a diva or were there pressures from somewhere outside the coaching staff and players? Something had to be unsettling to him and the rumors were running rampant that there was meddling from the front office concerning certain players and their playing time. Those decisions should rest on the shoulders of the head coach because that’s what he’s paid to do.

6 – I don’t understand why you held the conference with only the beat writers of the print media and internet writers. If you want to clear the air for all the world to hear, you have the capabilities right there at 76 Lou Groza Boulevard. All you need to do is make an appearance on Cleveland Browns Daily where Nathan Zegura and Matt Wilhelm can toss up all the softball questions you want. Which brings me to another question. You had a very credible and well-respected journalist in Vic Carucci in house co-hosting that show. Was his departure strictly a matter of him and his family missing the Buffalo area or were there other influences that caused him to part ways with the organization?

I could go on and on, but this is already a quite lengthy letter. I wish you and the organization well and hope that this organization does get the ship righted very soon.

 

Respectfully,

 

Bill Wunkle

Senior Draft Analyst – https://www.brownsfootballtalk.com

 

 

Am I going mad, or did the word THINK escape your lips? You were not hired for your brains, you hippopotamic landmass!

[durakbane]

Please tell me that this was sent….

[soup]

The only portion that makes no sense to me is calling Charlie Frye a bust in the vein of Ryan Leaf. Frye was a 3rd round pick. Quinn and Weeden would’ve made sense to mention

Freedom!!!

[DawgPoundDude]

…and this is why I will always love Uncle Bill. Good stuff man.

[the dude]

soup wrote:

The only portion that makes no sense to me is calling Charlie Frye a bust in the vein of Ryan Leaf. Frye was a 3rd round pick. Quinn and Weeden would’ve made sense to mention

What I don’t get more is you pointing this out 🙂

Very well said Unc. I think the question is to the owner how important is it for him to sell jerseys or to have players that I can say I am proud my kids watch them and perceive them as role models.

Hue Jackson is a loser.

[Author]

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