Solving a few of the 10 great mysteries of the 2010 Cleveland Browns

[BernietheKid]

Solving a few of the 10 great mysteries of the 2010 Cleveland Browns

Published: Saturday, February 12, 2011, 7:26 PM Updated: Saturday, February 12, 2011, 7:27 PM

By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer


Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer
While Browns GM Tom Heckert admitted the front office may have overestimated Eric Wright's level of performance entering the 2010 season, he said head coach Eric Mangini was the main reason for several other personnel moves questioned by fans and media during the season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In our review of the Browns' 2010 season published in the Jan. 9 Plain Dealer, we listed 10 Great Mysteries of the season.

They were mysteries because there were no answers from coaches, players or executives to explain them. Sometimes it takes a while.

We caught up with Browns General Manager Tom Heckert and he unraveled (sort of) four of the mysteries.


1. Why did the team go so long with only three cornerbacks on the roster?

Heckert: "I think it was a combination of things. There weren't a whole lot of choices in the matter. Once the draft was over, there was just a limited amount of (cornerbacks available). We tried to sign some guys. Realistically, it was going to be tough to get a legit guy.

"We thought we had three really good corners. Eric Wright, whatever happened to him I have no idea. If Eric Wright would have played like he played the year before, we probably would have had one of top (groups of) three guys around. But Eric Wright didn't play very well."

Heckert said as the season progressed, the team couldn't find a cornerback better than Mike Adams, who was a combination safety/cornerback already on the roster.


2. Did the trade of Jerome Harrison really need to happen?


Jim Prisching / Associated Press
GM Heckert said Jerome Harrison's attitude led to his trade to the Eagles during the season, but said he had no particular answer for why Mangini didn't insist on more running backs on the roster.

Harrison grumbled about playing time after Peyton Hillis emerged as the team's feature back. Heckert said former coach Eric Mangini lobbied to trade Harrison. He was traded for Philadelphia running back Mike Bell on Oct. 14.

Heckert: "I'm not saying we shouldn't have [traded him] because Jerome ... he wasn't begging to get out of here, but he was acting like he wanted to get out of here. It wasn't going to do us a whole lot of good to keep him here. Jerome was kind of going through the motions. I think he thought he should have been playing more."

3. How can an NFL team that only runs the ball on offense configure its roster to have two running backs and seven wide receivers?

Heckert: "I don't know how to answer that one. I think [the RB depth] was good for a while. When we had Peyton, Jerome and a couple of other guys here, we were OK. But once Eric wanted us to get rid of Jerome, that's when it started [going bad]. Once you get rid of that guy then it's just tough to find guys."

The Browns finished the season with only Hillis and Bell at running back and seven receivers after adding Demetrius Williams, Jordan Norwood and rookie Carlton Mitchell to their active roster.

"The guys we loaded up on are guys we kind of liked and those guys are still going to be here," Heckert said. "Why we didn't use them? That question I can't answer."

4. Exactly why did the team trade for Jayme Mitchell, who never played in a 3-4 defense at any level and doesn't have a body that would ever fit in that scheme?

Heckert described this one as "bizarre."

The Browns acquired Mitchell from Minnesota on Oct. 6. The price was a seventh-round pick in the 2012 draft. Mitchell never played a down while on the active roster the rest of the season.

"He was by far our best pass rusher and never got on the field, so I can't answer that one," Heckert said. "Eric watched him [on tape prior to the trade] and Eric liked him. So I don't know what happened after that. He's a nickel pass rusher on third down. We thought he could really rush the passer."

Heckert said that Mitchell could still fill that role for the Browns in their new scheme. But, guess what? Mitchell's contract is up and he can be a free agent.

Moving into murky waters: If NFL management and players union do not resolve their differences by the end of the current labor agreement on March 3, all business will shut down on March 4. That means no trades, no player signings. Nothing except the draft on April 28-30. And then, draft picks can't be signed until a new agreement is in place.

But from now until March 3, teams can re-sign their potential free agents or sign players that have been released since the regular season ended. Heckert said the Browns have no plans to talk new deals with any of their free agents.

"You don't know if there's a salary cap and what it's going to be, and there's this infamous 30 percent rule, so it's tough to do," Heckert said.

"The infamous 30 percent rule," which came as a result of the elimination of the salary cap in 2010, limits the base salary of any contract extension to no more than 30 percent higher than the previous year on the existing contract. Teams can get around the rule by loading up a new contract with bonus money. But since that form of payment is guaranteed cash, no teams want to invest that way without knowing if there will, in fact, be a full season in 2011.

Brownie points: Despite the clampdown this week on players over 30, Heckert said there are no plans at present to terminate the contract of quarterback Jake Delhomme, 36, who has a year to go at $5.4 million. ... The Browns have seven draft picks in each of the next two drafts. They are without their seventh-rounder this season (Seneca Wallace trade) and in 2012 (Mitchell trade). But they added the sixth-round pick of Denver in each draft (Brady Quinn trade). ... If there is a lockout, trades can still happen on the three days of this year's draft, but they can only include draft picks.

Solving a few of the 10 great mysteries of the 2010 Cleveland Browns: NFL Insider | cleveland.com

[Enigmatic Evil]

I don't know if it's the quotes or if it's the writers perspective there but that article really paints a dark picture of Mangini as unorganized and makes him look suspect in regards to making key decisions. I like the quote about 'maybe overestimating' Eric Wright's ability going into the season. When you're playing in a CB corps with Brandon McDonald and ... who else that we cut... you probably would look pro-bowl caliber too.

I hope we can re-sign Jayme Mitchell, he's the only reason that I am not losing my crap about the shambles that are our current front seven.

[Brown Warrior]

Yeah, I got the vibe off the article that Heckert was plenty displeased with Mangini's use of the personnel provided him, mostly with playing old familiars over young prospects... which doesn't make a ton of sense on a team clearly building for the future.

You add this to Holmgren's subtler jabs at Daboll's offensive playcalling and disinterest in getting WRs involved on some level, a picture begins to emerge of irreconcilable differences.

My problem with the Browns is that they don't put themselves in a position to have draft day steals... because they won't play rookies. Haden had a difficult time getting on the field, so imagine what it was like for Carlton Mitchell. You get the sense that Heckert, as a draft guru, felt like he stole one in Mitchell but had it squashed by Mangini.

With an equally unspectacular set of WRs in St. Louis, Shurmur still found ways to get them involved, throwing their way much more than Daboll. That's encouraging if your name is Robiskie or Mitchell... or Green or Jones.

[Greythan]

Heckert's comments sure do make me feel better about Mangini's termination. Again, I'm all for continuity but if our oarsmen aren't rowing the same direction then continuity is meaningless. Let's hope the collective staff is now rowing in the same direction AND rows together for many seasons.