Cleveland Browns' Mike Holmgren keeping all draft options open at combine, adds Colt McCoy is 'the guy' in 2011

[BernietheKid]

Cleveland Browns' Mike Holmgren keeping all draft options open at combine, adds Colt McCoy is 'the guy' in 2011

Published: Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 7:39 PM Updated: Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 7:40 PM

By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer


Chuck Crow / The Plain Dealer
"Our philosophy is to take the best player on our board once it's set up," Browns president Mike Holmgren said Wednesday on the upcoming draft. "Now, if you have two guys that are [really close], then we'd have a discussion on which one to take."

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Browns arrived at the NFL Scouting Combine with obvious needs on defense. That matches up well with the strength of the 2011 draft, which is top-heavy with blue-chip defensive linemen.

But offense never escapes the mind of President Mike Holmgren. Upon landing here on Wednesday, Holmgren's eyebrows twitched just enough to keep everyone guessing about the direction the Browns will take with their first pick, No. 6 overall.

"I'm also looking for a home-run hitter," Holmgren said, pointedly.

That comment alone will intensify the debate on which glaring need the Browns should satisfy first -- defensive line or wide receiver.

Four defensive linemen are considered worthy of the No. 6 pick. Two are tackles and two are ends. The top-rated linebacker, Von Miller of Texas A&M, and the top-rated cornerback, Patrick Peterson of Louisiana State, could be justified there, too.

But there's really only one home-run hitter on offense worthy of a top-10 pick, a guy who can score a touchdown from any place on the field. That's Georgia receiver A.J. Green. Without mentioning him by name, Holmgren essentially conceded that Green is a strong candidate for the team's No. 1 pick.

"We do [have a lot of work to do on defense] and it is [a good draft for defense]," Holmgren said. "But I think you have to be a little careful of thinking too much about needs so that you reach. I don't want to do that. So our philosophy is to take the best player on our board once it's set up. Now, if you have two guys that are [really close], then we'd have a discussion on which one to take."

Green is considered by some draft services to be the top player in the draft. Some mock drafts have him being taken by Cincinnati at No. 4.

Another position on Holmgren's mind as the draft season kicks off is -- no surprise -- quarterback.

"Oh, yeah, we will draft a quarterback. You can almost count on it," Holmgren said.
But the feeling going into this week is that Holmgren is looking for a developmental prospect and is not planning on displacing Colt McCoy as the team's starter in 2011.

"I believe in the young guy we have," he said. "I'm pretty sure we'll take one later in the draft."

McCoy has been meeting regularly with new coach Pat Shurmur for the past couple of weeks. The Browns want to get McCoy exposed to Shurmur's offensive playbook before a possible owners lockout shuts down all contact with players after March 3.
Holmgren indicated he has no intention at present of bringing in a quarterback to compete with McCoy.

"It works best if you can identify 'the guy,' let him know he's 'the guy,' and train him appropriately to be 'the guy,'" Holmgren said. "It's nice to have all this competition and all this stuff, but it doesn't work very well, usually. So if you believe in a young man, believe he's 'the guy,' then you have to go with it."

Holmgren's apparent plan is to designate McCoy the starter, choose between Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace as the backup, and draft a developmental quarterback for the No. 3 role.

Delhomme is under contract for 2011 for $5.4 million. Wallace is unsigned and has expressed a desire to compete for a starting job. Holmgren conceded that Wallace may fit better in Shurmur's offense because of his past exposure in Seattle to Holmgren's West Coast offense.

"That decision honestly hasn't been made yet," Holmgren said. "Some of it has to do clearly with Jake's contract."
John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer
"He wants to win," Mike Holmgren said of Phil Dawson, who was given the franchise tag by the team prior to efforts to sign him to a long-term deal. "He's a competitive guy. And he's an awfully good player. That's why we did what we did."

Dawson's tag: Holmgren said that the Browns used the franchise tag on placekicker Phil Dawson to give them time to work out a multi-year deal.

Talks broke down before the 2010 season, but the club hopes to resume negotiations after the league's labor dispute is resolved.

"Until we can come to something that they like for long term, this is our way to keep him," Holmgren said. "He's really good. I didn't want him going anywhere. And if you look at our roster, there's not a lot of other candidates [to replace Dawson]."

Dawson sold his house in Westlake during the season in anticipation of moving on in free agency. The franchise tag assures him a one-year salary of about $3.25 million -- more than three times what he was paid in 2010.

Many players react negatively to the franchise tag because it pretty much keeps them off the market. Dawson has declined to comment on the Browns' action. Holmgren said he has not talked to Dawson recently.

"He was upset about a lot of things when I first came on [as Browns president]," Holmgren said. "I think our relationship improved because I think he realized -- I think -- that he could trust us when we said what we'd try to do.

"He wants to win. He's a competitive guy. And he's an awfully good player. That's why we did what we did."


Cleveland Browns' Mike Holmgren keeping all draft options open at combine, adds Colt McCoy is 'the guy' in 2011 | cleveland.com

[Brown Warrior]

Good stuff. And again I say: If A.J. Green is there at #6, the Browns will sprint to the podium, as the cliche goes. But the rotten, stinking Bengals could screw it up.

My greatest hope is that the Bengals realize Palmer is serious and draft Gabbert, who seems a lot like a young Carson Palmer anyway. Palmer could motor before the injury. Very good athlete, like Gabbert.

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by Brown Warrior

Good stuff. And again I say: If A.J. Green is there at #6, the Browns will sprint to the podium, as the cliche goes. But the rotten, stinking Bengals could screw it up.

My greatest hope is that the Bengals realize Palmer is serious and draft Gabbert, who seems a lot like a young Carson Palmer anyway. Palmer could motor before the injury. Very good athlete, like Gabbert.

I hear ya. It would be nice to see the Bengals distracted with QBs considering how much Palmer wants out and how little he has resembled the same player since his knee injury. Believe it or not, Cam Newton is a far better QB than Jamarcus Russell was so I can see him intercepting someone in the top 5 like a Mike Brown. Anytime a guy with his skillset, size and accuracy can unload some pleasant surprises in front of all the right people - they can go massive stock up. That said, I do not disagree with your assessment of Gabbert. TN has been talking about Gabbert quite a bit; and some of that has hinges on the wishful thinking that Newton is going to steal alot of intrigue when he brings a part of his game that some people aren't anticipating to the workouts.

I'm happy Holmgren said this:
"We do [have a lot of work to do on defense] and it is [a good draft for defense]," Holmgren said. "But I think you have to be a little careful of thinking too much about needs so that you reach. I don't want to do that."

Which of these guys parks on our doorstep?
Patrick Peterson
Marcell Dareus
Nick Fairley
Robert Quinn
Da'Quan Bowers
AJ Green

Trade down considerations that would add a pick:
Prince Amukamara (That last name sounds easy after a nice long tailgate party)
JJ Watt's his name (Could play in any scheme because he's complete)
Mark Ingram (The Riffer theory of making Hillis a Rathman with pass receptions is innovative)
Cameron Heyward (This guy went delayed Teen Wolf on poor Arkansas)
Muhammed Wilkerson (DaBrownies praised him as a potential steal)
Ryan Kerrigan (Why did I almost type Nancy? Love this kid's numbers)
Julio Jones (I would never hear the end of it if he has Quincy Morgan hands & rightfully so)

[Brown Warrior]

The national media is focusing on Holmgren's "home run" quote, tagging anything and everything with pictures of A.J. Green. Even if it's subconsciously, I'm betting the Bengals would love to upend that.

I'm really pleased that Holmgren is managing the quarterback situation like a guy who knows... well... how to manage a quarterback situation. For the first time since Tim Couch in 2000, the Browns will go into a season feeling absolutely set at the most important position. We won't be starting a temp like Dilfer, Garcia, or Delhomme. Or a guy with a tentative hold on the job like Holcomb, Anderson, or Frye.

The job belongs to Colt McCoy, and Holmgren will surround him with the West Coast Offense he seems born to play. He'll get all the starter reps in camp. And the chances that the weapons around him won't be upgraded, particularly at WR, are absolutely nil. And they'll be upgraded at a high level.

When Holmgren says he needs a "home run hitter," it's stating the obvious but it's still encouraging, at least to me. Guys like Hillis, Watson, Robiskie, Cribbs, and Moore are terrific chain-movers but there's no featured soloist in that choir. Green is the target, I think, and after that you have Sidney Rice, Julio Jones, James Jones, Torrey Smith, Titus Young, and Jon Baldwin... in roughly that order with the last three in a cluster.

We really need to pray for Newton and Gabbert to look awesome at the Combine and in workouts (Gabbert won't throw at the Combine). We need Carson Palmer to stand by his threat.

[YtownBacker]

Cincy seemed very happy with their WRs at the end of last year and that was without #85. I don't think it is a lock that they take Green. They could sure use a premier DE/DT like us.

Before everybody wets their pants with Holmgren's quote about a "home run hitter" you got to realize that we are entering the silly season and you can't believe most anything you hear coming out of these guys mouths until after the draft. There's a lot of deception and backhanded comments to mislead other teams. I like that he said we are looking for the BPA and a "home run hitter", but assuming he means they are looking for a WR at #6 is a big assumption. A top notch pass rushing DE is a home run hitter also. A speed WR who can spread the field available at #37 is a "home run hitter" also. Maybe not to Shep, but to some others it is.

You can't just think he is refering to Green and Green only and letting the entire league know that. If that was the case, he would have been better just not saying anything. Knowing Holmgren, he's been around this game for a long time and he isn't going to tip his hand on the first day of the combine telling others that if they want Green then they have to move up ahead of him at #6.

A "Home Run Hitter" could mean a lot or nothing.

[BernietheKid]

Originally Posted by YtownBacker

Cincy seemed very happy with their WRs at the end of last year and that was without #85. I don't think it is a lock that they take Green. They could sure use a premier DE/DT like us.

Before everybody wets their pants with Holmgren's quote about a "home run hitter" you got to realize that we are entering the silly season and you can't believe most anything you hear coming out of these guys mouths until after the draft. There's a lot of deception and backhanded comments to mislead other teams. I like that he said we are looking for the BPA and a "home run hitter", but assuming he means they are looking for a WR at #6 is a big assumption. A top notch pass rushing DE is a home run hitter also. A speed WR who can spread the field available at #37 is a "home run hitter" also. Maybe not to Shep, but to some others it is.

You can't just think he is refering to Green and Green only and letting the entire league know that. If that was the case, he would have been better just not saying anything. Knowing Holmgren, he's been around this game for a long time and he isn't going to tip his hand on the first day of the combine telling others that if they want Green then they have to move up ahead of him at #6.

A "Home Run Hitter" could mean a lot or nothing.

Just remember all the posturing we did last year when Haden was the pick all along.

[PlaygroundLegend]

I hope the late round QB is Andy Dalton, he's a definite fit in this offense, and I think he and Colt would get along real well

[nmills]

Originally Posted by Flugel

I'm happy Holmgren said this:
"We do [have a lot of work to do on defense] and it is [a good draft for defense]," Holmgren said. "But I think you have to be a little careful of thinking too much about needs so that you reach. I don't want to do that."

You dont actually believe that do you? Our biggest needs going into the draft last year were CB,S,RB and QB. I dont believe for a second it just so happened our biggest position of need's were the BPA at our pick. Every team drafts for need, they dont admit it because it make's their draft board predictable.

[Vegasdogg]

Originally Posted by BernietheKid

"We do [have a lot of work to do on defense] and it is [a good draft for defense]," Holmgren said. "But I think you have to be a little careful of thinking too much about needs so that you reach. I don't want to do that. So our philosophy is to take the best player on our board once it's set up. Now, if you have two guys that are [really close], then we'd have a discussion on which one to take."

That is the second year in a row he has said this, so if Green is gone don't worry - they're not taking a reach/need @ 6..

[Vegasdogg]

Originally Posted by nmills

Every team drafts for need, they dont admit it because it make's their draft board predictable.

Not to the point where they reach for a player.

[nmills]

Originally Posted by Vegasdogg

Not to the point where they reach for a player.

Really? Everybody thought we reached for Ward and Hardesty. It turned out to be atleast 1 great pick, but the perception was that we reached for a position of need

[Brown Warrior]

Originally Posted by nmills

Really? Everybody thought we reached for Ward and Hardesty. It turned out to be atleast 1 great pick, but the perception was that we reached for a position of need

Totally agree. The notion of BPA is an illusion. It's always a mix. The Browns won't be drafting a left tackle at #6, for instance. The Lions won't draft a quarterback. The Cardinals won't take a WR. And so on. Nobody drafts players who don't fit their systems, either. It's a pretty complicated endeavor these days. The notion of "just get me football players" sounds pretty cool and manly... and also really outdated.

Love that Dimitroff of Atlanta, maybe the hottest young GM in the game, had the balls to say he's a "need drafter."

And reaching is in the eye of the beholder. Freeney was supposed to be a HUGE reach.