Terry Pluto's Talkin' ... about a sane Browns strategy, LeBron's boast and good signs

[BernietheKid]

Terry Pluto's Talkin' ... about a sane Browns strategy, LeBron's boast and good signs with the Tribe

By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer

March 27, 2010, 11:59PM

Reinhold Matay / Associated PressTony Romo (and Kurt Warner) were quarterbacks who emerged as NFL stars despite being free agents in the league. Terry Pluto would remind Browns fans that there are far more QBs in the league who weren't drafted in the first round than were.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Opening Day is a week away. But Terry's Talkin' ...

About the Browns ...
1. I was pleased Mike Holmgren came out and just said the team didn't plan to take a quarterback with the No. 7 pick. He added that there "are areas of need where we need help -- secondary and offensive line." I'd add a veteran receiver to that list, and a pass-rushing linebacker.
2. I also agree with Eric Mangini: "If you're going to draft somebody high, you have to have a real conviction he's going to be that guy. We don't want to just draft someone because he's the best available at that time. You want to draft someone because you believe he can be that person. If not, get someone later in draft you think can develop into that person."
3. Obviously, Mangini doesn't think that guy is in this draft. Neither do Holmgren or General Manager Tom Heckert. So many mistakes have been made high in the draft by desperate teams drafting a quarterback simply because they need one -- not because they are sold on the guy.
4. Consider the top 15 passers in last season's NFL quarterback ratings. Eight were picked in the first round: No. 1 overall (Peyton and Eli Manning). No. 2 (Donovan McNabb). No. 4 (Philip Rivers). No. 11 (Ben Roethlisberger). No. 18 (Joe Flacco). No. 24 (Aaron Rodgers). No. 25 (Jason Campbell).
5. There are actually as many non-drafted free agents (Kurt Warner, Tony Romo) in the top 15 as No. 1 picks (the Manning brothers). What about top 10 picks? Only four -- the Mannings, Rivers and McNabb -- are in the top 15.
6. If only eight of the 15 were picked in the first round, and two more were free agents, where did the rest come from? Here we go: Drew Brees (second round, 32nd overall), Brett Favre (second, 33), Matt Schaub (third, 90), Kyle Orton (fourth, 106) and Tom Brady (sixth, 199).
7. It's obvious that drafting a quarterback in the top 10 is a very risky move, given that only four of the 15 highest-rated QBs came in the top 10 -- only two (Eli Manning and Rivers) since 2000.
8. Since the Browns returned in 1999, only Tim Couch (No. 1 in 1999) and Brady Quinn (No. 22 in 2007) have been picked in the first round. There have been no QBs in the second round, while Charlie Frye (No. 67 overall in 2005) is the only third-rounder with Luke McCown (No. 106 in 2004) in the fourth round.
9. While Holmgren said the Browns wouldn't use their second-round pick on a quarterback, he certainly can package some of those extra picks (three in the third round, four in the fifth round) to move into the second round and grab someone such as Dan LeFevour or Colt McCoy, if either quarterback appeals to them.
10. Keep in mind the Browns will let everyone know about meetings with Tim Tebow, McCoy, LeFevour and other quarterbacks so that no one is sure which guy is their target. But it is a safe bet that within a few weeks of the draft, they will have closed in on one young quarterback -- and then possibly work a draft-day deal to make sure they are in position to acquire him.


I just copied the Browns part here's the link for the rest of the article:

Terry Pluto's Talkin' ... about a sane Browns strategy, LeBron's boast and good signs with the Tribe | cleveland.com

[Danamal]

Good stuff,
Thanks for sharing you have been on fire lately in the news department!

[Shep]

Terry's really spinning. Most writers take the much easier route, showing how first round picks and a couple high 2nds dominate the top half of NFL passers.

Given that Brees, Favre, and Schaub all had their success with SECOND teams, the ranks get really thin when you try to find lower drafted guys who did it for their first team. Henne, a 2nd rounder, is kind of the guy right now.

[YtownBacker]

Terry nails it..................................

Call it spin if you want but there is a lot of sense in that article. It shows that Holmgren has a plan and it isn't just a one year plan. It's a plan to make this franchise competitive for years to come.

You don't force picks for needs. Even if it's for a QB. That's the overriding theme of the article.

[Alo]

I also agree with Eric Mangini: "If you're going to draft somebody high, you have to have a real conviction he's going to be that guy. We don't want to just draft someone because he's the best available at that time. You want to draft someone because you believe he can be that person. If not, get someone later in draft you think can develop into that person."

I'm with the Penguin on this one.

[Shep]

Originally Posted by Alo

I'm with the Penguin on this one.

It's impossible to disagree with. I would never suggest that the Browns or anybody else draft a guy they don't believe in. Seriously.

But I think both Bradford and Clausen are gonna be good ones.

BTW, did you see a guy on OBR saying he remembers Sobo saying that Clausen seemed less rehearsed, more relaxed and genuine than Bradford? He was wondering if the continued negative spin is coming from the Bills or somebody hoping he'll fall to them.

[Alo]

Originally Posted by Shep

BTW, did you see a guy on OBR saying he remembers Sobo saying that Clausen seemed less rehearsed, more relaxed and genuine than Bradford?

So he remembers reading the transcript of the chat I linked to?

Again, that was one man's perspective on the QBs' Combine pressers.

[Shep]

He seemed to be remembering what I kinda-sorta thought I was remembering... which would have been in addition to what you linked. But I wouldn't swear by it. He thought it was in his blog, not a Q&A. Or maybe I thought that.

I just don't know anymore (!).

[Sez.EJ]

FINALLY some sanity comes to the QB discussion. Seems like they have been reading my posts.

[Shep]

Looking at next year's probable starters:

- There are five teams that drafted or signed their starting quarterback after round one: Dallas, Carolina, New England, Miami, and Jacksonville.

-There are 19 teams likely to start a QB they drafted in round one (allowing 2 for Clausen and Bradford, who will start sometime next year): Eagles (assuming McNabb), Giants, Redskins, Packers, Lions, Falcons, Bucs, Cards, Niners, Rams (Bradford), Jets, Bills (Clausen), Bengals, Ravens, Steelers, Colts, Titans, Chargers, Raiders.

- That leaves 8 teams that acquired their QB via trade (like the Vikings and Saints).

So:

19 first round by team
8 by trade
5 after first round

That's why I think Pluto's article is misleading.

[NW Ohio Brownie]

Terry has spun it a bit, but you're playing the game, too, Shep.

You know damn well that of those 19 teams starting a 1st-rounder next year a good deal of them have had or are having issues with said 1st-rounder. Leinart, Young, Smith, and Russell were all top-ten picks and have yet to grab the reins of their respective offenses.

[YtownBacker]

Originally Posted by Shep

Looking at next year's probable starters:

- There are five teams that drafted or signed their starting quarterback after round one: Dallas, Carolina, New England, Miami, and Jacksonville.

-There are 19 teams likely to start a QB they drafted in round one (allowing 2 for Clausen and Bradford, who will start sometime next year): Eagles (assuming McNabb), Giants, Redskins, Packers, Lions, Falcons, Bucs, Cards, Niners, Rams (Bradford), Jets, Bills (Clausen), Bengals, Ravens, Steelers, Colts, Titans, Chargers, Raiders.

- That leaves 8 teams that acquired their QB via trade (like the Vikings and Saints).

So:

19 first round by team
8 by trade
5 after first round

That's why I think Pluto's article is misleading.

What's misleading is how you just twinted that from the real facts that Pluto laid out. First, you can't say that Clausen or Bradford will start. I would say that both most likely will start the season holding a clipboard. You are assuming a lot with that lineup.

Oakland might very well have Gradkowski, McNabb might be in Minn., Ben might be in jail and who know who gets injured. Pluto laid out facts, you are assuming way too much. Hell, Wash may draft Clausen.

When the year starts you can lay out your facts and not assume before hand. You are becoming the "Master of Spin".