Beacon Jounal: If defense is top priority, Browns need a Plan B

[Dan in Florida]

If defense is top priority, Browns need Plan B
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 06:24 p.m. EDT, Apr 19, 2010

Their starting defensive ends, Kenyon Coleman and Robaire Smith, are older than 30. Nose tackle Shaun Rogers is facing a felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon into the airport and could be slapped with a league suspension even if he escapes conviction. The secondary, save for cornerback Eric Wright, looks weak.

All could point to the Browns using their first-round pick on defense in the NFL Draft, which begins Thursday night and runs through Saturday.

The Browns have the No. 7 overall pick, and many mock drafts have them selecting Tennessee safety Eric Berry. That plan could be foiled by former Browns coach Romeo Crennel, now defensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs. Crennel reportedly loves Berry and could persuade the Chiefs' general manager, Scott Pioli, to use the fifth overall pick to grab him.

If that happened and defense was still in the Browns' cards, what would they do?

-- Texas safety Earl Thomas could be a good fall-back plan. NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock, a former pro safety himself, rates Thomas higher than Berry, even though Thomas is more than an inch shorter. A redshirt sophomore, Thomas is an instinctive ballhawk who totaled 10 interceptions in two seasons. ''He's got the best range of any center fielder I've seen coming out of college in a long time,'' Mayock said.

-- Cornerback Joe Haden of Florida could come back into the picture, but Mayock believes that's too high to take him. Haden turned in a disappointing time of 4.57 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the combine but improved to 4.45 at the Gators' pro day.

-- Georgia Tech junior defensive end Derrick Morgan is a versatile tempo-setter who could be a possibility. But despite his 191/2 sacks in the past two years, he's not a creative pass rusher and was handled by Iowa's Bryan Bulaga, one of the draft's top left tackles. Pro Football Weekly's Nolan Nawrocki called Morgan ''easily the safest defensive end in the draft.'' Nawrocki said Morgan ''has a motor that does not stop and his best football is still ahead of him.''

-- Jason Pierre-Paul, a junior defensive end from South Florida, looks like an elite pass rusher but started only half a season after attending two junior colleges. While Pierre-Paul is drawing comparisons to Jevon Kearse, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. believes he's a better fit as a 4-3 end.

-- Defensive end Jared Odrick of Penn State displays rare athleticism for a 300-pounder, and some think that he's perfect for a 3-4 scheme. But he's projected as a late first-rounder.

At the Browns' predraft news conference last Thursday, President Mike Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert spoke frequently about the mistake of reaching for a player. In the aforementioned scenarios, trading down would be ideal, but is easier said than done.

It's enough to make some wonder whether it would be wiser for the Browns to forget about trying to land Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, seemingly destined to be the No. 1 pick, and trade up into the top three to nab one of the two premier defensive tackles, Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska or Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma.

''I think where they're at with all the needs on that team, they'd be better served trying to trade back and pick up more value,'' Nawrocki said. ''I think that was their objective last year; they accomplished it well.

''Defensively is where the greater need is with the age of the group and some of the concerns with Rogers.''

Already in the offseason, the Browns have traded for Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Sheldon Brown and linebacker Chris Gocong and signed linebacker Scott Fujita of the New Orleans Saints in free agency.

Asked what position needs most help on defense, Holmgren said, ''Because of what we have done in free agency, I think the pile is a little bit bigger at linebacker. After that, I think we have a chance to get a player that can come in and start. When you are having that type of discussion or thinking about that, you have to toss the offensive side of the football in there, too.''

Holmgren hinted that coach Eric Mangini, who has spent the bulk of his 15 years in the NFL coaching defense, wants help on that side of the ball.

''That's, I'm not going to say the raging debate in the building, but Eric of course has a way of looking at things,'' Holmgren said. ''We were 31st on defense last year and [32nd] on offense. It's like I have two thumbs and there are five holes in the dike. How are we going to do this?

''That's where you get into the discussion about not reaching for immediate help. Let's get the best player. We know we are going to get a player that will help us be a better football team. Is there an area that needs more help or sooner help than others? Probably. As the board sets up now for us, we have a chance to get a really fine football player on either side of the football. Now which way we go, I think you have to tune in Thursday night on prime time.''

Heckert has said that during his nine years with the Philadelphia Eagles, they emphasized building the offensive and defensive lines. But last week Heckert said it was ''very important'' to get an impact player in the first round.

''If you are drafting a guy at No. 7, he better be able to play and he better be a good guy and he better be a leader,'' Heckert said. ''When you are picking in the top 10, you are expecting a guy who's going to be on your team for hopefully 15 years.''

Link: Ohio.com - If defense is top priority, Browns need Plan B

[hiwaygal]

I agree that whoever we take in the 7th position (if we don't trade down) or sooner (if we trade up) NEEDS to be someone who will have immediate impact. It sucks that the team will be paying top $$$ to a rookie who will sit and stew for a few until he's 'ready'.

I'm hoping we go D...but I'm sure there's more than just a Plan B. I would say there's a plan E, F, G...all the way to Plan Alpha Zulu 2 or somethin'.

[Shep]

My general rule in the top 10 is if you don't have your quarterback, you damn well should get one. It's the league we play in. But everybody gets that about me by now.

Fallback is the guy should be special and have an impact. That was my Shawne Merriman pitch over Derrick Thomas, who seemed ordinary to me.

My personal fear in this draft is Earl Thomas and Colt McCoy, which feels possible bordering on likely. I'm just not super jazzed about either.

If we can't get Berry, I'd MUCH rather go Clausen-Allen.

[PlaygroundLegend]

I'd love to go with Berry in the first and Mays in the second, but most people would hate that with a passion,my reasoning being we dont have a FS and our SS is REALLY shitty..

[Shep]

I know I've said this, but: We're the 32nd rated pass offense in a pass offense league.

I just don't see how that comes in 2nd as a priority. Honestly don't get it.

[mohican]

We may see some true BPA selections

[slowmo411]

Shep this is my take on it. Bradford is the only QB worth taking in the top 10, there are some very good QB's coming out next year. We will again be picking high next year top 10. Why the rush? Finish building the OL, let our WR's develope alittle more, wouldnt that help a rookie QB? This year I hope we dont draft a QB at all since Bradford will be long gone. Fix the secondary since this is a passing league you better be able to stop the pass. Correct? Solidify the OL, find a weapon at WR. Someone better be able to protect the new franchise QB and he wont do us much good with noone to throw to.
I do agree QB is extremely important but on this currant team even the best QB wont help us. Theres NO time to throw and NOONE to throw to.

[slowmo411]

I really hope for BPA selections all the way through the draft. Thats the way to build a perennial contender, not filling hole and drafting for need. Draft for value and get the most TALENT you can possibly get

[Shep]

Slow, I'd actually prefer that to taking McCoy. I'd get a 4th and pick Kafka, see if the guru stole one... and then decide whether to pick Locker or Ponder.

That said, there's no guarantee a quarterback as complete and NFL ready as Clausen will emerge. I sincerely think some of you are underrating him. He really isn't missing anything.

Locker is a major physical talent and Ponder throws a gorgeous ball and has a little of that Aaron Rodgers feel, where I can't find the flaws. But there's no sure things. We don't know where we'll draft or if they'll get hurt... or just go B'Jevan on us.

[slowmo411]

Im not real big on picking a QB late in the draft (after round 2) Im not sold on McCoy or Clausen. If its not Bradford this year then, I dont want one at all this year. Theres alot of talent in this draft and I want the Browns to get their hands on as much of it as possible. We will be picking top 10 again, we are rebuilding and finally doing it the right way (started last year). Sit back relax and have faith, this team will come together in 2011.

[Solon16]

I live in Austin...I guarantee you McCoy is the real deal QB....If we get him with the second awesome...I wouldn't trade any of our picks away to move up...this draft is too deep. If we don't get McCoy at #38 so be it...Grab a "kakfa~esqe" (Qb in 5th /Jarrett Brown/ any developmental guy)....Get a QB next year, when 5 are supposindly going in the first round!

[AdaM]

Originally Posted by Shep

I know I've said this, but: We're the 32nd rated pass offense in a pass offense league.

I just don't see how that comes in 2nd as a priority. Honestly don't get it.

Do you honestly think any rookie QB in this class will be any better than Jake Delhomme this year?

The answer is no, so the fact that we had the 32nd ranked pass offense is worthless.