Browns surrounded by many questions which might not be answered until August

[DawgFan]

one point on the exotic blitzes...I agree that using them is a key to stopping the pass...but the vast majority of these end up LEAVING THE CB'S IN ONE ON ONE. That is why the CB is going to be a huge get going forward. In fact, the point made about the rules favoring the WR is exactly one of the reasons really good CB's will be selected high. It is a rare talent that can operate within the confines of the rules placed on CB's....and if you find 1 or 2 every couple years, you have to draft them high to get them.

I really think the COVER SAFETY is also going to be a top 10 regular. The S that is able to bring the wood, but also has CB skills. It allows the team to basically have a nickle type guy on the field every down...and you never know if he will be in coverage, playing over top, or plugging up the box.

So, personally, I think the TOP COVER CORNERS and COVER SAFETIES are going to be a regular addition to top 10 picks of the draft.

[Sez.EJ]

I don't buy the argument that if Hayen does not start every play we should have drafted a skill position guy... Here is why I say this.

If we drafted a Skill position guy instead of Hayden there is still no guarentee that guy would start on day 1...

If we had drafted Spiller (or other RB) ..He might be a backup/situational player..
If we drafted Dez (or other wr).. He also might only start out as the slot guy..
If we drafted a QB round 1.. still not starting on day 1

You can argue that's not true..but you don't know.. sometimes rookies have contract issues, playbook issues, injuries, and other things that prevent them from starting right away..right Brady Quinn? Contract screwed himself out of the starting job.


Fact is ..I think it's a stupid assessment to say that Hayden is a dumb pick if he does not start day 1.. first of all look at the big picture.. So he does not start day 1 this year..big deal... But then he starts the next 9 seasons and is great...... ????? HUH.. Get it.. look past opening day...look past 1 year... The second reason I say it's a stupid asessment.. We will face 3,4,5 reciever sets all year..so who is #1 or 2 or 3 is irrelevent since they will all be on the field a whole lot.. 3rd point.. Brown is 32 years old.. he could lose his legs any time.. it happens seemingly overnight to a lot of these guys.. 4th point... name the last time we did not have DB's injured during the season and needed guys to step in and play... Uhhhh I'm waiting??? Yeah.. I can't remember the last time we went a season injury free either..

Big picture guys.. Hayden may or may not start day 1... but if he starts the next 9 seasons.??? think about it. He has a good shot to start day one as any of the other guys.. Basing this on the very first mini camp.. not smart..

[King of Kings]

I don't know about CB becoming all the rage, but I think it will become regular and a normal thing for cornerbacks to go within the top 10. Maybe not, but I can envision it, especially when you're going up against 4 and 5 WR sets regularly and unable to double up on a Larry Fitz or Randy Moss teams are going to be looking for the next Darrell Revis.

This whole McCoy thing, yeah, I agree, there are alot of good vibes there. I'll admit I have a TON of hope he pans out and becomes our guy for the future. I've grown to really like Colt, plus i'm sick of this neverending QB search and would like to see it finally come to an end. Besides how cool of a story would THAT be? This "undersized" QB panned by critics(yet projected a late 1st-early 2nd) falls into Mike Holmgrens lap in round 3 and Holmgren molds him into a franchise QB, working his magic as only he can. That would be cool. Very cool.

Originally Posted by Shep

I actually mostly agree with this post, probably because it mostly agrees with mine. We're talking about perception and the media, etc. and so on.

I'm not sure I agree that top 10 corners are gonna become all the rage, in spite of the valid logic. They're pretty hamstrung by the rules, which is why we have one real superstar of note (Revis) at CB... and tons of QBs and WRs.

I think dealing with the pass offense will be done, in this order, by...

1. Your own pass offense. You must be able to keep up.
2. Defensive coordinators, zones, and schemes.
3. Pass rush. Throwing exotic blitzes at teams is going to be huge.

But almost everything else? I agree. I think McCoy fell into our laps and it might be a very happy accident... or it might be our A.J. Feeley type of backup for many years.

I get a pretty good vibe off it, though. Holmgren, WCO, McCoy... it could add up.

[Shep]

Good point on the cover safety thing, which we're starting to see. I totally agree. That's a change that makes sense, asking safeties to do more in the passing game.

But I don't think the league will suddenly find better corners, like we've been skipping over them before now. We'll just draft them higher (briefly, I bet).

No reason to think the corners will be better, right? They'll just make more money. So that's not really a change that improves anything as far as counteracting the explosive passing games.

The safety thing is.

Originally Posted by DawgFan

one point on the exotic blitzes...I agree that using them is a key to stopping the pass...but the vast majority of these end up LEAVING THE CB'S IN ONE ON ONE. That is why the CB is going to be a huge get going forward. In fact, the point made about the rules favoring the WR is exactly one of the reasons really good CB's will be selected high. It is a rare talent that can operate within the confines of the rules placed on CB's....and if you find 1 or 2 every couple years, you have to draft them high to get them.

I really think the COVER SAFETY is also going to be a top 10 regular. The S that is able to bring the wood, but also has CB skills. It allows the team to basically have a nickle type guy on the field every down...and you never know if he will be in coverage, playing over top, or plugging up the box.

So, personally, I think the TOP COVER CORNERS and COVER SAFETIES are going to be a regular addition to top 10 picks of the draft.

[Shep]

To be direct: I think ANYTIME you draft a player in the top 10 and he doesn't start? That's not good. That's never a happy thing.

But when you're drafting any position unusually high, it puts even more of a spotlight on it. If you take a center in round one, he really better start. If you take a corner in the top 10, he really better start.

Or you should've drafted something else.

[mz.]

Originally Posted by Shep

But when you're drafting any position unusually high

This is just a weird road to go down unless we're talking K, P, LS or interior offensive lineman. Probably b/c I don't really agree with the notion...

[Shep]

Originally Posted by mz.

This is just a weird road to go down unless we're talking K, P, LS or interior offensive lineman. Probably b/c I don't really agree with the notion...

Most GMs do, though. Even the ones who won't talk about it. All rules are made to be broken (ask Pioli), but there are positions on the field that allow for more impact than others, obviously. And that's where you want to have your "among the best in the league" guys. That's where you want your cap dollars.

If Team A has a top 10 quarterback and a top 10 pass rusher... I'll pick them over Team B, who has a top 10 left guard and top 10 corner. Over and over.

But we could have stopped with Team A having the top 10 QB and Team B NOT having one. That pretty much tells the tale in today's NFL.

[Sez.EJ]

I refute this idea that #1 picks have to start right away.. Here are last years number 1's.. I am guessing only about 20% started on opening day.. even the guys in the top 15.. the number went up to maybe 70% as the season went on. ..I think you guys have a very warped view of what's important.. I don't care if a guy starts in game 1... I would like to see him there by game 9... and then for the next 7-9 years.. that's how I see it anyway.. Mack was one of the few that did start..and most of us were surprised and not saying this same thing last year.. we expected him to watch a few games..

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