benson_will_lead_the_way
Footballguy
I have quite a bit of coaching experience and that has allowed me many opportunities to learn the game. One of those opportunities was a few months learning from a major college conference Offensive Coordinator through an internship. I asked him any and every question I could in regards to football. One of the discussions led to how Fullbacks aren't recruited often and how offenses are evolving. I asked if they would ever be in use again. He said that football cycles and they will come around again.
Taking that into account think about this example. You're Mike Holmgren GM of the Cleveland Browns. Arguably one of the least talented organizations in the NFL. How do you get out of this hole quickly and become a winner?
Lets look at what you have on offense:
Ranked 24th in Passing and 28th in Rushing in 2011
Offensive Line has some solid pieces in Joe Thomas and Alex Mack. Eric Steinbach is coming back off of back surgery and missed the whole 2011 season. While a few other young OL got some playing time and possibly developed.
QB- Colt McCoy has spent two seasons being a bad to average QB.
RB- Peyton Hillis has a great season in 2010, injuries and bad play made him average in 2011 but he is a UFA now. Montario Hardesty has been very injured in his 2 year career. Brandon Jackson was a RB3 and he is what he is.
FB- Owen Marecic was drafted to be a blocking FB last year
WR- Greg Little was solid at times, Mohammed Massoquoi has been a disappointment as a WR1, Carleton Mitchell isn't much, Josh Cribbs is a gimmick return man trying to play WR(hi Devin Hester).
TE- Jordan Cameron was drafted last year and has potential but is raw. Ben Watson is 31, Evan Moore, Alex Smith, and Dan Gronkowski round out a solid group of TEs.
What to do on offense?
Option 1)Draft a franchise QB like the rest of the league, right? It's a passing league and all of the rules are for passing. However, even if RGIII comes into Cleveland, they don't have a solid RB(assuming Hillis is gone), Greg Little may never develop into a WR1, WR2 is nobody to write home about, and the solid group of TEs doesn't have a fully developed Gronk/Graham/Finley/etc.
Option 2)Build an offense around running the football. Kansas City showed a blueprint in how to beat the high flying GB Packers in 2011, heck Kansas City in 2010 had a pretty darn good rushing attack. The Carolina Panthers a few years ago showed how to be successful deep into the playoffs.
Why is option 2 better?
It's a much cheaper alternative than Option 1. In Option 1, if the team doesn't have a successful(talking top 15) QB it won't work. Drafting/trading/signing a QB and hoping they turn out to be top 15 is a risk in itself. In this scenario a team also has to find dynamic playmaking TE/WRs to be effective to present matchup problems. Lastly, a team in Option 1 has to have a good pass blocking OL, especially at the OT position. Just like in FF drafts when people start going on those TE/QB runs, if you follow in their footsteps you get the table scraps. Most NFL teams are looking for the premier QB/WR/TE/OT for the passing game. Who's looking for the premier run blocking OL? Or run blocking TE? Or premier RBs? By switching to a scheme that most of the NFL doesn't favor, this allows for a much easier route to obtaining talent.
While not having this premier passing game can hurt if you get down by a ton of points, you are doing something that other teams don't want...RUN THE FOOTBALL. Controlling time of possession, limiting the the time a passing offense has on the field. Grinding out positive yards every down, instead of an INT/Incompletion/sack/fumble by the QB. This creates better field position. Wearing down a defense throughout the game. Setting up Play Action as your most effective passing plays.
So back to the Cleveland Browns, how do they do this?
QB- Cleveland can stick with Colt McCoy at QB and see if he develops. Possibly bring in a cheap veteran as a backup(Jason Campbell).
RB- Sign two of Peyton Hillis/Michael Bush/BJGE/Ryan Grant/Cedric Benson. Cut Brandon Jackson. Draft Trent Richardson at #4 overall. That's correct, Cleveland will have 4 solid RBs moving forward: two signed free agents, Montario Hardesty, and Trent Richardson. How much will this cost overall? Not a whole lot(maybe 13 million tops) given how much the NFL doesn't prize the RB position. However, with the rotating of RBs, it will allow for them to stay fresh throughout the game and season. Defenses will get very worn out.
FB- Owen Marecic is already a big blocking FB
TE- Solid TEs that can run block
OL- Some really good pieces here, however I would bring in more beef to help with this philosophy change. Cut Eric Steinbach who is on the downside and recovering form injuries. I would spend the 22nd overall pick on RT. Spend some money to bring in Carl Nicks and Ben Grubbs. This will cost some cheddar upwards of about 16 Million a year to two Guards, however with cutting Steinbach's salary of 6 Million a year for the next two years it's not as bad.
So overall you spent under 30 million 1/4 of the salary cap to ensure your team can be dominating in a certain scheme. Compare that to bringing in maybe a franchise QB Kevin Kolb signed a 6 year 65 million deal, bring in one stud WR at about 8 million a year, and now you see how hard it is to do.
Running the ball in a cold city of Cleveland, rotating solid RBs and bringing in a good run blocking OL. Recipe for trouble for these passing teams.
Taking that into account think about this example. You're Mike Holmgren GM of the Cleveland Browns. Arguably one of the least talented organizations in the NFL. How do you get out of this hole quickly and become a winner?
Lets look at what you have on offense:
Ranked 24th in Passing and 28th in Rushing in 2011
Offensive Line has some solid pieces in Joe Thomas and Alex Mack. Eric Steinbach is coming back off of back surgery and missed the whole 2011 season. While a few other young OL got some playing time and possibly developed.
QB- Colt McCoy has spent two seasons being a bad to average QB.
RB- Peyton Hillis has a great season in 2010, injuries and bad play made him average in 2011 but he is a UFA now. Montario Hardesty has been very injured in his 2 year career. Brandon Jackson was a RB3 and he is what he is.
FB- Owen Marecic was drafted to be a blocking FB last year
WR- Greg Little was solid at times, Mohammed Massoquoi has been a disappointment as a WR1, Carleton Mitchell isn't much, Josh Cribbs is a gimmick return man trying to play WR(hi Devin Hester).
TE- Jordan Cameron was drafted last year and has potential but is raw. Ben Watson is 31, Evan Moore, Alex Smith, and Dan Gronkowski round out a solid group of TEs.
What to do on offense?
Option 1)Draft a franchise QB like the rest of the league, right? It's a passing league and all of the rules are for passing. However, even if RGIII comes into Cleveland, they don't have a solid RB(assuming Hillis is gone), Greg Little may never develop into a WR1, WR2 is nobody to write home about, and the solid group of TEs doesn't have a fully developed Gronk/Graham/Finley/etc.
Option 2)Build an offense around running the football. Kansas City showed a blueprint in how to beat the high flying GB Packers in 2011, heck Kansas City in 2010 had a pretty darn good rushing attack. The Carolina Panthers a few years ago showed how to be successful deep into the playoffs.
Why is option 2 better?
It's a much cheaper alternative than Option 1. In Option 1, if the team doesn't have a successful(talking top 15) QB it won't work. Drafting/trading/signing a QB and hoping they turn out to be top 15 is a risk in itself. In this scenario a team also has to find dynamic playmaking TE/WRs to be effective to present matchup problems. Lastly, a team in Option 1 has to have a good pass blocking OL, especially at the OT position. Just like in FF drafts when people start going on those TE/QB runs, if you follow in their footsteps you get the table scraps. Most NFL teams are looking for the premier QB/WR/TE/OT for the passing game. Who's looking for the premier run blocking OL? Or run blocking TE? Or premier RBs? By switching to a scheme that most of the NFL doesn't favor, this allows for a much easier route to obtaining talent.
While not having this premier passing game can hurt if you get down by a ton of points, you are doing something that other teams don't want...RUN THE FOOTBALL. Controlling time of possession, limiting the the time a passing offense has on the field. Grinding out positive yards every down, instead of an INT/Incompletion/sack/fumble by the QB. This creates better field position. Wearing down a defense throughout the game. Setting up Play Action as your most effective passing plays.
So back to the Cleveland Browns, how do they do this?
QB- Cleveland can stick with Colt McCoy at QB and see if he develops. Possibly bring in a cheap veteran as a backup(Jason Campbell).
RB- Sign two of Peyton Hillis/Michael Bush/BJGE/Ryan Grant/Cedric Benson. Cut Brandon Jackson. Draft Trent Richardson at #4 overall. That's correct, Cleveland will have 4 solid RBs moving forward: two signed free agents, Montario Hardesty, and Trent Richardson. How much will this cost overall? Not a whole lot(maybe 13 million tops) given how much the NFL doesn't prize the RB position. However, with the rotating of RBs, it will allow for them to stay fresh throughout the game and season. Defenses will get very worn out.
FB- Owen Marecic is already a big blocking FB
TE- Solid TEs that can run block
OL- Some really good pieces here, however I would bring in more beef to help with this philosophy change. Cut Eric Steinbach who is on the downside and recovering form injuries. I would spend the 22nd overall pick on RT. Spend some money to bring in Carl Nicks and Ben Grubbs. This will cost some cheddar upwards of about 16 Million a year to two Guards, however with cutting Steinbach's salary of 6 Million a year for the next two years it's not as bad.
So overall you spent under 30 million 1/4 of the salary cap to ensure your team can be dominating in a certain scheme. Compare that to bringing in maybe a franchise QB Kevin Kolb signed a 6 year 65 million deal, bring in one stud WR at about 8 million a year, and now you see how hard it is to do.
Running the ball in a cold city of Cleveland, rotating solid RBs and bringing in a good run blocking OL. Recipe for trouble for these passing teams.