"We ended up with Joe Thomas and Brady Quinn which is a scenario that we could have only imagined in our sleep. This is a day that will go down as the day the fortunes of the Browns will turn around. … this will be one of those stepping stone days." Browns GM Phil Savage commenting on the Browns draft day haul.
Three of the Browns top fifteen players were acquired on the first day of the NFL draft. According to reports the Browns draft board had OT Joe Thomas #3, QB Brady Quinn at #6 and CB Eric Wright at #15. A pipe dream fantasy came true for Phil Savage. Savage confessed that he wrote out a fantasy scenario prior to the draft on a piece of scratch paper. After the draft he found the crumpled tome in his pocket that read, Thomas at #3, Quinn at #7, and Wright at #36. The Browns ended up with Thomas at #3, Quinn at #22, and Wright at #53.
Here are the players acquired by the Browns last weekend.
OT Joe Thomas
Former Browns HC Sam Rutigliano commenting on JT: "Thomas was the right pick at No. 3. He's a OT Tony Boselli, OT Anthony Munoz pick -- a guy who will play 12 to 15 years at left tackle and help anchor the line." NFL talking head Pat Kirwin: "He'll be a 15-year starter; he reminds me of OT Tony Boselli." Browns GM Phil Savage: "Joe Thomas is a bona fide left tackle and a legitimate building block… we felt that he helps strengthen the offensive line, which makes our running game better, protects our quarterback and gives our receivers a chance to play." Browns HC Romeo Crennel: "… the offensive line needed work. We decided to attack that problem and we were fortunate that Joe was there."
Crennell: "Usually, the left side of the line is not the power side. Usually, it’s the right side. Quarterbacks are right-handed and teams are usually more right-handed than left-handed. That puts him on the backside where he’ll be involved with cutoff blocks. He’s bee exposed to a power offense at Wisconsin." Brown HC Romeo Crennell hinting the left side of the Browns offensive line will be the power side.
Interesting stats. RB Jamal Lewis ran for a full yard more per rush last year running to the left side of the Ravens offensive line behind OT Jon Ogden. Two stats on OT Joe Thomas to file away. In over 2,500 plays from scrimmage Thomas was flagged for only 3 penalties. In the 2,571 plays Thomas participated in at Wisconsin, 311 were pancake blocks. Look for the Browns to be a left handed running team.
The Thomas selection coupled with the free agency acquisition of OG Eric Stienbach solidified the offensive line allowing Savage take the biggest gamble of his career in acquiring QB Brady Quinn in a trade up to pick #22 which was held by the Cowboys. Savage: "… we weren’t ready to bring Brady Quinn to this team without the talent of someone like Joe Thomas." Phil had Quinn at #7 on his board and he began making phone calls after Quinn made it by the first dozen picks. KC was attempting to stall Savage who felt the Chiefs would take him at #23. After the draft Phil learned they were going to take Quinn with their pick. Savage also felt Baltimore Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome Savage, would make a move to take Quinn if he didn’t act decisively and pull the trigger with the Dallas Cowboys.
"Jerry Jones is a deal-maker. I was very matter-of-fact with him and I said, "let’s do it." (On thinking that Baltimore might have drafted him)- "It certainly crossed my mind. If it got into the 20s, they would not have had to give up quite as much." Quinn confirmed that he had just gotten off the phone with Baltimore as he was informed that the Browns had traded up for him. Savage: "My concern was that we were going to get so far in the 20s that one of those teams in the 20s or early 30s ahead of our pick would be able to make a more attractive offer. That was more my fear. I felt we had a good chance where we got him, but if it would have gone further, I think we would have been out of business."
"It couldn't have worked out any better," Brady Quinn said. "I have the opportunity to play with a great left tackle and, hopefully, we'll be playing a long time together." "We are going to have a lot of great years together," Thomas said.
Notre Dame HC Charlie Weis called Crennel, and told him that he had "lucked out. I said to him, 'You got your starting left tackle and a guy who's going to challenge for your starting quarterback job as a rookie. You've added two dynamic football players to your team.'
"I don't know how many teams can be as happy about their draft as are the Cleveland Browns." We’ll delve more into the deal next time, for now here are some insights into Quinn.
QB Brady Quinn
Browns GM Phil Savage on Quinn: "Strong arm, mobile, leader, very accurate the majority of the time." Former Browns QB Bernie Kosar in a radio interview stated the ability to read defenses is the key for quarterback success. Kosar said that Brady was the smartest quarterback to come out in the past two years and he feels that Quinn is set for success and acknowledge Notre Dame HC Charlie Weis and his system for prepping Quinn. Bernie feels that Quinn has a leg up since he read a pro-style offense and like the TD to INTO ratio that Brady compiled. He felt the Fighting Irish supporting cast was weak and that Quinn has the rare ability to "raise the level of play of those around him".
Kosar noted what could be an insightful negative side of Weis’ system. He said that Charlie was so effective in putting Quinn in the right play call to counter the defense 80 to 90 percent of the time before Brady took his pre-snap read noting he may not be as experienced/skilled with his check downs as previously given credit for. An interesting concept. The quality of Quinn’s coaching may have risen Brady’ game to a level that he cannot improve upon. Its possible that BK has over thought Quinn’s situation.
A staunch detractor of Quinn is former Steeler RB Merril Hoge, who had this to say: "Watching video of all Quinn's throws at Notre Dame was akin to watching a bad ball drill… down in the dirt, behind the shoulder, he's very erratic in the pocket, very jittery."
"… he really has accuracy issues. Miami HC Cam (Cameron) knows that. That's why they didn't take him. Cleveland made a big mistake." It should be noted that last year Hodge stated that QB Vince Young was not very good and would not even be taken on the first day of last year’s draft. QB Vince Young subsequently was taken with the third selection of last year’s draft and became the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to be named to the Pro Bowl.
Naysayers point out that if the Browns felt Quinn was a franchise quarterback, they would have taken him with the third pick instead of tackle Joe Thomas. Savage phoned Quinn the night prior to the draft to inform him that the Browns would not be taking him at the third pick. So it was obvious that Savage did not rank Quinn as high as Thomas but Phil felt the overwhelming desire to move back into the first round and to keep him from falling into the hands of the Ravens.
So what can Brown’s fans and the fantasy football community expect of Quinn? Quinn is an intriguing long term dynasty prospect.
Dallas Morning News writer Rich Gosselin had written the single greatest predictor of NFL success for top drafted quarterbacks was collegiate games started. Quinn started 46 games which ranks him near the top of every top drafted quarterback over the last decade, only one with as many starts had failed. Gosselin rated Quinn the best value of the first round saying, "no quarterback is better prepared to play as an NFL rookie in 2007 than Quinn." Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis believes Quinn can come in and compete to start as a rookie," "In a very short amount of time, everyone in the Browns organization is going to be delighted in the product they're getting," Weis If you're looking for somebody who's ready to go walking in the door of an NFL team, he's the guy " Weis adds, "Physically, this is a man among boys at the quarterback position,"
Although Quinn completed 58.0 percent of his passes over his career it should be noted that the last two years he eclipsed completing 60% of his passes. Quinn’s physique gets mentioned but it should be mentioned that he did not get his build by accident. His physique is a testament to his work ethic and desire to be the best. This blurb gives an insight to that work ethic. Brady attended the Blue Jays-Yankees game the night before the draft. One astute reporter saw him the day of the draft in the gym at 6 a.m. working out.
Final note on Quinn, Sports Illustrated's Peter King states that Browns get the benefit of paying their potential quarterback of the future much less than they would have had to pay, if such a player had been drafted in the top five. Very true. Last year’s top drafted QB Vince Young taken with the third pick got a contracted surpassing $57 million whereas last year’s 22nd pick LB Manny Lawson inked a contract of less than $8 million.
CB Eric Wright
The Browns had dished their second round pick as part of the package to land Quinn but were trying to fill a hole at cornerback so when they saw Wright still on the board late in the second round they made another trade with the Dallas Cowboys to get the Boys second round pick, #59 and selected CB Eric Wright. Wright was ranked #15 on the Browns draft board.
Wright noted: "The Browns were comfortable not just with drafting me, but making a trade to draft me. Any time a team trades up to get you, it's special. They want you."
Kiper called second-round pick Eric Wright "a good value" saying, "You could argue he's better than (first-round picks) Leon Hall and Darrelle Revis." Gil Brandt felt Wright would have been taken in the 15-20 range in Round 1 if it weren't for the off-the-field issues. Savage hinted Wright fell because teams did not do their due diligence into looking into character issues/legal allegations concerning Wright. Phil must have checked into and signed off on Wright’s character in order to make the move up to go get him. The Browns got three players who they ranked as first round picks on their draft board. And the exciting thing is that ALL THREE players where best players available at their positions when Cleveland selected them AND all three filled major holes on the team.
Some time in the future we may look back and see that Savage may have reached a career pinnacle, he appeared exhausted after the long and frenetic first trade filled first day had come to a close. He said; "We have upgraded the low end of our roster. It’s not guaranteed that sixth and seventh round guys are going to come in here and make our team anymore. We felt like we needed to be aggressive and get three players who can have an impact at any point whether it’s day one or next year. Quarterback, offensive line and secondary are your three major groupings of your team. If you have an offensive line that can do some things, you are going to have a chance on offense. If you have a secondary that doesn’t give up big plays, you are going to stay in most games. If you have a quarterback that can make some plays for you, be a leader and learn the offense, those are three things that will keep you in game and help you win a lot of them." "In the aftermath of the big splash we made yesterday, today was somewhat of a ripple effect. It was important for us to add some players that we felt could come in and compete. As I mentioned yesterday, I felt like the bottom half of our roster has improved to the point where we can just pick anyone who will come in here and make the squad."
Savage had said the Brown’s board had collapsed on the second day. It was evident that the one area that both Savage and Crennell were uncertain that the players they got would be able to fill the last big hole left unattended to on the first day of the draft, the defensive line.
Phil Savage (On positions he was hoping to address)- "I think we all believe our defensive line needs some young ability. It didn’t play out that way and that’s one reason why we wanted to take a shot on DE Melila Purcell and DE Chase Pittman. We’ll see if either guy can emerge. That’s one thing about 3-4 defensive linemen. You are looking for the big bodies who can push people and hold their ground. Yes, they need to make plays. In a 3-4 defense, the linebackers are really the playmakers. If the defensive lineman can hold the blockers off the linebackers, you can be pretty successful."
Romeo Crennel (On the defensive line)- "When you talk about DE Robaire Smith, he’s played in some games so we feel good about that. Some of the guys on the team have matured and have another year of experience. Take for instance DE Simon Fraser. I expect more from him and that will help us. We didn’t get the young guy in the draft to help us this time, but as Phil says, when there are many holes to be filled at one time, you can’t do it all at once. We feel good about the holes we’ve filled at this point."
When Quinn was falling and ESPN had mentioned that the Browns were trying to move up for him and then the commissioner said that the Cowboys had traded their pick you could feel Browns fans across the world lean forward in their seats, when it was reported the Browns had made the trade you could hear cheers and whistles from Browns Nation, and then when the name QB Brady Quinn was announced the pumped fists and back slaps and warm hugs cut through space and time.
Former Browns HC Sam Rutiglinano summed up the feeling.
"I was ecstatic," Rutigliano said. "I am still ecstatic. It's wonderful, just wonderful.
For the first time in eight years, we have the audacity of hope."
Sports Center just showed Quinn taking snaps at the Browns rookie mini camp. If you have followed the Browns Eye in the Sky Reports you know we have been pining away for a franchise quarterback. After seeing Quinn taking snaps in orange and brown I say it is high time for Browns fans to revel in the audacity of hope.
Aspettate fino alla prossima volta... Till next time, Ciao!
I couldn't have said it better myself peak! That's exactly how I look at it.
Not too big on the Brady Quinn move though, I think the Brown's gave up too much and I really like Charlie Frye.
Not too big on the Brady Quinn move though, I think the Brown's gave up too much and I really like Charlie Frye.
