BROWNS THREAD 2009 4 GAME WIN STREAK! (2 Viewers)

[Norm Peterson]

Any chance we take LeSean McCoy with one of these 2nd round picks?

 

[Reaper]

Any chance we take LeSean McCoy with one of these 2nd round picks?

Gilbert

 

[Norm Peterson]

Any chance we take LeSean McCoy with one of these 2nd round picks?

Gilbert

That would work.

 

[Bobcat10]

Massaqoi......bye bye Braylon?

 

[Tecumseh]

Jeebus.

 

[wadegarrett]

 

[The Man With No Name]

 

[wadegarrett]

A defensive guy?

Finally.

 

[Tecumseh]

The NFL network breakdown looked pretty good on him.

 

[Bobcat10]

3 time all academic....mangini smarts

 

[wadegarrett]

Found this on Veikune...

David Veikune DE/OLB, Hawaii

6'2", 257

Height and Weight: 6'2", 257

Combine Results

40 Yard Dash: 4.79

20 Yard Split: 2.81

10 Yard Split: 1.58

Bench Press: 35

Vertical Jump: 33

Broad Jump: 9'2"

20 Yard Shuttle: 4.46

3-Cone Drill: 7.20

Positives: Veikume makes his living with a non-stop motor and endless hustle. He's plays faster than he times and has the explosive first step to get around some larger tackles. He's got very good strength for his size and uses his hands well to shed blocks when fresh. He does have experience playing with his hand off the ground and was asked to drop back into zones or cover the flats on a limited basis.

Negatives: He's not really a great athlete and what speed he does have might be neutralized at the pro level. Despite his strength, he doesn't perform well against the run and can really get engulfed by blockers late in games. He'll also have to develop a better repertoire of pass rush moves and improve his balance become a true player at the next level.

Overview: Veikume is a natural pass rusher but most scouts don't know if he's athletic enough to play in the NFL. He had a great week at the Senior Bowl going up against some of the best OT's in this year's class, which really helped his stock. He lined up all over the place at Hawaii, including DE, DT and OLB, so he's got some versatility and his production over the past two years (25 tackles for loss and 16 sacks) is impressive for a school that doesn't put much emphasis on defense. He's still very much a project, but a team looking for a pass rushing DE/OLB in the middle rounds could do worse.

Projected Round: Middle of the 3rd to late 4th round

Why the Cardinals should take a chance on him: Veikume and Travis LaBoy could team up for the Hawaiian based pass rush duo in the league. Seriously though, Veikume is low risk pick in the middle rounds and could really benefit for a year or two under strength and conditioning coach John Lott. He'd probably be limited to special teams as rookie while he works on improving his overall game. In a year or two he could be ready to become at worst a situational pass rusher similar to Bertrand Berry right now or at best a starting OLB.

 

[The Man With No Name]

Productive in college. Never heard of him.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2009/profiles/dav...eikune?id=71505

Outside linebacker/ pass rusher probably

 

[Tecumseh]

Well, let's recap.

The Browns added a starters at the following positions:

safety

defensive end

Center (any chance he doesn't beat out Fraley?)

Receiver in the slot and SE

Not a bad day, but we sure do need a rush LB. The Hawaii kid appears to be a project.

 

[Bobcat10]

Well, let's recap.The Browns added a starters at the following positions:safetydefensive endCenter (any chance he doesn't beat out Fraley?)Receiver in the slot and SENot a bad day, but we sure do need a rush LB. The Hawaii kid appears to be a project.

So Coleman puts both Smith's to bench? SSmith will rotate with Rogers, which seems like a good thing. Robaire rotates with Coleman and Williams? edit: forgot about Mosely too. I guess you'd have to say we have some depth now...I'm sure we're not banking on Alex Hall opposite Wimbley, but he's gonna put some muscle on I'd assume.

 

[Fallerjw]

Here's me during the draft.

Pick 5:

Pick 17:

Pick 19:

Pick 21:

Robiskie:

Pick 50:

Pick 52:

Now:

 

[NJDawgPound]

I was pleasantly surprised when we kept trading down and acquiring picks; after we made the pick at 21 I honestly thought it was going to be Maualuga because Grossi sold me on it a day or two ago. I wasn't steamed that we took Mack, but it was melodramatic after all that movement. It's good; it shows we're committed to running up the gut.

I suppose Robiskie is a good pick and I do root for Ohio State, but I never get why fans always want to marry Ohio State players with the Browns if there are better options there. I look at Robiskie as a replacement for Joe Jurevicius, and Joe J was possession guy, great route runner, student of the game, etc. The problem is, why waste a high second rounder on that when they're a dime a dozen in free agency? We could have probably had Amani Toomer on the cheap and gotten similar results for a year or two. I wanted Maualuga or Everette Brown there.

I like Massaquoi as a player and I guess we're looking long term if Braylon leaves after his contract. I guess Stallworth is out as soon as it's cap friendly to rid ourselves of him. Good. We shouldn't have even given him the $4.5 million bonus he was celebrating about that night/morning.

I have zero opinion on the Hawaii guy because I have never seen or heard of him.

I think they should package Anderson and a late pick to get back up in the 3rd to take Jared Cook. Problem is: is there even a market left for Anderson?

 

[Bobcat10]

Seems like some good defenders out there. DJ Moore, some good OLB prospects...wouldn't be suprised if we took Francois. Sleeper pick...Ringer. Wish we woulda traded up 10 spots to take Bama safety Johnson.

 

[The Man With No Name]

Kaluka Maiava LB from USC.

Can apparently play all 3 positions which is good. 5"11 5/8, 232 lbs.

 

[amnesiac]

I suppose Robiskie is a good pick and I do root for Ohio State, but I never get why fans always want to marry Ohio State players with the Browns if there are better options there. I look at Robiskie as a replacement for Joe Jurevicius, and Joe J was possession guy, great route runner, student of the game, etc. The problem is, why waste a high second rounder on that when they're a dime a dozen in free agency? We could have probably had Amani Toomer on the cheap and gotten similar results for a year or two.

kind of how i'm looking at it. as to why not get someone in FA, i'm guessing they didn't like any of the players, and want to build him from the ground up in their system.

 

[amnesiac]

i'm not going to try to find the article, but i remember reading a while back that part of the player analysis of the team was that Jamal Lewis runs better behind a center that gets a good initial push. the article stated that Mankok did not belive Fraley was that type of center, and that is why they wanted to replace him so badly.

if this Mack kid is as good as they think he is, he should really improve the rushing attack. (at least that is the theory.)

 

[amnesiac]

while i would have rather seen the Browns draft more defense in the first 2 rounds, if you look at the depth chart going in, they had to land at least 2 recievers. and since this is supposed to be a good draft for recievers, i'm glad they did grab two in the second round. i think they gave themselves the best chance to get two guys that will be able to come in and contribute quickly.

the only think i'm left wondering is if they could've taken Nicks at 21, and then taken Mack at the beginning of the second and Robiskie at 50, but i guess there's really no way to ever know.

also, they were able to get a starting saftey out of the deal, which they desperately needed.

i think overall they've done a good job of identifying what they needed and trying to plug as many holes as possible. it will be interesting to see how it all works out, because a lot of what they've done so far does look pretty strange to the casual observer.

 

[wadegarrett]

while i would have rather seen the Browns draft more defense in the first 2 rounds, if you look at the depth chart going in, they had to land at least 2 recievers. and since this is supposed to be a good draft for recievers, i'm glad they did grab two in the second round. i think they gave themselves the best chance to get two guys that will be able to come in and contribute quickly.the only think i'm left wondering is if they could've taken Nicks at 21, and then taken Mack at the beginning of the second and Robiskie at 50, but i guess there's really no way to ever know.also, they were able to get a starting saftey out of the deal, which they desperately needed.i think overall they've done a good job of identifying what they needed and trying to plug as many holes as possible. it will be interesting to see how it all works out, because a lot of what they've done so far does look pretty strange to the casual observer.

agree...all in all I'm happy w/ what they got and think they did a nice job...just think they could've gotten them later than they did, especially the two later picks yestedaybut like you said...no way to ever know

 

[Fallerjw]

Still very excited about the trade down from pick 5, and happy about the trades to 19 and 21. I love that we got a safety, DE and a young serviceable QB.

I'm still not very excited about Robiskie. I think he'll be a good pro. He's smart, runs good routes, and understands the game. I just don't think that was who the needed at that pick.

It' obviously too early to judge the draft. I think so far it's gone well, but could have been just a little better.

 

[Bobcat10]

the only think i'm left wondering is if they could've taken Nicks at 21, and then taken Mack at the beginning of the second and Robiskie at 50, but i guess there's really no way to ever know.

I think it's pretty safe to assume Mack would have been gone.#1, He was probably the top center on most teams boards. Usually a center goes before #36 overall, right?#2, Buffalo took Wood at #28.#3, When Wood went, they were speculating that Unger might also go between #29 and #32. Really doesn't mean anything, but I wanted a 3rd point. In hindsight I sorta wish we took a shot on Rey at 2.04 and then the best WR at 2.18 (probably Robiskie), but I'm not overly disappointed with WR/WR. Will be just fine if the Hawaii dude is a player.

 

[Fallerjw]

the only think i'm left wondering is if they could've taken Nicks at 21, and then taken Mack at the beginning of the second and Robiskie at 50, but i guess there's really no way to ever know.

I think it's pretty safe to assume Mack would have been gone.#1, He was probably the top center on most teams boards. Usually a center goes before #36 overall, right?

#2, Buffalo took Wood at #28.

#3, When Wood went, they were speculating that Unger might also go between #29 and #32. Really doesn't mean anything, but I wanted a 3rd point.

In hindsight I sorta wish we took a shot on Rey at 2.04 and then the best WR at 2.18 (probably Robiskie), but I'm not overly disappointed with WR/WR. Will be just fine if the Hawaii dude is a player.

This was really my biggest issue.

 

[Tecumseh]

Wouldn't mid seeing them take a run a Leroy hill, now that Seattle dropped the franchise tag.

 

[amnesiac]

4 4(104) Kaluka Maiava OLB USC Maiava is a little bit undersized at 5-11, 229. Still, he displays outstanding football intelligence that allows for him to get into strong initial position as a run defender. He also is a consistent open-field tackler and shows good fluidity in coverage. However, we have some concerns about his overall strength, especially in phone-booth situations. 6 4(177) Don Carey CB Norfolk State Carey has good upside, in terms of instincts and ball skills and plays with an aggressive attitude. However, due to some tightness in his hips, Carey may be forced to line up at the nickel position at the NFL level. 6 18(191) Coye Francies CB San Jose State from Tampa Bay Francies is a quick-twitch athlete who can plant and drive out of his backpedal. He also has above-average instincts and good ball skills. Our major concerns deal with his overall toughness and unwillingness to participate in run support. 6 22(195) James Davis RB Clemson from Minnesota through Philadelphia Davis is a bigger back who displays good vision and does a nice job setting up his blocks, especially when attacking the perimeter. But his lack of explosion and top-end speed brings up a few concerns.

 

[amnesiac]

here's a link to James Davis that EBF found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsCU6dDNAR0

looks like a decent between the tackles running back. doesn't seem to go down on first contact, and runs over the smaller defenders. of course, everybody looks good in their youtube clip show.

 

[Captain Quinoa]

the only think i'm left wondering is if they could've taken Nicks at 21, and then taken Mack at the beginning of the second and Robiskie at 50, but i guess there's really no way to ever know.

I think it's pretty safe to assume Mack would have been gone.#1, He was probably the top center on most teams boards. Usually a center goes before #36 overall, right?

#2, Buffalo took Wood at #28.

#3, When Wood went, they were speculating that Unger might also go between #29 and #32. Really doesn't mean anything, but I wanted a 3rd point.

In hindsight I sorta wish we took a shot on Rey at 2.04 and then the best WR at 2.18 (probably Robiskie), but I'm not overly disappointed with WR/WR. Will be just fine if the Hawaii dude is a player.

This was really my biggest issue.

WHY?? Was 2-down ILB a pressing need for this team? Moreso than WR?? Again, if a PIT or NE had jumped on him then you'd have to second guess it, but having everyone take a pass except the Bengals is not a ringing endorsement of the guy's ability (or character or intelligence or whatever ultimately caused him to drop).

 

[MAC_32]

the only think i'm left wondering is if they could've taken Nicks at 21, and then taken Mack at the beginning of the second and Robiskie at 50, but i guess there's really no way to ever know.

I think it's pretty safe to assume Mack would have been gone.#1, He was probably the top center on most teams boards. Usually a center goes before #36 overall, right?

#2, Buffalo took Wood at #28.

#3, When Wood went, they were speculating that Unger might also go between #29 and #32. Really doesn't mean anything, but I wanted a 3rd point.

In hindsight I sorta wish we took a shot on Rey at 2.04 and then the best WR at 2.18 (probably Robiskie), but I'm not overly disappointed with WR/WR. Will be just fine if the Hawaii dude is a player.

This was really my biggest issue.

WHY?? Was 2-down ILB a pressing need for this team? Moreso than WR?? Again, if a PIT or NE had jumped on him then you'd have to second guess it, but having everyone take a pass except the Bengals is not a ringing endorsement of the guy's ability (or character or intelligence or whatever ultimately caused him to drop).

Did either of them say 2 down ILB was a pressing need? I imagine their reasoning is the same as mine, I think Rey was clearly the best available at that spot, enough so that ignoring a need to acquire him would have been the right move imho.

 

[The Man With No Name]

What do you think about maybe signing Greg Ellis when Dallas cuts him? He is old, but can rush the passer and could probably teach the young guys a thing or two.

 

[wadegarrett]

Interesting...

Behind the Jets-Browns trade

Peter King

SI.com

KANSAS CITY -- I'm going to have 32 opinions on 32 teams here in a few paragraphs, and a few will surprise you. But I've got to start off with a cool story that played a big part in the trade of the weekend -- and, in all likelihood, the trade of the year in the NFL.

If you're a New York Jets fan, and you find yourself standing in line at a Modell's somewhere in the Metropolis this week waiting for your SANCHEZ jersey, you really should pause and give thanks to four people:

1. Safety Abram Elam, the most important of three players in the deal between Cleveland and the Jets that netted USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. Most important for several reasons, which I'll get to in a moment.

2. Rex Ryan, the Jets' coach, who finessed a vital part of this trade Friday night.

3. Mike Tannenbaum, the Jets' GM, who wouldn't take no for an answer.

4. Dawn Aponte. Capwoman. Cleveland Browns. Formerly the Jets' cap person, and formerly a VP with the NFL Management Council.

The trade got done when it got done -- and without another team busting in to trump the Jets at the last minute -- because Aponte spied a minute clause, one unknown-to-most, in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (I bet Roger Goodell didn't know it was in there) that would have threatened the trade and quite possibly put it in jeopardy when the Browns were on the clock at 4:33 p.m. Saturday, trying to send the pick to New Jersey.

Here's what happened: When the Jets went to workout Sanchez at Mission Viejo High in California March 24, he was so impressive and cast such a presence on the practice field that Ryan turned to Tannenbaum and said: "This is our guy. Let's go get him.'' Easier said than done, of course.

By last Friday, the Jets were having mostly fruitless discussions with the Rams, picking second, and Browns, picking fifth. The Rams wanted a ransom to move out of number two. At five, the Browns didn't want quite so much, but there was the matter of three players Cleveland liked. And the matter of not doing anything until Cleveland was on the clock, because if Sanchez wasn't there, the Jets weren't interested in moving from their pick at 17 to five. Given that the Jets didn't want to include their 2010 first-round pick in the deal, they had to get creative and throw in three players coach Mangini wanted: Elam, defensive lineman Kenyon Coleman and backup quarterback Brett Ratliff.

Elam was the apple of Mangini's eye in the deal. In March, the Browns signed Elam, a restricted free-agent, to a one-year, $1.5-million offer sheet. The Jets, loaded with safeties, still matched it. And last Friday, when Tannenbaum and Mangini were talking conditional trade, Elam's name was front and center. He'd have to be in the deal for it to work for the Browns.

Not so fast, Aponte said. She remembered an obscure article in the CBA -- Article XIX of Veteran Free Agency, Section 3 (h). It said: "If a Club exercises its right of first refusal and matches an offer sheet, that club may not trade that player to the Club that submitted the offer sheet for at least one calendar year, unless the player consents to such trade.''

Aponte told Mangini the consent would have to be in writing. One problem: Now it was Friday, and the Jets had to finesse this very carefully. In March, Elam signed the offer sheet with Cleveland; he thought he'd be a Brown. A week later, the Jets matched the offer, and now he thought he was a Jet for good. So now the Jets had to find some face-saving way to ask Elam to sign this formal document approving a trade ... a trade that might not happen.

Late Friday, Ryan got on the phone with Elam and explained the lay of the land. The conversation went something like: We don't know if this is going to happen, but we know you had some interest in going to the Browns in March, and now we've got Jim Leonhard and Kerry Rhodes at safety, and you probably have a better chance to start in Cleveland, and you are Eric's kind of guy, but if the trade doesn't happen you've got to come back to us, and you're going to be a great player for us ...

Elam thought about it, then told Tannenbaum he'd do it. The Jets e-mailed Elam a PDF attachment with the correct language. He signed it and faxed it to the Jets' offices in Florham Park, N.J. The Jets re-faxed it to the league office, knowing that if they made the deal with the Browns on the clock, this was one technicality that, were it not satisfied to the league's approval, the trade could get knocked down.

At the same time, the Jets knew the Washington Redskins would be watching. If the Redskins knew they were doing this deal without a 2010 first-round pick included in the compensation package, Washington could jump in while New York struggled to make the deal, and the 'Skins could get Sanchez. A longshot, but a chance.

On Saturday, the draft got to Cleveland's pick. The Browns were set on moving down, and they pulled the trigger. The deal got approved by the league when it looked over the paperwork and saw Elam's signature on the legal document approving the trade.

And now you know ... the rest of the story.

 

[eric rymer]

the only think i'm left wondering is if they could've taken Nicks at 21, and then taken Mack at the beginning of the second and Robiskie at 50, but i guess there's really no way to ever know.

I think it's pretty safe to assume Mack would have been gone.#1, He was probably the top center on most teams boards. Usually a center goes before #36 overall, right?

#2, Buffalo took Wood at #28.

#3, When Wood went, they were speculating that Unger might also go between #29 and #32. Really doesn't mean anything, but I wanted a 3rd point.

In hindsight I sorta wish we took a shot on Rey at 2.04 and then the best WR at 2.18 (probably Robiskie), but I'm not overly disappointed with WR/WR. Will be just fine if the Hawaii dude is a player.

This was the pick that puzzled me the most. I really don't know much about the guy so it's really hard to form a good opinion on him. However, I really wanted to see they take Jaron Gilbert. IMO he is a perfect fit as a 3-4 DE. All in all I am pretty happy with the draft. We got several day one starters and added some much needed depth. to the staff.

 

[Peak]

Interesting...

Behind the Jets-Browns trade

Peter King

SI.com

KANSAS CITY -- I'm going to have 32 opinions on 32 teams here in a few paragraphs, and a few will surprise you. But I've got to start off with a cool story that played a big part in the trade of the weekend -- and, in all likelihood, the trade of the year in the NFL.

If you're a New York Jets fan, and you find yourself standing in line at a Modell's somewhere in the Metropolis this week waiting for your SANCHEZ jersey, you really should pause and give thanks to four people:

1. Safety Abram Elam, the most important of three players in the deal between Cleveland and the Jets that netted USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. Most important for several reasons, which I'll get to in a moment.

2. Rex Ryan, the Jets' coach, who finessed a vital part of this trade Friday night.

3. Mike Tannenbaum, the Jets' GM, who wouldn't take no for an answer.

4. Dawn Aponte. Capwoman. Cleveland Browns. Formerly the Jets' cap person, and formerly a VP with the NFL Management Council.

The trade got done when it got done -- and without another team busting in to trump the Jets at the last minute -- because Aponte spied a minute clause, one unknown-to-most, in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (I bet Roger Goodell didn't know it was in there) that would have threatened the trade and quite possibly put it in jeopardy when the Browns were on the clock at 4:33 p.m. Saturday, trying to send the pick to New Jersey.

Here's what happened: When the Jets went to workout Sanchez at Mission Viejo High in California March 24, he was so impressive and cast such a presence on the practice field that Ryan turned to Tannenbaum and said: "This is our guy. Let's go get him.'' Easier said than done, of course.

By last Friday, the Jets were having mostly fruitless discussions with the Rams, picking second, and Browns, picking fifth. The Rams wanted a ransom to move out of number two. At five, the Browns didn't want quite so much, but there was the matter of three players Cleveland liked. And the matter of not doing anything until Cleveland was on the clock, because if Sanchez wasn't there, the Jets weren't interested in moving from their pick at 17 to five. Given that the Jets didn't want to include their 2010 first-round pick in the deal, they had to get creative and throw in three players coach Mangini wanted: Elam, defensive lineman Kenyon Coleman and backup quarterback Brett Ratliff.

Elam was the apple of Mangini's eye in the deal. In March, the Browns signed Elam, a restricted free-agent, to a one-year, $1.5-million offer sheet. The Jets, loaded with safeties, still matched it. And last Friday, when Tannenbaum and Mangini were talking conditional trade, Elam's name was front and center. He'd have to be in the deal for it to work for the Browns.

Not so fast, Aponte said. She remembered an obscure article in the CBA -- Article XIX of Veteran Free Agency, Section 3 (h). It said: "If a Club exercises its right of first refusal and matches an offer sheet, that club may not trade that player to the Club that submitted the offer sheet for at least one calendar year, unless the player consents to such trade.''

Aponte told Mangini the consent would have to be in writing. One problem: Now it was Friday, and the Jets had to finesse this very carefully. In March, Elam signed the offer sheet with Cleveland; he thought he'd be a Brown. A week later, the Jets matched the offer, and now he thought he was a Jet for good. So now the Jets had to find some face-saving way to ask Elam to sign this formal document approving a trade ... a trade that might not happen.

Late Friday, Ryan got on the phone with Elam and explained the lay of the land. The conversation went something like: We don't know if this is going to happen, but we know you had some interest in going to the Browns in March, and now we've got Jim Leonhard and Kerry Rhodes at safety, and you probably have a better chance to start in Cleveland, and you are Eric's kind of guy, but if the trade doesn't happen you've got to come back to us, and you're going to be a great player for us ...

Elam thought about it, then told Tannenbaum he'd do it. The Jets e-mailed Elam a PDF attachment with the correct language. He signed it and faxed it to the Jets' offices in Florham Park, N.J. The Jets re-faxed it to the league office, knowing that if they made the deal with the Browns on the clock, this was one technicality that, were it not satisfied to the league's approval, the trade could get knocked down.

At the same time, the Jets knew the Washington Redskins would be watching. If the Redskins knew they were doing this deal without a 2010 first-round pick included in the compensation package, Washington could jump in while New York struggled to make the deal, and the 'Skins could get Sanchez. A longshot, but a chance.

On Saturday, the draft got to Cleveland's pick. The Browns were set on moving down, and they pulled the trigger. The deal got approved by the league when it looked over the paperwork and saw Elam's signature on the legal document approving the trade.

And now you know ... the rest of the story.

Cool story. I'm always interested in hearing about the behind the scenes in some of these trades. I think Cleveland did well for themselves this weekend. Also, just a reference point, our newest LB from USC is The Rock's (Dwayne Johnson's) nephew.

 

[wadegarrett]

Interesting...

Behind the Jets-Browns trade

Peter King

SI.com

KANSAS CITY -- I'm going to have 32 opinions on 32 teams here in a few paragraphs, and a few will surprise you. But I've got to start off with a cool story that played a big part in the trade of the weekend -- and, in all likelihood, the trade of the year in the NFL.

If you're a New York Jets fan, and you find yourself standing in line at a Modell's somewhere in the Metropolis this week waiting for your SANCHEZ jersey, you really should pause and give thanks to four people:

1. Safety Abram Elam, the most important of three players in the deal between Cleveland and the Jets that netted USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. Most important for several reasons, which I'll get to in a moment.

2. Rex Ryan, the Jets' coach, who finessed a vital part of this trade Friday night.

3. Mike Tannenbaum, the Jets' GM, who wouldn't take no for an answer.

4. Dawn Aponte. Capwoman. Cleveland Browns. Formerly the Jets' cap person, and formerly a VP with the NFL Management Council.

The trade got done when it got done -- and without another team busting in to trump the Jets at the last minute -- because Aponte spied a minute clause, one unknown-to-most, in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (I bet Roger Goodell didn't know it was in there) that would have threatened the trade and quite possibly put it in jeopardy when the Browns were on the clock at 4:33 p.m. Saturday, trying to send the pick to New Jersey.

Here's what happened: When the Jets went to workout Sanchez at Mission Viejo High in California March 24, he was so impressive and cast such a presence on the practice field that Ryan turned to Tannenbaum and said: "This is our guy. Let's go get him.'' Easier said than done, of course.

By last Friday, the Jets were having mostly fruitless discussions with the Rams, picking second, and Browns, picking fifth. The Rams wanted a ransom to move out of number two. At five, the Browns didn't want quite so much, but there was the matter of three players Cleveland liked. And the matter of not doing anything until Cleveland was on the clock, because if Sanchez wasn't there, the Jets weren't interested in moving from their pick at 17 to five. Given that the Jets didn't want to include their 2010 first-round pick in the deal, they had to get creative and throw in three players coach Mangini wanted: Elam, defensive lineman Kenyon Coleman and backup quarterback Brett Ratliff.

Elam was the apple of Mangini's eye in the deal. In March, the Browns signed Elam, a restricted free-agent, to a one-year, $1.5-million offer sheet. The Jets, loaded with safeties, still matched it. And last Friday, when Tannenbaum and Mangini were talking conditional trade, Elam's name was front and center. He'd have to be in the deal for it to work for the Browns.

Not so fast, Aponte said. She remembered an obscure article in the CBA -- Article XIX of Veteran Free Agency, Section 3 (h). It said: "If a Club exercises its right of first refusal and matches an offer sheet, that club may not trade that player to the Club that submitted the offer sheet for at least one calendar year, unless the player consents to such trade.''

Aponte told Mangini the consent would have to be in writing. One problem: Now it was Friday, and the Jets had to finesse this very carefully. In March, Elam signed the offer sheet with Cleveland; he thought he'd be a Brown. A week later, the Jets matched the offer, and now he thought he was a Jet for good. So now the Jets had to find some face-saving way to ask Elam to sign this formal document approving a trade ... a trade that might not happen.

Late Friday, Ryan got on the phone with Elam and explained the lay of the land. The conversation went something like: We don't know if this is going to happen, but we know you had some interest in going to the Browns in March, and now we've got Jim Leonhard and Kerry Rhodes at safety, and you probably have a better chance to start in Cleveland, and you are Eric's kind of guy, but if the trade doesn't happen you've got to come back to us, and you're going to be a great player for us ...

Elam thought about it, then told Tannenbaum he'd do it. The Jets e-mailed Elam a PDF attachment with the correct language. He signed it and faxed it to the Jets' offices in Florham Park, N.J. The Jets re-faxed it to the league office, knowing that if they made the deal with the Browns on the clock, this was one technicality that, were it not satisfied to the league's approval, the trade could get knocked down.

At the same time, the Jets knew the Washington Redskins would be watching. If the Redskins knew they were doing this deal without a 2010 first-round pick included in the compensation package, Washington could jump in while New York struggled to make the deal, and the 'Skins could get Sanchez. A longshot, but a chance.

On Saturday, the draft got to Cleveland's pick. The Browns were set on moving down, and they pulled the trigger. The deal got approved by the league when it looked over the paperwork and saw Elam's signature on the legal document approving the trade.

And now you know ... the rest of the story.

Cool story. I'm always interested in hearing about the behind the scenes in some of these trades. I think Cleveland did well for themselves this weekend. Also, just a reference point, our newest LB from USC is The Rock's (Dwayne Johnson's) nephew.

A blurb from later on in the same MMQB column:

You watch: Abram Elam will make a Pro Bowl someday in Cleveland.

 

[Bobcat10]

Nice job, Wade.

 

[Bobcat10]

Francies was downgraded by some for being dismissed from the Oregon State team in 2007 after an arrest for possession of a loaded firearm. He transferred to San Jose State and had a good and clean final season.

Also, glad we used one of those 6ths on a RB with some decent potential. Let's see what one can do before we go out and use a high pick next year for one.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

For those who wanted Rey M.

We didn't just pass him up one time.

We could have taken him with our top pick but passed him up at pick #5 and traded down - that is once

We could have taken him at pick #17 but traded down - that it twice

We could have taken him at pick #19 but traded down - that is three times we passed him over

We could have taken him at pick #21 but instead took C Alex Mack - that is four times we could have taken him

We could have taken him with out top pick in the second round (#36) but took WR Brian Robiskie - that is FIVE TIMES that we passed over Rey M.

Obviously Rey wasn't considered in the first round and wasn't in our sights with our top pick of the second round.

I saw this awhile back and thought it was significant.

PD link

... The Browns don't seem inclined to shock the world by taking USC linebacker Rey Maualuga that high, especially after Maualuga did not accept an invitation to visit with the Browns because of previous commitments.

Now today from Peter King's MMQB column we saw the Mangini targeted Abram Elam in the trade down with the Jets. He could have decilned to join the Browns and the deal would have fallen apart but he chose to join Mangini in Cleveland.

... the Jets had to find some face-saving way to ask Elam to sign this formal document approving a trade ... a trade that might not happen.

Late Friday, Ryan got on the phone with Elam and explained the lay of the land. The conversation went something like: We don't know if this is going to happen, but we know you had some interest in going to the Browns in March, and now we've got Jim Leonhard and Kerry Rhodes at safety, and you probably have a better chance to start in Cleveland, and you are Eric's kind of guy, but if the trade doesn't happen you've got to come back to us, and you're going to be a great player for us ...

Elam thought about it, then told Tannenbaum he'd do it.

… blurb from later on in the same MMQB column:

You watch: Abram Elam will make a Pro Bowl someday in Cleveland.

I like our draft. We turned one top-five glamor pick into the best center of this draft and three veteran players (two of whom may end up starting (Elam and Keyon Coleman) plus we needed a third string QB and Mangini likes Ratcliff and he already knows Daboll's system and he's got upside so we would have blown a late round pick on a project and who knows if they would have picked up on or would have been good fits for our system.And then add in the second round pick for the Hawaiin OLB/DE hybrid not to mention the large amount of salary cap that we saved and I really like the deal for the Browns.

Oh and Mack is a GREAT selection IMHO.

We play the two toughest NTs in the NFL in our division four games every year, Casey Hampton of Pittsburgh and Haloti Ngata of Baltimore and Cincy just signed DT Tank Johnson so we really needed an upgrade at C so we wouldn't be conceeding that matchup on every offensive snap within our division. Now we have at wost a stalemate and we could win some of those matchups once Mack is up to speed and he seems like a really smart kid who will come up to speed quickly.

Canton rep link

Alex Mack popped into the Browns’ media room Sunday, all 6-foot-4, 313 pounds of him.

... He never stops hitting the books.

When he was finished with his welcome-to-Berea media chat, he said, “I’m gonna go upstairs now and learn some offense.”

Eric Mangini said his first draft as Browns head coach had a common thread.

“It comes down to the core,” he said. “We want smart, tough, hard-working guys who are selfless, and football is truly important to them.”

I like the draft but two things bothered me about the draft.1. I would have prefered a bigger splash in addressing our pass rush but Mangini said he felt the lack of a pass rush was more a sympton of a lack of communication between the coverage and pass rush pressure. Not sure I'm buying that one at the momement but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt till proven otherwise.

2. We could (read SHOULD) have traded our top pick of the second round to Denver for their first round pick next year. I like Robie but I'd much rather have Denver's first round pick next year than have Brian Robiskie.

I think Denver is going to fall hard this year. They have virtually no 3-4 D-Lineman and their weak at the heart of a 3-4, the linebacker position. Heck McDaniels is saying that they are good at linebacker and the first linebacker that he lists to defend that take is Andra Davis the guy we didn't bother to resign as a free agent. So I think Denver's first pick next year is going to be in the top-ten and possibly the top five. John Clayton said it might be the FIRST PICK in next year's draft and he may be right so I'd much rather have a top, ten/five/or thee top pick of next year's draft rather than Brian Robiskie but I do like Robie and think he'll come in and do very well as a rookie.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Do you guys think they still make the trade with NYJ if Curry is there @ 1.05? And if he was there and they do still make the trade how would have felt?

 

[wadegarrett]

Do you guys think they still make the trade with NYJ if Curry is there @ 1.05?

Good question and I have no idea the answer.

And if he was there and they do still make the trade how would have felt?

I would have been fine w/ it as them trading out was my first option all along.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Do you guys think they still make the trade with NYJ if Curry is there @ 1.05? And if he was there and they do still make the trade how would have felt?

I would have said no but I think Mangini really had a hard on for Elam and I think he also likes Ratcliff more than people realize so I go from saying no to not really knowing what would have happened if Curry were there but I'm happy how things turned out. Just look at the $47.1 million signing bonus for Stafford and you can bet big bucks that Sanchez is going to rake in over $35 million and that means Curry is going to demand a king's ranson for his contract. Now we can go out and target quality free agents and we can direct some of that loot to re-signing our veteran free agents. I bet Mangini told Braylon that if he returned to his Pro Bowl form that he would get rewarded so I think we have a motivated Braylon Edwards and a heck of a lot more in our war chest to get at least one other quality veteran free agent.

 

[Bobcat10]

Another nugget:

If the labor impasse is not resolved by October and the salary cap is abolished next year, Edwards, a five-year player, can only be a restricted free agent. The Browns could tender him a contract and let him walk for first- and third-round picks.

Pretty much with you Bracie. But, even though we pass on a guy one, two, etc times, doesn't mean he never gains some value as he falls further down in the draft. I mean, thank goodness we didn't take him at 5 or 19 or whatever knowing how far he actually fell. I'm convinced the Browns didn't want him so I'm perfectly fine with us not taking him, we had our last chance to grab him and passed. I just know we all complain about our LB's here and there is some mystique this year with USC LB's. We'll see how it plays out.

 

[Bobcat10]

2. We could (read SHOULD) have traded our top pick of the second round to Denver for their first round pick next year. I like Robie but I'd much rather have Denver's first round pick next year than have Brian Robiskie.

 

[amnesiac]

Do you guys think they still make the trade with NYJ if Curry is there @ 1.05? And if he was there and they do still make the trade how would have felt?

i think taking Curry that high makes a lot more sense for a team playing 4-3 than the 3-4, so it wouldn't have made any difference to me.i still think Raji would've been a great pick at 1.05.but if this Mack kid is a beast at center for 1.21 money, i think it's a great trade.

 

[BoltThrower]

You watch: Abram Elam will make a Pro Bowl someday in Cleveland.

remember also - they may not be studs but they did get a serviceable DE and S in the Jets trade.

we already have like 10 of those kinds of guys and they suck

 

[Bobcat10]

So Graham Harrell coming to town. Anyone have an extensive list? I've heard a few names but can't find anything.

 

[Zot]

The Browns last year were 4-12 but were much better than a 4-12 team. They had one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, and suffered a lot of injuries, key injuries too. When you have to resort to Ken Dorsey at QB, it GREATLY skews everyone's view as to how talented you are. It really does.

Now its 2009. They should be healthier, and the schedule is pretty weak. The Browns draw only 5 playoff teams from a year ago - and 4 of those are 2 games apiece with the Steelers and Ravens. The only other playoff team is the 8-8 Chargers.

I feel pretty confident that the Browns OL can handle this schedule very, very well. They will be able to do what they want on offense for most of the season. Almost every game on this schedule I see myself saying "they have a serious chance to win". I see the Browns going 10-6 this year. If they catch some breaks, it could be 11 or 12. I don't think this is a "12 win team" but the schedule is so soft they could be 12-win pretenders. But 10-6 is what I see.

Unfortunately, the Steelers and Ravens have even easier schedules.

I see the division as:

Steelers 13-3

Ravens 12-4

Browns 10-6

Bengals haha

The Browns, even with 10 wins, will probably be in a dogfight to make the playoffs in this division, and if the Browns make the playoffs, I don't see it being anything other than a 6 seed. That will probably get them a playoff game with the Patriots if you ask me, since the Patriots will be a really good team with a really hard schedule and won't get a bye.

 

[thecardiackid]

The Browns last year were 4-12 but were much better than a 4-12 team. They had one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, and suffered a lot of injuries, key injuries too. When you have to resort to Ken Dorsey at QB, it GREATLY skews everyone's view as to how talented you are. It really does.Now its 2009. They should be healthier, and the schedule is pretty weak. The Browns draw only 5 playoff teams from a year ago - and 4 of those are 2 games apiece with the Steelers and Ravens. The only other playoff team is the 8-8 Chargers. I feel pretty confident that the Browns OL can handle this schedule very, very well. They will be able to do what they want on offense for most of the season. Almost every game on this schedule I see myself saying "they have a serious chance to win". I see the Browns going 10-6 this year. If they catch some breaks, it could be 11 or 12. I don't think this is a "12 win team" but the schedule is so soft they could be 12-win pretenders. But 10-6 is what I see. Unfortunately, the Steelers and Ravens have even easier schedules. I see the division as:Steelers 13-3Ravens 12-4Browns 10-6Bengals hahaThe Browns, even with 10 wins, will probably be in a dogfight to make the playoffs in this division, and if the Browns make the playoffs, I don't see it being anything other than a 6 seed. That will probably get them a playoff game with the Patriots if you ask me, since the Patriots will be a really good team with a really hard schedule and won't get a bye.

Well, I can appreciate your optimism, but even as a die hard Brownie fan - I just can't see that happening. New coach/staff/system to learn, the D is still well below average, a RB on the downside of his career, and we don't even have a clear cut QB. Even when we do settle on a qb, they're both relatively unproven. The only NFL elite unit we have is O line.I'd be VERY happy to be competitive and end up w/ 7 or 8 wins, and a BIG step forward in the rebuilding process.

 

[Zot]

The Browns last year were 4-12 but were much better than a 4-12 team. They had one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, and suffered a lot of injuries, key injuries too. When you have to resort to Ken Dorsey at QB, it GREATLY skews everyone's view as to how talented you are. It really does.Now its 2009. They should be healthier, and the schedule is pretty weak. The Browns draw only 5 playoff teams from a year ago - and 4 of those are 2 games apiece with the Steelers and Ravens. The only other playoff team is the 8-8 Chargers. I feel pretty confident that the Browns OL can handle this schedule very, very well. They will be able to do what they want on offense for most of the season. Almost every game on this schedule I see myself saying "they have a serious chance to win". I see the Browns going 10-6 this year. If they catch some breaks, it could be 11 or 12. I don't think this is a "12 win team" but the schedule is so soft they could be 12-win pretenders. But 10-6 is what I see. Unfortunately, the Steelers and Ravens have even easier schedules. I see the division as:Steelers 13-3Ravens 12-4Browns 10-6Bengals hahaThe Browns, even with 10 wins, will probably be in a dogfight to make the playoffs in this division, and if the Browns make the playoffs, I don't see it being anything other than a 6 seed. That will probably get them a playoff game with the Patriots if you ask me, since the Patriots will be a really good team with a really hard schedule and won't get a bye.

Well, I can appreciate your optimism, but even as a die hard Brownie fan - I just can't see that happening. New coach/staff/system to learn, the D is still well below average, a RB on the downside of his career, and we don't even have a clear cut QB. Even when we do settle on a qb, they're both relatively unproven. The only NFL elite unit we have is O line.I'd be VERY happy to be competitive and end up w/ 7 or 8 wins, and a BIG step forward in the rebuilding process.

I'd counter that you are arguing a different point. You seem to be saying the Browns are not an elite team and have holes. I agree. However you CAN have a lot of holes and win 10 games if the schedule is soft and you do have some strengths, and the Browns have strengths especially at OL. 10 games isn't saying they are super bowl contenders. Take for example the Saints of a few years ago. They were 10-6 and went to the NFC championship game. Their defense was absolutely awful. They had lots of problems. But they won 10. I think the only way the Browns win 6 is if they are decimated by injuries again.

 

[Norm Peterson]

So Graham Harrell coming to town. Anyone have an extensive list? I've heard a few names but can't find anything.

BrownsS Nate Ness (Arizona)

WR Jordan Norwood (Penn St.)

S Jason Venson (UCF)

OG Marlon Davis (Alabama)

DL Adam Hoppel (Cinci

DB Corey Boudreaux (SDSU)

WR Brent Casteel (Utah)

p Chris Lynch (Albany)

QB Graham Harrel (Texas Tech) (Tryout for Contract - could sign with Dallas)

LINK

This link is great. It keeps getting updated. Be sure to check out the TE the Jets signed.