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Cleveland Browns (12 Viewers)

Hoyer QB

Tate RB

use your first 2 picks in the draft on o-line and potentially clowney

could see a huge improvement next season.
who would you bring in to back up Hoyer?
keep campbell or weeden, I guess.

we aren't in win now mode, so why not test Hoyer for a full season and see if he's the real deal like he seemed to be. bulk up on positions of other importance

if he isn't, make a move to get mariota next season - he's better than any QB in this class anyways

 
Hoyer QB

Tate RB

use your first 2 picks in the draft on o-line and potentially clowney

could see a huge improvement next season.
who would you bring in to back up Hoyer?
keep campbell or weeden, I guess.

we aren't in win now mode, so why not test Hoyer for a full season and see if he's the real deal like he seemed to be. bulk up on positions of other importance

if he isn't, make a move to get mariota next season - he's better than any QB in this class anyways
Weeden isn't even a backup quality NFL QB. maybe Campbell... but i doubt he will be back next year either.

 
keep campbell or weeden, I guess.

we aren't in win now mode, so why not test Hoyer for a full season and see if he's the real deal like he seemed to be. bulk up on positions of other importance

if he isn't, make a move to get mariota next season - he's better than any QB in this class anyways
Because the coach will know, if he doesn't win 9 or 10 games now, he won't get a second season.

 
keep campbell or weeden, I guess.

we aren't in win now mode, so why not test Hoyer for a full season and see if he's the real deal like he seemed to be. bulk up on positions of other importance

if he isn't, make a move to get mariota next season - he's better than any QB in this class anyways
Because the coach will know, if he doesn't win 9 or 10 games now, he won't get a second season.
Hoyer gives you a much better chance to win than a rookie who has never taken a snap in the pros

 
keep campbell or weeden, I guess.

we aren't in win now mode, so why not test Hoyer for a full season and see if he's the real deal like he seemed to be. bulk up on positions of other importance

if he isn't, make a move to get mariota next season - he's better than any QB in this class anyways
Because the coach will know, if he doesn't win 9 or 10 games now, he won't get a second season.
That's not exactly the message sent on Monday.

Anyways, Mariota still might come out this year from reports I've seen. If he stays, your gonna have to be a 2 or 3 win team next year to get Winston or Mariota. I don't think it's going to be easy to make a move for them, unless maybe we're seeing the teams that draft the top QBs this year in the same draft position next year.

 
Hoyer gives you a much better chance to win than a rookie who has never taken a snap in the pros
I would like to think this would be true if Hoyer was healthy.

Hoyer coming off an ACL tear, sorry, but that does not give me much confidence that he will be nearly as good as he would have been if he didn't get hurt.

I mean, are there really still people out there that think a guy coming off an ACL tear is going to be good to go like nothing ever happened?? Even if he physically comes back 100%, all that time and effort rehabbing his knee would have normally been spent on other things that would contribute to making him a better QB, not making him able to walk and run.

 
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Hoyer gives you a much better chance to win than a rookie who has never taken a snap in the pros
I would like to think this would be true if Hoyer was healthy.

Hoyer coming off an ACL tear, sorry, but that does not give me much confidence that he will be nearly as good as he would have been if he didn't get hurt.

I mean, are there really still people out there that think a guy coming off an ACL tear is going to be good to go like nothing ever happened?? Even if he physically comes back 100%, all that time and effort rehabbing his knee would have normally been spent on other things that would contribute to making him a better QB, not making him able to walk and run.
if he were newton, rg3, kap, vick... I worry about the ACL

 
if he were newton, rg3, kap, vick... I worry about the ACL
I would worry very much about it no matter who it was. Even Brady, who was a seasoned vet already, had issues coming back, and he even got hurt week 1.

I don't care who you are at QB, it's a problem. Instead of spending as much time as he can working on his mechanics and leaning to read defenses better, he has to allocate a ton of time to strictly rehab. It is a problem. It's a problem even if he is physically at 100% of what he was the second before he got hurt. It's a HUGE problem if he isn't.

 
Hoyer QB

Tate RB

use your first 2 picks in the draft on o-line and potentially clowney

could see a huge improvement next season.
If Jim Schwartz is hired, remember he is a 4-3 guy. The Browns currently play a 3-4, so they will have to use high picks on DL to be able to play the new scheme.

 
Hoyer QB

Tate RB

use your first 2 picks in the draft on o-line and potentially clowney

could see a huge improvement next season.
If Jim Schwartz is hired, remember he is a 4-3 guy. The Browns currently play a 3-4, so they will have to use high picks on DL to be able to play the new scheme.
The Browns are one year removed from the 4-3 and didn't turn over the DL really at all...actually improved it with players that can work in both systems. They were improving under Jauron and alot of people were against the switch.

 
If Desmond Bryant can play again Cleveland will actually have a pretty good dline rotation for the 4-3. Not sure what they'll do with Mingo though.

 
if he were newton, rg3, kap, vick... I worry about the ACL
I would worry very much about it no matter who it was. Even Brady, who was a seasoned vet already, had issues coming back, and he even got hurt week 1.

I don't care who you are at QB, it's a problem. Instead of spending as much time as he can working on his mechanics and leaning to read defenses better, he has to allocate a ton of time to strictly rehab. It is a problem. It's a problem even if he is physically at 100% of what he was the second before he got hurt. It's a HUGE problem if he isn't.
AND he'll be learning a new playbook since we are getting a new coach. I agree that Hoyer is going to struggle next year no matter how strong he comes back, just too much a QB is asked to do these days.

 
Just got some info that Tressel will be interviewing for the Browns HC position in the next few days.

Great hire imo. Please happen

ETA: schefter comes out and says the rumblings are BS.

damn you, twitter

 
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Just got some info that Tressel will be interviewing for the Browns HC position in the next few days.

Great hire imo. Please happen

ETA: schefter comes out and says the rumblings are BS.

damn you, twitter
Tressel seems like a great guy, but i think he'd be a horrible fit as an NFL coach.
 
#### it.

The Browns HAVE to draft Watkins at 1.05. Just ####### do it so we can cheer for something.
I'd love that pick there, then trade up if necessary from the Colts spot in the 1st round to get a RT to move Schwartz in to Guard.

Take a RB, QB, and a G in the next 3 picks unless something happens in free agency to fill in the G or RB.

And please resign Mack you cheap ********.

Give Hoyer a good line and whoever our new starting Rb will be a good line.

Yeah we need another CB too, I know.

 
Watkins would seriously be the BEST possible move for Gordon and Hoyer.

Keeps the double teams off of Gordon, Stretches the field, and gives Hoyer 3 solid options to throw to (gordon, watkins, cameron)

I am usually against a WR this year.. almost always... but w what Gordon showed us, we need a Watkins opposite him. Use the rest of the picks on o-line and the defensive side...

I can see us at .500 next season

 
Really love hearing that Whisenhunt will be given another shot. This comes after Banner said at their presser that nobody from last year's search would be part of this search. Have to think that is coming directly from the top because of the Pittsburgh ties. Hopefully Haslam can figure out how to appease Whiz and Banner/Lombardi because the sticking point last year was Whiz wasn't getting any power.

edit: Or, as Grossi just put it, a knee jerk reaction to McDaniels bowing out. Fact is, we'll never know what really happened with all of this. From the firing to the hiring. Now Rizzo is floating that Banner wanted Chud to fire Turner's kid and that was another tipping point if 4-12 wasn't enough.

 
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Franklin to Penn State. I liked the little I've heard/read about him lately. Much more than Malzahn. I'm assuming Franklin wanted to stay in college or he'd have interviewed with NFL teams.

 
so basically, they could've had Whizenhunt last year, and now have to fight two other teams for him after turning him down last year.

i will be amazed if they can pull this off.

 
so basically, they could've had Whizenhunt last year, and now have to fight two other teams for him after turning him down last year.

i will be amazed if they can pull this off.
They interviewed him twice so they like him.

I like Wisenhunt and would want him but as you've said, we have competitiion so why would he choose Cleveland?

Well lets look at the negatives before any positives working in our favor.

Detroit - they already have a QB who has shown he is more than capable of starting and playing well. Megatron, Reggie Bush, Joique Bell, that incredibel D-Line and a fan base hungry for any sort of winning.

The biggest thing that Detroit has over Cleveland is the quarterback and that is HUGE!

Tennesee - um if he likes Locker and/or Fitzpatrick as his QB to build around and I just don't see that so I think the big competition is Detroit.

Sold young core to build from

Five Pro Bowlers, all young, and TJ Ward named to All-Pro team to make a solid young core of six solid players

Draft picks

First pick is #4 and the club also has additional, 1st, 3rd, and 4th round picks.

Cap space

Browns hold the third most draft cap space of any NFL team

Club wants him

They obviously had more than a passing interest last year and are interested this year.

Additional things in our favor over other teams

- Wisenhunt hired DC Ray Horton to his coaching staff and he is already in Cleveland and under contract. A perfect situation already in place for his defensive coordinator who already has his system up-and-running.

- Wisenhunt lost out to Mike Tomlin to coach the Steelers and he also lost a Super Bowl to Pittsburgh. Those two blows had to sting and I'm sure he would love nothing more than to coach in the AFCN and prove his coaching chops.

- He was the HC in Arizona when they signed QB Brian Hoyer so he saw something in Brian and probably followed what he did last year with the Browns so he knoiws what Hoyer is capable of and would feel comfortable starting him even if/when the Browns draft a young QB who may need time to develop so having a guy like Brian Hoyer would be essential for taking the job.

- Wisenhunt has already coached in Cleveland as an assistant 14 years ago so he is familiar with the AFCN and the Cleveland area. Not a huge positive but paired goes hand-in-glove with just being familiar with the AFCN.

============================

Wisenhunt could be thee-guy that the club wants and if we interviewed him twice last year then he can see that the job is much more attractive now than it was last year because of WR Josh Gordon and TE Jordan Cameron developing on offense and the club already has DC Ray Horton in place and we've added players like, DE/OLB Quentin Groves and DE Desmond Bryant and DE Armonty Bryant along with the development of CB Joe Haden to Pro Bowl status and SS TJ Ward to All-Pro status.

The fact we fired Chudzinski means that the new HC knows the club can't fire him after one-year, they simply CAN'T no matter what the record is at the end of 2014.

The biggest thing to land Wisenhunt won't be money, it will be CONTROL!

If our front office gives him more CONTROL over the final roster and input on free agency signings then Wisenhunt probably has some 'guys' of his own that he'd like the front office to sign, possibly he has a QB of his own that he likes, and obviously he'd want a big say in what direction the Browns would take going forward at the quarterback position. I think THAT is the big thing and we need to bend a bit to get Wiz and I hope we do because I really like him.

 
so basically, they could've had Whizenhunt last year, and now have to fight two other teams for him after turning him down last year.

i will be amazed if they can pull this off.
You never know, but it might be soon, as Whisenhunt could be avail as soon as Sunday night.

I expect him to sign with Detroit, he is a former teammate of GM Martin Mayhew, Stafford, Johnson and Bush are already the nucleus of a potent offense and they have some talent on defense in the front seven with Suh, Fairly, Ansah, Tulloch and Levy (admittedly Gordon and Cameron would also comprise nice pieces of the puzzle, and CLE has some talent on defense as well).

Whisenhunt got some credit for developing a young Rothliesberger, went to a Super Bowl with the older Kurt Warner and helped get Rivers back on track.

 
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Dolphins announce that Ray Farmer has been interviewed

Posted by Mike Florio on January 11, 2014, 7:07 PM EST
farmer.jpg
Getty ImagesRegarded as the frontrunner to succeed Jeff Ireland as the General Manager of the Dolphins, Ray Farmer officially has completed his interview.

The team has announced that Farmer’s interview has been completed.

Farmer, 39, serves as the assistant General Manager of the Browns. He was hired from the Chiefs last year, and he was a fourth-round pick of the Eagles in 1996.

He’s the fourth candidate whose interview has been announced by the Dolphins. On Friday, Miami announced that Dolphins assistant G.M. Brian Gaine, Steelers director of football and business administration Omar Khan, and Cardinals V.P. of player personnel Jason Licht had been interviewed.

The Dolphins have committed to transparency when it comes to identifying the candidate for the job.

**** Special Note: Englishteacher grew up with Ray and played baseball with him. If the Dolphins hire him, the Browns will be losing a valuable asset and a spectacular individual.
 
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Dolphins announce that Ray Farmer has been interviewed

Posted by Mike Florio on January 11, 2014, 7:07 PM EST
Regarded as the frontrunner to succeed Jeff Ireland as the General Manager of the Dolphins, Ray Farmer officially has completed his interview.

The team has announced that Farmer’s interview has been completed.

Farmer, 39, serves as the assistant General Manager of the Browns. He was hired from the Chiefs last year, and he was a fourth-round pick of the Eagles in 1996.

He’s the fourth candidate whose interview has been announced by the Dolphins. On Friday, Miami announced that Dolphins assistant G.M. Brian Gaine, Steelers director of football and business administration Omar Khan, and Cardinals V.P. of player personnel Jason Licht had been interviewed.

The Dolphins have committed to transparency when it comes to identifying the candidate for the job.

**** Special Note: Englishteacher grew up with Ray and played baseball with him. If the Dolphins hire him, the Browns will be losing a valuable asset and a spectacular individual.
I agree and so does long-time Brown beat writer Marla Ridenour.

In this podcast interview where she makes a very-good case for Cleveland to keep Ray Farmer and promote him to GM and give him more authority.

Have to say I agree with evey point she makes in the interview.

Give it a listen if you have the time.

http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2014/01/10/marla-ridenour-tough-to-comprehend-keeping-lombardi-over-ray-farmer/

Marla Ridenour: Tough To Comprehend Keeping Lombardi Over Ray FarmerWith Baskin & Phelps - Weekdays - 10am-2pmJanuary 10, 2014 12:23 PM

Akron Beacon Journal columnist Marla Ridenour joined Baskin & Phelps Friday to discuss her column wondering why the Browns would part ways with assistant GM Ray Farmer when he may be the next start GM in the league, wanting to promote Farmer over letting him interview with Miami, and more!

Podcast:
 
Dolphins announce that Ray Farmer has been interviewed

Posted by Mike Florio on January 11, 2014, 7:07 PM EST
Regarded as the frontrunner to succeed Jeff Ireland as the General Manager of the Dolphins, Ray Farmer officially has completed his interview.

The team has announced that Farmer’s interview has been completed.

Farmer, 39, serves as the assistant General Manager of the Browns. He was hired from the Chiefs last year, and he was a fourth-round pick of the Eagles in 1996.

He’s the fourth candidate whose interview has been announced by the Dolphins. On Friday, Miami announced that Dolphins assistant G.M. Brian Gaine, Steelers director of football and business administration Omar Khan, and Cardinals V.P. of player personnel Jason Licht had been interviewed.

The Dolphins have committed to transparency when it comes to identifying the candidate for the job.

**** Special Note: Englishteacher grew up with Ray and played baseball with him. If the Dolphins hire him, the Browns will be losing a valuable asset and a spectacular individual.
I agree and so does long-time Brown beat writer Marla Ridenour.

In this podcast interview where she makes a very-good case for Cleveland to keep Ray Farmer and promote him to GM and give him more authority.

Have to say I agree with evey point she makes in the interview.

Give it a listen if you have the time.

http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2014/01/10/marla-ridenour-tough-to-comprehend-keeping-lombardi-over-ray-farmer/

Marla Ridenour: Tough To Comprehend Keeping Lombardi Over Ray FarmerWith Baskin & Phelps - Weekdays - 10am-2pmJanuary 10, 2014 12:23 PM

Akron Beacon Journal columnist Marla Ridenour joined Baskin & Phelps Friday to discuss her column wondering why the Browns would part ways with assistant GM Ray Farmer when he may be the next start GM in the league, wanting to promote Farmer over letting him interview with Miami, and more!

Podcast:
Thnaks for the link!

 
In this podcast interview where she makes a very-good case for Cleveland to keep Ray Farmer and promote him to GM and give him more authority.
Do you think there is any chance of that happening in Cleveland?
Not just yes but hell yes.

Banner and Lombardi along with Ray Farmer formed the front office that Haslam interacted with. They made the case to Haslam to fire Chud which now places the onus on Banner/Lombardi but if Banner is smart, and he is, he realizes that if he can pry his own power hand open and give some power away that Haslam would direct his wrath to the guy who Banner gives power. Banner then is golden because if the guy he gives power to is successful then all boast rise with high tide of success including Joe Banner but if the guy fails then Banner can step-in and reclaim the power that he gave away.

Banner and Lombardi are pretty smart. Just look at how they are framing the Chud firiing. They make a pretty convincing argument for letting him go.

The Chud firing was not popular but things have filtered out.

- Chud/Norv were behind Weeden beind named starter over Hoyer/Cambell

- Chud/Norv didn't initiate the Trent Richardson deal, that came from Banner/Lombardi/Farmer, Chud/Norv had to sign off on it and they played the role of good soldiers but that deal drew heat to the front office and sympathy for Chud but that has changed where the front office looks really good and got juice from that deal

- After the T-Rich deal Chud/Norv wanted RB Willis McGahee and the front office delivered him but they didn't want him so they kept fishing for other RBs with upside

- The front office signed RB Bobby Rainey but Chud/Norv didn't play him so they wound up cutting him and he blew up in Tampa Bay. That was another Chud/Norv personnel blunder

- The front office then signed RB Edwin Baker but Chud/Norv didn't play him either until McGahee got injured and Baker looked pretty good so another mishandling of the roster from Chud/Norv

About the only thing that the front office did not give Chud/Norv was a standard fullback. The rest of the roster managing was soley on Chud/Norv and one of the reporters said that they think that Chud had final say on the roster. He and Norv were definitely behind starting Weeden over Hoyer/Cambell. Chud and Norv were behind Willis McGahee over Bobby Rainey/Edwin Baker. Their were a few other personnel blunders that were on Chud as well that I can't recall just now.

So it sounds to me like Jimmy went to Chud and asked him to reliquish power over the final roster to the front office and he refused which made firing him a reasonable thing for Haslam to do but now the gentlemen who will get fired if the team doesn;'t win will obviouusly be Banner, Lombardi, and Farmer if he stays.

The only way Farmer stays is if Banner gives him the juice and if he kicks Lombardi upstairs.

It would be a very-wise move for the Machevelian Joe Banner to consider so I think it is very possible that it happens.

 
:goodposting:

Citing conversations with people around the league, NFL Network's Albert Breer says the feeling is the Browns' head-coaching job is viewed as "radioactive."
"Tough spot for them," added Breer of the Browns, who were quickly spurned by Patriots OC Josh McDaniels. The Browns have an alleged-criminal owner and kicked Rob Chudzinski aside after one year on the job, also letting outstanding coordinators Ray Horton and Norv Turner leave without a fight. There is no franchise quarterback or running back on the roster. It's not surprising coaches around the league aren't lining up to succeed Chudzinski.
 
:goodposting:





Citing conversations with people around the league, NFL Network's Albert Breer says the feeling is the Browns' head-coaching job is viewed as "radioactive."

"Tough spot for them," added Breer of the Browns, who were quickly spurned by Patriots OC Josh McDaniels. The Browns have an alleged-criminal owner and kicked Rob Chudzinski aside after one year on the job, also letting outstanding coordinators Ray Horton and Norv Turner leave without a fight. There is no franchise quarterback or running back on the roster. It's not surprising coaches around the league aren't lining up to succeed Chudzinski.
I sure would be. Chud is making 10 million the next three years to do nothing, and he can to work another job and make even more. Chud made out.

 
So what you're telling me Bracie is that Banner/Lombardi have done an excellent job getting the story out that everything that went well was their idea and everything that went wrong was Chud/Norv.

I'm 100% not surprised.

 
Bracie Smathers said:
Their were a few other personnel blunders that were on Chud as well that I can't recall just now.
little and Bess.
The front office traded for bess on April 26th.
The front office made the trade which amounted to giving up no draft picks, only moving down in the draft so it looked like a steal and was widely applauded.

The problem came during the season when Bess uncharacteristically started dropping balls. WR Greg Little continued his long suffering dropped passes modis operendi and it was exasperating to see Davone Bess start dropping passes so the front office wanted to send a signal and wanted the coaches to either cut Little or Bess and start Josh Cooper whom the coaches were not playing but kept plugging in Little and Bess over Coop who finally got playing time in the season finale and he caught just about everything thrown his way.

So Mac was pointing out that the coaches made yet another coaching/personnel blunder that flew in the face of the front office desires.

 
Quick though. The Bess deal was a great deal. It just didn't work out.

Was anyone, and I mean ANYONE, upset we had Davon Bess on our team? The guy was one of the better slot WRs in the NFL prior to whatever the hell happened to him.

 
GhostGuy,

The coaches made the decisions to:

- Start QB Brandon Weeden over QB Brian Hoyer and QB Jason Cambell

- Sit RB Bobby Rainey and start RB Willis McGahee

- Sit RB Edwin Baker and start RB Willis McGahee

- Start WR Greg Little over WR Josh Cooper

- Start WR Davone Bess over WR Josh Cooper

Those were coaching decisions.

The front office was responsible for initiating the trade of RB Trent Richardson for a first round draft pick, a deal that looks sensational but at the time it was made they knew that they would take heat from Browns fans boy did they ever.

Chud gets props for coaching three consecutive wins after the trade but we won after QB Brandon Weeden got injured and QB Brian Hoyer was plugged into the starting lineup.

The front office reportedly wanted Hoyer to start over Weeden.

Having noted the above, my biggest problem with Chudzinski was the game against Cincinnati when the team imploaded in the second quarter. We never won a game after that diaster. I have to put that loss and the fallout from that loss on Chud.

From what I heard, one of the reporters said that Chud must have went to the carpet on one of those failed personnel/coaching moves where he said he felt so strongly about having it his way that he would put his job on the line. I don't know which one.

Oh and Davone Bess deal was great when it was made but he lead the NFL in dropped passes so that was a huge problem but then he left the team for 'personal issues' but then a picture surfaced of him smoking what looked like a joint in front of a picture of Bob Marley so his body and apparently his head wasn't in the game. I heard the front office was sick of the drops and wanted Chud to either cut Little or Bess so that WR Josh Cooper could get a shot but Chud refused.

Cooper got his shot in the last game and he caught everything thrown his way which could have pushed Haslam over the edge because it came after Bobby Rainey and Edwin Baker showed more than Willis McGahee, two other coaching/personnel mistakes made by Chud. Ofcourse the biggest coaching/personnel mistake he made was having Weeden start over Hoyer/Cambell when the front office wanted Hoyer from the begining.

Oh and Haslam left both the last two, NY Jets game and the Pittsburgh games early fuming.

Haslam is the one who met with Chud for nearly two hours.

You don't meet a guy for two hours if you simply plan to fire him. You meet a guy for two hours with an ultimatum.

My guess is he probably told Chud to give up some control to the front office or he'd have to let him go.

We heard zero reports of any possible Chudzinski firing until the day he was fired so I think it was Jimmy Haslam who was responsible for the firing but from what has come out, well their were reasons so if anyone can defend the coaching mistakes then go ahead.

 
A team with a choice of weeden, hoyer, and Campbell at qb, and five total no names at rb ended up making coaching mistakes??? The HELL you say.

By the way, starting weeden week 1 was the right move. You gotta see if he improved. You KNOW you can't go anywhere with Campbell.

And stop talking about hoyer like he was great or something.

 
A team with a choice of weeden, hoyer, and Campbell at qb, and five total no names at rb ended up making coaching mistakes??? The HELL you say.

By the way, starting weeden week 1 was the right move. You gotta see if he improved. You KNOW you can't go anywhere with Campbell.

And stop talking about hoyer like he was great or something.
Hoyer looked pretty good for the short amount of time he was in there for.

 
So have a hundred backup qbs that come in for two games then teams have tspe on the guy and it all changes.

He is currently our best qb, I will give ya that. But he was never in consideration to start week one by anyone in the organization.

 

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