Step off of the ledge, Brownies. I think you guys are doing fine in this draft and are closer to being a very good team than some of you seem to think. You've got what looks to me like a HOF LT, a heathen Hell-Beast of a RB, an owner with more money than God (a la Bisciotti to Ozzie :"How much money ya need, Oz? That 84" flat screens at each locker too small?". that stuff matters), a great CB, etc.... The pieces are falling into place. As I posted in all of the other AFCN threads, I think the division is nailing it and is shaping up to be a bloodbath for years to come. I guess as a Ravens fan, I'm supposed to hate when the other divisional teams are good but I love it.
The Browns have made some impressive moves.
A couple of months ago the only pass rusher the team had was DE Jabaal Sheard, he was IT. The ONLY ONE, PERIOD!
Then some things began to happen.
CEO Joe Banner hired Chud as HC. When he hired Chud Joe gave some interesting thoughts about the team. He said the defense was an issue and he would take steps to address it. Chud and Joe said they wanted an attacking-aggressive defense that got after the QB.
Chud then got two of the best coordinators in the NFL to run the offense and defense.
Ray Horton's defensive philosophy is an attacking-aggressive defense.
The team switched its base from a standard 4-3 to a 3-4. The only pass rusher was DE/OLB Jabaal Sheard, that was it.
Free agency came, the team's first and most aggressive signing, as you know as a Raven fan, was to sign pass rushing OLB/DE Paul Kruger. They also signed OLB/DE Quentin Groves. Then in the first round they drafted OLB/DE Barkevious Mingo.
Within the span of a few months the Browns went from only having one pass rusher to having four who fit the new defense and the philosophy of an being an attacking-aggressive defense that Joe Banner and Rob Chudzinski and Ray Horton wanted to install.
Bannner has addressed the defense where it will apply pressure to opposing offenses.
With that sort of an attacking-aggressive defense the priority isn't to use top-ten draft picks on defensive backs. The first round pick of Mingo and then finding this kid McFadden in the third round look like a very solid draft to me because everything makes sense and is consistent with what Banner has said and done all along.
Anyone who hasn't been paying attention would want some other picks that do not fit the plan of action and momentum of changing the defene to fit the philosophy and scheme and coaches that have been installed.
I also love that Banner has been honest and said we won't be able to fill every hole this year, we won't but we certainly have made progress.