Cleveland Browns news and notes

	Cleveland Browns Stories
	2010 Cleveland Browns draft class A lot of people want to peg the success of this draft class to whether or not QB Colt McCoy works out. However to me, that seems particularly unfair. McCoy was the fourth draft pick by this team, and the 85th pick overall. I would say they Browns did a masterful job of waiting and not placing high expectations on their rookie QB.
	2010 NFL Draft in review: Cleveland Browns For starters I thought they would do a lot better job, then it looks like they did. Yes my friends I am pretty down on the 2010 Browns draft class. In my mind the biggest area of concern was at the safety positions and they picked up a guy in the second round that has had a history of knee problems and wasn’t that highly rated or really though of. However it looks like right now that this team netted three potential starters and we have to call that a successful draft.
	Draft Day Decision makers: Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns have a new Brain trust. Led by new President Mike Holmgren, and new General Manager Tom Heckert. Head Coach Eric Mangini also figures into this equation as well. They are a lot better than what the Browns have had since returning to the league in 1999.
	The Browns still have a murky QB situation Over the first week of free agency new Browns President Mike Holmgren has brought in two new QB’s, released one of the ones he inherited, and is looking to dump the other. Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace are in. Derek Anderson has been cut, and Brady Quinn will likely be traded. While the moves are positive from a PR standpoint, we have to ask if the Browns are actually better off. Given Wallace’s history with Holmgren in Seattle we have to figure he is the favorite to win the Browns starting QB job, but it will likely be an open competition.
	Anderson takes a parting shot at Cleveland football fans Former Cleveland Browns QB Derek Anderson was recently cut by the team. On learning about his employment status he decided to take a few parting shots at the team, but more importantly the fans of the Cleveland Browns. Apparently Anderson doesn’t live in Cleveland (I sure am dating myself with that crazy Sam Wyche reference) and he decided the time was right to speak his mind. This is what he had to say, “The fans are ruthless and don’t deserve a winner,” Anderson said. “I will never forget getting cheered when I was injured. I know at times I wasn’t great. I hope and pray I’m playing when my team comes to town and [we] roll them.”
	What should the Cleveland Browns do with their first round draft pick? There is a universal rule in football, new regimes mean new franchise QB’s. For the Browns they would need a new option at QB anyway, but Brady Quinn could stick around for one more year.
	Fix the Franchise: Cleveland Browns edition While it seems owner Randy Learner has hired some front office types to give his team some credibility, and who are able to build a winning franchise, I have to say there is a lot of work to do. In my mind The Browns have got to figure out who their QB is. It could be Brady Quinn, or Derek Anderson, or a player not yet on the Browns roster, but a decision has to be made, and one someone has to step out front and be the face of this franchise.
	Cleveland Browns needs heading into 2010 There is a universal rule in football, new regimes equal new starting QB’s. For Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn this seems to mean that their time in the brown and orange is at an end.
	2009 NFL season in review: Cleveland Browns Tough year in Cleveland, so tuff that they had to broom aside their entire front office. Now Mike Holmgren is the man in charge and he has brought in an all star team that should get the Browns back on track. They still have issues, but the won their final four games of 2009. That is not something we can afford to overlook. Head Coach Eric Mangini may be abrasive, and run the team with questionable policies, but he may have finally reached this team. At the moment everything points towards a fast Browns turn around.
	Holmgren building Browns dream team Mike Holmgren may be the man in charge of the Cleveland Browns, but he is smart enough to know that he cannot do it alone. First he gave, Head Coach Eric Mangini another year to prove his worth, and after winning the final four games of the season maybe Mangini’s way is beginning to work. Now it looks as if Holmgren is going to assemble a pro personnel dream team, instead of being vain and trying to do it all himself. It looks like current Philadelphia Eagles GM Tom Heckert to be the next Browns GM, and to hire Seattle Seahawks Director of Pro Personnel Will Lewis for an unspecified job.
	Can Holmgren fire Mangini now? Five weeks ago it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Cleveland Browns, would fire Head Coach Eric Mangini. When Mike Holmgren was introduced as the President of Football Operations, it seemed to be a virtual lock that Mangini would be updating his resume, hunting around monster.com for a new NFL gig. Then something surprising happened, the Browns went out and won their final four games. Sure we cold debate how much that means since the wins came against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. However they did win, and in the end that is why they play the games each Sunday.
	Mike Holmgren to run Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner has hired Mike Holmgren to run his football team. Holmgren’s official title will be President of Football Operations, and it is unknown yet if he will hire a General Manger or Director of Pro personnel to help make those decisions, and to watch the tape, since Holmgren notoriously hates to watch tape.
AP Photo/Mark Duncan	Can Brady Quinn ever be the man? Let's face it at 1-11 the Cleveland Browns are irrelevant to December NFL games. For the Browns the season is over, and much like Detroit Lions fans Cleveland fans are turning their attention towards the NFL draft. Of course two big questions will have to be answered by the Browns before draft day, one will Eric Mangini be the coach, and two do they need to draft a QB?
	Jamal Lewis to IR, career likely over The Cleveland Browns have placed Jamal Lewis on their injured reserve list, ending his 2009 season, and since he was set to retire at the end of the year anyway his career is now over. If his career is over Lewis will finish with 10,643 rushing yards leaving 21st on the all time list, just 36 yards short of 20th place Ricky Waters. Since he seemed content to move towards a life away from football, this injury isn’t especially sad but Lewis was without a doubt one of those special players that come along once in a generation.
	How did the Cleveland Browns get so bad? Beyond the 2002, and 2007 season the Cleveland Browns, have had nothing but losing seasons since rejoining the NFL ten years ago. The question that has to be asked is why? Beyond hiring the wrong coach this year in Eric Mangini, and hiring the wrong man to be the General Manager, the Cleveland Browns have done a poor job drafting players.
	Browns fire their General Manager As reported earlier the Cleveland Browns have not fired Head Coach Eric Mangini, in fact it now looks like he has been promoted. Breaking news out of Cleveland this Monday night is that the team has fired General Manager George Kokinis. There have been a few reports that security escorted him for the building, but the team is denying those reports, and they have issued a statement that Kokinis will no longer be actively involved with the team.
	Cleveland Browns fans to stage protest Beyond the infamous Black hole of the Oakland Raiders, the Cleveland Browns’ Dawg Pound are arguably one of the most recognizable groups of fans in the NFL. Now their “Leader” Dawg Pound Mike is trying to organize a protest of the near ten years of losing this team has suffered though, since returning to the league. While I can understand the fans being upset with the losing, these kind of protest rarely work, and in the end the fans end up looking rather silly. It is Mike’s plan to have the fans at Cleveland Browns Stadium to stay out of their seats for the opening kick off of the November 16th game versus the Baltimore Ravens.
	Braylon Edwards traded to the Jets We may be seeing the creation of a very disturbing trend in professional sports. When a stir player for a team in a given town decides he wants to be traded all he needs to do is punch the friend of another star player from the town in a different sport in the face and they shall be granted their trade. Two days after allegedly punching a friend of Lebron James in the face, Braylon Edwards has been traded to the New York Jets.
	Braylon Edwards versus Lebron and crew? Braylon Edwards is having a tough year. He wants out of Cleveland during the off season but no deals were able to be completed. His Browns, have suffered through a 0-4 start, and their Head Coach may have already lost the locker room and may soon lose his job. On top of that Edwards, who was once the number one Brown’s receiver has virtually been deleted from the Browns offense. Through four games he has just 10 catches for 139 yards. With that in mind Edwards hit a Cleveland club Saturday night and ended getting into a beef with a member of Lebron James’ entourage.
	Should the Browns just get rid of the QB position? Things are not good for the Cleveland Browns. With one of the most hapless offenses in the NFL, they had a date yesterday with the great defense, and superb offense of the Baltimore Ravens. While they had a very real chance of going 0-3 anyway, the shockingly bad play of both of their Quarter Backs may lead this team to a 0-16 season. While that prediction may be a little premature, this is a very bad football team, which has a very serious problem.
	Locker room meltdown. Cleveland Browns style I guess boys will be boys, even in the NFL, and even when there is press in the room. Apparently after a spirited practice Friday day Cleveland Browns Rookie CB Coye Francies was the victim of a prank. Francies was soaked with water by his fellow teammates and then lost his mind, throwing ice buckets around the locker room and attempting to throw a punch at, at least one of his teammates. Francies was eventually subdued by Browns Nose Tackle Shaun Rogers and escorted out of the locker room
	2009 Cleveland Browns Draft Analysis Without a doubt no draft day staff worked harder than the Cleveland Browns on day one of the 2009 draft. The Browns under GM George Kokinis and new head coach Eric Mangini have gone about rebuilding their team in the opposite fashion that most bad teams try.