It’s that time of year again. The long offseason is nearly
over and the Browns will prepare for the 2007 season. Phil Savage had a
productive free agent season and the Browns appear to have added three impact
players through the draft.
Still, there were so many holes to fill that they
simply could not all be filled for this year. The Browns are looking to be
competitive, especially within the AFC North. In 2006, they were swept by the rest
of the division for the first time ever.
If you read the Orange and Brown Report on a regular basis, I
know you are familiar with the issues facing the team. Let me give you some
things to look for position by position during camp and the preseason.
Quarterback
This is the position that most people will be watching. The
Browns have a wide-open competition her because the play from the quarterback
position was not great in 2006. Incumbent Charlie Frye got 11 starts last year.
The question was whether he would improve his game over the off-season and make
better decisions. In his starts in late 2005, my concern was that he was too
careless with the ball. That did not change in 2006. He threw too many
interceptions and had several costly fumbles. Frye showed a tendency to settle
for underneath throws when intermediate ones were available, and so the Browns
did not move the ball. I’m skeptical that Frye has improved over the offseason.
Will Frye step up thanks to increased competition?
Derek Anderson was an unknown going into 2006. The book on
Anderson was that he had a good arm, but tossed too many interceptions in college. Anderson got a
chance when Frye was injured in the Kansas City game. He showed good decision
making and was quick with the ball, but he also showed questionable accuracy. In
his final start, Tampa Bay picked off Anderson four times. Anderson did enough
to play himself into the competition, but I’m doubtful Anderson can develop into
a true NFL starter. He might hold the chair for a while this year, though. Will
he show improvement over the end of last year?
The Browns gave up a 2008 1st round pick to get
Brady Quinn. His legendary fall on draft day made Quinn’s a household name.
Quinn played in the highly touted program at Notre Dame under former NFL
coordinator Charlie Weiss. As with any rookie, there is a huge debate as to
whether the Browns should let him sit and watch or throw him in the fire. There
were hints that Quinn might hold out, though, which could make this debate moot
if he misses too much time. Is Quinn ready to make the leap?
The Browns also have Ken Dorsey who has physical limitations,
but is a student of the game. The Browns might consider keeping him as more of a
player/coach than as a top-notch signal caller.
Running Back
Here is another position that has a lot of question marks
going into camp. The Browns signed an old nemesis, Jamal Lewis to replace Reuben Droughns, who was traded to the Giants. Lewis has faded over the last two years,
but rumor has it that he is over his issue with bone spurs. Despite the fact
that Lewis is 28, he has a lot of miles on him. I’m skeptical he can regain the
form he had in his prime. On the other hand, if Lewis can perform at the same
level as Droughns or better, at least the Browns haven’t lost anything.
Beyond Lewis, there will be a lot of sorting out to do. Jason Wright is an unheralded player out of Northwestern who did a solid job as a
change of pace back last year. He ran with determination and showed excellent
hands out of the backfield. But Wright is not going to hold up as the feature
back if Lewis goes down. Can Wright develop into something nobody expects?
Last year’s 5th round pick, Jerome Harrison, had
good credentials in college and showed flashes in the preseason. But while he
could run, the other aspects of his game, such as chipping a rusher and catching
passes, were sorely lacking. Harrison largely rode the pine. Harrison has
supposedly bulked up. Can he step up to have a role?
Lawrence Vickers got some limited playing time in 2006 and
showed good hands as a receiver. He did not run much. What might the Browns ask
him to do in the new offense? The Browns also have Chris Barclay who not only
ran well in garbage time last preseason, but tore up the now defunct NFL Europe.
Can Barclay parlay that into any kind of role on this team? Jerome Jackson is an
undrafted free agent who is a long shot to stick.
Wide Receiver
This position looked like a strength last season, but it
rapidly devolved into chaos. Braylon Edwards proved the critics wrong and
returned quickly from a devastating knee injury in late 2005. But beyond that,
Edwards didn’t always make plays and was involved in too many off-the-field
issues, including defying team rules to be at the Ohio State-Michigan game, and
a disputed confrontation on the sideline involving Charlie Frye, though it
appeared the real target was the offensive line. In year three, can Edwards grow
into a receiver worthy of the third overall pick?
The Browns brought in Joe Jurevicius to provide veteran
leadership. He did that, but injuries kept him off the field for a good chunk of
the season. Also, the coaching staff often played Dennis Northcutt rather than
Jurevicius. Can Jurevicius be an impact player for the Browns, especially on
third down?
With Northcutt’s departure, the rest of the jobs on the receiver corps is
wide open. Special teams ace Josh Cribbs got some chances on offense, but never
really made much of an impact. Can he do the job on offense? 2006 third round
pick Travis Wilson was in the doghouse with Romeo Crennel and never really got a
chance to play until the last few weeks. He showed some promise in very limited
chances. The Browns added Tim Carter in the Droughns trade. The book on Carter
has been good speed, bad hands. Will a change of scenery help him to be a
productive player? There are also a number of undrafted free agents, 7th
round pick Syndric Steptoe, and practice squad returnee Kendric Mosley.
Tight End
The Browns got great production out of this position last
year. This year should be the same as long as Kellen Winslow can return after
more surgery on his knee. His 89 catches tied the Browns record set by Ozzie
Newsome, and Winslow frequently said he was playing in pain. If he recovers, it
will be interesting to see if he can improve on that. Winslow’s health is a huge
question for the offense.
Steve Heiden is a solid tight end. Paired with Winslow,
Heiden’s good hands make him a great decoy and change of pace. Other than one
high profile and uncharacteristic drop, Heiden had a solid 2006 season. Can the
Browns find ways to use Heiden effectively? Darnell Dinkins was the third tight
end in 2006. He is a decent blocker and a good special teams player. The Browns
also brought in veteran Ryan Krause and Buck Ortega to provide some insurance
and competition.
Offensive Line
The Browns made the line a priority in the offseason. In many
ways, 2006 was effectively ruined when free agent LeCharles Bentley went down on
the first snap of team drills in camp. The Browns went through a bizarre series
of twists and turns before finding a credible center to replace him. Despite the
fact the Bentley wants to attempt to return, it is unreasonable to expect that
to happen, and even if he does, can he be anywhere near his previous Pro Bowl
form? I hope he can beat the odds.
The Browns raided the Bengals to add Eric Steinbach. He is a
huge upgrade over either of last year’s guards, and he could also be a factor at
tackle. The Browns drafted Joe Thomas with the third pick overall. If he does
not hold out, he should be a starter from day one. Assuming Bentley can’t go,
last year’s starter, Hank Fraley, signed a four year contract. He’s a decent
center. The Browns signed Kevin Shaffer last year and he played left tackle. He
got off to a tough start by wiping out a touchdown on the first offensive play
of the season with a holding penalty. He had an OK year. Assuming Thomas is the
left tackle, the Browns will have to decide what to do with Shaffer. He might
move to the right side. Ryan Tucker has been the most consistent player on the
line, but he had some kind of mental issue and missed a big chunk of the season.
Can the Browns count on him for the long haul?
The Browns will also have to sort through some of the depth
on the line, something that has killed the team in recent years. The Browns
signed Seth McKinney from the Dolphins. He had a neck problem and didn’t play
last year. If he can return to form, McKinney should be a solid guard. Kelly Butler was a castoff from the Lions last year who saw playing time when Ryan
Tucker went down. Butler showed mechanical problems, but he is relatively young
yet and has some experience. Nat Dorsey also saw playing time, but he has shown no
ability to be an NFL offensive lineman. I seriously doubt he will be on the team
come September. Lennie Friedman is another veteran who looked like he might be
starter at center for a while last summer. He has experience and can play both
center and guard. He is a good depth player. Isaac Sowells messed up an ankle in
camp and lost a chance to gain some valuable experience. He got some playing
time at the very end of last year and did OK. There are several other players in
camp who will have to work very hard to get a chance to stick.
The big question in camp will be who are the starting five on
the line? Beyond that, who are the depth players? Some of the guys who were on
the team last season will be hard pressed to stay because there is more talent
overall. But even with all the talent in the world, the offensive line needs
time to play together as a unit. The Browns will have to make some quick
decisions to get the line time to gel. Can they do that in a way that will not
hinder the offense early in the season?
Coordination and Coaching
After the Maurice Carthon fiasco, the Browns needed a better
scheme and a better coach. The Browns brought in former tight ends coach and
Ohio native Rod Chudzinski. His scheme is based on timing and motion, using both
to create mismatches. One of the things to look for is to see if the Browns are
establishing that timing. Several factors will work against them:
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Inexperience at quarterback.
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Sorting out on the offensive line.
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Sorting out at wide receiver.
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Limited playing time for Kellen Winslow in
camp as he completes his recovery.
A lot of how this unfolds will be dependent on the
quarterbacks getting comfortable with the receivers, and on the offensive line
opening holes for the running game. Reports out of the off-season drills say that
the timing is definitely an issue, and that the receivers really have to tighten
up their route-running. This will be something to watch not only in games, but
day-to-day in camp. The Browns will have to settle on a third receiver, but I
would suggest using Winslow in the slot on third down with Heiden at tight end.
To me, that allows the Browns to get the best hands on the field, assuming none
of the other receivers comes out of nowhere.
Outlook
Inexperience at quarterback, a new system, and several
position battles lead me to believe the Browns are in for a rough start.
Unfortunately, they face all three division opponents at home plus a game at New
England in the first six weeks. We may see a lot of three and outs at first.
Keep an eye on that. If the Browns can finally get a decent running game,
though, it will help a lot. William Green’s run in the second half of 2002 was
what propelled the Browns to their only playoff appearance of the expansion era.
If the running game can take pressure off the passing game, the Browns will be
able to overcome some of their issues on offense.