Cavaliers Look to Shake Off Rough Weekend with First West Coast Game of the Season
November 5, 2012Box Score: Cavaliers 108, Clippers 101
November 6, 2012Serving as a mid-season review that couples in ensuring he maintains his relevance throughout the regular season, ESPN draftnik Mel Kiper Jr has unveiled who he feels each team would select tomorrow if given the chance.
Coupling this with the Cleveland Browns most recent loss, a ten-point beating at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens, the position of “need” labeled byKiper may surprise a few fans. Take it away, Mel…
Cleveland Browns
Top emerging needs: G, DE, OLB, WR
Analysis: The Browns are relying on a lot of young players, counting the unusual case of Brandon Weeden as “young” based on his NFL experience. Some of the areas where they statistically could use an upgrade are ones they can’t just target the draft to help. For instance, they drop balls at a ridiculous rate in the passing game, but Josh Gordon is young, and they still need to see if Greg Little can take the next step and be consistent enough to match his talent level. I think pass rush and the interior of the offensive line are areas they need to address. They could use another sack artist, and they need to maximize the opportunity to turn Trent Richardson into a star.
 Drafting tomorrow: Chance Warmack, G, Alabama
There is no telling what the future will hold for Jason Pinkston who was recently placed on the injured reserve with a life-threatening blood clot in his lung. While many fans will point at the linebacker and defensive backfield as immediate needs for Cleveland, the 6-foot-3-inch, 325-pound Warmack would immediately fill a hole many wanted addressed by players like David DeCastro just one off-season earlier. Warmack has started all 26 games during his prior to seasons, showing incredible durability. His run-blocking and toughness would only mean bigger and better things for the team’s recent third-overall pick in Richardson — an insurance policy of sorts that would only serve to protect their most recent investments.
[Related: Pat Shurmur: On squandered opportunities and disappearing goodwill]
56 Comments
Bad Scott, bad!!
Ah, here they come … no no… CLOSE THE GATE, SCOTT! PULL THE POST!!
if the Browns don’t want us to focus on how to fix their problems, then they shouldn’t have so many problems to fix
My list of urgent needs: CB2, DE1, WR1, FS, OG1, TE
My list of secondary needs: OG2, FB, OLB
It’s a shame that the 2 players that would benefit the Browns the absolute most in college will not be eligible for the draft. Either Clowney or Marquise Lee are absolute perfect fits for what we need.
hey, did you get a look at Gov. Christie? Do believe he took care of his frig contents before anything could spoil. So, hey what is up with these weather extremes? Wondered what everyone thought of that. I missed The Cavs second game – was Dion “shutting off Hamilton’s water” on defense? Didn’t think so. Let the kid develop.
Oh, I also want to point out that if the Browns draft an OG in the top10 of the NFL draft, then I will need a new TV, phone, and likely some plaster for the walls.
Te’o
Jarvis Jones?
Ok, I’ll play đ
I’d be happy to have Gov. Christie to run the Browns. The guy knows how to run things and how to deal with the media as well. He doesn’t “look the part” but he makes up for it with how he composes himself and gives praise to those who deserve it regardless of outside affiliations (as he praised the White House for their responsive efforts).
Not worried about these “weather extremes.” Hurricane Sandy wasn’t really that extreme of a storm except where she hit and how long she hovered. It is extremely unfortunate the route taken though and interesting to see if there is a shifting of the wind patterns across the Atlantic (they have seemed to go more NW in the fall recently, but more data is needed to see if it’s an outlier or a trend).
Dion needs to figure out how to get around screens. No surprise. He has been better than advertised at 1on1 defense though. I expected worse. He needs lots of development, of course.
Now, about getting the Cavs a 2nd unit ball-handler, putting a roof on CBS when we finally drafted a strong-armed QB, and exactly how much input Francona will have on this offseason after we just traded for our first ex-Red Sox import (Aviles).
he strikes me as solid but not exceptional. just my opinion and I need to see more of him, but Georgia hasn’t played a very good slate of games this year.
a good answer for many questions though not our most urgent need (though defensive playmaker might be a general need enough to debate that point)
Walk me through an appendectomy.
I think that the underlining assumption here is that the eagles traded up for our pick and C McCoy for their pick and D. Jackson. So this would be a mid round first round pick
Jacksonville, KC, and Buffalo all need QBs…the phone is already ringing, except they are calling Holmgren’s old number.
so, we trade a top5/10 pick for a mid-1st round pick and take an interior OL? hey, what could go wrong!
allright, give me your address and i’ll help you out there. though i have to warn you that the only pain medication i give out is bourbon, i use a butter knife, and i’m not exactly sure where the appendix is or looks like once i get my hand in there.
The way offenses have burned them this year, I would say CB should be at the top of the list.
Pinkston was adequate before he exited and his replacement Greco has been more than solid in relief. I actually thought the Browns offensive line had an outstanding day yesterday. Richardson went over 100 yards and Weeden had FOREVER to throw the ball on most plays.
The Browns desperately need playmakers on the defensive side of the ball at this point. I’d imagine, CB, DE and S will be at the top of their list.
Are you saying that the Browns should draft Chris Christie? Because that’s what I hear you saying in this obvious Browns pre-pre-pre-pre-pre-pre-draft discussion.
If so, I could get behind that. Talk about road grader.
I think Mel might be sniffing too much of his hair spray. NO WAY the Browns take an OG when they need a DE, CB, OLB and S.
Totally agree Scott…..sadly I am in the minority. Face it, most Browns fans think a WR will solve the Browns woes. Alas it would only mean twice as many balls thrown to Greg Little. #lovetheBrownshatemostBrownsfans
How can FS/CB and/or DE not be our #1 need?
which bourbon? [Pls, woodford reserve woodford woodford woodford]
depends on which one your insurance will cover. if it’s Aetna, then all you get is Wild Turkey.
Cheese grater. Big big difference
Its Kesslers but its in a Woodford bottle. I’m sure you wont know the difference
I can’t watch another game with Usama Young starting at safety. Can anyone look at the defense and say it wouldnt be a huge step for us to have a 1st or 2nd round safety opposite TJ? CB isnt as pressing because haden can take that #1 every time, patterson/skrine is okay for next year in my opinion
sounds painful
Lucky I bought that Jackflac gap coverage.
We’ve given up all of 14 sacks while posting a league average-ish 3.9 yards per carry. I don’t think we need an OG at all.
see the WFNY/Rick breakdown of our short yardage plays last week and you might change your mind.
In the post Apocalyptic Running Man world Chrs Christie’s Cheese Grater replaces Dynamo as the newest stalker. When Arnold kills h he shouts ” youve been DEgraded!”
I’m not saying we can’t improve there, but I do not want us wasting a high pick on a mf’ing guard. I would put OG fifth or sixth on our list of needs.
Why are you guys talking about Brady Hoke’s clone?
I thought you were proposing Chris Christie at one of the guard positions or possibly at nose tackle. He already has the Tony Siragusa look down, and would likely be a thrasher out there. Plus it’d give him a diversion from politics đ
Brady Hoke + Tony Siragusa = Chris Christie
Jarvis Jones, is who they should really draft tomorrow
2009 worked well for us. Look how underwhelming Sanchez is and we like Alex Mack as our Center. The other players we got in the deal are nowhere close to being on the team anymore…
I just love that you guys put this article out here when those losers at ESPN want you to pay to subscribe to their insiders club to read their stupid opinions.
we didn’t pick Sanchez because we “had” our QB. so, we likely wouldn’t have picked Sanchez at #5 either. there were other players in that draft.
and I hate taking interior OL when we need premium positions like DE and CB.
I agree.
I think Browns biggest needs are FS, DE, OLB and CB depth (possible CB2). Cant stand Young starting anymore, much less being on the team. Might need another DE, but Winn moving over would help (maybe he can compliment Sheard?) Fujita won’t be back and even when Gocong comes back depth is needed (veteran signing might also work here). As for CB, Haden can’t do it all. 3 good (starting level) CBs is pretty much the NFL norm anymore with increased emphasis on the pass.
Supposedly DE and secondary was addressed in that trade. Then again we did need to address 4 OL positions then too
Count me in here.
dude – i love you – but Hurricane Sandy has been absolutely devastating. I have to ride my bike 35 miles a day just to go to work. the lines at the gas stations are miles long (and look like a scene out of a post-apocalyptic thriller), and milk/bottled water are more scarce than usual. Combine it with the hundreds of big/old fallen trees, and that spells misery. And this is in Brooklyn, which was hit less than Queens (Rockaways, Breezy Point) and Staten Island.
That being said: I am on board about believing climate change, but I can’t definitively get behind people who say that Sandy is a result of such change. In fact, I have read reports saying the opposite, and those reports have pretty hard evidence explaining why.
I think Te’o himself shows how important the defensive line is in making the LBs look good. Notre Dame finally has a D-line. I’d take Te’o at 10-15, but not at 5. Even the surest tackler at MLB is just too reliant on the guys in front of him.
is it bad that I’m excited about draft talk in November?
I’d love to get Warmack, but I’d want him to replace Lauvao rather than Pinkston. I’m not sure people realize what a mess he’s been in run-blocking. I would not be disappointed in taking a defensive end either, but to say that it’s not really a big need… I think it’s a very big need. I’m sick of T-Rich getting the line of scrimmage with nowhere to go… can you imagine if our line could actually open up holes to get him to the second level?
that is true. and i didn’t mind getting Alex Mack due to our needs everywhere. the main problem was we didn’t get a 2nd 1st round pick with the trade down. just hate repeating history when our recent history is pretty poor.
no, you misunderstood. Hurricane Sandy has been absolutely devastating, but it wasn’t because it was an exceptionally extreme storm. it was the exceptional circumstances of a cat-1 hurricane meeting with a severe cold front that caused it to hit and swirl and deliver much more precipitation (and the area that it happened to hit as well).
not knocking or downplaying the actual devastation it wreaked.
Actually, trading down for a mid first round pick and picking up additional picks this year and next (gaining back our 2nd round pick this year as part of the deal) isn’t necessarily a bad idea. OG is not a bad pick as a mid first round pick as Lauvao could be upgraded unless he shows significant improvement (he has had issues opening holes and with bonehead penalties). If we trade down you take the best player available that fills a need which would likely be Warmack (OG), Montgomery or Moore (DE), Mosley (OLB), Banks (CB), or Reid (FS). If Warmack is available you almost have to take him when you look at the lack of OG talent in the 2nd (1 early round and 1 late round prospect) and 3rd (1 late round prospect) rounds compared to other positions of need. There is quite a bit of quality CB, DE, and OLB talent that will be available in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, though S is really thin in those rounds. Without a trade down that also gets us a 2nd round pick this year we almost have to go D in the first round and third rounds of the draft though.