Cody Kessler: Q&A with NFL Draft QB guru Mark Schofield
May 3, 2016The Browns latest crack at a new culture: While We’re Waiting…
May 4, 2016Under former general manager Ray Farmer, the Cleveland Browns did not prioritize wide receivers in the draft. Whether it was trading down when a star wideout was available (Sammy Watkins) or just passing on one (Odell Beckham Jr.), the old Browns never drafted a weapon on the outside. In fact, Farmer’s Browns drafted just one receiver, Vince Mayle, under his leadership. Mayle failed to make the team’s roster following his rookie training camp in 2015. With Josh Gordon’s suspension continuing to be indefinite, the Browns lack of playmakers needed to finally be addressed.
Under the stewardship of Sashi Brown, there has been a different vibe to this regime. They are Harvard alums who are based in analytics and going about roster construction in a way not seen before in Cleveland.
During the NFL Draft, this leadership directed the Browns to select four wide receivers, one of which was their 15th-overall selection Corey Coleman. The other three wideouts were 114th-overall pick Ricardo Louis, 154th-overall selection Jordan Payton and 172nd-overall pick Rashard Higgins.
After signing quarterback Robert Griffin III and losing wide receiver Travis Benjamin in free agency, along with wideout Josh Gordon not being reinstated (yet), the Browns knew that they had to surround RG3 – or whoever the starting quarterback is – with playmakers on the outside, something that head coach Hue Jackson spoke of following the draft.
“What I think is important is you that have to score the ball. You have to score touchdowns and you have to put yourself in a position to score touchdowns. Schematically, we will be as good as we can be, but at the same, you need to have players that give you the flexibility to do that from a lot of different areas from a lot of different places, whether it is from air or from land. I think we have accomplished that from this draft to go along with the guys we already have here. It is going to give us a chance to put out the best of the best that we have. I think that is what is important.”
While RG3 might be the most talented quarterback the Browns have had since their return in 1999, Jackson knows that no matter how good their quarterback is, their gunslinger is most going to struggle without legit playmakers. So, starting in the draft, Jackson and company began to give their quarterbacks weapons on the outside.
“The quarterback is the guy that kind of drives the engine here, and we are going to do everything that we can to put him in a position to succeed. There are a lot of different ways to do that. The offensive line plays a huge role in that but so do the wide receivers and running backs and tight ends. You have to have targets for him to throw at, and we have accomplished that in this draft.”
The Browns might struggle in 2016, but the new regime seems to be doing the things needed to rebuild the team into a consistent playoff contender in the future. When that future becomes a reality is the question.
29 Comments
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…until fans start complaining that we take too many wide receivers.
http://i.makeagif.com/media/10-10-2015/3GepFe.mp4
…until fans start complaining we draft too many WRs.
Can we take a moment to reflect on how nonsensical Farmer’s draft strategies were? No receivers! Drafting back up linemen! No pro days! No investigation into a player’s psyche!
Pay for research report and ignore/don’t read it
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I like Coleman and Peyton to play. With Bademosi and Benjamin gone, I can see two of Louis, Caldwell or Higgins taking gunner and returns.
i’m not sure why anyone would question this … considering hue’s offensive scheme , with sometimes having 4 & 5 wideouts & the fact that the browns were basically down to hawkins , hartline & maybe t.gabriel on the roster , this was obviously priority 1 in the draft.,
drafting Gilbert w/o bringing him in for an interview. All the while talking about doing things differently for that special edge.
Just to keep the Simpsons theme going…
HA !!! … what kind of freakin’ maroon would’ve supported anything that farmer did ??? … you’d have to be a real loser to support that guy !!!
okay … everyone knows i supported him … but i did have a disclaimer : “it’s not that i’m in love with ray farmer , i’m in love with giving someone a fair shot (more than 2 years) to execute a plan”.
am i off the hook now ??
It’s almost as if Ray was a trojan horse sent into Berea by Ozzie Newsome. Follow the money…
Trade down for more picks to use to trade up for a QB with obvious off-field issues.
Feel how you will about the specifics of it, but at least these new guys have a strategy
Didn’t Bode love Gilbert?
Yes, but he was too lazy to interview him.
No.
LMAO !!! … okay , i’ll try again next year.
…
Before you GIF! Before you GIF!
…alright…
Well done my friend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-Z0iyBNxpk
Technically, Banner paid for it (well, signed off on Haslam paying for it) before he was let go.
Yes, I did. He had great measurables and tape playing in that OkieState system. What I didn’t know was that he had next to zero work ethic as has been reported an issue since his college days. I’ve gotten better at finding the info myself due to that draft class, but for a professional organization to not have it is ludicrous.
Agreed that the HBT at least had a coherent plan this year. But next year, there should be no trading down. With two 1s and two 2s, it’s time to take some studs — quality over quantity. It will be time to take care of the present.
Agreed. We also might end up with four compensatory picks too.
If we don’t end up with the first pick, we’ll definitely have the fire power to move up to #1 without having to completely decimate our future draft stock. If that team already has a QB and is looking to deal, nobody will be able to offer a better deal than we can.
Best conspiracy theory yet
Based on the deliberate way they executed this year’s draft, I feel, at least, a glimmer of hope that they will do just this next year.
I don’t think anyone’s questioning the wisdom of doing it. We’re just marveling at the fact our team actually did it.
(just sprayed my monitor with coffee)
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