Today is My Christmas Day
March 18, 2010House of Sluggers
March 18, 2010
Yesterday’s WWW featured a link regarding former Florida Gator quarterback Tim Tebow and his media festival of a Pro Day. While all NFL teams were represented in Gainsville (with several potential players running through drills), Tebow had the eye of only a handful of teams that are looking to add a quarterback this off-season – one of which was the Cleveland Browns.
It is now being reported by Matt Hayes of Sporting News that the Browns will be one of five teams to hold a private workout with the Heisman winner.
Browns president Mike Holmgren’s history with quarterbacks has been discussed ad nausem since his arrival. Historically, Holmgren has coached quarterbacks that were not considered to be at the top of their draft class into winners at the professional level. With the trade of Brady Quinn and release of Derek Anderson, it is speculated that Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert will look to the upcoming NFL Draft for his future quarterback.
The Browns select seventh overall, but hold the sixth selection in the second round due to a tiebreaker. The team also holds three third-round selections that could conceivably be packaged together to move into the second round.
When Holmgren was asked about Tebow’s potential at the next level, he proceeded to hold his cards close.
“I’m going to steer clear of that one now,” said Holmgren. “I think Tim Tebow is one of those guys that you root for. If he’s on your team, you have a better team. I’ll leave it at that.”
He later went on to focus on Tebow’s overall resume instead of the much-discussed mechanics that have been headline features.
“If you look hard enough at anybody, you can be really picky about stuff,” said Holmgren. “Be careful about losing sight of the big picture and what kind of a player [Tebow] is and winner he is. There’s a lot of good about this young man.”
Tebow’s draft projection has been one of the most-discussed issues since the end of the NCAA season. There have been rumors circulating around the Jacksonville Jaguars selecting Tebow to help aid ticket sales, though the only selection the Jaguars currently hold within the first two rounds is considerably higher than Tebow’s draft stock has him placed.
The four other teams that will hold a workout with Tebow include the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots and Washington Redskins. While the Seahawks pick ahead of the Browns in the first round, the Browns are slotted ahead of Seattle in the second round. The New England Patriots have three second-round selections.
ESPN has reportedly invited Tebow to be a part of the draft day festivities. This will undoubtedly be one of the biggest story lines throughout the entire weekend.
45 Comments
I’m sure I or should I say I hope this is just Holmgren doing his due dilligence other then that I wouldn’t read much into this at all.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
You know…living here in Jacksonville, I always figured that nothing could be worse than the constant over-the-topness that is the Tebow worship pushing the Jags to draft the hometown hero.
I now stand corrected. The only thing worse would be the combined 1-2 punch of 1) the whining associated with Jax not getting him because 2) my Browns took the guy.
Talk about a worst-case scenario.
Sounded to me like Holmgren’s view on the draft is about trading up for Bradford if that means he can get him.
Sounded to me also like he thinks dissing Tebow would accomplish nothing.
The workout is necessary for the Browns to have legitimate negotiation stance: The Browns can’t be VIEWED as having a viable back-up plan in Tebow if they haven’t given him a workout. Appearing to have a plausible back-up plan, I think we agree, is necessary to a successful negotiation.
Maybe Holmgren wants to get a really high pick, with people thinking he’s going for Bradford, but really coming away with Suh or Okung.
Maybe I’m on dope.
Btw that photo of Tebow reminds me of all his “fans” whether they live in Cleveland or not which is probably why ESPN invited him to the draft day festivities. Gotta capitalize on that popularity while it lasts.
@Matt#2 You really heard that from Holmgren? I stand firm against drafting another quarterback, at least this season, but if I had to live with one I suppose it could be Bradford. I just think there are entirely to many other positions starting on defense that should be addressed as opposed to another rookie quarterback who will all but sit for a year maybe two. I think it’s counterproductive to draft a player who will not see the field.
/throws up in mouth
I hope Matty is right and it’s just a ploy. Hey Holmgren if you want to lose me as a fan before the first game of the season draft Tebow early in the 2nd round, or trade all of our 3rd rounders for him.
#SayNoToTebow
Browns also apparently taking a look at Thad Gibson.
Boogey
I read a quote of Holmgren: he said they may attempt to trade up for Bradford.
Of course, they “may” start a rock band.
@9 I did not see that quote where was it from? Sorry I couldn’t work in any dots in that question for you.
Anyways I “may” have to go now so have a nice day! 🙂
The one good thing about inviting Tebow to the NFL draft? He’ll be the last one sitting while everyone else is drafted. In fact, he might be there a long, long time.
Boogey
Here’s something with dots:
http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2010/03/browns_president_mike_holmgren_1.html
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
*I wish I could make the text larger*
@4/Matt#2: Agree. It is not good when other teams know exactly what you want, and you’re negotiating position to get more or pay less is strongest with plausible deniability that you crave a certain player.
Holmgren is shrewd, supposedly. This just might be our first, pungent whiff of Silly Season.
@12 Matt#2 that was from Holmgren’s press conference I should have remembered hearing it but didn’t. How’s my dot?
To bring it full circle…what I think of when hearing the word DOT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lvopIQNHkQ
I rip on Tebow every chance I get, but with his heart and leadership, I could see him beating the odds and contributing somewhere in the NFL. It’s possible. But, I’d hate for us to take that chance. I agree, I think Holmgren’s doing his due diligence more than anything else.
boogey, that gave me shivers.
I’m just excited for the chance to buy a Browns jersey with #15 on it. Oh, and it will say Jesus, not Tebow.
Bringing this guy in to learn would not be that bad depending on when he is drafted. If we drafted himin the 3rd and he had a couple years to develop I am fine with it. You can’t question his work ethic and determination. I have a feeling a lot of the Tebow hate is because he is from Florida.
How many people here would be happy if the Browns got Troy Smith? How different of a QB is Tebow compared to Troy coming out of college?
I agree with CJG.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I don’t know, since he (allegedly) has God on his side, maybe Tebow is what the Browns need to finally break the championship curse.
I’m really not at all opposed to this. I think he gets drafted in the second round, so if we were willing to package a couple picks to move back into the second round to get him I would be okay with it. There is just a lot of need right now. Besides, we will be picking in the top 10 again next year, I’d rather make a run at Jake Locker, whom I bet The Walrus knows all about.
I would be upset if he is our 2nd round pick. You cant take a project with our pick.. which is basically a 1st rounder. We need a starter coming from that pick.
Remember what Phil Jackson said about Sterling and the Clippers? Maybe all Tebow’s mitzvahs will change the Browns’ karma.
If Tebow being there means the camera constantly focusing on him like they did with Quinn when teams passed him up then I’m OK with it.
It’s PAAH-SIBLE that Tebow showing up or not would affect his chances of going in the first round, that – somehow – the hype factor alone of picking him and the picture and all that would be worth a million bucks to some team with a low first-round pick.
You paranoid little girls. It couldn’t possibly be that they were both there looking at Joe Haden? No, this is just IMPOSSIBLE!
Sometimes the Drama in this town almost makes me cry.
@ daredent- Tebow is coming to cleveland to workout for Holmgren en company. Yes, yesterday they probably were watching Haden some too. The report is not about the Florida pro day tho.
How did someone manage to get a picture of Tebow with the only 3 non-supermodels that attend UF?
Tebow cries.
…but if he can bring Jesus into the mix and that gets rid of the curse on the stadium that was build on an indian burial ground, I’m all for it…
on a lighter side, if The Walrus deems Teetbow can become a legit starter in the NFL, I gotta believe he knows what hes talking about…
@29 – I would argue the one on the far left is shaggable.
dont take him in the first. i would love to have Tim Tebow on my team. Dude is a hard working guy with class. And he’s good, too. I will be cool with a 2nd round pick on the guy. I mean, last year our 2nd round pick wasn’t even active.
Tebow’s not coming to Cleveland. It’s a chess match out there right now. You show interest on certain guys so you don’t show your cards too much on what you really are trying to accomplish…meanwhile other teams are watching who you’re looking at.
Personally I don’t like the guy that much….but I’d bet he does better than everyone thinks he’ll do in the NFL.
@33 “but I’d bet he does better than everyone thinks he’ll do in the NFL” is a very opened statement since it doesn’t state at what position Tebow would be doing better then everyone thinks at.
I question Tebow’s abilities to be an effective professional quarterback. The other thing people keep forgetting is while Tebow had a great collegiate career lets remember the program in which he played. There’s something to said about the other talented players the Florida Gators fielded.
ISNT IT OBVIOUS THAT WE WILL DRAFT TEBOW AND START TEBOW, CRIBBS AND SENECA AS QB’S? TEAMS WONT KNOW WHO IS PLAYING RB, WR OR QB ON ANY GIVEN PLAY!
Seriously though, I think this is just a smokescreen. I heard Holmgren on 97.1 (out of C’bus) say today that if they feel any QB in the draft is the guy they want, they will do anything to get him… Doesnt sound like that would be a hard thing with Tebow, as a 2nd/high 3rd should be more than anyone else is willing to use on him.
Yeah! Tebow, or Troy Smith, but you guys probably wont post my comment!
WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO WORK OUT GREG PAULUS I MEAN HE WORKED OUT FOR THE PACKERS….GUYS THEY ARE LIKE REALLY GOOD….GREG PAULUS WILL BE OUR QB AND ALSO BE PLAYING PG FOR THE CAVS IN THE PLAYOFFS NEXT YEAR LOLZ
/hype machine’d
Seattle just picked up Whitehurst from San Diego, so Clausen will be there. I don’t like either option, but given a choice, I’d go Clausen over Tebow, regardless of round/pick. Drafting Tebow would be throwing a pick away – at least Clausen has a laser rocket arm.
I will lose all respect for Holmgren if he drafts Tebow(Who will NEVER be a good pro QB)
I don’t get the hatred for Tebow at all. I would not want him if we needed a QB to start right away. But drafting him and having him sit and learn and tweak for two years? I like that idea a lot. I just don’t get all the hate for the guy unless everyone is just either jealous or very christian hating liberals. Maybe he never amounts to an awesome Super Bowl type QB. But wouldn’t a 3rd round pick on arguably the greatest College Football player ever be worth a shot?
Jeff in Alaska, when do you honestly think we’d have to pick Tebow to keep another team from picking him? I’m not trying to be confrontational, but serious. Some people seem to think that anywhere in the 2nd round is appropriate, others don’t.
If it’s in the 4th round, I agree with you. On the other hand, if we need to invest a 2nd rounder in order to get him before another team does, I don’t agree with you. The first two rounds are typically for either grooming long-term non-project players (Aaron Rodgers comes to mind) or players who can help right away (like everyone else). I think that if a player isn’t guaranteed to at least be an NFL starter, they’re not worth a 2nd round pick – and Tebow isn’t. That’s just my opinion.
And seriously, I don’t think Tebow’s even close to greatest NCAA football player ever. Red Grange, Herschel, Dorsett, Sanders – Sanders had probably the greatest single season ever in his only season starting and all those RBs were greater in college than Tebow. And that’s just RBs, not all the other players who are icons like Butkus. Tebow played on a great team every year and had one statistically excellent season, along with a couple good ones. Man, there was argument that he was the best player in his own conference during his best season (D-Mac). People have agreed with you over the years, arguing that it’s worth a pick to take players with outstanding NCAA careers like Graham Harrell, Colt McCoy, and every other system QB out there.
Trust in the Walrus. What other QB out there is good at circumcising? Intangibles I tell ya…
Jeff in Alaska, is your last name Palin?
I just noticed the orange teddy in the pic.
haha..just noticed that too