Rebuilding The Browns: Part Two
By Chaz Bolte Originally published on Nov 27, 2009 with Comments 3
Rebuilding the Browns: A Five Part Look by Chaz Bolte, AFCNT.com writer
Part 2: Top 5 things Browns have to be thankful for in 2010
5. Mike Holmgren
It is only a rumor that he may soon be part of the franchise, but the fact that the ownership is considering him at all is a positive sign that they want this team to start heading in the correct direction. If Holmgren was in the fold he would have a possible 11 draft picks to work with and a young QB to lead his team. He is one of football’s greatest minds and his accomplishments are many. A senior elder type to help direct the team is exactly what the Browns need and it is exactly what they would get with Holmgren.
4. Brady Quinn
I know that Brady Quinn is about as popular as Iron City Beer in Cleveland but the truth is there are teams with worse QB situations than the Browns. 2010 may be the first year that Brady Quinn is the number one guy from the first to last days of the season, giving him a chance to play without having to look over his shoulder to see if Derek Anderson is coming on the field. What we know about Brady Quinn is that he is not the type of QB who can take a horrible team and make them win. But is there a chance that Quinn can lead a decent team to a winning record? With the influx of draft picks there may be an influx of young talent. With Jamal Lewis likely gone there will be a young RB behind him and the rest of the offense can only get better. Brady Quinn was a unanimously thought of as a top 10 draft choice in 2007. He has the talent and the brain, now he just needs teammates who can help him not hurt him.
3. Top 5 pick in the 2010 Draft
Unless the team makes a miracle comeback this season they are all but guaranteed a top 5 pick in the draft. If the Browns can bring Mike Holmgren into the fold there is a chance that their possible 11 picks could be used to revitalize a dying team. The first overall pick especially. As I see it there are 4 players Browns fans should be asking Santa for on their wish lists this year; Ndamkong Suh DT from Nebraska, Greg Hardy DE from Mississippi, Eric Berry Safety from Tennessee, and Gerald McCoy DT from Oklahoma. To wish for a QB or RB is foolish. Strong teams are built up the middle and all these men would be strong additions to the browns interior for the next decade. Ndamkong Suh is generally looked at as the top prospect in next year’s draft, so he will likely only be available in the Browns end up with the first overall pick. The other three players are likely to be available to the Browns and all would be better than bringing another young Quarterback into the fold. A Running Back would make sense but it is unlikely that a RB will be selected in the top 10 and it is unlikely that the Browns won’t be one of the 10 worst teams in the NFL when all is said and done. If C.J. Spiller fell to them in the 2nd round it would be a perfect fit. The player I would love for them to select is Tennessee Safety Eric Berry. He is one of the best Safety prospects to come out in the past ten years and he could be the defensive leader of this team for the next 15 years.
2. Joe Thomas
Joe Thomas is the real deal. His name may someday be on lists with names like Jackie Slater, Anthony Munoz, and Dan Dierdorf. He is the one shining star on this offense and it is likely that he will end his career 50 miles away in Canton. Joe Thomas is the one player the Browns can truly build around and there is high hope that he will be a veteran leader on the next Browns playoff team.
- Low Expectations
When you are one of the worst franchises in football anything but being the worst is a positive. There is nowhere to go but up with this team. The Browns will have an opportunity to begin training camp with an us against the world attitude, and if they can achieve some early wins the Browns fans will gladly jump back on their wagon. The NFL is a league of parity and any team can quickly reverse their fortunes from season to season if the correct off season choices are made. The Browns fans can have faith that their team will be good and again, they just need a few beers to get them through the Sunday’s until that day comes.
About the Author: Chaz Bolte is a 2008 Graduate of Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania where he earned a B.S. in Communication ~ Emerging Technolgy and Multimedia. At SRU he served as host of the weekly sports show “Pittsburgh Talk” on WSRU~TV and as host of “The Chaz Bolte Radio Hour” on WRSK 88.1 FM. He is currently the Director of Broadcast and New Media for the Pittsburgh Phantoms of the American Basketball Association.
