Written by Chris Hutchison

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Greetings and salutations, Football Fans.

So... how was your Summer?  Do anything fun?  Get a nice tan?  Uh huh... uh huh... good for you!

Hopefully you did something constructive with all that extra time this year that you normally would have spent reading about/discussing NFL Free Agency, Trades, Minicamps, OTA's, and Rookie Tryouts.  I myself had enough spare time that I went ahead and got married.  You know what the experts say - all the best marriages come from "Lockout Boredom".  Hollywood is already calling about the rights.

 

However, the lazy days of football purgatory seem to be over, and now we must prepare for an unprecedented barrage of pigskin news.  In the span of about 10 days, Draft picks, Undrafted Free Agents, Restricted Free Agents, and Unrestricted Free Agents all must be signed, trades and cuts will take place, rosters will balloon to 90 players, and Training Camps will open.  What normally takes place over 3-5 months will take place in 1-2 weeks.  You'll get so much damn info that you won't even have time to discuss it before something else happens.  Twitter will blow the F*** up.

 

Thus, without further ado, let me present to you an Offensive position-by-position breakdown of Free Agency needs and 3 players I would like to see the Browns go after for said position.  I am eliminating from contention Restricted Free Agents, Trades, and Players Who No Way In Hell Will Be Playing Here (so please don't talk to me about Sidney Rice or Santonio Holmes).

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Quarterback

One could argue that we are set at this position.  I think it's safe to say that Tom Heckert and Mike Holmgren have every intention of giving Colt McCoy his shot this year, so if you expect me to discuss possible trades for Donovan McNabb or Kevin Kolb, you are wasting your time.

And Colt probably deserves it.  When healthy last year, he was very impressive.  The West Coast Offense suits his skill set, and he has certainly taken the bull by the horns this offseason by arranging several player camps (at which he supposedly "taught" the new scheme from the playbook he had).

So the starting position is solidified, the backup position is filled with Seneca Wallace, and Jake Delhomme is still under contract.  But that's where a move might be made.

Delhomme is old, washed-up, expensive, and most assuredly expendable.  Heckgren might feel that 3rd QB spot would be better utilized by filling it with a young and talented project-type.

Matt Moore - Played well at times during various stints as the Carolina Panthers starter the last 2 seasons, notably at the end of 2009 as Delhomme's replacement.  With Cam Newton and Jimmy Clausen wrapping up the top 2 spots there (and probably a veteran at #3), a return for UFA Moore to Carolina is unlikely.  Has enough skill (and experience) to be very intriguing, but whether he would accept a #3 role in Cleveland is a big question.

Nate Davis - He's only a 2 year NFL vet, but was waived from both San Fran and, most recently, Seattle.  "Work ethic" was cited as being a problem in both circumstances, but there can be no denying Davis possesses hunger-inducing physical abilities.  He can run, he's big, he's got a strong arm... but he definitely did himself no favors by coming out early for the draft in 2009.  With the right tutelage, this guy could be a real diamond.  Oh, and he's from Ohio, so that oughtta satisfy the homers.

Pat Devlin - The heir apparent to Joe Flacco at Delaware, he was part of this year's class but went undrafted.  You might remember him from 2008 when he came in for relief of Darryl Clark and led Penn State to a win over OSU. The Browns were at his Pro Day, so you know that they're aware of him.  He was projected as a 5th Rounder, but some bad pre-draft workouts/games cost him.  Still, talented and has the size... probably worth giving a shot as an UDFA.

Running Back

Peyton Hillis is a beast.  We all know this.  But 2010 proved that, if you work him too hard, he will break down just like a human might.  There is no way he can have as many carries as he had last year.  Monterrio Hardesty is reportedly back to 100% with his bionic knees, so let's hope that he can provide a big helping hand to the workload this season.  In fact, I believe that the Browns brass secretly hopes that he wins the starting RB job by the end of the year.

However, neither of those 2 guys could be termed a "third down back", someone that is speedy, shifty, can catch the ball out of the backfield, can beat a LB on a pass pattern, can take an emergency screen and jitterbug his way for a 1st down.  Hardesty and Hillis both have good receiving skills, and Peyton more than proved that he can take a dump off past the sticks, but the Browns need someone to present the Defense with a completely different set of weapons.

Brian Westbrook - Yes, he'll be 32 at the start of September.  Yes, he gets injured every year.  But just a few years ago he was one of the most dangerous RB's in the league, he knows the WCO offense (and Pat Shurmur), and in the last 6 games of 2010 he produced 490 all purpose yards and 5 TD's.  In the 3 games where he got 10 or more carries, he averaged 5.5 yards per.  I don't think he's washed up quite yet, and could still thrive in a 3rd Down back role (provided he's getting some touches).

Jerome Harrison - What's this?  Bring back the Ghost?  Have I taken leave of my senses?

The first issue with him is would he want to return.  I believe that his issue was with Eric Mangini, not the Cleveland Browns, and Tom Heckert definitely did him a solid by trading him for peanuts (or whatever you want to call Mike Bell) to make him happy.  But if you CAN convince him to come back and if you CAN convince him to accept the 3rd Down back role, you've got a guy who fits the bill and just spend the last season working in a WCO with a lot of the Browns' brass old cronies.

Jerious Norwood - Norwood is injury prone, but he is speedy and he can definitely catch the ball out of the backfield.  Atlanta doesn't seem overly keen on keeping him (they have to worry about trying to keep Jason Snelling too), and he won't get any starter play (likely not much primary backup play either), so it's not hard to believe that he'd be up for taking on a 3rd Down back role.

Wide Receiver

There is a school of thought that the Browns' current receivers are good enough, that they just need the opportunity to play in a more pass-friendly offense (like the WCO), that the addition of Greg Little will give the WR corps the boost it needs to achieve greatness (well, mediocrity).

I submit that - while that might be the case - there are no proven quantities on this team at that position, and bringing in a guy or two really bolster that area can only provide greater depth and competition.

Not to mention you want to give Colt McCoy the best chance possible to succeed.

What the Browns lack at this point is a speed merchant.  Mo Massaquoi is a decent WR, but not really a deep threat.  Brian Robiskie really started to come on at the end of last season, but he's still more of a possession guy. Greg Little has a ton of potential, but he's really considered more of a run-after-the-catch dude.  No one is a true burner.  It might behoove them to acquire one of those.

And some veteran leadership at that spot would also help.

Plaxico Burress - I know a lot of you don't want to touch this guy with a 10 foot pole, but nothing breathes humility into a man like some incarceration.  I see him willing to take a short, incentive-laden contract and playing like he's got something to prove.  He doesn't fit the "burner" bill, but Plax is a big target who's been hugely productive in this league.  He's older (he'll be 34 by the start of the season), but he's had a couple years to let his body mend, so you might be able to squeeze 2 more good seasons out of him.  With the Mangini Morality Wall no longer in place, I can see Heckgren taking a chance on a guy like Plax.

Steve Breaston - Everyone caught 150 passes in Arizona when Kurt Warner was still there, so a more accurate measure of his skills might be found in his numbers with DA throwing balls behind him/at his feet/over his head:  13 games, 47 catches, 718 yards, 1 TD, 15.3 avg. as a #2 WR.  (Mo Mass led the Browns with 483).  He has injury concerns, but he has gone for nearly 2500 yards the last 3 seasons, and he's fairly speedy to boot.  Reportedly a good locker room presence.  Just keep Braylon out of his ear when trying to sell him on Cleveland.

Laurent Robinson - Yeah, I know there are some of you out there bitching about this one.  Well, here's what he's got going for him:  He played for Shurmur last season, he knows the system, he's fast, and he spent his offseason at the Larry Fitzgerald WR camp.  To me, this is a guy that can be had on the relative cheap that is ready to break out.  Now, true, he doesn't fit the "veteran" mold any more than, say, Mo Mass, but he does fit that "speed" category more than others.

Tight End

With Ben Watson playing the traditional role and guys like Evan Moore and Jordan Cameron playing the hybrid WR/TE, this is actually the one position on the team that I don't see a need for the Browns to address.

Offensive Line

This area is looking a little thin, especially on the right side.  Joe Thomas and Alex Mack… yes, pencil those guys in for the next 5 years at their spots.  But Eric Steinbach is getting up there in years - you're eventually going to have to think about replacing him.  And Shawn Lauvao and Tony Pashos appear to be the starters at RG and RT (respectively), which cannot fill one with peace and tranquility.

Billy Yates and Porkchop Womack are Free Agents.  I'd like to see the Browns keep Womack if they can.  When Porkchop is healthy, he plays both the RG and RT position pretty well.  At the end of 2009, when the running game went ballistic, it was Womack that anchored the RT spot that helped enable it.  Plus, he's familiar with the players, and he's played in a WCO before (with Holmgren in Seattle). I think he'd be a solid 2 position backup.

But seeing as we need quality starters as well…

Harvey Dahl - Dahl is a tough Guard that could play either spot (although he played RG in Atlanta).  He's 30 but has only played full-time for the last 3 seasons, so you might be able to squeeze 3 or 4 more out of him.  Might be a bit expensive, but the Browns have cap room to burn.

Willie Colon - Out for all of last season with a torn ACL, Colon should be back and ready to go, but the rumors are out there that the Steelers are going to pass.  I've seen plenty of Colon to know that he can be a brutal Right Tackle, and if he's truly 100%, I'd love to steal him away from Craptown and watch him unleash his fury on them twice a season.

Marshal Yanda - Another "steal from thy neighbor if ye want to bankrupt their farm" type.  Played RT for Baltimore last year, but is a natural Guard.  And a good one.  It might be very difficult to pry him from the Ravens' cold, purple grasp, but if they could, they kill two birds (ahem) with one stone.

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Person I Like Aaron Goldhammer More Than

Prince William and Princess Kate

Can somebody please tell me why I - an American - am supposed to give a F*** about these people?

Can somebody please tell me why anyone (outside of their family and friends) is supposed to give a F*** about these people?

They're puppets.  They hold fake titles.  Ooooooo, he's heir to the throne.  This ain't 1420, kids.  Being the King and Queen of England nowadays means about as much as being the King of Pluto or Pope of Bushwood.

Get a job, people.

And that goes for all of you that actually watched their wedding.  Viewing habits of that nature are why the goddam Kardashians have a TV show.