Written by Chris Hutchison

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Day One is in the books, and the fan reviews are all over the place.  Some love both picks.  Some hate everything that happened.  Some are just too hung over to care (guilty).

So since clever comments are in short order today (as if they were omnipresent any other time)...

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Regarding The Trade Up

I went into the Draft already depressed, utterly and completely convinced that the Vikings would trade down with the Bucs for next to nothing (since they could still get their guy at 5) and the Browns would just sit there watching a team stealing the guy they wanted - again.

Shockingly, the Browns made the preemptive move to remove doubt by trading up to the spot themselves.

I was very uncomfortable with the move... until I saw that the cost was just a 4, 5, and 7.  Basically, throw away picks in rounds they still have picks remaining in.

Then I loved the trade.

I almost like it more than them sitting still and taking Richardson if he fell.  It tells me that they had him rated easily the best on the board, and they made the necessary move to ensure that they got him.  Strong, decisive move.  Perhaps a lesson was learned from the RG3 fiasco.

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Regarding Trent Richardson

As I stated in my last article, Richardson was the guy I wanted the most from what was left post-Luck/RG3.  I totally understand that RB's have a short shelf-life.  But whether Richardson maintains his optimal quality for 4 years or 8 years, I can't worry about it.  I don't really care right now where this team is in 5 years - I care where they will be in 2012.  Richardson is the clear best player at a position of great need and will have likely the biggest impact RIGHT NOW of anyone available.

I also totally understand the RB is a devalued position that doesn't need to be drafted that high in order to get quality/functional players.  Fine - tell me the great player the Browns passed up by taking Richardson.  Is Justin Blackmon such a game-changer, so much better than all the other WR's available?  How about Morris Claiborne?

Richardson was the Best Player Available, regardless of position.

And now we don't have to worry about who will be playing RB for the next 4 years.  Beyond that, it just doesn't matter.  Get better NOW.

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Regarding Brandon Weeden

A lot of people seem to be upset not that the Browns picked Weeden, but that they picked him at 22 when he might have been available at 37.

Could he have slid to 37?  Probably.  You don't draft him as a developmental guy at his age, and you don't draft backup QB's in the 1st round. So the only teams that would draft him would be teams that needed starting QB's or someone to compete with their current starting QB.

The only 3 teams I can think of other than the Browns that might take him between 22 and 37 would be Arizona (bring him in to compete with Kolb), Kansas City (bring him in to compete with Matt Cassell, Quinn & Stanzi are clear backups), and Oakland (bring him in to compete with Carson Palmer, who is not the current GM's fault).  There's a good likelihood they went other directions.

But Tom Heckert clearly believes that Weeden is The Guy.  You don't take a 28 year old QB in the 1st round if you don't think he can start and contribute right away.  You don't stake your reputation/career on a player like that unless you are totally convinced that he is The Guy.

And if you feel that he's good enough to be The Guy, you don't mess around and hold your breath and hope that no one takes him until 37.

I'm not personally so convinced that Weeden is a Franchise QB that I wouldn't have seen if he slid to 37, but if I WERE convinced, then I would do exactly what Heckert did.  If you think he's a Franchise QB, you take him and you don't think twice.

And outside of Luck & RG3, Weeden is probably the only guy in this draft that even has a CHANCE of being Franchise.  If he was 23, you'd probably have to nab him at #4 if you wanted him.  He's a great thrower of the ball.  His pure physical skills - arm strength, accuracy, height, release point - are all excellent.  Whether or not he can learn and excel in an NFL Offense is the magic question, but his ceiling is high.

The only reason the Browns could even get him as far down as 22 is the fact that he's 28.  Which means his window might only be 6 or 7 years.

Which brings me back to the same point that I made when discussing Richardson - I can't care about where this team will be 6 or 7 years from now.  They need to get better NOW.

I have to believe that these 2 picks - both upgrades at key positions - did a lot to facilitate that.

And looking forward to him throwing TD passes amidst chants of "WEEEEEEED!"

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Regarding Day Two

Another reason I'm not overly upset with Heckert reaching a bit on Weeden is that several of the guys that I would have rather seen them take at 22 are still available at this point, Stephen Hill, Cordy Glenn, Jonathan Martin, Courtney Upshaw, and Bob Massie to name just a few.

And if you take at 37 one of those guys that many people would've been fine with at 22, then you get the same 2 players (Weeden and Player X), just in a different order than expected.

I wanted the Browns to address RB, WR, and RT early, with the idea that I wouldn't be overly saddened if they got Weeden too.  RB and Weeden are done - time to go WR/RT.

And with this many good players left floating around, I wouldn't hate to see the Browns package some of those late round picks and move back into the 2nd from that 3rd round pick.

If they end the night with a new starting QB, RB, WR, and RT in the fold... wooo-daddy!  I might even be forced to get excited again.

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Regarding Colt McCoy

As of this writing, Colt is still a Brown... for now.  Seems like Heckert is actively trying to shop the guy.  In 24 hours, Colt is going from a starter in Cleveland to someone's backup in another city.

Is it fair?

Who cares?

Colt just wasn't good enough.  His ceiling was low.  He's a backup quality player, and that's probably all he'll ever be.

Did the Browns tell Colt he was "the guy" and that they wouldn't draft a QB in the 1st round?

Who cares?

It doesn't matter one bit to me what the team told Colt.  Dude just needs to stop complaining to the press.  Would you like a wah-m and cheese sandwich with that, Colt?  How is anyone supposed to respect you when you and your dad are going public with how mean Mangini/Daboll were to you and how you shouldn't have gone back in the game and how they told you you were the starter?  It doesn't matter whether or not you're right - don't whine about it to the public.

A lot of people seem to think that the Browns should keep McCoy on as a backup, but I think it would be too much distraction for too little value.  Wallace is just as good as a backup as Colt is.  Just trade Colt away for a 6th or 7th rounder (which is likely all he's worth) and be done with it.

Addition by subtraction.

I wish Colt no ill will personally.  I have nothing against him (just like I have nothing for him).  He's just completely expendable at this point, and QB controversies/public complaining are distractions this team doesn't need.

Adieu, Monsieur Colt.  Thanks for the Jets game.