SB Nation - Brodney Pool

Jamal Lewis and Brodney Pool Placed on Injured Reserve by Browns

Chris Pokorny — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:55:39 -0000

More photos » by Amy Sancetta - AP

Is Jamal Lewis' career over?

We thought our team wasn't competitive last year when Ken Dorsey was operating our offense. Imagine what things will be like the rest of the way after the injuries the Browns suffered in last week's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

After placing Shaun Rogers on the injured reserve earlier in the week, it was announced today that S Brodney Pool and RB Jamal Lewis were placed on the injured reserve. Pool going on the injured reserve wasn't too much of a surprise. It was revealed after Sunday's game that he suffered a head injury, which wasn't good news considering his history of concussions.

Lewis going on the injured reserve came out of left field. It is being reported that Lewis, like Pool, also suffered a head injury against the Bengals. Earlier in the offseason, Lewis told the media that this would be his final season in the NFL. If he holds true to his word, then his career will not have ended on a bright spot. The Browns are currently tied for the worst record in football at 1-10, and on the season Lewis was averaging a mere 3.5 yards per carry without a single touchdown. While our quarterbacks weren't efficient enough to give Lewis enough opportunities, Lewis never appeared to hit the hole very well this season.

With the three injuries, that means there will have to be some shifts in the starting lineup this week against the San Diego Chargers. Among my predictions...

Mike Adams will move from cornerback to safety, his original position.
Brandon McDonald will move back into the starting cornerback spot.
Athyba Rubin will start at nose tackle in place of Shaun Rogers.
Chris Jennings will start at running back but almost split carries with Jerome Harrison.

Ideally, I'd love to see Harrison receive the opportunity to start again, but based on the recent events of the past few weeks, I don't think that's what Eric Mangini has in mind.

The Browns have already claimed DB Ramzee Robinson off waivers from the Philadelphia Eagles. If the name sounds at all familiar to you, then perhaps you remember him as bring the Mr. Irrelevant of the 2007 NFL Draft when the Detroit Lions selected him. Yep, we can now brag that we have an irrelevant player. He only has 24 tackles in his NFL career, but drew some laughingstock criticism last season with the Lions:

Before we get to the particulars, let me make sure you know about the player of the day. I speak, of course, of Ramzee Robinson. In the second half at Green Bay, Robinson, a Lions defensive back, was penalized for taunting. The Lions at that point were 0-15 and within sight of attaining the designation they now hold, that of worst NFL team ever. After a Green Bay incompletion, Robinson danced around, pointing at himself and taunting Packers receiver James Jones. A player for the worst-ever NFL team was called for taunting in the game in which that team reached 0-16.

-ESPN (Link)

Suit him up!

Report: Shaun Rogers Out for Season

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:56:27 -0000

More photos » by Tony Tribble - AP

22 days ago: Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, right, is dragged down by Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Shaun Rogers during the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Tony Tribble)

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The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that according to a league source, Cleveland Browns DT Shaun Rogers will miss the remainder of the season due to either an ankle or Achilles injury. Rogers was reportedly on crutches in the Browns locker room after the game with a distraught look on his face. Ahtyba Rubin will likely take Rogers' place for the remainder of the season.

Rogers wasn't the only player to leave with an injury Sunday against the Bengals. The following three players also left the game with injuries:

DL Kenyon Coleman (knee)
LB Kamerion Wimbley (knee)
DB Brodney Pool (head injury)

The most concerning injury among those three has to do with Pool, who already has a history of concussions. With the league's recent added emphasis on protecting players who have concussions, you wonder if Pool is getting to the point where he might need to retire early.

"Of course, I'm worried about him," said Eric Wright. "I didn't know until just now he had a head injury."

If Wimbley can't go next week against the Chargers, the team's linebacker unit will feature Jason Trusnik and Matt Roth on the outside and Kaluka Maiava and David Bowens on the inside.

Any way you look at it, this defense isn't going to get any better in an already dismal 1-10 season.

Post-Game Thread: Lions Win 38-37 Shootout

Chris Pokorny — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:40:06 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

29 days ago: Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, left, tries to make a catch in the end zone as Cleveland Browns defensive back Brodney Pool defends in the first quarter of an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009. The play was ruled incomplete. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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If you heard the Browns were 1-9 and watched this game, you would've thought it was our defense that was responsible for how horrible we've played this year.

With the Browns having their only good offensive game of the season behind Brady Quinn's four touchdown passes, the team had a 37-31 lead with under two minutes to go. The Lions had no timeouts left but moved the ball down the field to attempt a Hail Mary with eight seconds left. After scrambling around forever, Lions rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford launched the ball as he took a shot from C.J. Mosley. The ball was intercepted by Brodney Pool, but the officials threw the flag for pass interference in the end zone. Why was the call a poor one?

You always see a crowd of people jump for a Hail Mary, but pass interference never gets called.
The ball would've been uncatchable compared to where Pool picked it.

Then, the Lions were charged with an injury timeout they didn't have, although since a game can't end on a penalty, the Lions were still permitted to run their play from the one-yard line. Here's the problem -- Matthew Stafford ~~should've been ineligible to return for one play~~. Stafford then came back into the game after the Browns called a timeout and threw the one-yard touchdown pass to TE Brandon Pettigrew. The CBS announcing crew originally kept proclaiming that the Lions took a timeout.

A blown call at the end that ruined our only shining moments on offense of the season. Pfft.

Kamerion Wimbley and Browns Defense Play With Fire Despite 30-6 Loss to Bears

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:49:25 -0000

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

about 1 month ago: Chicago Bears safety Danieal Manning (38) picks up the loose ball after a fumble by Cleveland Browns tight end Steve Heiden in the third quarter of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. At left is Bears linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer (92), who forced the fumble. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

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CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-7)	WEEK 8	CHICAGO BEARS (4-3)
	VS.
6		30

As far as I'm concerned, the Chicago Bears played no better against the Cleveland Browns than they did against the Cincinnati Bengals two weeks ago when they lost 45-10. QB Jay Cutler supported my point that he's a tad overrated, but he was rewarded nonetheless with a rather easy 30-6 victory over the Browns.

Has a Browns team ever been so helpless on offense? I guess you could technically say we're at the same level as the Oakland Raiders, but that's not the type of competitive comparison I want to be making on gameday. The funny thing is that if our offense would've just taken a knee on every series this week, we probably only would have lost by a score of 10-3 (note: I realize that is not a reality, since the space-time continuum obviously would've resulted in different production for the Bears). Our defense played much better than last week and weren't rewarded for it; as far as the rest of the league is concerned, our defense is still a joke.

Let's get to the sad review of the game...

WEEK 8 - CLEVELAND BROWNS VS. CHICAGO BEARS (COMPLETE GAME REVIEW)

GOAT OF THE GAME:

Steve Heiden & Mohamed Massaquoi: Obviously QB Derek Anderson could go here every week, but it's only fair to spread the wealth. In the second half, when the Browns were actually showing some form of a threat, there were two cases in which Anderson made some of his best throws of the game -- one on a small pass to Steve Heiden, and another on a timing pattern to Mohamed Massaquoi.

For whatever reason, both players coughed up the football. It wasn't even like they were hit by a blindsided poke at the football either; Heiden even seemed to wrap both arms tightly around the ball and it just...fell out. That's extremely frustrating, because Heiden is supposed to be our only "Mr. Reliable" left on offense. He also dropped a pass earlier in the game. For as in-sync as Massaquoi and Anderson looked against Cincinnati, that "chemistry" no longer exists.

AWARDING GAME BALLS:

Kamerion Wimbley: Credit to defensive coordinator Rob Ryan for helping turn Kamerion Wimbley around. He's no DeMarcus Ware, but he's getting to the quarterback a lot more than his last two years under Crennel. With his sack Sunday, he surpassed his sack total from last season. He also delivered a punishing shot on QB Jay Cutler as he released a pass, resulting in a bloody mouth for Cutler (and probably a fine).

GENERAL THOUGHTS

Bears QB Jay Cutler was hit hard all day by the Browns defense, including here by LB Kamerion Wimbley.

In Stride: (Marks calendar) We are 8 games into the 2009-2010 NFL season, and for the first time this season, we finally saw a smart play design for Joshua Cribbs as a receiver (although the execution of it could have been accidental). Derek Anderson was pressured and then stepped up in the pocket.

Before he got to the line of scrimmage, he turned and threw a route nearly parallel to the line of scrimmage at Cribbs, who had motioned out of the backfield and into the flat. Cribbs caught the pass in stride and ran up the sideline for a gain of 23 yards.
By the Numbers: The final line for Anderson is as follows: 6-of-17 for 76 yards and 2 interceptions. His QB rating was a lowly 10.5. Anderson's production level is getting worse and worse by the week. At this point, I think I'd be content going back to watching Quinn get sacked every play.
Applaud the Play Call, Hate the Statistic: The Browns scored their only touchdown of the game near the start of the second half. Taking advantage of a horrible punt by the Bears, Jamal Lewis pounded his way down to the one-yard line. The Browns failed to punch it in on 1st-and-goal from the one, so on second down, Anderson sneaked forward and used his tall frame to stretch the ball over the goal line for the score.

I like the call on second down because we won't lose yardage on it, and if we fail to get in, we'd still have two downs remaining to go back to Lewis or do a small pass play. Afterward though, I was a little sick knowing that I'd still have to hear all of the play-by-play announcers say "the Browns do not have a single rushing touchdown from their running backs this season!"
Injuries Galore: There has to be a correlation between a losing season and the number of injuries that start piling on. After already losing LB D'Qwell Jackson for the season, LB Eric Barton and DB Eric Wright suffered shoulder injuries. Wright returned, but Barton will likely undergo tests to determine the extent of his injury.
Rob Ryan Fired Up: I appreciate the enthusiasm that Rob Ryan shows each week, and unlike our offensive coordinator, Ryan seems to know how to make adjustments after a letdown. Whereas the defense was brutal in giving up 31 points to the Packers, they had one of my favorite performances of the season in giving up 30 points to the Bears (23 when you don't include Anderson's pick six). After the Browns stopped Cutler on a 4th-and-1 from the 1-yard line, Ryan was out on the field jawing at Jay Cutler. I believe the defense is still playing hard because of him.
Wimbley's Knockdown: When Wimbley knocked down Cutler's fourth-down pass at the goal line, it was obviously a bad decision because an interception would've brought the ball out to the 20-yard line. Then, our offense wouldn't have been backed up into seeing Anderson throw a pick six from his own goal line. Granted, it's better that he knocked the ball down than let the receiver catch it, but he knocked it down as if it was a Hail Mary pass attempted from mid-field.
A Little Scared? I think punter Brad Maynard was a little scared of Joshua Cribbs. On 5 punts, Maynard averaged a quite pathetic 30.4 yard average. On the other side of the field, props to punter Dave Zastudil for recording a touchdown-saving tackle on punt returner Devin Hester early on.
Staying With the Play: Kudos to DL Kenyon Coleman for staying home when the Bears tried a reverse with Devin Hester. As Hester was handed the ball, Coleman shot at him like a cannon and took him down. How many times have we seen our defensive players be in position for a play like that, but end up whiffing?

When you see this on TV, chances are the pass is going to be picked.

Francies Sees Action: Finally, we got to see a little bit of Coye Francies. He was subbed in after Eric Wright went down with an injury. On Francies' first play (I think), the Bears ran the ball with Matt Forte, who sprinted to the edge for a 10-yard touchdown. Soon after that, Francies left with an injury of his own, forcing Hank Poteat into the game. (Sigh).
It's About Time: One-third of our payoff for the Braylon Edwards trade finally showed up today, as WR Chansi Stuckey made his first catch of the season as a member of the Browns. He made a few nice moves after the catch to stretch the play to an 11-yard gain.
The Other Third: With the more exotic blitz packages thrown at Cutler, the other third of the Edwards deal was more productive this week. Jason Trusnik sacked Cutler once and also led the team with 7 tackles.
Should've Been a Fumble: When Jay Cutler was hit and the ball came loose for about a 15+ yard loss, the play should've stood. I didn't see any indication that Cutler's arm was moving forward; it was moving laterally at best. His arm was angled that way due to a hit from a Browns defender too. Even with the overturn, who was Cutler throwing the ball to? It might have even hit his offensive lineman, which would be an illegal touch. In the end, the Bears had a comfortable 2nd-and-10 to work with.
Adams and Pool: Whatever the combination was, it seemed to work this week. It seemed like Mike Adams was in mostly on first- and second-downs, with Brodney Pool coming in on obvious passing downs. Pool recorded an interception when he dove to the ground after a tipped pass. As he tried to get up, he was rewarded by being drilled by two or three Bear linemen.
Inserting Quinn Late: The decision is still baffling to put Brady Quinn into the game when he did. We had literally no chance of coming back, and the substitution was made in a half where several offensive players had fumbled the ball. Why not make the change at half-time when Anderson was awful as usual?
Evaluating "the Other Guy": There's not much to fo on. His first pass was located well. He had the right idea on the second play -- getting rid of the ball quickly when they brought the house. A week ago, that's the similar adjustment that Aaron Rodgers made to Donald Driver for a long touchdown. The third down play was another dropped pass. Then, we punted. Booooooooo.
Lerner's Staredowns: I think fans would've rather watched Randy Lerner stare down and scold the players and coaches all game than watch the actual game. If someone has footage of Lerner doing this, it must be seen!
Bad Timing of Wildcat Plays: Yeah, let's run the Wildcat on a 3rd-and-19 play. There just doesn't seem to be a "method to the madness" of running the Wildcat formation. I agree with running it, but we never build off of it or use the formation to our advantage the following play.
Brownies: Welcome back Phil Dawson; you get to join the sad state of the team by having your extra point blocked...Joe Thomas registered two tackles in the game...safety Ray Ventrone had two special teams tackles...former Glenville High School and Ohio State product Ted Ginn Jr. had two kick returns for touchdowns to beat Braylon Edwards and the New York Jets.

Up next, the Browns have a Bye week before coming back home the following week against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football. It should be an interesting two weeks though; let's hope that Randy Lerner comes through with some form of positive news, whether it be the firing of Brian Daboll or the hiring of a team president.

A Most Delicious Matchup

Mitchell_M — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:58:37 -0000

Mmm...Browns...

Now, I know what you're thinking. Historically this season, I've been more negative than some of you would care for. I look at it as being more realistic, but at the same time it comes off as having a serious lack of faith in the team.

Allow me to attempt to salvage my reputation by coming out and saying that this is easily the best matchup of the year for the Packers and that they should absolutely roll on the Browns. Why do I say that? The answer is after the jump.

CLE rushing vs. GB defense: Jamal Lewis used to be the workhorsiest running back in the NFL. He's fallen off, to say the least (67 carries, 233 yards, 0 TDs). Jerome Harrison was supposed to be change-of-pace back in the vein of Leon Washington, Chris Johnson, and Darren Sproles. Needless to say, he has not realized that potential yet (61 carries, 228 yards, 0 TDs). Rookie James Davis looked promising, but was lost for the season. The Cleveland stable of running backs, ranked 18th in yardage, is mediocre at best.

The offensive line isn't much better. Joe Thomas (6'6", 312) is a stud at LT, but he specializes more in pass protection. The rest of the line is not nearly as studly. Eric Steinbach (6'6", 295) is an athletic LG who can move in space, but has historically had problems with sustaining blocks and keeping his base. Rookie center Alex Mack (6'4", 311), backup center/starting RG Hank Fraley (6'3", 310), and RT John St. Clair (6'6", 320) are merely average.

Green Bay has surprisingly turned into a surprisingly stout run defense over the course of the season. They're ranked 16th against the run, but the difference between 10th ranked Tennessee and 20th ranked New England is less than 20 yards. Nick Barnett seems to have recovered fully from his ACL injury, Brandon Chillar has continued to excel as a rotation linebacker, Clay Matthews had a small coming-out party last week, and A.J. Hawk has been relegated to the bench for over 75% of the defensive snaps.

Advantage: Green Bay. Having finally settled on a rotation for the front seven, the defense is starting to hit its stride.

CLE passing vs. GB defense: The only bright spot in the passing offense is rookie WR Mohamed Massaquoi. The Georgia product may not be able to recreate Braylon Edwards' production (or drops), but he has already established himself as a productive member of the NFL. Mike Furrey, former St. Louis safety turned receiver, is a homeless man's Wes Welker. From there, it's all downhill in Cleveland.

Derek Anderson once submitted a stat line of 2/17 for 23 yards and kept his job. That's how bad the quarterback situation is in Cleveland. Between him and Brady Quinn, it's hard to declare a winner. Quinn is easily more accurate than Anderson, but Anderson has the arm that can make all the necessary throws. If you somehow combined them into a super-conglomerate-quarterback, they might be servicable. But until then, Eric Mangini will have to continue choosing between dukey and doo-doo.

And by the way, how in the world does Eric Mangini still have a job? The Brady Quinn Era lasted all of 2.5 games. The second-best player on offense (and second-leading receiver) was Braylon Edwards, who's now a member of the Jets. They were reportedly shopping Joshua Cribbs before the deadline, presumably because they don't want to have any success on special teams.

Green Bay finally is starting to figure out a rotation of linebackers that work well with blitz packages, especially on passing downs. The group of Matthews-Barnett-Chillar-Kampman has produced well, especially when Kampman moves onto the line. Al Harris, Charles Woodson, Nick Collins, Tramon Williams, and finally healthy (for now) Atari Bigby are licking their chops this week. It might get ugly.

Advantage: Definitely Green Bay. The only thing preventing this defense from dominating this week is injuries.

GB rushing vs. CLE defense: Cleveland has a defense which has been exploited like a British colony. Their 30th-ranked run defense is anchored by Shaun Rogers. Is it any coincidence that all the teams that the 6'4" 350 lb. mammoth tackle has played for have been awful against the run? Probably, especially now that Cleveland defensive star D'Qwell Jackson is out for the year. But the rest of Cleveland's front seven are non-descript. Robaire Smith and Kenyon Coleman are the main ends, with former Packer Corey Williams rotating in. Eric Barton, Kamerion Wimbley, David Bowens, and David Veikune will have to step up to replace Jackson's leadership.

Meanwhile, rumors abound of Ryan Grant's imminent departure from Green Bay. Well, perhaps "imminent" isn't the right word, but those in charge at 1265 are not pleased and have been looking for ways to improve the position. Whether or not Ahman Green can be considered an improvement is yet to be seen. In any case, Grant is still producing at a slightly-above-average clip (3.8 ypc). Perhaps his numbers are lower because of the offensive line? After all, Grant did finish last year on a relatively strong note, so maybe he is getting primed for a second-half explosion, a la Cedric Benson in 2008.

Advantage: Green Bay, because Cleveland sucks more at stopping the run than Green Bay does at establishing it.

GB passing vs. CLE defense: I played defensive back in high school, and I was good enough to not get burned on a regular basis. One week, I caught the flu, and tried playing in that week's game after starting to get over it. Two long pass plays later, I was riding the pine for the rest of the game and didn't start the next week.

The point is, if any of the Browns' defensive backs were among the players who caught the flu, they will be in for a long day.

The Browns' pass defense is ranked 23rd, a number that would likely be worse if Cleveland weren't constantly losing and having opponents run the clock out against them. The corners (Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald) are actually not horrible players, but they're constantly left alone by the putrid safety tandem of Brodney Pool and Abram Elam. If you thought Derrick Martin and Jarrett Bush were bad, wait until you see Wright matched up against Donald Driver and pass him off to the safety who isn't there.

Speaking of Green Bay's receivers, they have certainly stepped up in the last few weeks. Seven Packers have over 100 yards receiving on the season, and Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, and Jermichael Finley are all averaging over 15.0 yards per catch. As long as the drops don't come back, these guys will get open and get yards.

Oh, and Aaron Rodgers is awesome. Let's hope he stays healthy despite his dangerous work conditions.

Advantage: Green Bay by a long shot.

No-longer-so-preliminary verdict: The biggest thing that worries me about this game is the potential for the team to fall into a trap, given the looming November 1st visit from a certain NFC North team. But before we start repeating the Admiral Ackbar message from Week 3, recognize exactly how different this team is in Week 7. With Atari Bigby healthy, a more suitable replacement for Mark Tauscher, and the reunion of Aaron Kampman and the 3-point stance, this Packers team is far more capable than they were in the first quarter of the season.

Poll

What outcome do you see for Week 7 against Cleveland?

Big GB win.

505 votes

Slim GB win.

61 votes

Too close to call.

6 votes

Slim CLE win.

24 votes

Big CLE win.

16 votes

612 votes | Poll has closed

If I Were the San Diego Chargers' GM: Q1 Review

John (obviousman) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:08:32 -0000

More photos » by Jack Smith - AP

Being the Chargers GM must be awesome. (AP Photo/Jack Smith)

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My greatest love, as it pertains to football, is personnel. Even during an entertaining, late season game my brain can't help from scouting the players on my screen and thinking about improvements that need to be made to the roster. Even in the very early stages of an unpredictable season, I love nothing more than to throw my GM hat on and pretend I'm A.J. Smith.

I have two dream jobs. Well, three I guess. Number one would be playing Quarterback in the NFL. However, I'm about 4 inches shorter than Drew Brees and 9 inches shorter than Philip Rivers, so that might be hard. I will admit that I've always been an accurate passer in my backyard and even won my wife a stuffed duck on one of those boardwalk games where you have to hit the target inside of the swinging tire. Still, that one ain't happening.

My second dream job would be as GM in the NFL. This is the reason I look through stats endlessly and the reason I've read Ernie Accorsi's book twice already. If I could one day be the GM of any NFL team, I think I'd skip everywhere instead of walking. Also, I'd do it for free.

My third dream job I'm practically doing. It would be to write about the San Diego Chargers. To share my passion and contribute words to the world that are appreciated, even if it's by a small group of people.

So while writing about it, I'm going to be doing quarterly looks ahead to see the potential holes in the roster in 2010 and to tel you what I would do if I were Mr. Smith. My first attempt at this is after the jump.

Free Agents

Team FAs

Since I don't want to write this post two different ways every time I do it, let's go off the assumption that there will be a new CBA in place by time free agency rolls around. Here's who the Chargers are at risk of losing:

Who to Keep

Vincent Jackson
Brandon Manumaleuna
Marcus McNeill
Tim Dobbins

Look, the WR situation is not as bad as it might seem. Where will we find the money to pay VJ? Simple. We'll give him Chambers' money. Chris is one of the top 20 WRs in the league in terms of base salary. Moving that money over to Jackson, plus VJ's current salary and a little extra, should be enough to keep this dynamic WR in San Diego for another 5 years as least. That's a move that I would do as GM.

Manumaleuna can be kept because he'd probably be cheap. He's an effective blocking TE who can fill in at OT or FB in a pinch. Unless somebody else falls in love with Dobbins, I'd keep him around for run support, depth and his special teams prowess. McNeill is kept because he's an adequate LT that has tremendous potential. It's really hard to find a good LT these days and even harder to try to play without one.

Merriman can go because his price tag is too high. The team cannot afford to be paying starter's money to 3 OLBs. Also, the Chargers could do worse than having Antwan Applewhite and Jyles Tucker as the backups. I'd like to keep Osgood, but don't see him staying. Somebody that likes tall receivers (Bengals?) will give him a chance to catch balls and he'll be gone. Chambers, Sproles and Whitehurst will all cost much more than they're worth on the free agent market.

It would probably cause too many issues to slap the franchise tag onto Merriman. He wouldn't want to play on the one-year deal, he'll feel he's getting underpaid, etc. etc. I'd personally go without a franchised player in 2010.

Roster Holes

The 2009 offseason was the first in a few years where there was legitimate holes on the roster. As of right now, I don't know that the team did a very good job of filling all of those holes. In 2010, those same weaknesses exist along with new ones.

Running Back - The bad news is that LT can't take the beating of a starting RB in the NFL anymore. The good news is that his restructured contract makes him cheap enough that he could be the second option in the ground game without killing the cap.

Trying to buy a running back as a free agent is absurd, unless you find a diamond in the rough (like Priest Holmes). It's even harder when there's only a couple of decent free agents RBs. After this season, the only RBs that might become free agents (they could still sign a contract with their current team) that have any starting experience are LenDale White, Pierre Thomas, Chester Taylor, Willie Parker and Le'Ron McClain. Jerious Norwood is an intriguing name, although he hasn't started much at all since being drafted. I don't think any of these guys are worth the money that they're going to get, so I point my eyes towards the draft.

I think it is absolutely, 100% necessary to use the Chargers 2010 first round draft pick on a running back that can start immediately. Unfortunately, this draft class currently looks thin at RB. Perhaps it's just too early. Even so, I have my eye on Clemson's C.J. Spiller and from the looks of it he might want the chance to apprentice under Tomlinson.

Strong Safety - From what I've seen, Kevin Ellison is not the answer at Strong Safety. He's the Brandon Siler of that position. He's a strong, big hitter than is good against the run but will get burned if he has to cover anybody downfield. I don't think Clinton Hart or Steve Gregory are good enough that I feel secure in having either of them as my starting SS in 2010.

I'm very intrigued with C.J. Spillman as an option here. He was very fast and hit really hard during the preseason. He reminded me of Melvin Bullitt, who I am a big fan of. I'm hopeful that the only reason he's listed as a FS and saw time their in the preseason is because the team liked what they saw from both him and Ellison and did not want them competing for the third SS job. If I was A.J. Smith, I have a meeting with Norv Turner and Ron Rivera and ask them point blank of Spillman is a viable option to start at SS before I make any other moves.

Let's assume they say no. "There's nobody on the roster we're excited about starting at SS." Well, let's see what else is out there. The aforementioned Melvin Bullitt (RFA) is part of a strong class of free agent Strong Safeties that also includes Atari Bigby, Abram Elam, Dawan Landry and Brodney Pool. These guys may cost more than trying to find a decent SS through the draft, but with more important needs to fill with rookies I think the Free Agent route would be the one to take. Any of those 5 guys mentioned, with the possible exception of Brodney Pool, would be a great improvement over Hart and Gregory.

Defensive Tackle - I originally thought this position was a HUGE need, but it may not be by the end of this season. If Ogemdi Nwagbuo and Vaughn Martin both show improvement during the season, to the point where they could both be competent starters on the defensive line, then the Chargers have incredible depth in 2010. That would leave them with 5 legitimate starters (Nwagbuo, Martin, Luis Castillo, Jamal Williams, Jacques Cesaire) and no need for anyone beyond that besides maybe Ryon Bingham.

If neither of them pan-out, the Chargers will continue to look for a young replacement for Jamal Williams. There are plenty of good DTs in the 2009 draft class, including 365 lb. Terrence Cody, so that would be the way to go there. As for right now, Shaun Rogers would be someone that I would inquire about but it would cause problems for the future of the defensive line. Rogers is signed for 5 seasons after 2009, and considering the Chargers would have to give up at least a first round draft pick to get him they would not be eager to dump him once Jamal Williams came back or one of the young kids started to show promise. That means they would have to give up on J-Will, OG and/or Martin and I don't think they're ready to do any of that. If I'm A.J. Smith, I'd like to stand pat and see how the young kids play for the rest of the season. However, the idea of Rogers pushing the line around with Nwagbuo subbing in and Martin playing backup DE seems like one I'd have to jump on if the price was right.

Center - This one kindof kills me. After talking with him at training camp, I can say that Nick Hardwick is one of the nicest people I've ever met. Not one of the nicest Chargers or nicest football players, nicest people. I also think he's a fantastic Center when he's able to stay healthy. I just think the Chargers need a better backup plan for when he gets injured.

Tyronne Green brought some hope. He was a very good OG at Auburn, and they hoped to turn him into the backup Center. Considering he's the 3rd Center and probably the 5th Guard, it's safe to say this pick has yet to pan out. If he shows something before next season, great. He can be a solid Center and nobody else is needed. If he shows nothing, he needs to be cut and a legitimate Center needs to be drafted. It's damn near impossible to find a decent Center as a free agent because of how valuable they are to each team's offensive line.

Summary

It's obviously not a full plan, but there's direction there. Sign Vincent Jackson to the contract he's worth. Scout every college RB in the country. Aggressively pursue the free agent Strong Safeties. Make a decision to trade for a NT or put your confidence in Nwagbuo and Martin for the future. Find a real Center to backup Hardwick. The rest will fall into place as the season goes along, and I hope some of these weaknesses turn into strengths. Right now, that's what I would focus on if I were the General Manager of the San Diego Chargers.

Broncos Get a "Gimme" as Browns' Lackluster Gameplan Leads to 27-6 Loss

Chris Pokorny — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:03:07 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Cleveland Browns' quarterback Brady Quinn (10) fumbles the football in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos.

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CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-2)	WEEK 2	DENVER BRONCOS (2-0)
	VS.
6		27

After the Browns' effort against the Broncos this past Sunday, one thought popped into my mind: What the hell was that?

There are teams who simply don't have the talent to win regularly, but then there are teams who have some of the right pieces to the puzzle and are lacking a good gameplan on offense. That's where the Browns are stuck right now, which is quite discouraging considering the change I expected from the new regime. Sure, growing pains are to be expected, but I'd rather see the offense take some shots than...than...well, quite frankly, I don't know how to describe the non-existent gameplan that Brian Daboll seems to be using.

WEEK 2 - CLEVELAND BROWNS VS. DENVER BRONCOS (GENERAL THOUGHTS)

Goat of the Game - Brian Daboll: I thought about giving it to Brady Quinn again, but I'll take a rarity for me and give it to a coach. I liked the formations that Daboll was using in the preseason to keep defenses off balanced, along with how we were keeping defenses on their toes with the number of screen plays we were running. Now, the talent utilization isn't there, and neither is the gameplan. Examples to follow below.
Using Joshua Cribbs: What was Cribbs' strength as a receiver supposed to be? Catching the ball quickly in stride and using his momentum, like he does on a kick return, to burst through the defense. Instead, we saw Cribbs get the ball over and over again on comeback routes short of a first-down marker. That's what Mike Furrey is for (*assuming he goes beyond the marker). Also, what happened to the Wildcat formation? What are we doing, reverting to the stubbornness of the Romeo Crennel days already?
Involving Mohamed Massaquoi: Isn't there a reason we drafted two receivers in the second round of this year's draft? I was under the impression that it was because we needed receivers desperately. And yet, we see that Massaquoi doesn't get a catch, and Brian Robiskie isn't even active. The reviews on both men weren't outstanding during training camp, but surely they should be receiving more reps. We need better route runners, and at least Massaquoi can provide that.
Harrison as a Receiver: So far, I would've never guessed that Eric Mangini ever managed Leon Washington in New York, because the past two weeks, neither James Davis nor Jerome Harrison have been used enough as a receiver out of the backfield.
What HAVE We Seen? We've seen a lot of runs up the middle to Jamal Lewis, resulting in longer third downs. We've seen a lot of third-down and long throws go short of the first-down marker. We've seen Brady Quinn hold onto the ball too long in certain situations, resulting in a sack. We've also seen Quinn move away from the pocket too quickly, resulting in a negative play more times than not. In other words, what we've seen is a complete mess. In the next few weeks, we'll see how good of a coach we have to do anything he can to clean that mess up.
Right Tackle Isn't Cutting It: For the first half of a game, RT John St. Clair is doing a decent job. But when we fall behind and are forced to pass, teams are having a field day against him. St. Clair allowed Elvis Dumervil to have four sacks against Quinn in the second half, with three of them coming in the fourth quarter. That came after I had been laughing at the Packers for giving up five sacks to Bengals DE Antwan Odom. St. Clair wasn't wanted by the Bears for a reason, and we're seeing it. Get well, Ryan Tucker.
Special Teams Fumble: Our special teams unit did a much better job this week in coverage. On the first kickoff, Blake Costanzo forced and recovered a fumble that set our offense up with its only viable threat of the game. Phil Dawson and Dave Zastudil each had a solid day performing their respective duties.
Defensive Effort: Our defensive effort was much less impressive against the Broncos than it was against the Vikings. Nonetheless, in the first half, thanks to two missed field goals, Denver only had 13 points heading into the third quarter. We were just one score away from tying the game, but the final result appears in the books as a three-touchdown blowout. That's what makes the lack of a gameplan on offense ever-the-more frustrating -- simple execution, and who knows how things could've changed in our favor.
Mack's Shotgun Snaps: We've seen too many snaps from rookie center Alex Mack be errant, and it cost us against the Broncos, setting Denver up for their only first-half touchdown.
The Nickel Backs: Right now, it appears that Hank Poteat is our nickel back. I supported the release of Roderick Hood only if that meant we were committed to giving Coye Francies more playing time. Poteat was burned several times by Brandon Stokley, often on third-and-long situations.
Quiet Play from Pool: Doesn't it seem like Brodney Pool's name hasn't even been mentioned the past two weeks? I'm not sure if that's a bad thing or a good thing. I remain pleased with Abram Elam, but again, I'd like to see how these guys play when our offense actually gives them a lead to work with.
Edwards' Success: Another reason to be discouraged by our lack of success on offense? Braylon Edwards has not had issues hauling in the football the past two weeks and seems to be focused. That was supposed to be our problem last year; what's our excuse now?
Won't Say It: I won't say it. I'm wondering about it, but I won't say it. That something has to do with our quarterback situation. It's only fair to give a player some live game-action to grow.
Converting Third Downs: The Browns only converted 3/14 of their third downs. That's a very good way to get our defense back on the field, especially in the second half of a game. We're not like the Colts, who can have the ball for 14 minutes and still have their offensive playmakers put up Pro Bowl stats.
Usally Don't Diss Them...: ...but the CBS announcers were pretty bad for our contest on Sunday. At the start of the game, Steve called Bill by the name "Bob", only to say shortly after that, "opps, sorry about that, I meant Bill!" That's a sure sign of chemistry right from the get-go. Eric Wright is widely known as one of the top 5 cornerbacks in football too, if you didn't notice.
Gum Chewing: Was that the same piece of gum that Mangini was chewing the whole game?
Getting Pressure: How discouraging is it to see Rex Ryan go to the Jets and light up Tom Brady with unbelievable pressure the entire game? The Browns still brought more pressure against Denver than they would have last year, but the plays did not result in any sacks. There were a few ducks that could've been picked with more luck being on our side.
McDonald's Redemption: There was a play late in the game that Brandon McDonald took the wrong approach on, but overall he didn't seem at all fazed by last year's collapse. His interception that was out of bounds in the end zone was a great play, even if it didn't stand.
Brownies: I guess Steve Heiden isn't a part of our gameplan either...Jamal Lewis looked good early on, and I blame his lack of success on the gameplan...had the Ravens lost Sunday, we might have been playing for the division lead this Sunday.

My optimism is down heading into the Ravens game this week. With my expectations tamed, perhaps I won't feel so surprised if we get blown out again.

Here is the roll call of who participated in the game thread, with emily522 having the most to say...

Roll Call: ChrisPokorny, Brownsyup, theW0LF, cleveland teamer, emily522, L Train, doggrad87, ejruiz, kwoog, Rocland, BradyQuinnisBeast, woodsmeister, Simmsinns, Buckeye Brad, JustBob, RelapsingDawgCatcher, SpecialBrownie, elsandito, Monsters of the Midway, kentuckybronco, kjc, BringBackKosar, DisplacedBuckeye, Dawgs Bite Back, Bumblyjack, irish1083, themadlibs, mrich, Mocking Dan, Chief WaDrew, rockybrown, DaytonDogg, Jamals6082, BLAZER_FAN_199, JulioBernazard, fwembt, Dawgger, portland, oregon, Brownie's Year, Dawg Nuts, Riverboat Sam, dmbshn41, Overlord1976, skipkirk, Rod Grimes, ericwright11, ukcatfan29, Michael Jay, The Brown Note, VABrownsFan, ELGee, Les Fleurs Du Mal, Pruitt, gahnki, Roger Dorn, athensdawg2, Juannieboy, Denarchy, dragon43078, math_geek, Elway4Prez, realmccoy, Bernie19Kosar, McGeorge
Total Users: 64
Total Posts: 889
Total Threads: 1

Name	# of Posts
emily522	132
Jamals6082	83
DaytonDogg	62
ChrisPokorny	48
DisplacedBuckeye	41
dmbshn41	40
BringBackKosar	40
Simmsinns	39
Dawgger	39
Brownie's Year	32
Michael Jay	27
woodsmeister	26
irish1083	26
Bumblyjack	24
Dawg Nuts	20
BLAZER_FAN_199	17
RelapsingDawgCatcher	14
Roger Dorn	11
kwoog	11
JulioBernazard	10
Rod Grimes	8
ejruiz	8
BradyQuinnisBeast	8
skipkirk	7
ukcatfan29	7
athensdawg2	7
fwembt	6
Pruitt	6
Overlord1976	6
kentuckybronco	5
kjc	5
SpecialBrownie	5
Brownsyup	5
ELGee	5
Juannieboy	5
portland, oregon	4
theW0LF	4
elsandito	4
themadlibs	4
Les Fleurs Du Mal	3
JustBob	3
VABrownsFan	2
McGeorge	2
realmccoy	2
Dawgs Bite Back	2
ericwright11	2
cleveland teamer	2
Monsters of the Midway	2
Elway4Prez	2
Chief WaDrew	2
Bernie19Kosar	1
dragon43078	1
Denarchy	1
math_geek	1
doggrad87	1
Mocking Dan	1
mrich	1
Buckeye Brad	1
rockybrown	1
Rocland	1
The Brown Note	1
L Train	1
Riverboat Sam	1
gahnki	1

Previewing the Kansas City Chiefs 2009 Schedule: Week 15

Chris Thorman — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:12:05 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

3 months ago: Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn (10) passes the ball to Josh Cribbs for a first down under pressure from Tennessee Titans defensive end Dave Ball (98) during a preseason NFL football game at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

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Week 15 brings the Cleveland Browns to Arrowhead Stadium. At this point in the season, and at this point in our predictions, we have the Kansas City Chiefs sitting on a record of 7-6.

Crazy? Yeah, it is a little crazy. But we are after all Chiefs fans, no?

If you're a casual follower of the Browns like I am, you know about Dante Stallworth and his legal issues. You've heard about the Brady Quinn v. Derek Anderson debate. And I'm assuming you know that Eric Mangini is now the head coach.

But beyond that I don't know that much. After the jump, SB Nation's Browns blogger Chris answers some of our questions about the Browns. I've also added the Browns' depth chart as of now for more reference.

Make sure you check out Dawgs by Nature for all things Cleveland Browns.

Pos	1st String (Starter)	2nd String (Backup)	3rd String
QB
RB	Jamal Lewis	Jerome Harrison	James Davis Cedric Peerman
FB	Lawrence Vickers
WR1	Braylon Edwards	Mohamed Massaquoi
WR2	Joshua Cribbs	Mike Furrey	Brian Robiskie
TE	Robert Royal	Steve Heiden	Martin Rucker
LT	Joe Thomas
LG	Eric Steinbach
C	Hank Fraley	Alex Mack
RG	Floyd Womack	Rex Hadnot
RT	John St. Clair	Phil Trautwein
Pos	1st String (Starter)	2nd String (Backup)	3ird String
DE	Kenyon Coleman	C.J. Mosley
NT	Shaun Rogers	Ahtyba Rubin
DE	Robaire Smith	Corey Williams
LOLB	Kamerion Wimbley
ILB	D'Qwell Jackson	David Veikune
ILB	Eric Barton	Kaluka Maiava	Blake Costanzo
ROLB	David Bowens	Alex Hall	Leon Williams
LCB	Eric Wright	Hank Poteat	Marquis Floyd
RCB	Brandon McDonald	Coye Francies	Gerard Lawson
FS	Brodney Pool	Mike Adams	DeAngelo Smith
SS	Abram Elam	Nick Sorensen
Pos	1st String (Starter)	2nd String (Backup)	3rd String
K	Phil Dawson
P	Dave Zastudil
H	Dave Zastudil
LS	Ryan Pontbriand
KR	Joshua Cribbs	Gerard Lawson	Jerome Harrison
PR	Joshua Cribbs	Gerard Lawson	Jerome Harrison

What do the Chiefs have to worry the most about...Jamal Lewis and the running game or Braylon Edwards and the passing game?

This question is tough to answer since our game isn't until Week 15, so I'll try to base my answer as if the Chiefs were facing the Browns earlier in the year. I'd definitely pick Braylon Edwards and the passing game. The media has automatically written off the Browns, but there is still some potency on the offensive side of the ball. Just two years ago, Derek Anderson and Edwards were Pro Bowlers. Sure, last season's struggles "might" have shown their true colors, but how can anyone guarantee that Edwards won't go back to having the same type of season he had in 2007? Brady Quinn will probably be the starting quarterback. Although he doesn't sling it as much as Anderson, Brian Daboll (the Browns offensive coordinator) would be foolish to leave out the deep patterns to Edwards.

On the other hand, the running game appears bound to struggle as long as Jamal Lewis is in the lineup. He had a down season last year and has not shown the same power he used to have throughout this year's training camp. Lewis claims he's just "holding back" for the regular season, but I think it comes down to him not having very much left in the tank anymore. Fans in Cleveland like our sixth-round draft pick James Davis at running back, but I'm not going to sit here and say that he's going to be awesome. He was great in the preseason, but the real evaluation will come when he's against first stringers in the regular season. This lack of assurance in the running game almost makes Edwards and the passing game more of a threat by default.

Will the Browns use Josh Cribbs as a WR more often? The Chiefs did that with Dante Hall and it seemed to ruin him in the return game. Any thoughts/concerns on that?

Not only should the Browns use Cribbs as a receiver more often, he should and will be starting opposite Edwards (according to our depth chart). He started in the preseason and did very well. I don't think you can compare Cribbs to Dante Hall or Devin Hester in their transitions to wide receiver because they have different styles. Hall and Hester rely more on elusiveness, whereas Cribbs finds the hole, powers through it and keeps on going. During the preseason, we saw several plays against first-stringers in which Cribbs caught the ball on a quick pattern towards the sideline and then stiff-armed the first cornerback he met before being taken down a little bit later by another defender. I know the Browns took Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi in round two this year, but if it were up to me, I'd shelve their growth and give Cribbs the starting opportunity -- I'm that intrigued by him.

The Chiefs are just transitioning to the 3-4 defense. Can you talk a little bit about what the Browns transition to the 3-4 was like a few years ago and how it stands now?

The transition was exciting at first. All we could think about is how our defense was going to be nasty like the Ravens defense. And then, something bad happened -- we saw Romeo Crennel's 3-4 defense in action. Ever since then, it's been a nightmare. We never generated any pressure. We never stopped the run. We never stood out from any other defense in the NFL. Most importantly, we barely had any of the type of players we needed for the system. Last year we acquired Shaun Rogers, but one man can only do so much. I think Mangini and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan have done a better job finding players that are comfortable with the 3-4 alignment, but we're several years into the defense and aren't even half as good as the Ravens' defense.

Many thanks to Chris for stopping by and giving us his answers! Read more about the Browns at Dawgs by Nature.

My prediction for this game is, let's say....17 to 13 in favor of our Chiefs. I don't think we'll have faith in this offense very often this year. Current record at this point: 8-6.

Check out all of our season game previews at this link.

Bret Lockett Claimed by Patriots, Scouting Cedric Peerman, and Shaun Rogers Returns to Practice

Chris Pokorny — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:40:29 -0000

by Tony Dejak - AP

Browns DT Shaun Rogers returned to practice. Hopefully he'll be ready for the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday.

View full size photo »

Say 'Bye Bye' to Bret Lockett; Benard Next?

For those of you who really wanted to see S Bret Lockett make the Browns' practice squad, you can forget about it. The undrafted free agent was claimed off waivers by the New England Patriots today. The Patriots wanted him so much that they waived WR Greg Lewis in the process. Back in March, the Patriots traded a fifth-round draft choice to Philadelphia for Lewis. Lockett had a good camp and seemed to make some nice tackles in one-on-one situations. Hopefully Mangini really likes the players we claimed off waivers to lose Lockett in the first place. [Visit Pats Pulpit for their take]

Next up, we'll see if LB Marcus Benard clears waivers and makes the Browns' practice squad.

Here are some other headlines today:

Beatdown's Take on Cedric Peerman

One of the players the Browns claimed off waivers yesterday was Baltimore Ravens running back Cedric Peerman. I asked Baltimore Beatdown's Bruce Raffel how Peerman's camp had gone for the Ravens:

"Cedric Peerman was the Baltimore Ravens 6th round draft pick, out of University of Virginia. He is an ordained minister and was fighting for a spot behind the Ravens "3-headed monster," comprised of Willis McGahee, Ray Rice and Le'Ron McClain. His competition was both Jalen Parmele and Matt Lawrence. While the team was expected to only keep one of the three between Peerman, Parmele and Lawrence, they decided to keep both Parmele and Lawrence, leaving Peeman as the odd man out. Parmele had some good gains during the preseason and Lawrence also proved his value with solid work on special teams."

"While Peerman had a decent outing in the final preseason game, it was not enough to land him on the team's roster, although they might have signed him to the practice squad had he not be gobbled up by the Ravens AFC North division foes, the Cleveland Browns."

"Good luck with Peerman, he's a good guy and will make a decent backup."

-Bruce Raffel, Baltimore Beatdown

Rogers, Harrison, Bowens, and Pool Return to Practice

After missing what ended up being most of the second half of training camp, DT Shaun Rogers returned to practice, at least for individual drills. Mangini would not comment on whether he would play this Sunday, but it's probably safe to assume he'll be ready to go.

Other players returning to practice or practicing included LB David Bowens, S Brodney Pool, and RB Jerome Harrison.

Report: OL Ryan Tucker Released by the Browns; Pool, Harrison, Hadnot Return

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:27:45 -0000

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

4 months ago: Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Ryan Tucker, left, blocks linebacker Beau Bell (58) during practice at the team's NFL football training camp in Berea, Ohio, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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UPDATE (9/1/09): Since this posting, it was learned that Ryan Tucker was placed on the Injured Reserve by the Browns. Either way, his career in Cleveland and the NFL could be finished.

First Rod Hood, now Ryan Tucker. ESPN Cleveland is reporting that the Browns have released veteran offensive lineman Ryan Tucker. It was revealed earlier today that Tucker had his knee scoped last Wednesday. Tucker was under contract for the veteran minimum.

I wish Tucker could have come back and made an impact the way he could when he was at his best, but the wear and tear on his body over the years was apparently too much. It almost feels like a Gary Baxter situation -- no matter how hard they try to return to full strength, it just isn't going to work.

In positive news, three key players returned to practice today for the Browns:

Harrison was wearing a brace on his left knee. You have to love the "hush hush" regarding injuries around Berea:

Strange, but true. Minutes before practice today, Browns RB Jerome Harrison said he "didn't have a clue" when he'd be back on the field for practice. He practiced today. Players are well-versed at being mum about injuries under coach Eric Mangini.

-CBS Sportsline

Poll

Which cut was more surprising?

Roderick Hood

632 votes

Ryan Tucker

611 votes

1243 votes | Poll has closed