They say it takes at least 3 years to judge a draft.

While Mel Kiper will hand out his grades for this weekend's draft, we will actually look back on a draft in which we can draw some conclusions on. Will no more build-up, let's take a look at the last draft that Butch Davis had in Cleveland.

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The Julio Jones trade is by far the biggest move that Heckert and Holmgren have ever pulled.

Now that the 2012 NFL Draft is in the rear-view mirror (anyone have a 2013 NFL mock draft?), we are now able to calculate the final tally of what exactly the Browns pulled in.

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The Browns were on the clock at 67, but decided to move down. The haul for the drop down was a good one, they added the Broncos 3rd (87) and 4th round selections (pick 120) to allow Denver to move up and grab Running Back Ronnie Hillman.

After landing a RB, QB and RT in the first, the Browns decided to address the "stronger" side of the football and help out the young defense.

Mike Mayock said that he was not an elite player, but will be a productive rotational guy. He has huge size, and will allow the Browns to give Tuba Rubin and Phil Taylor a breather now and again.

Scouting Report:

With a frame his size and giving weight did it with some quickness. He was a multi athlete in High School lettering in basketball, track along with football where he played DLine and Tight End (what) yes Tight End as he was a center peace of his Gahanna Lions team that competed in a highly respected O.C.C conference.

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Every year we see a huge spike in FanPosts. Please feel free to keep firing up FanPosts about all sorts of things, but if you have a short one on the draft, (1 or 2 paragraphs) this is the spot.

Not to say that this isn't great, but a lot of them are somewhat the same topic. So, a few seasons back, we decided to make a Draft Post.

Everything to do with the draft can be dumped in here.

You have a "dream draft" that you would like to show everyone? Plop it here. Like a player and want to tell everyone about? Yep, right here.

These will fill up quick, but don't worry, one of the mods will create another one when needed.

ANY POSTS THAT SHOULD BE HERE, WILL BE COPIED AND PASTED IN HERE AND TAKEN DOWN. LET'S MAKE SURE WE KEEP EVERYTHING NICE AND NEAT.

As the resident, "No Running Back shall be taken in the first!" leader, this article was a tough one. After writing this article, even I may be slightly warming up to the idea of drafting the University of Alabama Running Back.

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Please REC this so it stays at the top.

Every year we see a huge spike in FanPosts. Please feel free to keep firing up FanPosts about all sorts of things, but if you have a short one on the draft, (1 or 2 paragraphs) this is the spot.

Not to say that this isn't great, but a lot of them are somewhat the same topic. So, a few seasons back, we decided to make a Draft Post.

Everything to do with the draft can be dumped in here.

You have a "dream draft" that you would like to show everyone? Plop it here. Like a player and want to tell everyone about? Yep, right here.

These will fill up quick, but don't worry, one of the mods will create another one when needed.

ANY POSTS THAT SHOULD BE HERE, WILL BE COPIED AND PASTED IN HERE AND TAKEN DOWN. LET'S MAKE SURE WE KEEP EVERYTHING NICE AND NEAT.

Previous Threads: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

I have tried reason. I have tried ignoring it. I have tried crying.

Some people, national, local and here on DBN, continue to believe that Trent Richardson is the best player for the Browns to take in the 2012 NFL Draft.

So here it is, my final plea. Hopefully this can show why LaMichael James, not Trent Richardson, is the best Running Back for the Browns.

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Flashback to 2007: The Cleveland Browns picked 3rd in the NFL draft. They needed everything. Quarterback, Wide Receiver, Running Back, Linebacker, Cornerback, you get the gist of where I am going.

But the Browns also needed Offensive Line. Thank Joe for Joe Thomas.

Back to today, the Browns need almost everything. Quarterback, Wide Receiver, Running Back, Linebacker, Cornerback, you get the gist of where I am going here.

Enter Matt Kalil.

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Please REC this so it stays at the top.

Every year we see a huge spike in FanPosts. Please feel free to keep firing up FanPosts about all sorts of things, but if you have a short one on the draft, (1 or 2 paragraphs) this is the spot.

Not to say that this isn't great, but a lot of them are somewhat the same topic. So, a few seasons back, we decided to make a Draft Post.

Everything to do with the draft can be dumped in here.

You have a "dream draft" that you would like to show everyone? Plop it here. Like a player and want to tell everyone about? Yep, right here.

These will fill up quick, but don't worry, one of the mods will create another one when needed.

ANY POSTS THAT SHOULD BE HERE, WILL BE COPIED AND PASTED IN HERE AND TAKEN DOWN. LET'S MAKE SURE WE KEEP EVERYTHING NICE AND NEAT.

Previous threads: I, II, III, IV

Pass rush wins out over pass coverage every single day of the week.

But guess what, in this draft there isn't a pass rusher on the level of Morris Claiborne. Not even close. I wish I liked Coples more, but he is a complete enigma. Ingram I like a lot, but I even I won't say that Claiborne is on the same level as Claiborne.

So what do we do?

I tell you what we do, we grab the best defender on the board, throw him in the backfield, and improve two positions with one single pick. Trust me, this is the best approach this front office can take.

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A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends. - Baltasar Gracian

Remember this when you look at the Robert Griffin III trade. Sure the Rams and the Redskins were buddy-buddy. Good for them. We can make deals without being love with the other front office.

So, how can the Browns use one of their enemies to make good? Turn your attention to down I-71 and see the God-forsaken land of Cincin-tucky. Sure their fans maybe smarter than Raven fans (low bar) and much smarter than the mouth breathers from Pittsburgh (bar is literally on the floor at this point). But we can use our jean short wearing Ohio brethren. They need a RB. We can get them that RB. What do they have for us? Gold, Jerry. Gold.

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With Peyton Manning on his way to Denver, Tim Tebow is on the move.

His move needs to be to Cleveland. Before you automatically say no, take a second and read this. Go in with an open mind and see what you think afterwards.

After all, he beat the Steelers.

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I believe one Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs said it best, "Mo money, mo problems".

With the start of free agency mostly leaving the Browns on the sidelines, it left some posters wondering what the Browns were doing:

Super Mario

Buffalo just netted Mario Williams which brings me to a valid argument. If teams that lose frequently, play in cold, windy stadium, can still sign premier players in tough divisions THEN WHY IN THE WORLD CANT WE DO THE SAME!

I HATE THE STEELERS

by Greg Peters on Mar 15, 2012 12:51 PM EDT reply actions

I don't want Greg to think I am picking on him, there were about 4,000 other similar posts, I just found his first. People wanted the Browns to get silly and start spending dollars. After all, the Redskins were, why can't we?

So I wanted to do a little test. Looking back, how many of these silly contracts will be good ones? How many will end up being cap anchors in the future? In other words, is "Building through the Draft" the best way to do it, or are we missing out?

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Well, this wasn't totally unexpected.

Eric Steinbach will be released by the Cleveland Browns according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Reports are that Steinbach wanted to re-do his contract, but the Browns and Steinbach were not able to work something out. Of course, Steinbach missed all of last season with an injured back, and was not able to work out yet for the Browns.

The move allows the Browns to recover up to six million dollars of salary cap relief (no idea what penalties that will accelerate), but opens a hole at Left Guard. Granted Steinbach was a question mark at best, but many expected him to be lining up next to Joe Thomas once the season rolled around.

What do the Browns do from here? I have been saying it for a few weeks, Steve Hutchinson formerly of the Minnesota Vikings, is a free agent. He has only visited the Tennessee Titans, and will now be headed to meet with the Seattle Seahawks, but he has not agreed to a contract.

Well, so much for being bored yesterday huh?

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According to Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns are no longer in the Matt Flynn business.

BREAKING: #Browns have not pursued GB QB Matt Flynn and reports that they're set to make offer untrue, league source tells PD.

So, where does this leave the Browns? I am guessing, this is just from me, no sources or anything like that, that the Browns have gotten some news from Arizona on the Peyton Manning-Kevin Kolb situation.

I know Kevin Kolb doesn't get many people excited, but this front office likes him, and drafted him. If we could get him cheap, I think the Browns would be buyers. Judging off his performance in Arizona, I don't think cheap would be a problem.

If Kolb stays in Arizona however, the Browns will only have the 2012 NFL Draft to really look for an upgrade of McCoy, unless we are talking a Kyle Orton type move.

Buckle up fellas, its about to get very interesting for the Browns.

We won't get Mario Williams. You can probably add Carl Nicks on that list as well.

Who will we sign? What's up with the rest of the AFC North? Are the Steelers looking for someone to block the bathroom door from annoying friends of his lady blindside of Big Ben? What partner in crime are the Ravens eye-balling for Ray Lewis? What player is looking to trade in his jail stripes for tiger stripes and head to Cincy?

Feel free to announce any moves you see, or want to see. It's Free Agency people, the season grows closer.

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Please REC this so it stays at the top.

Every year we see a huge spike in FanPosts. Please feel free to keep firing up FanPosts about all sorts of things, but if you have a short one on the draft, (1 or 2 paragraphs) this is the spot.

Not to say that this isn't great, but a lot of them are somewhat the same topic. So, a few seasons back, we decided to make a Draft Post.

Everything to do with the draft can be dumped in here.

You have a "dream draft" that you would like to show everyone? Plop it here. Like a player and want to tell everyone about? Yep, right here.

These will fill up quick, but don't worry, one of the mods will create another one when needed.

ANY POSTS THAT SHOULD BE HERE, WILL BE COPIED AND PASTED IN HERE AND TAKEN DOWN. LET'S MAKE SURE WE KEEP EVERYTHING NICE AND NEAT.

Previous threads: Thread 1, Thread 2, Thread 3

I have a plan. May not be a good one, but it is a plan.

Not going to lie, it will not make some people happy, but at least it is a starting point. We know who we aren't getting in the draft (Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Matt Kalil).

With this layout, the Browns address some needs this season, and lay the foundation for what we will need to do in the future. Don't get me wrong, I want to fix the QB position ASAP, but right now, we don't have a suitable option. So we adjust and make our play.

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Everyone gotten the piss and vinegar out of their system? If you haven't, stop by the Glazer-RG3 thread and let it out. You will feel better. Trust me. I threatened to defecate on DBN members lawns and I'm pretty sure I have to stay 500 feet from Mike Shanahan after speaking to my lawyer.

Doesn't matter. I needed to vent. You probably need to as well. Do it. Get it out. Because from this point going forward, we don't need that. We look forward.

Now, we figure shit out. We got this. We have a front office that actually knows how to pick good players. We have a defense that was top ten last season. We have a ton of picks this season because Atlanta fell in love with an injury prone WR. We got this.

Shit never goes according to plan. At some point in time, someone/something is going to go hay-wire. Losers don't adapt. They whine about curses or how teams are out to screw them. Winners pick up the pieces, turn it into a shiv and shank the fools that wronged them.

You want to be a loser? Head over to Cleveland.com or TonyGrossi.org.

Open this link in another tab and start laying out the plan. We got this.

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If you are anything like me, you have figured out a way to cram Mario Williams, Carl Nicks, Marques Colston and Vincent Jackson on to the Browns roster next season.

Of course you have. Instead of spending time with the wife and kids, or God forbid working, you are here on DBN looking for any bit of news foretelling the Browns off-season.

Anyways, back to my All-Pro plan, not that hard Heckert. I did it Madden in like 25 minutes.

Too bad this isn't Madden and we aren't the Eagles. Free Agency always starts off with massive plans of franchise DE's and WR's and finishing with Brandon Jackson and Usama Young. With all that being said, this is your chance to map out how you see free agency for the Browns. When the dust settles, we can all look back and see who did the best.

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I was asked earlier why I was "anti-Hillis" this season, and after giving it a moment of thought, I realized that this would be a better post than comment.

I understand that most Browns' fans will disagree, and that is fine. But when you look at the whole situation, its pretty easy to see, that Peyton Hillis is no longer worth the trouble here in Cleveland.

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