This past May, ESPN assembled a panel to grade each team’s offseason. At the time, the Cleveland Browns received a D grade, which was the lowest in the NFL. Now that the season is over, Mike Sando of ESPN went through and re-graded each team’s offseason. Were there any moves that shocked the world enough to improve Cleveland’s grade?
To get an idea of what type of improvements can be made, consider this: the Dallas Cowboys’ original grade was a C, but the re-grade bumped it up to an A because of how essential the selection of Dak Prescott turned out to be. Instant results = higher grade.
Although the Browns gave a ton of playing time to youngsters, the class did not shine enough to warrant an improved grade, and Robert Griffin III missed too many games to say he had a positive impact on the club:
The low offseason grade reflected the prevailing thought that the Browns subtracted more veterans from their roster than they could reasonably replace. Isn't the goal to win as many games as possible while rebuilding? Cleveland's leadership proceeded as though it didn't care whether the team finished 1-15 or 5-11 in this first rebuilding season.
Fourteen rookie draft choices combined to play a league-high 4,154 offensive or defensive snaps, nearly 25 percent more than the runner-up Colts. Second-rounder Emmanuel Ogbah was among those who showed promise. Cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun surprised as an undrafted free agent, and the Browns also did well in acquiring cornerback Jamar Taylor from the Dolphins. But it still looks like Cleveland took as many, if not more, steps backward as forward last offseason. Fortunately for the Browns, by staying put, they ended up not having the worst offseason after all! The Houston Texans joined them with a D grade (down from a B+ grade), while the San Francisco 49ers received the worst overall grade (an F, down from a C).
even if we keep the same talent without adding anyone else to the roster this off season,we can get a better grade by just adding one more W next year with the new coaching changes.
tradition can only carry you so far, then you have to start winning again.
Cue the comments about how dumb the media guys are
He doesn't even qualify as a media guy.
Yeah, but our board members are much more qualified when they say things like we had a very good draft. LOL
Says the guy who apparently likes Pokorny's spin but disdains Gribble's spin. Even though Gribble's spin includes a direct quote from Joe Thomas himself.
Well, their D sucked last year, too. Like us, they lack talent on both sides of the ball.
There are legit reasons why the author ranked both team's off seasons so low. There are also legit reasons why he ranked the Rams' off season so low.
The O'Neil just hire didn't make sense. Mangini may have sucked but, to fire and replace with an inferior candidate with an even worse defensive resume made no sense. But then again, that is also why Chip has already bounced around two NFL HC jobs. He makes poor judgement calls.
The O'Neil hiring may not have made sense to some.
I think the article is about the off-season moves of ALL NFL teams. DawgsbyNature just highlighted the original author's take on the Browns and two other teams that actually ended up w/worse grades.
People can mock the original author, but I think he was correct if you look at the total--not just the draft--moves by the front office's of the 49ers, Rams, and Browns. All three organizations had very poor off-seasons.
The O'Neil hiring may not have made sense to some.
I think the article is about the off-season moves of ALL NFL teams. DawgsbyNature just highlighted the original author's take on the Browns and two other teams that actually ended up w/worse grades.
People can mock the original author, but I think he was correct if you look at the total--not just the draft--moves by the front office's of the 49ers, Rams, and Browns. All three organizations had very poor off-seasons.
Those three teams were also likely the three worst teams in the league at the end of last year...so they had the longest road to "improvement"...from bad-to bad...so to speak.
I think a team like the Bengals should be right up there with us. They let both #2 & #2A receivers walk and their offense suffered for it. From consistent playoff team to under .500 team as a result...got old on the OL & DL.
You don't go 1-15 by haVing a great off season now do you?
It all depends on perspective and whether you judge an off-season on long term or short term. Short term the results were a disaster.... but what were the sort term expectations?
Long term the off-season has a chance to lay the foundation for long term success. A lot of young talent. A lot of future draft picks accumulated.... there is a chance that last year's off-season laid the foundation for years of future success.
Obviously the only way that materializes is if the execution of the remainder of the plan is very good. We have a lot of salary cap space to make moves and sign impact players. Too early to know if that might happen this year or next year after step forward. . . we have a TON of draft collateral. We need to hit on the draft picks.... and I am sure plenty will have no faith in the F.O to get those right. Others will probably be happier to wait and see and give the benefit of the doubt at this stage. I want to see the plan through.
Last edited by mgh888; 01/12/1705:06 PM.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
I don't really disagree with eh article. The main point was that there wasn't much to grade since rg3 got hurt most of the season and many of our rookies didn't shine enough. Big surprise right? Now how will it be graded after NEXT season I wonder when all that play time the rookies got starts to benefit us greatly as the game slows down for them.
You can't fix stupid but you can destroy ignorance. When you destroy ignorance you remove the justifications for evil. If you want to destroy evil then educate our people. Hate is a tool of the stupid to deal with what they can't understand.
I am sure plenty will have no faith in the F.O to get those right. Others will probably be happier to wait and see and give the benefit of the doubt at this stage. I want to see the plan through.
I believe the article is 100% correct..... to this point. Which I feel is exactly what the article is stating.
We have no idea how this draft will unfold long term. We saw Shelton improve vastly from year one to year two. However, I do think people need to consider that Shelton was a very good talent and high investment to begin with. A lot of our rookies were drafted lower with lower expectations, so how many will actually become above average NFL players is questionable.
It used to be a very popular opinion on this board that you couldn't actually judge a draft for three years. It seems that more of a microwave mentality now has taken over. I do see a few players that have an obvious chance to improve. Ogbah, Nassib and Coleman come to mind. Whether that happens remains to be seen.
If you look at it as a snapshot this past draft seems pretty bad. But just like taking a snapshot of anything that grows, those snapshots change with time.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
I really only expect the guys drafted in the first three rounds to be solid contributors. If you get players who make it from the fourth round and later, it's found money.
So the question is, will Coleman, Ogbah, Nassib, Coleman, and Kessler pan out? Personally, I think Ogbah has shown positive growth, Coleman a flash or two, Nassib, a flash or two, S. Coleman, nothing yet, and Kessler enough to warrant a long second look.
There have been discussions ad nauseum about the abilities of these five guys, both plus and minus, but the only realistic view is to wait and see.
We saw Shelton improve vastly from year one to year two. However, I do think people need to consider that Shelton was a very good talent and high investment to begin with. A lot of our rookies were drafted lower with lower expectations, so how many will actually become above average NFL players is questionable.
If you remember I was In Sheltons corner and told everybody that Danny needed to keep his pads down and work on his conditioning to look a lot better his second year than he did his first. I was pretty much a lone wolf around here on that one as everybody just wanted to call him a fat out of shape bust. Now let me tell you about his 3rd year. IF he keeps his mind right, and works hiss ass off during the off season to keep improving his conditioning, he will make last season (2016) look like a joke. He will stand out so much more. If however he gets an ego, or a big head, or lazy, then look for the comments to revert to the ones he received his rookie year from most folks.
Now the same thing can be said about several of our rookies from last season. Their future is in their own hands. We are going to just have wait around and see how they turn out. As they go, so the front office goes because our front office seems to be beating on the character of the players they drafted as much as they are on their talent.
That's why you rarely see me make bold predictions or silly statements regarding our rookies. We're from the old school who realize you can't judge a rookie in his rookie year. I've heard a lot of posters dog Corey Coleman. It's far too early to do that. We have to see how the talent drafted progresses before we can pass final judgment.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
To me a useful comparison is how we look today - facing this FO's second off season ... compared to previous years.
In grossly simplifying things, for years:
- we were bad but just good enough to avoid a top pick most years.
- we had below average talent but ended up drafting in similar situations to better teams who were rebooting, or the other teams we were stuck in the mire with were simply other retched teams.
- With the exception of Farmer (who will go down in infamy as a drafter/GM with what he had available and how badly he blew it. I know that he will remembered bitterly by me for years) ... with the exception of him, we've also had a similar amount of draft collateral as 'the rest of the NFL' ... both good and bad teams. And we've generally been poor at executing in the draft.
- We might have been under the cap before and just from memory if you took the last ten years I'd guess we've been in the top 10-12 most years?
Compare that to this year:
= we were awful enough to have the #1 pick. = we've got below average talent but with a LOT of young potential talent that gained experience. The most rookie snaps played this year means the most experienced gained for rookies. = We have WAY more draft collateral than any other team with the exception of the 49ers... we have 6 picks in the top 100, in a draft deep with defensive talent! = We have the most cap space in the NFL I believe - I don't want them to use it all this year, but Collins and Pryor would be high priorities to keep.
As I said before - we can debate the front office's ability to pick talent (and the development of the rookies from last season), but the plan to completely blow this team up and build it virtually from scratch ... and the execution of that to date is pretty flawless if you ask me.
Last edited by mgh888; 01/14/1701:45 PM.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
