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Rich's Rant: Clearing Out the Notebook

By Site Staff

Posted Jul 24, 2007

Rich says that it's time to back up the Brinks truck for Brady, and that there are plenty of excuses for doing son. Here's what's on Mr. Passan's mind, with training camp just around the corner...


Emptying the notebook with training camp just around the bend . . .

Who’s in the driver’s seat?

With contract talks ratcheting up this week and next, most Browns fans wonder just how much Brady Quinn can hold up the Browns for.

Will the money he eventually receives be more in line with his No. 22 draft status in the first round or a lot closer to that of an elite, high first-round pick?

Probably a lot closer to the latter and here’s why Quinn will get more money than anyone drafted No. 22 has ever received. A lot more. Randy Lerner had better start backing up the truck.

Quinn’s agent, Tom Condon, is a bright man. He knows the Browns sacrificed next year’s first-round pick (likely a high one) in order to make certain Quinn fell no lower in the first round this year. And because the Browns don’t have that first-round choice next year, they don’t have to worry about spending first-round money next year.

It’s all a matter of justifying how the Browns are going to spend that money. The monetary scales balance out. Spend more this year to sign Quinn and fellow first-round pick Joe Thomas; spend less next year because the team’s first draft selection won’t be made until the second round

The Browns will have to pay the price for making two first-round selections this year. They have no choice. Next year, the strain on the purse strings won’t be nearly as severe. If nothing else, it will justify overpaying Quinn this year.

What Quinn ultimately receives will be significantly more than what safety Reggie Nelson, picked just ahead of Quinn, will get from Jacksonville and wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, chosen right after Quinn, receives from Kansas City. In this case, slotting be damned.

Wright won’t be easy, either

Expect Eric Wright’s agent to use somewhat the same tactics when negotiating a contract for his client. Most likely, he will argue that his man would have been a first-round pick if it hadn’t been for off-the-field problems as a freshman at Southern California.

Wright has all the tools to become a top-notch National Football League cornerback. He’s fast, quick, has good instincts and is a solid tackler. Pair him with Leigh Bodden and the Browns arguably have their best corner tandem since Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield.

And two solid cover corners would give defensive coordinator Todd Grantham many more options to use against opposing offenses. With below-average coverage, he has been forced to play mostly a straight-up defense. Playing man coverage gives rise to the notion that the Browns might utilize many more blitzes than during Grantham’s first two seasons.

So in some ways, signing Wright and getting him into camp pronto is more important than getting the autographs of Thomas – Kevin Shaffer can replace him until he signs – and Quinn on time.

Why not sign kicker Mike Vanderjagt?

When you stop and think of it, there’s no good reason to let Vanderjagt go back home and kick in the Canadian Football League. He’s too good to be north of the border. Why not bring him south . . . to the shores of Lake Erie?

Sure, he had problems in Dallas last season. He suffered a groin injury in training camp that hampered his effectiveness throughout the season and was finally cut by the Cowboys in late November.

Sure, he’s a bit of a loose cannon. But he sure can kick the daylights out of a football. And even though I like Phil Dawson a lot, bringing in someone like Vanderjagt would provide some interesting competition.

Sure, he’s a bit long in the tooth at 37, but 37 isn’t that old for a placekicker. This guy is no rummy. He has converted more than 86% of his field-goal attempts and gets good depth on his kickoffs.

Right now, the Browns are bringing in rookie free agent Jesse Ainsworth as training-camp fodder for Dawson. The steady Texan needs someone to push him. What better person than the 6-5 Vanderjagt? Who knows? He might even beat out Dawson for the job.

What’s to lose?

Stream of thought . . .

The defensive line must overachieve. Nose tackle Ted Washington needs to find some of that bottled Fountain of Youth liquid and guzzle it endlessly . . . Same with Orpheus Roye . . . Shaun Smith sure talks a lot. Now let’s see if he can back it up . . . Why does it seem as though the Browns are thin at wide receiver? Maybe it’s because Joe Jurevicius, a nice role player, is a not a starter. He’s a complementary player . . . Tim Carter? A never was who will prove it this year . . . Players who have to step it up this year: Travis Wilson, whose wonderful self proclamations fell quite short as a rookie last season; Joshua Cribbs, who had better learn that fielding punts is far different than fielding kickoffs; Leon Williams, who will have to prove that his solid performance late last season was not an aberration; Brodney Pool, finally getting a chance to start and justify his high selection a couple of years ago; Simon Fraser, who has to elevate his high-gear game even more and learn to stop the run; Willie McGinest, just to prove he’s not over the hill. Yet. Time to step it up in every game . . . Antwaan Peek, who is expected to give a mediocre (at best) pass rush some juice to help Kamerion Wimbley . . . Jamal Lewis, who must remain healthy because there is a severe dropoff behind him. What are you waiting for, Phil Savage? Surely you can’t be satisfied with Jason Wright and Jerome Harrison . . . Coaches who have to step it up this year: Romeo Crennel, who must once and for all prove he can coach and not look lost during games, especially those within the AFC North. Playing to win, rather than not to lose, is much more appealing. He does that and everything else falls into place.

Rich Passan is a POS. I don't bother reading his stuff.

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Expect Eric Wright’s agent to use somewhat the same tactics when negotiating a contract for his client. Most likely, he will argue that his man would have been a first-round pick if it hadn’t been for off-the-field problems as a freshman at Southern California.

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That's the reason he should not get paid. He is more risky because of what happened off the field and should be paid like any other second round pick. Hell, with the NFL crackdown going on now he should be grateful he was picked on the first day.

We will not pay Brady that much. Back up the brinks truck....what a joke.

I think most of Rich's articles belong in the fantasy section of this board.

Sorry, but I gotta disagree with the bashing of this article. The info after "stream of thought" was pretty darn accurate. His thoughts on the rookie signings may work out as he suggests in whole or in part. The section on VanderDrunk is the fanciful part. Mike may not kick in Cleveland,but Passan was right about his being too good to stay north of the border for long.

Vanderjagt is an idiot kicker who gets liqoured up. haha
Besides, a good friend of mine (a contractor in southern Ontario and he doesn't even like football or care who Vanderjagov is) worked on his mom's house in Oakville a couple of years ago and according to my buddy he acted like a snob. True story.

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He knows the Browns sacrificed next year’s first-round pick (likely a high one)

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Man that is stupid,,,, to use that as a bargaining chip anyway. Is condon saying that his client isn't good enough to help the Browns win enough to end up with a lower pick?

How can this reporter justify this comment:

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And because the Browns don’t have that first-round choice next year, they don’t have to worry about spending first-round money next year.

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What if Savage finds a way to get a 1st round pick next year.... Now what?

He goes on to talk about having to sign Thomas and Quinn both,,, Duh,,, they are both first rounders. How can this idiot say that we don't have a 1st next season and use that as an argument that we should back the truck up for Quinn this year..

He knows we have two first rounders to sign now... so what's the difference if we don't have one next year... Makes no sense..

I have to stop reading Passan,,, he just ticks me off

Newsflash for Qinn and Condon......it is what it is!! Your the 22nd pick PERIOD! If you were a can't miss surefire NFL superstar and future HOFer in training, you'd have went in the top five like you and your chubby college coach so grossly overrated yourself no matter what a teams needs were! Deal with it!

Wright, oh how the story has changed! "I thank the the Browns organization for believing in me and giving me a chance" Now it's "I'm gonna bend these suckas over the negotiating table ala my (alledgedly) old girlfriend"

Give big Joe his 3rd pick money and get him on the field THIS WEEK!!! He's the key anyway!

As for Quinn and Wright, I'd hold the line.

NO PLAYER is that BIG to where a 22 spot draftee will get top money... NO WAY that happens.. I dont care if they traded their 1st round pick or not..

Brady will get 22 type money...

same goes for Wright.... he will get 2nd round money...

the Browns also have to take into consideration what Wimbley got last year.. they KNOW they can't give Brady Quinn more than that, or that could cause some problems.. thats a big disrespect KICK in the face if that happens.. and Wimbley was drafted 13.

Also, if it wasnt for Savage trading for that pick, he would have went lower and maybe not even for a draft pick.

Dallas wasnt going to pick him at 22. He should be thanking Savages ass for not making him have to sit in that back room with his girlfriend much longer.

I kept saying all day during the draft that if your a starting QB for Notre Dame about to be a first round draft pick, that he should have a way better looking girlfriend.

Savage seemed a little more upbeat regarding Eric Wright's negotiations on WTAM this morning. He didn't say anything specifically, but his tone was much more positive than before regarding Wright. After the interview, Stacy Jantz (who is doing the sports updates instead of Mike Snyder) even said stay tuned within the next 24-48 hours for a possible update. That sounds a lot more encouraging to me.

Wright is just in a bad spot with no one around him getting signed....In his case both sides are waiting to see what the numbers will be....

And hence his signing today

You watch........ I have a feeling that we WILL end up with a first rounder next year. I have a feeling we will trade into the round.