DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum NFL reDraft: Peterson jumps to No. 3

Russell still the No. 1 for Oakland; Peterson jumps to No. 3

I am a firm believer that you can't truly judge a draft class until at least three years have passed, but nine weeks into the 2007 season there have been plenty of impressive performances by rookies and many teams have seen their needs shift significantly.

With that in mind, we're having some fun and taking a look at how things might change if the slate were wiped clean and the NFL held a redraft today. Knowing how things have changed, what might happen? Read on …

Round 1
1. Oakland Raiders -- JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
Original pick: Russell
A contract hold out that lasted into the second week of the regular season has rendered Russell all but useless thus far, so it's easy to look back now and say the Raiders should have gone in a different direction. I disagree because there's absolutely no way of knowing the impact Russell could have made this fall had the Raiders been wise enough to work through a pre-draft deal. Regardless, drafting a quarterback No. 1 overall is a long-term investment, not a short-term fix, and I still believe Russell will be the best quarterback from the 2007 class when it's all said and done. Why not take Adrian Peterson? Because Oakland desperately needs a franchise quarterback and the Raiders have the fourth-best running game (140.0 ypg) in the NFL right now.

2. Detroit Lions -- Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech
Original pick: Johnson
Detroit's offense ranks in the top half of the league in total offense (12th, 339.0 ypg) and scoring (6th, 25.0 ppg) while the defense is giving up 23.1 points per game, so an argument could be made for a defensive player here. Adding to the skeptic's argument, a back injury has limited Johnson's production so far as a rookie. Knowing what we know now DE Gaines Adams would be a consideration, and 19-year-old DT Amobi Okoye has been the most disruptive rookie defensive lineman to date with five sacks on the season. When all is said and done, though, drafting Johnson with the No. 2 overall pick will prove to be the right move. Johnson has shown enough flashes when healthy to justify this selection, including an average of 17.8 yards per catch and an impressive touchdown run in Week 7 against Tampa Bay.

3. Cleveland Browns -- Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
Original pick: Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin
This is the toughest decision of any pick in this redraft. Cleveland selected OT Joe Thomas back in April and Thomas has turned into one of the offensive leaders for the resurgent Browns. But I said it in April and what's happened so far this season has only reinforced my feeling: The Browns should have taken Peterson at No. 3 overall. Yes, Thomas is a key player along the offensive front and will likely have a longer career than Peterson, but Peterson has simply been too special early this season not to make this choice. Any of the six teams that passed on him originally might take a mulligan to get him this time around, but the Browns look like the best fit right now as they could use a little more running to balance the seventh-best passing game (254.5 ypg) in the league.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin
Original pick: Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
The team is currently in dire need of help at running back and wide receiver, but with Johnson and Peterson already off the board in this scenario there is no relief in sight. Neither RB Marshawn Lynch nor WR Dwayne Bowe has shown enough in half a season to climb into the top five, and most of the problems at those positions could be solved by players who should eventually return from injuries. While it's entirely too early to give up on original selection Gaines Adams, he hasn't cracked the starting lineup and he has just 1.5 sacks through nine games. That's why Thomas is as no-brainer here. He has exceeded expectations as a rookie for the Browns and would be a welcome addition to a Bucs offensive line that needs help at tackle following Luke Petitgout's season-ending knee injury.

5. Arizona Cardinals -- Levi Brown, OT, Penn State
Original pick: Brown
Brown stepped immediately into the lineup at right tackle and started the first three games but then suffered an ankle injury that prevented him from getting on the field in the next four. He saw some snaps last week against the Redskins as a backup and could move back into the starting left tackle spot next week in light of Mike Gandy's recent injury. The Arizona offense has been anemic in recent weeks, including only 23 yards rushing in Week 9 against Tampa Bay, and getting Brown back on the field should provide a boost.

6. Washington Redskins -- LaRon Landry, S, LSU
Original pick: Landry
Were Thomas still available this would be a tough call because Washington is aging and ailing along the offensive line. But with Tampa Bay scooping him up at No. 4 the Redskins would have no problem picking Landry all over again. He is a natural playmaker who will only improve with more experience, and currently ranks third on the team with 57 total tackles. Landry's versatility has been instrumental in the improvement of the Washington defense as he frees up the team's other former first-round safety, Sean Taylor, to play the roaming style that suits him.

7. Minnesota Vikings -- Dwayne Bowe, WR, LSU
Original pick: Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
You would be hard-pressed to find a better pick than Minnesota's original selection of Peterson at No. 7, but knowing what we know now the only way the Vikings could get their hands on him right now would be to trade up. And while Minnesota's biggest weakness is at quarterback, the problem is that no signal-caller available would be worthy of the No. 7 pick, then or now. So with the Vikings needing to do something to address the 30th-ranked passing game in the league Bowe looks like the best fit. It would have seemed crazy at the time, but Bowe was the No. 2 receiver (behind Calvin Johnson) on our draft-day board and is currently the leading receiver among all rookies even after a slow start with the Chiefs due to a lengthy holdout.

8. Atlanta Falcons -- Jamaal Anderson, DE, Arkansas
Original pick: Anderson
Fellow DE Gaines Adams would be a consideration here but Anderson has been better thus far, so why mess with a good thing? Anderson has been solid as a rookie, starting all eight games and notching 16 total tackles with one forced fumble and two passes defended.

9. Miami Dolphins -- Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville
Original pick: Ted Ginn Jr., WR, Ohio State
Yes, Miami's quarterback situation is an unmitigated disaster. However, the team didn't view Brady Quinn as a top-10 pick in April, so why would it now? John Beck is clearly the Dolphins' quarterback of the future and there isn't enough of a difference between second-rounder Beck and Quinn to warrant reaching for Quinn at No. 9 overall. Original selection Ted Ginn Jr. has shown some big-play flashes in the return game but is completely unpolished as a receiver and has only seven catches through Week 9. Miami needs help at nearly every position but the aging defensive line is something that needs to be addressed immediately, so rather than spending the No. 9 pick on an injury-riddled return specialist, Miami's best bet is Okoye, who has 24 total tackles with the Texans and currently leads all rookies with five sacks.

10. Houston Texans -- Marshawn Lynch, RB, California
Original pick: Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville
The Texans are getting gashed by opposing ground games even with original pick Amobi Okoye playing at a high level for a rookie, and with him being snapped up one pick earlier the Texans would still be in the market for defensive tackle help. DT Adam Carriker would be a possibility, along with CBs Darrelle Revis, Leon Hall and Aaron Ross, but at this point Lynch might make the most sense. Once Ahman Green got hurt and the team abandoned the run, everything else began to crumble. Houston can't rely on a 30-year old back with lots of wear on his tires to carry the full-time load in the long run, and with the promise Lynch has shown for the Bills as a rookie he could team up with QB Matt Schaub and WR Andre Johnson as a potentially formidable offensive trio moving forward.

11. San Francisco 49ers -- Patrick Willis, LB, Ole Miss
Original pick: Willis
Willis has exceeded what were already extremely high expectations as a rookie. He has been a full-time starter in San Francisco's 3-4 defense since day one, notching a team-high 83 total tackles (59 solo) with one forced fumble to this point. Willis can't do it alone, though, and the next step is for the Niners to upgrade the personnel around Willis to solve their considerable struggles against the run.

12. Buffalo Bills -- Jon Beason, MLB, Miami
Original pick: Marshawn Lynch, RB, California
Lynch has been one of only a few bright spots for a Bills team that has lost all but two games thus far, but with him off the board in this scenario and no other rookie running back worth considering this early, the team would have to change its strategy. With original selection Paul Posluszny out for the season and Beason emerging quickly in Carolina, the Bills might reach a bit for Beason here and then go after Willis McGahee's replacement in Round 2. The Buffalo defense in general, and the linebackers in particular, are much worse off than anyone could have imagined back in April and the Bills need to address that.

13. St.. Louis Rams -- Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska
Original pick: Carriker
Carriker isn't putting up flashy statistics and the Rams have several other weaknesses that need to be addressed, but I would have no problem with their taking Carriker again today. He has added bulk and made a successful move inside after playing end at Nebraska, and Carriker shows weekly improvement for a defense that is quietly getting better and has not allowed a 100-yard rusher this season. Plus, Carriker is the type of emotional tough guy that the Rams will be able to rely on as a leader for years to come.

14. New York Jets -- Darrelle Revis, CB, Pittsburgh
Original pick: Revis
The Jets and Revis got off to a rocky start thanks to his holdout, but all's well that ends well, or at least makes it to midseason well. Revis has more than lived up to the hype of being the top cornerback prospect in the 2007 rookie class, notching 48 total tackles and seven passes defended as a full-time starter. Simply put, there is no reason whatsoever the team should even think about swapping this pick for someone else.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers -- Lawrence Timmons, LB, FSU
Original pick: Timmons
A lingering groin injury suffered in minicamp has meant limited action for Timmons, mostly on special teams. An argument can be made for going in a different direction, but Pittsburgh didn't make this selection for the immediate future. Timmons is a developmental player who will help with the eventual transition from a 3-4 to a hybrid version of the 4-3, and it's not as if the Steelers have any pressing personnel needs that absolutely must be addressed with this pick. So the patient and responsible choice is to stick with Timmons, who should eventually team up with second-round pick LaMarr Woodley to help carry on the Steelers tradition of outstanding linebacker play.
16. Green Bay Packers -- Michael Griffin, S, Texas
Original pick: Justin Harrell, DT, Tennessee
Justin Harrell displayed a fine blend of quickness and power during the preseason but has not been able to avoid the injury bug. He was inactive for the team's first four games, played sparingly as a reserve during the next two outings and has not seen the field since. And with Nick Collins on the shelf due to a knee injury, safety is suddenly an area of need for the Packers. As such, they could certainly take advantage of Griffin's versatility, which has been a major plus for the Titans so far this season. Tennessee is trying Griffin at cornerback but he would obviously stay at free safety in this scenario. And in addition to providing depth in the secondary Griffin is also averaging 23.4 yards per kickoff return.
17. Denver Broncos -- Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
Jarvis Moss was drafted as a developmental prospect and the team must be pleased with his relative success to this point, but Adams has similar production thus far for the Buccaneers and his upside is considerably greater, which is why he was selected No. 4 overall back in April. But with Adams still on the board in our scenario he looks like a nice fit. DT Brandon Mebane is also a consideration as he has started quickly in Seattle and the Broncos are dismal against the run.
18. Cincinnati Bengals -- Leon Hall, CB, Michigan
The Bengals are a mess, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. And while they could use help at other positions, especially at linebacker after the season-ending injury suffered by Ahmad Brooks, there is no reason at this point to think Cincinnati would go in a different direction than Hall with the 18th overall selection. Hall has made 24 total tackles, broken up six passes and picked off three others while playing in all eight games (two starts) thus far.
19. Tennessee Titans -- Ted Ginn Jr., WR, Ohio State
The team is excited about the future of original pick Michael Griffin, but Griffin is off the board here and Tennessee needs to provide franchise QB Vince Young with better weapons. After all, Roydell Williams leads the team with 23 receptions, which is tied for 76th among all pass catchers in the NFL. Ginn hasn't been great so far but it's tough to evaluate him considering Miami's quarterback issues. Young could better maximize the speed of Ginn, who is averaging 20.1 yards per catch, and Ginn would be able to step in as both a kickoff and punt returner.
20. New York Giants -- Aaron Ross, CB, Texas
The Giants were unsuccessful in their attempt to move up in the '07 draft to take the two cornerbacks -- Darrelle Revis and Leon Hall -- selected before Ross. Good thing because there's no doubt the Giants would select Ross again in a heartbeat. He has emerged as the starting cornerback opposite Sam Madison and been everything New York hoped for and more. He has 23 tackles, seven passes defended and three interceptions in eight games played.


Jacksonville Jaguars -- 21. Reggie Nelson, S, Florida
The Jaguars couldn't be happier with their first-round pick. Nelson stepped into the starting free safety spot almost immediately and though he's had some rough spots, he continues to improve each week. The ball-hawking center fielder has been all over the field through the first seven games, notching 25 tackles, six passes defended and two interceptions.


Cleveland Browns -- 22. Tony Ugoh, OT, Arkansas
The verdict is still very much out on QB Brady Quinn, Cleveland's original pick in this slot. However, having taken Peterson instead of Thomas with the third overall pick and armed with the knowledge of QB Derek Anderson's emergence, Ugoh is the logical choice. When healthy, he's been outstanding for a rookie left tackle being asked to protect QB Peyton Manning's blind side. Ugoh should only continue to improve with better footwork and conditioning.


23. Kansas City Chiefs -- Brandon Mebane, DT, California
The Chiefs broke their recent trend of boycotting wide receivers in the first round when they selected Dwayne Bowe at No. 23 overall in the '07 draft -- and for good reason. Bowe has been impressive, but with him off the board, Green Bay's James Jones would be a possibility. But spending a first-round pick on Jones after watching just one half of one season is an awful risky move. That's why I think the Chiefs would likely go in a different direction with this pick. Stopping the run has been a problem this season, which is why Mebane makes some sense. Mebane has made an instant impact as a starter for Seattle, notching 13 total tackles with two for loss and one sack.


24. New England Patriots -- Tanard Jackson, S, Syracuse
Running back depth has been an issue, but the Patriots certainly wouldn't reach for one here just to plug the dam while Laurence Maroney recovers. Original pick Brandon Meriweather has been bothered by injuries this season, so it's completely unreasonable to evaluate him at this point. With that said, New England would think long and hard about trading in Meriweather for Jackson, who has proved to be a fourth-round steal for the Buccaneers. In eight games, Jackson has 37 total tackles with 10 passes defended, an interception and a forced fumble.


25. Carolina Panthers -- Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame
The Panthers' quarterback situation has reached Code Red status thanks to the injuries suffered by Jake Delhomme, David Carr and 43-year old Vinny Testaverde. With Beason off the board and Matt Moore currently at the helm, drafting Quinn at No. 25 is a no-brainer at this point. Quinn showed potential during the preseason in Cleveland and could immediately help the Panthers.


26. Dallas Cowboys -- Anthony Spencer, DE, Purdue
An argument could be made for going in a different direction -- either another edge rusher like Jarvis Moss or a different position entirely like S Brandon Meriweather. However, Spencer has already notched 20 tackles, including 2.5 sacks, and shows the potential to eventually emerge as a disruptive rush-linebacker opposite DeMarcus Ware.


27. New Orleans Saints -- Brandon Meriweather, S, Miami
Original pick Robert Meachem, a wide receiver from Tennessee, showed up to camp 15 pounds overweight and subsequently suffered a knee injury that required surgery. He has yet to play in a regular-season game so needless to say, Meachem would free-fall in the redraft. The Saints are in desperate need of a playmaker in their defensive secondary, which is why Meriweather, bypassed by the Pats in this redraft, would make loads of sense with this selection.


28. San Francisco 49ers -- Joe Staley, OT, CMU
The 49ers went 2-for-2 with their 2007 first-round picks. Staley, out of Central Michigan, has started every game and keeps getting better, including a season-best grade of just two minuses out of 66 plays Sunday against Atlanta. He still has room to improve in terms of his technique and strength as a run-blocker. However, Staley is a hard worker with very good feet for his frame.


29. Baltimore Ravens -- Ben Grubbs, OG, Auburn
Grubbs has exceeded the Ravens' high hopes so far as a rookie. He has displayed quickness, power and toughness and helped a line that has helped Baltimore average over 100 rushing yards per game. The Ravens thought so highly of him -- and obviously rightfully so -- that he become just the second lineman taken in the first round in franchise history (Jonathan Ogden was the other one in 1996 and that worked out pretty well). Grubbs should emerge as a Pro Bowl guard sooner than later.


30. San Diego Chargers -- Anthony Gonzalez, WR, OSU
The Chargers are paying the price for their first-round reach of WR Craig Davis, who has only nine receptions in seven games played. They would have been far better served selecting Ohio State's Anthony Gonzalez, who has five more receptions and is averaging 4.5 more yards per catch as the Colts' No. 3 receiver behind Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. Who knows, with Gonzalez maybe the Chargers wouldn't have been forced to give up a second-round pick to Miami for Chris Chambers, which would have allowed them to improve themselves even more in the '08 draft.


31. Chicago Bears -- Greg Olsen, TE, Miami
The knee-jerk reaction is to plug a quarterback in with this pick. But none of the available quarterbacks available screams upgrade. As it stands right now, Buffalo's Trent Edwards is the only rookie quarterback to see the field in 2007. While he shows promise, I would rather take my chances with the Bears' higher first-round pick in April's draft where Boston College's Matt Ryan, Louisville's Brain Brohm and Kentucky's Andre Woodson could all be viable options. In the meantime, Olsen is too much of a playmaker in the passing game to give away. He already has 21 receptions for 255 yards and two touchdowns and his production will improve as he becomes a savvier route runner and gets a better quarterback throwing him the ball.


32. Indianapolis Colts -- Justin Harrell, DT, Tennessee
Anthony Gonzalez, the Colts' original pick, is a perfect fit as the team's No. 3 receiver, but he's no longer available in this scenario and don't expect the team to reach for another wideout here, either. Green Bay's James Jones is the only rookie receiver selected after Gonzalez with better production, but Jones also gets more opportunities with Brett Favre spreading the ball around so well this season. Instead, the Colts will go with the best value in the Packers' Harrell, who also could provide depth in the wake of Corey Simon's retirement and Booger McFarland's season-ending injury. Harrell was banged up earlier in the season but he's healthy now and is a good fit in the Colts' one-gap scheme.

link



Vikings = 3-5
Browns = 5-3

I saw this ..this was silly..

No way. Peterson is great but he won't last. He'll be beaten to hell by the time he's 28. JT will anchor this line for the next 10-15 seasons. And any decent running back will make a significant impact behind an all-pro line.

TOO
MUCH
STUPIDITY.


BRAIN
SEIZING
UP.

JOE THOMAS....# 73........EVERYTIME



This artical is crap ....

I scrolled to us and saw we took Peterson and thought Thomas went 1 or 2. Then I saw he didn't. This is so stupid

LOL at this article...I still pick JT over AD,..but Detroit might be a different story...CJ's contributed very little to Detroits success,...can you imagine AD on that team....

What I find most comical is that the guy still has Oakland taking Jamarcus Russell.

What I find most comical is he mentions our excellent passing attack. WHY DO YOU THINK WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT PASSING ATTACK?!

I'll still take Joe Thomas every day of the week.

no way-i'll still take joe 100 times out of 100. He's made an impact on every facet of the offense.

i hope i had some extra brain cells left...

i think we all got a little stupider having seen this.

People will never understand what an o-line is, and how it benefits the QB, WR, and RB...

It's amazing how that you don't get tackled when people aren't letting you get hit!!!

I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think this is LESS insightful than power rankings ... Just another talking head trying to make a deadline.

Huh? This is the dumbest bit of sports writing yet. Left Tackle is a skill position. It's not easy to fill with a good one. I don't understand this guy's logic. He'd have us take a developmental project in Ugoh and pass on the real deal?

J.

This was the funniest part of this article:

Quote:

---

Round 1
1. Oakland Raiders -- JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
Original pick: Russell
....drafting a quarterback No. 1 overall is a long-term investment, not a short-term fix.

Cleveland Browns -- 22. Tony Ugoh, OT, Arkansas
The verdict is still very much out on QB Brady Quinn, Cleveland's original pick in this slot.

25. Carolina Panthers -- Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame
... drafting Quinn at No. 25 is a no-brainer at this point. Quinn showed potential during the preseason in Cleveland and could immediately help the Panthers.

---

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Does this guy read what he writes? This is brilliant.

JaMarcus Russell hasn't done anything but the jury is in on him. Brady Quinn had a fine preseason but the jury is out....until 3 picks from now when he's paying IMMEDIATE dividends....

Does he have an editor?

HAHAHAHAHAAHAAHAHA!

I agree with the stupidity of this article... beside the Thomas over Peterson talk.. there is no way we trade up to the 22nd pick to get mmm Ugoh... and there's no way Quinn gets past #7 with the Dolphins troubles with qb's this year... Doesn't he seem to forget that we traded up to 22 to get quinn at a bargain?

Rats! He didn't leave an email.

i loved adrian peterson in college, and i thought he would be a good pick for anyone, but, i've heard people on sportsradio in chicago say that benson was a bust and peterson is everything they could have dreamed of

but, the bears offensive line is crap, coming into this year, our offensive line was crap

but minnesota's offensive line? has anyone in the media even looked at those guys? mckinnie, hutchinson, matt birk?

that is a rock-solid line, peterson is running through huge holes, and yes, after that, he's making linebackers and secondary look like garbage...

if we did this draft all over again, i love peterson, but i'm still taking joe thomas, it was the right thing to do.

not to be picky but I don't think Steinbach has a Pro Bowl under his belt???

back to the thread...yeah He's looking at our offense right now and just plugging in AP...completely forgetting about the key ingredient of DA's success...the OL and specifically his backside protection.

More time
More comfort
But this bozo thinks the transformation is completely via DA has arrived and nothing to do with others and specifically Joe T!

Lets see without Joe T...DA would probably be on IR...BQ would be in by now and learning bad habits running for his life like all the other QBs we've had...probably he'd be hurt too...how many seasons did we go through more than one injured QB?!?!

Teams would be keying on AP and in our Division he would actually take some hits!...Well he still would have broke the record probably against the Bengals...speaking of which...we would be competing with in our division for last place not the Steelers for first place!

And they want to change this.

This coming from a moron who thinks we had a pick at #22???

Quote:

---

3. Cleveland Browns -- Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
Original pick: Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin

---

I've never heard anything so assinine in my life as this guys take on our Number 3 pick.

He knows nothing about the Browns. He just sees a potent passing attack and assumes the offense would be even better if we had Peterson in the mix. Asinine is assuming that our potent passing attack who be so potent without Joe Thomas at LT. Asinine is not knowing at all what our offensive line would look like without Joe.

Read Toad's post (in white) and eotab's post (in light orange) earlier up and they pretty much have the last say on why this guy's take is asinine.

Asinine is a strong word, and taking someone who would still help out our team shouldn't be labeled as that. As I said, Thomas could be a better fit for this team, but Peterson would no doubt still be a big help. Most of these writers aren't going to be experts on every single team. We know this team well because we are fans of this team.

Quote:

---

Asinine is a strong word...

---

I just looked it up thinking that maybe I didn't really understand the meaning as I thought I did...


"1. foolish, unintelligent, or silly; stupid: It is surprising that supposedly intelligent people can make such asinine statements."


...I like my use of it.

So it would unintelligent or silly to draft a running that has a perfect blend of everything you could want in a RB- size, speed, power and agility?

8 games in to an NFL career, he breaks the single-game rushing record. He's on pace for 2,100 yards rushing as a rookie. He's leading the league. Yes, he's got a great line, but he also has NO, I mean NO passing game behind him at all. Teams KNOW he's getting the ball, and the Vikes just hand it to him and say, "try and stop him." And the line has nothing to do with the way he blows past defenders, cuts on a dime and runs right through people.

Joe Thomas has been great. If you really want to get technical about it all, I'll throw this in: What can Joe Thomas improve on?

I'd have to say his run blocking could be a little better. Pass protection has been great, run blocking ok. Room for improvement.

Now, what does Adrian Peterson need to improve on?

I haven't watched all his games. I've seen him on NFL Network, and on highlights. Doesn't look like from what I seen that he's needing to improve on much, but I'm not the expert on him. I'm sure he's got a flaw.

So how is it so cut-and-dry that Thomas is so much better to make it "unintelligent" and "silly" to take Peterson?


*Note that I'm not saying we shouldn't have chosen Thomas, I just think that either guy would have been a great pick and think it's funny have people blast picking Peterson instead.

Oh Lord,,, I don't think it would have worked out that way,..,, I really don't,, even on a redraft.. even knowing that the kid is tearing up the league.,

I'm sorry, but the reason we probably didn't take him in the first place is that he's injury prone,,,, so far he's been fine and I really hope it continues.. the kid is amazing.. But the odds are NOT in his favor really..

Joe Thomas, was the best pick for us then and he remains the best pick for us... pretty simple I think.

No line, no running game. We've proven this for the past 8 years.

We could do this past draft over 10 times and I would choose Joe Thomas 11..

Passing on Peterson is fine because Thomas is apple of Savage's eye
STEVE DOERSCHUK

BEREA Left tackle Joe Thomas is still the apple of Phil Savage’s eye.

But running back Adrian Peterson? Wow. What a piece of apple pie.

Peterson, a player Savage considered before spending a No. 3 overall draft pick on Thomas in April, is having an historic rookie year. He leads the NFL with 1,036 rushing yards, with Pittsburgh’s Willie Parker a distant second at 768.

The Browns have a modest 755 rushing yards with the trio of Jamal Lewis, Jason Wright and Jerome Harrison. Thomas’ impact as an every-game starter is more evident in the passing game. Derek Anderson has been sacked only eight times and is on a pace to pass for more than 4,200 yards, which would be a franchise record.

Savage updated his view of choosing Thomas this morning in a weekly radio interview with the team’s AM radio flagship, WTAM.

“About three weeks out from the draft,’’ he said, “I know I really had a peace about taking Joe, because it just felt like it was the wisest thing to do for our football team.’’

“One of our scouts said, ‘You don’t win in our division by serving apple pie. You’ve got to put some real meat on the table.’

“That statement really resonated with me. We’d been trying to serve apple pie for eight years with great skill and not much of a line.’’

The Browns spent first-round picks on a quarterback (Tim Couch), a running back (William Green), a tight end (Kellen Winslow Jr.) and a wideout (Braylon Edwards) from 1999-2005. The only offensive lineman picked in the first round was center Jeff Faine, taken with the lowest first-round spot (No. 21) the team had before trading up to No. 22 this year for quarterback Brady Quinn.

“If you go back to when Romeo Crennel and I first got there, we really only have one offensive lineman that’s still on the team, Ryan Tucker. We knew it was gonna take a lot to revamp the offensive line.’’

The jury will be out on both players, Peterson and Thomas, until they play a few years.

Peterson has been amazing, but the Vikings, who landed him at No. 7 overall, are just 3-5. Durability issues are linked to a 2006 collarbone injury and his upright running style.

Thomas has been steady at the most important position on the line for a 5-3 team. He may have to become a great player to make it worth having passed on Peterson.

Of bolstering the line, Savage said, “We really have made it a focus, and it’s beginning to pay off.’’

The Browns are gearing up for a game at Pittsburgh, two months after the Steelers embarrassed them 34-7 at home.

“It’s big game for us,’’ Savage said. “Hopefully, we’ll play much better than the first time. I really believe we will.’’

Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail [Email]steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com.[/Email]

I keep seeing this AP thing come up from time to time here is my take..

Browns 5-3 with JT and the offense as a whole is great

The Vikings are 3-5 and AP is great.

AP pimps let this sucker go, it's crystal clear who we should have taken..

I never doubted Peterson would be a good player.

Even knowing what I know now, the Thomas pick was the right pick at the right time for this team.

For years I ticked people off saying we shouldn't select this tackle or that tackle......not because I didn't see the need...it was simply a matter of the talent being discussed didn't match the pick number. I am not big on drafting for needs early in the draft....save that for the second day if you have to. Early in the draft, just take the best player...that is how you truly get better in this league.

This year, everything matched. We had the pick, the player was there, and then you factor in the bonus we had the need.


Bingo.....you have your pick.

Nope......long live JT.

We may not get a shot at another "special" back for a long time, but I suspect we will be able to find someone who is "good enough"....maybe even in this draft...there will be 10 pretty good backs on this years board that should easily extend into the early 3rd round.

i think that the premise of the article is very flawed, and somewhat uninspired since he still has half the teams picking the exact same guys. what i wanted to point out was that he also swapped our 22 pick and had the browns taking tony ugoh, who has probably been the 2nd best rookie LT this year. it is hard to argue that a combination of Peterson and Ugoh would not be better than Thomas and Quinn this year or even in the long run, especially considering the emergence of Anderson. just wanted to throw that out there for all those that say our line would be crap with AP instead of Thomas, you also need to realize the author is factoring in Ugoh to replace Thomas.