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Cleveland Browns' Kokinis says team in good shape entering Combine talent search

by Tony Grossi/Plain Dealer Reporter
Tuesday February 17, 2009


CLEVELAND -- The Browns have not negotiated with any of their 13 potential free agents and don't appear willing to use the franchise tag on Sean Jones to protect themselves from losing the safety.
NFL teams have until Thursday to apply the franchise designation to one potential free agent. Doing so would guarantee the player the average of the five highest-paid players at his position and restrict his movement. The franchise number for safeties is $6.342 million. Jones had a base salary in 2008 of $2.145 million.

The Browns have not used the franchise tag since they were reborn in expansion in 1999.

Browns General Manager George Kokinis declined to totally rule out tagging Jones, saying, "Some things in this league are done in the 11th hour."

Since Kokinis joined the Browns on Jan. 26, he and coach Eric Mangini have buried themselves in evaluating their own roster, preparing for free agency on Feb. 27 and getting up to speed on the college draft. They and their staffs leave Wednesday for the NFL combine in Indianapolis.


In his first interview since being introduced, Kokinis said, "We're moving at a good pace and it's been great. I think, for this time of year, we're as caught up as any team."

Kokinis also said the Browns have not ruled out any option regarding quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn, and he disclosed that running back Jamal Lewis and defensive end Corey Williams recently had surgeries.


Excerpts of the interview:

Free agents on the move?

Included among the 13 Browns free agents are 2008 starters Jones, safety Mike Adams, linebackers Andra Davis and Willie McGinest, and core special teamers Jason Wright and Kris Griffin. They are free to seek new teams on Feb. 27.

Kokinis wouldn't say whether any would be retained.

"The guys that are up for free agency have done a lot for this football team ... they're good locker room guys," he said. "But, you know how free agency is, you have to assess the big picture of it and see how everybody fits. At this point, we haven't spoken to them."


Quarterback decisions on hold
Kokinis would not tip his hand on whether he would seek to trade a quarterback or bring them both back.

"They both have pretty good talent, I know that," he said. "I think [keeping both] is well within reasonable means. There isn't really anything to say that we can't or wouldn't. I think when you're at the quarterback position and you have two guys that can help win games, I think you have to take a good look at keeping them both."

On the other hand, Kokinis said of trading one, "To me, I don't think, coming into a new situation, that you rule anything out. We're trying to take a big picture approach. I don't think any option is ruled out."

Anderson is owed a $5 million roster bonus by the 15th day of the NFL calendar year, March 13.

"When you're looking at a decision on a player, you look at every facet of the player -- talent, money, structure," Kokinis said. "You can't look at anything in a vacuum. Yes, we're talking about Derek, specifically, but really you have to fit Derek within the whole structure of the whole football team."


Player interaction at a bare minimum

Like Mangini, Kokinis said he has had very little interaction with players who haven't been in the team headquarters.

In this context, he mentioned he had had phone conversations -- or exchanged messages -- with Lewis and Williams after their surgeries. Kokinis termed both as "cleanup" procedures, Lewis on an ankle and Williams on a shoulder.


No personnel hires on the horizon

The Browns may be the only team that has not formally named a director of college scouting or player personnel director. Those positions remain unmanned since the firing of Phil Savage-confidantes Daniel Jeremiah and T.J. McCreight.

"I think we're going to go with the staff we have right now," Kokinis said. "We had a good week of meetings. Those guys worked extremely hard the last, probably 10 days, as they have all year, but the accumulation of all their work came into this week. We really worked through every individual player. I was proud of the way the guys met the challenge and set the preliminary [college draft] board."


First the Combine, then free agency

Kokinis said he'll have a clearer strategy of what he hopes to accomplish in free agency after assessing the players available in the April 25-26 draft this week in Indianapolis.

"When you look at pro free agency, it's really big picture, big scope, how it all ties together," he said. "We're definitely looking at some things. We're not rushing into any decisions. We're going to make sure it's the best decision for this football team. I think in terms of preparation, we're there."

1st I’m pretty sure that Coke has an overflowing plate at this point in time.


But the number 1 thing that he and EM had to get done was to map out and overall game plan for this football team. Who gets resigned and for how much? How do we address certain positions (FA the draft the future?)

I think EM said it best, must haves?

Somewhat shocked about the ankle injury with Lewis. Didn’t he have the same problem before he came to Cleveland? One has to wonder how much wear is left on his tires. And is it time to move on?

SJ likely is the only guy we have in FA that the team is trying to get re-signed, but only at a reasonable price would be my guess? The rest of the guys could go at this point and we wouldn’t miss them much, and they certainly won’t be hard to replace. I thought Coke was being nice when he said something about past team success, what’s that ?

I have big concerns about the draft, and I hope we have the right guys in place to deal with all the possibilities that are certain to present themselves. We need to know every potential draft pick A-Z. We need a lot of good football players on this team, and we need to move down in the draft. If that happens and I hope it does, Coke and company need to be up to speed on what is likely to be available.

It’s nearing crunch time these guys need to get it done, this seasons FA, and draft are perhaps the most critical this team will face in the coming years. For certain the tension is beginning to mount I hope the new regime is ready for what’s coming????

As I see it this team is teetering on the edge, now is the time to pick this team up and begin to become a winner once more or fall once again into the pit of losers. Coke and EM got their work cut out for them for sure they do, and this off-season will either make or break them in my view. A Lot of choices need to be made, I hope they get it right?

If they don't bring Sean Jones back... IMO... Kokinis has already started on the wrong foot...

If he brought Jones back at 6 million a year i would be concerned!! Reasonable price, absolutely. Guess its up to Jones.

Jones is not worth anywhere near the average of the top 5 safeties in the league. Franchising him is not going to happen.

I imagine we approach him with an offer. If he's looking for a big payday then he will get to see what the rest of the league thinks his value is.

"That´s because the Browns may be the only team that runs a dictatorship...who needs a "director" of anything under "Napoleon"

You didn't just say that did you?

It wouldn't have anything to do with FAgency is upon us and we are working deligently at evaluating the draft and making our board.

Bringing in the two Highly talented people for that position right now would be
1. A distraction as they would have to get acclimated to the structure, staff and work that has been done.

2. The fact they are highly talented we can also ASSume that they are under current employment (probably Ravens). These people are finishing a job with their present employers and would be considered almost Sabotage and probably we would receive sanctions against us if stolen away at this hour!

Obviously we will wait for the Draft to be over and then make our hires and have the structure complete with them in it for NEXT YEAR...its too late to include them into this year.

Has nothing to do with Napolean has more to do with common sense.

When we made the fires I stated that we will probably make our new hires after the draft. Its pretty common sense. Stop with your agenda

JMHO

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I´m prepared for a horrible offseason filled with stop gap signings (please no Barton, Banta-Cain etc) and questionable draft picks

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Well judging by where u have set the bar ... I sure hope they don't dissapoint U cause that would mean we really had a bad off season ...

my favorite part is him saying were as caught up as any team ... sure U are Coke ... U sound like a politician with that one .. *L* .. and the buety of it is.. the dolts around here will believe it ... cause its pretty logical that there at the same place in less than a month compared to teams that have had there structures in place all along and have worked with each other and didn't have to do in depth evaluations of there own teams ... and hire coaching staffs and fired everyone at the top of the org on both sidess of personal ..

all I got to say is Peenie ... that must have been one hell of a file ... our file was like the stimulus package that got passed ... other teams have the repubs version ...

Oh wait .. I got it .. when Coke was reffering to us being "caught up" he was comparing us to Detroit and KC .. other teams in our COMPLETE OVERHAUL STIUATION ... ahhh ... I got it now ..

j/c

We'd better be in good shape, cuz we're not allowed to suck this coming year.

We can not be a bad team or else this will be the end of the Browns fanbase as we know it.

Laugh all you want but I honestly believe this city is on its last legs with this team.

And as a guy whose team is the Browns first and foremost...that saddens me.

As far as the fanbase goes, he's correct.

Some student at work last week was telling me about his relative who had grown up for years and years and years cheering for the Browns.

All of a sudden this year they are a Steeler fan.

And it's not the only time I've heard that. To me, that is unbelievable and something I would never, ever do or approve of doing. It's frontrunner, bandwagonning fans at their finest.

I have a friend of mine who I went up to the games at CBS the last 4 seasons. This past season, he went to the opener, then gave back all his tickets. He never watched another game all season even on TV.

Unfortunately, at least in this area, Browns fans are jumping ship.

Bullcrap. Don't give me one or two stories about a ship jumpers. or people ticked off and tell me the fanbase is on life support. We've heard that over and over......even before they left town during losing streaks.

One year isn't going to make or break the fan base for this team.

You'll always have people coming and going. The strong base stays and the rest come and go with winning and losing.

Just like people like Ammo, who jumped to the Yankees from the Tribe. Who cares about fans like that anyway?

When the ship does sink,,, and all who are left onboard,,, this will be more worse than the Titanic diaster....

Right. Being a Steelers or Patriots fan is easy. Nothing difficult about it. I'd love to see those fan bases with records like our's have been.

Being a Browns fan? That's only for the loyal, the tough, and the brave.

Shhhhhhh!

We aren't Bengals fans.

The true, the loud, the Browns fans.

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LMAO. Please don't combine cluelessness with drama queen behavior.

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OK,, now THAT was funny Thanks Jules, I needed that.

Well Jules since this is a new regime if we do have a bad year there is always hope that they will issue an apology ... and we know that would placate some ...

Were going to be just fine this year ... barring the catastrophic amount of injuries we had last year we'll be right back in the thick of the playoff hunt .. people seem to just be forgetting about how bad the injury situation was last year ... we were not nearly as bad of a team as our record indicated .. we were literally crippled by injuries ...

Jeannie is walking into a great situation .. one that can be turn around toot sweet .. we have a decent amount of talent on this team ... RIGHT NOW ....

I agree ... Django is being as negative as the clueless dolts like Pit and tabber (tabbers just a homer .. not clueless ... ) ... are positive ....

sorry D ... I would rather us skate through this year w/o a director of scouting for colleges than make a hire we did not want to just to get through this year ... NO WAY ... short sighted ..

the clueless homers want to pretend were as prepared for FA and the draft as 28 or 29 of the other teams and thats just not true .. ITS IMPOSSIBLE .. but hey .. they can kid themselves all they want .. no skin off my back ...

but when U say everything is Jeannies fault cause he is a dictator and learned nuttin from his days with the Jets .. well thats just as wrong ... U have a shot at being right .. but at this stage .. U ARE JUST GUESSING ... u have no clue why we fired TJ .. or why we have no director of college scouting .. U HAVE NO CLUE ...

I'd feel better if we brought in a "consultant" if the guy we want is not availabe ... I'd rather go that route than make a hire we did not want ... I would sacrifice what we lose this year for them to get who they want and set them up with the folks they want long term ... to me thats a SMART BUSINESS decision ...

but the dictator conclusion your jumping to is based on NOTHING ... pure speculation and conjucture based on Jeannie's past and your disdain for these guys and how this was handled ..

your acting alot like my good friend Vers ... your way or the highway ...

Those real loyalists sold out muni for years, dealing with cold, columns and troughs... Not to mention the 70s and watching the Steelers dominate.

There's something about watching those orange helmets. It's in my blood. i couldn't root against them if i tried.

And trust me, i'd rather have a 1/2 full stadium full of those fans than a full stadium full of bandwagoners.

It was in reference to a statement u made awhile back about the transition and how it would not set us behind for this years FA and draft .. U said "how hard is it to pass a file" .... sumptin along those lines ..

and are u willing to make a little wager that next year at this time he actualy TELLS THE TRUTH about where were at ... he will make a statement right about now that says ... "were much further ahead of where we were last year at this time" ...

so that means that either ....... next year there way far ahead of everyone else or this year they were behind everyone else ... even U can figure that one out .. *L* ..

so u interested in that wager ... cause at some point before FA and/or the draft that EXACT STATEMENT will come out .. and u KNOW IT will ..

It´s based on experience....3years, read or ask every Jets fan you know...and I´m not sure how much a guy will change at 40, especially the way his ego was padded here....he simply failed in NY and got a better deal here...hello? McFly? The Jets were in WIN NOW mode with the easiest schedule out there...he simply failed cause he lost his team and (partly) staff

I know I am being VERY negative...and it´s probably a way of setting the bar VERY low, so I can find some positive nugget....but I don´t think it´s a baseless negativity...I have data, that´s all I can rely on right now...so, since the data is more negative than positive (and I´m not only talking about record, W/L seasons)...I think my conclusion is not as clueless....of course we ALL don´t know before the FACT....it´s all opinion...and I´m well aware of that

For the record....barring another injury rush this coming season I fully EXPECT Mangini to lead us to a .500+ record....schedule is easier, 1st year overachieving/players buying his style (just like in NY, then players had enough of him but beacuse of his 1st year he got a 3rd that was set up to fail EVEN THOUGH the circumstances were PERFECT)....my negativity AND concern is his long term chances of success here....he really got some decent draft classes from Savage to work with...it´s very important how we do the next 2-3 years with our core guys getting into their prime years...and I just happen to think that he was not the right choice at a delicate time...he will not click with all of them, I´m sure about that

You have somewhat good points but don't go emo on us, Ammo The fanbase won't erode over a *one* year period. Maybe by 2020, yes. But we're only one year removed from a near-playoff team.

Front-runner fans will be everywhere. I used to live in Cleveland Heights in the '80s and remember seeing tons and tons of L.A. Lakers jerseys, towels, etc. (A house even had Lakers towels wrapped around their pillars). And it wasn't like the Cavs were bad then--there were just a lot of front-runner Laker fans.

Our family stole that idea when the Browns won the divisionals at about the same time--brown towels around our pillars on Stillman Road.

Later I found out that some of the doctors doing residency at UH or the Cleveland Clinic back then were from Cali. They lived in the Heights temporarily, over by Fairmount and Cedar, by the Greek restaurant there and those shops on Cedar Hill. That explanation at least made more sense when told to me several years later.

Diam, I understand your point.. but the main cogs in our machine have been in the NFL doing their job (or similar job) for a while.. they know the names, they have scouted the college kids, they have kept their finger on the pulse of free agency... it's not like they all came from college where none of that was an issue and they have to start from scratch...

The biggest challenge they face is becoming familiar with the Browns and assessing our talent... and given the number of people involved in doing it and giving opinions, I can't imagine it would take forever... Obviously it didn't take long to determine who some of the weak links were, they are already gone... The biggest thing this group isn't going to know is personalities and how these guys respond..... but as far as assessing pure talent, I would think that process is well underway... and as far as assessing needs, I'm sure that process is well underway as well... So as of February 18, 2009, is the staff where it will be on February 18, 2010? No because they will have personally been through a season with this group.... but am I going to accept being "new" as a reason for failure and mistakes? No, not really.

You really crack me up You ignore anything that isn't negative about the FO and then claim you are going on the "data" The "data" shows that Mangini had 2 out of 3 winning seasons The "data" shows that there isn't ONE player that has come out and said THE FIRST WORD negatively about him as a coach The "data" shows MANY former players of Gini's that is positive about him as a coach and didn't want him gone Yet you say to go ask the Jets fans.......what a great idea. Ignore the people that actually know what kind of coach he is in the players and talk to the fans. Your posts alone prove that there are fans that don't have a clue, but still spew a bunch of crap.

They still have a ton of work to do.

FA is coming up and you know there are players they have to make a decision on..keep them ,or try and find a team to trade them to..

Next is the draft and this team with as many holes doesn't have enough picks to do a lot of damage.
As in fixing the right side of the Oline..LB..RB..WR..and CB..

The Browns don't have a lot of money to throw at FA's, so I don't expect any big names coming..never would anyway even if they had the money..
They have their plate full coming into this FA period..

Oh I don't disagree that they have a ton of work to do and some critical decisions coming up.. the question is are they or are they not prepared to do what needs done based on the time they've had to prepare... I would think that for the most part they should be as ready as can be expected.

Hey Coach,,, how do you define a winning season ???

W > L ...