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It really has very little to due with that. Privately, many boosters, coaches and players have criticized his leadership. He isn't well liked at all.
And that isn't even the biggest reason I don't want him. I don't think he's that accurate, he doesn't have that great of physical tools, and isn't that great IMO. I just don't see anything that stands out to me.
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Where are the links saying he isn't liked. And what do I care about boosters? Clausen sounds fine in all interviews I've heard him in.
I do agree in the end that he just doesn't seem that great, but he's still a pretty good QB. While Sam Bradford might be more accurate, Clausen, who is young also, is pretty accurate himself. He makes great reads and hits his targets very quickly. My only worry about Clausen is that he seems small, his deep ball involves a big wind up and simpy isn't that pretty. But he can throw quick hard passes that are usually on target IMO.
My other worry is that he plays for ND and that's quinn's team, could Weis' system make him look better than he is? I'm sure the Browns organization is taking a good look into this kind of stuff
Clausen also made a big improvement this past season over the season before. He will probably continue to improve as he continues to play more and more football.
While I'm not the biggest Clausen fan, and I'd probably prefer Berry at number 7, I wouldn't complain if he was our pick. He's impressed me this past year, and I think he has a good chance to be a pretty good NFL QB
Last edited by PeteyDangerous; 04/05/10 01:06 AM.
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I'm not really asking anybody to buy into it but there's enough evidence to convince me not to take him at #7. 15-20? Maybe.
I see where u get that but it makes no sense 2 me...Is his "Tude" gonna change if he's a mid rounder???...I don't like the thinking of less risk...If u don't like em'...Don't take em'...ANYWHERE...
I've still yet to get an answer from that "Mutual" bud u mention about whether Clausen's attitude IMPROVED with time???
LOYAL...WHY would anyone...Especially Davis at 8...Trade up to 7 for a QB that we are giving everyone the impression we don't like???...U SIT TIGHT...
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Quote:
My other worry is that he plays for ND and that's quinn's team, could Weis' system make him look better than he is? I'm sure the Browns organization is taking a good look into this kind of stuff
My understanding is the opposite, that Weis is pretty highly regarded developing QBs, and that playing in a pro offense for the duration of a career makes the prospect easier to evaluate and faster to transition to the NFL. I suppose Quinn makes Weis look bad in some eyes.
With the character questions, Holmgren and Co. will certainly do their due diligence on him and I would hope that includes a thorough personality evaluation. Like DnD said, if they don't like him, they won't take him. I seriously doubt that Jimmy is going to suddenly fool these guys if he's been a tool his whole life.
I do think that if Clausen started his career as a bit of a punk, playing through the adversity he did should have helped him find a better perspective.
If the braintrust has serious concerns after he's worked out and interviewed, I think it might be likely they put on a show of liking him a lot more hoping to bump down a couple spots.
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You honestly haven't seen the reports that he isn't liked? They are everywhere. Heck, even Diam, the biggest Notre Dame homer ever, hates his attitude and says he isn't well liked.
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I suppose Quinn makes Weis look bad in some eyes
At this point I think Quinn makes the Browns look bad. And by that I mean they could not have mishandled 2 QBs worse than they handled DA and BQ. No matter what you think of either guy.
Hopefully, with Holmgren crackin' the whip, that will change no matter who is behind Center.
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j/c
I can't say I've watched alot of Clausen but given the fact that Washington is now out of the QB derby I figured I'd wade in on this as suddenly Clausen becomes a very real possibility at 7.
I've watched one Clausen game. In that game, I was impressed. Clausen seems like a pretty cool customer. Nice zip, good accuracy.
Taking a look at his body of work last year, you really gotta be impressed. The kid had maybe one bad game and put up huge numbers in losing efforts. However, alot of traditionally good teams weren;t so good this year and Notre Dame played alot of teams with sub par records. That was the thing with Quinn that stood out...he blew against top competition. Hard to tell with Clausen
The thing that worries me is, honestly, that he's from Notre Dame. Despite the fact that Weiss is apparently a QB guru, Quinn ended up falling on his face. It may be an irrational fear but I'm still scared of it.
So if Seattle doesn't take him at 6, do we look at him at 7? Honestly, if Haden and Berry are both off the board, I'd consider it but he's definitely not option 1a.
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I think where we are standing now, both Buffalo and the Jags may be interested in Clausen. If so, the Jags may want to talk trade up to get ahead of Buffalo. Just sit tight!  I didn't say "we should trade down and take him there". What I meant to indicate is due to his attitude, I actually have him rated in that range. I'm kind of with you, if MH thinks "he's the guy", stay at #7 and draft the kid. If he doesn't think "he's the guy", then don't draft him at all. I wasn't very clear on that. Sorry for the confusion.
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Edit out the part about Diam there. I misremembered what he said. But there a lot of people who do have many doubts there, myself included.
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Edit out the part about Diam there. I misremembered what he said. But there a lot of people who do have many doubts there, myself included.
Just show me something credible against his attitude or character. And not some photo of him drinking when he was a soph or whatever. Everyone drinks in college, even the QB of ND. As for a little cockiness and swagger, the guy started 3 years for ND and is televised every single week. He's 22, and has been annointed as the next great QB since he was a kid (something he hasn't quite lived up to). He had an ESPN special on him when he was like 13
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"Borderline cocky and entitled with a personality that rubs some people the wrong way" draftcountdown
"Clausen has a reputation for being brash and cocky" NFLDraftBible
"By the way... Clausen and his attitude, bogus bravado and personality and shear arrogance has Ryan Leaf written all over him" Washington Post
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Many question his attitude and work ethic, and have compared him to former bust Ryan Leaf. http://www.sportsnewsandscores.com/2010-...n-the-line.html Has a reputation of being a me-first player; not the attitude you want in a franchise quarterback. Maturity may be a concern. http://draftace.com/profiles/2010/jimmy_clausen.htm
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The 2nd link rates Clausen just 3 points out of 100 below Bradford.
The first link didn't work for me.
But seriously, Leaf??!! I get that a lot of people think Clausen comes off as a punk, but to compare him to that utter train wreck of a human being is pretty extreme.
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But seriously, Leaf??!! I get that a lot of people think Clausen comes off as a punk, but to compare him to that utter train wreck of a human being is pretty extreme.
Seems rediculous to me, but Leaf seemed fine in interviews to me. Ryan Leaf was rediculously immature without a work ethic and he was kind of nuts, I don't think Clausen will be like that. If anything, he'll be more like Philip Rivers. Rivers has done rediculous things also, but he keeps his composure and is a winner. I think competitiveness is something that has to do with it, and Clausen is competitive. I've seen little evidence that Clausen has a bad workethic (something Rivers doesn't have a problem with at all), he's absolutely prepared for every ND game this year and has improved in all three years. People expected him to be a god right away. Well this year, he was very good.
My problem is, if Mike Mayock, ESPN, or someone isn't directly saying it, I have trouble believing it. What does some guy at the Wash Post know about ND football? Then draftcountdown and draftace, these guys are amatures (especially draftace) in my book. I like to read their mocks and stuff, but I'm not going to take their word as gospel.
Truth be told DeepThreat, you could make a website like DraftBible if you wanted to and then people would be quoting your articles. I've never heard of this website, and I have a hard time believing that they're paticularly credible at all.........
In fact, I wouldn't be suprised if you did this in the future (make a draft website). I fully support it as it seems like something that you'd be interested in and may be could help you toward becoming a scout or something (doubtful, but at least you'd be reviewing the same stuff), which I think I remember you saying. But my point is, I'm not gonna buy into these websites that you and Pit just posted. They're just not that credible, not unless Scott Wright has sat down, talked to him, or specifically talked to his teammates or coaches about Clausen.
I guess I should send Diam a PM and see what he thinks of him, but even that has to be taken with a grain of salt (seeing that he was so off on Quinn).
Last edited by PeteyDangerous; 04/06/10 12:34 AM.
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Well that's the problem. I don't have any particular reason to doubt pit or deep when they say they know somebody who knows something, but it would be a lot more convincing if just one guy Clausen played with came out and described a specific event.
All I see is a lot of he said, she said.
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It really has very little to due with that. Privately, many boosters, coaches and players have criticized his leadership. He isn't well liked at all.
And that isn't even the biggest reason I don't want him. I don't think he's that accurate, he doesn't have that great of physical tools, and isn't that great IMO. I just don't see anything that stands out to me.
Now here's comments RECENTLY from teammates...As I asked before...Has the kids "Tude" IMPROVED over time...This kids gonna take that "Tude" into a 2 minute Offense late and say U AIN'T GONNA STOP US...
Follow Michael Silver at Mogotxt , Twitter and Facebook.
Clausen is deemed as a good fit in the West Coast Offense.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. – Jimmy Clausen remembers the precise moment he became aware of his stigma. A few months ago, the ex-Notre Dame quarterback was busy preparing for the NFL future he’d been dreaming of since childhood when Golden Tate, his top collegiate receiving target, sent him a disturbing text message.
Tate had just watched an ESPN SportsCenter segment in which Todd McShay, a draft analyst for the network, was highly critical of Clausen’s leadership skills, claiming the polished passer was not considered a good teammate by other Irish players.
“He was mad,” Clausen said Thursday, recalling Tate’s text over breakfast at the Four Seasons Westlake Village, a luxuriant hotel in the Southern California suburb where he became the nation’s most coveted high school quarterback. “He said something like, ‘If I ever see that Todd McShay … .’ – that type of deal. It was crazy. I didn’t know where it was coming from.”
In a world in which top NFL draft prospects are vetted like U.S. Supreme Court nominees, Clausen understood this was something he couldn’t easily shrug off. In the months that have followed, Clausen has answered questions from potential employers about his perceived personality defects over and over again.
He’ll do so Friday when he meets with new Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan and other team officials at the franchise’s headquarters in Ashburn, Va., and at subsequent visits to the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills, all of which hold top-10 picks they might use on the most polished pro-style passer in the draft.
“Obviously, there’s that perception out there that I’m cocky, arrogant, a bad teammate, a bad leader or whatever,” Clausen said between bites of his egg-white omelet. “It’s kind of hard answering those questions; you don’t want to put yourself at the forefront like that. I say, ‘Go ask my teammates why they voted me captain.’ I’d rather have them talk about it.”
On Thursday, I talked to three of Clausen’s former teammates, all of whom adamantly defended the three-year starter who last season led the Irish to four victories on their final drive of the game.
“Anyone who says that stuff isn’t seeing the same Jimmy that we see,” Tate said of the co-offensive captain. “For me it’s kind of frustrating, because what I see is a guy who’s very passionate about the sport, who works hard and puts his team in position to win. I see him more as a family member than as a teammate.”
Added ex-Irish receiver David Grimes, who played with Clausen in South Bend in ’07 and ’08: “Seeing Jimmy mature from when he came in as a freshman, it’s light years apart. It’s sad to hear this stuff that’s being said. Jimmy’s a great kid. I don’t think anybody who played with him would badmouth the guy.”
That might be a bit of a stretch – I’ve been in enough football locker rooms to know that, when you put scores of highly competitive athletes together on a daily basis, some manifestation of creative tension is inevitable – but I don’t blame Clausen’s supporters for engaging in a bit of hyper-defensive damage control. After all, these days it’s not enough to say, “Look at the game tape and draw your own conclusions.” Remember, this is an era in which an ultra-talented NFL passer like Jay Cutler(notes) can be eviscerated by analysts for bad body language, whatever that is.
Clausen seemed like a pleasant kid during our meal Thursday, but that’s hardly an experience from which conclusions can be drawn. What I can tell you is that Clausen put up insanely productive numbers last season in a pressure-packed environment while demonstrating toughness and poise.
It’s also clear that of the four quarterbacks mentioned as top prospects in this draft, Clausen is by far the most NFL-ready. Whereas Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford, who the St. Louis Rams may select with the No. 1 overall pick, Texas’ Colt McCoy and Florida’s Tim Tebow all operated primarily from the spread offense, Clausen played in a pro-style attack for coach Charlie Weis, the former New England Patriots offensive coordinator who now holds that role with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Former Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden, who spent time with all four quarterbacks for an ESPN draft special, was wowed by Clausen’s ability to recognize plays they watched together on film and replicate them on the chalkboard. Gruden’s three-word assessment of Clausen: “Love that guy.”
Some scouts question Clausen’s arm strength, while others believe he’s a dangerous downfield thrower. What no one disputes is his accuracy: Last season Clausen completed 68 percent of his throws, throwing 28 touchdown passes and only four interceptions in 425 attempts. The Irish huddle wasn’t bursting with a slew of talented NFL prospects, particularly on the offensive line and in the backfield, and Clausen accomplished much of this while playing through a pair of torn ligaments in his toe.
“He might be the most accurate thrower in the draft,” said a personnel executive for one AFC team. “I mean, he’s pinpoint accurate. He’d be a great West Coast [Offense] guy.”
A front-office executive for another AFC team had a different take: “He can throw the ball downfield. He’s the perfect Raiders quarterback, what Al [Davis] has been dreaming about for years. I don’t want to like him, but I do. I mean, just look at him – when you see that guy, you just want to punch him.”
That brings us back to the perception of Clausen as, in that same executive’s words, “a punk.” It probably was formed back in high school, when he received massive hype while leading Oaks Christian to a California Division III state title. Choosing Notre Dame, where he became a starter almost immediately, undoubtedly expanded the pool of Haterade.
Clausen, who skipped the spring semester of his senior year of high school to enroll early in college, says part of what motivated him to join the storied program in South Bend was that he thought it would prepare him for the transition to the pros.
“That’s one of the reasons I went there, to best replicate what it was going to be like playing in the pros as a rookie quarterback,” he said. “Notre Dame is one of the top five franchises in all of sports. Just being in the fishbowl, it was a good experience.”
One less-than-enjoyable experience occurred late last season outside a South Bend bar, when Clausen, after sticking up for his then-girlfriend while being heckled by a seemingly drunken patron, was, in fact, punched in the face. (There’s no truth to the rumor that the previously quoted AFC executive was the perpetrator.)
Clausen, who says he has been asked to recount the incident following the UConn loss by every NFL coach, executive and scout with whom he has spoken, did it one more time for me on Thursday: “… The seniors wanted to go out one last time following a home game with their families, and I decided I’d go out, too. A few hours later I decided to leave and I walked out with my arm around my girlfriend at the time. At the front door a drunk fan recognized me and starting yelling and ripping me about the loss and hassling her. I just laughed it off and walked by him, and he just hit me in the side of the face. That was the whole thing.”
Clausen with fellow QBs Bradford (center) and McCoy at the NFL scouting combine.
(Darron Cummings/AP Photo)
Certainly, there are legitimate reasons why players on other teams would detest Clausen. On the field, he’s neither the shy nor retiring type; it’s fair to say he has some Philip Rivers(notes) in him.
“A lot of [the perception about Clausen] is because he plays with so much passion,” Tate says. “It appears he’s being an [expletive]. A guy who plays with passion is gonna play with some emotion. If those big guys are out there trying to kill you, and you make a play, you’re gonna go talk some crap.
“The guy’s getting hit back there, he’s under pressure all day. What’s he supposed to do, get up and say, ‘Hey, you hit me – that’s great’? Before one of our games, when he had a bad toe, people [from the other team] came up and stomped on his toe while the music was still playing. So yeah, when he burns you, he’s gonna let you know.”
One former foe who has recently changed his opinion of Clausen is ex-USC safety Taylor Mays. He and Clausen are both represented by L.A.-area agent Gary Wichard and have been working out together on a frequent basis over the past couple of months.
“I thought he was a little bitch,” Mays admitted Thursday. “Before we played him, we watched highlights of him playing in Hawaii in the [2008 Hawaii Bowl], and he [made the aloha sign with his hand]. We wanted to beat the crap out of him.
“He’s still got the same personality, but I know him now, and I like him. He thinks he’s sweet, but he is good – I can’t take that away from him. I can see why his teammates like him. They respect how seriously he takes the game, and they respect his work ethic. I take him seriously, too.”
In less than three weeks, an NFL franchise will take Clausen in the first round, stigma be damned. Then it will be up to 52 new teammates to assess his personality traits and leadership skills.
“I can’t wait,” Clausen says. “Some people told me [the lead-up to the draft] would be the worst time of my life. It really hasn’t been that bad. It’s a dream come true.”
Until then, let’s hope Golden Tate and Todd McShay don’t end up outside any South Bend bars at the same time.
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Well, that about says everything the opposite of what some folks are saying about Clausen doesn't it. If you go by this article, clausen seems like a kid that came to town with a big head (maybe) but as most of us do, matured and became a team player and leader... My question is this.. How can two people watch him play, one says he's not accurate and the other says, and I quote Quote:
“He might be the most accurate thrower in the draft,” said a personnel executive for one AFC team. “I mean, he’s pinpoint accurate. He’d be a great West Coast [Offense] guy.”
Or a superbowl winning HC known for his offense and a guy who worked for and learned from Mike Holmgren who makes this comment:
Quote:
Former Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden, who spent time with all four quarterbacks for an ESPN draft special, was wowed by Clausen’s ability to recognize plays they watched together on film and replicate them on the chalkboard. Gruden’s three-word assessment of Clausen: “Love that guy.”
Lots of different takes on the guy.. I think if Holmgren takes him, he'll have sorted through al the bull and come to a conclusion that he's the guy..
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Lots of different takes on the guy.. I think if Holmgren takes him, he'll have sorted through al the bull and come to a conclusion that he's the guy..
As always...That's exactly what will happen...It will tell us exactly what Holmgren thinks...Berry or no Berry available...
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I have a problem with this: Quote:
Clausen, who skipped the spring semester of his senior year of high school to enroll early in college, says part of what motivated him to join the storied program in South Bend was that he thought it would prepare him for the transition to the pros.
Was he actually already qualified to graduate from high school at that point ?
He must have been,...
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Yup,, agree
I'm not sure I'm right on this, But has Holmgren ever coached a 1st round draft pick,...
Farve wasn't a first round pick, Neither was Hasselback... I don't remember if GB or Seattle ever picked a QB in the 1st round when he was with either team... Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the ONLY 1st round he ever coached at all was Steve Young in SF right?
My point is, if he takes Clausen early in the 1st.. He would have to really believe..... I mean REALLY believe...
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Quote:
Yup,, agree
I'm not sure I'm right on this, But has Holmgren ever coached a 1st round draft pick,...
Farve wasn't a first round pick, Neither was Hasselback... I don't remember if GB or Seattle ever picked a QB in the 1st round when he was with either team... Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the ONLY 1st round he ever coached at all was Steve Young in SF right?
My point is, if he takes Clausen early in the 1st.. He would have to really believe..... I mean REALLY believe...
Daman...I believe you are correct about Holmgren's teams never drafting a first round QB.
Holmgren did have connections to Steve Young at Brigham Young where Holmgren was Youngs QB coach. Young spent two years in the USFL before being drafted in the first round of the NFL's supplemental draft by Tampa Bay. Young spent 2 years in Tampa, was considered a bust before being traded to the 49ers where Holmgren was the QBs coach.
The point is, Daman is correct, Holmgren has not been one to spend high draft picks on QBs. He does have a history of taking QB talent and developing them into top producers at the NFL level.
Steve Young is a good example of Holmgren taking a QB who was considered a bust when the 49ers traded for him and helping to turning him into a Pro Bowler, once Montana finally left SF.
Though Holmgren did not join the 49er (as QB coach) until 1986, when Montana was well into his career, Holmgren's mentor, Bill Walsh, did not select Montana until the 3rd round of the 79 draft.
I would not be surprised if the Browns waited until the 2nd or 3rd round to select a QB, given Holmgren's history.
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Was he actually already qualified to graduate from high school at that point ?
He must have been,...
Its not uncommon at all. I had the option to do the same thing, I took heavy course loads in my freshman, sophomore, and junior years and when senior year rolled around I already had almost all of the credits I needed to graduate. I could have taken them all in the first semester and been done, but I opted not to. That way I could take it easy my last year and have some fun without my grades suffering and I could also graduate at the same time as all of my friends instead of just getting a diploma in the mail.
There were a few people in my class who did decide to graduate early and get a jump start on college, these were the super smart ones with GPA's over 4.0 who started taking college classes in what would have been the last semester of senior year for most kids. They wanted to get a jump start on their future and didn't see the logic in spending 6 month kind of piddling around waiting for graduation. Clausen wanted the same thing, nothing to be alarmed about. Completely a non issue.
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Yup,, thought I was right..
Funny thing,, with all that said, I'm not sure it means a dang thing because Holmgren isn't the coach and he made it pretty clear that he's just a sounding board for Mangini and Daboll..
So he won't be developing anyone.. or so it appears anyway..
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ORJ, I don't think the NCAA would let you play in college if you hadn't graduated high school. Quote:
A front-office executive for another AFC team had a different take: “He can throw the ball downfield. He’s the perfect Raiders quarterback, what Al [Davis] has been dreaming about for years. I don’t want to like him, but I do. I mean, just look at him – when you see that guy, you just want to punch him.”
Wow, nice.
For me, I really wouldn't be all that upset if we drafted Clausen. I love how quick his release is. It's actually pretty unreal. For me, the board is like this for the Browns:
1) Berry
2) Suh
3) Bradford
4) Clausen
5) Trade Down
6) Okung
7) Williams
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Damon, in my case I really don't feel it's a talent issue. As in every draft you will see conflicting reports on players.
And I'm not the one trying to compare Claussen to Leaf or George. From the aspect of his attitude and being a "me first" kind of guy I feel the comparison may be accurate.
With both Leaf and George there were no questions about their talent. They wowed people with their abilities. It all boiled down to their attitudes. That's my biggest concern with Claussen.
MH may be putting up a smokescreen in regards to Claussen. By doing so, he may be getting possible trade inquiries just to look at the options available. None of us really know.
And if MH is sold on the kid, that's good enough for me. I'm not trying to say I'm 100% right about my concerns. What I am saying is I've heard enough from people I feel are credable to give me just cause for concern.
If there is even a grain of truth to these assertions,it would be just cause for such concern and would move him down the value chart enough that I simply couldn't justify him at the #7 overall pick.
jmho
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
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Favre was a second round pick when Atlanta drafted him. But Green Bay gave up the #19 overall pick in the 92 draft to Atlanta to acquire Favre. So in reality, Green Bay gave a first round pick for Favre.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
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Quote:
From the aspect of his attitude and being a "me first" kind of guy I feel the comparison may be accurate.
Here's my problem with anyone of us saying that.. we haven't met the kid.. well, I should say, I haven't anyway..
So like everyone else, I have to go by Media reports, comments made by NFL Coaches, scouts, GM's or other Front office people.
Now the question becomes,, who do you believe?
I've watched video of the guy playing.. As I said before, seemed accurate to me.. Seemed pretty solid.
According to most articles I've read on the kid (and there have been a few) whenever teammates are quoted on him, it's alway upbeat and pretty flattering.
Yet the perception continues that he's a "me first" guy...
So,, Since I have a lot of faith in Holmgren, if he takes him, I'm gonna be ok with it because no way would he take him if he hadn't researched those issues and come away satisfied..
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"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe."
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I thought I pretty well covered that here in the same post you quoted from Damon...................... Quote:
And if MH is sold on the kid, that's good enough for me. I'm not trying to say I'm 100% right about my concerns. What I am saying is I've heard enough from people I feel are credable to give me just cause for concern.
If there is even a grain of truth to these assertions,it would be just cause for such concern and would move him down the value chart enough that I simply couldn't justify him at the #7 overall pick.
And Damon, I played football and basketball in school. You don't diss a team mate in public. It's a major no no. If you have an ounce of character about you, you NEVER degrade a team mate publicly!
I think anyone who has played the game at the high school or college level would agree with that.
Like I was "trying to say", I don't "know" if this is an issue. But from those I have heard from, there is cause for concern.
But from playing the game, if any of his team mates actually dissed him publicly? I would think he was a classless POS no matter what the truth really is one way or the other.
jmho
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
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Quote:
Yup,, thought I was right..
Funny thing,, with all that said, I'm not sure it means a dang thing because Holmgren isn't the coach and he made it pretty clear that he's just a sounding board for Mangini and Daboll..
So he won't be developing anyone.. or so it appears anyway..
Daman...my money says Holmgren will be involved in picking and helping to develop the QB the Browns pick.
Holmgren is considered one of the best (if not the best) QB coach/talent evaluators in the business and just because he is now the top man in the front office, doesn't mean he lost the desire to do what he has done best for the last 4 decades.
Holmgren has played, coached and evaluated QBs since 1965 and is considered one of the best (if not the best) QB coach/talent evaluators in the business. I doubt that he is going to lose the desire to continue to be involved in the picking and developing of a QB just because he is now the top guy in the Browns front office.
In this article in March, Holmgren gives some indications as to the extent of his involvement in picking a QB......
Holmgren says Cleveland Browns will definitely draft a QB, but probably not in the first couple of rounds
ORLANDO, Fla. -- With 12 picks in the April 22-24 NFL draft -- their most since 2000 -- the Browns can go in a number of directions in the first year of the Mike Holmgren-Tom Heckert era.
There is no mystery about one thing. They will draft a quarterback. The president of the team is not shy about saying so.
"It's just something we have to do," Holmgren said as he embarked on his first NFL owners meetings as president of the Browns. "Why wait? I'm 61. I don't want to wait for anyone. We're going to have to do this."
Holmgren has stated several times his belief that the NFL is, more than ever, a quarterback-driven league and that the quarterback is the most important player in the organization. He already has overhauled the team's quarterback roster by bringing in Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace and parting ways with Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson.
But he knows the Browns aren't going anywhere, aren't turning the corner, until they find a young franchise quarterback.
"I think Jake will make us better right away. But we have to find the next guy. That's what we have to do," he said.
Holmgren likes Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, but believes St. Louis will make him the No. 1 pick of the draft. Although he said he would consider trading up for Bradford, he knows it's not realistic.
As for the second-ranked quarterback in the draft, Jimmy Clausen of Notre Dame, Holmgren was characteristically honest.
"I wish I liked him more," he said. "You know how you have a type of player that you like? It's not scientific. People like him a lot. He'll go high. But it would be hard for me [to take him]."
Holmgren does like Tim Tebow of Florida, despite reservations about his throwing mechanics, and has invited him to a future private visit. He intends to do that with "four or five" quarterbacks before the draft.
"But, here's the dilemma," he said. "There are areas of the football team that we really have to help -- the secondary, offensive line -- to get the team better. This year it would be pretty hard to use the second [round] pick to get a quarterback. It would be pretty hard for me.
"Next year might be easier. We've got [three picks in the third round and four in the fifth round] going for us. But I'd have to have another second-round pick [to take a quarterback in the second round]."
So more than likely, Holmgren will scour the passers in the next rung after Bradford and Clausen and choose one anytime after the Browns' first two picks. A trade-up into the mid- to low-second round is possible.
Considering his reputation as a quarterback guru, it might surprise some to know that in 17 seasons as a head coach in Green Bay and Seattle, Holmgren never drafted a quarterback in the first or second round.
In Green Bay, Holmgren had the benefit of coaching the sport's all-time QB iron man, Brett Favre. In seven years, Favre never missed a game and took the Packers to two Super Bowls and a regular-season record of 84-42. But Holmgren was always on the lookout for young quarterbacks. He and General Manager Ron Wolf drafted a quarterback six times in Holmgren's seven seasons.
"We were [always] drafting later," Holmgren said. "Usually if it's a franchise quarterback, you're going to have to make that decision in the first 10 picks, probably, to get the guy you really covet. Once you're not drafting up in there, unless you're willing to trade to get up in there, you have to kind of look at it differently.
"What we did was say, 'OK, we're going to draft later. Let's do our homework and if we see a guy we like and we think we can develop, take him.' And it worked pretty well."
Three of the six quarterbacks Wolf and Holmgren drafted went on to be long-time starters with other teams -- Ty Detmer (ninth round), Mark Brunell (fifth) and Matt Hasselbeck (sixth).
When Holmgren left Green Bay to be Seattle's coach and general manager, he later traded for Hasselbeck.
Holmgren's record choosing quarterbacks in Seattle was not as good. He drafted one in four of his first five seasons in Seattle. None became a starter and the only one still playing is Wallace, now with the Browns.
He is a former coach who believes taking a flier on a quarterback in the sixth round is more prudent than drafting a player destined for a career on special teams.
"Why not?" Holmgren said. "I haven't talked to Heckert about it specifically. But I think it's a good idea. Certainly this year. We've got 12 picks. Goodness gracious, if we don't pop early, why not? So let's do our research.
"If we don't get the guy we decide we really want, now we go to Plan B and try to get the next guy we try to develop. If you believe that [a player has potential], we take him. If he doesn't get there, we do the same thing next year. The same thing in two years. But we keep doing it."
Unless something unexpected happens, the Browns probably won't find their franchise quarterback in this draft. But it won't be from lack of trying.
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Draft Bible was the first media source to report Matthew Stafford signing with the Lions, and the exact contract details.
DnD: Go ahead and believe what the players say publicly. Doesn't make it true at all.
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Just a note...............Has there ever been a QB that Gruden didn't gush about when in front of a camera? 
I can find positive and negative articles and comments about every QB coming out in every draft. Those mean jack-squat. One scout can see a God, the next can see a fraud. The hit-rate on QB's in the 1st round is 50%, so all the talk in the world from them doesn't mean crap. It all cancels itself out.
Each poster can review their own information assuming they've seen any given player play more than once. Screw scouting reports.
I saw Quinn play many times. The reports said he was accurate but I saw otherwise. Turns out he wasn't. He just had big windows to throw in and made his receivers work too hard in college. That translated to the NFL, and now he's a Donk.
I've seen Clausen play several times. He's more accurate than Quinn. He'll be more accurate in the pro's.
Clausen is less physically gifted than Quinn. He has to gather his body underneath him to get power on his throws. That's potentially detrimental when you get to the big-boy leagues. He's also about as good as he's going to get, just like Quinn was coming out.
The big question is his attitude. I can read all the reports but it's all just pixels and opinions to me. The last two things I've READ and SEEN from Clausen tells me all I need to know about his attitude: It's CRAP.
I saw his exit-interview during his last game. He couldn't have been a more pompous ass in front of the camera, wearing his sneer of derision like a badge of honor. I've since read where he referred to himself as a "loving and caring" person. And he's done it more than once.
 
Clausen is an ass. His attitude is crap. He has he tools to be a good starter but if he doesn't win early, that attitude is going to make his teammates not respect him. Quinn's attitude caused him to be not well-liked.
Must be a Notre Dame thing. 
Reports are filtered through the person doing the disseminating, but words from the persons mouth cannot be twisted or spun. Clausen is an ass and his attitude is a potential problem. It's one of his biggest concerns.
***Gordon, I really didn't think you could be this stOOpid, but you exceeded my expectations. Wussy.
Manziel, see Josh Gordon. Dumbass.***
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Quote:
And Damon, I played football and basketball in school. You don't diss a team mate in public. It's a major no no. If you have an ounce of character about you, you NEVER degrade a team mate publicly!
As did I (not football but basketball) and I know exactly what you are saying..
If we didn't like a teammate, we didn't say anything.. but if we liked him,, we were open about it... so uninvited responses such as Tates mean more to me than anything else.. Just saying
#GMSTRONG
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"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe."
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My assertion wasn't that some or even most of his "team mates" didn't like him. Although as we agreed to, if they did you wouldn't here about it. And when and if interviewed, whether asked or not, you don't think a guy would stand up for their QB? Even in high school we had some cocky, arrogent players that I liked. Our QB thought he was the second coming of something! lmao But I liked him and even hung around with him. I would have spoken out about him in a very positive manner no doubt. But what a college players sees in his team mate verses what an NFL GM sees are a world apart. As much as I hate to admit it, I find Toad pretty credable too in these matters. (Don't go getting all swelled up about it Toad) So I gotta stick with my thoughts on the subject and if he becomes a Brown, pray that those who share my sentiments are wrong. jmho
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
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Personally, I am not excited about the possibility of drafting Clausen. Can't put my finger on it directly, maybe it's this stuff I hear about his attitude, maybe because it's too soon after we drafted the last "most NFL ready QB in the draft" Notre Dame guy. Maybe it's just because he a Notre Dame guy.
But I am no expert.
If Holmgren drafts the guy, then I gotta have faith in the move. I will stand behind him and hope he throws it past the line of scrimmage on 3rd and long.
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I don't really like him either. But he definitely comes from the right family, both of his brothers trained the hell out of him when he was younger (both started at QB at Tennessee). And he has taken "classes" from Steve Clarkson. I think the talent is there for Clausen. I just don't know if the head is there. *EDIT* Also didn't know this about Clausen: Quote:
Like his older brothers, Clausen started kindergarten at 6 years old and repeated sixth grade.
Did they do that so he would be older than all the other kids?
Last edited by cfrs15; 04/06/10 12:59 PM.
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So if we draft him, will it be to play QB or be a PR man for the Browns.. I don't care if the kid stumbles and mumbles his way to a SB win..
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Yea.. Brady was a nice guy... and could speak like Obama to the Press. Look what that got us. I think Cutler is a jerk most of the time and seems cold to people around him yet I'd welcome his play here anytime. Clausen is still VERY young. If he needs humility he will get plenty of it from Mangini and the fans. Vince Young got his, and so can Clausen.
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The early videos are not good, particularly the little speech at the college HOF. It was like he won an academy award.
But, I think he lost some of that "assitude" as time went on.
Don't think there is much question regarding is ability. Toad doesn't seem to like him but the only other knock on his actual game I've seen is that he's not quite as accurate as Bradford and has a good, not great arm. He didn't play scared behind that bad line, which is what sunk Brady in my eyes.
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I don't know why anyone would want this kid. IMO he is less talented than Quinn and we all saw how he turned out. Why would we want a lesser version of that. He did less with more talent at ND than Quinn ever did.
Forget his additude for just a minute and look at the player himself. If he and Quinn were both in the same draft Quinn would be the better choice and we know what kind of QB he turned out to be.
To be honest I don't really want any QB in this draft. I like Bradford but there are some real questions about a guy who didn't even really play his senior year to go this early in the draft.
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Forums The Archives 2013 NFL Season NFL Draft (2013) Clausen
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