DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Holmgren & Heckert Presser 01/05/2012 at 11:00

Aren't they be interested in every draftable player at this point?

No..but they'll say that to confuse people.

Highlights from news conference with Browns President Mike Holmgren, GM Tom Heckert

By Nate Ulrich
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published: January 5, 2012 - 01:37 PM

President Mike Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert held a news conference today to review the 2011 season and discuss the state of the Browns, who finished with a record of 4-12. Here are some of the highlights:

• Is Colt McCoy a franchise quarterback? “I think he can be,” Holmgren said. “He could be. I’m not ready to say that yet. You know what we did this season, and he played and he did some very fine things and then he played young at times, not unlike his first year. Was I pleased? Yeah, in a lot of the stuff he did. My opinion of Colt has not changed. I think he has a lot of intangibles. Ultimately, though, as with not only the quarterback position but every position, you’re kind of judged on how well your team did. I’m not ready to anoint Colt yet. Have a changed my mind? No. Do I love him? Yes, I do. But I love Seneca Wallace. We have three good quarterbacks I think on our team right now. Having said that, heck, we don’t know what’s gonna happen, and I had that conversation with Colt as well.”

• Holmgren said “competition will take place” to decide the starting quarterback for the 2012 season. He said the decision should be made before reps are divided for the third preseason game.

• Heckert also gave an evaluation on McCoy. “We think he’s got enough talent to be a player for us,” Heckert said. “Has he made mistakes? Yes. Can he get better? We think he will get better.”

• Will the Browns spend big money to sign a quarterback in free agency who would be expected to start? “It’s probably not the way we’re gonna go, but you never know. It’s still early. We have two months before that happens. We’ll look at everybody. There are a few guys that have played in the league that have started that are gonna be free agents. We are looking at them, and we’ll have to wait and see.”

• Heckert said the same goes for drafting a quarterback with the fourth overall pick. “We’ll evaluate everybody,” Heckert said. “We do it every year. … It doesn’t matter who we have at each position. We’re gonna look at those players ‘cause you never know.”

• How much stock does Holmgren put in Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn throwing for almost 500 yards and six touchdowns in his second start? “That’s a little unusual,” Holmgren said. “You’re referencing the young man (with) the Packers? Yeah, I think when you go in your second start and you break the record that have been held by Bart Starr, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers in your second start, that’s a little unusual I would think. Again, we can’t comment on players that are existing in the league right now.”

• Holmgren and Heckert said they’re going to stick to their philosophy of building through the draft rather than free agency. Still, they’ll certainly make some moves in free agency. “We don’t want to go out and sign 10 free agents,” Heckert said. “But if there’s a guy that we like, which hopefully there is, we’ll definitely go after him. Free agency is an area where you can get one or two players at positions that can help you. If there’s guys at certain positions, we’ll definitely go after them.”

• Holmgren said the defense improved, and some crazy things happened on special teams that he had never seen before. As for the offense, Holmgren said, “There isn’t an offensive area that we won’t look hard at and try to (upgrade during the offseason).”

• Holmgren declined to discuss specifics about running back Peyton Hillis’ contract situation. Hillis is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at 4 p.m. March 13.

• Holmgren gave his evaluation on Pat Shurmur, who just completed his first season as a head coach on any level. “I know this about the man who’s coaching this football team: He is good, he is smart and he will do what he has to do in a very unselfish way to get the team going in the right direction,” Holmgren said. “And if that means hiring a coordinator or giving up the play calling, whatever that means — and I’m not telling you right now how that’s all gonna come down — but I’m just saying Pat is very willing to do whatever it takes. Now that in itself is a healthy, good sign to me.” Holmgren also expressed his commitment to Shurmur long term. “I have the utmost confidence in Pat to get this done,” Holmgren said. “No one’s on the hot seat. … We have a good coach, and we have a good coaching staff. You don’t get to where you want to get to by blowing it up every two or three years.”

• Earlier this week, Shurmur said he will hire an offensive coordinator. One potential candidate is former Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress. Holmgren said the Browns did not interview Childress last year, but Holmgren reminded reporters he wasn’t going to reveal what the Browns will do this year during their search for an offensive coordinator.

• Heckert said he would prefer using the nine picks the Browns have in this year’s draft, but trading some of them to move up the board is not out of question. “You never say never, but we like our picks right now,” Heckert said. “We have nine right now, and hopefully we’ll get some compensatory picks. We’d like to add nine good football players.” As for the fourth overall pick, Heckert said, “It’s gonna be tough to screw that one up, I think.” Holmgren then chimed by instructing reporters to “write that down.”

• When asked if the Browns will lock up middle linebacker D’Qwell Jackson with a long-term deal, Heckert said, “We’d like to have all our good players back. We have numerous free agents, and we like a lot of them. We’re gonna try our best to get most of these guys done. But time will tell on that.”

• Heckert gave updates on several injured players. Running back Brandon Jackson (toe) passed his physical and is ready to go, Heckert said. Left guard Eric Steinbach (back) is getting close to being able to return, Heckert said. Defensive end Marcus Benard, who was in a motorcycle accident in October, is “doing all right,” Heckert said. Backup linebacker Titus Brown (knee) had surgery Wednesday, Heckert said. And strongside linebacker Scott Fujita’s broken hand is not completely healed, but he’s fine, Heckert said.

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Holmgren said “competition will take place” to decide the starting quarterback for the 2012 season. He said the decision should be made before reps are divided for the third preseason game.

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Not slamming anyone here ....... but didn't Holmgren say just last year that he doesn't believe in QB competitions in training camp, and that you should go to camp with a starter and backup already determined?

Yeah .... different time frame .... but he did say this and it kinda stuck with me ....

It was more about Quinn and Anderson at the time, but I took it more or less as his doctrine.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Wilson-Holmgren-not-planning-to-hold-QB-competition.html

"I won't tell you that right now," Holmgren said. "They're both here right now. We'll see how it goes. I'm not a big believer in that competition stuff. We better make up our mind before we go to camp and then put our resources into one guy."

I seem to recall him saying similar stuff when they brought in Delhomme and named him the starter, and again when he named McCoy the starter after last season.

Different year, same Cleveland Browns.

It seemed like one of those things that Holmgren really disagreed with Mangini over.

I dunno anymore ......

j/c


Heckert said "hopefully we’ll get some compensatory picks."

who did we lose last year that we could/would get a compensatory pick?


or.... is it this year?

no, it would be last year... and I don't think that we lost anyone during free agency that would net us anything.

Code:

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RB	Mike Bell	UFA	Lions	August 9[7]
ILB	Blake Costanzo	UFA	49ers	August 3[9]
SS	Abram Elam	UFA	Cowboys	August 3[11]
FS	Sabby Piscitelli	UFA	Chiefs	August 4[14]
OLB	Matt Roth	UFA	Jaguars	August 12[16]
WR	Chansi Stuckey	UFA	Cardinals	July 29[18]
ILB	Jason Trusnik	UFA	Dolphins	July 29[19]
FB	Lawrence Vickers	UFA	Texans	August 3[20]
G	Floyd Womack	UFA	Cardinals	July 31[21]
CB	Eric Wright	UFA	Lions	July 31[22]

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According to Wikipedia, those are our free agency departures in 2011.
The Usama Young signing negates either the Piscitelli or the Abe Elam departure.

I don't believe that we signed anyone else to offset any of these others.... so, I would think that we could realistically hope for compensation for Vickers, Roth.. maybe Wright, Elam & Trusnik.
It depends upon how much those guys contributed with their new teams, I think.

I believe it's last year because they wait to see how the player that was lost performed.

Eric Wright, Matt Roth, and Floyd Womack are all guys I think we might be able to get picks for.

We got a compensatory pick last year basically because they had extras, so they divided them among teams that had never received any, or something like that.

Last year we lost Elam, Wright, Roth, (Now) Delhomme, Stuckey, Womack, Coleman, Trusnik, Costanzo, and Vickers.

I think that's everyone.

Forgot about all those other dudes.

Elam, Wright, Roth, Coleman, and Vickers all started the majority of the season I think. We should get something out of that, right? I don't expect anything good, I mean the Panthers got like 4th round pick after losing Julius Peppers.

Elam was a starter for Dallas. Piscitelli was a backup for the Chiefs.
I'd guess that the Young signing will screw us out of compensation for Elam.

Mike Bell didn't make Detroit's roster.

Costanzo was the same he was here... backup LB and Special Teams Demon - that might actually net us a 7th?
Trusnik is a backup with Miami... but probably no compensation there.

Stuckey was buried on the depth chart, took a step back from what he did here (which is hard to do, lol).
Rex Hadnot is with the Cardinals... wasn't he a Brown last year??
I don't see Womack on a team, but he did leave in free agency.... might get us a pick.

Eric Wright was a starter for Detroit who is in the playoffs now... that WILL get us a pick.

I didn't think that Hadnot was with us last year.

He wasn't. He was with the Cardinals in 2010 and 2011.

Elam started all 16 games for the Cowboys
Roth started 9 for the Jags
Piscitelli started 2 for the Chiefs and played in all 16 (mostly STs)
Trusnik was ST-only for the Dolphins.
Vickers started 1 game for the Texans.
Eric Wright started all 16 games for the Lions

I guess we could get compensatory picks for Elam/Wright/Roth, but doubt any others. And Usama would likely eliminate one as you mentioned.

Quote:

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Code:

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RB	Mike Bell	UFA	Lions	August 9[7]
ILB	Blake Costanzo	UFA	49ers	August 3[9]
SS	Abram Elam	UFA	Cowboys	August 3[11]
FS	Sabby Piscitelli	UFA	Chiefs	August 4[14]
OLB	Matt Roth	UFA	Jaguars	August 12[16]
WR	Chansi Stuckey	UFA	Cardinals	July 29[18]
ILB	Jason Trusnik	UFA	Dolphins	July 29[19]
FB	Lawrence Vickers	UFA	Texans	August 3[20]
G	Floyd Womack	UFA	Cardinals	July 31[21]
CB	Eric Wright	UFA	Lions	July 31[22]

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Kenyon Coleman played for the Cowboys this year, and I think that he started for them.

It sure seems like we should get a couple of compensatory picks.

yes, he started 15 games. thanks.

btw using: http://www.pro-football-reference.com

so all in all we lost 3 starters that played 15+ games to FA and one that started more that 50% of the games

Kenyon Coleman
Wright
Elam
Roth

Young started 8 games because of injury.

I never said anything about unfair. I said that he did things one way earlier, and now is going a different way.

Don;t even bother responding to me anymore. Your posts aren't even worth reading.

I'm just sick of it.

I've only blocked a few people in my DTer life...

And by few, I mean him...

It's been a nice week since...

LOL I did it once before, but for some reason saw fit to unblock him.

I may have to block him again.

Maybe one or 2 others. It would be better for my blood pressure.

I kind of bashed someone for saying we should get Kalil w/ our 4th pick.. I want to say I apologize and now think that if Blackmon is not there, then go for it!! Fix that right side of the o-line cuz I think we would really benefit from it.

I really want Griffin.. but I think he will not be there @ 4... and Blackmon probably won't either. I'm not 100% sold on Claiborne. Need to see some more highlights of him.

The problem with blocking is people always Quote and you see those comments.


I've left Tyler Derden on block, but even then, I saw some quoted items from his semi recent troubles and had to send him some words when it was apparent he was scared out of his wits over his situation.


For the most part I skim around here, and I skim even more when I see yellow.

I wouldn't mind the Kalil pick if we add some decent skill players in FA..

We need to use the smack shack for stuff like this.....two guys want to hash it out let them have a smack off in the shack.

LOL.....Heckert doesn't like questions.


I am watching the PC, he is funny to watch, grabbing his wrists, scratching his ears, then in his nervous, high vioice, " We.er going to do whatever we have to do. We'll examine all positions".





Sorry, the guys a boob.

Just Clickin,
I really do not like Heckert because last year, they tried to sell the idea that we were set at WR when everyone knew we were not. Last year's draft was not bad but the coming draft is soooo important its not even funny. This will either make the Browns a viable team that is pointing towards the post season or kill us for another 3 years. If we have another draft were we are looking at talent being picked all around us and we constantly miss, Heckert will prove himself a fraud and Holmgren will not be able to save him....period!!

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Seriously, how can you not like Heckert?

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I like him just fine.



I just don't think the guy is very smart.

Rishuz,
Can I please explain my lack of trust for Heckert. Last year, like I said earlier, I did not see the him address some of our most glaring holes. And those same holes came back to bite us all season long. So going into the most important draft this franchise has seen in the last 10 years, I do not have a warm and fuzzy about their ability to plug those holes.

You mentioned him locking up JT, Rubin and Gocong. 2 of those are no brainers and the one is stealing money! Unless Gocong improves, I see someoe who would be sitting on the bench for other teams.

Haden and Ward are good picks. But were those his or Mangini's picks?? ( believe me, it almost gives me chills even asking that question, like Mangini could have thoughts like that) Sheard looks to be solid but the court is out on Taylor and Pinkston. Skrine and Patterson might turn into good picks also, but lets see next year how they progress.

You build a team with smart draft picks and some good FA pick ups. Again, he did not pick up squat this year, so your stating that Heckert is going to make it happen this year with the FA pick ups???? You cannot build just with by drafting alone!

And you are right, this year is the most important draft we as Browns fans have seen since the 80s. If Heckert hits on 60% or higher with his moves, the Browns are going forward. 50% or lower, the next 3 years will be terrible!