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Is Gocong a difference maker? How about Fujita? Maiavia? None of those 3.
Johnson is 31,but like I said, his resume speaks for itself. he's been a pivotal and integral part of a defense thats been Top 5,year in year out.
I would rather see Acho and JMJ learning from a proven force like Johnson than a couple average to below average OLB's that start for the Browns now.

Adam Snyder is at a age where he can play his position at a high level. 30 is not old for a OG. Again who has a better body of work,Pinkston/Laovou or Snyder?

Snyder and Johnson were starters off 2 teams that played in Championship games. they are battled tested.

I'm in the minority. I don't like the CB's after Haden and Patterson. Dockery and Skrine haven't yet shown they can match up with other teams 2nd and 3rd WRs.
Brown isn't getting any quicker.
maybe Trevin Wade can be a surprise player and emerge? chances are no.
when teams go to 3 and 4 WR sets,their inexperience will be exposed.

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Is Gocong a difference maker?

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Gocong should be our starting SLB, he plays it better than Fujita at this point in each of their career.

Terry Pluto's Talkin' about Dion Waiters, Andrew Bynum, the Browns, Tribe and more
Published: Saturday, July 21, 2012, 10:11 PM Updated: Saturday, July 21, 2012, 10:40 PM
Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
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ABOUT THE LACK OF EXPECTATIONS FOR THE BROWNS . . .

1. At some point, Browns coaches will talk to the players about the team being picked as the worst in football, how they are only going to win one or two games. They are going to stress the "they don't respect us" theme. And they also plan to say that respect is earned, and they plan to go out and do that . . . one game at a time.

2. Let's think about some of those predictions. Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com has them winning one game. Pro Football Talk rated them at the bottom of the NFL. Other predictions have them between two and four victories. Remember what a mess they were last season, and how their offense was one of the worst in franchise history? They still were 4-12.

3. Publicly, the Browns will insist that they will be improved. OK, team President Mike Holmgren is saying more than that, but it's silly to pick a record. As one Browns operative told me, "It easy for people to knock us because we haven't done much." So true. The team is 18-46 over the past four seasons and there has been one playoff appearance since 1999.

4. But let's think about this for a moment. The Browns have added two first-rounders: Brandon Weeden (quarterback) and Trent Richardson (running back). Two second-rounders: Mitchell Schwartz (right tackle) and Josh Gordon (wide receiver -- supplemental draft). There are obviously others players in the lower rounds that they like and some may even start.

5. But the team added four players from the first two rounds, and all on offense. They lost no major free agents, Mike Adams is the only starter to leave (Denver). So all the key players are back, and they added youth along with veteran defensive ends Frostee Rucker and Juqua Parker.

6. The Browns believe their coaching staff is stronger, especially with the addition of new offensive coordinator Brad Childress and special assistant Norm Cromwell. Childress is a former Vikings head coach, Cromwell has extensive experience and he's working a lot with receivers.

7. The Browns know they play in a tough division, and the schedule looks rugged. They know the team is very young, and that leads to losing some games in the final minutes. But they are convinced they'll be better, because they have a significant infusion of talent.

ABOUT THE BROWNS' SPECIAL TEAMS . . .

1. The Browns are convinced their special teams will be better. A year ago, veteran punter Brad Maynard was solid as a directional kicker, but he ranked last in yards per punt (40.5). In terms of net yardage, he ranked 27th. He replaced Reggie Hodges, who tore an Achilles tendon in training camp.

2. Hodges is back healthy and impressed the coaches with his punting in minicamps. In 2010, he averaged 43.9 yards per punt. He was the ninth-ranked punter and an excellent holder. The Browns believe that with Phil Dawson, Hodges and long snapper Christian Yount, the overall kicking game will be in for a major upgrade.

3. The Browns lost two games because of poor snaps by long snapper Ryan Pontbriand. He was replaced by Yount, who brought immediate stability to the position. Pontbriand went to minicamps with the San Francisco 49ers, but he was cut by former Browns special teams coach Brad Seely. Given that Pontbriand thrived under Seely (2009-10), you know the guy is struggling.

4. The Browns also believe the coverage will be better because Joshua Cribbs will be on nearly every special team, offense (as a returner) and defense. He is superb on coverage. They also think some of the young linebackers and defensive backs will help, players such as Buster Skrine, Kaluka Maiava, Owen Marecic (a college linebacker), James Michael Johnson, Emmanuel Acho, Brad Smelley, Eric Hagg and Trevin Wade.

5. This is a huge year for Chris Tabor, in his second season as special teams coach. He had a rocky rookie year. Cribbs ranked sixth in punt returns, 12th in kickoff returns. One goal is to get Cribbs back to an elite level as a return man, not easy with the new kickoff rules that have led to more touchbacks and fewer return possibilities. Pluto on Media predictions

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They also think some of the young linebackers and defensive backs will help, players such as Buster Skrine, Kaluka Maiava, Owen Marecic (a college linebacker), James Michael Johnson, Emmanuel Acho, Brad Smelley, Eric Hagg and Trevin Wade.

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OK,, did I read that right, Owen Marecic as a LB?

pretty sure he just means from a special teams standpoint. i.e. bigger guys that are solid tacklers.

Yes Marecic was FB/LB in college and he played special teams. That is just insane in this era of football.

Cribbs has decent hands and is a so so route runner. He's never been one to work on selling his routes.His problem is that he takes too long to get top speed. Thats why he's a threat on KO but on punt returns just okay at best.

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Also, has a coaching regime FINALLY conceded what many of us have been saying for years, which is that Cribbs needs to be focused on special teams where he excels, instead of on offense where he's a role-player at best and a poor receiver at worst?

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fixed it for you...

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Also, has a coaching regime FINALLY conceded what I've been saying for years, which is that Cribbs needs to be focused on special teams where he excels, instead of on offense where he's a role-player at best and a poor receiver at worst? Are they FINALLY getting it?

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If we can return him to ST's, then it will be the case that we have finally found some players at the WR position.

Cribbs was our 2nd best WR last season and I think that speaks volumes for the rest of that group last year and not in an encouraging way either.

Moe and Norwood included, because neither where more productive in 2011.