What Do the Browns Need?

 

Now that Ohio State’s Troy Smith won the Heisman Trophy, Browns’ fans everywhere are fantasizing about having the Cleveland native starting at quarterback for the hometown team.  Even ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit said this after Smith won the award Saturday night.  He said the Browns would be insane to pass up the former Glenville signal caller.  However, is that the correct move for the future of this franchise.

 

There certainly is more than one way to build a successful NFL franchise.  Unfortunately, the Browns have not stumbled on one of them as of yet.  It is evident that the brown and orange have more problems that getting a good QB will not cure them all.  You don’t have to be a member of Mensa to see Cleveland needs offensive line help.  LeCharles Bentley may miss the 2007 season as well, and Joe Andruzzi and Cosey Coleman haven’t played effectively either.  Starting tackles Ryan Tucker and Kevin Shaffer aren’t going to the Pro Bowl either.  Two players need to be replaced and maybe change the positions of others.  At least one offensive lineman should be picked in the first two rounds of next spring’s draft.

 

One need people don’t really talk about is at running back.  It appears the Browns squeezed the last very good year Reuben Droughns may have in 2005.  Jason Wright certainly isn’t the answer, so Cleveland should be looking for a guy to tote the pigskin in the draft.  If Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson is there in round #1, that might be a smarter pick than taking a quarterback. 

 

On defense, the biggest problem area is the line which has problems stopping blockers from getting to the linebackers and they can’t mount a pass rush either.  The linebackers show promise with rookies Kamerion Wimbley and D’Qwell Jackson both playing well.  They should get better with experience.  Andra Davis is average.  In the secondary, the team needs another shutdown corner to go with Leigh Bodden.  This would allow the front seven to take more chances with blitzing.  Davin Holly has done an acceptable job, but is probably better suited as a nickel back. 

 

Without a running game and poor play from the offensive line, how do we know that Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson can’t be good quarterbacks.  Without correcting these problems, it is likely that Smith would be ineffective as the Cleveland QB.  However, Smith has excellent accuracy and he is a winner.  He plays his best when the games are the biggest.  That’s very important.  Heck, Michael Vick is about the same size as Smith and isn’t as good a passer, and he went first overall in the draft.

 

Thinking with my head, and not as an OSU fan, I don’t think it would be wise to take Troy Smith with a top ten pick, which the Browns most certainly will have.  A trade further down in the first round, picking up more picks in the deal might be the wisest course of action.  Let’s say Phil Savage is now picking #20 with a couple of second round picks.  It might be impossible to pass on Troy Smith in that situation.  Providing he is still on the board.

 

KM