The NFL Draft is now just ten days away, and the speculation is heating up on who the Cleveland Browns should pick with the third choice. The conversation centers on Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn. Is he the real deal? Is he a product of Charlie Weis’ offensive system? Or should the Browns take Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas to lay down a foundation on the offensive line? Or is Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson the correct pick? What should Phil Savage do?
First, I’m not sold on Quinn. He may wind up being an All Pro signal caller. He also might wind up to be Joey Harrington. With the third pick overall, and with the hope the Browns will not pick this high again for a long time, Savage cannot afford to take a risk. He simply must get an All Pro caliber player. Quarterbacks by nature are not rock solid picks. Just look at Akili Smith and Cade McNown from the 1999 draft. Remember Ryan Leaf and Harrington. There is a large bust factor with the position. The Browns cannot afford to play Russian Roulette with the choice. How much better is Quinn than Ohio State QB Troy Smith, who they might be able the take in the third or fourth round?
Drafting a QB also means that a team short on talent will be getting nothing from its first round pick for at least half the season. If Quinn is the selection, he may not start at all this season, but if he did it would not be in all likelihood until around Week 10 or 11. It would be better for the rookie to sit and observe rather than be thrown to the wolves in Week 1. The Browns need impact players, and they need them to play right away. Picking an offensive tackle or running back would allow the player to be in the line up right away.
There are many who say that Savage should trade down and get out of the third pick. This might be the best scenario, but of course it is dependent on having a trade partner who will give the Browns enough picks to make moving down worthwhile. The Browns’ GM is being deliberately coy on who the team will take because of the interest by other teams in Quinn and Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson. If the Browns can get a couple of extra picks on the first day of the draft to move down, it would accomplish the goal of bringing more talent to the organization and also relieve Savage of the temptation to take the Fighting Irish passer.
I still think Peterson is the correct pick for this football team. How do we know that Charlie Frye and/or Derek Anderson would not be good enough to win if they were surrounded by a better offensive line and a good running game. It’s a lot easier to play the position when you are in 2nd and 5 and 3rd and 2 situations than always being in 3rd and long. It’s unfair to judge either player under the circumstances that they played under last season. That said, if Troy Smith is there is the 3rd round, I would be tempted to take him if only because he is a winner.
All of this will be decided a week from Saturday. Hopefully, no one (this means you, Randy Lerner) will influence Savage to do anything besides making this football team better. Savage must get an impact player who can contribute this season. It’s time to start winning some games on the field.
JD
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