How Much is Weeden to Blame?

Now that the NFL draft is less than two months away, it’s time for Cleveland Browns’ fans to start the debate on who the team should take with the sixth pick in this year’s selection process.

And since it is Cleveland, the seemingly endless debate about whether or not the “Consensus Four” of Jimmy Haslam, Joe Banner, Michael Lombardi, and Rob Chudzinski should take another quarterback just a year after the Browns took Brandon Weeden in the opening round of the 2012 draft.

Because Weeden didn’t set the world on fire in his rookie year, like Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Russell Wilson, several people with voice on radio talk shows have given up on the former Oklahoma State signal caller.

Keep in mind, Weeden passed for more yards than Griffin III (by a little less than 200 yards) and Wilson (a little more than 200 yards).  However, Weeden had way more interceptions (17, compared to 5 by RGIII and 10 by Wilson) and not as many touchdowns (13 compared to 20 for Griffin and 26 for Wilson).

The question comes down to how much do you blame the Browns rookie for his ineffectiveness?

Weeden isn’t perfect, but then again, most rookie QBs who start in their first years aren’t either.  He did have a tendency to lock on receivers, and try to throw through defensive backs.

You know who else used to do that?  Watch films of John Elway, Dan Marino, and Brett Favre early in their career.  The confidence they had in their arms overrode their coaches telling them not to turn the ball over.

This is not to say that Weeden is in the same class as those three passers, two of whom are in the Hall of Fame, and the other will be soon.  It does speak to the way quarterbacks with big arms think.

Before throwing Weeden out with the bath water, remember the circumstances he played under last season.

His coach had a horribly conservative offensive philosophy, and once a turnover occurred he played it more close to the vest.

The Browns best offensive weapon, fellow rookie Trent Richardson, was injured early in the season with bad ribs, and even when he was carrying the ball well, there were times when the coaching staff ignored him.

The Redskins had the league’s best running attack and Seattle was third.  Cleveland ranked 24th.  This is the same ranking the three teams had in terms of rushing attempts.  And the Browns weren’t blown out of many games last season, so there was plenty of opportunity to run the ball, the coaching staff just refused to do it.

The question has to be how much is Weeden to blame for a mediocre rookie performance.  If you think he’s a lost cause, then the Browns’ front office should look to replace him.  If they think Geno Smith and/or Matt Barkley is the next Elway, then draft one of them.

Just remember that Alex Smith, another darling of the Cleveland media, had a worse season than Weeden in his rookie year (50.9 completion percentage, 1 TD, 11 INT) and under Norv Turner’s tutelage the next year improved to 58% completion rate, 16 TDs and 16 INT as San Francisco went from 4-12 to 7-9.

Also, notice that the front office’s evaluation of the quarterback has seemed to soften at least in public comments after Turner came aboard and presumably has looked at film.

Perhaps Turner, who knows more football than most, has seen something he can build upon with Weeden, despite his advanced age.

Still, the Browns should continue to say they may be interested in Smith or Barkley, but only because the Arizona Cardinals, desperate for a quarterback, pick right behind them.  Perhaps Lombardi and Banner can squeeze a draft pick out of the Cards to move up one spot.

It comes down to this…do the Browns need to replace Weeden more than they need a big time pass rusher or another cornerback to team with Joe Haden?  That answer is simple, Cleveland needs to get more playmakers on the defensive side of the ball.

JD