Where Do We Go From Here? Nearly two seasons ago, Jimmy Haslam took an unorthodox approach to running a football team: he hired Paul DePodesta away from the Mets to be the defacto Team President. He was supposed to have a role in analytics, obviously, but also the sports science, organization structure, management, personnel decisions, and the coaching search. Haslam promoted general counsel Sashi Brown to the role of Executive Vice President. The approach was not altogether unique - it was simply the same approach on steroids: shed cap-heavy players, accumulate draft picks, turn in as many players as possible in a few seasons. In the first season, they released veterans Karlos Dansby and Donte Whitner and allowed free agents Travis Benjamin, Tashaun Gipson, Alex Mack, Craig Robertson, and Mitch Schwartz to walk. The last one is also the one most-talked about, but Schwartz finally lived up to his billing in a contract year, was offered a deal with the team, and took less money to go to Kansas City - so we can and probably will give that failing grade to the F/O, but the situation was much more nuanced than it seems. The signature move was to trade out of the No. 2 overall pick after the head coach, the qualified football opinion and anointed league-respected QB guru and also the only coach to make it to Carson Wentz's Pro Day determined he did not like the prospect enough to draft and went out and signed Bob Griffin. Who could blame them? Wentz was a Division II prospect who only started a handful of games, had multiple injuries throughout his career, and looked to have an awkward delivery motion - most folks didn't think he was a Top 20 pick, not just the Browns. Most folks were wrong. In all, their decisions have led to a 1-27 record (and counting) as the season mercifully winds down and we face a very real 0-16 year (1-31 overall). It means wholesale changes in Berea. The New York Giants recently fired their head coach who boasted a 13-15 record (to get to 13 total wins, you have to go back to October 3, 2013; the Browns are 13-59 over that stretch). It has less to do with the "analytics" approach than it does with the organization hiring the wrong head coach and giving that head coach too much say in certain decisions. Hue Jackson was the torpedo that sank this Cleveland boat. Not analytics. Not a lawyer. Not a baseball guy. So what happens next? Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta will be fired before the end of the season. The coaches will be fired after the final game. Between the front office and coaches firing, the Haslams can - and should - interview as many potential fits as possible. They can go three directions, in my opinion: 1. Double-down on analytics. The algorithm isn't wrong. The people with the final say on the players is. It's still a person problem, not a numbers issue. Find a forward-thinking head coach/GM combo and bring them on board, possibly promoting from within the existing structure. 2. Go the "traditional" route. Hire another team's junior GM, allow that new GM to hire his head coach from a pre-selected list of candidates (up-and-coming coordinators). Allow the head coach to fill out his coaching staff. 3. Go "nuclear". This is the route I expect Haslam to not only consider, but purse the hardest. Hire the "Football Czar" to take over the team, essentially abdicating his ownership of the team. Considering the very real legal concerns that are set to ensnare him, this makes a lot of sense. Someone else who can handle the show while he's away or handles his business outside of football.
BONUS: Mock Draft | Week 13 Update Option #3 - Nuclear. Jimmy Haslam hired Jim Harbaugh to be the Football Czar in Cleveland. An Ohio-native and accomplished coach, there are rumor's he's unhappy at Michigan and could return to the NFL. Having full control over a young roster, tons of cap space, and a bevvy of draft picks is enticing and really Haslam's best selling point in his entire time as owner. This means Sashi, Paul, Hue, and the coaches are out. In their place, we get the Harbaugh coaching tree (at least they run a 4-3) and probably a general manager in-name-only. We'll count only the Top 100 picks for this version. 1.1: Baker Mayfield, QB Oklahoma My goodness... can you imagine the fiery Harbaugh with the fiery Mayfield? Whew. This has become a lock for me until any earth-shattering personal revelations are dug up about Mayfield. He's the perfect QB analytically, he checks all the boxes for Bill Parcell's mold, he checks all the boxes for Mike Mayock's. Counting his 6'1" against him is going to haunt teams worse than passing on Russell Wilson. Elite arm strength. Elite accuracy. Elite pocket awareness. Plus mobility. New regime means new QB's and this guy can be the one that Harbaugh chooses to build around. 1.7 (f/Houston): Roquan Smith, LB Georgia Harbaugh had Patrick Willis in San Francisco and now gets Roquan Smith in Cleveland. A rangey, instinctive player who's really come on strong as a junior. Early reports are that football folks love his personality and football IQ and he seems like the logical, hard-nosed player to embody a Harbaugh defense. Joe Schobert has been very good this year but has his limitations (coverage) and is an outstanding #4 option in the LB rotation. 2.33: Joshua Jackson, CB/FS Iowa Really like Jackson's film and while Iowa plays much more zone coverage, I would personally move Jackson to free safety, allowing Harbaugh to better-utilize 2017 first round pick (and former Wolverine) Jabrill Peppers. Jackson has been incredible at generating turnovers this season and should be a fringe Day 1 pick. 2.40 (f/Houston): Tarvarus McFadden, CB Florida State Plus-size cornerback with good ball skills who can solidify the position opposite Jason McCourty. After an outstanding 2016 season, McFadden has underwhelmed in 2017 and will likely slip because of it. 2.62 (f/Philadelphia): Billy Price, OG/C Ohio State The J.C. Tretter and Kevin Zeitler combo this season has underwhelmed. Price is an upgrade over Tretter, probably, and while a coaching change - and better QB play - should improve the o-line play, it doesn't hurt to take a big, tough, versatile lineman from the conference who constantly churns out the league's best ones. 3.65: Ronald Jones II, RB Southern California Isaiah Crowell is set to become a free agent and is just a guy. He's likely gone. Duke Johnson has been an effective weapon but was under-utilized by the previous regime and it remains to be seen if he can handle the full workload. Jones is a small-ish (6'0" 200 pounds) back who brings tremendous speed to the table. He's carried a slouching QB (Darnold) and program this season by himself and while not built to handle the full load at the next level, should be a great 1-2 punch with Johnson. 4.97: Dante Pettis, WR Washington Browns could be in decent shape weapon-wise if Josh Gordon stays clean. The general consensus is that this is a weak receiver class, so I'm hesitant to burn a Day 1 or 2 pick on a guy. However, a Gordon (Z), Coleman (X), Njoku (Y), DeValve (TE), Johnson/Jones (RB) lineup looks pretty darn good on paper. Pettis is a good route runner with plus speed and while he's on the slighter side of frame (6'1" 190 pounds) he'd be an upgrade over Louis/Higgins/Britt. Could improve his stock with a great Combine.
Or they can draft 2 QBs with their first 2 picks. But we know they'll try to trade down their second pick to get a 2019 1st rounder.
Again, I think a lot of that depends on the structure come draft time. If the current regime is let go - and the growing consensus is that no one survives this - then you'd have to think that while jockeying around the board is likely to happen, the new regime is going to want to spend its capital and try to maximize their talent while they can. Also, even earlier interviews this year with Sashi Brown (if they somehow survive) seemed to indicate they wanted to be more aggressive with the draft and free agency. If it really was a three-year plan, that makes sense to burn all the capital you've spent time acquiring on players you think can get you over the hump. The problem is, that hump has been a 1-27 record and while I think 90% of that is on the head coach, everyone will get chopped because of it.
Here's what you dont get.....I dont need another reporter telling me what I saw....I trust my eyes and my IQ...you can go and say he should have caught 10 balls for 170 and 2 TDs but the reality is he caught 4 passes and the last catch was for 40 yds when the game was 99.9% over....so 3 catches for about 46 yds....nice job....oh btw there was very little separation in those routes as I stated earlier
Jim Harbaugh...the savior at Mich that cant beat either Ohio St or Mich St....that guy is turning into a bum
Seriously. Why you gotta be like that? Dude you really don't know what you are talking about. Chargers CB Casey Hayward, who has gone against Odell Beckham, Dez Bryant, Brandin Cooks, Michael Crabtree, Tyreek Hill and Alshon Jeffrey this season was quoted as saying "Josh Gordon was his toughest match-up all year". He knows we missed on a couple as well... Where do you get off taking away his best play anyway? Then you just act like that's how it was. lol..smh You are a WR coach, and you continue to deny Josh Gordon's talent...Okay. Whatever man. That's funny.
oops, TD beat me to the punch...regardless, you're discrediting yourself as a WR coach the more you type...you should probably hope no one at your school starts following this thread, or you may be out of a job next year also...
Maybe you shouldn't. JG's personal trainer: He can be one of the best. JG's position coach: He can be one of the best. JG's head coach: He can be one of the best. JG's opponent (Heyward): He was one of the best. Cleveland Media: He is one of the best. National Media: He is one of the best. Me: He is one of the best. ... ... @showstopper: total bum. not good.
Really surprised this is the hill you're prepared to die on. It's become abundantly clear you don't have a great grasp of the game. You've always been vehemently anti-Gordon, which is weird, considered you tout yourself as a WR coach. Either the list of topics you're unqualified to debate on is growing by the day and/or you simply hate all things Browns.
Damn. Brady Quinn can't even get sports journalism right. http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2017/11/michigans_jim_harbaugh_calls_r.html I can't think of any program that would dole out lifetime contracts, especially not in the era of liability and litigation.
