A consensus seems to be emerging that the flurry of activity at Cleveland Browns Central initiated by ringmaster/general manager Phil Savage last week is a bold initiative to win now. Maybe, but one thing that is indisputable is that Savage’s moves are the biggest gamble of his career, by a large margin.
In two very distinct ways, Savage has sacrificed the immediate future. He has essentially set ablaze three early round draft picks in the 2008 draft and the various benefits that tend to inure from them if you draft well while at the same time creating potential salary cap hell a few years down the road. That isn’t a criticism, just an observation and a reminder that in football, like most other enterprises, there is no potential for growth without some risk.
But whether Savage’s maneuvering turns into a growth opportunity or a short-term stroke with long-term pain is far from clear. There are various schools of thought on this, but the conventional wisdom is that you build teams through the draft, not free agency. Paying and often overpaying for someone else’s rejects is supposed to be more of a supplement, the final piece or two of a team on the precipice of going deep in the playoffs. Rarely do you see a team, particularly a successful team, part with draft picks.
Where the Browns fit into that matrix is uncertain. They accelerated their growth last year via both the draft and free agency so they aren’t exactly in a total rebuild mode. But with one of the worst defenses in the entire league, the Browns don’t exactly meet the definition of a successful team quite yet, let alone a Super Bowl contender. That’s why most in the league aren’t quite sure of what to make of Savage and the Browns at this point.
Perhaps to blunt this inevitable criticism, Browns head coach Romeo Crennel told the media on Monday, if it helps, just think of quarterback Brady Quinn as this year’s number one pick, defensive lineman Corey Williams as this year’s second round pick and defensive tackle Shaun Rogers as this year’s third round pick. Dangling that observation in front of someone with a computer and an outlet is like dangling a bottle of hooch in front of Mischa Barton.
Article comments
1 - Josh
Gary -
I can summarize your article in a couple simple statements.
This time of year when a team signs free agents or makes trades for players that people have heard of (at least knowledgeable football fans) it makes a splash and is viewed as daring.
No one knows the future. I'm not sure if I'd feel any better if we had any of those draft picks and needed to find run stoppers and a second WR. Not to mention, do you really think its not an advantage to have guys who have played a few years as opposed to rookie draft picks who have never played at this level?
Whether or not the Browns are really SB contenders yet isn't entirely the issue. In my opinion they've turned the corner from a perenial expansion roster void of first string talent, to a team with legitimate stars to build around.
Do you really think there is such a large gap between the bottom and the top of the NFL? I think with even a mediocre run defense (say ranked 15th) the Browns would not only have won the division but also probably advanced at least a round in the playoffs.
My final assessment is that your article really doesn't say anything. Savage is taking a risk with free agents as opposed to taking a risk with draft picks. And don't forget that the Browns #1 pick in the 2008 draft is now a one year veteran of their team.
Best,
Josh
2 - Gary
Josh:
The Browns have taken a step forward with these signings just as they did a year ago. The drafting of Joe Thomas helped tremendously as well. They are now much closer to being a legitimate contender than anytime since they returned. That doesn't mean this isn't a gamble. There are too many examples of teams that "went for it all" only to wind up in salary cap hell down the road and without a Super Bowl ring to show for it. That doesn't mean that will happen to the Browns, but Savage has certainly introduced that element with the signings, the length of the contracts (done for cap purposes) and the guaranteed money.
3 - nicolas
i think crennel has a point. i dont think that, given where cleveland would be drafting, the talent they would acquire in the draft would be significantly better than the talent they acquired FOR those picks. The QB's who are worthy of a later first round pick are probably on par with quinn, the #2 WR's in the draft are probably on par with stallworth.
granted, they WAY overpaid for stallworth, but perhaps they're thinking he can have the same kind of runoff success playing behind braylon edwards that he had playing behind moss. not even a remotely outlandish assumption, but certainly not worth a seven year contract. (i personally would have thrown a take-it-or-leave-it four year 20 million deal at him. that seems about what stallworth is worth)
4 - Chris McVetta
Gary,
Are you saying that Phil Savage is the NFL-equivalent of a "North Coast Opie" in elf's clothing?
Regardless, I have the utmost faith in Phil Savage - AND his talent evaluation abilities.
That being said, I am also not completely comfortable trading away all of our draft picks either - but I think Savage has done a great job in free agency this year (and beyond), nonetheless.
However, I don't necessarily agree with paying Derek Anderson the kind of "Tom Brady money" that the Browns have given to D.A. in the meantime.
I would have LOVED to trade Anderson to the Dolphins in exchange for a shot at Darren McFadden - but, with Bill Parcells large and in charge, that probably was never going to happen.
Whatever the case, I can at least gasp a sigh of relief knowing that the Browns have TWO good quarterbacks in their offensive arsenal.
Or so it would seem...
5 - Eric S.
Gary, nice piece, you're a good writer.
I'll agree that these moves were indeed gambles, but you failed to point out that this is a very weak draft class. In my opinion, that's what motivated Savage to move the picks. I also think Savage realized that there was no QB coming out this year that had Quinn's ability- so looking at BQ as this year's first rounder is very logical.
Let's just say, I'm not sold on Matt Ryan, and honestly, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see Quinn starting for the Browns in '09.