Readers Mock Draft: Cleveland Browns are now on the clock …
By John Vassar
The NFL draft will be here before we know it. Now that Free Agency has settled down, team needs have come into focus. That could mean only one thing – it’s time for another mock draft! But rather than us sitting back and throwing darts at the wall, we thought we’d let you join in the fun. We’ll roll through the draft order and give each team choices based on team needs and the best players available and you’ll vote on the picks for each team. On with the countdown…
26. Cleveland Browns 4-12
For a team with six Pro Bowlers, you would have expected an improvement from their 5-12, 2012 season. Nope, actually the Franchise went backwards and finished 4-12. Not only did the team seem to flounder but when it was all over the turmoil only got worse. First, first year coach, Rob Chudzinski was let go, which brought on the furor of the fans. Then first year owner, Jimmy Haslam, continued the chaos by firing team executives Mike Lombardi and CEO, Joe Banner. On the field, nothing seemed to work, even with outstanding play by T.J Ward, Alex Mack and Josh Gordon. They traded away Trent Richardson for this pick in the first round in September, then had a backfield by committee. Unsettled at Quarterback with Brandon Weedon and Brian Hoyer. Statistically speaking, the team tread water and saw real no improvement even though they played the 30 ranked schedule. Meaning the missed taking an advantage of a weak schedule.
With all the turmoil the surrounded they weren’t finished. The next embarrassment came when trying to replace the fired, Chudzinkski. The perception that grew with the mismanaged search was that no coach wanted the position. Not sure if that was true, but the poor P. R. work perpetuated that feeling to the fan base. Finally, they were able to secure, Mike Pettine, who had previously been the Defensive Coordinator for the Buffalo Bills.