Here’s an interesting bit of news. Rookie Casey Matthews is being benched in Philadelphia as the starting middle linebacker for the Eagles, and ex-Buckeye Brian Rolle will be replacing him.
Some Browns fans were whining that the Browns didn’t draft Casey Matthews. I’m thinking I’ll defer to Tom Heckert given how well his picks are doing.
Meanwhile, it’s nice to see Buckeye alumni getting PT in the NFL. Good luck to Brian Rolle!
The week one loss to the Bungles was painful, but this is a nice win against the Colts:
– Pat Shurmer used Peyton Hillis more this week and it worked, though Hillis needs to figure out his fumble problem.
– Tom Heckert is looking like a genius. Phil Taylor looks like a top 5 pick and Jabaal Sheard looks like a real pass rusher.
– Colt McCoy had a very good game. He was very accurate and again he made plays on the run. He’s like a Mini Big Ben.
– I have no sympathy for the Colts. They’ve done nothing over the years to develop a real backup for Peyton Manning, unlike other good teams like the Patriots. Several years ago Browns fans had to watch as the Colts played Sorgi in the final game and lost us a playoff spot.
Is this a big loss? I doubt it. The photo above tells the story – Eric Wright had a terrible season last year. Tom Heckert and the Browns wanted to keep him but he took less money to go to Detroit. This tells me he needed a change of scenery, so the Browns are probably better off without him, even though the kid had some talent.
The Browns needed a third down back, and they got one in Brandon Jackson. Tom Heckert is signing role players that fit their system, as opposed to going after big name players.
Jackson is an excellent blocker in passing situations and he can catch the ball out of the backfield. He’ll help take some of the pressure off of Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty.
What I like best is that he comes from Green Bay, where they play the West Coast offense better than anyone these days. He fits the system.
Patrick Peterson is getting stiff-armed above, but many consider him to be one of the best players in the 2011 NFL Draft next week. He’s big for a corner, has tremendous ball skills and runs a 4.3.
I think Tom Heckert will take him if he’s there at #3, barring some other big surprises. I suspect the have Marcell Dareus at the top of their board, and he wold be the easy pick if he slid to #6, but that’s not happening. The other big wild card involves the receivers. I suspect both A.J. Green and Julio Jones are high on the Browns’ draft board. If Green and Peterson are both there at #6 (highly unlikely), then the Browns will have a tough decision. Von Miller also has to be high on their board, but he’s expected to be gone as well.
All of the defensive linemen after Dareus seem to have question marks. Robert Quinn seems to be on their radar and Terry Pluto thinks he might be the pick, but I suspect the Browns think they can pick up linemen later and they can’t pass on stud talents like Peterson, Green or Jones.
That said, they might have a chance to trade down depending on what happens with the quarterbacks in the first five picks.
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