Browns Get A MNF Date!

They're getting 3 MNF games to be exact! This is 3 more than they have had since the Browns came back to Cleveland in 1999. This is great news for a franchise on the upswing!

Although they didn't make the playoffs last season, because they should have won when they had the chance, and Indianapolis decided to send it in against the Titans, but their future is looking real bright. Derek Anderson developed into an excellent Quarterback. Braylon Edwards is emerging as one of the top 5 wideouts in the league. And this includes getting his ego under wraps. Winslow is working to become the TE he was supposed to be before he tried out for the motorcycle circus. The O-Line came together in a big way last season.

The only question mark is going to be the defense. If they come together this season like the Offense did last year. They can be a very dangerous team! They are going to be a very exciting team to watch!

So, they've got their limit 5 nationally televised games this season. They've got week 2 at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sunday night against the Steelers. Week 6 Monday night against the defending Champion Giants, again at home. A Thursday night meeting with Denver in week 10, in Cleveland. Then they travel to Buffalo for a week 11 meeting on Monday night. And their last nationally televised game will be in Philly for a Monday night matchup in week 15.

This is huge news for this organization. Look at where they were last season at this time. All of the question marks?? Is Braylon going to get his head screwed on straight? Can Winslow play with his surgically repaired knee? What's going to happen to the O-Line?? Who's going to play QB? Are we going to be able to put a Defense on the field. I believe my prediction for the Browns last August was 4 victories.

So the fact that the NFL is putting quite a bit of stock in the Browns is saying alot for what Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel have done over the past 2 years. Very exciting outlook on the shores of Lake Erie!!

February is FINALLY over!

Well, the worst month for sports if finally over, and we can start getting on to some things that really matter. Spring Training baseball, Fantasy Baseball drafts, and the NFL free-agent signing period! Wooo-Hooo!!!

Let's start at Cleveland Browns Stadium, or Berea, or wherever Phil Savage calls home these days. In the last week the Browns have signed Shaun Rogers, Corey Williams, and Donte Stallworth, and re-signed Derek Anderson.

We'll begin at QB with the re-sign of Anderson. I think this was essential. The Browns have assembled a team that can do some damage this year! Not in 3-5 years, THIS YEAR. Anderson will hopefully build on the Pro Bowl season he had last and get himself into a consistent groove. With the talent the Browns have, the don't need Anderson to have a 100+ passer rating every game. They need consistent play, and this is what Anderson is going to give you.

So you say that Brady Quinn needs to be either starting or traded?? Well, I don't see the problem with having 2 capable QBs on the team? Look at how many QBs the NFL went through last season. I don't know the exact number, but I think it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 QBs took a snap. If Anderson gets hurt, and you've traded Brady, who do we have playing QB??? Ken Dorsey?? Josh Cribbs??? What's the problem with a little insurance policy??? I'm not going to hide the fact that I do not like Brady Quinn. I don't think he's that great of a QB, when he was at ND, all he did was beat mediocre teams and throw the ball to Jeff Smardjtizmarta. But with the way the Browns have gone through QBs in the last 9 years, I see nothing wrong with leaving Brady on the sidelines to learn another year.

Sticking with the O, we signed New England Patriot Donte Stallworth. Donte will be the new #2 target for Anderson this year. I love this signing! I love anybody that comes from the Pats. I hate the Pats, but I think they learn that they need to win as a team. Look at what they turned Randy Moss into??? Anyhow, when Anderson drops back he's going to have #1 Braylon, #2 Stallworth, #3 Winslow, #4 Jurevicius. Or he can turn around and hand the ball off to a resurgent Jamal Lewis running behind one of the best front 5s in football. You tell me how a team is going to stop all those weapons???

Now to the D, where the real help was needed. They acquired Shaun Rogers from the Lions for this season's 3rd round pick and Leigh Bodden. I haven't read a whole bunch about Rogers, but I guess he's having some problems fitting in with the coaching staff in Detroit, and hasn't been playing quite as well. He was a Pro Bowler in 04-05 and has been nothing more than a big, fat, distraction since. All I can hope for is that he decides to get back into shape and help a good team get to the playoffs. I can understand how being on a losing team can break down you morale, and a change of scenery is generally a good thing. Let's hope that this revitalizes the 28 year old Rogers into good things! The Browns gave up a 3rd round pick and Leigh Bodden to bring Rogers into camp. I wish I could say that they got good value for that trade, but only time is going to be able to give the answer for this one.

And the last acquisition is DE Corey Williams from the Packers for this years' 2nd round pick. I don't' know much about Williams other than the stats I can find on ESPN.com. 7 sacks last season, that's probably more than the Browns have had in the last 2 years. He's definitely going to be an improvement over what they had.

Now, the Browns do not have a pick in the first 3 rounds of this years' draft? If you would like to look at it this way, their first round pick was Brady, the 2nd round pick was Corey Williams, and the 3rd round was Shaun Rogers. The situation they are in now, the fact that they are a good team NOW, and they desperately need help on the D-Line, they made good decisions. The only college D-linemen who could have a decent shot at making an impact in their rookie season will be picked in the first 20 slots. I think Savage did the right thing. Williams and Rogers are going to be inserted into the D-Line and are an instant upgrade from the guys they had last season, plus, it adds depth which they really need running a 3-4.

On another note, former Boilermaker Niko Koudivides signed a 3 year deal with the Broncos. I would love to see the Browns sign Roosevelt Colvin, who was released by the Pats earlier this week to play some OLB. Partly because he's a Boilermaker, partly because he's good, and partly because he threw down a nasty dunk on me at the co-rec during an intramural game. It wasn't quite the Roy Hariston, behind the back, off the glass, elevate from one side of the lane and throw it down on the other, but it was pretty nasty, especially for a guy who's only 6-3.