10 years and Billion Tears!!

Do you remember that scene from “Stand By Me” when everybody starts throwing up at the Pie Eating contest? How about the Movie “Scanners” when the guy’s head explodes? Well if you have a camera and you are a Browns fan or know a Browns fan get ready for the same reactions.

I was asked by longtime Browns fan and longtime season ticket holder Jeff Knapp to research the Browns 1st round Draft picks over the past 20 years.  I went back 10 years to the 2005 NFL draft and I looked at the 1st and 2nd round picks they’ve made since as well as a few of the highly questionable trades. After further review… well… how do I put this… The Browns Organization really needs to get a handle on how they judge and scout talent.

Granted, since 2005 the Browns have a few changes in the front office, 2 owners, 5 GM’s and 5 Head Coaches with Romeo Crennel having the longest tenure with the team over that period. Total and undeniable chaos in the upper ranks of an organization trickles down like piss from the top bunk. Once the owner, GM and Coaching staff have a sense of stability the rest will fall into place. It appears that Pettine has the players going in the right direction and the players seem to be responding positively to his coaching style.  I’m not sold on Ray Famer yet, the 2014 draft was disastrous and unless the selections came down from ownership he should have been put on a very short leash. Jimmy Halsam is not my ideal owner; he seems more like Jerry Jones type owner when the Browns need a Rooney or Kraft type owner.

So… while the fans have endured countless years of heartbreak, sadness and anger it really could have been better, it should be a lot better now, a lot better than it is. I used 2005 as my starting point because those guys are still playing; they are still making an impact on their team… DON’T KILL THE MESSENGER HERE FOLKS!!

 

2005: In the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft the Browns selected WR Braylon Edwards, below is a list of players selected after Edwards.

-Antrel Rolle: CB

– Demarcus Ware: LB

– Shawne Merriman: LB

– Aaron Rogers: QB

– Roddy White: WR

– Logan Mankins: G

 

In the 2nd round they selected Brodney Pool, the Safety from Oklahoma, below another list of passed up players.

– Lofa Tatupu: LB

– Nick Collins: S

– Vincent Jackson: WR

– Frank Gore: RB

 

2006: Browns pick: Kamerion Wimbley in the 1st round the Browns passed on

– Chad Greenway: LB

– Antonio Cromartie: CB

– Tamba Hali: DE

– DeAngelo Williams: RB

– Nick Mangold: C

– Joseph Addai: RB

 

2nd Round: Browns pick D’Qwell Jackson… they actually made a decent pick here.

2007: Browns picked Joe Thomas (GREAT PICK) and traded their 2008 1st round to Dallas so they could select Brady Quinn.

 

Players passed up after Quinn Selection:

– Dwayne Bowe: WR

– Brandon Meriweather: S

– Joe Staley: OT

– Ben Gubbs: G

– Greg Olson: TE

In the 2nd round they selected Eric Wright, Passed up on:

– Ryan Kalil: C

2008: Browns traded pick to Dallas no 1st round and traded 2nd pick to Packers.

 

2009: Browns traded down a few times and ended up taking Alex Mack, great pick but who did they pass up had they not have traded down?

– B.J. Raji: DT

– Brian Orakpo: DE

– Brian Cushing: LB

– Jeremy Maclin: WR

In the 2nd round they picked WR Brian Robiski and they passed on…

– Jarius Byrd: S

– Max Unger: C

– LeSean McCoy: RB

2010: 1st round: JOE HADEN!! I love this pick!

2nd Round T.J. Ward

Players passed up for Ward:

– Rob Gronkowski: TE

– Zane Beadles: OT

2011: Browns traded down again, this one will really get you fired up: Brown took Phil Taylor and passed up:

– Julio Jones: WR

– JJ Watt: DE

– Robert Quinn: DE

– Mike Pouncy: C

– Ryan Kerrigan: DE

 

2nd Round Browns took Jabaal Sheard and passed on:

– Randall Cobb: WR

– Kyle Rudolph: TE

– Shane Vareen: RB

2012: Browns took TRENT RICHARDSON and passed up:

– Matt Kalil: OT

– Luke Kuechly: LB

– Dontari Poe: DT

2nd round Browns picked Mitchell Schwartz and passed on:

– Alshon Jeffery: WR

– Bobby Wagner: LB

2013: Browns picked Barkevious Mingo and passed on:

– Sheldon Richardson: DT

– Eric Reid: S

– Kyle Long: OG

– DeAndre Hopkins: WR

They forfeited their 2nd round pick for Josh Gordon and lost out to:

– Le’Veon Bell: RB

– Eddie Lacy: RB

2014: Again they Browns traded down and ended up taking Justin Gilbert and with the trade of Trent Richardson they also picked Johnny Manziel, since in my opinion they should not have drafted Trent they will not have the 2nd pick. But who did they pass up by taking Justin Gilbert?

– Khalil Mack: LB

– Mike Evans: WR

– Jake Mathews: OT

– Odell Beckham Jr. : WR

– Aaron Donald: DT

– Sammy Watkins: WR

– Taylor Lewan: OT

 

OK Browns fans I know it’s a lot to process so I’ve gone a step further and made a roster of what the Browns could look like today had they made all the right picks. I know they wouldn’t be drafting in the same place if they made the proper picks so I’ve also taken that into consideration. AGAIN… DO NOT KILL THE MESSENGER!!

OFFENSE:	DEFENSE:
QB: Aaron Rodgers	LDE: J.J. Watt
C: Ryan Kalil	DT: Danny Shelton
LG: Joel Bitonio	RDE: Desmond Bryant
LT: Joe Thomas	OLB: Khalil Mack
RG: Kyle Long	ILB: Brian Cushing
RT: Joe Staley	ILB: Luke Kuechly
TE: Rob Gronkowski	OLB: Paul Kruger
WR: Vincent Jackson	CB: Joe Haden
WR: Alshon Jeffery	CB: Antonio Cromartie
RB: Le’Veon Bell	SS: Donte Witner
WR: Randall Cobb	FS: Jairus Byrd: FS

I know… it’s pretty far-fetched to say this is what it could be, but it could have played out close to this, hell they missed out on more talent than they’ve hit on. As I look back, 2014 and 2011 are huge disasters… Those two seasons are harder to look at than a naked Caitlyn Jenner.  What the hell was going on in those years?

The Browns have the best fans in the league, the most loyal group of fans I can think of, year after year of total let down and frustration over how the organization handles itself and they come back in droves, season after season.  It is pure madness, they thrive on it almost, they all embrace the mental anguish and yet begin each season with a new found hope and optimism.. at some point it must end, either the fans call it a day and jump ship or the team finally pulls its enormous head out of its ass and wins… my bet is the fans will stay no matter what, I know I will….at least until Los Angeles gets a team.

Special Note:

Jeff… I hope this helps put things in perspective, maybe you should think about contacting an attorney and filing a class action lawsuit on behalf of the season tickets holders against the Browns for mental and emotional pain and suffering.