Buckin' A
Veritas Aequitas
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Every year there's at least one NFL team that rises from the muck to surprise everybody — a team that makes the transition from schlub to contender in one season. The Chicago Bears (5-11 to 11-5) and the New York Giants (6-10 to 11-5) were last year's examples.
This year's surprise team could be the Cleveland Browns.
Don't let those plain orange helmets fool you; the Browns might be ready to turn their opponents black and blue. After going 6-10 last year, general manager Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel identified the three primary needs, then went out and addressed them. Combine that with a solid draft — Sports Weekly graded it a B — and the healthy return of their last two first-round picks, tight end Kellen Winslow and wide receiver Braylon Edwards, and you can see why optimism is high around Lake Erie.
"We expect to make the playoffs," fifth-year linebacker Andra Davis says.
The Browns could be better in 2006, but it might not show in their record because the AFC North could be the conference's toughest division. It's home to the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers; the Cincinnati Bengals (11-5) are the reigning division champs; and the Baltimore Ravens (6-10) look ready to bounce back from an injury-ravaged 2005.
Steelers receivers coach Bruce Arians knows there will be no easy divisional game. "It's obvious the Browns are making a point to stop the run," he says. "They've brought in guys with excellent veteran leadership who can teach their younger players not only how to play but how to practice."
Another trying season in Cleveland would be nothing new; the city has a recent history of NFL futility. Since 1990 the Browns have a cumulative 75-133 record (.360) and have one playoff win. The city didn't even have the team for three years when owner Art Modell moved it to Baltimore in 1996. Cleveland is one of six teams — along with the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints — to never play in a Super Bowl.
Although history is against the Browns, the brain trust in place has the credentials to turn the franchise around. Crennel was the New England Patriots defensive coordinator when they won three Super Bowls in four years; the Pro Football Writers of America named him Assistant Coach of the Year in 2003. Savage worked with Ravens GM/executive vice president Ozzie Newsome in Baltimore for nine years, and in that span their first-round draft choices produced players who made a combined 28 Pro Bowl appearances.
"I give owner Randy Lerner credit," fullback Terrelle Smith says. "He knows to step back and let the people he's hired stir the pot."
It's an interesting mix, too, because it brings things full circle. Savage also worked under Newsome for the Browns before they moved to Baltimore. Crennel was the Browns defensive coordinator in 2000 under coach Chris Palmer.
Although Crennel earned his reputation with New England, he doesn't rub it in his players' faces. "He doesn't really bring New England up that much," Davis says. "When he first got here he showed us his Super Bowl rings, then he said that was the last thing he'd say about New England. But he was part of the dynasty there. We know it."
When Crennel passed those rings around, it had an affect on everybody. "We got to hold them in our hands," Smith says. "That got everybody's attention."
Davis says the mood of the team has changed under Crennel. "Nobody cares about getting the credit; everybody is on the same page," Davis says. "You had to be here in the past to appreciate it. The difference is like night and day. ... Not to say anything bad about (former coach) Butch (Davis), but Romeo is definitely a player's coach. You know what you're getting with him. He's a straightforward guy."
Crennel claims no use of magic or mirrors for turning around the team's attitude. "I just told the players what my expectations were," he says. "I expect them to do things the right way. If we win some games, they'll keep buying into it."
In today's NFL there are three ways to fill needs: Trades, the draft and free agency. Savage and Crennel believe the draft is every successful team's foundation. They also know free agency can help teams rebuild; those players are proven commodities with lower risk. This year in free agency they spent more than $100 million.
"With a full year under our belt, we felt we had to do three or four things to improve this team," Crennel says. "We wanted to approach those needs in free agency and top them off with the draft."
The Browns' first priority was stopping the run; they ranked 30th in rushing defense. Second was improving the pass rush; they were last with 23 sacks. And third was, simply, scoring more points. Cleveland ranked last in 2005.
It was on defense where the Browns might have made the biggest improvement. They addressed the first need by signing 365-pound run-stuffing nose tackle Ted Washington, who will mentor 304-pound rookie Babatunde Oshinowo. To improve the pass rush, they brought in one of Crennel's former Patriots stars, linebacker Willie McGinest, who will mentor No. 1 draft pick Kamerion Wimbley. And they feel they brought in a Ray Lewis-type linebacker in No. 2 pick D'Qwell Jackson, who probably will move into departed Ben Taylor's spot inside.
"If on Dec. 1, somebody would have told me you are going to come away with Wimbley, a sixth-round pick and D'Qwell Jackson in your first two selections of the day, I would say we wouldn't have to go to one meeting. We'll do that right now," Savage said. "(D'Qwell) has a great football demeanor. He'll bring a presence, and he's a guy who will go toe-to-toe in Pittsburgh."
Although Jackson was the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, some were scared off by his size (230, light for an inside linebacker) and speed (4.73 in the 40).
"A lot of people put stock in 40-yard dash times," Savage says. "If you go back and research it and pull out Ray Lewis' numbers, you will see that they are extremely close. Almost identical. I'm not saying this kid is Ray Lewis, but I'm saying he has some of those same type qualities and same type of demeanor."
In regards to the offense, Savage acknowledges that last season first-year offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon sometimes clashed with veteran quarterback Trent Dilfer. "It's no secret," Savage said May 5 after trading Dilfer to the San Francisco 49ers for quarterback Ken Dorsey and an undisclosed draft choice. "At some point, things got off the track at the end of last year. I'm not sure that we were able to get them back on track this spring.
"I'll say this, if you have a tire going down on your car, you are not going to wait for it to blow out. You are going to pull off and change the tire or pull into a gas station and get it fixed. ... I wasn't going to wait until July and have Trent come to me and say that he couldn't do it anymore. That is really what the move is all about."
Presumably that means the quarterback job belongs to second-year Charlie Frye, who started the last five games of 2005. Smith says Frye has impressed everybody during the offseason with his work ethic.
Savage made several other moves this offseason to shore up his attack. He signed all-pro center LeCharles Bentley and left tackle Kevin Shaffer, both of who will move into the starting lineup. He also signed wide receiver Joe Jurevicius and center Bob Hallen (who will be a backup) and drafted Oklahoma wide receiver Travis Wilson in the third round, a pick Savage considers a steal.
The free agent signings, in particular, have sent a message that these aren't your older brother's Browns. 'This is my third year here, and I've seen a difference in the decision-making," Smith says. "It says a lot to bring in a guy like Willie McGinest. He's a guy I always wanted as a teammate. And bringing in Ted Washington, that's like putting a mountain in front of the offense."
The key to these moves, however, was the ability of Savage and Crennel to work closely together so the personnel fit the system.
"The important thing is to communicate," Crennel says. "Sometimes Phil and I agree to disagree. But you have to be on the same page regarding personnel. The personnel people have to understand the type of player I'm looking for, what I need."
It could take time, because more teams play a 4-3 defense (four down linemen, three linebackers) than not, and it's not easy to project a 4-3 player to Crennel's 3-4 defense. "That's why Wimbley is so important," Crennel says. "If he can make the transition, it will help the personnel department in their evaluations. They will know that's the type of player we're looking for."
An aura of competency isn't just important when it comes to decision-making; it also trickles down throughout the organization. Players know what's going on. Front office moves, good or bad, can affect a team's psyche. This is the same franchise that drafted quarterback Tim Couch and defensive end Courtney Brown No. 1 overall in consecutive years (1999-2000) and made defensive tackle Gerard Warren the No. 3 overall pick in 2001. None of those players is still with the team.
"Oh, it matters to us," Davis says. "Re-signing his core players, bringing in McGinest and Washington, all of that speaks volumes."
And when the front office makes a mistake?
"I'm always going to play the same way," Davis says. "But you do hear things in the locker room and see guys get affected by it."
The free agent moves provide a short-term fix, but the Browns are committed to building from within. "They're building a foundation on concrete, not sand," Smith says. "They want something that is sturdy enough to hold up over time."
That all gets back to the draft and working to fit the right player in Crennel's scheme. Because Cleveland uses a 3-4 defense, there was discussion the team should pick 338-pound Oregon nose tackle Haloti Ngata. But in an April meeting, Savage asked the coaching staff what it would rather have: a run-stuffer or a pass rusher. The coaches wanted to pressure the quarterback. So the team targeted Wimbley.
Savage sees him in the same mold as former Ravens star Peter Boulware, a comparison Wimbley welcomes. "He came out of Florida State as a defensive end ... and made the transition to linebacker," Wimbley says. "I speak with him often. He goes to my church in Tallahassee. He's helped me out with some things. He's shared some wisdom with me that has helped out with this process."
While Crennel is a defense-first coach — Davis jokes that Crennel spends so much time with the defensive players during practice, the offensive players get jealous — there is no question he is putting equal effort in boosting the offense. The tools are there; the offensive line got an upgrade with Bentley, and Winslow could be an impact tight end in the mold of the Kansas City Chiefs' Tony Gonzalez and the San Diego Chargers' Antonio Gates. That is, of course, if he has fully recovered from a motorcycle injury that cost him the entire 2005 season. Edwards, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2005 draft, is a big-play wide receiver coming off a torn ACL in December.
"We've got to get our playmakers on the field," Crennel says.
If Edwards is not ready for the start of the season, Wilson, the rookie, could step in. Going into his senior year Wilson was looking like a possible first-round pick. But Oklahoma lost quarterback Jason White and started a freshman, and foes ended up double-teaming Wilson. "When he came on his visit, I told him that I thought he would be one of the steals of the draft," Savage says. "I said I thought his stock had dropped and I thought he would be a second-rounder and someone was going to get a good player in him."
The running game should be solid enough with veteran Reuben Droughns (1,232 rushing yards last year), rookie Jerome Harrison, a fifth-round pick this year, 2002 first-round pick William Green and injury-plagued Lee Suggs. The Browns also signed free agent Chris Barclay, who set Wake Forest career records with 4,032 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns. Smith and rookie Lawrence Vickers will lead the way at fullback.
Infusion of talent is one thing; jelling as a team is another. But Davis believes the team is close.
"My first few years here were very frustrating," he says. "It was a situation where we hoped we could win. The difference is now we know we can win. Except for the Pittsburgh game, we had a chance to win every game we played (last year). We easily could have been 10-6 instead of 6-10."
Crennel won't make any predictions for 2006. "We won six games last year," he says. "We want to win more this year."
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</TD><TD class=post2 vAlign=top width="100%"><!-- THE POST 6702614 -->http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nf...-sw-cover_x.htm
Every year there's at least one NFL team that rises from the muck to surprise everybody — a team that makes the transition from schlub to contender in one season. The Chicago Bears (5-11 to 11-5) and the New York Giants (6-10 to 11-5) were last year's examples.
This year's surprise team could be the Cleveland Browns.
Don't let those plain orange helmets fool you; the Browns might be ready to turn their opponents black and blue. After going 6-10 last year, general manager Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel identified the three primary needs, then went out and addressed them. Combine that with a solid draft — Sports Weekly graded it a B — and the healthy return of their last two first-round picks, tight end Kellen Winslow and wide receiver Braylon Edwards, and you can see why optimism is high around Lake Erie.
"We expect to make the playoffs," fifth-year linebacker Andra Davis says.
The Browns could be better in 2006, but it might not show in their record because the AFC North could be the conference's toughest division. It's home to the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers; the Cincinnati Bengals (11-5) are the reigning division champs; and the Baltimore Ravens (6-10) look ready to bounce back from an injury-ravaged 2005.
Steelers receivers coach Bruce Arians knows there will be no easy divisional game. "It's obvious the Browns are making a point to stop the run," he says. "They've brought in guys with excellent veteran leadership who can teach their younger players not only how to play but how to practice."
Another trying season in Cleveland would be nothing new; the city has a recent history of NFL futility. Since 1990 the Browns have a cumulative 75-133 record (.360) and have one playoff win. The city didn't even have the team for three years when owner Art Modell moved it to Baltimore in 1996. Cleveland is one of six teams — along with the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints — to never play in a Super Bowl.
Although history is against the Browns, the brain trust in place has the credentials to turn the franchise around. Crennel was the New England Patriots defensive coordinator when they won three Super Bowls in four years; the Pro Football Writers of America named him Assistant Coach of the Year in 2003. Savage worked with Ravens GM/executive vice president Ozzie Newsome in Baltimore for nine years, and in that span their first-round draft choices produced players who made a combined 28 Pro Bowl appearances.
"I give owner Randy Lerner credit," fullback Terrelle Smith says. "He knows to step back and let the people he's hired stir the pot."
It's an interesting mix, too, because it brings things full circle. Savage also worked under Newsome for the Browns before they moved to Baltimore. Crennel was the Browns defensive coordinator in 2000 under coach Chris Palmer.
Although Crennel earned his reputation with New England, he doesn't rub it in his players' faces. "He doesn't really bring New England up that much," Davis says. "When he first got here he showed us his Super Bowl rings, then he said that was the last thing he'd say about New England. But he was part of the dynasty there. We know it."
When Crennel passed those rings around, it had an affect on everybody. "We got to hold them in our hands," Smith says. "That got everybody's attention."
Davis says the mood of the team has changed under Crennel. "Nobody cares about getting the credit; everybody is on the same page," Davis says. "You had to be here in the past to appreciate it. The difference is like night and day. ... Not to say anything bad about (former coach) Butch (Davis), but Romeo is definitely a player's coach. You know what you're getting with him. He's a straightforward guy."
Crennel claims no use of magic or mirrors for turning around the team's attitude. "I just told the players what my expectations were," he says. "I expect them to do things the right way. If we win some games, they'll keep buying into it."
In today's NFL there are three ways to fill needs: Trades, the draft and free agency. Savage and Crennel believe the draft is every successful team's foundation. They also know free agency can help teams rebuild; those players are proven commodities with lower risk. This year in free agency they spent more than $100 million.
"With a full year under our belt, we felt we had to do three or four things to improve this team," Crennel says. "We wanted to approach those needs in free agency and top them off with the draft."
The Browns' first priority was stopping the run; they ranked 30th in rushing defense. Second was improving the pass rush; they were last with 23 sacks. And third was, simply, scoring more points. Cleveland ranked last in 2005.
It was on defense where the Browns might have made the biggest improvement. They addressed the first need by signing 365-pound run-stuffing nose tackle Ted Washington, who will mentor 304-pound rookie Babatunde Oshinowo. To improve the pass rush, they brought in one of Crennel's former Patriots stars, linebacker Willie McGinest, who will mentor No. 1 draft pick Kamerion Wimbley. And they feel they brought in a Ray Lewis-type linebacker in No. 2 pick D'Qwell Jackson, who probably will move into departed Ben Taylor's spot inside.
"If on Dec. 1, somebody would have told me you are going to come away with Wimbley, a sixth-round pick and D'Qwell Jackson in your first two selections of the day, I would say we wouldn't have to go to one meeting. We'll do that right now," Savage said. "(D'Qwell) has a great football demeanor. He'll bring a presence, and he's a guy who will go toe-to-toe in Pittsburgh."
Although Jackson was the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, some were scared off by his size (230, light for an inside linebacker) and speed (4.73 in the 40).
"A lot of people put stock in 40-yard dash times," Savage says. "If you go back and research it and pull out Ray Lewis' numbers, you will see that they are extremely close. Almost identical. I'm not saying this kid is Ray Lewis, but I'm saying he has some of those same type qualities and same type of demeanor."
In regards to the offense, Savage acknowledges that last season first-year offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon sometimes clashed with veteran quarterback Trent Dilfer. "It's no secret," Savage said May 5 after trading Dilfer to the San Francisco 49ers for quarterback Ken Dorsey and an undisclosed draft choice. "At some point, things got off the track at the end of last year. I'm not sure that we were able to get them back on track this spring.
"I'll say this, if you have a tire going down on your car, you are not going to wait for it to blow out. You are going to pull off and change the tire or pull into a gas station and get it fixed. ... I wasn't going to wait until July and have Trent come to me and say that he couldn't do it anymore. That is really what the move is all about."
Presumably that means the quarterback job belongs to second-year Charlie Frye, who started the last five games of 2005. Smith says Frye has impressed everybody during the offseason with his work ethic.
Savage made several other moves this offseason to shore up his attack. He signed all-pro center LeCharles Bentley and left tackle Kevin Shaffer, both of who will move into the starting lineup. He also signed wide receiver Joe Jurevicius and center Bob Hallen (who will be a backup) and drafted Oklahoma wide receiver Travis Wilson in the third round, a pick Savage considers a steal.
The free agent signings, in particular, have sent a message that these aren't your older brother's Browns. 'This is my third year here, and I've seen a difference in the decision-making," Smith says. "It says a lot to bring in a guy like Willie McGinest. He's a guy I always wanted as a teammate. And bringing in Ted Washington, that's like putting a mountain in front of the offense."
The key to these moves, however, was the ability of Savage and Crennel to work closely together so the personnel fit the system.
"The important thing is to communicate," Crennel says. "Sometimes Phil and I agree to disagree. But you have to be on the same page regarding personnel. The personnel people have to understand the type of player I'm looking for, what I need."
It could take time, because more teams play a 4-3 defense (four down linemen, three linebackers) than not, and it's not easy to project a 4-3 player to Crennel's 3-4 defense. "That's why Wimbley is so important," Crennel says. "If he can make the transition, it will help the personnel department in their evaluations. They will know that's the type of player we're looking for."
An aura of competency isn't just important when it comes to decision-making; it also trickles down throughout the organization. Players know what's going on. Front office moves, good or bad, can affect a team's psyche. This is the same franchise that drafted quarterback Tim Couch and defensive end Courtney Brown No. 1 overall in consecutive years (1999-2000) and made defensive tackle Gerard Warren the No. 3 overall pick in 2001. None of those players is still with the team.
"Oh, it matters to us," Davis says. "Re-signing his core players, bringing in McGinest and Washington, all of that speaks volumes."
And when the front office makes a mistake?
"I'm always going to play the same way," Davis says. "But you do hear things in the locker room and see guys get affected by it."
The free agent moves provide a short-term fix, but the Browns are committed to building from within. "They're building a foundation on concrete, not sand," Smith says. "They want something that is sturdy enough to hold up over time."
That all gets back to the draft and working to fit the right player in Crennel's scheme. Because Cleveland uses a 3-4 defense, there was discussion the team should pick 338-pound Oregon nose tackle Haloti Ngata. But in an April meeting, Savage asked the coaching staff what it would rather have: a run-stuffer or a pass rusher. The coaches wanted to pressure the quarterback. So the team targeted Wimbley.
Savage sees him in the same mold as former Ravens star Peter Boulware, a comparison Wimbley welcomes. "He came out of Florida State as a defensive end ... and made the transition to linebacker," Wimbley says. "I speak with him often. He goes to my church in Tallahassee. He's helped me out with some things. He's shared some wisdom with me that has helped out with this process."
While Crennel is a defense-first coach — Davis jokes that Crennel spends so much time with the defensive players during practice, the offensive players get jealous — there is no question he is putting equal effort in boosting the offense. The tools are there; the offensive line got an upgrade with Bentley, and Winslow could be an impact tight end in the mold of the Kansas City Chiefs' Tony Gonzalez and the San Diego Chargers' Antonio Gates. That is, of course, if he has fully recovered from a motorcycle injury that cost him the entire 2005 season. Edwards, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2005 draft, is a big-play wide receiver coming off a torn ACL in December.
"We've got to get our playmakers on the field," Crennel says.
If Edwards is not ready for the start of the season, Wilson, the rookie, could step in. Going into his senior year Wilson was looking like a possible first-round pick. But Oklahoma lost quarterback Jason White and started a freshman, and foes ended up double-teaming Wilson. "When he came on his visit, I told him that I thought he would be one of the steals of the draft," Savage says. "I said I thought his stock had dropped and I thought he would be a second-rounder and someone was going to get a good player in him."
The running game should be solid enough with veteran Reuben Droughns (1,232 rushing yards last year), rookie Jerome Harrison, a fifth-round pick this year, 2002 first-round pick William Green and injury-plagued Lee Suggs. The Browns also signed free agent Chris Barclay, who set Wake Forest career records with 4,032 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns. Smith and rookie Lawrence Vickers will lead the way at fullback.
Infusion of talent is one thing; jelling as a team is another. But Davis believes the team is close.
"My first few years here were very frustrating," he says. "It was a situation where we hoped we could win. The difference is now we know we can win. Except for the Pittsburgh game, we had a chance to win every game we played (last year). We easily could have been 10-6 instead of 6-10."
Crennel won't make any predictions for 2006. "We won six games last year," he says. "We want to win more this year."
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