Hiring and firing: Joe will not make a decision without calling 10 to 15 references on hiring a coach or personnel man. Joe?s biggest strength is taking his time in making decisions, doing massive amounts of research and getting everyone?s opinion. He is shrewd and calculating when it comes to big decisions. When it comes to a firing, he?s not afraid to pull the trigger. Joe is credited for hiring good football people. He was quick to pick up top football people who were fired from other positions and have them focus on whatever their strength is. Eagles GM, Howie Roseman, has continued the trend.
The Fan experience: When Jeffrey Laurie took over the Eagles with Joe as his right hand man, one of the first things they did was enhance the fan experience. Jeffrey came from the entertainment business and knows how to put on a show. Joe learned a lot from Jeffrey and was involved with implementing a premium fan experience so I expect this to be a serious focus for Joe and his staff.
The media: When you work in the Philly sports bubble and survive as Joe did, you earn your doctorate in media relations. Some football people may say Joe is overly sensitive to the media and is susceptible to being swayed by them. However, after his time in the slicing Philly media blender, I?m sure he will be media friendly and accessible in selling his new blue print.
Signing players: Joe?s Eagles may have had the best record of any NFL team over the last decade of getting draft picks signed on time and faster than any other team. As for resigning talent, this is one of Joe?s pioneering traits in the industry. Joe started a trend in signing young blossoming talent a year or two before their contract was up. Thus, often securing them at a huge discount to their upcoming free agent value. He may have missed on a few players but he did hit on the majority, keeping the best talent for the long term. Even if a player became unsatisfied with his contract, the Eagles still owned them. Expect to see this method implemented for the Browns? young talent.
Joe has received his share of criticism with some football people who have worked for him. Some have complained that he does consider himself too much of a football guy and an evaluator of talent. Therefore, he may at times, ignore some advice from his football staff and make a more media friendly decision. However, at the level Joe is at now with the Browns, I believe he will hire football people (or keep current Browns? front office execs) and stay out of their way and let them do their jobs.
Joe Banner will be a much needed asset to the Browns who have seemed to start rebuilding every year for the last two decades. Browns fans have had their passion for their team tested and even broken by some questionable management in the past. Joe will bring stability, a winning blue print and take his time in building a solid foundation for the franchise.