We all knew the Browns? offense had too many holes to be transformed overnight.
But how is this for a start? Franchise running back in Trent Richardson and new starting quarterback in Brandon Weeden.
The Browns left no doubt ? none whatsoever ? that the Colt McCoy era is over after one full season as starter and a two-year record of 6-15.
?We?ve got a new quarterback that?s going to be with us,? coach Pat Shurmur said. ?I think tonight is more or less about Brandon Weeden and less about the competition.?
Wow. Not even using the ?he will compete for a starting job? line.
I asked GM Tom Heckert if he will seek to trade McCoy over the weekend.
?I think that?s something we?ll talk about tonight and tomorrow,? he answered.
It?s obvious now why McCoy shunned interviews all offseason. He had to know ? or fear ? his time in Cleveland was coming to an end.
This move was driven from the top. Sources said owner Randy Lerner expressed frustration about the team?s quarterback situation and President Mike Holmgren made it his personal mission in this draft to decide on McCoy?s replacement.
?When we went through the process of evaluating him,? Shurmur said, ?we became very fond of him. We all did, from Randy to Mike and Tom and myself. We came away with saying this is a guy we?d like on our team. And that?s where we are right now.?
I was told that Heckert and Shurmur held out initially for supporting McCoy with playmakers selected with the top three picks. But neither gave that impression when they faced the media late in the night.
cont...