2008 Cleveland Browns Season Review

A season that started with high hopes, spiraled quickly into a tumultuous season filled with injuries, internal bickering and enough controversy to fill the Dallas Cowboy’s locker room. All of this ultimately led to the firing of General Manager Phil “Email” Savage and head coach Romeo Crennel.

We will grade each position, the coaching staff and preview what is in store for the upcoming draft and the 2009 version of the Cleveland Browns.

OFFENSE:

It is difficult to say anything positively about a unit that set records for lack of production. However; there is still talent and a high upside on this side of the ball.

QB: C

Derek Anderson started the year with high promise coming off of a Pro Bowl season. He often looked like the pressure got to him. He was inaccurate (as he was for the most part in 2007), lacked poise and showed an extreme inability to move in the pocket. He often walked into sacks and pressure. The Browns made a catastrophic mistake by not trading DA in the offseason, even worse they didn’t give franchise QB Brady Quinn enough looks.

Quinn looked decisive with little preparation against the Denver Broncos. The truth is the scout team QB for the Broncos also eats up their first string defense. Quinn does show poise and athleticism that DA can only dream of. Quinn will be the starter in 09 and prove to be what the franchise hoped when trading up into the first round to acquire him.

Dorsey isn’t even worth mentioning.

RB: B-

Jamal Lewis looked like he lost a step but his heart and desire remained the same. He plugged his way to another 1,000 yard season. The O-line didn’t play to the level as the previous season and Lewis’ production dropped as result. Lewis can still be a capable back but the team must draft another RB or bring in a quality free agent.

What else is there to say about Jerome Harrison? He is incredibly productive yet offensive coordinator Rod Chudzinski didn’t give him the carries. You, me, all of Cleveland called for carries in vain. Inexcusable; get this man the ball. He can be a valuable commodity for the 09 Browns.

Jason Wright yet again proved to be a great blocker and short yardage back.

Lawrence Vickers is a quality starting FB with upside

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WR: D

Million dollar talent, ten cent brain; that sums up the 2008 version of Braylon Edwards. Edwards should spend the off season focusing on football instead of 5 hour energy and his fashion career. Edwards simply doesn’t get it. If its easy, Braylon will be good at it. If things get tough, he quits. His talk is cheap, his words are fluff. If he really wants to be as good as Jerry Rice and the all-time greats, he will prove it in the off season. It is still too early to give up on Edwards as he could become a top 2-3 receiver in the league. It will take an aggressive, no-nonsense coach to keep him in check.

This just in, Donte Stallworth just pulled his tricep braiding his pretty locks. A pathetic excuse of a football player; Stallworth spends the majority of his time in street clothes.

The rest of the receivers are simply journeymen at best. The loss of Joe Jurevicius was a big loss in terms of 3 rd down production and locker room leadership.

TE: B-

Many have compared Edwards’ propensity to flow ignorance out of his cranium to that of Winslow’s. In my opinion that is unjust. Certainly Winslow has said things that no one can be proud of but those have been few and far between in the last few seasons. I’m certainly not comfortable taking sides in the staff infection debacle which is really the only Winslow blow up of 08. The key difference between Winslow and Edwards is Winslow will catch the ball and is not afraid to go over the middle. He is quite simply a football player.

Steve Heiden once again showed toughness and grit. If the rest of the team had his approach, I wouldn’t be writing the column right now. Good luck on the recovery from ACL surgery.

Rookie Martin Rucker gets an incomplete grade but could be a factor in 09.

OL: B-

This may sound like to high of a grade but the fact is this line gave up only 17 sacks for the entire season. With the QB and WR performance that is even more impressive.

Joe Thomas didn’t have the season he did his rookie year but still had a very good season. The Browns need to hire an offensive coordinator who understand a running play is allowed to go towards the left side of the line.

Eric Steinbach was also solid again in 2008. He is very smart and knows how to use leverage and use his hands.

Hank Fraley was solid and held the line together throughout a very tough season. He should be the starting center in 09.

Rex Hadnot was up and down. At times he looked like a punishing run blocker, other times he looked lost and disinterested.

The weakness of the line is Kevin Shaffer. Shaffer would get bull rushed by a back up junior high defensive end. His play was detrimental in both the running and passing game. He cannot be the starter in 2009.

Offensive Coordinator: D

Rod Chudzinski was lost in a fog throughout the season. He has satellites for ears and lets the media dictate his play calling. If the media calls for more runs, the Chud will run the ball 10 straight times to open the game. He simply was not ready to be a coordinator. He was unimaginative and no clue how to best use his talent.

Defense:

Defensive Line: C+

Shaun Rogers brings this grade up. He performed at a very high level all season. He drew double and sometimes triple teams. He far exceeded expectations and was certainly worth trading Leigh Bodden.

Corey Williams was solid as he played threw some difficult injuries. Williams is much better suited for a 4-3 defense.

Shaun Smith’s biggest hit of the year was likely punching Brady Quinn. Smith is the quintessential big mouth, low production player. He has some value as a backup but needs a head coach with some spunk to put him in check.

The loss of Robaire Smith was a big loss. Hopefully Smith can fully recover and be back in the mix in 2009.

Linebackers: F

The worst unit on the team only got worse. Every year the pundits state that the LBS do not have the lineman holding up blockers. This year the DL held up the blockers and nothing changed.

D’Qwell Jackson is the best of the group. He plays with a high motor and is one of the few players on the defense that plays with passion. He should be a starter again in 2009.

As stated for the past few seasons, if Andra Davis is starting on your defense then your defense isn’t NFL quality. Davis is probably the most consistent player on the team. He is consistently missing tackles and makes things worse by always being out of position. He has to go.

Willie McGinest received praise by the talking heads, it kind of reminded me of HOF shortstop Ozzie Smith at the end of his career, everyone loved him but he really wasn’t that good. The fact is, like Davis, if Mcginest is starting on your team at this stage of his career, your team simply isn’t that good.

Kamerion Wimbley, body like Tarzan plays like Jane. A surefire bust thus far in his career, a one trick pony. Wimbley should get every tape he can on John Abraham and Dwight Freeney. Study them, learn new moves, please! Wimbley is a tremendous athlete but as of 2008, he is not a football player.

Secondary: C+

The much maligned unit was subject of harsh criticism throughout the year. The truth is, they played with no pass rush and a horrible game plan week in and week out.

Eric Wright has all the skills to be a very good corner. He showed flashes and was easily the most productive player in the Browns secondary. Wright should be a starter in 09.

Brandon McDonald was booed, harassed and taunted by many after his performance against Denver. It is difficult to defend McDonald for his performance in that one game but the fact is no other team would play Denver with that strategy. The blame falls on the brilliance of Mel Tucker and Crennel. Overall, McDonald played aggressive and showed tremendous upside. He should be a starter in 2009.

Both Brodney Pool and Sean Jones often show promise but then follow it up with blown coverage. Neither player has the instinct and passion to be an elite player but with the proper coaching and strategy each can be serviceable starters.

Defensive Coordinator: F

Mel Tucker was not ready and was in way over his head. He would play soft zone against the weaker passing teams in the league and tight bump and run against the elite passing teams. He seldom made adjustments. He is not ready and has to go.

Special Teams: B-

Phil Dawson is a very good kicker but his kickoffs hurt this team.

Josh Cribbs is simply the best special teams player in the game. With any kind of blocking he is incredible. He also is fantastic at covering kicks.

The special teams unit as a whole did not tackle well and did not block well for Cribbs.

Special Teams coach Ted Daisher may need to leave the team as well.

Head Coach: F

In one word, atrocious. Crennel has years of experience and no doubt understands the Xs and Os of the game. However, most of Crennel’s success has come under Bill Belichick and Bill Parcells; pretty easy to win in those regimes.

The pundits on ESPN and other outlets will quickly point out that the coach doesn’t tackle, the coach doesn’t block blah blah blah. There is a reason that some coaches consistently win and others don’t. Winning coaches know how to get players to be accountable and passionate about their teammates and winning. The bottom line is Crennel doesn’t have a clue what it takes to be an effective head coach. If everyone did their job, fairies were flying around, and gum drops were bouncing off of the ceiling then his philosophy would work. The fact is professional football or not, teams have to be motivated by inspirational, passionate leaders. Crennel doesn’t have those traits. Romeo couldn’t motivate Oprah to eat a doughnut. He simply stood by while chaos and mutiny was at hand.

What do the Browns need?

General Manager- Scott Pioli has had tremendous success with the New England Patriots but has lacked the respect many feel he deserves. He is young and hungry and would bring stability and good personnel decisions to the Brown’s organization.

Coach - With Eric Mangini being fired by the Jets, the perfect solution is at hand. Mangini’s stint with the Jets is eerily similar to Belichick’s stint in Cleveland. The New York experience was fairly successful resulting in winning seasons in two out of the three seasons he was there. Mangini now has experience and will no doubt be a very successful head coach.

Draft- The Brown’s will have the 5 th pick overall. Do no listen to Todd McShay, Mel Kiper or any other draft “expert”. I don’t care about the 40 time, the vertical or any of the other useless measurements. The Browns should take Rey Maualuga. He hits like a mack truck and brings the intensity the defense sorely lacks. He would be perfect sitting behind big Shaun Rogers crushing running backs.

Until April…Keep the hope!!

By Scott Dryden
Pro Football Fans Guest Writer
Director of Content, ProFighting-fans.com