Hey, Tony! Cleveland Plain Dealer beat writer Tony Grossi answers your Cleveland Browns questions
Got a Browns question? Send it in. Submit your question at cleveland.com/heytony, and Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Tony Grossi will choose some to answer each Sunday here in the Sports section. All of Tony's answers are archived online.
Q: Hey, Tony: ESPN's John Clayton said something that surprised me recently regarding the Browns. As far as the entire roster is concerned, we're the oldest team in the AFC, which explains our lack of team speed. Do you see this being rectified? -- Bill Russ, Virginia Beach, Va.
A: Hey, Bill: Only by years of smart drafting will the Browns get to the point where they don't have the need to patch holes with 30-something free agents.
Q: Hey, Tony: Looking at the Browns schedule, there is a good possibility that they could go well into November (Jacksonville) without winning a game. Do you think this will happen based on what you have seen from the Browns, and if so, do you think any changes would be made to the coaching staff mid-season? -- John Q, Dayton
A: Hey, John: I'll stand by my belief that the Browns are better than the team that began 1-11 last year. I think an 0-for-September-and-October might result in some action to stir things up. I'm sure the hope in Berea is that it doesn't get to that.
Q: Hey, Tony: In a hypothetical situation where the Browns end up with the first pick in the draft, and there is a yearlong lockout, would we then get the first pick in two successive drafts, or would the NFL not have a draft during the lockout, thus doubling the talent in the 2012 draft? Two first overall picks in a row wouldn't be too terrible with the inevitable rookie cap. -- Peter Diedrick, Eau Claire, Wis.
A: Hey, Peter: The 2011 draft is the last official event covered in the current collective bargaining agreement. The chances of an owners' lockout are diminishing because of the strategy of the players union to decertify. Thus, I think your scenario is unrealistic.
Q: Hey, Tony: Why do we need to explore the status of Kevin Kolb? What we need is an experienced offensive coordinator. -- Bernard Hairston, Springfield, Ohio
A: Hey, Bernard: A young quarterback to pin the team's hopes on has got to be a high priority, regardless of who is the coordinator.
Q: Hey, Tony: I was watching Eric Mangini's press conference from Friday. He was making jokes, doing imitations etc. What accounts for his change in demeanor from last year when his press conferences were generally more stoic? -- Brian Bain, Columbus
A: Hey, Brian: Positive media coverage? Dress-down Fridays? No, I think Mangini has been relieved of numerous responsibilities that he held his first season and the result has been less stress on him and a more relaxed nature. Plus, he's more comfortable with everything in his second season.
Q: Hey, Tony: Are the Browns the only team that operates like they have atomic secrets to hide? Injuries are discounted. Who starts is disguised, etc. I wonder if the only ones confused are the coaches? Case in point: Week three of Mangini's second season and his offensive coordinator decides to get Josh Cribbs more involved? -- Tom Thomas, Palm Coast, Fla.
A: Hey, Tom: The Browns are not the only team that acts that way. It's been a disturbing trend in the NFL begun by Bill Parcells in the 1980s and now followed by almost everybody. There is so much coverage of NFL teams by traditional media and new media that every word uttered and decision made by a coach is reported instantaneously. Knowing that, coaches seem to be even more secretive -- or calculating -- in their ways.
Q: Hey, Tony: How come the Browns' offense has no identity? From week to week it just seems like they flip a coin to decide what offense they will run today. The wildcat is good for a couple of plays to catch the defense off guard but that's about it. We need an identity. How come Cleveland is where all good quarterbacks come to ruin their careers? Is it the horrible coaches we have had or something else? -- Ralph Reis, Fort Mitchell, Ky.
A: Hey, Ralph: Mangini has said consistently that his offense would be "game plan-specific," which means it changes identity depending on the opponent. Call if the Chameleon Offense. As for your second question, the last quarterbacks who came to Cleveland and achieved more success than they had with previous teams probably were Frank Ryan and Bill Nelsen in the 1960s.
Q: Hey, Tony: Would the Browns be well-served by giving San Diego what it wants for Vincent Jackson? Let's say they give them a second and fourth in next year's draft. If the Browns draft in the top five they could then trade down and take Cameron Heyward or some other stud DL and maybe recoup either the second or fourth or both. Minnesota will be looking to draft high for a quarterback and a top-five pick would get it. Also what would happen to the second and fourth picks traded to San Diego if there is no draft next year? -- Tom Masters, Columbus
A: Hey, Tom: First, San Diego wants second- and third-round picks for Jackson, according to reports. The new team then would have to give Jackson a long-term contract, upwards of $40 million, or he would be a free agent at the end of 2010. Jackson also is suspended through the sixth game and the next violation of the league's substance-abuse policy could result in a one-year suspension. Do you want any part of that? As for the 2011 draft, it is scheduled to take place regardless of the labor situation.
Q: Hey, Tony: Remarkably, I watch Eric Wright get beat not once, not twice, but three times by Anquan Boldin for TDs. Not only was he out of position, but his footwork was awful and he made worthless efforts on the passes. When are we gonna see Joe Haden start? Even better of a question, how much longer do we have to watch Eric Wright get burned? -- Justin Smith, Akron
A: Hey, Justin: I believe we will see Haden starting some time after the bye week. Wright's contract is up after 2010. If he is not re-signed before the season is over, I see him leaving in free agency.
Q: Hey, Tony: The obvious identity of the Browns' offense is running the ball, especially out of the I formation. That being so, why do they not use any quality play-action passing? I emphasize quality; the only hand-off fakes they use are token ones that don't fool any defenses. Other NFL teams truly sell their run fakes to hold the defense. -- Andrew Aljancic, Dover, Ohio
A: Hey, Andrew: If the running game continues to be as lethal as it was in Baltimore, I think the play-action passing game will be a much easier sell.
Q: Hey, Tony: Your 2011 draft priority list included quarterback and wide receiver. It's very clear that the Browns need better wide receivers, either through the draft or via trade. It seems that their quarterback struggles are caused by not open receivers and/or by drops. Why not keep the current quarterbacks, give Colt McCoy a chance in a year or so, and focus on giving them some better targets? -- David Skeen, Cedar Park, Texas
A: Hey, David: Quarterback is still a priority, even with McCoy being on the roster. Jake Delhomme is 35 and is finding it increasingly difficult to stay healthy. McCoy's future as an NFL starting quarterback is an unknown.
Q: Hey, Tony: How much of these losses are on the coaching staff? When an injury substitution is Mangini's only good contribution, is it safe to say Mangini is gone? When throwing deep down field on third and 2 and having the obvious outcome, is it safe to say Daboll is gone? When the same player is consistently torched on every throwing play and a sub is not used, is it safe to say Rob Ryan is gone? -- Eliot Clasen, Cape Coral, Fla.
A: Hey, Eliot: The won-loss record will answer those questions, not one particular game.
Q: Hey, Tony: So after watching the Baltimore game and seeing Eric Wright get torn apart, is it time to give Joe Haden a chance to start? I mean how much worse could it be? Wright can't cover, can't tackle and is beat deep quite often. Haden might be a rookie, but to be worse he would have to give up four TDs, not the three that Wright just gave up. -- Gary B, Philadelphia
A: Hey, Gary: Everybody has a bad day, no? That said, I think it's only a matter of weeks before Haden moves into the starting lineup.
Q: Hey, Tony: As much as I'd love to see James Davis get a shot at some significant carries in a game, it looks like the Browns have found their horse in Peyton Hillis. Do you know if Hillis is signed long term, or is he on a one-year deal? Since a 100-yard rusher vs. the Baltimore defense comes around about as often as Haley's comet, it goes without saying the Browns need to lock up Hillis long term, if they already haven't. -- Tim, Winter Haven, Fla.
A: Hey, Tim: Hillis is under contract through 2011. I understand Browns fans love running backs, and Hillis is the flavor-of-the-week. Remember Lee Suggs rushing for over 100 yards three games in a row in 2004? How about Jerome Harrison's three big games last year? Let's see how Hillis does over a full season before reserving a spot in Canton.
Q: Hey, Tony: I am sure you agree with me that the offensive line in the Baltimore game was way better than in the previous games. I have to say that a lot of it had to do with Tony Pashos playing RT for us. Why didn't Mangini play him earlier? I know he played a lot in the last preseason game and then we didn't hear from him again until the Baltimore game. Also, will we be seeing Shawn Lauvao come back anytime soon? -- Chris Connors, Shaker Heights
A: Hey, Chris: Pashos was earmarked for the starting right tackle job, but missed time in training camp due to, he said, food poisoning and then a shoulder injury. I suspect he will now hold down the job. Lauvao missed about three weeks due to an ankle injury. Being a rookie, I think it will take him a little more time to shake off the rust before settling in at right guard.
Q: Hey, Tony: There was a time when Michael Vick was just about the most loathed athlete on the planet, and you couldn't give him away. Now, he looks like a Pro Bowler. What role did Tom Heckert play in the Vick acquisition with the Eagles? Was he in favor of it? -- David Wells, Tampa, Fla.
A: Hey, David: It is my understanding that the acquisition of Vick was mostly Andy Reid's doing and that Heckert was skeptical. Reid is looking like a genius in not only acquiring Vick and developing him more as a conventional quarterback, but also in playing him ahead of designated Donovan McNabb-successor Kevin Kolb.
Q: Hey, Tony: After the strong finish last season I was optimistic, but it's now officially clear Mangini may cost himself his own job if he doesn't replace Brian Daboll. In the game against Kansas City a good call on third and short is not the deep sideline ball to a backup tight end. In the Baltimore game the Browns were in the driver's seat, with roughly five minutes to play. Again on third and short the deep sideline route was called. Daboll is in way over his head (and not terribly bright) if he didn't realize the safe call was Hillis right up the gut, even if the Ravens knew it was coming, and the aggressive call would have been play action. Speaking of play action, with the running game working so well against the Ravens and the Browns thin at receiver why weren't the Browns running more of it, especially in the second half? The Ravens would have been biting like vampires at midnight during the second half. -- Doug Shaffer, Orange, Calif.
A: Hey, Doug: Mangini said the third-and-2 deep pass to Josh Cribbs in the Baltimore game was a decision made by Seneca Wallace. He also said Wallace goofed in using a timeout to avoid a delay-of-game penalty when backed up at the Browns' 1.
Q: Hey, Tony: What are your thoughts on this take on Seneca Wallace. Wallace said that on the Brown's last offensive last play the Ravens blitzed so he threw a deep fade. I suspect that because Wallace is only 5'11" he has troubling seeing downfield in those situations and so throws to a spot where he hopes the receiver will be. In the same situation Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, who are 6-5, would more likely make eye contact with the receiver and throw a quick slant, but Wallace cannot do that. All Wallace can do is chuck a lob down field and pray the receiver finds it, but without really seeing the field, he tends to throw too close to the sideline. Bottom line: Wallace is not the answer and will never be an elite NFL quarterback. -- Fred Fields, Euclid
A: Hey, Fred: I can't disagree with anything you say. I believe the decision by Wallace on the play you cite told us a lot about him as a quarterback.
Q: Hey, Tony: Many pundits are saying that while Hillis ran well against the Ravens, he can't be the feature back in a winning offense. Yes, he's big, but so was Jamal Lewis. What did Lewis have that he lacks? Speed? -- Tom Barlow, Columbus
A: Hey, Tom: Hillis is a good player. Let's see him in the feature role for a while. During the bulk of his career, Lewis was a legitimate superstar feature back in Baltimore.
Q: Hey, Tony: You said in your podcast "the offense is awful" and that you think Holmgren will step in at one point. We have scored at least two TD's in every game and we are 19th overall in the NFL with a career backup running our team. Last year we could not score to save our lives and we were ranked dead last in offense in the NFL. What is your idea of "stepping in" for Holmgren and do you really think it matters who on earth is the O coordinator? I can't imagine Gil Haskell being some savior as the O coordinator and remember Holmgren himself was 4-12 when he had to use Wallace his final year in Seattle when Matt Hasselbeck was out hurt. -- Michael Spitale, Galena, Ohio
A: Hey, Michael: You state a refreshing, alternative perspective on the offense. My idea of "stepping in" is for Holmgren to use his expertise to improve the offense. I know he's the president and not the coach or offensive coordinator, but it seems a waste of his expertise to stand aside and watch the season go down the tubes. The offense needs to get better for the team to win games. I believe he shares that opinion.
Q: Hey, Tony: It's become evident the only time of year that's exciting as a Browns fan is draft day. It's funny this is the only franchise that has not drafted any playmakers as of late and are always rebuilding. It looks as though Sanchez is a winner with the Jets. To say the Browns made a huge mistake again would be an understatement (like every other move). I guess with all the game tape on Anderson and Quinn the organization could not see what everyone else did; they stunk!! When is the draft by the way? -- Chris Larock, N.Y., N.Y.
A: Hey, Chris: The next draft is in April of 2011. I haven't seen a date yet, but the weekend of April 22-24 is Easter weekend. I understand why Eric Mangini was hesitant in adding Mark Sanchez to the roster when he didn't completely know what he had in Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. It would have been a bold decision to select Sanchez. But I said at the time that the Jets should have had to pay a premium to the Browns for delivering them their franchise quarterback. The trade turned out to be grand larceny by the Jets.
Q: Hey, Tony: Why do the teams have an inactive player list? If you can't use them why have them on your team? -- Donald Pasqualetti, Reading, Ohio
A: Hey, Donald: It took me a long time to find someone in the NFL to explain why rosters are cut from 53 to 45 on game days. Here is the reasoning: Injuries hit teams at different rates. Some teams are lucky to have a full complement of players, others are not. League rule-makers wanted to try to level the playing field as best they could. What if a team with 53 healthy players opposed one with, say, 43? The cutdown to 45 was made to assure that no team has more than 45 healthy players at its disposal for a game. Still hard to understand why owners would pay eight players not to play on game day.
Q: Hey, Tony: What drove the decision to push Josh Cribbs to a larger WR role -- management justification for tearing up his contract, lack of WR talent, or his desire/ability to play the position? Has the move been beneficial considering the performance fall-off on special teams? It seems they plugged one hole by opening another, without improving the overall team. -- Steve Cornelius, Avon Lake
A: Hey, Steve: In Baltimore, Cribbs had a larger role on offense because No. 2 receiver Brian Robiskie was out with a hamstring injury. I don't believe Cribbs' enlarged role on offense is contributing to the team's inability to break any kick returns. Teams are doing a great job of kicking away from Cribbs.
Q: Hey, Tony: It makes me sick as a Browns fan living in the Pittsburgh area to see how smart the Steelers draft. They draft LB's who can get to the QB and drafted a WR like Mike Wallace and the Browns continue to draft stiffs!! Lose their 1st 3 QB's-no problem-they just win. How much longer can this go on? -- Kris Kent, Canonsburg, Pa.
A: Hey, Kris: A few years ago I ranked the 32 NFL teams based on quality of organization and Pittsburgh was No. 1. Although I wrote at the beginning of this season that they were in steady decline, I obviously was wrong. The Steelers still are at the top of their game. Kevin Colbert, their top football authority, is one of the best. Their continuity and stability as an organization is the key to staying consistently good.
Q: Hey, Tony: Why don't the Browns trade for Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers? Clearly there's rapport with Jake Delhomme. Yes, Smith is getting older, but could still help the Browns open up the passing game. -- Michael G, Japan
A: Hey, Michael: I didn't know Smith was available.
Q: Hey, Tony: In the past you complained that the Browns didn't have a personality and should follow the lead of the Steelers. The Steelers have used the same formula for decades (at least until the last three years) -- blitz on defense and run the ball on offense. However, this year you criticize the Browns for blitzing too much on defense and then running too much in the Ravens game. Please clarify your comments. -- Chris Staneluis, Shaker Heights
A: Hey, Chris: Because the Steelers' defensive system is based on complex blitzes, they practice it all the time and look for players with the right skill set to be effective as blitzers. The Browns look for players more compatible to their system (bigger, stronger, not as fast), and then when they ask them to blitz they are not as effective. The running game in Baltimore was effective in keeping the game close, but when the offense needed to move the ball for a go-ahead score it failed on its last two possessions. The good offenses can pass when they have to and run when they have to.
Q: Hey, Tony: I certainly wish Shaun Rogers was healthy and raising the efficiency of the Browns' pass rush, but how long will it be before he is back in form or are we facing another hoping against hope as we did with LeCharles Bentley ? -- Alan Fojt, Manassas, Va.
A: Hey, Alan: There hasn't been a lot of insight as to when/if Rogers will ever return to health and playing shape. The team appears to have turned the page on him.
Q: Hey, Tony: One of the things that I hoped to see when Seneca Wallace got his chance to start at quarterback was for the offense to have a little more zip. I mean here's a guy who is as fast as most receivers and running backs in the league and I think he has only run the ball just a handful of times. Obviously you don't want your QB to be running the ball like in the college game but I was hoping he could pick up some key first downs and extra yardage before employing the hook slide or getting out bounds. It just gives the defense one more thing to prepare for. -- Greg Dineen, Middletown, Ohio
A: Hey, Greg: Wallace does appear reluctant to use his legs to create plays.
Q: Hey, Tony: Last year Mangini and his coaches did a good job developing players with the "opportunity sessions." Assuming they are continuing, is there any word of players who are impressing the coaches in these extra practice times? -- David King, Tennessee
A: Hey, David: No one has emerged as of yet.
-- Tony