Reaganaut Posted August 4, 2003 Share Posted August 4, 2003 (Vinnie Cerrato should be complimented not on who he took with the 2000 draft, but on who he didn't take. Chris Samuels turned out to be a superb choice after all and Lavar... well you know.) 4. In part because they needed salary cap room, in part because defensive end Courtney Brown was one of the most overpaid players in the league given his production (or lack thereof), the Browns recently restructured the contract of the guy who was chosen with the first overall pick of the 2000 draft. His base salary was dropped from $5.5 million to $2.5 million. Brown can recoup the difference in playing time, sack and roster bonuses, but no one should count on that happening. Nor should anyone really bank on Brown ever living up to his draft status. This is definitely the do-or-die season for Brown, one of those guys who might simply be too smart to be playing football, and the guess here is that his career in Cleveland is about six months away from expiring. The former Penn State star has missed the equivalent of one full season during his three years in the NFL, 16 games he sat out with injuries, of a possible 48 appearances. He has three multiple-sack contests, two outings with three sacks each, and another with two. And in the other 29 games Brown has played he has, drum roll, please, a piddling three sacks. Some of his supporters, what few remain, like to point out that Brown still plays the run pretty well. Isn't that nice? Look, the Browns didn't pay him all that money to be a run-stuffer. A player they picked up off the street two years ago, defensive end Mark Word, posted eight sacks in 2002. Or, like, six more than Courtney Brown recorded. Brown is coming off the controversial microfracture knee surgery, a procedure whose success is mixed, at best. He can practice only once a day and that might be the case the rest of his career. Brown has yet to participate in anything beyond individual drills so far, looked as if he was favoring his knee in Friday's practices, didn't dress for the Saturday scrimmage. Here's a hint as to how the organization views Brown: When the team reworked his contract, it only altered the 2003 portion of it, leaving the ensuing three seasons untouched. How come? Because he probably won't be around to collect the $20 million he is due in base salaries 2004-2006. And if he is, the Browns will restructure again, knocking down the base salaries again. One bit of good news is that the franchise's other overpaid and underachieving defensive lineman, tackle Gerard "Big Money" Warren, looks pretty good in camp. After two years of carousing, an admission he made during the offseason, Warren finally seems serious about developing into the player he was supposed to be when Cleveland chose him with the third overall pick in 2001. Warren, who came to camp at a career-low 324 pounds, had two superb plays in the scrimmage, including a sack, and certainly appears motivated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaganaut Posted August 4, 2003 Author Share Posted August 4, 2003 Oops, there was a lot of TALK about the Skins trading up and grabbing the top two to take Brown and Arrington. That's what I was referring to as who he didn't take. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 If he really is cut next year, there would be any chance we sign him at the minimum salary??? If he could bounce back like Gardener, we'd be like winning lotto twice. Also, if we signed him, we'd have the top three picks of '00. Isn't that cool??? Or I'm just day dreaming... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldskool Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 in 2000, I actually thought it was going to be win/win on whichever 2 of the 3 guys we took. 20/20 hindsight we did the right thing with Samuels and Arrington. My take on Brown is that he has tremendous potential but he's just been unlucky (well being in Cleveland doesnt help either). I hope that he bolts out of there and gets a fresh start somewhere else (id take him as a FA anytime). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinInsite Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 I say we try to pick up both Brown and Warrick just to have the top 4 picks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kornheiser Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Got to say I called it perfect that year... Arrington was a phenom in preseason '99. All the Pennstater were buzzing about him. They already knew this was his last year in college. Brown came along in the pre-draft hype '00. Warrick was overated - had his "breakout" only after VA tech lost both starting CBs. Cleveland was just plain stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golgo-13 Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Originally posted by Kornheiser Cleveland was just plain stupid. and thank goodness for that too.....:whew: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Is Brown worse now than BDW was in Cinci? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 No Brown knew he was stealing money and reworked his deal while BDW knew, and while he lost some weight by only going back for fifths instead of sevenths he was still an underachieving fat body that should have been convicted of grand theft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonnyJ Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 There's nothing stupid about what Cleveland did. I would have taken Brown, too, over any other player. Monster DEs who can play the run and pass with equal excellence are second only to franchise QBs. You don't pass up the opportunity to get one. He seemed like a pretty sure thing - talented, diligent, bright, clean-cut, and room to grow. No real injury history, either, as I recall. Them's the breaks, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Cleveland just got unlucky. Brown simply hasn't stayed healthy. By contrast, Corey Simon was considered a huge health risk, but the Iggles took him anyway, and he's stayed healthy and been a pro-bowler. Some things are just impossible to predict. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kornheiser Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Originally posted by SonnyJ There's nothing stupid about what Cleveland did. I would have taken Brown, too, over any other player. Monster DEs who can play the run and pass with equal excellence are second only to franchise QBs. You don't pass up the opportunity to get one. He seemed like a pretty sure thing - talented, diligent, bright, clean-cut, and room to grow. No real injury history, either, as I recall. Them's the breaks, though. I realize it seemed that way, but there was no confusion among the Penn State'ers. Even early on - Arrington was pre-eminient, Brown was supplementary. (along with Short, Noble & others who were very well respected) Taking Tim Coach over McNabb was even more obvious of a gaft. Four years of performance vs. one year wonder. Cleveland again allowed themselves to become over-infatuated with the latest hot-flashes of year & ignored long-term performers. Ironically, the Giants got Lawrence Taylor the same way. New Orleans passed on Lawrence Taylor to take George Rogers. And Taylor "fell" to the Giants. (almost cryptic isn't it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonnyJ Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Perhaps the Penn State faithful knew the deal, but they may have also been blinded by the much flashier Lavar. Given equal ability (relative to the position they play), DEs are more valuable than LBs in the NFL. I gotta disagree about Couch and McNabb, too (wasn't this discussed not too long ago?). I think Couch did it for at least two years, running a heavy passing (albeit gimmicky) offense and playing in the SEC. McNabb was running a purely college option offense. Syracuse did throw the ball, but it was predicated off of the option or McNabb running around looking for a receiver to throw to. He was green as grass in running a pro-style offense. Couch was a "surer" projection to the next level. The one-year wonder you're referring to, I believe, is Akili Smith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 If Brown had stayed healthy, he would've been worth the first pick. The reason I think Couch went over Elway is simply because the Broncos had just won the SB, so suddenly everyone wants the next Elway. Personally I'm one of the few who always thought Elway was vastly overrated (I REALLY think that now after re-watching the 87 SB), but Couch looked more like Elway, whereas McNabb was the 2nd coming of Randall Cunningham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrangeSkin Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Imagine this team with Brown and Warrick instead of LaVar and Samuels. We'd be purty damn weak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Both Brown and LaVar were awesome in their final years at Penn State. Needless to say, I'm glad things worked the way they did. We are usually the ones who get stuck with players that don't live up to expectations. I was sweating it for awhile that year in the draft because there was noise about Clevland moving up and taking LaVar instead of Brown. Sometimes the football Gods smile on you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Sometimes the football Gods smile on you. Has anyone noticed that during the Dan Synder era ALL of our first and second rounders have panned out? Even the year before with Bailey and Jansen. Obviously Ramsey and Betts are still question marks. But I think it's safe to say the years of first round bust after first round bust during the Turner Era are behind us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Maybe it's the homer in me, but even before we actually got him my gut feeling was Ramsey was the best QB in the draft. I'm relieved DannyBoy wasn't able to trade up for Harrington like he wanted. Lest we all forget, Ramses was considered to be the now departed Mendes' pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OURYEAR#56 Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 The guy is just too soft. Thank good we got LA. I was sold on him and Samuel right from the gate. Remember that tackle LA had when he jumped over the pile to get the Iowa QB, CLASSIC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboDaMan Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 Originally posted by riggo-toni Maybe it's the homer in me, but even before we actually got him my gut feeling was Ramsey was the best QB in the draft. I'm relieved DannyBoy wasn't able to trade up for Harrington like he wanted. Lest we all forget, Ramses was considered to be the now departed Mendes' pick. That's not quite giving Snyder his due. Yes, Danny tried to work out a move up to snag Harrington. But when the price became too high, he refused to chase the marquee player and instead traded down (twice), picking up extra draft picks and maybe the best QB in the draft in the process. And for that he gathered a fair amount of criticism. Since Spurrier was still claiming to be happy with the QBs he had, Snyder was widely accused of rich-boy draft meddling. Mendes wanted Ramsey too, but Snyder had to be the one to pull the trigger. This time it looks to have worked famously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kornheiser Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 SONY J: I remember hearing the hype on Couch & Brown. Thought they were nuts even before history brought it to bear. It is true though - that type of over-analysis is what cost Cleveland, McNabb & Arrington. ORANGESKIN: God, I would have totally blown a fuse if they'd have drafted Brown & Warrick. Was still making up my mind on Snyder & crew. Had made up my mind long ago about Casserly. I really took it as a good omen. HENRY: Oh-yeah, I've noticed that since Snyder's arrival our drafts have drastically improved. It will be funny to see how Casserly does once he's not picking in the top five anymore. Not that he did that good even in the top 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPare Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 Amazingly enough, posters on this board (or TSN, can't remember any more) were generally equally optimistic about both of them prior to the draft. Would have been a 50/50 as to taking Brown/ Warrick or Arrington/ Samuels. In fact, lots of people were really down on the Samuels pick, thinking that his knee injuries would be too much. The only things weighing against Brown were: 1) The Browns had telegraphed that they were going to take him 2) We were stronger on the line (Smith and Lang) than at LB Thank goodness things worked out the way they did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPare Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 Hey!!! What the $%#@$!!! I'm missing half of my posts in my ranking. Jeez, I haven't had the Benchwarmer icon for at least 3 years!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kornheiser Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 The only things weighing against Brown were: 1) The Browns had telegraphed that they were going to take him :rotflmao: I remember that. Couldn't believe it until draft day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 Originally posted by SPare Hey!!! What the $%#@$!!! I'm missing half of my posts in my ranking. Jeez, I haven't had the Benchwarmer icon for at least 3 years!!! When they updated the software, it altered some of the post counts (believe it was only for guys who were here pre-2002?)...nothing they can do about it SPare. Better start posting more if you don't like that Benchwarmer :gus: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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