Hey Tony and Wile E.

Online only submissions
Q: Hey, Tony: Having been a Browns fan since the Leroy Kelly and Paul Warfield days, I see a lot of negativity towards the Browns this spring. I believe we are in much better shape than in previous years. My biggest concern is the defense. I don't see that we did much to improve in that area. What is your take so far? Can our defense keep us competitive? — John O'Donnell, Sandusky
A: Hey, John: The Browns added five players on defense who should figure prominently — nose tackle Shaun Smith, defensive end Robaire Smith, outside linebacker Antwan Peek and cornerback Kenny Wright in free agency, and cornerback Eric Wright in the draft. I'm not sure these additions sufficiently address the defense's historical problems in stopping the run and effectively rushing the passer.
A: Hey John: How's the weather in Oblivia? Hey, Tony: You first said Peek--a passrusher--Smith and Smith--run-stoppers. Then you wondered if the pass rush and run-stoppage had been sufficiently addressed.
Well, if not absolutely totally, the run-stopping has been significantly upgraded. But pass-rush? Last season there WAS a good pass-rush--what are you looking at?
Q: Hey, Tony: At the cornerback position the Browns have Leigh Bodden, Daven Holly, Eric Wright, Kenny Wright, DeMario Minter, Brandon McDonald and Antonio Perkins. I'm not trying to be hard on an injured player, but why don't they release Gary Baxter? It is going to be very hard for him to come back from two blown knees, and he has a big cap number. — Mark Miller, Independence, Ky.
A: Hey, Mark: Releasing a player does not automatically erase his salary-cap charges. In fact, sometimes it affects the cap adversely based on the player's contract. In Baxter's case, though, releasing him would cost the Browns less. According to my salary information, releasing Baxter would leave the Browns with a $3.5 million charge on their salary cap for 2007. Keeping him costs $5.25 million. So, it's a $1.75 million difference. That's about 1.5 percent of the total salary cap, a pittance to keep alive his dream of coming back from his devastating injuries.
Q: Hey, Tony: I just wanted your thoughts on the Browns adding say Corey Dillon. I think he would love two shots a year at the Bengals. Is it possible or too costly, you know [GM Phil] Savage gets a lot of credit for the draft and I agree, but does [coach] Romeo [Crennel] have anything at all to do with it and should he get any praise, I just don't want to leave him out. I really like this coach. — Mark Fields, Columbus
A: Hey, Mark: Great. How about this idea? Use Dillon the two games against the Bengals, Jamal Lewis the two games against the Ravens and lure Jerome Bettis out of retirement to play the two games against the Steelers. Dillon's done, or else the Patriots wouldn't have let him go. As far as Crennel's input in the draft, it appears to be negligible.
A: Hey Tony: That's an assumption. Savage et al would be out of their minds to ignore their head coach (or even assistant coaches) on personnel issues. I doubt that ANY GM would be that stupid!
Q: Hey, Tony: At one point Chaun Thompson looked as though he was athletic enough to contribute beyond a special-teams role. What held him back and will he ever be more that a special-teams player? — Bill Decker, Spring Valley, Ohio
A: Hey, Bill: Thompson came from an extremely small college in Texas that lost all 11 games his senior season. He has been switched to different positions and has played in three defensive systems. He looks best at rushing the passer, but the team has other players who contribute more in the overall defense. He may never be more than a special-teams player and role player on defense.
A: Hey Bill: So any player who doesn't start doesn't play, right? Hey, Tony: Thompson looks best in PASS COVERAGE, although he does everything well. And this "role-player" might play over 25-30% of the defensive snaps. Drink some coffee or something!
Q: Hey, Tony: Any chance we will be trading for/signing a veteran to help Brady Quinn out? I figured Derek Anderson or Charlie Frye would be a draft day casualty since we are making room for Quinn. — Aaron D, Tipp City, Ohio
A: Hey, Aaron: GM Phil Savage said in March that he has no plans of adding a veteran quarterback. Then he changed his mind and pursued Trent Green. Green doesn't want to play for the Browns. Recently, Savage said again that he has no plans of adding a veteran quarterback. Look for the Browns' QB roster to be made up of Quinn, Frye and Anderson.
Q: Hey, Tony: Lots of talk these days concerning who will be the Browns punt returner. Antonio Perkins was a very successful punt returner in college. Is he still being considered for the job with the Browns? — Skip Springer, Harvey, La.
A: Hey, Skip: Perkins has been a deep disappointment. I suspect he will compete for the job in training camp. It's his only hope of making the final roster.
A: Hey, Tony: You mean any low-round draft pick who can't displace Dennis Northcutt as a punt-returner is a deep disappointment? Wasn't Northcutt pretty good?
Q: Hey, Tony: Is it possible for the Browns to pick up Chris Brown? He would be the perfect change of pace back to spell Jamal Lewis. — Brandon Reyes, Avon Lake
A: Hey, Brandon: He would be an improvement over what they've got behind Lewis, but there appears no desire on the club's part to add a veteran running back.
A: Hey, Brandon: A 230 lb. power back is not a change-of pace for a 240 lb. power back. Words mean things. Hey, Tony: Give Harrison a freaking chance, will ya? Hey, Brandon: A 205 lb. scat-back would be a great change-of-pace for a 240 lb. power back.
Q: Hey, Tony: Is it true that Browns GM Phil Savage admitted to wearing a Baltimore Ravens T-shirt in the Browns war room during this year's NFL draft? I heard he showed it off to owner Randy Lerner as if to infer the Browns were having a good draft because he had his lucky Ravens T-shirt on. If this is true, don't you find it mildly ironic that the guy who claims to be sick and tired of Cleveland fans bemoaning the Browns luck felt it necessary to wear his lucky Baltimore shirt on draft day? Does Savage realize that most of the frustration and disappointment surrounding the “new” Browns lingers from the [Art] Modell/Baltimore fiasco and the NFL subsequently doing no favors for the new regime? Tony, please inform Mr. Savage that his plea of “just give us a chance” would have come off a little more sincere if he was wearing orange and brown. — Paul Cseplo, Twinsburg
A: Hey, Paul: I agree it was an odd thing for Savage to do. I take issue with your statement that the NFL did no favors for the expansion franchise. The Browns received 14 extra draft choices over their first two season. They squandered most of them. How is that the NFL's fault?
A: Hey, Paul: GET A HOBBY!
Q: Hey, Tony: Now that the Browns have had a great draft do you think that this turns up the heat on [coach] Romeo [Crennel] to produce a winner in order to save his job? And if so, what do you think will be required in terms of wins and losses to save it? Is 8-8 enough or do the Browns need to make the playoffs? — Mark Incorvia, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
A: Hey, Mark: I think what's more important is to make some headway in division games, where Crennel's record is 1-11. The first month of the season, featuring three division rivals in Cleveland, will say a lot.
Q: Hey, Tony: I'm psyched about the Browns draft picks and their free agent signings. Could we actually see an 8-8 season? — Bruce Rexrode, Mentor
A: Hey, Bruce: That would amount to doubling last season's win total. I would say it's doubtful, but not impossible.
Q: Hey, Tony: What is the status of DeMario Minter? I have not seen his name mentioned once this year whenever the topic of the cornerback situation has come up. — Sam Toth, Cleveland Heights
A: Hey, Sam: Minter is on the roster. He missed last season after knee surgery.
A: Hey, Bruce: He will compete to START, but will probably get beat out by Wright, and perhaps Holly, to become the third or fourth cornerback in this deep, talented corps.
Q: Hey, Tony: What kind of offense can we expect with the new offensive coordinator [Rob Chudzinski] and who do you see from this offense as having a shot at the Pro Bowl? — Brad, Shaker Heights
A: Hey, Brad: Kellen Winslow Jr. would have a shot at the Pro Bowl if the Browns had a winning record and Winslow had 70 catches and 10 touchdowns. Jamal Lewis would have a shot if he rushed for 1,500 yards and 12 touchdowns. Braylon Edwards would have a shot if he had 80 catches and 12 touchdowns. If all those things happened, somebody on the offensive line would have a shot, too.
Hey, Brad: Braylon Edwards went so far as to call it a "west coast" offense. The QB will get rid of it quickly, and this means slants and crosses. The QB will throw to windows, rather than tracking his recievers. He will often throw before the reciever makes his break. And when the ball hits thin air or is intercepted with a reciever no where near it, it is usually the reciever's fault.
The personnel on the offensive line strongly indicates zone-blocking, and Lewis and company should have an opportunity to not get swarmed at the line of scrimmage or in the backfield--and get blamed for it.
Q: Hey, Tony: When do you think Brady Quinn will start his first NFL game? I really believe if Quinn picks up the offense, he could start Week 1 against the Steelers. If he could pick up Charlie Weis' playbook surely he could pick up Rob Chudzinski's? What do you think? — Mark Potthoff, Glandorf, Ohio
A: Hey, Mark: I think Quinn's first start depends on how Charlie Frye fares. If the season starts with Frye the starter, he has to win some games in the first month to hold on to the job. Otherwise, the drumbeat for Quinn will be so loud that it will drown out everything going on with the team.
Q: Hey, Tony: Mary Kay [Cabot's] article [last] Sunday indicated that [line] coach [Steve] Marshall didn't want Joe Thomas to gain any weight and stay at 310 pounds. On draft weekend, many of the analysts (and I believe [coach] Romeo [Crennel]) said he could put an additional 15 — 20 pounds on his frame and not lose any quickness. What's Marshall thinking? — Bob Ruple, Newbury, Ohio
A: Hey, Bob: Part of the attraction to Thomas was his mobility and agility. Why pack on 20 pounds at the expense of losing a millisecond of quickness? Size isn't the be-all, end-all.
A: Hey, Tony: AMEN! Hey, Bob: Another indication of a zone-blocking offensive line, which prioritizes agility, speed, and quickness. I'm sure they wouldn't mind Thomas gaining 15 lbs. of MUSCLE--they're just saying we don't need fat guys here like they do most other places. Lard merely anchors a guy more securely to the ground. Muscle moves.
Q: Hey, Tony: It seems to me that the logical time to expect Brady Quinn to become the starter is after the bye week — am I right? — ” Frank Mazzella, Parma
A: Hey, Frank: Not if the Browns are 4-3 under Charlie Frye (or Derek Anderson, for that matter). The ideal situation is that Frye or Anderson beats out Quinn in preseason and then takes the team through a winning season, allowing Quinn to soak up the pace of the NFL game and season and not be forced in too early. Carson Palmer didn't play his first year and that worked out well.
A: Hey, Tony: Good answer, and I appreciate your not dissing Anderson, who might be a huge, huge sleeper.
Q: Hey, Tony: While rookies are attending minicamps prior to signing contracts are they being paid? — Ronnie Butcher, Chapmanville, W.Va.
A: Hey, Ronnie: No, but they receive free transportation, room and good eating.
Q: Hey, Tony: Why the talk of moving Kevin Shaffer to right guard and not right tackle? Is the team really sold on Kelly Butler (or Nat Dorsey?) at right tackle? — Brian Cochran, St. Louis
A: Hey, Brian: You're forgetting that Ryan Tucker is a pretty good right tackle and is expected to be back.
A: Hey, Brian: He's right about Tucker. Shaffer might be a better right tackle in a zone-blocking scheme. Those who suggest using him at guard are clueless, and that's regardless of the scheme.
Q: Hey, Tony: I keep hearing about competition between [Charlie] Frye and [Brady] Quinn. What happened to Derek Anderson? Did I miss something last two years? Frye's reads were slow. Derek made the offense run more up-tempo. — Champ Brown, Cincinnati
A: Hey, Champ: Anderson is in the mix. Keep in mind he was 0-3 as a starter.
A: Hey, Champ: I hear ya, bro! Rodney Andersonfield was 0-3 with a crappy team, fighting from behind, getting sacked to death, but he has a cannon, gets rid of it fast, is accurate, and has adequate mobility. Only, the new passing offense is being re-designed to better suit Quinn and Frye.
Hey, Tony: You stand corrected.