Victor Cruz

Victor Cruz could mentor the Browns young recievers who need a mentor to teach them how to get open and catch balls and stuff.  Without a mentor how are they supposed to learn all that stuff?

Sorry I couldn't help it.  Okay, I'm confiscating the word "mentor".  Also, I remind you that being a wide reciever is NOT rocket science.

But I digress: The Giants and Victor Cruz are far apart on his new contract, and it's quite possible he'll get the first-round tender this season.

Cruz is actually more desirable than Mike Wallace, because he's more reliable.  Wallace does drop some balls (though not nearly to epic Braylon Scissorhands levels).  It would take the Browns' sixth overall draft pick to get him.

Tough one, I know.  WR is NOT a position of need, as the local consensus says it is. Few of the pundits understand that playing wide reciever is not rocket science, Turner's system is simpler than the West Coast, and receiver's coaches don't get paid to just sit there.

Gordon and Benjamin were rookies last season, and every analysis of them must be taken with that huge grain of salt.  Most are reluctant to project anything positive about them, but in most cases second-year players do I M P R O V E DO YOU U N D E R S T A N D? 

While I'm re-regressing into this, outside recievers get jammed.  Slot recievers generally don't, because without a rare nickel cornerback, that would be suicidal.

Despite WR not being a need (except in the imaginations of many), a guy like Cruz would instantly render this among the top WR corps' in the NFL.  If you substitute Cruz for Wallace in all the projections, it's pretty much the same thing, except without the drops.

There are some very good cornerbacks and elite outside linebackers in the free agent market this season, playing right into the Browns REAL need wheelhouse.  While it's commonly thought that a team should always address it's weaknesses first, if you can step outside that box for a moment, you can see that making a pretty good position group a great one works, too.

With either Cruz or Wallace opposite Gordan, how could a defense EVER play safeties close in?  And a note on Mike Wallace: He's labelled a burner, but he averages ELEVEN YARDS AFTER THE CATCH, so you need to know that he gets open short and quickly.  Gordon is a true deep guy.

Of course, there are minusses above and beyond coughing up that top draft pick for Cruz, and these are similar to the deal with Wallace.  Money.  Cruz could rightfully demand even more than Wallace.  Banner couldn't make this move without some assurance of signing him to a multi-year deal.

Aye, and there's the rub.  Banner has this rep as a tough negotiator, and there's certainly a bid above which he won't go.

But here's a little context; a variable.  The cap floor.  Banner MUST spend most of his cap money now.  Banner still won't (and shouldn't) overpay, but guys like Cruz and Wallace are exceptional, and one of them make more sense than two or three journeymen for this young team and in this market.

Something else has been bugging me.  Most Browns' fans seem to need a therapist.  I mean, talk about holding a grudge and shutting down your brain!

1: Derrick Anderson was semi-conscious and in pain, and heard most of the stadium cheering.  Any one of us would have felt and said what he tweeted.  It was disgusting and shameful.

Okay so he regressed and resumed throwing interceptions after 2007, then failed elsewhere too.  Do you think he screwed up on purpose because he hated you?

Nobody is talking about bringing him here as a starter.  It's hard to find a better Norv Turner backup.  Get over it.

2: Art Modell DID lead the negotiations with the networks which flooded every NFL team with money through revenue sharing.  He brought the NFL into the modern era and transformed it.  Now you're even saying he didn't really do THAT!?  This is rationalization on steroids--now you even lie to yourself.

The Indians got a new stadium and the city fathers gave Uncle Artie the finger.  Urine leaked from the restrooms, cracks were forming in the stands.  It was built on a landfill so grass wouldn't grow, and they used green paint.  Methane percolated up through the sand when it rained.

Municipal stadium was a joke, and they treated Modell like dirt.  I couldn't turn on the radio without hearing people talk about him like he was the re-incarnation of Adolf Hitler.  Wouldn't YOU move?

He had money problems.  Guess why.  He gave away too much of his money.  He saved the Cleveland Clinic, and every charity had him atop their rolodex.

You're like the family of a murder victim, treating every NFL Hall of Fame vote like a damn parole hearing.  You embarrass me!  He did the TV deal and revenue sharing and that's just the truth GET OVER IT.

Now it's on to Phil Savage, who had the temerity to analyze the Browns recently.

Savage paid a right tackle elite left tackle money and extended Derrick Anderson before he had to.  So he sucked with money.  But he did dig up a bunch of young free agent talent, which helped the Browns to a 10-6 record in 2007.

Then Anderson inexplicably regressed, Edward Scissorhands resumed dropping every fifth pass (higher percentage in the end-zone), K2 got hurt, Jamaal Lewis got old, and you decided that was all Savage's fault as well.

Outside Vendettaland, Oblivia, Savage is well-respected as a talent evaluator (if not a money manager) and you need to think with your brains for a change and yes--GET OVER IT.