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Browns worst picks......everrrrrrrrr....


Mudfly

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Ok.....was reading the Derek Carr thread and the discussion turned to the Browns all-time worst picks......and since we seem to LOVE bitching about the past....here is your chance to get them all rolled into one discussion......so, based upon that, here is my list of the 10 worst first round picks we've made....

 

Criteria = I went back to 1970, because that is where my memory ends in terms of the Draft.....and, even though weve had some bad picks, a lot of them went other places and "at least" had careers......So, Ive picked the guys that I think were the worst for the Browns or just never made it....period...

 

10) Trent Richardson -RB (3).....woulda been higher, but he did get us a thousand yards & 12 tds, before the trade......and then a first round pick.....so, not as bad as some.....

 

9) Willis Adams -WR (20)....here is the #1 wr that everyone has been wanting....but, wait!...he sucked...

 

8) Brady Quinn - QB (22)....recent, so we all know the story....out of the league in a blink.....

 

7) Steve Holden - WR (16)....another WR bust and part I of the worst draft ever.....(1973)...

 

6) Pete Adams - OG (22).....same draft as Holden and this guy never played a down....2 busts in the same year.....(so maybe our worst draft ever, right here).....

 

5) William Green -RB (16)....wow....talk about not doing your homework....dude was sick and no one knew.....I remember watching him puke on the sidelines, between series.....

 

4) Clifford Charlton - LB (21)....another complete zeroooo.....never started a game and gone almost immediately......word was that this guy was "almost" as smart as a rock.....almost.....

 

3) Touchdown Tommy Vardell -RB (9)....One of Billys first picks, this guy was picked #9, when he shoulda gone in the 9th round....big difference Billy.....just turrible.....

 

2) Craig Powell - LB - (30)...I put him so high, because he stucked that bad.....Billy blew another pick...and this guy was out of the league before end of year 2.....

 

1) Mad Man in a Meat Market Mike Junkin -LB -(5).....5th player taken and he sucked....ROYALLY....should never have happened......BLAME MARTY!!!!....

 

We also picked some good players, that had issues.....so Honorable Mentions go to:

 

Charles White.....Heisman winning Coke head....

Don Rogers........Dead Coke head

Kellen Winslow...Wheely popping Soldier.....

Braylon Edwards...Asshole.....

 

There it is.......

 

OH.....my best first round ever???.....1978....2 picks.....Ozzie Newsome & Clay Mathews... :)

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Ok.....was reading the Derek Carr thread and the discussion turned to the Browns all-time worst picks......and since we seem to LOVE bitching about the past....here is your chance to get them all rolled into one discussion......so, based upon that, here is my list of the 10 worst first round picks we've made....

 

Criteria = I went back to 1970, because that is where my memory ends in terms of the Draft.....and, even though weve had some bad picks, a lot of them went other places and "at least" had careers......So, Ive picked the guys that I think were the worst for the Browns or just never made it....period...

 

10) Trent Richardson -RB (3).....woulda been higher, but he did get us a thousand yards & 12 tds, before the trade......and then a first round pick.....so, not as bad as some.....

 

9) Willis Adams -WR (20)....here is the #1 wr that everyone has been wanting....but, wait!...he sucked...

 

8) Brady Quinn - QB (22)....recent, so we all know the story....out of the league in a blink.....

 

7) Steve Holden - WR (16)....another WR bust and part I of the worst draft ever.....(1973)...

 

6) Pete Adams - OG (22).....same draft as Holden and this guy never played a down....2 busts in the same year.....(so maybe our worst draft ever, right here).....

 

5) William Green -RB (16)....wow....talk about not doing your homework....dude was sick and no one knew.....I remember watching him puke on the sidelines, between series.....

 

4) Clifford Charlton - LB (21)....another complete zeroooo.....never started a game and gone almost immediately......word was that this guy was "almost" as smart as a rock.....almost.....

 

3) Touchdown Tommy Vardell -RB (9)....One of Billys first picks, this guy was picked #9, when he shoulda gone in the 9th round....big difference Billy.....just turrible.....

 

2) Craig Powell - LB - (30)...I put him so high, because he stucked that bad.....Billy blew another pick...and this guy was out of the league before end of year 2.....

 

1) Mad Man in a Meat Market Mike Junkin -LB -(5).....5th player taken and he sucked....ROYALLY....should never have happened......BLAME MARTY!!!!....

 

We also picked some good players, that had issues.....so Honorable Mentions go to:

 

Charles White.....Heisman winning Coke head....

Don Rogers........Dead Coke head

Kellen Winslow...Wheely popping Soldier.....

Braylon Edwards...Asshole.....

 

There it is.......

 

OH.....my best first reound ever???.....1978....2 picks.....Ozzie Newsome & Clay Mathews... :)

 

Bad memories ... Good job

 

I think the Quinn one angers me the most, because we traded a first and a second for him and that really set back the franchise. At least we recovered something with Richardson ... another blown draft pick.

 

Zombo

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William Green tried to make a comeback a few years back (well probably more like 5-6 years back at this point - the years fly by). Nobody signed him, unsurprisingly.

 

Talk about a nutjob - plenty of talent and potential, too many problems.

 

And Quinn's draft stock fell like a sack of bricks on draft day.

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Good list....another "bad" one was Mack Mitchell, 1975 I think.

 

Best not mentioned, who should be enshrined in canton was Hanford Dixon, Top Dawg 1981. Mike Pruitt was also a solid 1st round pick.

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Quinn was highly though of pre-draft though wasn't he, I mean obviously we got it wrong but going up and taking him at 22 wasn't a reach or anything.

 

It's so funny reading his draft profile now

 

 

Compares To: TOM BRADY-New England … Head coach Charlie Weis must have thought he was experiencing deja vu with Quinn, a clone of his Patriots pupil. Both are very detail-oriented pocket passers with deceptive mobility. Preparation is the key to their success, along with the ability to make progression reads and locate their secondary targets. With the tutelage Quinn has received under Weis, those experts who have been recently downgraded Quinn in favor of JaMarcus Russell might regret if they bypass the "safer" Notre Dame talent for a player (Russell) who might be a better athlete, but is a kindergarten "toddler" in the game-planning department when matching up against Quinn's wits.

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Yep...lots of options for the list.....Id agree that some were projected to be great and consensus top picks....

 

So Id say guys like Richardson, Gilbert, White, Edwards, Rogers, Winslow were ALL considered consensus safe picks.....

 

BUT....we really went out on a limb for guys like Vardell, Junkin, Adams, Charlton & Powell....all picks that made the whole world say "HUH???"

 

I didnt really remember Charlton getting hurt, but rest assured, thats because he sucked so bad that no one noticed....played 2 full years and barely got into a game.....(the most aggravating part of this pick was that we picked him ahead of Chris Spielman(OSU), who we all knew about and wanted....youch!)

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Quinn was highly though of pre-draft though wasn't he, I mean obviously we got it wrong but going up and taking him at 22 wasn't a reach or anything.

 

Quinn/Weeden/Manziel ... same story. We made our #1 pick, but we really needed a QB. This guy is still sitting in the green room, everyone is passing him up, but someone floats rumors that another team is about to take them and we jump in and grab them. At 22.

 

Same movie. Same pick. Three times.

 

You can't make this shit up.

 

Combined record of Quinn, Weeden, and Manziel as Cleveland Browns:

 

3-9 Quinn ... 66.8 rating

5-15 Weeden ... 71.8 rating

1-3 Manziel ... 71.9 rating

 

9-27

 

Three first round picks in eight years, and they have won 9 games.

 

The next time some Johnny College is dropping in the draft like rock in the river, can we just tie up the guy that takes our little card up to Goodell?

 

Actually, I think even Goodell would waive them off from moving up to 22 for a QB again .... he'd be like "No .. No.. Not again ... Not on my watch."

 

Zombo

--If you really like a first round QB, take him with your first pick, quit trading up for leftovers that everyone is passing down the table

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Quinn/Weeden/Manziel ... same story. We made our #1 pick, but we really needed a QB. This guy is still sitting in the green room, everyone is passing him up, but someone floats rumors that another team is about to take them and we jump in and grab them. At 22.

 

Same movie. Same pick. Three times.

 

You can't make this shit up.

 

Combined record of Quinn, Weeden, and Manziel as Cleveland Browns:

 

3-9 Quinn ... 66.8 rating

5-15 Weeden ... 71.8 rating

1-3 Manziel ... 71.9 rating

 

9-27

 

Three first round picks in eight years, and they have won 9 games.

 

The next time some Johnny College is dropping in the draft like rock in the river, can we just tie up the guy that takes our little card up to Goodell?

 

Actually, I think even Goodell would waive them off from moving up to 22 for a QB again .... he'd be like "No .. No.. Not again ... Not on my watch."

 

Zombo

--If you really like a first round QB, take him with your first pick, quit trading up for leftovers that everyone is passing down the table

 

By the way, two QBS off the street during this era, Anderson and Hoyer, were 16-15 and 10-6 with the same teams, so it's not because the QBs were drafted by "the shitty Browns" ... they were shitty draft picks.

 

Zombo

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--If you really like a first round QB, take him with your first pick, quit trading up for leftovers that everyone is passing down the table

Agreed.....Ive said this along too....that NONE of these 3 were really considered(by the Browns) to be the next savior or we WOULD have taken them first.....

 

Nope....we had 2 picks everytime....and used the first on the guy we really wanted....then rolled the dice with #2....just hoping....

 

Of course, Rodgers is one who fell wayyyy down on draft day, but luck says we didnt have the extra pick that year...

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By the way, two QBS off the street during this era, Anderson and Hoyer, were 16-15 and 10-6 with the same teams, so it's not because the QBs were drafted by "the shitty Browns" ... they were shitty draft picks.

 

Zombo

 

Weren't all three put in "QB competitions" in their first year as well? If you ask me, that's what fucks them up more than anything else. Nothing good has ever come from a QB competition.

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Weren't all three put in "QB competitions" in their first year as well? If you ask me, that's what fucks them up more than anything else. Nothing good has ever come from a QB competition.

 

We weren't exactly patient with them as an organization or a fan base , true, but I'm not sure to what degree that messed them up.

 

Quinn waited a year and half to get his chance, Weeden was basically handed the job, and Manziel got thrown in for a benched Hoyer before he was ready.

 

But I blame the picks more than the approach,

 

Z

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right.....there are only 3 options and I can find an argument for every single one of them....

 

1) Make em sit.....this used to be the way all teams did it. Draft a QB, hand him a clip board and wait....(but folks SCREAM if you do this....ala Haslem saying Johnny is the back up and everyone freaking out like he did something evil)

 

2) Play em now.....recently, this has become the norm, mostly due to FA and how contracts are structured. Teams cant afford to wait a few years, as they will only be developing players to leave and play elsewhere.....gotta "find out now" what you have, at the risk of them getting shell shocked and losing confidence.....(but folks SCREAM if you do this....ala the Browns playing Couch, Weeden and even Johnny during their first season.... and then everyone freaking out like we did something evil)

 

3) Competition....which, I think, works best. Just play the best guy every time. It is a competitive league, so competing shouldnt be a problem....compared to waiting and losing them or forcing the issue when the player isnt ready....I say this works best....(but folks SCREAM if you do this....ala Pettine saying Johnny and Hoyer gotta compete and then everyone freaking out like we did something evil)...

 

Just saying....three options and everyone thinks a different one sucks....

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Interesting 2 of the 10 come from our Belichick era.

 

How is it that Wheezy is not Top 10?

 

Phipps and his 2 INTs for every TD at least deserve Honorable Mention. If for nothing else in that we traded a former first (and future HOF'er) in his prime to get the Fins first and Phipps it away...

 

“Paul has played so well for us and is such a high type person that I hated like the devil to consider any trade involving him,” Modell was quoted as saying at the time. “However, it was the overwhelming consensus of all our combined thinking that we had a pressing need for backup protection behind quarterback Bill Nelsen.”

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We weren't exactly patient with them as an organization or a fan base , true, but I'm not sure to what degree that messed them up.

 

Quinn waited a year and half to get his chance, Weeden was basically handed the job, and Manziel got thrown in for a benched Hoyer before he was ready.

 

But I blame the picks more than the approach,

 

Z

 

It's not quantifiable, but I think prospects like that - the "Aaron Rodgers"-type fallers - should never be even thrown into a competition to begin with. If you're not a top 5/top 10 guy going to a franchise with absolutely no one at the QB position, you shouldn't even have to entertain the idea of the starting job. Fact of the matter is, a guy who is taken in the 20-40 range is almost always a great physical prospect with mental concerns, or just simply a "winner", likely from some sort of system. If they were anything more, they'd be picked in the top five/top ten.

 

Now they go into a "competition" and one of three things happens - they win the job, they don't win the job, they are given the job because of fan/ownership pressure.

 

Scenario #1 - That's perfect, but unlikely. It's rare that a QB can come in and instantly improve your team as a rookie. Normally, these guys are top prospects and they are going to shit teams.

Scenario #2 - Now they're going to be pressing whenever it is they DO get the job, because they'll have to outplay the guy they already lost to once.

Scenario #3 - This is the dumbest of the three, because you're putting an unqualified guy in there solely because of his draft position.

 

Never, ever, ever, ever, ever would I draft a faller in the 20's and then expect him to see the field for his first two years. Never.

 

Not absolving the picks, but it's like buying a race horse and then tying two of his legs together and expecting him to win.

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Interesting 2 of the 10 come from our Belichick era.

 

How is it that Wheezy is not Top 10?

 

Phipps and his 2 INTs for every TD at least deserve Honorable Mention. If for nothing else in that we traded a former first (and future HOF'er) in his prime to get the Fins first and Phipps it away...

 

I toyed with the idea of putting Phipps on the list.....lord knows my Dad bitched about it for 20 years.....**sigh**....

 

But I left him off simply because he had a career...(albiet not a great one)....but he started 6 years for us and played another 5 for Chicago.....so lasting 11-12 years in the league makes him less than a bust(to me)....

 

Same with Weeds.....the low expectations,coupled with the fact that his is still gainfully employed, makes him a bad pick.....but not the worst(to me)(again)....;)

 

I'm not sure i'd call picks like Brady, Brown, Winbley....as "awful" cause they were all highly touted and showed in college what everyone thought would be NFL caliber skillsets. The bad picks imo are the ones like Gilbert where we took a flyer and failed horribly.

Yep....agreed....Wimbley had an ok career......Brown was a great player who got hurt(but still went 7-8 years)...

 

Though, I guess, how highly touted is perspective....cause Id say Gilbert was VERY highly touted compared to Quinn....just at a less important position......

 

My memory on Quinn, was the same as my memory on Manziel.....while "some" people had them high, there was a very LARGE faction that didnt.....certainly neither were consensus first rounders, while Id say Gilbert was.....

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Courtney Brown in 2000. And Butch Davis taking Willie Green is a classic Brown move. I remember Willie had a fork thrown in his back by his girlfriend or wife I forget.

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Courtney Brown in 2000. And Butch Davis taking Willie Green is a classic Brown move. I remember Willie had a fork thrown in his back by his girlfriend or wife I forget.

Classic is right.....just went back and read up on him some more....and I forgot a lot.....

 

He had 2 college suspensions for pot.....then, once here, he got busted for DUI and Pot....then got suspended and, while suspended, got stabbed by his girlfriend(w da fork).....then knocked up a different girlfriend......and the last 2 happened while he was married......and the topper is he had crohns disease and it flared when he was stressed.....like game day....etc.....

 

In between all the excitement....he rushed for 78 yards....

 

Classic.....indeed!

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Classic is right.....just went back and read up on him some more....and I forgot a lot.....

 

He had 2 college suspensions for pot.....then, once here, he got busted for DUI and Pot....then got suspended and, while suspended, got stabbed by his girlfriend(w da fork).....then knocked up a different girlfriend......and the last 2 happened while he was married......and the topper is he had crohns disease and it flared when he was stressed.....like game day....etc.....

 

In between all the excitement....he rushed for 78 yards....

 

Classic.....indeed!

 

 

William Green ran for 2,109 yards.

 

I know that, because that is how many dollars Rich4Eagle owes me.

 

He bet me a dollar per NFL yard Maurice Clarett versus William Green.

 

Zombo

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Classic is right.....just went back and read up on him some more....and I forgot a lot.....

 

He had 2 college suspensions for pot.....then, once here, he got busted for DUI and Pot....then got suspended and, while suspended, got stabbed by his girlfriend(w da fork).....then knocked up a different girlfriend......and the last 2 happened while he was married......and the topper is he had crohns disease and it flared when he was stressed.....like game day....etc.....

 

In between all the excitement....he rushed for 78 yards....

 

Classic.....indeed!

Amazing haha

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William Green ran for 2,109 yards.

 

I know that, because that is how many dollars Rich4Eagle owes me.

 

He bet me a dollar per NFL yard Maurice Clarett versus William Green.

 

Zombo

My bad....I misread it....he had 78 yds his final season with us.....

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Was reading today about Buccs' Kwon Alexander the 4th rounder who has been very good in bus first year. Checked where he went and we took Mayle with the pick immediately before Alexander. Always seems to be the way it's the pick immediately before!

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