May 27,2010-Berea, Ohio
Browns Player Quotes 5-27-10
(Cribbs, Davis, Haden, Hardesty, Mack, Massaquoi, Robiskie)
Friday Morning Would…You Rather Own Mohamed Massaquoi or Pierre Garcon?
October 9, 2009 By 8 Comments
Before we begin this Friday’s Morning Would column, I want to make a declaration about one of its subjects, Browns rookie WR Mohammed Massaquoi.
And that declaration is as follows: henceforth on Midwest Sports Fans, Mohammed Massaquoi will be known as MoMass. This a common practice among fantasy writers and players who are lazy and don’t feel like typing out long, complicated names (ex. Maurice Jones-Drew is “MJD” and DeAngelo Williams is “DAW”).
You see, as much as I love MoMass, both as a building block for the Browns and as a fantasy sleeper for the balance of 2009, his name is one of those difficult ones that is very hard to get through typing without making a mistake.
Here, I’ll try a couple of times typing it at my normal rate without stopping: Mohammed Maaquia; Mohammed Massaquoi, Mohammed Massaqoo, Mohammed Massaquoi, Mohammed Massaqio.
As you can see, the second and fourth attempts were spot on. But 40% accuracy is not acceptable to be. so I’m shortening it to MoMass and that’s that.
And now we can move on to more important subjects…
Two of the hottest names in the WR sleeper category this week — and certainly two of the players that I have been asked about the most in the comments section of the Week 5 start em, sit em post — are MoMass and Pierre Garcon.
This morning, I will analyze which of these two players I’d rather have on my team in Week 5 and beyond.
Fantasy Tip: Pick up Mohamed Massaquoi
October 4, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Quick tip for all you fantasy football players out there: grab Mohamed Massaquoi, and do it quickly. As long as Derek Anderson is playing QB, Massaqoui will be productive. He already has six or seven catches and 100+ yards today, and it’s not a mirage. This is a talented guy who was masked by Brady Quinn’s ineffectiveness.
Massaqoui will not be a superstar, and is a rookie so don’t drop anyone proven for him, but he could be a nice bye week fill in, especially next week against Buffalo and their banged up secondary.
Cleveland Browns 2009 Draft Class: Analysis, Grade, Complete List of Draft Picks
April 26, 2009 By 7 Comments
I’ve posted consistent updates of the Browns 2009 draft, but let’s pull it all together into one post with one final grade.
Now that the 6th round picks are in, here is the complete 2009 draft class for the Cleveland Browns:
- C Alex Mack, California (1st round, #21)
- WR Brian Robiskie, Ohio State (2nd round, #36)
- WR Mohamed Massaquoi, Georgia (2nd round, #50)
- DE/LB David Veikune, Hawaii (2nd round, #52)
- LB Kaluka Maiava, USC (4th round, #104)
- CB Don Carey, Norflok State (6th round, #177)
- CB Coye Francies, San Diego State (6th round, #191)
- RB James Davis, Clemson (6th round, #195)
- Also received QB Brett Ratliff, S Abram Elam, and DE Kenyon Coleman in trade with Jets.
Last night I analyzed the Browns’ first day draft picks and gave them a B+. Click that link for a detailed analysis.
—————-
Great Deals on 2009 Cleveland Browns Tickets from StubHub
—————-
I thought the Browns had a very solid strategy going in to acquire more picks, and they were successful in sticking with that strategy. They were also successful in filling specific needs with each draft pick. Each of their first three picks is a player drafted based on production more than potential, meaning they can step in right away and compete for playing time. In Alex Mack, Brian Robiskie, and Mohamed Massaquoi, we are looking at three guys who could play a significant amount in 2009. David Veikune is a versatile player who may not be an every-down starter, but can play situationally and on special teams.
Each one of the players received from the Jets fills a specific need as well. Ratliff can be the 3rd string QB, Elam provides experienced depth at safety, and Kenyon Coleman can be in the rotation along the front of the defense. Most importantly, they are experienced in Eric Mangini’s system and obviously have the character traits that he and George Kokinis have been specifically looking for.
On the draft’s second day, the Browns continued to find solid players who fill specific needs.
In Kaluka Maiava the Browns found an undersized linebacker, but one who has the intelligence and instincts they covet. If he ever plays with D’Qwell Jackson, the Browns could have the shortest linebacking corps in the NFL, but Maiava will be a special teams contributor and have a chance to contribute in certain defensive packages. Looking at the guys picked after Maiava, no one jumps out at me as someone we should have picked over him.
In the 6th round I thought the Browns did an excellent job of acquiring value at positions of need. We all know that the Browns are weak in the secondary. They were able to pick up the #11 and #23 rated CBs (according to Scouts Inc.) with two of their 6th round picks. While neither may be good enough to unseat Eric Wright or Brandon McDonald, perhaps the most inconsistent duo of corners in the league, they should make the Browns more effective in nickel and dime situations, where Terry Cousin was a touchdown waiting to happen last year.
In RB James Davis the Browns picked up the kind of late-round running back that we often see become a very productive NFL player. Davis was very productive in college but fell because of injury concerns and because he is more of a one-dimensional two-down back. He caught 19 passes as a freshman, which was high water mark as a pass catcher, but his production can be seen in his 47 career touchdowns. That is no small number, and he did it over a consistent 4-year body of work. He could step right in and be a 5-10 carry guy spelling the aging Jamal Lewis. And if anything happens to Jamal, Davis at least has shown over four years that he is capable of being a productive back. I like this pick a lot based on the round and Davis’ productive history.
Overall, I think it would have been hard for the Browns to come out of Day 2 significantly improving upon an already solid grade of B+. But they also did nothing to knock that grade down in my eyes. What keeps them from getting a A is the lack of a true impact talent with significant upside, but I’m not sure that was necessarily their aim heading into this weekend. ManKok seemed pretty intent on drafting solid, low-risk players who can be foundational pieces of a two-year rebuilding project while acquiring volume as opposed to giving up picks to target specific players. They executed this strategy very well.
So while nothing about their 2009 draft class jumps out at you as spectacular, the Browns drafted a solid, productive player who fits a need with every pick. In my years following the Browns I have certainly seen many draft classes that do not measure up to this one, at least upon immediate post-draft analysis. We have no idea how strong this draft class truly is until we see it translate into on-field production, but overall I’m not sure how any Browns could exit draft weekend with anything other than a very positive feeling.
Final Grade for Browns 2009 Draft Class: B+
What do you think?
Loading ...
Why I Love Sports: Random, Fleeting, Unexpected Moments of Jump Around Excitement
April 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Yesterday featured one incredibly exciting 30 second interval for any fans of both the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Browns. I realize that my brother and I may be the only two people in the world who fit this category, but I still want to share it with you anyway.
Allow me to set the stage.
The NFL Draft was in its second round and the Browns had already made three trades and their first two selections (Alex Mack and Brian Robiskie). As their third pick (#50 overall) approached, the Browns still had an opportunity to get another solid WR in Mohamed Massaquoi.
Simultaneously, on WGN, the Chicago White Sox were taking on the Toronto Blue Jays, looking to avenge a 14-0 home pasting on Friday night. With the game hanging in the balance, Sox up 4-2 in the bottom of the 5th, Alexei Ramirez stepped up to the plate with Corky Miller, Paul Konerko, and Brian Anderson loaded up on the basepaths.
After a ridiculous conversation in which my brother said he was contemplating picking up Corky Miller for his fantasy team (look at those career stats!), our full and undivided attention went to the Cuban Missile at the plate with the bases juiced.
Back in the day, the White Sox were able to lay claim to having one of the greatest bases loaded hitters in the history of baseball when Robin Ventura was manning the hot corner and cranking grand slams seemingly every time he stepped up to the plate with the bases juiced.. Last season, after cranking four grand slams as a rookie, Alexei Ramirez put White Sox fans and the rest of the MLB on notice that the most clutch bases loaded hitter in baseball may again play his home games on the south side of Chicago.
As my brother and I flipped back and forth between the NFL Draft (where the Browns were now on the clock) and Alexei Ramirez’s bases loaded at-bat (where he was trying to battle back from a 1-2 count) I made a bold statement:
“Alexei is jacking one. I’m calling it right now. Grand slam.”
My brother looked at me like I had just said something completely ridiculous and/or ignorant and/or nonsensical – almost as if I had said something like, “I’m thinking of picking up Corky Miller, a catcher a who plays once or twice a week, to be my starting fantasy catcher.” I can, though, somewhat understand my brother’s reluctance to jump on board with my prediction that Alexei would go deep. He entered the game still mired in his April slump, hitting below .200 and still without a home run. I have maintained that Alexei is just a slow starter and will be fine in 2009, but even I wasn’t so sure that my prediction was anything more than just a throwaway comment that would ultimately prove insignificant and erroneous.
As the time wound down on the Browns’ selection at #50, and as Alexei battled back to force a full 3-2 count, the anticipation began to build. Would the Browns pull the trigger on Massaquoi? Would Alexei Ramirez put the game out of reach with his fifth career grand slam? Was it incredibly lame that my brother and I had nothing more significant to do on a Saturday night than to be completely enthralled by a 2nd round draft pick and a virtually meaningless April baseball game?
Over the next 30 seconds, the exciting answers to all three questions were revealed with a resounding “You can put it on the board….YES!”
The Browns pick of Mohamed Massaquoi came through, Alexei Ramirez jacked a game-clinching jonron con bases llenas to left field, and my brother and I began jumping up and down and celebrating as if the Browns and White Sox had simultaneously won a Super Bowl and a World Series title all in that one moment.
And once again, not that I needed it, I was reminded why I love sports.
You never know when something will happen that makes you leap out of your chair and act like a kid on Christmas. For 30 seconds last night, it felt like Christmas in April. Am I exaggerating? In hindsight, yes. But in the moment, it was great. And the value of being a sports fan is the sum of all the exciting moments, in all of their varying degrees, that you are privileged enough to experience. And when they come totally unexpectedly, totally out of the blue, well that’s even better.
Last night’s moment was fleeting. I won’t be telling my kids someday about the night the Browns drafted Mohamed Massaquoi and Alexei Ramirez fulfilled my prediction by hitting an April grand slam, but I will tell them, for instance, about the night I was at Assembly Hall when Calbert Cheaney broke the Big Ten career scoring record. However, despite its relative unimportance, last night provided a legitimate thrill in the midst of an otherwise uneventful Saturday night.
And that is what makes the sports fans’ daily labor or love such a rewarding and worthwhile commitment.
Analysis of Cleveland Browns First Day Picks in 2009 NFL Draft
April 25, 2009 By 7 Comments
The first day whirlwind has ended. When all was was said and done the Browns traded back three times before making their first pick and ended up with 7 new players. Here is the timeline of what transpired:
- Browns trade #5 pick to New York Jets for picks #17 and #57 plus QB Brett Ratliff, S Abram Elam, and DE Kenyon Coleman. The Jets pick QB Mark Sanchez at #5.
- Browns trade #17 pick to Tampa Bay Buccaneers for picks #19 and #191. The Bucs take QB Josh Freeman at #17.
- Browns trade #19 pick to Philadelphia Eagles for picks #21 and #195. Philadelphia selects WR Jeremy Maclin at #19.
- Browns draft C Alex Mack with pick #21.
- Browns draft WR Brian Robiskie with pick #36.
- Browns draft WR Mohamed Massaquoi with pick #50.
- Browns draft DE David Veikune with pick #52.
The Browns still have the following picks remaining tomorrow in Day 2 of the 2009 NFL Draft:
- Round 3: None
- Round 4: #104 (4th in round)
- Round 5: None
- Round 6: #177 (4th), #191 (18th), #195 (22nd)
- Round 7: None
Time for some analysis.
Analysis of Overall Draft Mindset
I like what the Browns did in trading back to acquire more picks. This morning I wrote out my dream scenario for the Browns, and while today certainly did not play out exactly like I described, the general idea of trading back to maximize quantity and value was there. Despite finishing the 2007 season on the doorstep of the playoffs, the Browns enter 2009 in a complete rebuilding phase after everything collapsed last season. There was not one player the Browns felt they could get at #5 that was worth the money and/or that was a better value than guys they could get later in the draft for less money and with more picks added to the overall total.
So while the Browns do not walk away from Day 1 with an “exciting” player like Michael Crabtree or Aaron Curry, they do have four solid, high-character rookies, three guys who know Eric Mangini’s system, and four more picks tomorrow. I personally would have liked to see the Browns find a way to get a running back, but that is one position where draft history has proven that value can be had in later rounds.
Final Analysis: Very Positive
Analysis of Players Received in Trade with Jets
Continuity is always a big question mark when a new regime takes over. One thing that Eric Mangini and George Kokinis appear committed to is bringing in guys who are familiar with the style of football and mindset that will be installed for 2009 and beyond. A number of the Browns offseason acquisitions are former Jets with ties to Mangini, guys who will instantly provide a sense of continuity having played in the system previously. And while none of the guys we got from the Jets today is necessarily a difference maker, they all fill specific needs.
- QB Brett Ratliff will be the new #3 quarterback, and I’ve never seen him play or read one word about him, yet I can tell you this: as long as he has a heartbeat, he is an improvement over Ken Dorsey. His acquisition means the Browns do not have to use a pick tomorrow on a QB. He does have good size (6’4, 235) and he obviously is not a total stiff because Mangini coached him last year and was willing to bring him to Cleveland.
- S Abram Elam is nothing special. He has three years of playing experience, having seen the field for Dallas (2006) and the Jets (2007-2008). Last season was his best season as he totaled 69 tackles, 2 sacks, and INT that he returned for a touchdown. The Browns have obvious needs in the secondary, so Elam provides what I would anticipate to be solid depth.
- DE Kenyon Coleman is an 8-year veteran whose two most productive seasons were his two with the Jets. Prior to playing in New York, Coleman spent 6 uneventful seasons in Dallas and Oakland. Over the last two years, Coleman has amassed 136 total tackles and 2 sacks. He had 4 sacks for the Cowboys in a limited role in 2006. Again, he fills a need. The guy isn’t Michael Strahan, but can be a useful player with a couple of years experience playing for Mangini.
Considering that I would have pretty much been happy just getting the #17 and #57 picks for the #5, I can’t be anything but positive about these three players. I don’t know how many of these former Jets are building blocks for the long-term, but they are solid players who will help make the transition to Manginiball more smooth for the entire organization.
Final Analysis: Who knows, but generally positive
Now let’s analyze the draft picks.
Analysis of Browns Pick at #21 – C Alex Mack, Cal
Just look at my post when the pick was announced and you’ll see the oscillation I went through mentally as I processed the pick. I will admit that I was excited about the possibility of picking Beanie Wells at #21, and when we picked a player at the least exciting position on the field, well, it just felt like a letdown. I am still not completely solid that the Browns made the best use of their only first round pick, but I’m coming around somewhat.
Not that they are the official experts, but Scouts Inc. had Alex Mack rated as the #1 center and the #39 overall player. On the one hand, I would have liked to see the Browns get a skill position player here. After suffering through so many boring games last year, I was hoping for a name that would instantly get me excited. Picking Beanie Wells certainly would have gotten me excited.
However, maybe we should get excited about Alex Mack. He is the #1 player at his position in the draft at a position of need for the Browns. And lost in the hubbub over Braylon, K2, and the QBs sucking last year was the fact that our offensive line wasn’t nearly as good as it was in 2007 either. Alex Mack comes in with very few question marks, certainly no character concerns, and potentially starts from Day One.
Beanie Wells, meanwhile, dropped all the way to #31, presumably because many teams are worried about his injury issues.
The Browns moved back, and moved back, and moved back again because they knew they could get the guy they wanted at #21. Well, they got him. And while he won’t whip Ohio fans into a frenzy of excitement like Beanie Wells would have, he is probably the better and more valuable pick. Good teams usually have good centers (look at Jeff Saturday in Indianapolis for an example) and assuming the scouting reports on Mack are correct, the Browns should be set at center for the next decade.
Final Analysis: Not exciting, not franchise altering, but a safe and solid first round selection
Analysis of Browns Picks #36 and #50: WRs Brian Robiskie, Ohio State and Mohamed Massaquoi, Georgia
I am lumping these guys together because I am just so excited about their arrival in Cleveland. If you had told me before today started that the Browns would get Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi and they would still have a first round pick and another second round pick in addition, I would have taken it. Why? Both of these guys are safe, productive picks at legitimate areas of need for the Browns.
After Braylon Edwards, there is literally no one for Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson to throw to (no offense Syndric Steptoe). And we don’t even know if Braylon will be suiting up for the Browns next year. With K2, Stallworth, and Jurevicius gone, the Browns clearly needed an influx of pass-catching talent. Most importantly, they needed talented receivers without the ego baggage that they are already dealing with in Braylon.
“But the Browns could have taken Michael Crabtree at #5 and gotten the best WR in the draft,” the detractors will say. To which I say the following:
- Player A caught a touchdown every 5.1 catches in 2008, with a rate of 5.63 for his career.
- Player B caught a touchdown every 5.25 catches in 2008, with a rate of 5.29 for his career.
Player A is Michael Crabtree. Player B is Brian Robiskie. Pretty comparable huh? Throw in the fact that Crabtree played in a pass happy offense with a veteran quarterback while Robiskie played Tresselball with various QBs, including freshman Terrelle Pryor this year, and Robiskie’s rate is even more impressive.
All things being equal, I think Crabtree is a better player. But Crabtree at #5 or Robiskie at #36? Give me Robiskie.
And then you add Massaquoi, a guy who people started to like more and more as the draft drew closer. He is just a solid, productive football player (noticing a theme?). He played all four years he was at Georgia, never catching fewer than 30 balls in a season. As a senior this past season, three of his biggest games of the year were against Tennessee (and all-SEC DB Eric Berry), Florida, and the rivalry game against Georgia Tech. So he came to play in some of the team’s bigger moments.
There were some more “talented” WRs in this draft than Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi, but there were very few, if any, with as few question marks about their ability to be productive, above average NFL WRs. With the Browns’ dire need for pass catchers, I fully support taking these two guys in the second round to maximize value and minimize risk. And if Braylon is on the team next year and comes to camp motivated to play for a new contract, Brian Robiskie, Mohamed Massaquoi and Braylon Edwards could form a pretty good WR corps by seasons end.
And if Braylon leaves, we still have two reliable WRs to build around.
Final Analysis: Tremendously excited and very supportive of both picks
Analysis of Browns Pick #52: DE David Veikune, Hawaii
I was pulling for LeSean McCoy here, but I can see the logic of this pick. With the Browns not drafting again until round 4, they risked not getting a solid defensive player in the first 3 rounds. David Veikune has very good athletic ability and though Scouts Inc. listed him as a defensive end, he can play both inside and outside for the Browns. He will also mostly likely be a solid special teams player as a rookie.
I could ramble on about him, but the truth is that I know nothing about him. It seems like a reasonable pick to me, and he certainly is athletic. Without having seem him play or having read anything about him before today, I’d just be speculating.
Final Analysis: Sounds good to me, but we’ll see
Final Analysis of Browns 2009 NFL Draft First Day
I am intrigued and encouraged. I like the mindset and I love the addition of the two WRs. I don’t think Browns fans walk away from today believing that now we can win the AFC North, or anything like that. But I do think we can walk away from today saying that we added 7 solid football players to our team, plus a few picks tomorrow that increase roster depth. As the Browns attempt to build a 53-man roster worthy of competing on a year-in, year-out basis, it’s important to walk away from draft day thinking this way. I don’t know about you, but I do.
Final Analysis: No home run picks, and jerseys to run out and buy, but it’s not every day that your team adds 7 guys with a chance to be on the final roster. A solid, focused, strategic effort. B+.
