XMas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa all in one for you CLEVELAND BROWNS FANS!!!

By: Jerry "J-Rocc" Mires

Cleveland Browns fans everywhere, if you haven't yet done so, you really should be busy right now firing off cards and letters in thanks to one Daniel Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins. Thanks to his organization, Browns fans everywhere wont find themselves even MORE miserable for the next 5-7 years... and in no thanks at all to 95% of the local media here in Cleveland.

Usually, I refrain from referencing other broadcasters or stations, unless its in a positive way (such as bringing to the forefront a great book, or column written by a local author/columnist). However, the majority of the Cleveland sports media should be ashamed of themselves for the way they fawned all over RG3, and attempted to steamroll Browns fans and followers everywhere into lemming-like agreement with their chosen target of todays' affection (not to mention tomorrows regret!).

The FM station in town should have just renamed themselves RG.3(s) BIG FAN, as I mean it, goofs on all day parts of that station (minus a select few) COULDN'T THROW THEMSELVES AT THE RG3 ALTAR FAST ENOUGH!  

I heard host after host around town (and read blog after blog, and tweet after tweet, blah blah blah) rail against the Browns if they had any notion of taking anyone not named RG3, and some even after the Skins-Rams trade, blasting the Browns for not trumping Washington to get the almighty RG3... 

They were willing to trade any and all that it took to get what some of the local "media" claimed as the once in a lifetime talent that is RG3.. He is NOT ONCE IN ANY LIFETIME first off, he is a good college quarterback who took center stage after the real QB jewel of the draft not named Andrew Luck (Read that: Matt Barkley) decided not to join in on the fun...

He is also a good quarterback who lived in an offense unlike most of the NFL and has never taken snaps behind center, and the list of all world college QBs who threw for 1 million college yards, but who didn't translate to the NFL is long enough that you don't risk your draft for the next 3 years, and smart teams let other teams make that move... 

[That's what most teams allow us to do in the draft every year, Cleveland takes Mel Kipers' picks who flop, while Pittsburgh takes the great players ESPN doesn't mention at all late in the 1st rd who always become All-Pro talents!]

They hung up on any caller who didn't want him, said anyone who didn't agree with them knew nothing about football, proceeded to make themselves sound like newbie fan boys with the loudest microphone, as if the more often and the louder they say it, the more true it becomes...

As I said on the show over and over the last month, however good RG3 pans out to be next year and beyond in the NFL... that is not how good he would have been if his path went through Cleveland. This team is in no position to make that move, and by the sheer luck that someone out there dumber than people wanted us to be made the Rams a "Herschel Walker" deal, we are spared finding this out first hand!

The Browns are now spared (for once) making the chowder head moves of the draft, and can focus on using the entire spectrum of our draft picks/options on filling the multiple holes remaining on our team.

We can now add starters on the offensive and defensive lines, bring in some more pieces on defense (perhaps Clairborne from MSU at 4, if Kalil goes at 3? Or how about Melvin Ingram if he falls to us at 22? Mike Adams and/or Devier Posey in Rds 2 or 3?), grab a WR prospect to pair along with a free agent WR or 2... With perhaps as many as 10 picks once the compensatory picks are dished out, the Browns have a chance to add youth, depth and talent.. NOT TO MENTION AT LEAST 3-5 STARTERS to a young team, and really kick start this rebuild right in the ass!

If the Browns get RG3... none of these options are on the table, nor the 1st round draft pick for the next 3 seasons...

Let that sink in...

If you think things are bad now, imagine what happens if everybody touting RG3 just happened to be wrong about our 2012 draft, you know, because its not like that has ever happened to us here in Cleveland before right? We've never been wrong in the top 5 of the draft, have we?

We have? Oh, well in that case...

This week Cleveland, don't fret, and don't moan about RG3.. Trust me, in the immortal words of Rick James and Dave Chappelle: "It's a celebration Cleveland, Enjoy yourselves!" (Wish I had more hands, so I can give Dan Snyder 4 thumps up!!!)

NFL Draft 2012: The Top Five Picks

 By Brett Crow

In just over two months, fans across the country will be thumbing through NFL Draft magazines as their teams pick the future of the franchise. As Cleveland Browns fans, we can’t even begin to imagine what we’re going to do with our pick. So let’s explore those first few picks of the coming draft.

With the number one pick, the Indianapolis Colts will surely take Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. They have no reason not to take Luck. Luck not only addresses the need at QB that the Colts have, but he’s also the mostly highly valued player in the 2012 NFL draft. Even if they don’t want him (which is absurd to think), they could easily find a team willing to sell the farm for Luck as their franchise quarterback.

The number two pick is where things get really tricky and where most of the focus should be for Browns fans. The St. Louis Rams own this pick and are the wildcard in determining fates for the next few teams below them on the board.

Assuming the Rams don’t trade their pick, they will more than likely draft offensive tackle Matt Kalil out of USC. Kalil is the common sense pick for the Rams, as installing him on the left side of the line will instantly make life easier for current Rams quarterback Sam Bradford. Kalil has the pedigree aswell, with both brother (Ryan Kalil, Carolina Panthers) and father (Frank Kalil, Buffalo in USFL) having played on the offensive line.

However, it’s unlikely that the Rams will keep this pick. It’s highly speculated that the Rams will trade this pick to the Cleveland Browns so that they will draft Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. The Browns have the most to offer the Rams with a first round pick not far from where the Rams initially are and the bonus of the Browns having a late 1st round and an early 2nd rounder. The Rams can get whatever price they want for RGIII.

That being said, the Rams can also use RGIII, and see what value they can get for Bradford. However, the value of Robert Griffin is much higher than Bradford, even though Bradford has proven he can be an effective starting quarterback in the league. The most likely move the Rams will take is to trade their pick or sign RGIII and trade him somewhere. They will easily find a suitor for him and get more than enough value for him. If they elect not to trade however, the easy pick is Kalil.

Third in the draft order is the Minnesota Vikings. Assuming Cleveland traded up and took Robert Griffin, Minnesota will not waste anytime in picking Matt Kalil. Or will they? Minnesota is also in dire need of help in the secondary. While Matt Kalil should be the common sense pick, they could easily pick up LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. And when you have Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers on your schedule twice a year, along with Calvin Johnson on the Detroit Lions, a secondary is increasing important in the NFC North.

Now we come to the Cleveland Browns (or St. Louis Rams if we assume the trade happens). With the fourth pick in the first round, the Cleveland Browns could find a lot of use out of receiver prospect Justin Blackmon from Oklahoma State. There’s no doubt Blackmon is a standout wide receiver with exceptional playmaking ability. With the current weak wideout core that the Browns currently boast, Blackmon would be a great asset for the Browns and is certain to be available at pick number four. However, I would expect the Browns to trade up for Robert Griffin, as I feel that quarterback is the more pressing need for the Cleveland club.

Assuming they do trade and the pick ends up in St. Louis’ hands, it’s hard to imagine that St. Louis would pass on Blackmon. There’s also a chance that they could go with Iowa tackle Riley Reiff. As mentioned before, St. Louis needs a lot of help on the line.

At pick five, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are next in the draft. It’s hard to imagine that Tampa Bay will look anywhere aside from at Alabama running back Trent Richardson. NFL scouts across the country sing his praises and the move would enable the Bucs to either get rid of an oft-troubled LeGarrette Blount or present a formidable two-headed running back attack that has become the norm in the NFL.

Speculation aside, I think it’s pretty easy to see how the top five picks will go:

1.  Colts: Andrew Luck, QB from Stanford
2.  Browns (from Rams): Robert Griffin III, QB from Baylor
3.  Vikings: Morris Claiborne, CB from LSU
4.  Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR from Oklahoma State
5.  Buccaneers: Trent Richardson, RB from Alabama