Who will be picking first next year?

[Morton]

Originally Posted by Thumper

The Browns, Bills and Broncos.

Sorry, Thumper, no team that has Brian Dawkins on its roster is ever finishing last in the league.

I don't care how bad the offense will be, Dawkins won't let that happen. :)

[Bengalsrocket]

Originally Posted by umphrey

That would partially explain the 45 sacks given up by them last year. I haven't watched the Chiefs much but Albert as a prospect was pretty raw as a tackle. Was a phenomenal guard and had the tools but had to change his technique, body, etc. to make the move. Plus there is the old saying that tackles can move inside but not the other way around.

This is super silly. Albert was a raw prospect so he clearly attributed to all 45 sacks last year.

in 2007, with Tom Brady at QB for 16 games, the New England Patriots gave up 21 sacks.

in 2008, with Matt Cassel at QB for 15 games, the New England Patriots gave up 47 sacks.

in 2009, with Tom Brady at QB for 16 games, the New England Patriots gave up 16 sacks.

I love Matt Cassel and I believe I was one of the only believers that he can be a franchise QB for the Chiefs when he was traded (I may still be in very small company on that stand point). However, he does hold onto the ball a little longer than most QB's. I think he'll get better at this with time, but if not it's not really a huge deal. Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers both are notorious for holding onto the ball to long as well.

Furthermore, Branden Albert did struggle early on but as the year went on he really got acclimated with his position and the rest of the offensive line. Everyone knew he might have some growing pains but he was the best possible choice for the chiefs at #15 that year and has a lot of potential (which he is now starting to realize).

Maybe Albert ends up being terrible this year and turns into a major bust, but an educated analysis doesn't indicate anything of the sort so far. Right now he looks like he's right on track to hold that position for the next 10-15 years (or however long he plays).

[TitanHope]

I think Buffalo, which may actually be a good thing for them so they shouldn't feel bad. They have no Franchise QB or Franchise LT, a defensive overhaul with young players who'll need to play early, and are playing in a division where every team improved. I say it could be a good thing because they need that Franchise QB like Locker to come in and pair with CJ Spiller for a dynamic future offense, or if they miss out on him, they still have a shot at the next best QB, who could be very good like Luck or even Mallett if he improves his accuracy, or a Franchise Left Tackle. They're in the middle of a multiyear process til they become a playoff team, and getting that major building block for their franchise would be very beneficial rather than going 6-10 and possibly missing that elite prospect. I'm not saying fans should hope they lose - just giving a silver lining.

[RealityCheck]

Cleveland takes Cameron Heyward, Robert Quinn or Allen Bailey #1.

[Brodeur]

Originally Posted by keylime_5

hmmm...browns on paper look better than TB, DET, STL, KC, and a few other teams. Not sure why they're such a popular choice considering how well they finished the season, winning their final four games behind a dominating running game and tough defensive efforts by a bunch of no-names....they ran for like 250 on Pittsburgh with just Josh Cribbs and Chris Jennings.

I would say Tampa Bay, Detroit, St.Louis. The usual suspects as they say. Buffalo I want to say but they always manage to win enough games to be in that 8-12 range despite not having good talent on the OLine, QB, or at WR.

I like to look at how teams played at the end of the year. Jets, Titans, Texans, and Browns all kicked butt at the end of the year. I think they'll all have hot starts.

What makes Cleveland better on paper than Tampa or Detroit?

[Rosebud]

I hope its the Bills they've earned getting Locker, if anyone is going to make that over-simplified spread work in the NFL it'll be Locker.

If not them I see the Browns doing terrible, the Lions having another ****** year before hitting .500 next year, the Rams' defense proving too much for that young offense to overcome and the Chiefs being in the mix with the Cards as my dark horse to completely **** the bed, the pass D has serious issues and if Leinart is the bust I and some others expect the offense might not be enough to overcome that.

[Splat]

Originally Posted by Brodeur

What makes Cleveland better on paper than Tampa or Detroit?

Or KC? :) Other then their OL.

[keylime_5]

better defense, better OLine/running game. That's all it takes. DET/TB dont' have good QBs or defenses. Same reasons why Cleveland was kicking butt to end the year and Detroit/Tampa won like 2 games. Jets had a great running game and defense and their QB threw 20 picks yet they won 11 games overall and went to the AFC Championship game.

[Brodeur]

Originally Posted by keylime_5

better defense, better OLine/running game. That's all it takes. DET/TB dont' have good QBs or defenses. Same reasons why Cleveland was kicking butt to end the year and Detroit/Tampa won like 2 games. Jets had a great running game and defense and their QB threw 20 picks yet they won 11 games overall and went to the AFC Championship game.

Detroit was dead because half of the roster was hurt and Tampa actually had some tough games. Cleveland's defense is not better than Detroit or Tampa, nor is the actual running talent better.

Same with the Chiefs whom I forgot to mention.

[keylime_5]

uhhhhh....yeah it is. Tampa is very young on defense though I'll give them that. They have some longterm pieces in place. Detroit has a **** defense and will probably be somewhere between 30 and 32 in pass defense this year. Cleveland was 8th in sacks last year and finished the year as a good run defense with Rubin at nose and Bowens/Trusnik/Roth at linebacker.

[Splat]

The Browns have the better OL but the Chiefs have the better RB's they can go three deep and Cassel isn't great but he is better then any one on the Browns.

[keylime_5]

KC and Cleveland both have good backs. Jamaal Charles/Thomas Jones are a great 1-2 punch. Browns have Harrison/Hardesty now with Hillis and James Davis. Neither of those teams will be hurting in the backfield one bit.

Cleveland's defense was playing really well with a bunch of no names starting. Adding Shaun Rogers, D'Qwell Jackson, Chris Gocong, Sheldon Brown, Joe Haden, and TJ Ward to that mix should solidify the unit even more.

[Brodeur]

Originally Posted by keylime_5

uhhhhh....yeah it is. Tampa is very young on defense though I'll give them that. They have some longterm pieces in place. Detroit has a **** defense and will probably be somewhere between 30 and 32 in pass defense this year. Cleveland was 8th in sacks last year and finished the year as a good run defense with Rubin at nose and Bowens/Trusnik/Roth at linebacker.

The present day starting OLB's are Fujita and Roth. Good luck with the sacks this year.

[Rosebud]

Originally Posted by D-Unit

Gotta be the Bills. Worst run organization in football from top to bottom.

The Bills have been no where near as pathetic as the Raiders or Redskins.

[keylime_5]

Originally Posted by Brodeur

The present day starting OLB's are Fujita and Roth. Good luck with the sacks this year.

Fujita is an ILB next to Jackson. Our OLBs are Roth (who was unblockable late last year when we signed him) with David Bowens and Chris Gocong at LOLB. Marcus Benard is a situational pass rusher who had 5 or 6 sacks in the last 4 or 5 games last year as a rookie UDFA. We were 8th in the league in sacks and now we get Roth for a full year instead of for just a handful of games.

[wonderbredd24]

Originally Posted by Brodeur

The present day starting OLB's are Fujita and Roth. Good luck with the sacks this year.

Roth can get after the quarterback, but Futjita is supposed to be our Teddy inside linbacker and I didn't like or understood the move when it was made... 9 years in the league and no experience in the 3-4. The other pass rushing spot is gonna go to the winner of Gocong/Benard/whomever else is there.

[Brodeur]

Originally Posted by keylime_5

Fujita is an ILB next to Jackson. Our OLBs are Roth (who was unblockable late last year when we signed him) with David Bowens and Chris Gocong at LOLB. Marcus Benard is a situational pass rusher who had 5 or 6 sacks in the last 4 or 5 games last year as a rookie UDFA. We were 8th in the league in sacks and now we get Roth for a full year instead of for just a handful of games.

My mistake with the Fujita thing, but you are putting way too much in the last 4 games of last year.

[vikes_28]

I don't see KC picking number 1 anytime soon. Next year I could see either the Browns or Steelers picking number 1. I know, the Steelers. Big Ben is getting a suspension, and from what I saw last year, they were falling apart. If they don't pick first, they will pick in the top 5. Other possibilities in my eyes, the Rams and Bills.

[wonderbredd24]

Originally Posted by Brodeur

My mistake with the Fujita thing, but you are putting way too much in the last 4 games of last year.

I'm not sure much of that wasn't a mirage myself. However, Roth, from the time he got here was consistently good. My understanding was he was always hurt in Miami and A. The Dolphins with Parcells and Sparano don't put up with injuries anyway, but B. weren't necessarily believing that he was unable to play, so we'll see where that goes.

Honestly, I think the Chiefs' coaching staff tanked the game against us.

[keylime_5]

well that's when they found their "identity" and figured things out.

People tend to look at starting lineups and forget things like Vickers is one of best lead blockers in the game, Harrison was only second to Charles in rushing in the last 4 or 5 games of the year, Joshua Cribbs is a difference maker on our offense even though he isn't really a starter, and we played some damn good defense despite having a bunch of solid veterans and no real "star power" up front.

I think how a team plays at the end of the year is more of an indication of how they'll look the next year than anything else. Remember the Bengals late in 2008? Or the Bengals late in 2004 before they won the division in '05?

[vidae]

Haley should not have been calling plays. He was horrible in more than one occasion.. the Dallas OT playcalling was downright atrocious.

[wonderbredd24]

Originally Posted by keylime_5

well that's when they found their "identity" and figured things out.

People tend to look at starting lineups and forget things like Vickers is one of best lead blockers in the game, Harrison was only second to Charles in rushing in the last 4 or 5 games of the year, Joshua Cribbs is a difference maker on our offense even though he isn't really a starter, and we played some damn good defense despite having a bunch of solid veterans and no real "star power" up front.

I think how a team plays at the end of the year is more of an indication of how they'll look the next year than anything else. Remember the Bengals late in 2008? Or the Bengals late in 2004 before they won the division in '05?

They played the Raiders, the Chiefs, the Steelers, and the Jaguars. 3 of those teams picked in the top 10 and the Steelers did not want to play that game in the least. They looked like the team playing out the string getting ready for the offseason and the Browns looked like they were fighting for a playoff spot.

I think Mangini and company deserve a lot of credit because the team was playing hard at the end of the year, but I'm hesitant to really believe in any of it considering the Browns won 4 games with 0 quarterback play and like I said, the Steelers quit and I think the Chiefs tanked.

[wonderbredd24]

Originally Posted by vidae

Haley should not have been calling plays. He was horrible in more than one occasion.. the Dallas OT playcalling was downright atrocious.

If your special teams coach has a job, the fix was in. Who the **** kicks to Cribbs after you've already given up 1 return TD. 2 return TDs? Was the coaching staff really sitting there thinking I think we've finally got the strategy to beat him?

[Me Likey Rookies]

Most of the time, there is no correlation between playing well late in the season and playing well the next year. There is just too big a gap during the offseason. Plus, Delhomme is crap.

And you guys "kicked butt" against OAK, KC, and JAX... meh

[wonderbredd24]

Originally Posted by Me Likey Rookies

Most of the time, there is no correlation between playing well late in the season and playing well the next year. There is just too big a gap during the offseason. Plus, Delhomme is crap.

And you guys "kicked butt" against OAK, KC, and JAX... meh

Crap > What we had last year