A bit of a blog sort of post here. Normally something like this wouldn't be worth making a thread over, but I made a comment in the Sports Bar a few days ago about the idea of teams taking Rookie QBs early in hopes that they will be the future of their team, and then starting mediocre QBs over them in their first season. Which is why I think this move by the Browns is spark for an excellent discussion.
For example, the Jaguars are going with Chad Henne to start the season over third overall pick Blake Bortles. What is the point is taking a QB with the third overall pick when you have no solid starter in front of him, and have realistically no chance to contend for even the division let alone the playoffs? If it were my decision I would rather put the guy I think is going to be the face of my team in a few years right at the helm right away. Get him that experience now, and who knows if he really is the super stud I drafted him to be, then maybe he'll actually carry this awful team to a breakout season? There is no point in letting him sit on the sidelines and watch a guy like Chad Henne.
Now if there was a veteran leader in front of him then that justifies giving him time on the bench. Say a guy like Michael Vick while still no longer near starting caliber anymore, is a guy with veteran experience that could give your QB a few pointers. Chad Henne is not that guy, and I think the Jaguars are making a mistake with that decision, as are the Vikings with how they are handling Teddy Bridgewater to start the season.
And at first with the Browns I thought they were making the same mistake, but here's the thing...with Johnny Manziel it's different. This guy has more media attention than anyone in the league right now. Add on the missing team meetings, and the sign language he was using...being thrown right into the spotlight is actually one thing that won't help. Guys like Bortles and Bridgewater I think that would help them, but with Johnny it's the opposite. He needs to get out of the spotlight for a couple weeks, take his time, learn the playbook, and just get better.
So for once I think this is actually the right decision. Either way this Browns team is still at least a few years away from being contenders in the AFC North. That division is flat out tough. After the NFC West, I think that is the toughest division in the league. I personally think it's tougher because the AFC North has three contending teams right now while the NFC West is mostly the Seahawks and 49ers (The Cardinals and Rams aren't contenders in my mind). Ravens and Steelers are not going anywhere. Steelers became less relevant the last two years, and the Ravens had that Superbowl hangover last season, but both of them have majorly fixed at least most of the problems that they've had. Add on Cincinnati who are still big time contenders.
Now that I think of it I believe the NFC West is overrated. Seahawks and 49ers right off the bat are the two best teams in the entire league. But the Cardinals while they have some good players, are not playoff contenders this year. Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald are another year older, and Andre Ellington is a way too small to be a full time starter. That guy is going to be injured before the Arizona bye week and I'd bet money on it. The only real stud on their defense is Patrick Peterson, and nobody else even comes close to being as good. That team will not have as good of a season as they did last year, and unfortunately for them that 10-6 season wasn't even good enough to make the playoffs. They're looking at more of an 8-8 year this time around. 9-7 tops and that won't be good enough for the playoffs in the NFC. So other than the dog fight between the 'Hawks and Niners every year, that division is not tough.
The second toughest division honestly would be the NFC North. Packers, Bears, and Lions are all contenders for the playoffs. But I'm getting off topic, I'm going to make a prediction post soon going over each division and who I think will win it, but to get back on topic...the AFC North is tough. Steelers and Ravens showed signs of degression, but then turned around and fixed most of their problems, while the Bengals are still the same contending team that they've been with no signs of slowing down just yet. So the Browns have a lot of work to do to keep up in this division. It's certainly not happening this year. Next year with Josh Gordon back, and some right pieces together it will be steps in the right direction, but even then this is all assuming Johnny Football is as advertised. If he's a big bust...well then the Browns are back to square one. If he isn't then here's how I see things playing out long term.
If the Browns are going to content in the AFC North then it's going to be either because one the Bengals have serious QB trouble with Andy Dalton being such a scrub. Or two Ben Roethlisberger retiring and the Steelers being left without anyone at QB. The latter might take awhile because he's only 32. He has an absolute minimum of three seasons left, and I'm only giving him that little of time because the guy gets hit in the backfield more than any other back in the league with that offensive line and has suffered so many injuries because of it. But realistically I think he has a good six seasons left before he's done, and I think the Steelers will contend for most of that time span with a couple 9-7 seasons thrown in there. While the Ravens offense has gotten weaker with Ray Rice nearing the end and having little wideout talent in my opinion, Joe Flacco is still a solid starter and their defense is as good as it ever was, I don't see them going anywhere yet either.
There are so many obstacles the Browns and Johnny Manziel will have to overcome just to become playoff contenders in that division, and I don't see it happening for a few years at least with Manziel being on top of his game. If Johnny Manziel is a big fat bust, then the Browns go back to being a four win team that will continue to rebuild. And that city is just plain old cursed so their luck Manziel will be a bust.
For example, the Jaguars are going with Chad Henne to start the season over third overall pick Blake Bortles. What is the point is taking a QB with the third overall pick when you have no solid starter in front of him, and have realistically no chance to contend for even the division let alone the playoffs? If it were my decision I would rather put the guy I think is going to be the face of my team in a few years right at the helm right away. Get him that experience now, and who knows if he really is the super stud I drafted him to be, then maybe he'll actually carry this awful team to a breakout season? There is no point in letting him sit on the sidelines and watch a guy like Chad Henne.
Now if there was a veteran leader in front of him then that justifies giving him time on the bench. Say a guy like Michael Vick while still no longer near starting caliber anymore, is a guy with veteran experience that could give your QB a few pointers. Chad Henne is not that guy, and I think the Jaguars are making a mistake with that decision, as are the Vikings with how they are handling Teddy Bridgewater to start the season.
And at first with the Browns I thought they were making the same mistake, but here's the thing...with Johnny Manziel it's different. This guy has more media attention than anyone in the league right now. Add on the missing team meetings, and the sign language he was using...being thrown right into the spotlight is actually one thing that won't help. Guys like Bortles and Bridgewater I think that would help them, but with Johnny it's the opposite. He needs to get out of the spotlight for a couple weeks, take his time, learn the playbook, and just get better.
So for once I think this is actually the right decision. Either way this Browns team is still at least a few years away from being contenders in the AFC North. That division is flat out tough. After the NFC West, I think that is the toughest division in the league. I personally think it's tougher because the AFC North has three contending teams right now while the NFC West is mostly the Seahawks and 49ers (The Cardinals and Rams aren't contenders in my mind). Ravens and Steelers are not going anywhere. Steelers became less relevant the last two years, and the Ravens had that Superbowl hangover last season, but both of them have majorly fixed at least most of the problems that they've had. Add on Cincinnati who are still big time contenders.
Now that I think of it I believe the NFC West is overrated. Seahawks and 49ers right off the bat are the two best teams in the entire league. But the Cardinals while they have some good players, are not playoff contenders this year. Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald are another year older, and Andre Ellington is a way too small to be a full time starter. That guy is going to be injured before the Arizona bye week and I'd bet money on it. The only real stud on their defense is Patrick Peterson, and nobody else even comes close to being as good. That team will not have as good of a season as they did last year, and unfortunately for them that 10-6 season wasn't even good enough to make the playoffs. They're looking at more of an 8-8 year this time around. 9-7 tops and that won't be good enough for the playoffs in the NFC. So other than the dog fight between the 'Hawks and Niners every year, that division is not tough.
The second toughest division honestly would be the NFC North. Packers, Bears, and Lions are all contenders for the playoffs. But I'm getting off topic, I'm going to make a prediction post soon going over each division and who I think will win it, but to get back on topic...the AFC North is tough. Steelers and Ravens showed signs of degression, but then turned around and fixed most of their problems, while the Bengals are still the same contending team that they've been with no signs of slowing down just yet. So the Browns have a lot of work to do to keep up in this division. It's certainly not happening this year. Next year with Josh Gordon back, and some right pieces together it will be steps in the right direction, but even then this is all assuming Johnny Football is as advertised. If he's a big bust...well then the Browns are back to square one. If he isn't then here's how I see things playing out long term.
If the Browns are going to content in the AFC North then it's going to be either because one the Bengals have serious QB trouble with Andy Dalton being such a scrub. Or two Ben Roethlisberger retiring and the Steelers being left without anyone at QB. The latter might take awhile because he's only 32. He has an absolute minimum of three seasons left, and I'm only giving him that little of time because the guy gets hit in the backfield more than any other back in the league with that offensive line and has suffered so many injuries because of it. But realistically I think he has a good six seasons left before he's done, and I think the Steelers will contend for most of that time span with a couple 9-7 seasons thrown in there. While the Ravens offense has gotten weaker with Ray Rice nearing the end and having little wideout talent in my opinion, Joe Flacco is still a solid starter and their defense is as good as it ever was, I don't see them going anywhere yet either.
There are so many obstacles the Browns and Johnny Manziel will have to overcome just to become playoff contenders in that division, and I don't see it happening for a few years at least with Manziel being on top of his game. If Johnny Manziel is a big fat bust, then the Browns go back to being a four win team that will continue to rebuild. And that city is just plain old cursed so their luck Manziel will be a bust.
