Now that The Big Show Mike Holmgren has shored up his front office roster, it’s time for him–and for us–to look at the team’s roster. We’ve borrowed from the Department of Homeland Security and will be looking at each position group day by day, finishing with a roster upgrade ranking based on need. Check back each day this week for a new position group. Previous Reports: RB
One of the first things that Mike Holmgren said his group would need to do was evaluate the roster, the coaching staff, the hot dog vendors- in short everything. Then they would make decisions. We here at WFNY agree. Take the time to evaluate what you have. (Josh Cribbs will still be there in a month.) Then start making decisions to turn this franchise around. We would like to offer our assistance. That’s the premise behind the Holmgren Report. Today, the offensive line.
The 2009 season-
Your starters- Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Alex Mack, Floyd Womack, John St.Clair. Also seeing significant time- Hank Fraley and Rex Hadnot.
This group did make progress. Let’s be honest though, it would have been hard for this group to step backwards after the way they started the season. From the first game Cleveland had trouble protecting the quarterback and opening holes for the running game. Obviously, by the end of the season, the group was doing a pretty good job of run blocking.
Joe Thomas is going to the Pro Bowl again. He deserves it. I was kind of surprised with last year’s selection, but this year I felt he played better. He is the cornerstone of the offense for the foreseeable future. Steinbach still gets pushed around by big DTs. I would love to see him try and add a little weight. His contract is for a Pro Bowl level guard (some would argue more for a Pro Bowl level tackle) however, and Steinbach just isn’t showing that kind of play. I’m not suggesting that the Browns just up and get rid of him, but his contract could be a hindrance to signing other players down the road. Rookie Alex Mack sure has enjoyed some kind words about his play down the stretch. Mack certainly has improved throughout the season (as you would expect a rookie to do) but I’m not going to pronounce him a future Pro Bowler just yet.
The right side of the line was a disaster for the majority of the season. Newly acquired Womack and St. Clair did not impress. I wrote this following week 1-
I am concerned about St. Clair. It doesn’t appear to me that we have solved the right tackle problem at all. I hope that I am wrong, but it seems like our new tackle is a lot like the old one (Shaffer) in that he will struggle against the speed rush from the edge.
Yep. Concern is an understatement. St. Clair got beat every way imaginable this season. Speed rushes, double moves, spins. You name it. He is a much better run blocker than pass protector. I will give him credit for running downfield and making blocks fifteen yards away from the line during Harrison’s magical game. But that alone isn’t enough to give him the starting spot on this team.
Overall, I would have to grade this unit out to a C- for the season. You just can’t ignore the body of work before the winning streak. If the Browns are to be successful running the ball next year, they will have to improve on up the middle runs. Given more time, I think defenses would concentrate on cutting off the outside runs, which is where the Browns had the most success at the end of the season. Pushing defenders off the ball is still not an area of strength for this group.
Contract Situation-
Joe Thomas 2010: $4.7 million, 2011: $8 million, 2012: $2.23 million (Voidable Year), 2013: Free Agent
Eric Steinbach 2010: $5.75 million, 2011: $6.25 million, 2012: $6 million, 2013: $6.25 million, 2014: Free Agent
Alex Mack Signed a five-year, $12.2 million rookie contract. The deal contains $8.3 million guaranteed, including an undisclosed option bonus. Another $2.8 million is available through incentives. 2009-2013: Under Contract, 2014: Free Agent
Rex Hadnot Free Agent
Floyd Womack 2010: $755,000, 2011: Free Agent
John St. Clair Signed a three-year, $9.1 million contract. The deal includes $1.25 million guaranteed. 2009-2011: Under Contract, 2012: Free Agent
Hank Fraley 2010: $1.63 million, 2011: Free Agent
Browns Roster Upgrade Advisory- Elevated.
Hank Fraley may be an adequate right guard, and Womack is worth keeping for depth purposes. I’m really not a fan of St. Clair’s work. I would make right tackle a decent priority if I were Holmgren. Conventional wisdom says you don’t draft a right tackle. Let’s be unconventional. I’m not saying draft a tackle in the first round, but I would certainly identify someone for the third through fifth round that you like. Otherwise, we’ll be bringing in yet another discarded tackle. You don’t want to make the offensive line a patch-work position every year. It just doesn’t work. Since Fraley and Womack are both free agents after this season I would say finding a guard in the draft would be a wise move.
2010 Free Agents-
Jahri Evans, New Orleans Saints
Logan Mankins, New England Patriots
Marcus McNeill, San Diego Chargers
Willie Colon, Pittsburgh Steelers
Donald Penn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Daryn Colledge, Green Bay Packers
Chad Clifton, Green Bay Packers
Eugene Amano, Tennessee Titans
David Baas, San Francisco 49ers
Khalif Barnes, Oakland Raiders
Alex Barron, St. Louis Rams
Mike Brisiel, Houston Texans
Nick Cole, Philadelphia Eagles
Ryan Cook, Minnesota Vikings
Tyson Clabo, Atlanta Falcons
Harvey Dahl, Atlanta Falcons
Mike Gandy, Arizona Cardinals
Cornell Green, Oakland Raiders
Ben Hamilton, Denver Broncos
Justin Hartwig, Pittsburgh Steelers
Lots of tackles in this group, including some who have been left tackles like Marcus McNeil, Donald Penn and Daryn Colledge. Evans is the best of this bunch in this writer’s opinion but will most certainly get offered a new deal by the Saints. The Browns could always try the best of both worlds approach by signing away Colon or Hartwig from the Steelers.
Here are the top linemen in the draft-
Russell Okung, Oklahoma State
Anthony Davis, Rutgers
Bryan Bulaga, Iowa
Trent Williams, Oklahoma
Bruce Campbell, Maryland
Vladimir Ducasse, UMASS-Amherst
Kiper has Okung as the 7th best player in the draft. The Browns pick 7th. The math works no? Actually, while I would love the idea of having two top ten picks at the tackle spot, it makes little sense from a financial standpoint to tie up so much money in your offensive line. Thomas, Steinbach and Mack are paid like first rounders already. Now if a guy like Campbell was around when the Browns pick in the second I might have to consider it. Ducasse is the top guard in the draft, but didn’t play against top notch competition. He would be a bit of a gamble. Certainly worth the risk later in the draft.
So there you have it. My take: we need to shore up the right side, while adding a player to learn the guard position for the future.
(Thanks to Rotoworld.com for the contract info.)