THE GRID VOL. III

By Bryan Palmese, NFL Draft Bible

Why are some teams mired in mediocrity? Better yet, why are there those few cellar dwellers that seem to end up in last place, drafting in the top ton every year? Some teams have figured out the formula and are able to get out of the rut within a few years of solid off-season moves. Let’s be honest, eventually every team has that horrid 5-11 season, loses some key player or players to free agency and doesn’t even come close to the playoffs for a couple of years.

I thought the whole theory behind the draft was to allow the teams with the worst records to snag the top collegiate players the following year, thus improving their talent base. Combine good drafting with some veteran free agents to fill out your problem areas and you should be on your way to a bright future in the league. Of course, this is easier said than done. Just ask fans in Arizona, Cleveland, or Detroit.

I’m not picking on those teams, but they are the three teams that come to mind when I think about organizational frustration. The Cardinals remind me of the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA. So many early draft picks, yet they always end up right back in that position the following year, and the next…..and the next year. I think the problem in Detroit has a flattop and name rhymes with Fat Chillin’. And then there’s Cleveland. There is no scientific evidence that supports curses, but in sports, there are curses (*cough* Red Sox *cough*). I’m beginning to think there is a curse hanging over the new Browns since the original franchise bolted for Baltimore in the late ‘90’s.

The Cardinals have been the team du jour in the NFC for the past few seasons and for good reason. In recent years they’ve had a solid defense and a talented offense, with an arsenal of weapons at wide receiver capable of taking it to the house on any given play. At one time they had Jake Plummer at the helm, which was solid enough. The backfield was terrible pre-Edgerrin James and the offensive line has been less than stellar. Jake the Snake is gone and the new signal caller Matt Leinart, is one of the future quarterback stars in this league. They lost former top five draft pick Leonard Davis this past off-season, and used their 2007 number five overall selection on Levi Brown. Brown was slated to go top ten but there are question marks about whether or not he is a true franchise left tackle.

Edge is still carrying the ball and if the offensive line will open some holes, he can still be a top five rusher in the league. Plus, it would alleviate some of the pressure on the young gun Leinart if that line would hold up in the trenches. For the first time in awhile I do believe the Cardinals will challenge for a playoff spot. The NFC West will be an exciting division to watch with all of these young hungry teams battling for supremacy. They have a great young core with the ex-Trojan at quarterback, along with Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald at wide out. I think the rookie coach will be a breath of fresh air in the desert this season- and for many more to come.

It’s too easy to kick off the Detroit Lions conversation by making fun of their wide receiver selections the past few seasons. Ahh, who are we kidding. Charles Rogers, Roy Williams, Mike Williams and Calvin Johnson should’ve made the ‘Skins “posse” from the ‘80’s look like a JV team. Matt Millen is so ahead of his time it’s scary. Perhaps his logic was for the Lions to play ironman football. No need to draft other positions of need, just line up Charles Rogers at wide receiver and cornerback. You need a linebacker? Roy Williams, you’re now lining up as the Wheel linebacker. I heard that during the 2005 combine, Mike Williams held his own in the trenches as a guard.

Ok, I beat that dead horse a little too much, but you get the point. This year was a no-brainer in drafting arguably the best player in the draft, Calvin Johnson. To their credit, the Lion defense is getting better and with a couple of pieces added to the puzzle, should be a stout corps for years to come. Kitna was underrated in Cincinnati and should be a solid leader in addition to a mentor for this years second round draft pick Drew Stanton.

Long gone are the days when fans from the Motor City got to cheer Barry Sanders, Mel Gray, and Herman Moore, while Wayne Fontes roamed the Silverdome sidelines. I’d love to see this franchise turn it around and return to the playoffs.

The Cleveland Browns were a storied franchise and their fans are some of the most diehard in the history of this great game. However, those Browns that were a staple in the annals of the AFL and the NFL are no longer in Cleveland. They packed their bags and moved to Baltimore and became the Baltimore Ravens. The “new” Browns haven’t shared any of the success of the “original” Browns. Their drafting has been horrid and is primarily the reason for their downfall.

How horrid of a start to a franchise can one get? How about Tim Couch, Courtney Brown, Gerrard Warren, and Willie Green as your first picks from ’99 – ’02. The jury is out on “The Soldier”, Kellen Winslow II, as well. They say one bad top ten pick will set your franchise back a few years. Umm, you do the math on three bad first round picks (Willie Green was a second rounder) selected. Cursed? How about Kellen Winslow missing two straight seasons with injuries and their key free agent pick up in ’06 having a season ending injury?

At least this season things look to be better. They added Eric Steinbach and Jamal Lewis on offense. In the draft, they added Joe Thomas to help anchor the offensive line along with trading back into the middle of the draft and stealing golden boy quarterback Brady Quinn. A healthy Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards should make this team better than last year. The fans in Cleveland deserve better than what has been given to them in the last decade.

Houston Texans, pay attention. You are heading down the path of the previously mentioned teams. Though you are given a free ride for a number of years because you are an expansion team, that ride is coming to an end pretty soon. Your defense is shaping up nicely. However, David Carr is a better quarterback than what we saw during his stint in Houston. Matt Schaub is a good young signal caller as well and has the potential to light up the scoreboard. Do something with that offensive line or Schaub, like Carr, will not be able to show the talent that he possesses. Ahman Green is a band-aid on a severe cut and Andre Johnson needs some more help at wide receiver. You passed on Reggie Bush and Vince Young last year. Taking one step forward and two steps back will put you behind the eight ball every year. Be careful Texans brass, this next off-season is a major crossroads for your team.

Never one to shy away from delivering the hammer, Flying Bryan Palmese lays the smackdown on the top NFL stories from around the league, exclusively at NFL Draft Bible.

Email: bryan@nfldraftbible.com