Cleveland Browns Fire GM Kokinis: Now What?
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Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner dismissed Browns general manager George Kokinis on Monday after the Browns were embarrassed by the Bears on Sunday. Whether or not that was the correct decision is irrelevant at this point as Kokinis has already been shown the door. The Browns and the most loyal/punished fans in the NFL must now look ahead to what's going to be another rough couple of years. There are some steps the Cleveland Browns can take in order to hopefully begin a new era. Here are the things I would do as Browns GM/head coach before Cleveland faces Baltimore on November 12.
Step 1 for the Cleveland Browns: Cut Derek Anderson
Here's the deal with the quarterback situation in Cleveland. Neither Anderson nor Brady Quinn is going to be a decent NFL QB when both guys know his replacement is just waiting for him to screw up. The Browns must commit to one of these quarterbacks. Derek Anderson has had more than enough chances as the Browns quarterback. In these chances, he's throw worm burners on screen passes, missed wide open receivers and dropped about a dozen snaps.
By cutting Anderson, the Browns can do what they should have done in September. Cleveland head coach Eric Mangini can sit Quinn down and tell Brady that he is Cleveland's guy, thus taking the pressure off of Quinn. Quinn throws an interception? No big thing. They can look at the tape and see how Quinn can improve. Taking the pressure off of Quinn and reminding Quinn that he has no offensive line, elite wide out or running game will allow Quinn to learn on the field without having to worry about losing his job to the horrible Derek Anderson.
Step 2 for the Cleveland Browns: Pay Josh Cribbs
Wide receiver/one of the best kick returners in the NFL Josh Cribbs has been lobbying for more money from the Cleveland Browns since the offseason. Normally, I'm not a football fan that wants to overpay for a guy who can't run a route or be anything other than a third down wide receiver (thus far in his career). In 2009, though, Cribbs has been the only offensive weapon the Browns have. He's also one of the most popular guy on the team. If nothing else, pay Josh Cribbs for the fans. Besides, with Cribbs on the team, you can…
Step 3 for the Cleveland Browns: Give Cribbs the Football
I like seeing the Browns use Cribbs in the Wildcat/option offense formation. The biggest problem is that the Browns run the same play each time Cribbs goes into the shotgun. QB draw after QB draw. That's it. If Cribbs actually handed the ball off twice in a row, opposing defenses would have to play against the hand off, opening up some holes up front. This would also create possibilities for Cribbs, the former college quarterback, to throw the football.
Step 4 for the Cleveland Browns: Play the Young Guys
This one is quite simple. If a player isn't in the long term plans for the Browns, he shouldn't be starting. Wide out Mike Furrey has a few years left in him so I have no problem with him on the field. I just want to see more Brian Robiskie, Mohamed Massaquoi, Chansi Stuckey and Jerome Harrison. Jamal Lewis? Hank Fraley? Not so much. Unfortunately, the Cleveland Browns must now treat the 2009 regular season like a very long preseason. See which players will make the 2010 roster and which ones will be gone. I don't care if the Browns have to bring up a dozen guys from the practice squad. Play the youth, Cleveland, and play them now. Cleveland Browns fans have long ago realized that this season is a lost cause. The sooner the Browns accept this fact (if they haven't already), the sooner the organization can attempt to build a respectable football team.
None of these things are going to make a winner in Cleveland in 2009. Giving up on this season is the first step to making the next ten years for the new Cleveland Browns better than the first decade.


