Five games are left for the Cleveland Browns season and already die hard Browns fans are talking about the off-season.
This is a reoccurring factor that most Browns fans wish they didn’t have to deal with. Five out of the six seasons the Browns have been back in the NFL, the Browns have been eliminated from playoff contention in mid-November.
For Cleveland sports fans Monday’s resigning of head coach Butch Davis will change the team’s fortune for years to come.
The shocking news that head coach Butch Davis will no longer be with the team was announced Monday morning.
This brought smiles to all Browns backers across the country. The “southern razzle dazzle” coach has misled the Browns franchise for the past three and a half seasons. Butch Davis has done nothing but inject the Browns franchise with bad talent. Whether it was from bad draft picks or free agent signings (all those Miami Hurricanes), Butch Davis never brought in any special players. Imagine Butch could have drafted the following: LaDanian Tomlinison in 2001, Ed Reed in 2002 and Andre Woolfolk or Eric Steinbach in 2003.
Kellen Winslow Jr. was the exception, but Butch still gave a second sound pick to move up one slot in the 2004 draft. Butch Davis’s departure and signing of a General Manager will help the talent of the Cleveland Browns.
The new generation of Browns football is about to begin. Look for young talented athletes on the current Browns roster to start playing more. Michael Lehan, Chris Crocker, Luke McCown and Kirk Chambers are all going to get significant playing time for the rest of the year.
For the coaching vacancy the Cleveland Browns will look to three top candidates Kirk Ferentz of Iowa, Nick Saban of LSU and Al Groh of Virginia. Any of these three candidates would be better than soft-spoken Butch Davis. The Browns will be looking for a “player’s coach.”
Browns fans have a lot to look forward too in the upcoming years. A new head coach that will not ignore the offensive line problems and bring some intensity to the team. Also Kellen Winslow Jr., Ryan Tucker, Courtney Brown, Sean Jones will all be healthy.
The Browns will also be looking for a significant draft pick in the 2005 draft. Their two main targets should be mammoth tackle Alex Barron of Florida St or Antrell Rolle – stud cornerback from Miami.
The future of the Cleveland Browns has to be a success. The city of Cleveland deserves a winner because they are the best fans in all sports. There has to be a light at the end of the tunnel for the Browns.
