2021 preseason
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GM Performance for QuikSand of the Cleveland Browns
Year Team Eval Perf Diff Proft FrVal Record Playoffs
2020 CLE 58 52 81 59 61 9-7-0 None
2019 CLE 78 100 79 71 64 14-6-0 Bowl Winner
2018 CLE 86 95 78 90 58 15-4-0 Conference Champion
2017 CLE 69 74 77 71 54 11-6-0 Wild Card Round
2016 CLE 91 100 76 100 52 15-4-0 Bowl Winner
2015 CLE 92 100 74 100 60 17-2-0 Bowl Winner
2014 CLE 89 90 75 100 58 16-2-0 Conference Final
2013 CLE 86 83 75 100 51 13-5-0 Division Final
2012 CLE 89 95 77 100 51 17-2-0 Conference Champion
2011 CLE 79 66 77 97 44 13-6-0 Conference Final
2010 CLE 80 83 78 91 37 12-5-0 Division Final
2009 CLE 83 83 79 99 31 12-5-0 Division Final
2008 CLE 73 69 79 90 22 9-8-0 Wild Card Round
2007 CLE 66 28 79 100 17 7-9-0 None
2006 CLE 58 2 77 100 20 3-13-0 None
2005 CLE 57 17 74 86 28 5-11-0 None
2004 CLE 61 5 71 100 33 4-12-0 None
It’s tempting to look at this, and wonder—is “the run” over? After 12 straight years in the playoffs, our Browns have dropped out of the postseason. Are we poised for a big rebound? Or ready to drop into mediocrity? In recent years, we have committed to a handful of top-dollar players – that formula is a turnabout from our formative years (when we got onto this roll to begin with) and has yielded a 2019 title – but are we now paying the price with an un-maintainable roster?
Time will tell.
Transitions and League Observations
Three retirements from our team this year – we knew they were coming.
RG Lincoln Gruber started every game but one over twelve years for us, and retires with a remarkable 0.6% sacks allowed ratio – part of the solid pass protection we demand from our line. He’s been a great player and leader for us.
DE Jimmy Fox was up and down for us, since we drafted him in 2007. After 13 seasons with the Browns, he started 93 games, posted 45.5 sacks, and became our on-field leader and mentor to young defensive ends. A solid player, who filled in when we needed him and posted one all-pro worthy season in 2009.
We also lose CB Adam Caston, a “system guy” for us who played five seasons. I’ve gotten comfortable using guys who can drop into man coverage, and have little else to bring to the table. Caston had a solid 41 passes defensed in his 51 starts for us – solid numbers for a bargain-basement guy.
We’ll survive without these guys, but this is the first season’s worth of retirements that has me starting to feel sentimental. With Gruber joining Bennie Heinlein on the retired list, I feel like our old offensive line has officially been broken up.
Front Office Decisions
Head Coach K.C. Hansen is up for a new deal, which could be very costly. 3 titles with us, and very strong ratings – I’d expect him to be probably the top open market candidate. Oddly enough, his demand is for $1,850,000 – which is surpassed by no fewer than
67 guys – a variety of coordinators, head coaches, and grate-hugging vagrants. What gives? Hansen is 58, has a fabulous record, and great ratings – why wouldn’t he be landing a deal for $8 million?
I put in an offer of $2 million a year Fortunately for Hansen, Houston is interested, and offers $3.45 million. That’s a bit more like it. I move to outbid them, and lock him up for $3.6 million a season going forward.
Roster Review
We’ll have a look at the roster, and get a sense of what work needs to be done in this offseason.
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Players Under Contract: 39
Salary Cap: $75,000,000
Cap Room: $3,370,000
Maximum for New Player: $1,760,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $1,270,000
So, we are practically capped out as we stand. This will very likely be the first year where we are forced to actually make significant roster cuts, just to get a full roster. Also, keep in mind that we lack picks in rounds one and three of this year’s draft – so we won’t have a major youth infusion coming, either. Ah, trade-offs.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Brock, Deion 2 QB 9 56 56 2 yrs
Houston, James 12 QB 11 55 55 2 yrs
Lyons, Justin 5 QB 12 33 33 ---
Dixon, Glenn 19 QB 2 29 60 2 yrs
Donaldson, Kerry 13 QB 3 28 48 1 yr.
We’re actually in great shape here. Deion Brock, when healthy, is a superstar-caliber performer, set aside what the scouts say. Year in, year out, he’s over 100 in passer rating. We have to try to keep him healthy. James Houston is a veteran backup, but doesn’t have the ability Brock clearly does. Glenn Dixon continues to improve, and we think he’ll eventually be our main guy. Brock’s contract runs for this year and next – Dixon is being sized up to be the 2023 starter.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Stewart, Gus 39 RB 8 84 84 2 yrs
Barker, Terrance 44 RB 7 58 58 1 yr.
Sims, Daryl 37 RB 3 30 37 1 yr.
If you, gentle reader, have not been following closely let me catch you up to speed. Gus Stewart has been unbelievable for us. After setting the bar very, very high with six straight seasons rushing for over 1,300 yards each year, he posts a monster career year in 2020, with 1,767 yards on 6.0 yards per carry – unheard-of numbers. Awesome.
Berker is a solid veteran reserve, and Sims is a nice change-of-pace back with some receiving skills. This is just what we like in our backfield – we’re set.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Brandon, Dean 45 FB 7 58 62 ---
McConnell, Joseph 38 FB 11 45 46 1 yr.
Sellers, Karl 80 TE 6 82 82 4 yrs
Wynn, Darrin 87 TE 4 30 40 ---
We tied up big money in Karl Sellers, and hope that he can continue as a super-solid receiving threat. Veteran McConnell is my kind of starter at FB, and we expect to fill in the reserve spots with youngsters this year.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Tilton, Cornelius 83 FL 9 39 39 1 yr.
Colaianne, Arnie 84 FL 3 28 41 ---
Pritchett, Don 89 SE 4 66 66 3 yrs
Pendleton, Ted 82 SE 5 49 49 2 yrs
Harmon, Van 86 SE 11 34 34 1 yr.
Don Pritchett had a down year last season, posting only 49 catches. We need much more from him, no matter who is passing the ball. Cornelius Tilton is a decent contributor and the group leader, but not really a starting-caliber player. Hopefully, either Van Harmon (back from injury) or Ted Pendleton (still developing nicely) will step into the starting role aside Pritchett, and help boost the passing game overall.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Beyer, Jackie 57 C 2 53 61 3 yrs
Munn, Colin 54 C 4 34 47 2 yrs
Banks, Arnold 73 LG 8 68 68 ---
Thornton, Mickey 53 LG 11 40 40 1 yr.
Cunningham, Ted 56 RG 3 32 52 1 yr.
Craig, Conrad 72 LT 8 60 63 ---
Wilson, Irv 66 RT 4 40 43 2 yrs
Glaspie, Nathan 78 RT 9 38 38 1 yr.
Big issues here. Conrad Craig and Arnold Banks are the core to my recently-rebuilt offensive line, and both are going to want BIG money this year. I don’t have it to give them, obviously. I suspect our only option will be to pursue a free agent or two, and hope we can assemble a passable starting squad without those two.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Burnette, Lance 3 P 4 48 48 ---
Meyer, Richard 18 K 2 24 38 2 yrs
Burnette has been fine for us, and we’ll try to re-sign him. Richard Meyer is nothing special – we might look for an upgrade. We miss K Mo Crain, a topped-out stud who just locked up the position for years.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Quinn, Kim 71 LDE 7 60 60 1 yr.
Clements, Dexter 69 LDE 10 42 42 ---
Lane, Blake 70 LDE 7 29 29 2 yrs
McKenzie, Emmitt 79 LDE 2 26 34 2 yrs
Finch, Zach 77 RDE 2 49 73 4 yrs
Pearson, Adam 64 RDE 7 45 45 ---
Worsham, Drew 92 LDT 7 76 76 5 yrs
Capstraw, Donovan 95 LDT 5 48 48 2 yrs
Allen, Tommy 99 RDT 8 54 54 ---
Rogers, Donald 90 NT 9 54 54 ---
Always injury-ravaged, our defensive front continues to be tough against the run. That will remain a focus. Signing either DT Allen or Rodgers would b great, but looks unlikely. That probably means we end up a little thin at DT once again, but grateful for the signing of Drew Worsham last season (49+25 tackles last season).
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Michl, Gino 59 WILB 6 65 65 2 yrs
Wallace, Andrew 55 MLB 10 55 55 1 yr.
Gunn, Brandon 52 MLB 6 41 52 2 yrs
Dodge, Kurt 91 SLB 11 50 50 1 yr.
Sinclair, Curtis 94 SLB 8 39 49 1 yr.
Wilkerson, Russell 97 SLB 2 30 38 2 yrs
Regalado, Darrin 58 WLB 13 37 37 1 yr.
This whole unit is locked up for the season – but might not be good enough. Michl was the leading tackler last year, after Wallace got hurt and yielded the MLB spot. Gunn had to fill in after Dodge went on IR, and we patched through. We should be okay overall, but it would be nice to land another value player here.
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Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Enochs, Ty 28 LCB 7 49 49 ---
Diaz, Monty 34 LCB 10 45 45 2 yrs
Cottle, Bucky 40 LCB 13 40 40 1 yr.
Coltharp, Amos 33 RCB 2 20 43 2 yrs
Weed, Kirk 24 SS 13 47 47 2 yrs
Eskridge, Kenneth 20 FS 10 70 70 1 yr.
Helmuth, Pat 35 FS 4 29 51 1 yr.
Ty Enochs has been the latest “system” guy to do well for us at CB. I think he might be back, if we can work out a nominal deal for him. His asking price is modest, so I’m optimistic. We love our safeties, and count on Kenneth Eskridge to be our defensive powerhouse overall.
This is a very solid team, already. No reason to panic. The OL is the biggest concern- so our priorities for this offseason will be:
Secure starting-caliber LT
Secure starting-caliber RG
Pursue solid DT
Add depth at WR
Add quality at LB
Improve at K