Cleveland Browns Fans: Do You Still Want To See The Rookies?

OK Browns fans, you wanted them…you got them. A good portion of the B/R Community was calling on head coach Eric Mangini to play the rookies.

The theory went, “this team isn’t going anywhere, so give the young guys a chance!”

I cannot tell you how many posts I have gotten since the beginning of the season arguing that we need to play Mohammed Massaquoi (Brian Robiskie, Kaluka Maiava, David Veikune, Coye Francies, James Davis, Phil Trautwein, Brett Ratliff).

Well Cleveland fans, with the exception of Trautwein (a marginal “professional” who was picked off the practice squad), James Davis (who was injured) and Ratliff (who couldn’t complete a preseason pass against players who are no longer in the NFL), here they are. Are you happy now?

I am not sure that everyone understands exactly how tough of a transition it is from the college level to the NFL.

It is one thing to plug in a rookie next to a bunch of veterans who can take the heat off him. But it is another thing to throw your entire draft out on the field and ask them to remain competitive. It just is not going to happen.

When starting middle linebacker D’Qwell Jackson went down with injury last week, some opined that it was a “good thing” because players like Maiava and Veikune could learn on the job.

Maybe in the long run it is a good thing. But in the short run, this Browns team is going to get beat like a drum.

I tried to warn anyone who was listening that although getting rid of Braylon Edwards might have solved some clubhouse issues…you better be prepared for what is going to happen when he is gone.

Now that Edwards is gone the Browns have not one, but two rookie second round draft choices starting at wide receiver.

Let’s all just stop and think about what happens during the course of an average pass play.

The average NFL quarterback has about three seconds to make a read when he steps back to pass. It is currently taking almost two seconds for the rookie wide receiver class to even get off the line of scrimmage.

Those plays are dead before they even start!

On top of that, because the Browns are throwing the ball in a lot of second or third and long situations, teams are bringing the house at our quarterbacks. That is giving Browns quarterbacks even less time to deliver the ball.

Given the debacle that occurred last week against the Packers, there is a good chance that no one has this game TIVOed. But if you do, please watch the matchup of the Browns wideouts against the Packers cornerbacks.

There is just no way possible that anything the Browns call is going to work under those circumstances. There are times that Robiskie and Massaquoi cannot even get into the pattern they are running, let alone get separation.

Now I want you to watch a college game so you can see the difference between what an NFL receiver has to go through to get into a pattern versus a college wideout. You will rarely see college wide receivers have to fight off jams because college cornerbacks (outside of a few superior athletes) are afraid to get beat.

College wide receivers run their patterns without even getting touched at the line of scrimmage. That is why starting two second rounders at wide receiver is just asking for trouble.

Neither Massaquoi nor Robiskie is ready to accept that kind of responsibility. They are both physically and mentally over-matched.

The Browns currently have a rookie who should be a number two or three receiver as the number one option. They have another rookie who should be a number three or four receiver as the number two option. Lastly, they have a punt returner/former quarterback who is the number three option.

That is a recipe for disaster.

I even tried to find a photograph for this article of Brian Robiskie getting open; but sadly, no such picture exists.

If a team is forced to play multiple rookies (Alex Mack, Massaquoi, Robiskie, Veikune, Maiava, etc.) next to the average talent that is playing next to them, there are going to be days like the last three Sundays.

Why is a guy like the rookie WR Mike Wallace having such a good season in Pittsburgh? Wallace has two veteran receivers (Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes) on the field with him. Wallace is lucky enough to be drawing the other teams’ third corner or safety on every play.

For those of you who are now calling on Brett Ratliff to take the snaps, be careful what you wish for.

Ratliff made the team only because he understood the playbook. He had a difficult time completing passes when facing other teams’ third and fourth stringers who did not even make a professional roster.

For those of you who think I am trying to excuse Derek Anderson’s play…you are wrong. But to point the blame for all of both the offense and defense’s troubles at one man is remarkably short-sighted.

The point I am trying to make is that although both Anderson and Quinn have been terrible...this offense has NO CHANCE. And the defense might be even worse. They are completely out-manned.

I do not care if either of these quarterbacks is the second coming of Joe Montana (which they are not), this offense is not going to move the ball consistently this year; or at least until the Browns play a few teams who are going through the same rebuilding process that they are going through (See Detroit, Kansas City, Oakland).

I am sure all you Quinn fans out there will get a chance to see Brady once again this season, out of necessity or choice. There is a strong possibility that even if Anderson is Mangini’s “guy,” he eventually will have to be dragged off the field on a stretcher while he waits for his young receivers to get into their patterns.

It is likely that the organization is in fact keeping Quinn off the field until they can assure that his salary escalators do not kick in.

While Quinn fans may get irritated by that gesture, it is the right move. Because if Quinn does have any trade value left, it will most certainly be gone once he receives that salary increase.

If Quinn is eventually re-inserted into the lineup, outside of the three games mentioned above, he will have no better luck putting the ball into the endzone. And it will not be all his fault when that happens.

There may or may not be talent among the current rookies on the roster (and there most likely is). But this isn’t college football anymore for some of these players, and there will be a lot of growing pains.

So if you can stand the beatings that will continue to ensue while this team grows up…that’s great. But make no mistake, this team will be taking a lot of beatings as long as all these youngsters are on the field at one time.

Don’t act surprised while it is happening.