Cleveland Browns: Buy or Sell?

I know-I know, this seems like a complete knockoff of PTI’s version.  However, PTI’s version NEVER included a ‘Cleveland Browns only’ version so I am taking full credit (wow that was a lot of ‘versions’ and deflecting).  Below, we’ll discuss the buying or selling of the topics I have chosen.  Please feel free to comment and discuss with me in the comment section below.

Numeral Uno:
 Weeden will be our starting quarterback at the end of the year.
I am a reluctant BUY on this one, and not because I am a McCoy hater.  I think McCoy has looked infinitely better than Weeden this preseason.  However, anyone who has attended a game in that stadium in the dead of winter, with that wind whipping around, knows how hard it is to throw a beer cup (empty of course) into a trashcan at point blank range, let alone a deep ball that needs to keep up with Travis Benjamin.  Weeden’s arm can make both the beer cup and the long ball to Benji.

Numeral Dos:
 Richardson makes it through the season injury free.
This one is a SELL for me.  He is a complete stud that will meet anyone in a hole with a lowered shoulder at anytime.  This is the exact reason I can’t buy into him being injury free; well, this and his knee scope situation.  It’s hard to trust a rookie to juke when he should juke or just go down instead of fighting for those extra yards and both of these leave the door open to injury.

Tress:
(I think you get the numeral point, plus I am running out of Spanish) Shurmur survives another four win season as Head Coach.
Definitely a SELL, It is unlikely Holmgren survives the rest of THIS season and Shurmur’s fate may very well be intertwined.  It is my belief that Shurmur has to hit the seven win mark to retain his job (and in a related note, make a good deal of money for those of you committed enough to bet on the Browns w/l record, Vegas style).

Four: 
Matt Barkley will be the Cleveland Browns first selection next year, after losing all of our games as some analysts have indicated.
So I set myself up on this one.  This could really go both ways depending on the production and growth of Weeden over the year.  If Weeden ends the year as Colt did his first year, I say SELL and we trade down and pick up more weapons to add to his arsenal.  In the even he ends the season how Colt did last year, I am BUY-ing this all day.  Barkley has all the tangibles of a gamer not to mention his progression at USC which includes a preseason #1 ranking in 2012 (first year of back to bowl eligibility).

5: 
 Cleveland Browns furnish four “Pro-Bowlers” (do they still call them that if there is no Pro-Bowl?).
This is a BUY.  It’s virtually a guarantee that Joe Thomas will make the pro-bowl each year.  Then we have the second, almost lock in Joe Haden.  I mean that dude can play and I don’t anticipate a 0 INT season for him this year.  As indicated in the preseason by our color guy, INT’s have been a major coaching point in the offseason.  I think this year DQ (D’Qwell Jackson) gets his respect this year and gets the nod.  The final player (and I could cheat and say ‘open’ for a wildcard but I won’t) is Cribb’s.  He hits return holes like a running back and that speed and cajones (for lack of a better term) will bring him back to the big show.  The pro-bowl isn’t the most entertaining thing in the world but let me pitch you this, a skills competition ala NHL All Star Weekend.  That would be something I would watch!

Now go fourth and buy and sell on your own, below.  Also, if you’d like something added to the next episode, email it to me and I’ll credit you with the question while I take full glory of the answers.  MUAHAHAHA.  Good day Browns elite!

Josh A. Wagy
Josh is a Quality Assurance Analyst from Columbus, OH. While not assuring quality, he is an avid sports/concert fan and can be seen balling his eyes out in Nationwide Arena (Columbus Blue Jackets) when not glued to his television on Sundays. He is available at joshwagy@gmail.com at your request. He also shares an uncanny resemblance to Rick Nash, picture attached