Phil Savage

http://www.cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10809900

Here's a link that somewhat explains it. If anyone finds a better article explaining this, please post a link.

I was walking around with an erection all day.  I couldn't figure out why, until now.

Please don't warn me.

G and I kept preaching this all summer last year

Continuity

I'm really glas this got done now.  Our Browns are going to have a better team this year, especially with the Defensive additions, but without sounding negative, I beleive this may be a much tougher year simply because of the schedule.  It's tough pretty much from start to finish. 

So, my point it, I'm glad we locked up Romeo and Phil because G is correct, people would have started calling for heads, if for some reason we do not match the 10-6 record we acheived last year. 

These guys bring stability to a team on the rise and I'm glad they will have another 3 years to finish what they have started.

Dont we give rookies a tremendous amount of money for nothing? Draft picks havent even done anything. We give them money on potential based on not what type of pros they will be, but what kind of colege players they were.???? At least with the FAs you know what they can do in the pros. Its MUCH less of a crap shoot than the draft.

Obviously there are still a ton of unanswered questions and Ill admit Im waiting for the whole thing to go wrong( not hopeing, but just wooried it will) just as much as the next guy. But even you can see that this team was and is built WAY diferant than the Butchy team cant you. It has a whole differant feel to it too dont you think. The Butch team was built to win NOW. They new Learner was dying and wanted to give it one last run. This team is being built the right way and its totally obvious that Savage has 100% more knowledge, experiance, and understanding of the pro game than Butch did. Phill Savage has been in the pro game his whole carrer and has been sucessful. Butch was successful in college and it did not translate to the pros. Totally differant. Thats why its so exciting. We have NEVER EVER had someone as competant as Phill running the Browns. He IS a GM. Not an owner trying to run things (Modell) not a business guy hiring a GM that knows nothing and has never been sucessful (Policy/Clark) not a college coach trying to be GM and coach of a pro team (Davis) this is a FOOTBALL guy that came from a sucessful program, and knows how to run the GM position of a football team. Its not all great, but its 100x better than what its ever been. And the alternative of changing over the coach and GM and FO and team every 3 years DOES NOT WORK. The Browns have proven that too. I would like to see them address some differant positions etc. But it NEVER happens all at once. I just know and can see they are moving in the right direction and they are making some real good moves to get us there. Are we there yet, of course not, but we're getting there. And to bring in someone new just so they can get us on a new bus, only sets the Browns back another couple of years. Im not willing to go threough that again. If you dont have consistancy, you only have change and more questions than answers. Im happier with answers.

• Holy crap, G!  That's a serious post.

You're absolutely right.  Spending money on a high draft pick is a crap shoot.  But fortunately, Phil Savage (look, I'm saying something good about him now) is not Al Davis.  He doesn't "throw money" at players.  They're paid accordingly.  He got Quinn for a steal, Braylon has returned every cent invested in him and Joe Thomas was a "safe pick" that became the best left tackle in the game.  I don't have a beef restructering Corey Williams deal because he's a high-character, high-energy guy who's played tough since he made it into the league.  Shaun Rogers was an "administrative problem" who did not play up to his potential.  I question whether or not we'll see a lot of motivation out of the guy knowing he can collect $22 million guaranteed.  Again, I'm not saying this is why Phil is wrong, I'm saying I disagree with this approach.

But even you can see that this team was and is built WAY diferant than the Butchy team cant you.

I'd actually say I'm 50/50 on this statement.  While I respect how Phil has drafted with his first and (for the most part) second round picks, there are still a lot of things left to be desired about his drafting.  His old flame with Oklahoma players (Brodney Pool, Travis Wilson, Antonio Perkins) has burned us thus far.  Most of his picks Round 3 and below have not panned out... I know it may be premature to judge those players, but Corey Williams was a 6th round choice by the Packers in 2002.  Why doesn't Phil find these players, rather than go out and give them a lot of money in free agency?  I'm a firm believer in building through the draft and only filling needs through free agency.  But if you look at our roster, it's about split 45/55 with starting players we've drafted versus players we paid in free agency.

Drafted Offensive Starters: Joe Thomas, Lawrence Vickers, Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow (4/11).
Free Agent Offensive Starters: Eric Steinbach, Hank Fraley, Ryan Tucker, Kevin Shaffer, Derek Anderson, Jamal Lewis, Donte' Stallworth (7/11).

Drafted Defensive Starters: Kamerion Wimbley, D'Qwell Jackson, Sean Jones, Brodney Pool, Eric Wright, Andra Davis (6/11).
Free Agent Defensive Starters: Robaire Smith, Shaun Rogers, Corey Will