Well, the front office surprised me. Going into yesterday's draft, I was quite scared about the Browns in the draft. I was pretty convinced that the Browns would find yet another way to mess up a high draft pick. This was not helped by numerous mock drafts having the Browns taking Brady Quinn with the #3 pick when an offensive lineman that could step in next year and start was sitting there. Then, the Browns did the smart thing. They drafted Joe Thomas with the #3 pick. Fantastic. Maybe the organization has finally turned the corner, I thought. Later in the day the completed what could be one of the best first rounds in Cleveland draft history by trading with Dallas to draft Quinn at #22. While unexpected, this move makes perfect sense (even while giving up next year's #1 pick). You have a quarterback that was on everyone's list as a top-5 pick that dropped all the way down into the 20s. He will have a chip on his shoulder that will force him to work that much harder to prove those other teams wrong. Plus, he grew up rooting for the Browns. Now, am I ready to print playoff tickets? No. Heck, I'm not even ready to buy a Brady Quinn jersey. But for a franchise that has been in disarray since returning in '99, finally a step in the right direction.
And yes, the Browns play both the Raiders and Dolphins next season.
