On draft day, Browns should run, not pass, to Peterson
Now, you want to entrust your rushing attack to Lewis, who is at or near the end of his career? Or to Harrison, who never carried more than four times in any game last season and gained 60 yards for the year? I don't think so. You're better off making a commitment to Peterson, the first back in Oklahoma history to rush for more than 3,000 yards in his first two years.
When Cleveland signed Lewis to a one-year deal I didn't get it. Then when it sent Reuben Droughns to the Giants, I thought I did. Lewis is in Cleveland, I thought, to act as a mentor to Peterson -- the logical pick for a club that last year sank to 31st in rushing and ran for as many touchdowns (seven) as Tennessee quarterback Vince Young.
That made sense.
But what I'm hearing lately does not, and what I'm hearing lately is that Cleveland might make a push for Notre Dame's Quinn. It's not that I don't like Quinn. I do. But I have reservations, and I especially have reservations with Cleveland. I mean, why would the Browns spend millions on the unproven Quinn when they have two young quarterbacks on the roster and Adrian Peterson in the on-deck circle?
People tell me it's because Charlie Frye can't play, but I don't know that. The guy's had 18 games of starting experience with underwhelming results. So what? Look at Peyton Manning's first 18 games. He was 4-14 with 31 TDs and 32 interceptions.
Frye is 5-13 with 14 touchdowns, 22 interceptions. Give him a chance. No, better still, give him an offensive line and someone to carry the football.
Remember, this is Cleveland we're talking about. That means there will be cold and wind and snow and miserable lake-effect conditions that make a solid ground game a more reliable choice in December than a solid passing attack.
That's No. 1. No. 2 is that Browns haven't had someone to pound the football in almost two decades. Well, now they could. Now they have an opportunity to solve a lingering headache with a rare talent.
So solve it. Draft Adrian Peterson.
