The Browns lost their 2^nd round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, RB Montario Hardesty, to a torn ACL in his left knee.  Hardesty suffered the injury in the final preseason game against the Chicago Bears.  I was really surprised that Hardesty was selected in the 2^nd round.  The former Tennessee running back had a history of injuries to his lower body.  Here is the PFDN scouting report on Hardesty prior to the draft:

Montario Hardesty was a workhorse in the Tennessee offense in 2009. He carried the ball 282 times for 1,345 yards (4.8 per) and scored 13 touchdowns. Hardesty also caught 25 passes for 302 yards (12.1 per) and 1 touchdown. He is a physical runner who has overcome three knee surgeries. Hardesty is not that big (6′, 214 lbs) or fast (4.57 Forty), but runs hard and has heart. He takes a pounding because he is not elusive. His best games (Western Kentucky, Ohio, Vanderbilt and Kentucky) came against weaker opponents. Hardesty does not hesitate to hit the hole. However, he will find the holes close faster in the NFL and he may have a hard time staying healthy. His production against SEC defenses justifies a 4th or 5th round selection in the 2010 NFL Draft. PFDN rates Hardesty as an average backup in the NFL.

Cleveland compounded their mistake by trading two 5^th round picks (#134 and #146) and their 2^nd round pick (#71) in this year’s draft to move up 12 spots to nab Hardesty.  Cleveland’s General Manager, Tom Heckert, expressed confidence in the team’s medical staff that Hardesty was not an injury risk.  What about common sense?  Hardesty’s injury history (primarily to his legs (both knees, high ankle sprain and a stress fracture to his left foot)) was extensive at Tennessee and no position is more brutal than running back.

Cleveland can ill afford to be wasting 2^nd round picks and trading draft choices.  Hardesty not only had trouble staying healthy in college, but also only had one good (not exceptional) season.  He never averaged better than 4.8 yards per carry for the Vols.  That is not an explosive running back.  His surprisingly fast forty time (4.49) and impressive vertical jump (41”) at the Scouting Combine apparently convinced the Browns that Hardesty was explosive.  Hardesty plays hard and he is a competitor.  He will rehab with a vengeance and return next season.  I hope he can bounce back from this knee injury, but he should have been a 4^th or 5^th round pick.

I recently posted an article that evaluates the 2010 Cleveland Browns’ draft (www.profootballdraftnetwork.com/post-draft-analysis/afc-north-post-analysis/cleveland browns ).

I was pretty critical of the decisions that the Browns made in the draft.  The Browns came away with six critical players (Joe Haden, T.J. Ward, Montario Hardesty, Colt McCoy, Shawn Lauvao and Clifton Geathers).  They could have had the following players: Brandon Graham, Jimmy Clausen, Golden Tate, Eric Decker, Dennis Pitta and Jonathan Dwyer.  The most critical decision was the one to pass on Jimmy Clausen and hitch their wagon to Colt McCoy.

Time will tell if the Browns chose wisely.

If your favorite team decides to spend big this off-season you have every right to be skeptical.  The Browns, Jets and Cowboys focused largely on the short-term this past off-season and expected big seasons as the payoff.  Things did not go as planned as they all failed to even make the playoffs.

Cleveland’s last place finish (4-12) in the AFC North cost General Manager, Phil Savage, and Head Coach, Romeo Crennel, their jobs.  Savage hitched his wagon to key off-season additions WR Donte Stallworth, DE Corey Williams and DT Shaun Rogers.  Savage set the strategy of trading picks in the 2008 NFL Draft for veteran help.  He also was banking on continued strong production from QB Derek Anderson (50% completion rate, 9 touchdowns, 8 interceptions in 10 games), RB Jamal Lewis (1,002 yards (3.6 per), 4 touchdowns), WR Braylon Edwards (55 catches, 877 yards (15.9 per), 3 touchdowns and numerous drops) and TE Kellen Winslow (43 catches, 428 yards (10 per) and 3 touchdowns).  They all disappointed.  Anderson looks like another Scott Mitchell or Rob Johnson.  Savage and Crennel both deserved to be fired.  The Browns still have a long way to go on defense and the offense took a major step back this year (402 points scored in 2007 compared to only 232 points this year).  Anderson is now an expensive back-up, Lewis is clearly past his prime, Winslow has an extensive injury history and the inconsistent Edwards sounds like he may want out of Cleveland.  The new GM and head coach each has their work cut out for them.

The Jets’ brain trust (GM Mike Tannenbaum and head coach Eric Mangini) were very aggressive during the 2007 off-season and signed G Alan Faneca, OT Damien Woody and LB Calvin Pace to big contracts.  They also traded for nose tackle, Kris Jenkins, and QB Brett Favre.  The Jets finished the season 9-7 and failed to qualify for the playoffs after losing 4 out of their last 5 games.  The collapse at the end of the year cost Mangini his job.  Mangini drew criticism for some questionable game decisions seemingly alternating between being either too conservative or too aggressive.  His stoic sideline demeanor rubbed some fans the wrong way.  I did not have an issue with Mangini’s personality as many coaches (Chuck Noll, Tony Dungy, Bill Walsh, and Tom Landry to name a few) were very successful despite displaying little emotion on the sidelines. Tannenbaum should be on very thin ice.  The Jets’ GM orchestrated the bold off-season moves and as a result New York enters the off-season with major question marks and a very shaky foundation.  Favre is 39 years old and faded down the stretch (2 touchdowns and 9 interceptions in his last 5 games).  This should not have been surprising.  Favre was mentally and physically worn out following 2007 season.  If Favre decides to return I would not expect the 40- year old version to be sharp late in the year after another long season.  The Jets have Kellen Clemens available at quarterback if Favre has had enough.  The Jets obviously do not believe the 2nd round 2006 draft choice has much of a future or they never would have made the trade for Favre.  Faneca, Woody and Jenkins are all over 30.  Woody and Jenkins have had conditioning issues in the past, which does not bode well for a string of productive seasons.  Tannenbaum’s the future is now 2008 strategy has left the Jets with an old offense devoid of playmakers just entering their prime.

Cowboys’ owner and GM, Jerry Jones, left no stone unturned in loading up for an expected Super Bowl run this year.  The highlights included trading for suspended cornerback/punt returner, Adam Jones, resigning aging LT, Flozell Adams, making offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett, the highest paid coordinator in the NFL and engineering a mid-season trade for Detroit WR, Roy Williams.  The result was a 9-7 season and arguably the most disappointing year in the team’s history.  “Pacman” was a non-factor, particularly on punt returns.  Adams had a down year and started to look like an 11- year vet with mileage on his body.  Garrett’s offense during the critical stretch drive was rendered ineffective against quality defenses.  Roy Williams had no impact (19 catches for 198 yards (10.4 per) and 1 touchdown in 10 games).  Williams was supposed to revive a stagnant offense and prevent defenses from slowing down Terrell Owens with double-teams.  The idea in theory was to force defenses to pick their poison.  It never materialized.  The offensive problems ran much deeper, of course.  An offensive line that struggled with speed, stunts and blitzes hurt, as did a quarterback who turned the ball over at inopportune times in big games.  The entire coaching staff should be replaced after a season of turnovers, penalties, questionable game plans and inconsistent effort.  Jones is likely too stubborn at this point to admit Wade Phillips was the wrong choice as head coach.  Jerry Jones’ short-term decisions backfired on him and the franchise enters the off-season with shaken confidence and numerous questions.   Dallas will not have a 1st round selection (and also lost a 3rd round pick) in the 2009 NFL Draft thanks to the Williams trade.