The Front Row

a couple months ago, i would have agreed with you, but quarterback is soooo important in the nfl that if you believe he is your guy for 12 years....you gotta do everything you can to get him.

You can't build through free agency, you'll overpay someone to come to Cleveland cause they aren't close to the playoffs. They need to look for a veteran leader similar to what Kyle Vandenbosh did for Detroit. Other than that, build through the Draft. Not an Ingram fan at all, would Take RG3 or Blackmon at 4, whomever is left, then get the best available at a position of need at 22. I love Mike Adams but if I'm the GM, I'm going after lineman a little later in rd. 3

I don't know what other fans have said, but I just can't see giving up the #4 AND #22 pick to move up just 2 spots. IMO that is a waste(not calling RG3 a waste) and I would rather pick up 2 good players in the 1st round then just 1. We need a lot on this team and need all the picks we have. I DEF want to pick up a wr and either an o-lineman or cb with the 2 picks in the 1st round.

I don't think anybody would argue that you should build through free agency. However, there's a ton of young players on this team and you need some veterens to help them, and the team as a whole develop. The Browns have about 30M of capspace, and could easily make a couple moves to push that number upwards by 5-8M if they so choose. They need to infuse some talent into this program. I like that they're going to sign a FA wideout. I hope it's someone like DeSean Jackson, Stevie Johnson, Pierre Garcon, etc. I'd also like to see them sign a starting DE (There's a few good ones that could be out there), a LB, OL, & Someone for the secondary (Preferrably a corner...although FA Corners do get paid too much). Plus, if they're planning on bringing in a rookie QB, they had damn well BETTER put some better pieces around him on offense.... unless you want to see the same formula they've used for young QB's going back to 1999. Sounds like they plan on doing whatever they can do to keep D'Qwell Jackson... but they had damn well better keep Peyton Hillis as well. The Browns need to stop letting good players go. Peyton is a damn good player. Even if you want to draft another RB (which I'm ok with), Peyton can play a valuable role on this team, and we all know that you need a couple good RB's nowadays. You let Peyton go.. and now you have ZERO viability at that position.

The Browns have 1 WR that is good enough to retain. And he's young (Little). They have 0 RBs. Zero. Hardesty and Ogbannaya (sp.) aren't going to get it done. Quick, name one RT who is a playmaker in the league. I'll wait. ... ... exactly. We need an upgrade over the guy who played "turnstyle" last year at RT, but do we use a 1st rd pick on one when there are so many other positions of need? No. When we can get an upgrade in rds 2 or 3 or FA? Heck no.

All these things cannot reasonably be addressed in the draft. FA will play a large role. Possibly re-signing Hillis (mixed feelings on that myself), the signing of one or preferably TWO FA WRs (Garcon / D. Jackson / Colston / Manningham), and the addition of at least 2 new linebackers (from which there are hordes to choose from: http://www.footballsfuture.com/2012/fa/lb.html ) are going to be the moves to watch.

From my vantage point, you ought to use FA to shore up your team so that you're in position to draft THE BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE NO MATTER POSITION when it is your turn. If the best player available plays a position you already have locked up, then you trade down. That's as simple as anyone can make it. Drafting based on position need kills drafts and franchises because they overpay while other teams get the better players.