Czarnecki: Mike Brown worst draft decision-maker

by Josh Kirkendall on Apr 22, 2009 9:53 PM EDT in Analysis

Whenever someone headlines an article as "Best and worst draft decision-makers", I cringe. No, I suddenly have stomach issues. You know the feeling; you kind of feel hungry, but you might be feeling sort of sick, but you think it could be solved by going to the bathroom twenty minutes after eating Pizza Hut? Wow.

So John Czarnecki took a stab, naming the obvious best draft decision-makers as Bill Belichick (Patriots), Bill Polian (Colts), A.J. Smith (Chargers), Kevin Colbert (Steelers), Ozzie Newsome (Ravens).

Counting down the worst minds are:

5) Mike Shanahan
4) Jack Del Rio
3) Al Davis
2) Scot McCloughan

And number one?

1. Mike Brown, Bengals owner — The Bengals have been striking out lately, and this is a franchise crying out for a solid football leader like a Polian or an A.J. Smith.

Yes, Duke Tobin (son of Bill Tobin, who built the 1980s Bears) puts together the team's draft boards. But Brown makes too many of the decisions, frustrating coach Marvin Lewis, who is a loyal soldier. Carson Palmer is a bright spot, but don't forget Akili Smith and Ki-Jana Carter. Yes, they have had bad luck with David Pollack (neck injury forced his retirement), but the Bengals tend to take risky players like Odell Thurman.

The Bengals lead the league in drafted players no longer in the NFL. The coaching staff has way too much influence at times, a bad idea considering they are not on the road scouting and don't always have good personnel judgments.

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Comments

Well...

I guess this is a list of active decision-makers, because Matt Millen would be high up (or low down, depending on your perspective) on the “worst” list. And Al Davis actually deserves to be in a “What the Hee-Haw Heyalll” class all by himself when it comes to drafting.

Colbert and Newsome ought to be ahead of Smith on the “best” list, IMHO…although, as much respect as I have for Ozzie Newsome’s football mind, the Ravens haven’t exactly been the 2000 juggernaut they used to be here lately.

by TheWalrus1971 on Apr 22, 2009 10:03 PM EDT reply actions

Maybe someone

could sneak us a copy of this so-called “Colbert Report”?

by IgnatiusJReilly on Apr 23, 2009 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions

And we’ll lead the league in least amount of money spent on scouting. The fact we hit the odd rough diamond is nothing short of a miracle.

by Squizza on Apr 23, 2009 12:35 AM EDT reply actions

We’re First at Being Last! Huzzah!

by IgnatiusJReilly on Apr 23, 2009 7:38 AM EDT reply actions

"The Bengals lead the league in drafted players no longer in the NFL."

That’s just freaking sad, and very telling.

by IFChris on Apr 23, 2009 11:08 AM EDT reply actions

Wow. Well I guess we shouldn't be too surprised

at that stat. Mike doesn’t care about winning – states Captain Obvious- so why are we treating like this like it’s a shock. The only thing that’s shocking is that there are still players he drafted playing in the NFL. Odds are we will bypass our needs at OL and pick Crabtree with the 1st pick or Raji. I wouldn’t totally be against Crabtree cuz Chad doesn’t wanna be here anyway. But i’m hoping we don’t pick Raji cuz we have Tank Johnson, Pat Sims and Domata Peko which are 3 guys that i think are pretty good and we would have to start Raji cuz of the money. So, the smart thing would be to take Andre Smith. Logic would tell u that. Mike Brown logic points to BJ Raji

by Blazer Fan From Ohio on Apr 23, 2009 11:58 AM EDT reply actions

Czarnecki is wrong

The problem isn’t that the bengals suck at drafting, it’s that they’re severely limited in their ability to develop players by Mikey’s cheap, antique ways.

Understaffed and overworked, the Bengals coaching staff can’t afford the time to coach talented but raw top selections up to a Pro Bowl level, because they are too busy trying to get all the low-rounders and undrafted free agents up to a point where where they won’t be embarrassed every time the step on the field.

Ever wonder why the Bengals seem to be able to turn out low-round successes like Chinny, Peko, Geathers and, of course, Housh — yet so may of their high picks look great in the rookie year but then regress (Madieu and Joseph being two recent examples)? That’s why. The only way a top pick of the Bengals grows into a Pro Bowler is if they are self-motivated to improve. Case in point: Chad Johnson. Back before he went all Ocho on us, he used to bust his hump in the offseason and sleep nights at PBS after watching hours of film.

If you want to fix the Bengals draft problems, start by hiring half a dozen scouts so the coaches don’t have to pull double duty, and then add half a dozen more assistants who can take on the low/no rounders and free up the top coaches to polish the top picks into Pro Bowlers.

It’s not about who they pick. It’s about what they do — and don’t do — afterward. If Tom Brady had been drafted by the Bengals, he’d probably be out of football by now, too.

by BeerRun on Apr 23, 2009 2:14 PM EDT reply actions

B double E double R U N has some great points.

Brown has probably said no every time one of his coaches brings these points up.

Giggles Lewis: “Mike, we need to get a half dozen scouts so we can really understand who we should draft.”

Brownie: “That sounds expensive. Will they work for season tickets?”

Giggles: “Um, probably not. Besides, you don’t have any more season tickets left to hand out after paying the groundskeepers and security.”

Brownie:" Dang. What if we use the Jerk line to get rid of season ticket holders? I can make up stuff about those fans in section AA and CC."

by UpStateMike on Apr 23, 2009 2:36 PM EDT reply actions

“Carson Palmer is a bright spot, but don’t forget Akili Smith and Ki-Jana Carter. Yes, they have had bad luck with David Pollack (neck injury forced his retirement)”

Gee, I seem to recall Carter getting hurt too. Like in his first preseason game.

Mike did not get his money’s worth out of Ki-Jana or Dan Wilkinson. But the reality is many other teams would have taken them #1 as well.

I think one of Mike’s worst picks was taking John Copeland over Willie Roaf.

by NCC on Apr 23, 2009 8:13 PM EDT reply actions

"But the reality is many other teams would have taken them #1 as well."

Which is 100% on par with what Beerrun said.

Still, the biggest bust, IMHO, is refusing the Saints picks and drafting Akili. That draft alone would have been one of those long-term foundation drafts that would have given us a ton more success. That’s not too obvious of a statement, is it? :)

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Apr 23, 2009 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions