| INDIANAPOLIS — Following are excerpts from a question-and-answer
session with Butch Davis, who replaced Chris Palmer as the Browns’ head coach after
the end of the season. Q: Take us through the last month or so.
A: It’s really been an unbelievable whirlwind three weeks. There were so many
things to get accomplished when you first take a job like this, and we’ve tried to
knock it out in some kind of systematic order. The most important thing was assembling a
coaching staff, and I’ve got to tell you that three weeks after the fact, I’m
really pleased with the guys we were able to hire. The chemistry is great. The guys are
really interacting at the office and sharing information, and the one common thread they
all have is that they are great teachers. The second-biggest thing was trying to get a
handle on the talent level and the skills and abilities of the players we’ve
inherited. We watched all 16 games and purposely stayed away from listening to our own
scouts and people within the organization. We wanted our own first impressions.
Q: Do you foresee the Browns going after Corey Dillon?
A: I don’t know. Right now we’re looking at everybody, every avenue that will
give us a chance to upgrade our talent level and build a winning team.
Q: How much of a rebuilding job do you face?
A: There’s definitely some. We were 3-13 for a reason.
Q: Assess the talent you’ve got to work with, heading
into the draft and free agency.
A: There are clearly some key players already in place. I’m very excited about Tim
Couch and Courtney Brown and Daylon McCutcheon. Dave Wohlabaugh, the center, we feel very
strongly about. He’s a good player. And there are others too. It’s not a total
void. Last year was a difficult season with a lot of youth and inexperience and most of
all injuries. You’re constantly plugging in new people, and it’s tough to block
out all the distractions.
Q: What areas need to improve the most?
A: Just about all of them. But you can’t fix everything overnight. I think some of
the players will benefit from another year in the league and another group of minicamps
and training camps. And it might have been a blessing that so many players got a chance to
play because of all the injuries.
Q: What position do you think Courtney Brown should play?
A: I think he can play either on the right or left side. He’s comfortable with
both a right-handed and a left-handed stance. A lot depends on how well he fits with the
other players. We got a lot of productivity last year out of Keith McKenzie with
double-digit sacks, but I think both he and Courtney wore down.
Q: Obviously, the running game is a huge concern.
A: Sure. You can’t win at any level without a good running game. We certainly have
to work a lot on both the offensive line and running game.
Q: Assess Tim Couch and how far he has come and how far he has to go?
A: Just on watching last year’s games, his athleticism is impressive, and I think
he has the mobility to move around the pocket and avoid danger. He’s got a very good
arm. I like his stature. I like his height. Bruce (offensive coordinator Bruce Arians) is
working on some small mechanical things that I think will help his throwing motion and
take some pressure off. I think he has a huge upside.
Back to Scouting Combine main page |
