Tony Timoteo talks Browns, draft needs and keys to success in 2018

It’s Wednesday, the official start of the new NFL year and already free agency frenzy is real. With the NFL Scouting Combine completed, Pro Days and official visits underway and teams preparing for the 2018 NFL Draft, it seemed appropriate to step away from the official updates and get back into Rival Report mode by speaking to a fan of the Cleveland Browns. After all, Steel City Underground is a site written and run by fans for fans, and the AFC North Division is where our focus tends to rest most of the time.

Cleveland Browns super fan Tony Timoteo of North Ridgeville, Ohio, and his Cleveland Browns Quarterback Graveyard

Tony Timoteo, of North Ridgeville (Ohio), and I have been teammates in a Madden Mobile league during the 2017 NFL season and postseason and have talked off and on about the state of the AFC North and our teams; he about the Browns and me about my beloved Steelers. Tony seemed a natural fit as a litmus test on what Cleveland fans feel about their team moving forward.

To offer you background on Tony, he has been a Browns fan his “entire 33 years of existence”. Despite the highs and lows, Tony was taught to always root for the home team no matter what. “Good or bad,” he said in our interview. “Even though it’s been mostly bad with the Browns, my wife and I follow them year-round and always try to stay positive even in their darkest days. We’ll always be Browns fans no matter what and that’s exactly how I’m raising my kids… even though my five-year-old son Cooper continuously asks me why the Browns never win a game. (That’s) not an easy question to answer, ha.”

Sharing a laugh despite how very active Cleveland has been leading up to the start of the 2018 season, officially, with the acquisition of Tyrod Taylor, Damarious Randall, and Jarvis Landry and then the trades of DeShone Kizer and Danny Shelton, we sat down to talk about how Tony viewed the Browns’ recent past and his hopes for the team he’ll never stop rooting for.

Rivers: What are your impressions of the 2017 season and it being as bad or worse than 2016?

Timoteo: Just absolutely terrible, no other way to describe it. I still can’t believe I was actually a part of a perfect season parade/protest for the Browns [after they went] 0-16. Still trying to wrap my head around the thought of only winning one game in two years.

Rivers: Are you satisfied with the Browns’ ownership and coaches in how they are running the team? Were there changes you wanted to see?

Timoteo: Up until this most recent offseason, absolutely not. Some of the decision-making has just been extremely poor. They have definitely done a complete 180 since the season has ended and made some major front office moves to turn this thing around. While most of Cleveland wanted Hue Jackson fired, I am actually okay that they are giving him one more year to try and turn things around because the players seem to like him and because I generally believe he wants to be a successful coach in Cleveland. I just think he needs some help around him to take a couple things off of his plate. Enter Todd Haley to help save the day.

Rivers: (Laughing about Haley saving the day) Tony, do you think Todd Haley will improve the offensive performance of the Browns in 2018?

Timoteo: Absolutely! The Cleveland Browns and Hue Jackson were in dire need of an experienced offensive coordinator who has had success in the league. It is also a major added bonus, his experience in the AFC North.

Rivers: What players let you down last season?

Timoteo: DeShone Kizer. While he wasn’t my first choice of a quarterback (that I wanted in last year’s draft… Deshaun Watson), I was willing to give Kizer a shot. He was dealt a tough hand from the beginning but his lack of improvement throughout the year, especially in the red zone, really set the Browns back and let to [a final record of] 0-16. Being thrown into the fire to start the year is always a tough position to be in, but making the same mistakes in Week 16 that you did in Week 1 is just unacceptable from the guy that’s needed to lead your franchise.

Rivers: What players remaining with the team (at this time) are you excited about in 2018? Anyone you think will have a breakout season?

Timoteo: Myles Garrett! While he wasn’t able to explode onto the scene last year like I had hoped because of some lingering injuries… in his limited time of play he was electrifying and brought Browns fans to their feet. I think he will be hands-down the most feared pass-rusher in the AFC North next year (2018) and one of the top defensive ends in the entire league.

Rivers: What do you think the biggest positional needs are for the Browns heading into free agency and the NFL Draft?

Timoteo: Quarterback, cornerback, running back and wide receiver, in that order. (The Browns) have already started to address those needs via trade with the additions of Jarvis Landry and Damarious Randall, which I am extremely pleased with.

Rivers: Who would you like to see the Browns sign in free agency or pick up via the Draft?

Timoteo: I really wanted to see the Browns sign a bridge quarterback and a veteran wide receiver in free agency. They did that before free agency even started by trading for Taylor and Landry. The addition of Randall was an added bonus. I’m really hoping in the Draft the Browns can come away with the top quarterback of their choice and an explosive running back. Of course, my preferred choice is Saquon Barkley. I don’t have a personal preference, yet, on which quarterback should be our next franchise quarterback, but I’m really trusting John Dorsey knows which guy he wants and goes and gets him.

Rivers: What do you think will be the key to the Browns being more successful in 2018?

Timoteo: The continuous addition of young talent and the coaching of that talent. Surprisingly, Taylor could be more important to the Browns than a lot of people think. Assuming the Browns draft a quarterback with the number one pick this year (in the Draft), Taylor’s experience and reputation for lack of turnovers could be exactly what a lot of these young players need to help start the winning process in Cleveland. Taylor could help take the pressure off a rookie quarterback to allow him to learn and ease into the NFL. Best case scenario is the quarterback we draft develops rapidly and is ready to start game one and Taylor would be his veteran backup. I don’t think that will happen, but if it does the Cleveland Browns are in exceptionally good shape and finally on the right path after all these years.

Rivers: Tell me all about the “graveyard”, the story behind it, who you hope does not get added and who you fear may get added.

Timoteo: My wife and I purchased a home in 2014 and upon Halloween approaching, we were discussing decoration ideas. I proposed our yard would be great for some type of a “graveyard”, and with the Browns always on our minds, she responds with, “What about a quarterback graveyard? For all the starting quarterbacks since 1999.” We just looked at each other for a second and knew it was a home run of an idea. I told her, “If we’re going to do this, we have to do it right,” so after some careful planning and brainstorming the “Browns Quarterback Graveyard” was created.

Timoteo: The rules are pretty simple. All the former starting quarterbacks since 1999 have the year they started and ended their career with the Browns on their gravestone. Once that quarterback officially starts, he gets a gravestone with his name and the current year on it with a question mark, since all of our quarterbacks’ demise tend to be inevitable in Cleveland. It hasn’t been a matter of “if” but just “when”. The hope is that the joke will not be funny anymore because the Browns will find a franchise quarterback that will lead us to the playoffs one day and my wife and I can finally close the door on the graveyard for good! Until then, we’re always on call with blank gravestones waiting to add any QB that gets a chance to start here in Cleveland.

Rivers: What is your prediction for the Browns’ win-loss record in 2018, and is there one team you’d really like to see them beat?

Timoteo: My prediction is a minimum of 6-10. Going from 0 to 6 wins would be a huge step in the right direction. There’s no one specific team I would like to see them beat, but I really hope they can manage two, maybe three wins against divisional opponents in the AFC North. It all starts there and once they can get out of the divisional basement I don’t think it will take too long for them to be on top for (hopefully) a long, long time.

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