A Ten Step Plan For Fixing A Broken Franchise

I don't pretend to be an expert in front office affairs in any professional sport. But based upon personal observation and reading the deal from the minds of those in the know about such things, I have noticed certain patterns amongst struggling organizations that have fueled this list of ten general steps to restore an NFL franchise to at least a competitive nature. For regional sake, the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns will be the examples for those most desperately needing to do these.

1. Find an Owner who cares- Cleveland fans hate Randy Lerner, who simply sits back and watches a horrible team sell out and make him rich every single year. Hopefully recent fan protests have gotten (a little) attention and he starts caring (a little). Let's face it his dad died and he got stuck with this team. Selling it to an avid sports fan who will take immediate and constant action, think halfway to Jerry Jones, would be a step in the right direction

2. A Front Office That Contains Continuity, Class, and Connections- A stable nucleus of personnel people is necessary for any organization. Indeed, the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers can attest to this. Starting with a knowledgeable GM with experience and negotiating skills is crucial. This has been sorely lacking in Detroit which up until presently was run by Matt Millen. Enough said there. The people up top have to be good communicators who can handle any situation, be it extensions, holdouts, trade demands, or raises, with respect and understanding for the player/agent, but also with savvy. I will address this more in #3. But also, having men in charge who know other GMs around the league and have an understanding of how to trade for improvement without giving up a ton, and are then able to trade with several different teams (not just the New York Jets for example) given the opportunity is very important.

3. The Ability To Make Wise Business Decisions- Hand in hand with the above statement is a GM's ability to wisely invest the team's money. This applies to draft picks and free agents equally. Draft picks notoriously make too much money these days so it's important that the GM has the foresight to understand the team's needs vs. the need for one individual player. Forking over large amounts of money to a player like Derek Anderson after one solid season is not a good decision. Aggresion in the free agent market is good, you can't get better without taking chances, but one has to be careful about who they are chasing. Is this player going to be good in two years but wants a four year deal? Such decisions are too important to be taken casually which is sometimes the case when a team allows its desperation or preference for a player interfere with their judgment.

4.Experienced, Smart Evaluators of Talent- First class scouts and coaches are a must whenever possible. The draft is a fantastic way to better your team in a hurry if conducted well. Filling needs with quality players who have played a considerable amount of football and done it against a fairly high level of competition is a priority. Yet you also need those smart people who can dig and find a Marques Colston or Kurt Warner lying in obscurity and can successfully unearth them at virtually no cost or risk in the last rounds. After, you need coaches who can develop and communicate with these players, rookies and veterans alike and help them mesh into a successful team unit. GMS should be very careful about who they hire to run things. Coaches with previous head coaching gigs are preferable (I don't care if you coordinated for Bill Belichick, it doesn't make you a good coach by default Charlie Weis/Romeo Crennel/Eric Mangini) and hopefully with some degree of success and no history of issues with controlling your team (a Tom Cable, to be specific).

5. Players Who Fit The System and Play At a High Level- CONSISTENCY is the name of the game and your team won't hold together on either side of the ball without it. Again we go to the Patriots for an example. Belichick finds a QB who can master his system and does exactly what is asked of him in Tom Brady. Brady fits the system well because he can hit those short routes, run a good play action, and gets rid of the ball quickly without turning it over. Thus, he can succeed and with a good line and receivers that can get open and run crisp routes, the offense is consistently good. Same deal on defense. Get tackles who can stuff the run, edge rushers who understand the scheme and defensive backs who know their assignments and can make adjustments if need be. And most importantly, these players need to execute on a consistent basis night in night out. This way, the team can gel much more effectively since they always know what to expect from their teammates and come to rely on them to play the game hard, with intelligence and play their game correctly when they take the field.

6. The Development of The Trenches- The lines are the most important part of the game in my opinion. As was always harped upon by John Madden, the battle in trenches usually decides the outcome of the game. If you get good blocking, you will have holes to run through and your offense will have a better chance of success through the air as well with more time to throw. If your defensive line gets pressure, linebackers will be freed up to get in the backfield to nullify the run and pass game alike. As such, finding strong, quick linemen with good hands and footwork on both sides of the ball is a must. If you don't have these good lines, you will have problems in some way.

7. The Run Game Established- Going along with #6 is the establishment of a run game. I know teams like the Saints have no need for a single workhorse back since Drew Brees can make it rain all day through the air but I feel the majority of teams do. You need that back that can grind out the easy yardage between the tackles without coughing up the ball. You need a guy that can help you move the chains and run out the clock late in a game. Most importantly, you need a guy that can punch it in at the goal line for the score. Again, a good line is important in aiding this along but if you have a Steven Jackson lined up back there you will still have the ability to establish a run game regardless of how mediocre your line is. From there, you can work the passing game of your offense into the mix and move the ball for some scoring opportunities.

8. More Football Players Than Athletes- I understand athletic players are good even necessary in some situations (receivers, return specialists, pass rushers etc.)but they don't always make your team better as a whole. Football players who understand how to play the game and play it smart are more valuable in the long run even if they are a bit less athletic than the other guy. A team that doesn't make stupid mistakes and commit stupid penalties increases its chances of winning by a large margin. Besides, what good is a fast receiver if he can't catch the ball or run a route (Detroit fans I believe may remember Mike Williams)? Al Davis will never get this one.

9. Leadership- Every team needs its leaders on and off the field. They are generally veterans and that makes a huge difference. You need a warrior (or two)who will play through injuries and doesn't bother with crap like bonuses and extensions, someone who is vocal but not an asshole with his teammates. One who will criticize and encourage in equal doses when need be and understand when these situations are and aren't called for. Probably most importantly, they then must go out and lead by example on the field. The Browns got this half right with Willie McGinest, forgetting only that he was too old to move.

10.Build Around Your Stars-They often come with baggage, exorbitant egos and the contracts that come with them, but every team has and needs star players. Having more than two is a luxury but one that is attainable and desirable. Snagging a handful of young stud talents is a fast way to get into contention and improve your team's performance come playoff time when the stakes are high and you need that extra clutch performance only a star player can deliver. Some stars fade fast and burn a team it's true (Larry Johnson) but that does not take away from the fact that having them is a necessity if a team is going to make that extra push towards a Super Bowl trip.