According to ESPN and Pro Football Talk, the Browns will tag Jackson is they are unable to sign him to a multi-year deal, as first reported by Browns beat writer, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer.

Jackson, 28, would lead the Browns—and set a career-high in tackles–with 158, second in the NFL.

With Cleveland’s decision to franchise Jackson, does this change the Browns plans in April?

Possibly.

Potential targets for the Browns in the lower half of the first round may include Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict, South Carolina defensive end Melvin Ingram, USC defensive end Nick Perry and Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright.

If Jackson is tagged, and Hillis—who is rumored to be have a verbal agreement with the Browns—both come back, then Cleveland’s big board changes entirely.

It is no secret that the Browns need help at the defensive end spot opposite Jabaal Sheard, while I have the Browns taking North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples in my Browns Mock Draft 1.0 column, Cleveland’s big board would now have offensive playmakers such as Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon and Alabama running back Trent Richardson at the top—if they both aren’t already at the top of it in Berea.

Cleveland also has a glaring need on the offensive line—specifically at right tackle—and may pull a real shocker in the 2012 NFL Draft in selecting USC right tackle Matt Kalil—or trade down.

This is all mere speculation right now, but depending on what direction the Jackson and Hillis dominos fall, do not be too surprised if these actions become fact.

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Who should the Browns try to sign in 2012? That all depends on how the offseason plays out. Colt McCoy obviously underachieved this past season, and the front office might be looking for a new starter to lead next year’s offense. If Peyton Manning is released by the Colts, he’s most likely the top candidate for any team in the market for a QB. It would be great to see Peyton in an orange helmet, but that’s probably not going to happen as he’ll want to join a contender due to his age. A few teams that have been mentioned as possible destinations for Manning, Arizona and San Francisco, have talented QB’s that will need new homes. Alex Smith is a free agent that is coming off a very impressive comeback year, and Kevin Kolb was one of the top free agents just a few years back. Matt Flynn is one of the hottest names in free agency after his spectacular performance filling in for Aaron Rodgers against a Detroit Lions team that was fighting for home field advantage. Flynn’s success was impressive, but that was with a very talented group of offensive weapons; but could he put up the same numbers with the lackluster crew that is currently on the Browns’ roster?

The wide receiver position is in desperate need of an upgrade, and there is some serious talent to consider with this year’s free agents class. With Dwayne Bowe, Vincent Jackson, Wes Welker and Marques Colston (just to name a few) being available, the Browns could get some serious help for whoever is taking snaps under center next year. Who do you think would be the best free agent to go after in 2012? Rant your choice below, because Shurmur, Heckert and Holmgren are always watching…. (hopefully)

RG3 seemingly came out of no where on his Heisman campaign, almost exactly like how Cam Newton did it last year, lighting up scoreboards all year and putting the team on his back when they needed him the most. Playing quarterback in the NFL isn’t easy; as Browns fans, we know that better than anyone. It takes talent, intelligence, fortitude, leadership qualities, strength, and determination to be the very best. The craziest part about sports is that there are thousands of athletes that possess all of these qualities; and still can’t cut it when they get to the top levels of their particular sport. Sometimes, it’s not the right fit, the team chemistry isn’t quite right, feelings are hurt, focus shifts, etc. Whatever the case may be… sometimes the cards don’t fall correctly, and highly-talented players that possess fantastic leadership qualities are unable to get the job done.

The truth of it all is that there is no perfect science to choosing the right players. Drafting professional football players is an art form that no man will ever master. So why not take a risk on a winner? Using a top draft pick to take an offensive tackle is a great idea; but the man he will be protecting is much more important. Joe Thomas was a great choice that will anchor our offensive line for years to come, but having elite lineman means nothing unless you have playmakers for them to protect. Eli Manning was hit over 20 times in the NFC Championship game, but I’m pretty sure the Giants’ offensive line isn’t their biggest concern right now.  Defensive lines will get to the quarterback in this league, and you’re only chance is to outsmart your opponent like Tom Brady, or have an extremely quick release like Aaron Rogers. Drafting the right quarterback is more important than drafting the offensive line without a quarterback, just as a cheeseburger is pointless without the meat. Unfortunately, you never know if the best looking meat in the draft is always the best choice, but without risk there wouldn’t be reward.

Not only will this hire help out the head coach (and probably the rest of the coaching staff), it should take some pressure off of the entire Browns team. Think about it: every day at practice the defense is supposed to prevent the offense from moving the ball and scoring, and vice versa. When the head coach is in charge of that offense, it tends to change how everyone approaches those situations during practice. It’s a conflict of interest that impacts everyone on the field. The offensive players are trying to live up to the head coaches expectations and the defense is often walking on egg shells, hoping to not upset the head guy. Obviously this is not always the case, as Green Bay and New Orleans both have very successful dual role head coaches. This can be a very effective formula, it just depends on the team situation.

The guy was able to deal with Brett Favre, and almost led that team to a Super Bowl. Childress may not bring a sudden change to the Cleveland Browns, but he should bring some positive energy to a team that is looking for its identity. He’s been through some tough situations as a coach in the NFL, and should be able to positively impact at least a few units on this team. Lord knows that more than a few of them need it.

Taylor was known only as a big body from Baylor on draft day, with few people really understanding how strong and active he turned out to be. He was labeled as a liability issue due to his apparent problems with authority while at Penn State, which eventually led to his dismissal from the school. He finished his career at Baylor without many speed bumps, and was able to keep his nose clean and play hard in his first year with the Browns. He looked a bit tired at times, and I feel like some of that was due to the lack of learning practice habits and strategies from veterans during training camp. Sheard was also looked at as a liability as he also got into some trouble while at Pitt for throwing someone through a sliding glass door during a fight. He supposedly was simply protecting his friend and was able to keep his nose clean for the remainder of his college career. He obviously grew into the Browns’ best pass rushers, and was able to use his athleticism to beat offensive tackles consistently this year.

This is what you like to see in a drafting strategy for defensive lineman: big, strong defensive linemen that are not drafted because of what they were rated on the most popular online draft poll says on ESPN. They were chosen because of what they showed on the field, how they battled each down, how they reacted to game situations, and how they made big plays. These are attributes that lead to quality defensive line units that eventually gel together and wreak havoc on opposing pass blocking schemes. Hopefully these guys will only improve on this year and create a defensive line that Browns fans can be proud of.

On the gridiron, the Tarheels have produced standouts such as Hall-Of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor and in recent years has produced standouts such as Dre Bly, Alge Crumpler, Connor Barth, T.J. Yates, Marvin Austin, Robert Quinn and Greg Little.

Current players such as linebacker Zack Brown and wide receiver Dwight Jones hope to add to North Carolina’s burgeoning tradition of sending first-round talent to the NFL.

After is display of speed, athleticism and raw talent, can defensive end Quinton Coples join the list?

Coples, a 6’6, 280-pound senior out of Kinston, N.C. would have two sacks—one nullified by a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty—on Boise State Broncos quarterback Kellen Moore in the third quarter, would come back and sack Moore on the next play for five yards.

A projected top-ten pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, Coples’ performance for the South in a 23-13 loss to the North at the Senior Bowl, may have vaulted him into the top five.

One team who could use his services in the top five would be the Cleveland Browns, who ranked among the lowest in the league in quarterback sacks with 32.0, would be tempted to pair Coples up with second-year defensive end Jabaal Sheard.

During his junior season in 2010-11, Coples would record 59 tackles, 15.5 tackles for a loss and lead the Tarheels in sacks with ten. Coples’ production would drop in his senior year in Chapel Hill as he would have 55 tackles, 15 for a loss, 7.5 sacks and three forced fumbles

Coples would have six tackles, two QB hurries, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble in North Carolina’s 30-27 victory over Tennessee in the 2010 Music City Bowl.

Coples would display some of his All-ACC form in the Senior Bowl for the South in Mobile and raise his stock by being one of the standout players during practice, drawing rave comparisons to former Tarheels standout, Julius Peppers.

For the team that is lucky to draft Coples, they hope that turns into the next Peppers, for opposing quarterbacks, they can only hope that he never reaches that potential.

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Unfortunately for the Browns, the few great plays that he did have this year were eclipsed by patches of inexcusable drops. He caught 61 passes for 709 yards and 2 touchdowns, even though he was targeted a team-high 121 times. To put that into perspective, that’s almost double the amount that Josh Cribbs had, the next highest in targets. Due to the lack of talent and depth at the receiver position, his athleticism and big-play potential vaulted him to the top of the depth chart. The Browns hoped to rely on him this season, and he failed to live up to the challenge.

On the plus side, Little was only a rookie and wasn’t ready for a full workload as an NFL wide receiver; It happens. He seemed rusty at times, probably due to sitting out his senior season. He’ll have next year to prove himself, and a full offseason to prepare and learn should help him progress. Obviously the Browns saw him as one of their best offensive weapons, and I understand trying to get your best athlete the ball, but why not get creative when you have such an athlete? He’s not a pure receiver, and the play calling should reflect that. A lot of his production came on slant and in/out routes, which allowed him to use his size and strength as an advantage. I know that’s part of the west coast system, but they guy made plays in college after the catch, with his feet and hands. Too often this year he was hit immediately after the catch, putting a serious damper on his skill set. Hopefully the Browns can get this guy the ball in space next year, and give him a better chance at living up to his playmaking potential.

Unfortunately, becoming a successful head coach is a completely different animal than being a successful assistant. For one thing, assistant coaches have the luxury of focusing on the aspects of professional football that they love: the X’s and O’s, personnel decisions, scouting and game planning for opponents, etc. Head coaches must worry about all of the above, plus so much more. Time management is now your responsibility. Talking to the press, dealing with player issues, working with the GM on roster decisions; these details can make or break a team. The entire organization, including the coaching staff, looks to the head coach for leadership in crucial situations. As in every situation in life, you need to understand your responsibilities.

There were multiple situations this year where Shurmur appeared to be an assistant coach that was in over his head. He did an awful job dealing with the Hillis situation, and probably needs to take a few PR courses. In week 16 against Baltimore, Shurmur looked confused when the Browns were unable to put points on the board just before halftime, despite being deep within the red zone. You’re in charge here, Coach! You shouldn’t look confused! Ok, Maybe Seneca Wallace called the wrong play, but there needs to be a sense of urgency in crucial situations, and the Browns looked unprepared. There will obviously be growing pains with a new coach/system, and hiring an offensive coordinator will allow Shurmur to focus on head coaching decisions, and he can now watch the game clock instead of his play calling sheet. Hopefully next year Shurmur can make the correct adjustments for the sake of the Browns, and his job. If not, it might be another long, sad year in the Dawg Pound.

The current Browns defense is already pretty good.  They kept the Browns in games when the offense did nothing.  But as good as they are they need more playmakers on that side of the ball.  For starters, the Browns need another linebacker.  They seem content to play with both Jackson and Gocong at this point.  However, another outside linebacker is needed.  That’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if the Browns decide to take a chance on Vontaze Burfict.  While he is a great talent, he does tend to play out of control at times.  He has a reputation for committing personal fouls in his time at Arizona State.  Normally I would reluctant to take a player who has his reputation.  But I realize that he is simply an intense player.  All the personal fouls can be worked on with coaching and having a mentor like D’Qwell Jackson to help him grow as a player in the NFL.  He is exactly the player the Browns need.  He can be a player with both the physical tools to play the position and attitude and intensity to become a feared NFL linebacker.

But a linebacker is not enough.  The Browns need help at defensive end as well.  Jabaal Sheard had an excellent rookie season.  But a compliment is needed for him at the other defensive end slot.   Cam Johnson from Virginia could be a good option.  He has good size and good speed to close in on a quarterback.  What I love about him though is the fact he played through injury in the 2011 season.  His toughness and good first step after the snap make him an intriguing prospect.  There are many other defensive playmakers the Browns could select.  Burfict and Johnson are just two examples.  But regardless of who is selected, the Browns need to find defensive playmakers to complete the defense.  Offensive playmakers do have the priority.  Never the less, they can’t ignore the defense all together.  A few more impact players could make this good defense even better.

The Browns already have a stable of Tight Ends on their roster, with Ben Watson, Evan Moore, Jordan Cameron (not to be confused with Cameron Jordan), Alex Smith, and Dan Gronkowski (brother of Super End Rob). According to Sporttrac.com, Alex Smith is a free agent this year, Watson in 2013, Moore in 2014, Cameron in 2015. Gronkowski was picked up this year off of waivers due to injury, and is unfortunately no where near as good as his super younger brother. Watson was supposed to be a smart pickup last year as an intelligent veteran leader. The guy supposedly scored a 48 on his wonderlic test, which makes him a genius in the football world, but had some of the biggest bone-head drops of this season (with some bone-headed penalties on the side). He was our third leading receiver this year (which isn’t saying much) with 37 catches, even though he was targeted 70 times.

Evan Moore has the potential to grow into a Super End. He has the size (6’6” 250), and has shown big-play ability, scoring 4 touchdowns this year on only 47 targets. He creates those match up problems that you need, and will hopefully be more involved in the offense next year. Jordan Cameron was a late round draft pick that is fairly raw, but played college basketball (and some WR at USC) just like Jimmy Graham and Antonio Gates did, and could turn into a serious weapon. He’s large (6’5” 245) and can use his basketball to go up and get the football. Having a full offseason this year could lead to the Browns creating matchup problems all season next year, and I hopefully one of these guys can super-size their statistics from last year.