CLEVELAND, Ohio — Few things went right, obviously, for the 2011 Cleveland Browns during their 4-12 season.

Two rookie defensive linemen, however, did provide some optimism for the team’s future.

First-round draft pick Phil Taylor showed promise, playing alongside solid veteran Ahtyba Rubin.

Defensive end Jabaal Sheard, a second-round pick, was even better, emerging as one of the Browns’ few playmakers on either side of the ball.

Mike Wilkening of ProFootballWeekly.com writes the Browns rookie report, including:

DE Jabaal Sheard — Sheard finished his first NFL season in fine form, recording another sack and six tackles. Sheard led the Browns this season with 8½ sacks, the second-most by a Cleveland rookie since sacks became an official statistics. Like fellow rookie Phil Taylor, Sheard started all 16 games on the Cleveland defensive line.

DT Phil Taylor — The Browns’ first-round pick recorded 59 tackles and four sacks in 2011, showing considerable potential. He made two tackles in Week 17.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Tony Grossi’s story on Browns coach Pat Shurmur beginning his search for an offensive coordinator; video, by David I. Andersen, of Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot discussing the offseason ahead for the Browns; a Starting Blocks poll asking what the most important offseason move for the Browns would be; “Bud Shaw’s Sports Spin;” and much more.

Goal to goal

The Browns’ problems lie with their offense. By Dave Hackenberg of the Toledo Blade.

The top job for Pat Shurmur is to bring back some hope for the team, writes Chad Conant for the Marion Star.

The Browns should keep Colt McCoy as their starting quarterback, Tom Misson writes for newsnet5.com.

Game-by-game review of the Browns’ season. A Bleacher Report slideshow.

Why the Browns shouldn’t pursue Peyton Manning. By Steve DiMatteo for the blog “Dawg Pound Daily.”

There’s not much to expect from a Mike Holmgren/Tom Heckert press conference, wriites Craig Lyndall for the blog “Waiting For Next Year.”

Browns players are still optimistic about the future, despite the 2011 win-loss record, writes Fred Greetham for Scout.com’s Orange and Brown Report.

Peyton Hillis finally played like a pro against the Baltimore Ravens on 12/24/11. Throughout the past two Cleveland Browns’ games Hillis has gone for 211 yards and has carried the ball 50 times. This is rather spectacular given what little he has done throughout the rest of the season. He is starting to look like the Hillis that Browns’ fans have been excited to see, but just haven’t had the chance to.

As the Browns go into the last week of the regular season – and their last game – they could use Hillis playing at this level.

While Hillis is now playing well, it is still hard to forget about his never ending stream of injuries and his bad attitude. For a while at the beginning of the season, it really seemed like he simply just did not want to wear a Browns’ uniform and was – to put it simply – being a baby about it. Has he truly had a change of heart, or is he just trying to finish the season strong so that he can be picked up by another team?

Many people believe that the Browns should fight to keep Hillis. I will be the first to admit that when Hillis is playing at his best that he is a true asset to the team. However, how do we know that he will play the full season next year? Will Hillis have a world of excuses to stay off of the field next year like he did this year? These are worrisome questions.

“At the beginning of the year, it was tough because I was injured,” Hillis said following the Ravens’ game. “I was trying to go out there and play 100 percent, and it was tough, because you really can’t help your team. You have a lot of people doubting you or thinking that you’re not trying to play hard. I love this team, and I love going out there and playing football. I’ve been doing this since I was five. I don’t like people questioning that, because my heart is big, and I want to do great things for this team.”

Personally, I think that Hillis should be given at least one more full season with the Browns. He is talented when he is giving it his all. Then, if he has another season where he seems like he just does not want to be in Cleveland, the Browns can do what they need to do to replace him. If he has a great season, then this is great for him and the Browns as a whole.

He played the last two games with the passion of a true Brown. Let’s just hope he keeps it up and that the Browns can beat the Steelers with Hillis’ renewed sense of dedication.

R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen is a lifelong Browns fan who grew up in a household of Browns’ fans. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and still lives there. Regardless of the trials and tribulations the Browns have been through, she remains loyal, albeit honest about her home team. Follow Rose on Twitter @Rose_Kitchen

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BROWNS’ BOSS BACKS SHURMUR

BEREA (AP) — Browns president Mike Holmgren said Wednesday that Pat Shurmur will “absolutely” be Cleveland’s coach in 2012.

Holmgren was asked about Shurmur’s status during a press conference triggered by quarterback Colt McCoy’s concussion and the team’s controversial handling of his head injury during a Dec. 8 loss at Pittsburgh. Shurmur has had a tough first season with the Browns (4-9), who have had numerous injuries and their fair share of controversy.

Holmgren called Shurmur “a very competent young head coach who will be here for a long time.”

On Wednesday, Dec. 14, Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren admitted the team didn’t check Colt McCoy for a concussion after Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison nailed the quarterback with a helmet-to-helmet hit last Thursday.

I’m usually one of those people who will give teams the benefit of the doubt, but that’s not happening this time. Holmgren noted that the Browns medical and training staff didn’t see the hit because they were treating other players at the time. However, that doesn’t mean no one else on the team’s sideline didn’t watch the play.

The Browns coaching staff should have known better. Concussions are becoming commonplace in the NFL, and head coach Pat Shurmur should have held McCoy out long enough to get him examined. By sending McCoy back into the game, he risked his quarterback’s health and the organization’s reputation.

Remember, this is the same team that already has a poor reputation due to the team’s issues with staph infections in its training facilities from 2006-2008. The Browns can’t afford to have their intentions questioned when it comes to the well-being of their players.

I believe Holmgren when he states that McCoy “didn’t display any signs of a concussion,” but he’s the team’s president, not a doctor. Shurmur is a coach and not a member of the medical staff. Both Shurmur and Holmgren aren’t the ones who should be deciding if McCoy is healthy enough to play. When in doubt, the team should be calling a member of the staff over and to have McCoy looked at.

I don’t believe the team did anything out of a lack of concern for McCoy. Instead, I think coaching staffs don’t know what to look for when a player has a potential head injury. The NFL needs to do more to protect its players, including setting up mandatory training with each team to ensure that everyone knows what symptoms to be aware of. Perhaps there should be a rule that states anytime a player is laid out by a helmet-to-helmet hit, he must sit out a full series. I understand there are competitive ramifications with a rule like that, but something needs to be done to protect the athletes.

A native of Northeast Ohio, Derek Ciapala grew up in a family of Cleveland Browns’ fans. He has been following the Browns since 1987 and still hopes to see the team play in the Super Bowl one day. You can follow him on Twitter @dciapala.

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Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren says quarterback Colt McCoy was not checked for a concussion while he was on the sideline after a helmet-to-helmet hit by Pittsburgh’s James Harrison.

The team had maintained proper protocol was followed after the hit. Holmgren said today Browns trainers did not see the hit and did not realize the impact because they were treating other injured players. Holmgren said the team’s medical staff, which he called “the best in the NFL,” felt McCoy was “lucid and talking” when they treated him on the field. He said trainer Joe Sheehan told coach Pat Shurmur McCoy “was good to go.”

Holmgren said McCoy did not show any concussion-like symptoms until well after the game. Holmgren said McCoy was tested for a concussion in the locker room by one of the team’s doctors before returning to Cleveland.

McCoy was sent home with a headache today and Holmgren said the team is following protocol to treat him. Holmgren was involved in the meetings on Tuesday with members of the NFL’s medical staff and union members.

Harrison was suspended by the NFL for one game on Tuesday because of the hit to McCoy.

Brad McCoy, Colt’s father, has been critical of the Browns for allowing his son to re-enter Thursday night’s game.