Lewis Signs One-Year Deal

It's Official - C-Town grabs another player from a division rival as the 27-year-old pro bowler is now a Brown. And now it looks like Rueben may be on the hot seat as the Browns could say they have 1.75 Million reasons to cut him soon. According to the OBR Lewis signed a one year contract. Sav must feel this expands his draft options with the no. 3 pick. Tony Grossi has all the details right here.

Pat reports in the ABJ: Lewis played part of last season with bone spurs in his ankle and took shots the final seven games to ease the pain.
He recently had surgery to repair the problem.
``He is a proven NFL back who brings a toughness and demeanor to the game that his teammates and our fans will appreciate,'' General Manager Phil Savage said in a statement.

CH3: Looks Like Lewis at RB

WKYC-TV 3 Anchor Jim Donovan reports Jamal Lewis is still in Berea, is talking numbers and could be signed as soon as tonight. Lewis also took a physical. The debate rages here.

Ravens Guard Mulitalo Available

The Baltimore Sun reports 8-year pro Edwin Mulitalo has been released for some reason almost a full week after free agency started. "When you release a player like Edwin, it gives you pause," Ravens coach Brian Billick said in a release.

"This is the cold side of the business. All he did was everything we asked him to do and more. He gave us stability at left guard. He was always an example to his teammates as to how a professional should conduct himself."

Pluto: IF THE BROWNS DON'T FIX THE OFFENSIVE LINE RIGHT, NOTHING ELSE ON OFFENSE MATTERS.

Terry Pluto writes the focus should be on the big uglies, not whether they should draft CJ, BQ or JR.

Jamal Lewis' First Visit: Berea

Ravens RB will talk to the Browns as Baltimore eyes Willis McGahee, Reports The Baltimore Sun.

From the PD: That (first stop in Berea) is significant because the majority of free agents have been signing with the first team they visit.

It also could impact Reuben Droughns' future in Cleveland. Droughns is due a $1.75 million bonus next week, and if the Browns find a suitable replacement, there's a chance he could be gone.
Lewis holds the NFL record with a 295-yard rushing performance against the Browns in September 2003.

Browns coach Romeo Crennel, asked specifically about Lewis at the Greater Cleveland Auto Show last week, said he wouldn't rule out interest in him or anyone else that could help the team.

"Everybody is on the radar screen," said Crennel. "Even though Reuben is on our team, and he's done a good job for us, and we're not looking to replace him, we're looking for competition. We're trying to get the best players and put them on the team."

Justifying a Running Back in the Top 5

Here is a list of the RBs taken in the top 5 since 1982.

Current or Future Hall of Famers
Eric Dickerson
Barry Sanders
Marshall Faulk
LaDainian Tomlinson
Edgerrin James

Solid, occasional Pro Bowlers
Curt Warner
Garrison Hearst
Ricky Williams
Jamal Lewis

Busts
Alonzo Highsmith
Brent Fullwood
Blair Thomas
Curtis Enis
Ki-Jana Carter

Jury still out
Ronnie Brown
Cedric Benson
Carnell Williams
Reggie Bush

That breaks down like this:

5/18 = Hall of Fame
4/18 = Solid with Pro Bowl seasons
5/18 = Complete bust (3/5 from Penn State)
4/18 = Jury is still out, but look solid

Considering that the four recent top 5 RBs look to be solid or better, that makes 13/18 (72%) worthy of the draft pick. Considering Cleveland's pathetic running game since they returned to the NFL in 1999, drafting a difference-maker at the running back position could be the shot in the arm the team needs. Coupled with an offensive line bolstered by free agent acquisition Eric Steinbach, the addition of a threat at RB would help make life much easier on the eventual quarterback and his receiving weapons.

Is Adrian Peterson as talented as the 9 backs listed above who are considered "solid" or Hall of Famers? I think so.

Will Peterson be durable enough to achieve that status? The jury will be out on that for a few years.

Northcutt - Free Agency's Worst Signing

Hey Dennis, we'll always have you to blame for that Steeler's playoff loss.

PD's Worst signing: Jacksonville reportedly gave Dennis Northcutt a $4.5 million signing bonus on a five-year contract totaling $17 million. The Jaguars plan to use him as a slot receiver and return specialist. Northcutt can thank Chicago's Devin Hester for leaguewide renewed awareness of specialists. But Northcutt had three touchdown returns in seven years in Cleveland; Hester had five in his rookie season with the Bears. Plus, the Jaguars must not have seen the video of Northcutt's drops, especially in the clutch. Simply an incredible contract for Northcutt.

The Fish that Left Shitsburgh

Linebacker Joey Porter to sign with Fins

Grossi: No More Big Names

Writes the PD's Tony Grossi: "In a seller's market created by a diluted talent pool and excessive salary cap room, it's probable that there will be no more big names coming to the Browns in free agency."

Sour Grapes from Lewis?

On the heels of the Steinbach deal, Bengals coach doesn't approve Browns Plan

Speaking at the HOF in Canton yesterday, Marv Lewis critiques K2

As reported in the Canton Rep: “They’ve got a tight end (Kellen Winslow Jr.) who was a high pick. “As I’ve studied the NFL over 16 years, there are not many cases where teams were successful that way. “If you look around the league at teams with tight ends, they have no wide receivers. It’s ironic that way. Name me a Kansas City wide receiver. Or a San Diego wide receiver. Yet they have these tights ends who are demanding high salaries. “You end up getting out of function a little bit.”

The Next "Ice Cube" McNeil?!

Former Browns Pro Bowler Gerald McNeal played four years in Cleveland after playing with Jim Kelly for the Houston Gamblers in the USFL. The Ice Cube was a feared punt returner, who played at 5-7, 145. You tell me when a guy who is two inches taller and 20 pounds heavier can't make it today. Espcially when he runs a 4.29 40. I say to Sav, "Pick him up!"

Gil Brandt, of NFL.com, reports Indiana State WR Carl Berman measured a height of 5-9 1/8 and a weight of 166 pounds at his Pro Day March 4. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds and 4.35 seconds. He finished the short shuttle in 4.26 seconds and the three-cone drill in 6.81 seconds. He measured a 38 1/2-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot-9 broad jump and completed 14 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press.

Now The Raiders Aren't Sold on JR

Why do I get the feeling that for the next 50 odd days all were going to hear is negative talk about the five most talented players in this draft? Cuz it's draft season, baby! Steve Corkran Writes in the Sporting News that now CJ - not JR - is the Raiders Choice:

DRAFT BUZZ: The Raiders returned from the NFL Scouting Combine less convinced that Louisiana State QB JaMarcus Russell is their man for the top pick and with more questions than before after taking a long look at him during the process. Publicly, the Raiders said nothing about Russell or any of the other players who attended the Combine. Privately, several Raider officials questioned Russell's work ethic, said they are concerned about his weight as a long-term issue, and cautioned against making Russell a lead-pipe cinch as the top pick. It now appears just as likely that the Raiders will target Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson in light of his posting a 4.31-second 40-yard dash and saying all the right things during an interview.

Tuiasosopo, Mahan pay a visit

In Berea: Raider QB Sav tried to acquire last year, Buc Guard

Writes Mary Kay of the PD: The Browns hosted two more free agents today, guard/center Sean Mahan of the Tampa Bay Bucs and quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo of the Raiders, a source said Monday.

Mahan, a fifth-year pro, has started at left guard, right guard and center for the Bucs. He started 12 games at left guard in 2006 and 16 games at right guard in 2005. He would most likely replace Browns free agent Cosey Coleman, who's not expected to return.

Mahan is scheduled to visit the Seahawks on Tuesday if the Browns don't sign him, but they are expected to make a strong push.

Another Great Job by PFT

Fact checking at its finest, proving once again that Mike Florio is a dipshit

Even when he tries to seem like he's not the Rooney's piss boy, Mike Florio screws it up. After throwing up a story about a couple Steelers being arrested for their involvement in a brawl, Florio was forced to post the following "woops". Notice the fact that he made it clear someone else made the mistake first. Come on, Mike. If someone else tried to pull that crap, you'd be allllllllll over them. One of the Steelers alleged to be involved in the incident isn't a pro football player at all... he's a bartender. Well done, Mike.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

POSTED 5:44 p.m. EST; UPDATED 5:51 p.m. EST, March 5, 2007

DESHEA DENIES ARREST

Well, we might have to revise the Turd Watch.

Per a league source, Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend denies a report that he was arrested for an early Saturday bar fight. Townsend also claims, we're told, that he was not involved in the altercation that gave rise to a story in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that Townsend and another player on the team had been busted.

We're also told that Raymond Burgess, identified by the Tribune-Review as a member of the Steelers' practice squad, has no connection to the team. He's supposedly a freaking bartender at the club where the fight occurred.

Stay tuned.

Oh, and by the way... Terry Bradshaw is not dead.

Great Blue North: Quinn Workout Just "OK"

According to the draft experts at GBN,
Brady Quinn was just "okay" in his workout yesterday.

"It wasn’t quite the stuff of legends, but Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn reportedly had a solid enough performance during the first of two Irish pro days yesterday in South Bend.

Quinn went through a series of brisk passing drills throwing a total of just over 60 passes, but opted not to run until Notre Dame’s second on-campus workout on March 22nd. Quinn reportedly is still not 100% because of a minor knee injury; he had fluid drained from his right knee at halftime of a game against Southern California last November and then aggravated the injury in the Sugar Bowl against LSU.

Through the magic of the internet ESPN actually has some footage of Quinn’s workout on their NFL site and truth be told several of Quinn’s passes weren’t the crispest we’ve seen this off-season. However, what’s on the video is obviously only a fragment of Quinn’s overall workout. We think this is the link.

For the record, at least 30 teams had scouts in attendance at today’s workout with three – Cleveland, Minnesota and Houston – having their head coach in attendance. All three of those teams have top 10 picks with Cleveland picking third, Minnesota 7th and Houston 8th."

The Plain Deal - it's a QB

PD Reporter Mary Kay Cabot was on ESPN2'S Cold Pizza today saying if Quinn or JR are there, they'll take one of them. This echo's Tony Grossi's recent podcast saying if JR is there Phil would absolutely take him, given their long relationship. JR attended Sav's camp's in Mobile in his high school years.

Lerner, Most of Browns Staff, Watch Quinn

Savage told this week's SI that Quinn is probably the safer of the top two QBs, but that JR has more upside and that it's a tough call. What a bunch of pre-draft smoke.

Crennel said Quinn clearly had zip on his passes at today's pre-draft workout in South Bend for NFL Scouts.

"The fact he could make all his throws, both right and left, he's a polished quarterback," Crennel said. "He's smart. When you watch him on tape you can see he knows where to go with the ball. He will, at times, throw it away when he has to, so we think he's a good, young prospect."

"He's a quarterback, he doesn't have to run a 40. He showed he has good feet on the movement drills that he did because he did some rollouts, he did some play-actions. You can see his feet move," Crennel said. "And hopefully he doesn't have to run a 40, and if he's running a 40, they'll be chasing him."

Oklahoma Ruined Adrian Peterson

Does Cleveland risk their #3 pick on a workhorse back who looks anything but durable?

The kid was 18 years old, and he carried the ball 339 times in the Big 12. That is brutal. I think this explains why Adrian Peterson has been injury prone in his college career, and it probably will help explain an injury prone NFL career. That is the fourth most carries in one season for a DI running back in the last 5 years, and the kid wasn't even fully grown. Looking at his stats from Oklahoma, it looks like a pattern to me.






Not unlike a stud pitcher who suffers through a disappointing pro career due to being overused in high school or college, I think Peterson may be tainted goods. The guy looks like a stud in every other way, but any progress this team has made since Savage took over will be lost if the guy we take at #3 is injury prone.

Sunday Notes

The man known as the "Master" half of Bartertown's famous duo Master-Blaster announces a couple of Brown's tidbits including the contract numbers in Antwan Peek's new deal. Well done Trip and Phil... now that's the way you do it.

Browns Add Cornerback Depth

Former Redskin Kenny Wright signed to 3-year deal

No offense to the man, but this finally allows me to utter the words I've been dreaming about since last season: Goodbye Ralph Brown.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... that feels better.

Though Wright is no Deion Sanders, he will provide some veteran depth to the Browns defensive backfield that they were so sorely missing last season. With DeMario Minter back from the knee injury that stole his rookie season, the Browns should have enough depth for 2007.

Wright has been in the league 9 years, and played under defensive coordinator Todd Grantham in Texas.