While We’re Waiting…Top Cleveland Teams, CBA Answers and Prospects
February 10, 2011Scott Questions Cavs’ Pride in 26th Straight Loss
February 10, 2011The Browns have Ahtyba Rubin. That much we know. We also know that they have Brian Shaefering too probably. He is supposed to be a restricted free agent, so who knows what that even means without a deal in place between players and owners. That is pretty much all we know as the Browns made headlines cutting Shaun Rogers, Kenyon Coleman, Eric Barton, David Bowens and Robert Royal.
The Browns depth chart also lists players like Derreck Robinson, Ko Quaye, Brian Sanford, and Jayme Mitchell. So, yeah, we can assume that the Browns are going to be attacking the defensive line in both free agency and the draft. Except what will free agency be like with no deal in place? Who knows?
Assuming there is a season and free agency eventually hits, the names out there are Cullen Jenkins (GB), , Charles Johnson from Carolina, Ray Edwards (MIN), Mathias Kiwanuka (NYG), Shaun Ellis (NYJ), Jason Babin (TEN), Marcus Spears (DAL), Haloti Ngata (BAL), Richard Seymour (OAK) and the aging Pat Williams (MIN.) Obviously Richard Seymour would be nice because we have already seen what he can do to Ben Roethlisberger.
Also, I am just going to go ahead and assume Baltimore is going to take care of Ngata rather than watch him leave.
As far as the draft is concerned defensive linemen like Da’quan Bowers, Nick Fairley, Marcel Dareus, and Robert Quinn come to mind. Then again, I am sure if you fans pining for a wide receiver watch the Browns pass over someone like A.J. Green you will be weeping.
We haven’t even had the combine yet, though. We are thousands of mock drafts away from getting to the bottom of this one. Just know that the Browns will be adding. After yesterday’s moves they have no choice.
Lastly, for those who will mourn the loss of Shaun Rogers because the Browns just cut him and didn’t get anything for him, what did you expect? Rogers barely practiced and played this season. He was owed an exorbitant amount of money with far too question marks including off-the-field issues. Maybe the Browns missed an opportunity to trade Rogers in the past, but not right now. His value was nil.
And even if you aren’t one of those “in Holmgren we trust” types, do you really think he and Tom Heckert would just cut a guy without gauging whether they could get anything for him? You don’t think Heckert likes draft picks, even late ones? He does like them. That’s his specialty.
Someone might get a really good deal on the giant lineman for this upcoming season, but not at the $5.5 million he was owed on his current contract.
22 Comments
I’d love to know how much salary room they cleared by cutting these guys. Sounds to me like they’re making a gamble on the CBA in order to have enough cash to make big FA signings. If so, I’m completely okay with them not getting anything in return through trades. Why take up room on your payroll for a “something,” received in a trade, that will likely turn into “nothing,” when you can save the cash and try to grab a bona fide FA player (or two or three)? Obviously, nobody was going to be trading anything more than a deep prospect for those guys. I’d much rather pay for a proven starter.
And consider if there is a rookie salary cap. These moves will have freed up even more cash for the FA market, considering that the same money will not have to be spent on drafted rookies. Now, all they have to do is sell it to those FAs (and pray for a quick CBA).
From this angle, I’d say it was a good move.
Good analysis Craig. I’m surprised how cathartic it feels to get rid of these guys, including Rogers
yeah, i was in the ‘couldn’t we even get a 7th rounder for Shaun Rogers’ crowd, but it is stupid to think that Heckert didn’t also think of that and in the end, he simply couldn’t find any takers, even sucker teams for rogers-types like dallas or washington.
Amongst the other cuts, farewell to the oldest, deadest weight on a team needing an infusion of youth.
I wish I could attribute it, but I don’t remember who said it on Twitter. Someone said the Browns cut about $19 million in salary for next season with Rogers’ $5.5 million being the biggest individual piece of that.
I am hoping they take a run at Kiwanuka because I think NYG will let him go and he should still be a productive starter in the NFL.
Completely agree with Craig re: “Rogers value being nil”
That said, I’ll miss feeling like we have a chance to block absolutely any kick with him lined up out there.
They could always resign him for less money. Couldn’t do that if they traded him. But I don’t see him playing for the Browns next year, even if there is a next year.
Really liked Rogers’s freakish ability but I thought he was gone after the end of the Jets game. Had Sanchez in his grasp in the backfield and opted for the lazy arm tackle, ala Eric Wright. Twenty yard completion later …. Heckert surely filed that play away.
The NFL is not the NBA: guys play too hard week in and week out for a great athlete to be effective playing hard only when the mood strikes him or just by jumping high on field goal attempts. Rogers might be a nice addition for a playoff team if surrounded by talent. But he won’t help us develop, and he’s not worth the cap space.
Wish the Cavaliers could do something similar.
With the CBA status mucking up the offseason this bit of exciting news may have to tie us over for awhile. I love all the moves. The only one I’ll miss is Bowens and that’s because I seriously like the dude. Well spoken, good leader and he played his butt off in that game at New Orleans. Class guy.
Holmgren has made many comments saying he likes our WR’s and if you look at the guys the Steelers found, Mike Wallace for instance, quality WR’s can be found in round 3. I just don’t see them taking a wideout in the first round. The D line prospects are deep in this draft. Let’s just hope they draft the right one and we don’t end up with Big Money 2.
Rogers must be a total tub o’ goo now. Not only the H & H perspective on cutting him, but the fact that BigBaby went to the Pro Bowl 2x playing for Jauron in DET, so the attitude toward a new guy shouldn’t be the major factor, but instead the decline of On field skills. Jauron must not believe he can return to Pro Bowl form after the ankle surgery, so not worth paying him like a PB’er. A brilliant cost-benefit move.
According to rotoworld, the cuts added $16.34 million in cap space next year.
Rogers still had 3 years and $19 million on his contract
Barton still had 2 years and $6.5 million left on his deal
Coleman had 1 year left at $2.5 million on his contract
Bowens had 2 years and $3.75 million contract
Royal had 2 years left of a 4yr/$10 million deal*
St. Clair had 1 year left on a 3yr/$9 million deal*
*Couldn’t find exact figures left
Taking an average of the two contracts, the Browns save approximately $40 million over the lives of the contracts.
After all the bashing on St. Clair on this site, you don’t even mention him?
Over the years the Browns have always left me feeling like they are a team that is behind the curve, reactionary, struggling to keep up. This feels different, like they know something that the other teams don’t. I’m quite certain Heckert has a plan A, B, and C in rebuilding this team. Dumping old vets is just step one. I’m excited to see what happens next.
Sad to see this, but understand it. Especially sad to see Bowers go, hard to argue that he wasn’t a great guy and teammate. Rogers, while inconsistent, was a good citizen and made some plays.
good ridance…we needed some fresh faces, especially on D
Fujita is our vet on that side of the ball and we need to put some young guys around him to learn from him….like maybe that Matthews kid from Oregon?
@15: not so sure the TSA agrees with your characterizing Rogers as a good citizen. On the field, other than blocking a few kicks I can’t think of a notable play he’s made the last two seasons. Actually, the more I think about it the more inevitable it seems.
Mark: agree. In a similar vein one day I want to buy John Hart a beer and find out exactly how he knew Baerga was done before that trade.
Well I of course own a Shaun Rogers jersey… time for the time honored guessing-which-player-will-be-around-in-a-year-so-I-can-buy-his-jersey tradition.
I will state this now and will happily be held to it. If we sign Richard Seymour I will go buy his jersey ASAP. I almost bought one this year just b/c he punched Ben. If he is on our team his jersey should become the number one selling Browns jersey. Sorry Colt and Hillis.
@Brooks – if Seymour signs with the Browns, do you think we can get him to pick #94 so that all of us that were upset the Browns picked Gerard “Big Money” Warren over him can get a tiny piece of redemption?
/Butch Davis grudge
(ok, not really ending that grudge, just in this particular post)
This seems to me to indicate more of a change of philosophy than simply a salary dump (although that can definitely be argued). I feel this was done because we are going to a 4-3 on defense, a spread offense (no need for a blocking tight end that can’t catch), and because St. Clair just sucks…
@Tommy
We will hopefully replace the turnstile with a door that locks most of the time.
Thank God he’s gone, we need to protect Colt.