James Harrison a Cleveland Brown? No thanks.
March 12, 2013NFL News: Browns Agree To Terms With DT Desmond Bryant
March 12, 2013ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the Cleveland Browns have reached an agreement in principle to bring free agent OLB Paul Kruger to Cleveland. The deal, as reported by Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore sun is in the 5 year, $40 million dollar range.
Paul Kruger to Browns on five-year contract worth roughly $40 million,so $8 million average. Not bad
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 12, 2013
Jason LaCanfora reports that the deal is 5 years and $41 million, with $20 million guaranteed.
Kruger had a fantastic finish to the regular season for the Ravens recording 7.5 sacks over the final eight weeks of the regular season. In addition, he had four sacks in the postseason, including a pair in the Super Bowl. His nine regular season sacks were two better than Jabaal Sheard’s team high of seven.
Rotoworld had projected Paul Kruger’s deal would be north of $10 million dollars per season. The Browns enter the free agency period with the most cap space of any team in the league at over $46 million dollars.
“Paul is the type of player we were looking to bring on at the outset of free agency, and we are thrilled that we were able to sign him,” said Browns CEO Joe Banner. “Not only do we feel strongly about his ability as a football player, but he will add a great deal from a leadership standpoint as well. He has exhibited marked improvement each year of his career and we believe he can help the Cleveland Browns for many years to come.”
[Related: James Harrison a Brown? No thanks.]
48 Comments
nice !!!! holy #*** we signed a top free agent. Crap if I weren’t so broke I would buy a bottle and have a drink. ……. Speaking of which what about a WFNY picnic for all us loyal (thirsty) readers?
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mn9YDAcrlKI/UOSreY5_fcI/AAAAAAAApWA/535D1FkFPDE/w497-h373/Ron_Paul_Its_Happening.gif
We want more, we want more!!!!
Kool Aid all the way around – oh yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeea!
whew. I preferred Avril, but I think he’ll be much more expensive than this deal. I’m much happier with this deal than at $12mil/year (as some had “reported” yesterday).
Keenan Lewis, Quentin Groves, Louis Vasquez – hopefully, you have your tickets to Cleveland already in hand.
So the Browns sign the top OLB at a price that looks to be 20% less than what the market said he’d get? Seems pretty good and a manageable signing to me.
Now someone tell Cleveland.com, who posted an article mere seconds after the signing labeling Kruger the surest bust of the free-agent class …
8 mil instead of 12 mil is awesome. That’s a nickel CB difference. Really great signing at that price, gotta work on CBs now
well looks like 2 of us are up for it
These stories about Kruger losing kidneys, spleens, intestines, etc are mildly disturbing. Am hoping he wasn’t given a physical by Jarvis Jones’ doctor…
http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2013/03/cleveland_browns_reach_agreeme_2.html#incart_river
Louis Vasquez to Denver ($6mil/year)
boo!
http://www.nfl.com/freeagency
So Mike Lombardi on his way to redemption in Cleveland, comfirmed?
wow, if the terms are correct then OK! When people were talking 10-12 million per year I wasn’t on board, but 8? Sure, let’s give it a run.
Just to be sure though, he doesn’t have a dinner with the Eagles tomorrow, does he?
Too early to call. Does Kruger own a motorcycle? Does he have a susceptibility to staph infections? Does he party w/ Braylon Edwards in Miami?
Banner and coaches get credit for positives. Lombardi gets blame for negatives.
you didn’t even mention our last high-profile FA sign from Baltimore (Gary Baxter and his exploding patella’s)
Call me negative, but signing for $4M/yr less than expected makes me worry that other teams had issues with Kruger that scared them away. Red flags?
We already know he has an exploding spleen and kidney…
That “expected” was only his camp throwing numbers around. 8mil was probably reasonable the whole time. Not to worry.
If you say so. The comments I’ve read from Ravens fans about his departure have me worried too.
that was a positive! less things that can go wrong later!
he had a successful 1/2 season + playoffs. I am a bit worried, but we needed a playmaking OLB and it was between him and Avril on the open-market. If the Colts sign Avril for $12mil/year (see Irsay comments), then this was a good risk to take.
Hixon leaving Lions with offer but not good enough apparently.
this is shaping up well.
if groves is signed; if a CB is signed; if ansah is off the board; can fill OG with j. cooper at #6 (or warmack).
Colts get Toler. Dang.
CRIBBS TO NE? THIS IS SURPRISE FONT, NOT SARCASTIC FONT!!!
(Edelman basically freed up by this move. Cmon guys, bring in Edelman)
lol. yes but also less margin for error!
Baxter not mentioned nearly enough in context of “really?” To rupture one patella is rare, devastating and weird. Patella on each knee on SAME PLAY? More than a little suspicious.
Mike Wallace to Dolphins. Ok, that’s probably for the best.
Geathers resigned with Cinci
yes. Delanie Walker to Titans though (Cook won’t be back but I was hoping for Delanie on a cheaper deal).
if we take an OG at #6 especially when there are 2 good ones available, then I will be upset. Trade down if you want an OG.
that said, Geno Smith is looking more and more viable (even though he’s basically a younger Weeden).
Dolphins get Ellerbe too? well, at least he’s out of Baltimore
Just say GeNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I was not a Kruger fan going into this FA period but I have to admit I like that $8M/year number (especially if the back end of the deal isn’t guaranteed). Of course, the glass-half-empty take is that no one else wanted him badly enough to drive up his price. That said, my guess is that this is Banner driving a hard bargain like he did in Philly. If he can keep signing guys for less than “market value” (whatever that is), then this new Browns era should be really fun.
So far, though, the Ravens have never really let a stud defender go. They’ve kept their core guys (Lewis, Reed, Suggs, Ngata) tied up and let guys like Duane Starks, Bart Scott, and Adalius Thomas ply their mediocrity elsewhere. Of course, when they were signing those core defensive players, they never had the highest-paid QB in the league either, so there’s that.
They still have more then enough money to take a shot at Avril although as I’ve said repeatedly I’m highly skeptical of both Kruger and Avril. Most likely I see something along the lines you mention in a CB. Ideally I want Milliner but it’s looking like he won’t be around at #6 so if the Browns can fill CB in free agency that leaves the door wide open for possibilities at #6 including trading down.
Yeah, let Arizona or Buffalo trade up to #6 for Geno and drop back a few spots.
Ah, I see that article was written by Chris Fedor…
I got a fever! And the only prescription is . . . MORE eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee`s
Art Modell just rolled over in his hot coals!
Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Luckily, we won’t have to worry about how he performs in the playoffs.
he was hurt early in the year and not healthy until week 7, when his production – wait for it – took off! he then went on a great run, which included the playoffs/super bowl.
Also…If NFL.com says he wasn’t on the field much in the Super Bowl and he STILL had 2 sacks (and sacks of Kapernick, no less), that’s a good player, in my book.
that could work because it turns out we have trade down partners now.
bills for geno;
fins for a LT.
That may end up being the case, but we’ll see.
Don’t be disturbed – the spleen and kidney loss happened when he was 14. If it were a problem, he would’ve never even sniffed the pros, let alone college. If anything, it proves the guy is tough as nails. He survived a semi-disemboweling!
Just for a thought… The eagles just released Nhamdiso do we go after him? I mean his stats werent sufficient when apart of the eagles but should we risk it?
Browns sign Raiders DT Desmond Bryant http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000150156/article/desmond-bryant-lands-with-browns-on-fiveyear-deal
Aka this guy