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March 14, 2009
I know that there is nothing sexy about the Browns’ free agent pickups so far. I also know that everyone is pretty much tired of looking at Jets stats to see how these guys have played in the past. Well, there is another Jet coming to town, but coming with him is a dude named Pork Chop. Eric Barton is the Jet linebacker that has been talked about since free agency started, and now the Browns appear to have added some help on the offensive line. Floyd “Pork Chop” Womack is your newest Cleveland Browns offensive lineman. I would think that Browns fans, of all people, would be able to rally around a dude named after a food. Now, if we could only find a right tackle with the nickname Apple Sauce it would be the most delicious right side of an offensive line EVER.
While it isn’t a homecoming of any kind for Womack, he was born in a town named Cleveland. It just happened to be in Mississippi. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 4th round in 2001 and he played his college ball at Mississippi State. The skinny on Womack (Ha. Get it?) is that he is a giant dude with the ability to play both tackle and guard. He is listed at 6’4″ and 328 pounds. He played a lot for the Seahawks last year at the two guard spots, but stats for offensive linemen aren’t really available. The Seahawks were 4-12, but that certainly doesn’t tell you anything either. I don’t know if this guy even projects to be a starter, but to me this again points to the Browns looking to improve their running game. In order to win in the AFC North, you need to have physical line play. I look at this and our newest blocking tight end as signs that the Browns will look to improve that phase of the game.
As for Eric Barton, we have been talking and thinking about him for a while now. Barton is a veteran tackling machine. Then again, Andra Davis was a tackling machine a few years back. As Scott likes to point out all the time, though, the tackles occurred way too far downfield on a way too consistent basis. If I had to guess, Barton was brought in to help bridge the knowledge gap between the Romeo Crennel show and the Eric Mangini show. Barton is probably not viewed as the ultimate solution at linebacker, but the kind of guy who can help young guys like Kamerion Wimbley, D’Qwell Jackson (who Mangini has mentioned multiple times,) Alex Hall, and even Beau Bell grasp the new system.
One of the big things that I am hoping Mangini changes from Romeo is his willingness to see what we have in some of the younger players on the roster. At least we know that there will be no more Willie McGinest pretending that he is still effective. Still, all these young guys probably needed at least one person out there to call out things that he sees and to help them gain knowledge of their gap responsibilities, etc. Hopefully Eric Barton is that guy for a year or two while the young guys and (hopefully) our draft picks this year develop into front line starters.
I know it is easy to get frustrated with someone like Kamerion Wimbley, but he and D’Qwell are still young at 25, relatively healthy, and athletic. I know some people around here question their fire and desire, but part of what a great coaching staff does is get the most out of their players. I haven’t given up on Wimbley just yet and I am now rooting for Eric Barton to help this young linebacking corps much like I did with Willie McGinest. Just because Big Willie wasn’t able to do it doesn’t mean it was a bad idea. If Mangini ever hopes to be a great coach in this league he will figure out how to do that, starting with Wimbley.
17 Comments
I think the barton signing was good. I don’t know what to think about womack. He started 14 games last year, but also in Madden he is a 73. What if the browns are trying to get “starters” on D so that with the 1st pick they can get the best available player (Crabtree) then look at some LBs in the second round and 3rd if we end up trading some players.
At this point, there are so many holes that BPA is the only way to go. No need to reach.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=BPA
Hey, whatever works..
They might need to get Joe J back. Stallworth hit and killed someone while driving…
http://cbs4.com/local/donte.sallworth.macarthur.2.959162.html
An NFL player has been questioned after he accidentally drove into a pedestrian who died Saturday morning on the eastbound MacCarthur Causeway on Miami Beach, according to Det. Juan Sanchez of the City of Miami Beach.
Donte Stallworth, 28, is an eight-year pro NFL wide receiver.
He’s played with the New England Patriots, and had an agreed to terms of a seven-year, $35-million contract with the Browns, $10-million of which is guaranteed.
Stallworth’s best overall season was in 2005, when he caught 70 passes for 945 yards and seven touchdowns as a member of the New Orlean Saints.
According to the police report, the accident happened at the intersection of Fisher Island Drive and the MacCarthur Causeway.
The Drive is where ferry access is provided to one of the most exclusive residences in America, Fisher Island.
The victim’s named has not yet been released.
Let’s just hope he didn’t hit “Pork Chop” Womack.
Two words.
Orlando Pace.
Two more.
Torry Holt.
Tags makes a lot of sense here. Really? Another Jet? His defense blew last year. I’m hoping these are all really high charecter guys to clear up locker room issues.
Wow-you should be working for Mangini in a PR role. Each and every move is met with nothing but a positive spin, each and every time.
Barton a tackling machine……wow, his agent loves you. He’s a 32 year old journeyman two down ILB-one who is now much richer than the usual castoff. He’s this regime’s newest version of Andre Davis, who the Browns just sent packing. Mankok continues to add journeyman over thirty year old backups to both compete for starting roles and fortify the future of his curruent team-wow, exciting.
As for Wimbley and “fire and desire” and your “hope” that Mangini will bring out the best………intensity, heart, passion, motor, and toughness aren’t things that can be taught like techniques. I hope you’re right in your assessment of Wimbley’s potential………..from here it’s time to forget about him in the role he was drafted in and move on. If Orapko is the guy, he’s y our right side edge rusher and Wimbley is fighting for a role along with Alex Hall.
Jeremy…..you are correct, Barton and the Jets defense “blew” last year. It can be agued that the Jets defense was the reason ultimately or had as much a role in the demise of their season. Meanwhile, the Browns continue to stockpile their washed out backups as “building” planks.
The bottom line right now is that the Browns are limited in terms of salary cap. Every time they do anything to alleviate that though, they face criticism. Can they do anything right? Who would you have them sign that is within their budget?
I wonder what could have been FA-wise had they made all of these cap-based moves, you know, before all of the top FAs were signed? The Winslow trade came right out of the gate. Good cap move. Then it was nothing for about a week. Then a few old Jets. Now some released players.
I REALLY wanted Jabari Greer, and think that the team should’ve made that happen. I know that it was a financial decision, but at this rate players seem to be putting a premium on playing up in Cleveland versus other areas – especially those in the south.
I like the Abram signing. Barton is actually a good move as well. But that’s really it at this point. Hank Poteat isn’t even on the first page of free-agent CBs – He’s actually the LAST CB ranked. At the bottom of the “NRs”.
Freddy Kieaho (out of Indy) is still unsigned, and is young. Heck, if they’re dead set on veteran leadership, give Derrick Brooks a look-see.
But unless this team loads up on first- and second-rounders, I don’t know how we can say we’re improving at this stage.
Craig-cmon, they ARE spending money. Add up the salaries of the Jets that have been signed. I would have them sign younger players with potential rather than washed out backups, does that answer your question? Please don’t tell me that NY Jets over 30 year old journeymen backups are the only option out there. It’s Mangini’s perogative to do so, and he’ll sink or swim on it-but don’t try and paint Eric Barton as anything other than he is (or was).
It isn’t exactly an easy task to get these guys here. They talked to Chris Carr… now he goes to Baltimore. They tried to get Greer to some extent. They went after Farwell. These are the ones we know about so far.
As a 4-12 team you are going to get turned down a lot. You have to fill depth in free agency and get difference makers in the draft for the most part. They are doing the best they can given the financial limitations. Poteat is hopefully better than Cousin and hopefully someone in the draft is even better than Poteat. Until then, what else would you have them do since Greer chose not to come here?
However, if they cut Brady, I am done.
I actually like the moves. I don’t mind bringing in some decent vets at a decent price for competition and depth. Remember we are talking about the Browns here. This is a team in which all their guys suffer weird injuries all the time. At least when this happens next year, we have some guys to fill in who have actually played in the league. Give this rebuild some time, we were not that close to contending, we all were hoodwinked in 07. We have a ton of holes and a bad cap number. It will take time.
[…] look for St. Clair to be our starting right tackle unless we land a stud OL in the draft. The recently acquired Floyd “Pork Chop” Womack and the abovementioned Tucker will likely split time at the […]