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Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

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Canton

3/11/06

Browns may hit market quickly

Saturday, March 11, 2006

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By STEVE DOERSCHUK[/FONT]




Now that the market is fully open for business, the Browns could get their noses dirty right away in the work of signing free agents.
According to a league source, a nose tackle from among the group of Sam Adams, Grady Jackson and Ted Washington could be announced as a new Brown as early as today.
If that doesn’t happen, negotiations with Baltimore nose tackle Maake Kemoeatu could open and, in the right scenario, close quickly.
It’s also possible defensive end Trevor Pryce could be introduced as a Brown soon.
Most free agents weren’t allowed to negotiate with prospective new teams until 12:01 this morning. Pryce was among the exceptions because he was released by the Broncos last week.
Pryce, who visited Berea to scope out his possible new home, and any of the nose tackles named previously would fill targeted needs.
Both Head Coach Romeo Crennel and General Manager Phil Savage said improving the pass rush and run defense are the top two priorities.
Another candidate for a quick signing is wide receiver David Givens, although that seems unlikely to happen today.
The 25-year-old Givens’ best season with the Patriots was Crennel’s last — the Youngstown native had 56 catches for 874 yards.
Having posted a 15-33 record over the last three years, the Browns want to make a splash by signing players who give fans hope that can translate into wins. Pryce, 30, is the most accomplished of the defensive candidates. He made Pro Bowl rosters in four different seasons. The 6-foot-5, 295-pounder has battled back problems recently, but he started 16 games in 2005. He totaled 67 sacks from 1997, when he was a first-round draft pick out of Clemson, through 2003.
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im not a browns fan, but they could turn it around a little more in a th next couple years. 24.5 mill 2 spend this offseason. and they could pick up aj hawk, if hes still there. get mginest(cant spell) from the pats. and have davis.
 
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CPD

3/11/06

NFL

<H1 class=red>Lavish Browns can dive deep into free-agency wishing well

</H1>

Saturday, March 11, 2006 Tony Grossi

Plain Dealer Reporter
The advent of NFL free agency at 12:01 this morning brings hope of the Browns dramatically reinventing themselves.

The latest computations leave them about $24.5 million under the 2006 salary cap of $102 million. Only three teams have more to spend.

(The Browns have to save a cushion of about $5 million to sign rookies, however. They also have yet to re-sign left tackle L.J. Shelton, whose price is going up.)

The $24.5 million refers only to the figures that make up salary-cap numbers in 2006. Those would be the base salaries and prorated portions of signing bonuses.

The potential total dollar amount of contracts equivalent to the Browns' salary-cap room would be about $100 million, according to one prominent player agent.

To put their cap room in another perspective, the agent said, "It's like getting five first-round picks, but only better because these [free agents] are already developed."

Browns General Manager Phil Savage has said he envisions netting five free agents by the time the signing season is done in July. Savage aims to strike quickly and aggressively on players the club has targeted as top priorities.

Linebacker LaVar Arrington, formerly of Washington, and receiver David Givens, of New England, could be two of them.

The team's pressing needs are at defensive line (end and nose tackle), linebacker (outside and inside), receiver and punter.

Whom the Browns sign in free agency also will dictate their strategy in the NFL draft on April 29-30. For instance, signing a nose tackle in free agency would allow them to concentrate perhaps on an outside linebacker with the 12th pick of the draft.

The 11th-hour settlement of an extension of the NFL collective bargaining agreement put an additional $7.5 million into the salary cap, which may allow some teams to keep players off the market or bid on new players.

"I think that Phil had a strategy for no extension and he has one for an extension," Browns owner Randy Lerner said. "He's been working on a Plan A and a Plan B for a long time. What it means for the Browns is more resources to build [the team].

"Now, the number may be different, but it still comes down to hard work, preparation and conviction of who you pick to play."

The last time the Browns had an advantage on their competition was in 1999 and 2000, when they were given 14 additional draft choices as part of their expansion agreement.

Most of them were squandered.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4670
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