Cleveland Browns: At Least They're Not Afraid to Spend Some Cash
Posted March 5th, 2007 by George Thomas
I'll give the Cleveland Browns some credit; free agency hit and owner Randy Lerner opened his checkbook and landed the premier offensive lineman available in free agency in Eric Steinbach, a now former Cincinnati Bengal. That's a good thing. A graduate of Iowa, he knows how to play gritty football.
Additionally, they added outside linebacker Antwan Peek from the Houston Texans and defensive back Kenny Wright from the Washington Redskins. Not following those teams much I know little about them.
What I do know is that Steinbach is a proven commodity who blocked for one of the NFL's most productive running backs in Rudi Johnson and one of its most prolific quarterbacks in Carson Palmer. I'd be willing to bet that Palmer isn't happy to lose his starting left guard.
In some respects by signing Steinbach, the Browns may have tipped their hand when it comes to the upcoming draft. The team's O-line has been the weakest link since returning to the NFL and until last year when they signed center LaCharles Bentley, the team addressed that wound with a Band-aid.
If Bentley and a healthy Ryan Tucker return and gel along with their new teammate, the O-line has the potential to be powerful. Please note that I said potential.
It has the potential to block for a premier quarterback or running back and do not be surprised if the Browns look to address those needs. Sorry local folks, I watched from the pressbox last year, Charlie Frye ain't the answer. Is Derek Anderson? We don't know. But the Browns draft the third position this year. Personally, I'd much rather they trade down and pick up extra draft picks. However, should they stand pat, look for them to take Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson. He is the weapon available to them with the potential to loosen up defenses. They'd have to respect Peterson's speed and ability to break a game wide open. What's that do? Open the passing game via play action.
Is that the scenario I prefer? Not by a long shot. At this point, I'm happy Lerner and Savage haven't shied away from dropping cash despite what happened with Bentley on the first day of training camp last year. I can only hope that for the fans' sake the team's luck has changed for the better.
March 5th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
I do not understand the philosophy of paying a huge signing bonus to a free agent, and then telling him to change positions. But it happens all the time, and the Browns seem to thrive at it. It makes no sense to me.
By his own admission, Steinbach is most comfortable playing guard. It's what he knows and does best. So why not let him play guard? But the Browns are talking about making him change positions. Why? That's like signing Ilgauskas to a huge free agent contract, and then telling him to play small forward…which, come to think of it, might not have been such a bad idea. The guy plays like a clumsy Mike Sanders, anyway.