Jamal Lewis to the Browns

I guess the other way to look at it is that they have soooo many needs that not drafting an RB isn't the worst thing in the world. Now they can focus on offensive line/defensive line/secondary/quarterback/probably some other things.

 

That's one viewpoint. Thing is, there are other strong players out there.

Denver just stole Patrick Ramsey, for example if you feel the Browns need another worthy QB. I think the Deadskins made a good pick with him ... only for him to get screwed up and hung out to dry in D.C.

There are plenty of worthy line candidates. Maybe Matt Millen suddenly grows a brain, and Peterson somehow gets snatched up. (I like Kevin Jones, but the injuries are starting to mount ... )

Yeah, I'm reaching. But no worse than the Browns did with Lewis.

 

Why, exactly, would this preclude the Browns from taking Peterson?

Lewis has a one-year deal. No committment. Browns draft Peterson, let Lewis take a beating for the first half of the year then turn the reigns over to Peterson.

I agree that's not the most likely scenario, but it's certainly possible.

 

And Adrian Peterson isn't exactly the most durable back. He's had injury issues before, so it doesn't hurt to have a backup plan.

 

All good points. It just seems like an odd move unless you A) don't plan to take AP, or B) are worried he'll go before #3.

 

It's not that BYH and Oz can't present decent points ... I'm not arrogant enough to dig this deep in the sand over it. But surely there's something better out there than Jamal Lewis. I'm not armed with a deep list of UFA running backs, but bluntly, I wasn't a big fan of his before he got busted, and his "performance" since serving his sentence has been absolutely listless.

 

For what it's worth, the Plain-Dealer's Tony Grossi wrote that the Lewis signing doesn't mean they won't take AP.
Here's the full thing, seemed relevant.
http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/2007/03/browns_sign_jamal_lewis.html

 

Washed up.

 

I'm hoping the Browns take Joe Thomas and really nail down the left tackle spot for the first time since Tony Jones departed. ...

A one-year contract for Lewis hardly rules out Peterson. Droughns never was and never will be the answer, although it doesn't really matter who is running the ball if they can't block up front.

The o-line has been a perennial weakness since the team was re-born. It's time they fix it. Steinbach is a good start.

 

I don't really understand this move. Maybe it goes back to a relationship Lewis had with Savage back in Baltimore and this was done as a favor to an old friend???

Who knows. If the Browns were really interested in a free-agent running back instead of Adrian Peterson, they would have gone after Thomas Jones or be in the mix for Willis McGahee or Clinton Portis.

At this point in the offseason, I'm happy with the moves the Browns are making and I think Savage has done a decent job, even if this Lewis signing makes me scratch my head giving the Browns have two barely average running backs.

Hopefully Matt Millen goes all "Matt Millen" April 28 and lets Joe Thomas fall to third... with Thomas and Steinbach on the left side of that line for the next 7-10 years, move Shaffer to right tackle and find a right guard, that would be a step in the right direction.

Of course all of this is going to blow up in the Browns face and I'll be returning to my post on E. 9th by Halloween... I'll be the guy mumbling nonsense while lying in the fetal position in a throw-back Kosar jersey.

 

Couple things here:

1. Where the heck is spnited on this thread? Hi old man!

2. BYH: Your first post on this thread made me laugh out loud. Well done. But I'll say again, I just live here.

3. Having said that, objectively, there's no big problem with this deal. Droughns will be cut, the Browns will take AP. Droughns' roster bonus kicks in on the 17th. He'll be gone by then. Read Grossi's story in today's PD. Cleveland probably signed Lewis for about $3 mill, which is what Droughns would have made in salary+bonus.

So what's wrong with this move? Unless they're banking on Peterson to be there at 3 and Detroit takes him, there's little risk involved.

DPDH: It's clear they wanted a stopgap to groom Peterson, right? So why sign Jones/McGahee/Portis to big, multi-year deals.

 

Hell, I'm fine with the move... I'm sick of Lewis racking up 250/game on the Brownies... if you can't beat 'em...

But the reason I would have liked to see Savage land Jones/McGahee/Ports to big, multi-year deals is they don't have to take Peterson at three... either trade down, hope Thomas falls to them or get draft who many believe is the best player in the draft, Calvin Johnson.