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Home > Blogs > Dawging the Browns > Archives > 2010 > February
February 2010
Playoffs? Well, a fan can dream, right?
An NFL spokesman is telling the Associated Press that the league could change its overtime format for playoff games at a meeting next month.
And it would work like this:
Both teams would get the ball at least once unless the first team to get the ball scores a touchdown, Greg Aiello told AP. If the first team to get the ball makes a field goal and the other team ties the game, action would continue until a team scores again.
Under the current “sudden death” rules, of course, the first team to score wins.
A vote could take place next month. At least two thirds of the teams would need to agree, the AP reported.
Whining about the overtime rules became fashionable after the NFC championship game, when New Orleans beat Minnesota 31-28 in OT to go to the Super Bowl and Brett Favre’s Vikings never saw the ball.
What do the Browns have to do with any of this? Well, they are in the league and maybe someday soon they’ll qualify for the playoffs again. Bad teams become good. It happens. Look at the Saints.
Toward that end, I found it mildly encouraging to hear new team president Mike Holmgren say he wants to get the team turned around soon and this isn’t going to be some kind of five-year rebuild.
Maybe Holmgren actually does have an impact free agent or two in mind and the team won’t be relying entirely on the crapshoot draft.
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Get the Cribbs deal done already
Let me preface this by saying nobody appreciates the talents of Joshua Cribbs more than I do. A better return man you will not find. The record shows he’s brought back more kickoffs for touchdowns than anyone in the history of the National Football League.
He’s a stand-up guy, a great quote and even his TV show, “Josh’s Cribbs” (don’t know if it’s still on the air or if another season is planned), was good for a laugh. Especially the one where he went to the dentist and teammate D’Qwell Jackson pretended to be a specialist (or something like that; trust me, it was amusing).
Having said all that, I’m sick of the guy the way Packers fans had to be sick of Brett Favre toward the end.
Mostly, I’m sick of hearing about the new contract. To the Browns, I say, get it done already and rescue us from the weekly, sometimes daily, progress reports.
Latest word is that the deal could be announced late next week if a few clauses and terms can be agreed upon. Let’s hope so, because the Browns are not a cheap organization and it won’t be good if that’s how they begin to be perceived around the league.
Of course, with the Browns’ luck, you know Cribbs will sign some lucrative extension and suffer a season-ending, perhaps career-threatening knee injury on the first day of training camp, a la LeCharles Bentley.
Speaking of Bentley, did he ever officially retire? Must have, although I recall no announcement. Seems like only yesterday he was passing his conditioning test and talking like he still should be starting only to request and receive his release, then not sign with anyone.
I was there the day Bentley went down in a heap. The NFL is a brutal business. At least it looks like Cribbs will have some security now if that kind of misfortune befalls him. I’ll be happy for him when he finally gets what he’s worth.
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So much for big free-agent splashes
Looks like the Browns are imposing a salary cap on themselves, following the Steelers’ lead as we approach an uncapped year leaguewide.
In other words, don’t expect new president Mike Holmgren to start throwing owner Randy Lerner’s money around without careful thought. In other words, don’t expect any major runs at Julius Peppers, Karlos Dansby, etc.
In an interview this week with the Lake County News-Herald, Holmgren said he intends to build through the draft while being “very selective” in free agency, echoing just about every previous Browns executive who has walked through the door in Berea.
“I think that’s how you build it,” Holmgren told the newspaper. “We’re not going to do things a whole lot different than what has been done in the past.
“We’re going to do what we think is best for the Cleveland Browns. If that means signing somebody in free agency, we’re going to do that. We’re going to do what we think is best, but also be responsible.”
Yep, looks like a long rebuild. Anyone think otherwise?
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Stallworth a Raven; Lewis released
You can just imagine Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown, the self-appointed Great Redeemer, slamming his hand down on the desk and yelling about the one who got away.
No, the Bengals won’t be there to re-integrate former Browns receiver Donte Stallworth back into football society. That responsibility now apparently will fall to the Baltimore Ravens, who have signed Stallworth to a one-year contract reportedly worth $900,000 with an additional $300,000 in incentives.
The Ravens, as this move indicates, are desperate for receivers. Stallworth, of course, sat out all last season, suspended by the NFL after killing a pedestrian while driving under the influence and serving 30 days in jail. The Browns released him after he was reinstated following the Super Bowl.
“There was a time I felt the mistake I made was the end of the world for me,” Stallworth said in a statement. “I will never get that morning back. It weighs on me every day and will for the rest of my life.
“What I can do is move forward, try to be a better person, try to convince others not to do what I did and warn others about the dangers of drinking and driving. I have to show otherwise that what happened doesn’t reflect who I am.
“I have to prove that, and, hopefully, I’m on my way to doing that. I know my apology will never be strong enough for some, but I’ve made changes, and I’m trying to be a positive influence. It’s an honor and privilege to play in the NFL, and I’m so thankful for this opportunity.”
All’s good now, Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, the former Brown, said.
“We’ve given a lot of thought to this and we’ve done extensive research into Donte’ beyond football,” Newsome told The Associated Press. “He made a huge mistake. There’s no doubt about that. He has paid a significant price for that and, as he has said, he carries a heavy weight. As (Ravens owner) Steve (Bisciotti) has said, we believe in second chances, and Donte’ does deserve that.
“But, we’ve signed him because we want to get better, and we think he has a chance to help us. We worked him out and it’s obvious he is working hard to be effective. We thought it was important to sign him now, because other teams were pursuing him and we want him in our offseason program, which starts next month.”
Wouldn’t it be ironic if Stallworth, after proving to be one of the worst free-agent busts in Browns history, becomes an important cog in the Ravens’ offense. Given the Browns’ luck, who could bet against it?
ALSO TODAY, the Browns formally terminated the contract of running back Jamal Lewis, who is probably retiring, although his future remained uncertain at season’s end.
“I enjoyed getting to know Jamal and having the opportunity to coach him last season,” head coach Eric Mangini said. “We want to thank him for his contributions to the Cleveland Browns and wish him nothing but the best moving forward. I’m sure he will be successful in whatever he decides to pursue.”
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How many advisers is too many?
As expected, the Browns today announced the hiring of Gil Haskell, longtime Mike Holmgren friend and associate, as senior adviser to the president (Holmgren).
A coach in college and the pros for more than 30 years, Haskell has been around for the better part of forever. Holmgren first leaned on him in Green Bay, then in Seattle, where he served as offensive coordinator for seven years, including the Seahawks’ Super Bowl year, then assistant head coach/offensive coordinator.
At Green Bay, Holmgren and Haskell were together for six years. The Packers won three NFC Central titles, made five postseason trips and appeared in two Super Bowls, winning one.
Can’t hurt, right? The more experienced hands in the mix, the better. And if the offense proves to be as anemic as last season’s, Holmgren won’t have to look far for offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s replacement. Of course, maybe Holmgren also replaces head coach Eric Mangini with himself by November, but that’s an issue for another day.
Can’t really think of a downside to the Haskell hire, except maybe that Randy Lerner’s ownership suite on game days is going to be pretty crowded.
Hope there’s still room for Jim Brown. And what about Bernie Kosar? Is he still an adviser? How many advisers is too many?
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Stallworth chapter officially closed
In a sad but inevitable end to one of the more lamentable chapters in team history, the Browns today officially released receiver Donte’ Stallworth.
Stallworth was suspended for the 2009 season by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after pleading guilty to killing a pedestrian while driving drunk in Florida. He spent 24 days in jail.
Not exactly the kind of free-agent signee around which champions are built, Stallworth played one season for the Browns, catching 17 passes for 170 yards and one touchdown in 2008.
Stallworth, reinstated by Goodell after the Super Bowl, is now free to sign with any team. Can’t imagine there will be a stampede of general managers waving contracts in his face, but you never know.
Maybe the Bengals will look in Stallworth’s direction if they don’t sign T.O.
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At least you won’t pay more
After the kind of season they just had, it would have been a major insult for the Cleveland Browns to demand more money from their most loyal customers.
Perhaps this figured in their decision, announced Friday, to hold the line on season ticket prices, which are already among the league’s lowest.
The Browns said the cost of some seats for next season will be lower than in 2009 and that for the first time season tickets will be made available in a family friendly, alcohol-free area of Cleveland Browns Stadium.
These teams visit CBS next season: Atlanta, Carolina, Kansas City, New England, the New York Jets, and AFC North rivals Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cincinnati.
In their press release, the Browns provided this rah-rah quote from new team president Mike Holmgren:
“Having faced the Browns several times in Cleveland as a head coach, I know what a home field advantage our stadium can provide. We’re excited about continuing to build the type of team that our fans can be proud of. I know that they will be an integral part of any success that we have and that is why we are pleased to keep our ticket prices as affordable as possible for our fans.”
Just makes you want to buy a ticket, doesn’t it?
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GM appears in public, talks Tebow
At the Cleveland Sports Awards (don’t laugh) tonight, Associated Press reporter Tom Withers caught up with new Browns GM Tom Heckert, who had more to say about Florida quarterback Tim Tebow than he did about Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson.
Overall, he told Withers, “We have probably more talent than I originally thought as an outsider looking in. Plus, you throw in the draft picks (Cleveland has 11) and we have some money to do something in free agency if there’s somebody available, so I think we have a chance to be a better football team.”
If you were waiting for some proclamation on the quarterback situation from Heckert, none was forthcoming. Quinn and Anderson both remain on the roster. Both are thought to have underachieved.
“It’s probably a little too early to say on both of them,” Heckert told Withers. “It’s a difficult decision and we have to get together and we have not made any decisions on anybody.
“That’s going to be something that’s going to happen down the road. They both have talent, there’s no doubt about it. They both played well at times and we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”
Tebow to the Browns? Maybe not, but Heckert seems to think the Heisman Trophy winner can play quarterback in the NFL.
“Now, where he goes, and how well he plays, that’s the question,” Heckert told the AP. “Everything besides actually playing the position, he’s got it all. He’s everything you want, the greatest kid in the world.
“People can knock him all they want, but he won a ton of games. And they didn’t just run the ball. He threw the ball and threw the ball well.
“It’s tough to knock a kid like that, but to say he’s going to be a franchise quarterback, that’s going to be a big decision for whoever takes him.”
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Capologist swap completed
The Browns on Monday announced they are adding Matt Thomas as vice president of football administration, effectively completing the “trade” that sent Dawn Aponte to the Miami Dolphins.
Aponte recently accepted the position of senior vice president of football operations with the Dolphins. In one of her last acts with the Browns, you might recall, Aponte reportedly gave Joshua Cribbs the “take it or leave it” contract offer, sending him into a tizzy.
So, good riddance to her if that report is true. This new guy can’t do anything worse than alienating the team’s best player.
Thomas had been with the Dolphins for 12 years. According to the press release issued by the Browns, “he held numerous football administrative functions, which included assisting with the management of the salary cap, player contract negotiations, football budgeting and acting as a liaison with the NFL Management Council on salary cap compliance and other labor and legal matters. Thomas is a graduate of the University of Denver, University of South Dakota School of Law and the New York University School of Law.”
Optimistically, having this guy in place could mean the Browns, if they ever make the playoffs again, won’t have to cut all their starting linebackers in a salary-cap purge as they did in 2002.
