Browns Gab

Browns announce signing of free agent TE Ben Watson

Matt Loede — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:22:19 +0000

The Cleveland Browns today signed tight end Benjamin Watson to a multi-year contract as an unrestricted free agent from the New England Patriots, where he had spent each of his first six NFL seasons (2004-09).

“We viewed Ben as one of the top all-around tight ends in the free agent market,” said Browns General Manager Tom Heckert. “Because of his athleticism and intelligence, he has proven valuable as both a receiver and blocker during his career, and has performed well in both facets. He comes from a winning program in New England and possesses the traits that we like in a player. We feel as though he can help us in many different areas and we are excited about his addition to our team.”

Originally a first-round draft choice of the Patriots in 2004 (32nd overall), the 6-3, 255-pound Watson has appeared in 71 regular season games in his career, including 47 starts. During that time he has caught 167 passes for 2,102 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also has played in nine playoff contests, starting seven of them, and tallied 19 receptions for 195 yards and three touchdowns.

He turned in his most productive season in 2006 when he hauled in 49 passes for 643 yards and three touchdowns. He accounted for a career-high six touchdown catches the following year, when he totaled 36 receptions for 389 yards. He turned in the lone 100-yard receiving game of his career in 2007, in a matchup against the Browns on October 7 at Gillette Stadium when he had six receptions for 107 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Last year with New England, Watson played in all 16 games with seven starts and caught 29 passes for 404 yards and five scores.

Browns chat with running back Justin Fargas

Matt Loede — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:50:31 +0000

The Browns are still looking at options at the running back spot, this despite a strong end of the year for Jerome Harrison. The team today talked to QB Jake Delhomme, but they also made time for a visit with former Raiders running back Justin Fargas, who was dumped after failing a physical by the team last week:

Free agent running back Justin Fargas, released last week by the Raiders, visited the Browns today, the club confirmed. There was no word yet on whether or not the team will sign him.

He is scheduled to visit the Eagles on Friday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Fargas, a third-round pick of the Raiders in 2003 out of USC, led the club in rushing in 2006-2008, including 1,000-yard seasons in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, he split time with two other backs, finishing second on the team with 491 yards on 129 carries. He also had three TDs.

Fargas missed the end of last season with a knee injury, but is believed to be healthy now. Waived just days before earning a $1.7 million roster bonus, Fargas told reporters the Raiders told him it was strictly about the money.

He said reports that he didn’t pass his Raiders physical were untrue.

“I definitely have a lot of football left in me,” Fargas told sfgate.com. “I just want to do everything I can to help another team win a championship.”

The Browns also spoke with former Pats TE Ben Watson, and Delhomme was at the Berea complex, but word from NFL.com is that he will take a visit with the Saints on Friday.

Poll: Should the Browns trade Brady Quinn?

Matt Loede — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:11:06 +0000

Anderson says he’s sorry for ripping on the Browns fans

Matt Loede — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:50:31 +0000

Looks like DA wasn’t too happy with getting ripped on in the media and by Browns fans, as it took him all of one day to say he’s sorry for saying that the Browns fans “don’t deserve a winner”:

One day after Derek Anderson ripped the Cleveland Browns in an e-mail to the News-Herald where he said they “are ruthless and don’t deserve a winner,” the former Browns quarterback has apologized.

Anderson issued a statement today through former Browns public relations staffer Amy Palcic.

Here’s what he had to say:

“I said some things to Jeff Schudel (News-Herald beat writer) earlier that I regret. Those of you who got to know me personally from covering the Browns over the past five years, know this was out of character for me. I wasn’t taken out of context, but I was speaking out of my frustration after my career with the Browns came to a close.

“I had some great times playing in Cleveland, especially during the 2007 season and I met some great people and made many lifelong friends along the way. I’m looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life.”

Whispers of Troy Smith

J. Paul Norton — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:02:27 +0000

Sports Illustrated is reporting that the agent for Troy Smith is claiming Troy Smith would crawl to Cleveland to get the opportunity to come back home and play for the Browns. Although it is very well within the realm of possibility that the former Buckeye would actually say that, should fans be excited at such a possibility?

What does Troy Smith bring to the table that Brady Quinn doesn’t have to offer? When can we give Quinn an opportunity to perform with a solid host of offensive weapons around him and an offensive line that can protect him? That seems to be the problem for the Browns at the quarterback position. He can do the job, we have seen him manage the offense well and were shown that when given the chance he can throw the ball all over the field, just look back at the Detroit game.

The truth is that Brady Quinn needs to stay healthy. Then he needs to prove the job is his and nobody else’s. That can be done by coming to camp and showing in preseason that this is his team. Finally, he needs to be given the chance to perform. A chance that doesn’t include a short leash. Give him the green light and let’s go.

We are rebuilding anyway, so why not take one more year to develop Brady into the guy we need. Let him be the hometown hero. He has the size, strength and competitive drive to do it. Troy Smith, since becoming a pro, has done nothing to make anyone think that he would be an upgrade over Quinn in any way.

If we look at it from a different perspective, if Smith was prepared to be a starter in this league wouldn’t there be more of a controversy over the quarterback position in Baltimore? Wouldn’t we hear reports of factions in the Ravens locker room clamoring for him over Falcco? It seems like a legitimate question. One that seems to have been answered equivocally.

I love Troy Smith, don’t get me wrong. He was a great Buckeye. People from Ohio can be proud of this hometown boy who won a Heisman trophy and did it with class and dignity. But this is not his time. This is another hometown boy’s time. This is Brady Quinn’s time and I think he deserves a chance to prove he can be an NFL quarterback. One all of us who root for the Orange and Brown can be proud of.

Wallace in; Anderson out as Browns QB roster shakeup takes form

Matt Loede — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:18:53 +0000

The Browns QB situation has taken quite a turn over the last 24 hours, as the team acquired backup Seneca Wallace from the Seattle Seahawks for an undisclosed draft choice. Today the team quickly moved to shore up the QB situation even more, as they have officially released Derek Anderson:

The Cleveland Browns today terminated the contract of quarterback Derek Anderson, the team announced. Anderson joined Cleveland via waivers from Baltimore in 2005 and spent the last five seasons with the Browns. He appeared in 39 games with 34 starts during that time and completed 587 of 1,109 passes for 7,083 yards with 46 touchdowns and 45 interceptions.

“I want to thank Derek for everything that he gave to the Cleveland Browns organization over the last five years,” said Browns Head Coach Eric Mangini. “He did everything we asked of him and it was a pleasure to coach such a competitive person. I want to wish him all the best in the future.”

This means looking at the Browns today, you have Brady Quinn, who reportedly is not a huge favorite of Mike Holmgren or Eric Mangini, as the teams starter, and Wallace as the backup. You can bet this isn’t the last move at the QB spot.

Watson possibly the next free agent coming to Cleveland

Matt Loede — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:53:03 +0000

PFT is reporting that the Browns are looking at another free agent, this time it’s TE Ben Watson:

With the signing of tackle Tony Pashos and linebacker Scott Fujita, the Browns hardly are finished with free agency.

Next up? Tight end Benjamin Watson.

Per a league source, Watson has a visit scheduled with the Browns on Wednesday. Watson, as we reported Friday, is meeting Monday with the Seahawks.

Watson has a connection to the Browns — head coach Eric Mangini was an assistant in New England during a portion of Watson’s tenure with the Patriots.

Both Pashos and Fujita aboard

Matt Loede — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:51:46 +0000

The Browns official site has the details of the latest free agent signings, as the team inked former Saint LB Scott Fujita and OT Tony Pashos:

The Cleveland Browns today signed linebacker Scott Fujita and offensive lineman Tony Pashos to multi-year contracts as unrestricted free agents, the team announced. Fujita, an eight-year veteran, spent the past four seasons with the New Orleans Saints. Pashos, a veteran of seven NFL seasons, spent last year with the San Francisco 49ers.

“We are extremely happy that we were able to get Scott and Tony signed so quickly,” said Browns General Manager Tom Heckert. “They are two players we had targeted from the start of free agency. Both are smart, tough and physical – the type of players that the Browns are looking for.

“Scott possesses tremendous size for a linebacker, and this will allow him to play inside or outside in our 3-4 defense. He has been a starter throughout his career, has been exposed to several different defensive schemes and has been successful in all of them. He is a great leader and played a big part in the success that the Saints achieved last year.

“We like the fact that Tony has started a lot of games in this league, and has been a part of some productive offenses with Baltimore and Jacksonville. Although he’s started at right tackle, he has the versatility to play inside as well, and he will come in and compete at both tackle and guard with us.”

The 6-5, 250-pound Fujita entered the league as a fifth-round draft choice of Kansas City in 2002. During his career, he has played with the Chiefs (2002-04), Dallas (2005) and the Saints (2006-09). He has appeared in 120 regular season games with 103 starts and has amassed 801 tackles, 19 sacks, five interceptions, 22 passes defensed, nine forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He has started a minimum of eight contests in each of his eight seasons, and has opened all 16 on three occasions (2003-04, 2006). He also has started each of the six playoff games in which he has played during his career, including all three in the Saints’ postseason run to the Super Bowl XLIV title this past year. With New Orleans, Fujita served as a defensive captain in both 2007 and 2008.

Originally a walk-on safety at the University of California, Fujita went on to start 24 of the 39 games in which he played at linebacker during his four-year career for the Golden Bears (1998-2001), recording 124 tackles and seven sacks. He graduated with a degree in political science and went on to earn his master’s in education. Born April 28, 1979, Fujita was a standout in football and basketball at Rio Mesa (Calif.) High School.

The 29-year-old Pashos originally was a fifth-round draft choice of Baltimore in 2003. He has spent four years with the Ravens (2003-06), two with Jacksonville (2007-08) and one with the 49ers (2009). During that time he has played in 74 games with 55 starts, all at right tackle. Over a three-year period from 2006-08, he started all 47 games in which he played. This includes 16 with the Ravens in 2006 and the Jaguars in 2008, and 15 for Jacksonville in 2007. In 2006, he was part of a Ravens line that allowed only 17 sacks, the second-lowest total in the NFL that year, while running back Jamal Lewis rushed for 1,132 yards. In 2007, he was a member of a Jaguars line which led a running game that averaged 149.4 yards per contest, the second-best figure in the league, led by a 1,202-yard rushing effort by Fred Taylor, who averaged 5.4 yards per carry. In 2008, Jacksonville averaged 4.2 yards per rush attempt as both Maurice Jones-Drew (824) and Taylor (556) surpassed the 500-yard rushing plateau.

The 6-6, 325-pound Pashos was a four-year letterman at Illinois (1999-2002) where he started 47 games at right tackle and was a first-team All-Big Ten selection as both a junior and senior. He graduated with a degree in history and a minor in political science. Born August 3, 1980, he attended Lockport (Ill.) High School, where he earned a total of nine varsity letters, including four in football, three in track and two in powerlifting.

Another QB option – Browns with interest in David Carr

Matt Loede — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:00:38 +0000

There’s options out there for the Browns when it comes to bringing in a quarterback, and one guy that the team has some interest in is former Texans starter and now backup for the Giants David Carr. The reports are saying that Carr is on the Browns list, as well as Seahawks backup Seneca Wallace:

New Cleveland Browns boss Mike Holmgren wants to bring in a new quarterback, and now a new name can be added to the mix: David Carr.

Carr spent last night and this morning in San Francisco visiting with the 49ers, but Matt Maiocco of the Press Democrat reports that the 49ers aren’t his only suitors. It’s previously been reported that the Giants would like to keep Carr as Eli Manning’s backup and that the Cardinals would like to sign Carr as Matt Leinart’s backup, but Maiocco reports that the Browns are also a legitimate option for Carr.

If Carr’s goal is to start, the Browns probably give him a better chance than the 49ers (where coach Mike Singletary has said he expects Alex Smith to start) or Cardinals (where coach Ken Whisenhunt has said he expects Matt Leinart to start). And Carr certainly won’t start for the Giants as long as Eli Manning is healthy.

Wallace on the list of QB’s the Browns have interest in?

Matt Loede — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:34:37 +0000

The Browns have expressed they want a QB, and one guy that is reportedly on the list is the backup for Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle – Seneca Wallace:

The Cleveland Browns are reportedly interested in Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Seneca Wallace.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Browns team president Mike Holmgren was instrumental in Wallace’s development during his tenure in Seattle.

The Browns have the draft picks to pull off a trade since Wallace is under contract.

They own 11 selections in the draft.

“We’re actively looking at quarterbacks,” Holmgren said. “I can’t be any more specific than that now.”