Written by Rich Swerbinsky

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The Browns and General Manager Phil Savage struck again on the first day of the NFL free agency period late Friday night, sending cornerback Leigh Bodden and the teams third round pick in this years NFL Draft to the Detroit Lions for massive defensive tackle Shaun Rogers.  Inside I've got all the latest on the deal, Rogers, and what this means for the Browns as they continue to aggresively remake their defense with bold trades that have now left them with no draft picks in the first three rounds of this years draft.

The Browns and General Manager Phil Savage struck again on the first day of the NFL free agency period late Friday night, sending cornerback Leigh Bodden and the teams third round pick in this years NFL Draft to the Detroit Lions for massive defensive tackle Shaun Rogers.

Rogers, a seven year vet out of the University of Texas, has been one of the NFL's most dominant interior linemen over the past half decade, earning Pro Bowl honors after both the 2005 and 2006 seasons, and was named as an alternate for the game again this season.  At 6'4, 357 lbs ... Rogers is the definition of a space eater and will team with Shaun Smith to give the Browns a lethal duo at the nose tackle spot right smack dab in the middle of their 3-4 defense.

The Lions have been aggressively trying to move Rogers, who was due to make a $1 million roster bonus at 12:01 a.m. EST Saturday and has made clear his desire to be released or traded out of Detroit.  Rogers has struggled with his weight the past couple of seasons and was suspended for four games during the 2006 season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.  Rogers and his agent stated that Rogers' appetite suppressant medication was the reason for his positive test, but that appealing wouldn't help the situation.

When healthy and motivated, there's no question about it ... Rogers is one of the league's most fearsome defensive linemen and a dominant run stopper.  Rogers also excels at blocking kicks, swatting away 11 during his seven year NFL career, all of it spent in Motown.  He will be part of a completely revamped Browns defensive line, remade in one day by General Manager Phil Savage, who also acquired defensive lineman Corey Williams from Green Bay earlier in the day for the team's second round pick in this years draft.

As it presently stands, the Browns now have no selections in the first three rounds of the fast approaching draft.  They dealt their first round selection to the Cowboys last spring to move up to select QB Brady Quinn out of Notre Dame with the 22nd overall selection.  This morning, they sent their second round pick to Green Bay for Williams.  And now have dealt their third round pick to Detroit for Rogers.  The Browns still have picks in the fourth and fitth rounds, two selections in the sixth round, and also their seventh round selection.

The Browns also sent cornerback Leigh Bodden to the Lions as part of this deal, and his departure clearly weakens the teams secondary.  Bodden came out of nowhere to have a breakout season in 2005 after an injury to Gary Baxter, and parlayed that season into a new four year deal with the team the following off-season.  Bodden has since struggled with injuries, but when healthy, has continued to show flashes of the brilliance we saw from him in '05.  His departure likely opens up a starting job opposite for Brandon McDonald, who came on nicely late last season after Savage made him the teams fifth round selection out of Memphis.  Eric Wright will man the other corner spot, and this deal likely means the team will move to resign Daven Holly to compete with McDonald for a starting role.