Written by Mitch Cyrus

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The dust has settled on the Browns latest wave of player acquisitions, and the time has come for a little analysis.  The Browns resigned DA and Jamal.  Traded for Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers.  And signed Donte Stallworth and Rex Hadnot as free agents.  How will the new pieces fit?  What will their roles with this team be next season?  And are the Browns poised to challenge the Patriots, Colts, and Chargers for AFC supremacy?  Mitch takes a look at the revamped Browns.

It has been two weeks since the start of the free agency period, and the Browns are still getting just as much buzz around town as the defending Eastern Conference Champion Cavaliers and their revamped lineup, or the defending Central Division Champion Indians as they stand poised for another run to the playoffs. 

If there ever was a real question as to which professional team rules in Cleveland, it's certainly been answered. 

In the minds of the fans, the best part of it has been all of the love finally being sent the Browns way from many in the national media.  Chris Mortensen of ESPN stated that the Browns could "challenge the Colts and Patriots" for the AFC crown.  Fox Sports, CBS Sportsline, NBC Sports...take a look at any of them, and you'll find articles crowing about the off season moves Phil Savage has thrown together. 

Some may whine a little about the $$$ that Savage is throwing around like Pacman Jones at BabyDolls, but if Randy Lerner doesn't mind Phil spending probably .01% of his inherited money, why should I care? 

The individual signings have been debated extensively, so let's take a look at what the actions do to the team itself. 

Re-signing Jamal Lewis:  This might have been the most important move Phil Savage made during off-season, because without re-signing Lewis, many of the other moves that came later would not have happened.  No Lewis?  Then Phil has to go out and overspend for Michael Turner, who may yet turn into another LaMont Jordan, or go after a Julius Jones...a total bust, or a Warrick Dunn, who is nothing more at this stage of his career than an older (slower) version of Jerome Harrison. 

The most likely options had Jamal not re-upped would have been Turner, or spending their second round pick on a running back.  If it were the former, much of their cap money would have  been gone.  If it were the latter, then obviously they wouldn't have been able to get Corey Williams. 

I'm not sure if Jamal will be able to duplicate the production he had in 2007...but if there is a drop-off, I don't really think it will be much (barring injury...knock on wood).  Jamal is too dedicated to his craft and too motivated by the potential success of the team to pull a Reuben Droughns and respond to a fat contract after one good year by coming into camp out of shape and not caring. 

However, I'm really hoping that Romeo and Chudzinski will be able to spell Jamal a bit more, utilizing both Jason Wright and Jerome Harrison, if for no other reason than to determine if either one of them can step up and be The Man in 2009.  Ideally, I'd love to see a similar setup for the Browns in 2009 as was used by Jacksonville last year with Fred Taylor and Maurice Drew-Jones; a two back arrangement in which both seemed to thrive.  If neither Wright nor Harrison step it up, look for the Browns to draft a running back in the first round of 2009. 

Trading for Corey Williams:  You knew Phil was going to be active in pursuing defensive linemen when he cut ties with Orpheus Roye and Simon Fraser.  Fraser, for some unknown reason, was actually given a contract by the Falcons.  Now I'm a Buckeye homer as much as the next guy, but I'm sorry...Simon sucks.  As far as Oldpheus...he was last rumored to be going to where every cast off defensive lineman from the Browns goes: Denver.  I think it's a bylaw somewhere in the NFL rule books. 

But as far as Corey Williams goes, it tells you all you need to know when a team with perhaps the best depth at defensive line in the entire league still goes out and franchises a defensive tackle.  This was the absolute right move from Phil;  there was no way he could have gotten anywhere near the quality player in the second round this year as what he has in Williams.  SEVEN sacks in 2007 from the DT position in a 4-3.  Put him at left defensive end, and watch team go nuts trying to figure out who to double-team, Wimbley or Williams. 

The best part of it is that he is only 27 years old.  With a projected starting lineup of Williams, Shaun Rogers, and Robaire Smith, the average age of the line has just dropped at least 20 years from 2007. 

Trading for Shaun Rogers:  You get a 28 year old, two time pro-bowler and only give up a third round pick and an oft-injured cornerback coming off his worst year. 

Think the 3^rd rounder might have been too much?  Do the names Marquis Smith, Travis Prentice, James Jackson, Melvin Fowler, Charlie Frye, or Travis Wilson mean anything to you? (other than acid indigestion). 

Yes, it is definitely the biggest gamble, as Rogers had gotten the reputation as a lazy, unmotivated player.  But I counter with the fact that an ADD 10 year old after a quart of Red Bull could become unmotivated and lazy after spending that much time in possibly the only franchise that could be named in the same sentence as the Oakland Raider; the Detroit Lions.  As we Browns fans, know, continuous losing and cluelessness from top management tends to wear on players...even good ones (not that we'd know that much about "good ones" from 2000-2005). 

From all reports, Savage seems to think that all Rogers needed was a change of scenery to a winning franchise, and he'll be tutored by Romeo who, despite all of his other flaws, seems to be a great teacher and mentor for these types of players. 

Rogers was an absolute dominant player when he was "on".  If he can be that again, especially playing from the nose tackle position, then the addition of Williams and Rogers might make the defensive line take the same quantum jump in 2008 that was seen in 2007 by the offensive line. 

The ripple effect of the trade is that Brandon McDonald might have the first opportunity to step up and claim the other starting cornerback role.  Make no mistake; Phil does not pull the trigger on this trade had McDonald not shown his potential last year while Eric Wright and/or Bodden were hurt.  That's not to say that Phil still won't try to sign/trade for another starter (insert Lito Shepherd rumors here), but as of today, it's McDonald's job. 

Signing Donte Stallworth:  Another great move, in my book.  First of all, Joe Jurevicius has came out and said that he doesn't want to be the second receiver anymore.  Give Joe, the consummate pro, all the credit.  It's not that he doesn't want the responsibility or challenge...it's just that he realizes that he's at the age where he can no longer do what is required from that position.  And that is, to spread out the defense. 

Stallworth can certainly do that.  In fact, with Donte's speed on one side and Braylon Edwards on the other, the middle of the field is going to be even more wide open for Kellen Winslow and for Joe J. when he's in. 

More to the point; signing Stallworth means the Browns can part ways with two of the most worthless receivers ever to put on an orange helmet; Tim Carter and Travis Wilson. 

It also means that despite the clamoring for it; Joshua Cribbs will not be getting 20 - 25 snaps per game as a wide receiver.  This is a GOOD thing.  Cribbs is the most game-altering person on the Browns roster...as a special teams player.  Let him concentrate on that, while getting him onfield for 5 - 10 plays per game in the backfield, in the slot, split out, under center...doesn't matter...put him in for those special plays and watch the defenses soil themselves. 

Signing Rex Hadnot:  It's becoming a yearly habit, raiding the Miami Dolphins for guards.  Last year, it was Seth McKinney for a one-year deal.  McKinney did quite well, but he came in with a reputation for getting injured, and sure enough, that's what happened.  Luckily, by that time Ryan Tucker was back from his substance abuse suspension, and had learned the position well enough to step in, and the line didn't miss a beat. 

So with McKinney being unreliable, and Tucker being 33 when the season starts, something else had to be done.  In Hadnot, they get another young (26) mauler (325 lbs) that is versatile enough to play center if need be.  This will allow Tucker to provide depth at RT and RG, while the recently re-signed Lenny Friedman gives the Browns protection on the left side (if Thomas were unable to go, Lenny would step in at LG, and Eric Steinbach would slide over to LT). 

To me, this was a very stealth case of genius from Savage.  Not content to rest on his laurels, he made damn sure that his biggest success story; making the Browns offensive line one of the best in the league, would not backslide from neglect in 2008. 

Yes, it would be great if they could add LeCharles Bentley to the mix...but from how it looks now, that's just not going to happen.  It's a damn shame, but you can't compare the comeback made by the recently re-signed Gary Baxter as a comparison.  While Baxter did have the added pain of having both knees mangled, it was the staph infection and consequent surgeries that have most likely ended Bentley's career. 

Re-signing Derek Anderson: I'd love to just avoid this one, as it's been beaten to death, and will continue to get beaten to death until either DA or Brady is wearing some other uniform. 

My only comments about it are to say that IF the rumors are true, Phil did a great thing by re-signing him.  Various reports state that DA just might have ended up someplace we'd rather not see him, courtesy of the Dallas Cowboys, who might have enjoyed the possibility of getting back at the Browns for screwing up their plans for a Top 5 pick in the Brady Quinn deal by going 10-6. 

Phil has hinted about a possible scenario that may have came through that wasn't to his liking.  It is hinted that the deal was for the Cowboys to sign DA, giving the Browns their SECOND first round pick (number 28), as that's the rules for compensation from teams with multiple picks in a round. 

So why in the Wide, Wide, World of Sports would Dallas sign DA when they just signed Tony Romo to a bazzilion bucks?  Because they would then have traded DA back to his first team, the Ratbirds of Kosovo-on-the-Chesapeake, along with the #22 pick the Cowboys got in exchange for Brady Quinn.  In return, the Cowboys would get the #8 overall pick in the upcoming draft. 

Obviously, Phil thought that the #28 pick was too little of value for DA (I might disagree, but that's not important right now).  More to the point, Phil simply HAD to keep Anderson off the Ravens roster if at all possible. 

And now, as has been stated ad nauseam, Anderson goes into the season as the starter.  Quinn will have to be leaps and bounds better in order to claim the job, but as noted in an excellent article from Jeffri Chadiha at ESPN, it may not be the worst thing in the world for Quinn to sit another year. 

But that's an argument that will be re-hashed and re-hashed and re-hashed over the next 12 months or so.  For now...things are looking very, very good. 

Now go find us an inside linebacker, Phil!