DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Pluto: Trusnic knows he has it good with Browns

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2010/05/post_8.html

Nordonia High grad Jason Trusnik knows how good he's got it with Cleveland Browns: Terry Pluto
By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
May 20, 2010, 8:14PM

Sometimes, we need a summer football story like this from the Browns' organized team activities in Berea.

Rather than all the focus on the restricted free agents who are not in camp, we need to hear from one who did sign his contract, who did show up.

We need to think about Jason Trusnik, the kid from Nordonia High School who was so highly regarded as a football player for the Knights that he received zero scholarship offers.

None.

It wasn't that long ago that he watched the Browns train at Berea, where he collected autographs from Bernie Kosar, Michael Jackson and Eric Metcalf. He attended nearly all the games with his father, Leonard, who was a season-ticket holder.

When he played at Division III Ohio Northern, he kept his dreams of pro football to himself. Yes, Ohio Northern plays in the same Ohio Athletic Conference as Mount Union, and the Polar Bears have a strong, small-college program.

Yes, he was a two-time Division III All-American, a dominant defensive player. But the OAC to the NFL?

It has happened to a precious few, such as John Carroll's London Fletcher and Mount Union's Pierre Garcon, but they are the exceptions.

Come draft day, no NFL team called Trusnik's name.

"It was the same story that I heard coming out of high school -- not big enough, not fast enough," he said.

Then Trusnik smiled and sort of shrugged. He was wearing his Browns uniform. He had just finished working out with the starting team at outside linebacker. This is his fourth NFL season.

Who'd have ever believed it?

He made the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent. A coach named Eric Mangini loved Trusnik's tenacity on special teams. That was his role for three seasons in New York. Mangini became Browns coach, and when he talked trade with the Jets, he asked that Trusnik be included in the deal for receiver Braylon Edwards.

It seemed like an afterthought, but Trusnik showed up, and injuries to other linebackers ushered him into the starting lineup for 10 games. He started at outside and inside linebacker.

"Coach Mangini likes hard-working players," he said. "I don't take this for granted. It's every kid's dream who plays Pop Warner or plays in high school to be where I am now."

That's why Trusnik didn't hesitate when offered a $1.7 million contract for 2010. He was in the same restricted free-agent spot as Matt Roth, Abe Elam, Jerome Harrison and D'Qwell Jackson. None of them has signed, as they are looking for long-term contracts.

Trusnik doesn't talk about other players' contract talks. His highest salary before was $460,000, so to go to $1,700,000 is a healthy raise for a guy who was never supposed to make the NFL.

"I just know that I needed to be here," he said. "I know how hard it is to make the league and how hard it is to stay here."

Trusnik also knows the NFL is a cruel place for those who aren't stars. Most contracts are not guaranteed. Veterans can be cut at any moment. Players such as himself can be replaced easily if they are viewed as high maintenance. But if they are willing to play several positions, produce on special teams and support their teammates and coaches, they can have a significant pro career.

"To play for my hometown team, that is a dream come true," he said. "It's also why I take time to sign autographs for kids. I remember when I was like them."

I like Trusnic, Now if we can get all RFA to sign and into shape.

Don't really care for Trusnic as a player.. although I must say he does give 100% when he is on the field...

Dude may not have the talent of some, but what he has he gives.... gotta love lunch bucket guys like that....

Nice read about a good, hard-working player. When he was starting last season, you heard his name called a fair amount after the play was over. I have no complaints about this kid.

Congrats to Jason on the raise.

He is slow and he is small, but he is also effective as a backup.

Great read. Hard not to root for a guy like that.

I dont much agree with that assessment, or the general consensus on the kid.


Hes our Zach Thomas just with less experience, growing up in the house of a Dolphins fan...that was the same story with him, but he turned into the best linebacker in franchise history...

He works his tail off and makes plays happen...idk why we think hes not good enough to get the job done...he did his job better than every LB we've had here in the last 10 years...He just does his job...its not flashy like a demarcus ware or a ray lewis or bart scott, but he makes plays and keeps teams from getting their job done.


the fact that he comes from a D3 school just makes me like him that much more.

I want this kid to start for us for years...i dont want him as the primary pass rusher because thats not his job...but if we start Trusnik and Roth as our OLBs we'll have a solid LB corps for years. let Cocong come off the bench and have Bowens and Fujita start inside and let the rest battle it out to back em up...i think we're good...

Let Jason be the primary run side OLB and were good

He's 6'4" 250, why do people call him small?

Because you're not big unless you're 6'4" 255?

Just because he's white, doesn't make him Zach Thomas.

He's still 7 inches shorter, 150 pounds lighter, and runs the 40 in 3 seconds longer than CoachB's son.

Quote:

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He's still 7 inches shorter, 150 pounds lighter, and runs the 40 in 3 seconds longer than CoachB's son.

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Have we ever figured out if he's returned under a different name.. CoachB that is?

I agree KingS, I like Trusnic. Idk where all this being to small & slow comes from. When he was out there playing, I thought he was one of our better LB's.
That don't make him an all-pro, but...I would take him over some of the others we've had playing for us over the years. Go! Browns!

Agreed, damanshot! JT has a blue-collar jersey to go with that lunchbox. Hope he gets a chance to contribute more. Like that kind of engine on the field. Also nice to hear about people want to be here, feel blessed to be here (still counts as the Bigs!), and not have to listen to the Carp croaking and their agents about anything doesn't suit 'em. Want waited on? Go to a restaurant; wanna play ball, sign in, strap it on, and get after it! Go, Trusnik! Go, Browns!

I like Trusnik also, he's a hard worker and you never hear about him making any trouble. He's willing to do the dirty work and you need guys like that. A more accurate representation of his size for an NFL linebacker is average, not small. He's small compared to the 275 pound Matt Roth I suppose, but he's bigger than a lot of our linebackers. Bigger than Jackson, bigger than Wimbley was, bigger than Maiava, bigger than Alex Hall was, bigger than Benard (I think). Not sure about Veikune, never saw him play to see how big he was.

However, the guy is pretty slow and he makes some bad reads. I notice the successes and failures of the linebackers more than other positions because that's what I played and helped coach, and I think Trusnik has a place in the NFL and certainly on this team, but he played way too much this past season. He makes some plays and has a nose for the football in the running game. He's good on inside runs and is decent off tackle, but he doesn't have the athleticism to contain an NFL back on the outside. He also takes some pretty bad angles on the outside.

I remember a specific play last year where he made a bad read that cost us a TD. Trusnik was the only weak side defender on that play and he saw the FB setting up to block and decided to rush. The FB made a good read and saw that the only defender on his side of the field committed to rushing so he released into the flat. Trusnik then took a bad angle when trying to recover from the incorrect read, and the FB left him in the dust for 6. This was not a fast guy either, but he pulled away from Trusnik with ease.

I really like the guy, but until we get someone better to give a big chunk of his playing time to, we won't be a top defense.

This time of year is all about rooting for guys who are getting their shot. It's the funnest sort of blind rooting for the underdog homerism that I know. I really hate it when the grim meat hook of reality starts to appear during the cut downs. There will be plenty of time for being realistic in the coming months.

Trusnic will be good enough to stick this year and probably contribute. Good for him and his pretty decent pay day. He'll never get that monster deal everyone dreams of but he's still making huge money and that's fantastic.

Kid had 56 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks for the Browns last year. He only played in 12 games for the Browns, and started 10 of them.

I hope he becomes great ..... just to give JETS fans something to whine about.

Not too bad for a "throw in" in the Edwards trade. (Along with Stucki and 2 draft picks)