lincoln Browns eager for spring shopping Free agency doors open, but market looks thin
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter
Ready, aim, spend.
And in some cases, trade.
The NFL player movement season begins in earnest at midnight tonight when the league free agency signing and trading periods officially open.
Because of the league labor extension ratified last season, teams are armed with more salary cap room, and there are fewer good players to spend it on.
A year ago, the Browns ranked fourth in cap room with $20 million available at the start of free agency. They signed eight players ultimately for more than $100 million in maximum contract value.
This year they have closer to $30 million and are not in the top five.
With more money available to re-sign their own potential free agents, teams have diluted the pool of available players. Some notable names have been released in the past 24 hours - Baltimore running back Jamal Lewis and Houston receiver Eric Moulds are two - but the overall market has shrunk to only a few really good players.
That's why general managers are poised to hit their speed dials at 12:01 a.m. Friday to take their shots at their primary targets.
"If you get the one player, or one of the two available [at a particular position], then you feel you're doing OK," Browns General Manager Phil Savage said a week ago. "I don't know if any position is five or six deep. If you miss out on the first two or three guys at any spot, you're missing the boat on a significant upgrade.
“We certainly don’t feel we’re going to be restricted [by cap or cash pressures]. We can’t just go out and sign everybody, but we have two or three guys we’d really like to get.â€
Because of the increased competition in cap-rich teams, however, predicting which players Savage is able to sign is just a guess.
For instance, it’s not a secret the Browns have an interest in Buffalo cornerback Nate Clements, the Cleveland native and former Buckeye. But so does Tennessee, which has more cap room than the Browns.
The Browns hope Clements follows the lead of Class of 2006 signees LeCharles Bentley, Joe Jurevicius and Dave Zastudil and elects to sign with his hometown team.
“I think the local ties for the Browns, I think it helps. Because I think you have to really want to be here,†Savage said.
Other than a shutdown corner to pair with Leigh Bodden, Savage and coach Romeo Crennel have plainly stated their top priorities in the off-season are the offensive and defensive lines.
It has long been speculated the Browns would make a run at one, if not both, of the top-rated linemen in this free-agent class — Cincinnati’s Eric Steinbach and San Diego’s Kris Dielman.
Steinbach could play left tackle or center, but is best at guard. Dielman, an Ohio native, is strictly a guard. After those two, there is a noticeable dropoff in available talent on the offensive line.
The defensive line market lacks a stellar player. Plus, the Browns have to narrow their search to 300-plus pound tackle types who can play end in their 3-4 system. One possibility is Robaire Smith of Tennessee, who played one season under Browns coordinator Todd Grantham in Houston.
If the Browns just had to concentrate on three position groups — guard, defensive end and cornerback — they could come away with a productive spending spree.
But first they must re-sign one of their own, center Hank Fraley. They have been unable to negotiate a new deal with the man who rescued the position after Bentley’s knee injury in training camp. If Fraley tests the market, he might receive an offer elsewhere that he can’t refuse.
“There aren’t a lot [of centers] out there,†said agent Ralph Cindrich.
Notable Browns free agents not expected back include return specialist Dennis Northcutt, safety Brian Russell, defensive end Alvin McKinley and guard Cosey Coleman.
The start of the league trading period historically has been overshadowed by free agency, but trades are back in vogue.
Numerous big names are being rumored in deals, including Buffalo running back Willis McGahee, and quarterbacks Trent Green of Kansas City and David Carr of Houston.
One rumor originating in Houston had the Texans offering Carr to the Browns for a swap of the teams’ positions in the first round of the draft. The rumor had Houston moving up to No. 3 in exchange for Carr and the Texans’ No. 8 spot.
Savage replied in an e-mail that there was no truth to the rumor, and there has been no contact between the teams.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670
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