May 26, 2013

Browns Release TE Rucker, Add Greg Estandia

September 23, 2009 by 28 Comments

estandia-ruckerWith the tight end continuing to be an integral part of the Browns “offense,” the team has decided to part ways with second-year end Martin Rucker.  His roster spot will be filled by former Jacksonville Jaguar tight end Greg Estandia. 

The release of Rucker essentially erases the entire early portion of the 2008 draft for the (then) Phil Savage-led Browns as he and Beau Bell were the first two picks of the draft.  Recall that Savage was so high on Rucker that he traded this past year’s third-round  pick to nab him in the fourth round in ’08.  Alas, Rucker was unable to impress the current regime enough to move up the depth chart and make a difference on the field. 

If it is any silver lining to the mess that appears to be the ’08 draft, we were able to acquire Shaun Rogers, Alex Hall appears to be a keeper, and Ahtyba Rubin showed some promise.

Good news is that Estandia would definitely be classified as a pass-catching tight end.  Standing at an amazing 6’8″, Estandia led UNLV in receptions (49) as a senior, while amassing 563 yards and seven touchdowns.  In his 26 games and two starts with the Jaguars, he recorded 19 receptions for 249 yards. 

He obviously isn’t the next Tony Gonzalez, but if the team feels that he is an upgrade over Rucker and can make an impact in the passing game, I’m all for it.  Anything is better than nothing, right?

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  • MrCleaveland

    I confess that I had completely bought into the Phil Savage as Savior mindset and was a fan of his right up to the bitter end. But it would always disturb me when he would make deals to move up in the later rounds. That always seemed to me like he was showing off and that he had just made a great steal.

    Even so, you gotta give him huge credit for getting Shaun Rogers.

  • Isis

    Scouting assessment of Greg Estandia….”good size and girth, limited in range and athleticism. Will struggle to find more than special teams/limited play in the NFL. Academic award winner at UNLV, good student”.

    Nice-perhaps he and Robo can read and discuss the meaning of Plato on the inactive list?

  • Isis

    MrCleaveland-I applaud your honesty. I was disturbed by Savage (and Crennel) the minute I laid eyes on him at a luncheon where I heard him speak directly after he was hired. He didn’t let me down.

  • AMC

    Don’t forget we also cut Paul Hubbard, who we traded a pick for to move up and draft in 2008. It’s truly staggering how many Browns draft picks have turned out to be absolute crap. Btw, wasn’t Rubin a 2007 not 2008 draft pick?

  • Boomhauer

    Another one bites the dust…

  • BB

    This is great news. I always planned on picking up a Rucker jersey and using a little tape to adjust that “R”. Now I can start checking the clearance racks.

  • Schrute

    Only 2008 picks left are Rubin (The Frye pick) and Alex Hall.

  • oribiasi

    This just in, Martin Rucker is the happiest man on the planet.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com DP Diesel

    “I am so smart! I am so smart! S-M-R-T… I mean S-M-A-R-T!!”

    –Homer J. Simpson

    Isis = Homer?

  • ben

    I think a pass catching tight end should help. Robert Royal is most certainly not that, and Heiden appears to be on his last legs.

  • Nullster

    I think if Isis was a homer for the Browns we’d know it by now…

    Oh wait you met the cartoon character… well then yes I think we all can agree Isis is definitely a cartoon like character

  • http://www.60bpm.com Robbie

    “I confess that I had completely bought into the Phil Savage as Savior mindset and was a fan of his right up to the bitter end. But it would always disturb me when he would make deals to move up in the later rounds. That always seemed to me like he was showing off and that he had just made a great steal.

    Even so, you gotta give him huge credit for getting Shaun Rogers.”

    He got LeCharles Bentley and Eric Steinbach, too. I think Gary Baxter would’ve been a great pickup, too. He was good picking up free agents, but we’ve learned that’s not the way to build a team. Unfortunately, he was known as a great talent evaluator, but it didn’t turn-out that way. He didn’t draft well.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com DP Diesel

    He did over-pay for a lot of FA, which is the main flaw in trying to build your team that way. In theory, to me at least (as I’m sure I’ll be corrected by my favorite know-it-all), Mangini’s plan is better: bring in middling FA guys to bridge the gap until your draft picks are up to speed. Of course, the wild card there would be assuming your draft picks pan out. As we’ve all been informed here, Mangini has clearly already whiffed on his entire 2009 draft class.

  • Isis

    Cmon DP Diesel-ADMIT that you were a Savage staunch supporter up and until the day he was fired. Admit that you defended his drafts and his mealy signings. You’ll feel better. Now…go back and start over with Mangini’s drafts, beginning with this year’s effort.

  • Chris M

    Clear out the entire front office, and start over by hiring Isis.

    This is the only acceptable way to build a football team.

  • Isis

    Chris M-if the shoe fits, wear it. Otherwise, guys like you will laud the Savages/Crennels and Mangini/Kokinis’s of the world until history revises itself to fit your motif well beyond the point of no return. Enjoy.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com DP Diesel

    I supported Savage. I wouldn’t call myself “staunch” (there were some moves that were purely indefensible), but whatever. If that makes you sleep better at night, call me whatever you want.

    His signings were mealy? Like an apple that’s been sitting out too long?

    Isis is like Rod Tidwell’s brother Tee Pee in “Jerry Maguire”. The moment Rod gets knocked unconscious after scoring a touchdown, the only thing his brother can say is, “See? I told you he was too small to play in the NFL. Look, I’m just keeping it real.”

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com DP Diesel

    Isis, honest to God… who here is “lauding” anyone?

    You’ve yet to EVER answer the rhetorical question of how all your pissing and moaning will change anything relating to the Browns situation.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com DP Diesel

    Wait, wait… did Isis in #15 actually claim he would be better at running the Browns than the entire current front office?

  • Chris M

    “if the shoe fits, wear it.”

    I look forward to seeing you interview for the next vacancy. Godspeed, my friend.

  • Dano

    Estandia definately has upside. Jax is a crappy team that i dont think used the full potential of this big guy. he has good hands as demonstrated at UNLV. Not saying UNLV is anything close to the NFL but Jax was a run team that didnt send many passes his way.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com DP Diesel

    It will be tough for him to pick between running the Browns and running the Indians. He’s more qualified that all of the people currently in both front offices.

  • Omega King

    “Chris M-if the shoe fits, wear it. Otherwise, guys like you will laud the Savages/Crennels and Mangini/Kokinis’s of the world until history revises itself to fit your motif well beyond the point of no return. Enjoy.”

    And what choice do we have, Isis? We cheer for the team to win, whether we like the GM/head coach/owner/popcorn guy/parking situation/downtown revitalization plan/global warming/impending failure of the sun/possibility of the end of the world in 2012. Crabbing about it all the time and being a Mr. Know-It-All doesn’t change a thing that they do, so what’s the point about it?

    If people like you ran the world, nothing would EVER get done, because everyone would spend so much time complaining about how they didn’t like it they’d all just sit around doing nothing. So stop being so indignant and let us try to enjoy the possiblity of the Browns improving.

  • http://exileoncourtstreet.blogspot.com Les Fleurs Du Mal

    Would have been nice to still have K2 . . ..

  • jack

    Please. That douche doesn’t deserve to be mentioned here. At least we got .50 cents on the dollar as opposed to nothing. Wait, do you hear that, it sounds like, Soldja Boy, being played from a motorcycle, and I swear, are those violins? No, it’s the sound of K2′s remaining ligaments screaming right before the pop. Good riddance.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com DP Diesel

    @#23: Isis wants the Browns to fail, because that means he can trumpet how “right” he is. The Browns showing any improvement at all is Isis’s worst nightmare.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com Denny

    @ # 25 – I don’t know why DeShawn Stevenson is being mentioned around these parts.

  • Glorious Basterd

    @24 Couldn’t agree more.

    @25 Bitter some? Kellen made mistakes as a high draft pick making millions of dollars. When will you let that go? He proved when he was healthy he was the most consistent player we had on the team. Also the most dependable. But our team and their filthy facilities gave him ANOTHER staph infection and Savage threw him under the bus, at the some time he was handicapping Romeo’s team… Remember Romeo saying in 08 Minicamp that EVERY position was up for grabs.. then Phil came on and said “D.A. is guaranteed starter.”.. Romeo was limited in what he could do. Phil loved D.A. the first time he saw him, that’s why he brought D.A. to the Browns with him.

    @26 I don’t foresee the Browns granting ISIS’ worst nightmare true this year. That being said, as a fan I will still watch hoping I’m wrong.