NFL Rumors: Jamal Lewis to be Released?

With the team successfully trimming their roster yesterday by trading Louis Leonard and placing Ryan Tucker and Fred Weary on the IR, the next step will be two-fold.  First, the Browns will need to leave Thursday’s game against Chicago injury free.  And secondly, make decisions on who will be a part of this team going forward as the 53-man deadline this Saturday.

One possible 53-man casualty that has been floated around the rumor mill has been veteran running back Jamal Lewis.  The speculation started earlier this week when Michael Lombardi claimed that he “wasn’t sold” on Lewis making the final roster.  Likely coupling Lewis perceived regression with the strong play (at least on paper) of James Davis, perhaps Lombardi feels that the Browns could cut Lewis – on the second year of his three-year contract – and pick up a less-expensive option.

I mentioned yesterday that Noah Herron may be the odd man out, but would the team consider releasing both backs and going the FA route combined with the rookie Davis and (the hopefully healthy) Jerome Harrison?  Of if they feel that Davis/Herron could provide similar production as the downhill runner, could we see only No. 31 be released?

Jamal Lewis is currently slated to have the fourth-highest payday of all of the Cleveland Browns, coming in behind only Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, and Braylon Edwards.  He has the mold of a between-the-tackles back that Eric Mangini tends to love in his run-first schemes.  However, Lewis has been hesitant at best, sporadically looking like the running back of old when he was facing the considerably week Detroit Lions defense.  And like many before him, Lewis is a “Savage guy,” coming with no allegiance – aside from being a well-respected veteran – to Eric Mangini and staff.

If you are curious as to what the top free agent options are currently out there, it is not the prettiest of lists:

Warrick Dunn (Tampa Bay)
Deuce McAllister (New Orleans)
Kenny Watson (Cincinnatti)
Ahman Green (Houston)
Selvin Young (Denver)
TJ Duckett (Seattle)
Chris Perry (Cincinnatti)
DeShaun Foster (San Franciscso)
Najeh Davenport (Indianapolis)
Rudi Johnson (Detroit)

Not exactly the youngest of groups, with a side dish of injury history.  Of course, good old Reuben Droughns is still out there.  Before Lewis ran for 1,300 yards in 2007, Droughns was the last back to accomplish such a feat by topping the 1,000-yard mark in 2005. 

Point is, if the Browns choose to not go forward with Lewis for this season, what was supposed to be a battle-of-the-trenches, clock management offense could be at significant risk.  I like James Davis just as much as the next guy, but I am far from sold on him as the full bore answer during his rookie season.  If Jerome Harrison can help lighten the load as the new Leon Washington, great.  But for now, come Saturday, I fully expect the trio to be Lewis, Davis and Harrison instead of one of those names listed above.

Then again, crazier things have happened.  Only time will tell.

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(image via selina_aman/Flickr)