May 21, 2013

NFL Rumor: Browns not planning on re-signing Phil Dawson

February 5, 2013 by 82 Comments

Buried in a flurry of question-and-answer tweets on Monday evening, Cleveland Browns beat writer Tony Grossi stated that the team does not plan on re-signing veteran Pro Bowl place kicker Phil Dawson.

Dawson, 38, was the team’s “franchise” player the last two seasons. Assuming Grossi is using intel instead of speculation,  it appears that the new Browns regime willl opt to get younger (read: less expensive). Dawson went on to make 29-of-31 field goals and all 29 extra points in 2012, affording him his first trip to Honolulu. He’s drilled 14-of-15 field goals from 50-plus yards over the last two seasons and has a cult-like fan base amongst Cleveland fans.

“The coaches and Michael [Lombardi] will make that call [on re-signing Dawson],” owner Jimmy Haslam said Thursday at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards late last month. “You have to remember we have a completely new set of individuals. [Head coach Rob Chudzinski has] been here, what, 10 days now? And really, they’ve been focused on hiring a staff. They’ve just now started looking at our team. So those decisions will be made over the next few weeks.”

[Related: Parallel Universes: Super Bowl XLVII and the ’87 AFC Championship Game]

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  • The_Real_Shamrock

    I’m not talking about big and flashy nor am I talking Frostee Rucker there is plenty of room in between. There are free agents available who can help improve this team and it’s been shown that the Browns have more then enough cap room not to mention a new owner who just spend $1B to buy the team to do so. If the Indians can come out of the shadows and actually spend some cash then so can the Browns. They need to it takes entirely to long to build strictly through the draft.

    The comparison to Baltimore doesn’t work for me because the Ravens don’t have to sign marquee guys due to the fact that they draft so well. It’s funny you mention Boldin because he is exactly the WR I wanted way back for the Browns when there were rumors he wanted out of Arizona. I don’t think it took several years for his signing to pay off he’s been contributing all along it just hasn’t been flashy.

  • The_Real_Shamrock

    He was one of the guys I wanted way back. I also thought when Buffalo was shopping Marshawn Lynch the Browns should have been in the discussion. Maybe they were but I don’t remember ever hearing it.

  • mgbode

    Boldin was acquired in a trade.

  • mgbode

    yeah, isn’t it ironic?

  • mgbode

    2 things

    1. the Browns are not a democracy

    2. you seriously are going to quote a Baltimorean in a thread about the Browns just 2 days removed from the Superbowl?

  • CBI

    I have enough change in my pocket to sign Russell.

  • humboldt

    The meat packing industry wasn’t a democracy either, but it certainly operates within one, just like the Browns (probably w/ less staph infections as well!). Leaders of any business in our marketplace should be held accountable by journalists, particularly those who are “pathetic and irrelevant” or otherwise malevolently inclined.

    I’m sure you don’t think businesses should be exempt from public oversight?!

  • mgbode

    difference between exposing issues and creating them

  • Brian

    Justin Smith, Carlos Rodgers, and Donte Whitner?

    True, the flashy signings often don’t pan out, however those deals are ridiculous. There are many guys the browns could pick up who would have serious impacts at need positions. Sure you would have to overpay in Free agency, but with almost $40 million in cap space, would it really hurt to spend $10 million a year on someone?

    Possible targets at needs in that pay range:

    Brett Grimes, Anthony Spencer, Paul Kruger, Cliff Averill, Greg Jennings, Wes Welker, Cary Williams.

    Danny Amendola could be had for much cheaper and would be a perfect slot guy in our offense.

  • ForEverNextYear

    STUPID!!!!

  • TSR3000

    Really hoping our next kicker matters a lot less to the fans than Phil. Meaning that we can score TDs.

  • AMC

    Dave Coulier was. Which was good enough.

  • hanover_fist

    Duh… I would have thought this was a no-brainer, so that Lombardi can draft a kicker in the first round

  • mgbode

    it is possible (probably not likely, but possible) that when Phil Dawson finally rests his kicking leg that the Browns will have 6 jersey numbers retired.

    if that does happen, then 2 of those 6 would be kickers and another would be a player that never suited up for the team.

    (again, not likely to happen)

  • BisonDeleSightings

    Exactly. This team has gobs of cap room that they don’t plan to use on free agents. The best kicker in team history is a luxury we CAN afford.

  • David Rubis

    If I am the San Francisco 49ers, I sign Dawson and cut Akers. Super Bowl is in NYC next year and Dawson bombs kicks in the snow!

  • WFNY_DP

    Yeah, but how flushed with sizzurp are you?

  • Steve

    Cmon now. Just pay the man. Having an expensive kicker isn’t going to make or break the team. At least when the Browns still suck next year we can still say “At least we have Dawson”

  • CBI

    +1 for making me check the urban dictionary.

  • 5KMD

    Was great hearing Bob Sagat applauding Coulier’s catch phrase

  • Steve

    So, I stumbled here seeing if there was anything more than just the title. Nope. Then I see there are 70 comments. Really people? I get that we love our Brownies, but a five win team doesn’t need to worry too much about a kicker, whether or not they have the money to spend. In the grand scheme of roster building, this is incredibly trivial.

  • mgbode

    cmon. 2nd leading scorer in franchise history. only player that has gone through all the turmoil with us. upstanding citizen through it all.

    but yeah, we should just ignore him and his career with our team.

    not to mention that over 10% of the comments pertain to Robin Sparkles :)

  • saggy

    3 years? I’d say shelf life of kicker runs to about 43-45 years old. can’t understand this. you have a freaking PRO BOWLER. i don’t care what position he plays. in fact, i think this guy scored more points than anyone last season.

    how can you not re-sign him? especially after he got screwed, er franchised, the last 2 seasons…

  • saggy

    i mean, Boldin was their MVP this year. guy made EVERY catch. but FA sucks. sure, Browns. (idiots)

  • saggy

    our offense already has about 6 slot guys. we need a freaking guy to get the slot guy the ball.

  • saggy

    easy there, Kanye…

  • saggy

    and i don’t have to check any “urban dictionary” My middle name is Urban. (actually, i don’t have a middle name. but if i did – it would be Urban. East Side!)

  • saggy

    are you saying Tony Grossi is in the “Jungle?”

  • saggy

    then they should only sign 23-year olds if all they want is long-term. the only position on the tearm that is fill-able with an older guy is K/P. sign the man. RESPECT.

  • saggy

    @steve: take your generic name and go away. In Phil we trust!!! SUPER BOWL!!!

  • Natedawg86

    I don’t understand it either. He is 337 points away from becoming the all time scoring leader for the Browns. He was 7-7 50+ yards. How do you not re-sign him? Baffling

  • http://www.facebook.com/steve.appeldorn Steve Appeldorn

    Seriously….we have a solid kicker and they want to let him go. For WHO???

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