NFL News: Browns claim running backs Bobby Rainey and Dennis Johnson
September 1, 2013Browns add tight ends MarQueis Gray and Keavon Milton to roster, Jasper Collins to Practice Squad
September 1, 2013The Browns are unbelievably busy today. Craig already covered the pair of running backs in Bob Rainey and Dennis Johnson being claimed from the Ravens and Texans respectively. Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer also adds that the Browns claimed rookie center Patrick Lewis off waivers from Green Bay and have claimed up to three more players that they have yet to announce.
Until we hear of the subsequent moves, Lewis becomes the 13th offensive lineman on this roster as it stands. Lewis is 6’1″ and 311 pounds out of Texas A&M. He was rated the 23rd center in this draft class by CBS Sports around draft time.
Fort was one of eight linebackers that made the original 53-man cut. He played significant time for the Browns in all 16 games last year, accounting for 20 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 interception. The news of his cut broke via his own Twitter account with this message. It appears that Brandon Magee, claimed from Dallas, will take his roster spot.
Cleveland Fans y'all are unreal! Wanted nothing more than to help bring y'all a championship. Good luck this year! I'm gone #DawgPound
— L.J. Fort (@i_Serve24) September 1, 2013
Magee is a rookie out of Arizona State and received $70,000 in guaranteed money to sign with Dallas as a undrafted free agent. He collected 16 tackles in the preseason, moving from middle linebacker to weakside linebacker.
Jackson was re-signed after having a very limited role in two previous seasons with the Browns, primarily due to injuries. He carried 28 times for 43 yards this season and caught 9 passes for 73 yards and 1 touchdown. Jackson had 10 touches for 74 total yards last year. His best year was in 2010 with Green Bay where he had over 1000 total yards and 4 touchdowns.
So, if you’re keeping score at home, so far it’s L.J. Fort, Kellen Davis, and Brandon Jackson OUT and Bob Rainey, Dennis Johnson, Patrick Lewis, and Brandon Magee IN. There will be at least two more subtractions: one to get down to 53 and one to add a kicker to the roster.
9 Comments
Wouldn’t it be interesting to see the Browns start WITHOUT a kicker – going for the touchdown every time, going for two, and having the punter handle kickoffs?
Sure, maybe not the best strategy, but at least it would make things exciting.
Brandon Jackson, huh, what? I thought he was the next best option after Richardson but I guess we’ll see now.
Someone made the same comment to me, and I couldn’t help but thinking that if Chud gets up and says “we’ve decided to screw the K position, we’re mostly going to go for two and once in a while we’ll use Lanning to kick”, I’d give him a standing ovation just because.
I actually really liked L.J. Fort. He was a solid backup. It’s a shame to see him go but, hopefully it was worth it.
“No one can replace Phil Dawson, so we’re not going to try”
A center?? What do we need a center for?? They better not get rid of Mack
Find it strange, given the new RBs are seemingly not big enough to be every down replacements for Trent if/when he goes down with an injury. Guess they think Ogbonnaya can do it. But they liked Jackson enough to re-sign him and watched him all off-season and all of camp before discarding him at the last second.
And I’m still waiting for them to grab a guard.
The backfield carousel will be a very interesting component of these Browns. I really liked the idea of Ogbonnaya playing “fullback,” but it’s hard to tell if that’s even still an option at this point.
Who thinks that Ogbannaya can really contribute as a fullback. I’m not surprised that the Browns cut Jamoris Slaughter. I thought that he was an awkward reach when they drafted him. I’m sure that the Browns will sign a serviceable kicker out of the players that they are bring to Berea today, maybe Cundiff? I was very disappointed to hear about the injury to Dion Lewis. I thought that he would be a match up with Trent Richardson at RB.