Indians Spring Training: Trevor Crowe Has David Dellucci in the Crosshairs
February 24, 2009Brian Hartline Takes on the NFL Combine
February 24, 2009One of the bigger names that the Browns have hitting free agency within the week is arguably strong safety Sean Jones. Jones had solid campaigns in 2006 and 2007, averaging 104 tackles with five interceptions and about 13 passes defensed. However, during a contract year in 2008 that would have typically brought out the best in most players, injuries kept Jones to 12 games and a regression in statistics as the strong safety only managed to record 56 tackles on the season. Not exactly the capitalization that he or the Browns would have hoped.
His salary last season was just over $2 million. Being in a position of need for many teams, testing the free agent market is likely the best for both he and the team as placing the franchise tag on him would require $6.34 million. Odds are that the Browns are hoping to reach an agreement that would not cost that much on the books, but would keep a currently 26-year old safety with the team for the foreseeable future.
But realizing that the middle of the field may also be a position of weakness for our own team, the Browns appear to be interested in a veteran, leadership-type presence at the safety spot in former Atlanta Falcon Lawyer Milloy.
The Atlanta Falcons have announced that they will part ways with Milloy – he of 13 years NFL experience. As a team captain last season, Milloy was second on the Falcons with 127 total tackles. He has not been one for the big play (only one interception and one forced fumble), but has always been solid in the open field and has a knack for locating the ball carrier.Â
Now 35-years of age, Milloy would not be the future for any team’s defensive backfield. But on a team that will be desperately looking for a veteran presence (assuming that Willie McGinest has seen his final days with the Browns), the four-time Pro Bowler is definitely one to consider to help the defensive woes.
Like a select number of other current Browns players, Milloy has spent considerable time with the New England Patriots. He refused to take a pay cut back in 2003 and was released outright, where he would ultimately land in Atlanta via a stint in Buffalo.Â
The addition of a player on the down side of his career may not be the sexiest move of the off-season. Obviously, we would all love to have a player in his prime; but as we have seen by a few recent signings, these things cost a lot more money than the Browns can currently afford. Factor in the rest of the woes (second receiver, linebacker, etc), and it will come down to an allocation of resources. Think one solid player (Milloy) versus adding a few not-so-solid players (Travis Daniels, Terry Cousin).
The 2009 NFL salary cap is $124 million. For those of you wondering where the Browns fall in terms of cap space, we are currently looking at about $113 million in contracts for the upcoming season – leaving approximately $11 million in free space. (Read: Not very much)
This number is bound to change by the time free agency is in full swing given the opportunity for restructuring contracts, trades and/or the release of those that are not actually positively contributing to the team and could offer some cap relief. There’s a good chance that you could throw a rock in Berea and hit someone that is on the radar for this type of move. If the team does not re-sign Jones, and loses out in the free agent market, your starting safety is slated to be Nick Sorensen. Stay tuned.
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Lane Adkins’ Skinny Tidbits [The OBR]
Falcons part ways with S Lawyer Milloy [Associated Press]
25 Comments
Great article. I should have waited for another 30 minutes before asking. lol
This would be a total waste, on par with Willie McGinest. Nothing but adding to the cap and wasting a year of development on a long term talent. I’d much rather negotiate with Sean Jones.
Is this a sign of things to come?
Viva la Mankok.
Agreed with Randy. A 35-year old safety? Ugh.
Ok, here is how I rate the potentially available safeties. Pool can play either FS or SS (I actually prefer him at SS), so position doesn’t even matter.
Not considering:
* Atogwe, 28 – franchised. not worth 2 1st rounders.
* Jermaine Phillips, 30 – he’s best as a cover-2 safety and TB has a ton of cap room and will resign their defensive leader.
* Yeremiah Bell, 31 – all indications are that the Tuna will not let him leave.
* Dawan Landry, 26 – he’s RFA and I don’t see him leaving Baltimore.
* Jarad Page, 24 – another RFA who is coming off a good year…I don’t see KC letting him get away.
1. Gibril Wilson, 27 – Raiders signed him to a contract for too much $$$. If he is willing to take that salary down a couple notches, he would be a good signing. He was the defensive QB of the NYG superbowl champion team and still has 4-6 good seasons in him.
2. Sean Jones, 27 – Sad to see that he is as old as Gibril and either injuries, the system or himself have stunted his development. But, he is still the 2nd best option out there if he is willing to sign for a reasonable deal.
3. James Sanders, 25 – this NE unsung player played well when Merriweather was injured. He could resign there, but a small bump to average starting safety salary probably scares them away…and he would be worth more to us (as our starter) than to them (as Merriweathers backup).
4. Jim Leonhard, 26 – came out of nowhere last year when Landry got injured. Many suspect he’ll be with Rex in NYJ. Potential for fluke year surrounded by good defense though.
5. Atari Bigby, 27 – injury-riddled season stunted what had been an up and coming career. if he is past those injury concerns, he’d be worth a look, but i’d be surprised if he left GB.
Big dropoff to guys who are probably best as backups:
6. Eugene Wilson, 29 – he had a very good year for the Texans, but before last year he always seemed to be injured. risky signing with a decently high reward for it.
7. Reed Doughty, 26 – Redskins RFA, but Horton took over when he got hurt and did amazing. Doughty had a back injury, so we would have to tread very carefully.
8. James Butler, 26 – he did allright filling Gibril’s shoes in NY, but he got caught biting on playfakes a ton and just doesn’t have the games knowledge that Gibril possesses.
9. CC Brown, 26 – very good backup safety might deserve a chance to start. coming off a broken arm, but that shouldn’t be something that bothers him going forward.
Think about it this way, we can sign Milloy for a one year contract which we need to do since neither Pool or Jones has ever really been healthy all year long. It gives us some room in the secondary and gives us someone who can actually make tackles. It just buys us some time until we can go after Taylor Mays in next year’s draft.
I sincerely hope we are not drafting in the top5 or at least top10 that it would require to draft Taylor Mays.
Unless of course we get someone else’s 1st rounder next year for trading down (and it is their top pick).
“Buys us time”….?????? Taylor Mays will be darn near the top pick in next year’s draft…….are you suggesting this year’s Browns team has a horrible season with a weak schedule????? Even if that were the case then why wouldn’t we be better served to DEVELOP a younger talent????
I hope this is not the next generation of Crennel/Savage in regards to signing aging/unwanted New England/Baltimore rejects.
Viva la Mankok.
DAMN!! Donald Washington just posted a 45″ vert jump. 2nd best vert ever. They said larry fitzgerald posted a 35″ jump
shington also posted a 10’10” broad jump
Agree with RandyOSU. I’m guessing Atlanta is letting Milloy go because he wants to cap his career with a decent “farewell” contract. With a soft schedule, we need to actually find our playmakers of the future, not “stabilize.” If we give some kids a chance and they whiff, so be it. After 4 or 5 years, we know the upsides of both Pool and Jones, and it ain’t all that high. I’d rather see what a second or third rounder can do back there. We’re rebuilding the defense, we are not an old veteran away from years of playoff contention. Find some young guys and let them play.
The closer we get to the draft… the more I want to see this entire 45-man roster completely blown up. No re-treads please.
I wonder if knowing we have a championship calibur (sic?) Cavs team playing for the two years has altered my feelings for the Browns. Knowing I have one world-class team seems to have given me either (A) patience on the Browns or (B) magnifed my indifference to the hack-job organization.
Anyone?
@ #7 – Nothing has happened yet. Don’t jump to conclusions. If we do indeed lose Jones and replace him with Milloy then i will join you in your griping and complaining, but FFS nothing has even happened yet. Jones hasn’t left and Milloy is not in a Browns uni.
Any one of those safety’s would be better than Milloy, he is viewed as a locker room cancer and the dude isn’t any better than anyone on that list.
@ #10 – Having the Cavs has made it easier. With the way the Browns have been run my expectations for them have just been completely shot. I will always hold out at least a sliver of hope that things will work out, because that’s my nature. This last year was exceptionally painful. I mean what a dissapointment. Come November I had completely removed myself from following the Browns, and was focused on the Cavs. Their success has definetly taken the edge off 🙂 Viva Delonte!!!
S-Dub hit the nail on the head. My wife is Falcon season ticket holder and a die hard fan so we both keep up with the team. Milloy was a locker room rabble rouser who thinks he is smarter then any coach he has ever played for. He is the last thing the Browns need.
@#14 “brad in atl” – Milloy is a “locker room rabble rouser”
C’mon – say it… he’s a clubhouse LAWYER.
I feel the same as @10. I could care less.
The Browns will spend tons of money on FA and suck.
The Steelers won’t play anyone crazy contracts and they will be the best team in the NFL.
Same with the draft.
The Steelers will get a better player than the Browns 25 picks later and pay him a tenth of what the Browns will.
I just don’t care right now about the Browns. Probably because of the Cavs.
What a horrible idea. This is what Peter King has to say about him.
“I think if you want to know why the Atlanta Falcons whacked safety Lawyer Milloy on Sunday night, all you need to know is this: He was a gigantic pain in the rear end. Clubhouse lawyer, yakker, complainer. Totally not a Mike Smith, one-for-all, all-for-one guy.”
Peter King has almost no credibility left. But it does see nobody is to fond of Milloy.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80eec031&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true
Shaun Rogers wants out?
Some of Rogers’ feelings stem back to two offseason incidents in which he believes Mangini disrespected him. The first time, Mangini walked into the Browns’ training room and failed to say hello to Rogers. The next time, at a public charity function in which both men were in the green room, neither said hello to the other, and Mangini later said he didn’t know Rogers was there.
Viva la Mankok.
Get used to it Cleveland……….the word “motivator” should never be used with Eric Mangini.
“I didn’t know Rogers was there”.
Eric A. Mangini
I think we should resign Jones first of all. And then I would also like to see us go after Jim Leonhard (Balt.). Most people have him in NYJ next year, but I thought I read somewhere that Kokonis is the one that got him signed in Balt. I’m hoping that may sway him our way. I don’t get the support for Poole? I mean he’s OK. Best as a third option. I would much prefer Jones and Leonhard back there, as long as the money makes sense.
How about Josh Cribbs as a safety?
[…] Secondly, Greer is considerably younger – just turning 27 – than a few of the other options that have been rumored around these parts. And thirdly, the former Tennessee Volunteer has played all 16 games in three […]