Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[NFBuck]

Awesome that Thomas is heading to Hawaii. Dude was a beast all year and has given the Browns the franchise LT all franchises need. That draft pick may end up being the turning point for the franchise.

 

[buckiprof]

I remain skeptical. This year may very well have been the result of a great Oline, receivers and easy schedule. I need more evidence that 1 year to give away the store on Romeo.

I couldn't agree more. It does seem that the players honestly respect Romeo and will play hard for him, but I need to see it done another year. BTW, it is for this concern that I was thrilled to hear that Chud got an extension through 2011.....if Romeo's year was a fluke, Chud is the next head coach.

I can understand this sentiment. The impact of Chuds on O is obvious. The languishing of the D falls on Grantham's and Romeo's backs as far as I'm concerned. If they continue with the Prevent D every time they have a lead; then they lose sympathy from me more and more.

The last 5-6 games, the Browns defense was better than at the beginning of the year. To me, that is somewhat significant since seeing a defense improve like they did from beginning to end is really unusual. (Not so much so for an offense.) They still need to address key areas in the off season via free agency and the draft, but the improvement that I saw in the last 5 games gave me some reason to be optimistic for the future (assuming upgrades that is).

I'm still relatively shocked they even tried to fix the O-line. I mean it was only a glaring weakness since 1999.....

Do not forget that Savage did sign in his first year as Gm the best o-lineman that was a free agent, a pro-bowler named LeCharles. So it really hasn't been that Savage didn't know that it was a huge weak link on the team, he was aggressive in the free agent market, got the best, then watched as the best got injured on the first play of contact drills.

I was happy when Savage did sign LeCharles, or should I say shocked, because it signaled that we had a GM that got it. It seems that since the 1980's I have been bitching about the Browns ignoring the o-line, so I do know where you are coming from.

I might add Anderson to that also:)

I do too. There are too many instances over this past season to leave little doubts about whether or not the overall result was somewhat flukish or with some seasoning he could become everything that any Browns fan would hope that he could become.

Just like with Romeo, show me what you can do next year. I hope they both surpass what they did this year.

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

GM works to bring Browns back

Cleveland hopes to resign Anderson and Lewis, and lock up Crennel long-term.


By Tom Withers
Associated Press

Thursday, January 10, 2008

BEREA ? Romeo Crennel and Derek Anderson are about to cash in on Cleveland's comeback season. Their rewards: job security and fatter paychecks.
For his efforts in helping drag the Browns out of the NFL's basement, Crennel is on the verge of being rewarded with a contract extension by the club. Cleveland went 10-6 and barely missed making the AFC playoffs in his third season as head coach.
"We have every intention of doing something for Romeo," Browns General Manager Phil Savage said Wednesday.
In his first public comments since Cleveland's turnaround ended one win shy of the postseason, Savage also said he's hoping to re-sign Anderson, who went from an inexperienced backup quarterback to a Pro Bowl alternate in just months. Savage feels the 24-year-old restricted free agent did enough in his first season as a starter to deserve a long-term contract.



Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Browns want to keep Anderson General manager says goal is to get deal done with QB before start of free agency
Published on Thursday, Jan 10, 2008



BEREA: Phil Savage made a strong commitment to quarterback Derek Anderson being part of the Browns' future during a media get-together Wednesday afternoon.
Savage said the Browns would like to have Anderson with the team in 2008 ''and beyond.''
''I think the deserving thing is to say that he's the starter going into next year,'' said Savage, the Browns general manager.
Now it's down to numbers.
If the Browns are to keep Anderson for the next few years, they will have to give him a contract that will entice him to stay off the restricted free-agent market, which usually opens around March 1.
Savage indicated that the Browns would definitely give Anderson the contract tender that would allow them to be given first- and third-round choices as compensation should Anderson sign elsewhere (and the Browns not match).
Savage, though, strongly stated that the Browns do not want to get to that point.

Cont..

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Browns aim to sign, start quarterback Derek Anderson for 2008 season



Thursday, January 10, 2008 Mary Kay Cabot

Plain Dealer Reporter
The Browns plan to sign quarterback Derek Anderson to a multiyear deal soon, keep him off the restricted free-agent market and let him start at least one more season, Browns General Manager Phil Savage said Wednesday.
In his end of the season news conference, Savage said the Browns have been talking to Anderson's agents and that negotiations could heat up by the end of this week.
"We've been kicking some ideas back and forth, and we'd like to get something done," said Savage. "Our goal is to get him out of that restricted free-agent market."


Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

For the Cleveland Browns, quarterback stability is not a sign of the times - Bud Shaw

QB stability, too, shall pass
Thursday, January 10, 2008Bud Shaw
Plain Dealer Columnist


Big Browns hed goes here
QB stability,
too, shall pass
If the meteor ever slams us and ends civilization as we know it, there will be only two survivors: cockroaches and quarterback controversies.
The Browns can sign Derek Anderson to a multiyear deal as General Manager Phil Savage suggested would be their preference over letting him become a restricted free agent, but that won't mean the end of Brady Quinn.
No, no. It's never that easy. At least not until Anderson validates his first season at the helm of the Airbus Lerner, previously known as the Hindenburg II as recently as the first Pittsburgh game.
Whatever the Browns do - sign Anderson, tender him, watch him move in with Quinn in a new season of "The Real World" - barring an injury to one of them, they can co-exist for one more season tops.




Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel on verge of contract reward


Thursday, January 10, 2008Mary Kay Cabot
Plain Dealer Reporter
The Browns plan to extend coach Romeo Crennel's contract, General Manager Phil Savage said Wednesday.
"We've obviously been kicking it around some behind the scenes, but we have every intention of doing something for Romeo," said Savage in his year-end news conference. "I think we're open to a couple of different things. We have to get some feedback from his side of things."
Savage said the Browns extended offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski first because he was about to be interviewed for the Ravens heading coaching vacancy.




Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

A good quarterback quandry
[FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Browns GM says he's like to keep Anderson and Quinn[/FONT]
Thursday, January 10, 2008
BY Steve Doerschuk
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

BEREA In this corner, Derek Anderson. In that corner, Brady Quinn.

In the middle of the burning quarterback question sits the referee, Phil Savage. During a long interview Wednesday, Savage openly said Anderson could return as the Browns? starting quarterback in 2008.

More subtly, the general manager left the door open for Quinn. In reviewing the trade that brought Quinn to Cleveland at the price of a 2008 first-round draft pick, Savage said:

?I am 100 percent convinced we would do the same thing again.??

In another breath, Savage said, ?I think we turned that position from a weakness to a strength. That?s exciting.??

Of course, that?s a nod to the development of Anderson, who went 10-5 as a starter. It also was a compliment to Quinn.

Meanwhile, Browns scouts were ordered to watch the 2007 college season as if the Browns have a first-round pick.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Blade

Browns' Crennel to be rewarded
Team wants to re-sign Anderson

ASSOCIATED PRESS

BEREA, Ohio - Romeo Crennel and Derek Anderson are about to cash in on Cleveland's comeback season. Their rewards: job security and fatter paychecks. For his efforts in helping drag the Browns out of the NFL's basement, Crennel is on the verge of being rewarded with a contract extension by the club. Cleveland went 10-6 and barely missed making the AFC playoffs in his third season as coach. "We have every intention of doing something for Romeo," Browns general manager Phil Savage said yesterday. In his first public comments since Cleveland's turnaround ended one win shy of the postseason, Savage also said he's hoping to re-sign Anderson, who went from inexperienced backup to Pro Bowl alternate in just months. Savage feels the 24-year-old restricted free agent did enough in his first season as a starter to deserve a long-term contract.

Cont..

 

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

Browns
Savage hopes to maintain status quo at quarterback

Thursday, January 10, 2008 3:24 AM
By James Walker


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

TRACY BOULIANTHE (CLEVELAND) PLAIN DEALER
Cleveland Browns quarterbacks Derek Anderson, left, and Brady Quinn.


BEREA, Ohio -- It is general manager Phil Savage's goal to keep both Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn in Cleveland Browns uniforms next season. Savage said the Browns will spend the next few weeks trying to negotiate a multiyear deal with Anderson, the starting quarterback who will become a restricted free agent Feb. 29.
The Browns have Quinn, a first-round pick, waiting on the sideline, but Savage said he believes it's important to maintain depth and continuity at quarterback for at least another season.



Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Browns consider deja vu at draft Savage says trade again a possibility to acquire pick in the first round
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Friday, Jan 11, 2008

General Manager Phil Savage banked on the Browns' future success when he traded their first pick in the 2008 draft for quarterback Brady Quinn.
Savage is not opposed to doing it again.
Last April, the Browns picked No. 3 overall and nabbed Wisconsin left tackle Joe Thomas, who was invited to the Pro Bowl this week. But when Notre Dame's Quinn slid down the draft board, Savage boldly gave the Dallas Cowboys their top pick in '08 and second-rounder in '07 for the player who could be the Browns' quarterback of the future.



Cont..

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Savage faces new challenges after turnaround
Friday, January 11, 2008
BY Steve Doerschuk
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

BEREA On his way in the door three Januarys ago, General Manager Phil Savage frowned at a ?woe-is-me, run-for-the-hills? mentality he suspected to be ingrained in Browns fans.

On his way into this offseason, Savage says, ?That quote is going to be, unfortunately, on my headstone.?

The landscape has changed.

The old inclination was to tell Savage, ?Don?t tell us how to think.?

The new inclination after a 10-6 year: ?Keep doing what you?re doing.?

Actually, he changed how he?s doing it.


Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Talking Browns with Phil Savage
Friday, January 11, 2008
By Steve Doerschuk
Repository sports writer

General Manager Phil Savage talks about key issues confronting the Browns.

Issue: The Browns spent most of the year ranked last in the league in defense, based on yards allowed. They improved in the second half and moved past the Lions and Bills in the final rankings.

Savage: The linebacker and the secondary positions are a little more settled. We feel good about those particular areas, maybe a little more so than the overall picture of the defensive line. We feel we have enough players on that side of the ball to be competitive and to win. We think, once we get through the offseason, we?ll be in good shape over there.


Cont...

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Even though Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinksi was considered no better than a dark-horse candidate to replace Brian Billick as coach of the Baltimore Ravens, Browns officials were worried that the more the Ravens looked at him, the more they might be inclined to hire him. That's why Cleveland quickly signed him to a two-year contract extension this week that convinced Chudzinksi to take his name out of the Ravens' mix.

Continued.....

 

[LitlBuck]

PD

Cleveland Browns fire defensive coordinator Grantham

Posted by [URL="http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/about.html"]Tony Grossi[/URL] January 11, 2008 11:55AM

It's a stunning descent for Grantham, who was given a two-year contract extension in June.

At the time, the youthful Grantham was viewed as a potential in-house replacement for coach Romeo Crennel if the 2007 season went down the sewer. In preseason, Grantham's television interviews were closely monitored by the Browns' brass to determine whether he "projected" as a head coachT

Continued

Yippee!

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