UPDATE (9/1/09): Since this posting, it was learned that Ryan Tucker was placed on the Injured Reserve by the Browns. Either way, his career in Cleveland and the NFL could be finished.
First Rod Hood, now Ryan Tucker. ESPN Cleveland is reporting that the Browns have released veteran offensive lineman Ryan Tucker. It was revealed earlier today that Tucker had his knee scoped last Wednesday. Tucker was under contract for the veteran minimum.
I wish Tucker could have come back and made an impact the way he could when he was at his best, but the wear and tear on his body over the years was apparently too much. It almost feels like a Gary Baxter situation -- no matter how hard they try to return to full strength, it just isn't going to work.
In positive news, three key players returned to practice today for the Browns:
Harrison was wearing a brace on his left knee. You have to love the "hush hush" regarding injuries around Berea:
Strange, but true. Minutes before practice today, Browns RB Jerome Harrison said he "didn't have a clue" when he'd be back on the field for practice. He practiced today. Players are well-versed at being mum about injuries under coach Eric Mangini.
-CBS Sportsline
0 recs | 50 comments
Wow. Tucker…
Bernie19Kosar - August 31, 2009
Just saw via text update that Tucker was placed on IR, once again, maybe next year for Tucker, but it may be time for him to hang up the cleats.
Skov17 - September 1, 2009
Wow. Tucker…
Wow. Hood…
I thought both had chances at starting. This will shake up roster projections.
Now that we cut Tucker and Foster, We dont have any backups at tackle.
BradyQuinnisBeast - August 31, 2009
We do have backups at tackle, just players with lesser name value.
Roger Dorn - August 31, 2009
Who?
BradyQuinnisBeast - August 31, 2009
Dustin Fry, Isaac Sowells
Roger Dorn - August 31, 2009
Fry is a guard or center, and sowells just sucks. Do u think that that UDFA tackle or the one from the colts might make the roster?
BradyQuinnisBeast - September 1, 2009
clevelandbrowns.com has Fry listed as tackle on the depth chart
Roger Dorn - September 1, 2009
Fry and Sowells……
It’s almost as if when I suggested that our offensive line depth was a source for concern, I actually knew what I was talking about.
Go figure
Onyx Lightning - September 1, 2009 via mobile
Out OTs need to stay healthy.
My guess is that if Thomas went down, Steinbach would shift over. I’d be really worried about anyone else over there.
I feel like our depth at G and C is pretty solid, though. Especially when Hadnot comes back.
rufio - September 1, 2009
Corey Hilliard is a possibility. He was drafted by the Patriots in the 6th round a couple of years ago, and even saw a little game action. Wonder how he ended up with the Browns…
NM Dawg - September 2, 2009
Now Rotowire says Mike Lombardi speculates the Browns may cut Jamal Lewis. This one I call major BS on, especially considering the source.
Roger Dorn - August 31, 2009
I’d be all for it, though. It’s physically painful watching him run at times. Maybe pick up a young FA back and have him split the carries with Davis/Harrison. It’s not like RB is a position that needs a ton of reps in camp.
gahnki - August 31, 2009
Ditto, I don’t feel he adds much if any value.
danvail - September 1, 2009
To be fair, RotoWorld kind of jumped the gun on this one. As far as I can tell, all Lombardi said was:
He doesn’t even mention rumors or anything. I agree; I’d call BS on this one.
Chris Pokorny - August 31, 2009
Too good to be true.
Ryan Kelsey - August 31, 2009
I respect Mike Lombardi’s opinion but NO WAY do they release Jamal Lewis. I don’t see what the point would be. I believe he was given a considerable bonus in offseason and why not have him around as 1 of the 3 running backs we will be using this year. I’m sure that he is gone next year though.
Overlord1976 - August 31, 2009
I lost respect for his opinion after he guaranteed Quinn and Edwards would be dealt before the draft.
Roger Dorn - August 31, 2009
We need to keep Jamal even if he doesn’t start. I’m throwing my BS flag as well.
tjk_doc - September 1, 2009
I just hope Lewis doesn’t become our Jerry Rice at this point. Where you want him to play, but you don’t want to see him on the field. I know he has another year in him. Look how well he’s doing with screens and outs.
But, like I said during rookie camp, Davis was the steal of the draft and our future. I just didn’t think he’d produce this soon!! If ya’ll go to utube and watch Davis’ highlights/tributes….. he’s freaking insane. Full speed on the first step, stops on a blade, then full speed on the next step. He can’t be tackled in the open field.
I would ramble more, but I just dislocated my shoulder again, reaching for my water….. I’m out. :(
Brownie's Year - August 31, 2009
Don’t understand the Rice comparison. Besides, I don’t want him to play, and I know a bunch of Cleveland fans agree. He isn’t good and there is no emotional attachment to him.
I thought I was high on Davis, but you may be higher on him than me.
Ryan Kelsey - August 31, 2009
He loses his value as a player, but still has that name cache that some fans hold onto.
gahnki - August 31, 2009
Yeah, I’m in that category. I’d like to see for sure if he has one more season in him.
I was bummed about the cuts today though. I expected Hood to be a nickel/sub kinda guy; and I was hoping Tucker would get healthy again. When he is, he’s reeeeaaal good.
Legoman0721 - August 31, 2009 via mobile
Yeah, I don’t get the attachment to Lewis. he’s been here 2 years, one average, one terrible. And now he is 2 years older. He looks slower and more hesitant than ever. Anyone that likes his name on the team needs to realize it just isn’t worth it- this is the NFL.
Ryan Kelsey - August 31, 2009
I also don’t get the attachment. Does no one remember him destroying the Browns in a silly purple uniform?
danvail - September 1, 2009
It was in the context of a great player playing past his prime. When it gets hard to watch them struggle on the field (Rice in S.F./Oakland).
Brownie's Year - September 1, 2009
It’s hard to watch anyone that sucks play for your team. In that- you want your team to stop putting him in the game.
Also, in the context of greatness Jamal Lewis is more William Green than Jerry Rice.
Ryan Kelsey - September 1, 2009
I’m interested in why you would say that. I certainly think Jamal is well past his prime, but at his best he was a tremendous running back, and especially against the Browns, of course. After all, the guy has rushed for more than 10,000 yards, a level not reached by many rbs. I see William Green as a flash-in-the pan, which I certainly don’t think describes Lewis.
drjeo - September 1, 2009
William Green was a little harsh, but the point being that Lewis is closer to a nobody than one of the greatest football players of all time.
Lewis had a good peak, sure. But that peak was generously 4 seasons, only 1 of which was great. That he has stuck around to pass 10,000 yards is laudable, but was he really helping his team when he was spending entire seasons racking up those yards 3 at a time?
Ryan Kelsey - September 2, 2009
Put a different way, Lewis has played 8 NFL seasons.
3 were average years by NFL standards (YPC in the low 4s, 1,000-1,400 yards rushing, 200-300 yards receiving,).
3 were below average (YPC in the mid 3s, less than 1,200 yards rushing, less than 200 yards receiving).
1 was above average (2002, thanks mostly to the 440 receiving yards).
1 was great (2003, only time more than 1,400 yards, only time more than 10 rushing TDs, only time more than 4.4 YPC).
Ryan Kelsey - September 2, 2009
Are those average years really “average”? I’d shift all your categories up a notch… 3 average, 3 above average, 1 great, 1 all time season.
kwoog - September 2, 2009
B.S. If anything, I was being kind.
If you think last year was an average year for an NFL running back, your standards are way way way too low. Check out Football Outsiders: Lewis was 34th in DYAR and 37th in DVOA among 49 qualifying RBs last year. That’s bottom third. His success rate was 45th of 49. Not a fan of the advanced stats? His YPC was 49th of 54 qualified backs. He was the only back with over 300 touches and less than 5 TDs. Heck, him and Ryan Grant were the only with over 300 touches and less than 9 TDs. He absolutely terrible last year.
Oh, and it wasn’t his worst. That goes to 2005, one of the worst RB seasons maybe ever.
May I ask, what was “great” about his 2002? That year screams average, but I gave it a bump because for some reason he was a factor in the passing game for the first and only time in his career.
Ryan Kelsey - September 2, 2009
I admit I only went by your criteria, I didn’t look up his individual seasons on my own. I just figured 3.5 ypc, less than 1,200 didn’t seem necessarily below average. No argument from me that Lewis had a bad year last year.
kwoog - September 2, 2009
You are acting like RBs don’t have notoriously short careers/peaks.
Lewis had a 2,000 yard season. How many guys have done that ever? How many guys have done that in this era?
I’m not saying he is a first ballot guy, but a “nobody”? Even if he never came to the Browns (and I’ll admit, there is no such thing as an objective fan, and I am biased toward the Browns) I would admit he was a great player with the Ravens (whom I hate). He wasn’t good last year, or in 2005—fine—but judging his career through that lens is ridiculous.
rufio - September 2, 2009
I don’t think I was judging it through the lens of just his two worst years. I said he was terrible for 3 years, average for 3 years, good for 1 and great for 1.
I know that RBs have short careers and peaks and valleys along the way. But I don’t think Lewis is a great player. I think he had one great year. Maybe not a “nobody”, but a one year wonder. I give him credit, I thought he was done when the Ravens let him walk. He managed an average/Reuben Droughns-esque season in 2007. I was surprised. Then he went back to being one of the least productive backs in the NFL last year.
RBs are interesting to evaluate. Their careers are so short. It is hard to rate the durability factor, conceptually, one of Jamal’s strengths. Sure, he piles up the yards: 10,000 for a career is pretty impressive. But, again, if he has entire seasons where he is doing that only 3 yards at a time (while having a low success/TD rate) is he really that valuable to the team? Or is he bogging down the offense.
As far as peaks go- I’d take about 10 of Lewis’ contemporaries and their peaks over his: Alexander, Faulk, Holmes, Johnson, Barber, Tomlinson, Portis, etc., etc.
Ryan Kelsey - September 3, 2009
I think Davis will be good too, but let’s see him do it in the regular season against the first team defense all game. I’m sure if Lewis struggles and Davis is more productive then he’ll get more carries as the season progresses.
Buckeye Brad - August 31, 2009
This is not something that could have been said a year ago, and I think it may be too early in the Mangini era to be certain of.
danvail - September 1, 2009
Davis’ college highlights aren’t that good.
rufio - August 31, 2009
read: aren’t that good.
rufio - August 31, 2009
His junior ones are good. His senior ones aren’t impressive
BradyQuinnisBeast - September 1, 2009
Apparently cause of a bad OLine.
skipkirk - September 1, 2009
All I’m saying is that he isn’t jaw-dropping on film. He’s got some talent, for sure. But its not like he looks like AD on film.
I still don’t know how no one picked him up before the 6th.
rufio - September 1, 2009
Reports indicate the Bears are likely to sign Hood ASAP. We could be facing him this Thursday (not that there’s really “bad blood” or anything).
Chris Pokorny - August 31, 2009
I’m still utterly confused by this move. Any insight?
danvail - September 1, 2009
It’s funny how we decided tra battle is better than hood
BradyQuinnisBeast - September 1, 2009
A player being cut early is no indication that they are classified as worse than another player. In fact, it’s common to cut veterans early on as somewhat of a respect issue around the league, because you are giving that veteran at least a week or two to look for another job. Just look at Hood — he already has a chance to sign with someone.
Chris Pokorny - September 1, 2009
Louis Leonard traded to Panthers
Roger Dorn - September 1, 2009
We actually got something for him? What?
rufio - September 1, 2009
It’s nice to be trading away players for late round picks instead of trading away our late round picks for players like Travis Daniels.
Roger Dorn - September 1, 2009
This.
Buckeye Brad - September 1, 2009
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