Browns' Free Agent Update: Day 2

My head is spinning, and I’m blown away by the amount of quality players signed in such a short amount of time by the Browns. After a crazy day in Free Agency, the Browns ended up with 3 players in Day 1 as Joe Jurevicious ended up signing a day earlier than what was reported as he was already introduced with LeCharles Bentley and Kevin Shaffer.

Jurevicious provides the Browns an exceptional possession receiver, who is one of the more highly respected veterans at WR in the NFL. The Browns have not had a player like that since they returned to the league in 1999, and he can be a solid option and teammate for a young QB like Charlie Frye. Jurevicious, like Frye, and LeCharles Bentley, is a local guy too, which makes this signing all the more exciting as a Browns’ fan.

The local flavor that GM Phil Savage has injected into this team has made Browns’ fans proud again. Not only do we have Frye (Akron/Willard), Bentley (Ohio State/St. Ignatius), and Jurevicious (Lake Catholic), but we also have Josh Cribbs (Kent State), and Simon Fraser (Ohio State/Upper Arlington). The ability to add local guys (with talent) to the roster will help give us more guys who will pour their heart and soul out for a team that has had trouble bringing the old tradition of the Cleveland Browns back. I am very happy with the direction of this team due to these types of moves.

The Browns have been all over the newswire, making some of the biggest splashes in Free Agency after one day. Now, there are rumors of two more signings on Day 2 being finalized and one of them being another local guy from the Cleveland area. As I write this…it’s official: the Browns may have fixed their punting problem they’ve been stuck with thanks to Butchie Davis. Dave Zastudil (Ohio University/Bay Village) has agreed to a deal with the Browns to take over as punter for the next 5 years. The signing ripped the talented punter away from division rival Baltimore Ravens.

Zastudil, another local guy who grew up a Browns’ fan, has a career 41.6 average as a punter and was a mainstay with the Ravens after taking over for last year’s punter for the Browns, Kyle Richardson. Now he looks to do the same and help the Browns avoid any embarrassing situations with 10 yard punts that were a little too common over the last two years.

If Zastudil wasn’t enough, the Browns have Super Sized their Nose Tackle position on defense by agreeing to a 2 year deal with monster Ted Washington. This comes off the heels of the Browns losing out on their top Nose Tackle option Maake Kemoeatu, who signed with the Panthers yesterday. Not a bad plan B option for the Browns, but they’re probably going to have to plan down the road for another young Nose Tackle now.

Washington is a round mound to get around and he’ll be an instant upgrade over declining incumbent starter Jason Fisk. Washington may be on his own decline though as he is a mammoth player who has been playing for 14 years, however his years in New England with current Browns’ coach Romeo Crennel may help him round out his career in style.

Today’s deals combined with yesterday’s deals make Phil Savage’s first two days of Free Agency a memorable one. Free Agency doesn’t guarantee success in the NFL, but the Browns will at least have more to work with this year and they can honestly say they upgraded some positions. The Browns may move a couple tiers down the Free Agency ladder now as signing more than 5 players goes beyond Phil Savage’s initial projection. As it looks right now, the Browns have spent their way out of negotiating with big names like LaVar Arrington and David Givens.

Some of the remaining names discussed with the Browns have been:

-LB Bart Scott (Ravens) – Visited yesterday and would be a valued addition to the Browns’ LB corps since he’s been in the 3-4 with Baltimore.

-DB Chris Hope (Squeelers) – Would be a decent depth move in the secondary, but I’m not sure I’d hand him a big contract.

-DL Kalimba Edwards (Lions) – Could be a nice rotational player on the defensive line.

-OT Kevin Barry (Packers) – It was reported that the Browns wanted to meet with him, even after the two OL signings yesterday. I’m all for more OL depth.

Stay tuned for more analysis and draft needs for the Browns. They may cool down a bit after all these moves.