I’m as eager as anyone to see which stars Phil Savage can lasso as the clouds finally part from the free agent sky. Talk has been of more quality and less quantity than last year’s somewhat frantic patch-up job. Sounds good to me.
But amid all the excitement of potential acquisitions, let’s at least take note of the ten current Browns who are apparently entering the open market at the same time. OLB Kenard Lang and CB Michael Lehan have already been cut. The players below may also be on their way out of town, whether we like it or not. I’ve listed them in order of importance they might have to the Browns.
- LT L.J. Shelton — crucial position demands experience, and free agent options are few (Fabini, Hopkins, Ashworth)
- WR Antonio Bryant — productive if not polished player at a position where the Browns aren’t very deep
- OL Mike Pucillo — viable backup at both center and guard for a team that needs OL depth
- TE Aaron Shea — hard-nosed if oft-injured veteran is a very serviceable second TE and special-teamer
- ILB Ben Taylor — probably undersized for this scheme; could be a decent backup elsewhere
- P Kyle Richardson — inconsistent season should send Browns looking for alternatives
- CB Ray Mickens — Browns hope Perkins can be the fourth corner, rather than this 33-year-old
- TE Keith Heinrich — showed glimpses, but even more injury-prone than Shea
- ILB Orlando Ruff — a one-dimensional run-stuffer who couldn’t keep Taylor off the field even in short yardage
- S Antwan Harris — former Patriots reserve earned a tidy $540K on IR here.
