DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Stallworth 30 Days to Reinstatement...Keep Him???

I'm beginning to believe a #1 isn't an absolute necessity. You can argue that the Saints and the Jets have no true #1, but they have other things going for them ... good systems, great Ds (in JETS case), running games ... etc., etc. ... it is way down on the list of importance.

We fix other things, and these receivers will look better than they are. Then everyone can mistake them for #1s (like Colston, for example) ... which is all good ... it means the team is successful.

Receivers just don't make that much difference to the success of a team. They are a complimentary piece when everything else is functioning.

I've actually been thinking Dez Bryant, too.

I would have zero problem with that. I think he's gonna be like Andre Johnson.

I'm just surprised it took you this long to mention him.

I actually think Bryant is better than your boy Crabtree.

I've heard that character will not hurt Bryant at all. Teams think that he made a naive mistake, but actually has great character.

Cut the bum.

How is this Bernard Berrian (sp) from the Vikings? If I heard correctly during the game, he's going to be a free agent.

You heard incorrectly.

Bummer.

I disagree. I think Crabtree has all the makings of very good WR in the NFL. He started immediately after the holdout and had a couple QBs throwing to him and still put up over 600 yards receiving. That is some good stats in just 11 starts for a rookie considering he sat out for 5 games.

Only time will tell, but I don't care about the stats. I care about what I see.

And I saw solid ... nothing more, nothing less. Certainly nothing to justify where he was picked.

Of course, I could be judging him way too soon. Guess we'll see.

If he would have played all 16 games he would have had a solid chance to break 1000 yards receiving. How many rookie WRs do that? So how is his draft position not justified? What would you expect of Dez Bryant if we pick him? I think this is a fair question considering how bad the 49ers QB play was.

1000 yards is pretty solid. That's what I said ... solid.

His draft position suggests he should be better than solid. Granted, he was a rookie, held out, and didn't have a full offseason to get into game shape.

It's my opinion while that may have helped, I just don't see that high of a ceiling.

And the only pick I don't want to make at #7 is Dez Bryant, and it has nothing to do with how great I think he would be.

I have a couple of good friends that are 49er fans so I try to make it a point to watch them every week ... I'm telling you my thoughts based on that.

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I actually think Bryant is better than your boy Crabtree.

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Bryants agent is thinking the same thing....

Donte Stallworth's Browns tenure likely drawing to a close as suspension ends: NFL Insider
By Tony Grossi
January 23, 2010, 8:16PM

Donte Stallworth's return to the NFL will come in February, but his time with the Browns is likely drawing short.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns have no intention of bringing back receiver Donte' Stallworth when his one-year suspension is lifted by Commissioner Roger Goodell after the Super Bowl.

It will be the first major decision on a player to be made by the new Browns regime of President Mike Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert, and it will not be a hard one.

Stallworth was suspended on Aug. 13 after pleading guilty to DUI/manslaughter, a second-degree felony in Florida, as a result of striking and killing pedestrian Mario Reyes while under the influence of alcohol on March 14.

Goodell did the Browns a favor by suspending Stallworth for the season because it saved the Browns about $7.6 million of room on their 2009 salary cap.

The team, however, was legally bound to pay Stallworth a $4.5 million bonus, which he earned by being on the team's roster on March 13 -- the day before the accident. The final payment of that bonus was due on Jan. 10.

It is believed that most, if not all, of Stallworth's bonus money was used to pay the family of Reyes in a plea-bargain agreement with Florida prosecutors that avoided a lengthy jail term. He served 24 days in prison.

If the Browns re-instated Stallworth, his contract calls for another $1 million roster bonus on March 18 and a base salary in 2010 of $2.775 million. There are other bonuses worth $550,000 if Stallworth played the whole season.

So that's not going to happen.

Stallworth had about $25.2 million left on his Browns contract through 2014. He probably wasn't going to ever see all that money, even if the accident hadn't occurred.

There would be no impact on the salary cap by releasing him because the league is expected to abolish the salary cap system in March as a result of failed negotiations to extend the current labor agreement.

If by some unexpected development the league reaches an agreement and the salary cap system is maintained, Stallworth would count only $435,000 on the Browns' 2010 cap if released.

But he didn't come away empty-handed.

In addition to the $4.5 million roster bonus paid in 2009, Stallworth received a $4.5 million signing bonus in 2008. His base salary in '08 was $605,000. So the Browns paid Stallworth $9.605 million for one season. He played in 11 games and had 17 catches for 170 yards and one touchdown.

Brownie bits: The "swap" of salary-cap specialists between the Browns and Miami Dolphins involving Dawn Aponte for Matt Thomas -- reported last week in The Plain Dealer -- will take place after Feb. 1. ... It's possible that Mike Keenan, deposed Browns president, will return to the league office, where he was before joining the Browns in 2006. ... Among the people that Mike Holmgren talked to before retaining Eric Mangini was Brett Favre, Holmgren's star pupil from their Green Bay days. Favre not only spoke highly of Mangini, he raved about Browns' offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. Favre did the same thing in a conference call with Cleveland media prior to the Browns' 2009 season opener against the Vikings.

Mangini and Braylon: The good will between Mangini and former Browns receiver Braylon Edwards seems real.

Stan Edwards, Braylon's father, said: "Braylon said Eric Mangini was one of the brightest men he ever met -- on and off the field. Braylon's never had any cross words to me about Eric Mangini. He really enjoyed [former coach] Romeo Crennel, but he really respected in the short time he had with Eric Mangini. Does a player like everything that a coach does? Of course not."

It has since come to light that Edwards was one of the players fined $1,701 by Mangini for neglecting to pay a room charge for bottled water during the preseason.

Edwards said, "If Mangini has a rule and Braylon breaks the rule, that doesn't mean the relationship's different."

In a separate interview, Mangini said he has texted Edwards congratulatory messages during the Jets' playoff run. The coach said he thinks Edwards has the potential to become one of the sport's best receivers.

"There were times when he was here where his work ethic was outstanding, at practice and in the classroom," Mangini said. "One of the things we talked about when he was leaving was just managing some of the things that can be derailers, that can get you off track.

"If he does that, I think he can be outstanding. But you've got to be able to do that week-in and week-out, year-in and year-out. It's not easy to do."

Quick hits: Former Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski is close to getting the Chicago coordinator job. He may beat out former Rams mastermind Mike Martz and Cincinnati quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese. ... Cowboys coach Wade Phillips became only the second coach hired during owner Jerry Jones' tenure to receive a second contract. The other was Bill Parcells. ... Incidentally, Jones called his firing of Chan Gailey, who was 18-14 in 1998-99, his biggest mistake as Cowboys owner. Gailey resurfaced last week as new coach of the Buffalo Bills. ... The hiring of John Schneider as Seattle general manager probably assures that Will Lewis will stay as the team's director of pro personnel. Lewis was interviewed for the Browns' GM position and was considered a possibility to join them in another capacity.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5...mp;confirm=true

Goodell: Suspended WR Stallworth will be reinstated
By Steve Wyche | NFL.com


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth will be reinstated to play at some point after Sunday's Super Bowl, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said at a news conference Friday. Stallworth was suspended without pay for the 2009 season last August after reaching a plea agreement on a DUI manslaughter charge in Miami.

Stallworth, who was under the influence while driving, struck and killed a pedestrian while driving on a causeway connecting Miami and Miami Beach on March 14, 2009. He served 24 days in jail and was placed on house arrest. Goodell did not say exactly when reinstatement into the NFL was forthcoming but it seems sooner, rather than later.

Goodell said he met with Stallworth for 45 minutes to an hour before the Dolphins' final regular-season game in Miami, where Stallworth lives. Goodell added that Stallworth seemed to be remorseful and worthy of reinstatement. Their conversation helped seal the reinstatement, Goodell said. Once Stallworth is re-instated, it will be up to the Browns and new team president Mike Holmgren as to whether the team wants to retain the receiver.

Cleveland drafted wideouts Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie last season and has on its roster Pro Bowl return man/receiver Josh Cribbs, who could have his contract re-worked upwards. If Stallworth is released by Cleveland, he would be a free agent that could prove valuable to several receiver-needy teams like St. Louis, Chicago and Miami.

Whether those teams want to deal with the potential PR backlash is something that could impact Stallworth's employability.

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he would be a free agent that could prove valuable to several receiver-needy teams like St. Louis, Chicago and Miami.

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I doubt Miami would even look at him considering where the accident took place.

Not something we didn't already know.

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Now that wide receiver Donte' Stallworth is on track to be reinstated from his suspension for DUI manslaughter following the Super Bowl, here's the burning question:

When will the Cleveland Browns cut ties with Stallworth?

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Stallworth will be cut before March 20.

That's when he's due a $1 million roster bonus.

At this point, no meeting with the Browns is scheduled, according to lawyer David Cornwell.

Stallworth was suspended Aug. 13 after issuing a guilty plea for a second-degree felony (DUI manslaughter) for hitting and killing a construction worker named Mario Reyes on March 14 of last year.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he has met with Stallworth and is encouraged by his progress.

"I wanted to see how he was doing, what he has focused on during his time away from the game," Goodell said. "And I think he's in a better place than he was. I think he recognizes what he did and I think he's prepared for getting back. So he will be reinstated after the Super Bowl."

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National Football Post - via Cleveland Plain Dealer

News reporting that the contract has been terminated.

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/article.php?id=10463

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns today terminated the contract of receiver Donte Stallworth, who was re-instated by the NFL Monday after serving a one-year suspension for his DUI manslaughter conviction.
Cleveland Browns terminate Donte Stallworth's contract
By Mary Kay Cabot
February 08, 2010, 5:25PM
Stallworth was under contract with the Browns through the 2014 season. He had been signed as an unrestricted free agent on March 1, 2008.

On March 14, 2009, Stallworth struck and killed pedestrian Mario Reyes while driving drunk.

Stallworth, who originally signed a seven-year deal with the Browns, is now eligible to sign with any team.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2010/02/cleveland_browns_terminate_don.html

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According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Stallworth will be cut before March 20.

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The Plain Dealer didn't go too far out on limb with the statement above...lol.

That was quick...message sent...hope the rest of the roster takes notice...keep yourselves out of trouble off the field.

With teams like Chicago void of any WR ta"ent hell deffinatly get a job somwhere.

I was so excited when we signed him. Straight downhill after that.

I think this sends a strong message from the FO that they will not tolerate this type of behavior.

I hope that the rest of the league takes a good hard look at him prior to putting them on their roster for their own good.

Only time will tell just how repentant Stallworth is or is not.

Or it's a strong message about being overpaid...........or whatever. I would think it's more about his contract, lack of production, and upcoming bonus's than anything else.

I want to know how much Randy paid Stallworth per reception and per TD catch. Does anybody know?

I think if you are a WR that is cut by a team desperate for WRs then it is probably the end of the road for you. I'm sure somebody will sign him though.

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I want to know how much Randy paid Stallworth per reception and per TD catch. Does anybody know?

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Why,, were you planning on asking him for a refund

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2010/02/cleveland_browns_terminate_don.html

According to this article, it's about $565K per catch...

Thanks for nothing Donte. I'll never forget when he pulled himself from the starting lineup in the season opener against Dallas and didn't play the first half of the season.

Dez Bryant
No question we need wrs but another 1st round receiver scares the bejeepers out of me.

I know it's irrational but it seems all to Lionesque.

First Braylon now Bryant, which receiver are we going to draft in the 1st next year?

We can't pass.. because.... we have no QB.... OR.... we have no WRs that get open.
With the exception of 07 seems like the same Q we've been pondering since 1999. I have some confidence that the FO we have now is competent but I'd still feel better about Bryant/ 1st round wr if we had any viable QB prospects.

peter king reporting the ravens are going to sign stallworth.

I doubt he will light anything up. He will be injured by the 4th game. My concern is for the jaywalkers in Baltimore. Watch out!