DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum browns 2015 free agents

this might sound crazy, but to me, it doesn't matter which ones they keep as long as they find suitable replacements for those the don't or can't keep. Hopefully upgrades

And I think it might be very smart to see if they can find a guy who can play center better than those we have now.. Just in case Mack can't come all the way back or we lose him at the end of next season..

You can almost draw a direct line to the downfall of the Browns this year to the game after mack went down.

All replaceable based on 2014 performance. We will draft a TE.

The only players that I view as MUST RE-SIGN...

Tashaun Gipson
Buster Skrine
Craig Robertson

If they'll take modest money...

Ahtyba Rubin
Jabaal Sheard
Miles Austin

Sign a short/modest "prove it type deal"...

Jordan Cameron


The rest can go.

I don't think Rubin, Sheard, Austin or Cameron are worth big money contracts, but I'm not opposed to bringing any of them back. Either way, we need to upgrade our DL, OL, WR#2 and backup/starting TE position (if we lose Cameron).

Remove sheard and replace him with Kitchen and i am good with your reasoning

both Gipson and kitchen are RFAs so they can be tenderd?

Robertson is a ERFA. how does that work?

Man is Craig Roberstson under paid or what, this guy is very good and worth a nice contract .... JMHO

Robertson just needs to continue to improve on his open field tackling.

If he can continue to do that, I like his intensity and his on-field-leadership that he brings to the table.

He'll be worth a big contract extension.

Ahtyba Rubin on verge of 100th game with Browns, hopes to continue career in Cleveland with free agency looming

BEREA: Nose tackle Ahtyba Rubin hopes to retire as a member of the Browns, but it might not be a realistic goal.

The four-year, $26.50 million contract Rubin signed in 2011 is scheduled to expire March 10. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent.

Rubin, though, doesn’t even want to think about finishing his career elsewhere. He’s been with the Browns (7-7) since they drafted him in the sixth round in 2008, and when they visit the Carolina Panthers (5-8-1) on Sunday, he’ll become just the ninth player to appear in 100 games with the franchise since 1999.

“I just think about showing the coaches that I belong here, showing that I want to be a Brown for life,” Rubin said Friday after practice. “I love it here, and I’ve spent my whole career here.”

Returner/wide receiver Josh Cribbs, linebacker Andra Davis, kicker Phil Dawson, tight end Steve Heiden, cornerback Daylon McCutcheon, long snapper Ryan Pontbriand defensive lineman Orpheus Roye and offensive left tackle Joe Thomas have reached 100 games with the Browns during the expansion era.

Only Thomas remains. The seven-time Pro Bowler is the longest-tenured player on the roster, followed by Rubin.

“It’s been a long journey, been a long grind, and it just feels great,” Rubin said of reaching the 100-game milestone. “I’m stoked about it. I’m happy. I feel like it’s a great achievement in my life.”

Rubin, 28, has survived several regime changes. He has played under two owners, five general managers, five head coaches and five defensive coordinators since former GM Phil Savage picked him 190th overall out of Iowa State University.

“I don’t know how to explain it,” Rubin said. “The coaching staffs that I’ve seen throughout the years really trust me, and they kept me on the Browns for this long. I’ve just been working hard, man.”

Which is why his teammates want him back.

“Rube’s heading into his third contract somewhere. Hopefully it’s here,” defensive end Billy Winn said. “We all love Rubin. It’s just a true blessing to have a guy like Rubin on this team.”

Rubin joins tight end Jordan Cameron, quarterback Brian Hoyer, cornerback Buster Skrine, outside linebacker Jabaal Sheard and wide receiver Miles Austin as notable Browns players set for unrestricted free agency in the offseason. Free safety Tashaun Gipson, special-teams ace Johnson Bademosi and nose tackle Ishmaa’ily Kitchen are among the pending restricted free agents.

“I’m just blessed to be one of the players to see their whole contract and be able to fulfill that contract,” Rubin said. “Hopefully everything works out right, and I’ll be here again next year.”

The Browns have a record of 34-76 during Rubin’s career. So why would he want to stick around after enduring so much misery? Before this season, the highest number of wins the Browns had earned during Rubin’s tenure was five.

“I never want to quit on something I started,” Rubin said. “I came here, started something with this D-line, with this team and I want to finish it. I’m definitely not a quitter. I see us heading in the right direction, and I just want to be on board for that.”

Rubin has fully embraced a leadership role, and defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil calls him “the heart and soul” of the D-line. He’s always willing to answer questions from teammates and help the younger ones learn how to watch film.

“He’s one of the guys I look up to most on this team,” veteran defensive end Desmond Bryant said. “Besides his playing ability, his character is unbelievable. He’s absolutely a leader on this team. If somebody’s not doing something right, he’ll speak up. If the guy’s need a little extra juice and he sees that, he’s not afraid to go out there and tell everybody -- tell me and anybody else, too.”

Rubin had been one of the Browns’ best players from 2010-11 when he compiled 82 tackles, including two sacks, in his first season as a full-time starter and 83, including five sacks, the next year. He was slowed by calf injuries in 2012 and 2013, racking up 44 and 80 tackles, respectively.

Not everything he does, though, is evident in statistics.

“I’ve seen Rubin do things that I haven’t seen out of anybody else, particularly with double teams,” Bryant said. “The way he splits double teams, sometimes it’s just super-human. He’s a great player.

“As a D-lineman, if you split the double team and make the play, you did a great job, and it doesn’t happen all that often for most people. But for Rubin, it seems like that’s a regular thing that happens.”

This season, Rubin has dealt with ankle and knee injuries. He missed two games in October and has compiled just 27 tackles, including one sack. The Browns feared he would need ankle surgery, but he didn’t. He insisted he doesn’t expect to undergo surgery in the offseason, either.

“I think my body will heal on its own with a little rest,” Rubin said. “I’m still going out every Sunday, still banging on [the ankle]. After this season’s over, I’ll get a chance to relax, and I think I’ll be 100 percent by next year.

“My body is getting nicks, and stuff like that is kind of keeping me from performing at the level I want to perform at. But I think I’ll be all right.”

Rubin has rarely been in the locker room for media availability this season, he said, because he’s been receiving treatment, stretching or lifting weights to rehabilitate from injury. The maintenance has extended to defensive line meetings.

“He would have setups in each of the different meeting rooms where he could be getting treatment while in the meeting,” Bryant said. “That doesn’t happen all that often. A tub for his foot. He had a little machine that he would carry around and give himself some stem treatment. He was doing as much as he could all the time. That’s just how he goes about everything.”

The 6-foot-2, 325-pound Rubin laughed when asked about his obsessive routine.

“It just shows how bad I want to be out there,” he said. “I’ll do anything I can to try to get that edge or get myself at a position that I think I can play at a high level.”

The Browns admire Rubin for pushing through the pain this season.

“He’s tough and he’s been through a lot,” coach Mike Pettine said. “He’s battled through some things that maybe some other guys would have shut it down. To me, it speaks to the kind of competitor that he is. He’s played some good football for sure, and hopefully another good game this week and one in [the season finale against] Baltimore. Who knows after that?”

Rubin doesn’t know what the future holds, but he’s certain he wants it to be with the Browns.

http://www.ohio.com/sports/browns/ahtyba...ooming-1.551327

Rubin, 28, has survived several regime changes. He has played under two owners, five general managers, five head coaches and five defensive coordinators since former GM Phil Savage picked him 190th overall out of Iowa State University.

wow!! isn't that something for a guy that people say sucks.

I'm sure he is a great guy. I'm sure he means what he says about wanting to stay in Cleveland. Who wouldn't?... Cleveland, the town and its fan base is inspiring, especially of late.

But unless we play a base 43 next year, or he takes a "I'm gonna be depth" pay cut, I wish him well and hope he moves on.

and yet the guy consistently has more snapcounts over players like tayler, winn, kitchen. go figure. don't all theses coaches know he sucks?

Rubin was great for many years, he is depth now. At such a price I'd love to him a Brown.

It's a different defense than Rubin played in in past seasons. He is not a strong pass rusher, but he can make plays sideline to sideline.

I do not know if he fits Pettine's defense, and Pettine's comments, while complimentary, made it sound as if he wasn't going to be a priority. Rubes has said that he wants to be back, but the team also has to want him back.

Rubin is a 'big fatty' that you want in the middle to stop the run.

No, he isn't. He is the guy you want pushed back 3-5 yards one-on-one if that is your sort of thing.

Says the guy who hates the fact Hoyer is on the bench.

no. its just a fact that the guy consistently has more snapcounts over players like tayler, winn, kitchen.

your unwarranted hate of the guy all because he is a better player than taylor is really funny.

Yeah, not wanting Rubin next year is completely "unwarranted"

Oh wait...my bad he has a big snap count ahead of a back up NT, a 3-year player playing back up, and a 4-year vet injured for 2. Let's bring him back simply because of his snap count!

Have you been watching him at all? Seriously.

Actually, based on where I think Browns will draft. I like to see Farmer take a NT. Resign Rubes.

DL this year took a huge blow. They are playing third and fourth string. In Pettine's schemes, DL is the life blood.

Rubes is on the downside of his career. I like to see him as the starter grooming his replacement. Rubes will be more effective the less strain put on him the entire season.

I keep seeing St. Louis's DL. It is like a tsunami it just keeps coming. If Browns can continue adding talent, it will make Cleveland's DL better.

I was under the assumption that Pettine's D relied more heavily on having strong CBs than strong DT ... not that DLine can be ignored, but I thought CB's were the life blood

My interpretation of Pettin's defensive scheme is he can do more when his CB's can perform on island. If his has good CB's and good pressure from the DL, he can do a lot with LBs and safeties.

I look forward to Armonty Bryant returning. He was a key piece and was lost early.

Indeed.

I agree that Armonty Bryant COULD be a key piece but let's not forget he did next to nothing this season before going down. All the hype was during the preseason and what he did last year. He sure has the size and the speed to be an effective DE in this 3-4, but I didn't see a whole lot in the 4-5 games.

Now, to his defense, that could be due to the coaches who put him in weird positions...for example lining him up at the 0 or 1 technique on third down with a two-man rush. Personally, I think he has no business there, and better yet, the Browns have no business running a two-down lineman rush on third downs (but that's for another thread). And they had such a heavy DL rotation of players from the first snap, Armonty just didn't get a lot of reps, IIRC. I recall his lack of playmaking to be a topic on this thread early on...to where people were saying "did he even play?" more or less.

I think he could be a impact player moving forward, but I get the sense the coaches don't know where he best fits in their defense.

Armonty was a big disappointment before he was injured.

So was Taylor
So was Sheard
So was Mingo
So was Gilbert


Add in Gipson's injury and Dansby's injury ... that explains a lot of the poor defensive play

Jim Leonhard set to retire after Baltimore game

Say what you will about his age, his speed, whatever... but he has filled in great all year and especially when Gipson went down.

Pettine said he, and likely many others, will try to talk him coming back again and personally... I hope they can ink him up for another year. I'd love to see Jim back here next here. He's got to be a great presence on and off the field, especially on a team full of youngsters.

Same with Miles Austin, if he doesn't want to retire I hope they pursue some type of contract with him as' well for similar reasons as I said about Jimmy.

I never thought that I would agree about Leonhard, but he has filled in marvelously when called upon, He has played well within the defense, and I think has been a coach on the field.

I figured that Pettine just gave him a shot to get on tape in preseason, to help him land a job elsewhere. Man was I wrong. He surprised me.

Maybe if he retires as a player, he'll take a job here as a coach.

Several soon-to-be free agents unlikely to play for Browns beyond Sunday’s season finale

BEREA: Nose tackle Ahtyba Rubin didn’t say goodbye Friday afternoon, but when he shook the hands of a few reporters after they interviewed him, everyone involved knew it could very well be the last time the seven-year veteran met with the media at Browns headquarters.

Even on the rare occasions when the Browns don’t overall their coaching or front office at the end of a season, changes still loom because contracts expire. A small number of players re-sign, but most of them move on in free agency. Such is life in the NFL.

Some embrace the opportunity for a change of scenery. Others, like Rubin, hold onto hope for a return, even if the writing on the wall tells them it’s unlikely. Rubin, a sixth-round draft pick in 2008 and the second-most tenured member of the franchise, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at 4 p.m. March 10.

“I can’t see me being in any jersey other than orange and brown,” Rubin said. “I’m always going to be a Brown for life. This is where I want to be and hopefully everything works out for me to be here.”

Rubin won’t play in the season finale between the Browns (7-8) and Baltimore Ravens (9-6) beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium because he’s been ruled out with an injured left ankle. Rubin had played most of the season with an injured right ankle. He said neither injury will require surgery in the offseason.

So when Rubin, 28, appeared in his 100th game with the Browns last week against the Carolina Panthers, it could have been his last one with the team.

“I’m not the type of person that quits what I started. I started here. I want to finish here,” said Rubin, who signed a four-year, $26.5 million contract with the Browns in 2011. “I see a lot of great things happening with this team and I just want to be on board when everything does happen. We have a lot of young guys I’m close to, so I would love to be here.

“The business is what it is and everybody understands that. Everybody has each other’s contact [information]. If we do have to split apart, I’ll always have great friends here, and I’ll always be in contact. But for right now, I’m just mainly focused on getting healthy.”

Rubin (28 tackles, one sack, 13 games) is one of six key Browns players set to become unrestricted free agents in March. The others are cornerback Buster Skrine, quarterback Brian Hoyer, tight end Jordan Cameron, outside linebacker Jabaal Sheard and wide receiver Miles Austin. Safety Jim Leonhard would also hit the open market, but he plans to retire.

Of those players, Skrine might be the Browns’ top target to retain. Not only has he been a respectable full-time starter this season and last opposite Pro Bowler Joe Haden, but rookie cornerback Justin Gilbert, the eighth overall pick, has struggled mightily this year.

The Browns also drafted rookie cornerback Pierre Desir in the fourth round. He’s promising but far from a proven commodity. Undrafted rookie K’Waun Williams has played well this season, but he’s primarily a nickel corner and has been hindered by injuries.

“I definitely want to come back,” Skrine, who received a four-year, $ $2.24 million contract after the Browns drafted him in the fifth round in 2011, said Friday. “All my friends are here. I like the coaching staff, I really love the defense and I had a productive year. So if things work out, then I will come back.”

Defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil made it clear he hopes General Manager Ray Farmer re-signs Skrine (61 tackles, 18 passes defensed, four interceptions, 15 games). O’Neil said he would be happy using Skrine, 25, has the team’s No. 2 corner for the next five years.

“I would love to bring Buster back,” O’Neil said. “I’ve told you guys before, he’s one of my favorite guys on the defense. He embodies ‘Play Like a Brown.’ I don’t ever want to let good players walk out the door.

“He gives everything he has every single play. I think that he’s a young corner that is starting to come into his own. He’s fast. He has good ball skills. I think he’s tough. When Joe [Haden] went out of the game the other day [with an injured shoulder], we had no problem bumping him over and filling in for Joe. He can slide inside and play nickel for us. He’s very valuable to what we do defensively. You guys know we can’t have enough good corners – they’ll all play.”

Pettine echoed O’Neil’s sentiments. If the Browns can’t reach a long-term deal with Skrine, they could keep him off the open market by using a transition or franchise tag on him. Hoyer (242-of-438 passing, 3,326 yards, 12 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 76.5 rating, 14 games) will likely walk in free agency despite rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel’s struggling in two starts. The Browns talked to Hoyer’s agent, Joe Linta, about a contract extension in the spring but have tabled discussions since then. The 29-year-old North Olmsted native helped the Browns reach 7-4, but he later lost the starting job Dec. 8 after throwing eight interceptions and just one touchdown pass in a four-game span. Hoyer, who has a record of 10-6 as a starter, has made it clear he wants to be on a team that gives him a legitimate opportunity to play.

“I don’t know what will happen going forward,” said Hoyer, who joined the Browns by signing a two-year, $1.97 million deal in May 2013. “I don’t rule anything out.”

Cameron, 26, made the Pro Bowl last season, but he missed five games this year with a concussion and another game with a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder. The injuries might dissuade the Browns from committing to him long term. Cameron (21 catches, 383 yards, two touchdowns, nine games) received a four-year, $2.52 million contract after the Browns drafted him in the fourth round in 2011.

Sheard, 25, a second-round pick in 2011 who received a four-year, $5.09 million contract, hasn’t missed a game this season despite suffering a foot injury the Browns feared would sideline him for the year after Week 11. The Browns spoke with Sheard’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, about a contract extension this past summer. However, the two sides have yet to reach an agreement, perhaps foreshadowing Sheard (44 tackles, two sacks, three passes defensed, 15 games).

Austin, 30, joined the Browns this past May, when he signed a one-year, $2 million contract. A lacerated kidney suffered Nov. 30 against the Buffalo Bills ended his season. Despite being on injured reserve and a pending free agent, Austin (47 catches, 568 yards, two touchdowns, 12 games) has spent the past few weeks helping coach fellow receivers during practice.

“It just speaks volumes of his character,” Pettine said of Austin, whose production and leadership might warrant another short-term contract from the Browns. ... “He’s such a good role model.”

Pro Bowl free safety Tashaun Gipson headlines the Browns’ list of pending restricted free agents. Other notables are inside linebacker Craig Robertson, nose tackle Ishmaa’ily Kitchen and special-teams ace Johnson Bademosi.

If the Browns don’t re-sign Gipson long term, they could grant him a contract tender for the right of first refusal. They could use a first-round tender, paying him at least $3.1 million next season and ensuring they’d receive first-round compensation in the event he signed elsewhere. Gipson, 24, would be allowed to sign offer sheets from other teams, but the Browns would have an opportunity to match.

http://www.ohio.com/sports/browns/severa...finale-1.553274

+100!! Every year there is a player in preseason whom collects a couple of sacks...and they always turn into a nobody...I don't see anything in Armonty

Buster Skrine could get up to $ 7 Million per season.

Interesting, I only care about one player from each group. I think Sheard, Gipson, and Robertson should be the main focuses. I think I'm in the minority when it comes to Skrine, I don't like him as a player. He's undersized and has multiple interference/holding penalties in seemingly every game because of it. Those yards count against him. He's also inconsistent when he does play well.

Shrine has multiple PI penalties each game? Are you sure you're not thinking about Leon McFadden?

Just me, but I'd like to focus on Skrine, Gipson and Craig. Sheard had an underperformed season IMO. Buster allows us to pretty much shut out an opposing offenses first and second WR. Then Williams, Nelson and Gilbert to battle for nickel spot. JMO

Gipson and Robertson are no-brainers to be back... Gipson is RFA and Robertson is ERFA.

Personally I'd be OK with letting all the UFAs walk and only signing a guy or two, and only if it's a player that can make a major impact. I don't get the point of signing middling guys that you know when you sign them you might cut them (Grossman, Bennett, etc.) and end up not getting comp picks because of it.

With Sheard, Skrine, and Cameron hitting free agency, we have a chance to get 3 fourth round comp picks next year depending on how solid their market is. That would give a ton of flexibility with our non-comp picks to move around and secure the players we want in the 2016 draft. I'd hate for us to not do that because we decided we needed to sign two free agent QBs to compete in camp or something similar at other positions.

Sorry, pb... just saw that nobody answered your question. Basically what it means is the player has fewer than three accrued seasons in the NFL and the team he is on is the only team that can offer him a contract. If they do not offer him a contract, they must release him.

Basically every ERFA that a team wants to keep will be on the team the next year at the veteran minimum salary.

The difference between that and a RFA is that an RFA can still negotiate with other teams, and depending on the tender designation the original team can match the offer or receive compensation. There are three tender levels that come in at different price points for the NFL teams: Lowest -- Original Round Compensation, Middle -- 2nd Round Compensation, Highest -- 1st round compensation.

I think we should give Robertson one more year and let him be a RFA next year. Probably Lanning, too, until we get someone better.

For our RFAs this year, I think we should give 2nd round tenders to Kitchen and Bademosi (since they were UDFAs, we'd only get matching rights to their deals at original round level) and a 1st round tender to Gipson.

JMO.

Skrine's multiple penalty games in 2014 (5):

10/5/14--1 defensive holding, 1 roughing the passer
11/30/14--2 defensive pass interference
12/7/14--1 offensive holding, 1 defensive holding, and 1 defensive pass interference
12/21/14--1 defensive pass interference, 1 defensive holding
12/28/14--1 defensive pass interference, 1 defensive holding


Single penalty games in 2014 (5):

9/21/14--1 defensive holding
10/12/14--1 defensive pass interference
10/26/14-1 defensive holding
11/6/14--1 defensive pass intereference
12/14/14--1 defensive holding

That's not at all good. 16 penalties for an average of 1 per game.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SkriBu00/penalties/2014/

-Brent Grimes, who makes an average of $8 million/year, had 3 penalties all of last season.
-Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who makes an average of $7 million/year, had 5 penalties all of last season.
-Alterraun Verner, who makes an average of $6.4 million/year, had 6 penalties through all of last season.
-Cary Williams, who makes an average of $5.7 million/year, had 8 penalties last season.
-Tim Jennings, who makes an average of $5.6 million/year, had 3 penalties last season.

Those are just a few guys who make around what Skrine is expected to earn this upcoming season ($7 million). I could have kept listing others around that range, but I think my point is proved. Skrine is not as good as many want to make him out to be. He's more of a liability than an asset, in my opinion.

Lemmy, thank you for the solid and informative post!!

Got to admit, I recall him having some yellow laundry thrown on his behalf, but not of the frequency pointed out in the stats you posted.

I'd still focus on bringing him back. If Joe goes down,i don't have a warm feeling with likely Williams on their #1 and Gilbert, Desir and etc picking up the rest. Desir is really an unknown, we didn't get to see him much. We know about Justin and I doubt any of us would sleep great at night if O'Neil declared him #1 or even maybe #2.

Again, thanks for the informative post bro

Yes, sir. If he could be gotten for a fair salary, I'd be all for bringing him back. But, at that $7 million range which is being speculated, I think the price is way too high.