Something Up with the Browns?
In the Cleveland Plain Dealer's story today that leads with the release of our old pal Hank Fraley, there is some quarterback speculation. Apparently, despite new prez Mike Holmgren's combine talk about Brady Quinn never having had a proper chance to show what he can do, the Browns are intent on adding a QB, and I've heard speculation that this will happen very soon. Given Holmgren's background and that of GM Tom Heckert, it would seem very likely they're either going to try to pry Matt Hasselbeck away from Seattle, or they want to acquire one of the Eagles' QBs.
Something Up with the Browns?
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
In the Cleveland Plain Dealer's story today that leads with the release of our old pal Hank Fraley, there is some 
quarterback speculation. Apparently, despite new prez Mike Holmgren's combine talk about Brady Quinn never having had a proper chance to show what he can do, the Browns are intent on adding a QB, and I've heard speculation that this will happen very soon. Given Holmgren's background and that of GM Tom Heckert, it would seem very likely they're either going to try to pry Matt Hasselbeck away from Seattle, or they want to acquire one of the Eagles' QBs.
I pontificated yesterday about how Donovan McNabb would seem an unlikely fit for the Rams. But the Browns? Again, the key would probably be getting him to sign a contract extension. As he heads toward age 34 by the end of next season, McNabb isn't looking to absorb a beating in a long-term rebuilding situation. But the Browns aren't the Rams. Cleveland finished the season on a four-game win streak. St. Louis has won six games the last three years. Holmgren and Heckert might be able to sell McNabb on the idea of spearheading a quick turnaround. Or, probably more likely, they could be nosing around for Michael Vick. Kevin Kolb? As I've said before, it would be a big, uncharacteristic gamblefor the Birds to trade Kolb right now, with McNabb only under contract for 2010, and the fan base rubbed raw by 11 championshipless years of Donovan and Andy. But if the Browns gave you a draft pick or picks that you thought could put you over the top in 2010 ... well, nobody even knows if there will be a 2011 in the NFL.
This might be the kind of offseason where anything can happen.
The Birds will announce their restricted free agent tender situaton this afternoon. To clarify, if you tender an RFA at all, you have the right to match any offer he gets, and then keep the player. The money he receives, if nobody else steps in, is defined by the level of the tender. The Eagles don't seem to have a restricted free agent anybody else is going to break the bank over. The level of the tender, though, might tell you how much the Birds value a certain player.
BTW, talked to Fraley this morning. He was in South Jersey, closing on the sale of his house there. With Jamaal Jackson fresh off ACL surgery and very unlikely to be 100 percent for the start of the season, Fraley might be a decent pickup for his former team.
"A lot of people have been asking me if I'm coming back to the Eagles," said the man who snapped the ball for the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX. He said he doesn't have any idea yet, but he has "a lot of respect for coach Reid and the organization." Fraley said he still talks to former teammate Jon Runyan quite a bit, and to Birds o-line coach Juan Castillo.
Great to see that you keep 'mailing' it in, Les.— beegal99- Why not Honeybuns, Nick Cole certainly didn't earn anything in the last two games.— CMc62480
- Fraley was released for a reason. Why does every old, over the hill ex eagle, who started for this team 7 years ago get an article about if the eagles should sign him. If you want a stop gap, sign Mawae for 1 year and draft a c in the mid rounds.— phila215
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Don't the Eagles have a C they signed from another team's practice squad on their practice squad? I wouldn't mind seeing an article on the quality of the Eagles practice squad and the potential likelyhood of any of them to make the full roster or which ones are tackling dummies...just sayin'— Mabus- Mabus, are you referring to the guy from PSU that was living with his parents last year? Yeah, that sounds like the answer at C.— The Reddgie
- wouldn't be surprised to see fraley back as an option until JJ comes back. haven't seen him play since he left though, hope he is still at least serviceable.
- NO NO NO !!!! HANK FRALEY ALWAYS WAS A TERRIBLE CENTER...HE WAS THE BIGGEST REASON WHY MCNABB WAS GETTING SMASHED AROUNG AND EVENTUALLY STARTED PUKING.....THE PATS WERE USING HIM AS A SPEED BUMP....WHICH IS EXACTLY WHY THE EAGLES WILL PROLLY RESIGN HIM...HAHAHA 1960 1960 U FRIGGIN LOSERS !!!!!!— DON17
- I didn't say he was the answer to anything. You don't have to be an ahole about it. Just wondering what the status of practice squad members is as presumably they are there for some extra depth and to challenge those on the regular roster. The braintrust at Novacare picked these guys for a reason, otherwise they're just glorified tackling dummies. Tired of some of the knee-jerk posts from bitter people on here...jeez— Mabus
- Hey Les, Please write an article about a couple NFL talent evaluators reviewing Kolb's 2 starts last season. What did he do well, what were his weaknesses. We need to know more about our future QB— tommy_the_k
- The problem with Philadelphia readers is that if Les had written an article about the in-house potential replacements, everyone would complain that these guys are all failures and that the article should concentrate on potential free agent replacements. Les looked at the option of the Eagles signing someone who is familiar with the system, which does fit quite well with how the Eagles do business. Whether they sign Fraley or not who knows, but the article does raise good points.— catnameddomino
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- The type of injury sustained by Jackson, and more importantly, WHEN he sustained it, absolutely precludes him from playing this next season. To speculate otherwise, would be just stupid. Iggles need a decent center that will be on the roster, and play all the games for this coming season. Kevin Mawae would, on the surface, seem like a perfect candidate if Andy is truly serious about making a BIG push for the golden ring this year. If he fixes the "D" with sufficient MAJOR upgrades....he'll be SERIOUS about the push. And he will have to straighten out the O-Line without resorting to using the early draft picks, which MUST go on the defensive side of the ball. Lot of tight-rope walking needed here! Good luck to the management for getting a big push going!— TBear
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