Leadership Will be Missed With Release of WR Joe Jurevicius
by Chris Pokorny on Mar 11, 2009 9:47 PM EDT
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In a move that's both a surprise and not a surprise at the same time, the Cleveland Browns released veteran WR Joe Jurevicius earlier today. The Browns had this to say about the matter:
"These types of decisions are always difficult ones, especially with someone like Joe, who has meant a great deal to the Cleveland Browns organization and to the fans of Cleveland," said Browns General Manager George Kokinis.
"Eric (Mangini) and I have had extensive conversations with Joe and his representatives. In the end we were unable to reach an agreement that was in the best interests of both parties. We want to thank Joe for his contributions to the Browns and wish him the best of luck in the future."
Jurevicius had two solid seasons with the Browns. Although he missed all of last season, I think we'll all still miss his ability to bring leadership to the offense, as well as the security blanket he provided our quarterbacks on third downs.
After so many knee surgeries and roughly a $2.9 million contract due this year according to RotoWorld, the move isn't a complete surprise. However, I thought he would be given the chance to show the new staff he was ready to return. As of a few weeks ago, I believe there was a report released stating that Jurevicius was aiming to take part in a few team offseason exercises in the coming weeks. Apparently, this was not the case.
LeCharles Bentley. Gary Baxter. Joe Jurevicius. Why is it that when each player seems so close to a heart-warming comeback, they are released?
Does wide receiver become a higher priority in the draft now? I mean, it looks like we're going to keep Donte Stallworth, but we all know the story with him already after this past season.
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Hehe…the fourth time through this post, I finally got it.
Dawgs By Nature - Find out why Pittsburgh still sucks.
by Chris Pokorny on Mar 12, 2009 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Who the hell is going to catch the ball in this offense?
Why do I have the feeling that Wayne Chrebet will be working out for Mangini?
This offseason has been a huge letdown. I really have no idea what this front office is doing.
So do we take Crabtree at 5 or wait and hope to get a guy like Robiskie with our later secound round pick? But we definately need to get another reciever (at least) — we cannot go in to the season with just Braylon and Stallworth and nothing else.
I hate to see him go. But out with the old in with the new.. We have to move on. If you need any help with that just do what I do. Repeat to yourself 4-12 4-12 …
everyone from the previous team will be held responsible. EVERYONE!
I just hope Edwards is next…… They don’t call it rebuilding for nothing..
What? You want to get rid of ALL our recievers?!?! Why?? Do you really want our recieving corps to be Stallworth and Steptoe?
by Buckeye Brad on Mar 12, 2009 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Hello Crabtree. JJ and WinSlow could not even walk let alone play football. When you win 4 games you get rid of the deadwood. I also question Robiskie’s speed for the NFL.
you should get rid of the dead wood regardless of how many wins you have in a given season…but it sounds like many people are suggesting we get rid of ALL of the wood, not just the dead. at this stage, our sole offensive playmaker is braylon edwards. the. only. one. dumping him for the sake of dumping him is moronic. even if you’re going to draft crabtree…rookie receivers are typically something b/w a disaster and an embarassment. it’s not until the 3rd year that receivers usually thrive (see: edwards, braylon).
by DontCallMeJoey on Mar 12, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Exactly. Too many people here are saying “get rid of everybody”, which completely boggles my mind. There are plenty of good players on this team. One year ago everyone thought we were going to be above .500, if not make the playoffs, and now people want to completely rebuild? Obviously we need more talent on this team, but that doesn’t mean we need to give away the good players we have. Yeah, Edwards had a bad year last year, but it was all mental and can easily be fixed. I believe this year he’ll go back to being a very good, if not great, reciever. Our offense was terrible last year for much of the season (granted, some of it had to do with not having a NFL-caliber QB for the last month) and now people want to trade our only good reciever left on the team? And anyone who thinks we don’t need a good passing game to win in the NFL hasn’t been watching football for the past three decades (which is what some people have said).
I’m all for drafting Crabtree but that DOES NOT mean we can trade Braylon. Last I checked, you need more than one good reciever on a football team. You need at least three reliable recievers, maybe four, and right now we have about one and a half.
by Buckeye Brad on Mar 12, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions
I think it’s a fair suggestion if Edwards is approached about an extension and shows no interest in extending with the Browns
But that’s not what people are saying. They’re saying “get rid of Edwards, he sucks, we’re rebuilding and don’t need him. Let’s be a running and defense team” — as if we even have a good running game.
by Buckeye Brad on Mar 12, 2009 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions
That would be foolish, but I don’t think it’s important to care about what the general crowd is suggesting. It is possible the Browns will trade Edwards and I think they will only do that once a contract extension has been thoroughly discussed.
You hold a guy who never set foot on the field responsible for the season?
by JulioBernazard on Mar 12, 2009 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions
I didn’t say to CUT Edwards. but sure in hell would trade him for whatever we can get out of him..
Isn’t his contract up after this year? Do you really think Hollywood Braylon is going to stay here??
So unless you think we have a good chance to go deep into the playoffs I’d loose the bum.
He hates this city!! He stated that in his comments about moving all his charities to Detroit!
HELL Trade him to Detroit for a draft pick..
4-12… Quitters… most of them.. Blow it up start over..
BTW funny how history can repeat itself.
When Belicheck came in he did the same thing.. Slaughter,Langhorn,Mathews, Kosar, and the list goes on.. And we Were pissed.. how dare he destroy our Beloved Browns..
BECAUSE WE DIDNT GO TO THE FREAKING SUPERBOWL.. IT DIDNT WORK!
I was one wanting His head on a platter.. but now I see what he tried to do.. I hope I’m not the only one that sees this.. We have nothing to loose right now..
4-12
the word is “lose” not “loose” in the context that you use it.
but sure in hell would trade him for whatever we can get out of him
it’s this type of overreactionary BS that has gotten and will continue to get us in trouble as a fan base. braylon edwards, for all of his faults, is a very valuable member of the browns today. that is a fact. to cut bait on him for, ostensibly, a box of balls is the height of irrational bluster. you may be right in that edwards’ value is best realized away from the browns, but when you have a chip like edwards it is important to maximize your return on that asset. you don’t dump him simply b/c you don’t like him. he can be traded, i would think, for real value. jettisoning him for peanuts would only set us back…i really hope you can see that.
by DontCallMeJoey on Mar 12, 2009 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions
USE THE REPLY BUTTON. IT’S NOT THAT HARD.
by Buckeye Brad on Mar 12, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions
So we keep Edwards cause hes a great player..My question is still this.. Do you Really Really think he is going to sign with us after next year? Really?
As for JJ.. Do you want to pay a guy 2.8m that has not played a down all year? That had had several knee operations (I think it was 7) in the past year and a half? If this was someone other then a home grown hero we would be showing him the door.
Edwards is a Great Talent. Problem is does he DOES NOT PLAY HERE! (NOT MY WORDS) He is a superstar in his own mind and wants to play for a BIG NAME TEAM.
So when you say we should get value for him in a trade I agree.. But remember this is HIS LAST YEAR.. Anyone want to put some money on this that he stays here after his contract is up?
i’m having a hard time understanding what you’re saying. you do realize that if edwards decides not to sign a contract with the browns after next season, there are still ways in which the browns can ensure significant compensation for his departure, right? i haven’t looked into what kind of FA braylon will be next year, but they can give him the 1st and 3rd round pick tender if he’s RFA, they can franchise him and ensure 2 1st round picks if he signs elsewhere as a UFA. ultimately, i couldn’t care less if he signs w/ the browns after the season, the point is we have ways of extracting real value from his departure, one way or the other.
Problem is does he DOES NOT PLAY HERE! (NOT MY WORDS)
what the heck does this mean? he played all 16 games for cleveland last year…8 actually in the cleveland city limits. who’s words are they?
by DontCallMeJoey on Mar 12, 2009 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Sorry that was a typo… HE DOES NOT WANT TO PLAY HERE!
But I’m sure you’ll excuse my mis-typing.. your a forgiving man if you’ll take Mr Edwards back.
I’m not sure what your getting at with his contract.. If it ends after this year we still can trade him ? Or label him a RFA without having him tied down to a contract??
He is a Browns bust.. He does not want to be here.. he will not play here.. And actually my typing was not too far off.. he DID NOT PLAY HERE.. he showed up for a paycheck and insulted the fans.. Oh let me be more accurate.. He was here EVERY MONDAY NIGHT GAME! Gotta look good for sports center.. "I’m ready for my closeup.. "
How is it that T.O can be called a great player but yet no one wants him? Cause he is not worth the trouble he causes.. Edwards is the same way.. I’m sure the new coaching staff is shopping him around. I just hope someone bites. And yeah he will do better wherever he goes.. But does it matter? He still stinks here. Bottom line..
This whole sentiment is just idiotic. You act like he wasn’t a pro-bowler two years ago who was striking fear in to the hearts of opposing defenses while wearing orange and brown. You act like he didn’t start that charity in Cleveland.
If something happened to change all that in one year to where you supposedly know that he “doesn’t want to play in Cleveland”, then why would it be so impossible to change things back in one year? Everything I’ve read has suggested that he thought the Cleveland fans didn’t like him because he was from u of michgan, NOT that he didn’t like playing for the Browns. He was even comfortable enough to do the O-H-I-O! The man was just frustrated because he was getting booed.
T.O. is a great player and despite his enormous attitude problems he was only a free agent for 2 days. Two days. So “no one wants him”, but he is only on the market for 2 days?
Braylon knows that Sportscenter will show his highlights if he makes ridiculous plays regardless of what day or night he is making them on or what team he makes them for. It is hugely in his benefit in terms of money, fame, prestige, etc. to make plays when he is on the field. He is losing himself money and fame and fans every time he drops a ball. So even if he isn’t playing for the “right” reasons, it is still to his benefit to play well. That is sports today. If you don’t like it your problem isn’t with Braylon.
If he still isn’t happy enough to sign a big money contract in Cleveland after a year, we can slap the franchise tag on him and we buy ourselves another year.
What player that the Browns just released that you can compare to Langhorn, Mathews, Kosar, Slaughter and even Micheal Dean Perry?
Kevin Shafer, Sean Jones, J.J. , Andra Davis, where are the pro bowls with those players?
Hey I loved JJ, he was a true pro, however a 35 year old receiver coming a knee surgery(s) is a little risky to sign on.
"Have You heard of the Boom on Mizar 5?"
Well lets hope he produces this year, And Don’tCallMeJoey, you would be right. I just don’t have much faith in this kid to grow up or produce. He seems to blame all his troubles on the fans. He takes it out on this town, On us for his lack of discipline. I believe he will be a great wide receiver. Just not for us.
I was one of his biggest fans all the way up to the point were he said the following:
" I’m also proud of how my foundation has taken off. I’ve been doing all this community service in Cleveland …my charity efforts will only be in Detroit from now on."
And this one.. which I find most annoying..
“I’m not Paul Warfield, Webster Slaughter or Jim Brown. I’ve given my all to this city for four years, and I realize it will never be enough. I went to the Pro Bowl last year and resurrected this team from the darkness, and nobody cared.”
’I" ..“I” ..“I” Braylon never got the memo on how to spell TEAM..
Resurrected this team from the darkness? Beat Pittsburgh.. that would be a start…
AND LETS NOT FORGET THE BIGGIE!
“People in this town believe they are entitled to too much.”
ARE WE?
your thoughts on edwards are just way too emotional. listen, i understand. i remove all of the stuff from my coffee table prior to browns games in hopes that i avoid throwing something through my tv.
he holds the browns’ single-season receiving TD record. he went to the pro bowl in his 3rd year. he’s averaged 63 recepts/year in 4 years. he worked his ass off to get back from the knee injury. the guy is good. period. you may think he’s a baby, and you may be right, but he’s good. comparing him to TO is a joke…they play the same position and drop a lot of balls. other than that, they’re day and night.
he may be self-centered, but i got bad news for you: if you’re going to be a football fan, get used to that. we can extract substantial value for his departure, whether it’s in a trade or as a free agent. that has to be the goal, no matter how much we dislike him as a person. dumping him for nothing b/c he’s a dick does nothing but hose the browns.
by DontCallMeJoey on Mar 12, 2009 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions
I understand why letting JJ go is the “smart” football move. But when I read that we was willing to take A STEEP PAY CUT in order to stay with the Cleveland Browns, I am left wondering what the hell is going on. So Mankok decided to cut him anyways? What would be the downside of keeping him?
Can someone please give me any reason on why it went down this way? Give JJ a paycut and see what he has. If he doesn’t have anything left in the tank, cut him then. Give me a chance to show the FO what he can do.
This offseason, we have taken a step back at TE, DB, WR, and LB. Awesome. This front office has a lot of work to do. The strength of Kokinis was supposed to be finding undervalued players on other teams rosters. The only non-Jet we have signed has been Robert Royal.
I hate being a Browns fan right now…
The only downside I can see to keeping him would have been the roster spot. Still, I agree. Bring him at least in to minicamps because I doubt we’ll have 7 or so WRs better than him to bring in to camp even if he was playing on one wheel.
I would wait until the draft is over to evaluate where we have taken a step back. If we traded Jamal Lewis for a 1st and 2nd rounder we would have “taken a step back” at RB prior to the draft, but I would take that deal in a heartbeat and then laugh at the person who offered it to me while peeing on his shoes. Lets at least wait to see what we get from the 2nd rounder we got for Winslow.
Kokinis’ lack of small time FA signings has been a little weird, but I don’t think they are done signing guys yet. The Jets will at least provide decent backups and Mangini will already know their strengths and weaknesses. Will you really miss Kris Griffin or Terry Cousin?
It isn’t that I will miss Kris Griffin or Terry Cousin (I won’t), but I am worried with how this offseason is being handled so far.
I don’t see how we will be able to replace Winslow’s numbers at TE with the 50th pick in the draft. On the plus side, this may push the Browns towards drafting one of my favorite players in this draft Travis Beckham from UW.
Draft picks are great IF they are used on the right players. Mangini sure did a pretty crappy job of getting anthing out of Vernon Gholston last year. So he now wants to look at Brown and Orakpo at number 5 (Or at least that is the belief)? Sounds like Mangini may not know his strength and weakness’. I do think that Mangini, not Kokinis, has the final say over roster moves and that scares me. So far I have seen nothing but a solid stream of Jets (and a Buffalo Bill, who the Jets saw 2 times a year) being signed. I thought that with Kokinis we would be signing guys like Eric Green the CB from AZ or being in the hunt for Bart Scott. I guess I am disapointed with where the Browns are at as a team right now. I really hope something changes. Soon.
by Bernie19Kosar on Mar 12, 2009 7:28 PM EDT up reply actions
come on, people. we’re better than this. all over this site there’s bitching about moves that ManKok hasn’t made, or demands that things change. this irrational panic b/c ManKok “didn’t get Bart Scott”, or whatever other player we want to whine about is a joke. maybe they know more about Bart Scott than we do and don’t like him for their system…or maybe the Jets barred the door and wouldn’t let Scott out w/o a deal. there are a lot of reasons FAs don’t get signed, not least of which is they can only sign with one team.
the offseason so far is a massive incomplete. we got 2 picks for winslow, i think that’s a great deal. especially considering the TE is not a featured part of the daboll offense, so far as we can tell. we’re saving cap room and parting ways with ineffective or injured players, i think that is smart. as has been pointed out, the philosophy for the ManKok seems to be you build in the draft, and create depth in free agency. that’s the only way to construct a consistent winner in the NFL.
you want to talk strengths and weaknesses for Mangini? how about he drafted 3 pro bowlers in 3 years in NYJ (mangold, leon washington, revis)? d’brickashaw ferguson has started all 48 games of his career. kellen clemens has been a starter, chansi stuckey was a 7th rounder and he took 2 starters last year.
the browns were 4-12 last year. that’s reason to be concerned or disappointed. ManKok has given no one any reason to panic or be upset as a result of their decisions on the roster. 0. let’s not create hysteria until we really have a reason to, ok?
by DontCallMeJoey on Mar 12, 2009 8:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Dawgs By Nature - Find out why Pittsburgh still sucks.
by Chris Pokorny on Mar 12, 2009 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions
I am with you. Jeez the last time I looked we were 4-12 last year. I will miss JJ, other than that, I don’t see the big deal in what was lost.
Like Rufio said, lets all evaluate after the draft.
"Have You heard of the Boom on Mizar 5?"
If TE is such an after thought in the offense, why did the Jets take a TE with a first round pick last year? I think that Winslow was shipped out more for his mouth, than his injury history or contract demands. Let’s face it, most star WR’s/TE’s are drama queens or have had off field problems at some point in their career. Ohco Cinco, Jeremy Shockey, TO, Marvin Harrison, Steve Smith, Brandon Marshall and the list goes on. As a head coach, Mangini is going to have to learn how to deal with attitudes like this. The great coaches have. Parcells had LT and TO. Billacheat now has Moss. In this day and age of the ME SUPERSTAR, a coach is going to have these kind of players on his team and will have to keep them in order to find a way to win. Every team will have a drama queen or pain in the ass. We can’t just trade them all. Now I am not one for signing Mike Vick, Pacman Jones, and Tank Johnson, but I think we will miss K2 a bunch next season.
We can agree to disagree about the Winslow trade, fine by me. That is the reason I enjoy this site so much is because we can discuss moves with a rational viewpoint. I am not a guy who is quick with the “FIRE BUTCH” or Bench Quinn. I have always been on the more patient side.
I guess the issue I have is that in my belief the 4-12 season was not as bad as it looked from the outside. Was our 10-6 season a little over the Browns heads? Probably. But I do not think that this team was needing a rebuilding. I think that ManKok is headed for a complete rebuilding phase.
I hope I am wrong, but my belief is that this team is going to get worse before it gets better. I just didn’t think that this team needed to take such a big step backwards. I hope we aquire a playmaker (Crabtree) or picks with our first pick and start adding some talent to this roster ASAP.
by Bernie19Kosar on Mar 13, 2009 10:56 PM EDT up reply actions
It honestly can’t get a whole lot worse from last year. Our record might not make an 8 game jump, but the product on the field almost has to get better because it can’t get much worse.
I don’t know the Jets’ situation with Tennanbaum and Mangini and who was “shopping for the groceries”, but Mangini really didn’t seem to want Favre. So he might have had a lot of input and control up there, but he probably didn’t have all of it.
Also, I was under the impression that the Jets did not run the “New England offense” last year. I did not watch them much, so I do not know. Daboll was their QBs coach, not their OC so again it is hard to tell without actually seeing football being played what the concepts are.
Pluto thinks the Browns are trying to get rid of injury prone players: Jones is gone, Winslow gone, Tucker had to restructure, Joe J gone. Seems like one of few detectable principles driving them this offseason. Attitude problems couldn’t have helped.
wr
now is the time to pick up tory holt
by dawgs in the desart on Mar 15, 2009 1:49 PM EDT reply actions
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