The Cleveland Browns released veteran RB Jamal Lewis on Wednesday, ending the veteran's three-year stint with the team. Lewis had a very good first season with the Browns, but he just wasn't the same over the past two seasons. Amidst the Browns' losing streak earlier this season, Lewis proclaimed that he would retire at the end of the season.
While a season-ending injury kept Lewis out after that, it paved the way for Eric Mangini to finally showcase RB Jerome Harrison. How did Harrison perform in Lewis' place? Not too bad -- he only ran for the most yards in team history one week, and then broke the team record for most carries in a game the following week. Harrison did so well that some might go as far as saying the Browns can feel comfortable at the running back position heading into next season.
After his release, Lewis confirmed that he might still has an interest in remaining in the NFL next season:
"I plan to evaluate my future and have not made a final determination on whether I will be playing football next season."
Lewis was a fine acquisition for the Browns and he served his purpose. It was clearly time to move on though.
UPDATE: Pro Football Talk, never one to shy away from controversy, speculates that Lewis might want to consider playing to pay off a potential $25 million court case he was involved with back in 2008.
In other news, the Baltimore Ravens have signed WR Donte Stallworth to a one-year contract. Hopefully he ends up being as wasteful of an acquisition for the Ravens as he was for the Browns.