Over the past two seasons, we have seen the career of quarterback Michael Vick revived to the point where he might be even more popular than when he was with the Atlanta Falcons. Some will never forgive Vick for his actions, but that doesn't change the fact that the Philadelphia Eagles got a dynamic player for a bargain.
When free agency eventually does hit, can the same be said for wide receiver Plaxico Burress, particularly in a Cleveland Browns uniform? Burress will be released from jail in June, and the prospects of having a No. 1 receiver with a potentially "cheap" contract compared to if he had never been in jail has to be intriguing. Originally, it was believed that Cleveland could take a receiver such as A.J. Green or Julio Jones at No. 6 overall. Now that we have seen multiple members the defensive line released over the past week, the priority in the draft seems to have shifted to the defensive line.
If the Browns are going to get a receiver, do we really want another one in the second round? After all, we are still trying to evaluate Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie, both of whom were second round picks in 2009. That is where free agency will come in. The question is, would you be interested in the Browns trying to sign Burress? And, would he be a good fit for the West Coast Offense?
I think Burress will have a good amount of teams trying to use his services. Normally I would say that only a team looking to contend next season should take a crack at Burress, but even if the Browns are in a rebuilding mode for Pat Shurmur's first year, I think it is necessary to have a No. 1 receiver to push Massaquoi, Robiskie, and the other receivers further down the depth chart to evaluate them in roles they are more likely to have long-term in the NFL.