Among off-season issues facing the Browns is the 17 players whose contracts expire

[BernietheKid]

Among many off-season issues facing the Cleveland Browns is the 17 players whose contracts expire after this season

Published: Sunday, November 07, 2010, 3:00 AM

Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer


Joshua Gunter / The Plain Dealer
Matt Roth, who is having a strong year, could be an unrestricted free agent after this season. Much will depend on the language in the new labor agreement.

Resolving the future quarterback issue is the Browns top priority in the off-season. But it's far from the only issue.

The Browns have at least 17 players whose contracts expire after this season. General Manager Tom Heckert believes that may be the highest figure in the league.

Depending on the outcome of the league's labor dispute, eight Browns will be unrestricted free agents. Five more could gain UFA status if the league returns eligibility for free agency to four seasons. If eligibility remains six years as it was in this uncapped transition season those players would be restricted.

The potential unrestricted free agents are:
Running back Mike Bell, kicker Phil Dawson, linebacker Matt Roth, quarterback Seneca Wallace, offensive lineman Floyd Womack, cornerback Eric Wright, offensive lineman Billy Yates and punter Dave Zastudil.

The potential restricted free agents are:
Safety Abram Elam, punter Reggie Hodges, linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, linebacker Jason Trusnik and fullback Lawrence Vickers.

Thats quite a plateful for Heckert. Usually at this time of year, teams are angling to re-sign desirable potential free agents to avoid having them test the open market. But the uncertainty of the future collective bargaining agreement has teams backing off.

To do something now that you'll regret later, its not worth it to us. We just want to know what were dealing with, Heckert said.

Another obstacle is the so-called 30 percent rule, which limits a player under contract to getting only a 30 percent increase in future base salaries in a redone deal. (There is no such restriction for a free agent, whose contract expires.) The way to overcome the 30 percent rule is to load up the redone deal with various signing, roster and reporting bonuses. But which owner wants to hand over a player guaranteed cash in the tens of millions of dollars while the possibility of a lockout exists?

So, GMs like Heckert, who ordinarily might re-sign some of their potential free agents, seem willing to wait it out.

It has nothing to do with the players, Heckert said. Its the system.

You've got to believe that uncertainty of coach Eric Manginis future might cause some hesitation in re-signing players, but Heckert said: I don't think that's factoring into it.

The guys that we have that we want back are guys that can play [in any system].
Yet, Heckert said the team is not currently in negotiations with any player.

Well never say never, but there's nothing going on right now, he said.
There are still other business issues awaiting the Browns. Such as the future of:

Defensive lineman Shaun Rogers.
On Tuesday, Browns President Mike Holmgren said this about Rogers: I think ultimately its going to be Shauns call. Hes had injuries that have slowed him down in the last couple of years and hes played a long time. He commands a very big salary and he earns it when he is the Shaun Rogers that I know and love. Its going to be his call, I think, for as much as anything. Hell let me know by how he plays and all those things about his future.

Translation: The Browns will be seeking a pay cut from Rogers, who is signed through 2012 at base salaries of $5.5 million and $5.6 million.

Quarterback Jake Delhomme.
Delhomme has been able to play only six quarters because of multiple ankle injuries. He will be 36 next season, when he is scheduled to make $4 million.

Heckert on McCoy: Like everybody else, Heckert is pleased by what he's seen of Colt McCoy in two games. He's doing really well, he said. He played in so many big games, he's not in awe of anything. That's half the battle with these young guys.

If it was gonna have to happen this way, its good he had the week of practice before he started rather than getting thrown in without taking any reps in practice. One time [with the Eagles] we benched Donovan [McNabb] against Baltimore at halftime, so [Kevin] Kolb had to come in without taking any reps in practice and it was tough. He didn't play really well in that game.

Heckert said the next step for McCoy, as long as he's playing, is to win a game with his arm, rather than handing off.

We think he is [capable of doing that this year]. But obviously he's got to show that he can. Thatll come in time. It would be nice to see, Heckert said.

Among many off-season issues facing the Cleveland Browns is the 17 players whose contracts expire after this season: NFL Insider | cleveland.com

[Jax Dawg]

I was thinking a couple of weeks ago the Browns have a number of players who will be FAs after the year is over but I didn't know it was this many. Thanks for sharing BTK.

[Legendary]

So which one is worth keeping and not renewing.

[Pedros Gaff]

roth, jackson and vickers

[OconRecon]

Originally Posted by Pedros Gaff

roth, jackson and vickers

My thoughts exactly.

If I had to put them in order, it would be Vickers, Roth, then Jackson. Mainly because if McCoy is to be given the best chance to develop, we need to keep our good and stable backfield intact.

[BernietheKid]

I would also add Hodges to that list!

[DawgFan]

The potential unrestricted free agents are:
Running back Mike Bell, kicker Phil Dawson, linebacker Matt Roth, quarterback Seneca Wallace, offensive lineman Floyd Womack, cornerback Eric Wright, offensive lineman Billy Yates and punter Dave Zastudil.

The potential restricted free agents are:
Safety Abram Elam, punter Reggie Hodges, linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, linebacker Jason Trusnik and fullback Lawrence Vickers.

Keepers:
Phil Dawson - clutch in the winter
Matt Roth - solid outside presence
Reggie Hodges - done a great job this year
Lawrence Vickers - top notch FB

Maybes:
E.Wright - he may not be a top notch starter, but he is young and a decent backup imo
DQ Jackson - this will be determined mostly by him and his contract demands
Jason Trusnik - he is versatile and a good backup at both ILB and OLB

Bell needs to show something the second half to even be considered
Wallace needs to understand he will be a backup
Yates depends on the growth of the rookie RG Luavou (spelling)

[Sez.EJ]

Vickers is priority 1 in my opinion.. franchise tag if needed. It would not cost that much.

[BrownieBornAndRaised]

Keepers
Dawson- Hes deserves to be a career brown, especially since hes put up with some shitty browns teams, were finally starting to head in the right direction and he deserves to be a part of it.

Hodges- The man has been money this year helping us in the field position battle all season long.

Vickers- One of the top if not "the top" fullbacks in the league plain and simple

Roth- Very good outside linebacker stout against the run and can get pressure on the qb

maybes
Wright- Has been picked apart all season long. Hes gonna want big money imo, if he wants too much i say look elsewhere, if not i say bring him back as a nickleback or second corner.
Trusnik- outstanding special teamer and a solid back up lb if the price is right i say resign him.
Jackson- Depending on where we go in the draft and the price tag

[Enigmatic Evil]

My two cents on the FA picture... BIT early for this kind of talk, but...

Keepers: Vickers, Roth, Phil Dawson, Trusnik,

Take em' or leave em': DQJ, Zastudil/Hodges (we can't have two punters on the roster) Wright, Wallace

Pass: Elam, Womack, Yates, Bell

I think Vickers and Roth are essential peices to the puzzle, we would be hard pressed to find a player to make up for Roth's value to our defense. "Waiver wire pick" or not, I think Matt Roth has earned that contract he's wanted. Let's see if he can keep healthy the rest of the year. Eric Wright needs a major turnaround in his play because I think we're all sick of his ... whatever it is affecting his play. Seneca Wallace is a take or leave pick for me. He would be a valuable backup QB but I think he really wants to start and I don't think he's good enough to be a starter in the NFL.

Seneca if you want to start in a pro-football league, the CFL has 8 teams who would probably be more than happy for your services, and you'd have a solid chance of starting on any one of them...

But my money would be on Wallace being a backup on most CFL teams too...