Joe Thomas completely rips Peyton Hillis

by Paul Jackiewicz

“I think it was better for both sides (that he left),” said Thomas. “At that point the situation with him here was toxic, and he didn’t want to be here and players didn’t want him here. It was better for a fresh start at that point.”

Thomas attributed it all to Hillis’ botched attempt at trying get a new deal.

“It was just the fact, he decided his contract was more important than coming out and playing and helping his team win, and it left us without a running back and then we had a few injuries that hurt us further, with Montario (Hardesty) being down and Brandon Jackson, losing him in training camp.

“(Hillis) went about trying to get a contract a certain way, and it ended up hurting the other 52 guys in the locker room. That was his decision.”

Thomas told reporters in training camp that if the team chose up sides, no one would choose Hillis.

“He wasn’t real popular around here the way he went about his business,” said Thomas. “Not that they didn’t like him as a person, but just the way he hurt the team from not coming to play.”

Was that out of character?

“Yeah, no question, he was everything people knew about him: hard-working, blue-collar tough,” said Thomas. “The next year all he cared about what trying to get his new contract. I think he was getting poor guidance on how to go about his business. The way he chose it really hurt the team.”

Thomas said: “I don’t know, you guys tell me. I don’t know if strep throat and whatever other injuries he had should keep you out of an NFL game or several. All I know is Alex Mack’s appendix blew up and he played. A lot of guys tried to help him and give him guidance, and he wasn’t listening.”

Thomas added: “It was a strange year. Everyone here is glad we’re beyond it, and I’m sure Peyton’s glad he’s past it too because it was a strange season.”

What’s really sad is that Hillis ruined a opportunity to get the one big contract every NFL running back desires and now he’s on a short-term deal with the Chiefs and making noting compared to what he would have receive if he had just behaved in Cleveland.

Cleveland Browns let Peyton Hillis agree to deal with Kansas City Chiefs; guard Eric Steinbach released

By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio — The Browns let free-agent running back Peyton Hillis sign with the Chiefs on Wednesday without making him an offer and released longtime starting left guard Eric Steinbach, who was set to make $6 million this season.

They also agreed to terms with former Bengals starting defensive end Frostee Rucker, a league source said. The Browns won't announce the Rucker deal until he's signed, which will most likely happen today.

Rucker, a seven-year pro, agreed to a five-year deal worth $21 million, including $8 million guaranteed, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. The lucrative deal means Rucker will be a strong candidate to take over the right end job opposite Jabaal Sheard.

Hillis' departure ends his star-crossed, Madden 12 cover-cursed 2011 season in Cleveland. He agreed to a one-year deal worth $3 million and hopes to rehabilitate his career -- and his image. Hillis wanted to play in Cleveland Browns Stadium next season, but now he'll do so for only one game, as a member of the visiting Chiefs.

Hillis hoped to re-sign with the Browns -- and even said he'd take a hometown discount to do so -- but the Browns never made him an offer, a league source said. They talked to his agent, Jimmy Sexton, but no proposal was made.

After the Chiefs announced the deal, Hillis Tweeted: "Appreciate all my fans in Cleveland for the support given to me in my time there. Can't wait to get back on the field and go to work in K.C."

In Kansas City, Hillis will be reunited with his former Browns and current Chiefs offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll.

He'll also play for former Browns and current Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel.

Under Daboll in 2010, Hillis rushed for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns and finished second on the team with 61 catches for 477 yards and two TDs. It was the breakout season of his four-year career, and it landed him on the cover of Madden 12. But like others before him, Hillis' cover season was a disaster.

It began with concerns over not getting a new contract extension and went downhill from there. The season included Hillis sitting out a game with strep throat, his toughness being questioned by some fans and teammates, a lingering hamstring injury and ultimately his teammates calling him in for a team meeting to help him get his priorities straight. Hillis rebounded at the end of the season, rushing for 99 yards in Arizona and 112 in Baltimore.

But it was apparently too little, too late, and the Browns decided to put the saga behind them. With Hillis gone, the Browns still have running backs Montario Hardesty, Chris Ogbonnaya and Brandon Jackson on their roster. They might have a chance to draft Alabama running back Trent Richardson with the No. 4 pick, or they can look for a back later in the first round. They can also look to the second wave of free agency for a back, including former Bengals running back Cedric Benson.

As for Steinbach, the Browns didn't want to pay an almost 32-year-old player coming off back surgery $6 million this season, especially considering that Jason Pinkston has replaced him at left guard. However, they could re-sign him after he tests the market.

"These types of decisions are the difficult part of this job, especially when it involves a player such as Eric Steinbach," Browns General Manager Tom Heckert said in a statement. "Eric exhibited tremendous leadership and passion for the game during his time here. We want to thank him for his contributions."

Steinbach's release gives the Browns $6 million more under the cap. His agent, Jack Bechta, told NationalFootballPost.com -- a website he's part of -- that the Browns tried to reduce Steinbach's salary.

Bechta said in a statement on his site: "Asked to take a significant salary reduction in late February, the two sides have not been able to reach an agreement on a new deal, so Steinbach has asked for his release. However, the two sides will keep talking while Steinbach will simultaneously explore the free agent market."

Bechta said Steinbach had surgery to remove a disk fragment from his spinal nerve.

"He is on schedule for a complete recovery and wants to play for four more years. He should be fully cleared to perform all football-related tasks by April 15th," Bechta said.

Steinbach's release comes one day after the release of right tackle Tony Pashos.

Browns To Offer RB Peyton Hillis An Incentive-Rich Contract

As reported by Kevin Zoul of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Browns are expected to offer RB Peyton Hillis an “incentive-rich contract” while he tests the open market. The Browns have made it known that they’ll allow Hillis to field offers from other teams in order to establish a more reasonable price tag However, Zoul adds that the Browns have offered Hillis a contract that would have paid him “$16 million over the first three years” This report does not surprise most, as Hillis is coming off a season that was plagued by injuries which hampered his overall production. Allowing Hillis to receive offers from other teams will make it easier for the Browns to offer him a deal closer to fair-market-value which is essentially what he’s looking for.

http://gridironfans.com/forums/latest-nfl-headlines/184021-browns-offer-rb-peyton-hillis-incentive-rich.html

NFL Free Agency Rumor: Hillis back to original agent, Sexton

By Craig Lyndall

The Hillis game of musical chairs appears to be coming to an end once again and Jimmy Sexton seems to have found a chair again. According to a source who talked to ProFootballTalk, Hillis will welcome back his old agent.Now, a source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that Hillis plans to re-hire Jimmy Sexton, who has since joined CAA. Per the source, Ben Dogra of CAA also will be involved in the representation.

Again, nobody knows exactly what any of this means for Peyton Hillis and his future with the Cleveland Browns. All we know is that the Browns will have an “exclusive” window to negotiate before next Tuesday March 13th. Of course exclusive goes into quotes because there is all sorts of alleged tampering that takes place in supposedly exclusive negotiating windows, so we’ll see.

The curious case of Cleveland Browns RB Peyton Hillis

by Eric Schmidt

his has been a strange year for Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis. In 2010, Hillis became a fan favorite with a cult-like following in Cleveland but in 2011, Hillis fell out of favor with the same fans and his coaching staff. The season started with the power back suffering a case of strep throat which led to him sitting out for a game, that led to rumors that he was advised to sit by his agent in order to gain leverage to gain a new long-term deal. The season went downhill from there. The offseason has been no easy go for Hillis either with ESPN reporting last week that he was contemplating retirement and joining the CIA.

The ESPN report was immediately dismissed by Hillis and he fired yet another agent, his third this season. Speaking to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Hillis said regarding the rumor, “That’s ridiculous. I never one time mentioned anything to any coach about retirement or joining the CIA or anything like that. It’s 100 percent false. I don’t know who came up with a story like that, but they should’ve come up with a better one to make it sound legit.”

Hillis has spent the season lobbying for a new long-term contract with the Browns but the franchise has stated that they are willing to allow him to test the free agent market. Free agency begins on March 13th.

Hillis said that he would like to remain with the Browns and that he’d be willing to take a discount in order to remain with Cleveland. “I’ve always loved this city, and I still love it, and I still want to play for the Cleveland Browns. ” In regards to taking a hometown discount, “Yeah, of course I would. It depends on what they want to do. When free agency gets here, I’d love to hear them out,” Hillis told reporters.

The use of the franchise tag on Peyton Hillis is out of the question now for the Browns. The club placed the franchise tag on veteran PK Phil Dawson.

Hillis is coming off a very disappointing season. He recorded his lowest yard per carry average of his career (3.6) and only recorded one 100-yard performance, 112 yards against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16. If the Browns do not make an attempt to re-sign Hillis, they could pursue a new back in free agency or perhaps draft one in the upcoming draft.

Cleveland currently has three backs on their roster. The oft-injured Montario Hardesty, Brandon Jackson and Chris Ogbonnaya.

Eric Schmidt is the owner/editor of thepigskinreport.com.

http://www.thepigskinreport.com/2012/03/the-curious-case-of-cleveland-browns-rb-peyton-hillis/

Cleveland Browns RB Peyton Hillis parts ways with agent Kennard McGuire, his third agent in a year

By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND -- On the eve of free agency, Browns running back Peyton Hillis has parted ways with his agent, Kennard McGuire, a league source confirmed for the Plain Dealer.

It's the third agent Hillis has dumped in a year. The first two were Jimmy Sexton and Kelli Masters.

The news was first reported by Josina Anderson of ESPN.

Browns general manager Tom Heckert told Anderson today, "If we can work something out with Peyton (Hillis) we will. Did he have some rough patches during the season? Yes. Were there stretches where things were blown out of proportion? Yes. Honestly, I feel like a lot of that was blown up in the media. Now, of course things will still come down to the money, but we'll just have to wait and see."

Hillis' new agent is not yet known. A player must wait five days after he sends a letter of termination to the NFL Player Association before he can sign with a new agent. 

The Browns would like to re-sign Hillis before he becomes an unrestricted free agent Mar. 13.  They are not expected to franchise him, which would pay him $7.7 million for 2012. Deadline for franchising players is Monday.

Hillis and McGuire had a tumultuous season together in 2011. McGuire said he was the one who advised Hillis not to play against the Dolphins on Sept. 25 because he was too sick with strep throat and the flu.

Some of Hillis' teammates took exception to him sitting out and ultimately had an intervention-style meeting with him to help him get his priorities straight.

Hillis climbed back into the Browns' good graces with a strong end to the season, both on and off the field, including a 112-yard game in Baltimore Dec. 24.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/02/cleveland_browns_rb_peyton_hil_18.html

Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis unlikely to be franchised, but team will try to re-sign him

By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns running back Peyton Hillis, who had a tumultuous 2011 season, is unlikely to be franchised by the Browns.

But they'll still try to re-sign him before he hits the open market March 13 at 4 p.m.

Now that the Browns have signed linebacker D'Qwell Jackson to a five-year, $42.5 million deal, they can use the franchise tag on someone else. It's doubtful the Browns will use it at all, but if they do, they'd be more likely to use it on kicker Phil Dawson than Hillis.

The franchise salary for Dawson in 2011 will be about $3.8 million, and for Hillis, it would be about $7.7 million to $8 million.

Teams must franchise players by March 5. If the Browns don't use their tag, they can continue to negotiate with all their free agents before they hit the market on March 13.

The Browns are interested in re-signing Hillis after he finished the 2011 strong.  But the two sides were far apart when talks broke off midseason. 

The Browns will also try to re-sign Dawson, as well as many of their other free agents, including Marcus Benard, Mike Adams and Dimitri Patterson.

Dawson said at the end of last season that he wasn't sure he'd be back in Cleveland for a 14th season, but that he intended to continue playing.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/02/cleveland_browns_running_back_22.html

Cleveland Browns: Peyton Hillis, Trent Richardson and Options at Running Back

By Mike Hoag Jr. (Correspondent) on February 25, 2012

The Cleveland Browns front office is split between re-signing Peyton Hillis and drafting Trent Richardson, according to CBS Sports NFL Insider Mike Freeman.

Questions that immediately springs to mind are who are Freeman’s sources and what are their motivations? 

Let’s take a look at the Browns running back position, without secret sources and speculation.

First, the ongoing Hillis saga is something worth considering when delving into uncertainty of the future of the Cleveland Browns backfield. After a breakout 2010 season, Hillis spent most of 2011 on the injury report. His season was shrouded in one controversy after another.

An alleged holdout and a lingering hamstring injury plagued the fourth-year player out of Arkansas.

Unfortunately for Hillis, 2011 was the end of his current contract. Showing the Browns and the league he was not a “one-hit wonder” should have been paramount to him.

Hillis, though, was victim of a media imposed “Madden Curse.” That “curse” is a phenomenon you should take with a grain of salt. The speculation, rumors and drawn-out media frenzy surrounding Hillis’s contract situation exacerbated what should have been written off as just another football injury.

With all of those things in mind, forget them. Peyton Hillis has been one of the bright spots in an otherwise bleak string of losing football seasons in Cleveland. Forget what you’ve been fed from a majority of the media and look at some of the tangible factors heading into the 2012 season.

A very pertinent realization you must come to is the simple fact that the Browns employ the West Coast Offense. Now, what, if any, questions are there about Hillis and his compatibility within that scheme?

If you have any doubts about Hillis fitting, you should promptly leave them at the door.

Hillis’s rare size, strength and ability to extend plays are exactly what are needed from a running back in the Browns’ version of the WCO. Single-back formations require a back with the ability to block, catch and make plays to sustain drives.

Hillis, Hillis and Hillis.

As I said before, any perceived notions that Hillis is not a fit for Shurmur’s offense should be dropped immediately.

On another hand, the Cleveland Browns have a multitude of other needs that are higher up in the echelon of the Mike Holmgren style of football. Defensive end, cornerback and offensive tackle are all glaring holes on the Browns roster.

General Manager Tom Heckert has expressed his interest in those positions with the Browns' top picks. He cited the difficulty in finding elite players at those positions and the need to find them early on as opposed to running back, wide receiver and even quarterback.

Haven’t the Browns already agreed to a contract with Hillis?

As of right now, there are no official reports confirming any form of contract has been signed between the two parties. However, rumors are circulating that an agreement has been reached but the details are still being hammered out.

What if the Hillis signing rumors and common sense both fail? Does losing Hillis guarantee Trent Richardson will be the Browns' pick with the No. 4 overall selection?

Are there any options other than both Hillis and Richardson?

The mid-rounds of the upcoming NFL draft include several intriguing options for the Browns. Oregon running back LaMichael James is a projected third-round selection and could be a very effective complement to the power running style of Hillis and other current backs on the Browns roster.

Another high-impact running back that could be obtained towards the end of the first round and beginning of the second round is Miami University standout Lamar Miller. Miller's elusive ability and speed would also complement Hillis and add a dynamic feature to the Browns' offense.

If they choose to upgrade the position, free agency is also another viable avenue for the Browns.  There is a vast sea of available rushers in this year’s free-agency pool. If the Browns are so inclined, they could definitely make a play for Matt Forte, Michael Bush, Ryan Grant, Marshawn Lynch or Cedric Benson. In my opinion, any of those, and perhaps some other free agents available, would be able to come into Cleveland and make an impact in the rushing game.

Again, that is only if the Browns front office sees a need to make a move at the position.

Existing players within the Browns organization may be capable of performing with an improved offense around them. Second-year running back Armond Smith, a practice squad player in 2011, could be ready to emerge as the shifty, change-of-pace back that the Browns have been looking for.

Montario Hardesty has not shown he has the ability to be an every down player in the NFL. His shaky hands and low yards per attempt in 2011 were very disheartening to those expecting explosiveness out of the former second round pick. If Hardesty can improve on fundamentals and fully rehabilitate his injured knees, there may be a continued role for him in the Browns backfield.

Chris Oggbonaya was signed from the Houston Texans practice squad (he played behind Ben Tate, Arian Foster and Derrick Ward on the Houston Texans depth chart). He came into a decimated backfield and performed consistently in relief of the injured Hillis and Montario Hardesty.

There is also former Green Bay Packers running back Brandon Jackson. Jackson, if you remember, was signed during the 2011 offseason and suffered a season-ending injury in preseason. He showed the necessary skills it takes to be effective in the West Coast Offense during his tenure in a similar system in Green Bay. His rush vision, blocking and catching are all ideal of the skill-set of a WCO running back.

The Browns' running game has been in various stages of disrepair since the expansion Browns took the field in 1999. The implementation of the WCO, Tom Heckert’s stated draft preferences, rumors of Hillis and the Browns coming to an agreement and the Browns’ ability to acquire a talented player such as James later in the draft suggest Richardson will not be the No. 4 overall pick in April's NFL draft.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1068560-cleveland-browns-peyton-hillis-trent-richardson-and-options-at-running-back

Little Bird Chirping About Peyton Hillis Has Verbal Agreement with Cleveland Browns

Found 20 hours ago on Cleveland Sports 360

Peyton Hillis and Cleveland Browns reach Verbal agreement? The weather in Cleveland this winter in Cleveland has been exceptional so far, so good that the little birds are already starting to chirp. One of those little birds is chirping Peyton Hillis and the Cleveland Browns have a verbal agreement in place which has Hillis returning to the Cleveland Browns this coming season. The same little bird also informs me a major announcement is forthcoming from the Hillis camp and the Cleveland Browns.

Lets hope this winter weather hasn’t affected this  little birds brain and the information is correct. There have been reports of the Browns reaching out to Hillis the past few weeks. As to whether they were able to get a deal done other than this little bird there have been no reports officially yet. The fans in Cleveland would like nothing better than the return of their hand picked Madden poster boy. Lets hope the Browns didn’t place the farm on Peyton Hillis if the little bird report is true.

If I were on the Browns negotiating staff, I would have had a one year incentive based deal for Hillis that would give Hillis the chance to prove himself in this upcoming season. We shall soon hear and see if the little bird has his information right.

http://clevelandsports360.com/wordpress/little-bird-chirping-about-peyton-hillis-has-verbal-agreement-with-cleveland-browns/

It’s No Secret The Browns Want Hillis, Only At Their Price

Sure the Cleveland Browns have interest in re-signing Peyton Hillis.  That is no secret, Heckert and Shurmur have made statements about Hillis since the season ended. The deal is the Cleveland Browns only want Peyton Hillis back if the price is right. As unfortunate as it may be, Hillis refused to take the deal Cleveland had on the table last fall and the past season could have devalued Peyton Hillis’s worth. Hillis wouldn’t sign the deal the Browns put on the table then and I am wondering if he would sign the deal the Browns want to put on the table now.

Hillis may have become the victim of a greedy agent..   It was his agent that advised him to sit out the Miami game and it was his agent that thought Hillis was worth a boat load more than Cleveland put on the table last year. Lets face it folks, running backs like Hillis don’t last long in the NFL and the Cleveland Browns know that. There isn’t any way I see the Browns making a offer like the one Hillis expected before the season started last year.  I think we see Peyton Hillis test the free agency market come March, unless he and his agent wake up and smell the coffee….

http://clevelandsports360.com/wordpress/its-no-secret-the-browns-want-hillis-only-at-their-price/

With Browns Hiring Childress, Where Does This Leave Peyton Hillis?

With the Cleveland Browns adding Brad Childress to the coaching staff as their new offensive coordinator, I am wondering if this leaves Peyton Hillis on the outside looking in. The is a strange situation in Cleveland, Ohio, the Browns name a new offensive coordinator and it is also been stated Pat Shurmur will still call the plays. We all know Peyton Hillis had a terrible showing in 2011 and the team and Hillis were far apart in contract talks.

The question now remains if Hillis is going to be a part of the Cleveland Browns offense at all in 2012. Shurmur has talked about the Browns having Hillis back, the teams G.M. Heckert has talked about reaching out to Hillis, still there is no news of any movement from either side. It could be the Browns are waiting to see what Hillis is offered in free agency, or it could be the Browns were wanting to hire an offensive coordinator to get his thoughts on Hillis.

It would be interesting to find out if the new coordinator has an opinion when it comes to Payton Hillis. The Browns have got to wrap some good play-makers around the Cleveland offense this season. There is still a question as to who the Browns will have coming out of the backfield once the season starts. If Childress voices an opinion on keeping Hillis, or he sees him as an asset, it could help the Browns front office make a move to get Hillis to resign.

http://clevelandsports360.com/wordpress/with-browns-hiring-childress-where-does-this-leave-peyton-hillis/

Browns to Contact Peyton Hillis’ Agent

Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis will become a free agent this offseason and it looks like the Browns might be interested in trying to work out a new contract.

Browns general manager Tom Heckert said that he hasn’t spoken with Hillis’ reps since midseason and will do so again “in the next week or so.”

“We wouldn’t be adverse to brining him back,” Heckert said. “Now we have to see what else is available and what our plans are for our other free agents.”

Hillis had a down year with only 587 yards and 3 touchdowns while dealing with multiple injuries throughout the season.

http://profootballzone.com/nfl/browns-to-contact-peyton-hillis-agent/

Cleveland Browns' Peyton Hillis a believer in the 'Madden Curse': Browns Insider

By Jodie Valade, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio -- Forget everything Peyton Hillis has said and done this season. Well, most of it, at least. He'd appreciate if you didn't remember the public missteps he had with Browns management about his contract renegotiations, the medical advice he took from his agent to skip a game when he was sick, and the closed-door meeting he had with teammates who reached out to the foundering running back.

And please, most of all, don't recall the many times Hillis proclaimed he doesn't believe in the Madden Curse.

Because he does.

"No doubt about it," Hillis finally admitted Thursday. "Things haven't worked to my favor this year. There's a few things that happened that made me believe in curses. Ain't no doubt about it."

Blame the first 14 or so weeks of this season on Hillis' picture on the cover of the "Madden NFL 12" video game. He finally feels healthy after a nagging hamstring injury knocked him out for five games at midseason, and it showed in his season-high 112 yards rushing Sunday in Baltimore.

He finally feels happy, an attitude that manifested in his cheerful, "Howdy!" to media in the locker room Thursday -- and in his declaration that he hopes this isn't his final game with the Browns because he wants to prove last season's 1,177 yards weren't a fluke.

"I really enjoyed my time playing in a Browns uniform, and I hope I can continue to be here," Hillis said. "I know these past couple games and this game, I'll play my hardest. I'm going to play my best, and people are going to see that I've still got it and I want to be here."

Hillis is performing not only for the fans he likened to a "second family," but for Browns management, who appear uncertain on whether they want the running back to return. Head coach Pat Shurmur declined to say Thursday whether the Browns intend to re-sign the soon-to-be free-agent Hillis. On three separate occasions, Shurmur was asked about the possibility of Hillis' return -- including point blank whether he wants Hillis back -- and each time Shurmur said that the decision will require off-season evaluation.

"I think, as we look at our roster and we look at building our team . . . we've got to consider everything," Shurmur said. "One thing you've seen about Peyton is that, in the last month or so, he's gotten himself healthy and he's performed well. I think that's the Peyton everyone was used to seeing a year ago."

Last week's 4.7 yards per carry against the Ravens was the highest mark for Hillis this season, surpassing last season's 4.4 yards per carry. He's averaged 105.5 yards per game the past two contests, bouncing back from just 25 yards in the most recent meeting against Pittsburgh, when he was also battling a hip injury.

"I just feel people can see, when I'm 100 percent, I am running hard," Hillis said. "I can do pretty good. That's what I want people to see. . . . I want people to see that I'm not a one-hit wonder."

Madden Curse or not, Hillis said this season has been a learning experience, but he believes "there's no such thing as accidents. . . . This is the way it's supposed to be."

"It's kind of funny how things worked out, but at the end of the day, I'm really happy with where I'm at," Hillis said. "I'm a truly happy person. When I look back on this 15, 20 years from now, I'm probably going to just laugh."

More than proving he can battle back from the Madden Curse, however, Hillis wants to use Sunday's game against the Steelers to show his appreciation for Browns fans who have continued to support him through his trying season.

"I'd love to come back here," Hillis said. "I'm a Cleveland Brown at heart. Ever since I've been here, I fell in love with the fans and the city and the people who live here. They've been nothing but 100 percent supportive. They're everything. When I talk to them, it's good to have a second-family backing like that. All I can do is go out there and do my best, and we'll see what happens."

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/12/cleveland_browns_peyton_hillis_11.html

Will This Be Peyton Hillis Last Season With The Cleveland Browns?

Posted by LG on December 14, 2011 at 9:18 am

Peyton Hillis hasn’t contributed  much to the Cleveland Browns offense this year. As a matter of fact some think Hillis has been offensive to the Browns  much of this season. Hillis has 7 games under his belt this season and only has 346 yards rushing the football.  Hillis has 101 rushing attempts and only a 3.4 yard average per attempt.  One big reason I feel Hillis is doing so poorly is the loss of Lawrence Vickers as his main blocker. Last year it was Vickers who busted holes open so Hillis could run through them, this season nobody on the Browns has that type of blocking ability.

Hillis came into this season hoping the Browns would give him a contract extension. To me it looks as though the Browns front office knew exactly what they were doing in this case. Hillis just may end up being the one hit wonder that Cleveland certainly doesn’t need to pay large sums of money to. Hillis has three  games left this year and I don’t see him being able to go out there and run like the Hillis of old. As sad as it is to say, Peyton Hillis could very well be moving on once the season is over.

Peyton Hillis should have begged the Browns to keep Lawrence Vickers on the Cleveland Browns roster.  For Hillis has done very little without him…

http://clevelandsports360.com/wordpress/will-this-be-peyton-hillis-last-season-with-the-cleveland-browns/

In defeat, Peyton Hillis provides Cleveland Browns with glimpses of old power

By Jodie Valade, The Plain Dealer

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Like an old-time villain, Peyton Hillis swaggered out of the locker room at Paul Brown Stadium adorned in head-to-toe black. Black shirt, black pants, black sports coat. On his feet, a pair of black-and-white cowboy boots.

It was the Peyton Hillis of old.

The Hillis who shot to stardom last season with 1,177 rushing yards was known for his quirky training habits that included pulling pick-up trucks, his brute-force running style in piling up yards, and his penchant for cowboy boots with any type of off-field attire. The Arkansas native's Southern style paired with his thick accent was a constant reminder of his humble roots.

So it made sense that in his first game back since sitting out five with a hamstring injury, he'd try to recapture the Hillis of old.

The Madden NFL 12 cover boy has had a tumultuous season in his first year as a featured back. He missed five games and most of another with a pulled hamstring. He sat another game with strep throat, earning criticism for taking the medical advice of his agent. He traveled out of town mid-week to get married instead of receive treatment for his hamstring injury.

He had an intervention-type conversation with other Browns. And he's had contentious contract renegotiations with management while trying to manage his newfound celebrity status after appearing on the cover of the popular Madden video game.

All the while, he's more often worn flip-flops and sneakers instead of cowboy boots.

Sunday, in the 23-20 loss to the Bengals, Hillis had a chance to start all over again. It wasn't spectacular, but it was a start. He logged 65 yards on 19 carries after originally being ruled out earlier in the week.

Hillis said his recovery from the hamstring injury was aided by a plasma-rich platelet injection, a type of therapy that is thought to aid in muscle repair. He practiced Friday for the first time since he aggravated the hamstring injury in a practice three weeks ago, and passed his pre-game warmup test Sunday afternoon.

However, running mate Montario Hardesty did not. Hardesty felt pain in his torn calf muscle during warmups, so Hillis ended up shouldering the bulk of the load.

"I don't think it's a setback, it's just something I've got to work through," Hardesty said. "I just wasn't ready to go out there and go full, 100 percent on it."

After Chris Ogbonnaya was on the field for the first snap, Hillis slid into the role he held in his breakout season last year. He started slowly, but his presence was enough to keep Cincinnati off-balance enough that QB Colt McCoy had more room to throw.

"Especially early," McCoy said. "I felt like we were moving the ball at will, pretty much."

Hillis wasn't sure what to expect, but was encouraged as the game progressed. In the second quarter, Hillis had 29 yards on five carries, an average of 5.8 yards per carry. Throughout, the former college fullback displayed his blocking skills.

"It's tough when you don't know how things are going to go until you get in the rhythm of things," Hillis said. "Things started going well toward the middle of the game and toward the end. I expect big things. I expect to progress and I'm looking forward to next week."

It wasn't spectacular, but it was a start.

"He did surprisingly well as far as timing and making the right cuts," left tackle Joe Thomas said. "I think he'll be really happy watching the tape."

It's not exactly the cowboy boot-wearing Peyton Hillis of old, but it was a step toward recapturing it.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/11/peyton_hillis_provides_some_gr.html

Browns Handling Hillis Situation Better

Written By:  Craig Lyndall

Two weeks in a row now the Browns have made their determination about Peyton Hillis’ status early.  I don’t have any inside information as to what is driving this, but the lack of distraction is welcome.  It helps protect the Browns first-year head coach who struggled with those communications earlier this season and it protects Hillis from himself.  I’d like to think that the Browns and Hillis’ people got their heads together and finally decided that a media silence combined with holding Hillis out until he is completely healthy was the way to go.  The way things were going Hillis was hurting himself trying to get back on the field.  He was hurting his ability to negotiate a new deal.  The Browns were hurting themselves by not adequately preparing the roster for Sundays.  It was just a mess that boiled over into conspiracy theories as fans picked sides.

Ultimately, all the added negativity was totally unnecessary.  In my uninformed opinion all of this was just typical NFL business but blown out of proportion.  Peyton Hillis wanted to be on the field to prove to the Browns that he deserved his contract.  The Browns wanted him on the field to help develop in the offense and so they could figure out how much he is worth.  The agent and the Browns were obviously far apart on the number, but that happens all the time.

So the Browns have let the perfect storm pass and are doing everything they can to make sure that it doesn’t come through again.

In an ideal situation, Peyton Hillis gets healthy.  He contributes the last few weeks of the season.  Of course the dream scenario would be helping Colt McCoy and the rest of the offense find a way to beat the Ravens and Steelers in back-to-back weeks to end the year.  Certainly that is too much to ask of one player.  As good as Peyton Hillis can be, he can’t single-handedly win those games for the Browns.  But if he contributed enough to help the team do it, it would be a whole different kind of perfect storm.  It would be one that could send Hillis and his agent home happy, not to mention every Cleveland Browns fan on earth.

It may not be likely, but I can never be accused of not dreaming big.

http://www.waitingfornextyear.com/2011/11/browns-handling-hillis-situation-better/

Cleveland Browns rule out RB Peyton Hillis for Week 11

The frustrating and strange season for RB Peyton Hillis continues. The Cleveland Browns announced yesterday that the running back will miss his fifth straight game when the Jacksonville Jaguars come to Cleveland to play the Browns.

During his press conference on Monday, Browns head coach Pat Shurmur told reporters that he expects Hillis back in the Browns lineup at some point this season and the franchise has no current plans to place the running back on the injured reserve list.”Peyton’s making progress and so we’re hopeful he can be back after next week, hopefully, we’ll see”, said Shurmur.

One Browns player which could be placed on the injured reserve list is S T.J. Ward. Ward has been in a cast for over a week. Ward is suffering from a foot injury, claiming he heard a “pop” during the Browns game against the Houston Texans. If tests show that Ward’s injury is more serious than first believed, the club expects to place Ward on the injured reserve list, ending his season.

Cleveland Browns' Peyton Hillis concedes season has been 'a humbling experience'

By Jodie Valade, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio -- A year ago, Peyton Hillis wore cowboy boots and an aw-shucks grin whenever he spoke in a corner of the Browns' locker room.

He talked about wrestling hogs and pulling pick-up trucks for workouts back in his tiny Arkansas hometown. He endeared himself to Cleveland fans with his brash running style, and surprised opponents with his physical rushing performances.

These days, the Madden NFL 12 cover boy has to face hordes of cameras and reporters to defend missed charity appearances, missed games with injury and illness, whether he'll sign a contract extension and whether he's still accepted by his own teammates.

Nothing is off-limits, as the 25-year-old Hillis even is asked about his abrupt midseason marriage on the team's off-day last week.

Hillis' announcement that he expects to play Sunday against the Houston Texans after participating in his first pain-free practice -- though limited -- since he strained his left hamstring three weeks ago earned only a handful of questions on Thursday. Instead, how the face of the Browns' franchise has been handling his newfound celebrity, and the missteps he's made as the Browns lost four of their first seven games was the bulk of the focus.

These days, Hillis speaks in the center of the locker room, where media crush around. He's still coming to grips with his cover-boy world.

"It's been a humbling experience," Hillis said. "It's been a whirlwind coming from where I was to where I'm at now. I'm trying to grasp the whole situation and trying to deal with it. It's still a learning process and I'm trying to do the best I can."

Hillis has learned the hard way that public perception is a difficult beast to control. He was criticized when he sat out a game with strep throat, complaints that were exacerbated when he later said he did so at the advice of his agent. Lurking all season has been his unsettled contract extension status, something he said he no longer wants to address with media.

His latest slip was a missed Halloween party Monday for the Cleveland Boys and Girls Club. Hillis apologized again Thursday for what he said was a "miscommunication" with his management, explaining that after finishing treatment for his hamstring injury at 4:30 p.m., he didn't know where he was supposed to be for the party an hour later.

"I didn't know how big a deal it was until the next day," Hillis said. "I feel terrible about that. I still say that's not any excuse. When there's kids involved, you should be there for them."

On other topics, Hillis tried to dispel any negative perceptions:

• On not playing Sunday in San Francisco: "Now that I look back at it, it was too soon, no doubt. I wanted to play and I wanted to get out there. ... I was really excited to go and I probably let my emotions get too high."

• On his marriage last week: "I've always been a guy on the down-low about things. I try to get things done that I want to get done. It was something I really wanted to get done."

• On his relationships inside the locker room: "Me and the teammates are great. There's never been a problem there from my point of view. ... Guys in the locker room, they understand a lot of situations. And other situations they probably don't understand, you talk about it with them, then they understand."

• On whether Browns fans still support him: "The fans have always been great to me. They're great fans. You owe them the world, you try to do the best you can for them, and that's what I've been trying to do lately."

Hillis said he likely pushed his injured hamstring too hard in practice last week when he was back for Wednesday before sitting again. Now, he said his strength and flexibility felt good after Thursday's practice. If it were Sunday, "I could go," he said.

"[But] I'm glad it's not Sunday," he added. "I'd rather have a couple more days to rest and get my mind right."

As controversy has followed him, the Browns' running game has struggled. They're 29th in the NFL with 87.6 yards per game, and last week lost Montario Hardesty to a torn calf muscle. Head coach Pat Shurmur said he's planning on using newly signed running back Thomas Clayton in Houston.

Shurmur, for one, doesn't think Hillis' absence the last two games and most of a third with the hamstring injury and his off-field drama has affected his relationship with teammates.

"The team wants all of the guys to be in there playing all the time," Shurmur said. "I think the team understands that as the season goes on, things happen. I don't see there being any problems between Peyton and his teammates."

But if there are problems with fans, it's something that does concern Hillis.

"I'm human. You get down on yourself when you let people down that care about you or you care about them," he said. "It's been an interesting process for me, but nothing I can't handle and nothing I'm not getting better from."

Because, he said, at the heart of everything is this: "I don't want to let nobody down. That's the last thing I want to do. I just want to go out there and do my best."

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/11/cleveland_browns_peyton_hillis_8.html

How Peyton Hillis won Cleveland -- and is losing it: Bill Livingston

By Bill Livingston, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Has anyone in this city lost so much goodwill so quickly and in such uncertain circumstances as Peyton Hillis?

Wednesday, the Browns' running back apologized for missing a Boys and Girls Club appearance on Halloween, assigning blame to miscommunication with his "management," which in Hillis' case is his brother, Kyle. Even with that overdue gesture, Hillis is not the same player who won Browns fans' hearts last year, either on or off the field.

At least he did not say he had the miscommunication with LeCharles Bentley, the former Brown who set up the Boys and Girls Club appearance. Bentley has tried to give back to his hometown, even after his Browns career lasted one snap in training camp due to a freak injury. A career-ending staph infection followed.

Hillis is dealing with health issues and a public-relations problem. Certainly, the latter should have been addressed more quickly. LeBron James' merry band of maladroit handlers bungled their PR moment more memorably by far, but Hillis had never before had the same baggage as a player who had not given his all. For his part, Hillis says he will try to make up the missed appearance.

Hillis has played in four of the Browns' seven games so far this season, after emerging as a punishing running, catching and hurdling feature back on last year's team. More than a cult figure, Hillis embodied a give-no-quarter style of play that could have flickered across the nation's Philco and Admiral television sets in black and white in the 1950s, as the ground grew hard and harsh winds off the lake discouraged anything fancy.

He seemed to have pressed the fast-forward button on his career. A seventh-round draft choice by Denver in 2008, he was the fullback for Darren McFadden and Felix Jones in the backfield at Arkansas. Hillis came to the Browns in the Brady Quinn trade. Overnight, he became the fulfillment of former coach Eric Mangini's offensive primitivism. He was such a fan favorite nationwide that he is on the "Madden 2012" video game's cover this season.

Just as quickly, the blossoming talent has withered.

Hillis has been sidelined by medical problems that, while troublesome, are not as readily quantifiable as torn ligaments or broken bones. Strep throat and a hamstring pull have been the culprits. The hamstring injury is not that hard to figure, given his heavy musculature.

But Browns center Alex Mack played so soon after his appendix was removed this season that you wondered if a baseball catcher's chest protector wouldn't have been prudent. Many fans know that the Rams' Jack Youngblood played on a broken leg in the Super Bowl after the 1979 season. Bernie Kosar, the last Browns quarterback who was a consistent winner, has a hockey player's dentition today because he refused to wear a mouthpiece, fearing it would hamper the audibles he called at the line of scrimmage.

Even Terrell Owens, a world-class prima donna, participated -- and played well -- in the only Super Bowl he ever reached with the Eagles, only seven weeks after breaking his leg and snapping an ankle ligament.

In what amounts to a combat sport, Hillis has sat on his stool in the corner. It has not won him the admiration of former players, and it would be no surprise if it did not have something of the same effect in the locker room now.

It is really not fair for any players to question the physical courage and desire to play of another, though. The example of Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler comes to mind. Criticized by -- of all soft-nosed ex-players -- Deion Sanders after leaving last season's NFC Championship Game, Cutler was found to have suffered a torn medial collateral ligament in his knee. He could not possibly have played.

The biggest problem with Hillis is that the missed games, as well as the missed charity event, coincide with a contractual impasse. Missing a charity event for disadvantaged children is not advisable anyway, but it is far less so in such a situation. Hillis simply presses a lot of hot buttons for ordinary people, who are up against far worse than his unextended $600,000 contract.

That's even though Browns president Mike Holmgren said early in the season that he was "trying like crazy" to sign Hillis for the long term. It was the first thread in a web of controversy that is now supported by suspicion and innuendo.

This is a trap both the Browns' front office and Hillis could have avoided. If there is estrangement, neither has profited from it. If there is escape, both should avail themselves of it quickly.

http://www.cleveland.com/livingston/index.ssf/2011/11/how_peyton_hillis_won_clevelan.html

Cleveland Browns President Mike Holmgren says talks with Peyton Hillis are at impasse

BEREA, Ohio — Browns President Mike Holmgren revealed Thursday that talks to extend Peyton Hillis' contract are at a standstill and that the team is set to let him become a free agent after the season.

"I don't think anybody pushed anybody against the wall on contract talks and said, 'We're done,' but right now, it's kind of quiet," Holmgren said. "Let's let Peyton play, let the dust settle and see what happens."

Holmgren indicated that the Browns are prepared to let Hillis become a free agent and then try to sign him on the open market. Another option would be to make him the franchise player, which would pay him the average of the top five players at his position for 2012 -- probably more than they would want to pay.

"Because of the nature of these types of negotiations, and if Peyton has a good year, he'll have opportunities now because you'll enter in free agency -- legitimate free agency," Holmgren said. "Are we going to be a player in there to try and keep him here? Absolutely. Absolutely. I told him that yesterday."

Holmgren said the two sides haven't cut off all communication, but they are in a holding pattern.

"No one has called off negotiations. No one has said, 'OK, let's wait until the end,' " Holmgren said. "It's still kind of in that floating area where you're waiting for a phone call, or you're going to make a phone call, or whatever. But in the meantime, I talked with Peyton yesterday."

"We talk weekly, and I said, 'It's important that you just kind of go out there and do the best that you can do, get healthy, I'm rooting for you and, selfishly, for the team, certainly.' I like him. He's a good guy, so that's where it is."

He said he stressed to Hillis -- who missed practice Wednesday and Thursday with a pulled hamstring suffered in the Raiders game -- that the best way to increase his value is to play well.

"I have always encouraged players in this situation -- I've had any number of players in this type of category -- 'Now what has to happen is you have to have a great year to reach these goals. It's to your benefit. It's to the club's benefit.' And there we are."

He added that he had no intention of trading Hillis by Tuesday's deadline. Hillis is in the final year of a deal that pays him $600,000 this season.

"There's no way I'm trading Peyton Hillis," Holmgren said. "There's just no way that was ever going to happen. Why would I do that? Why would I trade one of our best players? I wouldn't do it."

He added that "the drama of his sickness and injuries and all that kind of stuff" didn't help the situation.

Holmgren declined to give details of just how far apart the two sides are, but he acknowledged, "We tried to sign an extension, and there was a difference of opinion. Now, was everyone trying? Yes, from their point of view, we were all trying to get something done. But it didn't happen, or hasn't happened, so there you are."

The starting point in negotiations by Hillis' agent, Kennard McGuire, was extremely high, a league source said. But then the two sides exchanged proposals, and McGuire's asking price came down some. Still, it wasn't anywhere near what the Browns were willing to pay, and the two sides remain far apart.

Now, Hillis is suffering from the pulled hamstring, and it's uncertain when he will be back. He ran in the pool on Thursday, but his availability for Seattle is unknown. As it is, he has rushed for 211 yards and is on pace for 675 this season -- 502 fewer than he had last year.

Regarding the impasse, Hillis' agent said, "I have no comment."

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/10/cleveland_browns_president_mik_10.html