Webster Slaughter was drafted by and spent the first half of his career with the Browns, from 1986 to 1991.
A critical member of the great Browns lineups from the mid-late 1980s, Slaughter caught 305 passes, scored 27 touchdowns, and posted 4,834 yards in his six seasons with the franchise.
Slaughter saw his best season in 1989, posting 65 receptions, 1,236 yards and six touchdowns and starting in the Pro Bowl. His 1,236 yard season was a franchise record until Braylon Edwards broke it with 1,289 yards in 2007.
Former Browns General Manager Ernie Accorsi called Slaughter, who averaged 19 yards per reception during his tenure with the team, "one of the best receivers the Browns ever had".
The Packers had plenty to celebrate about during head coach Mike Holmgren’s stay in Green Bay. But like Cleveland, the Packers also were in the dumps before Holmgren took over.
Around the good old USA, fans are regarding Cleveland’s NFL team as “same old Browns.”
An nfl.com poll asked which new head coach will reach the playoffs first.
With nearly a quarter of a million votes logged, the tally was: Jason Garrett (Cowboys), 48 percent; Jim Harbaugh (49ers), 23 percent; Leslie Frazier (Vikings), 13 percent; John Fox (Broncos), 9 percent; Rob Rivera (Panthers), 4 percent; Pat Shurmur (Browns), 3 percent.
Particularly insulting is the fact Fox and Rivera inherit teams that posted records worse than Cleveland’s 5-11 in 2010.
But then, it’s the respect one might expect when a team’s season records since its last playoff win have been 5-11, a move to Baltimore, 2-14, 3-13, 7-9, 9-8 (including a playoff loss), 5-11, 4-12, 6-10, 4-12, 10-6, 4-12, 5-11 and 5-11.
Adding to the frustration is the track record of the archrival and the ex-Browns in that span. Pittsburgh is in its sixth AFC Championship game, shooting for its fourth Super Bowl.
Baltimore’s Super Bowl win in the 2000-01 season is becoming ancient history, but it is not nearly as fossilized as 1964.
As Chicago, Green Bay, Pittsburgh and the New York Jets eyed their big games, Browns fans needed the Hubble Telescope to see. It’s a long way to the final four.
Or maybe not.
In the eight seasons since the Browns reached the 2002 playoffs, they have gone a collective 43-85.
Before Mike Holmgren became head coach of the Packers in 1992, things had seemed nearly as grim in Green Bay. In the eight seasons prior to Holmgren’s arrival, the Packers were 8-8, 8-8, 4-12, 5-9-1, 4-12, 10-6, 6-10 and 4-2.
With Holmgren in a headset, the Packers went (including results in six postseasons) 9-7, 10-8, 10-8, 13-6, 16-3, 15-4 and 11-6. That’s 74-40 overall.
In the 46 years since the Browns won the 1964 NFL championship, the franchise has won six postseason games.
In the seven years Holmgren was head coach, the Packers won nine postseason games. The Pack hasn’t been back to a Super Bowl since the two he provided in the late ‘90s.
That is the essence of why so many found it so appealing for Holmgren to appoint himself head coach after he fired Eric Mangini three weeks ago.
Instead, he gave the job to a first-time head coach, Pat Shurmur.
This leaves the question of how great an impact Holmgren can have from the president’s chair.
The answer so far: Not much.
Whereas he inherited a 4-12 team in 1992 and quickly had the Packers at 9-7, his first year as Browns president produced the same 5-11 record the team achieved in 2009 without him.
Holmgren is putting a lot of stock in Shurmur.
“My hope and prayer is that now the changes stop,” he said. “Now the growing and building begins.”
On a cold January day, those words carry a certain chill. It begins NOW? What was the extra year under Eric Mangini for?
A lot depends how Holmgren perceives the dawn of ... whatever.
If growing and building equals the 9-7 Holmgren squeezed out of his first year in Green Bay ...
We’ll guess most Browns fans could live with that.
Hint: you can use your arrow keys to navigate through the slideshow
Tight end Milt Morin spent his entire ten season career with the Browns, from 1966 to 1975.
A first round draft pick and two-time pro bowler, he was touted by his teammates for being able to function as both a receiving and blocking tight end before that became the standard for the position.
Morin had 4,208 career yards, and had his best season in 1968 with 43 receptions, 792 yards, and five touchdowns.
Morin passed away July 12, 2010 at age 67.
The Cleveland Browns have a rich history dating back to the franchise's establishment in 1946. Among the many great players to have donned the orange and brown are ten receivers who had a profound impact on the success of the team, and in some instances even the game itself. Following are my picks for the top ten Browns receivers in history. I chose not to limit this list strictly to wide receivers because two of the best past catchers in team history were tight ends. Because it is so difficult to compare players from different eras in football, I chose these ten based only in part on their statistics, and mostly based my decisions on what they contributed to the team. Please share your thoughts on any other players who you think deserve to make the list in the comments below!
Dave Logan, WR
10. Dave Logan spent eight of his nine season in the NFL (1976-1983) with the Browns as a wide receiver; boasting the ninth-highest total for receiving yards in Cleveland history with 4,247.
Logan's best season was 1979, when he posted 59 receptions, 982 yards, and seven touchdowns.
Interestingly, in addition to being drafted into the NFL after college, Logan was also drafted for the NBA (Sacramento Kings) and MLB (Cincinnati Reds), joining former MLB great Dave Winfield as the only players ever to be drafted for three major professional sports.
Reggie Rucker, WR
9. Reggie Rucker began his career with the Dallas Cowboys in 1970 and also spent time with two other franchises before joining the Browns in 1975. He spent most of his career in Cleveland (1975-1981) and eventually retired a Brown.
Rucker's best season was with the Browns in 1978, when he had 43 receptions, 893 yards, and eight touchdowns. Rucker had 4,953 yards, 310 receptions, and 32 touchdowns in his seven seasons with the Browns. Rucker, who played alongside other great Browns' pass catchers Dave Logan and Ozzie Newsome, was a popular figure in Cleveland even after his career ended. He briefly did color commentary for the Indians in the early 1980s and is now a local TV analyst for the Browns.
Reggie Rucker began his career with the Dallas Cowboys in 1970 and also spent time with two other franchises before joining the Browns in 1975. He spent most of his career in Cleveland (1975-1981) and eventually retired a Brown.
Rucker's best season was with the Browns in 1978, when he had 43 receptions, 893 yards, and eight touchdowns.
Rucker had 4,953 yards, 310 receptions, and 32 touchdowns in his seven seasons with the Browns.
Rucker, who played alongside other great Browns' pass catchers Dave Logan and Ozzie Newsome, was a popular figure in Cleveland even after his career ended. He briefly did color commentary for the Indians in the early 1980s and is now a local TV analyst for the Browns.
Dave Logan spent eight of his nine season in the NFL (1976-1983) with the Browns as a wide receiver; boasting the ninth-highest total for receiving yards in Cleveland history with 4,247.
Logan's best season was 1979, when he posted 59 receptions, 982 yards, and seven touchdowns.
Interestingly, in addition to being drafted into the NFL after college, Logan was also drafted for the NBA (Sacramento Kings) and MLB (Cincinnati Reds), joining former MLB great Dave Winfield as the only players ever to be drafted for three major professional sports.
Rumors about the Browns and Jauron surfaced the day after the Eagles' season ended, with a 21-16 loss to the Packers in the wild-card round.
"I want to thank Pat and the Cleveland Browns for this great opportunity," Jauron said. "There were many elements of this job that were attractive for me. I have known Pat and his family for a long time, and in fact, I played for and coached with his uncle, Fritz. I believe that with people like Pat Shurmur, Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert in place, this organization is building a solid foundation. I can't wait to get started with the Browns."
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Everyone agreed that the 1969 National Football League championship game between the Cleveland Browns and the Minnesota Vikings would be much closer than the game the teams had played on that Nov. 9, when the host Vikings blitzed the Browns, 51-3.
The blowout was considered an aberration. After all, the powerful Browns had routed the Dallas Cowboys -- possibly the league's most talented team -- 42-10 during the regular season and 38-14 in a playoff contest to advance to the title game.
And yes, the Browns did close the gap on their 48-point loss to Minnesota. This time, in the championship game on Jan. 4, 1970, the Browns played the Vikings four touchdowns closer than they had eight weeks before. They lost by 20 points, 27-7.
It didn't make the Browns look any better when Minnesota went on to lose the Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs, 23-7.
For the Browns, it was their final game before moving from what was re-named the National Football Conference to the American Football Conference, as the NFL completed its merger with the American Football League to become the new NFL.
The late Chuck Heaton, The Plain Dealer Browns beat writer, covered the game. His complete game story can be found on The PD's Browns History Database, which includes Plain Dealer stories for every Browns regular season and playoff game.
Heaton wrote, in part:
The Browns looked as though they were on ice skates, as the Western rulers showed the way with drive and second effort.
The Vikings perhaps have a team better suited to the elements - the biting cold and somewhat slippery field. At any rate, they seemed right at home.
CLEVELAND ALSO made the mistakes. There were two interceptions of passes by Bill Nelsen, with Paul Krause and Wally Hilgenberg making the steals. There also were two fumbles by the usually sure-handed Leroy Kelly, and once he lost the football with Hilgenberg recovering.
Walt Sumner and Erich Barnes slipped and went down to allow Gene Washington, a gifted receiver who caught three passes for 120 yards, to make two big first-quarter grabs.
Washington gained 33 yards on the pass from Joe Kapp when Sumner slipped. That was the big chunk of real estate en route to the first touchdown, scored by Kapp from 7 yards out.
Lined up to the other side, Washington went deep only minutes later and was all alone on the Cleveland 45 after Barnes fell. The end from Michigan State just ambled for 75 yards and the second touchdown.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns are expected to hire former Philadelphia Eagles secondary coach Dick Jauron, 60, as their defensive coordinator soon, a league source told The Plain Dealer.
One of the other leading candidates for the Browns job, Dave Wannstedt, accepted a job today with the Buffalo Bills to be their assistant head coach/linebackers coach, according to reports.
A source close to Jauron said he "seriously doubts" a deal will get done today, but they are close enough to perhaps agree to "a general principle." Jauron has received multiple inquiries, including from the Philadelphia Eagles. But the source said Jauron's familiarity with Browns President Mike Holmgren and GM Tom Heckert has him leaning toward the Browns. Jauron formerly was the head coach of the Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears. He would be the first coordinator to join the staff of new head coach Pat Shurmur.
The Browns had also interviewed former Cardinals defensive coordinator Billy Davis for the position and still might offer him a job on the staff.
Jauron was a defensive coordinator with Jacksonville from 1995-98 before being named head coach of the Bears from 1999-2003.
He became defensive coordinator of the Lions in 2004 and was named interim head coach for the last five games of the 2005 season.
He was named Bills head coach in 2006 and held the job through 2009.
His record as a head coach is 60-82.
Jauron was a safety with the Lions and Bengals from 1973-80 and finished with 25 career interceptions.
Cleveland Stadium on Dec. 29, 1968, when the Browns played the Baltimore Colts for the NFL title and a trip to the Super Bowl to meet the AFL champion.
This Sunday, the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears play for the National Football Conference championship, and the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers play for the American Football Conference title.
Five times, the Browns have come within one win of playing in football's biggest game. This is about their first chance.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As the Cleveland Browns prepared to face the Baltimore Colts in the 1968 National Football League championship game, their fans recalled a couple earlier games between the perennial powerhouses.
One, when the Browns upset the Colts, 27-0, in the 1964 title game in Cleveland. It was the next-to-last season before the first Super Bowl.
Two, and more relevant to the task at hand, the 1968 Browns were 2-3 when they went into Baltimore on Oct. 20 and stunned the Colts, 30-20, to begin an eight-game winning streak. The loss would be Baltimore's only one during the regular season.
Cleveland and Baltimore had not met between the 1964 title game and the Oct. 20, 1968 game.
The late Chuck Heaton, Browns beat writer for The Plain Dealer, covered the game. His complete game story is included on The PD's Browns History Database, which includes Plain Dealer stories on every regular season and playoff game the Browns have played.
Two of the most important Colts, coach Don Shula and Tom Matte, had strong area ties. Shula had graduated from Painesville Harvey High School.
Heaton wrote:
Tom Matte, former Shaw High School and Ohio State star, scored three touchdowns before being injured in the last quarter as the Colts gained a spot against the New York Jets in the Super Bowl a week from Sunday in Miami.
AND IT WAS THE BIGGEST DAY in the amazing coaching career of young Don Shula, who played for John Carroll and the Browns and had an apprenticeship under Blanton Collier at Kentucky.
Heaton ended his story with a reference to the Super Bowl. The Colts were heavy favorites to defeat quarterback Joe Namath and the Jets in the Super Bowl, but Namath guaranteed a Jets win, and they delivered, upsetting Baltimore, 16-7.
Heaton wrote:
The big factor, of course, was the stout Baltimore defense. It's a fine one and will pose a real test for Namath and the Jets in Miami.
The Colts will receive about $10,000 per man for the victory as compared to the Browns' $6,000 and will be favored to pick up $15,000 in Florida.
For the Browns losing meant that some questions remain to be answered. It can't be a completely stand-pat off-season but the team did come a step further than the 1967 club.
The Browns can look to the future with a fair degree of optimism. And they certainly would prefer not to look back to yesterday.
Cleveland Browns RB Peyton Hillis said Wednesday that he encountered taunting this season because of his skin color.
Hills became the first white running back to rush for 1,000 since Craig James in 1985.
He told the Dan Patrick show (via the Canton Repository) that opposing teams trash-talked to him about his race on the field.
"Every team did it," he said. "They'll say, 'You white boy, you ain't gonna run on us today. This is ridiculous. Why are you giving offensive linemen the ball?'
"All kinds of stuff like that you hear on the field, but I use that to my advantage. I kind of soaked it in, ate it up a little bit, because I enjoyed it."
Hillis, acquired from the Denver Broncos last year, rushed for 1,177 yards for the Browns.
He told the Dan Patrick he's heard of nicknames others have created for him. Among them:
"The Avalanche"
"White Rhino"
"Chuck Norris"
Hillis was primarily used as a fullback before joining the Browns. He credited former Cleveland coach Eric Mangini for giving him an opportunity.
"Coach Mangini came up to me before our first game, against the Buccaneers, and said he could see me being a 1,000-yard back," Hillis said.
"I never had a coach have that much confidence in me before. He helped me out a whole lot on a mental level."
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns are interviewing fired Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Bill Davis for their own defensive coordinator vacancy today, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported. Davis, 45, is also a candidate for the same position with the Eagles. Davis is one of two defensive coordinators candidates interviewing with the Browns today. The other is former NFL head coach Dave Wannstedt. Eagles secondary coach Dick Jauron interviewed for the job Wednesday. Davis is a Youngstown native and the son of former Browns vice president of player personnel Bill Davis. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Michigan State in 1991. New Browns head coach Pat Shurmur also started as a grad assistant at Michigan State in 1987 and was an assistant on that staff in 1991. Davis spent the 1999 season with the expansion Browns under Chris Palmer, as a defensive assistant and linebackers coach.
The Browns got down to business Tuesday when they interviewed Bill Musgrave for the vacant job of offensive coordinator and Dick Jauron for defensive coordinator, according to several reports.
Dick Jauron
The Jauron interview is expected to continue today. The Browns also plan on talking to Dave Wannstedt for the position Rob Ryan held the past two years. Ryan is the new defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.
Jauron, 60, currently the secondary coach/senior assistant for the Eagles, has been a head coach with the Bears, Lions and Bills. Wannstedt, 58, was the head coach at Pitt the last six seasons. He was a head coach in the NFL with the Bears and Dolphins.
Musgrave is the assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach for the Falcons. Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported Falcons head coach Mike Smith “reluctantly” gave the Browns and Vikings permission to talk to Musgrave, who is in line to succeed Mike Mularkey as the Falcons offensive coordinator. The Browns interviewed Mularkey for their head coaching job before settling on Pat Shurmur.
Musgrave is scheduled to interview with the Vikings today after leaving Cleveland on Tuesday.
Musgrave, 43, has had seven stops in a coaching career that began with the Raiders in 1997. He was also with the Eagles, Jaguars, Panthers and Redskins in the NFL before landing in Atlanta as their quarterbacks coach in 2006. Smith retained Musgrave when he was hired in 2008. Musgrave was given the added title of assistant head coach in 2010. Musgrave was the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach and tight ends coach at the University of Virginia in 2001 and ’02.
The Browns have not set a deadline on hiring their coordinators but it believed Shurmur would like to have them in place before General Manager Tom Heckert leads the scouting department and coaches to the Senior Bowl next week in Mobile, Ala.
Musgrave not only knows the West Coast offense; he practiced in it as a backup quarterback with the 49ers from 1991-94. He spent the next two seasons with the Broncos before being released in 1997.
It has no bearing on his ability to coach, but playing behind Hall of Famers Steve Young and John Elway resulted in Musgrave having a non-descript NFL playing career. He played in 12 games with one start over five seasons. He completed 43 of 69 passes while throwing one touchdown pass and two interceptions.
On Saturday, the Baltimore Ravens were officially knocked out of the NFL Playoffs in a 31-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. A Steelers' victory is not good news for the Cleveland Browns typically, but in this case it opens up the interviewing process of the Baltimore Ravens staff.
Specifically, Ravens' quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn.
As a head coach, Jim Zorn didn't exactly knock one out of the park after finishing with a 12-20 overall record with the Washington Redskins. The Redskins failure this season under legendary coach Mike Shanahan, however, leaves one wondering how dysfunctional the team was when Zorn was in charge.
Prior to landing the head coaching job in Washington, Zorn started out moving up the college ranks until he broke into the NFL as a quarterbacks coach with the Seattle Seahawks, followed by the Detroit Lions. Zorn tutored then-rookie Charlie Batch to the fourth best rookie passer rating in NFL history with an 88.3 rating while in Detroit, then moved back to Seattle in the 2001 season.
While with the Seahawks, Zorn worked under Browns' President Mike Holmgren and Cleveland's Senior Adviser Gil Haskell in executing the team’s offense, not to mention developing the team’s quarterbacks.
Traded from Green Bay in 2001, Matt Hasselbeck was tutored by Zorn while setting a Seattle record with 3,841 passing yards in 2003. Hasselbeck has since gone on to become the franchise’s most impressive passer, with an overall 85.1 QB rating. In Zorn's final season in Seattle, Hasselbeck set single-season franchise records for attempts, completions, and yards on his way to his third Pro Bowl selection.
Since his unsuccessful stint in Washington, Zorn has gone back to his quarterback coaching roots. In Baltimore this past season, he coached Joe Flacco to a career-high season in yards, with 3,622, and touchdowns, with 25. He also posted a career-low in interceptions (10) and his highest passer rating yet.
With his career back on track and a new front office in Cleveland that is led by two men who kick-started his career, it seems like Jim Zorn would be a natural fit as Offensive Coordinator under new coach Pat Shurmur. Zorn is a student of the West Coast offense, much like Shurmur, and already has knowledge of the vision of Mike Holmgren.
With the Ravens' season over, Cleveland now needs to start surrounding rookie head coach Shurmur with experienced coordinators to help ease the transition. Hiring Jim Zorn is a great start.
Fresh off of molding Sam Bradford's breakout rookie season and having developed Donovan McNabb into a Pro Bowl quarterback, there's no doubting the focus of new Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur.
So while Shurmur seeks a solid running game, that's only to balance the passing game that's crucial to success in the NFL.
"I think it's important to run the ball," Shurmur said during Friday's news conference introducing him as the Browns' 13th head coach. "But in the NFL you have to be able to efficiently and explosively throw the ball and that's something we're going to try to get done."
Shumur replaces Eric Mangini, fired after going 10-22 the past two seasons.
Whether Shurmur's quarterback will be Colt McCoy, who showed promise as a rookie this season after emerging from a battered group that included Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace, he wouldn't say. But he looks forward to working with McCoy and enters his first head coaching job with a 12-year resume of success as an NFL assistant and a strong bragging point in Bradford, a rookie of the year contender after leading the St. Louis Rams within a game of a playoff berth.
Not to mention, a strong pedigree. He's the nephew of the late Fritz Shurmur, who was Green Bay's defensive coordinator under Browns president Mike Holmgren when Holmgren coached the Packers to a Super Bowl championship in 1996.
Like Holmgren, who was a Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator before getting his first coaching job with the Packers in 1992, Shurmur, 45, aims to put aside concerns about his youthfulness and lack of head coaching experience by applying what he's learned at previous stops and seeking input from people he knows.
"I think we have a collective view of how to get it done and can't wait to get to work," said Shurmur, who didn't commit on a defensive scheme but plans to interview assistant coaches. "As you talk about our team and our goals, our goal is to win, win AFC North and get to the Super Bowl, and anything else is a distraction.
"I inherit a team with great tradition and it's not fair to comment on any of the details. We're going to do the best we can to win games."
Holmgren and Browns general manager Tom Heckert agreed that there was just an instinct about Shurmur that impressed them.
"It's just a gut feeling because you don't know the answer," Heckert said. "You just have to rely on what you've seen in the past, who you've worked with and who you've talked with, and after saying all that I think Pat has it."
Said Holmgren: "You just try to be as sure as you can be. But I do know this: We cannot keep changing around here every two or three years, you can't do that and expect to be successful. I see these two men working together and I can envision things where it's a pretty good fit and my hope and prayer is that now, the changes stop, and the growing and building begins. My hope is this is the coach and this will be the coach for a long, long time. This was part of the thinking."
Last year was the year Browns fans collectively begged management to “Pay Josh Cribbs!”
There were a few hairy P.R. moments, but the Browns eventually got the job done and Cribbs was given a contract extension that put him more in line with his peers. This time around, Browns fans should not have to clamor for Tom Heckert and Mike Holmgren to “Pay Peyton!” Not because Browns running back Peyton Hillis does not deserve a new deal, but because management should already be well aware of how little their workhorse made this season.
Hillis' situation is far different than what Josh Cribbs faced a season ago. Cribbs is largely a special teamer, and Hillis plays a premier position rather well. Cribbs was in the midst of a six-year deal meaning that the Browns really had no incentive, at least in the traditional sense, to give Cribbs a raise. Hillis is scheduled to make $555,000 in the last year of his contract.
Let’s just say that I don’t think the fans will need to picket Alfred Lerner way in Berea to help fatten up Peyton Hillis’ checking account. Even with the uncertainty regarding the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL Player’s Union and the owners, one has to think guys like Hillis will get attention as soon as the season looks inevitable.
So, assuming that there will be an NFL season next year, what could (should?) a new contract for Hillis look like?
In order to get a feel for the market, I decided to look up the salaries for Peyton Hillis’ peer group. In carrying the ball 270 times for 1177 yards, Peyton Hillis ranked 11th in the NFL in rushing yardage. His 11 rushing touchdowns tied him for 6th in the league with the Titans’ Chris Johnson and San Diego’s Mike Tolbert.
Considering the team the Browns team that Hillis plays for, and where his stats were at the end of the season, Hillis’ representation will certainly make the argument that Hillis is a top-ten type of talent. The Browns will likely counter that while Hillis is valuable, he still has a lot to prove in terms of ball protection and longevity as he arguably faded a bit down the stretch.
The Browns could even threaten Hillis’ management by telling them that Hillis should prove his worth for the $555,000 that’s left on his original deal. If the players aren’t locked out already, and if it goes too far, Hillis could realistically decide that it isn’t worth the injury risk to even show up to training camp, let alone OTAs. That said, let us assume the Browns and Hillis find some common ground.
Discussing NFL salaries is complicated because of all the escalators put into contracts that are unlikely, if not impossible, to earn. These bonuses make agents feel good so they can brag to their next prospective client about the gaudy amount of money they got for their player. As a result of these bonuses, I am going to do what I can to break through the noise and estimate, realistically, how much each of these running backs will make per season.
First things first, Peyton Hillis along with guys like Ray Rice and Rashard Mendenhall throw the average out the window - they are still playing on their rookie contracts. Hillis is scheduled to make $555,000 in 2011 before becoming a free agent in 2012. The Steelers’ Mendenhall got a nice signing bonus of just over $7 million because he was drafted 23rd in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft. However, his base salary for 2011 is only $612,500. When you average the bonus over the life of the contract, his 2011 number looks closer to $2 million for the season. Ray Rice was a second rounder and got a much smaller signing bonus, just over $1 million. It is amazing when you think that only 53 yards separated them in the standings and yet their compensation differs wildly.
Similarly, guys like Steven Jackson and Adrian Peterson are making tons of money on their deals. Outliers north of $10 million per year are not realistic numbers in this discussion.
The name to think about here is Kansas City's Jamaal Charles as he was selected in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft, the same year as Hillis. Charles signed a contract during the season this year as he was on his way over 1,000 yards rushing for the second straight year. Charles’ contract is listed at six years and $27.97 million. When you boil it all down, Charles’ annual base salary will be about $3 million per season to go along with an $8 million signing bonus, all while still having to split carries with Thomas Jones.
So, what does this mean for Hillis?
His agents will probably seek similar numbers and end up having to “settle” for less. Hillis arguably isn’t as proven as Charles. In fact the way Hillis wore down toward the end of the season would understandably give the Browns front office pause before they finish negotiating.
With Hillis being 24-years old, I would expect the Browns to seek at least a five-year extension so they can lock him up for a while. I wouldn’t anticipate Hillis’ contract to reach near the heights of Charles’ contract, but assuming the season takes place and negotiations do commence, I expect Hillis to get a nice signing bonus and a substantial raise compared to the $555,000 he is scheduled to make next year.
Obviously, Browns fans just hope everyone wins in the end. The Browns will make Hillis rich(er) and, hopefully, he - and a healthy Montario Hardesty - will help take the Browns offense to new levels in the coming years.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns will interview former NFL head coach Dave Wannstedt this week for their defensive coordinator vacancy, a league source told The Plain Dealer.
Wannstedt and Eagles secondary coach Dick Jauron, 60, will both come to town this week to interview. Wannstedt has also talked to the Bills and has drawn interest from the Chargers.
Jauron is one of three candidates for the Eagles coordinator position.
Wannstedt, 58, was recently fired as head coach of the University of Pittsburgh, a job he held from 2005-10. He was defensive coordinator of the Cowboys (1989-1992) and Dolphins (1999) under Jimmy Johnson. Wannstedt was head coach of the Bears from 1993-98 and of the Dolphins from 2000-04. His NFL record is 82-86.
Jauron also brings head coach experience with the Bears and Bills. The Eagles are also interviewing former Seahawks head coach Jim Mora and former Rams defensive coordinator Billy Davis for their coordinator job.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- New Browns coach Pat Shurmur will focus this week on assembling his staff, especially the all-important coordinator positions.
Eagles senior assistant and secondary coach Dick Jauron, who's a candidate for Philadelphia's defensive coordinator post now that they've fired Sean McDermott, is still set to interview with the Browns this week.
Jauron, 60, is one of three candidates for the Eagles job. The other two are former Falcons and Seahawks coach Jim Mora and recently fired Rams defensive coordinator Billy Davis, sources told the Philadelphia Daily News.
It's unknown if the Browns plan to interview McDermott, Mora or Davis, who all have ties to either Shurmur or Browns President Mike Holmgren. The Eagles also fired defensive line coach Rory Segrest on Sunday, a source told the Daily News.
Shurmur was set to hire Denver's Mike McCoy and Jauron before things changed over the weekend. McCoy opted to stay in Denver under longtime mentor John Fox, and Jauron, the former Bills and Bears head coach, became a candidate in Philadelphia. One name to remember for the offensive post is Nolan Cromwell, St. Louis' receivers coach who worked for years under Holmgren.
There's a chance that Shurmur will retain respected special teams coach/assistant head coach Brad Seely. It's unknown if any of the other current assistants will stay.
Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has been hired by the Cowboys to coordinate their defense under Jason Garrett, the Forth Worth Star-Telegram reported. The Cowboys haven't made a formal announcement yet, but it's believed to be a done deal.
Browns offensive coordinator Brian Daboll interviewed in Miami last week, but there's been no word yet on whether or not he'll be offered a job.
