Browns Attack Free Agency

The Browns opened a large can of kick-ass this week by plucking Ravens linebacker Paul Kruger and Raiders nose tackle Desmond Bryant from their AFC opponents. Those of you who think Browns owner Jimmy Haslam overpaid for the 581 lbs. of free agent, think again. In the words of former 49er's head coach Mike Singletary, "I want winners!" That's exactly what they got in their new pass rusher extraordinaire Kruger. Ask Colts rookie quarterback Andrew Luck if he still has nightmares of Kruger beating him down in the AFC wild-card game to the tune of, 2 1/2 sacks, 5 hurries, and a forced fumble. His teammates need to go no further than to check out his ring finger to see that at 27 years old Kruger knows what it takes to be a champion. Browns Defensive guru Ray Horton now has his big fast guy who can disrupt AFC North backfields this year. Browns fans will immediately fall in love with their new star by sporting his jersey starting with training camp in Berea this summer. In Bryant, the Browns have another wide body who can assert pressure up the middle. According to Pro Football Focus, Bryant was the 6th best defensive tackle in the league last year and 4th best at rushing the quarterback. We're not talking Frostee Rucker here people! Sure Bryant was recently arrested for criminal mischief but that could be anything from toilet papering his neighbor's tree to placing a banana in the tailpipe of one his Harvard professor's automobiles. Let's hope Bryant saves some of his mischievousness on unsuspecting offensive linemen this season. My sources tell me that tackle Phil Taylor may be on his way out. He doesn't fit Horton's defensive scheme and may be used to acquire a much needed second round pick that the team could use to fill another hole. Just a hunch, but if the Browns still wish to snag Patriots backup quarterback Ryan Mallett, Taylor may be the kind of player Bill Belichick covets to help repair last year's swiss cheese defense. I give the team of Joe Banner and Michael Lombardi an A in their initial splash into the free agency pool. Like our new pass rush, Banner and Lombardi need to stay on the attack and force another turnover. A starting cornerback or hard hitting safety would be fine thank you!          http://www.profootballfocus.com/