The Cleveland Browns trade 26-year old OLB/DE Kamerion Wimbley to the Raiders for a third round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.  Wimbley played in 16 games for the Browns last season in which he made 69 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, he had 6.5 sacks, forced 1 fumble and he defensed 1 pass.  Wimbley played in 63 games in his 4 years with the Browns in which he made 248 tackles, had 26.5 sacks, defensed 4 passes, forced 7 fumbles and he had 1 interception.  The Browns might have a hard time replacing Wimbley as he was the teams’ best pass rusher in his time in Cleveland. 

The Cleveland Browns have traded 25-year old QB Brady Quinn to the Broncos for 24-year old FB/RB Peyton Hillis, a 6th round pick in 2011 and a conditional late round pick in the 2012 season.  Quinn played in 10 games for the Browns last season in which he completed 136 of 256 passes (53.1%) for 1,339 yards with 8 TD passes and 7 INTs (67.2 QB Rating).  Quinn also carrried the ball 20 times for 98 yards (4.9 ypc) with 1 TD run last season for the Browns.  Quinn played in 14 games in his career with the Browns in which he completed 184 of 353 passes (52.1%) for 1,902 yards with 10 TD passes and 9 INTs (66.8 QB Rating).  Quinn also carried the ball 25 times for 119 yards (4.8 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Quinn will likely be the Broncos’ 2nd string QB in 2010 as Coach Josh McDaniels has liked him for a while.  But, with the signing of Jake Delhomme and the trade for Seneca Wallace, Quinn was no longer needed.

24-year old FB/RB Peyton Hillis is the perfect type of fullback for the West Coast Offense but he will be hard pressed to beat out starter Lawrence Vickers who is a mauler as a run blocker.  Hillis can also carry the ball as a tailback as he was the Broncos’ leading rusher in 2009.  Hillis played in 14 games for the Broncos last season in which he carried the ball 13 times for 54 yards (4.2 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He also caught 4 passes for 19 yards (4.8 avg) and he returned 6 kickoffs for 134 yards (22.3 avg) last season for the Broncos.  Hillis has now played in 26 games in his NFL career in which he has carried the ball 81 times for 397 yards (4.9 ypc) with 6 TD grabs.  He has also caught 18 passes for 198 yards (11.0 avg) for 1 TD and he has returned 10 kickoffs for 199 yards (19.9 avg) in his career.  To get two late round picks and a decent FB/RB for Brady Quinn was decent value as the Broncos knew the Browns had to trade him after bringing in Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme.

The Browns have signed 35-year old QB Jake Delhomme to a 2-year, $7 million dollar deal.  Delhomme played in 11 games last season for the Panthers last season in which he completed 178 of 321 passes (55.5%) for 2,015 yards with 8 TD passes and 18 INTs (59.4 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 17 times for 60 yards (3.5 ypc) last season.  Delhomme has now played in 97 games in his NFL career in which he has completed 1,630 of 2,755 (59.2%) for 19,892 yards with 123 TD passes and 94 INTs (82.1 QB Rating).  Delhomme has also carried the ball 167 times for 330 yards (2.0 ypc) with 7 TD runs in his career.  Delhomme signed with the Browns because they will give him a chance to battle Seneca Wallace for the starting QB job in training camp.  Delhomme was awful last season but he was a solid starting QB before that so the Browns will give him a chance to revive his NFL career in 2010.  I like this signing for the Browns.

The Browns have released 33-year old TE Steve Heiden.  Heiden played in 7 games for the Browns last season in which he caught 10 passes for 73 yards (7.3 avg) with 1 TD grab.  He played in 106 games in his 8 years with the Browns in which he caught 187 passes for 1,602 yards (8.6 avg) with 12 TD grabs.  Heiden was a class act and a solid player for the Browns but this was the right move for them to make.

The Browns have signed 29-year old TE Ben Watson to a 3-year, $9 million dollar deal.  Watson played in all 16 games for the Patriots last season in which he caught 29 passes for 404 yards (13.9 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  He has now played in 71 games in his NFL career in which he has caught 167 passes for 2,102 yards (12.6 avg) with 20 TD grabs.  This was a excellent signing for the Browns as Watson will give whoever is playing QB a big TE with good hands.  He is also a good run blocker.  I really like what the new Browns’ regime is doing so far.

The Browns have released 26-year old QB Derek Anderson.  Anderson played in 8 games for the Browns last season in which he completed 81 of 182 passes (44.5%) for 888 yards with 3 TD passes and 10 INTs (42.1 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 10 times for 8 yards (0.8 ypc) with 2 TD runs last season.  Anderson played in 39 games in his four years with the Browns in which he completed 587 of 1,109 passes (52.9%) for 7,083 yards with 46 TD passes and 45 INTs (69.7 QB Rating).  Anderson also carried the ball 71 times for 180 yards (2.5 ypc) with 5 TD runs for the Browns.  While it’s true that Anderson was awful last season I don’t think he’ll have a hard time finding a new job based on his throwing arm, age and experience.  The Browns were smart to move in a new direction at QB for the 2010 season.

The Browns have acquired 29-year old QB Seneca Wallace from the Seahawks for a conditional pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.  Wallace played in 13 games for the Seahawks last season and he completed 78 of 120 passes (65%) for 700 yards with 3 TD passes and 2 INTs (81.9 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 16 times for 2 yards (0.1 ypc) with 1 TD run last season.  Wallace has now played in 48 games in his NFL career and he has completed 333 of 556 passes (59.9%) for 3,547 yards with 25 TD passes and 14 INTs (83.1 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 54 times for 214 yards (4.0 ypc) with 1 TD run in his career.  This is a good pickup for the Browns as Wallace is well versed in the new West Coast Offense that the Browns are going to run in 2010.  Wallace has ties to Browns’ president Mike Holmgren from their time together in Seattle so don’t be surprised if he is the Browns’ starting QB in 2010.

UPDATE:  The Browns traded a 7th round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft that could escalate into a 6th rounder based on Wallace’s P.T. in 2010.  I really like this trade for the Browns now as they really didn’t give up much at all for Wallace.

The Cleveland Browns have signed 30-year old inside linebacker Scott Fujita.  The terms were not disclosed but I will update this post when I find out.  Fujita played in 11 games for the Saints last season and he had 58 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and he defensed 2 passes.  Fujita has now played in 120 games in his NFL career and he has made 652 tackles, he has defensed 22 passes, has 19 sacks, has forced 9 fumbles and he has 5 interceptions.  Fujita will team up inside with D’Qwell Jackson which should really improve the run defense of the Browns in 2010.  I really like this signing for them.

UPDATE:  Fujita’s contract is for 3 years with $14 million bucks with $8 million of it guaranteed.

The Cleveland Browns have signed 29-year old OT Tony Pashos to a 3-year, $10.3 million dollar deal.  He will likely be the new starting right tackle for the Browns and he is a mauler in the running game as he stands 6’6″ and weighs 326 pounds.  Pashos played in 5 games (1 start) last season for the 49ers before his season ended with a shoulder injury.  Pashos has played in 74 games (55 starts) in his NFL career so far.  This was a outstanding signing for the Browns who are now halfway done rebuilding the right side of the offensive line.

The Browns have re-signed 27-year old safety Ray Ventrone to a 3-year deal.  Ventrone played in 14 games for the Browns last season and he made 15 tackles.  Ventrone was a key special teams player for the Browns last season and they were smart to bring him back for 2010 and beyond.