The Browns have re-done 26-year old Josh Cribbs’ contract by giving him $20 million bucks over the next three years including $7.5 million of it guaranteed.  Cribbs played in all 16 games for the Browns last season in which he carried the ball 55 times for 381 yards (6.9 ypc) with a TD run and he also caught 20 passes for 135 yards (6.8 avg) with a TD grab.  Cribbs didn’t stop there as he also returned 38 punts for 452 yards (11.9 avg) with a TD return and he also returned 56 kickoffs for 1,542 yards (27.5 avg) with 3 TD returns.  Cribbs is the best player on the Browns and it was smart of them to give him a new deal to keep him happy.

The Browns have traded 29-year old DT/DE Corey Williams and a 7th round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft for a 5th round pick in the 2010 Draft.  Williams played in all 16 games for the Browns last season and he made 31 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, had 4 sacks, forced 1 fumble and he defensed 4 passes.  Williams played in 32 games in his two seasons with the Browns and he finished up with 81 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 8 passes defensed and 2 forced fumbles.  The Browns were using Williams out of place at DE and he wasn’t a good enough pass rusher to help them there.  This trade makes it likely that the Browns will hold onto NT Shaun Rogers and for that reason I like this trade.

The Browns have released 32-year old C/G Hank Fraley.  Fraley played in 15 games (4 starts) for the Browns last season.  He was replaced as the starting center by rookie Alex Mack last season but he shifted to guard and got a lot of P.T.  Fraley played in 63 games (52 starts) in his 4 years with the Browns.  The Browns will miss Fraley’s versatility on the O-Line but they will likely find someone to replace him that doesn’t make as much money as he did last season.

The Browns have released 30-year old RB Jamal Lewis.  He played in 9 games for the Browns last season and he carried the ball 143 times for 500 yards (3.5 ypc) without a TD run.  He also caught 8 passes for 88 yards (11.0 avg) last year.  In three years with the Browns, Lewis played in 40 games in which he carried the ball 720 times for 2,806 yards (4.0 ypc) with 13 TD runs.  Lewis also caught 61 passes for 514 yards (8.4 avg) with 2 TD grabs for the Browns.  Jerome Harrison’s emergence late in the season and Lewis’ concussion problems combined to end Lewis’ career in Cleveland.

The Cleveland Browns really need a quality go to WR in 2010.  After all the leading receiver for them last season was rookie Mohamed Massaquoi who caught 34 passes for 624 yards (18.4 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  Browns’ WRs accounted for only 5 TD grabs as a unit last season!  I think the Browns need to pick one up in the trade market and like both Brandon Marshall of the Broncos and Anquan Boldin of the Cardinals.  I probably would go with Boldin because a third round pick would probably be all it would require to get him.  Boldin played in 15 games for the Cardinals last season and he caught 84 passes for 1,024 yards (12.2 avg) with 4 TD grabs.  He also carried the ball 3 times for 12 yards (4.0 ypc) with a TD run last season.  Boldin has played 7 years in the NFL appearing in 95 games in which he has caught 586 passes for 7,520 yards (12.8 avg) with 44 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 36 times for 209 yards (5.8 ypc) with 1 TD run in his career.  Boldin has nice size at 6′1″, 217 pounds and he is not afraid to go over the middle which would be a huge plus for the Browns.  25-year old Brandon Marshall comes with some baggage but he also has a higher upside than Boldin but probably will cost the Browns more in a trade.  Marshall played in 15 games for the Broncos last season and he caught 101 passes for 1,120 yards (11.1 avg) with 10 TD grabs.  He also carried the ball 7 times for 39 yards (5.6 ypc) last season.  Marshall has now played in 61 games in his NFL career and he has caught 327 passes for 4,019 yards (12.3 avg) with 25 TD grabs.  Marshall has also carried the ball 16 times for 104 yards (6.5 ypc) in his career.  Either of these guys would be huge additions to the Browns as they need to give the QBs a chance to be successful.