Cleveland Browns Add Two Free Agents to Offensive Line
Posted: Wednesday, August 19, 2009
by Billy Downs
Two free agents were signed in the off-season to try bolster the offensive line of the Cleveland Browns for the 2009 season.
Right guard Floyd Womack and right tackle John St. Clair were brought in to try to improve an offense that ranked 31st among 32 teams in offensive yards in the NFL in 2008.
The pair join All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas and veterans Eric Steinbach (LG) and Hank Fraley (C) to form the Browns' 2009 offense line, according to Cleveland's pre-season depth chart.
St. Clair is in his ninth NFL season. He has been with three other NFL teams before he signed with Cleveland in March of 2009. He was drafted by St. Louis in 2000, signed with Miami as an unrestricted free agent in 2004, then with Chicago in 2005. The 6-6, 320 pound tackle started 55 of 107 games since being drafted, including all 16 games for Chicago last year.
Womack replaces Seth McKinney from last year's Browns team. McKinney was a free agent in the off-season and signed with Buffalo.
St. Clair replaces Kevin Shaffer, who was cut by the Browns in March. Shaffer then signed with Chicago. That means the Bears and the Browns have exchanged offensive tackles.
The Browns may have come out the best in these two free agent moves. Shaffer is listed as a backup on the Bears pre-season depth chart. St. Clair was a starter for the Bears last year and the Browns this year.
The Browns have some depth in the offensive line with two veterans with a lot of starting experience and a first round draft pick in the backup slots.
Twelve year vet Ryan Tucker has over 100 starts under his belt and is a strong backup for St. Clair. George Foster, who has over 50 starts on his resume, is backup at LT behind Thomas.
Alex Mack, Cleveland's first round draft pick in 2009, is the backup behind Fraley at center. The 311 pound hiker was an All-Pac 10 player for the California Golden Bears.
Thomas is the anchor of the O line. Even though he is only in his third year since the Browns made him the number three overall pick in the 2007 draft, he made the Pro Bowl in both of those first two seasons and has said he is feeling more and more comfortable with the Browns' offensive playbook.
Steinbach bolsters Thomas' efforts on the left side. The 6-6, 295 pound pulling guard paved the way for RB Rudi Johnson to log three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons from 2004-06 while he was in Cincinnati and then helped the Browns' Jamal Lewis rack up 1,300 and 1,000 yard seasons in Cleveland in 2007 and 2008.
Hopes are high that the Browns can return to their 2007 form when the team posted a 10-6 record. Lewis was hampered with an ankle injury last year when the team slumped to 4-12. He is healthy now and looking to have another 1,000 yard season.
Lewis currently ranks in the top 25 in the NFL's all-time rushing record books. New coach Eric Mangini is expected to run the ball a little more than his predecessor did last year.
The additions of Womack and St. Clair should help the Browns produce more on the ground this year. Cleveland averaged only 59 yards rushing a game last year. Lewis and the offensive line are determined to improve that in 2009.
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Billy Downs is a long time NFL fan who operates the website Cleveland-fans.com. The website features Cleveland Browns Jackets, Cleveland shirts, jerseys and more.
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