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The bad news is that the Cleveland Browns have lost starting cornerback Daven Holly to a “serious” knee injury.
The good news is that they still have Leigh Bodden. (Oops.)
With Bodden traded to Detroit for defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, the Browns are suddenly thin at the position. And the Philadelphia Eagles suddenly have more leverage in their efforts to trade cornerback Lito Sheppard.
The Browns haven’t disclosed the extent of Holly’s injury.
May 21st, 2008 at 4:16 pm
I think I just heard Brady Quinn say, “Anderson for Sheppard!”
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 21st, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Right…cause the Browns lost a guy with nickleback skills who was going to be a starter their season is doomed. What’s that you say? Cornerback is a problem for the Browns…gee what other wisdom that everyone already knows can you enlighten us with. Lets face it Holly was barely a starter as it was and the drop off between him and who ever the Browns get to replace him won’t be that great. As for those of you making the Snyder-esk jokes about the Browns just remember that after this season we’ll part ways with one of our QBs which should more than replace what draft picks we may part with.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 21st, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Umm…are you seriously implying that the loss of Daven F’ing Holly is going to make the Browns suddenly give up the farm for Sheppard? Really? The fact that a guy like Holly was penciled in as their starting CB means the Browns were already dangerously thin at the position. His loss means absolutely nothing.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
May 21st, 2008 at 4:30 pm
And the Browns are supposed to overtake the Steelers and win the division with that Defense and an incompetent Quarterback. Right.. Okay… I don’t care if you bring up the schedule factor either. Other than two games, Pittsburgh has the exact same schedule as the Browns. And the big difference is that the Browns have to face the Steelers twice a year and have lost 9 straight to the Steelers. Hell, they have only beaten Pittsburgh 3 times since coming back in 1999. The Browns hype is typical BS.
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Rating: 4 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
May 21st, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Hey maddenchamp, we agree here…. not shot on a Lito deal.
I can’t think of anyone worth the trade apart from Braylon (who isn’t going anywhere). I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again….. give Lito a raise and have the deepest, strongest nickel package in the game.
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May 21st, 2008 at 4:36 pm
“Lito’s awesome when he’s between knee, elbow, hip, ankle, hand, quad, thumb, back & toe injuries.”
brilliant….. just brilliant…… can I revise my raise request to involve injury clauses?
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Rating: 1 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
May 21st, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Eagles fans, I think you all have Lito way too overrated. To even consider Braylon for Lito is ridiculous. A top tier WR is much more valuable then a CB, especially a WR who causes no headaches. Just like how Roy Williams and Fitzgerald are much more valuable then Lito to a team. If Lito is such a great CB, then why hasn’t anyone stepped up? Usually when good players are put on the trading block, someone makes an effort to get them. I always check these message boards when there is any rumor of a team looking to trade because every Eagle fan comes out with their Lito Sheppard trades.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 21st, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Bah, hah, hah. Where are all the Clowns fans now? I know, Phil, why don’t you give next years 1 and a 4 for lito. Since everyone in Cleveland expects you to win the superbowl, that 1st round pick will be really….. really…. low. This is why a A+ offseason is meaningless until everyone suits up and plays. You can’t predict injuries. Injuries turned my Ravens from 13 - 3 to 5 - 11 with essentially the same team. And you all thought our defensive backfield sucked last year. Can’t wait to see Joe Flacco light up your DB’s.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 21st, 2008 at 5:17 pm
All I know is, their first game is against the Cowboys, and the Cowboys are gonna throw on them all day.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
May 21st, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Ty Law to Cleveland. “Book it.”
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May 21st, 2008 at 5:43 pm
All us Browns fans are just sitting back. No real need to worry this early in camp. Savage will come up with something whether it’s a vetern or a young free agent. We have no reason to try to convince anyone on this board that the browns are the real deal this year. We will just have to wait till they actually hit the field and show what they have. And for the above statement about the Steelers beating the Browns the past nine times, that is true but just so you know they finally passed the browns in overall wins 56-55. Consider this a clean slate since it will actually be a legit game this year with equal teams.
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May 21st, 2008 at 6:09 pm
VikeRube, I don’t think any of us ‘overrate’ Lito. He’s a good player when he’s not injured (which is never)….. maybe even a fringe pro-bowler when uninjured (again, never). And most of the comments of Lito for Braylon I’m pretty sure are tongue in cheek. From the sound of it, a Jurevicius for Lito offer is more than most of the league would offer.
I must argue you also on the WR vs CB thing….. I think a shutdown corner is more valuable than a lights-out receiver. Even the best WRs go to sleep a few games every year, but a good CB is an insurance policy to do all sorts of crazy things on D. My perception is that any team in the league would trade their best receiver for Champ Bailey, maybe I’m wrong….. The deepest WR corps last year (to my mind) were the Pats, the Lions, the Cards and the Bengals. The Bengals even had the benefit of a great QB, and 3 of those four teams found little success.
Yes, Roy Williams and Fitzy are probably worth much more than Lito to most teams….. but are they worth more than Bailey or Samuel? Imho, no.
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May 21st, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Several things
A) For whoever suggested Stallworth. No, no, a thousand times no. If the Eagles wanted him they would have signed him as a free agent and not to the outrageous contract he signed with the Browns. He was out performed by Reggie Brown in his only year with the Birds. He is seriously over rated.
B) As for Eagles fans ‘over rating’ Lito. Its not a matter of over rating him its a matter of they have nothing otherwise that the Eagles would think about trading Lito for. There is no need to trade him for draft picks. Draft picks don’t help the Eagles now especially when they have 2 firsts next year so its either a WR or nothing.
There is 0 reason to trade Lito at this point. Also stop the give him a raise bit. He hasn’t stayed healthy and just signed a new deal a few years ago. He needs to prove himself again because he was injured and didn’t have a good year last year so I wouldn’t give him a dime extra unless it was involved in incentives.
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May 21st, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Tony Homo and Big Ben will have their MVP campaigns off to a nice start after playing the Browns the 1st two weeks…by the way, did I mention the Browns moan?
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May 21st, 2008 at 6:53 pm
are you all mad??? how can you even compare B.Edwards with Lito Sheppard? give me a break
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May 21st, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Yeah, Savage is such a genius that you had no draft picks in the first three rounds this year and you’re counting too heavily on a few players that you spent big bucks on, some with some years on them. You traded Bodden, further weakening your seconday. You put all your hope in a few players, so you better hope they don’t get injured. And your QB is way overrated. 6-10 this year.
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May 21st, 2008 at 7:43 pm
No one is comparing Lito to Braylon. Look at their roster and tell me who else the Eagles would be interested in. Unless they have a really good young safety they want to part with the only other real position of need in Philly is WR. They don’t want Stallworth or would have signed him during free agency so that leaves Braylon.
Its simply a matter of Eagles fans saying either offer up Braylon or don’t bother calling. It wouldn’t be a player for player trade the Eagles would be willing to give up a draft pick in addition to Lito but since the Browns won’t be willing to trade Braylon they’re not going to get Lito.
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May 21st, 2008 at 8:19 pm
The Browns overpaid for Shaun Rogers and then some. The Bengals were only going to give a fourth-round pick and that’s it, and the Lions took the deal at first. Then the Browns come in and offer a third-round pick PLUS a starting cornerback in Bodden. For once, the Lions might have backed their way into a good decision (at the expense of the Browns). You guys better hope Rogers says far away from Golden Corral, Old Country Buffet, Cleveland Chinese Buffet, etc. or you are really going to regret trading two good players for a fat boy (a third round pick and Bodden).
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
May 21st, 2008 at 8:47 pm
McDonald was going to beat out Holley anyway
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May 21st, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Uh bizurk Lito has been a pro bowler at least once. I actually think someone said he went twice so there’s nothing fringe about him. His health though is an issue. He stays healthy this year and plays up to the level he’s able to he’ll get a new deal with the birds or with another team that will actually offer fair value instead of Jurevicius where if that was the offer I’d volunteer to drive to Cleveland and flip of their GM on behalf of the Eagles FO.
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May 21st, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Gibson, I realize the Lito raise won’t happen, precedents and all…. It’s more of a fanciful solution that would improve my beloved ‘birds.
I loved the ascension of the Browns last year, but I do feel that they are poised to be the Niners from last year: the sexy pick to make leaps and bounds that gets tripped up. Again, I love em, but the Browns have some glaring deficiencies and play a rugged schedule….. If they were in the NFC West or South, they’d be a clearcut favorite.
My favorite AFC team is also probably going to have to be happy with 10-6 this year. Playing the NFC East and the AFC North is unenviable, not a given win in any game, add in 2 against the ‘Burgh and count on the Bengals showing up and you have some concerns.
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May 21st, 2008 at 11:10 pm
I can’t see Lito or Sheldon being ok coming off the bench. Something still could happen.
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May 22nd, 2008 at 12:02 am
…and I know Lito went to the Pro Bowl (2004 and 2006), I’m a huge Lito backer. He covers well, has the playmaking ability to break a 100 yd INT, and supports the run fairly well for a small guy: I want him in the fold. If he stays healthy, which would be a miracle, then he’s one of the 5 best CBs in the NFC for sure.
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May 22nd, 2008 at 8:45 am
Can’t wait to see how the Browns O-line does against Giants D on Oct 13.
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