ballpeen Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 Donte Stallworth's Browns tenure likely drawing to a close as suspension ends: NFL Insider By Tony Grossi January 23, 2010, 8:16PM Donte Stallworth's return to the NFL will come in February, but his time with the Browns is likely drawing short.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns have no intention of bringing back receiver Donte' Stallworth when his one-year suspension is lifted by Commissioner Roger Goodell after the Super Bowl. It will be the first major decision on a player to be made by the new Browns regime of President Mike Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert, and it will not be a hard one. Stallworth was suspended on Aug. 13 after pleading guilty to DUI/manslaughter, a second-degree felony in Florida, as a result of striking and killing pedestrian Mario Reyes while under the influence of alcohol on March 14. Goodell did the Browns a favor by suspending Stallworth for the season because it saved the Browns about $7.6 million of room on their 2009 salary cap. The team, however, was legally bound to pay Stallworth a $4.5 million bonus, which he earned by being on the team's roster on March 13 -- the day before the accident. The final payment of that bonus was due on Jan. 10. It is believed that most, if not all, of Stallworth's bonus money was used to pay the family of Reyes in a plea-bargain agreement with Florida prosecutors that avoided a lengthy jail term. He served 24 days in prison. If the Browns re-instated Stallworth, his contract calls for another $1 million roster bonus on March 18 and a base salary in 2010 of $2.775 million. There are other bonuses worth $550,000 if Stallworth played the whole season. So that's not going to happen. Stallworth had about $25.2 million left on his Browns contract through 2014. He probably wasn't going to ever see all that money, even if the accident hadn't occurred. There would be no impact on the salary cap by releasing him because the league is expected to abolish the salary cap system in March as a result of failed negotiations to extend the current labor agreement. If by some unexpected development the league reaches an agreement and the salary cap system is maintained, Stallworth would count only $435,000 on the Browns' 2010 cap if released. But he didn't come away empty-handed. In addition to the $4.5 million roster bonus paid in 2009, Stallworth received a $4.5 million signing bonus in 2008. His base salary in '08 was $605,000. So the Browns paid Stallworth $9.605 million for one season. He played in 11 games and had 17 catches for 170 yards and one touchdown. Brownie bits: The "swap" of salary-cap specialists between the Browns and Miami Dolphins involving Dawn Aponte for Matt Thomas -- reported last week in The Plain Dealer -- will take place after Feb. 1. ... It's possible that Mike Keenan, deposed Browns president, will return to the league office, where he was before joining the Browns in 2006. ... Among the people that Mike Holmgren talked to before retaining Eric Mangini was Brett Favre, Holmgren's star pupil from their Green Bay days. Favre not only spoke highly of Mangini, he raved about Browns' offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. Favre did the same thing in a conference call with Cleveland media prior to the Browns' 2009 season opener against the Vikings. Mangini and Braylon: The good will between Mangini and former Browns receiver Braylon Edwards seems real. Stan Edwards, Braylon's father, said: "Braylon said Eric Mangini was one of the brightest men he ever met -- on and off the field. Braylon's never had any cross words to me about Eric Mangini. He really enjoyed [former coach] Romeo Crennel, but he really respected in the short time he had with Eric Mangini. Does a player like everything that a coach does? Of course not." It has since come to light that Edwards was one of the players fined $1,701 by Mangini for neglecting to pay a room charge for bottled water during the preseason. Edwards said, "If Mangini has a rule and Braylon breaks the rule, that doesn't mean the relationship's different." In a separate interview, Mangini said he has texted Edwards congratulatory messages during the Jets' playoff run. The coach said he thinks Edwards has the potential to become one of the sport's best receivers. "There were times when he was here where his work ethic was outstanding, at practice and in the classroom," Mangini said. "One of the things we talked about when he was leaving was just managing some of the things that can be derailers, that can get you off track. "If he does that, I think he can be outstanding. But you've got to be able to do that week-in and week-out, year-in and year-out. It's not easy to do." Quick hits: Former Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski is close to getting the Chicago coordinator job. He may beat out former Rams mastermind Mike Martz and Cincinnati quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese. ... Cowboys coach Wade Phillips became only the second coach hired during owner Jerry Jones' tenure to receive a second contract. The other was Bill Parcells. ... Incidentally, Jones called his firing of Chan Gailey, who was 18-14 in 1998-99, his biggest mistake as Cowboys owner. Gailey resurfaced last week as new coach of the Buffalo Bills. ... The hiring of John Schneider as Seattle general manager probably assures that Will Lewis will stay as the team's director of pro personnel. Lewis was interviewed for the Browns' GM position and was considered a possibility to join them in another capacity. 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jrb12711 Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 good article. before everything happened i thought he wasn't worth the money, and the circumstances as they are it'd be best to just realese him and yet our young guys grow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballpeen Posted January 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 I also found it interesting what Favre had to say about Mangini and Dabol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flugel Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 Stan Edwards, Braylon's father, said: "Braylon said Eric Mangini was one of the brightest men he ever met -- on and off the field. Braylon's never had any cross words to me about Eric Mangini. He really enjoyed [former coach] Romeo Crennel, but he really respected in the short time he had with Eric Mangini. Does a player like everything that a coach does? Of course not." GREAT stuff Ballpeen! It seems like all the people that want Mangini fired - have this this fictional story that none of the players he coached like him or care to play for him. - Tom F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballpeen Posted January 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 GREAT stuff Ballpeen! It seems like all the people that want Mangini fired - have this this fictional story that none of the players he coached like him or care to play for him. - Tom F. And why many seem to ignore the thread and hope it falls off the front page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl34 Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 And why many seem to ignore the thread and hope it falls off the front page. Then ballpeen, my friend, I only have one word for those folks.... "BUMP" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawgTracker Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 Never thought I would thank Brett Favre for anything... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 Didn't like the signing, too much money, it was dumb, glad to see him go. I think we have a fine coach, and a great FO now. Let's roll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sisky fringo Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 +1 i felt some kinship with that whole article. and in retrospect phil savage got completely hosed. again. like 385th time now. terrible value PHIL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj_illness Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Brett Fav-re aside, is anyone else still not entirely convinced Daboll doesn't suck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballpeen Posted January 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Brett Fav-re aside, is anyone else still not entirely convinced Daboll doesn't suck? I am not convinced at all. For that matter, holmgren isn't convinced either. If he was, mangini being coach or not, something would have been done. That said, that may still happen once teams finish up the season. There may be someone on the Colts or Saints as a QB coach or something like that who's name is on one of Holmgrens "lists". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj_illness Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 seriuously, even if Daboll has improved, i can't imagine it being that hard to upgrade to someone better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffer X Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 seriuously, even if Daboll has improved, i can't imagine it being that hard to upgrade to someone better. Ya can't huh? I guess you know more than a lot of people around the league then. DeyBalls has a pretty good rep as a bright guy from what I've heard. Favre for one had great things to say about him. Your types need to understand it was his first year. The team was in complete disarray with no continuity and without a QB that could complete a pass. By the end of the year we were running all over people's asses and the play calling was demonstrably better because they started to find an identity. The answer is not always to shitcan every bright and young up an comer only to replace him with another bright and young up an comer who has a different system. If they thought the guy sucked ass he would have been replaced already, so you really don't need anymore proof. This offense could be fairly dynamic with the right offseason moves and DeyBalls is the least of my worries. Let the guy settle in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj_illness Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Sure, sure....i'm not against giving him a chance, and he did show development. but some of the early stuff was absolutely atrocious... and you can't argue that. all i'm saying is that there is a pretty good chance there are better OC's than Daboll out there, and i wouldn't be upset if we changed up. i hope he is good and develops the O more. Doesn't mean i personally have to like him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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