Derrick Ward Keen on Cleveland

WPB Dawg Fan

Sounds like the Browns are interested in him too:

Cleveland Browns have eyes on New York Giants RB Derrick Ward
by Tony Grossi/Plain Dealer Reporter

Friday February 20, 2009, 11:20 AM

INDIANAPOLIS -- Browns coach Eric Mangini doesn't say much, so when he does say something definitive, it bears noting.

In a morning meeting with Northeast Ohio reporters, Mangini indicated strong interest in Giants free agent running back Derrick Ward.

Ward recently said on Jim Rome Is Burning that the Browns would be a team he would like to play for.

"He's a guy we'd look at," Mangini said. "I can tell you there's a lot of free agents we're looking at."

Ward rushed for 1,025 yards for the Giants in 2008, joining Brandon Jacobs as only the third pair of running back teammates to go over 1,000 yards in the same season. Ward is 5-11 and 228 pounds and will be 29 in August

Solon16

@ytownbrownsbacker said:
Ward is 28, drafted by the Jets in 2004................................you want youth? I don't consider him an old man. Some experience is not a bad thing nad he would be cheaper then Lewis..

Just my lonely opinion man.....Rb's are better to groom than buy in my opinion and don't last very long after 28.

PBJ

Running backs don't usually last much long after 28, because they usually have way more than 342 carries in their career. I think Ward would be a great addition, and has much fresher legs than you guys are giving him credit for.

Snatch98

@solon16 said:
Just my lonely opinion man.....Rb's are better to groom than buy in my opinion and don't last very long after 28.

Agreed. See the Steelers.

Build through the draft, dominate a decade. 🥷

Rooster Dick

How and Why did the name "Steelers" appear in this thread?

I just don't understand this forum

Snatch98

Chickenwang said:
How and Why did the name "Steelers" appear in this thread?
I just don't understand this forum

Maybe you should post more and you'd understand. It was also a joke. However the Browns should build through the draft and not rely on free agency to fill their voids. Although I do really like Ward for the Stains and believe FA may be the answer at RB for the Browns because there are more pressing needs at other positions via the draft. We'll see what Mangina gets done. I can't wait for the damn combine to start.

Sez.EJ

@sez.ej said:
Ward is "just OK" for me.. He is an upgrade over Jamal at 29 years old.. But he is not the guy I think we need to lead this team for years to come.. We need a guy who can really pound it between the tackles. I say pass cuz he will cost to much and produce too little.

I correct myself.. i did not realize he was already 29 years old.. NO THANKS... we already have an over the hill guy

ballpeen

@solon16 said:
Just my lonely opinion man.....Rb's are better to groom than buy in my opinion and don't last very long after 28.

I agree and disagree.

In the big scope, sure, you are always smarter to build via the draft.

Where I disagree is grooming RB's. Runningbacks don't need to be groomed just as a few other positions don't need grooming...DB's as an example. If you are good, you are as good as you get from the beginning.

I don't know much about this guy, but we do need to use FA to fill some holes while we do build through the draft.

If he is deemed to be one of those guys, so be it.

YtownBrownsBacker

@ballpeen said:
I agree and disagree.
In the big scope, sure, you are always smarter to build via the draft.

Where I disagree is grooming RB's. Runningbacks don't need to be groomed just as a few other positions don't need grooming...DB's as an example. If you are good, you are as good as you get from the beginning.

I don't know much about this guy, but we do need to use FA to fill some holes while we do build through the draft.

If he is deemed to be one of those guys, so be it.

I agree that building through the draft is the best way to go, but with 4 draft picks we can't get a pass rusher, ILB, SS corner, center, DE, WR and RB.

So, what positions do you draft and what positons do you fill with FA? Wouldn't it seem reasonable to grab the best players by need in FA and then set up a draft stratagy. If I can get a Ward or Gabril wilson or Jason Brown or Bart Scott then I can work around what I have with the limited draft picks.

Yes, I would rather draft a 22 year old RB but then what position are you going neglect because you only have 3 more picks and a very tight cap.

If I can get Ward at half of what I would have to pay Lewis, it is a no brainer for me. If somehow I can get an extra second round pick and a third round pick then I take my chances with drafting a RB. But reality is we have 4 draft picks and trading Anderson isn't a certain.

Riffer X

As Ytown alluded to, not everything can be fixed in a year through the draft. A guy like Ward can give us one more year to address RB in the draft and continue to work on this defense and possibly oline.

I still think the Browns will keep 4 backs this year. Don't just discard Wright into the scrap heap, he's huge on specials and a guy they can really depend on. I think adding a guy like Ward at a reasonable cost is an excellent idea. He's a damn good back in a shared role and he hasn't been beaten down a lot in his career, so his 28 is not the same as JLew's 29.

If this allows us to go after more needy positions and is cost effective, I'm down with it.