Zombo said:

grrrreat!

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-5/Browns-sign-3rd-round-RB-Duke-Johnson/673d6753-f5cd-411d-bff3-cc848a21ebb1

Zombo said:

It is still Cleveland....still the Browns. Injuries always plague us.....be it the NBA Finals or early mini-camp.

Zombo

practices with the team.

@gumby73 said:

Good post Gumby! As someone else reminded us recently, Gipson returns from a season ending knee injury. Speaking of Mack, after getting a hefty raise in 2014 - he's also returning from a season ending injury.

@gumby73 said:

How can you misspell his name and get it right all in the span of two sentences?

@gumby73 said:

I would only argue that all our players are paid in-line with the rookie pay scale....and right now, our signed RB's are 3 young UDFA's and one 3rd rounder....and all 4 are paid to scale.....

So, no matter how much we are paying them as a group....not one is underpaid according to the league wide salaries.....

Udfa's earn minimum....thats just how it is.......and West is a perfect example, because he was drafted at the same 3rd round slot Williams was and signed up no problem.....

High usage should be what a rookie wants....then he can run up some stats and get paid for actual production.....thats how it works in my lil world....

Bottom line is that there is a slotted pre-determined cap amount we have available to sign all of our rookies...no more, no less....and now 11 outta 12 are signed, meaning 11 outta 12 bucks are spent.....so, when there are only crumbs left over, it can spell trouble for anyone who shows up late and expects a buffet.........

@mudfly said:

All about the Benjamin$ Mud. Take a look at spottrac and I can hear his agent now. "Duke you got drafted by a team that ranks dead last (32nd) in paying RB's and they say they are committed to running the Ball". Slotted RB's may help, but he brings up a fair point on rookie contracts. A high injury position (RB) with a team committed to high usage? The debate is on imo.

@texasag1969 said:

So he has signed on now.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000496928/article/cleveland-browns-safety-tashaun-gipson-signs-tender

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000496928/article/cleveland-browns-safety-tashaun-gipson-signs-tender

Not only is he now the only unsigned Brown....he's one of only 12 rookies who isnt signed(which tells me there is some kind of a problem)....so far, 244 out of 256 have signed...

Sooooo......when do we start to wonder wtf?......Because of the pre determined pay scale, the only 2 options I can come up with are:

1) He wants to be the exception and get paid above his draft position

2) He is quibbling about a minor amount of money(2-3% variance)

Personally, as long as he's here and playing, I guess I dont care.....but this type of stuff has a way of recurring with the same people through out their careers and it makes me nervous when everyone else falls in and signs, but our guy doesnt.....so I hope he's not a head case or completely full of himself and it's just a minor stumbling block.....(though I wonder...cause minor problems are usually overcome pretty quickly)....

@gumby73 said:

I would agree with every word....I also doubt the Browns woulda pulled the rug out, but they "could" have....which was the risk for Tashaun. I do think they offered him a longer better deal, but he opted not to sign....holding out for more $ or the opportunity to test the market. So we shall see how he plays, then how it all goes I guess.....

I think they would sign Mack to a longer deal in a hot second, but dont think he will allow for talks or that option during the season.....he pretty clearly has said he'll wait and see how things go.....honestly dont think he really wants to be here....so, again, I think it'll be a year before we know anything......of course, if we go 8-0 to start he might jump on the band wagon/////

Though I have confidence, if he continues to play at a high level, that the Browns will reward him with a better contract next year....and if he goes for #1 in the league type of money(which I hear is possible) then he'll end up with the trans tag.....

@mudfly said:

Great news! Let's get this season going. It's Xmas time for Browns fans!! All these new toys and a coaching staff that knows how to be Santa in dishing them out.

And isn't it ironic how suddenly we have a genius front office after so much questioning of the first two taken last year? Why is that? Could it be they called it right last year and all we need is some maturation combined with hard work? Why bring in a QB willing to mentor a brat? Why use a starting all-pro CB to mentor a problem child?This has got to be the dumbest f.o. ever, right? :lol:

@mudfly said:

Good. Now go out and prove you should be paid even more.