NY to Cleveland

Written By Abram Elam April 29, 2009

I just finished my physical with the Browns and I’ve got meetings today with Coach Mangini and my position coach. Getting traded to Cleveland will mean a big transition for me but I’m looking forward to it.

I knew something might happen during the draft because Coach Ryan called me to let me know that something might go down. So I wasn’t blindsided Saturday when my agent texted me to let me know I had been traded to the Browns.

Then my phone blew up with texts and calls the rest of the day.

It’s tough to leave the friends I have made with the Jets behind but I know I have some relationships made there that I will definitely keep with me for the rest of my life, with guys like David Clowney and Drew Coleman. Those are guys I really bonded with and got close to.

But I’m really very excited about the opportunity I have here in Cleveland. I went to Kent State so this is like my old stomping grounds. I already have a lot of relationships here, with guys like Josh Cribbs who I played with in college. I think it will be a great fit for me.

It’s also exciting to feel wanted. Coach Mangini and the Browns extended an offer sheet to me before the season and then went out and got me in a trade. I’m thankful for that.

When you get traded and show up in your new city, the team has people in place to assist you in every way imaginable. They get you settled in a hotel and get you transportation until you can arrange for that stuff yourself. They highlight some places where a lot of the players live.

I have another friend here, Tony Fisher, who I knew from Notre Dame, he’s from the Euclid area. Knowing a lot of people in the area will definitely be helpful in the transition.

I just want to thank all the Jets fans for their support and their love, I really appreciated my time in New York.

And to all the fans in Cleveland, I look forward to coming to work every day and doing my job and interacting with you all in my new home.