More Trade Talks?

The Giants have called the Browns about Braylon Edwards, who reportedly would welcome playing for the Giants if he was traded. Arizona still hasn't signed Anquan Boldin to a new deal, although he has two years remaining on his old one. Cards coach Ken Whisenhunt said at the league meetings the two sides are talking. And there's always the possibility the Bengals will finally get tired of Chad Ocho Cinco - and it would be great fun to watch Tom Coughlin deal with him.

New York Daily News

Salty's Thoughts: Does anyone even care?

Dear NFL...

Being a Season Ticket Holder (which sometimes is more punishment than it it is fun), I want to voice my displeasure with you, the NFL Scheduling Committee.

Due to the fact that I am forced to purchase Preseason Tickets to (2) Home Games every year, I would hope that you would at least give us a decent match up. Then I receive the Preseason Schedule. Cleveland (joke of the NFL) vs the Detroit Lions (winless?). I mean, seriously? This has to be a joke. Where's Ashton, I know I've just been punked. Show me the camera. Please? Demi? Anyone?

Maybe I can trade my tickets to someone on the street and have them kick me in the marbles. At least the kick will be free. The kicks I receive for the (8) Regular Season Home Games this year aren't so cheap.

Whatever.

- Disgruntled Cleveland Fan #1,540,919

Teammates Defend Stallworth

Cleveland Plain Dealer

By now, you've got Browns receiver Donte Stallworth all figured out, right? The braids, the Bentley, the history of substance abuse, the DUI manslaughter charge. Just your typical, spoiled, rich, partying athlete who has little regard for others or the law. But those close to him say that's not the case. "Donte is the complete opposite of the image you may believe right now," said former Browns center LeCharles Bentley, who has known Stallworth since they were both rookies in New Orleans in 2002. Stallworth's friends and team- mates say he's devastated over the death of pedestrian Mario Reyes, 59, whom Stal lworth struck and killed with his Bentley on the morning of March 14 in Miami Beach, according to authorities there. He will be arraigned April 23 on charges of DUI manslaughter and faces four to 15 years in prison if convicted. He also faces a probable suspension by the NFL for violating its conduct and substance-abuse policies. In one fateful moment, Stallworth ended a life and altered the course of his own. "Of course, Donte made a poor choice, and you can never get back a life," said Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson. "No one knows that more than Donte. But people should know that Donte is a great person who made a terrible mistake, not a terrible person." Stallworth had a blood-alcohol level of .126 -- over the legal limit in Florida -- according to the toxicology report. Four days after the tragedy, he returned to Cleveland to resume working out in the Browns' off-season program. His mother, Donna, and brother Larry joined him in Cleveland for support.

Cleveland Plain Dealer

Salty's Thoughts: I like how they are defending the man, and not attempting to sugarcoat his decision making skills or lack there of. That being said, my last two posts have been from the PD. Remember when the News Herald had decent stories? RIP Hal, we miss you. I tried to find Donte's mug shot, posted the closest I could snag.

Quinn still tradebait?

Cleveland Plain Dealer

Brady Quinn fans shouldn't relax just yet. The possibility of a trade to Denver still exists. Kyle Orton, the quarterback the Broncos received in Thursday's trade of Jay Cutler to the Bears, is not the answer. Josh McDaniels, Denver's coach, has got to know that. Neither is Chris Simms, whom the Broncos signed before this brouhaha with Cutler became a daily story. As soon as the dust settled after the trade of Cutler to Chicago, the question became: So who's Denver's next quarterback? Speculation in Denver and elsewhere is that the Broncos might use their two first-round draft picks -- No. 12 and No. 18 -- to move up high enough to select Mark Sanchez of Southern California. Seattle, sitting at No. 4, already is giving signals it suddenly loves Sanchez, perhaps to sway a deal with Denver. The reality of the NFL is that nobody wants to be in the top five on draft day. And that includes Denver. So there's Quinn, still not endorsed by the Browns as their starting quarterback as he enters his third season. And there's McDaniels in Denver, filled with positive feedback about Quinn from Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, whom McDaniels adores as an offensive football coach. If McDaniels can't trust Weis, then who can he trust?

Salty's Thoughts: Browns season hasn't started and I feel kind of burnt out. Or I feel like I've been screwed over by someone I cared about. That being said, if they're going to do something, just do it. Rip the band-aid off fast, it hurts less that way.

Another overpaid thug bites the dust

Un-freakin-believable!

Another millionaire athlete goes to the house!  Only I am not talking about the endzone, I'm talking about the big house!

Everyone knows by now that Cleveland Browns wideout Donte Stallworth killed a pedestrian last week.  Ran over a guy who was trying to catch a bus home after work, like the victim did everyday.

Although the man he killed WORKED FOR A LIVING, he probably worked in a job that couldn't afford him the luxury of owning a car for transportation to and from that job, and therefore had to utilize public transportation.  And here's this citizen walking across the street, trying to catch the bus, and he's hit and killed by a speeding motorist who just happened to be a professional athlete, who just happens to PLAY A GAME FOR A LIVING.  An athlete who makes hordes of stacks of cash to catch passes in the NFL, who on this day was probably driving from South Beach to his million-dollar condo in Miami Beach, rolling down the causeway in his Bentley (a car that carries such a heavy price tag that makes it's monthly payments more than most middle-class mortgages).

Oh, and the professional athlete in this case just happened to be driving under the influence of alcohol.  The legal limit is 0.08.  Stallworth's reported blood-alcohol level was 0.12.

Absolutely disgusting.

The incident occurred just three days after the Browns released hometown fan-favorite wideout Joe Jurevicius and 15 days after they traded tight end Kellen Winslow for picks.

The Browns receiving corps right now looks like this:

WRs:

 - Braylon Edwards

 - Joshua Cribbs

 - Syndric Steptoe

 - Paul Hubbard

TEs:

 - Steve Heiden

 - Robert Royal

 - Darnell Dinkins

 - Martin Rucker

No words needed to describe how bad that group is.

Prior to last season, Stallworth signed a seven-year, $35-million contract with Cleveland as a free agent but hardly played because of nagging injuries.  He was due a $4.75 million signing bonus the day before the accident.  Last year his base salary was $5,155,000.

His combined salary and the bonus totaled $9,905,000.  That's how much money the Browns have paid out since acquiring him.

He finished last season with just 17 catches for 170 yards and 1 TD.  Due to the nagging hamstring injury, Stallworth made just seven starts for the Browns but overall had little impact on the field.

If you consider the amount of money he's made as a Cleveland Brown and divide that by his on-field contributions (170 total yards netted for the offense), Stallworth earned $58,264 for every individual yard he gained.

Compare that gaudy number to $2,651 - which is the amount of cash paid out per yard gained in 2008 by the Steelers to former OSU Buckeye and Super Bowl hero Santonio Holmes.

Allow me to reiterate.

Donte Stallworth made $58,264 for each receiving yard he produced for the Browns in 2008.

Santonio Homes made $2,651 for each receiving yard he produced for the Steelers in 2008.  And all he did was pretty much single-handedly win the Steel City a Super Bowl.  No biggie.

I don't know what else to say right now other than the fact that I am thoroughly disgusted - as a Browns fan, as a fan of the NFL, and as a working American citizen.

WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT!

The NFL is regularly touted as being one of the most well-run big businesses.  But really, Mr. Goodell needs to seriously re-evaluate some things, starting first and foremost with the judging of character of those who fill the uniforms, and secondly by determining their monetary value.

Browns WR Stallworth hits, kills Fla. pedestrian

MIAMI (AP)—Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth hit and killed a pedestrian with his Bentley on Saturday morning on a busy causeway linking Miami and Miami Beach, police said.

Stallworth was headed toward the beach when he hit a 49-year-old man around 7 a.m., said Miami Beach police spokesman Juan Sanchez. The unidentified pedestrian was taken to a nearby trauma center, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later. He was near a crosswalk but it’s not clear if he was crossing legally.

Stallworth, 28, was cooperating and no charges have been filed, Sanchez said. Officers drew blood to test for drugs or alcohol, which is routine, but police said it was too early to tell if Stallworth was impaired or violating traffic laws. Police would not say where he was coming from or where he was headed.

Miami-Dade County property records show Stallworth owns two condos in a building on Biscayne Boulevard in Miami not far from the causeway and another condo in a different building in Miami.

A message seeking comment was left on the voicemail of his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.

The Browns said in a statement they were aware of what happened.

“We understand the seriousness of this situation, but will not have any further comment at this time as this is an ongoing investigation,” the team said.

Stallworth signed a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Browns as a free agent before last season but hardly played because he was hurt. He was due a $4.75 million signing bonus Friday.

Stallworth, who previously played for New England, Philadelphia and New Orleans, finished last season with just 17 catches for 170 yards. He was slowed all season by a nagging hamstring injury and made just seven starts for the Browns.

Stallworth had his best season with the Saints in 2005, when he made a career-high 70 receptions for 945 yards and seven touchdowns. He was drafted in the first round (No. 13 overall) by the Saints in 2002. Stallworth played his college ball at Tennessee.

AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report.

Browns Release Local WR

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns released wide receiver Joe Jurevicius, who missed last season after getting a staph infection in his right knee. Jurevicius played two seasons for his hometown Browns. He caught 40 passes in 2006 and had 50 receptions with three touchdowns in 2007. The 34-year-old underwent a simple procedure to clean out scar tissue in January 2008, and he contracted staph. The infection ravaged Jurevicius' knee and he had to have six more operations. Jurevicius joined the Browns as an unrestricted free agent in 2006. In 11 seasons with the New York Giants, Tampa Bay, Seattle and Cleveland, he had 323 receptions for 4,119 yards and 29 TDs.

Salty's Thoughts: Hope he's doing well.