Two Browns get tickets to paradise
Posted December 17th, 2008 by Luke Chandler
Yesterday the Pro Bowl rosters were announced, and two Browns made the roster. Offensive tackle Joe Thomas and nose tackle Shaun Rogers are heading to Hawaii.
Rogers is not a surprise given his amazing play this year, but also the amount of talent at defensive tackle in the AFC. The two starting tackles in front of, Albert Haynesworth and Kris Jenkins have both received press as possible Defensive Player of the Year honorees. Haloti Ngata got the snub in Baltimore, along with Patriot Vince Wilfork.
To see Thomas make the roster as a starter is encouraging, but he's been less than stellar this season. It's hard to match a season like Thomas had in 2007. The Pro Bowl can be a glorified popularity contest though. With Thomas getting the nod, it's a testament to the Browns overall national exposure, given their five nationally televised contests this year.
Four Browns made the Pro Bowl as alternates also:
Joshua Cribbs, KR/ST (First alternate) – His overall special teams play this year has been great. Beating out a special teams ace like Brendon Ayanbadejo is tough though. Ayanbadejo has a huge reputation for his special teams play.
Phil Dawson, K, (Second Alternate) – One of the Browns who's felt the harsh snub of the Pro Bowl during the team's horrendous years is Dawson. In 2005 he was one of the best kickers in the NFL, but the team was so bad that he hardly was recognized.
D'Qwell Jackson, ILB, (Third Alternate) – Leading the NFL in tackles has boosted Jackson's name. He is the Browns best defensive player outside of Rogers in the front seven.
Eric Steinbach, OG, (Third Alternate) – Being named a third alternate hardly guarantees a trip to Hawaii, and Steinbach likely made the list based on name recognition. He's a high profile guard who's played decent football this season, when healthy.
Roster News
Tight end Steve Heiden and inside linebacker Beau Bell were placed on IR today. Heiden tore his ACL in the loss on Monday, and Bell will have his problematic knee scoped. To replace them, the Browns signed former Raiders tight end John Madsen, and then elevated rookie sixth round wide receiver Paul Hubbarb to the active roster.
Madsen has a nice pedigree as a receiving tight end, which makes me wonder if this is another way of keeping rookie Martin Rucker off the field? Given how things have gone this year, I wouldn't be surprised to Madsen not only on the active roster this week, but also getting extensive playing time.
While Hubbard was the talk of camp, don't expect much production. He will likely be inactive for the last two games, despite the team's lack of depth at receiver.
Michigan Man
This quote from Braylon Edwards speaks for itself.
"It is what it is … I've learned since being here that I'm very unappreciated. Not by the organization, just in the eyes of the fans and the city. Since Day One, I've been a marked man coming from Michigan. It's just gone that way."
Bud Shaw handles this subject appropriately. Even the most rabid of Browns/Buckeyes fans don't seem to care about where Edwards comes from. Most fans DO care about the fact that Edwards continues to drop passes, play unenthusiastic football, and be upset when the team is losing.
No word on if Shantee Orr feels the same way as Edwards.
