Cleveland Browns Should Raid the Baltimore Ravens for Critical UFAs

The Ravens face a difficult decision.  They have two young All Pro players who are UFAs in 2012.  RB Ray Rice is one and OG Ben Grubbs is the other. 

The Ravens can franchise one, but not both.  One of them will likely be on the free-agent market.

The Browns should do everything they can to sign whichever one is available.

There is one other possible Ravens target, but we will start with the two key players.

RB Ray Rice

This is new territory for me, because generally I believe in getting rookie RBs rather than veteran UFA RBs that have less tread on the tires. 

There is very little market for a used RB at 30 years old or more.

However, this is different, both because we have no starting-quality NFL backs on the roster and because we have a chance to deal a serious blow to the Ravens. 

Payton Hillis will not be back, and Montario Hardesty is an injury waiting to happen.

The chance to get an All Pro from a division rival makes me put my personal policy aside to recommend that the Browns look seriously at signing an UFA RB.

Rice was a second-round pick in 2008 (pick 55). 

He has started since 2009 and has more than a thousand yards in each of the last three seasons.

Rice has exceptional vision, a jump-step to get to any hole he sees and is an outstanding receiver out of the backfield.  He has above-average speed and has long runs of 76, 63 and 78 yards over the last three seasons. 

He is also very good at protecting the QB.  He reads the blitz and has the quickness to get to the point of the blitz to give the QB time to throw.

Rice is one of the few primary backs in the league that gets 75 percent of the running back attempts for his team. He averages 4.6 yards per carry for his career. 

He has also averaged around 70 receptions a year in the last three seasons with an 8.9 average per reception.  He scored 15 TDs in 2011.

I loved Rice coming out of Rutgers in '08.  While there are other RBs on the market, I think the Browns would be better off going for a rookie rather than a vet UFA—except for Rice. 

Taking him out of the Ravens offense would be a major step toward becoming competitive in the division.

LG Ben Grubbs

Grubbs is one of the three best guards in the league. 

If you watched the playoff game against the Texans, you saw Grubbs 30 yards downfield, blocking, with RB Rice right on his backside running the ball. 

You will not see many guards with the athleticism and motor to get that far down the field.

Grubbs was a first-round pick in 2007 (pick 29) and started 12 games that season.  He has
been the starter at LG ever since. 

He did miss six games this year, which was the first time he had missed a game since
becoming a starter.

He is outstanding blocking the run and the pass.  He has awareness that lets him double-team a
nose guard with the C then scrape off to get the inside linebacker and move on to the safety. 

He has outstanding balance and has filled in at tackle when asked with excellent results.  When he pulls, he is accurate with his lock.  That means he anticipates where his target will be when he gets there and is able to block a LB off his feet and move on to the safety.

When Browns G Eric Steinbach comes back in 2012 (which I am sure he will), he and Grubbs would be the best OG combination in the league.

S Tom Zbikowski

Either one of these two would be a major blow to the Ravens and would be a huge improvement over any player on the Browns’ roster. 

If they signed Grubbs, he could play either guard or even move to RT if needed. 

If they sign Rice, he will be a threat to put 100-plus yards up on the Ravens because they would not give him the extension for which he asked before the 2011 season.

Either way, the Browns would be improved, and the Ravens would be worse. 

That is a formula for success in closing the gap between the two teams.

Another player that the Browns should look at if he is available is safety Tom Zbikowski, who was drafted in 2008 in the third round.

He has started 14 of his 53 total games in the league.  He has played both SS and FS and is a key FA for the Ravens.  He is a high-motor guy with near CB speed and good play recognition. He also has good athleticism. 

He is a big hitter that can anticipate plays and break up passes.  While he is not the starter, he is a key reserve that will be the likely replacement for S Ed Reed when he retires.  Zbikowski also returns kicks.

That is what I think.  Tell us what you think.

If you like this, join me on the Internet radio version of News, Notes and Rumors M-Th at 6 PM EST on http://mooheadradio.com/2.0/. 

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits http://fryingpansports.com.  He has also published several novels on http://www.eBooks-Library.com/Contemporary/ and a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/.