Cleveland Browns Cut Six, Training Camp Roster Almost Set

With the signings of five restricted free agents, the Browns had to free up five roster spots, so five guys you've never heard of have been waived.

RB Jed Collins, DB Matt Harris, DLs Jonathan Lewis and Martin Tevaseu, and TE Ryan Moya all were given their walking papers after RFAs Jerome Harrison, Abram Elam, Lawrence Vickers, D'Qwell Jackson, and Matt Roth signed their tenders.

In addition, the Browns were awarded offensive lineman Paul Fanaika off waivers from the Washington Redskins. To make room for Fanaika, offensive lineman Eric Ghiaciuc was let go.

Originally, Fanaika was drafted by Philadelphia in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He spent 11 weeks on the Eagles' practice squad before he was signed to the Washington Redskins’ active roster on November 23. Fanaika was on the active roster in Washington for only one game.

Ghiaciuc had been signed to add depth to the roster, but he had no real ties to Heckert or Mangini, so Ghiaciuc became the odd man out once Fanaika became available.

With the depth the team has at running back now, Collins had no chance of making the training camp roster. The same argument applies at tight end with Moya.

In the offseason program, when the extra roster spots are available, teams often bring in a bunch of guys whose chances of making the training camp roster range between slim and none. It affords the team a chance to get a look at these guys should the injury bug strike early and often during the season.

The Browns will now be entering training camp with much more depth on their roster than they had at this time last year. Despite head coach Eric Mangini's laughable insistence on not naming a starter, the quarterback position is set.

You don't sign Jake Delhomme to a big contract and not start the guy. Mangini is not in charge of who will start at quarterback going into the season, no matter what he may think or what team president Mike Holmgren has said publicly.

On that note, Holmgren has made it clear several times in his public comments that this team will not have a quarterback controversy, and the best way to approach the season is to pick one guy and throw everything behind him.

Mangini has improved 10 times over in how he deals with the media and the team under Holmgren, but every now and then he can't help but revert back to "Baby Belichick" form and say something stupid.

Note to Mangini: NOBODY believes you when you say Seneca Wallace may start.

Note No. 2 to Mangini: NOBODY cares who takes the ball from center Alex Mack anyway—the team isn't that good yet.

Moving on from quarterback, the team now has Ben Watson at tight end, improving that position tremendously. The team hasn't had a true "blocking" tight end in years, mainly due to Kellen Winslow's consistent injuries.

The offensive and defensive lines are works in progress, but talent added this year should make both lines much more solid. The defensive secondary has nowhere to go but up with Joe Haden, T.J. Ward, and Larry Asante on the roster.

The wide receivers also have nowhere to go but up with Braylon "Dropsie McGee" Edwards now the No. 1 pass dropper in New York. It also helps that every quarterback on the roster with a chance of starting is more accurate than either Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson.

With about six weeks until training camp, it's time to get the rookies signed.

Stay tuned.