Browns trade Fowler

[Style]

Browns trade Fowler, add Billy Miller, make cuts, sign 5 to practice squad

Twenty-four hours after trimming their roster to the regular-season limit of 53, the Browns made two additional roster changes and signed five players to the practice squad.

Pending each player passing his physical, the team traded offensive lineman Melvin Fowler to the Minnesota Vikings for offensive tackle Nat Dorsey.

Dorsey (6-7, 322) was a fourth-round draft pick of the Vikings in 2004. During his rookie season Dorsey played in 13 games with seven starts. The Georgia Tech alum turns 22 this week.

Fowler, meanwhile, was a 2002 third-round draft pick. He has played in 30 games with 14 starts as a Brown.

The team also signed veteran tight end Billy Miller (6-3, 252). Miller, a seven-year NFL veteran, was released by the Houston Texans Aug. 29. He has made 114 catches for 1,212 yards in 70 NFL games (21 starts) with the Texans and Broncos. During the Texans' inaugural season of 2002, he was the team's leading receiver with 51 catches for 613 yards, and caught the first touchdown pass in club history.

With Aaron Shea on the mend from a strained chest muscle suffered Sept. 1 in Chicago, Miller could see playing time quickly.

To make room on the roster for Miller, the team released rookie receiver Brandon Rideau.

After clearing waivers, the Browns signed Rideau, along with tight end Paul Irons, linebacker Justin Kurpeikis, running back Sultan McCullough and defensive lineman J'Vonne Parker to the practice squad. All five players were with the team during training camp. The Browns can carry as many as eight players on the practice squad.

Rideau made the initial 53 announced Saturday. Those released were receiver Richard Alston - the team's '04 kick returner, linebacker Jamal Brooks, cornerback Dyshod Carter, offensive lineman Enoch DeMar, who started 11 games last season, safety Michael Grant, quarterback Josh Harris, Irons, receiver C.J. Jones, McCullough, fullback Ben Miller, linebacker Omar Nazel, Parker, guard Mike Pucillo and offensive tackle Greg Randall.

Notable players to make the team include all seven of the team's 2005 draft picks (besides seventh-round pick offensive lineman Jonathan Dunn, who was placed on injured-reserve), undrafted rookie receivers Josh Cribbs and Brandon Rideau and defensive lineman Simon Fraser.

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[Mac]

I saw this..

I am upset the released Demarr..he may not have been great, but he is dept none the less. We have found out too many times how injury prone this OL is.

 

[Style]

I saw this..

I am upset the released Demarr..he may not have been great, but he is dept none the less. We have found out too many times how injury prone this OL is.

Yeah, I don't get it. Crennel said that Demar was our top backup at guard AND center. wtf?

 

[PIP]

I remember last year alot of fans were pissed the browns didn't draft dorsey to beef up the line.

 

[cdt]

Oh yeah me too i wanted dorsey i remember he was like the 1. available for like 20 picks and we passed him...savage is re-fixing previous draft blunders!

 

[TrueCavsFan23]

im glad we got rideau still tho...but look billy miller was sick in their franchise year i like that guy.

 

[cavincali]

what does dorsey have over fowler, because fowler has the expiernce and isnt old.

i trust the savage knows that this will better the team.

 

[PIP]

Dorsey has the potential to be a very good LT that is why.

but with MOUNT McKiNNEY or whatever his name is in minnesota, he didn't get the oppurtunity.

 

[Style]

So who do we have on the bench in the middle now (guard, center)? Yovanovits? link By my count we have 3 backups tackles in Dunn, Chambers, and Dorsey, and one guard I've never heard of. I repeat, wtf? Good thing fayne never gets injured.

 

[Mac]

Faine has been injured a couple times actually. He missed a good part of the year two years ago. And I believe he missed a game or two last year.

We obviously need to get one more OL and I believe that will come when Jameson comes back, because he will be cut on the spot.

 

[Style]

So who do we have on the bench in the middle now (guard, center)? Yovanovits? link By my count we have 3 backups tackles in Dunn, Chambers, and Dorsey, and one guard I've never heard of. I repeat, wtf? Good thing fayne never gets injured.

I was being sarcastic in regards to Faine's health, hence the roll eyes.

 

[Mac]

Early morning post...missed it.

 

[NarlCavs]

I like the Fowler trade. Dorsey does have ability but there have been some questions about him along the lines of attitude and work ethic. I think it might be a case of him needing to mature and not a case where he's a problem or bad guy.
Dorsey has a chance to be a quality starting tackle. Those are much tougher to find than backup interior lineman like Fowler. When you have a chance to get one than you should do it.

Dunn, the T the Browns drafted, was put on IR. I do think they'll pick up a lineman who can play C.

It was nice to see they were able to reacquire their young players with potential to put on the practice squad. I also caught today that they signed 2 more offensive lineman to the practice squad.

 

[PIP]

I agree narl, keeping rideau was huge... he will be a factor on this team one day.. His size makes for an exceptional option in the red zone, and I haven't seem him drop one pass.

I also like that we able to keep SULTAN on the squad..

Gwtting Dorsey was an upgrade period..

 

[Mac]

Hate to break it to ya, but none of the players on the practice squad will ever amount to a player that plays alot.

Maybe Sulton because of his speed, but we have enough return guys.