Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Suggs trade rescinded

Welcome back, Lee Suggs. Boy, that sure was quick.
The trade that sent Suggs to New York for cornerback Derrick Strait was rescinded Tuesday, about 24 hours after it was announced.
The reason? Brace yourself for this one -- Suggs failed his Jets physical.
In true Browns fashion, this is darn close to the worst case scenario. The only thing that could make it worse is if Suggs hits the practice field in Berea tomorrow and blows out a knee. So we can all wait and see if that will happen.
The perpetually banged-up Suggs has never been totally healthy, and apparently the Jets saw some unsettling things amid the layers of scar tissue that are likely building up in his joints.
Suggs' physical must have really freaked out the Jets, who are facing a future without Curtis Martin and no viable backup. This is like a penniless vagrant passing up a night at a Motel 6 to continue sleeping in a box. Something must really be wrong at the motel for that to happen.
You wouldn't know it to watch Suggs play the first truly consistent, injury-free football of his career so far in training camp. But Suggs is always going to be a ticking injury time bomb. And now there might be no way out for the Browns.
The cat's out of the bag. Suggs already spooked one team at a physical. What are the odds another team is going to bite? Twenty-four hours ago, Suggs was the possible ticket to Eagles center Hank Fraley. Now he has a scarlet letter on his chest.
The Browns might as well play Suggs until he ruptures, breaks or sprains something, then hand the third-down back's role to Jerome Harrison, which is what they wanted to do all along.
Meanwhile, without Strait, the secondary continues to be perilously thin. And, as has been the ongoing theme for the Browns since camp started, GM Phil Savage must go back to the drawing board.

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