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Yakuza Rich said:
I wish you were right...
• No matter the size of the deal (the contract figures haven't been filed yet), the Cleveland Browns made a terrific move Thursday by signing inside linebacker Andra Davis to a five-year extension that keeps him off the free-agent market. Davis has flourished in the 3-4 scheme installed by first-year coach Romeo Crennel. He leads the Browns with 169 tackles (based on team stats), has led the team or tied for the lead in tackles in 12 of 13 outings, and has 10 games with double-digit stops.
For the most part, 3-4 linebackers don't break the bank in free agency, and Davis almost certainly wouldn't have gotten a blockbuster deal, either. But he was on the free-agent radar screen of several teams to whom we speak regularly, and he would have had some options. General manager Phil Savage a few weeks ago cited retaining Davis, a former fifth-round draft choice, as a priority. Mission accomplished. The next target is defensive end Orpheus Roye, who had played before in a 3-4 front, and was a superb fit. It's important for any rebuilding team to retain its own best players as a foundation, and with Davis' future now secured, Cleveland officials will work hard to keep Roye from becoming an unrestricted free agent.