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Defensive lineman hopes to leave past, losing behind
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Wednesday, Mar 05, 2008
BEREA: To Shaun Rogers, Detroit might as well be Las Vegas.
The massive defensive tackle acquired Friday in a trade with the Lions comes to Cleveland looking for a fresh start. He wants to forget his well-documented problems of the past seven years — the battle with his weight, inconsistent play, a refusal to talk to the media and the allegation that he groped a woman in a strip club last June, entering her dressing room with a gun in his belt.
''Whatever happened in the past stays in the past,'' said Rogers, sounding like he'd just left Vegas. ''I'm excited to be here and get a new look, develop a new reputation and just move on.''
Rogers was picked up for a third-round draft pick and cornerback Leigh Bodden, with the trade pronounced official Tuesday after both players passed physicals. Given what he called ''a new lease on life,'' Rogers said all the right things in a news conference.
He said he would ''most definitely'' participate in the Browns' offseason program. He said going 31-81 in seven years with the Lions wore on him, and both sides knew it was time for him to go. He said he has nothing to prove to the Lions but hopes to raise his performance ''a notch'' with his new team. He said he would play right end or nose tackle, even though he has no experience in a 3-4 scheme.
He also believes he can get back to the Pro Bowl after being selected in 2004 and '05. But that's not his ultimate goal.
''That's a personal achievement that I feel like if I do my job I can reach anywhere,'' Rogers said. ''But I'm looking to go higher than the Pro Bowl. I'm looking to try to win the big ring. I'm trying to have some hardware like the head coach here.''
Rogers seemed to relish the chance to play for Browns coach Romeo Crennel, not only because Crennel earned five Super Bowl rings as an assistant with the New York Giants and New England Patriots, but because he can ''understand the plight of a big man.''
''I'm pretty sure anybody in the sports world knows Mr. Crennel and his credentials with the Patriots defense,'' Rogers said. ''There was a respect level there, and I'm glad to be under his wing.''
Listed as 6-foot-4 and 340 pounds on his Browns' biography, Rogers said his ideal playing weight is ''whatever is comfortable.''
Asked if that was an issue with his play, he joked, ''I was born 10 pounds and 1 ounce, so it's always been an issue. I've managed to play good football throughout my career, so I don't think that is going to be an issue here. We're all going to be in agreement that whatever (the goal weight) turns out to be, I'm going to meet those standards and play good ball.''
Rogers doesn't believe it's a stretch to think he can play end in a 3-4.
''With this scheme, when you consider outside, that is more like a three-technique and I have done my time there as well,'' he said.
Crennel said the Browns would get the most out of Rogers and believes he's a good fit.
''He's a strong, dominant player at the line of scrimmage and can win the one-on-one battle, which will force some double teams,'' Crennel said.
Meanwhile receiver Donte Stallworth, signed Saturday to a reported seven-year, $35 million contract with $10 million guaranteed, will provide a new dimension to the Browns offense, General Manager Phil Savage said.
''Donte brings big speed, but he also has the underneath quickness that we didn't have last year,'' he said.
''It's something I didn't do last year in New England, but I did do in Philadelphia and in my first few years in New Orleans,'' Stallworth said on a conference call. ''I'm used to running the intermediate routes and I'm excited to be doing whatever it is (to) help contribute to winning.''
The Browns pursued Stallworth after 10-year veteran Joe Jurevicius said after the season that filling the No. 2 spot took too much of a physical toll.
Stallworth said the presence of running back Jamal Lewis, a teammate at the University of Tennessee, was a major factor in his decision.
Brownies
The Browns signed special teamer Nick Sorensen to a three-year contract. . . . Linebacker Darryl Blackstock, a three-year veteran not tendered by the Arizona Cardinals, was scheduled to arrive in Cleveland last night and visit the Browns today. . . . Tennessee defensive end Travis LaBoy, who visited over the weekend, signed a five-year, $22 million contract with the Cardinals that included $7.5 million guaranteed. . . . Savage said Travis Wilson, Syndric Steptoe and Steve Sanders will battle for the fifth receiver spot.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: To Shaun Rogers, Detroit might as well be Las Vegas.
Get the full article here.
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