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Ex-Lion roars on field. Inspirational to team, he's learning his limits
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008
BEREA: If one team's trash is another team's treasure, Shaun Rogers might be the Browns' holy grail.
The lowly Detroit Lions, who haven't had a winning season since 2000, considered the two-time Pro Bowler a malcontent. They had issues with the 6-foot-4, 360-pound nose tackle's weight and questioned his effort during the second half of his seven seasons with the Lions.
He was also suspended for four games in 2006 for violation of the league's steroid policy, reportedly for taking an appetite suppressant that contained a banned substance, and he was accused of groping a woman in a strip club in 2007.
But since he arrived in Cleveland in a March 1 trade, Rogers has been a model citizen. While quickly becoming the team's best player, he has been an inspiration on both sides of the ball and has offered help to the Browns' young linemen. He seems on the way to joining the ranks of the Browns' most notable defensive tackles, alongside Jerry Sherk and Michael Dean Perry.
Browns coach Romeo Crennel, a former defensive lineman himself, gave Rogers the ultimate compliment Wednesday when he said ''a guy like Shaun comes along once in a lifetime.''
''You just don't find guys who have that kind of size and that kind of quickness and speed every day,'' Crennel said. ''I'm glad we got him.''
Center Hank Fraley called
Rogers ''a great teammate'' and a ''leader on that side of the ball.''
Fellow defensive lineman Shaun Smith said Rogers ''can change the game at any time,'' and believes that Rogers ''is one of the elite defensive tackles in the league right now.''
Involved in 59 of 74 plays in the victory Sunday at Jacksonville, Rogers recorded five tackles — reduced from nine solos to four solos and an assist after the coaches' film review — a sack and three quarterback pressures. He also blocked and recovered a potentially tying field goal in the fourth quarter.
''That dude is an animal,'' Jaguars quarterback David Garrard said. ''He might be the biggest guy in the whole league. He has a motor, and when it's geared up and turned on full speed, I don't know very many guys who can block him.''
In somewhat of a warning to Browns opponents, Rogers and Crennel believe that the big man is still getting comfortable in his new defense.
''I'm still learning and there's a lot of things I still can do right, still a lot of mistakes I'm making,'' Rogers said, chomping on a toothpick. ''I'm just trying to get better every day. I don't know what the limit is in this defense, so I'm not going to put a ceiling on it. I'm still in a learning phase.''
As he improves, Crennel said, Rogers' numbers might not increase.
''Getting better doesn't always equate to more tackles,'' Crennel said. ''A lot of times, it equates to forcing the team to run away from you. As he gets better, we will appreciate his impact on the defense.''
Going into the home game Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, Rogers leads the team in sacks (31/2) and pressures (10) and is third in tackles (37). The Lions' second-round pick in 2001 has shown the rare ability that made General Manager Phil Savage give him a six-year, $42 million contract three days after he arrived in trade for a third-round pick in 2008 and cornerback Leigh Bodden.
Crennel saw a fresh start work for former Cincinnati Bengals running back Corey Dillon, when he landed with the New England Patriots. The coach believes he and Rogers get along ''because we're similar in size.'
Rogers conceded that that's true and implied that he might have tried to nix the trade to the Browns if not for Crennel's reputation. A deal with the Bengals fell through over the $1 million roster bonus Rogers was due March 1, and Savage swooped in.
''When I was making that decision to come here, that most definitely played into some of the decisions,'' Rogers said of Crennel. ''He's known as a players' coach and a good coach. Guys do respect him and don't mind putting it on the line for him.
''He's stern. He gets his message across. He will fine you and take disciplinary action against you. At the same time, he does it in a manner in which he kind of requires you to understand what's going on. It's not like a malicious thing. He handles business like a professional and he treats you like one.''
If Crennel has brought out the best in Rogers, the Browns' offensive players are thrilled, too.
''Offensively, we feed off him,'' Fraley said. ''We watch him and we're hyped, like 'Ooh.' Sometimes I'm looking at him like, 'That happened to me in training camp.' It's a good feeling.''
Quarterback Derek Anderson said a friend who played with the Lions told him he would like the fun-loving Rogers.
''I was messing with him last week and he said, 'You're lucky I'm on your team,' '' Anderson said of Rogers. ''And I'm like, 'You're right, you're right.' ''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: If one team's trash is another team's treasure, Shaun Rogers might be the Browns' holy grail.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 09:27 AM, 10/30/2008
Only in the NFL would a guy be considered a "model citizen" simply because he hasn't grabbed a stripper's goodies during the 2008 calendar year. Shaun Rogers. If all fat thugs were as much of a gentleman, there would be world peace.
Posted 03:56 PM, 10/30/2008
apparently aa stands for asinine anonymous.
while he did some things while in detroit that he no doubt regrets, who rogers was in detroit is not who he is now. and *that* is a good thing for the browns and by extension, the browns fans.
we've got a guy that not only enjoys his job but more importantly, influences fellow co-workers to be more excited about their job as well. i'd love to be surrounded by people like that as my neighbors.
Posted 04:12 PM, 10/30/2008
You'd love to have your home surrounded by steroid fiends who think it's cool to walk into a public place and yank women's bodyparts against their will? Uh ... OK. Whatever.
WADSWORTH, OH
Posted 05:30 AM, 10/31/2008
TOOTHPICK? Maybe about the size of a pencil-come on people,give the dude a chance,he HAS turned his life around-has my vote for THE PRO-BOWL! KNOCK EM DOWN SHAUN !!!!
Akron, OH
Posted 11:23 AM, 10/31/2008
Go, Shaun!
Down with AA.
