Verba given permission to seek trade
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter
The Browns have given disgruntled left tackle Ross Verba permission to talk to other teams willing to trade for him.
They filed the necessary paperwork with the NFL office on Saturday, the same day L.J. Shelton signed a one-year contract, ostensibly to replace Verba.
General Manager Phil Savage said on Monday that the Browns have not formally closed the door on Verba returning to the team, but trading him would be the preference.
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Chicago, Houston and Kansas City are teams still looking to upgrade their offensive lines.
In the meantime, Verba has been excused from participating in any team-related activities. He will not be fined for being absent from coach Romeo Crennel's mandatory minicamp next week, Savage said.
Verba's public comments stat- ing his displeasure with his contract situation rankled the Browns' top brass. It is fairly obvious that Verba has talked himself off the team.
The question is how long the Browns would work to try to get something in return for him. Technically, they could hold out for a trade all the way to the league deadline in October. Such a strategy would keep Verba from earning game checks for half a season.
Savage said he has been unable to reach Tom Condon, Verba's agent, to discuss the best way to terminate his Browns career.
In Shelton, the Browns get a player who is two years younger than Verba and who has started 77 NFL games, mostly at left tackle.
Shelton's conditioning reportedly got him off on the wrong foot with Arizona coach Dennis Green last year.
Savage said Shelton looked "OK," in the team's recent workout, "and obviously we'll have from now until training camp to work with him."
"L.J. came out of Eastern Michigan and was a first-rounder drafted on potential [in 1999]," Savage said. "He's experienced and has versatility. I think now that he is in a different environment, this will be a case of a change of scenery doing him good."
Shelton is expected to join his new team today for the resumption of Crennel's "passing camp" practices.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670