BEREA
It had been quiet at Browns' headquarters since Pat Shurmur was named coach Jan. 13. That changed Wednesday.
Making his first move to rid the team of players brought in by previous regimes, Shurmur terminated the contracts of six players - linebackers Eric Barton and David Bowens, defensive linemen Shaun Rogers and Kenyon Coleman, tight end Robert Royal and offensive lineman John St. Clair.
Five of the six were brought in by previous coach Eric Mangini. Rogers was acquired from the Detroit Lions for cornerback Leigh Bodden and a third-round pick in the 2008 draft when Phil Savage was the general manager.
The Browns don't like to admit that they're in a rebuilding mode after posting losing records in 10 of the last 12 seasons, but that's the reality of the situation. Lost in the culture of losing in recent seasons is that the Browns were an old team - all six players that were terminated are older than 30.
You could say that this is addition by subtraction, especially in the case of Rogers. Rogers is an interesting mix of size and athleticism, but he couldn't stay on the field as age began to take a toll. He was an observer throughout training camp and was on the injured list each week during the season.
If nothing else, the subtraction of Rogers should play well in the locker room. He acted like a player with a sense of entitlement, but he rarely did much on the field to prove that he was worth the monetary investment the organization invested in him.
Rogers registered just 17 tackles last season, including two sacks. He was scheduled to make $5.5 million next season with a $500,000 roster bonus.
Rogers is a pure nose tackle, and the Browns have a promising player at that position in Ahtyba Rubin, who was third in tackles last season with 82. At best, he'll be signed by another team as a situational player with the intention of giving him limited time.
Barton, Bowens and Coleman were among several ex-New York Jets brought in by Mangini. Barton started in 2009 on the inside but finished the season on injured reserve with a neck injury. He was a possible training-camp casualty last year but was forced to play more than expected after D'Qwell Jackson suffered a season-ending injury in camp.
Bowens is probably headed for retirement and a role as a coach. He was a valuable backup and occasional starter in two seasons, helping lead the Browns to an upset of the New Orleans Saints last season, returning two interception for touchdowns.
Like Rogers, Coleman rarely answered the call for practice all season because of knee problems. He was a game-day trooper, playing in all 16 games and recording 68 tackles.
Royal was third on the depth chart. Ben Watson and Evan Moore were ahead of him until Moore went on IR late in the season.
St. Clair was inactive five games with a knee injury. He played on the right side, which was a glaring offensive weakness.
With Shurmur planning to go with a 4-3 defense, the moves highlight the need to strengthen the defensive line. The only dependable player returning is Rubin.
Linebacker could be a major area of need if Matt Roth isn't re-signed, which appears to be the plan. There's no question that the offensive line needs help on the right side.