On Tuesday, Fujita told the Associated Press that he’s innocent of any bounty allegations, despite knowing first-hand what actually took place within the Saints’ supposed pay-for-performance system under former coordinator Gregg Williams.

Fujita, who was suspended three games by commissioner Roger Goodell, is appealing his ban and hopes to be cleared because “my reputation is a lot more important to me than three game checks. My track record speaks for itself.”

Ironically, Fujita is an executive member of the players’ union, so he’s more than aware of the firestorm this story has brought upon the league. He also hinted strongly that the full truth has yet to be heard.

“There will come a time when I’ll be willing to share everything,” said Fujita.

Playing detective for a second, it appears Browns receiver Josh Cribbs was on to something a few weeks ago, when he passed along this cryptic tweet: “Hey @nfl, I wouldn’t force @scottfujita99 to take the gloves off if I were you…’Sources’ tell me he knows a little too much!!!”

Andrew Sweat

Apparently, that’s as far as his pro career will go.

On Monday, Sweat tweeted that he’s opting for law school over the NFL, a decision prompted by the highly-publicized concussion issue recently brought to light around the league.

Concussion symptoms didn’t want to risk it.. Thanks to the browns for the opportunity. Health trumps football any day

— Andrew Sweat (@asweat42) May 14, 2012

Shortly after, the website Deadspin wrote a column critiquing his choice to pass up a potential six-figure salary for the rigors and inevitable stresses of law school.

Sweat didn’t take too kindly to the press.

@Deadspin might need to get facts right. “good setup” my dad has a very successful law firm think I’m okay here..

— Andrew Sweat (@asweat42) May 14, 2012

Last season, Sweat was concussed during a game against Purdue, and the injury ultimately cut short his senior season. It’s admirable that he’s putting his long-term health first and foremost, while still chasing a dream, not just a paycheck.

[H/T USA Today]

GM Mike Holmgren admitted in his post-draft press conference that he contacted the Colts about the No. 1 overall pick, which they would’ve used to take Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, ESPN.com reports.

Unfortunately for Cleveland, the dialogue didn’t last very long.

“Probably about five minutes,” Holmgren said. “Actually I had two conversations. I had a conversation with Mr. [Jim] Irsay and also with their new general manager. I believe I was in the swimming pool at the owners meetings and I had a drink in my hand, on the second one. It wasn’t very long.”

Obviously, the Colts stayed put, making the much-ballyhooed signal-caller the new face of a rebuilt franchise. They’ve had their hearts set on Luck for the better part of two years, and finally got their man; no team was going to stand in the way of that happening.

The Browns, also in desperate need of quarterback, opted for Plan B, drafting Oklahoma State QB Brandon Weeden with their second first-round pick, No. 22 overall.

So, even though he struck out on Luck, Holmgren came away with a blue-chip back whose drawn comparisons to Adrian Peterson, and a potential franchise quarterback (albeit an older one) to build upon. Not too bad of a consolation prize.

Sources tell ESPNCleveland.com, the Browns, before making at a run at RGIII, inquired about a trade for Sam Bradford.

At the NFL meetings Wednesday, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher confirmed Cleveland asked about Bradford, but reiterated a deal was not going to happen.

“His name came up, not from us,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Wednesday morning. “Clubs inquired. But there was no consideration whatsoever on our part (to trade Bradford).”

Apparently, multiple teams were in on the former No. 1 overall pick, though Fisher, who last month said dealing Bradford “is not an option,” refused to discuss the matter further.

“I prefer not to get into specifics about the conversations. I can say there were teams that inquired,” Fisher said.

The fit between the Browns and Bradford is an obvious one, and goes back to 2010, when team president Mike Holmgren tried to capture the top pick to draft the former Oklahoma Sooner, but it wasn’t to be. Their latest attempt is no surprise considering Bradford’s quarterback coach and offensive coordinator during his spectacular rookie campaign was Shurmur, now the Browns’ head man.

However, Fisher likes what he sees from Bradford, and feels he can become a “special” player.

“I evaluated him coming out, and watched him play,” Fisher said. “Obviously he had an exceptional rookie year. Last year was a difficult year for him. It was a difficult year for the entire Rams offense because of different different circumstances. There’s no question after watching tape of his rookie year that he has a chance to be special.”

Though, just because they swung-and-missed on two occasions, doesn’t mean the Browns and Rams can’t still be friends — or, in this case, trading partners.

Fisher acknowledged there were “fruitful discussions” between both sides, and named the Browns as a “potential trade partner.”

St. Louis could be interested in receiver Justin Blackmon, who’d likely be gone by the time they’re on the clock at No. 6. On the flipside, Cleveland is still looking for a quarterback to give Colt McCoy a run for his money, and that might be Ryan Tannehill.

There’s still plenty of time for talks to continue, though I wouldn’t be surprised if a swap was made well before draft day, as ironic as that’d be.

Peyton Hillis

One year after busting out for the Browns, the Madden 2012 cover boy now appears headed out of the Buckeye State.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Hillis is “most likely gone” from the Browns, who reportedly have “no intention” of paying the $5-6 million annual salary he’s said to be seeking.

Per Cabot, the team doesn’t feel Hillis, an impending free agent, is “worth all the drama” after a season marred by injuries, off-field issues, and, of course, the video game’s infamous curse.

Anchored by their offensive line, the Browns also believe they can replace Hillis’ production — or lack thereof — with a more cost-effective alternative. The 250 lb. bruiser totaled 587 yards and three scores this year, while appearing in just 10 games.

On Thursday, both team president Mike Holmgren and head coach Pat Shurmer refused to divulge on Hillis’ future with the organization, an indication that they may be ready to move on.

“Please respect our decision,” Holmgren said Thursday. “We’re not gonna talk a lot about those things today because that’s one of our players that’s a free agent, and we’re not gonna deal with that.”

Soon to be 26-years-old, Hillis would garner decent interest on the free agent market, but an injury-prone running back with a knack for putting the ball on the ground simply isn’t landing the type of contract he’s pining for.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Hillis allegedly skipped a scheduled Cleveland Boys and Girls Club Halloween event on Monday night, letting down more than 40 giddy children after committing to the promotional appearance.

LeCharles Bentley, former Browns offensive lineman and member of the club’s board, initially received the commitment by Hillis’ brother and business agent, but blasted the Browns’ bruising back on Twitter following the surprising no-show.

“Peyton Hillis looking for 10mil guaranteed from Browns and can’t show up to kids charity event? #ManPlease,” Bentley tweeted.

Hillis, who ran for nearly 1,200 yards last season, has gotten off to a horrible 2011 campaign. He began the season pining for a new contract and then promptly underperformed, thanks to a bum hamstring and strep throat. In total, he has just 211 yards, a 3.5 yards-per-carry average, and two scores — both coming in Week 2 against the Colts.

While Hillis’ mysterious absence from the charity event won’t affect future contract negotiations, it will, however, compound the problems he’s having on the gridiron, keeping the disappointment fresh in the minds of local fans and media.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Browns reached an agreement with Thomas on a seven-year, $84 million extension.

The deal includes a whopping $44 million in guarantees, an unprecedented amount for an O-lineman.

At $12 million per year, Thomas will be making near-franchise quarterback money. But, as with most mammoth contracts, his play definitely warranted the hefty payday.

Since entering the league in 2007, Thomas has made four consecutive Pro Bowls, is a two-time All-Pro selection, and has never missed a game — or even a practice.

Despite playing on an offense that’s lacked a talented supporting cast, Thomas has become the premier left tackle in the league, continually stonewalling elite pass-rushers and setting the edge for Peyton Hillis and the running game. He’s also responsible for protecting the blindside of quarterback Colt McCoy, a duty that’s tantamount to the offense’s success.

Still just 26-years-old, Thomas has many dominant years left in front of him — likely all to be spent in Cleveland. If he continues at his current pace, the former Wisconsin Badger has a very real shot of going down as one of the best tackles of this generation.

The Cleveland Browns designated kicker Phil Dawson as their franchise player, while Carolina Panthers center Ryan Kalil was hit with the tag. Dawson will earn around $3.25 million in 2011. Kalil’s salary is expected to approach $10 million on the one-year contract.

Although Dawson has been pining for a long-term extension, he will make substantially more — about $2 million — than he did in 2010. That’s not to say he hasn’t earned it; he’s been the Browns’ kicker since 1999, and has made the Pro Bowl twice as the team’s all-time leading scorer.

Dawson was nearly flawless last year, nailing 23 field goals out of 29 attempts.

The 25-year old Kalil is only the second center in NFL history to receive the franchise tag. Along the Carolina offensive line, Kalil is a stud, holding down a line that surrendered sacks and allowed penetration from the opposition. He has started every game in the last two seasons, while adding two Pro Bowl appearances to his resume.

Dick Jauron

New Browns head coach Pat Shurmer isn’t wasting any time filling out his staff. Although he’ll handle the offensive playcalling on gamedays, the team still needed a head man on defense, and they chose what should be a capable man for the job.

According to NFL.com, Cleveland has hired Dick Jauron to become the team’s new defensive coordinator. The Browns were vacant at the position after Rob Ryan, the previous defensive coordinator for the last two seasons, bolted to Dallas.

Jauron, the Philadelphia Eagles’ secondary coach in 2010, met with Shurmer this week and the Browns moved quickly to add him to the staff. Philly was intent on hanging onto Jauron, possibly as their DC, but his familiarity with team president Mike Holmgren likely went a long way in securing his decision.

Other than working with the Eagles, Jauron’s resume is pretty lengthy — he was Jacksonville’s defensive boss from 1995-1998. In 1999, he was named the head coach of the Chicago Bears and held the position until 2003. After a couple of other stints as a defensive coordinator, Jauron landed another head coaching gig, this time with the Buffalo Bills from 2006-2009. Overall, he holds a 60-82 coaching record.

In Cleveland, Jauron will probably switch their scheme from their current 3-4 to the conventional 4-3 alignment, which he’s known to employ. Although the transistion can certainly be done with a whole offseason ahead of him, the team will need to re-evaluate their personnel to see who will/won’t fit in their new scheme.

Pat Shurmur

The Cleveland Browns have officially found Eric Mangini’s successor.

According to ESPN, the Browns have hired Pat Shurmer to become the 13th full-time head coach in the team’s history — and fifth since 1999. He will be introduced at a press conference tomorrow, as the media gets its first look at Cleveland’s new head man.

Shurmur previously spent the last two years in St. Louis as the Rams offensive coordinator, and also was the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterbacks coach for ten seasons.

He has ties to team president Mike Holmgren as his uncle, Fritz, was Holmgren’s assistant in Green Bay. Shurmer has been the favorite to nab this job from the outset, so today was all about finally consummating the deal.

Shurmur spoke on what this means to him, courtesy of WTAM in Cleveland.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to join an organization with such a rich history and tradition as the Cleveland Browns,” Shurmur said. “I have the utmost respect for Coach Holmgren and Tom Heckert, and I am impressed with the direction in which they have this franchise going. I have known Tom for most of my pro coaching career, and while we were in Philadelphia, he and I developed an outstanding relationship. I want to thank Mike and Tom, as well as Randy Lerner, for this tremendous opportunity. I also want to thank the St. Louis Rams and Steve Spagnuolo for two terrific seasons and for giving me a chance to be a coordinator at this level. I am looking forward to this challenge and can’t wait to get started in helping to build the Browns back to one of the elite teams in the NFL.”

For all intents and purposes, this is a very nice hire for the Browns. Shurmur, who was instrumental in developing Rams’ rookie quarterback Sam Bradford this season, will run the same West Coast Offense that Holmgren is expected to install for 2011. Judging by his work with Bradford, and Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb in the past, he’ll have a chance to utilize his magic on Colt McCoy, the team’s presumable future at the position.