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.

Eric Mangini

Black Monday is here and, as expected, it has claimed its first victim.

USA Today is reporting that Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini met with team president Mike Holmgren this morning and was fired shortly thereafter.

“This decision was not easy for me, and it was one into which I put a great deal of thought,” Holmgren said. “Although we have made improvements this season, my responsibility is to ensure that we establish a program that will allow this team to compete at a championship level. That will continue to be our goal in everything we do. I want to thank Eric for all of his contributions to the Cleveland Browns, and wish him and his family the best of luck in the future.”

In Mangini’s two years as Browns’ coach, the team finished with back-to-back 5-11 records, including a four-game slide to end the 2010 season. Mangini made a mistake this season when he thought he could win with retread quarterbacks, such as Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace, who both missed a chunk of the season due to injuries. Rookie Colt McCoy looked to be Cleveland’s best quarterback, but the team still finished 29th in total offense.

Despite being given his walking papers, Mangini remained thankful toward the organization.

“I have a deep respect for the players that I have coached the past two years and how they have made a profound difference in changing the culture – a tougher, smarter, more competitive, selfless team that never gave up,” Mangini said. “Our goal was to build a team for long term success. The core characteristics we were dedicated to, I believe, will help achieve that goal, and have provided a strong identity for this football team and have helped to create a positive foundation upon which the organization can continue to build.”

Now starts the search for his replacement. Holmgren has been rumored to be interested in coaching the team, but if he doesn’t, he will likely interview Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg and former Panthers coach John Fox. Jon Gruden’s name has popped up as well, but it’s unclear if he’s willing to leave his current job as an ESPN analyst for a Browns team that’s clearly in rebuilding mode.

Marvin Lewis

Black Monday, as tradition has it, is the first Monday following the conclusion of the NFL’s regular season. Typically, this is the day where owners, general mangers and other organizational staff members huddle to discuss the future of their team’s head coaches.

With tomorrow being Black Monday, here is a list – in no particular order – of five head coaches that might be receiving pink slips in the not-so-distant future.

Marvin Lewis. The Cincinnati Bengals finished their season in another inept way today, losing to the Ravens 13-7 and upping their loss total to twelve. Bengals president Mike Brown and Lewis are scheduled to meet in the coming days, and Lewis, whose contract is about to expire, reportedly wants changes to be made to the team’s facilities and player personnel department. We don’t think Brown’s going to adhere to Lewis’ wishes, especially with the roster turnover that’s likely to go down, and the coach will likely be looking for work this offseason.

Tony Sparano. Despite a solid defense, and good running game, the Miami Dolphins couldn’t put it together this season as they finished with a 7-9 record. Their last loss at the hands of the Patriots was particularly ugly, and I’m not just talking about the score (38-7). Reports have surfaced that the Dolphins player quit on Sparano during the blowout, adding to the speculation that Sparano, and even GM Jeff Ireland, is on the hot seat. They’ll meet with the higher-ups during the week, but definitely qualify for the hottest seats in the business right now.

Jeff Fisher. Fisher reigns in as the longest tenured coach on the list. He’s been Tennessee’s coach for the last 16 seasons and has generally done a good job. Fisher, who still has a year left on his deal, wants to retire with the Titans, but it’s unclear if the organization wants the same. Though his players want him to stay, Fisher will meet tomorrow with owner Bud Adams, who wanted to “evaluate” his coach when the season came to a close. It’s anyone’s guess if the relationship between the head coach and starting quarterback, Vince Young, could work at this point. They’ve butted heads on occasion, and just can’t get on the same page. My gut says Fisher returns, but Adams might want to make a splash move for his replacement.

Tom Cable. The Oakland Raiders had a very nice season, going 8-8 and breaking even when many thought they’d be drafting in the top five again. Dumping quarterback JaMarcus Russell, a bust of epic proportions, was the best move they could’ve made for their chances this season, and Jason Campbell proved to be a worthwhile acquisition. The eight wins might not be enough to save coach Tom Cable’s job, however. Multiple reports are saying that Cable, who’s compiled a 17-27 record as coach, is unlikely to return next season, though he’ll meet with owner Al Davis within the next week before any decision is made. NFL insiders thought Cable would’ve been canned after last season, but it didn’t happen. Another playoff-less season for the Raiders might’ve did the Cable Guy in. As for when something could happen, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted, Davis has a weird habit of dragging out these processes. We might not have an answer on Cable’s future until the middle of the month.

Eric Mangini. What can you say about the 2010 Browns? At times they played hard for their coach, Eric Mangini — as evident in their blowout win over the Patriots. At other times, they were on the wrong side of blowouts, like in their season-ending 41-9 loss to the Steelers today. In 2009, Mangini’s first year on the job, the Browns ended on a five-game winning streak, finishing with a 5-11 record. The win streak likely saved Mangini’s job. This year, the Browns finished 5-11 again, and on top of that ended the season on a five-game losing streak. That won’t sit well with team president Mike Holmgren, who is supposedly interested in returning to the sidelines. Mangini and Holmgren will meet tomorrow (or soon after), but that meeting probably won’t last long. Mangini is out, and I can’t see another team taking a shot on him as their coach. Maybe a coordinator position is best for him? We’ll find out this year.

Jake Delhomme

When the Carolina Panthers step on the field Sunday to take on the Cleveland Browns, they’re going to see a very familiar face calling plays for the opposition.

According to CBSSports.com, the Browns have officially named Jake Delhomme as the starting quarterback for the Week 12 matchup. Coach Eric Mangini confirmed this morning that Delhomme’s ankle injury has healed faster than his fellow quarterback’s — Seneca Wallace and Colt McCoy — who are also suffering from ankle ailments.

The team is letting McCoy, who could be the organization’s future at the position, take his time to get completely healthy and Wallace isn’t ready to return.

Delhomme hasn’t started since the first week of the season when he suffered a high-ankle sprain in the team’s loss to the Bucs. He then re-aggravated the injury in Week 5 and hasn’t been seen since.

A former seven-year starter for the Panthers, Delhomme was once seen as the savior in Carolina, especially during the team’s Superbowl berth in 2003. Since that improbable season, however, Delhomme was bogged down by injuries and inconsistent play before the Panthers decided to release him in March.

He’ll get a chance to exact some revenge on his former team and will aim to prove that letting him go was a mistake. Delhomme is still expected to rely heavily on running back Peyton Hillis and the Browns’ surprisingly good running game. If he’s asked to drop back over and over, Carolina will be licking their chops and will pin their ears back trying to get to him. Expect a quiet game from Delhomme on Sunday.

Marcus Benard

Before the Cleveland Browns took to the practice field this morning, they had a scare when linebacker Marcus Benard collapsed onto the floor in the locker room.

According to ESPN, Benard was sitting on a chair when he, out of nowhere, fell to the floor and didn’t move. Some of the other players thought it was just a joke before fellow ‘backer Matt Roth screamed for medical attention.

Benard was then taken to a local hospital and has been described by a team spokesman as “stable and alert”. No other details have been released as of yet.

The team-leader in sacks this season with 4.5, Benard is a key member of the surprisingly stingy Browns defense.