Jamal Lewis Has Company in Backfield

This Saturday, Jamal Lewis will turn 30. Considering that age, along with the multiple knee surgeries and the 2,399 career carries, it's pretty safe to say his best days are behind him. The Browns still plan on entering the 2009 season with Lewis as their starting running back, but -- all of a sudden -- it seems there is some competition cropping up.

When training camp began, there was no talk of a running back battle in Cleveland. Jerome Harrison was set to be the back and change-of-pace back, while rookie James Davis would fight for a roster spot. After two preseason games, though, there are whispers from Cleveland that Davis could catapult all the way to the starting gig.

What if the Browns just decided to cut Lewis and look to the future? Obviously, this sort of move isn't likely, but it would be reminiscent of when the Jags cut Byron Leftwich late in training camp two years ago and went with David Garrard. It's also much less risky to make a move like this as a fungible position like running back.

Lewis is coming off a 1,002-yard, 4-touchdown season, in which he didn't have a single 100-yard game. He averaged only 3.6 yards per carry, after a bit of a career rebirth in Cleveland during 2007. Lewis has actually averaged 3.6 yards per carry or less in three of the past four seasons. He's definitely lost at least a step and isn't near as agile as he used to be. Still, he has experience and a solid track record. He also has the respect of his teammates and peers.

Harrison received 34 carries last year and gained 246 (an average of 7.2 yards per carry, though that was skewed a bit by a 72-yard touchdown romp). He also caught 12 balls for 116 yards and a touchdown. He's quick enough to be a play-maker for the Browns, but his size is a question mark.

Davis is big enough to be a feature back. He's coming off a disappointing senior season at Clemson, though he split carries and was coming off shoulder surgery. He was exceptional in his sophomore and junior campaigns, and he's been the best Cleveland running back thus far in 2009. He's not overly fast or shifty, but he hits hole hard and runs incredibly well between the tackles. In fact, he would seem to be the perfect complement to Harrison -- whenever the Browns decide to turn the page on the Jamal Lewis era.

Don't count on it being this season, but the groundwork is currently being laid.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

8-27-2009 @ 11:56AM

IronCity4ever said...

Well well well, duh!

What an enlightening article! Seems that there actually planning ahead up there in Cleveland. What!? Jamals best days behind him???? you don't say.....And a no name rookie might start in place of him this year or next???? Hmmmmm, a 'zero'rookie running back out of Clemson who's already been under the knife due to injury.... Hey sounds like a solid plan to secure that 6-10 season.

Some hefty competition cropping up there Brown-holes, Look out AFC North! Cleveland is laying some serious groundwork!

LOL what a joke.

Go Pittsburgh!!!

8-31-2009 @ 12:05PM

tkoe1 said...

The people of Cleveland never hated the people of Pittsburgh they only hated the Steelers and visa versa. But since your team has won a couple of recent Super Bowls you Steeler fans are becoming arrogant and real A-holes. More and more you now here "F" Pittsburgh instead of "F" the Steelers. The bottom line is the Browns will get better one day, win 2 more NFL championship and be tied with the Steelers. The term "Super Bowl" was a marketing decision and nothing else. It is still the NFL Championship. Oh and by the way, The Browns are 40 some years younger than the Steelers,so that gives them sometime to catch up to your team.

8-31-2009 @ 3:38PM

Dan Carty said...

So sad .... and to think the Browns could have selected Beanie Wells.

9-01-2009 @ 1:16AM

Mr.G said...

Yeah,I have to agree tkoe1.It's 1 thing to root for your team,but to be a complete douchebag about it just shows how freakin' stupid this guy is.The Squeelers may be winning,but that chump is a pure panty waste loser.My guess is he's a 14 year old dimwit.

9-01-2009 @ 10:40AM

Mr G AND TKOE1 you both sound like typical misinformed and less than intelligent Browns fans.

First your team just celebrated its 60th year in the league right after the Steelers 75th, thats a 15 year swing sunshine. Not 40

And yes maybe someday the Clowns will get better, but we won't see 2 more championships in our lifetime. BTW its been the Super Bowl for 40 years moron, teams play for the conference championships before they get to play in a super bowl. Geez, its been a long time since you guys have had the pleasure of being in the post season but c'mon!! And don't discredit the Super Bowl and make it something less than it is, sure its a huge marketing venue, but its also the game that establishes who's at the top in te NFL.

With the way your team is run and the second rate talent that plays there its going to be a very long time before the Browns are considered a winning franchise.

So with that, I speak for a million plus down here in Pittsburgh and say Cleveland Sucks!!!!!

Lol.

9-04-2009 @ 4:41AM

All I'm saying is you act like some kind of retard.The fact that the Steelers have been better than the Browns doesn't make YOU anything other than what you are...A classless douchebag...Nobody here provoked an attack from another teams fans.You're not better than anybody simply because the Steelers win football games.Why don't you grow up and stop acting like a 14 year old punk.

9-02-2009 @ 10:51AM

jim said...

TheBrowns will never contend till we do something. We need to hold a day in Cleveland to honor former owner Art Model.We need to remember and respect what good things he did with the browns.Till we get past that the browns will never contend. Time to take the high road. Germany tried to kill us in 2 wars we forgave them Japan,Italy Viet Nam we forgave them all for trying to kill us. All mr model did was take his team, his only business was football, and move them.

9-02-2009 @ 1:20PM

Sorry Jim,never happen.I don't believe in curses anymore than I believe in leprechauns.It came down to being all about business and money for Modell.NOT about the city of Cleveland,the Browns or their loyal and supportive fans.Modell stabbed them all in the back.If not for that solid fan base,Cleveland would still be without a NFL team.We may have forgiven Germany,Japan,Italy,but only after Hitler and Mussolini were dead and Japan was nuked into reality.I have read where Hitler actually done some good things too,but I don't think anybody is panning a banquet in his honor anytime soon.Modell is and should always be considered a traitorous villain to loyal Browns fans.

9-02-2009 @ 2:15PM

Chris said...

Mr. G

Your really telling your story to the world, I never interjected myself into these comments or for the record connected myself to the success of a any professional team.

Simply stating facts, most of the Cleveland fans I ve heard are idiots like yourself who spout off dumb ideas about the game and their team. Which is kind of funny, almost as is if the IQ of the fans has been adopted by the entire franchise. Not at all true, but funny none the less.

Im sorry if I hurt your feelings and made you cry. But your team sucks and it doesn't show signs of stopping my friend.

And why the references not once but twice about fantasizing, I mean guessing, that Im a 14 year punk? Kinda creepy dude.

9-03-2009 @ 4:39AM

Chris-aka iron city whatever- You're really showing off that lack of IQ that Urineburgh is famous for.Post #1 is yours,therefore you did interject your half witted comments. If you could read and comprehend at the same time,you will find that I never shared an idea,dumb or otherwise,about the game or the team.So,it's so Pittsburgh like,that you would find an idea that was never given,dumb or funny. I'm sorry to inform you,but it's just not a deep dark secret that the Browns suck.Most people that follow football are aware of this fact.Only an imbecile would feel the need to alert us to this breaking news over and over again. I suggested you grow up and STOP acting like a 14 year old punk.It seemed like good advice at the time,but all you were able to comprehend was some lewd gay fantasy crap.Now THAT'S "kinda creepy dude".

9-03-2009 @ 3:58PM

Mr. G- You're a classic Cleveland F#@k up.

First if you re-read, or have someone close by help you, your #4 when you said " I have to agree with TKOE1"- GIVE #2 POST A LOOK. Again, misinformed inaccurate thoughts and facts that he/she expressed and you agreed with... It, like so many other Clevelander posts, is filled with mindless bantor about a mismanaged franchise out of a 3rd tier city.

Second, what kind of retard are you to attempt to draw parallels between Aer Modell and or Hitler and Musolini " I've read where Hitler did some good things" What kind of crap are you reading? You should be set on fire and thrown into toxic crapper they call Lake Erie, idiot. Art Modell obviously did the right thing, it got him a super bowl.

And it was your repetitive assumption to me being a 14 y.o. punk/ panty-waste etc etc. Nobody else was so quick to jump that particular insult,outside of you.

Looks like theres at least one Gay-Natzi up in Cleveland! BTW whats the 'G' in Mr G stand for, "Mr. GAY"

Go find out who Jim from the #7 post is, sounds to me like he's got some sense.