Posted by Josh Katzowitz

Now that former Browns RB Jerome Harrison has been traded to Philadelphia for RB Mike Bell – as detailed here – he can speak the truth about his wonderment of why Cleveland coach Eric Mangini didn’t play him.

Will Brinson has theorized all along that Harrison was holding Mangini’s family hostage in his basement, but apparently, that’s not the case, because Harrison couldn’t figure it out either. After all, Harrison rushed for 561 yards in the final three games of last season – three Browns wins, mind you – and might have saved Mangini’s job in the process.

In a phone conversation he had with the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot, Harrison said he wasn’t sure what the deal was.

"I didn't understand one part of how it happened,” Harrison said. “I didn't get into any fights with anybody and I didn't think there were any bad feelings toward me by any of the coaches or anything."

After the end of last season, the Browns drafted Montario Hardesty – who ended up tearing his ACL – and trading for Peyton Hillis. Once Hardesty went down, the starting job went to Hillis instead of Harrison.

"It was mind-boggling," said Harrison. "But it's the nature of the business. I didn't understand it. I'm not an angry person, so I'm not upset. But I was a little frustrated.

"I don't think I was what they wanted. People have different likes and dislikes. I don't think I was in their current plans or their future plans."

While Harrison didn’t make any overtly-obvious disparaging remarks about the team this season – though you didn’t have to be a mind-reader to figure out he was unhappy – it sounds like the organization wasn’t happy with what Harrison was saying either.

From the Plain Dealer:

Harrison, in the last year of his contract, did get 16 carries the following week against Kansas City, but lost a fumble. The Browns thought he was down, but Mangini stressed that it shouldn't have been on the ground in the first place. The next week, Harrison was inactive with a thigh injury in Baltimore while Hillis rushed for 144 yards.

A few days later, when Harrison was asked if his role might change, he said, "I didn't know what my role was in the first place." Asked about his carries, he said, "What carries?"

The comments didn't sit well with the Browns, but Harrison said he never heard directly of any displeasure. Instead, Mangini said publicly that if Harrison had a problem, his door was always open. Harrison never took him up on it.

The following game against Cincinnati, the Browns got their point across: Harrison stood on the sidelines the whole game, trotting out only for the final three plays in the victory formation.

After all that, though, Harrison leaves the team with positive thoughts. Perhaps it’s because he’s going to an NFC East contender where he’ll have a chance to contribute while leaving a Browns squad that will have to fight hard not to finish in the AFC North basement.

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Posted by Will Brinson

It's been mentioned once or twice here that Jerome Harrison probably isn't Eric Mangini's favorite player -- that won't matter anymore Harrison has been traded from the Browns in exchange for running back Mike Bell, the Eagles announced on Wednesday.

The news, first reported by FOX's Jay Glazer, is surprising in that it's a straight RB-for-RB swap, but probably works out for both teams.

Harrison, who put up monster numbers at the end of last year, has been in Mangini's doghouse, so the deal makes sense for the Browns -- they add to their running back depth and get rid of a player the coaching staff either a) doesn't appreciate, b) considers a malcontent or c) both.

For the Eagles, it's a logical move as they improve the quality of their running backs overall by grabbing a better change-of-pace back for the suddenly-quite-physical LeSean McCoy.

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Posted by Andy Benoit

Reuben Frank of the Burlington County Times reports that the Eagles have contacted the Bills about the status of running back Marshawn Lynch. This indicates that the outlook for LeSean McCoy and his fractured rib might be bleaker than hoped.

Lynch has been the No. 1 runner in the Bills’ crowded backfield this season, though many believe the team is simply showcasing the fourth-year pro in an effort to increase his trade value. (Such a tactic is common in baseball but not common in the short-seasoned, win-now-at-all-costs NFL.)

Despite being Buffalo’s top runner, Lynch has just 37 carries for 164 yards on the season. He lost a fumble Sunday in the disaster against the Jets and finished the day with only eight yards on four carries. Lynch, a first-round pick out of Cal, rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons as a pro.

It’s possible the Eagles could be looking at Lynch as a backup to McCoy. Former Saint Mike Bell has been essentially a non-factor in that role so far. And the team has not found a replacement for injured Leonard Weaver, who used to be the primary ballcarrier in two tight end sets.

Lynch, unlike all of Philly’s current running backs not named LeSean McCoy, has the versatile receiving prowess that the screen pass-loving Eagles covet.

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Posted by Josh Katzowitz

According to various reports and Tweets out of New Orleans, RB Lynell Hamilton has torn his ACL and will be lost for the season.

On the surface of this news, the loss doesn’t seem to be a big deal for the reigning Super Bowl champs.

But that’s the incorrect view.

Though he only played nine games last year, recording 125 yards on 35 carries and catching just five passes – hell, he wasn’t even active for the Super Bowl – Hamilton was supposed to replace the production of power back Mike Bell while adding to the Saints special teams. Last year, Bell had 172 carries for 654 yards and five touchdowns, and Hamilton was expected to take over many of those attempts.

So, yeah, it's not a good piece of news that Hamilton is done. True, the Saints still have Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush, so the running game still should be OK.

But it would have been better if New Orleans could use Hamilton to barrel over defenses in short-yardage situations.

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