BEREA, Ohio -- Ahtyba Rubin stars for the Seattle Seahawks and is a major part of the team's run defense, according to coach Pete Carroll.
The Seahawks have been to two Super Bowls. They are 8-5 and one of the best teams in the NFC, with a former Browns defensive lineman starting every game.
Meanwhile, Jabaal Sheard was dominant in New England's Sunday night win over Houston, and Buster Skrine continues to be a major contributor to the Jets' secondary -- while Dwayne Bowe contributes little to the Browns.
This week, the Browns released Darius Jennings, the receiver who got so much praise for coming off the practice squad to catch five passes against Baltimore.
The Browns claimed a kick returner from the Ravens, Raheem Mostert. But the same day that Bowe was described as a guy who couldn't play more than one position, he was kept on the roster despite the most meager of contributions (three catches for 31 yards) while Jennings was released (Jennings figures to land on the practice squad again).
When an evaluation is made of the personnel decisions of general manager Ray Farmer, his free agent moves can be criticized. While Farmer has found some quality undrafted players -- Taylor Gabriel, K'Waun Williams -- and has added quarterback Josh McCown, cornerback Tramon Williams and receiver Andrew Hawkins as unrestricted free agents, he also has created holes that needed to be filled by letting players go who had plenty left to contribute.
Rubin is a glaring example. He played hurt a year ago, then signed for $2.6 million with Seattle.
"Ahtyba has been a fantastic addition to us," Carroll said. "He’s been very consistent, just been so rock solid and so hard to knock off the football.”
Rather than bring back Rubin, the Browns chose to spend money on Randy Starks, a contract extension for John Hughes and first-round draft pick Danny Shelton.
Sheard almost single-handedly beat the Texans Sunday night. Patriots coach Bill Belichick signed him immediately after the start of free agency. Belichick saw things in Sheard that the Browns did not.
"In Cleveland, he basically just played left defensive end on every play -- first down, second down, third down -- and he played it well. Here, as you’ve seen, we’ve used him in different spots," Belichick said.
"He’s played inside, he’s had a lot of production inside; he’s played outside, has had a lot of production outside. He’s played on the right as well as on the left, although it’s been more on the left, but he’s played on both. He’s had coverage responsibilities, which I’d say he had either zero to very little of in Cleveland.
"But he’s long, he’s athletic, he’s got very good playing strength, has got good in-line quickness. He’s a hard guy to block in the run game, he’s a hard guy to block in the pass game, and he can match up against a lot of different players both inside and outside."
Instead of Sheard, the Browns chose to turn to Scott Solomon, whose season has been short-circuited by injuries.
Skrine has been used as a nickel back for the Jets, but he's gotten a lot of playing time and has earned the respect of coach Todd Bowles.
“He has not taken a play off or loafed since he got here,” Bowles told the New York Daily News earlier this season. “You’ve got to love that about the guy. He’s willing to do anything and everything. He’s willing to learn. He opens up. He sees things. He understands. He studies. To have that kind of player with that type of skill set, who still wants to learn and love the game, is special.”
The Browns let Skrine go and signed Tramon Williams, a good player but one who is six years older than Skrine.
Jordan Cameron is the only free agent to leave whose production has been worse than that of his replacement. While Gary Barnidge has had an excellent season, Cameron has caught just 29 of 61 passes thrown his way in Miami. Cameron was a better fit with the Browns, for whatever reason.
Coach Mike Pettine talked about signing the right player at the right price, but the Browns did not lack for salary cap room in the offseason when facing these decisions.
The case can be made that the Browns lost with those players and they're losing without them, but allowing your own players to leave creates extra needs. Every one of the defensive players would seem to fit with the Browns. Instead, they are contributing to other teams.
