Berea - One of the biggest signings of the Browns during the off-season has
been somewhat overshadowed with some of the other signings. The signings of the
likes of LeCharles Bentley, Joe Jurevicius, Willie McGinest and Ted Washington
tended to grab the headlines.
However, the Browns went out and spent a lot of money to bring in a left
tackle to protect Charlie Frye's blind side for the next several years.
Shaffer said he wasn't surprised he was offered a lot of money by the Browns
right out of the free agency gate.
“It's the position,” Shaffer said. “Left tackle is the position that demands
the kind of money it does, because left tackles are at a premium in the NFL.”
Shaffer's success will go a long way in how successful Frye and the Browns
offense is this year. He said he doesn't think the injury to Bentley will ruin
the offensive line.
“By losing LeCharles, that has allowed Bob (Hallen) to step in,” Shaffer
said. “We're a tight knit group and Bob has fit in with us from the beginning of
the off-season.”
Does Shaffer feel any added pressure with Bentley going down?
“I don't feel any extra pressure,” he said. “We've been working together for
a while now and we have good chemistry.”
Romeo Crennel likes what he sees of Shaffer.
“He's a tough kid,” he said. “The guy has proven he's a football player and
we signed him because we felt he could help us.”
Shaffer, at 26, is just entering the prime of his career as a five-year
player.
“Every year I've gained experience and knowledge,” Shaffer said. “Every year
I feel I've gotten a little bit better and that's what I plan to do this year.”
Notes
Injury update: OT Ryan Tucker (knee), WR Joe Jurevicius
(back) and RB Chris Barclay (ankle) sat out the morning practice. CB Daylon McCutcheon (knee) was limited and WR Braylon Edwards (knee) was limited in is
practice.
Crennel said Tucker and McCutcheon will be looked at by the team doctor and
make an evaluation this afternoon. Tucker is looking at having arthroscopic
surgery to clean out cartilage.
“Jurevicius had muscle spasms in his back that didn't loosen up so we held
him out.”