Depending on your perspective, the signing of Montario Hardesty is either the only happening on a slow Monday – or marks the beginning of a compelling new chapter in Browns’ history.
Browns and Hardesty Agree to Terms
On one hand Hardesty appears to be the most NFL-ready back the Browns have unearthed in years – but on the other – who exactly is he being compared to?
After all, the franchise whose legacy was cemented by the game’s greatest running back and current pseudo-shaman has not produced much of a ground attack in say….just a shade over forty years.
Of course, there have some blips along the way.
I’m pretty sure the 1970’s Browns didn’t exist – call it a post-Jim Brown and Paul Brown malaise ended temporarily by Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner’s historical 1985 season….which was followed by Jesus, Reuben Droughns and a couple of years of Jamal Lewis?
Do you now see why most of us are excited about Hardesty?
Although Hardesty’s padless offseason debut has been endlessly hyped – perhaps in an attempt to inspire Jerome Harrison – there are two legitimate reasons to believe that there is more substance to be found here, rather than mere potential.
1. Hardesty is good.
2. Just look at the following history.
Category 1: The Ghosts of Browns’ Running Back Potential Past
Somewhere at an undisclosed Cleveland Heights location, the following Browns’ backs gather for a banquet, where the main course is a huge helping of “could have been.”
Chris Barclay
Madre Hill
Ben Gay
William Green
James Jackson
Lee Suggs
Of course, it’s easy to laugh now. Or, is it painful? One of the two.
Anyway, admit it – like the most of Browns Nation, there was a moment where we all thought that we could be watching the next big thing in Cleveland. Remember the expansion hype regarding Madre Hill? Or, the legend of Ben Gay? Or, Chris Barclay’s speed? William Green’s run against Atlanta? James Jackson’s supreme confidence? Lee Suggs’ one-game career?
And don’t act like you weren’t ready to annoit James Davis as the next great Browns’ back last year after his 80-yard dash against Detroit.
Category 2: Featured Backs
Karim Abdul-Jabbar
Terry Kirby
Errict Rhett
Jamel White
If you’re still suspicious of where Hardesty will eventually fit in Cleveland, here’s some good news – at least he’ll have some better blockers than these four….along with featuring some skills that should actually translate to the league.
Category 3: The Joke’s on Us
Adinchinobe Echemandu
Curtis Enis
Travis Prentice
Rashaan Salaam
Jason Wright
Although I’ve tried about a thousand times over the past few months, I cannot stress the importance of having a quality team of management running the franchise. If you recall, all of the above names received some hype comparable to the kind that Hardesty is currently enjoying. Even though you may not be fully committed to “Belive-land”, it’s worth at least considering.
Category 4: The New Legends
Jamal Lewis
Reuben Droughns
Not to take away anything from the efforts of Droughns and Lewis, but if this is the bar that Hardesty must hurdle, then clearly the Browns have turned a corner as a franchise.
Just take a look.
Category 5: Precious Depth
Monterio Hardesty
Jerome Harrison
Peyton Hillis
James Davis
Compared to the previous lists, isn’t this the stuff that dreams are made of?
Or, at least consistency?
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Sunday Best: Temporarily Final Edition
The Game
The Evening After: Browns-Bears Edition
For What It’s Worth: Browns-Bears Preview
Wednesday Roundup: Reader Feedback Edition
Tuesday Roundup: Nearly Factual Edition
Monday Roundup: Tall Tales Edition
The Morning After: Browns-Lions Edition
Browns-Lions Preview
For the love of God, man…would you stop the hype!!!!!!
There are a multitidue of reasons this player was not drafted earlier. Just look at the injury reports….
Please stop it!!!
How can we leave out Jamel White, Adimchinobi Echemandu, and Travis Prentice ? Here is a link to all browns running backs in history.
http://www.fantasyfootballchallenge.com/32-8-2/cleveland-browns-running-backs.html
I guess it helps if you read the whole article before commenting..lol
As ever on this site fun reading, but I think you gave yourself a bit of a free ride at the outset. Surely Leroy Kelly was someone to be proud of after Jim and Paul Brown. Plus, the 1970s browns? A guy named Greg Pruitt might dispute your claim that they didn’t exist — Mike Pruitt might have something to say about that too (46 all-time in yardage; number 47? Hall of Famer named Leroy Kelly).
That’s nit-picking, though. You’re right: the Browns have been pretty thin at RB since Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack ran together.
Keep up the good work.
Still like Jason Wright, very smart, unselfish, good compliment to a feature back. I was sad to see him go…
Great write up. I remember all those potential super stars. They all were turds. I certainly hope our management got it right this time. I love your stuff keep it coming.
Hey – don’t forget Stanford’s fabulous “Touchdown Tommy” Vardell!
What about “Touchdown Tommy” Vardell. I mean come’ on how could you forget?
Montario is a stud. He has had some injuries, but no one worked harder to get back. Finally in his senior season he was healthy and he kept the number 1 recruit in the nation on the bench because his play was that good. You will talk for years to come about his spin move, he runs hard, he picks up first downs, he makes big plays. His team voted him a captain his junior year even when he was injured, that’s how highly he was thought of! He runs like he has a big heart, He is a team first guy….most of the yards he got was not with a great offensive line.
Leroy Hoard. The default argument against Braylon Edwards and his claim that Browns’ fans hated him only because he was from Meatchicken.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE…for the love of Leroy Kelly…refrain from any further use of the term, “Browns Nation”
Aside from the fact that Browns Backers are, in fact, world-wide…it just sucks to see it in print.
Thanks…
All pretty valid points but some of these guys weren’t that bad. You have to look at the lines most of them were running behind. Its hard to gain yards when you’re getting met in the backfield or at the line of scrimmage by three or four guys every play.
I’m hoping with the improved line that we will finally get back to the days of the Pruitt boys, Mack and Byner and yes, even Jimmy Brown and Leroy Kelly. That is the Browns tradition, a solid running game with timely passing and stout defense.
[...] Historically Speaking: Montario Hardesty Edition [...]
Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner was also the last era of offensive line quality … until now? The effectiveness of the run game will undoubtedly be determined by the quality of the run-blocking. Here’s hoping the money that’s been sunk into the OL over the past 4-5 seasons pays off!