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Vince Young

Browns Cut Vince Young, Four Others

May 12th, 2014 at 12:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Vince Young‘s stint with the Browns was short-lived, as owner Jimmy Haslam confirmed today that Cleveland has released the veteran quarterback (Twitter link via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer). The Browns also cut quarterback Alex Tanney, defensive back Brandon Hughes, defensive lineman Brian Sanford, and running back Fozzy Whittaker, according to the team (Twitter link).

Young, who turns 31 this weekend, signed a contract with the Browns at the start of May after participating in the team’s minicamp. The former Pro Bowler spent time in camp with the Packers in 2013 and the Bills in 2012, but was released prior to the regular season in both instances, and hasn’t seen any real NFL playing time since 2011 in Philadelphia.

With Young and Tanney out of the picture, the quarterbacks on Cleveland’s roster include Brian Hoyer, Tyler Thigpen, Connor Shaw, who agreed to sign as an undrafted free agent, and, of course, 22nd overall pick Johnny Manziel.

Browns Sign Vince Young

May 1st, 2014 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

2:13pm: Overstreet now tells Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston (Twitter link) that Young has signed his one-year deal with the Browns.

1:20pm: Young’s agent, Brian Overstreet, has confirmed his client is signing with the Browns, tweets Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports.

1:12pm: Tyler Thigpen isn’t the only free agent quarterback close to finalizing a deal with the Browns today. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Vince Young is also expected to ink a contract with Cleveland, after trying out at the club’s minicamp this week. It’ll be a one-year deal for Young, says Rapoport.

Young, who turns 31 next month, was in camp with the Packers in 2013 and the Bills in 2012, but was released prior to the regular season in both instances. The former Pro Bowler hasn’t seen any real NFL playing time since 2011 with the Eagles, when he started three games for the club. In his limited action for Philadelphia in ’11, Young threw just four touchdowns to nine interceptions, leaving his most memorable mark on that squad by dubbing it the “Dream Team” prior to the season.

For the Browns, Young figures to get a chance to compete for a regular-season roster spot. The team parted ways with Jason Campbell and Brandon Weeden already this year, and only had Brian Hoyer and Alex Tanney on its QB depth chart before today. Still, with the Browns expected to add another signal-caller in the draft and having agreed to terms with Thigpen today as well, there are no guarantees Young will stick in Cleveland into the fall.

AFC Notes: Bills, Browns, Draft, Jaguars

April 29th, 2014 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

A new report from John Kryk of the Toronto Sun suggests that an overlooked clause in the Bills’ non-relocation agreement with Erie County and the state of New York expressly prohibits the sale of the franchise to anyone who intends to relocate the team prior to 2023. However, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk and Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz (via ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak) report that the newly-discovered clause probably doesn’t change much for the team, since a new ownership group could say it won’t sell the franchise, then change course by 2020.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • The Browns are hoping to avoid another Alex Mack situation by reaching an agreement on a long-term extension with tight end Jordan Cameron before he hits free agency, but so far those talks haven’t progressed a whole lot, says Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com.
  • Free agent linebacker Zac Diles, who was with the Titans last season, is participating in the Browns‘ minicamp on a tryout basis, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. Meanwhile, as we heard yesterday, Vince Young and Tyler Thigpen are also in attendance, and the Browns figure to sign one of the two QBs after the minicamp, tweets Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
  • Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post reports that Cincinnati tight end Blake Annen visited the Texans, while Kryk tweets that McGill offensive tackle Laurent Duvernay-Tardif didn’t make it to previously-planned visits with the Browns and Colts due to scheduling issues. Both Annen and Duvernay-Tardif worked out for the Eagles.
  • The Jaguars are eyeing mid-to-late-round linebackers, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, who says (via Twitter) that Louisville’s Preston Brown worked out for the club.

Poll: Which Embattled QB Will Have Most Success?

April 28th, 2014 at 9:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Vince Young is set to work out for the Browns, and if he catches on he’d join a list of quarterbacks looking for a restart.

A number of embattled quarterbacks found new homes this offseason, each hoping to resurrect their once-promising careers. The majority of them will likely be serving as backups, but that also means an injury could suddenly thrust them into a starting role.

Mark Sanchez inked a one-year, $2.25MM deal to sit on the bench with the Eagles. He could be Nick Foles‘ backup, but the team could also select a quarterback in the draft. If that’s the case, Sanchez’s opportunity diminishes even more.

Brandon Weeden will have another opportunity to showcase the talent that (debatably) justified his first-round selection in 2012. The 30-year-old signed a two-year, minimum deal with the Cowboys where he will serve as a backup to Tony Romo. Considering Romo’s injury history, Weeden may have a chance to start next season (assuming Kyle Orton is not on the team).

It seemed inevitable that Matt Schaub‘s tenure in Houston would come to a close, and he was traded by the Texans to the Raiders last month. Following the trade of Terrelle Pryor, the starting gig seems to be Schaub’s. Barring the team drafting a top quarterback, he’ll likely be atop the depth chart heading into next season.

Josh Freeman was the starter for the Buccaneers from 2009 to 2012, but he completely unraveled prior to his release. After finishing the season with the Vikings, he signed a one-year, $750K deal with the Giants this offseason. Eli Manning is one of the most durable quarterbacks in the NFL, but Freeman is certainly a competent backup.

Which embattled quarterback do you expect to have the best season in 2014?

Young, Thigpen To Work Out For Browns

April 28th, 2014 at 10:39am CST by Luke Adams

10:39am: Young won’t be the only quarterback trying out for the Browns this week. According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter), GM Ray Farmer told reports that Tyler Thigpen will be auditioning as well.

9:06am: Former third overall pick Vince Young is hoping to land a spot on an NFL roster this season, and at least one quarterback-needy team appears willing to give him a chance. According to Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston, the Browns are bringing in Young for a physical, and will have him work out at the club’s minicamp this week. If Young impresses, it could result in a contract from Cleveland and an opportunity to earn a regular-season roster spot.

Young, who turns 31 next month, was in camp with the Packers in 2013 and the Bills in 2012, but was released prior to the regular season in both instances. The former Pro Bowler hasn’t seen any real NFL playing time since 2011 with the Eagles, when he started three games for the club. In his limited action that season, Young threw just four touchdowns to nine interceptions.

When Berman reported over the weekend that Young had hired a new agent (Brian Overstreet), he also quoted the signal-caller as saying he was receiving “some calls, some interest” from NFL teams. If that’s the case, perhaps the Browns won’t be the only club to give the former Texas Longhorn star a look.

Vince Young Signs With Agent

April 26th, 2014 at 4:25pm CST by Rob DiRe

Former University of Texas quarterback and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Vince Young has signed with Houston-based agent Brian Overstreet, writes Mark Berman of MyFoxHouston.com.

Young has not played in the NFL since his stint with the 2011 Eagles, who he affectionately referred to as a “Dream Team.” Before that he had short stays with both the Packers and the Bills. Of course, he was drafted by the Titans in the 2006 NFL Draft, and hit the ground running. He was 8-5 as a starter on the way to winning his Rookie of the Year Award. He played in two Pro Bowls, in 2007 and 2010.

Berman writes that Young spoke on Wednesday saying he had received some interest from NFL teams.

“I’ve been getting some calls, some interest. You never know what’s going to happen with that. I have my agent out there working,” said Young. “I’ve been training since January out in San Diego and back now in Texas. Just staying ready, might get a call. All I can do is my part and stay ready.”

Young reportedly has a job waiting for him at his alma mater, the University of Texas, if he is not able to reboot his NFL career. Young has no interest in playing in the Canadian Football League, writes Berman.

Vince Young Hopes To Earn NFL Roster Spot

February 11th, 2014 at 3:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Pro Bowl quarterback Vince Young hasn’t thrown a pass in a regular season NFL game since the 2011 season, but he intends to pursue a roster spot this summer. According to David Barron of the Houston Chronicle, Young released a statement today indicating that he plans to train in San Diego for the next several weeks in the hopes of earning an NFL opportunity.

“I am pleased with the quick resolution of my bankruptcy case,” Young said, referring to a case which was dismissed after he reached settlements in a pair of lawsuits, allowing him to pay back his principal creditor, Pro Player Funding. “With all these battles behind me, I am able to devote my sole focus on family, football and pursuing all opportunities in front of me.”

Young was in camp with the Packers in 2013 and the Bills in 2012, but was waived prior to the regular season in both instances. He hasn’t seen any real playing time since 2011 with the Eagles, when he started three games for the club. In his limited action that season, Young threw just four touchdowns to nine interceptions, which has reduced the likelihood of him receiving another opportunity.

Still, Young is just 30 years old, and his previous success makes him a good bet to at least earn an audition in an NFL training camp this summer. If he plays well and isn’t plagued by off-field issues, there’s a chance the former Texas signal-caller could land at least a third-string job.