Browns Free Agency: Ahtyba Rubin Staying or Going?
By Paul Noel
The Cleveland Browns season is over. We will spend a good amount of time reviewing the season but we will spend even more time preparing for the off-season. Browns free agency seems destined to be an interesting one. The Browns spent a little bit of money last year with anticipating of building through the draft for long term success. The 2014 was expected to be another down year with high expectations towards the future.
Instead the 2014 started off strong and ended with a thud. Now the Browns are full of salary cap space, GM Ray Farmer and Head Coach Mike Pettine will need to evaluate their own top free agents to determine if they are going to offer them new contracts or let them walk .
Name
Position
Defensive Tackle
Free Agency Status
Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA)
Stats
13 Games Played/ 11 Started; 14 Solo tackles, 14 Assisted tackles, 1 Sack, 1 Pass Defended
Expiring Contract
4 years, $26.5 million, $5 million Signing Bonus
2014 Free Agent Signing Comparison Contract
Tyson Jackson – Falcons – 5 years, $25 million, $8 million Signing Bonus
Prediction
DT Ahtyba Rubin had played most of the 2014 season with an injured right ankle, one that eventually held him out of the season finale against Baltimore. The big question when it comes to the evaluation of Rubin is whether it was his play related to his injury, or a decline in his abilities. The Browns’ struggled on run defense all year and the stats don’t lie, 141.6 yards average against the run (32nd). Rubin statically had his lowest year in productivity dating back to 2008, and the peak of his career came in 2011.
Since his peak his statistics have only continued to go down. For the right price the Browns could keep Rubin as depth along the defensive line and use him as a rotational player like he was intended until the injures piled up. Rubin will be GOING, likely offered a large contract from another team that gives him the best opportunity to start, since big players often get paid.
What do you think happens to Rubin this off-season?