July 24, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive guard Ryan Seymour (62) stretches during training camp at the SAP Performance Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Sometimes we don’t truly understand the meaning of depth in football. It isn’t a coincidence that being healthy during playoff time is one of the biggest momentum swingers. In this case, it isn’t about health.
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Cleveland Browns second-string center, Ryan Seymour, has been suspended four-games by the NFL for performance enhancing drugs.
Ugh.
Seymour obviously came out with the same old b.s. statement every player who has ever failed a drug test says, “I did not knowingly take a substance that was on the NFL’s banned list.” Yeah, ok.
You might think Seymour is just another backup, but he’s currently backing up a pretty important asset in Alex Mack. Mack missed 11 games last season, and the team suffered big-time from his departure.
Seymour was taken in the seventh-round in 2013 by the Seattle Seahawks out of Vanderbilt University. You would think a kid from Vanderbilt would be a little brighter than this, right?
Next: His Statement
Dec 8, 2013; Foxborough, MA, USA; A Cleveland Browns helmet sits on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of New England
His Statement
After receiving the suspension, Seymour released a statement on behalf of his mistake, accepting his actions and apologizing:
"“Although I did not knowingly take a substance that was on the NFL’s banned list, I do know that as an NFL player I must take full responsibility for everything that is in my body. I will be much more careful in the future so something like this never happens again. I am very disappointed that I won’t have the opportunity to help the Browns win games during the first four weeks of the season. I look forward to putting this behind me, and right now, I’m focused on continuing to work hard, being a good teammate and helping my team improve for the remainder of the preseason.”"
Blah, blah, blah. Did his agent write that for him? Please, why can’t a player just come out and say “yeah, I knew it was illegal, but did it anyway to beat the system and make a roster spot to provide for myself and my family.”
I’d have more respect for that statement.
Next: Who will replace him?
May 26, 2015; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Cameron Erving (74) and Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Randy Starks (94) during organized team activities at the Cleveland Browns training facility. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Who will replace him?
Let’s remember, Seymour isn’t a starter by any means, so the Browns aren’t exactly losing a Pro Bowler here. But, he was still a player expected to make the roster and provide valuable depth. So, now that he’s out until October 5th, who will take his spot on the depth chart?
They could go in-house and just slot Cameron Erving’s name in there, after all, he is the team’s Swiss Army knife. With Mack most likely leaving after the season, Erving figures to be his replacement anyway, but we’ll just have to see how that situation unfolds.
Who on the market could they target for a backup role? Here is the list of centers I came up with:
- Brian De La Puente (30-years-old)
- Chris Myers (33-years-old)
- Roberto Garza (36-years-old)
All of whom are experienced centers in the NFL who have held starting jobs for many years. The team already signed veterans Everette Brown and Aaron Ross over the past few days, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they delve into the free agent pool once more for an offensive lineman.