Folded into the last paragraph of
Tony Grossi’s story on the signing of LB Andra Davis is a news item I hadn’t heard before: that tackle L.J. Shelton is among the veterans that Phil Savage is targeting for new contracts this month.
Shelton, as you may recall, was brought in with a one-year deal after Ross Verba priced himself out of football last spring. In the meantime, the Browns traded for Nat Dorsey, the young tackle who was drafted in the fourth round by the Vikings in 2004.
Shelton, who turns 30 in March, has acquitted himself fairly well at the critical left tackle position. He’s stayed healthy, and he’s been an asset in the running game. He leads the team with eight penalties, but just one has come in the last seven games. If you compare him to the other starting LTs around the league, he’d be in the average range.
It seems that the Browns don’t think Dorsey will be ready to step in as a starter next year, at least not at the performance level of Shelton. So a two- or three-year deal -- or perhaps a longer one where the money is backloaded -- appears to be in order here. That will buy time to groom his successor, whether it’s Dorsey or one of the many fine prospects in the upcoming draft.
Left tackle is one position to avoid on-the-job training of an unproven player. Nothing will destroy your offense, or your quarterback, with greater certainty or speed. So word that the Browns are trying to re-sign Shelton is encouraging for the near-term future.
And he’s now officially the
Premiere Initialed Player in Browns History.
