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> Browns agree on deal with first-round pick Wimbley
> By Len Pasquarelli
> ESPN.com
>
>
>
>
> The Cleveland Browns on Saturday afternoon
> reached a contract agreement in principle with
> first-round draft choice Kamerion Wimbley, ESPN.com has
> learned. The contract will be signed either later
> Saturday or Sunday, and it ensures that the Browns will
> have their first-round choice in camp on time.
> Wimbley
> Cleveland rookies are scheduled to report to camp
> Sunday. The 13th overall selection in the draft,
> Wimbley will sign a six-year contract with a maximum
> value of $23.7 million, including $9.3 million in
> guarantees. That represents a nearly 10 percent increase
> in the guaranteed money paid to the 13th overall pick in
> the 2005 draft. The deal will be voided after five
> years provided Wimbley reaches predetermined playing time
> thresholds, and then the Browns would have the right to
> "buy back" the voided year by paying Wimbley a sizeable
> bonus. A full day of negotiations Friday between Browns
> officials and Wimbley's agent, Joe Linta, brought the
> sides close to an agreement, with a framework all but
> completed by the end of the day. The balance of the
> details on the contract for the former Florida State
> defensive end were completed in a Saturday bargaining
> session. A consummated contract with Wimbley is key for
> the Browns, who have not had a first-round selection in
> camp
> on time since 2000. It might also create momentum for
> negotiations with other choices in the middle portion of
> the first round. As of Saturday afternoon, just one other
> first-rounder, top overall selection Mario Williams of
> the Houston Texans, who signed before the draft even
> began, had agreed to terms. Wimbley will move to
> linebacker in the Cleveland 3-4 defensive front, and his
> skills set is a good fit with the hybrid responsibilities
> of that position. Browns coaches project that Wimbley
> will start immediately and hope that he and 12-year
> veteran linebacker Willie McGinest, signed as an
> unrestricted free agent during the spring, will add punch
> to a lackluster pass rush. The Browns notched just 23
> sacks in 2005, the fewest in the league, and were one of
> just two teams that did not have at least one defender
> with more than five sacks. Blessed with a long, lean
> frame (6-foot-4, 248 pounds), Wimbley is an athletic
> "edge" defender with an explosive first step. He has
> been clocked in the low-4.6s in the 40 and, at the
> combine Wimbley posted a 38½-inch vertical jump. He
> appeared in 49 games during his Seminoles career and
> started 13 contests, finishing with 108 tackles, 24
> tackles for loss, 12 sacks and 31 pressures. Even as a
> situational player in his first three college seasons,
> Wimbley flashed superb backside pursuit skills and
> closing ability. In addition to his physical
> attributes, Wimbley is known as a strong character-type
> player, a natural leader and a hard worker. Len
> Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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