Suggs' place on team in jeopardy
William Green, too, is facing the prospect of getting waived by Cleveland.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Lee Suggs shrugs his shoulders, offers a nervous smile and twirls the orange helmet by its facemask.
Once Cleveland's leading rusher and the club's best breakaway threat, his days with the Browns seem to have dwindled to a precious few. His future uncertain, Suggs still dreams of touchdowns and 1,000-year seasons.
But right now his goals are much simpler.
"I just want to be on a team somewhere," he said.
Roster cuts due
When the Browns (2-1), who conclude their exhibition schedule tonight against the Chicago Bears (1-2), reduce their roster from 75 to 53 this weekend, Suggs knows he could be left behind.
The oft-injured 26-year-old speedster, traded on Aug. 14 to New York only to be returned as damaged goods when the Jets claimed he failed their physical, may soon be without an NFL home.
"I don't know what's going to happen," Suggs said following practice on Tuesday. "I may be here. I may not. I have no control over that."
William Green, too, is facing the prospect of getting waived by the Browns.
Cleveland's leading rusher in 2002 and 2003, the former first-round pick who has overcome personal problems has run for just 18 yards on 11 carries in the preseason.
Not in coaches' plans
"I'm not in the coaches' minds," Green said when asked of his chances of making the cut. "I don't know what they think. The only thing we can do is go out there and work hard. I'm sure that's what all the running backs do."
The club currently has five backs: Reuben Droughns, Suggs, Green, rookie Jerome Harrison and Jason Wright. Droughns, who ran for more than 1,200 yards and the shifty Harrison, who has had a spectacular preseason, are locks. That leaves Wright, a second-year back, fighting it out with Suggs and Green.
Somebody's not making it.
Suggs and Green are expected to get plenty of chances to play in Cleveland's final tuneup for the Sept. 10 opener against New Orleans. The Browns' starters will get limited playing time, giving backups and players on the bubble one last chance to impress coaches.
"I just know when I go in there and get the ball, I have to make something happen," Suggs said. "It could be make or break, I don't know. I just look at it as playing ball."
Ready for roadblock
Suggs says he's as ready as he can be for the next career roadblock.
After missing 23 of 48 games with a variety of injuries, he has overcome adversity before. The shock of being traded and then sent back still lingers. It's only when he's on the field that Suggs is able to clear his mind.
"It's hard not knowing what's going on, where I'm going to be next week," he said. "It's hard, but it's just part of the business."
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