Droughns’ chances of success look solid for 2006

By Connor Byrne  |   Monday, August 21, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Cleveland Browns
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If the Cleveland Browns wish to succeed in 2006, particularly on offense, one of their most important contributors will have to be No. 1 running back Reuben Droughns. The seventh-year man was acquired by the Browns in a trade with the Denver Broncos prior to last season, and he hasn't left any Cleveland fans disappointed yet.

In his inaugural campaign in Ohio, Droughns finished eight rushing yards shy of a career-best, with 1,232. Shockingly, he was the first 1,000-yarder out of the Cleveland backfield since 1985, when both Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner surpassed the plateau, gaining 1,104 and 1,002, respectively.

The only statistic that left too much to be desired for the 28-year-old Droughns was his lack of scampers into the opposing end zone. The former third-round pick from the University of Oregon finished with just two touchdowns, which is a much too small amount for a 5-foot-11, 215-pound bruiser.

Of course, much of Droughns' inability to cross the goal-line was thanks to a poor overall offense. Without a passing game that's at least average, it's hard for a running back to truly thrive. And since the Browns had mediocrity at quarterback with veteran Trent Dilfer and rookie Charlie Frye, they finished dead last in points scored and 26th in total offensive yardage in 2005.

Despite Cleveland's QB ineptitude, Droughns still managed to emerge as a dual-threat from the backfield, receiving 39 passes for 369 extra yards. He finished fourth on the team in catches, behind Antonio Bryant, Steve Heiden and Dennis Northcutt, and fifth in receiving yards.

In their second preseason game last Friday, Droughns led the Browns' first-unit offense down the field with 44 rushing yards on seven attempts against the Detroit Lions' defense, including a game-high 27-yarder. As far as the exhibition schedule has gone so far, Droughns is averaging well over five yards per carry, with 65 on 11 rushes.

With an improved offensive line and quarterback in front of him, look for Droughns to possibly accumulate an all-time high in rushing yards in '06, defeating his total of 1,240 in 2004, when he was a member of the Broncos.

Browns news and notes:

-Droughns pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge on Monday, which stemmed from a recent domestic disturbance with his wife, Kellie. Droughns' trial date is set for Feb. 5, when he could possibly see six to 18 months of jail time if convicted of assault. For now, however, he'll just have to worry about getting the job done on the field.

-The Cleveland Browns' most impressive runner last Friday wasn't Droughns, but unheralded rookie Jerome Harrison. A fifth-round choice out of Washington State, Harrison rushed nine times for 53 yards and caught six passes for 54 yards and a touchdown against Detroit. He clearly made a major push in Cleveland's race to find a second-string halfback.

--Connor J. Byrne can be reached at cbyrne@realfootball365.com.

Get more on Reuben Droughns and the Browns at Realfootball365.com
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