NFL: Suggs fails physical, sent back to Browns

[Appels]

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Running back Lee Suggs failed his physical with the New York Jets on Tuesday, voiding his trade from Cleveland.

Suggs, who has had myriad injuries throughout his four-year career, was brought in to help bolster the group of backs struggling without the injured Curtis Martin. Now he is headed back to the Browns. Cornerback Derrick Strait, who was sent to Cleveland in the deal made Monday, returns to New York.

"We have a whole series of tests that we do, and we were very thorough with the process," Jets coach Eric Mangini said. "He just didn't pass those tests. ... Each team has a criteria they set up that they believe is what's important and what's needed to be competitive. I'm very comfortable with the tests we have set up."

Despite Mangini's posturing, the voided trade is a setback for the Jets. The spin here is that Suggs was acquired to ramp up competition at the tailback spot, but clearly the Jets felt he was an upgrade over the young veterans already on the roster. Fifth-year veteran Derrick Blaylock and second-year pro Cedric Houston remain the top two tailbacks. In a conversation with ESPN.com on Monday, following the announcement of the trade, Suggs said he was looking forward to getting a fresh start with a team that seemed to need his services. He is probably no better than the No. 3 tailback on the Cleveland roster. A third-round pick in the 2004 draft, Strait has been a disappointment with the Jets, but the Browns have several injuries at the cornerback spot and needed him for depth. A former Oklahoma standout, Strait has played in 21 games in two seasons and has 43 tackles and one pass defensed.

The 33-year-old Martin, who is No. 4 on the all-time rushing list, continues to rehab and his future is in doubt. Though Martin wants to play this season, it is unclear whether he will be able to. It has been eight months since he had surgery on his knee.

Suggs hasn't been able to stay on the field for the Browns, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2003 draft. At various times in his pro career, Suggs has been sidelined by injuries to a shoulder, neck, toe, ankle and thumb.

Mangini declined to say what part of the physical Suggs failed.

"It's just standard operating procedure. You go through a trade, you have to go through the complete process," Mangini said. "This is part of the process. Lee has done a good job in Cleveland, he's a good person and that's part of the reason we pursued him. I really think the opportunity was good for both players and both teams. I wish Lee well, and I look forward to Derrick getting back here and getting to work."

Mangini also declined to give a timetable for Martin's return and said the trade had no bearing on the running back's future.

"We were looking at it as an opportunity to improve the competition at the position," Mangini said. "Our goal is to increase competition and to make our team that much more competitive and improve the team where we can."

He also didn't rule out future deals to bring in another running back.

"It's fair to assume that there could be a lot of moves," Mangini said. "The moves are going to be predicated on the opportunities, and the opportunities are going to based on whether that move can improve the team."

The speedy 6-foot, 213-pound Suggs appeared in only seven games as a rookie because of a shoulder injury he sustained at Virginia Tech. Suggs won a starting job in training camp in 2004 but hurt his neck in the final preseason game and was inactive for the first three games of the regular season. He returned to play in seven games before missing three straight with a toe injury.

Suggs hurt his ankle during the preseason last year and missed Cleveland's first two games. He dressed in Weeks 3 and 4 but injured his thumb and was inactive for six weeks.

Suggs has rushed for 1,048 yards and four TDs as a pro.

Courtesy of ESPN.com, and Associated Press

[yankeesman77]

Sad for the Jets atleast they can get the #1 or #2 pick in the draft probably will only get 2 wins this season lol.

[Appels]

actually Pennington looked good earlier this week in the preseason game. If Pennington can stay healthy, I see them winning at least 6 games.

[Spawn]

idk,Jets have been fair in the last 2 years,they need to just invest more players than investing on field accesories.

[digitalv]

their RB core isnt that bad. I think Cedric Houston can run the ball well, if not him then give it to Leon Washington who they drafted this year. Be about the same thing the Dolphins had 2 years ago, Sammy Morris, Lamar Gordon, and Travis Minor

[demolition89]

Running Back by committee could work for the Jets over the short term. I hope Curtis Martin isn't finished ~ class act and stellar talent. He always put the Jets a huge step above the rest of the AFC East at the Running Back position, and helped mitigate the damage stemming from the injury plagued mess at Quaterback.

(PS ~ As a Giants fan, I see a frightening realistic vision of what would happen if Tiki Barber blew out his knee.)