The Eagles announced on Wednesday that they have traded running back Mike Bell to the Cleveland Browns for another running back - Jerome Harrison.
Harrison was the starting running back in Cleveland heading into the season before losing the job to Peyton Hillis. On the year, Harrison has 31 carries for 91 yards. Bell was signed by the Eagles as a restricted free agent, in fact he was the only restricted free agent to change teams this past offseason, and has 28 yards on 16 carries.
This is not the first deal between the two teams this year. Earlier this offseason, the Eagles sent two veteran defensive players - cornerback Sheldon Brown and linebacker Chris Gocong - to the Browns for linebacker Alex Hall, a fourth-round pick (cornerback Trevard Lindley) and a fifth-round pick (used to acquire linebacker Ernie Sims). Of course, the Browns new general manager is Tom Heckert, the former Eagles general manager.
The 5-9, 205-pound Harrison has played in 51 career games for the Browns, racking up 1,401 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 302 carries (4.6 average), while adding 61 catches for 444 yards and three touchdowns.
Last year, Harrison led the team with 194 carries for 862 yards and five touchdowns, and tied for the team lead with 34 receptions for 220 yards and two touchdowns. Over the final three games of the season, he amassed a league-high 561 rushing yards and five touchdowns, including a 286-yard effort on Dec. 20, 2009 at Kansas City, which ranks as the third-highest single-game rushing total in NFL history, trailing only Adrian Peterson (296 yards) and Jamal Lewis (295 yards). The 27-year-old Harrison also holds Cleveland's team record with 39 carries.
Originally a fifth-round draft choice of the Browns in 2006, Harrison played collegiately at Washington State, totaling 2,800 yards and 25 touchdowns in 22 games after transferring from Pasadena City Junior College. A native of Kalamazoo, Mich., Harrison was a team captain and an honorable mention All-America performer at Kalamazoo high school.
-- Posted by Bo Wulf, 2:42 p.m., October 13
