The Browns have signed defensive back Gary Baxter and fullback Charles Ali to one-year contracts, the team announced Thursday.
Baxter has been working his way back onto the field during the past 17 months since injuring patellar tendons in both knees on Oct. 22, 2006 during a game against the Denver Broncos.
The 29-year-old sat out the entire 2007 season while continuing to recover. He remained on the team's active roster for the first six weeks of the season and practiced on a limited basis before being placed on injured-reserve on Oct. 23.
"This is very important for me to sign a one-year deal here and to finish something I started," Baxter said. "This has been a long process but right now everything is going well and I'm going to continue my quest to make history. Both Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel brought me back and that shows a lot of loyalty and respect on the Browns' behalf. They know how hard I've been working. I'm running and feeling good--I'm putting in everything I've got. Things are looking very positive."
He played in 3 games in '06 and 5 games in '05 for the Browns after signing with the team on March 5, 2005. Baxter was one of Phil Savage's first big-name free agent signings as general manager of the Browns.
As a Brown, he has recorded 41 tackles, 3 interceptions and 6 pass breakups in 8 starts.
He played the first three years of his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens, appearing in 54 games with 46 starts. During that time, he managed 282 tackles with 5 interceptions and 51 pass breakups. He entered the league as a second-round pick by the Ravens in 2001.
The cornerback said Thursday he's now planning on playing safety for the Browns, saying he's bulking up to fill the role.
"Gary has shown great determination in his attempt to come back and we feel this contract will give him the opportunity to do just that here in Cleveland," general manager Phil Savage said. "We look forward to having him at close to 100% by training camp."
Ali joined the Browns as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2007 and appeared in 13 games for the club as a rookie, mostly on special teams.
