Browns bust bank for Steinbach

The Cleveland Browns wanted Eric Steinbach badly and paid for him.

The fifth-year guard signed a seven-year deal for $49.5 million with the Browns today. He receives $17 million in guaranteed money and $23 million over the first three years.

All of Steinbach's numbers better those paid by Minnesota to former Seattle guard Steve Hutchinson a year ago.

Hutchinson, like Steinbach, is a left guard.

The Browns liked Steinbach coming out of the 2003 draft but selected center Jeff Faine instead.

Four years later, the Browns finally got Steinbach.