Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[exhawg]

Keep dreamin.



I understand your points and they are good ones. I just think if they can't sign an above average OL in free agency, then they have to look at the draft. Moving down and getting more picks sounds good in this deep draft. Regardless, they have to select some D line help.

I'd settle for Kudla in the 3rd to come in and start at OLB. I'm not sure about what to do about LT. That is a hard position to fill, but I would hate to see them reach on a guy with the 12th pick. I checked out a bunch of mock drafts yesterday and about half of them had the Browns taking Greenway in the first round. One had the Browns getting Rod Wright (sp) in the second, but another had them taking RW in the first so who knows what's going on.
If you had told me a year ago that the Brown would get Frye in the 3rd I would have laughed at you. I'm not really worried about what they will do because I believe that Savage will make good choices in the draft and FA. If Butch Davis was still the coach he would probably trade all of the picks to Houston to move up to #1 and take Leinart. :p

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

PlainDealer

2/24/06

NFL

<H1 class=red>Jurevicius would look at Browns

</H1>

Friday, February 24, 2006

George Sweda

Plain Dealer Reporter

The strings that keep Joe Jurevicius attached to his high school could soon pull him toward the pro football team he rooted for as a kid.

Jurevicius, 31, a receiver who spent last season with the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks, will be a free agent next week. The Lake Catho lic graduate has thought about play ing for the Browns and would be receptive to overtures from the team.

"But everything is out of my hands. It's a matter of do the teams want me and am I the type of player that fits into their system?" he said.


In eight years in the NFL, Jurevicius has played in three Super Bowls, winning a championship with Tampa Bay and falling short with the Giants and Seahawks.

He didn't rule out returning to Seattle, and said his agent is handling negotiations. "Weirder things have happened," he said of coming to Cleveland. "You know places that you'd like to go and if it happens, it happens."

As for leaving Seattle and joining the rebuilding Browns, Jurevicius said: "I think [the Browns have] a pretty good coach. [Romeo Crennel has] made some great moves and so have the people in the front office. They're making decisions that are going to help the organization out. For me personally, of course, I'd love to come to the team. But I just want to play football."

Jurevicius played football pretty well at Lake Catholic. He was on state championship teams in 1991 and 1992, and he still holds most of the school's receiving records. His ties to the Cougars were evident at the Super Bowl, when Jurevicius introduced himself on the TV broadcast as being from Lake Catholic. Most players cite their college teams during introductions.

"I figured I'd do something a little bit different and I was happy I did it," the former Penn State Nittany Lion said.

Jurevicius was at Lake Catholic Thursday to present the first Michael W. Jurevicius Scholarship. The scholarship was named for Jurevicius' son, who died in infancy three years ago after being born with a rare genetic malady.

The first recipient of the scholarship was junior lineman Nick Cipkus.

Jurevicius, who is funding the scholarship, requires recipients to be a current football player with a grade-point average of at least 3.0 and a record of community involvement.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-5167

 

[scarletngrey11]

Havent seen this one posted yet, I guess ill put it here:

INDIANAPOLIS-At the NFL Scouting Combine, you can dare to dream. And for a few minutes Thursday, Browns coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Phil Savage smiled and shared their visions of Draft Utopia.

Crennel said he wouldn't mind having a defensive end "that's 270 pounds and runs a 4.5 (40-yard dash). I can work with a guy like that."

A dominating linebacker could help, too, and Crennel sees one in this draft who stands above the rest.

"He's down the street (in) Columbus," Crennel said. "His initials are A.J."

Savage also would like a linebacker who stalks ball carriers like a Hawk. A left tackle with good feet and a hawk-like wingspan wouldn't be bad, either.

"If D'Brickashaw Ferguson is there at 12, we'll turn that one in," Savage said. "But I don't think he's going to be there."

And Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush?

"If he's there, we'll turn in the card on him as well."

If things were that easy, the Browns wouldn't be in this position. Come April 29, they'll pick 12th overall in the first round, then again at Pick 43 (second round) and 78 (third). And since the whole perfect world thing probably isn't going to happen...

"We're looking for run stoppers, whether that's in free agency or in the upcoming draft," Crennel said. "We also need to get a pass rusher to help us improve our sack production. Offensively, we have to get Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow back on the field. Those are two guys we feel like can make some plays and help us win.

"This is a major step forward for us. We've identified some guys we'd like to have if they're available. And between free agency and the draft, we have to get some guys to fill some spots that can make us better."

Crennel said he likes the number of quality defensive players in this draft class "particularly from our standpoint. There are some guys who can help us fill some of our needs."

And though he joked about Hawk and other players he'd like to have, he's not at the combine just looking for prototypes and impressive physical specimens.

"Whether they fit the blueprint or not, I need guys who can play - guys who are playmakers," he said. "That's what we're looking for. If a guy is not 6'5 and 275 but he can still make plays and rush the quarterback, we'll find a spot for him."

Savage announced two roster moves Thursday - Kenard Lang and Michael Lehan were released - and said the team continues to work on new deals for Orpheus Roye and L.J. Shelton, as well as an extension for Rueben Droughns. Roye and Shelton can become free agents next week.

The Browns plan to let Antonio Bryant test the free agent market, and Crennel said the Browns would like to add several players to the offense.

"We need a wide receiver; we have to get somebody in to replace (Bryant's) production," Crennel said. "If we could get a veteran, that would be good. We need a runner that can complement Reuben. He had about every carry last year, and even though he was tough and hard-nosed and he gained 1,000 yards, I think it would be good if we had somebody to complement him and take some of the load off of him also.

"We need depth on the offensive line - we have guys coming off of surgeries. We're presently trying to keep Shelton off the market, but if that doesn't work and he hits the market, we'll have Plan B and Plan C."

The Browns could be interested in finding an offensive tackle in this draft. There seem to be plenty of good ones, but the trick is finding one good enough to play left tackle at the game's highest level.

"Left tackle is an impact position," Savage said. "In our eyes, it's almost a skill position because of the abilities it takes to play there."

Speaking of skill positions and special abilities, both Savage and Crennel seemed upbeat about the progress Edwards and Winslow are making.

"They are rehabbing," Crennel said. "They're working extremely hard every day. It's coming along."

Said Savage: "They're both progressing pretty well. We feel good about their progress to this point. Kellen, obviously, has about a six-month head start on Braylon in terms of recovering from the ACL surgery. They're pushing each other and kind of feeding off of one another. They're anxious to get out there, but we don't want to push the envelope too much."

Crennel said Winslow "is a competitor. He wants to get back and he wants to show everybody that he is the playmaker he was coming out of college. That's his main focus right now. He's working extremely hard to get back."

As for who will be throwing Edwards and Winslow the ball if and when they do return to action, Crennel said the quarterback's job - like every job on his team - is up for grabs.

"We're going to see who's best and that's who's going to play (quarterback)," he said. "When guys compete, the cream rises to the top. If it rises quickly, we'll name him quickly. And if it's slower to rise, we'll take a little bit longer to name him."

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

2/25/06

There’s room for one more in Browns’
backfield

Saturday, February 25, 2006


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]




INDIANAPOLIS - Three things to forget:
n Reuben Droughns racked up 1,232 yards.
n Lee Suggs might be a player.
n William Green was a Round 1 pick.
One thing to remember:
n Three’s no crowd in Cleveland.
The Browns might add a running back. If it’s not a free agent, such as Baltimore’s Chester Taylor, it could be a draft pick, at which point the question becomes: how high a pick?
If it’s sky high, as in the Browns’ No. 12 selection in Round 1, keep an eye on DeAngelo Williams. There’s no one in the draft like him.
It’s possible the Browns want to build the running game while quarterback Charlie Frye grows into the job. A one-two punch of a relentless Reuben and a dazzling DeAngelo might be a deuce worth reckoning.
“We need to get a runner to complement Reuben,” Head Coach Romeo Crennel said.
Personnel guru Gil Brandt of nfl.com said Williams “would be a good complement to any back.”
The 5-foot-9 University of Memphis product reminds some of Barry Sanders, a you-whiff-you-weep moves man.
Are the Browns interested? Williams, who set an NCAA record with 7,337 all-purpose yards, suspects they might be. Yet he trusts little he has seen and heard from coaches and scouts at the NFL Combine.
“Everybody is playing the World Series of Poker,” he said. “They all smile the same. They ask the same questions.”
Crennel smiles and says, “We aren’t going to tip our hand.”
The Browns have prioritized bringing in defensive help. However, if that help comes in free agency next month, drafting Williams becomes more plausible.
The Browns also might consider Southern Cal’s LenDale White if he slips to No. 12. Williams is a bigger, faster, more talented power runner than Droughns. Williams might be a better change of pace to Droughns because of his game-breaking moves and speed.
Williams, whose NFL weight projects to about 210 pounds, isn’t built for a heavy load. Does that make him unworthy of the No. 12 pick? Not necessarily, based on Browns General Manager Phil Savage’s assessment of Reggie Bush, an undersized back expected to be a top-three pick.
“Less could be more,” Savage said. “Reggie Bush and LenDale White worked well together. Whichever team takes Reggie at the top of the draft, if they utilize him in the right way, he can still be a Heisman Trophy winner at the pro level, even if he’s only touching the ball 10 or 15 times a game.
“At 200 pounds or so, when you’re carrying it 20 or 25 times a game for 16 games, that’s almost an impossibility for somebody to do that the way the game is played now.”
University of Akron Head Coach J.D. Brookhart, who faced Memphis in the Motor City Bowl, said of Williams: “He’s a top-five pick.”
Brookhart said so before Williams zapped the Zips for 233 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a 38-31 win Dec. 26.
The knock on Barry Sanders was that he was too often caught in the backfield. Williams doesn’t want to be perceived as all-or-nothing.
Still, Memphis rode DeAngelo Williams a lot harder than his NFL team figures to.
“They upped the ante,” he said. “It wasn’t about 100-yard rushing games. They expected 200 yards. I tried to live up to that expectation.”
Some expect the first back drafted after Reggie Bush to be Williams or White.
Some see White gaining on Williams. Williams thinks this: “I turned my rearview mirror off a long time ago.” Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

2/25/06

Is Cutler on Browns’ radar screen?

Saturday, February 25, 2006


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk Repository sports writer[/FONT]




INDIANAPOLIS - They trotted out the quarterbacks Friday.
Vanderbilt’s Jay Cutler and Southern Cal’s Matt Leinart were two different cats in their media interviews at the NFL Combine.
Cutler was a little bit of country, with long gray sweats hanging over his white gym shoes.
Leinart was a lot Hollywood, with perfect hair, fresh tan, and wrinkle-free clothes.
Cutler looks and talks a little like another passer who played college football in Tennessee, Kelly Holcomb.
It’s doubtful Holcomb’s former NFL team, the Browns, will wind up with Cutler, but you never know. Analyst Mel Kiper Jr. pegs Cutler as the 12th-best player in the draft. The Browns have quarterback issues and the No. 12 overall pick in the draft.
Cutler arrived in the media room at the NFL Combine relaxed and poised.
He spoke of his past as a small-town Indiana schoolboy who wound up at SEC weakling Vanderbilt somewhat because nobody else cared.
He said of his often-overmatched teammates, “I love them to death.” When someone tried a playful insult about Vandy football, he said, “We beat Arkansas ... we got robbed at Florida.”
Cutler’s Combine measurements were 6-foot-3, 226 pounds. He’s a conventional quarterback with very good mobility.
His favorite quarterbacks as a kid were John Elway and Brett Favre. He’ll probably gamble less than Favre.
“I take chances ... calculated chances,” he said. “I know what I’m doing.”
Scouts say he has a bigger arm than Frye.
Cutler says, “Obviously, I have a lot of arm strength. I can get it in there.”
Cutler is trying to up his draft stock by doing what Leinart and Vince Young will not: throw for scouts at the Combine. Bad sessions could drop him out of the first round.
“It’s just throwing,” Cutler shrugged. “I’ve been doing it a long time.” Cutler coyly deflected questions about who might be pursuing him. Asked if he had scheduled an interview with the Browns, he smiled and said, “I don’t know.”
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

2/25/06

BROWNS

Younger players, cap room bode well

Saturday, February 25, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


INDIANAPOLIS — Romeo Crennel and Phil Savage know the Browns are continuing to swim upstream, but Cleveland’s coach and general manager enter the second year of their regime in a slightly better position to improve in 2006.

Last off-season, the Browns were an aging 4-12 team with high-priced underachievers.

This off-season, they have a better record, a young core and plenty of room under the salary cap to sign new players. It’s up to Savage and Crennel to make the most of that money.

They will begin with defense, looking for impact players both in the draft, where they have the 12 th pick in the first round, and in free agency.

The Browns hope the offense takes care of itself with the return of tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. and receiver Braylon Edwards. Cleveland’s top picks in ’04 and ’05 suffered seasonending knee injuries a year ago and should be ready to play early in the season, if not by opening day.

"Those are two guys who can make some plays and help us win," Crennel said. They’re in rehab. They’re working extremely hard every day. It’s coming along."

On defense, the Browns will be looking to improve their pass rush, as well as possibly add a linebacker who can pair with Andra Davis on the inside.

This is the first year since Cleveland re-entered the NFL in ’99 that the team has had no significant coaching or personnel changes, and more important, everyone in the organization appears to be on the same page.

"We went 6-10 this first season, and that is not satisfactory, but we felt like we made a lot of strides and are beginning to put some things in place that are going to help us become a winning team," Savage said this week at the NFL combine. "We know we have a long way to go."

In the first year of installing Crennel’s 3-4 defense, Cleveland gave up 137.6 rushing yards per game and garnered just 23 sacks. Opposing teams were able to run the ball at will, take a lead and hold onto it. The Browns lost five games by a touchdown or less.

The team traded or released defensive linemen Gerard Warren and Courtney Brown, along with quarterback Jeff Garcia, and although the moves left Crennel with an inexperienced, skeleton group, the salaryshedding positioned the franchise to be active this off-season.

This week, the team increased its cap space from $20 million to $25 million by cutting linebacker Kenard Lang and defensive back Michael Lehan.

The Browns have a steep task in narrowing the talent gap within the AFC North Division. Last season, they went 0-4 by a combined score of 125-54 against the Cincinnati Bengals, who won the division, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, who won the Super Bowl. They split two games with the Baltimore Ravens to finish 1-5 in the division.

"Being in a tough division with Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cincinnati will elevate our play and elevate our standards," Savage said. "In order for us to compete in our own division, we’re going to have to get a lot better and a lot quicker."

[email protected]

Saturday, February 25, 2006

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

2/26/06

Browns big on Oregon’s big DT?

Sunday, February 26, 2006


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]




INDIANAPOLIS - Drafts are full of reaches, projects, steals and busts.
Then there is the occasional no-brainer. For the Browns, that might be Haloti Ngata.
Ngata is a projected 3-4 nose tackle who tore it up at tackle in a 4-3 defense at Oregon. Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel identified run defense as the top priority, and that points to a young replacement for last year’s aging starter, Jason Fisk.
You notice right away that General Manager Phil Savage pronounces Ngata’s surname just the way the Oregon press guide instructs: “NAH-ta.”
Presumably, Ngata, as a No. 12 pick, would make Browns fans forget Gerard Warren, if they haven’t already.
Ngata’s story, though, is bigger than the 6-foot-4, 338 pounds turned in after he was measured at the Combine.
He has much on his plate following the recent death of his mother. Three years ago, his father was killed in a truck crash. Olga Ngata succumbed in January to kidney failure related to diabetes.
“It’s been tough,” Ngata said softly, saying he is motivated to honor his parents’ memory.
“Now, I’ve got to support my family and four other siblings. They live in Los Angeles. That’s where we were born.”
The siblings range in age from 18 to 26.
Ngata is expected to be picked within the first half of the first round April 29, which would make him an instant multimillionaire.
Regardless of what happens, Ngata, a Mormon, said he has drawn strength from his faith.
“It’s really important to me,” he said. “It comforts me. Both of my parents have passed away, but I’ll be able to see them again.”
Ngata might be gone before the Browns pick.
If he’s still there, he might do for them what Casey Hampton has done on the nose for Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh.
Ngata said Hampton is his favorite player.
“He does pretty well separating from the double team,” Ngata said. “When he gets single-blocked, he does a good job getting away.”
Savage probably won’t let Ngata escape if he is available with pick No. 12.
Among the 14 writers who gathered around Ngata at his interview podium Saturday, seven cover the Browns.
HALI’S JOURNEY
Meanwhile, another defensive lineman on the Browns radar also has experienced his share of strife.
Penn State end Tamba Hali spoke Saturday of a boyhood in civil-war-torn Liberia.
“The plane came down,” Hali recalled. “We were sitting there. My mother was cooking. Gunfire just started erupting all over the place.
“That started happening all the time. So we went into hiding. My step-dad got a car and we went to a village far away from the city. We’d spend six months there, and then come back out and things would cease a little bit.
“Then they would start again. After a couple of times of that, they thought we should flee the country.”
He made it out when he was a young boy, fell in love with football and now is seen as a first-round draft candidate.
His mother stayed behind in Africa. He has not seen her since he left. He wants to bring her to America after gaining United States citizenship. “It’s going to be drastic for her,” Hali said. “She’s going to go from living in a hut to living in a nice home.” Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

PlainDealer

2/26/06

NFL INSIDER
Savage raid possible again on Ravens camp


Sunday, February 26, 2006

Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter

Indianapolis- Is another Phil Savage raid on the Baltimore Ravens in the works?

"We'll see," said Ozzie Newsome, Savage's former boss in Baltimore.

A year ago, Savage signed cornerback Gary Baxter in free agency and claimed quarterback Derek Anderson off waivers. He also signed running back Chester Taylor to an offer sheet, which Baltimore matched. One-time Ravens Trent Dilfer and Kyle Richardson also joined the Browns.

Savage can do more damage this year to his former team because four Baltimore starters are free agents and all fit Browns' needs.

The four Baltimore free agents are defensive end Anthony Weaver, nose tackle Ma'ake Kemoeatu, linebacker Bart Scott and punter Dave Zastudil.
Newsome expects Savage to make a run at two of them, at least.

"All I can do is try to retain them. If we lose them, we lose them," Newsome said.

Here's a closer look at players who would fill stated needs of the Browns when free agency kicks off on Friday.

Run defense: Kemoeatu, a 350-pound nose tackle, is an obvious, and large, target. Scott has been under the free agency radar screen, but he may be just as valuable. The 6-2, 240-pounder came into his own last season filling in for injured Ray Lewis.

"Who's going to fit best with Andra Davis? That's really the question we have to answer this year," Savage has said.

The answer might be Scott.

Pass rusher: There are not a lot of choices. Browns coach Romeo Crennel said Jets defensive end John Abraham is "head and shoulders" the best veteran pass rusher available.

Abraham was tagged with the franchise label by the Jets, ostensibly to trade him. A trade partner then would have to negotiate a long-term deal with Abraham and the money would be "way, way up there," Savage said.

There are also some red flags that might scare a team from making a huge investment in Abraham.

A more realistic target would be Kalimba Edwards of Detroit. The 6-6, 265-pound Edwards had seven sacks last year as a situational rusher in the Lions' 4-3 defense. He could make the conversion to full-time outside linebacker in the Browns' 3-4.

Offensive line: Savage said he wants to draft a lineman "of significance," but he also pointed to the injury histories of interior linemen Joe Andruzzi, Jeff Faine and Cosey Coleman.

A natural fit would be Cleveland native and Ohio State alum LeCharles Bentley, who can play any of the three positions. The Saints may be unable to keep Bentley, who will command in the $5 million-a-year range. That kind of contract would put him in the starting lineup, however, and the Browns already are devoting a lot of money to the three incumbents.

Receiver: Savage and Crennel both expressed the desire for a veteran receiver who brings professionalism and production. The best candidates who fit those criteria are New England's David Givens and Seattle's Joe Jurevicius.

Givens is leaving New England to seek a team that would anoint him its No. 1 receiver, and he would not receive that designation ahead of Braylon Edwards in Cleveland. Jurevicius, the Cleveland native, appears a better fit and would demand a lower contract.

Punter: Zastudil, of Bay Village, is easily the best punter available.

Jurevicius and Zastudil used to share the same agent as Savage, Neil Cornrich of Beachwood. But they will have to use other agents to represent them in upcoming contract talks. Cornrich cannot represent players while under suspension by the Players Association for using NFLPA data while testifying in a court case.

Winslow's impact:

Skier Jeremy Bloom, who is attempting to resume his football career after a two-year absence from Colorado preparing for the Olympics, said he is OK with having a "no skiing" clause in his contract if he signs with an NFL team.

"Sure," Bloom said. "I think Winslow took care of that."

He was referring to Kellen Winslow Jr.'s motorcycle accident in May that caused him to miss the 2005 Browns season.

Now it can be told:

Denver defensive line coach Andre Patterson said he was amazed a year ago when the Browns "threw in" lineman Mike Myers in the trade for running back Reuben Droughns. The original deal was Droughns for lineman Ebenezer Ekuban. Denver asked for a seventh-round pick because of Ekuban's injury history. The Browns substituted Myers for the draft pick.

The Browns used the draft pick on offensive tackle Jonathan Dunn, who spent his rookie season on injured reserve. Myers played in 16 games and had 31 tackles and one sack - almost exactly the same production he had with the Browns in 2004.

"He would have started for them at end in a 3-4," Patterson said.

Still underdogs:

Kevin Colbert, chief architect of the Pittsburgh Steelers, claims the Super Bowl champions have not separated from their AFC North division rivals.

"The division is wide open," Colbert said. "It's [Cincinnati's] division. They won it last year. Baltimore's always been in the thick of things. And Cleveland, I think, is on the right track to getting back in it. There's no way we think we can own the division.

"The unique thing about our division is every team has a starting quarterback with less than four years experience. As those young quarterbacks get better, the division is only going to get better.

Colbert was including Charlie Frye as the Browns' starter in that comment, despite Crennel's contention Frye and Dilfer will have "open competition" for the job.

Who's he kidding:

Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis chuckled at Colbert's assessment of the division.

"We know who the world champions are," he said. "We know who we're still chasing."

Tall glass of water:

Virginia's D'Brickashaw Ferguson, the consensus No. 1 offensive tackle, has gained 18 pounds since the season ended. He checked in at the combine at 6-6 and 312 pounds. He wanted to get bigger, but he will never be in the 340-pound range.

He said he was a fan as a kid of Lomas Brown, the long-time tackle who played the 1999 season in Cleveland.

"He was a long and skinny individual like myself and I tried to emulate some of the things he did," Ferguson said.

Incidentally, he was named by his father after the lead character in the 1983 TV miniseries, the Thorn Birds.

"It dealt with a priest and some of the issues he had with his religious relationship and his love relationship with a particular female," Ferguson said. "His name was Father [Ralph] de Bricassart and my name was changed slightly."

And, yes, he viewed the series when he was old enough to understand it.
"I had to. This miniseries was where I was named from so I had to watch it. I've seen it a couple of times on TV."

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Good article on Mike Kudla and the Browns apparent interest in him......HERE

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

2/27/06

Winston’s stock on rise as Browns inspect draft beef

Monday, February 27, 2006


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk repository sports wRITER[/FONT]




INDIANAPOLIS - At last summer’s fantasy draft parties, blockers were as useless as wet pretzels.
At this winter’s NFL Combine, though, tackles were people, too. Some interesting crunchers who paraded past the Browns’ draft party introduced themselves.
Cleveland picks too low, at No. 12 overall, to bag the prized beef — Virginia left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson.
In a good draft for tackles, and in a year the Browns are open to picking one early, there are two Winstons to watch. Both had their 2004 seasons blown out of the water.
Winston Justice of Southern Cal explained why was suspended for a year.
“We thought we knew the person in the other car when we pulled the toy gun,” Justice said. “It was the wrong person.”
He spent much of his year away from football in the boxing ring.
“It wasn’t hard to find opponents,” Justice said. “Boxers want to show how tough they are. They like to fight bigger guys. For me, it was helpful.”
Analysts have Justice rated around the middle of Round 1.
Browns General Manager Phil Savage warned that while Justice might become a good left tackle in the NFL, he played right tackle at USC, protecting the blind side of lefty Matt Leinart. Savage is concerned about how long it would take Justice to re-learn footwork at left tackle, where he would have to play to justify a No. 12 overall pick.
Eric Winston, on the other hand, is a natural “lefty.” Winston was a standout Miami (Fla.) left tackle in 2003 and 2005 who lost 2004 to knee surgery.
The 6-foot-6½, 310-pound Winston was asked if he’s gunning for status as the second-best tackle in the draft after Ferguson.
“I want to be the first guy taken,” he said.
Plenty of Miami guys have avoided working out for scouts at the Combine. Winston, though, wasn’t waiting for the Hurricanes’ pro day.
“I never shied away from competition in my life,” he said. “If I do what I can do, people will see the difference between me and the other guys.”
NFLdraftscout.com has Winston rated as the 32nd best player in the draft.
The Browns seem likely to draft Winston only if he falls to them in Round 2. On the other hand, Miami line coach Art Kehoe has called Winston the best lineman he has coached, and that group includes former No. 7 pick Bryant McKinnie.
Pittsburgh personnel chief Kevin Colbert says a potential starting tackle might be available as late as Round 4. Cleveland is talking to tons of tackles.
“Yes,” said Jonathan Scott of national champion Texas, “I’ve spoken to the Browns.”
Scott has the size and athleticism of Winston, but isn’t as polished.
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected].
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

2/28/06

Posted on Tue, Feb. 28, 2006
Roye chooses to return

Left tackle Shelton next up for talks with Browns

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->BEREA - The Browns retained one of their own Monday.
This morning they'll turn their attention to another.
Orpheus Roye has all but signed a three-year contract that will keep the standout defensive end off the free-agent market.
``We do have a deal,'' Roye's agent, Phil Williams, said. ``But I haven't looked at the fine print yet. We have parameters and numbers, and I all have to do is make sure all is it as should be.''
Williams said he expects to get the team's contract this morning.
Shortly after, the Browns will hold discussions with the agent for left tackle L.J. Shelton -- and they could be key in determining if the team will retain Shelton.
``I'll know more after we communicate (today),'' Shelton's agent, Vance Larimer, said Monday. ``We've exchanged proposals, and we're scheduled to talk more.''
The Browns have targeted Shelton as an important signing because they have no proven backup, and there are few left tackles who will be on the market.
Shelton started all 16 games last season.
He did struggle at times, but he proved himself a capable player at a key position.
Roye was a vital contributor on the Browns defense. At 32, he took part in more than 90 percent of the defensive plays -- an amazing number for a lineman playing in the 3-4 scheme.
Roye, who turned 33 in January, finished the season with 88 tackles, tops in the league for defensive linemen, according to NFL.com.
Roye has been a consistent and dependable professional for the Browns since he left the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent in 2000.
Williams said Roye enjoyed the Browns and never thought seriously about leaving.
``The only thought that crossed his mind was, `What if I can go to a team that is right on the cusp of the Super Bowl?' '' Williams said. ``Then he thought about guys like Takeo Spikes, who left (Cincinnati). Orpheus feels like Cleveland's management team and coaches are serious, he really likes the direction and he said, `I want to be part of this thing if it happens.'
``You're taking your chances no matter where you are.''
When it's done, the three-year deal almost certainly will assure Roye of finishing his career with the Browns.
The Browns, meanwhile, will be among the teams best positioned to make a splash once free agency starts.
SI.com reported that the team has $20.1 million in room under the NFL's salary cap (before Roye's deal) -- based on a projected salary cap of $95 million.
If a new CBA is agreed to, the salary-cap figure could rise to $110 million. But based on the lower figure only four teams would have more than $20 million in cap room: Minnesota ($24.1 million), Arizona ($23.6 million), Green Bay ($20.7 million) and the Browns.
That is the main reason that the Browns won't be affected if there is no CBA extension: They have room to sign players no matter what happens.
More room under the cap could mean more money in contracts, but Williams said he and Roye had no desire to wait to see if the CBA was completed before agreeing to the deal.
``Cap room was not an issue with them or Orpheus,'' Williams said. ``The deal is fair. There was no reason to wait and see what happened. He kind of said, the heck with whatever might be out there.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

PlainDealer

2/28/06

NFL COMBINE
Small-town boy dreams of big city


Monday, February 27, 2006

Mary Kay Cabot
Plain Dealer Reporter

Indianapolis- The Browns know they probably won't get a Hawk in the draft, but they could land a Hawkeye.

While top-ranked OSU linebacker A.J. Hawk is expected to go in the top 5, the Browns could get the next best thing - Iowa linebacker Chad Greenway, widely regarded as the second-best linebacker avail- able.

Several mock drafts, including ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and Scouts Inc., predict the Browns will select Greenway with the No. 12 pick.

"He's a super kid," said Browns General Manager Phil Savage Sunday. "He was a real leader at Iowa and [coach] Kirk Ferentz liked him a lot. I think both Greenway and his teammate Abdul Hodge will be starters in the NFL."

The Browns were not among the 20 or so teams that interviewed Greenway at the NFL Combine, but Savage said nothing should be read into that. He said the Browns did not interview No. 1 pick Braylon Edwards or third-round pick Charlie Frye at the Combine last year.

Besides, the Browns have the inside track on Greenway from Ferentz, one of Savage's best friends from their days together in Cleveland.

Ferentz has had nothing but rave reviews for Greenway ever since he plucked him off a farm in tiny Mount Vernon, S.D., population 400.

"He's an unbridled colt, full of energy and enthusiasm," Ferentz said in a press conference last season.

"He's a great player," said Hodge on Sunday at the Combine. "He's athletic. He's very versatile. He can make plays all over the field, in the run game or the pass game."

Greenway (6-2½, 242) has been compared to Chicago Bears five-time Pro Bowler Brian Urlacher because of his sub-4.6 speed and high motor on the field. In 2005, Greenway tied for fourth in the nation with 156 tackles, including 95 solo. He also had two sacks.

I like to think I play similarly to the way Brian Urlacher plays," Greenway said. "I'm obviously not to his level at this point, but I got a lot of his film this summer. I wanted to learn from the best and he's one of the best of the best."

Greenway described his strengths as his athleticism and his size. "I can really play any linebacker position even though I did play the weak side in college," he said. "But I have the ability to play the strong side and mike and also play the 3-4, something I plan to show this weekend."

He said he didn't have a lot of opportunities to rush the passer because the Hawkeyes didn't blitz much. "But I think I have the ability to do that and when I did get that opportunity in college, I was pretty successful," he said. "I think I'd be a great fit, especially as an outside rusher, but I also have the physical capability of being an inside rusher, too. I definitely could help a team and strengthen their blitz package."

Greenway entertained the media Sunday with his description of small-town farm life in South Dakota. He came from a graduating class of 29 at Mount Vernon High and had to combine with another school to field a football team. Still, they played in a 9-on-9 program, where the offense utilized two backs, a flanker and two tight ends as tackles. The defense featured a 4-2 front with two corners and a safety.

Greenway played quarterback and free safety - and also returned kicks and punts. Iowa became the only Division I school to offer him a scholarship and when Ferentz sized up his then 205-pound frame, he switched him to linebacker.

"I was open to anything," Greenway said. "But I never played 11-on-11 football until I got to Iowa."

He was a quick study and could be the second linebacker off the board behind Hawk. "I think the Browns need linebackers," he said.

Extra points:

Savage said the Browns have extended the contract of one of their players, but declined to say which one until they file the paperwork with the NFL office today. They've been trying to extend L.J. Shelton, Orpheus Roye and Reuben Droughns. . . . Savage said he interviewed offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and running backs DeAngelo Williams and Laurence Maroney. . . . Texas quarterback Vince Young was rumored to have scored a 6 out of 50 on the Wonderlic Intelligence Test, but Combine officials are investigating the scoring of the tests in his group. If Young did score a 6, his stock in the draft will likely drop, and he could be available to the Browns at No. 12.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-6136

 

[scarletngrey11]

If we draft Greenway I will be very disappointed.

He had a very poor combine. Manny Lawson on the other hand...

 

[exhawg]

If we draft Greenway I will be very disappointed.

He had a very poor combine. Manny Lawson on the other hand...

Me too with Greenway. I would much rather see the Browns reach for Carp than take Greenway. Trade down and pick up and extra 2nd or 3rd and draft Bobby. The draft is so deep this season that they can pick up a bunch of really good players in the first 3 rounds.

 

[scarletngrey11]

Greenway had a horrible combine, id be shocked if the Browns still drafted him at 12. He put up 16 reps, and ran in the high 4.7s, he also physically did not look like a future NFL linebacker.

Id love to take either Ngata, Bunkley, Lawson or Carpenter in round one, I feel like im forgeting someone but I cant remember who...