Free agents affect Browns’ draft plans
Thursday, March 23, 2006
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[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk Repository sports writer [/FONT]
BEREA - Did the Browns score when they drafted Gerard Warren? Or would they have been better off with LaDainian Tomlinson?
Did you enjoy taking that sharp stick in the eye? Or would you have preferred a dip in the Jacuzzi?
These kind of questions make Phil Savage’s hike through the jungle of first-round draft preparation tricky. The last thing he wants to do is miss a superstar, even if it means bypassing a “need” guy.
Savage has said the Browns can operate with the quarterbacks they have, young Charlie Frye and veteran Trent Dilfer. But what if an elite quarterback falls to them at No. 12, they pass, the QBs on board don’t work out, and the one that got away becomes a star?
The Browns seem stable at running back, with Reuben Droughns, Lee Suggs and William Green.
Droughns, though, seems a good but not great player, and he’ll turn 30 before the 2008 season. What if a great back is available at No. 12? Wouldn’t it be nice to pair him with Droughns now and have him fully groomed later?
But which “draft steal” might be available when Cleveland is on the clock? Savage must master such calculations to justify making the big bucks.
Based on a consensus among analysts roughly a month before Draft Day:
n Quarterbacks Vince Young and Jay Cutler are possible high picks who could tumble.
n LenDale White, DeAngelo Williams and Laurence Maroney might be difference-making backs.
n Several defensive players the Browns like as plug-ins for the front seven might be reaches at No. 12, and the ones seen as worthy might be gone.
RAVENS THINK YOUNG
Young was a No. 1 candidate in the afterglow of his leading Texas to a national title, but questions related to his Wonderlic (intelligence test) results at the NFL Combine dented his stock. Ravens fans who weary from an overdose of Kyle Boller wonder if Young might tumble to their first-round slot at No. 13.
“He’s not as clean a prospect as some other quarterbacks that have come out over the years, but his upside and ceiling are tremendous,: Ravens personnel executive Eric DeCosta said in Wednesday’s Baltimore Sun. “If you hit on him, you could have a trendsetter in the NFL.”
DeCosta, who was new Browns scout T.J. McCreight’s boss in Baltimore last year, said Young “plays smart” and “makes good decisions on film.” Both the Browns and Ravens got a look at Young at Texas’ “Pro Day” on Wednesday.
Young has dropped to No. 11 in nfldraftscout.com rankings.
“Everybody’s looking for something negative,” Young said at the Combine. “I’m working on staying a positive person.”
On the off chance Young is available at No. 12, Savage would be staring in the face a 6-foot-5, 228-pounder who runs a sub-4.5 40 and won huge games against Ohio State and Southern Cal.
REST FOR REUBEN
Cutler seemed at ease at the Combine, coming across as the mature type who could play early in the NFL. Someone asked the Vanderbilt star if big money will change him.
He drew a laugh when he said, “I don’t know. We’ll found out how soon.”
He could be another Ben Roethlisberger, a major talent who falls on draft day because he played for the wrong school.
Cutler’s supporters see him as Pro Bowl material, a good thinker with a rocket arm and plenty of quickness. His profile was beefed up when he bench-pressed 225 pounds 28 times. Borderline No. 12 candidate Chad Greenway, a linebacker, logged 16.
Meanwhile, the hot running backs seem bunched up in the Browns’ draft neighborhood. Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Memphis’ Williams No. 9, Southern Cal’s White No. 11 and Minnesota’s Maroney No. 13.
Williams’ moves conjure images of Barry Sanders. He might menace defenses with a different look if alternated with Droughns. He is just 5-9 and durability could be a problem.
The 6-3, 238-pound White runs like a race truck and led the nation in scoring, but he might just be a bigger, faster Droughns without the NFL experience. Still, he could rotate with Droughns in a system keeping both backs fresh.
TRADE A POSSIBILITY
The 6-0, 217-pound Maroney looks like a complete back, with good moves and power. He averaged 133 rushing yards in 2005. Against Ohio State, he held his own in collisions with A.J. Hawk and finished with 127 yards on 25 carries. Against Wisconsin, he rushed for 258 yards, including a 93-yard touchdown.
Maroney might be a good fit in a rotation with Droughns.
“Actually, it was fun splitting time with Marion Barber,” Maroney said of his Minnesota days. “We both brought something different, kept defenses on their toes. We always had fresh legs. We never had any complaints.”
Savage says the Browns’ balanced group of recently signed free agents gives the Browns some flexibility as to how they spend the No. 12 pick.
It will be no surprise if the Browns move up or down in the first round. If it’s down, keep an eye on Denver, which was involved in two big deals with Cleveland last year in this time frame. A trade with Atlanta on Wednesday left the Broncos with the Nos. 15 and 22 picks in the first round. A trade up or down would indicate the Browns want to draft a defensive player. At the No. 12 spot, it’s uncertain the right defensive guy will be available. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail:
[email protected]
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