Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

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1/25/06

Why Butch Davis let Ben Roethlisberger slip to Pittsburgh

Wednesday, January 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]


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AP David Zalubowski big mistake Butch Davis bluffed in 2004 that he was considering Ben Roethlisberger with the Browns’ No. 1 pick. Two seasons later, Roethlisberger has the Steelers in the Super Bowl, while the guy Davis took, Kellen Winslow Jr., has become well-accustomed to life on injured reserve.
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Between the time in 2004 when Butch Davis was running everything, then nothing, he let the enemy steal Ben Roethlisberger.
Now, with Roethlisberger taking a 25-4 record as Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback into Super Bowl XL, the Browns have digested a few painful lessons:
Don’t give one man too much power.
Don’t let a season’s worth of decisions get dragged around by a guy trying to save his job.
Don’t overvalue a player with whom you are personally connected.
Davis came to the Browns in 2001 billed as a master talent evaluator and developer. It’s not as if he ignored Roethlisberger.
In his predraft travels, Davis was unconvinced receivers used in a Roethlisberger workout provided an NFL-type look. Davis had two of his Cleveland wideouts, Andre King and Frisman Jackson, catch passes from the Miami (Ohio) quarterback.
Closer to draft day, Davis flew to Oxford on a Roethlisberger-related mission. It was a smokescreen, perhaps, intended to drum up a trade offer. The smoke-screening seemed to get elaborate.
Davis even had a colorful way of saying the Browns would consider drafting a quarterback.
“We would all be kicking ourselves in the behind,” he said, “if we passed on a guy who wound up winning four Super Bowls.”
Davis, though, was under the gun, having coached the Browns to a 5-11 finish in 2003. He sensed a “fix it soon” tone from owner Randy Lerner.
He targeted two help-now players with the No. 7 pick. Safety Sean Taylor and tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. both had played at Miami (Fla.), where Davis was head coach before joining the Browns.
GAMBLING ON GARCIA
Analyst Mel Kiper rated Roethlisberger as the fifth-best player in the draft, two spots ahead of Winslow. Davis, though, was influenced by copious evidence that rookie quarterbacks hardly ever win, and perhaps by a conviction that Roethlisberger came from the wrong Miami.
Frustrated with Tim Couch and unfulfilled by Kelly Holcomb, Davis got his new quarterback 46 days before the draft — old Jeff Garcia.
On the day Garcia was introduced in Berea, President Carmen Policy did a hard sell.
“When Jeff and I sat in my office,” Policy said, “I came away with a very distinct impression that this was a man on a mission. He believes there is work undone, and he is going to get it done. I went down the hall and told the coach that. The coach said he came up with the same conclusion.”
Quite sold on himself, Garcia said, “I really do believe I have four or five strong years left in me. I think I’m a 34-year-old going on 25.”
Davis gushed about “the passion, the athleticism, the way (Garcia) drove teams, his charisma.”
On April 7, Policy made his final public appearance in Berea, announcing he was out and John Collins was in. On April 24, Davis got Garcia a target in Winslow, passing on Roethlisberger.
FALLING TO PITTSBURGH
Drafting Winslow was expensive. Davis became convinced the Lions would pick Winslow at No. 6, one spot before the Browns. He agreed to give Detroit his second-round pick in exchange for trading places.
Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney liked Roethlisberger better than Eli Manning or Phillip Rivers, both taken early on in the first round. This was his lucky day.
The Lions, staying committed to Joey Harrington, chose wideout Roy Williams at No. 7.
The Falcons, who had Michael Vick, picked cornerback DeAngelo Hall at No. 8.
The Jaguars, happy with Byron Leftwich, chose wideout Reggie Williams at No. 9.
The Texans, banking on David Carr, picked cornerback Dunta Robinson at No. 10.
The Steelers, coming off a 6-10 year with Tommy Maddox, pounced on Roethlisberger at No. 11.
Within 20 minutes of drafting Winslow, Davis appeared in the Browns’ media room. He hinted that a few players the Browns didn’t draft, presumably including Roethlisberger, might be right for other teams.
“But maybe not for us,” Davis said, “because of the nature of who we have on our team. There are some guys still on the board (as of Pick 8) who are going to be dynamite players, but they don’t fit for us from the standpoint that we already have one or two guys at that position that are at least or close to as good.”
Haunting words.
ENTER CHARLIE FRYE
Garcia started 10 games, lost seven, then disappeared. Holcomb’s body was broken in a 58-48 loss at Cincinnati, after which Davis quit. Rookie Luke McCown went 0-4 before a healed Holcomb beat Houston, then bolted to Buffalo.
Roethlisberger went 14-1 as a rookie starter in Pittsburgh, including 1-1 in the playoffs.
Roethlisberger may have been dogged by supporting-cast issues had he gone to the Browns. Given Garcia’s demise and the expiration of Holcomb’s contract, he almost surely would have been the Cleveland starter in ’05.
In Pittsburgh, behind one of the league’s best lines, Roethlisberger has been sensational. In fact, this week’s hot media topic in New York is whether the Giants blew it in preferring Eli Manning, the No. 1 pick of the ’04 draft, to Roethlisberger.
The Browns are left to hope that another Mid-American Conference product, 2005 Round 3 pick Charlie Frye, can rise to Roethlisberger’s level.
It’s more complicated than this, but ... when the MAC rivals met on Christmas Eve, Roethlisberger’s team won 41-0. The last time the Browns were consistently good, they lost three AFC title games to Denver’s John Elway. Here’s another haunting item lingering from Butch Davis’ draft pass: Roethlisberger wears No. 7 in honor of Elway. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]
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1/26/06

BROWN'S TOWN
Frye pursues strength in the desert


Wednesday, January 25, 2006 Roger Brown
Plain Dealer Columnist
Browns quarterback Charlie Frye may be in Arizona these days, but he's doing more than soaking up sun and playing golf.

Frye is expected to remain in Arizona until March for workouts with renowned strength coach Warren Anderson, best known for his work with Philadelphia star QB Donovan McNabb. Frye's goal: to gain 10 to 20 pounds before next season, so he can better withstand the physical pounding he'll take week after week.

As a rookie last season, Frye weighed 217 pounds.

Browns GM Phil Savage

says he shouldn't get a free pass - and the presence of AFC North rival Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl further confirms why he's right. When the second-best team in your division makes the Super Bowl, coming away from a two-day NFL Draft with only two significant players doesn't cut it. (Which is exactly what Savage got from the 2005 draft, with Frye and wide receiver Braylon Edwards). If Savage insists on racking up miles to personally scout some defensive back from Alabama A&M&T&Y, he better start justifying the toll fees by getting legitimate players throughout an NFL Draft (that means both days).

One clear conclusion

from the Browns' promotion of offensive line coach Jeff Davidson to assistant head coach: Head coach Romeo Crennel obviously isn't an insecure guy, and doesn't feel threatened by putting two young, ambitious and talented assistants (Davidson and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham) in top positions. Davidson and Grantham are likely future NFL head coaches.

 

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1/29/06

NFL INSIDER
Browns' talent gap is super


Sunday, January 29, 2006 Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter
Does Pittsburgh's march to the Super Bowl shed a different light on the Browns' 41-0 loss to the Steelers in Game 15 on Christmas Eve?

When the dust settled from that blowout, the feeling among the Browns was that they couldn't be that bad and the gap between the teams couldn't be that great. Forty-one points is the third-largest margin of defeat for the Browns since they returned as an expansion team in 1999.

The optimistic assertion was bolstered by the Browns' subsequent 20-16 win over Baltimore in Game 16. After all, the argument went, if Baltimore beat Pittsburgh (16-13) and Cleveland beat Baltimore, then the Browns couldn't be too far from beating the Steelers.

But another measure of the gap between the Browns and Steelers can be found in comparing five key positions on the teams — quarterback, outside linebacker, nose tackle, safety and center.

- Quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger vs. Charlie Frye.

Roethlisberger's development in two seasons has been dramatic. In the past month alone it's been phenomenal. Last season, he tagged along for the ride. This season, he led the Steelers to road playoff victories in Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Denver. He has earned a place among the league's elite quarterbacks.

Frye exhibits a lot of the qualities that has made Roethlisberger a consistent NFL winner. These include tangibles, such as mobility and accuracy throwing on the move, as well as intangibles, such as field leadership, inner confidence and competitiveness.

But Roethlisberger's arm strength gives him a major edge over Frye.
To put it in perspective, close your eyes and imagine Frye developing his abilities to the absolute maximum. Then imagine him with a rocket arm.

That's Roethlisberger.

- Outside linebacker: Joey Porter vs. Chaun Thompson. It's hard to believe that Porter was drafted in the third round (1999) and Thompson was taken in the second round (2003).

At Colorado State, Porter was an accomplished sacker as a defensive end and fit like a glove at outside linebacker in Pittsburgh's 3-4 scheme.

Thompson had eight sacks in 44 games for West Texas A&M, a Division II school hidden among the wild west's tumbleweeds.

Porter has been a mainstay pass rusher in Pittsburgh's defense the past six seasons. He is the prototype 3-4 outside linebacker, able to disrupt the best passing games in the NFL. Thompson's first season in Romeo Crennel's 3-4 defense was encouraging, but his "ceiling" — his maximum performance level — might never approach what Porter is doing now.

- Nose tackle: Casey Hampton vs. Jason Fisk.

Pittsburgh's underrated defensive line has been a strength for years, and its defense against the run has a lot to do with Hampton's stout play up front. Not only should he have made the Pro Bowl this year (he was named to the AFC team Friday to replace the injured Richard Seymour), he might be the best nose tackle in the entire NFL.

Fisk was a stop-gap free agent acquisition whose best years were as a backup.

- Safety: Troy Polamalu vs. Chris Crocker/Brodney Pool/ Sean Jones.

No safety in the league plays like Polamalu, who lines up anywhere and makes plays everywhere. Only 24, he's a future NFL defensive MVP.

The lone piece of encouragement about Pool and Jones is that Polamalu was so out of it as a rookie in 2003 that some considered him a first-round bust. His development since then probably exceeds what even the Steelers saw in him.

So there is hope for Pool or Jones to develop into an impact player. But next season should tell a lot. Polamalu was outstanding in Year Two.

- Center: Jeff Hartings vs. Jeff Faine.

Hartings carried a secondround grade as a guard into the 1996 draft. Detroit took him No. 23 in the first round and made him a starter at right guard his rookie year. He was good for five years.

Hartings' career shot upward when the Steelers signed him in free agency in 2001 and switched him to center. What a brilliant move. This season, Hartings earned his second straight Pro Bowl berth.

Faine, drafted 21st in the first round in 2003, has had each of his three seasons end prematurely because of injuries.

Five positions do not a complete football team make. But if you would measure the gap at these critical spots on the Browns and Steelers, 41-0 would be fairly accurate score.

Quick slants: Part of the Ravens' reorganization plan might be to try to trade linebacker Ray Lewis and cornerback Chris McAlister. . . . The Bills can claim to have the league's smartest front office on paper. General Manager Marv Levy was educated at Harvard University and coach Dick Jauron graduated from Yale. . . . New Orleans free agent center LeCharles Bentley, a native Clevelander, has told friends that he would like to return home and play for the Browns. . . . If the Vikings trade quarterback Daunte Culpepper, Oakland or Arizona are likely destinations. . . . San Francisco linebacker Julian Peterson might be an interesting free agent, until you consider that he rejected a $15.5 million bonus to re-sign with the 49ers two years ago.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: [email protected], 216-999-4670
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2/1/06

Antonio Bryant dilema...

 

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CPD

2/2/06

BROWNS
Frye stiff-arms critics who question his downfield ability


Thursday, February 02, 2006 Mary Kay Cabot
Plain Dealer Reporter
Browns quarterback Charlie Frye, who returned to Berea Wednesday after vacationing in Phoenix, defended himself against critics who say he lacks arm strength.
"We can go get on the field right now," said a confident Frye when asked about the charge that's followed him since coming out of Akron last season. "I'll show you how far I can throw it.
"I think that's something that's going to stick with me. Everybody's been talking about it for so long. They were saying the same thing about Bernie [Kosar]. I feel I can make all the throws. I've made all the throws. I'll show anybody I can make all the throws.
"Hopefully after this season we can end that."
He said he's capable of the same performances his good friend Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has had en route to Sunday's Super Bowl against the Seahawks.
"I believe in myself that I can go out and do the same things," Frye said. "He's doing a great job of managing the game. When he has the opportunity to make a big play, he's making it."
He said despite the fact the Steelers beat the Browns, 41-0, and advanced to the Super Bowl, the Browns will be competitive with them "sooner than later. I think Romeo [Crennel] and Phil [Savage] will do a good job this off-season of putting this team together. We'll work hard in training camp and get things going."
He said the five starts he made last season, in which he went 2-3, helped him come of age.
"The rookie quarterback that you saw this year, you won't see that guy next year," Frye said. "I think I played pretty well in the last five games, and I'm only going to get better."
But did he play well enough to earn the starting job next season?
"That's up to coach Crennel and Phil Savage, but I have a lot of confidence in myself that I can be the starting quarterback . . . I'm ready to go."
As for Crennel's declaration of an open competition for the QB spot in camp, Frye said, "That's up to him. I can only worry about myself and give it my best shot."
He said he'll add about 10 pounds to his 215-pound frame this off-season, but not to boost his arm strength. He was sacked 22 times, which projects out to 72 times over a 16-game season. Eight of those came at the hands of the Super Bowl-bound Steelers.
"Going from five games to playing hopefully more than 16 games will be a big difference, so I think a little bit of weight could help," he said.
Originally, he planned to work out in Phoenix until March with renowned strength coach Warren Anderson, but opted to return here to be with Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow Jr., both of whom are recovering from torn ACLs.
"Those guys are going to be the playmakers next year and I think it's important for us to have good camaraderie and be on the same page," he said.
He said the two will be a force on the same side of the field and "hopefully I'll be the guy throwing them the passes."
He said he'll spend plenty of time watching films of the 41-0 blowout by Pittsburgh with quarterbacks coach Rip Scherer and offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon. And even though the Steelers pounded him, he hopes they win the Super Bowl and thinks they will.
"If you're not there, you want the teams in your division to be well-represented and why not somebody from the AFC North winning the Super Bowl?" he said. "They deserve it. They're the hottest team in football."
But he won't be going to Detroit.
"That's too painful," he said. "I want to go to the Super Bowl when we're playing in it."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4670

 

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2/2/06

Browns’ Frye hopes career follows that of Roethlisberger

Thursday, February 02, 2006


ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Charlie Frye knows he will always be compared with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He can only hope that his career takes a similar path. "He’s the starting quarterback in the Super Bowl," said Frye, who became starter for the Cleveland Browns late in his rookie season. "That’s obviously a dream that I had when I was a kid. I want to play in the Super Bowl."
Frye is used to the Roethlisberger comparisons.
"We’ve been compared to each other ever since high school," Frye said. "We grew up an hour away from each other (Frye in Willard, Roethisberger in Findlay). It’s been that way since we were 18 years old."
They left their rural Ohio hometowns to play in the Mid-American Conference — Frye at Akron, Roethlisberger at Miami — and were drafted a year apart by AFC North rivals Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
But the similarities end there.
Roethlisberger has the Steelers in the Super Bowl in just his second season. Frye, after starting five games, still has to prove he can lead the Browns’ offense.
While not promising a trip to the Super Bowl next season, Frye said he can be as successful as Roethlisberger.
"I believe in myself that I can go out and do the same things," Frye said. "He’s doing a great job of managing the game. He’s going out there, and when he has an opportunity to make a big play, he’s making it."
Frye went 2-3 as a starter after taking over for Trent Dilfer but didn’t win coach Romeo Crennel’s endorsement to be the starter next season. Crennel has said there will be an open competition during training camp.
Frye will prepare this offseason as if he will be the starter. "I played pretty good in the last five games," Frye said. "I’m only going to get better. The rookie quarterback that you saw this year, you won’t see that guy next year."

 

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2/6/06

FANLINES

<H1 class=red>Browns face great distance

</H1>

Monday, February 06, 2006



The AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Browns, 34-21 in a game that was 27-7 with just more than four minutes left, and 41-0 this season. Are the Browns as far away from making the Super Bowl as those scores indicate, or are they a good off-season away from playoff contention? Why or why not?

The Browns are light years away from the playoffs. They need a better philosophy on offense, with play-calling that makes some sense. The defenses blitz quarterback Charlie Frye like madmen and rarely is a screen pass called to slow them down. Bringing back the injured won't be the complete answer. No matter how good Kellen Winslow Jr. and Braylon Edwards become, Frye can't throw to them while sitting on his rear.

From: [email protected]

Short answer: Yes and yes. Long answer: A good off-season could put the Browns in the playoffs, but that may be a reach. The Browns play in a highly talented and competitive division, and the AFC is the tougher of the two conferences. However, there is a huge difference between playoff contention and making a Super Bowl. Butch Davis took us to the playoffs. Enough said.

From: [email protected]

Pittsburgh exposed the serious lack of talent we have in Cleveland. While LeBron James was on the West Coast, the only legitimate talent in town was "Twiggy," the water-skiing squirrel. The Steelers offer a perfect barometer for the Browns' development, and when we can compete with them, we can start talking playoffs.

From: [email protected]

As a lifelong Browns fan and avid Steeler-hater, it pains to state the obvious - the Browns are not even close to being able to compete with the Steelers. First, Cleveland's defense can't stop the run, especially when teams run straight up the middle. If you compare the Browns' inside linebackers and nose tackle with their equivalents on the Steelers, then you can see why the Steelers are so much better. Andre Davis is a solid middle linebacker, but he isn't strong enough at the point of attack to be a good in the 3-4 defense. James Farrior is light years ahead of him right now.
Second, the Browns don't have a good pass-rushing outside linebacker, which is critical to be a good 3-4 team. Chaun Thompson still has raw talent and Kenard Lang played solidly last year. However, neither of these players will ever be as good as Steelers linebacker Joey Porter. The Browns could make a huge upgrade if the Redskins cut LaVar Arrington and the Browns sign him, and/or the Browns put themselves in position to draft Ohio State star linebackers A.J. Hawk or Bobby Carpenter.

Third, the Steelers have been playing this 3-4 defense for almost 15 years and Bill Cowher has been there the entire time. The scheme still is new to the Browns, therefore, they are not close to being as effective in the defense as the Steelers.

Finally, Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel have got to develop a keen sense of what players must be locked up and what players can be replaced in the draft. The Steelers have thrived at doing this under Cowher and rarely do they make the wrong decisions. For example, they keep Hines Ward but let Plaxico Burress sign with the Giants. If Savage fails to lock up Reuben Droughns and Antonio Bryant to long-term contracts, then he will have destroyed the momentum the offense created last year.

From: [email protected]

The possibility exists that the Browns are very close to being playoff-caliber. Many of their games this past season were lost by only one or two plays. If those plays are made, then perhaps they will make the playoffs. However, if they make the playoffs, are they considered a good team? No, they will be like the Chicago Bears, in the playoffs but not really belonging.

From: [email protected]

As much as I hate to admit it, the Browns still are at least two more seasons away from even sliding into a wild card. They may have a great off-season, but their competition in the AFC North is too good right now. If the Browns do well in the draft and in free agency, they will have a good chance to go 8-8 or even 10-6. However, 10-6 is really pushing it. They have too much competition in the division, and too much competition in the AFC to go to the playoffs as a wild card. To sum it up, I'll hold off popping the cork on the champagne bottle for a few more years.

From: [email protected]

 

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2/8/06

BROWNS

<H1 class=red>Surgery repairs tendon in Dilfer's right knee

</H1>

Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Mary Kay Cabot

Plain Dealer Reporter

Browns quarterback Trent Dilfer underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a partially torn patella tendon in his right knee.

The surgery was performed with a scope by Dr. Anthony Miniaci, head team physician and executive director of Cleveland Clinic Sports Health. The Browns said in a release the surgery was successful, and they expect Dilfer to be ready for the 2006 season.

"This past season I had some problems with my knee throughout the year, so we felt it was best to have the procedure and clean up the knee during the off-season," Dilfer said in a statement. "I am excited to be completely healthy for the 2006 season."

A source said Dilfer may have suffered the injury as early as the loss to Indianapolis Sept. 25 but gutted it out through the season. By Dec. 4 against Jacksonville, coach Romeo Crennel de cided to give Dilfer some time off to rest the knee. Charlie Frye took over and never relinquished the starting job.

In the final week of the season, Dilfer said both of his knees would require surgery, but he wasn't permitted to discuss their nature. He also said he planned to fight to regain his starting job. Crennel has declined to name his starter for 2006, declaring it an open competition in camp.

Dilfer, heading into his 13th season, will be 34 next month. He will be in the second year of a four-year deal.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

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2/9/06

Browns Unit-By-Unit Review

 

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CPD

2/12/06

The Browns might think
seriously about drafting former Ohio State star defensive back Donte Whitner in April - and, no, not because it would be a homecoming for Whitner, a former Glenville High standout. It would reunite Whitner and former OSU co-defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, now the Browns' defensive backs coach. Whitner deeply respects Tucker: During an OSU awards banquet after the 2005 season, the DB lavishly praised Tucker's role in helping him grow as a player and person.

 

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2/12/06

NFL INSIDER
Bryant probably will not be back with the Browns


Sunday, February 12, 2006

Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter

Antonio Bryant, the fifth player in Browns history to post 1,000 yards receiving in a season, likely will not return to the team.

The Browns have decided to move on without Bryant, who becomes an unrestricted free agent on March 3. They just can't bring themselves to state it publicly.

"We're kind of wait-and-see on that one," General Manager Phil Savage said of Bryant. "He wants to test [free agency] a little bit. I think it probably helps us a little bit that way, too."

Lamont Smith, Bryant's agent, disputed that Bryant wants to test free agency.
"To my knowledge, Antonio's never communicated that to [Savage]," Smith said. "We just have not heard from them. Draw your own conclusions.

Antonio never told them that he wanted to test the market.

"I certainly haven't told them that. I can't do a deal by myself. I did approach Romeo [Crennel] about this at the Senior Bowl. Suffice it to say, we haven't gotten any indications that there's any interest in re-signing him."

Despite some notable drops, Bryant led the Browns with 69 catches for 1,009 yards and four touchdowns.

The receiving yards rank No. 4 on the franchise's all-time list, trailing Webster Slaughter's 1,236 in 1989, Kevin Johnson's 1,097 in 2001 and Paul Warfield's 1,067 in 1968. Ozzie Newsome had totals of 1,002 yards in 1981 and 1,001 in 1984.

Bryant, acquired in a trade with Dallas for receiver Quincy Morgan in mid-2004, was a bargain for the club. He made $455,000 in 2005, the last year of his original, four-year contract.

Bryant came to the Browns with the reputation as a hothead. He threw a jersey in the face of Dallas coach Bill Parcells in the 2004 training camp. The Cowboys ordered Bryant to attend anger-management counseling before welcoming him back. They traded him two months later.

In 1½ seasons with the Browns, the worst behavior seen from Bryant was an occasional jawing with his quarterback. Smith believes Bryant's image was healed in his time with the Browns. For that, he is thankful.

"The great thing Cleveland allowed him to do was show he's a team player, and he makes plays," Smith said.

"There are guys that function in this league that have been a lot more disruptive than what people might construe Antonio to be. Antonio only wanted to play and make a contribution. Time has shown he was right in wanting those things. He's been productive in Dallas and productive in Cleveland."

One-thousand-yard receivers are more plentiful than at any time in NFL history. Bryant ranked 19th among 20 1,000-yard receivers in 2005. He will be only 25 next month. Coming off his best season in four NFL campaigns, Bryant should have no trouble finding a buyer in free agency.

Pittsburgh may view Bryant as a replacement for Antwaan Randle El, who is expected to leave in free agency. Bryant starred at the University of Pittsburgh. Coincidentally, Morgan was signed by the Steelers after Dallas released him during last season. Morgan broke his lower left leg in Pittsburgh's 16th game and was idle during the Steelers' postseason run.

The Browns definitely would need to replace Bryant with an experienced pass catcher in free agency because their top two receiving threats - tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. and receiver Braylon Edwards - each will be coming off anterior cruciate ligament surgery.

Knee updates:

Smith, who also represents Edwards, thinks Edwards "definitely" will be ready to start the regular season in September.

"Braylon's doing well. He's moving along well and is very optimistic," Smith said. "He's talked to a lot of people that had ACLs, one player who had three, and he was very encouraged how that guy recovered. He's excited. He's antsy to get back and start playing football."

Savage has cautioned fans not to expect Edwards to be at 100 percent immediately when he returns to active status. He wouldn't go so far as predicting Edwards may start the season on the physically unable to perform list, which would idle him until October.

He said Edwards will not be ready to participate in training camp, but "I think September would be a conservative guess," he said.

Winslow should be ready for training camp, Savage said.

Winslow had his ACL surgery in June and then overcame a staph infection in July. Edwards had his surgery in December.

More free-agent fodder:

Savage said the team still is trying to negotiate deals to keep defensive end Orpheus Roye and left tackle L.J. Shelton from becoming unrestricted free agents on March 3.

The team is not actively pursuing new deals for tight end Aaron Shea and linebacker Ben Taylor. They only would come back if they can't sign elsewhere.

Even more on free agency:

Savage said he is excited about heading into free agency with more than $20 million in salary cap room.

"You never know how it's going to turn out, but there's some potential there for us to have a pretty good run at this thing this spring, in free agency and the draft," said.

He said the team will be more selective than it was last year in free agency, when it signed eight players

"Last year our approach was to try to spread the money across a number of players. In some ways, it was kind of a hold-the-fort approach. We wanted to get players that were competent players that were good leaders and provided some professionalism. I thought we were pretty successful in accomplishing those goals.

"We knew we weren't going to get the blue-chip players last year, with the exception of maybe a Gary Baxter, who would have been at the top of his class. This year, certainly, we're going to strive more for quality. Maybe less quantity, but a better overall class [of players]."

First, the obvious.

"Talent-wise, just look at the Pro Bowl rosters," Savage said. "Yeah, there's a disparity there."

Savage does not view the gap as unbridgeable.

"If two of our prominent players [Winslow and Edwards] can come back, that closes it a little bit. But obviously we've got to do a good job in the off-season. We've got our work cut out for us, but at the same time, the league's designed to help teams get better.

"One real positive for us right now is that, as of today, this is the first time since 1999 that the Browns have come back and not had a major coaching change or change in player personnel of real note. That should help us."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4670

Catching up to the Steelers:

 

[NFBuck]

Smith, who also represents Edwards, thinks Edwards "definitely" will be ready to start the regular season in September.

"Braylon's doing well. He's moving along well and is very optimistic," Smith said. "He's talked to a lot of people that had ACLs, one player who had three, and he was very encouraged how that guy recovered. He's excited. He's antsy to get back and start playing football."

This is good news. Braylon was really starting to play well when he went down. If they do let Bryant go, I hope they have plans to bring in another reciever though.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

2/13/06

Current Browns polar opposites of Paul’s Browns

Monday, February 13, 2006

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The seed was planted in 1999. A teensy stem has barely pushed through the surface.
Do the Cleveland Browns need Miracle Grow, or what?
We asked Lamar Hunt during our Super Bowl rounds what might help.
“Obviously, winning games is a key,” Hunt said. “That was what established the old Cleveland Browns under Paul Brown.
“Win games and become a factor in the division.”
So? It’s that easy?
Hunt has seen growing formulas come and go since planting the seed for the American Football League in 1959. He owns the Kansas City Chiefs, more than 33 years after being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“Nothing succeeds like success,” Hunt said. “Pittsburgh has had success and continuity. Not to pull for one team over any other, but ... hopefully that will come to Cleveland.”
You don’t need a Hall of Fame owner to tell you the Browns’ first seven years after forming in 1946 made for a solid foundation. Their record was 76-11-2. The franchise had one losing season in the next 21.
In the seven campaigns since their rebirth, the Browns have gone 36-76.
That’s right. The original Browns won 76 games in their first seven years. The reincarnated ones have lost 76 games in their first seven.
This has dimmed optimism for the next 21 years at 76 Lou Groza Blvd.
If so inclined, you can cruise to 77 Sunset Strip and lay down a wager on the 2006 Browns. Odds against them winning the next Super Bowl are 100 to 1. Only a few teams are bigger longshots.
Owner Randy Lerner, who has been through three full seasons since his father died, remains one of the league’s youngest owners.
“Randy is Randy, and other people have their own personalities,” Hunt said. “What’s important is finding the right ingredients.
“You try to get the right general manager, the right coach. You hope for good fortune with those positions, and with key players.”
Cleveland’s expansion era has been a sandwich of unsavory bread around a thin slice of tough sirloin.
Top piece of bread: 2-14, 3-13, 7-9.
Beef: 9-7.
Bottom piece of bread: 5-11, 4-12, 6-10.
“That’s not to say it won’t come along,” Hunt said. “The Browns have had some ups and downs. They started to make some moves last year I thought were positive.”
Hunt, Lerner and the rest are all looking for what Pittsburgh got last week.
The last 21 Super Bowl wins, dating back to Bernie Kosar’s rookie year, have been shared among only 11 franchises.
Hunt’s team has had some nice runs, including 104-65-1 during Marty Schottenheimer’s 10 years, but hasn’t been to a Super Bowl since winning one Jan. 11, 1970. Chris Gardocki, the oldest Steeler, wasn’t born until 27 days later.
Most teams are trying to get un-stuck from one sort of drought or another.
The Browns’ drought — 0-for-Super Bowl history — leaves fans more parched than some in other affected regions.
“If I knew the magic formula,” Hunt said, “the Chiefs would be there every year.” Tricky farming, this business of planting one’s seed in the same patch of dirt as 31 other teams. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

2/13/06

Browns’ brain trust shifts focus to Combine, draft

Monday, February 13, 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]




BEREA - Browns scouts have been out and about, and they’ll soon be on the road again, but for now they’re power-huddling in Berea.
The talent sleuths and General Manager Phil Savage convened Thursday and will have in-house work days together through the end of next week.
After that, they’ll investigate draft prospects everywhere, including at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis Feb. 22-26.
Scouts also have been plugged into free agency, evaluating veterans who can be signed after this month.
A national consensus is building as to how some prospects fit in relation to where the Browns will draft in the first round, at No. 12, on April 29. One early conclusion — Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler is worth top-10 consideration — presents a problem.
The Browns have multiple position needs and can function with their current quarterback group; yet, Charlie Frye is unproven, and Trent Dilfer is an aging veteran coming off minor knee surgery.
Frye showed grit and creativity, but questions about his readiness to be a winning starter were raised when he was overmatched in a 41-0, eight-sack loss to Pittsburgh.
If Cutler is judged to be clearly more talented than Frye, Savage and Head Coach Romeo Crennel must process some form of this question: Can Cutler do for Cleveland what Ben Roethlisberger did for Pittsburgh?
The early guess: Cutler won’t be the pick, even if he lasts to No. 12. But it’s early.
Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk would be a great fit, but it will take a major predraft stock plunge to drop him in Cleveland’s lap.
Virginia left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson dropping to No. 12 is seen as an impossibility, if he avoids falling down stairs or riding motorcycles.
Running LenDale White might bear watching.
On the surface, the Browns have limited interest in a runner, with Reuben Droughns coming off a strong year and Lee Suggs and William Green under contract. But you never know.
White played in Reggie Bush’s shadow at USC, but he is big (6-foot-2, 235 pounds) and fits the Browns’ desire to establish play action with a dominant inside runner. White is from a family of great athletes; NBA guard Chauncey Billups is his cousin. He offered big-game food for thought with 123 rushing yards and three TDs in the Rose Bowl.
The overachieving Droughns is signed only through 2006. His 1,232-yard season must be viewed in the context of Cleveland’s overall running game, which produced more yardage than only seven other teams.
There is a good chance the Browns won’t have to agonize over White. The Cardinals, who have the No. 10 pick, need a runner. Either of the California teams in the No. 6 and 7 spots (Raiders, 49ers) might pounce on White.
Of course, this all assumes Bush will be a top-five pick.
DL Haloti Ngata
Whereas 2005 Browns starter Jason Fisk was undersized, this nose tackle prospect from Oregon is a giant (6-foot-3 7/8, 336 pounds) with strength and surprising quickness. Defensive linemen tend to get picked higher than their overall draft rating. The early guess is that he’d be a great pick, but the Browns would have to move up.
LB Chad Greenway: Savage trusts the way Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz develops players. This Hawkeye reminds some of Texas LB Derrick Johnson, an outside linebacker drafted No. 15 last year who had a decent rookie year with the Chiefs. Johnson dropped because of questions about toughness. Greenway’s toughness doesn’t seem to be an issue.
DE Tamba Hali: He fled war-torn Liberia as a 10-year-old and was on the field as a Penn State defensive tackle by the time he was 18. A four-year letterman, he shifted to defensive end before the 2004 season. His hustle and attitude mirror the good side of Courtney Brown, but he might be a too small for a 3-4 scheme.
DE Mathias Kiwanuka: His grandfather was an elected prime minister of Uganda who was assassinated by the Idi Amin faction. At Boston College, he became known as a strong character/effort guy who can add weight to his 6-foot-5 frame. He opted against early draft entry last year and had some 2005 struggles. Against North Carolina State, though, he had 3.5 sacks and five solo tackles for loss.
DT Brodrick Bunkley: The 6-2 nose tackle from Florida State would need to beef up from 300 pounds, but he impressed scouts with his burst and strength at the Senior Bowl. He led the country in tackles for lost yardage in 2005. He could likely play the nose or at end in a 3-4. That’s five defensive guys, not counting Michigan’s Gabe Watson, a nose tackle linked to Cleveland as a Round 2 prospect. Keep in mind the Browns haven’t spent a first-round pick on a defensive player since Gerard Warren in 2001. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

2/14/06

Browns can start shopping

Tuesday, February 14, 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]




BEREA - Now is the time when Phil Savage can make a difference. Now is when Savage’s expertise as a player evaluator must translate into ability as a player signer.

Now is when the Browns’ general manager can think turnaround, point to specific franchises that did a 180, and get the free agents who can make it happen.

Now is the time to start thinking about guys who might not be household names but could be useful home wreckers — like 6-foot-5, 350-pound Maake Kemoeatu.

Kemoeatu has the size and is growing into the production that could help the Browns at their most pressing need, nose tackle. Kemoeatu’s agent, Ken Vierra, is aware of the Browns situation, and, asked Monday if his man is interested in Cleveland, said, “Oh, sure.

“I talked to the Ravens today,” Vierra said. “I know they would like to have him back.”

The Browns, though, might be willing to pay Kemoeatu more to plug into their 3-4 than Baltimore will to keep him at tackle in a base 4-3.

“Maake obviously has the size to play nose in a 3-4,” Vierra said, “and for a man as big as he is, he’s pretty damn athletic.”

Savage raided the Ravens’ roost last year, signing away free-agent cornerback Gary Baxter and restricted free agent tailback Chester Taylor to an offer sheet (the Ravens matched the offer).

The free agency signing period is two weeks away. The player targeting period is now.

THE CAROLINA FACTOR

The model franchise, at least the one whose pattern parallels Cleveland’s background and hopes, is Carolina. The Panthers were a first-year expansion team in 1995. The Browns were a start-up team in 1999.

The Panthers got to a Super Bowl as a ninth-year expansion team in 2003.

The Browns will be an eighth-year team in 2006.

Over the five seasons before reaching the Super Bowl, the Panthers went 27-53.

Over their last five seasons, the Browns have gone 31-49.

Carolina entered 2003 coming off a 7-9 year in which a new head coach and general manager were broken in. The Panthers’ division included defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay.

Cleveland goes into 2006 coming off a 6-10 year in which a new head coach and general manager got their feet wet. The Browns’ division includes newly crowned Super Bowl king Pittsburgh.

The Carolina team that went to a Super Bowl got immediate help from free agency. The Browns’ free agency game plan figures to be little different.

Whereas Carolina got a jump start on offense from 2003 free agents Jake Delhomme and Stephen Davis, the Browns figure to go after two difference-makers on defense.

A ‘NAME’ LINEBACKER

The player who might help the most is linebacker Julian Peterson, who has been with San Francisco since the 49ers made him the 16th pick of the 2000 draft.

Peterson, who will turn 28 in July, was a rising star before he ruptured an Achilles early in the 2004 season. Any team that signs him will hope that his so-so 2005 can be written off to the long road back from rehabilitation. The hope will be that he returns to the form that put him in Pro Bowls after the 2002 and ’03 seasons.

Peterson would give the Browns an elite blitzer to spice up a bland pass rush. The former Michigan State standout is an excellent cover linebacker who has improved his technique as a run defender.

Another Browns weakness was interior run defense. That might be addressed by the 350-pounder whose name is pronounced “ma-AK-kay kay-moy-AH-too.” Kemoeatu could be one of those young producers who drive their original teams crazy, in that they spent years developing him only to lose him to a rival.

In 2002, when Savage was a Baltimore personnel executive, the Ravens signed Kemoeatu as an undrafted rookie out of Utah. He didn’t break through as a full-time starter until 2005, starting to fulfill a 2003 Brian Billick prediction that he will become “a tremendous player.”

His only ’05 sack came in the season finale at Cleveland, but he’s good at tying up two blockers and letting linebackers make plays. He explodes off the snap and seems a better option than any nose tackle the Browns had last year.

BALANCE OF POWER

Another nose tackle option is 6-2, 345-pound Grady Jackson, a run-plugging veteran who turned 33 last month. He was with the Packers in 2005.

Another is Damione Lewis, who has been a disappointment since the Rams made him a No. 12 pick in 2001. He is quick but has modest size (6-2, 301) for a nose tackle in a 3-4. Only 27, he is seen as having potential for a breakthrough.

Whereas the Browns can get by at linebacker without signing or drafting a key man, the need for a nose tackle is acute.

“We can agree that the free agents we added last spring, in some way or another, helped us get the team off the ground,” Savage said. “Our expectation for ’06 will be to add a real difference maker or two ... or three or four or five.”

The Browns are holding their breath to see how the free agency period unfolds in relation to a big swing factor. They could gain important ground on Pittsburgh, or see the gulf widen.

ON THE WAY OUT?

The Browns could lose 1,000-yard receiver Antonio Bryant and defensive MVP Orpheus Roye, an end, in free agency. Less important but certainly relevant is left tackle L.J. Shelton, another potential free agent.

The Steelers stand to lose Jerome Bettis, who will retire. It’s possible they will lose some combination of five ’05 starters who are eligible for the open market: wideout Antwaan Randle El, cornerbacks Ike Taylor and Deshea Townsend, safety Chris Hope and defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen.

A talent swing that favors Cleveland could, in theory, kick in the Carolina factor.

From 2002 to ’03, the Panthers jumped from 7-9 to 11-5 and a Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl champion Bucs plunged from 12-4 to 7-9.

Savage wants to fast forward from foundation pouring to finished product sooner rather than later.

“Our needs and objectives are clearly defined more than they were a year ago,” Savage said. “Our focus is on the improvement of the entire team, but we can be much more specific to certain positions.

“We’re planning to aggressively address each of these, not only by acquiring better players, but by studying ourselves and seeing how we can improve our scheme on the coaching end of things.”

Free agency can’t fix everything, but for a team with money to spend, it must go well. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]


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