Cleveland Browns (2008 Season)

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn recalls 2007 NFL Draft saga


Thursday, April 24, 2008Mary Kay Cabot
Plain Dealer Reporter
If Browns quarterback Brady Quinn had it to do all over again, he probably would have just gone fishing with fellow first-rounder Joe Thomas.
Instead, the whole world watched on ESPN while he tumbled down the first round of last year's NFL Draft like Alice down the rabbit hole. Still, Quinn doesn't wince when he looks back on his nationally televised free fall.
"People are always coming up to me and consoling me about that day as though it was the most negative thing in the world," Quinn said. "But when you get right down to it, it was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had.

I got to be with my family, we were in New York City and I was being drafted to play in the NFL. What can be so bad about that?"
Yet for the four hours before the Browns put Quinn out of his misery by trading this year's first-round pick and last year's second-rounder to Dallas to get him at No. 22, Quinn was being knocked right off his Notre Dame Golden Dome. It was painful to watch, but you couldn't tear yourself away. If ever the kid could've used a Hail Mary, it was then.




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[osugrad21]

CPD

Many 2008 NFL Draft analysts believe Cleveland Browns made right move in trading picks for veteran players


Thursday, April 24, 2008Mary Kay Cabot
Plain Dealer Reporter
Should the Browns be singing the no-pick blues come Saturday?
Most national NFL Draft experts don't think so. Guys who make their living analyzing the draft, such as ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and NFL Network's Mike Mayock, think the Browns were smart to trade away their top three picks to acquire Brady Quinn, defensive end Corey Williams and defensive tackle Shaun Rogers.
One national personality to speak out against the Browns' moves is ESPN Radio's Colin Cowherd, and he is not a draft specialist.

Here's what they're saying:




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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

espn.com

Browns' Heiden has surgery for bothersome bulging disc in back

By James Walker
ESPN.com
(Archive)

Updated: April 23, 2008, 9:42 PM ET

Cleveland Browns tight end Steve Heiden recently underwent surgery to repair a bulging disc in his back and will be out for approximately three weeks, Heiden's agent Jack Wirth confirmed Tuesday night.
Heiden began feeling back pains during offseason workouts. The team initially planned to use treatment and rehab for the injury, but Heiden decided last week to have corrective surgery before the problem got worse.

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[brodybuck21]

Even though Im a Green Bay fan I just found out Ill be sittin in the middle of the Dawg Pound Sept 14 watchin the Browns whip the stillers!!

 

[LitlBuck]

Savage is a rather straight forward GM.

I guess you saw that trade for Brady coming last year

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

History shows Browns fumble in fourth round

Without picks in the first three rounds, the team can't afford to swing and miss again.


By Sean McClelland
Staff Writer

Friday, April 25, 2008

No big deal if you've never
heard of Jared Allen, but the Kansas City Chiefs defensive end, traded this week to the Minnesota Vikings, led the NFL with 151/2 quarterback sacks last season on his way to the Pro Bowl.
He's an example of what can be found in the fourth round of the NFL draft if you're lucky.
It's a round that has not been kind to the Cleveland Browns over the years ? and it's significant because, after using their first three picks as trade currency, a fourth-rounder is the highest pick they hold entering this weekend's annual lottery. They also have a pick in the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds.
History says you can find diamonds in the fourth, but the Browns generally haven't. South Florida cornerback Anthony Henry (2001) looked like a gem when he tied a team record with 10 interceptions as a rookie, but he signed with the Dallas Cowboys in free agency after four seasons.



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[osugrad21]

CPD

BROWNS' BEST PICKS: ROUND-BY-ROUND
Browns' draft can be worth the wait


Friday, April 25, 2008Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter

The Browns, who don't have a pick in this weekend's NFL draft until the fourth round, have found future Hall of Famers in the seventh and eight rounds before. But the NFL today is a lot different from the 1950s and 1960s. Back then, there were fewer teams and more rounds to the draft. When the Browns took guard Gene Hickerson in the seventh round in 1957, the league had only 12 teams. Hickerson was the draft's 78th overall pick -- comparable to a mid-third round selection today. When the Browns took running back Leroy Kelly in the eighth round in 1964, the league had 16 teams. Kelly was the 110th overall selection. So when researching Browns history to compare drafts, the overall number of selection is more germane than the round a player was taken. Unless they make a trade, the Browns' first pick Sunday will be No. 122 overall. They have never had a lower first pick in the draft since entering the NFL in 1950. Nevertheless, below is one man's opinion of the Browns' best draft picks by round since 1950. The overall selection number is included.

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[osugrad21]

Canton

Some possible late-round draft picks
Friday, April 25, 2008
BY Steve Doerschuk
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

BEREA Browns scouts get around. Then there's Rich Long. He really gets around.

Before returning to his Browns post last year, he logged a nine-month tour of duty in Iraq as a major in the Army Reserve.

Wary about missing a prospect right under their noses ? Long was on Butch Davis' staff the year Kent State's Antonio Gates could have been had for a mere Round 7 pick ? the Browns work overtime reviewing local talent.

Thus, Long was fully prepared recently when asked at a Browns Backers function about Kent State cornerback Jack Williams.

"He's a physical, tough cornerback," Long said. "He'll hit you. He's tough."

Long paused and added, "He's short."

Ah, the inevitable "but."

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[osugrad21]

ABJ

Will Browns' Savage explore trade to get into first round? Doubtful; Browns' only tradeable commodities are off-limit quarterbacks
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sportswriter
POSTED: 11:09 a.m. EDT, Apr 25, 2008
A year ago, Browns General Manager Phil Savage experienced the ultimate draft day rush.
With the third overall pick, he got his cornerstone left tackle in Joe Thomas of Wisconsin. Then when Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn got past the Miami Dolphins at No. 9, Savage started making calls and pulled off a deal with the Dallas Cowboys to nab Quinn at No. 22.
In acquring Quinn, Savage gave up the first-round pick for this season. Then in the first week of free agency this offseason, he traded the second-round pick to the Green Bay Packers for defensive end Corey Williams and the third-rounder to the Detroit Lions for defensive tackle Shaun Rogers.
That left the Browns with only four draft picks, all Sunday ? No. 122 (fourth round), No. 155 (fifth round), No. 190 (sixth round) and No. 231 (seventh round). So the first two rounds Saturday might be the supreme test for Savage, who has spent the past 15 years in scouting and personnel.



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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Browns follow rarely traveled path
Few teams willing to relinquish picks in early rounds
Saturday, April 26, 2008 2:57 AM
By Bill Rabinowitz


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

To hear Phil Savage tell it, Cleveland Browns officials might as well spend today popping popcorn, lounging in their recliners and cracking jokes at Mel Kiper Jr.'s lacquered hair.
After all, they won't have a whole lot else to do when the NFL holds the first and second rounds of its college draft.
Because of trades to acquire quarterback Brady Quinn last year and defensive linemen Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers this year, Cleveland doesn't have a pick in the first three rounds of the draft. Savage, the Browns' general manager, said last week that he couldn't envision a scenario in which Cleveland would make a trade to get into the first two rounds.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Browns will watch and wait

Posted by [URL="http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/about.html"]Tony Grossi[/URL] April 25, 2008 18:04PM

Categories: Browns

The Browns were the story of the 2007 NFL draft because of smart choices and aggressive trades. This year, they are bystanders -- at least on the first day.
Without picks in today's first two rounds of the draft, Browns General Manager Phil Savage does not expect to spend all day in the team's draft room. The Browns' hierarchy will entertain special guests and watch the draft in various locations inside the team's facility.
Savage has no desire to swing a trade to move into the top two rounds, he has said repeatedly.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Browns Insider

Posted by [URL="http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/about.html"]Mary Kay Cabot[/URL] April 25, 2008 20:03PM

Categories: Browns
Browns tight end Steve Heiden underwent surgery last week to repair to a bulging disk in his back, his agent, Jack Wirth, confirmed Friday.
Heiden, whose surgery was first reported on ESPN.com, will be out of the Browns' off-season program for about three weeks, Wirth said.
"It was a very minor procedure," said Wirth. "They weren't even going to do it at first, just treat it instead. But Steve decided to go ahead and have it cleaned up and get it over with."

Wirth said Heiden experienced pain in the back during the off-season workout program.

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[OHSportsFan]

Browns just took Beau Bell, ILB from UNLV at pick no. 104 in the 4th round (from Dallas).

[strike]They pick again at 122.[/strike]

I guess they traded their 4th Rd. (122) pick and their 5th Rd. to move up and take Bell.

 

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com


BROWNS ON THE CLOCK
Cleveland Browns interested in UNLV linebacker Beau Bell
Sunday, April 27, 2008Mary Kay CabotPlain Dealer Reporter

UNLV linebacker Beau Bell, a player the Browns will have their eye on in the draft today, has the numbers "5656" at the end of his phone number, a nod to Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor.

"He's my idol," said Bell, who visited the Browns in March. "I love everything about the way he played the game."

If Bell is even remotely reminiscent of the former Giants great, it would be intriguing to Browns coach Romeo Crennel, who coached Taylor in New York.

"I know I try to play with the same intensity," said Bell. "If you turn on the film, you can see how much I love the game of football."

Bell, who can play both inside and outside linebacker and is known for his high motor, has drawn considerable interest from at least half a dozen teams, including AFC North rivals Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. He also visited New Orleans, Minnesota, the New York Jets, Miami and Dallas.

"Beau runs to the football very well and hustles on every play," said UNLV linebackers coach Dennis Therrell. "He led our team with four interceptions last year, which is impressive for a linebacker. Covering running backs and tight ends is no problem for him. I think he'll make a fine pro."

Therrell has spent time talking to Browns coaches and scouts about Bell, 6-1?, 245.

"They seem very interested," said Therrell. "But you never know how things will fall on draft day."

Scouts and coaches from some of the interested teams asked Therrell about Bell's disappointing 4.9 time in the 40 at his pro day, which the Browns attended. Bell had suffered a bruised knee during the Senior Bowl in late January and wasn't able to train for the sprint. In fact, he wasn't able to work out at the NFL Combine in late February.

"I told them to turn on the film and watch Beau play," said Therrell. "That's not a 4.9 player out there. He has good playing speed."

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[LitlBuck]

Browns just took Beau Bell, ILB from UNLV at pick no. 104 in the 4th round (from Dallas).

[strike]They pick again at 122.[/strike]

I guess they traded their 4th Rd. (122) pick and their 5th Rd. to move up and take Bell.

They must have wanted him pretty bad to trade their fifth pick this year. I would not be surprised to see Savage tried to get back into the fifth round to get a CB by using one of next year's draft picks.