[LitlBuck]

Cleveland Browns tidbits

The Orange and Brown Report's John Taylor reported this week that two teams, Chicago and Minnesota, have ruled out going after Derek Anderson despite well-publicized quarterback woes. The tape doesn't lie, and Anderson's second-half inconsistency is scaring teams off.


If Jamal Lewis is re-signed, the team's list of offseason priorities will look like this: 1. Defensive end. 2. Defensive end. 3. Best available talent, across the board (and for the price, of course). Ethan Kelley, a restricted free agent, will be back and share nose tackle duties with Shaun Smith. The Browns are comfortable with that duo, assuming, of course, the team upgrades around them. A name to remember: Packers defensive tackle Corey Williams might be a good fit as a 3-4 end.


A few more to keep in mind when free agency begins Feb. 29: Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth said thanks fans in Tennessee on Thursday, shaking hands and signing autographs. The free agent-to-be wasn't saying goodbye, however: There's no chance the team doesn't slap a franchise tag on him. While the Titans are expected to have as much money to spend as anybody, Haynesworth will eat a big chunk of that and probably make it hard for the team to bring back free agent defensive ends Antwan Odom and Travis LaBoy. Odom had eight sacks last year, is the bigger of the two and probably fits the Browns' scheme better.


The Round 2 mock drafts are starting to show up. Scout.com draft analyst Chris Steuber has an intriguing prospect falling to the Browns at No. 56 overall: 6-foot-4, 330-pound Texas A&M defensive tackle Joseph Bryant.