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Cleveland.com

Cleveland Browns part ways with two scouts
by Mary Kay Cabot / Plain Dealer reporter
Thursday February 05, 2009, 2:23 PM

BEREA -- Two scouts have been fired by the Browns, one of them confirmed today to The Plain Dealer.

Midwest scout Kevin Kelly confirmed a report on profootballtalk.com that he and national scout Daniel Jeremiah have been let go by the team.
Kelly, the longest-tenured scout in the organization with eight years of service, said he showed up for personnel meetings this week and was dismissed instead.

"It's disappointing," he said. "It's been a long eight years and I've always had tremendous respect for the Browns organization, the tradition and the fans. I'm proud of the Browns who've come from my area."

Kelly's biggest claim to fame was luring Josh Cribbs to the Browns as an undrafted free agent despite the fact he had a chance to sign with his hometown Washington Redskins. Kelly convinced Cribbs that his greatest value in the beginning would be as a returner and receiver rather than the quarterback he was at Kent State. Cribbs, of course, made the Pro Bowl last season and is a first-alternate this year as a special-teamer.

Kelly, who first worked under former Browns general manager Dwight Clark, was also responsible for scouting starters such as Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas, Pro Bowl receiver Braylon Edwards and quarterback Brady Quinn. In his eight seasons, seven of his undrafted free agents made the roster.

The timing of the moves was odd because Kelly and Jeremiah have spent the past year preparing for the 2009 draft in April, and both have extensive reports on hundreds of draft eligible players. With the NFL Scouting Combine starting February 18 in Indianapolis, this is the most pivotal time of the year for NFL scouts.

Jeremiah, who spent two seasons with the Browns, was brought in by former Browns Director of Player Personnel T.J. McCreight, who was fired last month.