Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

7/10/06

Frye thrown in position to look good

By Terry Pluto

<!-- begin body-content -->While looking for something else, I found a Street & Smith's Pro Football magazine from September 1999.
On the cover is a huge picture of Tim Couch in a sharp draft-day suit. He is wearing a Browns cap.
The headline screams: BROWNS' BOMBER, NO. 1 DRAFT PICK TIM COUCH DELIVERS THE AIR ASSAULT IN CLEVELAND.
For the record, this magazine was published before Couch delivered his first regular-season pass as a member of the Browns.
In the corner of the cover is a small picture of another quarterback with this headline: Is Akili Smith's right arm the missing piece in Cincinnati?
Well... no.
The magazine gave the Browns an ``A'' for their 1999 college draft, saying: ``Couch seems prepared for the NFL. The Browns got him a terrific target in second-rounder Kevin Johnson (Syracuse). The rest of the draft also was fruitful with help on the defense coming in CB Daylon McCutcheon, safety Marquis Smith and LB Rahim Abdullah.''
Looking back, that draft wouldn't exactly qualify for the honor roll.
This is not meant to pick on Street & Smith's. Most of us have made rotten predictions, and we're thankful they weren't in writing. Or that they ended up at the bottom of some bird cage, long forgotten.
Nor is it meant to kick Couch while he's two years removed from the NFL and recently had shoulder surgery, meaning he won't play this year -- if ever again.
Buried in the same magazine is a small article asking this question: How many No. 1 draftee QBs have won a championship?
They're talking Super Bowls, and the answer is four: Terry Bradshaw, Jim Plunkett, John Elway and Troy Aikman. Of course, it took Elway only 14 years to do it. As for Plunkett, it was nine years and with a different team than had drafted him. Aikman broke through in three years, Bradshaw in four.
Here are some other QBs picked No. 1: Steve Bartkowski, Jeff George, Drew Bledsoe, Vinny Testaverde and Peyton Manning. In each of the drafts from 2001-05, QBs were the top choices: Michael Vick, David Carr, Carson Palmer, Eli Manning and Alex Smith.
Two of the NFL's biggest winners have been Joe Montana (a third-rounder) and Tom Brady (a sixth-rounder).
Often, a quarterback being selected at the top of the draft guarantees only one thing: The kid probably will play before he's ready, and he'll take a beating. That's because bad teams draft high, and terrible teams usually have lousy lines.
It's doubtful Couch would have been a great quarterback, but he had no chance with the expansion Browns. By the time the team was decent in 2002, Couch's arm already was aching. He has yet to recover.
Which is why it's likely Charlie Frye will have more success than Couch. He's not with a superior team, yet the expectations for the third-rounder from the University of Akron are far lower than those Couch faced.
General Manager Phil Savage has stressed that he doesn't want Frye to believe that he has to win the game for the Browns.
Of course, there will be Sundays when Frye will be called upon to do just that. No player on the field has more opportunities to make big plays than the quarterback, because he handles the ball the most.
No matter how Savage tries to sell it, quarterback is not like any other position. He faces the most pressure (physical and emotional). That's why he requires the most help.
In 18 months, Savage has revamped and upgraded the offensive line. He has added talented receivers and running backs. He has put Frye in position to at least survive, if not succeed immediately.
That's more than could have been said for Couch, and it's a sign that finally, after seven expansion seasons, the Browns are really getting better.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

7/12/06

PRO FOOTBALL

Frye follows in footsteps of his hero

Local product plans to lean on Kosar as Browns’ starting QB

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Ron Musselman
TOLEDO BLADE

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle></IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>MARK DUNCAN ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>Former Browns QB Bernie Kosar thinks enough of new starter Charlie Frye that he offered to let him wear his No. 19. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


BEREA, Ohio — When Charlie Frye was a youngster growing up in Willard, he idolized Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar.

Frye had a poster of Kosar taped to his bedroom wall.

Despite his unorthodox sidearm throwing motion and limited mobility, Kosar was one of the most popular players in Browns history, leading the Browns to three AFC Championship game appearances.

Kosar, from nearby Boardman, and Frye struck up a friendship last year shortly after the Browns selected Frye in the third round of the NFL draft from the University of Akron.

Kosar, who doesn’t have an official role with the organization, has quickly become Frye’s friend and mentor.

With Trent Dilfer gone, Kosar likely will play an even bigger role in the development of Frye, the Browns’ latest starting quarterback.

"Bernie grew up near here, got drafted by the Browns and developed into their starter," Frye said. "I’m in a very similar situation. My hometown is about an hour and a half from here, and the college I went to is 45 minutes away.

"I’ve bounced a lot of things off of Bernie since I first got to know him last year. One of Bernie’s strengths as an NFL player was his smarts. He knew how to run an offense and how to win games. And he’s tried to pass on some of that knowledge to me."

Kosar has taken such a liking to Frye that he suggested Frye wear his No. 19 jersey.

Frye resisted the temptation. He plans to keep wearing No. 9, partly out of respect for Kosar.

Frye, who played in seven games as a rookie last year, admits he has a long way to go before he can be compared with Kosar, who like Frye steers clear of the spotlight.

"Starting five games last year was a great experience for me, it was huge," Frye said. "You can’t draw that kind of stuff up on a chalkboard or learn it in the classroom or on film. You need to be in the fire, so to speak, to really get a feel of what it’s like, and I did that.

"Now that I’m the No. 1 guy, I just have to keep getting better and keep improving during minicamp and training camp. I can’t afford to take a step back now. Everybody in the organization is counting on me."

Frye, 6 feet 4 and 217 pounds, spent the first nine games last season sitting on the bench behind Dilfer, who was traded to the San Francisco 49 ers in May for backup quarterback Ken Dorsey.

Frye got his chance to play in the second quarter of a 22-0 shutout loss to the Miami Dolphins in week 10 after Dilfer was pulled from the game.

Dilfer was injured the next week against the Minnesota Vikings. Frye relieved him and then started the final five games for Cleveland, going 2-3.
Frye completed 59.4 percent of his passes (98 of 165) for 1,002 yards, with six interceptions and four touchdowns.

The Browns believe Frye is ready to fly solo.

"Charlie has worked extremely hard," Browns general manager Phil Savage said. "I think the players have gravitated toward him as the leader of the team on offense. I think he seems to be able to get the job done.
"That’s the thing that’s always been intriguing about him. He can look average all day long, but when the lights go on at night, he plays well. I think that’s what we are banking on. When it really counts, he’ll perform and produce."

[BuckeyeNation27]

I can pick up Braylon or Kellen in my fantasy league.....are either of them worth a cheap pickup?

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

FWIW, I would take a chance on Winslow......Edwards may miss some games, either way I wouldn't give up much for them.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

7/13/06

Browns: Cribbs gets one-year deal


Thursday, July 13, 2006


13 days and counting ... The Browns open their 2006 training camp July 26 in Berea.


BEREA - Former Kent State quarterback Joshua Cribbs was signed to a one-year contract by the Browns on Wednesday. Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent last season, Cribbs earned a spot on the team with his special-teams play.

He averaged more than 24 yards a kickoff return last year. His 1,094 kickoff yards was a team record. He had a 90-yard return against Detroit that went for a touchdown.

The team also announced the signing of free agent Daven Holley. The former University of Cincinnati product played in three games for the Bears last season. He had seven tackles and two passes defended in a game against Minnesota last year.
He was originally a seventh-round draft pick by San Francisco.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

7/13/06

NFL

<H1 class=red>Browns to pass on draft

</H1>

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Tony Grossi

Plain Dealer Reporter

None of the seven prospects eligible for today's NFL supplemental draft interests the Browns.

"I don't see us doing anything," said Phil Savage, Browns general manager.

The supplemental draft - popularized in 1985 as Bernie Kosar's entry route to the Browns - is for players who petition the NFL after the regular draft is held in April. Draft order is determined by a weighted lottery. A team must give up a corresponding pick in the 2007 regular draft to select a player in the supplemental draft.

The best player in today's draft is Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who is a natural fit in a 3-4 defense such as the Browns'. But Brooks was kicked off his college team for violations of unspecified team rules. NFL.com's Gil Brandt reported Brooks passed five drug tests in the last 10 weeks.

Another player, Iowa State's Jason Berryman, is projected as a pass rush linebacker in a 3-4. But Berryman served eight months in jail in 2004 on robbery charges.

That's too much baggage for Savage to take on.

"We've really tried to address the linebacker position," Savage said. "It's not as if we have a huge hole there right now. We've got a lot of candidates, so we're going to let it go."

Other players in the draft are: Texas defensive tackle Marco Martin, Connecticut offensive lineman Craig Berry, North Carolina State running back Richard Washington, Texas fullback Ahmard Hall and linebacker David Dixon of Hutchinson Community College.

Signings:

The Browns signed return specialist/receiver Joshua Cribbs to a one-year contract and added another free agent defensive back, Daven Holly.

Cribbs, a former Kent State quarterback standout, set a Browns record with 1,094 kickoff return yards last year, including a 90-yard touchdown.

Holly was a seventh-round draft choice of San Francisco in 2005. He was claimed by Chicago and played in three games with the Bears as a rookie.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670