LB, Beau Bell
via www.cleveland.com

Offseason team activities (OTAs) start this week for the Browns, meaning it'll be the first time we'll here reports coming out of Berea regarding the performance of certain players this season. OTAs certainly aren't as "newsworthy" as mini-camp or training camp, but it still means that a good portion of our players will be united again in preparation for the 2008-2009 NFL season. The practices are all voluntary, but skipping them can rub teammates the wrong way, especially for young players.

I stressed adding some key defensive players prior to the draft, but the rookie I'll actually be most interested in hearing about to this point is tight end Martin Rucker. With Kellen Winslow and Steve Heiden each nursing injuries, this is Rucker's chance to show what he's made of (note: look for a "Getting to Know" post on Rucker on Sunday).

Like the past couple of years, I'll collaborate any bits of information from beat writers who are allowed to attend the OTAs, and then I'll summarize them here on Dawgs By Nature with what little analysis can be provided at this stage of the season.

In a recent post by Tony Grossi from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, he stated the following issues he was interested in:

The only bullet points that would potentially draw serious attention involve the tight ends: does Rucker start off well (already mentioned), and will there be any updates regarding Winslow's status heading into June and July? The rest of the points -- such as the defensive looks under Tucker and the Quinn-Anderson debate -- really shouldn't be much of a concern. Until training camp comes, trying to analyze those situations would be nothing more than drawing up theories out of a hat.

Even when you get to training camp, the reports are seldom accurate. The Browns were pegged be national media sources as having one of the worst quarterback situations in the league in July of 2007. In July of 2008, we have one of the best quarterback situations in the league, and yet the top three quarterbacks on our roster were also on our roster at that time.

One final note that will be interesting in the next couple of weeks: how quickly will the Browns sign all of their draft picks. We don't have to pay our picks too much money, so you can't imagine holdouts being part of a discussion down the road. Getting all the picks signed quickly not only helps the rookies, but it helps the other players on the team settle into their roles a little quicker (i.e. a first round inside linebacker may have held out, thus giving Andra Davis an early lead in a position battle by default).

Beau Bell, ILB - UNLV (Round 4, No. 105 overall)
	Height: Weight: 40-Time:	6-11/4 244 4.75
	Ups:	Sideline-to-sideline range Violent and reliable tackler Defending versus the run
	Downs:	Man-to-man coverage Poor ball skills Relatively average instincts
	Notes:	Projected 2nd/3rd rounder Often played OLB at UNLV Hometown is Tustin, CA
Career Statistics Year GP TKL TFL SACK PBU INT 2004 11 26 1.0 0.0 0 0 2005 11 92 7.5 3.5 2 0 2006 7 76 9.0 4.0 0 0 2007 11 111 7.5 3.0 3 4 Totals 40 305 25.0 10.5 5 4

"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."

We knew our first pick would focus on the defensive side of the ball. Most of us thought it would be a cornerback or an outside linebacker. Instead, we got inside linebacker Beau Bell from UNLV. When the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year was still on the board though, the Browns were obviously intrigued enough by his gameplay to trade up and select him.

If you're a team that does not have a single draft pick in the first three rounds, wait hours and hours and then pull a deal off when you're only 20 picks away, that shows there was a serious purpose to the deal: Bell is going to play this year.

With D'Qwell Jackson receiving more favorable reviews from the staff than Andra Davis, it would seem as though Bell will be in a heated race with the veteran linebacker heading into training camp and leading up to the regular season. After all, Davis hasn't exactly done anything (except in the snow bowl versus Buffalo last season) to look like a quality starter with the Browns.

The Browns originally met with Bell on April 3. Teams are allowed to have 20 players visit their facility, and part of the team's interest in Bell certainly came from when the coaching staff evaluated cornerback Eric Wright last season. Wright, whom the Browns also traded up for, played for UNLV too.

"This guy is kind of a hammer type hitter," said Phil Savage, Browns general manager. "If you saw some of his highlights, he knows how to finish. He brings some explosion at the end of plays. We feel like he's a powerful tackler."

Savage also spoke on the "early" plans of working Bell into the mix of things by placing him on special teams and entering him into a rotation between Jackson, Davis, and Leon Williams. That's already more duties than veteran Chaun Thompson seemed to have with the Browns last season.

Initially, I wanted the Browns to find an outside linebacker in the draft. When you look at things from a wider perspective though, Kamerion Wimbley and Jackson already had their linebacker jobs clinched. And, if finally healthy, I don't think there would be too many qualms about starting Antwan Peek. When you look at the final position, I would not have been too confident between Davis or Williams. While Williams still has move to prove, neither player has overly shined during their stay. That doesn't mean Bell is the second coming of Lawrence Taylor compared to them, but the pick certainly seems to be worth the shot without too much investment.

Grade: B-
(Savage gets credit for addressing a need and not making a bone-headed decision for one of the few picks the Browns had in their arsenal. However, I still would've favored drafting a cornerback or using the pick to acquire Fabian Washington instead, as rumored. Also, Savage did have to use a third-round pick in 2009 to get Bell. Remember, the Browns were able to get a proven player, Shaun Rogers, for our 2008 third-round pick.

Video Highlights: Beau Bell

No 1st round pick.
No 2nd round pick.
No 3rd round pick.
No...5th round pick?

According to Evan Silva or RotoWorld, the Browns could be working a trade with the Oakland Raiders. The Browns would send their 5th round pick to the Raiders in exchange for cornerback Fabian Washington. On ESPN this morning, when asked about what to expect from the Cleveland Browns this weekend, analyst Jeremy Green said to expect another trade for the Browns, this time for CB Fabian Washington.

Acquiring Washington would be another steal for the Browns, especially if all it costs us if a fifth-round pick.

Washington was the 23rd overall pick in the 2005 draft. Because the Raiders were able to acquire DeAngelo Hall in the offseason, and since Nnamdi Asomugha will play in the other starting cornerback position, the Raiders have made it clear that Washington is expendable. Whether or not Washington gets dealt to the Browns, as rumored, or to another team, is up in the air.

On March 31, 2008, Tony Grossi wrote that Washington wasn't on the Browns' radar:

OAKLAND CORNER NOT ON BROWNS RADAR: Although the Raiders and Browns have exchanged e-mails about a possible trade for Oakland cornerback Fabian Washington, it doesn't sound as if a deal is in the works. The Browns were told that Oakland has an offer of a second-round pick on the table for the former No. 1 draft pick. The Browns, of course, do not have a pick available higher than the fourth-round and they are not even sure they would give that up for Washington.

Whether or not things have changed since then remains to be seen, considering the two rumors we've heard about today. Washington did have an arrest of domestic battery back in February that could certainly lower his value. Also, remember that Pacman Jones was dealt to the Dallas Cowboys for just a fourth-round draft pick (although his controversies were much more severe than Washington's).

For today, the question is this: will the Browns find a way to work a trade that would allow us to move into one of the first two rounds? Ignoring the possibility that we could trade one of our quarterbacks, I don't think there is anybody else on our team that we would (or could, barring our Pro Bowlers) trade in order to move up. That means the only possibility of us obtainining a first- or second-round pick would be to sacrifice picks in the 2009 draft.

This is what it would cost the Browns to move up into the first-round of this years' draft:
 

We would have to give up a first-round pick next season, as well as a choice between a second- and third-round pick. On top of that, the first round pick that we would receive would probably be somewhere above the 25th selection. Below that, it just wouldn't be worth the wait for a team, considering that they wouldn't be getting any extra picks in this year's draft. Here are the teams that pick between the 25th and 31st positions, and whether we could work a deal with them:

• Seattle Seahawks (No. 25)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 26)
• San Diego Chargers (No. 27)
• Dallas Cowboys (No. 28)
• San Francisco 49ers (No. 29)
• Green Bay Packers (No. 30)
• New York Giants (No. 31)

Everybody wants a first-round pick, but not everyone needs them as much as other teams do. Originally, I wasn't very high on the Seahawks needing a first-rounder, but after they released Shaun Alexander, they have more options to seek out with their pick. The Jaguars usually find their defensive linemen in the draft. The Chargers are a team that can't make it to the Super Bowl, and yet they have some of the least holes in football. They'll be aiming for someone in the secondary, but if safety Kenny Phillips is gone, they are a candidate to make a trade. Then, there comes the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys have two picks in this year's first-round, thanks to the Browns. Originally, I pegged the Cowboys taking a cornerback with one pick, and a running back with the other pick. Assuming the deal for Pacman Jones goes through smoothly, they may not need to draft a cornerback. And, in fear that the Seahawks would grab a running back at No. 25 after releasing Alexander, Felix Jones could be the player they take with the 22nd overall pick. Then, would they need the 28th overall pick necessarily? Or would a first-rounder from the Browns next year, with an additional pick next season, be tempting enough? If the Browns expect to be contenders this season too, it's not like we would be giving up a top-ten pick in 2009 (although you never know).

The Browns' decision on a trade ultimately boils down to whether or not an intriguing player is still on the board at that point. While I may have let him slip very far on my board, I still have cornerback Mike Jenkins available for the taking. Would Jenkins, or some other player that catches the Browns' eye, be worth it to screw up our drafting process in 2009 though? The answer should be a big fat NO. What was the purpose of me wasting time outlining the possibility then? Because we never truly know what Phil Savage has up his sleeve. Savage has hinted towards the fact that the Browns will not be moving up into the first two rounds, but then again, I never saw the deals for Corey Williams or Shaun Rodgers coming.

If there is someone on the board that Savage really likes and sees an opportunity to grab though, a deal is 100 times more likely to occur in the second round than it would in the first round.

Again, in order for a deal like this to go down, it would probably have to come from a team with a winning record last season or a team with a lot of draft picks. The Packers have two second-round picks, but one of those were through the Corey Williams deal, so there'd be no sense in them working another deal with us. If the Patriots decide to trade away the 7th overall pick in the draft in order to acquire a different first-round pick and an additional second-round pick, then the Browns acquiring the 62nd overall pick from the Patriots would become a possibility. That would mean that we would have the second-to-last pick on Day 1.

Do I see either scenario panning out? No.

So I see the Browns trading one of our quarterbacks for a first-round pick? In some people's minds, we'd probably be crazy not to accept a deal for one of our quarterbacks. Not only would we re-establish position in this year's draft, we wouldn't affect next year's draft. And, if Derek Anderson is horrible this season, he'll lose all of that value heading into the 2009 draft. That's the big decision the Browns would have to make though: which quarterback do they have more faith in? Anderson had he best season of any Browns quarterback since returning to the league, and a little bit beyond that too. Brady Quinn has not been battle-tested in the regular season yet, but our team would probably be good enough to win some games even if he did struggle. There is too much variability between the quarterbacks, that having both of them as a luxury this season has its benefits and consequences in the long run.

The first day should be a quiet one for the Browns, but I'll certainly be glued to what's going on. Several of our SB Nation bloggers will be attending the draft this weekend too, so if there are any exclusives or rumors throughout the day, be sure to check in and I'll be blogging all about it.

The Browns' 2008-2009 NFL schedule was released on Tuesday, and I think the overall consensus is that we're ready for the test. In the poll I ran the past few days, 82% of you were ecstatic about the team receiving five primetime games, 17% of you were indifferent about it, and one lonely person was disappointed (if you were that one person, please feel free to elaborate).

Those five primetime games don't even include the fact that our Week 1 game against the Cowboys will be nationally televised on FOX. I feel like the Browns should be the underdogs heading into Week 1, despite going 7-1 at home last season -- after all, Dallas is still "America's Team", and they still have one of the most complete teams in football. It's a perfect evaluation for the Browns right off the bat to either prove that we're contenders...or if we still have a lot to work on.

Last season, we faced three of our division rivals within the first four weeks of the season. The same holds true this season, as we face the Steelers, Ravens, and Bengals, respectively, from Week 2 to Week 4. After a bye in Week 5, we'll have another big test in the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants on Monday Night Football. This will arguably be our best Monday Night game since our return to the league, since it'll take place in Cleveland Browns Stadium (and, I think we've only had one Monday Nighter since our return to the league vs. St. Louis).

The next interesting part of our schedule takes place from Week 10 to Week 11. We face the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football on November 6, just four days after we play the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9. In Week 11, we face the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football, which is the longest possible break you can have between two weeks beyond the bye week portion of the season. After the Buffalo game, we play the Texans only six days later in Week 12. To say the very least, our feeling of being used to seeing the Browns play every Sunday will be altered significantly.

Flex games can occur between Week 11-17 this season. The maximum number of primetime games a team can have during a season is six, and that's why the league has only scheduled teams like the Browns, Cowboys, and Colts for five primetime games (so each has the option to be flexed at least once).

Let's take an early look at possible flex games for the Browns:

• Week 11: We face the Bills on MNF, so it's not an option.
• Week 12: The Texans will still be looked at as an expansion team.
• Week 13: I'd love to play the Colts with Madden and Michaels calling the action. And, if the Colts don't get flexed in Week 11 or Week 12, they will certainly be an attractive option here if both teams are contending.
• Week 14: I see more worthy games on the schedule than Browns vs. Titans.
• Week 15: We face the Eagles on MNF, so it's not an option.
• Week 16: "The Bengals aren't ready for primetime."
• Week 17: This is the one with the best chance in my opinion. As much as I hate the Steelers, they still obviously have the best chance at being our toughest competition in the division. Unlike last year, we may have a chance in the final week of the season to determine the winners of the AFC North.

Basically, it seems like the games against the Colts and the Steelers have the highest probability to be flexed, giving us six primetime games. That's more than 1/3 of our schedule that will be showcased to the country. Are the Browns ready for that type of hype though? Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer doesn't think so:

I'm sure part of Palmer's words are in spite of the Browns. On the same note though, if you look at his statement in a "general" sense, he may have a point. In the past couple of years, teams like the Raiders and Dolphins were hyped as the darlings of the NFL, only to see them fall flat on their face. There's a significant difference between those hyped teams that Palmer talked about and the Browns though. The Raiders were hyped when they got Aaron Brooks and Randy Moss in the offseason. The Dolphins were hyped when they got Daunte Culpepper and several other new additions in an offseason. Neither team had performed significantly well in their previous season though.

The Browns went 10-6. And, if the Colts had played seriously in Week 17, we would've been in the playoffs. I still have bitterness towards the Bengals because they also played a role in ending our playoff hopes last season (with help from Derek Anderson). We also face the Bengals in Week 16 this season.

Every game seems to have a back-story this season. Whether or not that benefits the Browns on gameday remains to be seen, but I know it'll make everything that much more exciting from a fan's perspective.

2.0
Coming this Monday.

Take a snapshot of Dawgs By Nature within the next few days if you're an overly sentimental individual. This Monday, Dawgs By Nature will migrate to version 2.0, much like Let's Go Tribe did about a month ago. All of the other NFL blogs will be completed some time next week as well, so that everything is ready for the exciting 2008 NFL Draft.

You've been warned.

The full NFL schedule for the 2008-2009 regular season will be officially announced Tuesday at 2:00 PM EST. Make sure that you're paying attention to DBN and other various sources a little prior to that though if you're anxious to hear about the schedule. Chances are that something will get leaked prior to that deadline.

There was an interesting rumor posted by a member over at the Orange and Brown Report. Take it for what it's worth:

Tony Grossi already reported the rumor of the Cowboys game a week or so ago, and apparently thee have been rumors about the Browns getting a Thanksgiving game as well.

Still, I wouldn't get too excited or disappointed about anything yet. You never know what's official until it's truly "official".

Brian Russell.
Ben Taylor.
LeCharles Bentley.
Braylon Edwards.
Kellen Winslow.

and now...Joe Jurevicius.

It was confirmed on Friday by the Cleveland Plain Dealer that Jurevicius contracted a staph infection following his knee surgery in early January. The good news is that Jurevicius is recovering well and is expected to participate in the team's activities in May and minicamp in June. Jurevicius has already stated that he may retire after this season. One funny thing though: I seem to recall a couple of months ago that there were rumors started and promoted by fans that the entire demeanor from Jurevicius and the team seemed to indicate that something was wrong (the fans suggested a staph infection). That's why this didn't really come as a big surprise to me, and I'm sure it wasn't a surprise for some of you either.

Hopefully this is as far as it goes with the dreaded staph infection curse. After being plagued with team injuries and staph infections for several years, the Browns were one of the healthiest teams in football last year on offense.

I completed my own personal first round mock draft over at Pro Football Critics. I hated not being able to pick for the Browns in that draft just as much as I hated not picking for the Browns in SB Nation's amazingly sophisticated ongoing mock draft. Be sure to check both of them out.

In the coming days, I'm going to research the Internet for as many decent mock drafts that go into the fourth round, and take a look at what others believe our "first pick" might be. As the draft draws nearer, I'll discuss trade possibilities and who I'd like to see the Browns take. I wish I could provide some more updates than I've been doing, but without any early draft picks, the buzz on the Browns is about as low-key as you can get right now.

P.S. I apologize for making you stare at Kenny Wright's ridiculous picture for over a week (who, according to one user, is not a defensive back).

As far as Kenny Wright's future with the Cleveland Browns goes?

I'd say "see ya".

I saw no reason why we should've kept Wright after last season due to the minimal playing time he received and the lack of impact he had on the defensive side of the ball. Our reward for keeping him is being able to see the headline "Browns CB K. Wright Arrested" across all of the mainstream media headlines across the nation. Among Wright's issues as he was down in the Texas Police Department parking lot:

-He caused a lot of ruckus, drawing police to him in the first place.
-He had a bag full of marijuana in his car.
-He fled on foot, resisting arrest.

Excuse me for the comment, but what a total douche. My view on this matter might be slightly hypocritical in the sense that I would not want to outright cut a player like Eric Wright, Sean Jones, or Kamerion Wimbley if they had been in this situation. I would be furious at the stupidity by one of the luckier people in the United States (someone who makes it to the NFL), but I'd give them a second shot on a short leash.

K. Wright never had an impact last season, and as far as I'm concerned, he cost himself the opportunity of competing for a job this season. Bringing in Ty Law or drafting a cornerback in the fourth-round (or later) would probably earn us a better buy anyway. After all -- Brandon McDonald, a fifth-rounder from last season, is already light years further than K. Wright in my opinion (now it's on and off the field, too).

Now then, in other news, you and three of your friends can win a tour at Cleveland Browns Stadium by Browns QB Brady Quinn:

Let me know if you apply; I'd be curious to see if one of my reader's wins!