Daily Dawg Chow: Browns news (5/2/14)

Cleveland Browns:

• "Joe Haden says contract talks won't become a distraction" (Plain Dealer) - "The game of football earned the Browns’ Joe Haden his first trip to the Pro Bowl last season. The business of football cost him his closest friend on the team."
• "Young, Thigpen get chance to revive careers" (ESPN) - "I might have been a little harsh on Vince Young the other day -- in an attempt to be humorous. After seeing and hearing him, he might bring something to the Browns if he makes the team."
• "Will Manziel become Johnny Cleveland?" (AP) - "As he discussed the possibility of quarterback Johnny Manziel being picked by Cleveland in the upcoming draft, Browns linebacker Quentin Groves made a small sign of the cross."
• "Shanahan key in QB evaluations" (FSO) - "One of the key people in the Browns organization, in terms of offensive thinking, is offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. Mike Pettine has spent his entire NFL career on the defensive side of the ball and GM Ray Farmer played defense as a player."

NFL:

• "Texans know who they want to draft with No. 1 pick in 2014 NFL draft" (SI.com) - "We’re exactly a week away from the start of the 2014 NFL draft, but the Houston Texans apparently know who they want to select with the No. 1 pick, according to general manager Rick Smith."
• "Report: Falcons not interested in trading up to No. 1 for Clowney" (PFT) - "The Texans have identified the player they’d like to take at the top of the draft, and G.M. Rick Smith said Thursday that the team may trade down to get him."
• "Mike Mayock: Six receivers to be drafted in first round" (NFL.com) - "We've been told for months -- yes, literally months now -- that the 2014 draft class is loaded at wide receiver."
• "Draft fail: Whispers from 2012 drive Bengals LB Vontaze Burfict" (CBS) - "Vontaze Burfict watched the 2012 NFL Draft. Of course he did. He's not going to sit here and lie to you, or to me, and tell us that he was too cool to watch his own humiliation."