Savage turns attention to draft

ClevelandBrowns.com
By Pat McManamon, Columnist
March 24, 2005


KAPALUA, Hawaii - Phil Savage sees the same logic as everyone else regarding the NFL Draft.

That thinking has San Francisco using the first pick to draft Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and Miami using the second pick to take Auburn running back Ronnie Brown.

"At least from afar, they logically fit," Savage said Wednesday as the NFL Meetings came to a close. "So I think that's what people are guessing."

That means the Browns choices with the third overall pick could include Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards and Utah quarterback Alex Smith. Savage, though, is not completely buying into the guesses.

"You always have to kind of expect the unexpected," he said just before getting ready to board a plane back to Cleveland.

Savage will be back in the office by late morning Thursday - and his top priority will be the draft. He spent a good part of the flight home watching players on his portable DVD player and writing reports as the team prepares for an exhaustive series of pre-draft meetings beginning April 4.

The only certainty Savage could state was that the Browns will work out two or three individual players one more time on their own - and Edwards is one of those the team will take another look at. Part of the reason was that Edwards' workout at Michigan came while Savage was in Hawaii.

"Obviously with this going on I was unable to go to a few of the schools," Savage said. "I've never been one to go to a lot of the spring days because I felt like I did most of my scouting during the season anyway and it can sometimes confuse the issue.

"But I think when you're picking high in the draft it might be wise to go spend a few hours with some of them."

Savage also missed the workouts of running back Cedric Benson and linebacker Derrick Johnson at Texas, but he said he knows those players well enough that he doesn't need to go back.

Will Rodgers actually go first overall?

New 49ers coach Mike Nolan addressed the workouts of the two top quarterbacks - Rodgers and Smith.

"Aaron is certainly ahead of Alex because of the style of offense he ran," Nolan said, referring to the fact Rodgers was under center and Smith was in the shotgun. "Alex was doing a lot of things in the workout that he really hadn't done for two or three years. He did take a drop but it was a little different.

"The mechanics of coming out from beneath the center and setting and throwing is not as good. Both of them are very accurate and have been throughout their college career. The difference in Aaron at this point is because he's been doing those types of things physically."

Nolan, though, said he would give more credence to intangibles than physical ability because intangibles indicate leadership.

Will Miami take Brown second? Auburn's running back has shot to the top of the running back list since he had an outstanding workout at the combine.

But Tuesday, new Miami coach Nick Saban said he'd welcome back Ricky Williams, who retired suddenly prior to last season.

"The guy has value to the organization," Saban said.

What will Savage make of it all? Based on how he deals with his own pre-draft statements, he probably isn't listening too closely.

"Some of the stuff you say is true; some of the stuff you say probably is not true," Savage said. "If everybody does it that way you don't really know ... The focus for us is to try to take care of what we're going to do. What our thoughts are. How it's going to affect our team."

To that end, the Browns draft board, which includes 130 to 140 players, is already drawn up.

"I think the thing to keep in mind is that you start formulating it - at least I do - in December," he said. "You tweak it as you go through. There shouldn't be any major shifting of tectonic plates."

Many have speculated the Browns would be wise to trade down because the abilities of the top 15 or 20 players is so close, but it might be easier said than done.

"You have to have someone to deal with if you don't want to stay there," Crennel said. "If you don't have anybody to deal with, then you better be able to make a choice at that spot. I think that's what we're preparing to do. We're preparing to make a pick with the third pick and we'll see what other scenarios develop. If someone wants to come up then we'll listen."

Does Crennel favor a particular position with the third pick?

"The best value," he said. "Whatever that is."

Savage said all options are open - except one.

"The one thing that I've stayed in constant communication with Romeo about is that everything that we've done in free agency doesn't preclude us from taking any position," Savage said. "People say, what about tight end? Tight end is probably off the board.

"But we're wide open to anything. I think that's one of the benefits to coming into a situation that needs work. You have somewhat of an open book and you can almost go any direction that should help us."