Dateline The Padded Cell: The 2007 “Season of Dreams” is now a great distance behind us, but some incredible memories are still fresh in our memories. A 10-6 regular season record was considerably better than a great many of us could ever have hoped for had we been polled during the first few weeks of training camp. The roller coaster ride that followed had Browns fans talking up a storm for weeks upon end.

Now that we’re well into the free agency period of the 2008 season, Phil Savage and his team have continued working at a feverish pace to improve the roster’s overall quality and depth. Most noteworthy are the two trades that were made to bolster the defensive line. The first of which had the Browns acquire Corey Williams from the Green Bay Packers for a 2008 second round pick (number 56 overall). The second trade saw Savage acquire two-time Pro Bowl DT Shaun Rogers from the Detroit Lions for the often-injured Leigh Bodden and Cleveland’s third round pick (number 87 overall). The reasoning behind the moves was that there weren’t any players projected to be available in the second and third rounds of this year’s draft that would help the team nearly as much as the additions of Williams and Rogers. Translation – (1) Savage wants to make a playoff run right now, and these two players are going to play a critical part in that run, and (2) This draft is weak in positions the Browns need.

The free agent market also had its share of exciting moments early, as Savage re-signed restricted free agent quarterback Derek Anderson. Many of us (including yours truly) wondered why Savage would be so quick to bid against himself to retain Anderson. In a subsequent press conference, Savage revealed a very real scenario where one of the teams drafting late in the first round (allegedly the Dallas Cowboys) would sign Anderson, send Cleveland a late first and a late third (the price for any team that would sign Anderson away from the Browns) and then trade him for a first round pick to a team in the top ten of this year’s draft (allegedly the Baltimore Ravens). With the newly acquired pick, that team would make a play to acquire Arkansas RB Darren McFadden. The only problem with that scenario is that the team looking to give up a first round pick for Anderson would likely have to be either the Miami Dolphins or the Atlanta Falcons in order for the team moving up to be assured of securing McFadden.

Regardless of which teams may have been involved, Phil Savage would have none of it. If anyone were to benefit from trading Derek Anderson, Savage wanted to make sure that it would be the Cleveland Browns. As it currently stands, the Browns are going into this season with both Anderson and 2007 first round pick Brady Quinn. Just how long these two competitors will be able to co-exist peacefully is anyone’s guess. Which one stays and which one goes is also anyone’s guess, or you can just flip a coin to determine which side of the fence you wish to straddle. The final chapter in the Anderson/Quinn saga is yet to be written; but unless some team flat out blows away the Browns management on draft day with an offer they cannot refuse, you can rest assured that it will continue through the 2008 season. So sit back and enjoy the ride Browns fans.

Well, regardless of who’s lining up behind Hank Fraley, he’ll have a new target. Not long after the two trades and the re-signing of Anderson, the Browns signed WR Donte Stallworth to a six-year contract. While not considered a number one receiver my many pundits, Stallworth makes a very good complimentary receiver to line up opposite Braylon Edwards. Also considering that Joe Jurevicius will most likely retire as a Cleveland Brown at the conclusion of the upcoming season, it makes even more sense for there to be an established young veteran receiver already on the roster to get acclimated to the offense. That and the fact that former third round pick Travis Wilson has done absolutely nothing to enamor the coaching staff during his first two years (and maybe his last) in Cleveland.

Almost lost in the shuffle was the re-signing of reserve offensive lineman Lennie Friedman and former Miami Dolphin Rex Hadnot. Both of these signings were solid moves from a depth perspective, as both can play all three interior line positions. What some fans may have forgotten was how the O-line group never skipped a beat when Ryan Tucker moved into the right guard position after Seth McKinney went down with an injury. Cohesiveness and stability along the O-line are so critical to a team’s ability to move the football and score points. Now that the Browns finally have that, Savage and company have been able to turn the majority of their attention to making moves that will bolster a defensive unit that ranked at or near the bottom of the league in nearly every statistic.

Savage’s moves in last year’s draft and this off-season have left the Browns without a draft pick in the first three rounds. So what advice do I have for that sector of Browns fans that treat the NFL draft as though it were Super Bowl Sunday? Still have your draft day party with lots and lots of food and beverages, set that big screen TV to ESPN or the NFL Network and watch the draft as it unfolds. You’ll never have a better opportunity to critique the other 31 teams in the league for the decisions they make. And who knows? Maybe Savage and company still have a few tricks up their sleeves, and you certainly wouldn’t want to miss any of that – would you?

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