BEREA, Ohio — Browns star running back Peyton Hillis is not practicing because of an injury.

Hillis rode the exercise bike Tuesday as his teammates worked out in preparation of Thursday night’s exhibition in Philadelphia. Hillis did not play in Cleveland’s preseason game on Friday because of a hamstring injury. Browns coach Pat Shurmur is expected to provide an update on Hillis following practice.

Hillis rushed for 1,177 yards in his first season for the Browns, who acquired him in a trade from Denver for quarterback Brady Quinn. Hillis has become wildly popular with Cleveland fans, who helped vote him onto the cover of the Madden ‘12 video game.

Montario Hardesty took the reps with the Browns’ first-team offense. He will be making his preseason debut against the Eagles after missing last season with a knee injury.

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(Sports Network) – As usual, the Browns enter this year’s draft with several holes to fill. The team is switching to a 4-3 defense and currently has just one player — tackle Ahtyba Rubin — that’s viewed as starting material on the front line, so finding bodies for both the ends and the interior is essential. There’s also a glaring paucity of weapons for young quarterback Colt McCoy on the present roster, and Cleveland looks to be in good position to land either of the two premium wide receiver prospects (Georgia’s A.J. Green, Alabama’s Julio Jones) with the sixth overall selection if it chooses to go that route. The Browns appear pretty well set at running back, linebacker and cornerback, but could use the middle rounds to bolster other need areas such as safety and a right-side offensive tackle, as well as supply necessary depth across both lines. Cleveland does have an extra sixth-round pick as part of last year’s trade of disappointing quarterback Brady Quinn to the Broncos.

2010 Record: 5-11

Top Needs: DE, WR, DT, OT

First Three Picks: No. 6, No. 37, No. 70

Number of Selections: 8 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7)

RECENT FIRST ROUND HISTORY: 2010 – Joe Haden (CB, Florida); 2009 – Alex Mack (C, California); 2008 – none; 2007 – Joe Thomas (OT, Wisconsin), Brady Quinn (QB, Notre Dame); 2006 – Kamerion Wimbley (OLB, Florida State); 2005 – Braylon Edwards (WR, Michigan); 2004 – Kellen Winslow (TE, Miami-Florida); 2003 – Jeff Faine (C, Notre Dame); 2002 – William Green (RB, Boston College).

The Sports Network

CLEVELAND — Unless there is a shakeup in the NFL draft order by April 28, here are the overall selections the Browns hold:

 First round: No. 6.

 Second round: No. 37.

 Third round: No. 70.

 Fourth round: No. 102.

 Fifth round: No. 137.

 Sixth round: No. 168 (Denver’s pick, Brady Quinn trade).

       No. 170.

 Seventh round: No. 248 (compensatory).

 The first round is on Thursday, April 28, and begins at 8 p.m. The second and third rounds are on April 29 and begin at 6 p.m. Rounds 4 through 7 are on April 30 beginning at 12 noon.



By Steve Doerschuk

For Sporting News

An analytical look at the Cleveland Browns heading into the 2011 NFL draft:

Team needs

1. Defensive lineman. Last year, the Browns barely had enough players to run a rotation for a three-man front. Now, additional bodies must be found to feed new coordinator Dick Jauron’s 4-3 scheme. Starters Shaun Rogers and Kenyon Coleman were released in February, further thinning the position. Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers seems an obvious option, if available, with the No. 6 overall pick. He has the classic build and physical tools of a top-shelf 4-3 end. Alabama’s Marcell Dareus, who could be a force at tackle, also is being considered.

2. Wide receiver. Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi, both 2009 second-round picks, have been disappointments so far. However, many feel they were miscast as No. 1 and No. 2 receivers, respectively, and could be effective if a true No. 1 wideout is found. Massaquoi’s former Georgia teammate, A.J. Green, is perfect for Cleveland if he’s available at No. 6. If the Browns wait until Round 2, Pitt’s 6-5 Jon Baldwin or Maryland’s Torrey Smith are options. Smith is more of a burner than Baldwin, and the Browns have a need for speed.

3. Right tackle. The Browns are in great shape on the offensive line with left tackle Joe Thomas, left guard Eric Steinbach and center Alex Mack, but there are problems at right tackle. New Browns coach Pat Shurmur says the trenches will be a priority. Wisconsin’s Gabe Carimi would be a good right tackle option if he’s available when the Browns pick early in the second round. Arkansas’ DeMarcus Love played left tackle in 2010 but has the size and strength to do well on the right side. He is an option in the middle rounds.

4. Cornerback. Eric Wright seemed to be approaching elite status in 2009 but lost his confidence and gave up some monster plays early last season. Eventually, he landed on injured reserve, and last year’s No. 7 overall pick, Joe Haden, shined in his role. After investing so much in Haden, the Browns may try to get lucky in the third or fourth rounds this year. Utah’s Brandon Burton, Ohio State’s Chimdi Chekwa and Michigan’s State’s Chris Rucker are on the radar.

5. Quarterback. One of the big questions this year is whether the Browns are sold on 2010 third-round pick Colt McCoy as their QB. Cleveland isn’t likely to spend a first- or second-round pick on a quarterback but might pick a QB to develop behind McCoy and Seneca Wallace, who was re-signed this month. Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick is athletic enough to groom in a West Coast offense.

6. Middle linebacker. Switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 scheme dictates chasing an inside linebacker. Scott Fujita is versatile enough to try the middle, but he’s coming off a knee injury and might be a better outside linebacker. Greg Jones was a prolific tackler at Michigan State and could be a nice fit for Cleveland. LSU’s Kelvin Sheppard has the feisty temperament Cleveland G.M. Tom Heckert likes and would be a decent option in the middle rounds.

7. Right guard. Last year’s third-round pick, Shawn Lauvao, struggled as a rookie due to injuries and personal issues. Lauvao will get another chance in 2011, but Cleveland needs depth at guard and center and could bring in a youngster to push Lauvao. Mid- to late-round candidates include Auburn’s Lee Ziemba, Lehigh’s Will Rackley and Connecticut’s Zach Hurd.

Five-year history

Top-of-the-draft mistakes keep plaguing the Browns, going back to preferring Kellen Winslow over Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. Haloti Ngata would also have been far superior to Kamerion Wimbley in ’06. Avoiding a trade that cost a future first-round pick for Brady Quinn in 2007 might have saved the Romeo Crennel regime.

A defensive superstar, Clay Matthews, would have been the ticket over merely a good center, Alex Mack, in 2009. Steals, such as 2008 sixth-rounder Ahtyba Rubin, have been too few and far between, while mistakes, such as spending two second-round picks in 2009 on pedestrian receivers, have been too frequent.

2006: C+

2007: C+

2008: C-

2009: D

2010: B+

Just one question

Q. Have you assured coordinator Dick Jauron you will address the shortage of defensive linemen?

Team president Mike Holmgren: “We absolutely talked about that before he even accepted the position. We know what we have to do to make life easier for him, and (G.M.) Tom Heckert certainly does. That’s a pretty easy one to call just from a numbers standpoint. We are switching our defense from a 3-4 to a four-man line. That would be an area (of need). Dick trusts us. If you have to shore it up, you shore it up.”