BEREA — The Cleveland Browns won’t join the Peyton Manning chase.

However, they’re still in the hunt for Robert Griffin III.

Offering few clues about his plans for the NFL draft, free agency or how he’ll solve Cleveland’s quarterback situation, Browns general manager Tom Heckert said Thursday the team will not pursue Manning, who is a high-priced free agent after being released Wednesday by the Indianapolis Colts.

“Not really,” Heckert said when asked if Manning was on the team’s radar. “He’s obviously a great player and all that, but where we’re at and where he’s at … To be honest, we have not talked to him or anything. No, that’s probably not a direction we’re going in.”

Heckert met informally with reporters for the first time since undergoing heart surgery in February. A few pounds lighter, he recently returned to the office after recovering at home and missing the scouting combine in Indianapolis, where the Browns got an up-close look at Griffin, Baylor’s talented Heisman Trophy winner.

With the No. 4 overall pick, the Browns might have a chance to select Griffin, considered the best QB prospect in this year’s draft behind Stanford’s Andrew Luck, who is expected to be taken first by the Colts. But with Griffin’s stock soaring and several teams desperate for a franchise quarterback, Cleveland, which also owns the No. 22 pick, might have to trade up to get St. Louis’ pick at No. 2 — if they want Griffin.

The move could be costly.

It’s possible the Browns could wind up in a bidding war with several teams for a shot at Griffin. Heckert treasures draft picks and might be unwilling to part with any of Cleveland’s selections. But the price might be worth it if the Browns, who have three of the top 37 picks, feel Griffin can reshape a franchise that has just one playoff appearance since 1999 and was the only AFC North team not in the playoffs in 2011.

Heckert said he has had talks with the Rams, but he wouldn’t classify them as “serious.” He was asked if the Browns would be willing to give up its first-round picks to go higher.

“I’d never say never about anything,” said Heckert, who plans to attend Griffin’s pro day workout March 21.

Heckert called the speculation about a possible trade with St. Louis preliminary and labeled media reports as “crazy.” He also said it’s possible the Browns might hold onto their first pick.

“We feel very comfortable staying at four and getting a good player there, and that could happen,” he said. “And we feel comfortable in moving down and getting more picks, we really do. It’s way early to start talking about this stuff.”

Heckert said the Browns think there are four quality quarterbacks in this year’s draft class. In addition to Luck and Griffin, Heckert said Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill is “untapped” and Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden is “super smart.” Heckert said he’s eager to see the 28-year-old Weeden throw at his pro day today.

While the focus has been on jockeying for position to get Griffin, Heckert said the Browns have not given up on Colt McCoy, who had an inconsistent season as a full-time starter.

“We’re not down on Colt McCoy, so I just want to make that clear,” Heckert said. “We still think Colt’s going to be a good player.”

Heckert said there’s comfort in knowing what they have in McCoy. He also thinks adding former Minnesota coach Brad Childress as the team’s new offensive coordinator only will help McCoy, who was plagued by a lack of protection and dropped balls in 2011.

“The question is whether we have enough to see what Colt can do, and I think we do,” Heckert said. “If we catch more balls and protect him better, can Colt be a lot better? Yes. That’s our goal. We still think Colt can play in this league and it’s our job to help him out.”

As for free agency, Heckert won’t change his ways.

Since his days as Philadelphia’s GM, Heckert has resisted the urge to overspend on players.

He’ll stick with his method of building mainly through the draft and adding lower-tier free agents to fill particular holes — and the Browns have a bunch.

“We’re not going to go crazy in free agency,” he said. “You look at throughout the history. I know Green Bay didn’t sign one free agent when they won (the Super Bowl) two years ago. I don’t think the Giants signed anybody, or at least anybody you’ve ever heard of as a free agent. You don’t win football games by signing a bunch of free agents. Now, can they help you? Certainly. And if there’s guys that we think can help us, we’ll definitely do it. But it’s easier said than done.”

Heckert’s stance would seem to rule out the Browns making a run at Green Bay quarterback Matt Flynn, the prize of this year’s free agent group.

Heckert reiterated the Browns are open to re-signing running back Peyton Hillis, who had a drama- and injury-filled second season in Cleveland. Hillis, who rushed for 1,177 yards in 2010, recently changed agents again and will be an unrestricted free agent.

“If we can work things out, he’d like be here,” Heckert said. “And if we can do it, we’d like him to be here. Whether he has to wait till he sees what happens in free agency, that’s fine with us. We’re willing to do that. We’ll just have to wait and see how things go.”

On other Browns issues, Heckert said:

» The team has not had any contact with linebacker Scott Fujita, who played for New Orleans from 2006-09 and reportedly is entangled in the Saints’ “bounty” scandal.

» He would like to sign veteran kicker Phil Dawson to a long-term contract. The Browns placed their franchise tag last week on Dawson, who has been with Cleveland since 1999 and his coming off one of his best seasons.

» The Browns want to retain free safety Mike Adams and cornerback Dimitri Patterson. Both are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.

» Right tackle Tony Pashos underwent ankle surgery Tuesday. Pashos was slowed by an injury to his ankle most of 2011.

BEREA, Ohio (AP) The Cleveland Browns won’t join the Peyton Manning chase.

However, they’re still in the hunt for Robert Griffin III.

Offering few clues about his plans for the NFL draft, free agency or how he’ll solve Cleveland’s interminable quarterback riddle, Browns general manager Tom Heckert said the team will not pursue Manning, who is now a high-priced free agent after being released by the Indianapolis Colts.

“Not really,” Heckert said when asked if Manning was on the club’s radar. “He’s obviously a great player and all that, but where we’re at and where he’s at … To be honest, we have not talked to him or anything. No, that’s probably not a direction we’re going in.”

Heckert met informally Thursday with reporters for the first time since undergoing heart surgery last month. A few pounds lighter, he recently returned to the office after recovering at home and missing the scouting combine in Indianapolis, where the Browns snared an up-close look at Griffin, Baylor(‘s talented Heisman Trophy winner.

With the No. 4 overall pick, the Browns may have a chance to select Griffin, considered the best QB prospect in this year’s draft behind Stanford’s Andrew Luck, who is expected to be taken first by the Colts. But with Griffin’s stock soaring and several teams desperate for a franchise quarterback, Cleveland, which also owns the No. 22 pick, might have to trade up to get St. Louis’ pick at No. 2 – if they want Griffin.

The move could be costly.

It’s possible the Browns could wind up in a bidding war with several teams for a shot at Griffin. Heckert treasures draft picks and might be unwilling to part with any of Cleveland’s selections. But the price might be worth it if the Browns, who have three of the top 37 picks, feel Griffin can reshape a franchise that has just one playoff appearance since 1999 and was the only AFC North team not in the playoffs last season.

Heckert acknowledged that he has had talks with the Rams, but he wouldn’t classify them as “serious.” He was asked if the Browns would be willing to give up both its first-round picks to go higher.

“I’d never say never about anything,” said Heckert, who plans to attend Griffin’s pro day workout on March 21.

Heckert called all the speculation about a possible trade with St. Louis preliminary and labeled media reports as “crazy.” He also said it’s possible the Browns might hold onto their first pick.

“We feel very comfortable staying at four and getting a good player there, and that could happen,” he said. “And we feel comfortable in moving down and getting more picks, we really do. It’s way early to start talking about this stuff.”

Heckert said the Browns believe there are four quality quarterbacks in this year’s draft class. In addition to Luck and Griffin, Heckert mentioned Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill “untapped” and Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden “super smart” during his 30-minute interview session. Heckert said he’s eager to see the 28-year-old Weeden throw at his pro day on Friday.

And while the focus has been on jockeying for position to possibly get Griffin, Heckert said the Browns have not given up on Colt McCoy, who had an inconsistent season as a full-time starter.

“We’re not down on Colt McCoy, so I just want to make that clear,” Heckert said. “We still think Colt’s going to be a good player.”

Heckert said there’s comfort in knowing what they have in McCoy. He also believes adding former Minnesota coach Brad Childress as the team’s new offensive coordinator will only help McCoy, who was plagued by a lack of protection and dropped balls last season.

“The question is whether we have enough to see what Colt can do, and I think we do,” Heckert said. “If we catch more balls and protect him better, can Colt be a lot better? Yes. That’s our goal. We still think Colt can play in this league and it’s our job to help him out.”

As for free agency, Heckert won’t change his ways.

Since his days as Philadelphia’s GM, Heckert has resisted the urge to overspend on players. He’ll stick with his method of building mainly through the draft while adding lower-tier free agents to fill particular holes – and the Browns have a bunch.

“We’re not going to go crazy in free agency,” he said. “You look at throughout the history. I know Green Bay didn’t sign one free agent when they won (the Super Bowl) two years ago. I don’t think the Giants signed anybody, or at least anybody you’ve ever heard of as a free agent. You don’t win football games by signing a bunch of free agents. Now, can they help you? Certainly. And if there’s guys that we think can help us, we’ll definitely do it. But it’s easier said than done.”

Heckert’s stance would seem to rule out the Browns making a run at Green Bay quarterback Matt Flynn, the prize of this year’s free agent group.

Heckert reiterated the Browns are open to re-signing running back Peyton Hillis, who had a drama- and injury-filled second season in Cleveland. Hillis, who rushed for 1,177 yards in 2010, recently changed agents again and will be an unrestricted free agent.

“If we can work things out, he’d like be here,” Heckert said. “And if we can do it, we’d like him to be here. Whether he has to wait till he sees what happens in free agency, that’s fine with us. We’re willing to do that. We’ll just have to wait and see how things go.”

On other Browns issues, Heckert said:

- The team has not had any contact with linebacker Scott Fujita, who played for New Orleans from 2006-09 and is reportedly entangled in the Saints’ “bounty” scandal.

- He would like to sign veteran kicker Phil Dawson to a long-term contract. The Browns placed their franchise tag last week on Dawson, who has been with Cleveland since 1999 and his coming off one of his finest seasons.

- The Browns want to retain free safety Mike Adams and cornerback Dimitri Patterson. Both are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.

- Right tackle Tony Pashos underwent ankle surgery on Tuesday. Pashos was slowed by an injury to his ankle most of last season.

BEREA, Ohio – The Cleveland Browns won’t join the Peyton Manning chase. However, they’re still in the hunt for Robert Griffin III.

Offering few clues about his plans for the NFL draft, free agency or how he’ll solve Cleveland’s interminable quarterback riddle, Browns general manager Tom Heckert said the team will not pursue Manning, who is now a high-priced free agent after being released by the Indianapolis Colts.

“Not really,” Heckert said when asked if Manning was on the club’s radar. “He’s obviously a great player and all that, but where we’re at and where he’s at … To be honest, we have not talked to him or anything. No, that’s probably not a direction we’re going in.”

Heckert met informally Thursday with reporters for the first time since undergoing heart surgery last month. A few pounds lighter, he recently returned to the office after recovering at home and missing the scouting combine in Indianapolis, where the Browns snared an up-close look at Griffin, Baylor(‘s talented Heisman Trophy winner.

With the No. 4 overall pick, the Browns may have a chance to select Griffin, considered the best QB prospect in this year’s draft behind Stanford’s Andrew Luck, who is expected to be taken first by the Colts. But with Griffin’s stock soaring and several teams desperate for a franchise quarterback, Cleveland, which also owns the No. 22 pick, might have to trade up to get St. Louis’ pick at No. 2 — if they want Griffin.

The move could be costly.

It’s possible the Browns could wind up in a bidding war with several teams for a shot at Griffin. Heckert treasures draft picks and might be unwilling to part with any of Cleveland’s selections. But the price might be worth it if the Browns, who have three of the top 37 picks, feel Griffin can reshape a franchise that has just one playoff appearance since 1999 and was the only AFC North team not in the playoffs last season.

Heckert acknowledged that he has had talks with the Rams, but he wouldn’t classify them as “serious.” He was asked if the Browns would be willing to give up both its first-round picks to go higher.

“I’d never say never about anything,” said Heckert, who plans to attend Griffin’s pro day workout on March 21.

Heckert called all the speculation about a possible trade with St. Louis preliminary and labeled media reports as “crazy.” He also said it’s possible the Browns might hold onto their first pick.

“We feel very comfortable staying at four and getting a good player there, and that could happen,” he said.

“And we feel comfortable in moving down and getting more picks, we really do. It’s way early to start talking about this stuff.”

Heckert said the Browns believe there are four quality quarterbacks in this year’s draft class. In addition to Luck and Griffin, Heckert mentioned Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill “untapped” and Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden “super smart” during his 30-minute interview session. Heckert said he’s eager to see the 28-year-old Weeden throw at his pro day on Friday.

And while the focus has been on jockeying for position to possibly get Griffin, Heckert said the Browns have not given up on Colt McCoy, who had an inconsistent season as a full-time starter.

“We’re not down on Colt McCoy, so I just want to make that clear,” Heckert said. “We still think Colt’s going to be a good player.”

Heckert said there’s comfort in knowing what they have in McCoy. He also believes adding former Minnesota coach Brad Childress as the team’s new offensive coordinator will only help McCoy, who was plagued by a lack of protection and dropped balls last season.

“The question is whether we have enough to see what Colt can do, and I think we do,” Heckert said. “If we catch more balls and protect him better, can Colt be a lot better? Yes. That’s our goal. We still think Colt can play in this league and it’s our job to help him out.”

As for free agency, Heckert won’t change his ways.

   Since his days as Philadelphia’s GM, Heckert has resisted the urge to overspend on players. He’ll stick with his method of building mainly through the draft while adding lower-tier free agents to fill particular holes — and the Browns have a bunch.

“We’re not going to go crazy in free agency,” he said. “You look at throughout the history. I know Green Bay didn’t sign one free agent when they won (the Super Bowl) two years ago. I don’t think the Giants signed anybody, or at least anybody you’ve ever heard of as a free agent. You don’t win football games by signing a bunch of free agents. Now, can they help you? Certainly. And if there’s guys that we think can help us, we’ll definitely do it. But it’s easier said than done.”

Heckert’s stance would seem to rule out the Browns making a run at Green Bay quarterback Matt Flynn, the prize of this year’s free agent group.

Heckert reiterated the Browns are open to re-signing running back Peyton Hillis, who had a drama- and injury-filled second season in Cleveland. Hillis, who rushed for 1,177 yards in 2010, recently changed agents

again and will be an unrestricted free agent.

“If we can work things out, he’d like be here,” Heckert said. “And if we can do it, we’d like him to be here. Whether he has to wait till he sees what happens in free agency, that’s fine with us. We’re willing to do that. We’ll just have to wait and see how things go.”

On other Browns issues, Heckert said:

– The team has not had any contact with linebacker Scott Fujita, who played for New Orleans from 2006-09 and is reportedly entangled in the Saints’ “bounty” scandal.

– He would like to sign veteran kicker Phil Dawson to a long-term contract. The Browns placed their franchise tag last week on Dawson, who has been with Cleveland since 1999 and his coming off one of his finest seasons.

– The Browns want to retain free safety Mike Adams and cornerback Dimitri Patterson. Both are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.

– Right tackle Tony Pashos underwent ankle surgery on Tuesday. Pashos was slowed by an injury to his ankle most of last season.

Plain Dealer’s Cleveland Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot hosts News and Notes with Colt McCoy, Peyton Hillis, D’Qwell Jackson, and Greg Little before they play the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Plain Dealer’s Cleveland Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot hosts News and Notes with Peyton Hillis, Montario Hardesty, Kaluka Maiava, D’Qwell Jackson and Colt McCoy as they prepare for the game against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Cleveland running back Peyton Hillis is tackled by Tennessee safety Michael Griffin during an Oct. 2 game. / Matt Sullivan/Getty images

Written by

Tom Withers

Associated Press

More In Sports

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Read More: Peyton Hillis (RB – CLE), Montario Hardesty (RB – CLE), Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars

The Cleveland Browns are slated to play the Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend, but the team probably won’t be able to take advantage of the Jags’ banged up defensive line like it would most weeks. The Browns released their first injury report of the week on Wednesday with no surprises, meaning top running backs Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty were still out due to injury.

Hillis continues to miss practice time with a hamstring injury while Hardesty is dealing with a calf injury. Hillis has already been ruled out for the Jaguars game and even though Hardesty hasn’t been yet, his status on Wednesday is not exactly encouraging.

The only other player that missed practice on Wednesday is defensive back T. J. Ward. Ward, dealing with injuries to both his foot and his finger, is expected to miss this weekend as well.

The full injury report is included below.

Read More: Dimitri Patterson (DB – CLE), Usama Young (DB – CLE), Peyton Hillis (RB – CLE), Mohamed Massaquoi (WR – CLE), Auston English (DL – CLE), Montario Hardesty (RB – CLE), T.J. Ward (DB – CLE), Cleveland Browns, St. Louis Rams

The Cleveland Browns injury report probably won’t be all that revealing this week as the two most important players — Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty — were already ruled out on Monday. That said, there are unfortunately plenty of other players injured going into this weekend’s game against the St. Louis Rams.

Aside from Hillis and Hardesty, there were five other players that were unable to participate in Wednesday’s practice. Mohamed Massaquoi, still recovering from a concussion, was out along with Auston English and defensive backs Dimitri Patterson, T.J. Ward and Usama Young.

A full list of the Browns’ injury report is included below.

Read More: nfl injury report, cleveland browns injury report, peyton hillis injury, Peyton Hillis (RB – CLE), Chris Ogbonnaya (RB – CLE), Montario Hardesty (RB – CLE), Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis returned to practice on Thursday as he continues to battle back from a hamstring injury. The return was all the more important because he not only took part in individual drills, but also took snaps with the first team offense. Hillis had either not participated in practice over the last two weeks, or he had been limited to individual drills.

Barring any setbacks, Peyton Hillis would appear to be the likely start on Sunday in Houston against the Texans. It is not a fantastic matchup, but getting Hillis back out on the field would bode well for longer term fantasy prospects. Chris Ogbonnaya took a lot of snaps Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers when Montario Hardesty went down, but he would be Hillis’ backup this Sunday against Houston.

We will have the full Thursday injury report when it comes out and from there we can keep an eye on Hillis’ practice status heading into Friday. If he has any sort of regression, lineup considerations can be adjusted accordingly.

For more on the Browns, check out Dawgs By Nature. For more on fantasy football, check out Fake Teams. Follow @sbnationfantasy on Twitter.

Cleveland Browns’ running back Peyton Hillis sits on the bench in street close as his team faces the Seattle Seahawks Sunday in Cleveland. Hillis did not play in the game. / AP

Written by

Tom Withers

Associated Press

More In Sports

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BEREA — Browns President Mike Holmgren said today that talks with running back Peyton Hillis are at a standstill right now.

“Things are kind of quiet right now,” he said. “Let’s let the dust settle and see what happens.”

He said “no one has called off contract negotiations” but that the Browns tried to extend Hillis’ contract and it didn’t happen. “Now he needs a great year to reach his goals,” said Holmgren.

He stressed that he wants to try to keep Hillis and told Hillis that on Wednesday. He characterized the negotiations as being in the “floating area.”

He emphasized that all of the drama surrounding Hillis this season, including the strep throat controversy, threw up “roadblocks” that made negotiations more difficult.

He also said “there was no way I was going to trade Peyton Hillis. Why would I trade one of our best players?”

Hillis will be a free agent after this season if the extension doesn’t get done. 

BEREA, Ohio — Pat Shurmur emphasized Monday that Peyton Hillis is not on the trading block and that he did, indeed, suffer a pulled left hamstring during Sunday’s loss to the Raiders.

“That’s an easy one — you can be assured that he had a hamstring injury,” said Shurmur.

The trading deadline is 4 p.m. Tuesday, and Hillis — who’s still far apart on a contract extension with the Browns — will still be in Cleveland when the sun goes down.

“I don’t want to talk about trades, but no, he’s not on the trading block,” said Shurmur.

Hillis underwent an MRI Monday. “It’s hard to say [how long Hillis might be sidelined],” Shurmur said. “Those injuries can take a couple of days or they can take however long.”

Speculation about Hillis began as he stood on the sidelines with helmet in hand from early in the second quarter until early into the fourth. Although he was injured on his second run in the first quarter, nothing was officially announced by the team until late in the third. He ran two more plays in the second quarter, including a 5-yard run and 16-yard catch on which he bowled over defenders that was nullified by a penalty. After both plays, he grabbed the hamstring and limped.

When reporters first asked team officials why Hillis was sidelined, they were told he wasn’t hurt. The CBS announcers Marv Albert and Rich Gannon continued to speculate on his status, which helped fuel rumors.

But Shurmur attributed it to miscommunication.

“I was aware in the first quarter that he sustained a hamstring,” said Shurmur. “I’ll talk about procedure [with the staff]. In the heat of the game, the last thing I’m thinking about is letting the press box know. I don’t think there was anything to try to keep it from somebody.

“My trainer told me that Peyton Hillis had a hamstring injury and was only to be used in emergencies.”

But after the Browns finally announced Hillis’ injury, he ran back onto the field for two plays early in the fourth quarter to help out on pass protection. Montario Hardesty was struggling in that regard.

“Yeah, it probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do,” Hillis said after the game. “But I wanted to help the team win. I was anxious to get out there and help. It was a critical point, we were just two possessions down and if we got that touchdown — you saw how things worked out with the onside kick and stuff, we knew it was within reach.”

Hillis has come under heavy fire for sitting out the Dolphins game with strep throat and taking his agent’s advice not to play. At first, Shurmur said Hillis “just kind of ran back in there” on Sunday, but later clarified that a member of the staff sent him in.

Whatever the case, Hillis wasn’t up to playing most of the afternoon, and it profoundly affected the game plan. Heading in, he was set to be the featured back. As it was, he ran only six times for 14 yards. The Browns have tumbled to 30th in the league in rushing, with an average of 81.6 yards per game.

“It was a little tough because we really wanted to feed Peyton early and often,” said left tackle Joe Thomas. “When he came down with that injury early, you’ve kind of got to scramble a little bit. Also a little bit of that was the way Oakland was playing us, they broke tendency. They were trying to pressure us with six-, seven- and eight-man blitzes to stop the run but also to bring one more blitzer than we had a blocker.

“So it was a little bit tough when Peyton went down. I’m hoping that he can get healthy and we can feed him a bunch next week.”

One thing is certain: He’ll still be here next week, healthy or not.

BEREA, Ohio — For a team trying to implement a new passing offense, the Browns sure have enough controversy brewing at the running back position.

There are the Peyton Hillis issues — the strep throat, the nagging contract talks, the lack of carries.

There are the Montario Hardesty issues — the increase in playing time, the four dropped passes.

And there is the Armond Smith issue.

How did it come to pass that the undrafted free agent from Union College got the call on the fourth-and-1 toss play in a crucial point of the 31-13 loss to Tennessee?

“We practiced it. He trusted me,” Smith said of coach Pat Shurmur.

“It’s a play for me to use my speed to beat the guy to the corner. On film, we never saw the safety [Michael Griffin] roll down. But still, as an athlete, a playmaker, I’ve got to make him miss. That was a crucial play.

“I see everybody saw it as controversial. Everybody’s like, ‘Peyton this. Montario that . . .’ But that would have been the predictable thing. So we were trying to give it a shot.

“What did you think? Give me your honest opinion. I like honesty.”

It probably never crossed Shurmur’s mind that the first time Smith touched the ball on offense at Shorter College in Rome, Ga., he raced away from the defense for an 85-yard touchdown on a toss play.

Or that the first time he played defensive back his junior year at Union College in Barbourville, Ky., he intercepted a pass and ran 27 yards for a touchdown.

Or that after being switched to running back the next season at Union College, Smith blew through NAIA defenses for 1,376 yards and 16 touchdowns. He had a 9.1-yard rushing average for the season. One game, he ran 16 times for 316 yards and five touchdowns.

“It seemed like every time I got the ball a hole was open,” Smith said of that game. “Anytime I’m out in space, pretty much I can get to the end zone. The funny thing was, a defensive lineman for the other team [Bethel University] got drafted by Buffalo in the seventh round.”

Smith is the only player from Union College — a liberal arts college of 600-plus undergraduates — to make an NFL roster. An offensive lineman on his team, Quinton Borders, who was 6-6 and 320 pounds, drew interest from scouts. They kept seeing Smith, an NAIA track champion in the hurdles and 4×100 relay, racing past everyone.

Smith scrambled to find a bigger college to host his pro day. The only NFL scout who attended was Browns senior scout Jake Hallum.

“I did a little bit of enough to have him call and he liked my highlight tape. When I got to the Browns, I told him, ‘I’m going to go out and prove it to you.’ ”

Smith had an 81-yard touchdown run in preseason and led the team in rushing. He survived three fumbles and made the final roster, ostensibly because free-agent pickup Brandon Jackson suffered a season-ending toe injury.

Smith described his journey to the Browns as “very incredible.”

“That’s why every day just makes me think of how blessed I am,” Smith said. “I have a lot to learn. I’ve always been a coachable athlete, but I didn’t have a lot of good coaching coming up in high school. I was a jack of all trades, master of none.”

He didn’t even start at Union College until an injury to another seasoned back gave him that chance. He was aiming to be a sports agent and fulfilled requirements for his business degree.

“I love being a player right now, but I take everything in my life and just gain something from it,” Smith said. “My uncle and father have owned a corrugated box business for 25 years. I worked there all my life.”

Smith’s speed, of course, has been his ticket to the NFL.

“I think I’m [among the] top 10 fastest in the NFL,” he said. “There’s a lot of people I respect. Mike Wallace [of Pittsburgh], Chris Johnson [Tennessee], DeSean Jackson [Philadelphia], Jacoby Ford [Oakland], Trindon Holliday [Houston], Edmund Gates [Miami]. I’d put Buster [Skrine] in there, too.”

Smith’s speed is what tempted Shurmur to put the ball in his hands on the fourth-down play. This isn’t to say we won’t see Smith carry the ball again this year, but Shurmur this week sounded like he won’t be going off the wall in the future.

“I think he does add speed to the field, and that’s a good thing,” Shurmur said. “In my evaluation of us and me, we’ll see how we do that moving forward. He’s our third running back. I’m hoping, as we move forward here . . . I’m hoping we have Peyton and Montario doing exactly what they are here to do. So we’ll see.”

Smith is OK with that.

“I want my coaches to continue trusting me. Whatever the coaches have in mind for me, I’m ready. I’m here to be an athlete and use my speed,” he said.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @Tony Grossi