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.

BEREA, Ohio — On the eve of the NFL Combine, Browns coach Pat Shurmur said draft experts are jumping the gun in assuming the Browns will trade up to pick Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III and cast aside Colt McCoy.

“I think what happens is, there’s a lot that gets said and written at this time and it’s very interesting to everyone,” said Shurmur at the Browns’ training facility. “Folks are making predictions while we’re still gathering information. That’s the important part. That’s the exciting thing about the combine.”

Shurmur acknowledged that the chance to spend time with RG3 is one of the things he’s most anticipating in Indianapolis, where more than 300 college prospects will be evaluated by all 32 NFL teams. Teams can conduct private interviews with up to 60 players.

“First of all, I’ve never met [Griffin],” said Shurmur. “That’s why this combine is going to be so important for me. He’s obviously very accomplished as a college quarterback and as we go through it all, we’ll determine whether he’s what everybody says he is.”

If RG3 is all that, the Browns might have to trade up to No. 2 with the Rams to get him. If they determine he’s not their guy, they might try to draft Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill later in the round.

But for now, they’re convinced that McCoy will be better in 2012 and that he can win for them. Last season, he finished 27th in the NFL with a 74.6 rating.

“I’m expecting that he will be [dramatically better], absolutely,” said Shurmur. “And the thing that’s encouraging to me is that he’s a guy you know is going to work at it.”

Shurmur, who spent seven seasons as a quarterbacks coach in Philadelphia, thinks the ceiling is high for McCoy once he’s well-versed in the West Coast system.

“Heck, I think he can be very good,” said Shurmur. “If he plays at a high level like I think he can, when he makes these improvements, that means he can help us win football games and I think that’s what you’re looking for at the end of the day — put the ball in the end zone and win games.”

The key for McCoy is he’ll have his first off-season to work with the coaching staff, including new offensive coordinator Brad Childress.

“I think it will make a big difference in my mind for me in his [second year] with me being here,” Shurmur said. “I’m expecting him to attack this off-season and get as good as he can get within our system. He’ll do that. He really works at things and I think that’s going to help him.”

He said McCoy is fully recovered from his concussion and has been taking some time off to hunt and fish.

“He’s going through the off-season basically healthy, getting his body and mind right,” said Shurmur, who added that the things McCoy needs to improve on are quantifiable.

“Whether it’s footwork, a better feel for the progressions, a better feel for the targets he’s throwing to — all of that gets refined when you have an off-season,” he said. “A lot of things I saw that he needs to improve on can be done by just working on it, everything from decision-making to the timing of his throws, accuracy to general footwork and fundamentals. He’ll have now an off-season where if we ran a play 20 times during the year, he can look at a cutup of that play with the pace slowed down and really critique himself.”

Shurmur disagrees with analysts who say McCoy doesn’t have the arm strength to throw the deeper passes.

“I think he can throw the deep ball,” said Shurmur. “Most quarterbacks have to throw the deep ball in rhythm and that comes down to fundamentals. I’ve seen him throw some very good deep balls. I don’t think that’s an issue.”

Although Eagles coach Andy Reid, Shurmur’s mentor, said Shurmur and Childress both understand that it takes four years to fully develop a quarterback, Shurmur said they “want to speed up the process. As long as the players are here, we’re not giving up on them. We believe that the guys we have are going to help us win games and we’re going to develop them.”

Shurmur indicated the Browns would be willing to adapt their West Coast offense if they draft RG3, who has a big arm and world-class speed to take off and run with the ball. He’s been in a spread offense throwing out of the shotgun, but will have to learn to operate under center.

“I think what happens is the offenses tweak a little bit,” he said. “Pro offenses are somewhat multiple. You’re under center, you’re in the gun, you’re in empty, you motion to empty, you play with three tight ends. We all have that as part of our package. What you try to do, though, is get the very best players you can and then within your system and how you teach you do a little bit more of this and less of that. I think that’s what you try to do, then you maximize their strengths.”

The Browns will know a lot more by the end of the week just how much they might have to tweak their scheme.

Shurmur addressed a number of other topics during his interview. Afterward, offensive coordinator Brad Childress also addressed the media:

• Shurmur said he’ll call the plays, but collaborate with Childress, who will be upstairs.

• He said the Browns are willing to use the franchise tag one of several players. A source told The Plain Dealer they’ll franchise D’Qwell Jackson if they can’t sign him to a multi-year deal. “He’s a guy we want back,” said Shurmur. If they do sign him, they have the option of using the tag on another player, such as kicker Phil Dawson or running back Peyton Hillis. Deadline for franchising a player is March 5.

• Shurmur sounded very positive about Hillis. “I really liked what I saw when he was in there playing healthy.”

• He was noncommittal about a role in 2012 for guard Eric Steinbach, who’s recovering from back surgery and is due $6 million in 2012. He said Steinbach is working out, but didn’t know his specific timetable. He said he still sees Jason Pinkston as a guard even if Steinbach is ready for full-time duty.

• Shurmur spoke highly of cornerback Dimitri Patterson and safety Mike Adams, which indicates the team is trying to re-sign both. He said Patterson can be a starter, not just a nickelback.

• Shurmur sounded as though the Browns are leaning toward signing a veteran wide receiver in free agency. “It’s important if you add leadership” in every one of your position groups, he said. The key, he said, is that the veteran can still play.

• Childress said he “saw some great finishes by” RG3 last year. He acknowledged that teams should play to a player’s strengths.

• Childress said the fact that Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill played 30 games at wide receiver “speaks to his athleticism” and hand-eye coordination. He said Tannehill would be more well-versed in the West Coast offense from working under Aggies coach Mike Sherman.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Berea — As he makes plans for his second season, Pat Shurmur’s next decision might shape his future as Browns coach.

Shurmur said he will launch a search for an offensive coordinator, a position he chose not to fill in his first season.

Doubling as his own coordinator in his rookie season as a head coach, Shurmur’s offense finished 29th in yards and 30th in scoring, and suffered some in-game brownouts that were explained as “communication” problems.

These included a fumbled handoff to tight end Alex Smith, who was rushed into the huddle as a replacement for fullback Owen Marecic at a critical point in a 6-3 loss to St. Louis, and botched clock management that cost the Browns at least a short field goal try at the end of the first half in a 20-14 loss in Baltimore.

Shurmur said he intended all along to hire a coordinator in his second season when he failed to find “the right guy” a year ago.

“We’re going to work quickly, but I’m not going to be hasty,” he said of the search. “I want to get the right guy. That’s a relationship that’s very, very important.”

Shurmur seems more inclined to give the right candidate play-calling responsibilities — something he would not do last year. He said, “That’s one of the details we’ll get worked out as we go through the process.”

A year ago, Shurmur interviewed at least three candidates for coordinator. Two took jobs elsewhere — Bill Musgrave with the Vikings and Mike McCoy re-signed with Denver under new coach John Fox. The third reported interviewee was Mark Whipple, who joined Shurmur’s staff as quarterbacks coach.

Shurmur said Tuesday the new coordinator “may come from the staff,” which points to Whipple as a contender.

Whipple was offensive coordinator at the University of Miami in 2009 and ’10. He previously worked one season in Philadelphia with Shurmur on Andy Reid’s staff and was quarterbacks coach for the Steelers from 2004 to ’06.

Other potential candidates could include Brad Childress, who worked with Shurmur in Philadelphia for six years, the last four as Reid’s offensive coordinator; and Mike Sherman, who was a Mike Holmgren assistant coach in Green Bay and his offensive coordinator one year in Seattle before returning to Green Bay as head coach. Sherman was fired as Texas A&M head coach last month and reportedly will receive NFL head coach interviews.

Shurmur said he would not identify candidates for the job. He said of Childress: “I know Brad very well. He and I worked together for a long time. I think he’s a terrific coach.”

Asked if the candidate has to have experience in the West Coast offense, Shurmur said: “I’m trying to find the best guy, so a guy who speaks our language . . . I think might have a little bit of a leg up.

“The coordinator role is like having another decision-maker amongst your staff that has the title of being able to say we’re going to do this or do that. I think it’s important that I get the right guy. His final role . . . there’s a lot of different models. There’s eight or nine teams where the head coach calls the plays, and they have a coordinator. And then there’s other teams that have a different [setup].

“The offensive coordinator is responsible for the offensive coaches. He’s mainly responsible for putting the plan together, directing the offense and doing a lot of things that I did as a head coach.

“The game-day thing, calling plays, that’s a fun thing for all of us to do. I want the best guy I can get. If he’s outstanding at calling plays . . . listen, I want to win games, so I’m going to get the guy that helps us win.”

The hire comes at a critical time in the franchise’s endless search for respectability. In their expansion era, the Browns have ranked 23rd or worst in offense in 12 of 13 seasons. They were eighth in 2007 under coordinator Rob Chudzinski, who is being mentioned as a head coach candidate in Jacksonville.

The Browns are contemplating a thorough upgrade on offense, which could include a new quarterback, new receivers and possibly a new running back.

Shurmur declined Tuesday to speculate on the future of quarterback Colt McCoy and again refused to say he wanted potential free agent Peyton Hillis to return as the feature running back.

As for any other changes to his coaching staff, Shurmur said he didn’t plan any “at this point.” He left open the door, pending coaches being made available by other teams.

The Browns had several breakdowns on special teams — yielding two kick returns for touchdowns and a touchdown on a fake punt, having two field goals blocked and having two critical long snaps go awry. But Shurmur defended special teams coordinator Chris Tabor.

“I think as players and coaches, we all need to improve. And I did see some improvement in areas that make me think we’re going to get better,” Shurmur said of the special teams.

By Tom Withers,

Associated Press

9:18 PM Monday, January 2, 2012

BEREA — The growing pains were agonizing, the mistakes numerous, the progress difficult to spot.

The Cleveland Browns had another one of those seasons.

Losing, though, has its rewards in the NFL, which compensates its worst teams with high draft picks to help them get better. After going 4-12, the Browns, with one of the league’s youngest rosters, will have the No. 4 overall selection in April and Cleveland fans are already frothing at the chance to bring in a college star like Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III to be their savior.

As he packed his bags for the offseason Monday, Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown issued a warning to that line of thinking.

“My thing is, if you’re dependent on a draft pick to come in here and change your life, then you’re kidding yourself,” he said. “This game is too hard.”

It certainly has been for the Browns, who haven’t made the playoff since 2002. They’ve lost at least 11 games in each of the past four seasons and a minimum of 10 in eight of the past nine. Green Bay (15) won more games this season than the Browns (14) have won in the past three seasons — combined.

And consider this stat: The defending Super Bowl champion Packers outscored the Browns 560-218.

It was a turbulent first season in Cleveland for coach Pat Shurmur, who because of the NFL lockout didn’t have an offseason to install his new West Coast offense or get to know his team on the field. He made his share of mistakes, but Brown, who was previously with Shurmur in Philadelphia, is confident Browns president Mike Holmgren hired the right coach.

Shurmur has his detractors, but there’s no denying the Browns, who went 0-6 in the rugged AFC North, played hard for him.

Shurmur will discuss his rollercoaster rookie year today, and Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert are scheduled to meet the media Thursday, when they’re sure to be grilled about the team’s quarterback situation.

Colt McCoy made 13 starts this season, but missed his final three games with a concussion. The Browns have a better sense of what McCoy is, and there’s a strong argument to be made for sticking with him in 2012 after investing so much time into his development. But if the Browns — particularly Holmgren — don’t think McCoy can take them to a Super Bowl, they may look for a starting QB in free agency, a trade or the draft.

Cleveland’s wild season included costly injuries, endless drama around running back Peyton Hillis, dropped passes, and tough losses. The Browns lost six games by seven points or less, dropping their final three by a total of 13 points.

Peyton Hillis is playing in the Thursday, December 8, 2011 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Colt McCoy and Montario Hardesty will also be in uniform and on the field. They are a bit banged up, but ready to take on the black and gold and, hopefully, bring a win back to Cleveland.

The only really notable player that will not take the field is T.J. Ward – a Browns’ safety – and he will be replaced by Usama Young as usual.

Now, can the Browns win? This is always a question with the Browns unfortunately. We had a shot against the Ravens last week, especially when the Ravens missed two field goals.

The receivers have to actually catch the ball. I know, I know, this should go without saying, but the Browns have the NFL record for most drops. To be fair, the Browns are actually tied for most drops with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. I digress, McCoy has finally started to throw some relatively decent passes, but if these are not caught [by Browns' receivers] then those passes really do not mean much. Also, if those passes are caught by the opposing team, then big problems can occur.

There is also a chance that the Steelers may simply think this will be an easy win and underestimate the Browns and therefore lose to the Browns. Okay, this is a stretch and perhaps just wishful thinking, but we have seen it happen in sports before.

“In the two meetings last season, the Steelers outscored the Browns 69-19,” reports Cleveland.com. It is also important to note that the Steelers who are taking the field are healthy, while a few of the Browns taking the field are not.

To go back to the health of the Browns. This is a big concern. One really good sack to McCoy and he could be in big trouble. McCoy is necessary and he needs to be on the field in the best shape he can be. Of course, Hillis seems like a flower and even a little sack could put him out.

R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen is a lifelong Browns fan who grew up in a household of Browns’ fans. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and still lives there. Regardless of the trials and tribulations the Browns have been through, she remains loyal, albeit honest about her home team. Follow Rose on Twitter @Rose_Kitchen

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CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns’ trophy collection isn’t especially impressive this season.

A 3-5 Browns record is what it is. But the quality of the three wins, well….Cleveland has wins over the NFL’s only winless team (Indianaplis Colts), over a one-win team (Miami Dolphins) and a two-win team (Seattle Seahawks).

But, opportunity knocks. Looking ahead just a bit, the Browns could get to .500 by winning their next two games: against the St. Louis Rams, who are 1-7, on Sunday, and against the 2-6 Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 20. Both games will be at Browns Stadium.

First, the Browns game against the Rams on Sunday. St. Louis was 7-9 last season with Pat Shurmur as its offensive coordinator. Shurmur, of course, is in his first season as the Browns’ head coach.

The Rams’ game results this season, in order: 31-13 loss to Philadelphia; 28-16 loss at the New York Giants; 37-7 loss to Baltimore; 17-10 loss to Washington; 24-3 loss at Green Bay; 34-7 loss at Dallas; 31-21 win vs. New Orleans; 19-13 loss (overtime) at Arizona.

The Browns’ results: 27-17 loss to Cincinnati; 27-19 win at Indianapolis; 17-16 win vs. Miami; 31-13 loss to Tennessee; 24-17 loss at Oakland; 6-3 win vs. Seattle; 20-10 loss at San Francisco; 30-12 loss at Houston.

Cleveland’s history with the Rams goes back to before the Browns existed. The Rams’ franchise began in Cleveland in 1937, and continued here through 1945. The Cleveland Rams played their last game before moving to Los Angeles on Dec. 16, 1945, and it was for the NFL championship. The Rams defeated the Washington Redskins, 15-14, before 32,178 fans who braved sub-zero temperatures at Cleveland Stadium.

The Browns were born in 1946, and after winning all four championship games in All-America Football Conference history (1946-49), joined the NFL in 1950. Ironically, Cleveland won the 1950 NFL championship by defeating the Rams, 30-28, at Cleveland Stadium. In 1951, the Browns lost the NFL title game to the Rams, 24-17, at Los Angeles. Then, in 1955, Cleveland captured the league title with a 38-14 rout of the Rams in LA, in quarterback Otto Graham’s final game.

Click on to the games in the paragraph above to read The Plain Dealer’s game stories. They are included in cleveland.com’s Browns History Database, which includes Plain Dealer game stories on every regular season and playoff game in Browns history through 2010.

The Browns and Rams have played 18 regular season games, with a 9-9 split. The teams have met just three times since the Rams moved from Los Angeles to St. Louis prior to the 1995 season, the Rams winning twice.

The last game between the teams was on Oct. 28, 2007, when Cleveland won at St. Louis, 27-20, making the Browns 4-3 and the Rams 0-8. Tony Grossi wrote The Plain Dealer’s game story. Browns quarterback Derek Anderson completed 18 of 25 passes for three touchdowns with no interceptions. Braylon Edwards caught eight passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns and Joe Jurevicius had five catches for 76 yards.

Cleveland Browns host the St. Louis Rams: Who will win and by how much?

John Gaudiosi, On Sunday October 23, 2011, 10:42 am EDT

When it comes to sports curses, aside from the Chicago Cubs, there’s no more active superstition than the Madden curse. Since 1999, almost every year something bad has happened to the cover athlete of Electronic Arts’ bestselling Madden NFL franchise. Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis is the latest victim of this curse.

Hillis is the first Madden cover athlete who was voted in by fans through an ESPN cross-promotion with EA Sports. Last year, the running back rushed for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns. He came out of nowhere to beat Aaron Rodgers and other NFL superstars. This year, Hillis has been plagued by injuries and surrounded by trade rumors. The running back took flack for sitting out a game for strep throat. And now he’s out with a hamstring injury.

Hillis has also been in the middle of a contract dispute with the Browns. The team offered him a contract extension earlier this year, but Hillis, taking the advice of his agent, walked away. Now with the injuries, conspiracy theorists are having a field day with all of this drama. It’s likely that Hillis will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season, which is shaping up to be a very long one for the Browns (2-3) and their star running back.

After the lockout ended, Hillis told me he was excited to play football again and humbled by the fans selecting him to be on the cover of the new game. He seemed genuine in the interview, but that was before things went bad.

The Madden curse has even spread to runner-up cover athlete Michael Vick, who was already on the cover of Madden NFL 04. The convicted dog killer was part of the so-called Philadelphia Eagles “dream team,” only to get injured in multiple games with a concussion and broken hand. Vick also took a lot of heat from NFL legends and the media for complaining about NFL officiating after getting pummeled by opposing teams’ defenses every game. The dream team is off to a pathetic 2-4 start, as a result.

None of this has had any negative impact on the actual videogame. The new game sold 1.4 million copies in its first week after launching August 30^th and has topped global sales of 2 million to date, according to VGChartz.com.

New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees was able to escape the curse last year, playing all season long without any injuries. Perhaps it was the local voodoo combating the videogame curse. Or maybe that was the curse rising in the playoffs to see the Saints lose pathetically to the lowly Seattle Seahawks.

In 2009, EA put two players on the cover of Madden – Pittsburgh Steeler Troy Polamalu and Arizona Cardinal Larry Fitzgerald. Polamalu only played five games due to a knee injury, while Fitzgerald escaped the curse with a Pro Bowl season.

In 2008, quarterback Brett Favre was on the cover of the 20^th Anniversary Madden Edition. After coming back from retirement, Favre feuded with the Packers, was traded to the Jets and played horrible losing four of the last five games.

In 2007, quarterback Vince Young managed to play through the season with only one game missed. But after that first playoff appearance, things went downhill for the quarterback.

In 2006, Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander fractured his foot and missed six games.

In 2005, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb suffered a sports hernia in his first game and missed seven games. That year also marked the public feud with Terrell Owens.