Cleveland, Ohio — Welcome to today’s edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Chuck Yarborough and Branson Wright.

The 2012 NFL Draft is coming up Thursday, and the Browns are sitting with the No. 4 and No. 22 picks in the first round. Do you think they will use one of those picks on a quarterback? That’s the question in today’s Starting Blocks poll.

Today’s guest on SBTV, Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff, says he doesn’t think so. He says that Oklahoma State QB Brandon Weeden would be a good choice for the Browns, but not at No. 22. And Dman suspects that Weeden will be gone by the time the Browns have their 37th pick.

Dman also talks about the possibility that the Minnesota Vikings are not interested in USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil; and what that would mean for the Browns.

SBTV will return Wednesday.

(Re-post from last April, as the 2011 NFL draft approached)

Today we finish our countdown of the Cleveland Browns’ 100 best draft picks of all time.

Previously, we have posted the Browns best all-time picks Nos. 100-81, followed by Nos. 80-61 and Nos. 60-41 and Nos. 40-21.

This is not a ranking of the 100 best players drafted by Cleveland. Instead, it’s an estimation of the 100 best Browns’ picks in terms of value. Simply, a Player A taken by the Browns with, say, the 120th overall pick, turned out to be a better pick for value than did a Player B who might have contributed a little more but was a 55th overall pick.

Only players who played at least three seasons with the Browns after being picked by the team in the annual draft were considered. Players acquired through a rare supplemental draft, such as Bernie Kosar, Kevin Mack and Mike Johnson, aren’t included because the mechanics of the supplemental draft are not comparable to the regular draft.

Browns greats such as Otto Graham, Marion Motley, Lou Groza, Dante Lavelli, etc., aren’t included, as they began their Browns’ careers in the All-America Football Conference.

Performance with the Browns only is considered. For instance, future Hall of Famers Doug Atkins, Willie Davis, Henry Jordan and Dick LeBeau were Browns’ draft picks from 1953-59. LeBeau was cut by the Browns before playing for them. The other three were traded by the Browns after just two seasons each as part-time players.

Playoff game performances were considered. Statistics are only for what a player did with the Browns. Statistical considerations in the rankings recognize that the game has become more pass-oriented in the last 30 years or so. Also, some players’ values are enhanced by what the Browns eventually got for them in trades.

Only occasionally is it considered whom the Browns didn’t take. The value of 1976 picks Mike Pruitt (seventh) and Dave Logan (65th) shouldn’t be diminished because they and no other team selected future Hall of Fame tackle Jackie Slater until the Los Angeles Rams took him 86th.

Positions: Offense — QB, quarterback; RB, running back; FB, fullback; WR, wide receiver; TE, tight end; C, center; G, guard; T, tackle; PK, placekicker; P, punter; Rtn, kickoff and/or punt returner; LS, long snapper.

Defense — E, end; T, tackle; NT, nose tackle; LB, linebacker; CB, cornerback; S, safety; DB, cornerback and safety.

Key: ranking number, player, position, year drafted, round/overall pick number, college, years with Browns.

20. Ray Renfro, WR-RB, 1952, 4/48, North Texas, 1952-63. Earned Pro Bowl or second-team all-league recognition in five different seasons. Sprinter’s speed helped him average 19.6 yards on his 281 pass receptions, the 15th best career yards-per-catch in NFL history.. Caught 50 touchdown passes and ran for four more TDs. Caught seven passes for 123 yards and three touchdowns in the Browns’ 1954 and 1955 championship game wins.

19. Joe Thomas, T, 2007, 1/3, Wisconsin, 2007-10. Assuming he stays healthy, Thomas is on track to move up on any list like this in the future. Made the Pro Bowl team each of his four seasons and named to all-pro first-teams each of the last two seasons. Has started all 64 games at left tackle. (Ranking was made prior to the 2011 season)

18. Gary Collins, WR-P, 1962, 1/4, Maryland, 1962-71. Three-time first-team all-pro. Averaged 16 yards on his 331 career receptions, and caught 70 touchdown passes. After playing as a backup his rookie season, caught 61 TD passes in his six full seasons — many on the famed “(Frank) Ryan to Collins post pattern” — the 61 TDs a remarkable number in a running game-oriented era of 14-game seasons. Scored five touchdowns in postseason play. Three of them (18, 42 and 51 yards) were the game’s only TDs in the Browns’ 27-0 upset win over the Baltimore Colts in the 1964 championship game. Was the Browns’ punter his first six seasons. Led the NFL with a 46.7-yard punting average in 1965.

Video: Highlights of the Browns’ last two regular season games in 1964, and the 27-0 title game win over the Colts, when Gary Collins caught three touchdown passes (videos from youtube.com):

The Plain Dealer’s Browns History Database includes PD stories on every regular season and playoff game the Browns have played in. The late Chuck Heaton, the PD’s longtime Browns beat writer, wrote about the Browns’ title game win over the Colts on Dec. 27, 1964 at Cleveland Stadium.

17. Greg Pruitt, RB-Rtn, 1973, 2/30, Oklahoma, 1973-81. Made the Pro Bowl his first two seasons due in large part to his return game, and made it in 1976 and 1977 because of his play at halfback. Rushed for 5,496 yards as a Brown, averaging 4.7 yards a carry. Caught 323 passes and totaled 43 touchdowns. Missed much of the 1979 season with a knee injury, and was used primarily as a receiver the next two years.

16. Hanford Dixon, CB, 1981, 1/22, Southern Mississippi, 1981-89. Dixon, and the Browns other cornerback, Frank Minnifield, both played man-to-man pass coverage as well as virtually any DB in the 80′s. Named first-team all-pro twice. Missed just three games, not counting the three “replacement player games” during the 24-day players strike in 1987. Intercepted 26 passes.

15. Ken Konz, CB-S, 1951, 1/14, Louisiana State, 1953-59. Served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War before joining the Browns in 1953. A first-team all-pro twice. Intercepted 30 passes (four returned for touchdowns) during regular season games — and had two INTs in the Browns’ 56-10 championship game win over the Lions in 1954, and two more in the 38-14 title win over the Rams in 1955. Led the league with a 14.4-yard punt return average in 1956. Occasionally used as a punter.

14. Jerry Sherk, DT, 1970, 2/47, Oklahoma State, 1970-81. Didn’t miss a game in his first seven seasons, and again in 1978, but was slowed by injuries his last three years. One of the quickest tackles in the league, he was a stalwart run-stopper and a fine pass rusher. Played in four Pro Bowls and was first-team all-league twice.

Video: Highlights of a 27-17 Browns’ win in 1972 at Philadelphia, including some glimpses of Jerry Sherk (72).

13. Bobby Mitchell, RB-Rtn, 1958, 7/84, Illinois, 1958-61. Played halfbaack with Jim Brown at fullback. Rushed for 2,297 yards, 5.4 per carry, and 16 touchdowns as a Brown. Averaged 11.4 yards on 128 receptions, with 16 touchdowns. Returned 62 kickoffs for a 25-yard average and three TDs, and 54 punts for an 11.2-yard average and three touchdowns. Traded with halfback Leroy Jackson, the Browns’ 11th pick in the 1962 draft, to Washington for the first pick in the draft, halfback and 1961 Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis. Davis was stricken with leukemia that summer, and died on May 18, 1963. Mitchell was used primarily at wide receiver with Washington, where he continued to build on his Hall of Fame career.

12. Clay Matthews, LB, 1978, 1/12, Southern California, 1978-93. The Browns’ all-time sacks leader with 76 1/2. Played in four Pro Bowls and was first-team all-pro once. Played in a Browns’ record 232 games, including 216 starts. Adept at covering receivers out of the backfield and excellent against the run. Clinched the Browns’ 1989 playoff game win over Buffalo, 34-30, with a late interception of a Jim Kelly pass near the Browns’ goal line.

11. Cody Risien, G-T, 1979, 7/183, Texas A&M, 1979-89. Became a starter as a rookie. One of his era’s taller offensive linemen at 6-7, Risien excelled in both run and pass blocking. Missed the 1984 season with a knee injury. Was first-team all-league twice and played in two Pro Bowls.

10. Walt Michaels, LB, 1951, 7/86, Washington & Lee, 1952-61. We’re including Michaels even though the Browns traded him to Green Bay during his rookie season training camp. They re-acquired him via trade the next April. Played in five Pro Bowls and was first-team all-league three times. Helped the Browns to five championship games. Intercepted a pass in each of the two title game wins, 1954 and 1955.

9. Michael Dean Perry, DT-DE, 1988, 2/50, Clemson, 1988-94. Great run-stopper who provided a terrific inside pass rush, with 51 1/2 quarterback sacks. Combination of strength and quickness. Played in five Pro Bowls, and made one or another first-team all-league team in each of his last six seasons with the Browns.

8. Dick Schafrath, T, 1959, 2/23, Ohio State, 1959-71. Replaced Hall of Famer Lou Groza at left tackle in 1960, after Groza retired after starting at the position since the Browns’ inception in 1946. Groza ended his one-year retirement to resume his legendary place-kicking career in 1961. Schafrath made first-team all-pro four times and played in six Pro Bowls. Missed just two games. A strong case can be made that he should be in the Hall of Fame.

Video: From the first segment of the 1965 Browns highlight film, see Dick Schafrath (77) pass protect for Frank Ryan and run block for Jim Brown and Ernie Green (one of the very few games Schafrath missed during his career was the 1965 championship game, a 23-12 Browns’ loss to Green Bay, which he sat out with an injury):

7. Brian Sipe, QB, 1972, 13/330, San Diego State, 1974-83. Sipe was on the Browns “taxi squad” as an inactive roster player in 1972 and 1973. Had mixed results in the several games he played for the poor 1974-75 Browns teams. Took over in 1976 and was the ringleader of the “Kardiac Kids,” known for their late-game heroics. Though the 1980 season ended with the interception of a Sipe pass in the end zone, clinching an Oakland playoff game win, the Browns would have never been there without the season-long brilliance that earned Sipe the NFL MVP Award. Cleveland’s all-time leader in several career passing categories.

6. Paul Warfield, WR, 1964, 1/11, Ohio State, 1964-69, 76-77. After playing halfback at Ohio State, the Browns turned Warfield into a wide receiver during his rookie training camp in 1964. He was first-team all-pro and a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie, and also in 1968 and 1969. Despite missing almost all of the 1965 season with a broken collarbone, Warfield caught 215 passes, averaging 20.2 yards a catch, and scored 44 touchdowns before he was traded to Miami after the 1969 campaign. He had also caught 24 passes for 404 yards and a touchdown in seven playoff games.

Warfield was sent to the Dolphins for their first pick, the third overall, in the 1970 draft. The Browns’ rationale for the trade was that they had to groom a quarterback to eventually replace their Pro Bowl QB, Bill Nelsen, whose knees were getting worse game by game. Cleveland used the pick to draft Purdue star QB Mike Phipps. Phipps replaced Nelsen one game into the 1972 season and led the Browns to a 10-3 record the rest of the way and a playoff berth. Cleveland was on the verge of the playoffs the next year before losing its last two games, and the Browns were a combined 7-21 in 1974-75.

Phipps separated his right (throwing) shoulder in the 1976 season opener, and Brian Sipe took over at QB. The Browns traded Phipps to the Bears and, as part of the deal, got a 1978 first-round pick in return. They used it to take tight end Ozzie Newsome with the 23rd overall pick.

Warfield, a Hall of Famer, helped the Dolphins win two Super Bowls. He returned to the Browns for his final two seasons, totaling 56 catches for 864 yards and eight touchdowns.

Video: From the Browns’ 1969 highlight film, Paul Warfield helps the Browns to a 38-14 rout of the Cowboys in a playoff game at Dallas.

5. Jim Ray Smith, G-T-DE, 1954, 6/64, Baylor, 1956-62. Spent nearly two years in the U.S. Army before joining the Browns several games into the 1956 season. Played the rest of the campaign at defensive end, before being moved to guard for the 1957 seaon. He proceeded to make one or another first-team all-pro team in each of his remaining six seasons with the Browns, and to play in five Pro Bowl games.

4. Ozzie Newsome, TE, 1978, 1/23, Alabama, 1978-90. Hall of Famer, as one of the tight ends who revolutionized the position with their ability to make plays downfield. All-time Browns leader in receptions (662) and receiving yardage (7,980). Didn’t fumble in his last three seasons. Missed just three games. First-team all-pro twice and second-team five times.

Video: A segment from a Monday Night Football game on ABC in 1979, when the Browns routed Dallas, 26-7. Two Browns’ touchdowns, including an Ozzie Newsome catch of a Brian Sipe pass.

3. Leroy Kelly, RB-Rtn, 1964, 8/110, Morgan State, 1964-73. Hall of Famer. Excelled as a punt-kickoff returner his first two seasons, and as a backup running back. Took over as the Browns’ featured runner after Jim Brown’s retirement in 1966. Rushed for 7,274 yards, leading the NFL twice. Also led in yards per carry twice and in rushing touchdowns three times. Caught 190 passes. Returned kickoffs and punts for 2,774 yards. Led league in yards per punt return once. Totaled 90 touchdowns. Made one or another first-team all-pro team five times and played in six Pro Bowls.

Chuck Heaton wrote in his Plain Dealer game story about Kelly’s great performance running with the football and catching it, too, during the Browns’ 35-17 win over the New Orleans Saints on Nov. 10, 1968, in Cleveland.

2. Gene Hickerson, G, 1957, 7/78, Mississippi, 1958-73. Hall of Famer. First-team all-pro five times and second-team another time. Played in six Pro Bowls. Missed the 1961 season with a broken leg. Missed just two other games. One of the fastest pulling guards ever, he led the way on the famed Browns sweep for Jim Brown, Bobby Mitchell, Leroy Kelly and Ernie Green.

1. Jim Brown, RB, 1957, 1/6, Syracuse, 1957-65. Hall of Famer regarded by many as the greatest player ever. Won various NFL MVP awards in four seasons, and was consensus first-team all-pro in every season except 1962, when he got some first-and second-team recognition. Held virtually every rushing record when he retired. Rushed for 12,312 yards and 5.2 yards per carry. Caught 262 passes for 2,499 yards. Scored 106 rushing TDs and 20 receiving TDs. Averaged 104 rushing yards a game over the 118 games in his career, as NFL seasons were 12 games his first four seasons and 14 games his last five campaigns. Ran for 114 yards in the Browns’ 27-0 win over the Colts in the 1964 championship game.

Video: From the Browns’ 1961 highlights film, Jim Brown ties his own record — then the NFL record — with 237 rushing yards in a 45-24 Browns’ win over the Eagles in Cleveland Stadium:

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns tried hard to make a deal with the St. Louis Rams to move up to No. 2 in the NFL draft — offering at least three first-round picks — but lost out on the Robert Griffin III sweepstakes to the Washington Redskins, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported last night.

Schefter, who cited a Cleveland source early in his story, said the Browns thought they’d be able to pull off the deal, but were informed the Redskins landed the choice spot instead. The Browns were even prepared to throw in their second-round pick this year, Schefter said.

Si.com’s Peter King tweeted Friday night: “Cleveland was in it, but didn’t want to give three ones and a 2. Miami was in it, but couldn’t go nuts w/Manning still in play.”

The Redskins gave up their No. 6 pick this year and their first-round picks in 2013 and 2014 to move up to draft the Baylor quarterback. They also surrendered their second-round pick this year. The Redskins and Rams have some strong relationships, including the longtime friendship of Rams coach Jeff Fisher and Redskins coach Mike Shanahan.

The deal, first reported by Foxsports.com’s Jay Glazer, was agreed to on Thursday afternoon, but can’t be officially executed until 4 p.m. Tuesday. Rams vice president and chief operating officer Kevin Demoff confirmed the terms of the trade to The Sports Xchange after Glazer broke the story.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last week that the Rams wanted to have a deal in place by the start of free agency. Browns General Manager Tom Heckert had planned to attend Griffin’s Pro Day on March 21.

Schefter said the move won’t deter the Redskins from pursuing quarterback Peyton Manning, although they’re considered a long shot.

So what now for the Browns, who own the No. 4 and No. 22 picks in the first round? Their options include the following:

1. Stick with Colt McCoy and supply him with some weapons.

2. Draft one of the other quarterbacks the Browns like, such as Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill or Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden.

3. Sign a free agent such as Green Bay’s Matt Flynn or Arizona’s Kevin Kolb if the Cardinals release him next week. The Cardinals also are pursuing Manning, and would release Kolb if they sign the former Colts quarterback. Kolb is due a $7 million bonus on March 17.

Heckert, in a meeting with reporters on Thursday, stressed the Browns still like McCoy.

“We’re not down on Colt McCoy,” he said. “We still think Colt is going to be a good player.”

He said McCoy was the victim of some protection problems and dropped passes in 2011 “and it’s our job to help him out.”

Of Tannehill, Heckert said: “I think he’s untapped. I really do. He’s a guy fairly new to the position, was playing wide receiver. He’s a big kid, strong arm, he’s another guy looks like a quarterback. I think he’s got a lot of upside to him. I really do.”

The Browns also attended the Pro Day of Weeden Friday and have been impressed.

“I really like him a lot,” said Heckert. “That’s the million-dollar question. You go, ‘Wow he’s 28 years old.’ But I don’t know. If he can play six years, I might not be here, so who cares? If he can play, he can play.”

As for Flynn, Heckert said the Browns were leaning away from signing a veteran free-agent quarterback.

But at this time of year, anything’s possible, including trading three No. 1s to move up four spots.

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

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Peyton Manning’s landing spot could profoundly affect the Browns’ quarterback plans and their expected pursuit of Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Several of the teams interested in Manning — including the Redskins — were also reportedly ready to make offers to the Rams to trade up to No. 2 to draft Griffin III. The Browns, who have the No. 4 pick in the draft, and the Redskins, who draft sixth, have been widely regarded as the front-runners in the RG3 sweepstakes.

If the Redskins land Manning, and the Washington Post reported on Wednesday that they’ll make “an aggressive effort” to do so, the Browns will gain considerable leverage with the Rams.

Other teams reportedly interested in Manning include the Dolphins (drafting eighth), Seahawks (12), Cardinals (13), Jets (16) and Broncos (25). Of those teams, the Dolphins and Seahawks have also been thought to have some interest in Griffin. In the hours after the 11-time Pro Bowler was released by the Colts, a number of teams reportedly contacted Manning’s agent Tom Condon, including the Jets, Broncos and Seahawks.

Manning is expected to choose a contender with plenty of weapons, his former coach Tony Dungy told NFL Network on Wednesday. If the Dolphins land Manning, it opens more possibilities for Green Bay backup quarterback Matt Flynn, who will become an unrestricted free agent Tuesday at 4 p.m. If the Dolphins don’t sign Manning, they’ll be the likely front-runner for Flynn, whose new head coach, Joe Philbin, was his offensive coordinator in Green Bay.

The Browns are not expected to make a big pitch for Flynn despite the fact he’s well-versed in the West Coast offense. That’s in part because he’ll command a $40 million to $50 million contract. Griffin, on the other hand, will receive about $22 million over four years because of the new rookie wage scale.

If the Redskins sign Manning and the Dolphins sign Flynn, the Browns would most likely have the edge in trade talks with the Rams by virtue of their high draft pick. The next teams interested in trading up would likely be Kansas City at No. 11 and Seattle at No. 12. It would also increase the possibility that the Browns pull off the trade without surrendering their No. 22 overall pick. The Browns don’t want to give up that pick, a league source told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The Rams have said they’d like to have a deal in place by the time free agency begins Tuesday.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Cinesport video

For more Cinesport video on cleveland.com, go here.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The one constant for the Browns since they returned in 1999 has been kicker Phil Dawson bracing fierce winds on the lakefront and nailing his kicks.

Fortunately for them, that won’t change in 2012.

The Browns franchised Dawson for the second straight season, which will be his 14th in a Browns uniform. He will make about $3.8 million, which represents the requisite 20 percent raise for a second straight tag. Last season, he made $3.125 million.

The Browns can continue to work on a long-term deal with Dawson, 37.

But for now, they’re happy to have wrapped up Mr. Automatic, who’s coming off what he considered to be the best season of his career.

“I certainly gave my heart and soul to this team this year,” Dawson said after the season. “I feel pretty good about how I kicked the ball. I really missed one kick all year. I feel pretty good about that. I’ll let it all sink in and make that decision when the time comes.”

Dawson played in all 16 games last year, converting 24-of-29 field-goal attempts and all 20 PATs for a team-high 92 points. He also made seven field goals of 50 yards or more, which tied for most in the NFL and fell one shy of the league record.

What made his season even more impressive is that he adjusted to three holders and two long-snappers after Ryan Pontbriand was released. Two of his kicks were blocked, and another was deflected after the snap went off a lineman’s foot. He missed a 38-yarder but contends it was good because it sailed over the upright.

Dawson nearly tied the NFL record with eight kicks of 50 yards or more but was 1 yard shy on his final kick of the season, a 49-yarder in the season-ending loss to Pittsburgh.

“I wish I was thinking a little clearer,” he said. “I might have moved it back an extra yard. One yard from history.”

Dawson returned to the Browns last season despite the fact he sold his house in Westlake and moved back to Austin, Texas, where his wife, Shannon, and their three children lived during the season.

But it didn’t stop Dawson from moving into second place on the Browns’ career points list with 1,155, second only to Hall of Famer Lou Groza’s 1,349. Dawson also stands first on the Browns’ all-time field-goal list with 276, and is first in team history with an 83.1 percent conversion rate, 10th best in NFL history.

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

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

BEREA, Ohio — Browns President Mike Holmgren cleared up the mystery surrounding General Manager Tom Heckert’s “serious surgery” Monday when he announced that Heckert recently underwent heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic to address blocked arteries.

The surgery was believed to be a bypass.

Holmgren said Heckert, 44, is recovering well and should be back to work full-time in time to help prepare for and run the NFL Draft April 26-28.

He also said that the surgery, performed earlier this month, was not preceded by a heart attack.

“He came in feeling kind of funky,” said Holmgren. “So they took him in and they did what doctors do at the Cleveland Clinic. They found it. They fixed it. His heart muscle is good. They just had to clear the tubes just a little bit. He should be good to go.”

Holmgren said Heckert initially wanted to keep the surgery private, which is why the team said last week that he would be missing the NFL Scouting Combine. He also missed the Senior Bowl on Jan. 28 and had the surgery soon after. But the team’s flagship station, WTAM, reported last week that Heckert had a major surgery, and Holmgren felt the need to explain.

“There has been some speculation about where he’s been and all this kind of stuff, so I just want to kind of set the record straight,” said Holmgren before a press conference to announce D’Qwell Jackson’s contract extension. “I just got off the phone with him. He had heart surgery. He’s gonna be fine. Actually, he’s a very healthy guy now. But it lays him up for a while. This was done a couple weeks ago.”

Holmgren said Heckert will gradually increase his workload leading up to the draft. Heckert will also help manage the frenzied free agent signing period, which begins March 13 at 4 p.m.

“He’s coming in tomorrow. He’s gonna work a little bit,” said Holmgren. “I’ll kick him out of the building, and it’s according to the doctor’s plan how much he can do these sort of things. He’s gonna be an integral part [of the draft] and it won’t change anything in his involvement. Little by little, by the time the draft comes up, he should be back in here working full time.”

Holmgren stressed that Heckert did not want him to go into great detail about the procedure.

“We respected his wishes,” he said. “It’s a very personal thing, as you might expect. But I thought because there [were] stories floating around and different things happening, I thought it was important to set the record straight.”

Holmgren kept it light by adding, “little by little he’s getting out of bed, wearing those funky slippers he owns. He’s gotta get rid of those. He’s gonna be fine. In fact, he’s on the road to recovery as we speak.”

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Cleveland Browns’ fans, we have all been here before. We start the season off wholly optimistic and as the season goes on we slap a smile on our faces and continue to cheer on our team, but have that sinking feeling in our stomachs as that “losses” column grows. The Browns ended the 2011 season 4-12. Nothing really good can be said about this. We are Browns’ fans and the most passionate and loyal in the league, but it is truly impossible to find something great to say about this season.

So, what can the Browns do to make 2012 a great season? Which playing position needs the most improvement? The three positions that really need work are quarterback, wide receiver and right offensive tackle.

For the time being, we can put the right offensive tackle to the side and talk about quarterbacks and wide receivers. The Browns’ two main quarterbacks are Colt McCoy who is still battling the symptoms of a concussion, and Seneca Wallace.

Colt McCoy was the starting quarterback throughout most of the season and Seneca Wallace finished out the last three games after McCoy was injured. Neither had a stellar season. Wallace has far more experience, but went 0-3. McCoy went 4-9. Honestly, it doesn’t seem like we need another quarterback, but to simplify things for the quarterbacks that we have. Personally, I would like to see Wallace start and give him a receiver that can handle the ball.

This brings us to wide receiver. We have our main receivers as Josh Cribbs, Greg Little, Jordan Norwood and Mohamed Massaquoi. All of these guys are talented in their own right, but all have also missed some monumental passes this year that they simply should not have missed. You can have the best quarterback in the game, but if the wide receiver is missing his passes, he is going to be ineffective. So, it seems like the Browns need to work on the wide receiver position. It would be nice if they would get their hands on Justin Blackmon from Oklahoma State. That would be a Browns’ fans’ dream. Even if they cannot, they need to work with their current players and get them into better shape for next season. These guys are in the NFL, so they obviously have talent, they just need to start showing it and bringing it to every game.

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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Photo By Gene J. Puskar, File/APCleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy missed the final three games of the regular season with a concussion after a hit by Pittsburgh’s James Harrison on Dec. 8. The Browns finished 4-12 in 2011.

By TOM WITHERS

Associated Press

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.

So while some think Griffin, the Heisman Trophy winner, is the answer to all of Cleveland’s prayers, Brown believes the Browns already have the players they need to win consistently.

“The guys here have to step their game up to another level because they’re experienced,” he said. “Most rookies get hurt because they get tired and they don’t understand the speed and the strength of this game at the professional level. So I’m never sold on high draft picks.”

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 that the Browns, who went 0-6 in the rugged AFC North, played hard for him.

“He did a tremendous job,” Brown said. “Everybody thinks it’s an easy job, everybody wants to sit in a room and say, ‘I can do this better, I can do that better.’ He dealt with the situations to the best of my knowledge, the best he could, and he kept this football team fighting. And for me, that’s how I judge a head coach.

“If a football team goes out there and competes week in and week out, through thick and through thin — and it was very thick this year — but we didn’t quit. So that tells me that the leader is in place.”

Shurmur will discuss his rollercoaster rookie year Tuesday, 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 tricky 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. With Stanford’s Andrew Luck expected to go No. 1 overall to Indianapolis, the next best choice could be Griffin, who resurrected Baylor and would be counted on to do the same with the Browns.

Brown, for one, isn’t counting on Griffin to ride in to the rescue.

“I’m definitely not, and if you are, you’re crazy,” he said.

Crazy would describe Cleveland’s wild season, which 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.

But close doesn’t put anything in the win column, and kicker Phil Dawson, whose 13th season with the Browns may have been his best, said the near misses can only help if players learned something from them.

“We were in a lot of games. It’s death by inches, though,” said Dawson. “Are we that close, or is that just the nature of the league? It depends on your personality, how you’re going to view that. In my little world, if my plant foot misses the spot by a quarter-inch, I miss the kick.

“That will probably tell you how I look at it. Everybody looks at themselves critically and figure out how they can improve. If we do that, now these close games are coming out in our favor. Hopefully that’s the way guys respond to it.”

Brown, too, thinks the Browns are nearing legitimacy.

“We’re very close,” said the 10-year veteran. “It’s one or two plays each game. You just have to find the playmakers and they just have to understand the sense of urgency and make the play.”

That sounds like a broken record, but Brown said he hasn’t felt this way before — not with the Browns.

“I didn’t tell you this last year,” he said. “I thought we were way off last year.”

The Browns put their franchise tag on Dawson this season and may do so again. The 36-year-old said he had a positive exit interview with team management and was encouraged by Heckert’s recent comments that the team would like to have him back. It would be hard to imagine the Browns not re-signing him.

Dawson has served his time — hard time — in Cleveland. The Browns have gone 68-141 during his tenure, and Dawson would hate not to be here when things finally get turned around. After waiting so long, he would hate to miss out on the good times.

“I don’t want to be Moses,” he said. “I don’t want to lead the people right to the edge and not get to go in. There’s going to be so many things, I can’t prioritize them at this point. We just lost to the Steelers 20 hours ago and that still hurts. I need to get home and eat a burrito.”

Hopefully, it will go down easier than this season.

BEREA, Ohio — Colt McCoy is making progress from his concussion and still has a chance to start Sunday. But will the Browns start their second-year QB against James Harrison and the Steelers’ No. 1-ranked defense?

McCoy, who sat out games in Arizona and Baltimore, hasn’t yet been cleared to practice, but coach Pat Shurmur said Monday that if he’s able to practice on Wednesday “there’s a chance he can play.” But Shurmur was still unwilling to commit to McCoy, even if he gets the green light from the medical staff.

“I can’t cross that bridge yet,” said Shurmur. “We’ll know more Wednesday when we start practicing for the Steelers and then we’ll talk about it then. And I’m not trying to be vague. That’s the case.”

McCoy felt better last week, but not enough to make the trip to Baltimore. He did some physical activity, including using the elliptical machine, but apparently still had symptoms that prevented him from team practices.

Shurmur said McCoy has increased his activity this week, but wasn’t specific. The Browns are off on Tuesday and begin full preparation for the Steelers on Wednesday.

“Colt worked out [Monday] and was in all of the meetings,” said Shurmur. “He’s making improvement.”

If McCoy is cleared to start, will the Browns throw him back in there? Here are a number of things to consider:

1. He’d be going up against Harrison, whose helmet-to-helmet blow on Dec. 8 gave him the concussion.

2. Harrison was suspended a game for the hit, which cost him about $73,000. He spoke out last week, saying the Browns should’ve been fined for putting McCoy back in the game with a concussion. He’s probably not going to be in the holiday spirit this game.

3. Should the Browns risk McCoy so soon after the concussion — especially with the NFLPA still trying to decide whether or not to file a grievance against the Browns? A source said the union should make its decision the first week of January.

4. With nothing at stake for the Browns, should they just let McCoy rest and also avoid the second-guessing it will invite if he plays?

5. The Browns have said they’ve seen enough of McCoy to make a decision on whether or not he can be their quarterback of the future. If that’s the case, why play him?

6. Will one more game with Seneca Wallace help the Browns determine if the offensive woes this season can be attributed to a lack of playmakers and not so much the quarterback?

7. Has Wallace moved the offense well enough the past two games to earn him another start? He’s 0-2 in his two starts with an average of 12 points a game.

Wallace reiterated Monday what he said after the 20-17 overtime loss in Arizona on Dec. 18: the job should be McCoy’s if he’s healthy.

“Like I said before, I would’ve loved to have been able to try to help this team out longer … but coaches made the decision at the beginning of the season to have Colt as the starter,” said Wallace. “If he’s healthy enough, I feel like he should come back and finish the season like he did.

“If I was the leader of this team at the beginning of the season and got knocked out and had a chance to come back and play, I’d want to finish the season out.”

How much would Wallace like to bounce back from the Ravens loss?

“I’m excited regardless,” he said. “I don’t care who it is, if it’s Pittsburgh or the St. Louis Rams. You’re playing football. We can go out and compete another time. That’s the opportunity we love to go out and play football.”

Wallace is coming off a 20-14 loss to the Ravens in which the offense scored just seven points. He completed 19 of 33 attempts for 147 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He made two crucial mistakes: an interception on the opening drive and letting the first-half clock run out deep in Ravens territory without getting at least a field-goal attempt.

As for the interception, Shurmur said, “there was a little bit of heat inside. Seneca flushed to his right. We have to make sure we’re smart with the football. I have to do a better job of getting protection where he doesn’t get heat up the middle. I’ll take responsibility for that. But we can’t turn the ball over there.”

Shurmur said he needs to do a better job of communicating to Wallace to get the ball spiked at the end of the half. But Wallace took responsibility.

“It’s not all [Shurmur's] fault,” he said. “If you’re a man, you’ve got to take responsibility for what you do on the field. … He’s going to try to back us because he’s the head coach. But at the end of the day, we get on the field and we’re playing between those lines, we’ve got to take responsibility for what we do out there.

“So yeah, it was a communication error, but at the same time, it’s not 100 percent his fault.”

What injury? Browns linebacker Kaluka Maiava suffered a broken left hand on the opening kickoff of the second half in Baltimore. But he’ll play with a cast Sunday. He said he broke a little piece of his index finger and that it won’t require surgery.

It won’t be the first time he’s dealt with this kind of injury.

“I told the doctor I think I’ve been playing with a cast on my hand since my junior year in high school,” he said. “Every year I had something on my hand.”

Extra points: Shurmur said he’ll ask the NFL for clarification on why Evan Moore wasn’t ruled out of bounds on the second-to-last play of the first half. Moore was told he needed to take a step forward out of bounds. Shurmur seems to think he was out. … Pro Bowl teams will be announced Tuesday, and Shurmur said several Browns are deserving. He declined to say who. … Remember, the Steelers game has been moved from 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Sunday as a result of flex scheduling.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Eight games, eight wins. The Baltimore Ravens achieved perfection at home for the first time, and now they’re looking to add to that ledger in the playoffs.
Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes, and the Ravens beat the bumbling Cleveland Browns 20-14 on Saturday to move one step closer to winning the AFC North.
Ray Rice ran for 87 yards and caught a TD pass for the Ravens (11-4), who led 17-0 at halftime and held on.
“I have never been perfect at home in 16 years of football. That’s amazing,” Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis said. “As good of teams we’ve had here, we’ve always found (a way) to lose one or two here or there. I think this year we really made a focus on taking care at home. This is the result, us being able to go 8-0 and being able to be sitting where you want to sit at the end of the day.”
The Ravens would win the AFC North by defeating Cincinnati on the road next week. That would also give Baltimore a first-round bye and a home playoff game — two if New England loses next Sunday at home against Buffalo.
“It’s big, man,” linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “We are at our best when we are at (home) and our fans are rocking. So we definitely need a home playoff game, by any means necessary.”
Flacco went 11 for 24 with touchdown passes to Rice and tight end Ed Dickson. He also had a 33-yard run.
Josh Cribbs had a career-high 84-yard punt return for a TD for Cleveland (4-11). But the Browns generated very little offense and were guilty of questionable play calling, bad clock management and untimely penalties in their fifth straight loss.
Cleveland saved the worst for last. Having already burned their three timeouts, the Browns lined up on defense after the two-minute warning with the Ravens facing a fourth-and-2 at the Cleveland 37.
It appeared obvious that Flacco and the Ravens were merely hoping to draw the Browns offside.
As the play clock moved close to zero, Cleveland tackle Phil Taylor jumped across the line of scrimmage to give Baltimore a first down.
“It was the first hard count and we stayed onside,” Taylor said. “The second time, I just jumped. Of course you feel bad, but you just got to move on.”
Said Flacco: “I don’t know if I’ve ever been in position for that to happen. It’s never worked.”
The Ravens then ran out the clock on their eighth straight win over the Browns, including two this month.
“We knew this would be quite a challenge for us,” Cleveland quarterback Seneca Wallace said. “We’re playing the Ravens at home, and they’re playing for everything. I should have played better, and I should have made better decisions.”
Wallace went 19 for 33 for 147 yards in place of Colt McCoy, who was out with a concussion. Peyton Hillis ran for 112 yards, but Cleveland’s offense mounted only one decent drive.
The Browns took the opening kickoff and moved from their own 26 to the Baltimore 30 behind the power of Hillis, who gained 30 yards on six carries. But on a third-and-1, Cleveland inexplicably went to the air, and Lardarius Webb intercepted Wallace’s pass for Mohamed Massaquoi.
Flacco immediately threw deep for Torrey Smith, who drew a 60-yard penalty for pass interference on Mike Adams to set up a 5-yard touchdown pass to Dickson.
Later, a 29-yard throw from Flacco to Smith led to a 48-yard field goal by newcomer Shayne Graham, signed in the middle of the week to take over for the injured Billy Cundiff.
After another Cleveland punt, Flacco directed an 82-yard drive that gave Baltimore a 17-0 lead. Rice slipped behind linebacker D’Qwell Jackson on the right sideline, caught a soft pass in stride and sprinted into the end zone to complete a 42-yard scoring play.
That made Flacco 5 for 5 for 94 yards and two touchdowns on third down.
Cleveland moved deep into Baltimore territory late in the first half, thanks in part to a 30-yard pass interference call against Chris Carr. But with the clock inside 10 seconds and the Browns without a timeout left, Wallace handed off to Hillis instead of spiking the ball, and Hillis went nowhere.
Wallace took the blame, and so did Browns coach Pat Shurmur.
“I need to communicate it better, OK?” Shurmur said.
Time expired before Cleveland could get off another play, and the Browns headed to the locker room after being held scoreless in the first half for the second time this season. The other time it happened was also against Baltimore.
Graham kicked a 43-yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 20-0.
The Browns finally scored when Cribbs took a punt on the right sideline, escaped an arm tackle and broke toward the center of the field before outrunning three defenders into the left corner of the end zone late in the third quarter.
“I was wondering where all the defenders were,” Cribbs said. “I saw all the great blocking around me. From there, it was easy. It was just a walk in.”
Cribbs also contributed to Cleveland’s next touchdown, catching a 23-yard pass from Wallace as part of an 80-yard drive that ended with a 9-yard TD throw to Evan Moore midway through the fourth quarter.
The Browns forced a punt, but on a fourth-and-4 from the Cleveland 45 with 4:03 left, a pass to Hillis did not produce the necessary yardage.
Taylor’s jump across the line of scrimmage soon followed.
NOTES: Ravens KR David Reed hurt his left knee and declared himself out for the season. Also, Baltimore OT Marshal Yanda (chest) and CB Cary Williams (concussion) did not play in the second half. … Shurmur said the Browns sustained no serious injuries. Cleveland closes the season next Sunday against Pittsburgh.

BALTIMORE (AP) — Eight games, eight wins. The
Baltimore Ravens
achieved perfection at home for the first time, and now they’re looking to add to that ledger in the playoffs.

Joe Flacco
threw two touchdown passes, and the Ravens beat the bumbling
Cleveland Browns
20-14 on Saturday to move one step closer to winning the AFC North.

Ray Rice
ran for 87 yards and caught a TD pass for the Ravens (11-4), who led 17-0 at halftime and held on.

“I have never been perfect at home in 16 years of football. That’s amazing,” Baltimore linebacker
Ray Lewis
said. “As good of teams we’ve had here, we’ve always found (a way) to lose one or two here or there. I think this year we
really made a focus on taking care at home. This is the result, us being able to go 8-0 and being able to be sitting where
you want to sit at the end of the day.”

The Ravens would win the AFC North by defeating Cincinnati on the road next week. That would also give Baltimore a first-round
bye and a home playoff game – two if New England loses next Sunday at home against Buffalo.

“It’s big, man,” linebacker
Terrell Suggs
said. “We are at our best when we are at (home) and our fans are rocking. So we definitely need a home playoff game, by any
means necessary.”

Flacco went 11 for 24 with touchdown passes to Rice and tight end
Ed Dickson
. He also had a 33-yard run.

Josh Cribbs had a career-high 84-yard punt return for a TD for Cleveland (4-11). But the Browns generated very little offense
and were guilty of questionable play calling, bad clock management and untimely penalties in their fifth straight loss.

Cleveland saved the worst for last. Having already burned their three timeouts, the Browns lined up on defense after the two-minute
warning with the Ravens facing a fourth-and-2 at the Cleveland 37.

It appeared obvious that Flacco and the Ravens were merely hoping to draw the Browns offside.

As the play clock moved close to zero, Cleveland tackle
Phil Taylor
jumped across the line of scrimmage to give Baltimore a first down.

“It was the first hard count and we stayed onside,” Taylor said. “The second time, I just jumped. Of course you feel bad,
but you just got to move on.”

Said Flacco: “I don’t know if I’ve ever been in position for that to happen. It’s never worked.”

The Ravens then ran out the clock on their eighth straight win over the Browns, including two this month.

“We knew this would be quite a challenge for us,” Cleveland quarterback
Seneca Wallace
said. “We’re playing the Ravens at home, and they’re playing for everything. I should have played better, and I should have
made better decisions.”

Wallace went 19 for 33 for 147 yards in place of
Colt McCoy
, who was out with a concussion.
Peyton Hillis
ran for 112 yards, but Cleveland’s offense mounted only one decent drive.

The Browns took the opening kickoff and moved from their own 26 to the Baltimore 30 behind the power of Hillis, who gained
30 yards on six carries. But on a third-and-1, Cleveland inexplicably went to the air, and
Lardarius Webb
intercepted Wallace’s pass for
Mohamed Massaquoi
.

Flacco immediately threw deep for
Torrey Smith
, who drew a 60-yard penalty for pass interference on
Mike Adams
to set up a 5-yard touchdown pass to Dickson.

Later, a 29-yard throw from Flacco to Smith led to a 48-yard field goal by newcomer
Shayne Graham
, signed in the middle of the week to take over for the injured
Billy Cundiff
.

After another Cleveland punt, Flacco directed an 82-yard drive that gave Baltimore a 17-0 lead. Rice slipped behind linebacker
D’Qwell Jackson on the right sideline, caught a soft pass in stride and sprinted into the end zone to complete a 42-yard scoring
play.

That made Flacco 5 for 5 for 94 yards and two touchdowns on third down.

Cleveland moved deep into Baltimore territory late in the first half, thanks in part to a 30-yard pass interference call against

Chris Carr
. But with the clock inside 10 seconds and the Browns without a timeout left, Wallace handed off to Hillis instead of spiking
the ball, and Hillis went nowhere.

Wallace took the blame, and so did Browns coach Pat Shurmur.

“I need to communicate it better, OK?” Shurmur said.

Time expired before Cleveland could get off another play, and the Browns headed to the locker room after being held scoreless
in the first half for the second time this season. The other time it happened was also against Baltimore.

Graham kicked a 43-yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 20-0.

The Browns finally scored when Cribbs took a punt on the right sideline, escaped an arm tackle and broke toward the center
of the field before outrunning three defenders into the left corner of the end zone late in the third quarter.

“I was wondering where all the defenders were,” Cribbs said. “I saw all the great blocking around me. From there, it was easy.
It was just a walk in.”

Cribbs also contributed to Cleveland’s next touchdown, catching a 23-yard pass from Wallace as part of an 80-yard drive that
ended with a 9-yard TD throw to
Evan Moore
midway through the fourth quarter.

The Browns forced a punt, but on a fourth-and-4 from the Cleveland 45 with 4:03 left, a pass to Hillis did not produce the
necessary yardage.

Taylor’s jump across the line of scrimmage soon followed.

NOTES: Ravens KR
David Reed
hurt his left knee and declared himself out for the season. Also, Baltimore OT
Marshal Yanda
(chest) and CB
Cary Williams
(concussion) did not play in the second half. … Shurmur said the Browns sustained no serious injuries. Cleveland closes
the season next Sunday against Pittsburgh.

© 2011 STATS LLC

When the Cleveland Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, December 24, 2011, they will be doing it with Seneca Wallace at quarterback. There is a good chance he will play the role of QB in the final game against the Pittsburgh Steelers the following week as well.

Colt McCoy is still out because of the concussion he sustained due to the head on collision courtesy of James Harrison. He is still having recurring symptoms from this injury and until he is fully recovered from this injury, it is simply not safe for him – or the other players – for him to be out on the field. McCoy will not travel with the Browns either. He will stay home and rest and focus on recovering.

Since Wallace is going to be taking over the role of quarterback for the remainder of the season, he has to start acting like a starting quarterback. According to his teammates. He is falling into the role well.

“I think he’s more vocal in the locker room and on the field,” said Joe Thomas, a left tackle for the Browns. “When you’re the starter, you’re the coach on the field, not only calling plays but getting everybody lined up correctly, making sure the formation’s are correct, the personnel is right. You’re kind of the designated rah-rah guy. When things are going south, you’re the guy that needs to stand up and get everybody in a positive direction.”

Wallace has acknowledged that he is just the backup quarterback and that he is afraid to overstep his boundaries. However, he needs to lose this mentality as it could hold him back. He is not the backup at this moment. He is the starter for the remainder of the season and he needs to think like a starter. He has played in nine NFL seasons and has earned his time on the field.

In the Arizona game, Wallace showed that he has what it takes to make plays. He definitely gave the Browns some new energy. The only thing the Browns need to work on right now is keeping that energy throughout the entire game because that energy definitely faded by the end of the third quarter. If Wallace can keep throwing good passes and keep his men energized, the Browns just might have a chance to defeat the Ravens.

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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