Professor

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?...nfl&id=2435073

Trade clears Frye's way with Browns
Associated Press
National Football League News Wire

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns didn't have time to wait for Trent Dilfer's surgically repaired knee to completely heal or for his bruised ego to get better.

They wanted to move forward -- with or without him.

Dilfer, unhappy at the prospect of being Charlie Frye's backup, was traded on Thursday to the San Francisco 49ers, where he'll be closer to home but will sit behind and mentor Alex Smith.

On Friday, Browns general manager Phil Savage insisted that Dilfer, who signed a four-year, $8 million deal with the Browns last year, did not demand to be traded.

"He never forced his way out of Cleveland," Savage said as the Browns welcomed their rookie draft picks and free agents to a weekend orientation/minicamp. "Trent never came to me and said, 'Hey, I've got to get out of here."

Still, the Browns tried to make a deal with Detroit for Joey Harrington during last week's draft before sending Dilfer to the 49ers for quarterback Ken Dorsey and a seventh-round pick in 2007.

Dilfer had knee surgery this winter and was still at the point in rehab where he wasn't going to be ready to take part in team workouts until next month, Savage said. Coach Romeo Crennel had said Dilfer would get a chance to compete with Frye for the starting job, but Savage indicated it was time for the Browns and Dilfer to part company.

Dilfer and offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon were at odds last season, but Savage said that relationship had no bearing on the trade.

"At some point, things got off the track at the end of last year," Savage said. "I'm not sure that we were able to get them back on track this spring. I'll say this, if you have a tire going down on your car, you are not going to wait for it to blow out. You are going to pull off and change the tire or pull into a gas station and get it fixed.

"That's really what we did. I think we've been very proactive in this. I wasn't going to wait until July and have Trent come to me and say that he couldn't do it anymore. That is really what the move is all about."

Dilfer's departure clears the way for Frye, who went 2-3 as a rookie starter, to take over as Cleveland's No. 1 QB next season.

"Charlie might have a leg-up in the starting battle," Crennel joked. "Just to let you know."

However, there's still a good possibility the Browns will sign a veteran backup quarterback to work with Frye, a third-round pick in 2005 who worked his way up the depth chart and eventually into the starting lineup.

"I think it might be better to have a guy who can take him under his wing and talk to him about the little things regarding the game," Crennel said. "I think it could be beneficial. Is it necessary? I don't know if it absolutely is."

Dorsey has three years experience in the league. The 25-year-old has eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his pro career. He was the quarterback for Miami when Ohio State beat the Hurricanes to win the 2002 national title.

One of Dorsey's college teammates was Browns tight end Kellen Winslow, who hasn't played in almost two years because of injuries.

"When we talk to people who were associated with him (Dorsey) in the past, they felt like he does have some upside as a potential quarterback in this league," Savage said. "He has a degree of experience. On top of that, he's a winner and he played with Kellen at Miami. With talking to (Winslow) and Dorsey last night, I think this will be a good situation and he will be a good presence for Kellen."

stormdriver

What a shame. I love Dilfer, he should at least be starting somewhere.. He's better than say.. Collins, Pennington or Boller, but every year he's traveling around trying to get a starting job. Not all that talented, but dependable, consistent and underrated. I would take him over Alex at least. I hope he can at some point end his career with some of the glory he started it with. Maybe the next Brad Johnson? We can hope.

__________________






Idaho Vandals Fan
Green Bay Packers Fan

MickeyG

Well it's time for Frye to shine. I just hope for his sake he is ready.

__________________

Rntaboy

Should be interesting, seeing whether Frye has what it take, not being able to rely on another quality QB.

__________________
The Browns suck.

coldarmy20

I think he'll be happy with the niners. I also really like Dilfer.. for his very good dependability and consistancy.

__________________

Professor

Dilfer is a strange character. He didn't start his career strong at all, in fact if I remeber correctly, in his first full season he finished with like 4 TD's and close to 20 Int's, OUCH, now most if not all QB's struggle in the beginning, but he didn't start to produce for tampa until his fourth season. His only real two good seasons were 97 and 98 for tampa when he had 42 TD's and 26 ints. In his last season in tampa, I remember that he didn't finish, I dont remember if he got hurt or was benched as he was having a pretty bad year after two pretty solid years. That was when tampa was enthralled with Shaun King and you know how that turned out. IF you remember in the year that he won the superbowl, he didn't start playing in the season until the end of the eigth week. He didn't even play that well. He only threw 3 games in 9 over 200 yards and only one over 250 against a very poor cincinatti team. The guy has never had a season where he hit even 60% pass completion. The one thing that he has going for him is that he is 5-1 in the postseason, but that is due to the inflated 4-0 in '00 when he won the superbowl.

Overall, he is a less than average QB, that gets more credit due to the fact that he has won a SB. The thing that he brings to the niners is not necessarily skill, but an intangible. He has experience and knwledge that can only be accrued with time. He also has won the SB so that is an experience that few can relay to young players. That is the reason, IMO, the niners brought in. He isn't a QB that you bring in to help you win, unless your defense is so good that it doesn't matter who your QB is.

Professor

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/...s/14522530.htm

Frye stepping up for Browns
Browns notice young quarterback's role as leader up dramatically
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - Charlie Frye started taking a leadership role with the Browns as soon as the offseason ended, coach Romeo Crennel said Saturday.

Crennel said Frye's offseason presence and work has gained notice among teammates.

``He's been here,'' Crennel said as rookie minicamp wound down. ``He's working hard, trying to develop a relationship with the receivers on the team.... Part of being a leader is developing relationships and gaining the respect of your teammates.''

Frye has done that, but Crennel knows that with Trent Dilfer gone, one thing will change with the second-year quarterback from Akron.

``The only thing that changes is the realization that he probably will be the guy,'' Crennel said, ``and what kind of pressure that puts on him internally.''

On one level, how Frye handles that pressure might determine how the Browns' season goes. But on another, it might not matter a great deal.

``Philosophically, we're trying to build a team around the quarterback position rather than through the quarterback position,'' General Manager Phil Savage said. ``Charlie is a big part of that, but we want to make the team strong enough that the quarterback doesn't have to carry us.

``It's 10 degrees up here in December. You are not going to be throwing it 40 times anyway.''

Crennel said he does ``not necessarily'' believe the team needs a veteran backup to Frye.

``I think we should give (Ken Dorsey) the chance to show what he can do,'' Crennel said. ``If he falls flat on his face, then I'll be looking for a backup. If he comes in here and lights it up, then I'll have a backup.''

Wrapping up the team's minicamp:

• Crennel more or less admitted that there's only so much he can learn in three days of work with rookies drafted or signed within the past week.

``When you add more on the second day, they get more confused,'' he said.

• First-round draft choice Kamerion Wimbley showed the coach enough, though, that Crennel believes Wimbley can make the conversion from college defensive end to NFL linebacker.

``He still has a lot to learn, but he has the ability where he looks like he can do it,'' Crennel said.

Wimbley vowed one thing that should please fans: He wants his contract done before training camp starts.

``I'm not looking to hold out,'' Wimbley said. ``It would only hurt me.''

Wimbley's agent, Joe Linta, is well thought of. But if Wimbley does not hold out, he would be the first top draft choice since Courtney Brown in 2000 to report on time.

• The most pleasant surprise of the draft could be running back Jerome Harrison, who lasted until the fifth round despite gaining 1,900 yards for Washington State.

Harrison showed the mix of confidence and humility a running back needs when talking to the media.

He said the film would show he's as good as any running back in the draft, but understands he's a change-of-pace back for the Browns.

``I accept that role right now,'' he said. ``That's what I am. There are three or four great backs who have been here who have paid their dues.''

Harrison had four 200-yard games as a senior, including one against Stanford.

``He's really fast,'' said nose tackle Babatunde Oshinowo, who played at Stanford last season. ``Watching film the game before we played them, I remember putting on the tape and seeing him outrun fast guys. Our whole focus going into that game was, `We're going to stop this guy.'

``I think he had, like, 230 yards on us.''

Harrison said as the year went on, defenses clearly stacked up to stop him. It never worked.

``It's all about attitude,'' he said, ``and I didn't care what the defense did. We were going to find a way to get it done, me and the offensive line.''

• Oshinowo has the classic nose tackle build -- stout, strong and short.

But he also looked smaller than many nose tackles at 302 pounds.

Crennel said he will assign Oshinowo a weight after the veteran minicamp in June.

``What I'd like him to weigh is what he can do the job best at,'' Crennel said. ``And that differs for everybody.''

Crennel said Oshinowo needs to be in better shape come June.

``I think as soon as his conditioning improves, he'll be more impressive,'' Crennel said.

• Savage on offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon:

``I think Mo is a very tough-minded individual. He's a fullback and a former player in the league. He grew up in the (Bill) Parcells tree.

``He's an in-your-face type of guy and he'll say what it is -- black or white -- in his opinion. Some players respond to it and other players don't.

``I'm not saying Trent did or didn't. I'm just saying that some of our guys probably get along with Mo and other guys don't. For the good of the team, everyone has to be on the same page.''

• In talking about Wimbley's conversion, Crennel told the story of Lawrence Taylor, who once mistakenly rushed the quarterback when he was supposed to drop into coverage.

``He got a sack,'' Crennel said, ``and then he told the coaches we should put that defense in.''

• Crennel on the other draft picks: Isaac Sowells has a good chance to make successful move from tackle to guard; receiver Travis Wilson needs to work on his pass routes; linebacker D'Qwell Jackson showed impressive quickness; and fullback Lawrence Vickers impressed with his athleticism.