P-Rez25

The Browns are prepared for attempts to sign Derek Anderson and Jamal Lewis to contract extensions before free agency begins to go right down to the deadline of Feb. 28.


Various reports have the Browns and representatives for Anderson deadlocked because the quarterback wants a five-year deal and the Browns want to sign him for a shorter term, but both sides, while not wanting to be quoted, say the reports are untrue.


General manager Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel have said they want Anderson and Brady Quinn on the roster next season and that Anderson would begin training camp as the starter. Anderson threw 29 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions last season.


Anderson was much better in the first half of the season, which no doubt the Browns are reminding Anderson's representatives in negotiations. After throwing three touchdown passes and no interceptions in a loss to the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Nov. 11, Anderson threw nine touchdown passes and 10 interceptions the rest of the season.


Anderson would be a restricted free agent without a new contract. If that happens the Browns will tender him a high offer, which means he would either be back with the Browns earning $2.562 million or the Browns would get a first-round and a third-round pick from the team that signs him.


It is unlikely the Browns would match an offer, considering the offer would have to be huge if a team was willing to give up two high draft picks to get Anderson. With all their insistence on wanting both quarterbacks, it would not be a surprise if Anderson is not back. His trade value (or draft compensation value) might never be higher than it is now.


Lewis is looking for a three-year contract, according to his agent, Mitch Frankel. The Browns are offering a two-year deal. Lewis rushed for 1,304 yards last season -- the most by a Browns running back in 42 years.


Lewis will be 29 in August and is looking at this as his last chance for a big payday. If the Browns cannot come to an agreement with Lewis they will have to alter their offseason plans to find a running back through the draft or free agency. If Lewis does re-sign they can concentrate on fortifying the defense.


Notes, Quotes
• The Browns outscored their opponents in 2007, 402-382, but opponents continued controlling the clock. The Browns' average time of possession was 29:10 compared to 50:30 for opponents.


• Brady Quinn was implicated in a 9-1-1 call to Columbus police in an incident occurring outside a restaurant near a gay bar on New Year's Day. The story surfaced in the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Feb. 13. The caller to 9-1-1 said Quinn called him a slur used to describe homosexuals. Quinn denies the accusation. He was not arrested.


"On New Year's Eve I had dinner at a local restaurant with my girlfriend and several other couples," Quinn said in a statement released by the Browns. "At no time that night was I involved in a verbal or physical altercation, nor did I have any interaction with the police.


"I want to be clear that I did not engage in any of the alleged conduct, nor did I make inappropriate comments to anyone. Any allegations to the contrary are either untrue or the result of misidentification."


• Ken Konz, a Browns safety from 1953-59, passed away on Feb. 5 from complications from pneumonia. He was 79. Konz played on two NFL championship teams. He intercepted 30 passes during his career, fourth most in franchise history, and returned four of them for touchdowns.


• One area in which the Browns improved in 2007 was recovering their own fumbles. They fumbled 22 times and lost only nine of them. They fumbled 23 times in 2006 and lost 17.


Quote To Note: "I felt like towards the end of the 2006 season, Randy was really the driving force to get us to take a hard look at what we're doing, what we need to try to do and put a comprehensive plan -- those were his words -- in place to try and get the Browns off the deck, so to speak. We did that in a number of areas." -- General manager Phil Savage on Browns owner Randy Lerner


Strategy And Personnel
General Manager Phil Savage and Coach Romeo Crennel have been big on continuity since the day they started working together in 2005. They were able to maintain that continuity in the coaching staff, so going forward into 2008 both the offensive and defensive systems remain the same.


Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham was fired, but the continuity was maintained when Mel Tucker was promoted from secondary coach to defensive coordinator. He is more of a hands-on teacher than Grantham, but the key for Crennel as the Browns try to take the next step to the playoffs is they do not have to start over from a coaching aspect.


TEAM NEEDS/OFFSEASON STRATEGY


The Browns have always been active in free agency and will be again, but their first priority is re-signing quarterback Derek Anderson and running back Jamal Lewis so they could concentrate on bolstering defense in the early days of free agency.


Securing the services of Lewis is more important than signing Anderson because they are confident Brady Quinn will be fine as a starting quarterback. They do not have that player off the bench to replace Lewis. If they lose Lewis, the Browns could go heavy after Chargers running back Michael Turner.


1. Running back: This will change if the Browns can come to an agreement with Lewis. As aggressive as offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski's scheme was in producing 29 touchdown passes, the reason it worked is defenses had to respect Lewis, who rushed for 1,304 yards and nine touchdowns.


2. Outside linebacker: The Browns finished 10-6. The Giants finished 10-6. The Giants won the Super Bowl because they pressured Tom Brady relentlessly. The Browns want to do get after opposing quarterbacks, but they won't get there until they find a left outside linebacker to team with Kamerion Wimbley on the right side.


3. Left defensive end: Stopping the run goes hand-in-hand with pressuring the quarterback in the Browns' plan to get better in the offseason. Finding an end in a 3-4 is tricky, which is why they have been looking for one for two years.


Medical Watch: Tight end Kellen Winslow is due to have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee at an unspecified time ... Wide receiver Joe Jurevicius and linebacker Antwan Peek are recovering from knee surgery ... Nose tackle Ethan Kelley is recovering from microfracture surgery on his right knee. All but Kelley are expected to be ready for minicamp in June.


FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.

TRANSITION PLAYER: None.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS


• CB Gary Baxter: Baxter has made a bold effort to come back from tearing both patellar tendons in 2006, but he is unlikely to be re-signed.


• CB Ricardo Colclough: The Browns picked up Colclough in midseason to take a look at him. He is not likely to be back.


• OT Nat Dorsey: Dorsey is slow, but he can back up left or right tackle. With Ryan Tucker moving to guard, Dorsey could be re-signed at the right price.


• OL Lennie Friedman: Friedman is a reliable and can play all three interior positions, plus he is on the blocking wedge on kick return. The Browns would like to re-sign him.


• NT Ethan Kelley: Kelley is at least a backup nose tackle until the Browns find someone better. The issue is he is coming off microfracture surgery. He won't command a high salary, so the Browns would like him back.


• RB Jamal Lewis: Of all the unrestricted free agents, signing Lewis is the highest priority. He runs hard in December.


• OL Seth McKinney: If McKinney returns it would be as a backup. He is recovering from shoulder surgery. Re-signing him would be a low priority.


• OLB Matt Stewart: Stewart spent the season on injured reserve from a shoulder operation. The Browns need an upgrade and are unlikely to re-sign him.


• LB Chaun Thompson: Thompson has never lived up to being a second-round pick, but the five-year veteran is versatile and he plays on special teams. The Browns would like to re-sign him.


• NT Ted Washington: Washington will not be re-signed. He was slow and unproductive before being placed on injured reserve on Oct. 31.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS


• QB Derek Anderson: The Browns want to go into 2008 with Anderson and Brady Quinn at quarterback. If they cannot re-sign him, they will tender Anderson $2.562 million so they can get a first- and a third-round draft choice from a team signing him if they do not match the offer.


• DE Simon Fraser: Fraser is a valuable backup. Fraser does not want to be tendered a contract, but the Browns might go against his wishes because they are thin on the defensive line.


• LB Kris Griffin: Griffin was among the leaders on special teams tackles before a knee injury shortened his season. The Browns would like to have him back if he is not overwhelmed by another team.


• DB Daven Holly: Holly is smart and has a nose for the ball. Earning playing time might be difficult with the success rookie Brandon McDonald had, but the Browns would like to re-sign Holly.



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