Browns may use its early picks to trade up in draft, coach says
BY JIM THOMAS
jthomas@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8197 | Posted: Friday, February 24, 2012 12:00 am
INDIANAPOLIS • Not that Cleveland coach Pat Shurmur was ever known for having loose lips, but the former Rams offensive coordinator said Thursday that it's too early to tell if the Browns will trade up in the draft.
"Interesting, everybody (in the media) at this point is in the prediction phase and we're in the information-gathering phase," Shurmur said.
Even so, with the No. 4 and No. 22 overall picks in the draft, Shurmur said the Browns are willing to move around on draft day in terms of a possible trade.
"Yeah, we're willing," he said. "With two first-round picks we have flexibility. We can just stand pat and take two really fine players, guys that we would hope to be starters for us. (But) having two first-round picks, you have flexibility if you want to do something."
Falling into the "doing something" category would be trading up to the No. 2 spot in the draft with the Rams in order to grab Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. The Browns are interviewing Griffin as well as Stanford's Andrew Luck, even though indications are that Indianapolis will take Luck with the No. 1 overall pick.
Finnegan at CB?
With Ron Bartell coming off a neck injury and Bradley Fletcher rehabbing from knee surgery, the Rams could be in the market for help at cornerback. And given coach Jeff Fisher's past association with Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan in Tennessee, it's easy enough to connect the dots. But if Finnegan, who's scheduled for unrestricted free agency, ends up in St. Louis the price could be steep. Indications are that Finnegan and the Titans are far apart in contract talks.
"You just keep working at it and hope something breaks," Tennessee general manager Ruston Webster said. "You work hard at it and then see what happens."
Asked if he expects Finnegan to be on the Titans' roster next season, Webster said: "Right now, we're working through all of that, with not only Cortland but several of our other guys. At this point, I expect them to all be on the roster next year, but we're still working through all of that."
Shurmur and Cromwell
One of the first Rams assistants from the Steve Spagnuolo regime to find work with another team was wide receivers coach Nolan Cromwell. He has reunited with Shurmur in Cleveland as the Browns' senior offensive assistant.
"His expertise is working with receivers, so he'll work with (wide receiver coach) Mike Wilson," Shurmur said. "I just think he's a fine person, fine teacher, and I think he's going to add a lot to our staff."
Combine bits
Even though he attempted only nine field goals last season, making eight, place-kicker Derek Dimke is among four University of Illinois players attending the combine. The others are offensive tackle Jeffrey Allen, wide receiver Alfred Jenkins, and defensive end Mercilus Whitney.
Tampa Bay has hired Bryan Cox of East St. Louis High and Western Illinois University to its coaching staff as a "front seven" coach on defense. Cox was a three-time NFL Pro Bowler as a player.
Dennard Wilson, a pro scout with the Chicago Bears, could be coming to St. Louis as a defensive assistant coach.
