Haven't done this in a while. Here's a quick look around the Web at some Browns news.

Carlos Holmes of the Dayton Daily News always has an interesting take on the Browns. I suppose you'd have to with a nickname like "Big C." Anyway, he says the Browns are hot after Central Florida cornerback Joe Burnett.

No Browns preseason games will be televised nationally. The eyes and minds of the national conscience is safe again, for now.

Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository breaks down the Browns' defense and where the team might look in the draft.

Should the Browns trade Braylon Edwards? Bucky Brooks of Sports Illustrated doesn't seem to think so.

This is good. Maurice Clarett, blogging live from jail, offers some advice for Donte Stallworth. If you keep real quiet, you might hear my head blowing straight off my shoulders.

The Browns might have an eye on Richmond linebacker/defensive end Lawrence Sidbury.

The Browns have talked to a large number of prospects since January.  I've taken the names we know of, and organized them by their round value in the upcoming draft.  The round orders are based off of my Top 400 2009 Draft Prospects.

Legend
PW – Private workout to be held
V – Team is bringing in player to team facilities
I – Spoke to prospect at All Star Game
FI – Formal interview done at Combine
APD – Attended pro day
RI – Rumored interest

Round 1
William Beatty, OT, Connecticut I
Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest V
Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois PW
Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State PW
Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss I
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri V
Rey Maualuga, MLB, Southern California V
Clay Matthews, OLB, Southern California V
Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia V
Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas PW
Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State RI
B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College I
Jason Smith, OT, Baylor V
Sean Smith, CB, Utah PW

Round 2
Asher Allen, CB, Georgia PW
Ron Brace, DT, Boston College I
Patrick Chung, SS, Oregon I
Louis Delmas, FS, Western Michigan I
Larry English, DE/OLB, Northern Illinois PW
Zach Follett, OLB, California I
Jarron Gilbert, DT, San Jose State RI
Evander Hood, DT, Missouri V
Marcus Freeman, OLB, Ohio State I
Andy Levitre, OT, Oregon I
Alex Mack, C, California FI
Tyrone McKenzie, OLB, South Florida I
Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma PW
William Moore, FS, Missouri I
Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State I
Max Unger, C, Oregon FI
Eric Wood, C, Louisville V

Round 3
Ramses Barden, WR, Cal-Poly RI
Cody Brown, DE/LB, Connecticut I
Troy Kropog, OT, Tulane I
Rashad Jennings, RB, Liberty I
Domonique Johnson, CB, Jackson State I
Rashad Johnson, FS, Alabama I
Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina RI
Kyle Moore, DE, Southern California V
Kraig Urbik, OG, Wisconsin I

Round 4
Nathan Brown, QB, Central Arkansas I
Antoine Caldwell, C, Alabama V
Tyronne Green, OG, Alabama I
Michael Hamlin, SS, Clemson I
Brandon Hughes PW
Herman Johnson, OG, LSU I
Keenan Lewis, CB, Oregon State I
Augustus Parrish, OT, Kent State FI
Derek Pegues, FS, Mississippi State I
Chip Vaughn, SS, Wake Forest I
DeAngelo Willingham, CB, Cincinnati V

Round 5
Xavier Fulton, OT, Illinois I
Cedric Peerman, RB, Viriginia I
DeAngelo Smith, CB, Cincinnati I
Patrick Turner, WR, Southern California V

Round 6
Alex Boone, OT, Ohio State PW
Arian Foster, RB, Tennessee I
Anthony Hill, TE, NC State I
Jason Williams, OLB, Western Illinois V
Pat White, QB, West Virginia PW

Round 7
Brian Hoyer, QB, Michigan State PW
Tim Jamison, DE, Michigan I
Kory Sheets, RB, Purdue I

Free Agent
Brock Christopher, ILB, Missouri RI
Mark Estermyer, LS, Pitt I
Mike Massey, TE, Michigan PW
Andrew Means, WR, Indiana PW
Mike Mitchell, CB, Ohio V
Mark Rubin, S, Penn State RI
Greg Toler, CB, St. Paul's College PW

When new Browns head coach Eric Mangini took over in his first season as the Jets head coach, he used the team's two first round picks in 2006 on the offensive line.  After drafting D'Brickshaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold, he gave the Jets two building blocks up front.  With only two spots on the Browns line solidified, Mangini could make a play early on Day 1 of the draft to upgrade the Browns offensive line.

Per Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Rep, the Browns have been heavily scouting the top two centers in this draft, California's Alex Mack and Oregon's Max Unger.  With the thirty-sixth pick overall at the top of the second round, the Browns should be in a position to select either player.

For more insight on each player, I'll defer to Dan who has been watching both Mack and Unger for the past two seasons:

Mocking the Draft/New Era Scouting's No. 1 overall center, Alex Mack:

6’4, 314 pounds | California | Center

Strengths: An attacker at the second level. Seeks out opponents instead of letting them come to him. Really good cut blocker. Mack has great snap quickness to get the ball off and get into his stance. Mauling run blocker who uses his powerful lower body to push back tackles. Exceptional trap blocker. Never stops competing, even when a play is halfway down the field. Plays with a lot of intensity. Possesses great base strength. Play overall is very similar to Matt Birk of the Minnesota Vikings.

Weaknesses: Mack is sometimes slow to react in pass protection, which brings in to question his awareness. Doesn't move laterally especially well. Can have some trouble reacting and neutralizing speed rushers charging the A-gap. Will get too tall in his stance. Needs to keep better balance and body, especially on the move. Base has to get wider or he could have some trouble facing players stronger than him. Fairly tall for a center. Not especially long arms. Bulky build throughout his frame. Probably can't hold much more mass.

Final word: Mack is arguably the best center in college football since Nick Mangold. He's especially powerful. His biggest strength is in-line, run blocking. Needs to develop his technical skills better. Registered a program-record power clean of 374 pounds. Has no known character flaws. The unquestioned leader of Cal’s offense.

Round projection: 2

Mocking the Draft/New Era Scouting's No.2  overall center, Max Unger:

Both are highly versatile players.  Unger has played every spot on the line, and in the right scheme could sub anywhere he is needed.  Mack has enough strength to move out to guard, where the Browns also have a need.

So who do you think the Browns should target?  Are you happy that they are looking at centers given their other needs on offense?  Let us know in the comments!

According to one of Pro Football Talk's league sources, the Browns have signed Ravens cornerback Corey Ivy to a one-year deal.

Ivy would be the second cornerback the team has signed following the signing of Hank Poteat.

A nine-year veteran, the Browns will be Ivy's fifth team.

The Browns put out this statement from wide receiver Donte Stallworth:

“My family and I are grief stricken over the tragic accident which occurred Saturday on Miami Beach where Mario Reyes sadly lost his life.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the Reyes family during this incredibly difficult time. Unfortunately, since this accident is still under police investigation, I cannot comment further on the matter at this time.”

Authorities are awaiting results of toxicology reports taken at the scene of the accident. Results aren't expected before Friday.

ESPN's John Clayton believes the Browns have the best pieces available to acquire disgruntled Denver quarterback Jay Cutler:

The team with the best chance to interest the Broncos would be the Cleveland Browns. The Browns, you ask? Yes, the Browns would be best because they could offer a promising quarterback in return in either Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson.

While merely speculative on Clayton's part, he does make a good point. Financially acquiring either quarterback would be a wash for both teams. Trading for Cutler will likely force his new team's hand into negotiating a new contract, given the past of his agent Bus Cook.

In other news, the Browns brought in former Chicago Bear John St. Clair for a visit Monday. No news on the offensive tackle and if he was offered a contract.

The Arizona Cardinals plucked a running back off the Browns' roster Monday. They signed backup Jason Wright to a deal reportedly reportedly $2 million over two years. Wright should take on the same role he did in Cleveland and will back up starting running back Tim Hightower. If the season started today, Jerome Harrison would be the Browns' No. 2 running back. This could mean the Browns will make a move in the draft to add another back.

News is trickling in about Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth. He was involved in an accident in the early hours of the day that took the life of a pedestrian in Miami this morning. Per the Miami Herald, Stallworth's Bentley struck the 59 year old Mario Reyes around 7:17 AM on the McArthur Causeway. There has been no word from the authorities whether Stallworth was impaired at the time of the accident.

The Browns were believed to have paid out a $4.75 million roster bonus yesterday to Stallworth.

Per PFT's Mike Florio, the Browns have a released a statement regarding the matter:

“We are aware of the incident involving Donte Stallworth and have been in contact with his representatives,” the Browns said in a statement released this afternoon. “We understand the seriousness of this situation, but will not have any further comment at this time as this is an ongoing investigation.”

Each month for the past three months, the traffic for this blog has doubled. That is something Luke and I can hang our hats on and something we're forever grateful.

However, the increased exposure has apparently led to some misconception. Twice in the past couple of weeks, we have been referred to as Akron Beacon Journal Browns reporters. While that would be pretty neat, please know that's not the case.

What Luke and I are is fans. We're one of you.

Do we have some connections? Yes. But a majority of the time, we're commenting on rumor and opining on the news. That is the case here. We're provoking thought, not passing fact. We're being bloggers.

While we may be a little more connected than most guys sitting behind a computer, the official Browns writer for the Beacon Journal is Marla Ridenour. She does good stuff here.

As always, find more about Luke here and me here.

The Browns have been increasingly busy in the past few days.  They have released several key veterans from the 2007 dream season such as WR Joe Jurevicius and OT Kevin Shaffer.  With rougly $25 million in cap space, the Cleveland fanbase has been wondering why they haven't been more active in free agency.

To put it simply, they spent tomorrow's prosperity yesterday.

As Tony Grossi discusses, the Browns are expected to hand out rougly$30 million in bonus money within the month of March.  As mentioned in the article, the Browns will be making a $5 million roster bonus to quarterback Derek Anderson, among several other notable players.

Looking back on the Phil Savage regime, it's clear that the wild spending in free agency, rookie contracts, and squandering of draft picks has saddled the Browns with an uncomfortable cap situation.  Savage has a reputation for having a scout's eye, but between him and former cap whizz Trip MacCracken, the Browns have been forced into a draft rebuilding mode.

The Winslow trade has been the only significant move to bolster the lost draft picks, but look for general manager George Kokinis to remain active in the weeks leading up to the draft.  They still could easily swap another handful of veterans for extra picks.

Derek Anderson, QB – This one is easy.  His trade value has gone up now that the Browns are ready to pay out his guaranteed bonus money.  He carries a salary of only $1.5 million in 2009, and could be had for an early Day 2 selection.

Braylon Edwards, WR – With the trade of Winslow, Edwards is likely going to be a Brown again in 2009, which is a free agency year for him.  The team would have to get at least a first round, and multiple future picks for the Edwards trade to make any sense.

Brodney Pool, FS  – With Sean Jones departed to Philadelphia, it seems the Browns would keep Pool for his experience, but Mangini and Kokinis have no ties to him.  Pool doesn't play instinctively, but still possesses the kind of size and speed that teams covet from the safety position.  He could be a draft day swap if the Browns are able to land a productive safety like Louis Delmas or Patrick Chung in Round 2.

Shaun Smith, DE - While I speculated that with the signing of Mosley that Smith could be let go, the Browns have not made a move on him.  With the Broncos, Chiefs, and Packers all installing the 3-4 defense this season, he could be moved for a mid Day 2 selection.

Other possibilities – OG Rex Hadnot, WR Donte Stallworth, ILB Leon Williams

So if you had to let go of a current Brown for draft picks, who would it be?  Let us know in the comments!

Last month, Luke took a tour of mock drafts around the Web, so I thought I'd do a quick roundup today. Neither Todd McShay or Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN has updated their mock since Luke's post.

The Huddle Report - Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
Comment: Do the Browns need a cornerback after signing Hank Poteat Tuesday night? Also, is pick No. 5 too high for a player who ran so poorly at the NFL Scouting Combine?

Walter Football – Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas
Comment: A contingent of Browns officials are going to Texas next week to work out Orakpo. There, they'll find out if he can move to 3-4 rush linebacker or if he's strictly a 4-3 defensive end. Some people are beginning to think the latter.

Football Burrito – Rey Maualuga, MLB, Southern California
Comment: I love Maualuga, but this is way too high for him to go in the draft. Mostly I included this site because I like to eat burritos.

Sporting News – Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia
Comment: Really? Someone got paid to make that prognostication? Really?

Rob Rang, CBS Sports – BJ Raji, DT, Boston College
Comment: This is a reasonable choice if he's there and the Browns decide to do something with Shaun Rogers. Otherwise, the Browns have much greater needs.

Chad Reuter, CBS Sports – Orakpo
Comment: This is fairly popular, especially when you get to the less-known sites. In round two, Reuter gives the Browns DJ Moore, CB, Vanderbilt and apparently forgot about the Browns' second second rounder. D'oh! Oh, and he screwed up other parts of the second round draft order. Double d'oh!

Draft Countdown – Orakpo
Comment: Go figure. In the second, Scott Wright gives us Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut and Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina. As I noted last night, I doubt the Browns take a second-round tight end. I do like Brown, however.

Mocking the Draft – Everette Brown, DE/OLB, Florida State
Comment: This is my site, so check it out! Also, I like Brown better than Orakpo for the Browns. In the second round, I gave Cleveland LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh and Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati. They just seemed to fit best while I was putting the mock together.

So, there are several mock drafts. Who would you like the Browns to select with picks 5, 36 and 50? Tell us, and tear up my picks, in the comments!