Following the news earlier that the team has come to terms with rookie linebacker Kaluka Maiava, it looks like the Browns have signed another draft pick.

Carlos Holmes of the Dayton Daily News is reporting that the team has signed cornerback Don Carey to a four-year deal.

Carey was the team's first of three players selected in the sixth round. A four-year starter at Norfolk State, Carey finished his collegiate career with 179 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 10 interceptions and 35 pass deflections.

Carey impressed Browns head coach Eric Mangini during minicamp in June.

"He's impressive in terms of the questions he asked," Mangini said. "I saw that in the very first meeting I was in, the very first meeting he was in where he asked a question most vets don't ask a month down the road. He caught it right away and asked it. At that point you know he's paying attention and he's very bright."

The Browns' Don Carey should not be confused with the Portage County Don Carey who is growing 7,000 tobacco plants.

The Browns today signed former Arizona cornerback Rod Hood. He started for the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII but was released a week after the NFL Draft.

Hood's best season came in 2007 when he intercepted five passes and had 54 tackles. The Browns have also signed veteran cornerbacks Hank Poteat and Corey Ivy this offseason.

Hood, 27, will more than likely compete for a spot in the starting lineup. He has started 87 games in his six-year career. He was signed in 2003 by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent from Auburn.

See the complete press release from the Browns after the jump:

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Outside of Northeast Ohio, there is a much different vision of the 2008 Cleveland Browns.  Maybe perception of the fans here is wrong, but weekly opponents keep using adjectives that make the Browns seem better than their record indicates.

This week the same feeling is being out there by Geoff Mosher of the Courier Post.  The Browns are dangerous, he writes.  A few quotes from the Eagles players:

Victor Abiamiri, DE: "I see a team that's definitely got playmakers,"

Dan Klecko, FB: "A lot of people don't realize how good Cleveland is, I guess,"

If that wasn't enough, head coach Andy Reid got in on the act.  Joe Dolan writes that the Browns are very picky.

Andy Reid, HC: "They sit back. First of all, their players do a nice job, and I think the coaches put them in a good position to do that by a zone coverage. They do a nice job of being patient, reading, and then driving the football.  They have good players to do that. Their linebackers are very active. All four of the guys on the back end there, the secondary, have real good hands and ball skill."

Being in Cleveland and having lived through headaches like this season on a daily basis, it's easy to get jaded about the Browns.  When they let you down nearly every year, it's easy to not see what they do have.  When it doesn't always translate into wins, fans have a tendency to shun good pieces of a bad season.  That includes myself.

The good news is, faced with another potential regime change, that the Browns are a better team now then they were after the 2000 and 2004 seasons.  The team's core is much stronger, they just need a clearer vision and direction.

So what are your thoughts?  Are the Browns a sleeping tiger or just plain bad?

The state of pro football in the state of Ohio is a mess.  If you're a Browns fan you can complain non-stop about the offense, Romeo Crennel, and Phil Savage's alleged black-hearted nature towards Kellen Winslow's staph infection.  If you're a Bengals fan and it's Week 7, you're used to the season being long over.  For Browns fans, there has been glimmers of hope.

So where do you turn for inspiration?  The safest and most likely bet is Brady Quinn, who very well may be the next Aaron Rodgers.  After Anderson did his best to lose his job against the Redskins, Quinn is going to be on high alert for this week's game with the Jaguars. 

Another source of excitement is the Browns defense, which has been improving this season after the blowout loss in Week 1 to Dallas.  Redskins head coach Jim Zorn said that the Browns were "…so good on defense."  That's high praise for a unit that was thought to be the biggest weakness of the team heading into the season.

The Browns young corners have been beating expectations also.  Second year veteran Brandon McDonald made some good plays in coverage on Sunday.  Eric Wright also has started to play more consistent football. 

Defensive, and possibly team MVP, Shaun Rogers continues to dominate. 

So what has excited you about the Browns so far in 2008?