From AP:

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.: Former Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage will be Alabama's football color analyst.

Crimson Tide Sports Marketing general manager Jim Carabin announced Monday that Savage will replace Ken Stabler in the fall.

Savage was senior vice president and general manager during four seasons with the Browns after nine years with the Baltimore Ravens.

Savage got a dress rehearsal when he handled analyst duties for Alabama's spring game.

The Mobile native spent three seasons as a graduate assistant for the Tide under coach Bill Curry and worked under offensive coordinator Homer Smith in 1988-89.

Stabler did not return to the booth after his arrest on a drunken-driving charge a year ago. He was found not guilty by a Robertsdale judge.

Find more on this from the Tuscaloosa News.

There is no better reading on a Monday than Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback. It's always packed with insight and opinion.

This week, he had a quick thought on the Browns' quarterback battle:

I think Derek Anderson beating out Brady Quinn for the starting quarterback job in Cleveland would be only slightly less shocking than the Lions making the playoffs.

In other Quinn news, he's venturing off to a mysterious heavy training regimen soon.

Quinn wouldn't elaborate on where the training will take place, but will include running-agility drills, strength training and outside-the-box activity like boxing.

Anderson is going back home to Oregon for a couple weeks.

One of the more intriguing predicaments the Browns face heading into the 2009 season is the right side of the offensive line.

Being tried out at right guard and tackle are Ryan Tucker, George Foster, John St. Clair and Floyd Womack. All have been starters at the NFL level. Here's a look at each:

Tucker (6'6, 315 pounds): In 134 career games, Tucker has started 102. However, he only played in one game last season, a win against the Giants. In 2007, Tucker started eight games at guard. He's been referred to as the heart of the offensive line and the unit seems to run more efficiently when he's healthy.

Foster (6'5, 338 pounds): Foster is the newest Brown, signing with the team last week. He's played tackle for Detroit and Denver. He started just three games for the Lions last year, but played very well at left tackle for the Broncos early in his career. Head coach Eric Mangini told reporters Foster is only working out at tackle.

(On the addition of George Foster) – "He is a guy that when he came up we looked at and felt would add some good competition to the tackle position. He has started a lot of games in the league. He has played a lot of football. Analyzing that, we felt there was value in bringing him in to increase competition and depth."

St. Clair (6'5, 315 pounds): The Browns signed St. Clair early in the offseason after Kevin Shaffer was cut loose. He started every game last season at right tackle for Chicago. He's predominantly a run blocker. So far, Mangini has liked what he's seen in St. Clair:

"John [St. Clair] is doing a really nice job. I really liked him when I saw him on the free agent tape; I liked the things he did there. As a guy, he is an outstanding person in the locker room, meeting rooms, all of the things I look for from that perspective."

Womack (6'4, 328 pounds): For most of his career, Womack has been a utility player on the line who will play anywhere but center. That's what he did for eight seasons in Seattle, starting 47 games and playing in 90.

Who will start: My pre-training camp guess is that Tucker will start at guard if he's healthy and St. Clair will start at tackle. Foster will back up St. Clair and Womack will back up everyone. The team is also trying first-round pick Alex Mack at guard, so he could also be a possibility.

One thing is for certain, the right side is going to be hefty.

This is an uncredited AP story I figured some would find interesting from today's mini camp:

BEREA: The Cleveland Browns have a small cluster of players who were happy to show up for new coach Eric Mangini's mandatory minicamp on Thursday even though they're far from pleased with their contracts.

Kicker Phil Dawson, linebacker D'Qwell Jackson and special teamer Josh Cribbs are all seeking new deals.

Jackson, entering the final year of his contract, hasn't let it stop him from practicing, while Cribbs skipped some voluntary workouts last month before eventually reporting.

Dawson's appearance Thursday was his first since the end of the season. He skipped the voluntary workouts last month to protest his contract, which pays him $1 million this season and next. One of the league's most accurate kickers, Dawson wants to be paid like one.

Cincinnati tagged Shayne Graham as its franchise player in February, assuring him a salary of $2.483 million — the average salary of the top five kickers in the NFL last year. Dawson will make less than half of that.

He returned to the Browns' rain-soaked practice field on Thursday, but not to talk money.

"I'm not going to get into all of that," Dawson said. "I'm here today and it's good to see my teammates again. There's a time and place for all that, but now is not it."

Dawson heads into the season with a career 82.8 percent field goal percentage, the best mark in franchise history and fourth all-time in the NFL. With Dawson absent from the voluntary workouts, the Browns signed South Dakota State rookie kicker Parker Douglass to a two-year deal. Douglass has impressed at times and flashed a powerful leg, but Mangini was pleased to have Dawson back in camp.

"He looked good in the field goal drill," Mangini said. "It's good to have everybody back. It's good to be operating with a full group."

Jackson will make $640,000 this year after his 154 tackles last season led the NFL. But Jackson participated in the voluntary workouts, saying he needed to be at all the camps to prove his worth to the new coaching staff.

"It's what I produce on the field," Jackson said. "These coaches don't know me from anybody. All they know is some tape. They don't know what kind of person I am. They don't know how I conduct myself. It's my duty as a player to come in and show what I am capable of. Am I worth what I say I am?"

Despite rain that turned heavy at times, Mangini kept Thursday's two-hour morning session outdoors, watched by eight Green Berets who were invited by the coach.

There also were a few players who were only observing.

Running back Jamal Lewis, who has been held out for most of the offseason drills, is still taking it slow following offseason ankle surgery.

Receiver Braylon Edwards, who made the Pro Bowl two seasons ago but slipped in 2008, also spent Thursday's practice on a stationary bike with an undisclosed injury. Both Edwards and Mangini said it wasn't serious, and Mangini added that Edwards is expected to participate fully in the team's training camp in July.

"Coach Mangini is just taking precaution," Edwards said. "I'm just enjoying my time on the side. It's on coach's terms right now."

Looking to add depth to the secondary, the Browns had former Bears safety Mike Brown in for a visit this week. Brown went to the Pro Bowl in 2005 and started 15 games last year before being placed on injured reserve.

"Mike is a guy I have watched for a long time," Mangini said. "With any of these guys we bring in, sometimes we sign them right away, sometimes it's during training camp and sometimes we don't. It's to gather information and to be able to put ourselves in a position to make decisions."

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

Charlie Frye, Cleveland's third-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, has signed with the Oakland Raiders.

Frye spent the two previous seasons on Seattle as the third-string quarterback. He is Oakland's sixth quarterback, in a group that includes starter JaMarcus Russell, backup Jeff Garcia, veterans Andrew Walter and Bruce Gradkowski and rookie Danny Southwick.

Frye has the dubious distinction of being the only quarterback in league history who began the season as the starter and was traded after one game.

In his rookie year, Frye played in seven games, starting five. In 2006, Frye started 13 games and went 252-392 passing for 2,454 yards with 10 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

The following year, in 2007, Frye and Derek Anderson were put in a quarterback competition. And how else do you decide the most important component of a multi-million dollar business? By flipping a coin, of course!

Frye won the coin flip, but quickly lost his job in the first game of the year, going 4-10 passing for 34 yards and an interception against Pittsbugh. He was traded to Seattle for a sixth-round pick. That selection ended up being defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin, who is part of the teams front-line rotation.

Frye came to Cleveland with some fanfare after starring at the University of Akron and growing up a fan of Bernie Kosar.

These comments made Thursday by Browns coach Eric Mangini about outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley are getting overlooked in the media. Check them out:

(On if the defense can get Wimbley to be an impact player like he was in his rookie season) – “What I am looking for from Kamerion is not just impact in terms of rushing the passer, but impact as an outside linebacker in this system. Sacks sometimes come in bunches. Sometimes there’s a bunch of them and sometimes you go on a little bit of a drought. The key thing isn’t to focus on the volume, the numbers. The key thing is to focus on the process. That’s what we are doing with Kamerion and with all of the guys, is to focus on the things that he can do better as a pass rusher.

The things that he can do better in the running game. How to vary up his pass rush and it’s an ongoing process. I stress, it’s not just Kamerion with that. We are always trying to give; here is your core move, what’s your counter off of that move, what’s your secondary move, what’s your counter off of that move. The ability to move the player from right to left, get in the sub package, maybe have him as a walk around type of guy.

All of those things can produce sacks. All of those things can take advantage of strengths. In order to take advantage of those strengths, you have to build in that flexibility and that is something that we are focusing on from a scheme perspective, and also individually identifying strengths and weaknesses, really working on the weaknesses and really trying to complement the strengths.”

(On if Wimbley needs to get stronger physically) – “Sometimes the best way to demonstrate your strength is to play with better technique. That’s a huge focal point for us, is always playing with good technique, hand placement and leverage. It’s always about those things, leverage and angles, and how you take on the blocker and things like that.”

Sporting News magazine employs a group of ex-NFL scouts, collectively known as "RealScouts." Most recently, they rated the head coaches in the NFL.

Out of 32 teams, new Browns coach Eric Mangini ranks 25th. First is New England's Bill Belichick and last is Denver's Josh McDaniels.

In the mold of his mentor, Mangini is tough. But he is stubborn and stuck in his ways, which often limits his game plans and hurts his relationships with his players.

The scouts also ranks the top 20 offensive and defensive coordinators. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is the 18th best in the league. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll is unranked.

RealScouts also ranks the top players by position. That's not really worth the time to go through each and find all the Browns. Joe Thomas rates fourth among offensive tackles. Braylon Edwards is rated the seventh best wide receiver. Shaun Rogers comes in as the sixth-best defensive tackle.

Neither Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn is rated among the top 20 at quarterback.

When the Browns finally decide on a starting quarterback, it won't be until late in the preseason.

That was the big news from head coach Eric Mangini at today's minicamp. Mangini told reporters he wants to see how Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn perform before deciding.

So when Quinn was receiving playing time with the first team last month, it didn't mean much. Mangini will look at presence in the huddle when making his choice.

"The big (criteria) for me is huddle presence and the ability to run the offense, so who can most effectively run the offense, who can look at the defense, understand what the coverage is and throw to the right place, who can see a blitz look and put us in the right play, who can do the check-with-me's where you have two plays called and understand this is the better of the two selections," Mangini told reporters.

Any deception in naming a starting quarterback could be purposeful on Mangini's part. It could be in an effort to confuse opponents heading into the regular season.

"One of the things that's tough defensively is not knowing who the starting quarterback's going to be," Mangini said. "I hated when I didn't know who the starting quarterback of the other team was. A huge, huge headache."

Notes…
Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository reports that Anderson had to run a lap today after a false start penalty. A quarterback getting that penalty is crazy.

The Plain Dealer has a nice gallery of shots from today's minicamp.

In today's news there is a lot written about Alex Hall, Don Carey, the quarterbacks and David Bowens. Here's one slightly overlooked tidbit on rookie wide receiver Brian Robiskie from head coach Eric Mangini:

(On how Brian Robiskie is coming along) – “I’d say he is like the rest of the rookie group where there are some days something clicks and he runs that really well or does that really well, and there are some days where maybe he’s got it jumbled up with what he did at Ohio State and he doesn’t quiet look the same. Those guys are dealing with so much right now in terms of change of environment, change of coaches, change of terminology, going from the big man on campus to rookie. All of that stuff is new and getting used to the way that we structure practices and meetings. They are dealing with a lot of stuff. I think as a group they are doing some positive things.”

The Orange and Brown report's Layne Adkins talks about the quarterbacks. You have to be an OBR subscriber for Adkins' insights. If you are, this is a must-read story.

Hat tip to Barry McBride of the OBR for pointing out the latest Super Bowl odds. The Browns are at a fairly pathetic 50/1 to make the Super Bowl. Only four teams – Cincinnati, Oakland, St. Louis and Detroit – have worse odds. (Miami at 25/1? Yes, please)

And yet more from the Scout.com team. NFL writer Ed Thompson interviews rookie cornerback Don Carey. The small-school product is an intriguing player who reportedly looked very good during mini camp.

Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer has some Browns thoughts in his Sunday column. TP covers a wide range of topics from Eric Steinbach's weight, to obscure stats to Phil Dawson and Josh Cribbs.

Browns Gab dishes on the Browns' deal with the Ohio Lottery. Mostly this item is worth mentioning because of the comment that accompanies it.