Browns ponder trading down

By Tony Grossi

The Plain Dealer

It’s still too early to handicap the top of the NFL draft accurately, but it’s sounding as if the Browns may have a real option of trading down from the No. 6 spot.

“I think we’re open to it this year,” President Mike Holmgren said recently. “We have a couple of [needs] I’d like to deal with, specifically. We’d move down for the same reason you’d always trade back.”

That reason would be to acquire an extra pick to patch another need without sacrificing a desired player with the first pick.

The Browns elected to use their top pick last year, No. 7 overall, on cornerback Joe Haden. General manager Tom Heckert said there was no demand from other teams to move up.

This draft could be a lot different.

“This draft might fall kind of funny because of the quarterbacks,” Holmgren said.

At league meetings earlier this month, there was speculation quarterbacks Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert could both be taken within the first three picks.

If one is left for the Browns at No. 6, San Francisco (seventh), Tennessee (eighth) and Minnesota (12th) all could be interested in moving up.

“I think anytime you have a quarterback situation, that probably changes things,” Heckert said. “There’s a chance both are gone [by No. 6]. There’s a chance both are still there. I don’t know.

“I do know this: There’s more than six players that are really good that people are going to like. Definitely.”

Coach Pat Shurmur said, “I think [sixth] is a pretty interesting place to pick. We’ll have good choices there. I think there’s a handful of guys that could be available, and they’re all very attractive.”

The Browns haven’t hid the fact they need defensive linemen to fill in their new four-man front defensive scheme. Holmgren also said he’s looking for “a home run hitter” on offense.

Heckert will seek to fill two needs with his top two choices, No. 6 and No. 35. Taking linemen with each of those picks — one on a pass-rushing end and one on a tackle — is not out of the question.

The need to address “needs” is more relevant this year because the labor dispute stopped free agency before it started.

Heckert acknowledged that in a normal offseason, he probably would have signed a starting defensive lineman in free agency by now.

As it is, tackle Ahtyba Rubin is the only bona-fide defensive line starter on the Browns’ roster at this time.

“We’ll make it work,” Heckert said. “It’s not a dire situation, I don’t think.”

Still, Heckert said he will “definitely” attend the pro day workout of Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers on Friday.

It would be Bowers’ first workout in front of scouts since he had knee surgery in January to repair a torn meniscus.

Heckert also has April 8 circled on his calendar. That’s the date Bowers returns to Indianapolis to have his knee re-checked by NFL doctors.

All teams then will receive that report.

Bowers joins Alabama tackle Marcell Dareus and Auburn tackle Nick Fairley at the top of a very deep group of defensive linemen in this draft.

The entire Browns’ football operation — minus Holmgren — attended the pro day workouts of Dareus and Fairley.