Cleveland Browns need to look at younger players such as Jaye Howard, Lamar Miller and Marvin Jones in free agency. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It starts March 9, NFL free agency.

Some fans have been emailing that the Browns should try to sign Mario Williams. There is some surface logic to the thought. Until last season, Williams has been one of the better pass-rushers in the NFL.

But in 2015, he slipped to 5.5 sacks. Williams blamed his problems on Buffalo coach Rex Ryan, who changed some of the defensive schemes.

Maybe Williams is right. Or maybe not. Some insist he lost interest last season.

But more meaningful, he's 31 years old.

When the name of Mario Williams comes up in the Browns meetings, I can imagine the analytics guys screaming ... OH NO!!!

Williams is exactly the kind of player the Browns should not sign, at least not to any type of lucrative contract.

That's exactly what analytics will say. It's also exactly what the Browns have done over the last few seasons.

Over the weekend, I wrote how the new Browns front office considers football "a young man's game." They look at the signing of veterans such as Karlos Dansby, Tramon Williams, Donte Whitner and others and they want to weep. Yes, those players still have some ability.

But for what the Browns plan to do, which is build through the draft and with younger veterans -- those signings made no sense.

So don't think about Matt Forte for the Browns. He's a 30-year-old running back. Or linebacker Tamba Hali, who is 32.

Here are some of my thoughts on free agency:

WANT A PASS RUSHER?

Malik Jackson is 26, had 5.5 sacks for Denver and is rated the top free agent, period, by some experts. The 290-pounder is 26 years old, the sweet spot for free agents. He can play end in the 3-4 defense for the Browns.

Do they throw huge dollars at Jackson?

Jaye Howard makes more sense as is expected to cost less than Jackson.  The 27-year-old 303-pound defensive end has emerged as a starter the last two season in Kansas City. He was cut by Seattle earlier in his career. He had 5.5 sacks and 31 QB hits for the Chiefs.

He actually is considered better against the run, something the Browns also need.

Notice that they have the same sack totals as Williams -- 5.5. The difference is Howard and Jackson are entering their peak seasons, Williams is probably in decline. I really like Howard for the Browns.

WANT A RUNNING BACK?

Free agent Lamar Miller is 24. He's been in the NFL for four years, but has only 638 career carries with Miami. Last season., Miller rushed for 872 yards (4.5 yards) and 8 TDs. He also caught 47 passes.

Miller fits the profile. He's young. He;s not been pounded by having a heavy workload at running back. He not only can run, but he catches passes. He seems to be peaking. The analytics guys should love him.

The hard part is his agent -- Drew Rosenhaus. Miller won't come cheap.

The big name will be Doug Martin, who rushed for 1,402 yards and a 4.9 average with Tampa Bay last season. He will be extremely expensive. He lost five fumbles. Miller only lost one. I don't picture Martin with the Browns. I expect him to stay in Tampa Bay.

I've liked Chris Ivory, and he had a career season with 1,040 yards rushing for the Jets. His career average is 4.6 yards per carry, and has 883 carries. He's 27 years old, but only became a starter in his last two seasons.

The Browns may decide they are okay at running back with Duke Johnson and Isaiah Crowell. Perhaps they will draft a back. But I do like Miller and Ivory.

WANT A RECEIVER?

This is a tough one.

Think about this: Andrew Mason on the Broncos team website ranked Travis Benjamin of the Browns as his pick for the best free agent wide receiver in 2016. Benjamin is at least in the top three, and Browns fans know that he has some talent but also is limited.

Marvin Jones has been linked to the Browns. He played for Hue Jackson in Cincinnati. He's 26, so that's the right age. He caught 65 passes for a 12.6 yards average.

The good news is Jackson should know if Jones is capable of being a big-time receiver. Or was he really helped by playing next to all-world receiver A.J. Green, who drew most of the defensive attention?

Another young free agent receiver is Reuben Randle, who has caught 128 passes (13.5 average) in the last two years with the Giants. He's only 24 and is 6-foot-2, 208 pounds. That's the kind of big receiver the Browns can use. Some stories have questioned Patterson's attitude. He also was helped by playing on the same team as O'dell Beckham.

One of the knocks on Randle is he averaged only 3.5 yards after the catch (YAC) last season. He's had some knee problems.

Mohamed Sanu has been connected with the Browns. He's another Bengal, and he caught 33 passes. He's 26, and is 6-foot-2, 210 pounds. My guess is one of the former Bengals -- Sanu or Jones -- will show up in Cleveland.

That's fine. But my suggestion is that the Browns get very serious about finding a big-time receiver in the draft because there's not much help in free agency.

WANT TO STAY HOME?

It's doubtful the Browns will keep all four of their key unrestricted free agents.

But a strong case can be made for all of them being needed. Tackle Mitchell Schwartz and center Alex Mack are important as the team plans to draft a young quarterback. Schwartz is 27, Mack is 30.

And yes, they want to come out of the draft with a quarterback whom they believe can eventually become a starter.

If Mack and/or Schwartz leave, they need to find at least one lineman in free agency -- unless they plan to draft one very high.

Cleveland.com's Tom Reed wrote of Indiana's Jason Spriggs as a draft possibility for the line.

As for their other two free agents, Tashaun Gipson is a very good safety when healthy. Benjamin is one of the best receivers in a very weak free agent class.

My two priorities would be the offensive linemen, then Gipson. I like Benjamin, but he'd be fourth on my list.

We asked Meyer on Tuesday about Trump's earlier words. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- When Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump visited Columbus on March 1, one of the first names out of his mouth was Urban Meyer.

"I don't know if he endorses me or not, but he's said awful nice things about me," Trump said to cheers during a rally at Port Columbus International Airport that day.

Meyer didn't respond to a message from cleveland.com then asking if he wanted to comment on Trumps's comments. Previously, Meyer had spoken of staying out of politics.

"I have strong beliefs, but I'm not going to share that with you guys," Meyer said. "I don't think that's appropriate."

That's fine. But sometimes a guy like Trump can pull you in.

Tuesday, after Ohio State's first football practice of the spring, I asked Meyer what he thought about the frontrunner for the Republican nomination bringing him up.

Meyer didn't respond again.

It's reasonable for a football coach to not want to deal with politics. But when Trump name drops you, at the very least you need to be presented with the chance to respond. So I read Trump's words back to Meyer. 

Meyer obviously didn't want to talk about it, so he talked football, continuing to discuss injuries on the Ohio State roster, which is what I'd been asking him about earlier.

We had to at least give Meyer a chance if he wanted one. When the guy dominating the daily discussion in American life mentions your name, you deserve a chance to respond if you want to.

What Trump said about Meyer

Watch the video to see Meyer's reaction and response

Plain Dealer columnist talks all things Cleveland sports in his latest podcast.

We're on iTunes. Subscribe to the cleveland.com Sports podcasts channel here (or search cleveland.com Sports podcasts).

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- How active will the Browns be in free agency? How concerning was Monday's loss by the Cavaliers?

Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto answered those questions and more in our weekly podcast. Among other topics discussed:

Who of their own free agents will the Browns keep?

Kyrie Irving's play.

The Indians' outfield and missing on Austin Jackson.

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right.

Be sure to also like Terry Pluto on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

Last year's senior class had a long list of accomplishments, including a school-record 50 wins, a 4-0 record against Michigan and a national championship. Can you name them all from the mural? Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- You know this by now, but Urban Meyer is pretty proud of last year's senior class. 

Proud enough for him to put up a mural in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center hallway commemorating their accomplishments, which included a school-record 50 wins, a 4-0 record against Michigan and a national championship. 

There are a lot of seniors in the mural. Can you name them all? 

Below is a video that gives you a better look at the mural: 

OK .... 

DON'T ....

CHEAT .... 

Below is a Key:

No. 18: Kato Mitchell; No. 90: Tommy Schutt; No. 70 Chris Fong; No. 68 Taylor Decker; No. 3 Michael Thomas; No. 1 Braxton Miller; No. 12 Cardale Jones; No. 50 Jacoby Boren; No. 35 Jeffie Johnson; No. 23 Tyvis Powell; No. 37 Joshua Perry; No. 28 Warren Ball; No. 89 Jeff Greene; No. 92 Adolphus Wahsington; No. 41 Bryce Haynes; No. 55 Camren Williams; No. 51 Joel Hale; and No. 57 Chase Farris. 

How many did you get? 

Tell us in the comments below. 

See clips from Urban Meyer during his first news conference of spring football.

At least 15 Ohio State players were out or limited by injury on the first day of spring practice Tuesday. Urban Meyer discussed their status. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- At Ohio State's first spring football practice Tuesday, there was the offense, there was the defense and there were the injured.

The injured could field a team.

As much as Ohio State is missing the 16 starters who departed from the 2015 team, Urban Meyer after practice Tuesday lamented the Buckeyes who will be counted on in the fall who can't do much, or anything, right now.

"Guys we're really counting on that can't go because of injury, we have a lot of work to do," Meyer said. "That's the thing that kicks you in the teeth."

Meyer said he doesn't expect the Buckeyes to be able to come up with a true depth chart this spring because of how many guys are missing. Among those he described as held back are what he called the three top receivers - Noah Brown, Curtis Samuel and Corey Smith - and two important safeties in Erick Smith and Cam Burrows.

Among the Buckeyes who were working out on the side or not taking part fully or at all in practice Tuesday were:

On defense

* Safety Erick Smith (potential starter)

* Linebacker Nick Conner (backup to Raekwon McMillan)

* Safety Cam Burrows (in the two-deep)

* Defensive end Tyquan Lewis (starter)

* Defensive tackle Malik Burrow (true freshman)

* Linebacker Justin Hilliard (backup to Dante Booker)

* Corner Damon Webb (potential starter)

* Defensive tackle Dylan Thompson (oft-injured backup)

On offense

* Receiver Noah Brown (likely starter)

* Receiver Corey Smith (should play a lot as sixth-year senior)

* H-back Curtis Samuel (will start at running back or H-back)

* H-back K.J. Hill (redshirt freshman in the mix)

* Offensive lineman Kevin Feder (redshirt freshman backup)

* Offensive lineman Tyler Gerald (early-enrolled freshman)

* Receiver Devlin McDaniel (walkon)

A list is easy. But how serious are the injuries? Who might be back this spring and who's out? I asked Meyer to go through that list Tuesday as much as he could.

* The three receivers are out for all of spring. Brown and Smith are still recovering from broken legs last season and Samuel is coming off foot surgery.

* At safety, Smith is coming back from an ACL tear and Meyer said he will go through some run-throughs but won't be live in practice at all. Burrows, who had foot surgery in October, could be back to practicing more in a few weeks, Meyer said.

* Webb, out with a slight muscle strain according to Meyer, will be fine when the Buckeyes get back after spring break for the third practice of the spring on March 22.

* Lewis, who led the Buckeyes in sacks last season, had a shoulder injury that required a major sling for a while. Meyer said he is "done" for spring, and he added that early-enrolled offensive lineman Tyler Gerald is also out all of spring with a shoulder issue.

* Barrow is coming back from an ACL tear, as is Conner, and Meyer said neither of them will practice.

* Hill was working through drills with a heavy wrap or cast on his left hand and Meyer said "he's going to do everything but catch."

* Hillard is coming back from a biceps injury and Meyer said he'll do "everything but tackle."

* Thompson hasn't been able to get on the field because of injury as he enters his third season. Meyer's appraisal of him was "do something. Underline that, do something."

The Cleveland Cavaliers will sign guard Jordan McRae for the remainder of the season, league sources informed cleveland.com.

SACRAMENTO - The Cleveland Cavaliers will sign guard Jordan McRae for the remainder of the season, league sources informed cleveland.com.

McRae, 24, has appeared in three games for the Cavaliers and has totaled 13 points while shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc. His first 10-day contract was set to expire on Wednesday.

The 6-5 wing has been a pleasant surprise for the Cavaliers during practice with his versatility to play and guard multiple positions.

The Cavs showed interest in Joe Johnson following his release from the Brooklyn Nets. But Johnson quickly joined the Miami Heat, a team that gave him more playing time and a more prominent role. That led the Cavs to McRae, who broke the NBA D-League scoring record, totaling 61 points against the Canton Charge in late January.

McRae was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs with the 58th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and traded to the Philadelphia 76ers on draft night. He played four seasons at the University of Tennessee. 

Cleveland has one roster spot available. 

Michael Reghi, Bud Shaw, Chris Fedor and Dan Labbe discuss whether Peyton Manning should be considered for a front office job with the Cleveland Browns. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With Alec Scheiner stepping down as president, the Cleveland Browns suddenly have an opening in their front office. 

Peyton Manning announced his retirement on Monday and will be looking for a new post-career gig. Manning has been linked to the Browns frequently because of his relationship with owner Jimmy Haslam, and to a lesser degree, the Browns' Tennessee-shaped scoreboard. 

Would Manning be a fit in Cleveland's front office? Should Haslam attempt to bring Manning to the Browns?

Michael Reghi, Bud Shaw, Dan Labbe and I discuss it.

Watch the video above.

Get scoring updates and join Zack Meisel and Paul Hoynes for a live chat as the Indians take on the Seattle Mariners at Goodyear Ballpark on Tuesday afternoon.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get scoring updates and join Zack Meisel and Paul Hoynes for a live chat as the Indians take on the Seattle Mariners at Goodyear Ballpark on Tuesday afternoon.

Broadcast info: SportsTime Ohio, Indians.com

Scheduled pitchers: Trevor Bauer, Mike Clevinger, Bryan Shaw, Dan Otero, Tom Gorzelanny and Joe Thatcher

Indians lineup

3B Jose Ramirez

2B Jason Kipnis

SS Francisco Lindor

1B Mike Napoli

DH Uribe

LF Will Venable

CF Collin Cowgill

RF James Ramsey

C Roberto Perez 

Eastern Michigan's James Thompson IV is overwhelming pick as Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Akron's Isaiah Johnson and Kent State's Khaliq Spicer were named Mid-American Conference men's basketball Sixth Man of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, in a vote by the 12 MAC head coaches.

In a combined vote by selected media and the coaches, Eastern Michigan's James Thompson IV was the overwhelming choice as Freshman of the Year.

Coaches did not release that ballot counts for Sixth Man and Defensive Player of the Year, but the media ballot was pretty clear for Thompson, the 6-10 product of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who averaged a double-double, 14.8 points and 10.6 rebounds a game this season.

Thompson was was the first choice on 33 of 38 ballots, followed by Marshawn Wilson of Northern Illinois (2), Josh Williams of Akron (2), and CJ Massinburg of Buffalo (1).

The MAC Player of the Year and Coach of the Year awards will be announced on Wednesday, also in a combined vote of selected media and the 12 head coaches.

MAC Defensive Player of the Year
Khaliq Spicer, Kent State, Sr., Center

MAC Sixth Man of the Year
Isaiah Johnson, Akron, Jr. Center

MAC Freshman of the Year (first place votes):
James Thompson IV, Eastern Michigan, Center (33)
Marshawn Wilson, Northern Illinois, Guard (2)
Josh Williams, Akron, Guard (2)
C.J. Massinburg, Buffalo, Guard (1)

Note: A 26 member media panel and 12 head coaches voted on Freshman of the Year.

Some 32 drone teams from around the world will compete in the World Drone Prix races this weekend in Dubai, with $1 million in prizes to be awarded.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The miniature roar of drones will skim over the skies of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Friday and Saturday when teams compete in what organizers describe as the largest drone racing event in the world.

Some 32 teams will be selected from more than 100 qualifiers for the World Drone Prix races that will award $1 million in prizes.

Teams consisting of a pilot, navigator, pit crew and technician will vie on a 646-yard course created for the race, featuring two shortcut lanes and a twisting "joker lane."

Pilots will guide their aircraft at speeds that could reach more than 60 mph, using a view of the course provided by front-facing cameras. Competitors can use any kind of drone and components.

Their objectives include finishing the race, overcoming all obstacles, accruing the least number of penalties, and making a minimum of one pit stop and one trip down the joker lane.

Track obstacles are designed to test the pilot's agility and coordination, ability to maintain course against wind, maneuvering skills, and ability to make quick changes in direction.

The event, hosted by the World Organization of Racing Drones, will award cash prizes in several categories including best lap time, freestyle team, track team, construction and fan favorite.

Dubai has previously embraced the concept of drone technology as a means of delivering services and improving lives. In 2015, the UAE Drone for Good Award showcased the most positive humanitarian uses of drones, awarding a $1 million prize.

Future drone competitions closer to home include the U.S. National Drone Racing Championship, August 5-7 in New York City, with $50,000 in prizes.

On October 17-22, the World Drone Racing Championship will be held in Hawaii, with $100,00 in prizes.

The club should re-sign several of its free agents and resist the temptation of spending big money on players over 30.

Who could the Browns add in free agency? Here are some predictions. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns aren't expected to be big players in free agency this offseason, but there are players available that could help them get better. Who are some of the players who could interest the Browns?

Michael Reghi, Bud Shaw and Chris Fedor make their bold predictions about who the Browns could spend a little money on to add to the roster. This video is part of our weekly series of videos covering about all topics Cleveland sports.

The Opening Day bout will be the club's 24th consecutive Opening Day sellout. On the afternoon of April 4, fans will see the ballpark's latest renovations for the first time.

Former Toledo great and MAC basketball analyst Steve Mix diagnoses the league's problems and a difficult, but conceivable, cure.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - During his long NBA career, Steve Mix was the "Mayor of Mixville," a wee, imaginary municipality located along the right baseline, from which he would launch left-handed jump shots, mostly for the Philadelphia 76ers.

He was the ultimate expression of basketball as the art of the possible, seldom attempting anything he did not know he could do.

More than 30 years after the retirement of the greatest player in University of Toledo history, Mix's career is more like the impossible dream for Mid-American Conference players today.

As evidence of its decline in quality, only three MAC players are in the NBA today - center Chris Kaman of Central Michigan and now with Portland, center Shayne Whittington from Western Michigan and now with Indiana, and forward Richaun Holmes of Bowling Green State and now with Philadelphia.

The MAC men's tournament begins Thursday at The Q for the one NCAA Tournament bid guaranteed to the league.

The way they were

As recently as the 1990s, the MAC got two bids to the NCAA Tournament, sprang huge upsets, and reached the Sweet 16.

The names still ring from those years -- Earl Boykins and Derrick Dial at Eastern Michigan, Bonzi Wells at Ball State, Wally Szczerbiak at Miami and Antonio Daniels at Bowling Green.

Before that were former Cavaliers Ron Harper of Miami and Dan Majerle of Central Michigan, Dan Roundfield of Central and Grant Long of Eastern.

In the 1960s, the MAC boasted a host of future NBA players, including Bowling Green's Nate Thurmond and Howard Komives. The latter led the nation in scoring in 1963 with a 36.7-point average -- without a 3-point shot. Toledo produced Mix and teammate John Brisker.

Brisker nearly throws the hammer down

The fact that no model exists for Brisker in the MAC today is not entirely a bad thing.

One of the best players in the early days of the ABA, Brisker, a shooting guard and small forward, averaged 28.9 and 29.3 points in back-to-back seasons before jumping to Seattle in the NBA.

He was also the so-called "heavyweight champion of the ABA," one of the most volatile players ever, an "enforcer," always ready with an elbow or fist. Brisker's reputation as a tough guy was so pronounced that the ABA's Pittsburgh Condors pictured him on the cover of their media guide, wearing a sombrero and a brace of six guns.

Tragically, Brisker was never seen again after a 1978 trip to Africa to visit his roots and to meet notorious Ugandan strong man Idi Amin, a basketball fan.

When Mix and Brisker were Toledo teammates, three over-served individuals challenged Mix, who was accompanied by his future wife Maryalice, to a fight in a Toledo bar. Little did they know that Brisker lived in a room above the saloon.

"John! John! I need help!" shouted Mix.

Down the stairs, barefoot and clad only in overalls with no shirt, stormed Brisker, carrying a ball peen hammer.

"There was no fight," Mix said

Thus it was that an undrafted Mix lived on to spend 13 seasons in the NBA, more than only four MAC players ever (Thurmond, Harper, Long and Majerle) and to be the lead MAC analyst for SportsTime Ohio for five years.

Mix will be doing the opening two quarterfinal games Thursday and one semifinal  game Friday for Time-Warner Cable.

MAC Football

"Football is doing much better than basketball. That is the consensus of the conference basketball coaches. The MAC put a lot of money into football programs," said Mix.

Former MAC commissioner Rick Chryst, the brother of Wisconsin football coach Paul Chryst, graduated from Notre Dame and was a football-first guy. MAC  athletic directors, led by former member Marshall, pressed for a television deal and any bowl tie-ins (for at the time they had none) in 1999 when Chryst became commissioner. The MAC sent seven teams to bowls last season.

Chryst's vision, now realized, was of ESPN televising MAC conference games on fallow midweek autumn nights, helping the conference grow from a molehill in the national consciousness to at least a football foothill now.

In 2012, the MAC's Northern Illinois Huskies played in the Orange Bowl. Two  flukey, long touchdown fumble returns by Buffalo denied Ball State a BCS bowl bid in 2008.

"What nights are MAC basketball games on ESPN?" asked Mix, tartly.

The increased football visibility has enabled the MAC to recruit good players from such hotbeds as Texas and California.

While every MAC football facility has been enhanced or even totally replaced, that is not the case with basketball. "Kent State and Akron, man, I played in those places," Mix said of the field houses of two of the MAC's best basketball programs.

Strength of schedule

"Sometimes, you've never heard of some of those teams MAC schools play. What matters is what does your top 50, your top 75 look like in the RPI?" Mix said, referring to a measure of schedule strength.

Keith Dambrot, at times guilty of playing little known schools, has the Zips at a healthy 34 in the RPI as of the past weekend. Ohio is 80^th. Otherwise, everyone is in triple figures, led by Kent State at 105th.

"They can try to play the Big 12, catch a couple of those lower-ranked teams. Same with the ACC," said Mix.

Beating football schools is an old strategy. It helped make Adolph Rupp the "Baron of the Bluegrass."

This year's possibilities with their RPI rankings would have included from the Big 12 Kansas State (89), TCU (116) and Oklahoma State (163), and from the Atlantic Coast Conference  N.C. State (119), Wake Forest (143) and Boston College (247).

Parity is overrated

 "A lot of parity doesn't do you any good. This year, I don't think the MAC will even get an NIT bid," said Mix, making an exception for Akron, the regular season champion, which under the rules must be extended an NIT bid if it doesn't win the conference tournament.

"You're better off with one dominant team everybody hates," argued Mix.

He meant a team like Duke. Or even better a rivalry such as Duke and North Carolina. "I thought Akron and Kent could be like that, but it didn't work out," said Mix.

NCAA Tournament wins

Great publicity is the reward of any mid-major that makes it to the second weekend of the Big Dance. Ohio in 2012 was the last MAC team to get to the Sweet 16.

"But first you have to somehow get a national TV package where you can recruit better players," Mix said.

Alas, the ball peen hammer as an instrument of persuasion probably only works once.

The Cleveland Cavaliers clearly aren't the equal of the Golden State Warriors, who are playing historically great basketball. But that's not the only reason for genuine concern -- Bud Shaw's Sports Spin

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Theory: if the Warriors weren't looking so historically great, fewer people would be fretting about the Cavs at 44-18.

Reality: true.

Just the same, a closer look reveals the Cavs have bigger problems than comparative inferiority to the best team in basketball.

If you prefer to believe the Cavs are simply victims of Eastern Conference boredom, fine. The playoffs will tell us if that's true.

Just know that they will likely go into those playoffs looking far less convincing than they did a year ago.

Remember that team? Finished the season strong and found more cohesion under that other coach than they've exhibited under Tyronn Lue.

The Cavs are 14-7 since they fired David Blatt, 10-6 since February 1.

I know. It's not all about the record.

It's about improvement.

See any?

Strangely, it's also become about bed bugs and sub Tweets and talk of enforcers. But more tellingly, it's about blown fourth-quarter leads, and a lay-down game without LeBron James in Washington and a home loss to a Memphis team missing four starters.

Kyrie Irving talked Monday of prepping, through film study, for Mike Conley only to get word that Conley wasn't going to play. That's not an excuse, Irving said, even as he trotted it out for examination.

The Cavs look and sound soft.

Kendrick Perkins isn't the answer. Focus is their biggest weakness. They are too easily distracted.

Kevin Love, who once projected as the biggest beneficiary of the coaching change, has regressed.

Cavs' mental toughness is under the microscope

ESPN's numbers on Love: 25 percent on threes since the All-Star break, 34 percent shooting overall (and 6.5 rebounds) in the last seven games.

Two seasons into the Big Three, James is still talking about how much the Cavs have to learn.

The problem with that is he might be dead on.

The Cavs should be beyond that, no?

 The Big Three should be a security blanket for Cavs' fans, a known comfort when the long slog of a regular season makes it difficult for them to get excited about the Wizards or Detroit or the decimated Grizzlies.

The Cavs were obviously the best team in the East when last year's playoffs dawned - and the equal of anyone in the West - and everybody knew it.

They're still the best team in the East but they've opened the door to the idea of equal footing for Boston and/or Toronto. 

Is there reason to genuinely believe they won't make the NBA Finals? No.

It's also never been about that. It's not even technically about Golden State or San Antonio. Yet.

It's about  a dwindling number of regular season games available to start playing consistently well.

This team, in early March, with the Big Three intact, wouldn't beat the Warriors or San Antonio in a playoff series.

But I'm not sure I'd pick them to beat another team, either: the Cavs of the 2015 playoffs.

The Browns will cut ties with Johnny Manziel as early as Wednesday at 4 p.m. They might wait a day or two to see if anyone wants to trade for him, but he's gone very soon.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns will cut ties with Johnny Manziel as early as Wednesday at 4 p.m. when the new league year opens, but it could also happen a day or two later.

The club had to wait until the start of the new league year to waive him, because it rolled its cap money over to 2016 and didn't have the space to absorb the $4,333,487 cap hit.

But the wait is over, and the Browns are ready to say farewell as soon as possible to their 2014 No. 22 overall pick.

They might exercise patience for a day or two to see if a team is willing to part with a conditional late-round pick for the troubled quarterback. That's not expected to happen, of course, but if a team will take Manziel and the remainder of his contract off the Browns' hands, they'll surely oblige.

Although Manziel is an off-the-field concern because of his legal issues and possible substance abuse problem, he presents very little financial risk. A new team would only owe him his 2016 base salary: $1,169,872 (guaranteed); his 2017 base salary: $1,004,125 (guaranteed) and his 2017 roster bonus: $250,000 (if he's on the roster on the fifth league day of 2017).

If a team is intrigued by Manziel, it might not want to take a chance on him clearing waivers. Again, it's unlikely anyone will surrender a draft pick for him, but stranger things have happened in the NFL.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was enamored with Manziel coming out of the draft, but he's not expected to acquire him given his legal troubles and other issues. Manziel is under investigation by a grand jury in Dallas for a Class A misdemeanor Assault/Domestic violence incident against his ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley.

The misdemeanor charge carries a punishment of up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

He's also under investigation by the NFL under its personal-conduct policy and faces a possible suspension by the league.

Manziel, Gordon together at the UFC196 fights in Vegas

The Browns can also try to recoup some of Manziel's guaranteed money if he's suspended by the NFL and defaults on his contract. The club is likely to do so after all the negative attention he's brought to the team.

In 2014, he signed a four-year deal worth $8,248,596, including a $4,318,980 signing bonus and $7,998,596 guaranteed -- and all they got out of him was two victories in six starts.

The Browns are unlikely to hang onto Manziel until he's suspended by the NFL to try to get some of their money back. The team is trying to establish a new culture under Hue Jackson and doesn't want its new head coach saddled with the Manziel saga.

The longer he's on the roster, the more distractions. On Saturday, Manziel was photographed at the UFC196 fights in Las Vegas with suspended receiver Josh Gordon, who's applied for reinstatement to the NFL from his indefinite drug ban.

For a player trying to get back in the good graces of the Browns and make a good first impression on his new head coach, it wasn't a good look for Gordon.

The Browns are tired of the drama and ready to move on. They'll likely draft a quarterback with their No. 2 overall pick and close the crazy chapter on Johnny Football.

It won't be long now.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will begin their four-game road trip when they play the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. Tipoff is at 10 p.m. and the game will be shown on Fox Sports Ohio.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers will begin their four-game road trip when they play the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. Tipoff is at 10 p.m. and the game will be shown on Fox Sports Ohio. On radio, it will be simulcast on WTAM-AM 1100, 100.7 WMMS-FM and 87.7 FM (ESP).

The Cavaliers (44-18) are coming off a tough loss against the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies, 106-103.

In the loss, the Cavaliers committed a season-high 25 turnovers. LeBron James, the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for February, scored 28 points. 

Sacramento (25-37) has lost six of its last seven games. Most recently, the fading Kings stumbled against the New Orleans Pelicans, 115-112.

In the loss, leading scorer DeMarcus Cousins poured in 40 points to go with 16 rebounds. On the season, Cousins is averaging 27.3 points and 11.5 rebounds. In the first game against the Cavs, a 20-point win for the Wine and Gold, Cousins scored just 14 points. 

Wednesday marks the first in a stretch of four games in six days for the Cavaliers, a trip that finishes on Monday night against the Utah Jazz. 

Catch the coverage from before the game; join in the live chat starting at tipoff; and stick around for full postgame coverage. For all Cavs information, be sure to check out cleveland.com/cavs. 

"Here I am," Newble said, "getting ready for one of the biggest playoff games on one of the best teams playing with one of the best players in the world and I just had to take a step back and look at it. Most people don't even know, I played basketball in high school, but I had gotten kicked out of high school. Basketball was an afterthought." Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ira Newble now coaches in the NBA's Developmental League. It's a good fit.

"Who better than me?" Newble said, citing the path he traveled to achieve solid footing in the NBA.

Newble split his college years between a community college in Mississippi and Miami University in Ohio. He proceeded to play in the IBA, the CBA, the USBL and overseas in Cyprus before he found stability in the NBA. He spent nearly six years with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The small forward joined the team in 2003, the same summer that LeBron James became the face of the franchise. Their backgrounds could not have been more different. James' portrait was plastered all over magazines during his high school years. Newble was kicked out of his Detroit high school and he didn't even have aspirations of playing basketball beyond his school years.

In this week's Thursday Conversation, we'll examine Newble's path to the NBA and how he developed into a veteran presence on a title contender in Cleveland.

"Here I am," Newble said, "getting ready for one of the biggest playoff games on one of the best teams playing with one of the best players in the world and I just had to take a step back."

We'll get Newble's take on when he and his teammates knew LeBron James was destined for stardom. Newble also played alongside Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant.

"When I left Cleveland and went to L.A.," Newble said, "I got asked the question a lot, 'Who's better, LeBron or Kobe?'"

We'll discuss what it was like for Newble -- who still resides in Cleveland for part of the year -- to dispatch his hometown team, the Pistons, to advance to the NBA Finals. Newble will also provide insight into when the league's elite teams begin to flip that switch during the regular season to prepare for the playoffs.

We'll also hear Newble's tale of being traded by the Cavs in 2008, when he learned of the deal by turning on ESPN. Of course, the network didn't have the full details of the trade up on the screen, so Newble was somewhat misinformed. It's a crazy tale. Catch it in this week's Thursday Conversation.

Spencer has strong ties to Columbus but has also coached with Smith for more than a decade.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Tim Spencer played at Ohio State, the running back the Buckeyes fourth all-time leading rusher behind Archie Griffin, Ezekiel Elliott and Eddie George.

He coached at Ohio State, serving as the running backs coach from 1994 to 2003.

He sent his son to Ohio State, with receiver Evan Spencer starting and winning a national championship with the Buckeyes in 2014.

Now he's with Illinois.

Coachingsearch.com reported Wednesday that Spencer will join Lovie Smith's new staff with the Fighting Illini as the running backs coach, which certainly makes a lot of sense.

Spencer coached with Smith for 11 years, serving as his running backs coach with the Chicago Bears and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Spencer's coaching life has been either at his alma mater or with Smith, and in 1995 they coached together in Columbus when Smith spent his lone season as an OSU assistant.

So Spencer is joining him again, after Smith was introduced as the new Illinois coach on Monday.

Lovie Smith latest head coach with background as OSU assistant