The Cleveland Indians are offering a second round of Tribe Six Pack tickets. Here's the info on which games are included.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Indians are offering another round of Tribe Six Pack tickets to certain weekend games during the 2017 season.

The team says the original Six Pack offering sold out quickly. This option will be available through Friday, Feb. 24. Go to indians.com/sixpacks.

Tribe Six Packs are packages of tickets to six Friday, Saturday or Sunday games:

* Friday Six Pack: Includes Sugardale Dollar Dogs and fireworks. All games start at 7:10 p.m.

* Saturday Six Pack: Includes premium promotional item. First-pitch times vary.

* Sunday Six Pack: Includes KeyBank Kids Fun Day. All games start at 1:10 p.m. except the July 9 game, which begins at 8:05 p.m.

Weekends

* April 14-16: vs. Detroit. The Tigers finished 86-75 in second place in the AL Central.

* May 12-14: vs. Minnesota. The Twins finished 59-103 in last place in the AL Central.

* July 7-9: vs. Detroit.

* July 21-23: vs. Toronto. The Blue Jays finished 89-73 tied with Baltimore in the AL East, and lost in five games to Cleveland in the American League Championship Series.

* Sept. 8-10: vs. Baltimore. The Orioles finished 89-73, tied with Toronto, and lost a one-game playoff to the Blue Jays.

* Sept. 15-17: vs. Kansas City. The Royals finished 81-81 in the AL Central.

Pricing

$91: Upper reserved.

$123: Upper Box.

$126: Family Deck.

$219: Lower Box.

$384: Club Outfield.

Minimum prices for the first round of Tribe Six Pack tickets started at $86. It included early access to buy tickets for Opening Day, which is Tuesday, April 11, against the Chicago White Sox.

Single-game tickets go on sale Monday, March 6.

Cleveland Cavaliers fans weigh in on their concerns about the team's recent losing skid.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With Wednesday's stunning overtime loss to Sacramento, the Cleveland Cavaliers have dropped three consecutive games and six of their last eight matchups.

It is the second time the Cavaliers have lost three straight this season, but it is the way that the losses are piling up that is raising concern among fans.

The team is struggling to stay with sub-500 teams such as New Orleans and Sacramento, and has surrendered more than 100 points to its opponents in 11 straight games.

In close games against San Antonio, New Orleans and Sacramento, the team has been unable to execute offensively in clutch situations and close out wins.

Despite the addition of sharpshooter Kyle Korver, the Cavaliers have struggled to move the ball on offense and create open shots, while relying too much on the Big Three of LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving to shoulder the scoring load.

And internal strife is starting to show as the organization works to find bench players to replace departed Matthew Dellavedova and Timofey Mozgov.

So, what is the most concerning aspect of the Cavaliers' recent struggles? Vote in the poll below and defend your position in the comments section.

The Indians are expected to announce Friday that they will host the 2019 All-Star Game at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The momentum that the Indians have built over the last four years has made an impression. Not only in the won-loss column, but at the highest levels of Major League Baseball.

It is one of the reasons the franchise has been awarded the 2019 All-Star Game. The team is expected to hold a press conference announcing the arrival of the Midsummer Classic on Friday.

Cleveland and the All-Star Game is a good fit.

The Indians have posted four straight winning seasons, culminating in last year's AL pennant and run to the seventh game of the World Series before losing to the Cubs in 10 innings. Manager Terry Francona was named AL Manager of the Year for the second time in the last four seasons for leading the Indians to their first AL Central title since 2007 and first pennant since 1997.

While attendance has lagged during this stretch, owner Paul Dolan has spent millions on refurbishing Progressive Field with the help of concessionaire Delaware North. The ballpark has undergone two major facelifts over the last two years and more work is being done this offseason.

The renovations have reduced the seating capacity at Progressive Field from an estimated 44,000 to just over 38,000.

This will be the sixth All-Star Game played in Cleveland. The last one was in 1997 and featured favorite son, Sandy Alomar, hitting a game-winning home run for the American League. Alomar, a six-time All-Star for the Indians, is the team's first base coach.

It will be the first All-Star Game played in an American League Park in four years. San Diego hosted the game last year with Miami and Washington hosting the game in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Francona will manage the AL All-Stars this year at Marlins Park on July 11.

The 1997 All-Star Game was played in the midst of an Indians' revival that saw them win six division titles and two pennants in seven years from 1995 through 2001. During that time, they topped three million in attendance for six straight seasons and sold out a then record 455 straight games.

Could the Indians be on the verge of something similar?

In December, Dolan green-lighted the signing of Edwin Encarnacion, the top free agent run producer, to a three-year $60 million contract. The signing, the biggest in team history, includes a club option that could push the deal to $80 million. The Indians will enter the 2017 season with a payroll in excess of $100 million for the first time in franchise history.

Encarnacion will be joining a team that finished second in the AL in runs scored last season and reached Game 7 of the World Series with the best part of the club - its starting rotation - wounded because of injuries to Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar and Trevor Bauer.

They have a deep and talented farm system that allowed them to acquire left-hander Andrew Miller from the Yankees at the trading deadline last year. Francona's creativity, along with Miller's talent and willingness to pitch at any part of the game, has given new insight on how teams might use their bullpens in the seasons to come.

That same farm system has produced Gold Glove shortstop Francisco Lindor, an All-Star in just his second season in the big leagues. It has also found third baseman Jose Ramirez, second baseman Jason Kipnis, closer Cody Allen, center fielder Tyler Naquin, right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall, catcher Roberto Perez and starters Josh Tomlin and Carrasco.

A smart front office, led by Chris Antonetti, has added to those homegrown players by acquiring Corey Kluber, Bauer, Carrasco, Michael Brantley, Yan Gomes, Brandon Guyer, Dan Otero, Zach McAllister, Carlos Santana and Bryan Shaw through trades.

The Indians won the Central by eight games last year. They enter this season as the team to beat in a division at the crossroads. The Twins and White are rebuilding. The Royals, stunned by the death of right-hander Yordano Ventura, could be looking at a rebuild as well after reaching the World Series in 2014 and 2015. The Tigers, old but dangerous, are expected to be the Indians biggest challenge.

It's clear that the Indians' window to win and go deep into the postseason is wide open. There's a chance that window could still be wide open in July of 2019 when best players in the big leagues once again come to Cleveland.

There are better ways to explain that the Browns need to do a better job keeping their middle class of players. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Yes, five players who used to be paid to play football in Cleveland will now take part in this Super Bowl.

We get it.

But find a better way to make points about what the Browns need to do better. The Browns must do a better job of retaining their mid-level talent. Correct. Asked and answered. Joe Thomas said it in the middle of the season, and he couldn't have been more right.

But watch the video to find out why I'm already tired of this ex-Browns story.

There's a mid-to-late-'90s vibe emerging at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario. The Indians are expected to hold a press conference on Friday morning to announce that they will host the 2019 MLB All-Star Game at Progressive Field. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There's a mid-to-late-'90s vibe emerging at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.

The Indians will hold a press conference on Friday morning to announce that they will host the 2019 MLB All-Star Game at Progressive Field, multiple sources told cleveland.com. The city last hosted the sport's Midsummer Classic in 1997, in the middle of a storied (albeit title-less) era in the franchise's history.

In that 1997 exhibition, Tribe catcher Sandy Alomar captured the Most Valuable Player Award for his go-ahead two-run home run in the seventh inning, which vaulted the American League to a 3-1 victory. The Indians have hosted the All-Star Game on four other occasions, as well. In 1935, 1954, 1963 and 1981, the contest took place at Municipal Stadium.

The 2019 game will mark the sixth in Cleveland. No other franchise has hosted more, and only New York and Chicago -- areas with multiple teams -- have hosted more as a city.

The selection of Progressive Field will snap a string of four consecutive National League sites chosen to host the event. The Marlins will accommodate the league's top talent at this year's game. The Nationals will host next year's game. The Twins were the last AL team to host the affair. They did so at Target Field in 2014.

Since the last time the Indians hosted, the majority of their AL adversaries have also taken a turn.

1999: Boston

2001: Seattle

2003: Chicago White Sox

2004: Houston (an NL club, at the time)

2005: Detroit

2008: New York Yankees

2010: Los Angeles Angels

2012: Kansas City Royals

2014: Minnesota Twins

The Orioles hosted the All-Star Game in 1993, the year after Baltimore began play at Camden Yards. The Blue Jays hosted the game in 1991. The Rangers last hosted in 1995, though they are expected to open a new ballpark in 2020.

The Rays have never hosted the affair at Tropicana Field since their inception in 1998. The Athletics last hosted in 1987, but they remain in need of a new facility.

The Indians have made a series of sweeping renovations to Progressive Field over the last few years. They eliminated thousands of seats in right field and behind home plate, as they installed a large bar and drink rails and an enclosed gathering area for season-ticket holders. They cleared out some of the foundation on the main concourse to improve the view of the field for those walking around the ballpark. They also welcomed a slew of local vendors to the venue.

The club's attendance, seemingly stuck in the mud for a handful of years, ultimately increased last season. It certainly helped that the team captured its first division title in nine years and advanced to Game 7 of the World Series, the club's first appearance in the Fall Classic since 1997.

The Indians anticipate another attendance boost in 2017. The club sold several hundred season-ticket packages following the free-agent addition of three-time All-Star Edwin Encarnacion.

The Indians' next-door neighbors, the Cavaliers, are planning $140 million worth of renovations to Quicken Loans Arena over the next few years. The Cavs are expected to land an NBA All-Star Game in the near-future as well. The Cavs also last hosted the star-studded affair in 1997.

The Indians sent three players to the All-Star Game in 2016: Corey Kluber, Danny Salazar and Francisco Lindor. Salazar did not pitch because of a tender right arm. Kluber earned the victory, which merited the AL home-field advantage in the World Series. That All-Star Game wrinkle was eliminated in the latest collective bargaining agreement.

The Cleveland Cavaliers' free throw problems and propensity for turnovers get a lot of attention. Their lack of game-long effort lately should too.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Larry Bird said it best last season, when the Golden State Warriors won 73 games, a record, mostly because they just didn't like to lose.

In a telephone interview discussing the growing role of the 3-point shot in the modern NBA and the Warriors' heavy use of it, what caught the eye of Bird, the Boston Celtics' icon and head of the Indiana Pacers' front office, was more elemental.

"Did you ever see a champion come out the way the Warriors have this season? " Bird asked. "Usually, there's complacency you have to deal with"

Paying attention to apathy?

Behind closed doors in Independence, at a practice facility that might as well be called Complacency Center, the Cavs surely will work on their listlessness, although not too hard or the listlessness would be ruined.

They must focus on their distractions, hard as this is to do, while lazing in the same apathy with which they have begun games of late.

It's only January, so there is plenty of time to fix this. But the new year has brought out the worst in the NBA champions, who are playing like anything but that.

The Cavs have simply not bothered to play hard throughout the game several times this season.

Dog days

The "dog days" excuse of heading into the All-Star Game break doesn't hold up. The All-Star Game is still over three weeks away.

When did this "dog" start barking, anyway? When you threw out the Christmas tree?

The underwhelming Cavs of Mike Fratello a generation ago would push hard going into the All-Star break. Fratello knew he could steal games against teams playing lackluster basketball. It still works.

Two bad losses

The Cavs took a 10-point lead against usually inoffensive Sacramento in the fourth quarter Wednesday night at The Q, then seemed surprised that the visitors did not drop to one knee and say, "As you wish, my liege." The Cavs wound up losing in overtime.

Monday night, they roused themselves from their lethargy late in the game at New Orleans, whose Pelicans were playing without their best player, Anthony Davis. The Cavs had to be perfect down the stretch, and this team right now is anything but that. They lost again.

Against Sacramento, the Cavs committed 18 turnovers. LeBron James had five and is averaging six per game over the past three games.

Against Sacramento, they missed 17 free throws.

The worst team in the NBA, Brooklyn, visits The Q on Friday.

He's the man to foul

Tristan Thompson is the equivalent of a turnover at the line right now. He is making only 48.1 percent on the season and was two-for-six against the Kings.

Thompson changed shooting hands a few years ago. Most NBA players already know which is their dominant hand.

In Thompson's right hand these days is a brick, in his left some mortar,

Triple doubles and the Big Three

Other statistics are more alarming. James has had two straight triple-doubles (aggregate total: 50 points, 23 rebounds, 23 assists) and the Cavs lost both games.

The Big Three of James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love combined for 97 points in New Orleans and 65 against Sacramento, and the Cavs lost both games.

They have now lost six of their last eight games. The bench is thin, the defense worse.  

In the six losses, they gave up an average of 114 points. Even allowing for two overtime games, that's too many.

Who said you were?

After the Kings game, James said of refuted trade rumors involving his friend Carmelo Anthony, "We can't be playing fantasy basketball."

It's been anything but a fantasy, rest assured.

And the Cavs have.

Switzer, who lived with Trubisky in college, wouldn't mind following his teammate to an NFL team.

MOBILE, Ala. -- Ask former North Carolina wide receiver Ryan Switzer if there's a part of him that wants to follow his former teammate, quarterback Mitch Trubisky, to the same NFL team, and he's not shy.

"What? There's not a part of me. There's a whole me," Switzer told cleveland.com. "I would love to play with Mitch at the next level. That would be ... what ... Cleveland's got four picks in the first two rounds, too, so I'm not shy about saying that would be nice. That would be nice."

Can you blame him? Switzer, who was already authoring an impressive career with the Tar Heels, put up the third-best single season by a receiver in school history during his senior season, catching 96 passes for 1,112 yards. He went over 100 yards receiving four times and over 200 yards once. He was easily one of Trubisky's go-to targets.

"If you're playing quarterback, you've got two defensive ends coming pretty fast at your face," Switzer said, "you want to know that you've got a guy or a couple guys out there that you can trust and throw the ball to, so me and him were just on the same page, to be honest. He knew where I was going to be and all the hot reads and checks like that, we were able to connect."

Even though Trubisky only started one season, his connection with Switzer was forged over four years of living together.

"I've been throwing with Mitch since three years before he took over that role," Switzer said. "I knew what he was capable of. It was just a matter of him getting in that system."

So while league evaluators and pundits try to measure what it means that Trubisky only started 13 games, Switzer and his teammates knew all along what they had.

"When his success started coming and me and him started clicking and the offense started rolling, there was nothing to be surprised about," Switzer said, "because we knew who Mitch Trubisky was. It was just foreign to the rest of the world."

Trubisky's not here, of course, so Switzer is flying solo as a wide receiver for Hue Jackson's South team during Senior Bowl week. Standing 5-foot-9, his impact isn't just felt catching the football, but in the return game as well. He is a two-time All-American as a returner, tying the NCAA record with five punt return touchdowns in 2013 and returning two more in 2015. He finished his career one punt return shy of the career record.

"I'm not really out to prove anything to be honest," he said. "I'm just here for another opportunity to play ball. I enjoy football and I enjoy playing it, so I'm not really focused on proving anything."

Switzer said he believes he has a high ceiling and ultimately believes he can be as good as the work he puts in at the next level.

As for his college roommate?

"Mitch is going to be as good as he wants to be, and if I know Mitch, the Mitch that I've known for four years, he'll do just that."

Switzer, meanwhile, wouldn't mind being on the receiving end of Trubisky's pro success.

-----

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Can Martell be the face of a national program? Watch video

LAS VEGAS -- There's so much more that goes into whether a quarterback can be successful at a place like Ohio State than his skill set. 

Tate Martell passed a few important tests before enrolling at Ohio State a few weeks ago. For instance, can he be the face of a national program? 

Martell, who played at West Coast powerhouse Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman, he's already shown he can not only handle the pressure, but he can win. 

"Yeah, I think he's proven it," Gorman coach Kenny Sanchez told cleveland.com. "Time in and time out. I don't know too many quarterbacks who have played the games he's played in the last three years and come out unscathed." 

Rated the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Martell went 45-0 in his career as a starter at Bishop Gorman. Part of that is because Gorman's roster is typically vastly more talented than its opponent, but Martell also won the big games, the ones that were on national television. 

* Inside Bishop Gorman and why Ohio State recruits it

The 5-foot-11, 203-pound prospect played at the richest high school program in the country the previous three years. He enjoyed state-of-the-art facilities, participated in regimented practices, watched film in a team meeting room, played in the spotlight and finished all of it with the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award. 

"It helps, how could it not, right?" Sanchez told cleveland.com. "We fly to games, we stay in hotels, and (our players) have to do the schoolwork while they're doing all of that, too, so it's a lot like a college. It's a smaller version of one. We play on national television.

"It's structured for you to be successful when you get to the next level. ... I think Tate did really well in this environment and it's going to help him at Ohio State." 

Martell is already going to classes and he'll participate in spring practice, which clearly gives him a head start on acclimating to the college life. That's often the most difficult thing for highly-rated prospects. 

* How Ohio State built a pipeline at Bishop Gorman

Not only did Martell perform in those 45 wins -- he threw 113 touchdowns -- he became an online personality on Twitter. He has nearly 40,000 followers. 

He's articulate, smart and confident. 

Martell isn't going to play in 2017 and he'll have to win an intense quarterback competition if he ever starts. But Sanchez thinks his background and willingness to put in the work makes him a unique prospect.

"His competitiveness, how hard he worked every day, his natural ability that he had, which is really his God-given gift, but how he used all those things to get better and work hard every single day," Sanchez said. "He's a great kid to be around, a fun kid, ultra, ultra competitor and a very tough as well. You put all those things together, on top of his natural ability to be good, and you got what you got." 

Celebrate an unforgettable year in Cleveland sports by following us during the Cleveland Sports Awards tonight.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It was an undeniably special year in the world of Cleveland sports and it's now time to celebrate all the city's tremendous athletic accomplishments. 

The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission will host the annual Cleveland Sports Awards on Thursday evening and we'll be there to provide coverage on various social media platforms. 

Social Media Coordinator Hayden Grove will be on scene adding to our Snap story (username: clevelanddotcom), going live on our Facebook page and providing pictures and videos from our Twitter account and Instagram account. 

All of the action begins around 6 p.m. from the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel downtown.

RELATED: Indians to host 2019 MLB All-Star Game 

The one thing to understand right now is this: Ohio State is the clear and heavy favorite to sign the 6-foot-6, 320-pound prospect.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Four-star offensive tackle Thayer Munford of Massillon (Ohio) Washington was on commitment watch all weekend during his official visit to Ohio State. 

Though Munford didn't have an offer heading into the trip, Ohio State visited him at his school and invited him for the official, actions that indicate an offer was on the way. 

Now it's Thursday and there hasn't been a reported offer. There also hasn't been a commitment. 

So what's up? Probably nothing more than a little drama -- for fun -- building for National Signing Day next Wednesday. 

Munford hasn't done interviews since he took his trip, but he posted a cryptic message on his public Twitter account that basically implied that he was going off the grid until February. 

That could mean a signing day announcement. Or maybe he'll surprise earlier in the week and announce his pledge. 

The one thing to understand right now, though, is this: Ohio State is the clear and heavy favorite to sign the 6-foot-6, 320-pound prospect. 

This is not the end. It is the beginning of the new journey. I'll see y'all in February. #0Dark30

-- Thayer Munford (@Big_Grizze62) January 24, 2017

Rated the No. 31 offensive tackle in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Munford has been Ohio State's top offensive line target since four-star Jake Moretti of Arvada (Colo.) Pomona flipped to Colorado in mid-November. 

We've compiled a list of the 10 best Cleveland athletes to follow on Instagram in 2017. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A new year has brought about an opportunity to up your game on Instagram. What better way to step it up than to follow some of Cleveland's most entertaining athletes?

We've compiled a list of the 10 best Cleveland athletes to follow on Instagram, both in the video above and the list below.

Do you have any favorite accounts featuring local athletes? Share the info with everyone in the comments section below.

10. Francisco Lindor - @lindor12BC

The slick Indians shortstop is often sharing his sense of style, his contagious smile, and even some in-game action shots on his account. Also, you can find a taco... 

9. Stipe Miocic - @stipemiocicUFC

Though he's known for his toughness in the ring, Miocic shows a softer, funnier side on his Instagram account. Posting things like a jump on the beach and a photoshopped masterpiece featuring himself and some cats, the UFC champion fighter reveals his true identity through his account. 

8. Jason Kipnis - @jasonkipnis22

Kipnis gives his followers a peek behind the curtain, posting plenty of training videos as he prepares for a new season. The Indians second baseman also sheds light into his personal life, with family photos and a glimpse at his nights on the town. 

7. Joe Haden - @joehaden23

A new father, Haden has introduced a chubby face to his Instagram account-- that of his infant son. While the action shots of the Browns cornerback, fashion shots and loads of sneaker photos make up the majority of his postings, the littlest Haden is a welcome addition to the page. 

6. Channing Frye - @realcfrye

Though the Cavaliers player has now opened his Snap account for public access, Frye does some pretty good work through his Instagram. He may not provide much info regarding his own life, but the big shooter is always good for a laugh with funny memes and hilarious videos. 

5. Jose Ramirez - @ramirez_jose11

Ramirez's Instagram account provides all the flair that he puts forth on the field for the Indians. Filled with selfies, out-there outfits and plenty of moments with family and friends, you'll be as entertained by the photos as you are by Ramirez himself. 

4. Terrelle Pryor - @terrellepryor

Made up of fashion and action, Pryor's Instagram account is aesthetically pleasing. Unlike most of the others on this list, however, what makes Pryor's account so entertaining is the volume of Instagram Stories he posts. Whether the Browns wide receiver is in the car or hanging with his son, Pryor provides more of a look into his life through the Stories feature than he does through the photos. 

3. Kevin Love - @kevinlove

Let's be honest: Love could probably make a career as an Instagram model. Though that may be the case, the Cavaliers star managed to mix up the Banana Republic photoshoots with some other fun. Not only will Love post pictures from his personal life, but he'll make fun of himself and his teammates all the while.

2. Kyrie Irving - @kyrieirving

If you're a fan of basketball and sneakers, look no further than Irving's Instagram. The Cavs point guard posts plenty of his new kicks, as well as shots during the game. He's second in followers on this list at 8.2 million as of Jan. 26. 

1. LeBron James - @KingJames

Finally, and of course, LeBron's Instagram account is THE account to follow in Cleveland. A perfect mix of the serious, the comedic and the inspirational, James gives his NBA fans an awesome glimpse into his life on a daily basis. If you're not following James, well, that's something you should likely fix soon. He's followed by nearly 28 million people.

When you're through following these guys, you can follow us on Instagram here! 

Eagles executive VP Howie Roseman paid a king's ransom to the Browns to draft Carson Wentz at No. 2, but he'd do it all over again. Watch video

MOBILE, Ala. -- When Eagles executive vice president Howie Roseman left the Senior Bowl last year, he knew that quarterback Carson Wentz was his man.

He just needed a willing trade partner to go up and get him.

He found that in the Browns, and Roseman firmly believes he found his franchise quarterback.

"When we look at it, Carson Wentz fits the Philadelphia Eagles,'' Roseman told cleveland.com after a Senior Bowl practice. "He's got a skill set that we're looking for at the quarterback position that our folks are going to run. He's got the temperament and leadership style that kind of fits our city and it's a been a good fit for us.

"Now, it's on all of us to make sure he's surrounded by the right people and that we take a jump from year one to year two but obviously, in the situation we're in now we're excited to have him on our football team."

Almost a year after that blockbuster trade up from No. 8 to No. 2, Roseman would make the deal all over again in a heartbeat -- even though the Browns have his No. 12 overall pick this year and his second-rounder next year.

"The best trades are always the trades that are win-win for both teams and when we look at this trade, from our perspective, we had a very specific need at that position long term, we identified someone that fit with our offensive system and we're really excited about Carson,'' said Roseman, who was general manager for the Eagles from 2010-14 before assuming his current title. "By the same token, Cleveland had a plan in place that they're sticking to and they're really excited about having the 12th pick in the draft and having our second-round pick next year.

"When we look at it, it was a great example of what trades should be: really good for the Philadelphia Eagles, really good for the Cleveland Browns."

Roseman, whose team went 7-9 last season with Wentz starting every game, admitted that he looked ahead to the 2017 quarterback class before deciding to roll the dice. This year's class includes Deshaun Watson, Mitch Trubisky and DeShone Kizer.

"We did,'' he said. "We had spent a lot of time looking at this year's class and trying to figure out where could we get up to and who was going to be there, knowing that guys emerge and whoever typically had been the hot guy before we did the trade in March or in early April, knowing things would change."

"But for us, we kind of had this bird in the hand, and two teams at the top of the draft who were willing to move up. ... We just felt like we had to take advantage of the moment and if we kept saying 'well maybe the next year, maybe the year after,' that we would kind of keep pushing it forward. At some point, we needed to take the Band-Aid off and say 'hey, we're going for it' and we're going to build around the 23-year-old quarterback.''

Roseman admitted he was sold after watching Wentz practice for three days at the Senior Bowl last year.

"When we came down here, we had done a bunch of work on the quarterbacks and getting a chance to see him throw live beyond the field level, see the ball come out of his hands, see his size, see his leadership ability, see his footwork and then we had a chance to meet with him in a hotel room and get to see how smart he was and his personality showing through,'' he said. "We had already thought at this point, that if there was an opportunity to move up, we would. But we were sitting there without a second-round pick and picking 13th (they traded with Miami to move up to No. 8), but after we left here, we all got on the plane and we got back to Philly and said, "man, it would be great if we could find a way to move up.''  

He knew it wouldn't be easy. But he has no regrets. The Eagles gave up their the No. 8 pick in the first round, their third and fourth-round picks in 2016 (77 and 100), their first-round pick in 2017 and their second-round pick in 2018. The Browns threw in a fourth-rounder in 2017 along with No. 2.

"It took a lot of work and a great credit to Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta and the rest of their staff, Andrew Berry about working together and trying to find a solution that we could all live,'' he said. "Because we didn't have a lot of picks last year and they have a plan in place that's not just for one year but when you're running a team, to have a long-term plan is an important thing and it seems like they've really got that.''

Wentz' rookie season was not without its ups and down. DePodesta said the Browns passed on him because they didn't believe he'd be a top 20 quarterback in the NFL -- and he wasn't as a rookie. He finished 25th with a 79.3 rating. But the Eagles lost their starting right tackle in Lane Johnson to a 10-game suspension and Wentz didn't have much of a supporting cast. They lost five straight at one point and went 1-7 on the road. This off-season, they'll send Wentz to California to work on his throwing motion with a biomechanics expert.

The Browns have been thrilled with their end of the bargain, which included another trade down from No. 8 to No. 15. From the haul, they drafted receiver Corey Coleman, offensive lineman Shon Coleman, quarterback Cody Kessler, receiver Ricardo Louis, safety Derrick Kindred, receiver Jordan Payton and offensive lineman Spencer Drango. All finished last season on the roster.

Still to come are the 12th pick in the first round, this year's second-rounder from the Titans and next year's second-rounder from the Eagles.

If all goes as planned, the Browns will end up with their franchise quarterback too, either as a draft pick or dealing a pick or picks for a quarterback such as New England's Jimmy Garoppolo.

"We're really happy about the players that we ended up with in that transaction, and in fact, (three) key players from that transaction we don't even know what their names are yet,'' DePodesta said at the Browns' wrapup presser. "In any transaction, you hope you do well and you're perfectly happy if the other team does well, too. That is how good trades happen."

The Eagles still have a first round pick -- the 14th overall -- from the trade of veteran QB Sam Bradford to Minnesota. 

"Sometimes luck plays a big part of it,'' said Roseman. "When you look at the trade with the Vikings and talking to Rick Spielman down here, they couldn't be more excited abut Sam Bradford too, so they're real excited about their end of that trade and we're excited that we were able to get back in the first round and a draft held in Philly in front of our own fans.

"That's the exciting thing is that you can call those guys in Cleveland and talk to them about making a trade again because they feel good about their end and we feel good about our end. You can call Minnesota and know that we have an honest relationship, we'll be honest about the players that we're talking about and that's a good way to do business in the National Football League.''

As long as the Browns end up with their own version of Wentz, it should be a win-win for all.

Joe Thomas gave his thoughts on what the Browns should do at No. 1.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Joe Thomas is in Orlando preparing to represent the Browns in Sunday's Pro Bowl, and found time Thursday for an interview with The Dan Patrick Show.

The Browns have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, so, naturally, that came up. Patrick asked Thomas what position the team should target at the top of the draft.

"I would say you want to go defense. I think you need to get a pass rusher," said Thomas. "I think you've got to be careful reaching for a quarterback at No. 1 because if they fail, they don't help your team at all. Where if you pick a defensive lineman and maybe they don't live up to the hype you can still find a way to get them on the field and to have an impact."

Thomas went on to say that the Browns are a team that needs players to start and contribute, and taking a quarterback first overall would be a greater risk.

You can hear the interview at danpatrick.com.

Thomas' comments come a day after coach Hue Jackson said that, when it comes to the draft, a good quarterback is more valuable than an elite non-QB.

The Wilson factory, an Ada institution since 1955, has made footballs for the Super Bowl for more than four decades, and for NFL games since the 1940s.

ADA, Ohio - Small-town Ada, home of the Wilson Football Factory, plays a super-sized role every Super Bowl Sunday.

This year, the town, population 5,800, plans to celebrate that role on the eve of the big game, culminating in the first-ever Football Drop at midnight.

The Wilson factory, an Ada institution since 1955, has made footballs for the Super Bowl for more than four decades, and for NFL games since the 1940s.

The first Made in Ada Wilson Football Festival kicks off at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, with a tailgate party in the Historic Depot Park parking lot, 9 Central Ave.

And it ends in the same location, with a countdown to Super Bowl Sunday just before midnight. At midnight, a 10-foot-long football - steel and nylon, and imprinted with Wilson's iconic logo -- will be dropped from a crane in an event that organizers say will "rival the New Year's Eve ball drop in New York City's Time Square."

Chris Burns-DiBiasio, a member of the Football Festival Committee, said a group of local leaders was looking for a way to highlight Ada's uniqueness. "We consider ourselves the football-making capital of the world," said Burns-DiBiasio, director of community relations for Ohio Northern University and the university's first lady. "Unfortunately, it's been kind of a well-kept secret."

Her group borrowed the drop idea from Port Clinton, which celebrates New Year's Eve every year by dropping a large, fiberglass walleye fish from the sky.

In addition to the football drop, other festival events include:

* A coaches' panel that will preview the Patriots-Falcons showdown, featuring coaches from Ohio Northern, the University of Findlay, Bluffton University and Lima Senior High School. The discussion will take place from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at McIntosh Center Bear Cave, on the campus of Ohio Northern, 525 S. Main St.

* A free showing of the film "Friday Night Lights" at 6 p.m. at the Ada Theatre, 215 S. Main St.

* "America in 60 Seconds: Super Bowl Commercials," a discussion about the evolution of advertising during the game, from 7:30-9:30 p.m.at the Depot.

* Music and entertainment, along with chances to win Super Bowl 51 footballs.

Ada, about 150 miles southwest of Cleveland, is near the junction of I-75 and U.S. 30. For more information: adachamber.org/events

Cleveland Browns fans just can't enjoy the Super Bowl the way other NFL cities can: Terry Pluto video. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It seems like Cleveland Browns fans go through this every year.

The New England Patriots will play the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51 on Feb. 5.

For Browns fans, their team is home during playoff time. The fans are spending months pondering the draft. And former Browns are in the Super Bowl.

Former Browns coach Bill Belichick has his Patriots in yet another Super Bowl. That team has a lot of John Carroll graduates in the front office and coaching staff.

And now it's Atlanta, with former Browns Taylor Gabriel, Alex Mack and Kyle Shanahan.

We talk about it in this video.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have lost three straight and six of eight.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I chatted with hosts Andy Baskin and Jeff Phelps as part of my weekly Thursday-afternoon hit on "Baskin & Phelps'' on 92.3 The Fan.

Among the topics:

*Tristan Thompson's PER and free-throw shooting.

*Kevin Love's shooting from the field.

*LeBron James' perceived frustration.

*The Cavaliers' slide.

*Being able to criticize a defending champion, in January.

Tyronn Lue said the controversy surrounding the Cavs was a distraction. Watch video

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Tyronn Lue said the controversy surrounding the Cavs was a distraction and "I hate it."

"I gotta come and deal with you guys every time it happens," Lue said after practice Thursday. His team has lost six of eight and his star player, LeBron James, and the front office are at odds over the roster.

"Just a lot of distractions," Lue said. "We gotta focus on basketball, getting back to winning. We're the third-best team in the NBA right now. We're a great team, we're the champs, so we just got to get back to playing championship basketball. That's it."

The Cavs have lost three straight, including Wednesday night's 116-112 loss to a sub-.500 Sacramento Kings team in overtime at The Q. At 30-14, they have the fourth-best record in the NBA.

But to Lue's point, the Cavs have been dreadful in January and yet lead the East by three games over second-place Toronto.

His team has indeed experienced some issues related to focus. The Cavs missed 17 free throws and blew a 10-point lead in regulation against the Kings. In Saturday's overtime loss to the Spurs, Tristan Thompson and Kyrie Irving essentially forgot a play drawn up during a timeout late that caused a turnover.

Can those issues be related to James blasting management for its handling of the roster and his questioning of the front office's commitment to winning another championship?

"I can't say that that had something to do with the last play of the game the other night," Lue said. "Can't say it had something to do with free throws. I mean we missed. We missed free throws. When have you ever seen James Jones miss three free throws in a row? Like that's probably never happened in his career. And it may never happen again, so, I mean, we just had a tough stretch.

"And when you're not playing well, you're going to have miscues, you're going to have things that go against you. We understand that. We're doing better and we're going to keep getting better to start winning games. We're confident we can do that and we will do that."

As Lue decried the distraction caused by the tiff between James and management, he bemoaned the use of unnamed "sources" in media reports. It wasn't exactly clear as to which report he was referring, as all the comments from James and general manager David Griffin were on the record.

Thompson said there "ain't no distraction," though evidence points rather plainly to the contrary.

"At the end of the day, it's basketball," Thompson said. "Go out there and play. It's simple. Coach gives you the game plan, do your job or sit the (heck) down. It's simple."

Thompson was asked if the Cavs' players were aware of James' feelings before he poured them out to a few reporters Monday after a loss to New Orleans, and he said "at the end of the day, this is what we got.

"No team is perfect," Thompson said. "Every team wants or needs something. You go to Golden State, they said they didn't have the post players to protect the rim. The Raptors, they say after Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, what else they got.

"With us, (James) wants another playmaker. It is what it is. Every team needs something. That's for the front office. We only can control what we've got. Guys got to get better."

The Cavs' next game is Friday at home against the Brooklyn Nets. James has two triple-doubles in the last two games, but Lue said the film showed James "really wasn't involved" in the first half against Sacramento.

James finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists, but had just five points on four shots at halftime.

"That's not him typically," Lue said. "Second half he came out he was more aggressive attacking the basket, making things happen, and a guy like that who's a great player of course he can come out in the second half and have a great second half and have a triple-double. But he just didn't get involved in the game in the first half."

Last time Cleveland hosted the MLB All-Star game there were 14 future members of the Baseball Hall of Fame on the field.

What will the quarterback depth chart look like behind J.T. Barrett? Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Dwayne Haskins was sitting in a big leather chair playing an intense game of Madden NFL 17 during Ohio State's media day for the Fiesta Bowl. 

Joe Burrow quietly crouched to the side and watched. 

It was just two football players hanging out, but that scene seems eerily similar to how most people perceive the race to be Ohio State's quarterback of the future: Haskins sitting in the big chair while Burrow watches. 

Maybe that will happen. But Burrow thought, at least back in December, he was going to be Ohio State's starting quarterback in 2017. 

"That's the plan," he told cleveland.com.

Haskins had the same plan. That changed dramatically for both backup QBs when J.T. Barrett announced he was coming back for his fifth season. Though some feel Barrett played poorly down the stretch -- which was highlighted in Ohio State's 31-0 loss to Clemson in the College Football Playoff -- there's basically no question about who the starting quarterback in 2017 is going to be. It's Barrett. 

That doesn't mean that what happens behind the scenes this year isn't crucial, especially for Burrow. He has a lot to prove, which may not really even be fair. 

In the two months since he said starting was the plan in 2017, Burrow has been the subject of endless transfer rumors. Barrett was back, Haskins is the heir apparent and four-star Tate Martell of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman is an early enrollee. It was easy to make Burrow the odd man out. 

That was annoying for him. 

So he took to Twitter. 

Lol guys I'm not transferring

-- Joey Burrow (@Joe_Burrow10) January 18, 2017

OK -- so he's back. Now what? Last fall, Burrow beat Haskins for the backup quarterback job in a head-to-head battle, but it's hard to tell how significant that was. There's a difference between the backup who has to go into the game as an emergency option -- Burrow -- and the backup that would be the longterm plan if the starter had to miss a significant amount of time.

Starting this spring, Haskins and Burrow and now Martell are all going to be battling behind the scenes. One more season until Ohio State is guaranteed to have a new quarterback, and what a competition it's going to be.

Let's take a closer look at all three: 

Haskins: The former four-star quarterback from Potomac (Md.) The Bullis School redshirted in 2016, but the team raved about his strong arm and the way he led the scout team. Haskins arrived as a star, and the expectation is that he'd always be the one to replace Barrett. If he does, it won't be until he's a redshirt sophomore, which may be ideal. 

* Cocky, talented Haskins thinks he's OSU's Deshaun Watson

Burrow: Burrow came to Columbus the year before Haskins as a three-star from Athens, Ohio, and he's been under the radar. However, he was the backup last year and looked really sharp in his appearances, drawing praise from fans who usually thirst for stardom. In 2016, he completed 22 of 28 passes and threw two touchdowns. Could he upset Haskins in the race to be the 2018 starter? 

"It was fun," Burrow said. "I learned a lot (in 2016), but at the same time, I've felt like I've been ready to play if my number has been called. It's been kind of tough and sit back when you think you're ready to play, but that's my role and I embraced it." 

Martell: A hot-shot recruit who plays like Johnny Manziel, Martell will participate in spring practice this year, but he's a redshirt. A 5-foot-11, 203-pound prospect, Martell will have four years of eligibility when this crazy three-headed QB battle starts in 13 months. Martell is viewed as the future, but he may not be Ohio State's quarterback until after either Haskins or Burrow. 

Ohio State is a few years removed from one of the most intense quarterback competitions in college football history between Barrett and Cardale Jones. That battle was spotlighted because both players were famous. 

It won't get to that point when it's Haskins vs. Burrow vs. Martell. But that doesn't mean it won't be crazy.

"We'll see what happens," Burrow said with a smile. "I don't think about it." 

Of course he does. And he knows that how things go behind the scenes -- behind Barrett -- could go a long way in determining the 2018 starter. 

* Watch the video at the top for a full projection of Ohio State's 2017 two-deep at quarterback 

Offensive depth chart Buckeye Talk Podcast

Defensive depth chart Buckeye Talk Podcast 

Previous Ohio State 2017 depth chart projections

* Offensive line

* Defensive line

* Linebacker

* Secondary

* Receiver, running back 

I only visit "The Fitness Doctor" Frederick Peters twice a week, but I'm getting more out of those sessions than I do from just about anything else.

SEVEN HILLS, Ohio - A fitness fanatic sure could get used to this.

I only visit "The Fitness Doctor" Frederick Peters twice a week, but I'm getting more out of those sessions than I do from just about anything else.

Now I only wish I could keep going. My month-long "experiment" with a personal trainer is more than halfway through, and I don't want it to end.

Don't get me wrong. I'm still passionate about CrossFit. I still go to the gym almost every day. But what I'm getting from Peters (thefitnessdoctors.com) is something else entirely.

The customization is stunning. Sure, he's got a plan, a mission to load me up with five pounds of lean muscle without raising my body-fat percentage.

But he's also as flexible as a gymnast. He's making tweaks to that plan according to my needs and performance before, during, and after every workout.

It's like visiting a tailor while getting dressed. The fit is simply perfect.

The first of my two workouts this week was leg-centric. And by leg-centric, I mean completely exhausting. If Peters hadn't stretched me thoroughly before I left, I might not have been able to walk normally the rest of the week.

A believer in "German Volume Training," Peters tasked me with multiple sets of heavily weighted exercises, all the while having me sip on both water and a protein shake in an effort to build muscle. I squatted. I pressed. I lunged. Peters ran the gamut, focusing on large muscle groups most likely to make substantial gains.

What I thought was my maximum load for a back-squat, Peters had me complete 36 times. He then blew out my quadriceps with multiple rounds of weighted bobbing squats and my hamstrings by having me lean forward at my knees while he stabilized my feet. That one, he said, I can replicate at home, against a low bed or couch.

More such novelties awaited on upper-body day. In addition to shrugs and bench presses, those staples of every good weightlifting routine, I knocked out a slew of exercises I'm pretty sure don't even have official names.

Two of the best involved a bar on the floor with a weight at only one end.

Standing over the weighted end in an athletic stance, I lifted the bar with one hand, in a modified version of a row. In that setup, the physics of a long fulcrum made the relatively modest weight feel enormous. Lifting the bar with both arms was no easier. That's because, instead of a standard straight press, Peters demanded a "V" press, which entailed pushing the bar left and right.

So unfamiliar was a third exercise, I actually chuckled when I saw Peters demonstrate it. On a chest-press machine, I sat side-saddle and pressed one handle at a time, in sets of 15. It looked funny, sure, but after three or four sets, I definitely wasn't laughing.

No more complaints about the diet, either. I'm still eating normally and healthily, but at a much higher volume, and supplementing with protein shakes before, during, and after workouts. So far I think I've gained about a pound.

In short, I remain delighted with personal training, and with Peters in particular. I'm also beginning to see results. Already I can tell I'm getting stronger, and I've truly never felt better.

Some of that, no doubt, is due to CrossFit. But I suspect even more of it is due to Peters. This is one phase of my fitness life I'm going to miss dearly.