HEY, TONY! Got a Browns question? Send it in. Submit your question at cleveland.com/heytony. All of Tony's answers are archived online. Q: Hey, Tony: The feeling across the country is that Mike Holmgren is the person running the Browns, and doing the drafting. Is Tom Heckert being overlooked outside of Cleveland? And if so, do you think that could...
HEY, TONY!
Got a Browns question? Send it in. Submit your question at cleveland.com/heytony. All of Tony's answers are archived online.
Q: Hey, Tony: The feeling across the country is that Mike Holmgren is the person running the Browns, and doing the drafting. Is Tom Heckert being overlooked outside of Cleveland? And if so, do you think that could hurt us in trying to keep him as he tries to "make his own mark?" -- Roger Peasley, New York
A: Hey, Roger: Holmgren consistently has explained that Heckert runs the draft. He said it before the draft and said it after the draft. The nationals, though, do seem preoccupied with Holmgren. I attribute that to the fact Holmgren is a giant NFL personality and casts a huge shadow. Heckert has always preferred to stay out of the limelight. That's one reason why this is the perfect job for him. He gets to run the show, for the most part, but can defer the interviews to the Big Show.
Joshua Gunter / The Plain DealerBrowns team President Mike Holmgren, left, has said many times that GM Tom Heckert, right, runs the draft, but some national media believe Holmgren is calling the shots.
Q: Hey, Tony: I understand that the Browns' trade for a first- and fourth-round pick sounds logical but it will take a miracle, for us anyway, for that first-round pick to be any earlier than 25. Didn't we learn anything by drafting Joe Haden and not trading out of a top pick? We can't always rely on late picks to provide solid players. -- Eliot Clasen, Cape Coral, Fla.
A: Hey, Eliot: Agreed. Thought the Browns traded too far down. The trade will turn better next year when they head into the 2012 draft with two No. 1s. Those give them favorable options. But the 2011 draft suffered because of the trade.
Q: Hey, Tony: If the Browns had stayed at spot 27 in the first round, would they have been willing to take the same deal New England received at 28 from New Orleans? -- Bill Johnson, Akron
A: Hey, Bill: Interesting question. The Patriots traded No. 28 to New Orleans for No. 56 and the Saints' No. 1 in 2012. Had the Browns done that, they ultimately would have swapped No. 6 overall for two second-round picks and one fourth-round pick in 2011 and two first-round picks in 2012. They would have then drafted Nos. 37, 56 and 59 in the second round. Don't know if you can expect to measurably improve your team in 2011 that way, but the 2012 draft would have been fun.
Q: Hey, Tony: Do you think the NFL will ever rotate where they hold the annual draft? Giving every other city in the league a chance to hold the event would free us from having to watch the juvenile antics of all those obnoxious, loud-mouthed NY fans: Giants fans are almost tolerable; Jets fans are beneath the bottom of the barrel. -- Christopher Cooksey, Englewood, Ohio
A: Hey, Christopher: The NFL has considered rotating the site of the draft, but it quickly came to the realization that holding it in Radio City Music Hall in New York City maximizes the exposure it receives on two national cable networks and other media streams. It's all about the Benjamins.
Q: Hey, Tony: With the Browns (Greg Little) and Baltimore (Torrey Smith) picking back to back, which wide receiver was higher on the Browns' draft board? -- Dave C., Lyndhurst
A: Hey, Dave: Like any NFL team, the Browns guard their draft board like a classified national security policy paper. I would guess they had Little higher because he had experience in a West Coast-style offense at North Carolina and was more physically imposing, if slower, than Smith.
Q: Hey, Tony: What do you think of Greg Little's physical attributes? Obviously, he's a very physical receiver, but I though that getting a speedy wideout was the main issue heading into the draft. Is Little fast enough? I distinctly remember an analyst calling the Browns one of the slowest receiving teams in the NFL. -- Cameron Christie, Allen, Texas
A: Hey, Camerion: The Browns like the way Little runs with the ball after a catch. He gains yards by running through and over DBs. He has a running back mentality with the ball. They also like how he physically dominates DBs going up for a ball and coming down with it. Little certainly doesn't have burner speed, but receivers in the West Coast offense have to have the attributes Little possesses to succeed.
Q: Hey, Tony: So I wanna know how you feel about the Atlanta trade after the first two rounds of drafting by the rest of Atlanta's division. I'm not gonna lie, seeing Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers go to Tampa Bay while New Orleans gets a pass rusher and Mark Ingram put a really big smile on my face. If Da'Quan Bowers is only gonna have a few good years it might as well be knocking Matt Ryan around and getting that first-rounder we get next year in a higher spot. I believe the trade was great for Cleveland as we needed bodies and for Atlanta to risk so much on a receiver is almost baffling. -- Levi Mendenhall, Springfield, Ohio
A: Hey, Levi: My biggest problem with the trade is this: Bodies don't win games, talented players do. If the Browns wanted bodies, they could gather them by signing undrafted free agents and making waiver claims and trades. Jacksonville has done that for two years while also using the draft to select players to help them win. After the trade up from No. 27 to No. 21, the Browns ultimately passed on 15 players in the first round. Track their progress. I'm sure more than a few will be Pro Bowl players soon. I'm not so sure the bodies the Browns wound up with will be the same.
Q: Hey, Tony: Assuming this labor dispute gets settled (and I, certainly, do not want to see the draft system abolished; which helps bring competitive parity to the NFL), do you think the Browns might bring in Vernon Gholston to try out? You have maybe already answered this, but I still think with the right coaching, Gholston can be good again. If we can get him to camp for a minimal investment, I think we should. -- Erol Altug, Stony Brook, N.Y.
A: Hey, Erol: If Rex Ryan can't make a player on defense out of an athlete, I doubt that anyone could. My hunch right now is that Gholston will go down as one of the great draft busts of recent times.
Q: Hey, Tony: I am amazed how these owners are successful businessmen. They are basically saying that the customers of their product do not matter to them at all with this lockout. It enrages me to know that they think so little of their customers/fans. I know this would never happen, but I'd love to see every player take their talents to the UFL and start playing for those teams. I think the fans would follow. Then these stupid billionaires could see how dumb they are being. -- Jared Smith, Layton, Utah
A: Hey, Jared: You believe fans root for the names on the back of the jerseys (the players). I tend to think the majority of fans root for the helmets (the teams). I'm not siding with the owners or the players. A pox on both their houses for attempting to destroy the best sports league in America, if not the world.
Q: Hey, Tony: With the draft winding down and no undrafted free agents or free agents on the horizon, I am looking into the supplemental draft. What are the chances the Browns take Joe Haden's Florida CB partner Janoris Jenkins for a second or third (round pick) next year? He held A.J. Green to 42 yards and Julio Jones to 19 yards last year. I know he has some off-the-field problems, but so do other members of the our draft and Haden can keep him in line. -- Chris Zanon, Canton
A: Hey, Chris: Well, the trade with Atlanta that provided the Browns with two picks in 2012 certainly makes it more palatable to give up a '12 pick for Jenkins. But two marijuana-related arrests and one for fighting in three years is way too much baggage for me. Ten-foot pole rule officially in effect.
Q: Hey, Tony: In a conventional 4-3 defense is it typical to have two big NT's such as Ahtyba Rubin and Phil Taylor on the inside? -- Justin Sacco, Phoenix
A: Hey, Justin: Although Rubin played as a nose tackle in the Browns' 3-4, he gradually developed some pass rush moves. I feel that Rubin will continue that development as an interior penetrator with Phil Taylor playing beside him. In the typical 4-3 alignment, one tackle is a stay-at-home nose tackle and the other is a big man with some pass-rush ability.
Q: Hey, Tony: With the Browns taking two D linemen (only) what type of rotation are they looking at in the upcoming season? Their middle of the line is, to say the least, hefty. Can they be productive in the fourth quarter of a game against a Pittsburgh or another team that's going to pass the heck out of the ball against them? -- Mark Comai, Willoughby
A: Hey, Mark: Well, they need another tackle, if not two, to spell Phil Taylor and Ahtyba Rubin in the middle of games. They have a 325-pound tackle on the roster, Travis Ivey. Looks like they need another.
Q: Hey, Tony: Tony, please investigate why the Browns failed to strongly address their need for a right tackle. The information I am gathering is that fifth-round pick Jason Pinkston from Pitt will be developed as a guard, not a tackle. This is inexcusable in my humble opinion. They now have Lauvao, Floyd Womack and Pinkston competing for the RG position, and no one other than Tony Pashos to be a legitimate RT. I am baffled and frustrated by this. I don't think they had the luxury of drafting a TE project player in Jordan Cameron from USC. This was not an urgent need for the upcoming season. If FB Lawrence Vickers (a restricted free agent) is not coming back, fourth-round pick Owen Marecic can replace him, but again, not an urgent need compared to other needs for this team. Second-round pick Greg Ellis is a big physical WR that will not separate from his defenders. The only upside he has is that you can throw him a " jump ball" and hope for the best. He has very little experience as a WR, only one year at this position and this is not enough to impress me at all. Heckert did the right thing by taking the trade with Atlanta, but I question what he did with some of those picks, particularly with Ellis, Cameron, and Marecic while not adding a solid RT. Heckert's first draft was run very well, but I think this draft leaves a lot to be desired with these three picks. The rest of the draft this year makes sense to me. The Browns certainly would have served themselves better with a running back such as DeMarco Murray from Oklahoma or a Dion Lewis from Pitt as opposed to the slower version of Tommy Vardell in Marecic. And an RT would have been a much better pick than Jordan Cameron. -- Paul Dayton, Torrance, Calif.
A: Hey, Paul: You make a lot of salient points. I'm very surprised at the positive reviews the Browns are receiving for their draft. I gave it a B-minus only because they collected an extra No. 1 in 2012.
Q: Hey, Tony: How about giving me a quick guess as to how many draftees will make the final roster (not practice squad)? -- Ted Belak, Sierra Madre, Calif.
A: Hey, Ted: All of them. That's what happens usually when the GM has final say on the final roster.
Q: Hey, Tony: So I was thinking about the Browns trading down on Thursday night and something occurred to me. Do you think that Heckert and the powers-that-be, in ultimately deciding to make the trade with Atlanta, thought, "Having Atlanta's first-round pick in 2012 could prove very valuable in case we want to put together a package to move up in the 2012 draft to pick a very good player, say a quarterback, say Andrew Luck." I hope that, during the 2012 season, Colt McCoy proves to be a quarterback that can take a team to the Super Bowl and that my question becomes moot. I just wonder, however, if the Browns made the trade with Atlanta with Andrew Luck potentially in mind. -- Bruce Wayne, Philadelphia
A: Hey, Bruce: I don't think there's any question that thought has crossed their mind. Having two No. 1s gives the Browns options in 2012. Yet I do feel the Browns want McCoy to prove beyond a shadow of doubt that he's "the man."
Q: Hey, Tony: I am wondering if the Browns are interested in any undrafted free agents. I know they can't be signed but they can still show interest. The Browns really need a pass-catching scatback type of player and Derrick Locke of Kentucky and Noel Devine from West Virginia seem like great fits. What about other players like WR Dane Sanzenbacher (OSU), DT Ian Williams (Notre Dame), Boston College LB Mark Herzlich, South Carolina WR Tori Gurley and North Carolina CB Kendric Burney? Also I thought we were drafting a QB late but that did not happen and Delaware's Pat Delvin and Wisconsin's Scott Tolzein are both still available. But Locke and Devine really seem like they can make an impact. -- Justin S., Cleveland
A: Hey, Justin: Looks like you've handicapped it fairly well.
Q: Hey, Tony: Two questions for you. First, QBs were unexpectedly flying off the board in the first round of this year's draft. Would Colt McCoy have been one of these first-round picks this year or is he really worse than Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert, Jake Locker, Christian Ponder, Ryan Mallett, Colin Kaepernick, and Andy Dalton? Secondly, with last year's draft producing three, possibly four starters, and this year's draft possibly (optimistically) producing three or four starters (if you include Marecic at FB), are the Browns finally setting up a young, talented team that can compete for the playoffs? -- Kyle Chormanski, Los Angeles
A: Hey, Kyle: McCoy might have been the fourth or fifth QB taken after Newton, Locker, Ponder and Gabbert. Ponder was the big surprise, of course. Dalton is very similar to McCoy, without the collegiate accomplishments, and he went No. 35 to Cincinnati. As for your second question, any hope for competing for the playoffs depends mostly on McCoy's development. Without a quarterback, the Browns are going nowhere.
Q: Hey, Tony: What is the likelihood of the Browns inviting free agent OT Kyle Hix of Texas, who blocked for Colt McCoy in college? Or OG Zach Hurd of UConn? Or WRs Chris Matthews of Kentucky or Darvin Adams of Auburn? -- Drew Maruna, North Ridgeville
A: Hey, Drew: All are possible signings.
Q: Hey, Tony: Most Browns fans have appreciated the work of Lawrence Vickers over the past few years, as he has been a fierce blocker for our running backs. Why do you think that he doesn't appear appreciated by the current Browns brass? -- Steve Bohnenkamp, Geneva, Ill.
A: Hey, : My guess is the Browns don't believe Vickers has the required skill set at fullback in the West Coast offense. The fullback has to be competent not only in lead blocking but in catching the ball and running the ball. Nobody would say Vickers grades out high in the latter two skills.
Q: Hey, Tony: Since they plan to initiate Pinkston at guard, will it be an open competition for the starting spot, just between Pinkston and Lauvao at RG, or will he just be a sub? Also, although I understand the Browns were playing conservative and that Hagg is a good value pickup late in the seventh round, isn't a compensatory pick exactly where you should take a little risk and pick up someone like Mark Herzlich? This guy is going to be a starter for whoever brings him into camp, and something tells me it's not going to be the Browns who entice him as an undrafted free agent. -- Paul Straub, Kent
A: Hey, Paul: 1. If Lauvao doesn't win the job, it would be a big surprise. Maybe their plan with Pinkston is to break him in at guard and develop him long-term at tackle. That's what they need. 2. I'm not sure what kind of football player Herzlich is. I think I know what kind of man he is to come back from a diagnosis of cancer and not miss a game his senior year. I'm sure he will have his choice of teams to sign with when undrafted free agency begins.
Q: Hey, Tony: Sounds like the NFLPA has been very busy ever since they ceased to exist. I thought that once they decertified, they could no longer act as a collective. Can you tell me what I'm missing here? -- Terry Allen, Washington, D.C.
A: Hey, Terry: The NFLPA still exists as a trade association. It cannot represent its membership like before. But lawyers for the NFLPA can still pursue its antitrust lawsuit against the owners and also participate in court-ordered mediation talks with the owners. If the NFLPA does not recertify in a global-type settlement of the labor dispute, the NFL will change dramatically. The draft, for one, would be eliminated -- because it is an antitrust violation without the protection of a collectively bargained labor agreement. Also, players would have to negotiate individually for salary and benefits. The NFL definitely needs the NFLPA. But so do the players.
Q: Hey, Tony: Did the Browns have good inside info that led them to trade a third-rounder to move up to draft Phil Taylor or were they duped into thinking someone else would take him before No. 27? What's your overall impression of the front office's savvy and ability to get good inside info? -- Paul Marston, Seattle
A: Hey, Paul: Many mock drafts had Taylor going to Kansas City at 21 -- the very team that traded the pick to the Browns. Philadelphia (No. 23) and Seattle (No. 25) also might have taken him. I think the Browns have good intel on draft day.
Q: Hey, Tony: How "stoked" is Stanford's Condoleezza Rice about the Browns drafting Stanford fullback Owen Marecic? She's a huge Browns fan and I'll bet she is delighted. -- Tim Werner, Irving, Texas
A: Hey, Tim: She'll have two chances to see her favorite team in 2011 on the West Coast against San Francisco and Oakland.
Q: Hey, Tony: Now that the draft is over, what do you think the last day teams can get started with no delay of the regular season? They can shorten camp to maybe two weeks or do you think they need more time at camp? -- Irish Dog, Perry
A: Hey, Irish: A knowledgeable source told it would take the NFL a minimum of three weeks to prepare for the first game of the regular season. Using that timetable, the deadline to end the labor dispute for the season to open on time would be around Aug. 18.
Q: Hey, Tony: When the Browns traded up with Kansas City to get Phil Taylor, the Chiefs needed a nose tackle. Did they know that the Browns were going to pick Phil Taylor when they agreed to trade with us? -- Bill Millard, Lake Township, Ohio
A: Hey, Bill: Am sure they did.
Q: Hey, Tony: Chase Minnifield, a CB at Virginia and the son of former Brown CB Frank, is a projected 2012 first-rounder. We have two first-round picks. Tom Heckert loves corners. We passed on Clay Matthews III. My question is, when do us fans start campaigning for Chase? -- Jim Gabbert, Wadsworth
A: Hey, Jim: Let's let Chase finish his career at Virginia before campaigning for the Browns to take him. Hopefully he'll have a great year and be in the plans.
Q: Hey, Tony: This marks the second draft in a row that the Browns drafted players for positions they've actually played. No projects. That gives me confidence. Do you think Randy Lerner also feels he finally has the right management team in place? -- Stan Himes, West Des Moines, Iowa
A: Hey, Stan: I have no idea what the owner is thinking. He has remained aloof of media interviews.
Q: Hey, Tony: If there's no CBA, do the 2011 draftees become free agents? -- Jim Lisi, Ventura, Calif.
A: Hey, Jim: At some point, the NFL has to address this issue, but so far it hasn't.
Q: Hey, Tony: I've heard that there is an "understanding" between Arizona and free agent QB Marc Bulger, and that is why they passed on a QB in the draft. Do you feel that the Browns have a pretty good gauge on who they can bring in through free agency? Are there any "understandings" that you might have heard? And could it have swayed Heckert in his draft philosophy? -- Jimmy Favazzo, Alliance
A: Hey, Jimmy: I'm not aware of any wink-wink deals in the works. I would expect Heckert to have an inside track with free agents from the Eagles (his old team) and the Bills (thanks to the Dick Jauron connection).
Q: Hey, Tony: I have to ask for your thoughts on why the Browns drafted Owen Marecic. We have a young fullback who is already one of the best in the league on our roster. The Browns' dealings with Vickers puzzles me as much, if not more, than with Phil Dawson. -- Joshua Jones, Fullerton, Calif.
A: Hey, Joshua: The Browns have not confirmed whether or not they have protected themselves by giving Vickers a restricted free agent tender. My guess is they have decided to let him test the waters because he doesn't fit in the West Coast offense.
Q: Hey, Tony: Most of us are really excited about Colt McCoy, but there is a common concern about his arm strength, considering that he is going to be playing in bad weather a lot. What do you think the odds are that Heckert trades for Eagles' backup QB Kevin Kolb? We have two first-round picks next year and I don't think Heckert would be shy about giving one up for a QB that he selected and believes in. I'd like to stick with McCoy, but now that we have that extra pick I bet Heckert is thinking about it. -- Jared P., Cleveland
A: Hey, Jared: There is no evidence -- other than a connect-the-dots puzzle -- that the Browns will make a pitch for Kolb. That would be a shocker, given the faith and confidence they have expressed in McCoy. I think the Kolb ship has sailed away from Lake Erie.
Q: Hey, Tony: Your pre-draft items on NG Ahtyba Rubin being the key DT to building a four-man defensive line were very useful to view the draft's first selection of NG / DT Phil Taylor. Given your knowledge of Rubin, could he be a DT Walter Johnson-like mentor with Phil Taylor in the Jerry Sherk rookie role? -- Alan Fojt, Manassas, Va.
A: Hey, Alan: I don't know about Rubin as a mentor. He's still learning himself. I just think the Browns see a formidable interior with those two guys next to each other. Hopefully Rubin's work ethic and dedication to his job will rub off on Taylor.
Q: Hey, Tony: I could not have agreed with you more about the draft this year. The NFL gives bad teams top picks so they can get elite talent. Trading down 21 spots ensures you get a solid player, not an elite one. Teams like Detroit have started to get good again by cashing in and taking Calvin Johnson, Matthew Stafford and Ndamukong Suh. I don't want to hear the "Belichick trades down" talk because we are not the Patriots. This is the third draft in a row I have heard fans say "we need bodies." No, we need elite talent. Julio Jones forces the other team to put their top corner and pull a safety for help. That makes Peyton Hillis, Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie better just by the attention Jones would comand. I am starting to wonder how much Heckert did in Philly and how much Reid did in the drafts. -- Michael Spitale, Galena, Ohio
A: Hey, Michael: Keep in mind that Heckert never drafted as high in Philadelphia as he has in Cleveland. I get the impression he is uncomfortable in the top 10 and would prefer to draft in the 20s every year.
Q: Hey, Tony: Does Doug Dieken have Skoal or Copenhagen, or some other brand of smokeless tobacco in his mouth, (at times), when he's doing these shows? Diek looks like he's got a dip in his lip at times. I have $10 riding on this. I say he does. -- Lou Mori, Bay Village
A: Hey, Lou: I don't see him spitting during commercials. Maybe he wears a nicotine patch. Definitely a caffeine patch.
Q: Hey, Tony: I'm curious as to how NFL players changed teams before free agency was introduced in 1989? For example, lets say it's 1985 and the Browns have a player they do not wish to re-sign. How does this player end up on another team? Since free agency involves teams bidding on an unsigned player, how did this work prior to the free agency era? -- Randy Loushin, Columbus
A: Hey, Randy: Prior to unrestricted free agency, players whose contracts expired could move, but only on a very limited basis. Former Commissioner Pete Rozelle had the authority to compensate a team losing an unsigned player with draft picks. It was called the Rozelle Rule. Compensation for top line players usually was two first-round picks. So players rarely moved and had to re-sign for what their former team offered.
Q: Hey, Tony: Now that the draft has played out, how would you rank the Browns biggest needs? -- Stan, Solon
A: Hey, Stan: Safety, offensive tackle, defensive end, cornerback, running back.
Q: Hey, Tony: Please help me connect the dots. I've seen you say that the Browns need to stop trading down from the top talent to the middle picks in the first round (where got Alex Mack and Phil Taylor). Other than the name "Browns" on the door (which doesn't make the decisions) where is the connection between the 2009 and 2011 trades? Mangini/Kokinis are gone, Heckert/Holmgren were not here then. Heckert has traded up three times in the draft for better talent and down once for a package too good to refuse. If you can agree with that assessment of the Heckert draft trades, then is it just you are still upset about the 2009 trades, and should Heckert bear the brunt of that? -- Bob Davis, Strongsville
A: Hey, Bob: I've judged each trade on its merits. The 2009 trade down was a borderline disaster. Mack is a good player and that's fine, but several elite players were passed over. And the veteran players from that trade are all gone. What I've said about the 2011 trade is at least Heckert obtained Atlanta's No. 1 pick in 2012. That's good, and that salvaged the trade, in my opinion, even though I thought they would have been better off picking a player higher on their board.
Q: Hey, Tony: I think one the keys to the success of this draft will be if Greg Little can emerge as a top receiver. If he had played last season at UNC, how would he have stacked up compared to Julio Jones and A.J. Green? -- Bach Nguyen, Brunswick
A: Hey, Bach: I don't know the answer. I know he didn't compete in the elite conference that Jones and Green did. Plus, he was just entering his second season at receiver and had lots of room to grow. I doubt he would have fared better than the others.
Q: Hey, Tony: I'm curious as to your thoughts concerning rounds four through seven in the NFL draft. With one guy able to stuff a basketball being thrown to him, one player going both ways at Stanford, a cornerback who has been clocked at a 4.2 40, another guy who plays like a wrecking ball on the offensive line, and the last guy had some decent highlights, do you see any sleepers in this group? Or after watching some highlight tapes does it appear there is room for everbody picked? -- Greg Dineen, Middletown, Ohio
A: Hey, Greg: I think Jordan Cameron is a project player with good athletic ability, Owen Marecic is a great story as a collegiate player, Buster Skrine is fast but may not be an NFL-caliber cornerback at this time, Jason Pinkston is a better possibility to play guard than tackle and could develop as a swing man on the line and Eric Hagg is a nice-sized safety who will break in on special teams. Who knows how they develop? These are first impressions, which is all we have to go on at this time.
Q: Hey, Tony: The Browns trading back on draft day is exactly what this franchise needed to stockpile picks to fill many needs. Now they have to hit on their picks unlike when they traded their pick in the J.J. Stokes trade. My question is by having two first-round draft picks next year, along with two fourth-rounders, I would think they could use this to move up to get Stanford QB Andrew Luck if and only if McCoy shows he is not the guy this year. This buys Holmgren and company another full year to see if McCoy is indeed "The Guy" to lead this team. Seems like a great scenario to me. -- Doug Howes, Columbia, Mo.
A: Hey, Doug: I don't believe any team that "earns" the No. 1 overall pick in 2012 would trade the chance to select Andrew Luck. That said, a trade package would have to include both Browns' No. 1s, plus their No. 1 in 2013, in my opinion.
Q: Hey, Tony: Now that the Browns drafted Greg Little, how would your wide receiver depth chart look and who is the odd man/men out? -- Amanda Treharn, Boardman
A: Hey, Amanda: Pat Shurmur said he believes Little has a chance to be the No. 1 receiver. I think Robiskie and Massaquoi battle for No. 2. I think Josh Cribbs should be the slot receiver. Maybe Carlton Mitchell is No. 4 and Jordan Norwood is No. 5. Chansi Stuckey is an unsigned free agent.
Q: Hey, Tony: WR Jonathan Haggerty was looked at as a real find last year before going on the injured reserve with some undescribed foot injury. Is he still on the team's radar -- Ray Dumont
A: Hey, Ray: Yes, he is still on their roster.
Q: Hey, Tony: Recently, you criticized the draft results due to the fact that the Browns passed on elite talent (i.e., J. Jones). Question: How can the team secure elite talent when, prior to the draft, the Browns could have only dressed one legitimate starter on the defensive line (a concern brought on by the regime change . . . something that you were very much in favor for). Can't have it both ways, Tony. -- Mike Farrell, Akron
A: Hey, : I thought a trade down a few notches -- two, three, four -- would have been better. Had they done this, they would have been able to retain their third-round pick. So they could have nabbed two DLs, one WR and one CB or OL with their four picks in the top three rounds.
Q: Hey, Tony: The only way the Browns benefit from this year's first-round trade is if they keep both picks next year and obtain two first-round players. Otherwise wouldn't moving up in the draft by trading both picks (other than if for Luck) practically nullify any advantage we gained? -- Ron Coleman, Erie, Pa.
A: Hey, : Mathematically, it would.
Q: Hey, Tony: What are the chances that Cleveland packages its two first-rounders in 2012 and moves up to the first pick to take Andrew Luck? -- Rod Sauers, Athens, Ohio
A: Hey, Rod: It will take much more than two No. 1s to move up to the overall No. 1 choice to nab Luck, in my opinion.
Q: Hey, Tony: Why did the Browns pass on drafting Casey Matthews? -- Jonathan Gudaitis, Euclid
A: Hey, Jonathan: They couldn't think of a single good linebacker named Matthews in the history of the NFL? (Kidding, of course.)
Q: Hey, Tony: At the post-draft press conference with Holmgren, Heckert and Shurmur, they were asked if Lawrence Vickers has been tendered yet. Heckert turned to Holmgren and said "have we announced that yet?" I know the consesus is that Vickers won't be tendered or re-signed since we drafted Owen Marecic, but the way he said it seemed kind of fishy. It almost as if they made a decision, but haven't announced it yet. What are the chances that we keep Vickers as a blocking FB and use Marecic in passing situations or convert him into more of the third back? I hate to see Vickers go. -- Mitch Weiss, Tallahassee, Fla.
A: Hey, Mitch: If that is their plan, I believe they wasted a fourth-round pick, then, on Marecic.
-- Tony