Camp is underway, which just prompts a new series of questions in this week's mailbag.
AP fileFormer Packers linebacker Nick Barnett would offer the Browns a lot of savvy for a linebacking corps that needs some depth. Hey, Tony: With their possible releases coming up, do you see the Browns having any interest in Nick Barnett or Joey Porter to bolster the LB corps? -- Alex Thompson, Olmsted Falls
Hey, Alex: Porter restructured his deal to stay in Arizona. Barnett, who came out in the D'Qwell Jackson draft class, would be an interesting addition to compete at middle linebacker.
Hey, Tony: Under the new collective bargaining agreement, will there be a 16- or 18-game season? It's something I've been unable to glean, even after a lot of web searching.-- Greg Stelz, Durango, Colo.
Hey, Greg: The 18-game season is dead for now, but language was inserted in the labor agreement to allow it to be revisited. This will happen in the next round of negotiations with the broadcast networks. By then, many players opposed to the idea will be out of the sport and the new blood might agree with the owners that an expanded schedule means millions of dollars of new revenue for each side to bathe in.
Hey, Tony: I once read that when Bill Parcells took over the Jets, he walked in on the first staff meeting and dropped a thick pile of injury reports from the previous year and said sternly, "This is going to stop NOW." Considering the dark cloud of bad luck that seems to hang over the Browns, how much can the coaches really do to reduce injuries? Was Parcells' first year markedly better than the previous year? -- Wayne Rohricht, Newark, Del.
Hey, Wayne: Coaches have to be cognizant of not overworking players in camp and practices. There definitely is renewed awareness of practice habits as a result of the new labor agreement. But a lot of injuries are unavoidable -- freakish things -- no matter the training regimen or who's the head coach.
Hey, Tony: I was shocked with the Vikings pick of Christian Ponder with the 12th overall pick in the draft. Do you think the Vikings would have preferred Colt McCoy and a mid-round pick over Ponder? And if so, would you have made the trade if you were Tom Heckert? -- R.M., Mission, Texas
Hey, R.M.: McCoy was a third-round pick in 2010 and the Vikings passed him up at least twice. That answers your first question. Plus, I think the Browns are committed to McCoy from the top of their organization to the bottom, and, thus, would not have made that deal.
AP photoOzzie Newsome still has his fans in Northeast Ohio, but there are others who have chosen to overlook his Browns playing career because of his success with the Ravens. Hey, Tony: I'm a lifetime Browns fan but I live a few hours outside of Cleveland. With that being said, I have always wondered what the local fans think of Ozzie Newsome. Do fans in and around Cleveland view him as an all-time Browns great and Hall of Famer, or do they view him as somewhat of a sell-out for working for (and being very successful) with the Ravens?-- Matt Wellbaum, Urbana, Ohio
Hey, Matt: To this day, I'm finding fans are split on this issue. I would say more fans support Newsome, but there is a big chunk still upset with him. I think Newsome's success with the Ravens feeds the polarity. Fans should get off Newsome's back.
Hey, Tony: It sounds like the whole reason the player held out is for health care after they retire, and to end two-a-days. The rookie salary cap is for the owners, if you ask me. What they should do is mandate they invest 25 percent of their salary into their retirement/healthcare. Why should the owners be responsible for their health care? I work for the State of Ohio, you think after I retire they should pay all of my health care? Tony, what am I missing here? -- Todd Davis, Creston, Ohio
Hey, Todd: By the time they retire, NFL players usually have pre-existing medical conditions that make it hard to even find a health provider. Those medical conditions are the result of doing their jobs. I don't want to debate this issue, but they certainly are in a high-risk profession and should be considered for that.
Hey, Tony: Tony, keep an eye out for the availability of Adrian Arrington off New Orleans. If New Orleans lets him slip, the Browns need to grab him. He'd be a valuable pickup ... a Marques Colston type. -- Fred Gibson, Georgetown, Texas
Hey, Fred: Arrington is not an unrestricted free agent. Plus, don't you think the team that scored big on Colston would recognize another value pick on their own team?
Hey, Tony: As someone who group up in Canton and still comes home every year for HOF weekend, I think it is sad the NFL did not make a bigger push to get in the HOF game. If there was no deal close, I would have no problem. However, owners are pushing hard to make sure they don't miss a single preseason game in their own stadiums due to revenue loss, but the traditional kickoff to the season will be taken away from fans and of course business owners in Canton as well. Any way the NFL can go an extra step for the folks in Canton or the HOF as a token gesture? -- Michael Spitale, Galena, Ohio
Hey, Michael: I've got to believe the NFL will take care of the Hall of Fame. I wish they would do the same for Canton, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it.
Hey, Tony: With all the talk about the concerns with Colt McCoy's arm strength, no one seems to mention his leadership ability. This got me thinking about how No Knees Bill Nelson made things work through leadership. Since the lockout, I see McCoy through deeds -- not words -- has shown leadership. -- Alan Fojt, Manassas, Va.
Hey, Alan: Everyone I talk to -- players, coaches, NFL execs -- gives McCoy high marks on all the intangibles required of the position, especially leadership.
Hey, Tony: I don't understand the players being upset over the labor deal that the owners approved. They are accused of putting in things at the last minute and needing time to read the fine print. I thought this deal was put together through negotiations with Goodell, owners, DeMaurice Smith, their so-called union, counsel and player reps. Is this correct? If so, shouldn't the players find better representation? They obviously don't trust their current representation to act on their behalf. -- Ed Todd, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Hey, Ed: I think players were upset about the NFL owners announcing their version of the deal before the players had a chance to comprehend the full settlement. Let's be thankful they resolved their differences.
Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerPhil Dawson thought he was waving good-bye to Browns fans after the final game of 2010, but he's back in camp this week. Hey, Tony: I read on ESPN that Phil Dawson didn't sign his franchise tag. Are the Browns going to sign him or is he set to leave Matt Roth style? -- Chris Zanon, Canton
Hey, Chris: After submitting your question, Dawson agreed to sign the team's one-year franchise tender to stay with the Browns.
Hey, Tony: With the Browns lacking an adequate third-down back, do you foresee Josh Cribbs being the guy? I think the defense would have a tough time matching up with him in the backfield. -- Tony Megan, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Hey, Tony: I agree with you. But since your question arrived, the Browns signed Brandon Jackson of Green Bay for the third-down role. I believe Cribbs now is earmarked as a slot receiver in the new offense.
Hey, Tony: With a rush for teams to sign free agents and make trades, is there any chance of signing a big name like Sidney Rice, Santonio Holmes, or Nnamdi Asomugha? -- Jason Rose, Utica, N.Y.
Hey, Jason: No, no and no. And I would have answered the same way in March.
Hey, Tony: With the new cap rules, I'm interested in how it will affect the Browns' roster this year. Building through the draft is the only tried and true method of building a solid team, but with 90 percent of the cap needing to be spent, where will that money go? With the Browns' present talent level, I have to believe that picking up a couple quality free agents to plug into the roster would be a wise move. -- Ron Falstaff, Ft Wayne, Ind.
Hey, Ron: The rules of the so-called salary floor allow for teams to reach that level by the end of the year. Thus, if Heckert follows through with his plan to not over-indulge in free agency, the beneficiaries will be players already under contract who will receive extensions. Heckert said his philosophy is to build through the draft and invest money in the team's nucleus players through new deals.
Hey, Tony: Is there anyone that compares to Jim Donovan? He is by far the most exciting announcer to listen to. I remember back when the Browns had Tim Couch, I would mute the TV and turn on the radio to listen to him announcing. Nowadays I have watched NFL Red Zone, and they have radio announcers on there announcing top plays of every game, and no one compares to Jim Donovan. I hope he announces forever, he makes every game enjoyable. -- Tyler Grolemund, Erie, Pa.
Hey, Tyler: On the pantheon of great Cleveland sports announcers, Donovan ranks with the best.
Hey, Tony: Do you think the Browns will look at Donte Whitner? -- Samuel Calhoun, Cleveland
Hey, Samuel: Probably not. He's mostly an in-the-box strong safety -- the role filled by T.J. Ward. After the Browns signed Usama Young to play free safety, it's doubtful Whitner is in their plans.
Hey, Tony: Will there be another Family Day at Browns Stadium this year? -- Chris Topher, Parma Heights
Hey, Chris: Yes, it is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 6, from 2-4 p.m. Admission is free.
Hey, Tony: So the owners opt out of the last CBA, lock out the players, get great Draft Day ratings, lose no games (sorry Canton, not fair), still charge full price for preseason, pay less for rookies with anti-holdout language, reduce player overall take percentage, AND they have all the networks over a barrel in the next round of negotiations. Why are some corners saying the owners lost? Sure doesn't sound like it. -- Mark Monroe, Martinez, Calif.
Hey, Mark: I'm not aware of anyone saying the owners lost. Why do you think they came out of their meeting high-fiving each other?
Hey, Tony: FYI, the Browns have shut down ticket exchange for season-ticket holders. You might want to investigate this. It appears that they will not let season ticket holders sell probably because they are trying to sell their own tickets. Lockout ends for players and owners, continues for the season ticket holders. -- Reggie Kaplan, Los Angeles
Hey, Reggie: Fans deserve an explanation from the team.
Hey, Tony: What is the media's obsession with Montario Hardesty? It seems kind of disrespectful to Peyton Hillis and his breakout season last year. -- Dan Desai, Toledo
Hey, Dan: Can only speak for myself. In only six carries last summer, Hardesty looked like a dynamic runner. This is not to disrespect Hillis, who had a tremendous season, but if Hardesty can stay healthy, he needs to be on the field.
Hey, Tony: I have two questions. The first is: Why do the Browns seem to try to be so tight-lipped about their plans? And the second is: Why do the Browns not recognize that they are woefully short of playmakers on both sides of the ball and seem to settle for "solid players" rather than guys other teams have to game plan around? We will never make up ground on the Ravens or Steelers without them. Both the Eagles and the Seahawks/Packers had them while H&H were there respectively. We can still build through the draft but the Browns' salary cap position this year should have given them the ability to upgrade several positions significantly. -- David Allen, Tipp City, Ohio
Hey, David: 1. It seems to me that the flow of information gets worse every time the franchise changes regimes. 2. Since your question arrived, the Browns signed free agents Usama Young and Brandon Jackson. Neither is considered the playmaker-type of which you speak. I offer two examples of what you're talking about -- trading down from No. 5 to No. 22 in 2009 and trading down from No. 6 to No. 27 and then giving up a third-round pick to move up to No. 21 in 2011. That's a lot of playmakers in between those selections to pass up.
Hey, Tony: Where was Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis at (the labor agreement ratification) meeting? -- J.J. Jordan, Sandusky
Hey, J.J.: The Raiders abstained from voting on the new deal, but that's not surprising. I can't think of an economic issue over the last 10 years on which they did not abstain. They abstained on the vote on Art Modell's move of his team in 1996.
-- Tony