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Browns favor Warrick right now
Posted: Friday February 25, 2000 08:12 AM
Heading into the annual scouting combine this weekend in Indianapolis, the Cleveland Browns have whittled their choice for the top pick in April's draft down to Florida State wide receiver Peter Warrick or one of two Penn State defensive stars -- end Courtney Brown or linebacker LaVar Arrington. The Browns probably favor Warrick right now, to give quarterback Tim Couch the long-term deep threat the offense so desperately needs. But Cleveland could get serious in its pursuit of Cincinnati running back Corey Dillon. Because Dillon is a restricted free agent, the Browns would have to hand over first- and third-round picks for him if the Bengals don't match a Cleveland offer. But this deal would hinge on Cleveland's finding a team lower in the first round to do a three-team trade with, because the Browns obviously won't give up the first pick in the draft for Dillon. So, how would this scenario affect the Browns' draft? If they find one free-agent offensive weapon, it's likely they'd focus on their weak defensive front seven. Cleveland is thought now to favor Courtney Brown over Arrington, to pair with free agent acquisition Orpheus Roye. So it looks like Warrick or Brown will be in Cleveland on draft day. Redskins like ArringtonWhich brings us to the Washington Redskins, choosing second. A source close to the Redskins says that the club is leaning strongly toward Arrington. He'd be a unique player for Washington. Arrington could be an outside linebacker rushing the passer, or a mobile middle linebacker used in various roles like San Diego's Junior Seau. Bad vibes in AtlantaSpeaking of linebackers, the double-murder trial of Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis is set for May 15, and it's possible that the proceedings will be over by the time the Ravens start training camp in late July. Even if Lewis is found not to have wielded the knife in the slayings, under a broad Georgia law he still could be convicted of some felony by virtue of his presence at the crime scene. That would subject him to the NFL's three-year old violent crime policy, which gives commissioner Paul Tagliabue the power to fine or suspend Lewis if he is convicted of anything connected to "the use or threat of physical violence." If Lewis is found guilty of any charge, Tagliabue will be under great pressure to suspend him for some time to show that this policy has some teeth in the face of a rising tide of off-field player violence. Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King covers the NFL and appears regularly on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN's NFL Preview. |
