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Cleveland divided over Warrick
Posted: Thursday March 02, 2000 04:06 PM
T-minus six weeks before the NFL draft, and everything's coming up Cleveland. For the second straight year, the team has the first pick in the draft. The Browns brass emerged from the scouting combine in Indianapolis with two names: Florida State wide receiver Peter Warrick and Penn State defensive end Courtney Brown. Right now, the Cleveland camp is divided. Warrick is a logical choice because he would give Tim Couch a potent deep threat. But it's easier to find a great receiver later in the draft than it is to find a great defensive end. One other factor you just can't underestimate these days: Brown is squeaky clean off the field. Warrick has had problems. Memo to the Browns: The receiver field is deep enough this year to get a good one with the top pick of the second round. The defensive end field has one man in it, Brown. He's so impressive, in fact, that 49ers GM Bill Walsh told me that only Lawrence Taylor and Bryant Young are in his league among defensive players in the draft over the last 20 years. League had little choice on Orlando BrownSpeaking of another Brown, the NFL probably had no choice this week when it canceled the suspension of tackle Orlando Brown, who'd been banned since shoving a referee after a penalty flag hit him in the right eyeball.Brown still has legitimate eye problems with blurred vision and he can't work out because any physical exertion builds up the pressure in the eye. The Browns are so concerned that they had Giants free-agent tackle Roman Oben in for an interview on Thursday.
Cunningham and the VikingsFinally the latest on Randall Cunningham and the Vikings: Though Minnesota paid Cunningham his $1 million roster bonus this week, it's still a longshot that he will quarterback the team in 2000. Here's why: Cunningham vowed this week he won't play for less than the $4.25 million he's owed for 2000. The team wants to pay less than half that. The best guess here is that Cunningham will be cut after June 1 -- could a reunion with Baltimore coach Brian Billick be in his future? -- and the Vikes will find another veteran to play ahead of young Daunte Culpepper. By the way, that definitely will not be Jeff George. A former Vikings assistant tells me coach Dennis Green views George as a thrower, not a quarterback, and he wants a more complete player behind center. Big mistake, if you ask me. George was perfect for that team. Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King covers the NFL and appears regularly on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN's NFL Preview.
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