The Rhino's mantra has been consistent since the Browns draft position was first established: trade down, add picks, and restock the lines of scrimmage. And quite frankly, that sounds pretty damn good to me too. However, he senses that the team is zeroing in on Brady Quinn, who he's spent the last four years analyzing. He has his doubts on Quinn as a NFL QB, but if we do take him, implores Phil Savage to spend the next several picks on linemen to protect him. I didn't think that the Browns could possibly have signed a banged up ex-convict like Jamal Lewis with the expectation that he'd lead the charge for them offensively. In fact, I thought his signing practically guaranteed that Adrian Peterson would be their first pick. Based on how much they've agreed to pay Lewis, it's starting to look like I might be wrong about his role with the team.

That wouldn't disappoint me too much, since I've been a proponent of finding a way to trade down in order to take maximize the yield of what appears to a pretty deep crop of offensive linemen in this year's draft. Despite the signing of Steinbach, I'd still like to see them spend two first day picks on linemen. Trading down and adding a first day pick or two is the scenario that's most conducive to that result.

Unfortunately for those of us who advocate trying to trade down, columns like the one Steve Doerschuk wrote in this morning's Canton Repository suggest that the Browns may well be becoming smitten with Brady Quinn.

That's depressing.

I've watched almost every college game Brady Quinn's ever played--and no, unlike your stereotype of a Notre Dame fan, I didn't turn off the games if things weren't going their way. There's nobody who wanted Quinn to live up to his cover boy hype more than I did, but he didn't. His numbers were inflated by what turned out to be a weak schedule, and while he wasn't terrible in any game (even, in fairness, the Michigan debacle), he clearly wasn't the kind of player who could elevate the play of those around him.

Brady Quinn's stats are eye-popping, but in addition to considering the quality of his opponents, you also need to remember that over the past two seasons, Quinn was surrounded by some of the best receivers in Notre Dame history. Two of those guys (Maurice Stovall and Anthony Fasano) are already in the NFL. Rhema McKnight may well join them, and Jeff Samardzija would've been a first round pick had he not opted for a pro baseball career. Another receiver, TE John Carlson, has another year of eligibility but could find himself in the NFL too.

Some of the "biggest fraud in the draft" stuff that's been written about Quinn is way over the top, but I think there's very little chance that he's going to develop into a top-tier NFL QB wearing a Browns uniform. Charlie Weis's bloviations to the contrary notwithstanding, Brady Quinn has a lot to learn if he's going to become an elite QB at the pro level.

That's why, if Phil Savage does decide to roll the dice on Quinn, it's even more important that the Browns spend first day draft picks on offensive linemen. Running for his life behind a makeshift offensive line isn't conducive to a young QB's education process.

Just ask Charlie Frye or Tim Couch.