BEREA - Reports that the Browns are trying to trade quarterback Colt McCoy may not have much merit.
General manager Tom Heckert said that he hasn't had talks about McCoy, and Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the plan isn't to deal McCoy. Schefter reported Friday that the Browns had discussions with the Green Bay Packers about a possible deal.
That doesn't mean that a trade won't happen at some point in the future.
"I can't answer that right now," team president Mike Holmgren said. "Colt is home. He's coming back for his workouts next week. I'm not going to speculate on anything. We'll see what happens."
The plan as of now is to go into training camp with four quarterbacks - McCoy, first-round pick Brandon Weeden, Seneca Wallace and Thaddeus Lewis.
"We have four quarterbacks that are going to compete," Holmgren said. "That's the way it's always going to be. Who can determine the future. We'd like them all to give it their best shots, and then we'll have to choose."
Holmgren and coach Pat Shurmur weren't happy about reports that said the Browns told McCoy they wouldn't take a quarterback in the first round.
"We don't talk to our players about the draft," Holmgren said.
SPEED TO BURN: Fourth-round pick Travis Benjamin will upgrade the speed at the receiver positions. Benjamin's fastest 40 time was 4.26, which he ran before his final year at the University of Miami.
"I know my speed and agility will help me get open on a defender," Benjamin said. "Because I'm so quick and elusive I can run past a defender on the field."
Current NFL players that Benjamin would like to emulate are Carolina receiver Steve Smith and Chicago receiver/returner Devin Hester.
NO REACH: The Browns have been criticized for reaching on several of their picks -Weeden in the first round, defensive lineman John Hughes in the third round and Benjamin. Linebacker James-Michael Johnson of the University of Nevada broke that trend. Johnson was considered a third-round talent. CBS Sportsline listed him as the fifth-best inside linebacker prospect.
Johnson is aware that the Browns are set at middle linebacker with six-year veteran D'Qwell Jackson, who recently signed a five-year, $42 million contract extension. Johnson still has plans to start next season. Twenty-three of his 50 starts in college were on the strong side.
"Seeing a lot of linebackers go before me that I don't think were better than me motivates you," he said. "Stuff like that is going to make you want to work out and run harder."
Johnson is likely to contribute on special teams.
BACKGROUND CHECK: Colorado offensive lineman Ryan Miller graduated from Columbine High School near Denver. Columbine was the site of a 1999 shooting of 12 students and one teacher by two young men. Miller was 10 when the shooting occurred.
Miller played guard for the Buffaloes and earned second team All-America honors by the Associated Press. At 6-foot-8 and 295 pounds, he has an odd physical build to play inside.
"I think I've got a lot more power in the legs," he said. "I can bend and really extend that leverage out on guys on the inside. With that height I also bring long arms."
STACKING THE DECK: The selection of defensive end Billy Winn in the sixth round and Hughes of the University of Cincinnati in the third round brings to four the number of players added to the defensive front in the offseason. In addition to the two draftees, the Browns signed free agents Frostee Rucker and Juqua Parker.
All but one of Winn's 41 starts was at weak-side tackle (the other was at strong-side end). He'll likely compete for time at tackle in the Browns' 43 defense, where he can use his quickness in a one-gap style.
IN THE GENES: Linebacker Emmanuel Acho, a sixth-round pick from Texas, is following in the footsteps of his brother Sam, a defensive lineman for the Arizona Cardinals.
Acho had 131 tackles, including 19 for lost yardage, last season.
HAPPY REUNION: Fullback/H-back Brad Smelley is happy to be reunited with Alabama teammate Trent Richardson, the third overall pick in the draft.
Smelley was second in receptions for the Crimson Tide last season with 34. He caught a game-high seven passes for 39 yards in Alabama's 21-0 win over LSU in the BCS national championship game.
NEW FACES: The Browns are expected to sign about 15 rookie free agents in the next few days. The draft choices and free agents will participate in a three-day camp May 11-13.
