BEREA – Depth at outside linebacker and interest across the league led to the trade of Kamerion Wimbley on Sunday, Browns coach Eric Mangini said Monday.

The trade to Oakland for a third-round draft pick in April was a stunner, as Wimbley started all four years in the league and was continuing to develop with 6½ sacks in 2009.

“He’s a team player, a hard worker, all of the things that you look for, but as you do look at the team, we were 5-11, we have a lot of things that we need to address,” Mangini said. “At the outside linebacker spot, I like the depth that we have. In getting a third-round pick, that allows you some ability to address some other needs.”

Matt Roth, David Bowens, Jason Trusnik, Marcus Benard and Scott Fujita have experience outside. Roth had four sacks in six games after the Browns claimed him off waivers last season, and his emergence likely greased the skids for the Wimbley trade.

Wimbley switched from the right to left outside spot in 2009 – to get away from the left tackle and free him up as a pass rusher – and totaled five sacks in the first 10 games. When Roth arrived, Wimbley went back to the right side and didn’t have a sack in the last four games. If the Browns plan to play Roth on the left side, that made Wimbley more expendable.

The Browns acquired the second of the Raiders’ two third-round picks, No. 85 overall. President Mike Holmgren said the deal was part of his plan to be active on the trade market.

“We’ve been very active on the phones with any number of teams for any number of players,” he said. “When you have a season like last year, as remarkable as it was at the end, it was tough so change is going to take place.

“To build something up with young people is important and trying to develop your core so you don’t have to make this many changes in the years to come. People came to us about this young man. We thought we had a chance to do something, to add to our pile of draft choices and so on.”

The Browns have 12 draft picks in April: their own in the first six rounds, two extra in the third round and three extra in the fifth round.

Holmgren said he’s not done wheeling and dealing.

“I think we are kind of slowing down just a little bit, a lot of things happened rather quickly and happened close together,” he said. “We have a couple of other things we are working on right now.”

Goodbye No. 1s

The Browns traded two former No. 1 draft picks Sunday, quarterback Brady Quinn and Wimbley, leaving them with just three on the roster – left tackle Joe Thomas, center Alex Mack and recently signed tight end Ben Watson. Holmgren said he doesn’t get caught up in the pedigree.

“The idea of focusing in on where a player was chosen before I got here doesn’t hold a lot of weight with me,” he said. “I understand they were chosen for a reason, but maybe I look at things differently. It happens with teams throughout the league, throughout the years.”

Workouts begin

The Browns’ voluntary offseason workouts began Monday at team headquarters. Kent Johnston is in his first year as the strength and conditioning coach. He spent a decade working with Holmgren.

“I thought it was a good turnout,” Mangini said. “We had more guys than last year, and some of the guys that weren’t here are going to be here next week.

“It was fun to see everybody, fun to hear about what they’d been doing, fun to see them working and kind of kicking off the beginning of the next year. It gets those juices flowing again.”

Extra points

Holmgren said he likes second-year receivers Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie but wants to add speed.

“We need a guy that really scares people burning downfield,” he said. … Mangini said he’s thought about using Joshua Cribbs and new quarterback Seneca Wallace in the same backfield.

The option is a possibility, with both athletic and multitalented.

Mangini said you have to balance the injury risk if Wallace is the No. 2 quarterback.

Contact Scott Petrak at 329-7253

or spetrak@chroniclet.com.

---

Print this story
Report an inappropriate comment

---

In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement and discussion guidelines.

Need help? Email Us.

---