Anchor's Away?

With LCB's career in doubt and Hank Fraley moving on, who anchors the O line?

With prospects for the starting center position for next season dwindling, do the Browns look to spend the 36th pick in this April's draft on Southern California's Ryan Kalil? It seems to be almost a necessity at this point, as the unimpressive list of free agent centers is topped by Shaun O'Hara of the Giants, a guy the Browns cast off some years ago.

To the casual observer in the past few weeks, the Browns second round pick looked to almost certainly be an offensive lineman, and Fraley's departure makes it all the more likely. Kalil isn't necessarily the mauler type that Bentley is (was?), but he looks like a solid prospect at this point. The 6'3" 299 lb. Trojan ran a sub 5.0 40 and put up 34 reps on the bench press at the combine last weekend, and he looks to be drafted anywhere from the late first round to the early second round.

Other options at #36 for Cleveland could be OG Aaron Sears, OG Ben Grubbs, OT Joe Staley, OG/OT Justin Blaylock, and OG Josh Beekman. Much like last year when it was clear that G.M. Phil Savage was targeting an ILB in the 2nd round, it might be tough to get the player he actually wants. Last year, he coveted DeMeco Ryans, ILB Alabama, to the point where he traded his second round pick (#43) and former first round pick Jeff Faine to the Saints for New Orleans's second round pick (#34). However, the Houston Texans took Ryans with the 33rd pick, leaving Savage to select his second option, D'Qwell Jackson. Though Jackson has shown promise, Ryans amassed 155 tackles and won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award for 2006.

Savage may find himself stuck again, as the teams who lurk before him in the draft this year also have needs along their offensive lines. Oakland, Detroit, and Tampa Bay will certainly be looking at the aforementioned names to give them a boost in the trenches this season. Savage and Browns fans can only hope that the player he wants falls to him at pick #36.