The Sounds of Silence

Hear the silence -- all around the NFL coaches, personnel directors, and scouts have returned to the nest and are now presumably ranking and re-ranking players on their draft boards. It doesn't make for much news, however, and it doesn't help speed up potential deals with Northcutt and Couch. But if I had to predict, I'd say Northcutt is very likely to be dealt in the next week for a 3rd rounder (a 2nd is reasonable, but the draft's strength at WR will make it tough; maybe a 2003 playoff team with a late 2nd will be a late bidder). With Couch, things seem much less likely. Maybe Green Bay can come to contract terms with him, but still it's a matter of whether it's worth trading him for a 2004 5th rounder. The Browns might do a bit better after the draft, but only if the market picks up.

As for the draft -- I had a dream last night that Robert Gallery dropped to the Browns at #7. I woke up happy anyway. It's lame to write about dreams/nightmares here, but frankly for the next week you won't be able to believe anything anyone says in the media anyhow. And certainly nothing coming out of Berea.