BEREA, Ohio - With the overhaul of the Cleveland Browns behind him,
general manager Phil Savage has a specific list of needs to address in
his second offseason with the team.

And he's got the money and draft picks to do it.

Speaking a day before the NFL combine, Savage said the Browns are in
much better shape than they were a year ago when he and coach Romeo
Crennel arrived in Cleveland.

"I feel like we survived '05 and we're going to be able to do some
things in '06 to make us better," Savage said Tuesday. "We feel like
we can now at least get out there and swim a little bit where a year
ago we felt like we inherited a situation where we might be drowning."

Savage expects to be active when the free agent signing period opens
March 3. Cleveland has about $25 million to spend and Savage indicated
that pass rushers are a top priority for the Browns, who ranked last
in sacks last season. A veteran wide receiver is another need.

"We're going to be fairly aggressive right off the top if certain
players get to the market," Savage said.

As for the NFL draft, Savage may break with Browns tradition by taking
an offensive linemen on the first day of the draft to add youth to
their veteran line. The Browns have drafted only two offensive lineman
in the first three rounds since returning to the league in 1999.

"It's an area that has to be addressed with younger players," Savage
said. "I would love for us to draft somebody of significance this year
for the offensive line."