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Holding a cell phone to his ear, wide receiver Dennis Northcutt straddled a giant plastic bag as he peered into his stall in the Browns' locker room.
Maybe for the last time.
After snatching a few personal items and mementos from his four seasons in Cleveland, the soon-to-be free agent was asked what it would take for him to be back with the Browns.
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``This is what's going to keep me here,'' Cleveland's leading receiver said
as he rubbed his right thumb and index finger together in the universal sign
for money. ``Let's be real about it. This is a business.''
And in the case of the Browns this season, a failing one.
Northcutt's candor cut through some of the other cloudy issues hanging over the Browns, who began cleaning up the mess of a 5-11 season on Monday.
There wasn't much to be positive about in 2003 for the injury-riddled Browns, who one season after making the AFC playoffs will be picking in the Top 10 of the NFL draft for the fourth time in six years.
The Browns lost eight of their last 10 games. There were bigger problems for coach Butch Davis, who had key players suffer season-ending injuries; cut wide receiver Kevin Johnson for not blocking; and lost running back William Green, suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violating the league's substance-abuse policy.
``The 2003 season was tough. It was disappointing,'' Davis said. ``It was not the season we envisioned going into training camp. By no stretch of the imagination is 5-11 where we thought this team would be, and it's not where we wanted to be. There was some adversity, but that is not an excuse.
``It would be easy to offer those up as excuses, but they're not excuses. You've got to find a way.''
Davis started a second straight winter overhaul by firing three offensive assistants, including coordinator Bruce Arians, whom he hired in 2001.
The Browns began the season with questions about their starting quarterback. And guess what? They finished the year with the same ones.
Tim Couch ($7.6 million) and Kelly Holcomb ($975,000) are under contract for next season, but it's doubtful the Browns would dare bring back both. Or will they?
Based on his ``gut feeling,'' Davis replaced Couch as his starter before the season opener, then had to turn to the former No. 1 overall pick when Holcomb broke his leg in Week 3. Holcomb played so poorly when he came back that Couch got his starting gig back for the final three games.
Couch says he is willing to restructure his deal for 2004 if the Browns want him back.
Davis refused to shed any light on the never-ending quarterback soap opera during a vague year-end news conference.
``Nothing is definite,'' said Davis, who will talk with both QBs in the upcoming weeks. ``Any conversation about the quarterbacks today would be premature.''
Green's status remains a mystery. Despite playing roughly half the season, the troubled second-year back still led the team in rushing. But until commissioner Paul Tagliabue reinstates Green, the Browns can't plan on having him back next season.
``He is in a (treatment) facility and has no contact with anybody,'' Davis said. ``I think he's going through a series of evaluations and assessments.''
The Browns have to do some of that themselves.
Davis, who said getting his team healthy will be his top priority during the offseason, won't have to purge his roster as he did last winter, when the club was $25 million over the salary cap.
There will be money to spend and Northcutt is hoping the Browns will use some of it on him. The speedy punt returner wants to be a starter, and paid like one.
``I want what I deserve,'' Northcutt said. ``I have a chance to be a free agent. In one way, I'm excited. And in one way, I'm not. I want to be with the Browns.''
Davis wants him, too.
``It's very important for our organization to get Dennis back,'' he said.
The Browns also have serious financial decisions to make on contracts for DE Courtney Brown ($6 million), DT Gerard Warren ($5.8 million) and OT Ross Verba ($4.6 million). Davis said the team will ``absolutely'' pay roster bonuses to cornerback Daylon McCutcheon and Orpheus Roye, two players he identified as part of the team's core for the future.
Despite the problems, some Browns didn't want to see 2003 end after their upset win at Cincinnati on Sunday knocked the Bengals out of the playoffs.
``Well, this season didn't
go as well as we would have liked,'' guard Shaun O'Hara said. ``But we finished
strong. It was nice to go out with a bang.''