With Tony Grossi’s article this morning that gave Browns fans the “What If” about Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, we received a few questions about said expansion draft. Specifically, who was available to the Browns, and who did they end up selecting?
The way that the draft worked was that each team had to make five of their rostered players available to the Browns for their choosing. Only one of the players that went unprotected by each team could was allowed to have been on the injured reserve that previous season; obviously to avoid teams simply putting a slew of disabled players on thier list. Teams could not unprotect punters or kickers, though you will see that back-up centers were not exactly a hot commodity.
And a team could not have more than two of their players selected by the Browns. For every player that was drafted, the former team could then protect one of the remaining four at their choosing.
Given these rules, the Browns were sent on their voyage of ”drafting” at least 32 players that would take up at least 38 percent of their salary cap – leaving the rest for free agents and would-be rookies.
After the jump, you’ll find the 32 players that were chosen by the 1999 Cleveland Browns. Good luck if you recognize many of the names!
Browns Selections:
C - Jim Pyne, DET
DE – Hurvin McCormack, DAL
T – Scott Rehberg, NE
WR - Damon Gibson, CIN
C – Steve Gordon, SF
LB – Tarek Saleh, CAR
G – Jeff Buckey, MIA
LB – Jason Kyle, SEA
DE – Rod Manuel, PIT
LB - Lenoy Jones, TEN
CB – Tim McTyer, PHI
LB – Elijah Alexander, IND
T – Pete Swanson, KC
S – Gerome Williams, SD
S – Marlon Forbes, CHI
WR – Justin Armour, DEN
T – Paul Wiggins, WAS
S - Duane Butler, MIN
WR – Fred Brock, ARI
CB – Kory Blackwell, NYG
CB – Kevin Devine, JAX
CB - Ray Jackson, BUF
G – Jim Bundren, NYJ
G – Ben Cavil, BAL
RB – Michael Blair, GB
DT – Antonio Anderson, DAL
G – Orlando Bobo, MIN
LB - James Williams, SF
QB – Scott Milanovich, TB
S – Eric Stokes, SEA
RB – Ronald Moore, MIA
RB – Clarence Williams, BUF
WR - Freddie Solomon, PHI
S – Brandon Sanders, NYG
DT – Mike Thompson, CIN
RB - Jerris McPhail, DET
CB - Antonio Langham, SF
If drafting a running back with the last name of “McPhail” wasn’t a telling sign ten years ago, I don’t know what was. Obviously, there was something about Scott Milanovich that the team liked a bit more than Kurt Warner. Perhaps it was the same skill set that led Milanovich to the XFL and CFL following his tenure in the NFL?
Pyne actually played for two seasons with the then new Browns. He was elected team captain with the team, but his crowing achievement may be his MVP award, deemed by the Akron Browns Backers. That’s something for the mantle.
If you’re curious as to whom the Browns had at their choosing, the list of teams and their unprotected players follows below. Do Enjoy.
| ARIZONA CARDINALS Fred Brock, WR J.B. Brown, DB Jerry Drake, DE Jarius Hayes, FB-TE Terry Irving, LB |
ATLANTA FALCONS Chris Bayne, DB Harold Green, RB Ed Smith, TE Ben Talley, LB Dave Widell, G |
BALTIMORE RAVENS Donny Brady, DB Ben Cavil, G Michael Jackson, WR Stevon Moore, DB Tyrell Peters, LB |
| BUFFALO BILLS Bill Conaty, C Quinn Early, WR Ray Jackson, DB Alex Van Pelt, QB Clarence Williams, RB |
CAROLINA PANTHERS Mike Fox, DT Corbin Lacina, G Winslow Oliver, RB Tarek Saleh, LB Tony Veland, DB |
CHICAGO BEARS Ricky Bell, DB Andre Collins, LB Marlon Forbes, DB Andy Heck, T Jim Schwantz, LB |
| CINCINNATI BENGALS James Francis, LB Damon Gibson, WR Mike Thompson, DT Greg Truitt, C Tom Tumulty, LB |
DALLAS COWBOYS Antonio Anderson, DT Billy Davis, WR Daryl Johnston, FB Hurvin McCormack, DT Clay Shiver, C |
DENVER BRONCOS Justin Armour, WR Darrien Gordon, DB Wille Green, WR Mike Lodish, DT Neil Smith, DE |
| DETROIT LIONS Robert Bailey, DB Tommie Boyd, WR Jerris McPhail, RB Jim Pyne, C Marc Spindler, DT |
GREEN BAY PACKERS Michael Blair, RB Robert Brooks, WR Roell Preston, KR-WR Reggie White, DE Matt Willig, T |
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Elijah Alexander, LB Aaron Bailey, WR Robert Blackmon, DB Al Fontenot, DE Tom Myslinski, G |
| JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS Kevin Devine, DB Deon Figures, DB James Hamilton, LB Will Moore, WR Jose White, DT |
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS Jeff Criswell, T Ron George, LB Danan Hughes, WR Ted Popson, TE Pete Swanson, G |
MIAMI DOLPHINS Jeff Buckey, T Larry Izzo, LB Henry Lusk, TE Ronald Moore, RB Danny Stubbs, DE |
| MINNESOTA VIKINGS Todd Bouman, QB Orlando Bobo, G Duane Butler, DB Dixon Edwards, LB Jay Fiedler, QB |
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS Vincent Brisby, WR Ferric Collons, DE Scott Rehberg, T Todd Rucci, G Sedrick Shaw, RB |
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS Ink Aleaga, LB Brett Bech, WR Chris Hewitt, DB Qadry Ismail, WR Heath Shuler, QB |
| NEW YORK GIANTS Kory Blackwell, DB Derek Engler, C Jerry Reynolds, G Brandon Sanders, DB Tito Wooten, DB |
NEW YORK JETS Jim Bundren, G Glenn Foley, QB Mike Gisler, C-G Jerome Henderson, DB John Hudson, C |
OAKLAND RAIDERS Aundray Bruce, DE Perry Carter, DB Rick Cunningham, T Desmond Howard, KR-WR Terry Wooden, LB |
| PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Jeff Graham, WR Tim McTyer, DB Freddie Solomon, WR Morris Unutoa, C James Willis, LB |
PITTSBURGH STEELERS Jahine Arnold, WR Harold Bishop, TE Rod Manuel, DE Jason Simmons, DB Will Wolford, T |
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS James Burgess, LB John Burke, TE Frank Hartley, TE Marcus Price, T Gerome Williams, DB |
| SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS Steve Gordon, C Randy Kirk, C-LB Antonio Langham, DB Chuck Levy, RB James Williams, LB |
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS Steve Broussard, RB-KR Kevin Glover, C Jason Kyle, LB Deems May, TE Eric Stokes, DB |
ST LOUIS RAMS John Flannery, C Jerald Moore, RB Tom Nutten, C Joe Phillips, DT Kurt Warner, QB |
| TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS Marcus Jones, DT Scott Milanovich, QB Charles Mincy, DB Mitch Palmer, LB Anthony Parker, DB |
TENNESSEE TITANS Mike Archie, RB Willie Davis, WR Lenoy Jones, LB George McCullough, DB Erik Norgard, C |
WASHINGTON REDSKINS Terry Allen, RB Jesse Campbell, DB Cris Dishman, DB Gus Frerotte, QB Paul Wiggins, T |
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