In Saturday's final cuts, Browns general manager Phil Savage kept Paul Hubbard, a sixth-round pick from Wisconsin and a converted track star, over Travis Wilson and Steve Sanders.

Wilson was a third-round choice in 2006, Cleveland native Sanders spent 2007 on the practice squad and could land there again.

"Paul has some future in terms of his ability from a size, speed standpoint," Savage said. "Is he there yet? No, but he's got the kind of talent we want to hang onto right now."

Much of the training camp spotlight centered on the battle for the fourth and fifth receiver spots behind Braylon Edwards, Donte' Stallworth and Joshua Cribbs, a Pro Bowler on special teams used little on offense last year. But Savage downplayed the importance of the third receiver role because Tim Carter caught only eight passes in that spot in 2007.

That might not be well received by the player slated for that spot, Joe Jurevicius, who is trying to fight back after four surgeries on his right knee since January, three for a staph infection. Syndric Steptoe, a seventh-round pick in 2007 from Arizona, won the job in his absence, followed by Hubbard.

"It's important because because it gives us a chance to play three wide receivers plus (tight end) Kellen (Winslow)," Savage said. "It's not that important when (tight end) Steve Heiden goes in and Kellen becomes like the third receiver."

As for Jurevicius, who will spend the first six weeks on the physically unable to perform list, Savage said, "The expectation is he will be back at some point during the year."

Here you go Browns fans.  A couple of minor surprises in the receivers they cut:

Waived

TE Brad Cieslak

DB A.J. Davis

WR Efrem Hill

TE Kolomona Kapanui

DB Travis Key

OL James Lee

WR Lance Leggett

LB David McMillan

DB Brandon Mitchell

LB Chase Ortiz

OL Jonathan Palmer

DB Jereme Perry

DL Melila Purcell

K Jason Reda

WR Steve Sanders

WR Travis Wilson

Terminated-Vested Veteran

LB Shantee Orr

Waived-Injured

OL Derrick Morse

OL Marvin Philip

DL Chase Pittman

RB Travis Thomas

You guys watched it; it wasn't pretty. I won't continue the pain here.

Romeo Crennel proved true to his word. While the third preseason game is the one where first teamers see the most action, Crennel said in a recent practice that he wouldn't be telling them when they were coming out of the game - primarily because he thought it mad them in a hurry to get in and get out.

Quinn, starting for Anderson, opened the third quarter and began to march the team down the field until stalling no a fourth-and-two play that resulted in an incompletion to running back Jerome Harrison that almost saw him throwing from his backside.

Quinn's third possession doesn't bode any better.  Again three and out with ineffective blocks courtesy of the right side of the line leads to Quinn getting splattered to the turf on his tookes.

The Browns just succeeded in making Dan Orlvosky look Favre-esque twice on the Lions first possession of the second quarter.  And Kevin Smith brought back memories of Barry Sanders with a 35-yard touchdown run where no one really laid a finger on him.

Hmmm…Quinn begins to get into a rhythm, dinking and dunking the ball around when he finally throws an intermediate pass, it's dropped by Travis Wilson.  Quinn and company finally break the scoring drought to go make the score 13-3.  They blew a golden opportunity to score a TD by imploding near the goal line.

On the next drive he once again looked to get something going, but incompletions and near picks undo it.  Phil Dawson salvages it with a 53-yard field goal.  Overall Quinn is up and down on the drive, but at the same time he can't be completely blamed

First drive:  All of a sudden Jon Kitna looks like a junior Fran Tarkenton (for those of you under 40, look him up).  He completes two third and eights on the drive after scrambling away from pressure.  The good news is the Browns are getting pressure; the bad is that Kitna is evading it.  The run defense also looked good with Shaun Rodgers making a couple of stuffs. After it looks as if the Lions will march in for a score courtesy of those two scrambles, the Lions settle for a field goal.

It should be noted that the Browns are missing Brodney Pool and Sean Jones in the secondary.

This is for all of those 10-13 year old girls out there who couldn't wait to see Brady Quinn get a chance to play.  Sorry, but given that two of his most potent weapons - Jamal Lewis and Braylon Edwards - aren't playing, I don't have great expectations.

Quinn's first drive: An inauspicous occasion.  Offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski allows him to go deep to start and he overthrows the ball.  He hits on a two-yarder to Kellen Winslow and misses Donte Stallworth on a short out route.

Lions take a 6-0 lead.  Browns again bend but don't break, but there's something troubling about watching receivers get three yards beyond DBs on pass plays.  They do only give up just one significant run.  Shaun Rodgers already has four tackles and has plastered the Lions Kevin Smith on most of them.

Quinn goes three and out and misses Donte Stallworth on a short pass.

Jon Kitna's apparently got his work in for the day…he's pulled for Dan Orlovsky.  You get time off in the preseason when you go 9-for-11 for 98 yards.

Browns player rep Darnell Dinkins on the passing of Gene Upshaw:

"Gene Upshaw led us, it's unfortunate to see him pass away. The main thing we need to focus on is backing his family. It was so unexpected.

"Since Gene has been here, there was no union at first. We went from having nothing to all the things we have now. Now all the stuff that's going on, it's unfortunate to see him pass.

"Gene Upshaw was a player first. That's one of the best things about him, he was so diversified, going from being a Hall of Fame player to an excellent businessman. He led by example, he was always on point and led us well. The last time I spoke with him was about a week after we came back from Hawaii, we were going over the Collective Bargaining Agreement. He was a down to earth guy. For the last 26 years he's led us … through a strike. He was just a class guy as executive director."

Obviously the Browns brain trust saw what most fans saw in two pre-season games - problems in the defensive backfield.

Today, they went out and did something about it.  They acquired defensive back Travis Daniels, 6-1, 195 lbs, from the Miami Dolphins for an undisclosed draft pick.  The Browns waived DB Mil'Von James.

Per a team news release:

Daniels is a three-year veteran who has played in 44 career games with Miami, including 25 starts, and has totaled 125 tackles, 92 solo, three interceptions and 19 passes defensed.

Daniels, who can play both the corner and safety positions, had a career-high 14 starts and 62 tackles during his rookie season with the Dolphins in 2005. Last season with Miami, he appeared in all 16 games, including five starts, and added 27 tackles, one interception and four passes defensed.

Browns coach Romeo Crennel's post-game comments after a 37-34 loss Monday night to the New York Giants:

"We didn't play very good. They outcoached us, they outplayed us. We were in it for a second. We got too many penalties, penalties change field position, their team gets field position and they take advantage of it, particularly in that first quarter, which basically was the game. I think it was 30-3 or something like that, unbelieveable.

"The second teamers tried to come back and make it respectable, at least they did fight for that. But early on it was disappointing. We didn't have enough poise, we dug ourselves a hole, and when you do that against a good football team it's hard to overcome, particularly on the road.

"We've got to back, we've got a lot of work to do because we're not very good right now. That's what it is. We will work and try to get better."

Crennel's injury update:
Quarterback Derek Anderson: "D.A. got hit in the head a little bit, we'll see how he is tomorrow."
On a possible hand injury to Anderson: "I think when he got sacked he hit on his hand and he might have bruised it, it might have hurt for a second. I think the head injury is the one of most concern."
What happened on the Osi Umenyiora sack when Anderson was hurt: "Sometimes guys take a false step or don't step quick enough. It looked like they stunted inside and we got beat and he sacked the quarterback."
Safety Brodney Pool: "He got hit in the head, we'll see how he is tomorrow."
Cribbs: (ankle) Cribbs left the stadium with his left leg in a boot.
Leon Williams (neck)
Anderson was not seen in the locker room afterward, dressing and supposedly going straight to the bus.

On Brady Quinn
"I thought it was good experience for him. You neve know when he's going to need it. Him taking the time was good for him and probably good for us in the long run.

"He did pretty decent overall. He was able to complete some passes and move the team. His first series wasn't that great, but it was a tough situation to be in. He came back later and moved the team."