General Manager Phil Savage banked on the Browns' future success when he traded their first pick in the 2008 draft for quarterback Brady Quinn.

Savage is not opposed to doing it again.

Last April, the Browns picked No. 3 overall and nabbed Wisconsin left tackle Joe Thomas, who was invited to the Pro Bowl this week. But when Notre Dame's Quinn slid down the draft board, Savage boldly gave the Dallas Cowboys their top pick in '08 and second-rounder in '07 for the player who could be the Browns' quarterback of the future.

Savage believed in the plan he and coach Romeo Crennel had designed to rescue Cleveland's franchise and presumed they would not be picking third again. He was right — the Cowboys will select No. 22, the same spot where Quinn was taken.

Now coming off a 10-6 season and despite a tougher schedule in 2008, it doesn't appear Savage will turn timid. At his season-in-review news conference in Berea on Wednesday,
Savage said he ''wouldn't be opposed'' to using his 2009 first-round pick to get into the first round on April 26.

''We would sacrifice next year's No. 1 to get 15 players in this draft,'' Savage said. ''If one of our best 15, for example, falls down to 28 or 29, is it worth going to get the player if they can make a difference for us? I would say it is."

''It's a little bit unusual tactic, but it's one that was needed last year to help us.''

Savage needs to upgrade the Browns' front seven on defense and might need two defensive linemen and two linebackers to do it. He said he and his scouting staff are convinced the 2008 draft will be strong through in the first three rounds and they are preparing as if they'll have a first-rounder.

If a similar scenario doesn't happen this year, Savage said that as of Wednesday the Browns would have the 53rd pick, the same one that brought starting cornerback Eric Wright in 2007.

Winslow update

Savage said tight end Kellen Winslow will likely need surgery on his right knee (injured in a 2005 motorcycle accident) and his left shoulder, separated Sept. 23 in a loss to the Oakland Raiders. But Winslow is waiting to see if he gets invited to the Feb. 10 Pro Bowl. He's the first alternate.

''He's still hoping he gets a chance to go,'' Savage said. ''If he doesn't go, he might have some additional work done, potentially on the shoulder, too. It's unfortunate every offseason he's been in rehab. Kellen really loves to play. He's such an extremely competitive player that he'll find a way to get to the field.''

Savage said wide receiver Joe Jurevicius recently had arthroscopic surgery on his knee and linebacker Antwan Peek underwent knee surgery, but didn't specify how serious Peek's injury was. Savage said two other players were also in that company, but those were the most prominent.

Brownies

Savage hopes to re-sign running back Jamal Lewis before free agency begins on Feb. 29. The ex-Baltimore Raven played on a one-year contract in 2007 and rushed for 1,304 yards.