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."

As for their No. 12 overall pick in the draft, Savage indicated that Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk will be long gone when they pick but that Haloti Ngata, the 6-foot-5, 345-pound junior nose tackle from Oregon would fit in nicely on Cleveland's line.

"Certainly, if he was there at 12, he's somebody we'd consider strongly," Savage said.

But Savage added that there are other nose guards available in later rounds in the draft and a free agents who could help the team.

Along with evaluating size, speed and talent, Savage said is weighing another factor when scouting players: Who can help the Browns beat the Super Bowl champions.

"Let's not worry about covering ourselves and making sure we know about 489 college players. Let's make sure we know the ones that we think can beat Pittsburgh and help us beat Baltimore and Cincinnati."

The Browns are looking to re-sign unrestricted free agent defensive lineman Orpheus Roye and offensive lineman L.J. Shelton and reach a contract extension with Reuben Droughns.

However, they aren't actively seeking to re-sign wide receiver Antonio Bryant, who had a 1,000-yard season but dropped too many balls.

"We want to look and see what might be available to us," Savage said. "We're certainly not shutting the door on Antonio but we want to explore some possibilities."

The Browns also aren't looking to sign or draft a quarterback. Savage said the team is comfortable with the still unproven Charlie Frye, veteran Trent Dilfer, who recently had knee surgery, and third-stringer Derek Anderson.

Meanwhile, running back William Green appears to be back in the Browns' good graces after being told to seek a trade a year ago.

"William was one of the real pleasant surprises for us last year in terms of where he started and how he finished," Savage said. "He's got a place on this team as long as he continues doing what he's doing."

Cleveland's biggest offseason improvement on offense would occur not in free agency or the draft, but if wide receiver Braylon Edwards and tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. recover from injuries and take the field together, Savage said. That won't happen until at least September.

"They're pushing each other to a degree," Savage said. "It's exciting to think we might really have those guys at some point."