BEREA: Mike Matthews studied every NFL team before last month’s draft with help from his father and Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman, Bruce.
They wanted to identify where Mike should sign in the event he went undrafted, and all signs pointed to Cleveland. It’s just a coincidence that uncle Clay is a legendary linebacker in Browns Town.
“After all the guards and centers got drafted, we went through the list, and the Browns were No. 1 on my list,” Matthews said Friday before the first practice of rookie minicamp. “My agent got calls from a few teams, but the Browns called me pretty early, and I was super excited about that. I knew immediately this is where I want to be. My dad told me they were No. 1 on the list, and I’m going to believe him. I believe that this will be a great fit for me and it would give me the best opportunity.”
Matthews signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent after serving as Texas A&M’s starting center for the past three seasons. The Browns lost three-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack in free agency this offseason, and his departure factored into Matthews’ thinking. Cameron Erving, a first-round pick last year, is the favorite to fill Mack’s spot in the starting lineup, though Erving struggled last season at guard.
Despite a tremendous pedigree, Matthews has issues of his own. The 6-foot-2 Matthews is bit light for an NFL center, even though he has beefed up to 295 pounds after playing in the high 280s in college. He’s also trying to convince coaches he’s versatile enough to play guard if needed. He has played solely center since his freshman year of high school, and the position remains his primary focus.
Still, Matthews thought he should have been drafted and was disappointed it didn’t happen.
“I definitely have a little chip on my shoulder,” he said.
Browns coach Hue Jackson, though, isn’t turned off by Matthews’ size.
“That didn’t bother me,” Jackson said. “If a guy can play, he can play. So we’re giving him an opportunity, and we’ll see more of him as we go. Obviously, his bloodlines are spectacular, but as we all know, that doesn’t get you on the football team. He has to earn the right to be here. I think he understands that as well, and I think that’s the way he would want it to be.”
Matthews realizes it would be a tremendous story if he were to make a career for himself in Cleveland because uncle Clay is football royalty in Northeast Ohio.
“Right after I signed with the Browns, he called me and told me I was going to love it here, that the people are awesome, the fans are awesome, the weather is beautiful, except in the winter,” Matthews said. “I told him I loved the cold, but I figure I’ll be regretting that about 10 days into a snowstorm.”
As for following in his family’s footsteps, Matthews isn’t intimidated.
“I love having the whole history of my family,” said Matthews, whose brother Jake is the starting left tackle of the Atlanta Falcons and whose cousin Clay is a Pro Bowl linebacker for the Green Bay Packers. “For me, it doesn’t add any pressure. I play the game because I love the game and not because my family played the game.”
Deals sealed
The Browns have signed six of their 14 picks from this year’s draft. With salary figures from OverTheCap.com, the rundown is as follows:
• Baylor wide receiver Corey Coleman (first round, No. 15 overall): four years with a fifth-year option, $11.654 million, including a signing bonus of $6.676 million
• UCLA wide receiver Jordan Payton (fifth round, No. 154): four years, $2.584 million, including a signing bonus of $244,004
• Baylor offensive lineman Spencer Drango (fifth round, No. 168): four years, $2.547 million, including a signing bonus of $207,652
• Colorado State wide receiver Rashard Higgins (fifth round, No. 172): four years, $2.254 million, including a signing bonus of $184,384
• Louisiana-Monroe cornerback Trey Caldwell (fifth round, No. 173): four years, $2.254 million, including a signing bonus of $184,384
• Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright (seventh round, No. 250): four years, $2.4 million, including a signing bonus of $60,700
Coleman plans to buy his mother, Cassandra Jones, a car of her choice soon and a house in their home state of Texas about six months from now. She raised Coleman and his siblings on her own.
“She’s a great lady, trusts in God and she’s been there with me through thick and thin,” Coleman said. “She’s the most humble lady you’ll meet. Never asked me for anything even though she deserves the world. My mom, that’s my lady.”
Time to audition
Quarterback Ricky Stanzi headlines the list of 14 players participating in rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.
The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Stanzi, a Mentor native, in the fifth round out of Iowa in 2011. He has bounced around the league since without appearing in a regular-season game.
Two University of Akron products, punter and Broadview Heights native Zach Paul and offensive lineman and Cleveland native Isaiah Williams, are also among the tryout players.
Kickers Andrew Baggett (Missouri), Chad Hedlund (Southern Methodist) and Brent Wahle (Ohio Dominican) are trying out, too. The Browns also signed Maryland kicker Brad Craddock as an undrafted free agent. The influx of kickers is a clear sign the team isn’t satisfied with Travis Coons, who had four field goals blocked last season partly because his kicks lacked adequate lift at times.
“We have some guys here that we are going to give an opportunity to and see who they are and what they are,” Jackson said of the kickers. “There is nothing better than to do that in this situation right now. Yeah, we have some legs out there. That’s for sure.”
The other tryout players are Bluffton linebacker Ryan Aelker, Iowa running back Jordan Canzeri, Kentucky linebacker Ryan Flannigan, Arizona State offensive lineman William McGehee, Ball State defensive back Eric Patterson, Fresno State running back Marteze Waller, Youngstown State linebacker Terrell Williams and Cincinnati long snapper Kirk Willis.
Sidelined
Right tackle Shon Coleman, a third-round pick, sat out practice because he’s continuing to rehabilitate his right knee after undergoing surgery in January on a torn medial collateral ligament suffered last season at Auburn.
“We’re going to really take it slow, and we’re going to get him to where we need to be before we put him out there,” Jackson said. “But he’ll be ready later on.”
Fellow offensive lineman Erle Ladson (hamstring) didn’t practice, either.
In position
Fourth-round pick Joe Schobert said he’ll begin his career with the Browns as an outside linebacker, but the coaches have told him they’ll move him inside at times.
“It’ll be a good challenge,” said Schobert, a Wisconsin product. “Right now, I feel more comfortable outside because that’s what I’ve been playing for a bunch of years. But I think I’m confident enough that once I get time in the system and if I get reps inside, that’ll come along pretty good, too.”
No deal
The Browns signed 10 undrafted free agents instead of the 11 they intended to secure. Their deal with Missouri defensive back Kenya Dennis fell through.
Scheduling reminder
The Browns will hold Fan Fest from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday at FirstEnergy Stadium. A rookie minicamp practice will be held from 2:30-4:40 p.m.
Tickets for Fan Fest can be purchased at the stadium’s ticket office or by visiting ClevelandBrowns.com.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.