探花秀进攻截锋乔·托马斯（Joe Thomas）同意了与克利夫兰布朗为期6年的合同，确保了这位探花秀能够准时出现在训练营。布朗还与在第二轮选中的角卫埃里克·赖特（Eric Wright）签约4年。这样，四分卫布雷迪·奎因（Brady Quinn）成为了队中唯一一位还没有签约的新秀。

　　托马斯和赖特的经纪人彼得·沙弗尔（Peter Schaffer）就合同条款与布朗队讨论了整整一天。布朗队避免了不安定因素，终于同他们的第一新秀托马斯签约。对于曾在威斯康星大学入选全美最佳阵容的托马斯来说，这个合同可以缩短到5年。在这两份合同敲定之后，托马斯和赖特将出现在7月27日下午布朗队的训练营第一次练习中。

　　"托马斯和赖特的合同是我、我的拍挡与布朗队长时间、有诚意地谈判三个月的结果。“沙弗尔说，"我们开诚布公，共同努力，花了不计其数的时间互相让步，终于达成了这个双赢的合同。”

　　另一方面，除非有什么突破性的进展，奎因将不会出现在训练营，而任何的缺席都将会直接影响到他与查理·弗雷（Charlie Frye）或者德里克·安德森（Derek Anderson）在首发位置上竞争的机会。

　　在沙弗尔谈判期间，身高6英尺6英寸、体重315磅的托马斯错过了球队本周的新秀见面会。被誉为2007年最佳进攻内锋新秀、以及近年来最出色的大学生球员之一的托马斯，将与现任左截锋凯文·夏弗（Kevin Shaffer）为首发资格展开竞争。赖特则将在布朗队的后防线中争取一个首发位置，他因为在南加州大学一年级在球场外惹过麻烦而滑入到选秀第二轮。

　　布朗队已经签下了托马斯和赖特，现在他们可以将注意力转向奎因，他的合同需要慎重对待。这个来自圣母大学校队的四分卫原本被视为前十新秀的热门人选，不过他一直到第22顺位才被布朗队选中。布朗队为了得到他，不惜将2008年的第一轮选秀权交易给了达拉斯牛仔，才获得了在第22顺位的选秀权，从而将他招至麾下。

　　然而，奎因的经纪人汤姆·康登（Tom Condon）上周末在克利夫兰与布朗总经理费尔·萨维吉（Phil Savage）面对面的交流中，要求得到前十新秀的工资待遇。

原文

CLEVELAND (July 26, 2007) —— Offensive tackle Joe Thomas agreed to terms on a six-year contract with the Cleveland Browns, ensuring the No. 3 overall pick will be at the opening of training camp.

The club also reached agreement on a four-year deal with cornerback Eric Wright, a second-round pick, leaving quarterback Brady Quinn as the team's only unsigned draft pick.

Thomas' agent, Peter Schaffer, who also represents Wright, had been "grinding" through contract language with the Browns all day.

Cleveland avoided a holdout by Thomas, the highest selected player to come to terms this summer. The deal for Thomas, a former Wisconsin All-American, can be shortened to five years.

By getting the deals completed, Thomas and Wright will be on the practice field the afternoon of July 27 when the Browns have their first workout with their veterans.

"The deals for Joe and Eric are a culmination of three months of constant, good-faith, arms-length negotiations by myself, my partner and the Browns," Schaffer said. "There were countless hours of give and take, honest negotiations and hard work that led to two win-win contracts."

Unless something major develops, Quinn won't be there and any absence will hurt his chances of beating out Charlie Frye or Derek Anderson for the starting job.

The 6-foot-6, 315-pound Thomas missed the team's rookie orientation program this week while Schaffer negotiated. Rated as the top lineman in the 2007 NFL Draft, and one of the most polished to come out of college in the past few years, Thomas will compete with incumbent Kevin Shaffer for the starting job at left tackle.

Wright, who slipped into the second round due to off-the-field troubles he had as a freshman at Southern California, will compete for a starting job in the Browns' secondary.

Now that the Browns have Thomas and Wright signed, they can turn their attention to Quinn, whose contract situation is a tricky one. The Notre Dame QB slid down the first round before he was picked by the Browns, who traded a first-round pick in 2008 to Dallas to move into the No. 22 spot to get Quinn.

However, Quinn's agent, Tom Condon, who was in Cleveland for face-to-face talks with general manager Phil Savage last weekend, could be asking for his client to get paid like a Top 10 pick.