The Mercury News Weekend

Browns GM Dorsey willing to take calls about No. 1 pick

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John Dorsey mightmake a deal for the top pick in this year’s NFL draft if the price is the right.

At the league’s scouting combine on Thursday in Indianapol­is, the Cleveland Browns general manager took his sales pitch public.

“There are a lot of things we can do at No. 1 and not just get a quarterbac­k,” Dorsey said. “If someone wants to come up and make a trade, I’d make a trade, too. Just give me a call and see what’s up.”

Cleveland’s constant quest to find the right quarterbac­k has become perhaps the most-watched show in the league.

They’ve used 28 different starters since 1999, and it’s unclear if they’ll cast aside yet another youngster, DeShone Kizer, after he led the league in intercepti­ons and went 0-15 as the starter.

Dorsey has the advantage of having watched Kizer perform in the final four games of 2017.

“What I really liked was how much he improved fromweek to week,” Dorsey said. “I think I’ve told you that a young quarterbac­k usually makes exponentia­l growth from Year 1 to Year 2.”

Back home, anxious fans are still clamoring to find that elusive franchise quarterbac­k.

They’re frustrated after watching Cleveland whiff on Johnny Manziel in 2015, trade the No. 2 pick to Philadelph­ia in 2016 that allowed the Eagles to choose Carson Wentz and pass last year on Deshaun Watson. Instead, they took Kizer in the second round.

And with a deep quarterbac­k class and two of the top four picks in April, some think this could finally be the time. Dorsey might not see it the same way.

After acknowledg­ing the Browns interviewe­d an unnamed quarterbac­k on Wednesday night and intend to meet all of the big names before the bulk of the combine work wraps up Sunday, he dropped no hints about what the Browns might do with either pick.

Instead, he’s looking for long-term solutions.

Coach Hue Jackson, who is 1-31 over the last two seasons, certainly isn’t advocating for more change.

“I would hope not,” Jackson said when asked Wednesday if he intends to start a rookie QB. “There’s going to be other opportunit­ies as we all know. We’ve just got to see how it all fits as we move forward.” KELLY SAYS TESTS SHOW RETURN OF ORAL CANCER» Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarter back Jim Kelly has once again been diagnosed with oral cancer.

Kelly released a statement through his publi- cist saying he is “shocked and deeply saddened” by the news, and vows to once again fight to overcome the disease. He did not go into specifics on the diagnoses except to say the cancer was discovered following a test.

“As our family has faced many trials and triumphs throughout the years, you have blessed us with your prayers. We are asking for those prayers once again,” Kelly said. “With all of you bymy side, wewill fight and win this battle together.”

Kelly then closed his statement by saying: “Staying ‘ Kelly Tough’ and trusting God will carry us through this difficult time.”

The diagnosis comes a few weeks after Kelly celebrated his 58th birthday.

Kelly had been cancerfree since September 2014, but had been required to undergo routine follow-up testing.

He was first diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, which led to him having surgery to have a portion of his upper jaw removed in June 2013.

Follow- up tests nine months later showed the cancer spread to his sinus, which led to radiation and chemothera­py treatments. Kelly lost 70 pounds while being treated.

College football

SJSU TO PLAY THREE STRAIGHT AT HOME » San Jose State will play three straight games at CEFCU Stadium in 2018, the first time the Spartans have played at least thatmany in a row at home since 2006.

San Jose State is sched- uled to open Mountain West play Sept. 29 at home against Hawaii. Then the Spartans stay home to take on Colorado State on Oct. 6 and Army a week later.

The remaining three home games start with a Thursday, Aug. 30 season opener with UC Davis, Oct. 27 versus UNLV and Nov. 17 against Nevada.

San Jose State’s road opponents include Oregon on Sept. 8, Washington State on Sept. 15, San Diego State on Oct. 20, Wyoming on Nov. 4, Utah State on Nov. 11 and Fresno State on Nov. 25.

Baseball

AT 44, COLON DEBUTS FOR RANGERS » Bartolo Colon could always throw strikes. Two months shy of turning 45, he still can. Colon filled up the strike zone in his spring training debut for Texas, a two-inning start against San Diego.

The portly right-hander gave up two hits, including a home run by Wil Myers, struck out Chase Headley looking and walked none. He threw 23 of 32 pitches for strikes, and his fastball was mostly in the mid-80s mph range.

Colon signed a minor league contract with Texas after going a combined 7-14 with a 6.48 ERA in 28 starts last season with Atlanta and Minnesota. If hemakes the Rangers, it would be his eighth AL club.

Tennis

WAWRINKA TO SKIP 2 EVENTS » Three-time Grand Slam singles champion Stan Wawrinka is skipping hardcourt events in the United States to rest his injured left knee. Wawrinka said he will miss the Indian Wells and Miami events to prepare for the European claycourt season. PO U IL LE MAKES SEMI FINALS » Lucas Pouille moved to within a win of reaching three consecutiv­e tennis finals when he overcame Yuichi Sugita 3- 6, 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfin­als of the Dubai Championsh­ips. The second-seeded Pouille won in Montpellie­r last month and was runner-up in Marseille last week.

Soccer

RAPINOE LIFTS U. S. OVER GERMANY1-0 » Megan Rapinoe scored in the 17thminute and the U. S. women held on for 1- 0 victory over Germany in a matchup of the world’s top two teams in Columbus, Ohio. The top-ranked Americans controlled the pace on a cold, rainy night in the SheBelieve­s Cup, a four- team round-robin tournament. NEYMAR TO HAVE SURGERY ON TOE » Neymar will have surgery on a fractured toe in his right foot and could be out for up to three months, an estimate that would take the Brazil forward right up to the World Cup.

 ?? ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO ?? Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarterbac­k Jim Kelly has once again been diagnosed with oral cancer.
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarterbac­k Jim Kelly has once again been diagnosed with oral cancer.

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