The Cleveland Browns had spent three years with its operations suspended after Art Modell had relocated the Browns' organization and players to Baltimore, Maryland to form the Baltimore Ravens at the end of the 1995 NFL season. Upon returning to the league, in order to become competitive with existing teams, the Browns were awarded the first pick in the 1999 NFL draft, and the league gave the Browns the opportunity to select current players from the other teams. That selection was provided by the 1999 National Football League expansion draft, held on February 9, 1999. 150 players were left unprotected by their teams for the Browns to draft.
Format Each of the 30 existing teams were required to expose five players to the draft. Cleveland was allowed to select between 30 and 42 players. No more than two players could be drafted from a single team; after drafting one player from a team, that team had the option to remove up to two of the remaining four players from the draft pool.
Reception Three years later The New York Times said that the Houston Texans would use the 1999 draft as an example of what not to do in the 2002 NFL expansion draft: "The Browns went for the usual mix of promising young players and veterans who were not over the hill. Apparently, Cleveland did not draft much of either. Only three of the 37 players the Browns took are still with the team and they all play on special teams." The team had the opportunity to draft quarterback Kurt Warner, that 1999 season's eventual NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion, but declined to do so. However, prior to the 1999 season Warner had not yet started an NFL game and only had four completions in 11 passing attempts in the league.
Player selections Pick Player Position Original NFL team 1 Jim Pyne C Detroit Lions 2 Hurvin McCormack DE Dallas Cowboys 3 Scott Rehberg OT New England Patriots 4 Damon Gibson WR Cincinnati Bengals 5 Steve Gordon C San Francisco 49ers 6 Tarek Saleh LB Carolina Panthers 7 Jeff Buckey G Miami Dolphins 8 Jason Kyle LS Seattle Seahawks 9 Rod Manuel DE Pittsburgh Steelers 10 Lenoy Jones LB Tennessee Titans 11 Tim McTyer CB Philadelphia Eagles 12 Elijah Alexander LB Indianapolis Colts 13 Pete Swanson OT Kansas City Chiefs 14 Gerome Williams S San Diego Chargers 15 Marlon Forbes SChicago Bears 16 Justin Armour WR Denver Broncos 17 Paul Wiggins OT Washington Redskins 18 Duane Butler S Minnesota Vikings 19 Fred Brock WR Arizona Cardinals 20 Kory Blackwell CB New York Giants 21 Kevin Devine CB Jacksonville Jaguars 22 Raymond Jackson CB Buffalo Bills 23 Jim Bundren G New York Jets 24 Ben Cavil G Baltimore Ravens 25 Michael Blair RB Green Bay Packers 26 Antonio Anderson DT Dallas Cowboys 27 Orlando Bobo G Minnesota Vikings 28 James Williams LB San Francisco 49ers 29 Scott Milanovich QB Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30 Eric Stokes S Seattle Seahawks 31 Ronald Moore RB Miami Dolphins 32 Clarence Williams RB Buffalo Bills 33 Freddie Solomon WR Philadelphia Eagles 34 Brandon Sanders S New York Giants 35 Mike Thompson NT Cincinnati Bengals 36 Jerris McPhail RB Detroit Lions 37 Antonio Langham CB San Francisco 49ers
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