LeBron on the Browns? All the NBA star has to do is say the word has 0 comments

Nov 18th 2009, 21:17 | FFN-Score: 1 points

BEREA, Ohio -- If LeBron James truly believes he can help the Cleveland Browns, coach Eric Mangini has an orange helmet waiting for him.

"I think he should come on down," Mangini said.

The NBA superstar, who was an All-State wide receiver in high school, said Tuesday night that if he put the time and commitment into it, he could be a good football player. Mangini agreed, calling James "a freak athletically" and said the 6-foot-8, 260-pounder could be dangerous at tight end, wide receiver or even outside linebacker.

Browns quarterback Brady Quinn also heard about James' football fetish. He would love to have a target like James to throw to in the red zone.

"That'd be great," Quinn said. "Tell him to suit up and let us know, we'll get him working. Obviously he's an incredibly talented athlete. If he wants to try to play a little bit now, we'd be more than willing to pick him up."

Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers isn't convinced that James, as great as he is, could step into the NFL and be able to handle the pounding.

"I heard that comment," Rogers said. "I have mixed emotions about that. A great athlete? Yes. A football player? No."

Rogers then looked into TV cameras.

"Yeah LeBron, I said it," he said. "It's a punishing game. I just don't think you can step off the basketball court after not going through this year in and year out and just play football. From that standpoint, I just don't think it's possible. You have to weather and condition your body to take this punishment."

So what if James had a year to train? Could he do it then?

"Yeah, he might make a heckuva tight end," Rogers said. "I'd like to see him out there running down the seam."

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press