Would the Browns listen if a team called about Cameron Erving?

The Cleveland Browns are moving on from Cameron Erving at center. Would they listen if another team called about the former first-round draft pick?

The Cleveland Browns spent considerable resources in the offseason to solidify their offensive line.

The team signed third-year left guard Joel Bitonio to a contract extension and added center JC Tretter and right guard Kevin Zeitler in free agency. The total bill for that? A little more than $64 million in guaranteed money.

Those three, along with left tackle Joe Thomas, give the Browns four starters on the offensive line locked down heading into the 2017 regular season, leaving just the right tackle position open for a training camp battle.

It also gives the Browns options in case another team comes calling if they suffer an injury along the offensive line, a situation that the New Orleans Saints currently find themselves in after center Max Unger underwent surgery after suffering an ankle injury over the weekend.

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Unger, who missed a game last season with an injury to the same foot, reportedly may open the season on the physically unable to perform list, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Which makes you wonder: if the Saints came calling about Cameron Erving, would the Browns listen?

Erving famously flamed out in 2016 at center, finishing the year having given up 30 quarterback pressures and being “routinely abused” as a blocker in the run game, according to Pro Football Focus.

Erving is an athletic player and a hard worker, but he is clearly not a center, which is why he will spend training camp battling Shon Coleman at right tackle.

The Browns seem to be a bit more high on Coleman after selecting him in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Auburn. Unfortunately, Coleman was recovering from a significant knee injury and did not see much time on the field during training camp and the preseason.

Coleman rarely saw game action, but held his own in the season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a game where he split time with Erving at right tackle.

Not being content with leaving the Browns with such a limited impression, Coleman stayed in town during the offseason to continue working on his game, according to clevelandbrowns.com:

"“I just came here and worked out and went home and played video games. I’m always looking to better the team. I’ve been grinding so hard this offseason. I have high expectations for myself. I look forward to getting on the field more this year. I got thrown in the game a couple of times (last year) and got to learn from that. I think it’s better for me going into my second year and knowing what to expect.”"

If Coleman was further along and the Browns were confident that he was going to claim the starting spot at right tackle, then they may be willing to listen if a team called about Erving. (Of course, if there is a team in need of a center and they are calling about Erving, there is no way that executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown would let them hang up.)

For now, with the coaching staff not having seen either player in action in months, it would be a bit rash for the Browns to consider making a move.

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But if it becomes clear later this summer that either Coleman or Erving is taking a firm hold on the starter’s role, then don’t be surprised if the other player is wearing something other than Orange and Brown this fall.