BEREA -- Former Ohio State quarterback Steve Bellisari, released last week by the St. Louis Rams, had a tryout with the Cleveland Browns.

Bellisari was drafted in the sixth round last season by the Rams, who tried to make him a safety. He spent all of 2002 on injured reserve after getting hurt in a preseason game.

Bellisari was one of nine players the Browns brought in for workouts Tuesday. Cleveland coach Butch Davis routinely looks at players in case an injury requires the Browns to make a roster move.

''Steve's a good athlete,'' Davis said. ''He went to St. Louis and had to undergo a position change after being a quarterback pretty much his entire career. We took a look at him at safety just to see what kind of transition he had made.''

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Bellisari started 32 games at quarterback for the Buckeyes. As a freshman, he played safety and was voted Ohio State's top special teams player.