I admit to a disproportionate interest in numerical patterns, trivial as they may be. When it comes to making inconsequential points about things like jersey numbers, well, I really dig it. (Obscure and strained puns aren’t beneath me either.)

So I noticed on the official site that, as promised, Trent Dilfer will wear 8 and Reuben Droughns 34. Odd how those numbers were in use by players who even now remain on the roster — Derrick Frost and Michael Grant. Not sure what the process is for apportioning numbers, but apparently incumbency is devalued, and some players are more equal than others.

Meanwhile, RB Sultan McCullough, who wore 4 at USC, will go back to his roots: he’s listed as #2. Is this intended to factor out memories of Tim Couch? I’d think that number would be informally retired on account of some derivation of negative polarity.

Along those lines, I’d like to see Josh Harris subtract 2 from his current number and revert to the 5 he wore in college. I reckon that Browns fans who bought Jeff Garcia jerseys might appreciate that to some degree.

By the way, the offical site’s roster is totally unreliable, as it includes several free agents who haven’t been offered contracts and by any rational measure will not be returning.

One summary observation: all of the safeties and cornerbacks are listed as DB, with one outlier: Gary Baxter, who made it abundantly clear that he wants to play CB (the more highly valued position these days), though he’s better positioned than most to play safety as well. Yep, the new guys seem to be receiving an attitude of latitude. That’s pretty easy to rationalize.