CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On the eve of the free agency negotiating period, the pool of quarterbacks available to the Browns dwindled by two.

Backup Matt Moore re-signed with the Miami Dolphins for two years and restricted backup Brian Hoyer received the second-round tender from the Arizona Cardinals, according to CBS Sports, meaning the Browns are out of the potential mix. Hoyer's new club would have to surrender a second-round pick, and the Browns used theirs on receiver Josh Gordon.

Moore and Hoyer were believed to be two of the many veterans the Browns studied as possible competition for Brandon Weeden. Others still expected to become available are the New Orleans Saints' Chase Daniel, the Carolina Panthers' Derek Anderson and former Philadelphia Eagle Vince Young.

Browns offensive coordinator Norv Turner liked Moore, 28, coming out of college and tried to sign him as a free agent when he was coach of the San Diego Chargers.

"This is something that I wanted to happen, something I wanted to do," said Moore, whose deal is reportedly worth $8 million. "So whether you're a starter or backup in this league, I kind of just look at the opportunity as there needs to be a best fit. It needs to be the right team, and to me, there's no other team out there that's perfect. I think myself and the Miami Dolphins fit perfectly together. So that's just how it ended up."

One NFL source said he still expects the Browns to try to trade for New England Patriots backup Ryan Mallett. Another said coach Patriots Bill Belichick won't part with him. The Boston Globe recently reported it would take at least a second-round pick to land Mallett, a former third-rounder.

Another player the Dolphins played keep-away with was receiver Brian Hartline, a former Ohio State Buckeye. They signed him to a five-year deal worth a reported $31 million, removing him as a possible option for the Browns.

Avril, Lions not talking: Detroit defensive end Cliff Avril, a Browns target, told MLive.com Friday he hasn't talked to the Lions and that he can switch to linebacker in a 3-4.

"We haven't really been talking, but there's still a few days," Avril said. "Maybe they will make a strong push, or we'll make a push with them. At the same time, we haven't really been talking. Last year, I got franchised, and we didn't start talking to them until four or five days before that deadline. I don't know if that's their way of doing things, but we haven't been talking."

Avril, who played for Browns assistant Joe Cullen in Detroit, would most likely be an outside linebacker in Cleveland.

"I think I can do it," Avril said. "I thought I was going to be a 3-4 coming out, obviously. I ended up getting drafted to the Lions at the defensive end position. The weird thing is, all the guys out of Purdue from the last few drafts who played end became 3-4 ends. I'm the only one out of all of those guys who played linebacker and became a defensive end. Maybe I'll join that club, if it's the case."

Haden says he's No. 2: Browns cornerback Joe Haden settled the Twitter tiff Friday between Darrelle Revis and Richard Sherman over the who's the better cornerback.

Clearly, Revis is No. 1 and . . . Haden is No. 2.

"Not to take anything away from [Seattle's Sherman], I mean he's a really good player on a talented team," Haden told Pro Football Talk on the NBC Sports Network today. "Their secondary is amazing with him, Earl [Thomas], you've got [Kam] Chancellor. . . . They get recognition, their team wins, they get seen a lot more [and] he's a really, really good player, but it would be Revis and then myself."

Haden, the seventh overall pick in 2010, has no doubt that the New York Jets' Revis, who's on the trading block, is the man.

"I would say, honestly, and this is just me being real 100 percent, I would say Darrelle Revis," Haden said. "I studied tape on guys, and I try to look and see what I can do to get my game to be on their levels, [and] I feel like I'm honestly the No. 2 cornerback in the league. That's just my opinion, personally.

"I studied all the good guys, all the great guys that are in the league now, but Darrelle Revis, he just stands out 'cause he's just complete. He tackles, he can play off, he can play press and he's just very, very, very patient and he's just hard to deal with off the line. His footwork on the line is amazing, and that's just the one thing I feel like I need to get to his level is just press, so I feel that's why he's the No. 1 cornerback now."

Ball's in your court, Sherman.

Colquitt on radar? Broncos punter Britton Colquitt received the original-round tender Friday, according to his agent, Paul Sheehy, meaning the Browns wouldn't have to surrender a draft pick to sign him. Colquitt was undrafted in 2009 out of Tennessee, for which Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is a huge booster.

Watson update: Browns tight end Ben Watson said he hasn't heard anything from the team and is set to test the free-agent market. He said he wanted to stay in Cleveland but is excited for his next opportunity.