Cleveland Browns restricted free agent linebacker Matt Roth has asked the club to trade him, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

Acquired off waivers from the Miami Dolphins late last season, Roth injected some life into the Browns' pass-rush, totaling 28 tackles and 4 quarterback sacks in six games, all starts.

Due to the uncapped year, Roth was not eligible for unrestricted free agency this off-season. The Browns tendered Roth at the "Second Round" level, which comes with a $1.759 million dollar base salary for the 2010 season. With the two sides "far apart" on a long-term contract, Roth is now seeking a trade.

A second-round pick (46th overall) out of Iowa by the Dolphins in 2006, Roth (6-4, 272) has 185 tackles, including 16.5 quarterback sacks in 71 career games. Roth began last season on the "Reserve/Non-Football Injury" list with a groin injury, and was sidelined for the first half of the regular season.

Roth is projected to start at one of the two outside linebacker spots. Through the off-season acquisitions of Scott Fujita and Chris Gocong, the Browns have braced themselves for any upheaval at the linebacker position, which had two key restricted free agents (Roth, D'Qwell Jackson) this off-season.

The Browns also have Marcus Benard, a 6-2, 256-pound second-year linebacker out of Jackson State who spent most of 2009 on the team's practice squad. Activated for the final six weeks of the regular season, Benard posted 3.5 quarterback sacks and got 8 hits on opposing quarterbacks.