Alex Hall: Bigger, faster, stronger

Alex Hall swears they lifted weights at Saint Augustine College.

But the broader shoulders and solid, if not bulging biceps of the Browns' second-year outside linebacker reveal the results of his first offseason in a state-of-the-art training facility.

Not that Hall is the type to switch to muscle shirts to show them off.

''Heh-heh-heh. An illusion, that's all it is,'' Hall said, chuckling at the suggestion that his arms look bigger.

Hall is still listed as 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, the same as last season. But he acknowledged that the offseason program, which began March 15, did him a lot of good.

''I feel a lot better,'' he said. ''I definitely got stronger, bigger, faster. They had a lot of one-on-one time with me doing certain things.''

Whether it enables him to stay on the field longer this season remains to be seen. Hall, a seventh-round draft choice from the Division II school in Raleigh, N.C., had a season-high seven tackles in a Sept. 21 game against the Baltimore Ravens and never managed more than three after that. As a 4-12 season dragged on, Hall seemed to get fewer and fewer snaps as 15-year veteran Willie McGinest played nearly every down.

Hall said he never felt overwhelmed or that teams were running at him last season. But he is more comfortable now.

''Of course, I know a lot more what's going on, understand it more,'' he said.

Hall has shown enough promise to coach Eric Mangini that he's gotten some reps with the first team in two voluntary minicamps and this week's offseason training activities.

McGinest has departed, but the Browns added 10-year veteran linebacker David Bowens from the New York Jets. Thus far, Bowens said he's primarily been used as a ''situational pass rusher'' after playing the middle last year.

Kamerion Wimbley, the 13th overall pick in 2006, presumably will hold down the right side and try to regain the 11-sack form of his rookie season. Wimbley managed just four sacks last year and five in 2007.

Hall finished third on the team with three sacks (all in the first five games), along with 26 tackles (eight in the final eight games). Getting bigger, stronger and faster might help Hall add to that sack total.

''Hopefully,'' Hall said. ''That's what I look to do.''

Mangini doesn't seem dismayed by Hall's thin frame.

''He's a tall player, but he actually has very good weight for his height,'' Mangini said. ''One of the things we've been having him focus on is playing with good technique and good leverage. When you're a taller guy, it's that much more important to sink your hips and have the right hand placement because your height doesn't give you a great leverage point.''

Hall seemed like a diamond in the rough during his 2008 debut. He and Mangini know he has much to work on.

''He's focusing on learning the defense, getting more reps, communicating,'' Mangini said. ''It's different when you're working with the ones or twos, the expectation of communication increases as well.

''There are a lot of different areas he can make strides in. The key thing was identifying what's our starting point, one or two things you want to get better with.''

Bowens said he expects the Browns' defense to be ''smart and aggressive.'' But Hall is too busy learning the new scheme to see that yet.

''Who knows?'' Hall said. ''He's putting a lot of defenses in and I'm just taking it all in and trying to execute it to the best of my ability.''

Hall's post-practice interview today drew grief from fullback Charles Ali, who yelled, ''Alex Hall is big time. Wait a minute.''

But Hall seems to be in the right frame of mind. And his switch to jersey No. 51 is not his only inspiration. Hall said he ''came to an agreement'' with Bowens, who is wearing his old 96.

''This is a brand-new beginning,'' Hall said.