2009 Training Camp Notes

Some quick hits from the boys over at the OBR...

- WR Braylon Edwards and rookie DB Coye Francies were in jerseys and shorts, taking in the initial practice of training camp from the sidelines.

- TE Steve Heiden, coming off knee surgery, was limited in the session while donning a red jersey with his number-82 across it.

- Defensive linemen Robaire Smith and Corey Williams were full-go in the practice session, which was very physical during 7-on-7 running drills against the offensive line, QB and RB.

- RB Jamal Lewis, coming off ankle surgery, appeared quick and somewhat thinner in appearance on this opening day of the training camp season. Lewis hit the hole quickly on the four opportunities presented.

- RBs Jerome Harrison and rookie James Davis spelled Lewis, with Davis showing excellent acceleration through the hole.

- WRs Brian Robiskie and Mike Furrey were smooth as silk in the practice session. Both players were quick in and out of routes.

- WR Lance Leggett made an outstanding reception in during drills. Leggett swiped away a passing and interfering Eric Wright while falling, stretching out to make a one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone.

- Brady Quinn opened the session in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills as the first QB under center. Quinn also took the initial snaps in rushing drills -- offensive line, QB and RB facing defensive line and LB's.

- The play of the QB's was inconsistent at times, with some outstanding throws mixed in. Quinn appeared poised and comfortable in the short to intermediate game, though he threw a couple poor passes. Derek Anderson appeared to guide the ball on a few short throws, while looking like the Anderson of old in the preferred down-field passing game.

- WR Syndric Steptoe made a nice over-the-shoulder reception of an Anderson pass after safety Mike Adams slipped out of position on the play. On the previous play, Adams intercepted an Anderson attempt. Despite the interception, Anderson threw the ball rather well, but looking off the defensive back continues to be an issue for the QB.

- Anderson followed up with a beautiful strike down the left sideline to Robiskie, who raced past safety Hamza Abdullah on the play. 

- OLB Alex Hall made an impression early in training camp practice on Saturday. The second-year player gained the appreciation of players and coaches alike due to his ability to stay with RBs coming out of the backfield in team drills.

- Head coach Eric Mangini walks the field like no coach in Cleveland since Bill Belichick. Arms crossed, Mangini surveys the continuous action on the Browns practice fields, lending his support and critique when necessary. For the first time in many years, the head coach of this team is obviously active during camp drills, whether they be individual or team.

- Working in harmony, Mangini and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan communicated back and forth from afar during 11-on-11 drills, where the action was physical and at times intense.

- Starting LBs Eric Barton and D'Qwell Jackson appear to be interchangeable parts in the Mangini/Ryan defensive scheme of the Browns. At times during drills, either player would switch with the other -- different than the customary rotation between inside backers. Additionally, Barton and Jackson spent time working together with a member of the coaching staff prior to individual and team drills.

- The Browns starting offensive line on the opening day of training camp consisted of Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Hank Fraley, Floyd Womack and John St. Clair.

Always optimistic impressions of the first practice from the team site...

**Brady Quinn got the first snap with the first-team offense, but head coach Eric Mangini said the reps will be split evenly between Quinn and Derek Anderson until a starter is declared.

"We'll alternate depending on day and teaching progression," Mangini said. "They'll get an equal amount of reps and they'll be equally distributed through different segments -- red area, third down, two-minute. We'll track the reps daily, as we track all the reps daily."

**A couple rookie linebackers made an impression in an early one-on-one blitz drill against running backs. Kaluka Maiava got the better end of a big collision with Charles Ali, then blew past James Davis. David Veikune laid a big hit on Lawrence Vickers, but on Vickers' next rep he stepped up and knocked Beau Bell back. Veikune later beat Jamal Lewis with a swim move.

**On the first play of the inside run drill, Lewis drew a round of applause after finding traffic on a run to the right and making a nifty cut back to daylight on the left side. A few plays later, Ali got one back for the fullbacks when he delivered a punishing lead block on Veikune.

**Ryan Tucker said he did contemplate retirement following minicamp, but said he's now in a good frame of mind and anxious for his 13th NFL season. Tucker has battled injuries the last couple years but said he's worked hard to come back and being around his teammates has him ready for football. Tucker was clean shaven and wearing his hair short for the first time "since second grade," he joked.

**Steve Heiden, who's rehabbing from a December knee injury, practiced but wore a red "no contact" jersey. Robaire Smith, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon last September, practiced and said he's making progress, but he also said he's not full-go yet.

**Not that any lineup is even close to set on the first day, but the first offensive line looked like this, from left to right: Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Hank Fraley, Floyd Womack, John St. Clair. The second line, in the same listing order: Isaac Sowells, Rex Hadnot, Alex Mack, Tucker, George Foster.

**The first defensive line had Shaun Rogers at nose flanked by Kenyon Coleman and C.J. Mosley at the ends. On the second line, Robaire and Shaun Smith were at end with Ahtyba Rubin at nose.

**In a later one-on-one drill, Rogers welcomed Alex Mack to the NFL by pushing the rookie five or six yards back off the snap.

**In a 7-on-7 drill, Mike Adams intercepted a Derek Anderson pass. On Anderson's next throw, he threw a dart to the sideline to Syndric Steptoe after getting Brandon McDonald to bite on a pump fake.

**Phil Dawson kicked the session-ending field goal on extra-narrow goal posts at the northeast end of the practice fields, another thing new to the Browns. After practice, Mangini said he wasn't sure exactly how wide the small target was. Dawson said he liked the challenge: "Make the slightest little mistake, and you're going to miss."

I hope Syndric Septoe is the first player to go. 

While I can't much blame the guy for being a seventh round punt returner who got thrown into being the number 2 receiver last year, but yeah, he's not good.

Observations care of Lane Adkins at the OBR:

The team was back in pads Sunday afternoon, following an evening practice the night before in which the team was in shorts. In pads, you'd expect the activity and aggressiveness to kick into another gear and it was so on Day Two of training camp.

- As was the case on the opening day of training camp, referees were present to manage the team drills in the practice session.

- DT Shaun Rogers was not on the field today after suffering an ankle injury during the evening practice session Saturday.

- WR Braylon Edwards has not been cleared to practice with the team and remains on the sideline.

- Rookie DB Coye Francies has been cleared and joined the team in today's practice session.

- Head coach Eric Mangini makes players run a lap around the practice field when making a mistake on the practice field. Today was no different as first-round pick Alex Mack ran laps twice, while Eric Wright, Dustin Fry, Francies, Isaac Sowells, Rod Hood and Kurt Quarterman ran one lap apiece.

- In the case of Wright and Hood, each ran their lap after complaining about being flagged by the referees in attendance in team drills.

- Following an uninspiring display of focus and skill by a mix of second- and third-team offensive players, Mangini made the entire offense in this camp run a lap.

- Directly in front of a handful of us on this day, we gained some knowledge and appreciation for the communication skills of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Not shy in getting his point across and making sure his players know where he is coming from, Ryan, during the ten-minute period, put on a clinic in responsibility and execution to the LBs.

- Starting LBs D'Qwell Jackson and Kamerion Wimbley spent an extraordinary amount of time between drills working with LB's coach Matt Eberflus.

- Wimbley and OLB Alex Hall have both worked between each outside spot thus far in camp sessions. Hall has made some marked improvement in his run recognition and block-shedding skills. Later in the session, Hall pressured QB Richard Bartel in what would have been a sack opportunity in game conditions.

- Offensive linemen Joe Thomas and Eric Steinbach are noticeably bigger heading into this training camp and the added weight/strength does not appear to have hampered either player. Both players have been solid during individual and team drills, with Steinbach appearing fully over his back and shoulder woes of a season ago.

- John St. Clair, the starting RT at this moment, took reps with the second team at LT and looked solid in the run-blocking scheme. St. Clair simply drives well and gains great extension in this facet of the game.

- As was the case late Saturday, the Browns coaching staff again mixed and matched the starters along the offensive line. Ryan Tucker and George Foster took reps with the starting unit on this day.

- Speaking of Tucker and Foster, each player started the day in similar fashion, only to see their day end differently. Early in the session, both players were being beaten regularly in individual and team drills and often picked themselves up off the grass. As the session progressed, Tucker started to regain his technique and was effective in team drills -- whereas Foster continued to struggle, mainly due to his slow footwork.

- Another offensive lineman that struggled during portions of the session was Isaac Sowells. Beaten on occasion, Sowells has a difficult time staying vertical. Defensive linemen and LBs gained pad leverage on the linemen and got into his body too easily for the offensive tackle to fend off the rush adequately.

- Rookie RB James Davis is quickly becoming a player of significant interest over the course of the first two days of camp. The Browns offense looks to be a one-cut-and-go type rushing attack, which fits perfectly into the natural ability of the Clemson product. Displaying more than enough quickness to get to the outside, while also strong and with solid vision to clear the hole inside, Davis has consistently gained positive yardage in team drills.  As a result, his reps have appeared to increase with each session.

- Veteran RB Jamal Lewis was in on a few reps during team drills. Coming off ankle surgery, Lewis did not appear as explosive as he did on Day One and stutter-stepped during a couple of running plays, which was a flashback to his style of play a season ago.

- Rookie LB David Veikune has spent the vast majority of the practice sessions as an ILB and done well. Veikune has an endless motor, plays the game with aggression, and is explosive. Late in the Sunday session, Veikune was lined up over RT George Foster as a rusher off the edge, but a Kurt Quarterman penalty stopped the action before it started and the staff lost the opportunity to see this potential pass rusher in action off the corner against an experienced lineman.

-  TEs Aaron Walker and Martin Rucker were on the receiving end of numerous passes in the camp session. Following a day in which the TEs struggled somewhat as a collective unit, each was involved in positive plays during team drills.

- While rookie WRs Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi gain the majority of attention, undrafted free agent Jordan Norwood continues to make plays and be noticed. Running solid route after solid route, Norwood is not making plays solely against the bottom-of-the-depth chart type players. This rookie has made a number of acrobatic grabs, as well as the ordinary type in his productive practices to date.

During the early stages of a training camp, you will find a couple players that stand out amongst the masses. Through two days in Browns camp, one cannot help but notice the play and ability of James Davis and Jordan Norwood. With a new coaching staff in place, one with no considerable ties to holdover players on the roster, players such as Davis and Norwood are gaining the opportunity to work and impress -- and they are taking advantage of the opportunity.

Observations of the third day of Camp:

- Neither quarterback stood out in two-minute drives. Derek Anderson's series with the first team ended at the 47-yard line with an incompletion. Brady Quinn advanced the second team to the 35. Anderson had a ball deflected by end Kenyon Coleman, but he recovered on the next play to find Jerome Harrison scooting uncovered in a zone. Quinn was sacked on a blitz by cornerback Corey Ivy on his first down. After tight end John Madsen let a ball go throuh his hands, Quinn connected with Paul Hubbard on a crossing route for 22 yards, the longest play of either drive. Earlier in the practice, Quinn aired out a bomb to Lance Leggett, who made a juggling catch over Ivy. The ball traveled about 55 yards in the air and was right on target. Anderson was intercepted in one drill when safety Hamza Abdullah stepped in front of tight end Robert Royal.

- Rookie receiver Mohamed Massaquoi was criticized for drops in some pre-draft scouting reports, but he made the catch of the day in a one-on-one drill against Ivy. Quinn zipped the ball high to Massaquoi running a slant and Massaquoi stretched his long arms for the ball and secured it firmly.

- Receiver Braylon Edwards and nose tackle Shaun Rogers continued to work out with trainers. Lots of stationary bike pedaling. Cornerback Don Carey was out with what is believed to be a shoulder injury. Fullback Charles Ali also was not on the field after suffering an unspecified injury Sunday evening.

- It was a big day for tight end Steve Heiden, who practiced for the first time without a red jersey to limit his contact. Heiden was pleased afterwards with his practice. He had major knee surgery in December.

- Hank Fraley and rookie Alex Mack are rotating practices with the first team. This morning was Mack's turn. The first team line was Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Mack, Floyd Womack and Ryan Tucker.

- Rookie running back James Davis continues to impress with quick feet and aggressive running. Mangini said Davis has been noticed because he's usually the first man down the field on special teams.

- Cornerback Rod Hood spent the morning on the first-team defense in place of Brandon McDonald. Mangini said it's just part of a normal rotation. Late in the practice, Hood replaced Eric Wright. A trainer immediately worked on Wright's hamstring.

- With Edwards still sidelined, the starting receivers were Josh Cribbs and Massaquoi. In three-receiver formations, Mike Furrey lined up in the slot.

- Linebacker Kamerion Wimbley looked good in coverage of Heiden, breaking up a pass over the middle. Wimbley seems to be everywhere on the field.

• Braylon Edwards wasn't rusty in his first practice after sitting out all of training camp and the June minicamp with a non-football injury believed to be to an ankle. Edwards made the catch of the morning on a 5-on-7 drill. He soared over cornerback Gerard Lawson and peeled the ball off Lawson's helmet on a lob throw from Derek Anderson in the left corner of the end zone. "That play kind of reminds me why I'm here," he said afterward. Edwards was happy and chatty in his interview and dismissed any notion that his time away was a form of discipline by coach Eric Mangini. "Just the opposite," Edwards said. "In fact, I thought he was taking care of me (by being cautious)." After his interview session, Edwards spotted Mangini leaving a line of autograph-seekers and they walked off together talking.

• A very physical goal-line drill featured live tackling. When the first teams squared off, the defense stuffed Jamal Lewis short of the end zone on consecutive plays. Linebacker Eric Barton took him down from the backside on the second one with Shaun Rogers also in pursuit. The No. 1 offense resorted to a pass to score on the third play. Brady Quinn faked to Lewis and lofted the ball to fullback Lawrence Vickers in the end zone. In the matchup of second teams, Derek Anderson scored on his first play with a bootleg run after a play-fake. On second down, running back James Davis was stopped by linebacker Marcus Benard, end Louis Leonard and safety Hamza Abdullah. Linebacker Kamerion Wimbley actually lined up as an eligible tight end on that play. Anderson was touch-sacked on the third play by end Corey Williams after a play-fake and rollout left.

• Talked to second-year linebacker Alex Hall after the session. He feels so much more comfortable in his second camp. He said he's about five pounds heavier and much stronger after going through the team's offseason weight program. Hall changed to jersey No. 51 because linebacker David Bowens asked for his No. 96 upon joining the Browns in the offseason.

• Cornerback Don Carey (shoulder) and fullback Charles Ali (undisclosed) were the only players not to practice. Running back Jerome Harrison appeared bothered with a foot or leg problem and jogged on his own between drills to stretch out his muscles.

• Brady Quinn was intercepted when his pass for Mohamed Massaquoi into the end zone deflected off Massaquoi's stomach as his knees were hitting the ground. Cornerback Coye Francies made the interception. Massaquoi and Paul Hubbard appeared to get more reps than rookie Brian Robiskie, who had an off day on Tuesday.

• The first-team offensive line was Joe Thomas, Rex Hadnot, Alex Mack, Ryan Tucker and John St. Clair. Eric Steinbach was the second-team left tackle.

• Safety Abram Elam made a good breakup of a Quinn pass for tight end Robert Royal at the goal line.

Source: cleveland.com

The team went hard in full pads in the morning, finishing with a spirited goal-line period that the defense dominated. In shorts and no pads in the evening session, the team practiced specific game situations, such as the Hail Mary pass and end-of-game clock management. Braylon Edwards' return sparked the offense in both sessions.

The quarterbacks remained even through a day of situational team drills, including no-huddle, goal-line, and trailing by four points with one second remaining and facing fourth down from the 5. Both quarterbacks fared well in the latter drill, with Derek Anderson lobbing a TD pass to Mike Furrey on the left side of the end zone over Corey Ivy and Brady Quinn finding tight end Martin Rucker just inside the right corner.

Given the same situation but with the ball moved back to the 35, a leaping Brodney Pool knocked down Anderson's heave and Quinn's pass fell incomplete in the end zone. Backed up 10 more yards to the 45, Pool picked off Anderson's pass at the right side of the goal-line and Hamza Abdullah swatted Quinn's short offering away from Syndric Steptoe at about the 5. Quinn was picked off once by Eric Wright in team drills, but the ball was tipped by Brian Robiskie. Displaying plenty of arm strength, he hit Edwards on a deep post and Josh Cribbs on a fly in one-on-ones.

Source: cleveland.com

Edwards running like a colt

Eric Mangini put his arm around Braylon Edwards as they left the practice field together Wednesday.

Surely, survival instincts play a role in the Cleveland Browns head coach and the wide receiver acting buddy-buddy.

There’s always the chance they really like each other, but there’s also this:

• Edwards needs a platform to revive a career that U-turned into a wall last autumn.

• Inheriting an offense whose 2008 incarnation grew stunningly awful, Mangini is in no position to turn his back on a former Pro Bowler.

By late Wednesday morning, Edwards’ missing four days of camp with an undisclosed injury seemed like ancient history. 

Edwards ran like a colt in his first practice, which he punctuated with the catch of the day, deftly snatching a pass off cornerback Gerard Lawson’s helmet for a touchdown.

There was almost an attack inflection in Edwards’ endorsement of the head coach.

“He’s a disciplinarian,” Edwards said. “You can tell by the attitude. Everybody came back in shape, where they were supposed to be. 

“There are small things happening throughout this organization that are forcing guys to pay attention to the big picture.”

Edwards swatted away the notion Mangini had Edwards on the “non-football injury” list as a mind game.

“I can go to Coach Mangini any time and talk to him about anything,” Edwards said. “I really like this guy, and I’m really happy to play for him right now.”

Edwards is a former No. 3 overall draft pick who set franchise records for receiving yards and touchdowns in the 2007 season. As a fifth-year pro, is it time for him to emerge as a vocal team leader?

“The way for me to make an impact is to make plays like the one you talked about (gesturing to a writer) in the end zone,” said Edwards, referring to his catch of the day. “If I make that play, I don’t have to say anything. 

“And then when I do say something, if I’m making consistent plays, guys have no choice but to at least listen to me.’

“A guy can be the nicest guy in the world. He can be a leader. He can be spiritual. He can be good in the media’s eyes, but if he’s not performing, nobody’s gonna listen to the guy.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about production.”

Dueling quarterbacks

During a goal-line drill Wednesday, Derek Anderson crossed up the defense by sprinting 3 yards for a touchdown. 

As the quarterback battle heats up, Anderson continues to enjoy clowning around in spots. In this case, he took a joyful running leap after scoring — think Steve Nebraska on a home run trot, if you know the movie “The Scout” — and spiked the ball.

During his turn on the same drill, Brady Quinn rolled left, sucked in a defender and lofted a touchdown pass to fullback Lawrence Vickers.

Quinn ran the No. 1 offense in Wednesday’s full-pads practice. Anderson had the No. 1s the two previous days. Quinn was with the “ones” the two days before that.

Anticipation is building as to who will start the preseason opener Aug. 15 at Green Bay. Head Coach Eric Mangini won’t say.

Professor Patten

Second-round draft pick Mohamed Massaquoi, 22, is learning a lot from the oldest player on the offense, David Patten, who will turn 35 this month. “He leaks wisdom,” Massaquoi said.

Mangini’s impression of how much Patten has left physically:

“I’ve known him for a long, long time. I’ve always respected the way that he rises to a challenge, the way he constantly surprises people. I never underestimate his ability to do anything. 

“I was talking to Mohamed the other day, right by the coffee machine, I said, ‘Make sure you absorb everything you can from this guy.’ He said, ‘I am. I’m even trying to get the same cup of coffee as him.’”

Revolving door

Not that he’ll talk quarterbacks in public, but wide receiver Braylon Edwards knows Quinn and  Anderson.

In four years with the Browns, Edwards has played with six starting quarterbacks — Trent Dilfer, Charlie Frye, Anderson, Quinn, Ken Dorsey and Bruce Gradkowski.

“Whichever guy is gonna be the guy is gonna be the guy,” Edwards said. “I’ve played with different quarterbacks every year. You get used to it.”

Midweek surprise

After the Browns signed two ex-Jets and spent two draft picks on linebackers, Titus Brown’s chances of making the team seemed doomed.

Brown, however, has impressed Mangini with his ability to play the run from an outside linebacking spot. Browns has been getting reps with the No. 1 defense this week.

“Every rep is important,” the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Brown said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re with the ones or threes.”

Undrafted out of Mississippi State last year, he was in and out of the Dolphins camp before landing in Cleveland and appearing in the final four games

Source: CantonRep.com

Visited Camp today, a short list of things I saw:

- James Davis looks to be the real deal, Harrison looking quick too, if these guys can learn to pass block, we may just have our RBs.

- Quinn looked better than Anderson in 11-on-11 drills, though that isn't saying much.  Quinn still consistently throws behind receivers, Anderson still gets tunnel vision and has trouble going through his reads.  

- The defensive line looks stacked... there wasn't much noticeable difference between the apparent starters and fringe players.  Louis Leonard, Adam Hoppel and Melila Purcell looked good, hopefully that means that they have improved, and that the starters aren't just junk.

- Veikune is everywhere on the field, and his explosion and motor is readily apparent in drills... I'm cautiously optimistic about the contribution he can make to the team.

- Alex Hall looked really quick off the snap, and was blowing by blockers in drills

- Defensive Back and Wide Receiver depth is far and away better than in the past couple years, it's going to be a tough decision between sticking with some veterans or giving some younger guys a chance.

- Alex Mack looked like he belonged with the first team Offensive Line.

- I caught a look at Cribbs taking direct snaps in a 'wildcat'-esque offensive set including (at times) Jamal, Harrison and Davis.

- The music that many reporters have said is very loud, didn't seem all that loud to me, certainly not at the level of a live game.  Perhaps there have been other measures put in place to simulate crowd noise and such, but none I could notice.

- I met and spoke to Joe Thomas, yes you should be jealous.

- Overall the depth on the team is impressive, hopefully that means the second stringers are good, and not that the first stringers stink.

Now onto the press' take of today's practice...

LG Rex Hadnot suffered the first serious injury of training camp when rookie LB David Veikune appeared to roll up on the back of Hadnot's left knee. Hadnot was carted off the field. The team had concerted work on the running game, which presented rookie RB James Davis with another highlight play. On an inside handoff, Davis scooted through a hole on the right side, cut back left and outran the defense for a 50-yard touchdown.

Derek Anderson had two passes batted down and was intercepted once when rookie WR Brian Robiskie missed a hot read on a blitz, but Anderson looked to have the better day. He showed off his arm on a hurry-up drive to get into field goal position. On third-and-10, Anderson drilled the ball between two defenders and completed the pass to TE Robert Royal. In the same down-and-distance, Brady Quinn missed WR Braylon Edwards on a quick inside slant route. Quinn was off target on several intermediate passes.

It seems that neither QB has been able to consistently perform well in two minute situations.  Cleveland.com reports...

• Players were in shorts, but a couple of times receivers were taken to the ground. It was a marathon session, running 2 hours, 20 minutes.

• Midway through, Braylon Edwards got tangled up on a running play and emerged with a slight limp. He wasn't limping as he walked off the field and didn't receive attention from trainers. Edwards stayed out the next two team drills. He returned and showed no signs of aggravating the ankle injury that kept him out for the first five days of practice. Edwards has not dropped a catchable ball in the four practices he's paricipated in.

• Brady Quinn was a little better than the past few days with his accuracy in all drills. He also fared better in the all-important two-minute drill. On this day, quarterbacks were allowed to call their own plays and timeouts. Derek Anderson worked the No. 1 team against the No. 1 defense. Anderson got off six plays in 1:48 and moved the offense only 25 yards. It ended when his fourth-down pass glanced off the hands of Jerome Harrison. One of his plays was whistled dead as a sack. Quinn managed a better series under the same conditions, except against the No. 2 defense. He ran 11 plays, spiking the ball once to stop the clock and calling two timeouts. He completed short passes on third down twice and fourth down once to keep the drive alive, but his series ended on an incompleted Haily Mary pass attempted from the 35. He had one brain cramp on one play by wasting 16 seconds waiting for a receiver to break open rather than throwing away the ball.

• The offenses rarely, if ever, get into the end zone in the two-minute drills. Coach Eric Mangini admitted the offense has to get better in those situations.

• Mangini gave no update on guard Rex Hadnot, who suffered a knee injury at Thursday's afternoon practice. Wouldn't even say he hurt his knee.

• Tight end Robert Royal displayed his catching skills on Anderson's series. He made a nice catch over safety Abram Elam for about 16 yards.

• The open-field tackling drill pitting two players against each other always favors the offensive player because all it takes is one move to escape a tackle. Very few defensive players win. In today's version, about 20 pairs of players went at it. Only four defensive players even made contact with the offensive player, and Elam did it twice. He took receiver Jordan Norwood to the ground and corraled receiver Paul Hubbard another time. Defensive end Santonio Thomas earned cheers from the defense for jarring the ball loose from Royal in the drill.

• Receiver David Patten continued to work with trainers. Fullback Charles Ali remained out.

• Kicker Phil Dawson was called on four times to attempt field goals of over 50 yards. He made the first from 54, missed from 52 and 56, and made one from 56.

• In a one-on-one pass rush drill, nose tackle Ahtyba Rubin drove through rookie center Alex Mack, linebacker Alex Hall knocked tight end John Madsen to the ground and offensive tackle Ryan Tucker just stood up end Louis Leonard in his tracks.• Running back Noah Herron got some reps with the No. 2 offense. Perhaps it was to give some rest to rookie James Davis, who has had a great week.

MARTIN RUCKER IS PSYCHED

The 24-year-old tight end hit training camp cautiously optimistic, but a week of mostly strong practices has widened his smile into a glow.

“So much more,” he said with extra mustard when asked what he knows now that he didn’t know then.

Rucker was a big-time “show me” guy at Missouri, setting a school record with 84 catches in 2007. He was a hesitant rookie who needed preseason knee surgery and got lost in the 2008 shuffle.

In practice this week, he has found his game again. And, yes, he said, fighting for the starting job is his top priority.

“Things are finally starting to slow down,” Rucker said. 

What does that mean when he’s grinding through 11-on-11s?

“You see things before they happen, instead of when they happen, when you’re like, ‘Oh, shoot, what do I do?’ ” Rucker said. 

He seems quite sure the process is helping him get open.

“I feel a lot better about myself,” he said.

Phil Savage drafted Rucker as insurance in case Kellen Winslow Jr. wasn’t around. The policy has come due, but Rucker must prove that he is more than a pass-catching talent. 

It remains to be seen whether losing substantial weight — he was listed at 6-foot-4, 260 last year and says his weight now ranges from 243 to 245 — has left him too light to block. He already was blocking-challenged, having been used mostly as a receiver in college.

“I still have to get a lot better (at blocking),” Rucker said, “but from last year to this year, it’s greatly improved..

“When you come from a spread offense to being a traditional tight end, there was a lot of stuff I had to work on.”

CAMP COLOR

Scenes and sounds from Friday’s practice:

Third-string quarterback Brett Ratliff is making himself at home. When the horn sounded, signifying a change in drills, Ratliff and Derek Anderson began running side by side. It turned into a race, with both players laughing at full speed. It ended with Ratliff diving head first toward an upside-down garbage can used to simulate a body. Ratliff popped up and made a grand baseball-umpire gesture: SAFE!

An Anderson pass went off Joshua Cribbs’ hands and turned into an interception.

A fan yelled, “That’s why you’re a kick returner.”

PHIL THE FOOT

Phil Dawson said he has yet to talk to any of his aging kicker acquaintances about getting older. But he is getting older.

“You’re getting some gray in your beard,” a writer said.

“So are you,” Dawson said to a scribe 20 years his senior.

There was no sign of gray in Dawson’s leg when he made half of his game-condition practice tries from beyond 50 yards Friday. All of the kicks had plenty of distance. One of the makes was a 56-yarder.

There was practically no wind. How often does that happen at Browns Stadium?

“Never,” said Dawson, who has made a career out of aiming to a spot away from the center of the crossbar, calculating wind carry.

PASSING THIS WAY

Derek Anderson seems to be warming up to Cribbs. At least, the two hooked up on two nice completions during a Friday practice.

Anderson ran the No. 1 offense, with Cribbs seeing plenty of action. On one throw, Cribbs made a nifty hands catch while diving 15 yards downfield. That’s a tough catch, given the zip on Anderson’s passes.

As in the majority of practices so far, Anderson seemed more accurate than Brady Quinn. In 11-on-11s, Quinn had one especially bad miss aimed at second-year pro Paul Hubbard.

Quinn and Anderson will oppose each other in an intrasquad game Sunday at Browns Stadium. It could be a milestone day for one of them.

Eric Mangini is picking the sides, with input from other coaches but veto power over suggestions he dislikes.

“Maybe we’ll do some trades,” he joked.

SIXTH-ROUND LUCK

The Browns are expected to consider rookie sixth-round draft pick Don Carey for the practice squad. 

To make room for former Akron cornerback Brandon Anderson, Carey was released under a waived-injured designation. Carey was unable to answer the training camp bell last week because of a shoulder injury.

Any team wanting to claim Carey can for now, and there is always curiosity when a draft pick is released this early. As a practical matter, how much do sixth-rounders matter? Recent Browns Round 6 picks:

2003, Antonio Garay. 2004, Kirk Chambers. 2005, Andrew Hoffman. 2006, Lawrence Vickers and Babatunde Oshinowo. 2007, Melila Purcell. 

Vickers is the starting fullback. None of the others made a dent.

PENALTY POINTS

It’s an open question as to whether some veterans think penalty laps in practice should be confined to college football, but ...

Last year’s Browns were penalized 100 times for 669 yards. Eric Mangini’s Jets, who ran penalty laps in training camp, were penalized 77 times for 569 yards.

The Steelers were penalized 95 times for 812 yards, and they went on to win a Super Bowl.

EXTRA POINTS

 Rookie center Alex Mack ran another penalty lap like someone was chasing him. The kid is making some mistakes but looks to be in fantastic shape.

 

Mangini would not confirm whether offensive lineman Rex Hadnot, who was carted away from Thursday’s practice, has a knee injury, as it appeared when he left the field.

Source: CantonRep.com

Sympathy for the rookie.

It could be a song title.

Shaun Rogers had some sympathy for Browns rookie first-round draft pick Alex Mack before and after Sunday’s Cleveland Browns Stadium scrimmage — more after than during.

The Pro Bowl nose tackle overpowered Mack on several occasions. There was no tackling on the ball, but heavy contact on the line of scrimmage was allowed.

One time, Rogers blew through the middle to quarterback Derek Anderson. He didn’t hit Anderson, but was credited with a sack. Another time, Rogers powered around Mack but literally was held up. Rogers kept going, towing Mack, who had grabbed a piece of Rogers’ jersey from behind and was tugging with all his might.

It was a reminder of why Rogers was almost always double-teamed during his Pro Bowl 2008 season. It was a caution against assuming too much about Mack.

Two scenarios are possible:

Mack can benefit from regular practice against an elite defensive lineman.

 

Mack’s confidence might be blown if he can’t come to grips with getting beat.

“He’s not going to go against many like me,” Rogers said Sunday, with no one correcting him.

Browns Head Coach Eric Mangini added, “When you draw Shaun, it exposes you.”

VETERANS HAVE SEEN IT

The veterans are telling Mack to do what he can when forced to engage a Rogers-type load by himself. They tell him, “He does it to us, too.”

Rogers said he only has so much time to counsel Mack, because he’s tied up in defensive preparation.

“I can try to let him know what to do,” Rogers said. “If I notice something in his technique, I’ll tell him. Obviously, if I beat him (smiling), I’ll tell him.”

Presumably, Mack was drafted to do for the Browns what former Round 1 pick Nick Mangold did for Mangini in New York  — start at center right away.

If Mack can’t? Hank Fraley has started the last 48 Browns games after spending five years as an Eagles starter.

Fraley was a captain last year, and continues to draw regular compliments from his teammates, including Rogers.

Mack, though, is bigger, stronger and fresher than Fraley. The rookie seems tough and determined. 

“I hope (Mack) keeps working on his technique and his tenacity,” Rogers said, “and he’ll be fine.”

Browns Notebook

Less a longshot

Sunday’s stadium heat reminded Lance Leggett of his college days.

“It felt like I was back in Miami,” he said.

It is easier to imagine Leggett winning a job now that he blew past the defense and caught a 51-yard touchdown bomb from Brady Quinn in that heat. He looked like the former NCAA hurdles champion that he is.

The 6-foot-3 Leggett was undrafted in 2008 after a modest career at Miami (Fla.), but he might be the fastest wide receiver in Berea.

Of the TD, he said, “I just ran and kept my eyes on the ball. I didn’t look at the safety.”

Leggett spent all last year on the practice squad, then had the good sense to send a message to new Browns Head Coach Eric Mangini.

“Lance lived in the meeting rooms when we first got here,” Mangini said. “He wanted information. He wanted the playbook.”

Mangini said Leggett has been “very coachable” in terms of addressing weaknesses, such as route precision and beating press coverage.

 

Cutler rematch 

Mike Adams, who probably will wind up as the No. 3 safety, has seen why the team added projected starting strong safety Abe Elam in the offseason.

“Abe is physical, and he can cover,” Adams said. “I know he stepped in when the other guy went out and did a great job with the Jets.”

Elam became a Jets starter in 2008 after Eric Smith suffered a concussion. It wasn’t all good — Elam got beat twice for touchdowns by Denver’s Jay Cutler in a 34-17 loss last Nov. 30. Yet Mangini kept Elam in the starting lineup for the next game.

Last November, Browns cornerback Brandon McDonald had his worst game as a pro against Cutler. 

Elam and McDonald will get a crack at Cutler together in the preseason finale at Chicago. They also will see Cutler on Nov. 1 in the Windy City.

Furrey factor

Wide receiver Mike Furrey wasn’t a factor in Sunday’s stadium scrimmage, in which the other veteran import, David Patten, stood out. But now that tackling starts, Furrey thinks he can prove he can help the Browns.

Furrey bristles when anyone suggests he is a one-year wonder. He came out of Northern Iowa in 2000 and bounced around pro football for five years. His 98-catch, 1,086 year with the Lions in 2006 came out of the blue.

Furrey thinks he did some good things the following year, when he caught 66 passes for 664 yards.

“Last year (18 catches for 181 yards in just nine games) was just an odd year,” he said.

Extra points

Guard Rex Hadnot is on crutches but in good spirits. Asked if his left knee injury will force him onto injured reserve, he said, “You’d have to ask Coach Mangini.” Asked whether Rex Hadnot isn’t the best authority to talk about Rex Hadnot, the big man laughed and said, “You can see ... I’m buying into the system.” Veteran offensive lineman Fred Weary, a former Round 3 pick of the Texans, has been signed.

 

Running back Noah Herron, signed after Jason Wright left in free agency, made a long touchdown run up the middle at the stadium Sunday. “Holes don’t open up like that very often,” he said.. “The offensive line did great the whole day. They really did.”

Source: CantonRep.com

Observations from the morning practice on Day 11 of training camp ...

• The first-team offense finally scored a touchdown in the two-minute drill. That's not even the big news. The quarterback leading the drive was Brett Ratliff, who is considered not to be in competition with Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn. Coach Eric Mangini threw a bone to the former Jets free agent and Ratliff came through, moving the team 71 yards in less than a minute. The TD was a little tainted, though. Braylon Edwards one-handed a Ratliff pass thrown behind him, shook off Brandon McDonald and ran it about 30 yards to the end zone. McDonald let up, thinking Edwards should have been whistled down, but the officials let the TD stand. Ratliff threw behind Edwards on another play and also benefitted from a tipped pass on fourth down that Jerome Harrison caught for a first down. Ratliff did make a good throw on a sideline out to Edwards over McDonald. I'm not sure that this was the first time the No. 1 offense found the end zone in the two-minute, but there haven't been many successful drives on the practice field.

• Receiver Lance Leggett, who caught the Quinn TD pass in the Sunday team scrimmage, worked with trainers along with tight end John Madsen. Fullback Charles Ali returned to work in most drills, but left the field with a trainer three-quarters through. Receiver David Patten worked in some drills but also rode the stationary bike.

• With Syndric Steptoe out for the year, rookie cornerback Coye Francies took some reps at kick returner behind Josh Cribbs and Gerard Lawson.

• Former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr visited practice. Former Wolverine and Browns tight end Aaron Shea escorted him on the field. Mangini said Carr asked to come and he was welcome.

• Speaking of Michigan, Shaun Smith met with Detroit reporters this morning for the first time since his release from the Browns. Smith said that Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers helped make his decision to sign with the Lions. "That's my best friend and he wishes he could come back here now. He misses it," Smith said.

• Mangini's first official depth chart was revealed. Some notable listings: Hank Fraley is the No. 1 center, Mike Furrey the No. 2 receiver. Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn are listed as co-starters. The o-line starters are Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Fraley, Floyd Womack and John St. Clair. The tight end is Robert Royal. On defense, Corey Williams and Kenyon Coleman are the starting ends, David Bowens and Kamerion Wimbley the outside linebackers. Mangini said he didn't spend a lot of time arranging the depth chart. It shouldn't be regarded as a complete evaluation of the roster at this point.

• The offense worked a lot on the running game in team drills.

• Cornerback Rod Hood intercepted Richard Bartel throwing for Mohamed Massaquoi in the two-minute drill.

Source: cleveland.com

The general perception had it that Brady Quinn emerged from the Green Bay game with a leg up on Derek Anderson in the Browns’ quarterback derby.

Eric Mangini shed little light on how reality squares to perception.

“I think at this point, it’s really too early to make an assessment on both guys,” Mangini said Monday after the Browns flew home from a 17-0 defeat.

What light there was had to be gleaned from Mangini expanding on Quinn and saying almost nothing about Anderson.

Quinn went 7-of-11 and drove the Browns into scoring range on his two series. Anderson went 0-for-2 on two series that ended in a hurry.

“I did like some of the things Brady did while he was in there,” Mangini said. “D.A. didn’t get as many reps.

“We’ll try to balance that off here over (Saturday’s) game (against Detroit). It’s just too early to make a ‘here’s-where-we-are-right-now’ comment.”

What of the notion it is Anderson’s turn to start, since Quinn opened up at Green Bay?

“That wasn’t set in stone, so I am going to see how it goes this week,” Mangini said. “I would like to balance the reps as much as possible over the course of this weekend.”

Anderson did run the No. 1 offense in Monday’s practice.

The Browns’ offense failed to score a touchdown in a seventh straight game, dating to the 2008 regular season. The defense didn’t fare much better, giving up touchdowns on Green Bay’s first two series.

Linebacker D’Qwell Jackson was a bit more direct in his assessments than Mangini.

“To just go out and lay an egg is not gonna be tolerated by me, or by the coaching staff,” Jackson said. “I’ve got a bitter taste in my mouth. I’m not gonna accept anything but being great.”

Proving greatness might take time.

Anatomy of a drop

Two days after dropping a would-be touchdown pass at Green Bay, Braylon Edwards opened a practice by exaggerating eye contact with his first few catches. 

Edwards looked the passes into his hands and then stared at the ball unnaturally.

After that, he got back to just looking the ball in and making a quick break with his feet. Throughout drills, he caught the ball well and seemed frisky as he broke upfield.

Asked about the drop, Eric Mangini broke into a wideout seminar.

“You’re anticipating the hit, anticipating what you’re going to do, and the catch and run element. You can’t get to those steps before you get to the step of making the pocket, seeing the tip of the football into your hands, being able to place it away and run. 

“If you skip any step or are distracted at all, you can put the ball on the ground. I think you just have to keep working on the issues in practice, which we do. Also, the JUGS (machine) is another great way to get some extra balls.”

Back in action

Veteran Steve Heiden got in a full practice Monday after sitting out the Green Bay game. Heiden is coming off ankle surgery and for now is the No. 2 tight end behind Robert Royal.

Royal tripped during a drill Monday and broke his fall with his right hand. He came up shaking his hand as if he had jammed it.

Wideout David Patten, who has had a history of hamstring issues, likewise didn’t play at Green Bay but practiced Monday.

Nose tackle Shaun Rogers is being nursed along. He didn’t play at Green Bay, and was limited mostly to the exercise bike Monday.

The longest yard

Right tackle George Foster protested having to run a penalty lap Monday. Foster seemed to think he jumped early because of quarterback Brady Quinn’s cadence. Both he and fellow lineman Isaac Sowells jumped early.

Quinn kept running the huddle. Foster and Sowells left to run a lap. Others spotted running punishment laps Monday were left tackle Joe Thomas, running back James Davis and defensive end Louis Leonard.

The longshot

The smallest player in camp is one of the biggest longshots for a roster spot, but Jordan Norwood was one of the stars of Monday’s practice.

The 5-foot-11 Norwood, an undrafted rookie out of Penn State, made a one-handed catch on a ball underthrown by Quinn, hustled under a deep throw from Derek Anderson, and fully extended for a catch on a ball that seemed to be overthrown by Brett Ratliff.

Extra points

• Rookie Coye Francies comes across as a physical cornerback who isn’t afraid to mix it up, but coaches are pressing him to improve his technique. “That’s no good!” an assistant barked while he was practicing jams at the line of scrimmage Monday.

• Speaking of physical, wideout Joshua Cribbs gave linebacker Kamerion Wimbley all he could handle on one blocking assignment Monday. Cribbs, a former Kent State quarterback, was called on to throw a trick pass on a pitch from Anderson, but the play got blown up by a blitz. 

• Edwards has an impressive passing arm, which he frequently shows off when returning the ball to drills. Camp observers wonder whether the new regime might ever use him on a double pass.

• Rookie Round 1 pick Alex Mack was the No. 1 center Monday. Veteran Hank Fraley started at Green Bay. The rest of the No. 1 line was what it was in Wisconsin: John St. Clair at right tackle, Floyd Womack at right guard, Eric Steinbach at left guard and Thomas at left tackle.

• Marcus Benard, an undrafted rookie linebacker who has had a nice camp, intercepted Brady Quinn during Monday’s 11-on-11s. Eric Mangini threw an unexpected compliment to safety Bret Lockett, an undrafted rookie out of UCLA.

Source: Cantonrep.com

Observations from the morning practice of Day 18 ...

• Unless a miracle happens, Saturday's practice game against the Detroit Lions will not sell out by the deadline of 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and will not be shown on WKYC Channel 3. As of today, approximately 4,800 tickets remained unsold, according to a source. The debacle in Green Bay Saturday night didn't help, of course. The team sold only about 300 tickets after the game at 50 percent discount. Neither the team nor the station intend to purchase the tickets to lift the blackout. Also, Channel 3 is leaning against televising the game on a delayed basis. It would be the first Browns game -- preseason or otherwise -- blacked out from local TV since they returned as an expansion team in 1999. There was a local blackout in 1995 after Art Modell announced he was moving his team to Baltimore after that season.

• Coach Eric Mangini was irate with his team's performance at practice. Mental and physical errors continued to abound. Mangini said, yes, the players are tired in these dog days of camp, but so are those of every NFL team at this point. He said he gave the players a break by practicing in shorts and they have to learn to get the same work done when not in full uniform. He cited delay-of-game and false start penalties in the two-minute drive and a lazy "lob" throw by Brady Quinn that was intercepted by Brandon McDonald as particularly irritating errors. Mangini said what he saw this morning "was just bad football."

• Missing practice were receiver David Patten, linebacker David Bowens, guard/tackle Ryan Tucker and nose tackle Shaun Rogers. Left tackle Joe Thomas was on the sidelines out of uniform because he redeemed a "Get Out of Practice Free Card," he earned from Mangini during the offseason conditioning program.

• In a key development, Hank Fraley played left guard on the No. 1 unit next to rookie center Alex Mack. Part of that move was due to Eric Steinbach taking Thomas' place at left tackle. But Mangini admitted he wanted to see Fraley at guard with the No. 1 line. It's good news for Fraley, in a way, because it indicates Mangini is open to keeping him on the roster even if he force-feeds the struggling Mack into the starting center spot.

• The Browns signed running back Chris Jennings, who last played professionally in the CFL with Montral, and waived linebacker Phillip Hunt.

• It's evident that the top three wideouts are Braylon Edwards, Josh Cribbs and Mike Furrey. What's not evident is whether Cribbs or Furrey is No. 2. Also, when the team lines up three receivers, Edwards sometimes moves into the slot. That never happened in his previous four seasons.

• The quarterbacks did not sparkle, once again. The good: Brady Quinn lofting a nice pass down the left sideline over cornerback Corey Ivy and into Edwards' hands. (Yes, he caught it.) Also, Derek Anderson winging a fastball to Brian Robiskie on a deep sideline out. The bad: Quinn lobbing the ball in the middle of the field with Edwards not on the same page. McDonald intercepted it. Quinn and Edwards talked after the play.

Source: cleveland.com