Espn Report From Camp
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I like reading the comments on the bottom of the page. Stupid squeeler fans for the most part
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My link I thought this blog article on ESPN about how camp was going was interesting and very encouraging. Thought I would post it for everybody. Hope you enjoy it.
My link I thought this blog article on ESPN about how camp was going was interesting and very encouraging. Thought I would post it for everybody. Hope you enjoy it.
BEREA, Ohio -- Long before the announcement that Jimmy Haslam was buying the Browns, a new era had already begun in Cleveland.
It started with the Browns moving up one spot in the draft to select running back Trent Richardson third overall. It continued with taking quarterback Brandon Weeden later in the first round. Throw in a couple of second-round picks -- right tackle Mitchell Schwartz and wide receiver Josh Gordon (supplemental draft) -- and the Browns have the potential to start four rookies on offense this season. The rest of the teams in the AFC North may only start a total of four rookies combined.
This offseason rebuilding project in Cleveland has turned an unwatchable, 29th-ranked offense to the city's best attraction since the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Drawing the most fans to camp since they started tracking attendance seven years ago, the Browns watched 4,200 fans show up for the second practice. How impressive is that? The Browns' facility only holds 3,000, which meant more than 1,000 fans waited outside for people to leave so they could get a glimpse of the team's future.
"Offense sells tickets," linebacker D'Qwell Jackson said with a smile.
Camp Confidential: AFC North
• Steelers
• Browns
• Bengals
• Ravens
• Training camp page
The Browns have certainly generated a buzz. The challenge is keeping fans interested. This franchise has recorded double-digit losses in eight of the past nine seasons, and the Browns are the consensus pick to finish last in the division -- again.
These younger players haven't had to endure the constant losing, but they're just as motivated to prove the skeptics wrong.
"I’ve dealt with it the last few years when Oklahoma State was picked in the middle of the Big 12," Weeden said. "When we did win the Big 12 championship, it felt good to say, 'What now?’ We really don’t listen to it too much. If anything, it sparks a little fire and makes us work that much harder."
THREE HOT ISSUES
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Amy Sancetta
With a change in ownership for the Browns, the job security of Mike Holmgren, left, and coach Pat Shurmur is perhaps in question.
1. Change in ownership. For all the hope surrounding the future, there's an equal amount of uncertainty after Haslam bought the team from Randy Lerner. New owners typically overhaul the decision-makers and put their trusted associates in place. Haslam won't make any changes until he's approved by the NFL owners in either September or October, which makes it seem like everyone is on a one-season audition.
Many predict Holmgren will be gone because Joe Banner, Haslam's unofficial consultant and a former executive for the Eagles, is expected to end up running the organization. General manager Tom Heckert could also be out based on mixed reports of his 10-year relationship with Banner in Philadelphia. And Shurmur might be done if the Browns win a handful of games again this year.
"This thing is headed in the right direction," offensive tackle Joe Thomas said. "Sometimes, it’s hard not to think what the new guy is going to think. Is he going to see what we see?"
2. Loss of defensive tackle Phil Taylor. The 2011 first-round pick is on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list after having surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle in May. The hope is Taylor will be able to return in the first half of the season and perhaps as early as Week 7 at Indianapolis.
While Scott Paxson continues to surprisingly fill Taylor's spot in the starting lineup, no one player is going to fill that void. "I would say we’re going to have to roll a few people in there," Shurmur said. "That’s what we’re trying to find, that right mix."
It's really become a defensive line by committee because each player has a particular strength. Paxson and rookie third-round pick John Hughes are more stout against the run, and rookie sixth-round pick Billy Winn is showing quickness as a pass rusher. Despite this collective effort, it will be hard to replace Taylor.
3. Wide receiver Josh Gordon's impact. The development of Gordon will determine the success of the Browns' passing game. Cleveland used a second-round pick in the supplemental draft on someone who is on the fast track to becoming the No. 1 receiver on the team.
Gordon's three failed drug tests makes him a risk, but it was a risk that the Browns had to take considering they have one of the worst wide receiver groups in the league. Gordon has the size (6 feet 3) and breakaway speed to be a top target, which prompted one league executive to say he has "Randy Moss-like" talents. On one route over the middle, Gordon never broke stride as two defenders bounced off of him. His height will show up on fade routes in the end zone, and his size will benefit him on slant routes.
Expectations have to be tempered by the fact that Gordon is raw. He didn't play last season (although he did practice) after transferring from Baylor to Utah, and he comes from a limited route tree from his days in the Baylor offense. The learning curve might not be as steep because Gordon has proven to be a great notetaker in meetings. He's already working with the first-team offense in three-receiver sets after a handful of practices.
"He’s one of those guys that you can tell to correct something, and he corrects it on the next snap," offensive coordinator Brad Childress. "You can say what you want about him off the field. I found him to be a very good student of the game and able to put into play what you ask him to do immediately."
REASON FOR OPTIMISM
The way Richardson loves contact in training camp bodes well for the Browns. Richardson brings a physical identity to an offense that struck no fear in defenses last season. The only way the Browns will be able to compete with the Steelers and Ravens is to have an offensive centerpiece who can match the toughness and intensity of those defenses.
Richardson has the look of being the best back to come out of college since Adrian Peterson, only he's stronger. He benches 475 pounds, using that muscle to hold onto the ball (no lost fumbles last season) and break tackles. His success will allow the Browns to shorten games.
Richardson's biggest impact will come around the end zone. The Browns ranked 30th in points scored last season because they lacked punch in the running game. Cleveland scored four rushing touchdowns last season, which was tied for the the second-fewest in the past 15 NFL seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information. This is why the Browns gave up three picks to move up one spot to get Richardson, one of three players in SEC history to score 20 or more rushing touchdowns in a season.
REASON FOR PESSIMISM
The only thing that has piled up more than losses since the Browns returned to the league is rushing yards. Over the past 13 seasons, the highest the Browns' run defense has ranked is 23rd. Cleveland allowed 147.4 yards rushing per game last season, which ranked 30th in the 32-team NFL. No other team in the division gave up more than 104.7 yards a game on the ground, and no other AFC North team ranked lower than 10th in run defense.
The Browns' defense is giving up some long runs in camp, a sign that this could be another long season for the Cleveland front seven. The Browns upgraded at defensive end by signing free agent Frostee Rucker, only to lose Taylor for at least the first six games. Defensive end Jabaal Sheard, a menace on the pass rush, has struggled against the run. Another bad sign is three of the Browns' starting front four (Taylor, Rucker and Ahtyba Rubin) have missed time because of injuries and there's only been one full week of camp.
"To be successful in this league and in the AFC North, you have to stop the run," Jackson said. "Around November and December and the weather is bad, it’s going to be a run day. From looking at last year, that’s one thing we’re focusing on from Day One, it’s stopping the run. It’s a quiet confidence you have to build and it starts right here in training camp."
OBSERVATION DECK
[+] Enlarge
David Richard/US Presswire
Rookie QB Brandon Weeden has shined at times early in training camp.
Weeden's persistence will serve him well. After missing tight end Alex Smith in the back of the end zone, he completed a touchdown pass on the next throw to tight end Jordan Cameron on the same route route.
There's been talk that Colt McCoy has improved since last season, but it didn't show during my visit. His throws lacked any zip, especially when following Weeden's passes, and were continually behind receivers. McCoy, who is taking most of the second-team snaps, could be helped by a Holmgren departure. If Holmgren goes, Seneca Wallace would likely follow, which would leave the No. 2 spot for McCoy.
Josh Cribbs, the second-leading receiver on the team last season, has disappeared from the offense in camp. "He’s a special teams player that plays receiver," Shurmur said. This is a clear indication that the Browns want Cribbs to focus on being a returner and a core player on coverage teams.
The surprise of camp is Sheldon Brown holding onto the starting cornerback job opposite Joe Haden despite being the weak link of the secondary last season. It was assumed Dimitri Patterson would take that starting job after he re-signed with the Browns this offseason, and there's still a chance that Patterson could end up in the starting lineup by the end of the preseason. "Sheldon is starting right now," Shurmur said. The key part of that comment is "right now."
Second-round pick Mitchell Schwartz is still on track to start at right tackle even though he has struggled against speed rushers like Sheard. Schwartz split reps with Oniel Cousins early in camp before taking over the job. The Browns would be in trouble if Schwartz couldn't beat out Cousins, a third-round bust from Baltimore.
The frontrunner to be the starting free safety is Eric Hagg, although he stood out more in minicamp. It's noticeable that Hagg is talking to strong safety T.J. Ward before and after plays. Strong communication is the key to any successful secondary.
Don't be shocked if rookie fourth-round pick James-Michael Johnson gets the nod to replace Scott Fujita when the outside linebacker has to serve his three-game suspension. Johnson's ability to always be around the ball has overshadowed the play of Kaluka Maiava, who started the last five games in 2011.
Montario Hardesty has separated himself from Brandon Jackson to be the primary backup to Richardson. Hardesty has more of a burst than last season, especially when hitting the edge and making contact with tacklers. A back who has frequently been injured, Hardesty isn't running hesitant.
Cameron is taking full advantage of tight end Evan Moore being sidelined. Leaping to catch balls, Cameron looks like the most improved player on offense. But he isn't close to taking Ben Watson's starting job.
There's been speculation that Buster Skrine could overtake Brown as the starting cornerback. He is among the faster players on the team, but he doesn't seem to trust his speed. Skrine too often grabs receivers when he really doesn't need to do it.
The perception of wide receiver Travis Benjamin is changing. During minicamps, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound Benjamin was relegated to deep downfield routes on the outside. Now, he's going over the middle. During a red-zone drill, he fought off a defender to grab McCoy's touchdown pass. "I anticipated with his natural size that he might get banged around and be less efficient, but he has done a great job," Shurmur said. "I think he handles the traffic pretty well.”
Good article. Interesting on Cribbs being out of the mix on offense, which mens we finally have enough talent to let him concentrate on what he does best.
Also interesting that Hardesty is looking sharp with a better burst.
I hope Mitchell Schwartz has the light come on before the first regular season game.
Zombo
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My link I thought this blog article on ESPN about how camp was going was interesting and very encouraging. Thought I would post it for everybody. Hope you enjoy it.
BEREA, Ohio -- Long before the announcement that Jimmy Haslam was buying the Browns, a new era had already begun in Cleveland.
It started with the Browns moving up one spot in the draft to select running back Trent Richardson third overall. It continued with taking quarterback Brandon Weeden later in the first round. Throw in a couple of second-round picks -- right tackle Mitchell Schwartz and wide receiver Josh Gordon (supplemental draft) -- and the Browns have the potential to start four rookies on offense this season. The rest of the teams in the AFC North may only start a total of four rookies combined.
This offseason rebuilding project in Cleveland has turned an unwatchable, 29th-ranked offense to the city's best attraction since the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Drawing the most fans to camp since they started tracking attendance seven years ago, the Browns watched 4,200 fans show up for the second practice. How impressive is that? The Browns' facility only holds 3,000, which meant more than 1,000 fans waited outside for people to leave so they could get a glimpse of the team's future.
"Offense sells tickets," linebacker D'Qwell Jackson said with a smile.
Camp Confidential: AFC North
• Steelers
• Browns
• Bengals
• Ravens
• Training camp page
The Browns have certainly generated a buzz. The challenge is keeping fans interested. This franchise has recorded double-digit losses in eight of the past nine seasons, and the Browns are the consensus pick to finish last in the division -- again.
These younger players haven't had to endure the constant losing, but they're just as motivated to prove the skeptics wrong.
"I’ve dealt with it the last few years when Oklahoma State was picked in the middle of the Big 12," Weeden said. "When we did win the Big 12 championship, it felt good to say, 'What now?’ We really don’t listen to it too much. If anything, it sparks a little fire and makes us work that much harder."
THREE HOT ISSUES
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Amy Sancetta
With a change in ownership for the Browns, the job security of Mike Holmgren, left, and coach Pat Shurmur is perhaps in question.
1. Change in ownership. For all the hope surrounding the future, there's an equal amount of uncertainty after Haslam bought the team from Randy Lerner. New owners typically overhaul the decision-makers and put their trusted associates in place. Haslam won't make any changes until he's approved by the NFL owners in either September or October, which makes it seem like everyone is on a one-season audition.
Many predict Holmgren will be gone because Joe Banner, Haslam's unofficial consultant and a former executive for the Eagles, is expected to end up running the organization. General manager Tom Heckert could also be out based on mixed reports of his 10-year relationship with Banner in Philadelphia. And Shurmur might be done if the Browns win a handful of games again this year.
"This thing is headed in the right direction," offensive tackle Joe Thomas said. "Sometimes, it’s hard not to think what the new guy is going to think. Is he going to see what we see?"
2. Loss of defensive tackle Phil Taylor. The 2011 first-round pick is on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list after having surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle in May. The hope is Taylor will be able to return in the first half of the season and perhaps as early as Week 7 at Indianapolis.
While Scott Paxson continues to surprisingly fill Taylor's spot in the starting lineup, no one player is going to fill that void. "I would say we’re going to have to roll a few people in there," Shurmur said. "That’s what we’re trying to find, that right mix."
It's really become a defensive line by committee because each player has a particular strength. Paxson and rookie third-round pick John Hughes are more stout against the run, and rookie sixth-round pick Billy Winn is showing quickness as a pass rusher. Despite this collective effort, it will be hard to replace Taylor.
3. Wide receiver Josh Gordon's impact. The development of Gordon will determine the success of the Browns' passing game. Cleveland used a second-round pick in the supplemental draft on someone who is on the fast track to becoming the No. 1 receiver on the team.
Gordon's three failed drug tests makes him a risk, but it was a risk that the Browns had to take considering they have one of the worst wide receiver groups in the league. Gordon has the size (6 feet 3) and breakaway speed to be a top target, which prompted one league executive to say he has "Randy Moss-like" talents. On one route over the middle, Gordon never broke stride as two defenders bounced off of him. His height will show up on fade routes in the end zone, and his size will benefit him on slant routes.
Expectations have to be tempered by the fact that Gordon is raw. He didn't play last season (although he did practice) after transferring from Baylor to Utah, and he comes from a limited route tree from his days in the Baylor offense. The learning curve might not be as steep because Gordon has proven to be a great notetaker in meetings. He's already working with the first-team offense in three-receiver sets after a handful of practices.
"He’s one of those guys that you can tell to correct something, and he corrects it on the next snap," offensive coordinator Brad Childress. "You can say what you want about him off the field. I found him to be a very good student of the game and able to put into play what you ask him to do immediately."
REASON FOR OPTIMISM
The way Richardson loves contact in training camp bodes well for the Browns. Richardson brings a physical identity to an offense that struck no fear in defenses last season. The only way the Browns will be able to compete with the Steelers and Ravens is to have an offensive centerpiece who can match the toughness and intensity of those defenses.
Richardson has the look of being the best back to come out of college since Adrian Peterson, only he's stronger. He benches 475 pounds, using that muscle to hold onto the ball (no lost fumbles last season) and break tackles. His success will allow the Browns to shorten games.
Richardson's biggest impact will come around the end zone. The Browns ranked 30th in points scored last season because they lacked punch in the running game. Cleveland scored four rushing touchdowns last season, which was tied for the the second-fewest in the past 15 NFL seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information. This is why the Browns gave up three picks to move up one spot to get Richardson, one of three players in SEC history to score 20 or more rushing touchdowns in a season.
REASON FOR PESSIMISM
The only thing that has piled up more than losses since the Browns returned to the league is rushing yards. Over the past 13 seasons, the highest the Browns' run defense has ranked is 23rd. Cleveland allowed 147.4 yards rushing per game last season, which ranked 30th in the 32-team NFL. No other team in the division gave up more than 104.7 yards a game on the ground, and no other AFC North team ranked lower than 10th in run defense.
The Browns' defense is giving up some long runs in camp, a sign that this could be another long season for the Cleveland front seven. The Browns upgraded at defensive end by signing free agent Frostee Rucker, only to lose Taylor for at least the first six games. Defensive end Jabaal Sheard, a menace on the pass rush, has struggled against the run. Another bad sign is three of the Browns' starting front four (Taylor, Rucker and Ahtyba Rubin) have missed time because of injuries and there's only been one full week of camp.
"To be successful in this league and in the AFC North, you have to stop the run," Jackson said. "Around November and December and the weather is bad, it’s going to be a run day. From looking at last year, that’s one thing we’re focusing on from Day One, it’s stopping the run. It’s a quiet confidence you have to build and it starts right here in training camp."
OBSERVATION DECK
[+] Enlarge
David Richard/US Presswire
Rookie QB Brandon Weeden has shined at times early in training camp.
Weeden's persistence will serve him well. After missing tight end Alex Smith in the back of the end zone, he completed a touchdown pass on the next throw to tight end Jordan Cameron on the same route route.
There's been talk that Colt McCoy has improved since last season, but it didn't show during my visit. His throws lacked any zip, especially when following Weeden's passes, and were continually behind receivers. McCoy, who is taking most of the second-team snaps, could be helped by a Holmgren departure. If Holmgren goes, Seneca Wallace would likely follow, which would leave the No. 2 spot for McCoy.
Josh Cribbs, the second-leading receiver on the team last season, has disappeared from the offense in camp. "He’s a special teams player that plays receiver," Shurmur said. This is a clear indication that the Browns want Cribbs to focus on being a returner and a core player on coverage teams.
The surprise of camp is Sheldon Brown holding onto the starting cornerback job opposite Joe Haden despite being the weak link of the secondary last season. It was assumed Dimitri Patterson would take that starting job after he re-signed with the Browns this offseason, and there's still a chance that Patterson could end up in the starting lineup by the end of the preseason. "Sheldon is starting right now," Shurmur said. The key part of that comment is "right now."
Second-round pick Mitchell Schwartz is still on track to start at right tackle even though he has struggled against speed rushers like Sheard. Schwartz split reps with Oniel Cousins early in camp before taking over the job. The Browns would be in trouble if Schwartz couldn't beat out Cousins, a third-round bust from Baltimore.
The frontrunner to be the starting free safety is Eric Hagg, although he stood out more in minicamp. It's noticeable that Hagg is talking to strong safety T.J. Ward before and after plays. Strong communication is the key to any successful secondary.
Don't be shocked if rookie fourth-round pick James-Michael Johnson gets the nod to replace Scott Fujita when the outside linebacker has to serve his three-game suspension. Johnson's ability to always be around the ball has overshadowed the play of Kaluka Maiava, who started the last five games in 2011.
Montario Hardesty has separated himself from Brandon Jackson to be the primary backup to Richardson. Hardesty has more of a burst than last season, especially when hitting the edge and making contact with tacklers. A back who has frequently been injured, Hardesty isn't running hesitant.
Cameron is taking full advantage of tight end Evan Moore being sidelined. Leaping to catch balls, Cameron looks like the most improved player on offense. But he isn't close to taking Ben Watson's starting job.
There's been speculation that Buster Skrine could overtake Brown as the starting cornerback. He is among the faster players on the team, but he doesn't seem to trust his speed. Skrine too often grabs receivers when he really doesn't need to do it.
The perception of wide receiver Travis Benjamin is changing. During minicamps, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound Benjamin was relegated to deep downfield routes on the outside. Now, he's going over the middle. During a red-zone drill, he fought off a defender to grab McCoy's touchdown pass. "I anticipated with his natural size that he might get banged around and be less efficient, but he has done a great job," Shurmur said. "I think he handles the traffic pretty well.”
Good article. Interesting on Cribbs being out of the mix on offense, which mens we finally have enough talent to let him concentrate on what he does best.
Also interesting that Hardesty is looking sharp with a better burst.
I hope Mitchell Schwartz has the light come on before the first regular season game.
Zombo
Zombo said:
Second-round pick Mitchell Schwartz is still on track to start at right tackle even though he has struggled against speed rushers like Sheard. Schwartz split reps with Oniel Cousins early in camp before taking over the job. The Browns would be in trouble if Schwartz couldn't beat out Cousins, a third-round bust from Baltimore.
I hope Mitchell Schwartz has the light come on before the first regular season game.
Zombo
I'm not too worried about Schwartz. Remember last year when Sheard was said to have struggled in minicamp? I will be shocked if Cousins comes close to beating out Schwartz for the starting job (barring injuries).
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@king-ghoolie-lives said:
THis is the time of year when the heated arguments will start. After a few more camp reports 1/2 will be optimistic and the other 1/2 will be practical, a in my words, no Lomardi trophies have ever been given out in campt/preseason/after 6 games/etc.
I ain't getting into that shit, but I am pleased that every report we have had so far, not one exception, show the dramatic difference between a sud QB - Weeden, and a piece of shit, Colt.
I don't understand the "out-the-door connection between Seneca Wallace and Holmgren. Can someone enlighten me? Frankly, Wallace is a far better QB than Clitoris McCoy, and I would much rather have Seneca as our back up.
FURTHERMORE............... FINALLY validation of what Rich and I have said all along.........
Joshua Cribbs is a minor player, he is a distraction on offense and takes away opportunities fromreal potential game changers. We should have traded him in 2009 when Rich so accurately said it.......... "Cribbs will never be better than he is in 2009, and THIS is the time to trade him, when he still has value.
He won't have any impact in 2012, and he won't be back in 2012, even if he DOEA get a spot on this team.
Getting Cribbs teh fuck out of teh way of teh REAL PLAYERS, is stop one towards building a winner. It shows the team is finally coming of age.
He may not belong on offense but at least give Cribbs the chance to prove his worth as a healthy special teams contributor. He holds NFL records for crying out loud
And I've been saying all along that Weeden is the real deal. I'm so stoked we grabbed him at 22
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@king-ghoolie-lives said:
THis is the time of year when the heated arguments will start. After a few more camp reports 1/2 will be optimistic and the other 1/2 will be practical, a in my words, no Lomardi trophies have ever been given out in campt/preseason/after 6 games/etc.
I ain't getting into that shit, but I am pleased that every report we have had so far, not one exception, show the dramatic difference between a sud QB - Weeden, and a piece of shit, Colt.
I don't understand the "out-the-door connection between Seneca Wallace and Holmgren. Can someone enlighten me? Frankly, Wallace is a far better QB than Clitoris McCoy, and I would much rather have Seneca as our back up.
FURTHERMORE............... FINALLY validation of what Rich and I have said all along.........
Joshua Cribbs is a minor player, he is a distraction on offense and takes away opportunities fromreal potential game changers. We should have traded him in 2009 when Rich so accurately said it.......... "Cribbs will never be better than he is in 2009, and THIS is the time to trade him, when he still has value.
He won't have any impact in 2012, and he won't be back in 2012, even if he DOEA get a spot on this team.
Getting Cribbs teh fuck out of teh way of teh REAL PLAYERS, is stop one towards building a winner. It shows the team is finally coming of age.
He may not belong on offense but at least give Cribbs the chance to prove his worth as a healthy special teams contributor. He holds NFL records for crying out loud
And I've been saying all along that Weeden is the real deal. I'm so stoked we grabbed him at 22
He may not belong on offense but at least give Cribbs the chance to prove his worth as a healthy special teams contributor. He holds NFL records for crying out loud
And I've been saying all along that Weeden is the real deal. I'm so stoked we grabbed him at 22
I'm so psyched now with our new offense. We now have Weeden, who throws a nice ass deep ball. Benjamin, Gordon, and Little as our WR's. And we also have Weeden's Blindside protected. Also don't forget about the brick shit house we have at Running Back.Just remember what happened to the Rams about 13 years ago and how much of a turnaround they had.
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@king-ghoolie-lives said:
FURTHERMORE............... FINALLY validation of what Rich and I have said all along.........
Joshua Cribbs is a minor player, he is a distraction on offense and takes away opportunities fromreal potential game changers. We should have traded him in 2009 when Rich so accurately said it.......... "Cribbs will never be better than he is in 2009, and THIS is the time to trade him, when he still has value.
He won't have any impact in 2012, and he won't be back in 2012, even if he DOEA get a spot on this team.
Getting Cribbs teh fuck out of teh way of teh REAL PLAYERS, is stop one towards building a winner. It shows the team is finally coming of age.
Cribbs is set to make around 2 mil this year. What you fail to realize I think is how pivotal a guy he has been for the special teams unit OUTSIDE of just returning kicks. I'll gladly pay a guy who can fill in about 5 positions in a pinch, loves cleveland and browns football and anchors a unit vital for winning and losing games.
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I think this writer overlooks the fact that we could have a lot more rookie starters on this team now than he thinks:
QB rookie Weeden
RB rookie TR
WR rookie Gordon
RT rookie The Schwartz
We could also have Ryan Miller at RG and Brad Smelley at FB starting....and Travis Benjamin could end up in the slot in 3-4 WR sets. That could be 7 rookies on the field at any one time on the offense.
And now, on defense, Browns are certainly going to have to start James-Michale Johnson at LB with Gocong out. Acho may be starting as well (though probably backing up Maiava). And it is 50/50 that we would have either Winn or The Sausage King starting at DT in place of Taylor.
That could be as many as 10 rookies in a starting role, or at least in a rotational role.
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I like reading the comments on the bottom of the page. Stupid squeeler fans for the most part
I like reading the comments on the bottom of the page. Stupid squeeler fans for the most part
lol yeah...extremely stupid steelers fans
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10 Rookies starting just goes to show you what a horrible roster Mangini left. 2 years later and Heckert is still dealing with that mess
"And they don't really know even what they're talkin' about And I can't imagine what empty heads can achieve." -
10 Rookies starting just goes to show you what a horrible roster Mangini left. 2 years later and Heckert is still dealing with that mess
10 Rookies starting just goes to show you what a horrible roster Mangini left. 2 years later and Heckert is still dealing with that mess
Please, Mangini was a much better coach then Shurmer and we were making progress. That all fell apart. Hopefully, with the new owner we can get back on track.
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10 Rookies starting just goes to show you what a horrible roster Mangini left. 2 years later and Heckert is still dealing with that mess
10 Rookies starting just goes to show you what a horrible roster Mangini left. 2 years later and Heckert is still dealing with that mess
To be fair to Mangini, he should never have been given that much say over the roster. Savage left him with a crap roster....and Mangini's job was to be the coach, not the GM.
In reality it all falls back on Randy Lerner's lap for leaving his franchise so disorganized and dysfunctional by not having the right people in the right places.
Neither Mangini nor Butch Davis should have ever been delegated to be the ones to fill the power vacuum when certain GMs left this team.
I am going to assume that Haslam is not going to duplicate those errors.
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Wich explains why Mamgina is still a color analyst and still hasnt gotten any calls from anyone...He stunk as a coach...get over it.
Nickers...."There are no old running QB's in the NFL "~Sam Rutigliano~ -
Wich explains why Mamgina is still a color analyst and still hasnt gotten any calls from anyone...He stunk as a coach...get over it.
Wich explains why Mamgina is still a color analyst and still hasnt gotten any calls from anyone...He stunk as a coach...get over it.
He stunk as a coach and was even WORSE as a talent evaluator. He should have NEVER EVER been allowed to pick the players on the team.
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He stunk as a coach and was even WORSE as a talent evaluator. He should have NEVER EVER been allowed to pick the players on the team.
not to mention that whole dang FO in general. I know it's been posted on here before but seriously take some time to look back at the browns drafts from oh 2003-2008. It's amazing how many misses are in there.
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He stunk as a coach and was even WORSE as a talent evaluator. He should have NEVER EVER been allowed to pick the players on the team.
not to mention that whole dang FO in general. I know it's been posted on here before but seriously take some time to look back at the browns drafts from oh 2003-2008. It's amazing how many misses are in there.
not to mention that whole dang FO in general. I know it's been posted on here before but seriously take some time to look back at the browns drafts from oh 2003-2008. It's amazing how many misses are in there.
Kinda like the Indians FO. They are just as horrible as talent evaluators
"And they don't really know even what they're talkin' about And I can't imagine what empty heads can achieve." -
Wich explains why Mamgina is still a color analyst and still hasnt gotten any calls from anyone...He stunk as a coach...get over it.
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Kinda like the Indians FO. They are just as horrible as talent evaluators
Well, i don't want to get too off topic but IMO the much larger problem with the indians is Dolan. I think we bring in decent home-grown talent over the years, but the bottom line with baseball is you have to spend money to be a consistent winner. Cleveland could easily be a larger market team if the team was good consistently, but when you get no money to spend you have to buy useless vet contracts the likes of Damon, Lowe, Kotchman, etc. I think they do pretty well actually in trades, and the core of the team with Kipnis, Cabrera Santana, Brantley, Perez is there.
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I think they do pretty well actually in trades.................WHAT???????????? They traded 2 back-to-back Cy Young winners and got Bratley and nothing else.
I will say it's Dolans fault for sure. Like you said, you can't win in Baseball when your GM tells everyone that the team is on a budget.
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Wich explains why Mamgina is still a color analyst and still hasnt gotten any calls from anyone...He stunk as a coach...get over it.
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