Brandon McDonald fights back
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http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2010/0...s/nh2591399.txt
Brandon McDonald had a choice to make after the 2009 season ended.
He could sulk and host his own pity party or he could come out fighting fiercely in 2010 to reclaim the turf he once owned.
The fourth-year cornerback is prepared for battle, despite what the Browns did in the offseason to push him down the bench, if not out the door.
"I wasn't consistent last year," McDonald said Thursday after spring practice. "I wasn't letting the game come to me like a corner should naturally do. I was trying to make things happen. When you're trying to make a play, bad things always happen."
McDonald started 15 games in 2008, and in the one he did not start, against Buffalo after a disastrous game against the Broncos, he was on the bench for exactly one play.
He tied for fourth in the AFC with five interceptions.
The 2007 fifth-round draft choice from Memphis was poised to take a bigger step in his career in 2009.
But everything that went right the year before went wrong. He was benched three times. Two of the benchings occurred after the Browns played Baltimore because each time Ravens receiver Derrick Mason twisted him around like taffy.
Mason could have called for a fair catch on a looping throw from Joe Flacco on the play that went for a 72-yard touchdown in Baltimore.
In two games vs. the Browns last year, most if not all against McDonald, Mason caught eight passes for 196 yards.
"He's been in the league a long time," McDonald said. "He's a great wideout. He knows how to study players. He knows their weaknesses and strengths. He knows how to get open."
The Browns traded with Philadelphia before the draft to get Sheldon Brown, a starting cornerback for the Eagles, and they used their first-round draft choice, pick seven overall, on cornerback Joe Haden from Florida. No matter how much McDonald talks about welcoming the competition of Brown and Haden, both offseason moves appear to be an indictment of the way McDonald played last year.
But here is what is important about the way McDonald responded to Brown and Haden. He worked so hard in the offseason program that he was one of the award winners last week when Mangini and his staff selected one player on offense, one on defense, one on special teams, a rehab player and a wild-card player for their contributions.
"He's had a really good camp, similar to the type of camp that Brian Robiskie has had, and that's a positive thing," Mangini said. "He's played a lot of football. He's been in a lot of games and that's good. The more depth we can have at the cornerback spot is great.
"One of (McDonald's) best traits is he's intensely competitive and he's going to go out and put his best foot forward. Now, has it always worked out exactly the way he wanted or we wanted? Not necessarily. But he comes back and works the next time and I like that a lot about him."
During practice Thursday morning, McDonald broke up a pass in the end zone from Seneca Wallace intended for Johnathan Haggerty.
McDonald wasn't the only cornerback burned last year. The Browns gave up 22 touchdown passes. They intercepted 10. McDonald had one pick.
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i'm curious as to what type of season bmac will have. he seemed to show alot of promise in 07. but since then he seemed to, as he said, focus on making plays (ex. trying to get an int.) instead of making the tackle or even breaking up the pass. if he can turn it around that would be a plus.
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I like BMac, I hope he does well, but now unfortunately (well kinda) we have 2 more very capable corners that will see a lot of PT, and he wont be playing as much. I wonder if he can play some safety as well, even though we do have two new ones there too.
I am pretty excited to watch our secondary this year actually.
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I like BMac, I hope he does well, but now unfortunately (well kinda) we have 2 more very capable corners that will see a lot of PT, and he wont be playing as much. I wonder if he can play some safety as well, even though we do have two new ones there too.
I am pretty excited to watch our secondary this year actually.
I like BMac, I hope he does well, but now unfortunately (well kinda) we have 2 more very capable corners that will see a lot of PT, and he wont be playing as much. I wonder if he can play some safety as well, even though we do have two new ones there too.
I am pretty excited to watch our secondary this year actually.
i don't see bmac being a starter, but it would be great if he could get his game together and provide some depth for this team. you never know what could happen during a 16 game season.
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There is certainly nothing wrong with us having that kind of depth where there is never any slack at that position....
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Also would be nice if he learned to tackle . He really sucks at that .
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I like BMac, I hope he does well, but now unfortunately (well kinda) we have 2 more very capable corners that will see a lot of PT, and he wont be playing as much. I wonder if he can play some safety as well, even though we do have two new ones there too.
I am pretty excited to watch our secondary this year actually.
i don't see bmac being a starter, but it would be great if he could get his game together and provide some depth for this team. you never know what could happen during a 16 game season.
i don't see bmac being a starter, but it would be great if he could get his game together and provide some depth for this team. you never know what could happen during a 16 game season.
I agree. I like McDonald as well.....as a starter he is lower tier.....as a back-up he is top tier. He's a valuable member of the team.
I would much rather see him forced in to starting action then see the likes of Ralph Brown or that guy we had to watch last year.
At least with McDonald I know the guy is going to make a few plays and give you half a chance.
People need to show him just a little bit more love. He isn't as bad as some seem to make out.
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I have always thought B-Mac was better than Wright. Because of some bone-headed plays last year it was hard to defend him though. Mac can shut a guy down all day but then give up one big play that ruins his entire effort. Him saying he was trying too hard to make plays and it hurt him, makes complete sense to me. If he can eliminate that one big play a week, he is a really good cover corner. Wright won't give up that big play which is great, but he will get chewed up all day on hitches and out routes. With that said, i feel much better about our secondary this year thatn I have in over a decade. I am really curious to see if B-Mac and Wright have corrected their own mistakes that have been hurting us, and them for the past two seasons.
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Good for BMac - I like the kid, always have. He has had some screamers but has also taken the wrap for shite safety play over the last two years.
How things change - having depth at CB - it's enough to make you chuckle huh! Next you'll tell me that we have QBs that can throw!
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