2. Holmgren talked to Eric Mangini, who gave his opinions on both men. It was obvious by how Mangini switched from Quinn to Anderson to Quinn that he wasn't committed to either one. But the coach also made it clear that he was open to anything Holmgren thought was best, as he wasn't sure what was the best road to take on the quarterback question.

3. After Mangini, Holmgren talked to offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, quarterback coach Carl Smith and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. "I checked with a couple of defensive coaches because I wanted their perspective," said Holmgren. "It can be different than the offensive coaches."

4. He also gave videos of both quarterbacks to his assistants, Gil Haskell and Keith Gilbertson. Both were on Holmgren's staff in Seattle. Haskell is Holmgren's special assistant, Gilbertson is the Browns' director of pro personnel. They were told not to consult with each other, and to prepare written reports on the quarterbacks.

5. Holmgren also studied the videos: "Part of me wanted to roll up my sleeves, dive up and try it again with Quinn," he said. "I have to be careful, because I sometimes think I can fix anyone. We may have done that if Jake [Delhomme] had not become available."

6. Holmgren's football people believed the Browns had several issues. Neither QB was an accurate passer. Neither had the full confidence of the team. Both were younger players trying to establish themselves, and neither was able to emerge as a leader. Neither was considered a star in the making. Anderson ($7.5 million) was viewed as way too expensive.

7. So Anderson was released. When Delhomme was cut by Carolina, Holmgren decided to trade Quinn to Denver for Peyton Hillis and a future draft pick. Holmgren said, "You need to stagger your quarterback situation -- everyone knowing who is the starter, who is the backup. That wasn't the case here. One guy was a fan favorite [Quinn], the other had a good year [Anderson in 2007]. Everyone was divided on who should start, and the opinions would change. You can't have that."

info like this is why i'm more and more optimistic for the future of the browns. in the past, alot of us have been optimistic as a result of estimations, guestimations (lol), hypothetical situations in regards to the unknown. we thought people like policy, butch, rac, phil, etc. would come in and be the ones to turn the browns into winners. but these people were untested in the positions they took on when they came to cleveland. they had no experience in their respective fields they were hired for (by the browns). we always assumed they would do well since they had success in their lesser positions with the winning orginaizations they came from.

which is why there's a reason to be optimistic now. if you take this present browns fo and compare it to those of the past, there's no comparison. compare holmgren, his resume and how he runs things in berea now, then compare it to those who held the browns prez position before him. compare heckert, his resume and how he handles the gm position to those who have held the browns gm position before him. from top to borttom list the browns front office and then list those who have held their positions in the past and honestly ask yourself, is there any previous browns fo who can compare to the 2010 browns fo?

i really like how the present browns fo are doing things and this, my friends, is a reason for being optimistic. not cockiness, arrogance or being unrealistic, just optimism.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On minicamps, the town's busiest front office and young faces at the ballpark, Terry Pluto's talkin' ...

About the Browns ...

1. I talked to Mike Holmgren earlier this week about how the Browns decided to pick their quarterback. The Browns president said he informed the coaching staff that he'd make the final decision. But it would only come after some in-depth study of Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn. The first question was, "Can the Browns win with either guy?"

2. Holmgren talked to Eric Mangini, who gave his opinions on both men. It was obvious by how Mangini switched from Quinn to Anderson to Quinn that he wasn't committed to either one. But the coach also made it clear that he was open to anything Holmgren thought was best, as he wasn't sure what was the best road to take on the quarterback question.

3. After Mangini, Holmgren talked to offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, quarterback coach Carl Smith and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. "I checked with a couple of defensive coaches because I wanted their perspective," said Holmgren. "It can be different than the offensive coaches."

4. He also gave videos of both quarterbacks to his assistants, Gil Haskell and Keith Gilbertson. Both were on Holmgren's staff in Seattle. Haskell is Holmgren's special assistant, Gilbertson is the Browns' director of pro personnel. They were told not to consult with each other, and to prepare written reports on the quarterbacks.

5. Holmgren also studied the videos: "Part of me wanted to roll up my sleeves, dive up and try it again with Quinn," he said. "I have to be careful, because I sometimes think I can fix anyone. We may have done that if Jake [Delhomme] had not become available."

6. Holmgren's football people believed the Browns had several issues. Neither QB was an accurate passer. Neither had the full confidence of the team. Both were younger players trying to establish themselves, and neither was able to emerge as a leader. Neither was considered a star in the making. Anderson ($7.5 million) was viewed as way too expensive.

7. So Anderson was released. When Delhomme was cut by Carolina, Holmgren decided to trade Quinn to Denver for Peyton Hillis and a future draft pick. Holmgren said, "You need to stagger your quarterback situation -- everyone knowing who is the starter, who is the backup. That wasn't the case here. One guy was a fan favorite [Quinn], the other had a good year [Anderson in 2007]. Everyone was divided on who should start, and the opinions would change. You can't have that."

8. "The consensus was we desperately needed a leader," said Holmgren. "After talking to Jake, I knew that he was the guy who could change the attitude in the building."

9. Holmgren knew Delhomme was coming off a terrible year in Carolina with 18 interceptions, four fumbles and only eight TD passes in 11 games. "I looked him in the eye," Holmgren said. "We talked about what happened last season, and it was an awful year for him. But I believe it's an aberration. He never came close to being that bad in any other season."

10. Before signing Delhomme, Holmgren tried to trade for Donovan McNabb. But at that point, the Eagles wanted a first-round pick and more. They also didn't seem committed to trading him. That would change later, as McNabb would be shipped to Washington for a second-rounder and another future pick. But Holmgren wasn't willing to wait.

11. While Delhomme received a contract worth about $7 million guaranteed, Holmgren decided the 35-year-old was worth it. The Browns didn't have to give up any draft picks or players. They needed to add talent. Delhomme only cost them money and salary cap space.

12. Holmgren also added Seneca Wallace, who was drafted by Holmgren in 2003 and started 14 games as a backup in Seattle. Holmgren compares Wallace to a relief pitcher. "He can get ready to go in quick. He doesn't need a lot of reps in practice. He's a tough guy, an accurate passer, much better than people think. He can beat you running the ball."

13. The Browns using a variety of WildDawg packages is not a decoy. "It's going to be a part of our offensive with Josh [Cribbs] and Seneca," said Holmgren. "We have two guys who can run and throw, we should take advantage of that."

14. While Holmgren said he talks to Mangini "nearly every day" and the coach does ask his opinion, "It's Eric team. I make suggestions." It's the same with Haskell, who spends a lot of time with Daboll, discussing offense. The idea is not to have a "West Coast offense" or a "New England" style offense, but an offense that fits the talent.

15. Holmgren said the final decision to trade Quinn, cut Anderson and to start Delhomme "is all on me." He said both Delhomme and Wallace "are quarterbacks who can help you win the game, if you need it. They can make some plays."

well, look who's back! and i love his dedication to the team.

Hillis returns: Running back Peyton Hillis returned to the team Saturday after missing all of minicamp and the final two OTA sessions with a cold and flu-like virus, but stood on the sidelines and didn't practice.

"I just flew in [Friday] night so they just wanted me to be around my teammates and help cheer them on," said Hillis. "Since I missed a week and a half, I'm going to stay here a little bit and work out, make sure everything's right with me before I head back home for the summer."

Hillis said he lost seven or eight pounds, but that he's confident he'll put it back on in a few weeks. He's also not worried about it being too big a setback.

"Anytime you're not around the team and not with the guys it's tough, but I stayed in my playbook and on the computer, keeping up with the installs," he said. "I've got a month and half before camp, and I know I'm good enough to play and compete."

________________________________________________________________________________

i like how mangini gives the guys a break every now and then.

Schaefering saves day: Second-year defensive lineman Brian Schaefering (6-4, 295) was the hero of the day when he heaved the ball at least 65 yards through the narrow uprights to get the Browns off the practice field early. As he trotted off, he said, "See, I should be a quarterback!"

Said Eric Mangini: "There was no run-up, nothing, just chuck it. He's got a gun. Maybe we'll use him for like the last play. The last play from the minus 20."

@7moses7 said:

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/...mangini_25.html

"We're heading in that direction (with Delhomme as the starter), but we'll head into camp and see what happens,'' said Mangini.

I just want to see a little bit more before we do that (edit: name a starter).''

He said the two will get an equal amount of reps, but not necessarily with the first team. He also said this situation shouldn't be compared to last year, when Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson split the reps in camp.

"Last season was last season,'' said Mangini. "It's worked for these guys and I'm happy with them. ''

mangini said both qbs will get equal reps, but not necessarily with the first team. delhomme has been getting the bulk of the reps with the first team. mangini said he wanted to see a little more before he NAMES a starter. that doesn't mean both qbs are getting the same amount of reps with the first team like bq and da did last season. neither does it mean this will extend into the pre-season games where they'll rotate jake and senecca with the first team (like they did with bq and da). delhomme is basically the starter now, it just hasn't been made official.

@sj_browns said:

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/...mangini_25.html

CLEVELAND -- Browns coach Eric Mangini stopped short of naming Jake Delhomme the starting quarterback heading into training camp, saying Delhomme and Seneca Wallace will both work with the first-team.

"We're heading in that direction (with Delhomme as the starter), but we'll head into camp and see what happens,'' said Mangini. "Jake has looked good, but Seneca's done a really nice job too. They'll both get work with the ones. It's good to have this situation.''

He said he's not just saying this to gain a competitive advantage.

"It's just both of those guys are going to work with (the ones) and I want to see what happens,'' said Mangini. "It's not anything other than that. I just want to see how it goes. I really like what (Delhomme's) done though. I've really liked a lot of what he's done. And I've liked what Seneca's done. I just want to see a little bit more before we do that..''

He said the two will get an equal amount of reps, but not necessarily with the first team. He also said this situation shouldn't be compared to last year, when Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson split the reps in camp.

["Last season was last season,'' said Mangini. "It's worked for these guys and I'm happy with them. '']

translation-new season,new QB's,same BS at QB position!

nmills said:

http://www.stationcaster.com/player.php?s=...486&f=50694

thanks for the info!

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/...mangini_25.html

CLEVELAND -- Browns coach Eric Mangini stopped short of naming Jake Delhomme the starting quarterback heading into training camp, saying Delhomme and Seneca Wallace will both work with the first-team.

"We're heading in that direction (with Delhomme as the starter), but we'll head into camp and see what happens,'' said Mangini. "Jake has looked good, but Seneca's done a really nice job too. They'll both get work with the ones. It's good to have this situation.''

He said he's not just saying this to gain a competitive advantage.

"It's just both of those guys are going to work with (the ones) and I want to see what happens,'' said Mangini. "It's not anything other than that. I just want to see how it goes. I really like what (Delhomme's) done though. I've really liked a lot of what he's done. And I've liked what Seneca's done. I just want to see a little bit more before we do that..''

He said the two will get an equal amount of reps, but not necessarily with the first team. He also said this situation shouldn't be compared to last year, when Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson split the reps in camp.

"Last season was last season,'' said Mangini. "It's worked for these guys and I'm happy with them. ''

CLEVELAND -- The following are quick hits from the final minicamp practice Saturday morning:

* Running back Montario Hardesty, who's had an outstanding camp, was idle on the final day. He has his left ankle taped during practice on Friday, but still practiced that day. Mangini said most of the players with minor tweaks were taken off the field for precautionery reasons.

* Linebacker Scott Fujita, who left practice Friday with a laceration on his right hand, was also idle on Saturday. He said after practice that he doesn't know how it happened, but that it's nothing serious. "Only a few stitches,'' he said.

* Cornerback Eric Wright, who missed the previous three practices with a tight muscle took a few reps Saturday, breaking up a pass from Colt McCoy. When asked how he's doing, he said, "I was back out there practicing.''

* Rookie safety Larry Asante, who came up limping slightly after a play on Friday and missed much of the afternoon session, sat out Saturday and rode the exercise bike. The Browns were without their two rookie safeties again, with T.J. Ward still nursing a tight muscle.

* Tight end Evan Moore returned to action after missing a few practices and caught two touchdown passes from Brett Ratliff on post patterns.

* Defensive lineman Brian Schaefering got the team off the field early by heaving a 60-yard pass through the narrow uprights. "He's got a gun,'' said Mangini. "Maybe we'll use him at the end of a game -- from the negative 20.''

* Eric Mangini stopped short of naming Jake Delhomme the starting quarterback heading into the training camp. "We're heading in that direction,'' said Mangini. "We'll head into training camp and see how it goes.'' He added that Seneca Wallace has looked good too. "They'll both work with the ones,'' he said.

@sj_browns said:

heres the interview along with MoMass and Delhomme

http://www.stationcaster.com/player.php?s=...486&f=50694

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/...06/post_22.html

Crisp offensive day: The offense looked sharp in both sessions on Friday, hitting numerous TD passes in red-zone and other drills. Jake Delhomme hit Robert Royal with a short TD pass just inside the goal-line over Chris Gocong, and Wallace eluded a blitzing Ramzee Robinson to find Josh Cribbs in the back left corner for a 10-yard TD. Earlier, Delhomme lobbed a 50-yarder to Mohammed Massaquoi over the middle. In the morning, Wallace zipped a TD pass to Cribbs on a post route in seven-on-sevens. But the defense, which doesn't have the benefit of contact yet, had its moments. Batting down passes on the day were Thomas Brown, DeAngelo Smith, Jason Trusnik and Auston English.

http://www.kentucky.com/2010/06/11/1301889...is-blanket.html

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme took a snap, dropped back and looked toward wide receiver Brian Robiskie as the latter sprinted along the sideline.

Delhomme didn't dare throw the ball to Robiskie, though, because cornerback Sheldon Brown's coverage proved to be suffocating. Later, Robiskie caught a short pass and was immediately wrestled to the ground by Brown, even though nobody was wearing shoulder pads Thursday afternoon.

Life simply isn't easy when you compete against Brown.

Showing his ability to harass receivers during the first day of the Browns' mandatory minicamp, Brown hopes to become even more of a nuisance once he masters his new team's defense.

In early April, the Browns traded backup linebacker Alex Hall and a couple of 2010 draft picks (fourth- and fifth-round selections) to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Brown and linebacker Chris Gocong. Brown spent his eight-year professional career playing in the Eagles' 4-3 defense, so switching to the Browns' 3-4 scheme poses a challenge.

"It's our responsibility to learn the system as fast as we can, so we can all be on the same page," Brown said. "When you have mistakes, that's when you give up big plays and things don't go well on the field. The (other) new guys are in the same situation I'm in. We're all trying to learn the terminology and how (the coaches) want things to be played."

Browns brass views Brown as a reliable leader who can help the team on the field and in the locker room. Brown, however, insists that he must be a student before he can meet any other expectations.

"I definitely view that as part of my role," Brown said. "But for me, I have to really figure out what's going on, get the defense down, so I can help (younger) guys. (I need to) understand what I'm talking about before I can really do that.

"That playbook is in there. You have to study. You have to watch film. It's a different 25-30 plays a day that you have to know when they call them. When you go back, you have to be able to recall what you learned the day before, so it's tough."

Coach Eric Mangini is confident Brown will figure it out.

"In a lot of ways, he's like a rookie again," Mangini said. "He's learning everybody's name. He's learning all the stuff that for years he was really comfortable with. He's really diligent. He wants to know all the information, and he wants to know it in great detail. And he has been studying like crazy.

"You appreciate that because it could be easy for a veteran to come in and say, 'OK. I'll get it between now and training camp. I'll eventually absorb it.' But he wants it now."

In the past six seasons, Brown started all but one of the Eagles' games. Since his rookie season in 2002, Brown has played in 13 postseason games.

The 5-foot-10, 200-pound Brown turned 31 this past March, but he still appears to have enough left to deliver. In 2009, he had 68 tackles and a career-high five interceptions.

"I've always been a player that believes durability is really, really bigger than ability," Brown said. "I just try to show it week in and week out. It doesn't matter if I'm playing through injuries or whatnot."

@sj_browns said:

the thing that stood out the most to me in brown's interview was his playing style. he said he's not a gambler and he tries to stay inside of whatever play they're running. he goes for the tackle or to break the pass up first, but if the situation presents itself, he'll go for the int. maybe he can help bmac out because he's the exact opposite.

"I had some legal issues I had to handle in Houston," Vickers said. "I had to wake up, get me a 5 a.m. flight and still make it to practice. See? That's dedication. It had nothing to do with my contract."

Vickers stressed that the issues were nothing negative against him.

"I just had a couple things I had to handle, some family issues," he said. "Coach [Eric Mangini] knew. I called him. Everybody knew what was going on."

"[Rosenhaus] just wants to make sure that the players are taken care of and making sure we get the best deal for ourselves," said Vickers. "Nothing is promised in this league. You have to make sure you take care of your business and make sure people upstairs get what they're paying for."

Vickers said Rosenhaus didn't advise him not to attend minicamp.

"I'm confident everything will work itself out," said Vickers. "I'm excited. I'm an emotional guy. I don't really hide things. That should tell you that I'm fine with everything that's going on. I'm confident."

it's good to know that vickers is a man of his word.

Hillis ill: Running back Peyton Hillis is sitting out minicamp and missed the last two sessions of OTAs with what Mangini described as a bad cold.

"He was sick when he went home last time and had a pretty bad cold so we didn't want him to travel," said Mangini. "He'll be back tomorrow night. I don't anticipate him practicing this weekend, so we'll just make sure he's back on track. He's been building up and he'll be back."

i'm glad hillis is ok and will be back today. that's good news because i think he can contribute alot to the o.

@bag-o-browns said:

no prob, man! in regards to the offense, it sounded like mangini gave the offense a whole bunch of stuff to memroize and a little time to to get it in. probably to see how the o did under extreme adversity? kind of sounds like what he did (at times) last off-season. i think the o is ok esp. since they've been looking good all summer.

BEREA, Ohio — Three of the Browns' five restricted free agents failed to show up Thursday for mandatory minicamp, casting even more doubt on their futures with the club. They are linebackers D'Qwell Jackson and Matt Roth, and safety Abram Elam.

The two who did show were running back Jerome Harrison and fullback Lawrence Vickers, although Vickers was 1 1/2 hours late.

"I had some legal issues I had to handle in Houston," Vickers said. "I had to wake up, get me a 5 a.m. flight and still make it to practice. See? That's dedication. It had nothing to do with my contract."

Vickers stressed that the issues were nothing negative against him.

"I just had a couple things I had to handle, some family issues," he said. "Coach [Eric Mangini] knew. I called him. Everybody knew what was going on."

It's unknown whether any of the five will sign their tenders by Tuesday's deadline. If not, they risk having their offers significantly reduced.

Jackson said he's leaving Monday for two weeks in Africa to help his friend, Madieu Williams of the Vikings, open his school for underprivileged children. He said he wasn't sure if he'd sign the tender before then. Two of the missing RFAs, Roth and Elam, are represented by high-profile agent Drew Rosenhaus. So is Vickers.

"[Rosenhaus] just wants to make sure that the players are taken care of and making sure we get the best deal for ourselves," said Vickers. "Nothing is promised in this league. You have to make sure you take care of your business and make sure people upstairs get what they're paying for."

Vickers said Rosenhaus didn't advise him not to attend minicamp.

"I'm confident everything will work itself out," said Vickers. "I'm excited. I'm an emotional guy. I don't really hide things. That should tell you that I'm fine with everything that's going on. I'm confident."

The three missing players aren't being fined because they're not under contract. But Mangini still issued a warning.

"When you're not here you're missing out on information which is important and you're giving other guys your reps," he said.

Hillis ill: Running back Peyton Hillis is sitting out minicamp and missed the last two sessions of OTAs with what Mangini described as a bad cold.

"He was sick when he went home last time and had a pretty bad cold so we didn't want him to travel," said Mangini. "He'll be back tomorrow night. I don't anticipate him practicing this weekend, so we'll just make sure he's back on track. He's been building up and he'll be back."

Ward, Wright tight: Cornerback Eric Wright and rookie safety T.J. Ward were both sidelined Thursday by tight muscles, Mangini said. Wright left the morning session after tightening up, and Ward missed the whole morning practice. Both were idle in the afternoon. Wright was replaced by rookie Joe Haden, and Ward by Larry Asante. Mangini said Ward's was more precautionary, but wasn't specific about Wright's.

Receiver Jake Allen also sat out the afternoon session with a wrapped knee. The injured players who missed OTAs were still resting. They include Eric Barton, Shaun Rogers, Dave Zastudil and C.J. Mosely.

Pick parade: The afternoon session featured four interceptions, two by second-year cornerback Coye Francies and two by safety Nick Sorensen. Three were off of Seneca Wallace, and one, by Sorensen, was off of Brett Ratliff. In the morning, Ray Ventrone intercepted Jake Delhomme.

Geathers jumpy: Massive rookie defensive lineman Cliff Geathers lost his cool in the morning session and threw several punches at a few offensive linemen after a play. Teammates got involved and had to be separated. But Geathers was back in on the next rep and didn't even have to take a lap.

The Browns passing game did not get a passing grade for its performance Thursday morning as the club’s mandatory three-day full-squad minicamp opened.

And to gauge just how disappointing it was, you needed only to look at team president Mike Holmgren – and the placement of his hands -- during one particularly hard-to-watch three-play sequence.

Holmgren, who knows a thing or two or three about throwing the ball, was standing on the side watching. He went from having his hands behind his back, to holding them on his hips, as quarterback Seneca Wallace’s pass to Alex Smith went off the tight end’s hands, his toss to James Davis went off the running back’s hands, and his throw for wide receiver Chansi Stuckey was broken up by cornerback Coye Francies.

Then Brett Ratliff went in at quarterback.

It was as if Holmgren, with his hand movements, went from saying, “The weather is beautiful today. I like being out here watching this young team develop,” to “What in the name of the forward pass is going on here?”

To be fair, the Browns threw the ball extremely well during the OTA practices, especially in the ones that were open to the media. It was a marked improvement from a year ago, when, even in the season-ending four-game winning streak, the Browns struggled to throw the ball. As such, Holmgren – along with head coach Eric Mangini and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll – had absolutely no reason to be upset with the team’s work this spring.

So maybe what happened Thursday morning was just a little hiccup or speed bump. And anyway, it’s better that it happens now, about three months before the start of the regular season, than in early November, when the Browns, with a little luck, could be right around .500 as they try to post just their third winning record of the expansion era.

Still, it was a difficult start to the minicamp. Here are some of the other passing plays:

*Jake Delhomme went to Mohamed Massaquoi, but the wide receiver slipped when he made his cut to turn for the ball, and it was intercepted by cornerback Joe Haden, the team’s first-round pick in the NFL Draft.

*Delhomme’s pass for Massaquoi was knocked down.

*A pass intended for Smith was intercepted by defensive back Ray Ventrone.

*Ratliff’s pass for tight end Evan Moore was overthrown.

*Wallace tried to hit wide receiver Brian Robiskie, but it was broken up by defensive back Mike Adams.

*Adams broke up Wallace’s pass for wideout Joshua Cribbs on the next play.

*Rookie Colt McCoy was right on the mark to Ryan Moya, but the ball went through the tight end’s hands.

*Delhomme’s pass to Robiskie was broken up by linebacker Chris Gocong.

*Wallace threw a pass toward Moore and Lawrence Vickers, but the tight end broke one way and the fullback went another direction and the ball went right between them.

*Delhomme’s pass to Robert Royal was behind the tight end.

*Wallace’s pass was knocked down at the line of scrimmage by defensive end Robaire Smith.

*Wallace tried to hit Stuckey, but the pass was broken up.

The quarterbacks and receivers have to share the blame. To be sure, some of the throws were off-target, but at the same time, the receivers did not do a good job of coming back for the ball, allowing defenders to slip in and get their hands on the passes.

There were some good passing plays as well, the best of them being Ratliff’s right-on-target throw to Carlton Mitchell as the rookie wideout found a seam down the left side.

Also, wide receiver James Robinson made a nice leaping, fingertip catch of a Ratliff pass on a crossing route, and Stuckey made a good grab of a Wallace throw.

Here are some quick notes:

*Two of the Browns’ five restricted free agents practiced. Running back Jerome Harrison and fullback Lawrence Vickers were present, while linebackers Matt Roth and D’Qwell Jackson, and safety Abe Elam decided to stay away.

*WR Carlton Mitchell always practices with the sleeves of his jersey rolled up, revealing some well-muscled arms.

*Holmgren’s guest at practice was former longtime Kansas City Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson.

*As usual, the Browns blared music at practice, with several of the speakers stationed along the west side of the practice complex. The rear of a Baptist church is located only about 15 yards away on the other side of a fence. Some of the lyrics in the rap songs being played were a little edgy for Sunday school. One time several years ago, the Browns were conducting a training camp practice when a funeral was being held at the church.

*The best line of the day came as a small bird, separated from its mother and trying to figure out a way to get over the aforementioned fence to get back to her, kept buzzing the head of Browns radio analyst Doug Dieken. Someone quipped that the bird was giving the former Browns left tackle as much trouble as did Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jack Lambert. Dieken came back, “His legs are about as skinny as Lambert’s, too.”

http://www.ohio.com/sports/browns/96014569.html

Tony Pashos walks into Penn Station East Coast Subs, orders an Italian sandwich with a side of fries and soaks in some love from Browns fans.

Welcome to Northeast Ohio, Tony. Football rules these parts.

''As die-hard as the people in Cleveland are for their teams, I think it has a little extra touch here,'' said Pashos, a 6-foot-6, 326-pound offensive lineman who will soon enter his eighth NFL season. ''From pumping gas to being in a restaurant, you get guys coming up to you saying, 'We're gonna win it this year. Let's go.' There's a lot of support and a lot of fans that want to see this team do well.''

Pashos has similar hopes for his new team. After playing for the Baltimore Ravens, the Jacksonville Jaguars and, most recently, the San Francisco 49ers, Pashos signed a three-year, $10.3 million contract in March to join the Browns.

He has spent the past few weeks competing for a starting job. His quest to secure a spot on the right side of the Browns' offensive line will continue today through Saturday at the Browns' minicamp in Berea.

''One step at a time,'' Pashos said of finding his role with the Browns. ''I'm trying to learn the plays, the way to do things around here, the guys around me, schemes and whatnot. Down the road that takes care of itself, but initially I have got to learn to play in this system.''

From 2006-08, Pashos started every game in which he played (47-of-47 at right tackle). In 2009, he had only one start in five games with the 49ers before a broken left shoulder — which he insists is fine now — ended his season.

Three-fifths of the Browns' offensive line appears to be solidified with Joe Thomas (left tackle), Eric Steinbach (left guard) and Alex Mack (center) expected to return to the positions they played last season. Pashos has worked at right tackle and right guard. Rookie Shawn Lauvao and veterans John St. Clair and Floyd Womack are also battling to win a starting gig on the right side.

''He's all football all the time, which is good,'' Browns coach Eric Mangini said of Pashos. ''Where he's going to fit, guard, tackle, starter, backup, I couldn't tell you right now. I think that there's a good group over on that right side fighting it out and we've just got to see who comes out on top.''

If Pashos conquers his competition, 40 percent of the Browns' first-team offensive line will likely consist of Lockport, Ill., natives. Although they never faced each other during their prep football days, Pashos, a Lockport High School graduate, and Steinbach, a Providence Catholic High School product, share the same hometown.

''He was the big, unathletic lineman when I was playing tight end and defensive end [in high school],'' Steinbach said with a laugh.

Despite Steinbach's wisecrack, Pashos has some legitimate bragging rights. In 1997, the two competed as seniors in the Rudy's High School Football Powerlifting Championships in Joliet, Ill., and Pashos led Lockport to the team title, setting a meet record with a total of 1,610 pounds (350 bench press, 660 dead lift and 600 squat).

After high school, Pashos went to Illinois and Steinbach attended Iowa. They reunited at the 2003 Senior Bowl, where they discussed the possibility of landing on the same NFL roster.

It finally happened about eight years later, and Pashos is excited about what might follow.

''I think we can do a lot of great things,'' Pashos said. ''There's a lot of great linemen. But like any team, you've got to get on the same page. You've got to be rolling, put together some back-to-back practices that are good, and that usually carries over to the games.

''I want to get back into the playoffs, and I definitely would like a Super Bowl ring. I've been blessed with a lot of good and bad things in my career, and I would like to get what a lot of my peers have now. And that's a Super Bowl ring.''

Time-management skills and solid communication were key parts of the offense's ability to make changes at the line of scrimmage during Thursday's morning practice.

Time is always running out in the National Football League.

Though time-management skills are critical in any profession, when a team has 40 seconds to run a play and just 60 minutes to display a week’s worth of work, every single second of practice matters.

With the Browns having an NFL meeting early Thursday morning, the team had an increased need for time-management and communication during their first mandatory mini-camp practice.

“Today, what we’ve done and throughout this weekend, what we’ll be doing is really following the same pattern; it’s just accelerated,” said Browns coach Eric Mangini. “We didn’t have a lot of time to get the install. The guys looked over it last night, but I thought their recall from the OTA days was really good and it’s positive.

“We’re taking two days, two-plus days of install and combining them into one practice,” he continued. “It’ll be the same thing this afternoon, the same thing tomorrow morning and tomorrow afternoon. It’s nice to see a limited amount of miscommunications. Offensively, we had a lot of shifts, a lot of motions. There was only one penalty this morning and that’s really what I’m looking for and that’s something that I was really happy with, especially considering the number of things that we did. The level of communication really helped everyone get where they needed to be.”

Early in the practice, Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme was able to shake off a couple of batted balls at the line of scrimmage and read the defenses before deciding whether or not to change the play at the line of scrimmage.

Delhomme really impressed with his ability to check down to another play or readjust to the original call should the defense make a change in their alignment.

“I thought he made some good decisions on different plays,” Mangini said. “There were a couple things he checked into that were really good. Then, he realized it was just cat-and-mouse. He checked into something and the defense checked into something and then, he could check back to the original thing.

“That’s something that he realized and saw, which is really good. That’s an element with his experience that he gives us. He’s intuitive; he understands and he’s anticipating it. Things like that are good to see. I didn’t think he had a bad morning.”

In addition to getting the offense on the same page, the quarterbacks are also responsible for protecting the football from the snap to the handoff on running plays. While Peyton Hillis is not expected to practice this weekend due to illness, the Browns still have seven running backs and fullbacks participating in drills.

“I think there is good depth there and I’m happy with it,” said Mangini. “With Jerome (Harrison) and Montario (Hardesty), I think Montario’s done a really nice job for a rookie. He’s taken a lot of reps and Peyton can play there and will play there for us. You’ve got Chris Jennings and James Davis. Both guys did some nice things last year, so it is quite a group.

“You add Thomas Brown in that mix and I’m excited to see what they do in training camp and then with their opportunities in the preseason games,” he concluded. “It’s a good group and a really conscientious group. They pick up information well, which is good.”

MITCHELL ADDS TO WR CORPS

When the Browns drafted Carlton Mitchell from the University of South Florida, they got more than just a 6-foot-3, 215-pound wide receiver. They got a guy with an athletic background that did not rely solely on his abilities on the field to achieve success. He worked and continues to work toward being an impact player on the NFL level.

That point has been driven home during Mitchell’s time on the field during OTAs and the first practice of mini-camp.

“One of the things that I’ve liked with Carlton is he’s gotten a little better each day,” said Mangini. “With those guys, they make take a couple steps forward and a step back, but he’s a hard worker. He’s got really good speed, got good size and he’s made some progress in terms of understanding assignments. He’s gotten some good work here in terms of the number of reps he has participated in.”

VICKERS LIKES THE OFFENSE

When Lawrence Vickers returned to Berea earlier this week for the final days of Organized Team Activities, he saw a completely retooled offense from the one that played in the last game of the 2009 season, a 23-17 win over the Jaguars in a snow-covered Cleveland Browns Stadium on January 3rd.

The Browns have added a host of new players, including two running backs with Hillis and Hardesty joining the team through a trade and the Draft as well as new quarterbacks in Delhomme, Seneca Wallace and Colt McCoy.

While it can take some time to get all of the new players and veterans working in unison, that has not been the case.

“The offense is looking real good,” Vickers said. “Things are clicking, guys know what to do. I’m excited about it. We’ve got a couple of great quarterbacks in there. Actually, all our quarterbacks are good. All of them are throwing, they’re all challenging. Everybody’s challenging each other out there, so that’s the good part about this.”

he should be totally set for the summer!

plus when he arrived he confidently admitted he has everything memorized (aka left his shit at the house).

and screw all the Rosenhaus clients.

depth is a beautiful thing.

@brownindian said:

good post. ofcourse we don't want people like roth on our team. but that doesn't mean we want him to get his way by crybabying out of cleveland via trade. he can sit on his ass and lose money for a whole year and see his value to other teams go down for all i care. i'm sick of these spoiled brat athletes that think they have the world in the palm of their hands.

as hard as it is in ne ohio on people financially, to hell with roth's mentality. roth should tell his agent to shut the hell up, then he should get his ass to camp. be a man and earn the respect of the browns fo and show them he deserves a new contract. i guess that's too much like right, though.

nmills said:

agreed.

nmills said:

There setting the bar on how there going to handle player contracts so players know in the future that they must honor there contract and no matter how much complaining

they do it wont change

i was just making a statement as a fan saying roth can "get the hell out of here". i didn't mean it literally though, it was more so me saying get that trade me crap out of here.

heckert said a while ago they weren't going to trade roth.

nmills said:

There setting the bar on how there going to handle player contracts so players know in the future that they must honor there contract and no matter how much complaining

they do it wont change

We do not mean to say that we must acquiesce to their wishes. But rather not offer them a contract and make them sit for one year till the realize that their trade value and salary is going to go down if they dont get playing time. If he was smart he should have came out when the chance to trade him was still there. He waited thinking that this way he will have the upper hand in this situation. too bad for him.