A few thoughts on the training camp practice, Monday, 8th August
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1. Like Canton Mike mentioned to me, Hue and the rest of the coaches run a great uptempo
practice. The difference is awesome. Before, it seemed like the coaches stood around, and
the tempo was so slow, the players got bored. Not now. The practice is quick, uptempo,
and the players really seem to enjoy the pace. A LOT gets done.
2. Amazing still, is the rappport the Browns have with THESE coaches. I have never
seen it before. The coaches TEACH all the time - technique, the way the systems work,
I suppose, a lot of teaching. And the players really seem engaged with learning from coaches
that have so much to teach. It isn't just "coach says something, and the player walks away".
It's "coach teaches to player(s), and the players respond with questions and comments."
It tells me that the players are ALL IN on believing in their coaches, and respect goes
both ways.
3. The players -really- seem upbeat, and having FUN out there, a lot of fun chatter.
At one point, the db's were challenging a pass, tried to intercept it, the wr and db's
nearly collided, and went pass the line, nearly landing on me and the guy to my left.
We caught them just as they stopped in front of us. I believe it was Rahim Moore, #20?,
that laid on the ground, doing a beautiful version of an inch worm crawling, while they
were all laughing and hooting and hollering. This, friends, is how a team comes together.
4. With so much going on, I just noticed certain players and took note.
a. Terrell Pryor. the REAL DEAL. Pryor is having fun being "ALL IN", and goes
to block on a pass play like he means business, and when he gets his hands on
the ball, he has moves, and gets serious yacs. He's explosive off the los, great hands,
and he looks like he may very well become a well known name, like a Josh Cribbs,
one of those popular players. He no longer looks like the ex qb trying to become
a wr. He IS a wr now. And he looks unstoppable.
b. Scooby. Seems to have excellent instincts, has very, very fast hand to hand
"combat" moves, and very quick feet. I hope he sticks. Probably backup ILB.
c. Joe Haden is back active. Saw him take off from the los, and he looks ready to roll.
d. Danny Shelton, my co-favorite player, along with Joe Thomas. The defensive line
has a promise of a very, very, very good rotation. They have two really big, stalwart
road graders in Lawrence-Stample and John Hughes. They are 6'1",, 320, and
6'2", 320. And then, there is Danny Shelton. 6'2", 335.
But Danny Shelton doesn't look like a road grader anymore. He's trimmed, very
athletic looking. What is fascinating, at least to me, is that on the drills where the dl's
take off, and go low to spin around the back of the olineman... Shelton went
low and around so quickly I was stunned to see he could do that. That's
335 lbs in a low, tight arc 3 pt crawl, and he was so quick at it I was ...stunned.
That should scare the crap out of opposing qbs. Shelton looks unstoppable,
and not sluggish in the slightest. Shelton can MOVE. Nassib, Cooper, Meder,
the rest... the coaches have a lot of tough decisions to make with the competition,
in several positions on the team.
e. Higgins is just a wr who has "it", too. He was making some plays, and seems to be
very physical on going to block on a play,
f. So, I was looking around in the defensive backfield, and missed it, but Canton Mike
says that one one red zone play... they had Pryor at qb, and RGIII was ... somewhere else.
I'll let him elaborate.
g. Gabriel shows more fluency in his route running, and even showed a stutter step and
change of direction I don't remember him doing much of before last year. Of course,
he's small. Hawkins looks even smaller. Interesting. How many wr's they keep, and which
ones, is one of the great mysteries to us all - tough decisions, there, too.
h. While Danny Shelton was signing autographs, I walked over and said to him that
I LOVE the way he plays the game. He flashed his big grin, and said "Thank you, goin after it evey day".
Danny is very, very popular.
i. Seems like these Browns have a serious, fun, inner confidence with where they are
as a TEAM, with believing in their coaches, and it shows in the upbeat pace of the practices,
and the fun chatter with the players. Amazing difference.
j. sorry, that's all I can muster. It was really hot, and I had sweat running down into my eyes
a few times when the breeze went quiet, and my binoculars fogged up. And I'm just
a fan, no football scout .
EDIT* oh, there was this drill where the lb's go after the "qb", and when they get to him, the coach
tosses a "fumble" behind the dummy, and the lb immediately goes after the "fumble".
This is cool. Never saw this any other practice in past years, ever. Just a smart, teaching
moment of a drill. The coaches do that a lot.
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Good read Cal. Next time anyone gives you the business tell them you know better than they do...you seen it with your own eyes.
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Has the rookie wr Lewis from Auburn looked any good? That pick was a head scratcher, but the FO knows what they are doing. Also, thanks for the updates.
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didn't notice him - Ricardo Louis. Nope, saw his number, he looks tall at 6'2". But there is
a lot going on all over the place....
Maybe it's just me, but Louis is all in, it seems, I just didn't see him take his turn, and don't
know the numbers as well as Canton Mike, so..
but I went and found this article again, since you bring him up... and it's impressive. Louis fits the profile
excellently, and was a combine kid, he's 6'2", 4.3 speed, and was in the TOP FIVE in several combine wr
drills. Has a ton to learn, coming from Auburn, like Coleman out of Baylor. But he's a learner, like Coleman. Smart kid, loves the game. In my dumb opinion, I've read how he's raw, he'll be on the practice squad. You want this kid on your football
team next year, maybe, because if he develops... watch out.
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/05/ricardo_louis_sees_auburns_201.html
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Kid has potential. Lets hope he can develope.
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Appreciate the nice write-up Cal!
Good to hear Danny Shelton trimmed up. It should really help him get his pad height down easier this year without the extra belly cargo.
Sounds like Pryor is consistently impressing people. Both you and Tia had good things to say about Higgins on your visits to camp.
Hard to believe we'll be watching them play this Friday already.
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Cal,
That was a great write up!
To address a few items you mentioned....
-Camp energy & Coaching...Off the charts compared to what we have seen in the past.
-Danny Shelton is carrying a good bit of weight but faster & looks MUCH thinner. I've always heard muscle outweighs fat. Wonder what his % of body fat is "then & now".
-Pryor red zone play...Pryor lined up at QB, RG3 split wide right. Pryor took a step or 2 back & ran up the gut for the TD.
-Louis...This pick had me wondering too as he has great physical/speed tools but seems to be a "dropper". To me, he just drops too many balls, then he'll make a brilliant catch. ??? Guess time will tell.
I have a great deal of confidence in this Coaching Staff & finally able to trust a Browns' Staff in player evaluation. It will be very interesting to see how it all pans out.
Mike
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Cal,
That was a great write up!
To address a few items you mentioned....
-Camp energy & Coaching...Off the charts compared to what we have seen in the past.
-Danny Shelton is carrying a good bit of weight but faster & looks MUCH thinner. I've always heard muscle outweighs fat. Wonder what his % of body fat is "then & now".
-Pryor red zone play...Pryor lined up at QB, RG3 split wide right. Pryor took a step or 2 back & ran up the gut for the TD.
-Louis...This pick had me wondering too as he has great physical/speed tools but seems to be a "dropper". To me, he just drops too many balls, then he'll make a brilliant catch. ??? Guess time will tell.
I have a great deal of confidence in this Coaching Staff & finally able to trust a Browns' Staff in player evaluation. It will be very interesting to see how it all pans out.
Mike
Cal,
That was a great write up!
To address a few items you mentioned....
-Camp energy & Coaching...Off the charts compared to what we have seen in the past.
-Danny Shelton is carrying a good bit of weight but faster & looks MUCH thinner. I've always heard muscle outweighs fat. Wonder what his % of body fat is "then & now".
-Pryor red zone play...Pryor lined up at QB, RG3 split wide right. Pryor took a step or 2 back & ran up the gut for the TD.
-Louis...This pick had me wondering too as he has great physical/speed tools but seems to be a "dropper". To me, he just drops too many balls, then he'll make a brilliant catch. ??? Guess time will tell.
I have a great deal of confidence in this Coaching Staff & finally able to trust a Browns' Staff in player evaluation. It will be very interesting to see how it all pans out.
Mike
Interesting Mike! My guess is Louis is a punt coverage team gunner this year if he makes the roster.
It's just refreshing to see a coaching staff on the same page with the front office after last year's drama. That turned into a War of the Roses caliber divorce between Farmer and Pettine that became such a distraction - it spilled over to the field in 2015.
1 thing not to lose sight of is this team won 7 games in 2014...
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Cal,
That was a great write up!
To address a few items you mentioned....
-Camp energy & Coaching...Off the charts compared to what we have seen in the past.
-Danny Shelton is carrying a good bit of weight but faster & looks MUCH thinner. I've always heard muscle outweighs fat. Wonder what his % of body fat is "then & now".
-Pryor red zone play...Pryor lined up at QB, RG3 split wide right. Pryor took a step or 2 back & ran up the gut for the TD.
-Louis...This pick had me wondering too as he has great physical/speed tools but seems to be a "dropper". To me, he just drops too many balls, then he'll make a brilliant catch. ??? Guess time will tell.
I have a great deal of confidence in this Coaching Staff & finally able to trust a Browns' Staff in player evaluation. It will be very interesting to see how it all pans out.
Mike
Interesting Mike! My guess is Louis is a punt coverage team gunner this year if he makes the roster.
It's just refreshing to see a coaching staff on the same page with the front office after last year's drama. That turned into a War of the Roses caliber divorce between Farmer and Pettine that became such a distraction - it spilled over to the field in 2015.
1 thing not to lose sight of is this team won 7 games in 2014...
1 thing not to lose sight of is this team won 7 games in 2014...
How many starters from 2014?
Offense: 4... Hawk, JT, Bito, Greco
Defense: 3... Kirksey, Kruger, Haden(?)
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cle/2014_roster.htm
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K'Waun
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thanks for the info fellas.
as far as Louis being a head scratcher in the 4th round...Martavis Bryant was projected by most as a 4th or 5th rounder project and the Puke took them with their first pick in the 1st rd (!).
beauty is in the eye of the beholder and coaches draft according to system and scheme. i have faith these guys have a pretty good idea what they are looking at, and what kind of players they want on their team. maybe Louis can have Johnson Bademosi's roster spot this year...
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thanks for the info fellas.
as far as Louis being a head scratcher in the 4th round...Martavis Bryant was projected by most as a 4th or 5th rounder project and the Puke took them with their first pick in the 1st rd (!).
beauty is in the eye of the beholder and coaches draft according to system and scheme. i have faith these guys have a pretty good idea what they are looking at, and what kind of players they want on their team. maybe Louis can have Johnson Bademosi's roster spot this year...
thanks for the info fellas.
as far as Louis being a head scratcher in the 4th round...Martavis Bryant was projected by most as a 4th or 5th rounder project and the Puke took them with their first pick in the 1st rd (!).
beauty is in the eye of the beholder and coaches draft according to system and scheme. i have faith these guys have a pretty good idea what they are looking at, and what kind of players they want on their team. maybe Louis can have Johnson Bademosi's roster spot this year...
Bryant was a fourth round pick.......drafted where he was projected.....
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"Starter"?
Yes. Starting nickel back. He probably plays the first defensive play in close to 50% of games.
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thanks for the info fellas.
as far as Louis being a head scratcher in the 4th round...Martavis Bryant was projected by most as a 4th or 5th rounder project and the Puke took them with their first pick in the 1st rd (!).
beauty is in the eye of the beholder and coaches draft according to system and scheme. i have faith these guys have a pretty good idea what they are looking at, and what kind of players they want on their team. maybe Louis can have Johnson Bademosi's roster spot this year...
Bryant was a fourth round pick.......drafted where he was projected.....
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