Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

8/11/06

Ball will remain in Ephraim’s hands

Friday, August 11, 2006


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk repository sports writer[/FONT]


PHILADELPHIA - The Bob Hallen era lasted two weeks. The Alonzo Ephraim era is one night old.
Through a Browns spokesman, General Manager Phil Savage indicated he spoke with the Hallen camp and was told the former Kent State lineman has opted to retire.
“We’re disappointed with the decision,” Savage said through the spokesman during Thursday’s preseason opener.
Savage normally sits in the press box, but in this case relayed word from the booth of owner Randy Lerner. Lerner signed off on a $36 million contract for LeCharles Bentley in March.
Signing Hallen a few days later as a backup became key when Bentley went down with a season-ending injury on the second day of training camp.
Hallen, though, mysteriously left the team Tuesday. Head Coach Romeo Crennel at the time cited injury and personal issues.
Ephraim, a young Dolphins castoff, played the first half at center against the Eagles. He held his own, seeming animated and eager to make a good impression.
On one play, Philadelphia defensive tackle Sam Rayburn had a running start before the snap but was neutralized by Ephraim, who showed pleasure in the way he ran back to the offensive huddle.
Straightening out the center position, though, could be a painful process. Ephraim has lots still to prove, and his only legitimate competition figures to come from journeyman Ross Tucker, who was obtained Tuesday in a trade with New England.
Ephraim played in 10 games for the Dolphins in 2005. Tucker was cut by the Bills and wound up in one game with the Patriots. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]



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Link

8/11/06

Browns C Hallen to retire

Associated Press

<!-- begin body-content -->PHILADELPHIA - Veteran center Bob Hallen, thrust into Cleveland's starting lineup to replace injured Pro Bowler LeCharles Bentley, will announce his retirement Friday because of a back injury.
"The possibility of him coming back is pretty much eliminated because he is in the process of faxing a retirement letter," Browns coach Romeo Crennel said after Cleveland's 20-7 preseason loss to Philadelphia on Thursday night. "He has decided to move on and that's what we're going to do."
Hallen, who signed with the Browns in March after spending four seasons with San Diego, became the starter when Bentley sustained a season-ending knee injury on one of the first 11-on-11 drills early in training camp.
However, the Browns said Hallen left camp Wednesday without telling them where he was going. He was placed on the exempt/left squad list, and the Browns traded a conditional pick in next year's draft to the New England Patriots for center Ross Tucker.
Alonzo Ephraim, who was signed July 30, started at center against the Eagles.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

8/11/06

Defense not bad, but offense . . .

By Terry Pluto

<!-- begin body-content -->PHILADELPHIA - It took two guys to block big Ted Washington.
Sometimes three.
That was one of the best things about the Browns' first preseason game Thursday night.
Washington might be old enough to have played when they wore leather helmets and no face masks, but he's still massive, still moves, and yes, still clogs up the middle at age 38.
Most bulldozers aren't as wide as Washington when he wears shoulder pads. He's 6-foot-5, 380-some pounds of defensive tackle that the Browns have not seen since they've returned in 1999. He was only credited with one tackle, but he took up lots of space, rarely gave ground and should set up the linebackers to be far more effective than they have been.
That was obvious in the first quarter, when Philadelphia had a first down on the Browns' 2-yard line, but failed to get into the end zone. The Eagles lost two yards on the series.
With the effective and always underrated Orpheus Roye next to Washington and the respectable Alvin McKinley on the other side, the Browns can think about ranking higher than 30th against the run, as was the case in 2005.
As one scout in the press box said, ``The Browns are finally starting to look like a 3-4 team. The defense has a chance to be pretty good.''
It better be, because that's what the Browns will need to be competitive. Reserve linebacker David McMillan impressed with two sacks and was a factor in rushing the quarterback.
That's especially encouraging, because McMillan was a fifth-round pick by General Manager Phil Savage a year ago and played little.
That seems ready to change this season.
A problem that showed up on defense was backup cornerback Pete Hunter, who was beaten for a couple of long passes.
For the Browns, it's going to come down to defense, defense and more defense. The Browns held the Eagles to 24 yards rushing in the first half. Of course, this is the preseason and the Eagles rested some of their top backs.
But how many times in the past -- regular season and preseason -- have we watched some 12th-string tailback turn into Leroy Kelly in his prime when seeing the Browns?
While Philadelphia did move the ball, it stayed out of the end zone when the Browns had their regulars in the game. That is good news, because there was little reason to smile about the offense.
Yes, we're all pulling for Charlie Frye, but let's be fair: He's still a kid quarterback with only five NFL starts. And now he's taking snaps from a guy named Alonzo Ephraim, who was out of work until July 27.
The Browns faced the Eagles with only two starting linemen from a year ago -- guards Cosey Coleman and Joe Andruzzi.
So it was no surprise the offense sputtered. Frye had to scramble frequently, and his passes weren't sharp, as he was 4-of-7 for a mere 23 yards. Ephraim seemed to do a decent job at center, but some of his teammates at tackle (especially Nat Dorsey and Kirk Chambers) were embarrassed.
Dorsey started for Ryan Tucker (knee surgery) and makes you wonder how he ever started seven games for Minnesota once upon a time. He looked slow and lost.
For the offense, the best news was Kellen Winslow and others surviving the night without injuries. Playing for the first time in nearly two years, Winslow caught two short passes for seven yards.
Veteran Joe Jurevicius made a superb catch of a short, high floater from Frye that could have been thrown better.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Browns had only one first down -- by penalty.
Coach Romeo Crennel can't be pleased with his offense. It seemed to play timid when the starters were in and worse when they went to the bench.
As for the defense, it showed some reason for hope.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Scout.com (free)

8/11/06

Eagles Ground Browns, 20-7.......

Scout.com (free)

8/11/06

Browns Look on Bright Side After Loss

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

NFL.com

8/11/06

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD class=head2>Random thoughts from Browns camp</TD><TD width=5> </TD><TD align=right><SCRIPT language=JavaScript><!--//var dclkFeaturesponsor='http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/sponsorships.nfl.com/fs/'+vTag+';'+vTarget+';'+uID+';sz=150x30;tile=5;ord='+random+'?';if (switchDclk != 'off') { if (location.search.substring(1).indexOf('DCLK')>-1) document.write('<input type="text" value="'+dclkFeaturesponsor+'" style="width:150px">
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</TD><TD width=10> </TD><TD noWrap>By Vic Carucci
National Editor, NFL.com
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- T9584845 --><!-- Sesame Modified: 08/04/2006 11:10:56 --><!-- sversion: 6 $Updated: ellenl$ -->BEREA, Ohio (Aug. 4, 2006) -- Random thoughts from the Cleveland Browns' training camp ...
-- One of the first players to catch my eye was rookie outside linebacker Leon Williams, the Browns' fourth-round draft pick from Miami. He is fast and shows superb instincts. He exploded into the backfield so quickly to blow up one running play that he seemed to appear from nowhere before wrapping up the startled back. Williams has impressed coaches to the point where he has warranted looks as a starter. Even if he doesn't end up starting, Williams should see extensive action on defense. He has the characteristics to be the sparkplug coach Romeo Crennel and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham need to make their 3-4 scheme more of a difference-making force than it was when they put it in place last year.
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</TD><TD width=15> </TD></TR><TR><TD width=180>Kellen Winslow is working hard, putting his problems behind him and connecting with quarterback Charlie Frye. </TD><TD width=15> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>-- You can't help but be impressed with Kellen Winslow's comeback from the injuries he suffered in a 2005 motorcycle accident that sidelined him last season. Winslow shows the exceptional speed, athleticism and strength gained through exhaustive physical conditioning through the offseason. Every pass route he runs as a tight end looks like a mismatch. And the coaches plan to further take advantage of his immense pass-catching skills by lining him up as a receiver on occasion. Winslow also seems to be developing a strong rapport with first-year starting quarterback Charlie Frye. Winslow says the problems resulting from the accident (a staph infection, fractured femur, torn knee ligaments, plus other injuries) were worse than most people realized, but you wouldn't know it by watching him in practice.
-- Frye is thrilled that Browns offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon plans to have him take more shots downfield than he did last year after taking over for Trent Dilfer as a starter. This is a matter of trust. Frye has demonstrated through offseason workouts and training camp he has the physical ability and smarts to handle a more aggressive approach to the passing game, which last year consisted mainly of dink-and-dunk throws that was designed to produce long and methodical drives. With Winslow and receiver Braylon Edwards, Frye has weapons who should be consistently open on deep routes. Reuben Droughns' running also should help open things up in the passing game.
-- Speaking of Edwards, he might end up back in the lineup sooner than expected from the knee injury he suffered last season. Original projections had him out until midseason, but Edwards is pushing himself hard in hopes of being on the field much closer to the Sept. 10 opener against New Orleans. Given Edwards' bold and brash personality, his optimism should be taken with a sense of caution. Still, watching him run and catch passes, there is reason to think it is realistic he might be playing within the first quarter of the schedule.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

8/12/06

Cribbs is catching on

Former Kent State star trying to be Browns' `slash' player at receiver

By Zach Silka

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->BEREA - Progress has become the mantra of Browns receiver Joshua Cribbs.
He made plenty of it last year in his rookie season, but he has loads more to go before he can make an impact at his converted position.
Most fans in Northeast Ohio recognize Cribbs from his eye-catching numbers as the quarterback at Kent State University. Browns quarterback Charlie Frye has referred to Cribbs as ``the Michael Vick of the MAC,'' and he put up 1,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing in three of his four seasons with the Golden Flashes.
Now Cribbs is just trying to become the next Dennis Northcutt or Joe Jurevicius of the Browns.
He had two catches for 23 yards in the Browns' 20-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Thursday night's preseason opener.
``It may be a little too early to tell right now, but if you went on effort, then you'd say he's going to make it,'' Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. ``He's a better receiver than he was at this time last year. He knows more about the position and how to play the position.''
During training camp, after the team practice and individual drills are finished, Cribbs usually takes a few extra reps with receivers coach Terry Robiskie to work on perfecting his craft.
``I was telling him he's leaps and bounds above where he was last year, but he still has leaps and bounds to go,'' said Robiskie, who added that sometimes it takes up to four years for a converted receiver to make the full adjustment to the position.
``Those guys, you're a little more patient with them because you know they came from somewhere else and it's not all natural for them,'' Robiskie said.
Two areas that Cribbs still needs to improve are game preparation and finishing routes, Robiskie said.
``A guy that's a natural receiver, that's been playing receiver all his life, he wouldn't make those mistakes,'' Robiskie added.
Cribbs finds himself among a wave of ``slash'' players in the NFL, and he has embraced that role.
Not only does Cribbs contribute offensively, he also is a key player on special teams.
Cribbs was second on the team last year with 19 tackles on the kickoff coverage unit and led the team with 24.3 yards per return on kickoffs, including a 90-yard touchdown.
Those numbers even beat another slash player's special-teams totals in his rookie season: Antwaan Randle El, who won a Super Bowl with the Pittsburgh Steelers last year and who is now with the Washington Redskins.
``They change the game,'' Cribbs said of slash players. ``I (try to) impact the game, whether it's score a touchdown or put our team in scoring position or make big tackles. I know against Oakland (last season), I had a tackle on a punt and it backed them up inside the 5, and that's big for our defense to get the momentum.''
Becoming a steady option at receiver is still the ultimate goal for Cribbs. His athleticism and ability to make big plays was his ticket into the NFL and will be his avenue for succeeding with the Browns.
Having the opportunity to study under established receivers like Jurevicius and Northcutt should help speed Cribbs' maturation process, Robiskie said.
Cribbs said Braylon Edwards also has given him some guidance in terms of the mental attitude a receiver needs.
``(Edwards) just said not to let the offense skip a beat when I come in there and if I wasn't capable of it, they wouldn't (be placing) me in that position,'' Cribbs said. ``I know I'm able, so all I have to do is execute. That's all it is.''
Execution is the key, and so far, the Browns are pleased with the progress Cribbs is making in becoming a regular.
Said Robiskie: ``We expect him to continue to be a great special teams player, and if he can do that and then come on and help us a little bit from the receiving spot, we feel pretty comfortable about that.''
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ABJ

8/12/06

Hallen's injury news to team

GM says Browns' doctors didn't examine lineman

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->Offensive lineman Bob Hallen never was examined by a Browns doctor after he left the team Monday.
The Browns said Hallen's back was being checked only to try to keep communication open in case he wanted to return.
``To keep it from being an embarrassing situation, we basically said he's being looked at,'' General Manager Phil Savage said in a conference call Friday. ``But our people never saw him again.''
Hallen left the team after Monday morning's practice, called coach Romeo Crennel and said he had a back issue. He never returned.
Hallen's agent, Cliff Brady, then said Hallen was going to California for a ``second opinion.'' Nobody with the Browns has confirmed that trip to California took place. There is no mention of a back injury in Hallen's media guide biography.
``It's his decision,'' Savage said. ``Obviously, he's got to do what's best for him. But I can tell you that he passed every medical check that we ever administered. And he rarely, if ever, spent any time in the training room with the Browns.''
Brady told the Plain Dealer that Hallen has stenosis (a narrowing of the spine) and two bad discs.
Savage said there was no indication prior to Monday that Hallen's back was injured. He had taken over as the starter when LeCharles Bentley was injured and had ``done well'' in practice, Savage said.
The Web site www.profootballtalk.com reported the night of Hallen's departure that the back injury was a ruse, and Hallen merely did not want to play anymore.
Brady could not be reached for comment Friday.
``You're more disappointed that there's absolutely no warning, no indication whatsoever that there was ever a thought, a possibility that he would walk away two days before the first game,'' Savage said. ``That is a bigger disappointment to us, I think, than anything else.
``I think we could have had some other thoughts, other ideas, and with this short notice it really put us in a vise.''
Savage said he could not judge Hallen's injury; all he could say was the team -- and its doctors and trainers -- never saw Hallen after he left Monday.
Alonzo Ephraim, who was signed July 29, started Thursday night. The team also traded with the New England Patriots for Ross Tucker, a player the Browns worked out last year as well.
Savage minced no words about the potential impact of Bentley's injury and Hallen's retirement on quarterback Charlie Frye.
``So much of our focus this offseason was to make it a secure learning curve for Charlie, and I felt with LeCharles he would almost have a personal protector, somewhat, between he and the defense,'' Savage said. ``Obviously with this happening, we're playing with people that are names of players who were not even in our minds six months ago, much less two weeks ago.
``That's an adjustment we'll have to make.''
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

QB Frye is itching to get back out again
Saturday, August 12, 2006
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk repository sports writer[/FONT]
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AP miles kennedy BACK AT YOU Eagles defender Darren Howard (90) knocks down one of Charlie Frye’s seven pass attempts Thursday.​

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PHILADELPHIA Charlie Frye seemed almost embarrassed — not by his play, but by having so little to talk about.
“We only had ... I don’t know ... how many plays?” Frye said after his first game as The Man.
He played two series Thursday against the Eagles before departing with a 3-0 deficit.
He took 13 snaps, all from emergency center Alonzo Ephraim, and handed the ball to Reuben Droughns four times. Frye was 4-for-7 for just 23 yards. He threw toward tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. three times, to Droughns once, to Joe Jurevicius once and toward Dennis Northcutt twice.
Then he was replaced by Ken Dorsey, feeling as though dinner was over after two bites of salad.
“This whole preseason thing is new to me,” Frye said. “Just going out there playing two series (after) getting yourself all ready to play, watching a lot of film all week ... .
“Next week (Friday vs. Detroit), it’s gonna be different. We’ll play longer.”
If it’s not as long as he’d like? “Something I have to get used to,” he said.
Coming off the game, Frye said more than once he thinks the only thing that will stop the Cleveland offense is Cleveland. But this is nothing to ignore.
Frye marched the Browns into Eagles territory on his first series but couldn’t connect with Dennis Northcutt on third down. Northcutt illegally touched the ball after being out of bounds anyway.
Frye’s second series started when a 12-yard Droughns run was negated by a Frisman Jackson holding penalty. Before the next snap, guard Joe Andruzzi was guilty of a false start.
Frye will turn 25 on Aug. 28. He might have gray hair by the Sept. 10 opener against the Saints if the center position doesn’t get straightened out.
Starter LeCharles Bentley went down with a major injury, then the potential replacements retired.
Alonzo Ephraim, who is two months younger than Frye, seemed to fare all right as Thursday night’s starting center.
“The relationship between the quarterback and center is real important,” Frye said. “You’re working with him real close every game. Alonzo hasn’t even been here a week. He’s asked to go out there and know the offense, know the protections. ... We didn’t really have a lot in.”
Ephraim will try to stay ahead of Ross Tucker, acquired Tuesday from the Patriots. Tucker was in Philadelphia but didn’t dress.
“Alonzo’s snaps were good,” Frye said. “He got the ball up fast, and they hit my hands every time.”
Frye didn’t get much time Thursday, but he is thankful there is lots of time between now and the opener to get used to a new center.
“The season’s almost a month away,” he said. “Staying after practice, staying after meetings ... we’re gonna have to put in the time.”
As is his custom, Frye added optimistic punctuation.
“We’ll be on the same page,” he said.
K2, GAME ONE
Kellen Winslow Jr. made two catches for 7 yards in his first game action since September 2004.
He said his 2005 motorcycle crash injuries didn’t bother him.
“Practice is when it bothers me a little bit because of the rigorous work we do,” Winslow said from his locker stall. “But the game felt fine. It was easy.”
Winslow could have kept a drive alive by making a catch while he was down on the grass, but he couldn’t hang on.
“I clipped on that one,” he said.
Winslow liked what he saw from Frye.
“Nobody talks besides him in the huddle,” Winslow said. “He really commands the attention.
“He’s gonna lead the offense. He’s gonna lead us to the promised land.”
CRIBBS NOTES
Former Kent State quarterback Joshua Cribbs caught two passes for 23 yards, returned a kickoff 23 yards and flashed a little as a punt returner.
Cribbs has a chance to be the No. 3 or No. 4 wideout when the season starts.
“I feel when I was in at receiver, we didn’t miss a beat,” Cribbs said. “We didn’t have to hold back on plays because of me. I could have done better. I wish I could have stayed up on one of those slants.”
Cribbs was among the NFL leaders in kick return yards last year.
“The bar has been raised,” he said. “I didn’t do my job of at least getting the ball past the 30.”
It’ll be a shock if he doesn’t keep the return job. It is unlikely he’ll move ahead of Dennis Northcutt as the punt returner, but ...
“I don’t do it on a daily basis,” he said, “but I feel once the game is going, I can do anything. Give me the ball. I got it.”
When a punt landed short and bounced past him, he hated the thought of yards disappearing.
“It’s risky to pick up the ball,” he said, “but I got that hop and picked it up. If I didn’t get a good bounce, I was gonna leave it alone.” Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

Canton

8/12/06

Russell: We’re improved
Saturday, August 12, 2006

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk repository sports wRITER[/FONT]




PHILADELPHIA The Browns grew restless as they waited for their tardy charter jet.
Thursday night dissolved into Friday. Finally, an hour and a half late, they hit the runway — with nowhere to go but up.
Free safety Brian Russell refused to be deflated by a preseason opener in which the Browns trailed the Eagles, 20-0, en route to a 20-7 loss.
“I don’t think what we did (Thursday) is any indication of what we’re gonna do during the regular season,” Russell said. “In fact, I know it’s not.
“I just feel like we’re a much improved defense, and we’re gonna be a much-improved team.”
Defense must carry the Browns while the offense sorts through a few daunting issues.
Russell’s unit got off to a slow start, giving up a 76-yard drive.
“One of the good things we did, though, was to hold them to a field goal after they took it down to the goal line,” linebacker Matt Stewart said. “We have a lot of work to do, but I think we’ve made a lot of progress.”
The defense gave up only 6 yards on the Eagles’ next three possessions before the game shifted into a parade of backups.
The second defensive series was crisp. Cornerback Leigh Bodden broke up a pass. Stewart dropped into coverage and stopped a dump pass for 4 yards. The Eagles broke down with two penalties on one play, then rookie D’Qwell Jackson contained a dump pass to force a fourth-and-long punt.
“We have the makings of a defense,” Russell said. “We have to put it together.
“Ted Washington, at nose, really helped us stuff the run early. Willie McGinest didn’t play, but we’re excited about what he’s gonna do, both rushing the passer and stopping the run.”
McGinest was vague as to why he sat out his first game as a Brown.
“You guys know I had surgery (to remove bone chips from an elbow) in the offseason, so ...” McGinest said.
McGinest, who has been practicing, was asked if he might play Friday against Detroit.
“I’ll play when coaches are ready for me to play,” the 34-year-old outside linebacker said.
McGinest’s absence created more playing time for rookie first-round pick Kamerion Wimbley and 2005 Round 5 pick David McMillan.
The Browns made wholesale defensive changes on Philadelphia’s third series. McMillan stunned quarterback Jeff Garcia with back-to-back sacks.
McMillan wasn’t close to being ready to put his good speed to work as a rookie.
“I had a lot to learn last year,” McMillan said. “Now, I think I’m ready to help.
“I was pretty excited about the sacks. It allows the coaches to realize that if something were to happen, if somebody was down, I can go in and make plays.”
Wimbley was in on five tackles and came close to Garcia on one pass rush.
“I think I can play better than I did,” he said. “I felt comfortable out there. There wasn’t any nervousness or anything like that ... just some corrections that need to be made.” Cornerback Gary Baxter left the game with a pectoral strain. The team will reveal more about his condition today. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

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Dispatch

8/12/06

Browns suddenly have hole at center
Hallen’s retirement is latest blow at position
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Tom Withers
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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CLEVELAND — Veteran offensive lineman Bob Hallen, who was being counted on by the Cleveland Browns to replace injured LeCharles Bentley at center, informed the club yesterday that he has retired.
Hallen, who left the team earlier in the week, sent a letter to the Browns saying he was done with pro football because of a medical situation and the best interest of his family.
"This is stunning to all of us because it was so abrupt," Browns general manager Phil Savage said.
Hallen’s retirement couldn’t come at a worse time for the Browns, who lost Bentley, a two-time Pro Bowl selection and their prized free-agent signing, to a season-ending injury on the first 11-on-11 play of training camp.
Bentley was supposed to protect second-year quarterback Charlie Frye, improve Cleveland’s running game and anchor an offensive line missing right tackle Ryan Tucker, who recently underwent knee surgery.
"We’re disappointed that Bob Hallen made this decision," Savage said. "But what is more disappointing is that he waited until two days before the first (preseason) game, especially after LeCharles Bentley’s injury."
The 31-year-old Hallen, who played the previous four seasons with San Diego, left camp unexcused on Monday, citing back problems. Coach Romeo Crennel said Hallen had "a back issue" and was dealing with "personal problems."
"To keep from it being an embarrassing situation, we basically said he’s being looked at, but our people never saw him again," Savage said.
Savage said Hallen’s injury came as a surprise to the Browns and that he never complained of back problems.
"He passed every medical check that we ever administered, every physical," Savage said. "He rarely, if ever, spent any time in our training room throughout his tenure here with the Browns."
Hallen’s agent, Cliff Brady, told The Plain Dealer that Hallen had to retire because he has two herniated discs and is suffering from stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column.
Hallen’s biography in the club’s media guide makes no mention of any history of back problems. He was placed on San Diego’s injured list in 2003 because of a torn chest muscle. He also sustained a concussion in 2002.
The Browns will recoup the $200,000 signing bonus they paid Hallen when he signed in the offseason, Savage said.
In the meantime, with their Sept. 10 season opener against New Orleans drawing near, the Browns may have to find a dependable veteran center.
Alonzo Ephraim, signed after Bentley got hurt, started Thursday in the 20-7 loss to Philadelphia. Ephraim has five career starts, two at center, and played 43 games in three seasons with the Eagles.
On Tuesday, the Browns traded a 2007 draft pick to New England for center Ross Tucker, who has 24 career NFL starts.
Savage said the Browns are going to take a look at Tucker Friday in the preseason game against Detroit. He also planned to call a dozen teams with a surplus of center/guards.
There’s irony in the Browns’ mess at center. After signing Bentley in March, the club traded Jeff Faine, a former firstround draft pick and three-year starter, to New Orleans. Faine is listed as the Saints’ starter on their current depth chart, a spot he’ll likely have when the club opens in Cleveland in September. Hallen, who is from Mentor and played at Kent State, made 47 career starts for Atlanta and the Chargers. He was drafted by the Falcons in the second round (53 rd overall) of the 1998 draft. He signed with San Diego as a free agent in 2002.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

8/12/06

<H1 class=red>Quick hits

</H1>Browns beat reporter Tony Grossi takes a periodic look at the six points to follow in Browns preseason, plus an extra point


Saturday, August 12, 2006



1. How will Charlie Frye react to being in charge?

Analysis: Frye looks like a veteran quarterback in total command of his team. You’d never know he has all of five career starts. With his line unraveling before him, Frye stood tall this week and never flinched. “When you step in that huddle, you want your guys believing in you,” he said. “You want them to say, ‘Hey, if Charlie thinks it’s going to be all right, then it’s going to be all right.’ ” Despite playing behind a third-string center in the exhibition opener in Philadelphia, Frye did not look in over his head.

2. Has Kellen Winslow Jr. lost anything after nearly two years off?

Analysis: Winslow had two catches for 7 yards against the Eagles. It wasn't his fault. The quar terbacks had little time to throw. In two weeks of prac tice, Winslow looks like the best player out there. He may have lost some stamina, but that should improve as he shakes off the rust. Physically, he appears fine.

3. How quickly will Kame rion Wimbley learn to play linebacker?

Analysis: The transition has been smooth and steady. The rookie was credited with five tackles in Philadelphia, including a stop for a 3-yard loss inside the 5. He might be ready to step in at right linebacker sooner than expected, but not yet for the opener.

4. Who will step up at strong safety -- Sean Jones or Brodney Pool?
Analysis: Jones got the start in Philadelphia and was credited with no tackles. Pool came off the bench and notched a tackle and a pass breakup. Neither has stood out.

5. Is D'Qwell Jackson good enough to beat out Chaun Thompson at right inside line backer?

Analysis: Thompson's calf muscle injury gave Jackson the start in Philadelphia. He played through the first half and was credited with one tackle. A tight end got behind Jackson for a 34-yard reception, but it was unclear whether he was Jackson's responsibility. Jackson still appears on course to win the job.

6. Can Lee Suggs stay healthy and play his way back into a key role?
Analysis: No setbacks yet. Suggs had four runs for 13 yards and one catch for 8 yards in Philadelphia. You've got to figure the Browns would like to use Suggs to attract a veteran center in a trade, but his injury history might warrant a full four games before any needy team bites.

7. Will the injuries on the offensive line sabotage the season?

Analysis: This is a valid concern. The center position is in shambles. Depth at guard is nonexistent. Backup tackles Kirk Chambers and Nat Dorsey struggled in Philadelphia. Three of the top six positions and four of the top eight are hurt or, in Bob Hallen's case, quit the team. Bolstering the line on the fly looms as Phil Savage's greatest challenge since he signed on as general manager.

CPD

8/12/06

<H1 class=red>Strained pectoral sidelines Baxter

</H1>

Saturday, August 12, 2006 Mary Kay Cabot

Plain Dealer Reporter

Browns cornerback Gary Baxter suffered a strained left pectoral muscle during Thursday's preseason opener in Philadelphia and will be out three to four weeks, General Manager Phil Savage said.
Baxter will miss the rest of the preseason but could be back in time for the season opener on Sept. 10. This injury is on the opposite side of last year's - a torn right pectoral muscle that kept him out of the last 10 games of the season.
Although the current injury also could involve a slight tear, it's nowhere near as serious. "He can move his arm this time and last year he couldn't," said Savage.
Savage said the injury occurred on the first play, a 6-yard pass from Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb to Hank Baskett on which Baxter made the tackle.
"It was a hitch, and he went and hit the guy and when he pulled his arm back, he felt something," said Savage. "He came back and played with it, but an MRI [exam] showed the strain. It doesn't need surgery, but they're going to rehab it."
The loss of Baxter is magnified by the fact that Daylon McCutcheon is out for the preseason - or longer - following arthroscopic knee surgery. Baxter, who tweaked his left knee this week and almost didn't play Thursday, was having a terrific preseason. "He really wants to be an elite player for this team," said Savage.
Extra points:
Backup rookie center Rob Smith suffered a high ankle sprain. . . . The team was delayed getting home from Philadelphia by more than five hours because of security issues and then mechanical problems.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

8/13/06

BROWNS NOTEBOOK
Crennel keys on growth
Sunday, August 13, 2006
James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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BEREA, Ohio — Not much good came out of Thursday’s 20-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but the Cleveland Browns cautioned against judging one preseason game.
Progress will be the theme this week as the team prepares for the Detroit Lions on Friday.
"If you continually go out and lay an egg, chances are you’ll lay an egg during the regular season," coach Romeo Crennel said yesterday as the team returned to training camp. "So if you can begin to make progress and get your team sharper so they’re executing with more rhythm and timing, then you begin to feel better about where you are and what they’re capable of doing."
Cleveland has had a plethora of issues since the beginning of training camp. There have been significant injuries, to starters LeCharles Bentley, Ryan Tucker and Daylon McCutcheon, plus the sudden retirement of center Bob Hallen.
General manager Phil Savage said injuries are something every team faces this time of year.
"We just kind of keep going," Savage said. "The sun will come up tomorrow and (injuries are) giving some of the other players the opportunity. We’re getting a real good chance to evaluate some of these players that may not have gotten an opportunity without an injury."
The next new guy

The center position continues to evolve for the Browns. Yesterday Ross Tucker practiced with the team for the first time since being acquired him from New England for a conditional draft pick.
Tucker has 24 career starts, and barring another move he has the best chance to enter the season as the starting center.
"I think Ross is going to be a try-hard guy that will give us everything he has," Crennel said. "Only time will tell how that’s going to fit. But the situation that we have, it’s going to fit pretty good, because he’s going to be No. 1 or No. 2 right now."
Tucker is excited for the opportunity. He was a backup in New England and last had a starting job in Buffalo before undergoing back surgery in April 2005.
Hallen retired Friday, citing back troubles, but Tucker said his back won’t be an issue.
"It feels great actually," he said. "I’m loving how I’m feeling right now. This is my sixth year, and this is the best I’ve felt in a couple of years."
Baxter optimistic

Starting cornerback Gary Baxter will be out for approximately a month because of a strained left pectoral muscle but said he’s optimistic about returning before the start of the regular season. He suffered a torn right pec last year in the fifth game of the season and didn’t play again.
"You guys can bet I’ll be ready for the season opener," Baxter said. "Right now, all I can do is get better, and it will not slow my progress from me getting better."
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

8/13/06

BROWNS NOTEBOOK: Savage: Preseason not crucial

Sunday, August 13, 2006

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]BROWNS NOTEBOOK STEVE DOERSCHUK[/FONT]


BEREA Phil Savage wishes folks would remember the Browns remain tied with the Steelers for first place in the AFC North.
Savage said passing serious judgment based on Thursday’s 20-7 preseason loss at Philadelphia is “ridiculous.”
“Is a preseason game important? Yes,” Savage said after Saturday’s practice. “Is it crucial? No.
“I mean, can you guys even tell me what the score was of any of our preseason games last year?”
The press guide says the Browns were 3-1 in the 2005 preseason, beating the Giants (17-14), Lions (21-13) and Bears (16-6), and losing 23-20 to the Panthers.
Head Coach Romeo Crennel does want to see improvement in Friday’s home preseason opener against the Lions.
“If you continually go out and lay an egg,” he said, “chances are you’ll lay an egg during the regular season.”
The Browns are playing without some of their big eggs.
Linebacker Willie McGinest didn’t play at Philadelphia to save wear on his body, and missed Saturday’s practice for personal reasons. Crennel seems confident McGinest will be ready for the season.
General Manager Phil Savage added that McGinest’s absence from Thursday’s game was “preplanned ... now you can kind of start the preseason countdown for Willie.”
Center LeCharles Bentley won’t be ready until next season. Alonzo Ephraim and Ross Tucker, both acquired after Bentley went down early in camp, figure to battle for the starting job.
Tucker arrived via trade with the Patriots too late for the Eagles game. He showed up at Saturday’s practice wearing No. 66.
“Some of the terms and concepts are the same that Ross saw in New England,” Crennel said. “He should be able to figure it out. Whether he starts or rotates in (Friday) remains to be seen.”
Clearly, the Browns aren’t handing the job to Ephraim, who played center in Thursday’s first half.
“(Ephraim) had some firmness at the line of scrimmage,” Crennel said. “Sometimes, big guys like him are not as quick as the little guys, but he did a decent job for only being with us a couple of weeks.”
Tucker was a starting guard in Buffalo before needing back surgery in April 2005.
“This is the best I’ve felt in six years,” he said Saturday. “I can’t wait until Friday.”
He said he can pick up the Browns’ system quickly.
“The offense is extremely similar to New England’s,” he said. “Almost all the calls are the same.”
CAN-DO CRIBBS
No Brown seems more plugged in to making his NFL opportunity work than Joshua Cribbs.
On Sunday, a writer asked the former Kent State quarterback-turned-receiver if any coach has asked him about adding defensive back to his repertoire.
“No,” Cribbs said, “but I’m glad you brought it up.”
Cribbs said he intended to go to coaches and volunteer to help in the secondary, if needed.
When Crennel ran New England’s defense, the Patriots dipped into the wide receiver ranks for help with a depleted cornerback corps. The Browns have cornerback issues.
Don’t look for Cribbs’ invitation to be accepted just yet. In Sunday’s practice, he continued to get a long look at receiver. He is learning how to get open, but must work on holding onto the ball when defenders close and make contact.
Do look for him to make the team and stick around for years, if his health holds up.
NO COMMENT
Kellen Winslow Jr.’s father turned up at Sunday’s practice. The Hall of Fame tight end chatted a while with former Browns wideout Andre King.
Approached by a writer, the elder Winslow said he wouldn’t talk about his son’s road back from injuries, for print or informally.
Crennel offered this view of Winslow Jr.’s two-catch game at Philadelphia:
“He’s holding up pretty well. He made a couple catches. I thought he blocked better than he had been, and the knee held up. He didn’t play the whole game. When he starts playing the whole game, we’ll have to see how he responds.”
King, incidentally, is in his second season out of the NFL after playing four seasons for the Browns. He said he is doing some coaching work for Westlake High School. He and his wife are expecting their second child.

PUT ME IN, COACH Ted Washington, 38, insists on putting his 365-pound body on the line in preseason games. “When he tells me he wants to play,” Crennel said, “I let him.” Crennel said Washington did “pretty well” in his Browns debut, but needs to improve his leverage.
ON DORSEY Ken Dorsey needs to show more to win the No. 2 quarterback job. “We have to give him a few more reps to see how he handles it,” Crennel said. “Then we’ll begin to make our assessment.” Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]


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Canton

8/13/06

Browns training camp: Baxter says injury is no 2005 repeat

Sunday, August 13, 2006

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Steve Doerschuk repository sports writer[/FONT]


BEREA If anything was very wrong, Browns cornerback Gary Baxter didn’t show it Saturday.
Less than 48 hours after injuring a pectoral muscle at Philadelphia — a pectoral injury put him out for most of the 2005 season — he pulled on his uniform, tied a towel-turned-bandana around his forehead and walked onto the practice field.
But something is at least a little wrong, which is why Head Coach Romeo Crennel sought out Baxter before Saturday’s outdoor work began.
Crennel said a few words as they walked up the sidelines, prompting Baxter to smile. The coach then put his meaty right arm around one of his most important players.
“Gary won’t have to have surgery,” Crennel said after practice. “He should be OK in a little time.
“He was having a good camp. We felt good about where he was before the muscle tear.”
Baxter stuck an arm in the wrong place in his last two games, spanning 10 months.
Last October against the Lions, he reached out to make a right-arm tackle and tore a pectoral muscle badly enough to miss the Browns’ last 11 games. In his first game back since the injury, Thursday against the Eagles, he reached out with his left arm and hurt a pectoral again.
The Browns hope Baxter can play in the Sept. 10 regular-season opener against the Saints. It is unlikely he will heal in time for the Aug. 31 preseason finale against the Bears.
General Manager Phil Savage said the fact Baxter suffered another pectoral injury is “more coincidence, really.”
“Last year,” Savage said, “he tore it completely from the bone. This year, he’s got range of motion. He should be back.”
Camp opened with Baxter, Leigh Bodden and Daylon McCutcheon as the top three cornerbacks.
At this point, it appears Baxter and Bodden will be the starting corners on Sept. 10. Can McCutcheon return from recent arthroscopic knee surgery in time to be the nickel back?
“I think it’s gonna be right on the edge,” Savage said.
With Baxter and McCutcheon out, fifth-year pro Pete Hunter is being watched closely. Hunter won a starting job in Dallas in 2004 and played three games before blowing out an ACL.
“He’s a size corner (6-foot-2, 208 pounds) who has played some inside,” Savage said.
Hunter left the door open for younger players, though, when he got beat deep twice at Philadelphia, on throws from quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Jeff Garcia.
Antonio Perkins, a fourth-round pick in 2005, has a chance to move up the depth chart now that he is back from a hamstring problem.
“I think Antonio’s gonna be fine,” Savage said. “He’s made significant progress this preseason.”
You realize depth could be a problem when you hear Crennel say things like, “The Perry guy has shown up.” Jereme Perry joined the team May 8 as an undrafted rookie out of Easter Michigan.
Crennel went on: “Holly is beginning to show he might be able to do something.”
Daven Holly, 24, played for the University of Cincinnati before getting drafted in Round 7 by the 49ers last year. He was cut and then claimed by the Bears.
Crennel said he’ll keep an open mind about the little-known camp hopefuls. Last year, the Browns signed veteran cornerback Ray Mickens on Aug. 18, partly because McCutcheon was battling mysterious headaches.
“There’s not as much urgency,” Crennel said. “We know that Daylon is gonna come back, and that Baxter is gonna come back.”
Savage concedes cornerback is “a position we’re concerned about.”
What can he do? “Look and identify teams that might have an extra player and see if it matches up with something you might have,” Savage said. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail [email protected].


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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

8/14/06

Carthon hears the whispers

Offensive coordinator's critics were many last year as Browns struggled

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->BEREA - Maurice Carthon ran into his coaching mentor at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last February.
Bill Parcells asked a simple question: ``Those shots hurt now when they are taking shots at you personally?''
Carthon's response: Yes, they do hurt.
Such is life for the Browns' offensive coordinator, who took a lot of media and fan criticism last season after the Browns struggled through a 6-10 season.
The Browns finished 26th in total offense, 32nd, or last, in scoring and 32nd in touchdowns -- with just four rushing touchdowns.
The flip side: Carthon did not have a ton of talent, especially with receiver Braylon Edwards struggling through injuries and a training camp holdout, as well as injuries to the offensive line.
Carthon's offense did help Reuben Droughns become the Browns' first 1,000-yard rusher in 20 years.
Carthon's style was blunt and gruff, and his play-calling was questioned. Coach Romeo Crennel's support of Carthon never wavered -- and it shouldn't have, according to fullback Terrelle Smith.
Smith is clearly in Carthon's corner, saying, ``If you can get past Mo, you can get past a lot of coordinators.
``He's straightforward. He's played football before. He's won Super Bowls. He's been around one of the greatest coaches in the game in Bill Parcells. He's been around the league.
``The thing I like is the competitiveness.''
Smith sees that bluntness as competitive drive. Carthon is cut from the same cloth as Parcells, Smith said.
``A lot of people dislike (Carthon) because of the toughness that he speaks to you with and the tone and this and that,'' Smith said. ``Don't take that personally. This is a job; it's a business. When you shut the door, leave it there. That's part of being a pro.
``He has his style of coaching and I have my style of playing. How can we correlate that together and go out and play and perform? That's all it's about.
``If you can't understand that, it won't work for you.
``It works for me.''
Former quarterback Trent Dilfer never went public with any complaints, but it was no secret he did not like Carthon's planning and play-calling.
He privately told people the Browns could have won two or three more games a year ago with another approach.
``I never really understood that,'' Smith said. ``Dilfer's a good quarterback. He's a pro. He's won. Mo's won.
``Sometimes it doesn't work.''
Dilfer was clearly fuming after the loss in Minnesota last season, when on one offensive series the Browns let a minute run off the clock and settled for a field goal late in the first half. Coach Romeo Crennel said he was happy to get the three points, but the offense had time to throw two passes to try to score a touchdown.
After the game, Dilfer said he was ``doing what he was told.''
The implication: He did not have the freedom to act on his own.
``That's growing pains,'' Smith said. ``You can't fault one guy for that. As a team, we failed. I don't fault (Carthon) or Romeo or anyone because it's a team sport.''
``That was in 2005 and I'm looking forward to this season,'' Carthon said. ``Hopefully we've all learned and that won't happen to us in 2006.''
When Carthon interviewed to be the head coach in New Orleans, he complained that the Northeast Ohio media were the same group that drove Bill Belichick out of Cleveland.
In his only training camp interview during the first week, Carthon said his only complaints were reports he did not get along with players.
``That kind of divides the team sometimes,'' he said. ``I never had any problem with any player that I've ever coached in this league.''
He said second-guessing the play-calling goes with the job.
``A year later, you can second-guess yourself and already there will be enough people second-guessing what you do and what you have done,'' he said. ``I have always felt that if you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.
``I have been in this system for a while as a player and a coach. I believe in this system and I just have to do better in situations and in time management.''
He said the Browns have to find a way to score more points and avoid turnovers. The scoring dilemma is evident, but the Browns were minus-seven in turnover ratio, placing them 23rd in the league.
``I can't physically go out there and do it,'' Carthon said. ``Quite naturally, I am a part of it, too.''
There was an understanding within the front office a year ago that Carthon was calling the plays and developing the game plan for the first time in his coaching career. Things were not perfect, but he was given the benefit of the doubt.
There is talk that Carthon will be greatly scrutinized again, but some within the team think that is unfair because two years is not a lot of time for a system to succeed.
``Besides,'' Smith said, ``it's about us getting it done. You have to know the coordinator to say that, because he believes in us and he wants us to get it done. If you know Mo, he won't call it if you can't get it done.
``If he calls it and we don't accomplish it, then it won't work. If he doesn't call it and we accomplish it anyway then you never know.
``The results are the final say-so.''
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ABJ

8/14/06

Crennel imposes rare punishment

Irritated coach makes defense run after mishap

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->BEREA - Romeo Crennel showed a rare moment of anger Sunday morning when the coach had the Browns' defense do a lap around the practice field.
``The longer you take,'' Crennel yelled, ``the longer we'll be out here.'' Apparently, one scout-team huddle had only 10 players -- and that followed a warning from Crennel to be alert.
``We needed it,'' linebacker Andra Davis said. ``That's good. Get everybody's attention.''
``Part of the game,'' cornerback Leigh Bodden said.
Crennel seemed more frustrated than usual during the practice, perhaps a result of the team's injuries and struggles since training camp began.
He admitted being irritated, but said it's also the time of year when even coaches need a little kick.
He also said he won't be the kind of coach who makes a team run for every error -- something Eric Mangini has been doing a lot in his new job as a rookie head coach with the New York Jets.
``You have to use your intuition a little bit,'' Crennel said. ``You still have to try to get some work done. There's a scenario that you just run all the time and you never play any football. And you have to play football.
``On things that are most important, that you put an emphasis on, then you get the guys to run at that time.''
Baxter's status
Crennel said the Browns are hoping Gary Baxter returns from his shoulder muscle injury for the season opener Sept. 10 against the New Orleans Saints.
``If he gets better ahead of time, we'll give him one or two reps,'' Crennel said.
Crennel said doctors told him Baxter could miss anywhere from three to six weeks.
Brownies ...
Guard Joe Andruzzi had his right ankle taped during the morning practice, but finished the workout and walked off the field.... After the defense's lap, Simon Fraser and William Green did a bit of pushing and shoving. Crennel said that's good because ``it lets you know the guys have some fight and energy.''... Look for starters to play into the second quarter in Friday night's second exhibition game against the Detroit Lions (7:30 p.m., Channel 3).... Offensive tackle Ryan Tucker and cornerback Daylon McCutcheon might start riding bikes on the sideline this week as they return from arthroscopic knee surgery.... Linebacker Chaun Thompson (calf) is questionable for the Lions game.... Sean Jones continues to be ahead in the competition with Brodney Pool at safety.

ABJ

8/14/06

ONLY FACES CHANGE

Browns QBs mediocre at best, but they also never had a chance

<!-- begin body-content -->This is season No. 8 since the Browns returned in 1999, and Charlie Frye will be the sixth different quarterback to open the season. A quick review: Ty Detmer (1999), Tim Couch (2000, 2001), Kelly Holcomb (2002, 2003), Jeff Garcia (2004) and Trent Dilfer (2005). Part of the reason why this franchise has struggled is that they never have been sold for long on anyone playing quarterback.
• The only quarterback considered a prospect (until Frye) was Couch. While Browns fans remain split on how he would have performed under non-expansion circumstances, the fact is he was plagued by a lousy line and took a tremendous physical pounding. Detmer and Holcomb were career backups, Dilfer and Garcia past their primes.
• So what does this have to do with Frye? At some point, the Browns need to find a quarterback and stick with him for a few years. Let him grow with the team. The offensive line is in such disarray that coach Romeo Crennel said it was hard to get any read on how Frye performed in his 13 plays against the Philadelphia Eagles. You have a feeling Crennel just wanted to get Frye out of the game and physically ready for practice.
• Here's what no one from the Browns is telling you: The offense has had its confidence shaken by the injuries to centers LeCharles Bentley, Bob Hallen and right tackle Ryan Tucker. You have to believe Frye could be in for a rocky season, at least early. What was supposed to be a solid, experienced line blocking for him has suddenly taken on the look of the Confederate army at the end of the Civil War. Unless Tucker recovers from his knee injury in time for the opener (a possibility), the Browns will have only two returning starters on the line from last season -- guards Cosey Coleman and Joe Andruzzi.
• With Tucker out, tackles Kirk Chambers and Nat Dorsey had a real chance to play in Philadelphia. In a word, they were awful. It's not like the Eagles were using any trick defenses; these guys were just getting beat -- and often, by bench players. They were worse than free-agent centers Rob Smith and Alonzo Ephraim. New left tackle Kevin Shaffer wasn't noticed, which probably means he did a decent job.
• Backup quarterback Ken Dorsey has not been very impressive in training camp, and he struggled against the Eagles. He's not mobile. His arm is not strong. He is smart, but has inspired little confidence so far. General Manager Phil Savage has been a fan of Derek Anderson, the No. 3 quarterback and a Baltimore Ravens import. He has a stronger arm than Dorsey, and maybe he deserves a longer look. I have no idea what it means, but Lang Campbell looked good at the end of the game playing against a defense with guys who probably won't make the Eagles.
• Just to get it straight, I made a mistake in my story from Philadelphia when writing that the Browns didn't get a first down (besides penalty) until the final period. That was in third-down situations only -- they were 1-of-9 heading into the fourth quarter. No matter the numbers, it's pretty bleak.
• I thought Reuben Droughns (21 yards, four carries) and Lee Suggs (13 yards, four carries) ran the ball hard. But I now realize some of their best work was just to get back to the line of scrimmage because of the poor blocking. William Green hadsix carries in the fourth quarter, and he ended up with minus-3 yards.
• It's a huge if, but if Suggs can stay reasonably healthy, he'll give the Browns a terrific 1-2 combination at tailback with Droughns. He also might attract some trade interest as Savage shops for offensive linemen. I want to see more of Jerome Harrison, the fifth-rounder from Washington State who gained 1,900 yards last season. He caught a 10-yard touchdown pass Thursday. He did not carry the ball.
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ABJ

8/14/06

McManamon on the Browns

Center stage needs starter

Savage is going to have hard time finding a star

By Patrick McManamon

<!-- begin body-content -->More has been written about the center position this preseason than perhaps at any time in the history of professional football.
Such is life with the Browns these days, where the bizarre has become the mundane -- especially in the middle of the offensive line.
The Browns must somehow deal with some amazing circumstances that have depleted the position and had them starting Alonzo Ephraim the other night in Philadelphia.
The options:
• Ephraim does not appear to be one, though he will hold the fort -- for now.
Teams sometimes sign players to fill training camp rosters. If those players somehow excel, they make the team. They're given a chance, but they're generally fill-out-the-roster guys.
That was Ephraim, who was signed shortly after LeCharles Bentley was injured.
Look for the team to soon move away from Ephraim, who kind-of, sort-of held his own the other night but is not the long-term answer -- for many reasons.
He started because the Browns had to use a center, and the Eagles were not going to allow a side-snap and five-Mississippi pass rushes.
• Ross Tucker will get a long look this week -- and perhaps in Friday night's game against the Detroit Lions.
Tucker, acquired from the New England Patriots last week, was given some snaps with the starters in Saturday's practice.
Coach Romeo Crennel said Tucker would definitely get some plays with the starters against the Lions.
``Whether he starts or rotates in there remains to be seen,'' Crennel said.
Tucker said he had back surgery a year ago, which limited his playing time. But he does have 24 starts at guard and center in his career.
With Rob Smith out with a sprained ankle and Ephraim not the answer, the Browns hope Tucker fits in.
``With the situation that we have,'' Crennel said, ``he's going to fit in pretty good.''
• The Browns could try to trade for a center, but it's not likely they'll acquire another team's starter. That price would be high, and it's not logical another team would trade its starter anyway.
It's more likely the Browns would acquire a guy like Bob Hallen, a guy who can also play guard and step in at center. If Bentley then comes back healthy, the line's depth would be back to what it should be in 2007. But even that won't be easy.
Consider the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have been impressed with draft pick Marvin Philip behind Jeff Hartings and could have considered trading Chukky Okobi. But Okobi had back surgery and will be out a month or two.
So much for that thought.
``I called maybe 12 teams who seemed to have a surplus at the center/guard position,'' General Manager Phil Savage said. ``They know we are in dire straits. They realize that they are probably an injury away from being on the same level as us. You have to find the right team and the right match to pull off a trade at this point.
``My expectation is that this is something that we are going to try to resolve over the next three weeks.''
• There is much speculation that Hank Fraley could be had from the Eagles. Lee Suggs might look great in the Eagles' backfield, and much was made by fans who noticed Crennel and Fraley chatting after the exhibition season opener.
But a source said it's highly unlikely the Eagles would trade with the Browns.
The Eagles supposedly had a wink-wink agreement with LeCharles Bentley in the offseason, but the Browns swooped in and stole Bentley from under their free-agent nose.
Then, the Browns traded Jeff Faine to the New Orleans Saints, not the Eagles.
Sometimes these issues don't matter; sometimes they create bad feelings -- and those bad feelings can prevent trades.
In this case, it appears to be getting in the way of a trade.
• Joe Andruzzi volunteered that he would move from guard to center, if asked. Said he played center in college, and he'd do it for the team.
Crennel, though, said that move would be tougher than it seems for a guy who's played guard his entire career.
He also wondered if it would rob guard to pay center -- or something like that.
Expect the Browns to pursue a guy who's snapped throughout his career.
Baxter out again
Turns out cornerback Gary Baxter has a slight tear in his right pectoral muscle and will be out three weeks.
The Browns are convinced Baxter will return for the regular season, but he has joined Daylon McCutcheon on the sidelines.
``Freak accident,'' Baxter said. ``I can't explain why it happened.''
He added he did not think he'd need surgery.
That leaves the Browns with Leigh Bodden and guys like Antonio Perkins and Pete Hunter at cornerback. Savage said the Browns would check their list to see who's available.
``If these guys we're going to give some opportunity to, if they don't do anything at all and they don't hold up their end of the bargain, then we're going to look (for someone else),'' Crennel said.
On his last two plays on the field, Baxter has torn his left pectoral muscle off the bone and slightly torn his right.
``If (Baxter) doesn't tear the muscle, you feel good about where he was as far as camp is concerned,'' Crennel said.
Brownies . . .
• The Browns were a tired group Saturday after a trip back from Philadelphia that took all night. Delays, mechanical problems, constant loading and unloading of planes and buses and a delay in the air en route to Cleveland meant the team did not land until 7:30 a.m. -- five hours later than scheduled. Some folks -- like Savage and the front office staff and the coaches -- went right from the airport to the office.
• Smith has a high ankle sprain and will be out a couple of weeks.
• Willie McGinest was excused from practice to be present for the birth of his baby. He is expected to return today or tomorrow. Of not playing McGinest in the exhibition opener, Crennel said, ``Willie knows how to play the game.''
• Of Kellen Winslow, Crennel said: ``He will tell you that he's not 100 percent, and whether he'll ever be 100 percent is doubtful. But I think that he'll be good enough to be a functional player for us.''
• Of Kamerion Wimbley, Savage said: ``Wimbley played well, first time out. I think he's done a really solid job thus far. I don't think we could have asked for much more than what we've seen from him thus far.''
• Ted Washington got 12 plays against the Eagles, which Crennel said isn't asking too much. ``When he tells me he wants to play, I let him,'' Crennel said.
• David McMillan's success as a pass rusher could earn him more playing time. McMillan is much more comfortable at linebacker this season after playing defensive end in college.
And finally . . .
Winslow crashes his motorcyle in a parking lot, wrecked his knee and missed a year.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger crashes his motorcycle going at a decent rate of speed, flew over a car and landed on his face. He played in the preseason opener.
Bentley tears his knee up and is lost for the season.
Okobi hurts his neck, and the Steelers fear it's career-threatening. He has surgery to repair the herniated disc, and the Steelers now say he'll be out only a month or two.
Maybe folks in this area should start drinking more Iron City beer.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

8/14/06

Bodden: small college, big talent
Monday, August 14, 2006

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]BROWNS BEAT STEVE DOERSCHUK[/FONT]


BEREA - Imagine if Maurice Clarett had figured out what Leigh Bodden knows.
How much better off he’d be now. How much happier.
To a significant extent, Bodden grew up with talent as bright as Clarett’s.
Some differences:
n Everyone knew Clarett had the gift. Bodden’s was there but somehow hidden.
n Clarett came through a football town, Warren, where too much adulation can get too many kids too full of themselves — we see that in Stark County, of course. Bodden played for a Maryland high school that stirred a finite fuss.
n Clarett put himself on a pedestal. Bodden put himself to work.
How sad that Clarett has played his gift into a prison cell.
How marvelous what Bodden has done with his.
How impressive Bodden seemed Sunday while playing cornerback for the Cleveland Browns.
How happy his teammates seemed for him after he zoomed in front of a receiver and swatted the football down.
How alive he seemed after the practice. How thoughtful. How wise for a young man not yet 25.
“Mom always told me, ‘If you’re good enough, they’ll find you,’ ” he said.
It took them a while.
“My high school wasn’t good until my senior year,” Bodden said in a soft, measured voice. “We went 10-2 my senior year.
“Those guys who were seniors the following year had some exposure, and some went to D-1 schools. I had to go out and search. No schools were comin’.”
He grew up in Marlborough, Md., and wound up in the Marlboro Country of college football, at Duquesne.
He didn’t sulk then and is thankful now, heading into his fourth NFL season, emerging as one of the Browns’ top players.
He made Duquesne work for him.
“The guys from my high school kind of got lost at the big schools, and didn’t get the opportunity to play,” Bodden said. “I got the opportunity to play as a freshman.”
He could have attended the University of Maryland. The big state school didn’t want him.
In turn, he turned away from major-college football.
“I was playing on Saturdays when the games were on TV,” he said. “Besides, I didn’t care to watch.”
He invested in what he had.
He helped Duquesne go 37-8 over four football seasons. He joined the track team and won the conference meet in the long jump. He earned a business degree.
“I’m proud to have gone to Duquesne,” he said.
But it cost him. He wasn’t invited to the 2003 NFL Combine, where draft positions are solidified.
Yet, he said, “I thought I was one of the best cornerbacks coming out.”
A handful of scouts made their way to Pittsburgh to see his pre-draft workout.
“After my pro day,” he said, “I think (Browns assistant coach) Chuck Pagano came and worked me out. I guess they liked me then. I have no clue.”
The last defensive back drafted was Utah’s Antwoine Sanders, by the Ravens, at No. 258 overall.
Bodden wasn’t picked, but he signed with the Browns and didn’t allow himself to feel like an outcast.
“Even my first couple years, I was out here making plays, and everybody was excited,” Bodden said. “I just didn’t get a chance to show it out there on Sundays. Now I do.”
In a sense, Butch Davis discovered Bodden, but in another sense, Davis was part of the NFL system that allowed Bodden to slip through the cracks in the draft.
Asked if he owes Davis, Bodden smiled.
“Ummm ... I don’t think I owe anybody,” he said. “I was out here busting my butt to try to get noticed and try to get a spot on the team.
“So ... I owe myself.”
Realizing that might sound odd, he laughed.
What Leigh Bodden has done is not comedy. It’s a heart-warming American story, one that might change the life of some misguided kid.
Yet, Bodden is careful about the message his story sends to small-college players.
“A lot of those guys look at me and think it’s easy,” he said. “They see that I made it, but it was a lot of hard work, a lot of working out four times a day.”
This hasn’t paid off with one of those obscene contracts that make tickets so expensive, but the young cornerback is at peace with his lot.
In this corner, Bodden, the new recipient of a $10 million contract.
In that corner, Clarett, needing $5 million to make bail.
If you have talent like them — or whatever your gift — do yourself a priceless favor and reflect not so much where you want to take it, but how. At least, it seems Leigh Bodden did. Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail [email protected].


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Canton

8/14/06

Fracas shows team’s ‘good spirit’ according to Crennel

Monday, August 14, 2006

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By STEVE DOERSCHUK [/FONT]


BEREA - Church was in session beneath the steeple near Browns practice.
Defensive end Simon Fraser and running back William Green would have been kicked out of Sunday school.
Fraser grabbed running back Green during an 11-on-11 no-tackle drill. As Head Coach Romeo Crennel put it later, “Maybe Will though (Fraser) held on a little too long.”
As Green fought to escape, Fraser clutched a little harder, twisting the back’s body. Green responded by delivering a punch toward Fraser’s helmeted head.
The incident got everyone’s attention.
“Will is the type of dude who’s not gonna take no slack,” linebacker Andra Davis said. “That’s good, because you don’t want a running back that’s gonna let somebody push him around.”
Cornerback Leigh Bodden said some of this stuff is OK.
“Sometimes,” Bodden said, “a guy will do something too aggressive, and then somebody gets mad, but that helps the team out because everybody knows they’re tough and won’t back down.”
Crennel’s view?
“We’re at the point in camp tempers will flare a little,” he said. “But that’s a good thing. It let’s you know the guys have good spirit.”
Crennel was less tolerant of a lapse during which the defense was doing “show team” work to simulate Friday’s preseason opponent, Detroit.
At one point, Crennel became annoyed and barked to the defense, “Now, get ready to go.”
A short while later, the defense was caught with only 10 men on the field. Crennel ordered the defense to run a lap around the perimeter of the northwest practice field.
The defenders complied, with 365-pound nose tackle Ted Washington bringing up the rear.
As he passed near the church, Washington, a veteran who can get away with such things, raised his voice and said, “Coaches running, too.”
The coaches did not join in.
“A couple people were mad,” Bodden said, “but it’s a team sport, so when somebody meesses up, we all gotta suffer.”
Davis, one of last year’s captains, said, “We didn’t have enough guys on the field, so we got punished for it. That’s good. You can’t play with 10 players.”
Training camp opened July 26. These aren’t just the dog days for players.
“We’re a little irritated, too,” Crennel said.

Reach Repository sports writer
Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected].
browns camp report
Lefty’s adjustment
New left tackle Kevin Shaffer is getting used to a more conventional offense after blocking in front of Michael Vick in Atlanta.
“Here, you know what you’re gonna get,” Shaffer said Sunday. “The play’s called, you know what’s gonna happen, typically. There’ll be times things break down and Charlie (Frye) moves around, and he does a good job of that, but here, typically, if it’s a pass, it’s gonna be a pass. If it’s a run, it’s gonna be a run.
“In Atlanta they had a great scheme, and that was their scheme. They had a running quarterback. That’s what Michael Vick wants to be, and that’s what the team wanted him to be.
“We’ve got a passing game here. When we call a pass, we’re gonna pass the ball.”

The safety Pool
Head Coach Romeo Crennel said third-year pro Sean Jones remains “a little ahead” of second-year pro Brodney Pool in the race to start at strong safety.
“Last year, (Jones) wasn’t ready to do the job,” Crennel said. “We tried to give it to him and he couldn’t do it.”
Crennel said, Jones is “more mature” than the 22-year-old Pool, who remains the youngest player on the team even though he was a Round 2 pick last year.
Brian Russell has locked up the free safety job. Russell sounds confident and assertive in calling the defensive signals.
While some veterans run wind sprints as if it’s uncool to show too much hustle, Russell often finishes first among the defensive players, who run en masse.

Kelley makes move
Fourth-year pro Ethan Kelley has separated himself from rookie Round 6 pick Babatunde Oshinowo in the race to back up Ted Washington at nose tackle.
This could become the most important backup job on the team, in that Washington is 38 and needs rest to survive a season.
In turn, nose tackle is a pivotal position, in that it is intended to draw double teams and free inside linebackers to stop rushing attacks.
“Ethan has been playing real well all camp,” said inside linebacker Andra Davis. “This is his fourth year in this defense (including two years at new England).
“He’s very tough, very strong. He’s over 320 pounds. I mean, he’s a man.”
Crennel said smaller nose tackles — 2005 starter Jason Fisk was that — can do the job but have to be perfect in their technique. Massive ones like Washington have more room for error. Kelley is about 25 pounds heavier than Fisk. STEVE DOERSCHUK


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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

8/14/06

Second year going better for McMillan

Monday, August 14, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>

</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>RUSTY KENNEDY ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>Browns linebacker David McMillan, sacking Eagles quarterback Jeff Garcia last week, says he is more comfortable this season. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


BEREA, Ohio—It has taken a year of training, but secondyear player David McMillan is beginning to come into his own as a converted linebacker.
McMillan, a former defensive end at Kansas, has developed into one of the surprises of training camp with his ability to rush the passer. He opened a lot of eyes and was one of Cleveland’s standout players last week in the preseason game in Philadelphia, collecting two sacks and three tackles.
"Last year, he was a defensive end trying to be a linebacker," coach Romeo Crennel said. "This year, he looks more like a linebacker. A year in the system and knowing what to do and what we expect I think has really helped him."
McMillan is looking to get on the field more after playing just four games on special teams during his rookie season, logging just one tackle.
An impressive showing and a few injuries might garner McMillan more playing time. Starter Willie McGinest has been sidelined with elbow trouble on one side at outside linebacker, and the other spot is a duel between top pick Kamerion Wimbley and veteran Matt Stewart.
Add McMillan’s name to the list of candidates. He could start this week depending on McGinest’s health and if his solid performances in practice continue.
"I feel I know what I’m doing," McMillan said. "I know my assignments, so I think faster. I have a lot more confidence and that gives me the ability to go out there and make plays. I’m very pleased with this opportunity."
Minor skirmish

Running back William Green nearly got into a fight with defensive end Simon Fraser after Fraser kept his arm wrapped around Green’s upper body after a play.
Green took exception to Fraser holding him after the whistle and threw the football at him. Fraser then walked away.
"Every once in a while tempers flare a little bit, but that’s a good thing," Crennel said. "It lets you know that guys do have some fight in them."
Brownie points

Linebackers McGinest (excused absence) and Chaun Thompson (calf) sat out of practice. … The defense was forced to run a lap after 10 men were on the field in team drills. … Crennel said his starters will play into the second quarter during the preseason game Friday against the Detroit Lions.
[email protected]

 

[aurorabuckeye13]

According to ESPN Suggs dealt to Jets for CB...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2549358

Updated: Aug. 14, 2006, 3:24 PM ET
Jets deal CB Strait to Browns for RB Suggs


<!-- end pagetitle --><!-- begin bylinebox -->Associated Press

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- The New York Jets got the running back help they needed Monday, acquiring Lee Suggs from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for defensive back Derrick Strait.
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Strait
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Suggs
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With Curtis Martin on the physically-unable-to-perform list because of a lingering knee injury, the Jets were desperate to get another back on the roster. Derrick Blaylock and Cedric Houston were taking most of the plays at running back, but neither is the type of player who can shoulder the entire rushing load.
Martin's future is less certain. He underwent surgery on his right knee in December, and has yet to recover fully. He has yet to practice, and reports have said he has a "bone on bone" condition in his knee. But Martin continues to rehab, and said last week he wants to play this season.
Suggs hasn't been able to stay on the field for the Browns, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2003 draft. At various times in his pro career, Suggs has been sidelined by injuries to a shoulder, neck, toe, ankle and thumb.
The speedy 6-foot, 213-pounder appeared in only seven games as a rookie because of a shoulder injury he sustained at Virginia Tech. In his final game that season, he ran for 186 yards and two touchdowns.
Suggs won a starting job in training camp in 2004, but hurt his neck in the final preseason game and was inactive for the first three games of the regular season. He returned to play in seven games before missing three straight with a toe injury.
He finished '04 with 744 yards and two touchdowns.
Suggs hurt his ankle during the preseason last year and missed Cleveland's first two games. He dressed in Weeks 3 and 4 but injured his thumb and was inactive for six weeks.
Suggs has rushed for 1,048 yards and four TDs as a pro.
Strait was a third-round pick in 2004 but has been a backup in his two NFL seasons. During camp, he moved over to safety in the absence of Erik Coleman, out after an appendectomy. Strait had 31 tackles last season, but has yet to notch his first career interception.
"It's a great opportunity for Derrick," said his agent, Michael Lartigue. "They know what kind of player Derrick is. Lee Suggs is a great running back. It's a fresh start, change of scenery for both Derrick and Lee."
Strait will bring some immediate and needed depth at cornerback for the Browns.
Daylon McCutcheon recently underwent arthroscopic knee surgery and may not be back in time for the Sept. 10 season opener against New Orleans. Gary Baxter strained his left pectoral muscle on the first play from scrimmage Thursday in the preseason opener in Philadelphia and is expected to be out three to four weeks.
Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press
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[OH10]

Ummm... I think this means they're concerned about Baxter.

 

[buckeye247]

Another sooner.