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Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

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Dispatch

8/25/06

Wacky camp should prepare Browns for almost anything

Friday, August 25, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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BEREA, Ohio — As the Cleveland Browns wrapped up their final practice of training camp yesterday, year two of "Camp Crennel" could best be described as "Camp Crazy."
If the Browns learned anything, it is to expect the unexpected. As they inch toward the regular season, here is a breakdown of the major story lines, winners, losers and surprises of training camp.
Winners

Receiver Braylon Edwards: Edwards practicing as hard as he has could be the most positive sign the Browns experienced this summer. Although he hasn’t fully committed to it, expect him to be ready for the regular-season opener.
He has been dominant the past two weeks. Few cornerbacks have been able to cover him in team drills. He might play a series or two Saturday night against the Buffalo Bills to get in some contact.
Tight end Kellen Winslow Jr.: Winslow made it through his first full training camp in three seasons. He missed nearly two weeks his rookie year in a contract dispute and last year missed the entire season after a motorcycle accident.
Despite Romeo Crennel and his coaching staff giving him an occasional practice off, Winslow has been full-go from day one. He believes he will be a force this season.
Losers

Running back Lee Suggs: Bad luck is the only luck Suggs knows.
With 1,000-yard back Reuben Droughns in the fold, the Browns knew there was little room for Suggs, so Cleveland worked out a deal with the New York Jets. Suggs had a chance to become a starter with Curtis Martin out because of injury, but Suggs flunked his physical and landed back in Cleveland.
To add to Suggs’ misery, Jerome Harrison (see below) has emerged and will take even more carries from Suggs.
Quarterback Ken Dorsey: No quarterback on the roster has thrown more interceptions in training camp than Dorsey. That includes Charlie Frye, Derek Anderson and practicesquad candidates Lang Campbell and Darrell Hackney. That’s disappointing for the Browns, considering Dorsey for now is the safety valve if Frye goes down.
Last week’s exhibition game helped Dorsey’s standing (11 of 16 passing, 75 yards), but he must continue to show improvement if he wants to be the team’s No. 2 quarterback heading into the regular season.
The centers: Frye has had four starting centers in four weeks of training camp.
It started when LeCharles Bentley suffered a torn patellar tendon and was lost for the season after the first play of team drills. Bob Hallen was given the starting job and then retired (or quit, depending on whom you ask), citing a back injury. Alonzo Ephraim signed with the Browns but was slapped with a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.
Now the job belongs to Ross Tucker, acquired in a trade with the New England Patriots.
Surprises

Running back Jerome Harrison: His play in training camp was the reason the Browns felt comfortable trading Suggs. The speedy, 5-foot-9 jitterbug is developing into an ideal change-up to the power running style of Droughns on third down.
Harrison carried his strong camp into last week’s exhibition game, in which he gained 107 total yards. The fifth-round pick could turn out to be the surprise of the 2006 draft class.
Cornerback Leigh Bodden: To those in the know, Bodden is not much of a surprise. He’s been one of the Browns’ best practice players the past four seasons.
Now he has a chance to show what he can do to a much wider audience. He’s been so steady in camp that teams already are starting to test the other side more frequently, where injuries have ravaged the position.
Bodden entered training camp competing to be the team’s No. 2 cornerback, but he could remain the team’s top corner even when Gary Baxter (pectoral) and Daylon McCutcheon (knee) return to full strength.
Outlook

All in all, the Browns did not have a good training camp.
The return of Winslow and Edwards were bright spots, but camp was filled mostly with injuries and uncertainty.
From the beginning, the Browns were playing catch-up against upper-echelon teams, such as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals, in the AFC North. If anything, Cleveland might have lost some of the ground it gained during the offseason, particularly because of injuries.
The regular-season opener at home against the New Orleans Saints will be crucial. A victory would help erase much of the bad taste from the past month, while a loss could continue a downward spiral.
[email protected]
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Dispatch

8/25/06

Browns sign another center

Friday, August 25, 2006

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BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns added yet another center yesterday, trading a conditional 2007 NFL draft pick to the Chicago Bears for Lennie Friedman. Friedman, entering his eighth season, has played in 65 games, including 32 starts at guard and center, with Denver, Washington and Chicago. He hasn’t started at center since the 2004 season. He is expected to play behind the current starter, Ross Tucker, who came to the Browns in a trade from the New England Patriots. The Browns released center Mike Mabry, who was signed earlier this month.

— By Josh Moss

[email protected]
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Canton

8/25/06


Keep thinking forward
Friday, August 25, 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]
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Whether wide receiver Braylon Edwards plays in Saturday’s preseason game in Buffalo is a game-time decision, Head Coach Romeo Crennel said. ​
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BEREA - The Browns came out of training camp with a chip on their shoulder pads.
They seem to think it’s time to chuck the LeCharles Bentley disaster into Lake Erie.
Quarterback Charlie Frye is jazzed about the approaching season and about Saturday’s preseason game at Buffalo.
“We’ve expanded our offense a great deal from where we ended last year,” Frye said. “We have a lot more stuff in, more personnel groupings in with (Kellen) Winslow.
“I think you guys are gonna see an exciting offense when the season starts.”
Frye seems to have forged a decent bond with new No. 1 center Ross Tucker, acquired in an Aug. 8 trade.
Right tackle Ryan Tucker, who expects to be back from arthroscopic knee surgery in time for the Sept. 10 season opener, seems adamant about the Browns making a big jump from 6-10.
“We have the players,” he said. “There’s no reason we can’t be good. Go across the board and look at the guys on paper. ... I think we can match up with anybody. It’s just putting it together.”
Right guard Cosey Coleman said the Browns lost Bentley and then Bob Hallen early enough to fix the center spot.
“After these two preseason games,” Coleman said, “we will be ready to roll.”
Roll where?
“I think we are a playoff team,” linebacker Andra Davis said. “We didn’t go through training camp to shoot for .500.”
Head Coach Romeo Crennel wasn’t quite as emphatic as some of the players.
“Overall, I thought it was a good camp,” he said. “Some progress was made, and we were able to build some chemistry.
“If this progress continues, hopefully, we’ll be able to carry it through to the regular season.”
Fans seem to be taking a wait-and-see attitude. There wasn’t much buzz in the crowds throughout camp. Thursday’s final gathering was large but subdued during drills.
The players scored some points by going over to the gallery ropes en masse after the final horn.
HUT 2
The Browns sent a conditional draft pick to the Bears on Thursday for more help at center, landing 30-year-old Lennie Friedman, a former second-round pick who has played in 65 NFL games.
Friedman got a kick out of seeing former Browns Head Coach Sam Rutigliano at the team complex Thursday. The two were together in NFL Europe with the Barcelona Dragons.
“After I blew my knee out my rookie year, I spent a year in NFL Europe,” Friedman said. “While I was over there, I learned a lot from Coach Sam.”
The 6-foot-3, 295-pound Friedman will be given a chance to beat out Ross Tucker, who will get his third preseason start Saturday.
Friedman has started 32 NFL games, but none since 2004, when he started two games at center for the Redskins. He also can play guard.
“He’s a tough-minded guy who will give everything he has,” Crennel said. “We feel that he will help us.”
The Browns will keep an open mind about acquiring centers.
THE OLD GUARD
Former Browns guard Gene Hickerson was a training camp visitor Thursday, a day after finding out he is a Seniors Committee nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He was a fixture at right guard during the 1960s, when the Browns had all winning seasons. His last season was 1973.
“It was nice,” Hickerson said. “I never thought it would happen.”
Hickerson apologized for not being able to express himself as well as he would like, but he made it clear that, after sleeping on it, he isn’t bothered by having to wait so long for a real shot at the HOF.
“I’m just happy to be alive,” he said.
Hickerson was on a team that reached the 1957 NFL championship game as a rookie, then helped the team win the 1964 title.
“All of a sudden,” he said, “we just started winning, winning, winning. It was very nice when you could just go kick somebody’s (butt).”
With No. 66 at right guard, the Browns reached the NFL championship game in 1964, ’65, ’68 and ’69.
Hickerson will find out Feb. 3 if he gets an invitation to Canton. He said he is leaning toward his son as a presenter, if he makes it.

Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]
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Canton

8/25/06

Browns can go home again
Friday, August 25, 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 - Welcome to the Hotel Cuyahoga?
Good riddance, the Browns said after the horn blew Thursday, signaling the end of their four-week training camp.
Camp is over. So what? What’s the difference between that and the other two weeks that stand between the Browns and the Sept. 10 regular-season opener?
“We’ll still be in training camp mode,” said veteran guard Joe Andruzzi, “but the biggest thing is getting out of the hotel.”
All of the Browns’ players spend training camp in a hotel within three miles of the team complex. Andruzzi spent his 31st birthday Wednesday in a rented bed.
Now, the players can sleep where they choose.
“It’s a big factor,” Andruzzi said. “I’m married. I have four kids. ... They just started school.
“Just waking up in the morning with the kids there, putting them to sleep or playing with them when I have enough time goes a long way.”
Right tackle Ryan Tucker, 31, said the end of camp is “huge ... you get to be a daddy again.”
The oldest of Tucker’s three children turned 5 on Aug. 13, with daddy spending the day at the complex and the hotel.
“It’s always been that way, and it’ll always be that way, I guess,” Tucker said. “Somebody a long time ago discovered that we need to do that. So that’s what we do.”
Whereas Tucker is a 10th-year pro, rookie first-round pick Kamerion Wimbley finished his first NFL training camp.
“It’s difficult any time you have to stay in a hotel, have curfews, be away from your family,” Wimbley said. “I think it’ll be better once things get back to normal ... that peace and comfort away from football.
“But it’s a learning experience. You grow a lot more when you’re isolated, when you have to concentrate solely on football.”
Many of the Browns live in suburban Westlake, about 25 minutes from the team complex. Linebacker Andra Davis likes living close to Berea, partly because he can run home for quick visits with his wife and two daughters when the team is in camp mode.
But now it’s “season mode.” Quarterback Charlie Frye can celebrate his 25th birthday Monday as a free man.
“The rookies and quarterbacks have been in the hotel for five weeks now,” he said. “The hotel is kinda like home. I’m ready for a change of scenery, but we’re doing this for the games.
“I can’t wait to play at Buffalo Saturday. That’s kind of like the reward for going through a week of two-a-days, meetings, getting out of here at 10 at night.”
Another bachelor, 33-year-old defensive end Orpheus Roye, has seen training camps on both sides of the tracks. When he was a young Steeler, he roomed with linebacker Earl Holmes.
“It was a college dorm,” he said. “There were bunk beds. You’d see guys hanging out of the top bunk.”
Each Brown gets his own hotel room in camp.
Camp is over, but the Browns are in for some hectic days.
Next up is Saturday’s game at Buffalo. The last preseason game will be Thursday against the Bears. Linebacker Matt Stewart will turn 27 that day.
The end of camp means he can go home to his wife, Betsy, and their sons, Matt II and Cedric, after the game, rather than staying alone in a hotel room. “You kind of get a little bit of why you’re playing back,” Stewart said. “You get to see your family. That’s a lot of motivation for me. I think there are a lot of guys like that.” Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail [email protected]

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CPD

8/25/06

BROWNS INSIDER

<H1 class=red>Northcutt has handle on punts

</H1>

Thursday, August 24, 2006 Jodie Valade

Plain Dealer Reporter

The Browns worked on their punt-return game Wednesday, and head coach Romeo Crennel emerged with several unbending truths about what makes a good returner:
He must be able to catch the football.
He must be able to run.
It seems simple, but they are elusive qualities that receiver Dennis Northcutt appears to have mastered, as he's held a steady spot on the punt-return team since joining the Browns in 2000. Northcutt averaged 10.5 yards on 35 returns in 2005.
"He's pretty good at it," Crennel said. "There is a lot of courage involved in that job. That ball is hanging in the air for generally four seconds, and you have guys screaming down the field on top of you. You have to concentrate on the football, make the catch and dodge those guys."
Receiver Josh Cribbs fielded several punts in Wednesday's ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^practice, but didn't reliably master the first two characteristics Crennel looks for: someone who can catch and run.
"I know he has the courage," Crennel said. "You have to be able to catch the ball. If you can't catch the ball, it's not going to do you any good. I'm not going to put you back there. You'll never have much of a chance to display that courage."
Brace yourself, Braylon:
If Braylon Edwards makes his preseason debut Saturday,he'll do so while wearing a knee brace that he is eager to discard.
"I don't have any leeway on that," Edwards said. "All the guys, Romeo [Crennel], [general manager] Phil Savage, [owner] Randy Lerner -- that's their decision. They're protecting me for the last possible second before I get in the fight."
Edwards admitted that the brace restricts his movement, and will remove it once he's given clearance. Crennel said he's noticed improvement in Edwards' game through training camp, while he's worn the brace.
"He's gained more confidence in the knee since the beginning," Crennel said. "That confidence can make you do things better. You are not worried about it buckling, hurting or swelling."
Frye until third:
Though Crennel said Saturday's game against Buffalo will be important for determining several position battles, he'll also be playing the regulars longer as the preseason winds down. Expect quarterback Charlie Frye, for instance, to play until the third quarter instead of making a standard second-quarter preseason exit.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4654
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CPD

8/25/06

BROWNS INSIDER
Davis full of praise for 2006 Browns


Friday, August 25, 2006 Mary Kay Cabot
Plain Dealer Reporter

Fifth-year Brown Andra Davis closed out training camp Thursday by predicting the Browns will be in the postseason.
"I think we're a playoff team," he said. "Every one of the guys on the team believe we can compete. We aren't going through training camp to shoot for .500. We're definitely going for more."
He said this is the best camp that he's been a part of here.
"It was more competitive, and we have a lot more talent on both sides of the ball," he said. "We're better than the previous teams, and I know we're capable of winning."
He had glowing reviews of the offense, which finished 26th last season.
"Our offense is going to be great this year," he said. "We have a lot of weapons out on the field."
Quarterback Charlie Frye also promised good things ahead for the offense.
"I think we've expanded our offense a great deal from last year," he said. "We have a lot more plays added to the playbook, and I think you'll see an exciting offense when the season starts. It's taken a lot of hard work, and it's taken some grueling times in the summer to get guys out here who didn't want to come out here. It will pay off at the end of the year."
Crennel on Frye:
Coach Romeo Crennel said Frye passed his preseason tests.
"We wanted Charlie to show that he had command of the offense and that he was a leader on the team," said Crennel. "It looks like he'll be able to do both of those. I think his teammates respect him and look to him as a leader, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. I think he has a better command of the offense."
He said Frye is throwing the ball better than he did last year - an opinion shared by the receivers.
"In the offseason program, he lifted weights, got his arm stronger, and the ball is coming off his hand with more velocity," said Crennel."
Frye said the difference between this year and last year for him is night and day. "There isn't a comparison," he said. "I'm ready to play."
Camp progress:
Crennel said the things that stood out to him in camp were the improvement in the offense from game one to game two, the improvement in the young players and the better overall grasp of the system.
Pool dinged:
Brodney Pool threw a scare into the Browns when he failed to get up right away after a collision with Justin Hamilton. But he shook off the fogginess after a few minutes. "He got up, and I think he'll be OK," said Crennel.
Edwards, McGinest status:
Crennel said it will come down to a gametime decision whether or not Braylon Edwards (knee) and Willie McGinest (elbow) will see action in their first preseason games. Both participated in team drills Thursday, but the team was in shorts and no pads.
Thompson to start?:
Linebacker Chaun Thompson, who missed the first two games with a pulled calf muscle, is expected to start in Buffalo in place of rookie D'Qwell Jackson. It will be Thompson's first look in his new role at inside linebacker. "There's a good chance he'll start since he hasn't played much," said Crennel. "We need to play him."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4670
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Dispatch

8/26/06

NFL BROWNS
Cleveland seeks road victory in Buffalo
Starters to play into third quarter of exhibition game

Saturday, August 26, 2006

Josh Moss
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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BEREA, Ohio — Coach Romeo Crennel stresses that it is always important to win on the road in the NFL, even an exhibition game. And for that to happen this year, the Cleveland Browns (1-1) will have to beat the Buffalo Bills (0-2) tonight in Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Securing a victory in the first half would be ideal.
"Maybe if we could win a game early, I could relax a little bit in the fourth quarter. That would be all right," Crennel said.
Cleveland lost its first exhibition game 20-7 at Philadelphia. In their second game against Detroit, the Browns didn’t lock up the victory until the fourth quarter when quarterback Derek Anderson completed a 31-yard touchdown pass to rookie running back Jerome Harrison.
In Buffalo, the starters will play into the third quarter, giving them ample time to put points on the scoreboard.
"This is a final tuneup because we’re not going to play a lot in the fourth (exhibition) game," quarterback Charlie Frye said. "We’re going to try to really tune it up this week … and really get it going."
Another team goal is jelling on both sides of the ball.
"I thought we did some of that in the second game, and I’d like for it to continue through the third game," Crennel said.
For rookie linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, the game is another opportunity to feel more comfortable on the field.
"The first game you go in there and you don’t know what to expect," said Wimbley, the team’s first-round draft choice. "You get out there and you get in the groove. (Then) you play another game and you get pretty good. Hopefully the streak continues, and hopefully I’ll just get better with every game that I play."
[email protected]
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DDN

8/26/06

BROWNS NOTES
Offense will try to spread the wealth


By Sean McClelland
Staff Writer

Saturday, August 26, 2006


Here's a problem the Browns haven't had: Too much talent on offense.
But with No. 1 receiver Braylon Edwards about to return (possibly tonight at Buffalo) and tight end Kellen Winslow II seemingly ready to blossom, you almost wonder if one football will be enough.
<!--endtext--><!--endclickprintinclude-->"Everybody just wants to win," quarterback Charlie Frye said. "Everybody's going to put their egos in the back seat."
Lost in all the Winslow hype has been Steve Heiden, who caught more passes (43) last season than any Browns tight end since Ozzie Newsome. Receivers Joe Jurevicius and Dennis Northcutt also figure.
Running back Reuben Droughns rushed for more than 1,200 yards and set a franchise record for carries last season. His role could diminish, but by how much?
"I think they all understand that some games it might be Braylon, some games it might be Kellen," Frye said. "Or, it might be Reuben's week. Whatever it takes to win."
What about Willie?\Coach Romeo Crennel wants linebacker Willie McGinest (elbow surgery) to play in one of the two preseason games left, but it's not clear if this is the one.
McGinest seemed unconcerned, saying, "I don't need a good day in the office to know I've still got a lot left in the tank."
In McGinest's absence, second-year pro David McMillan has locked up a roster spot.
"We feel good about him showing a possible knack for getting to the quarterback," Crennel said.
More points please
There was little in the way of game-planning for tonight's game, but the Browns continued to install more of their offense.
And the goal tonight? "I'd like to score points," Frye said.
The first-team offense produced one touchdown in last week's 20-16 win over the Lions.
Familiar faces
Bills WR Peerless Price, of Meadowdale High School fame, is expected to play tonight. He returned to practice Thursday after missing time with a sore triceps. ... Former Browns QB Kelly Holcomb is trying to challenge J.P. Losman for the Bills' starting job, but Losman is said to have the edge.
Browns by the numbers
0 Rushing TDs scored in the first two preseason games. No big deal maybe, but the team had four all last season, fewest in franchise history.
1 Number of scrimmage plays it took before the first big injury, center LeCharles Bentley?s season-ending torn patellar tendon.
2 TDs scored by rookie RB Jerome Harrison in the preseason. Dennis Northcutt has the other.
8 Centers on the roster at one time or another, not including long snapper Ryan Pontbriand. (LeCharles Bentley, Bob Hallen, Alonzo Ephraim, Mike Mabry, Todd Washington, Lennie Friedman, Rob Smith, Dave Yovanovits).
50 Approximate number of times Romeo Crennel said ?injuries happen in this NFL? in the weeks following the Bentley crusher.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2408 or [email protected].
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Canton

8/26/06

Browns center to start against Bills team that cut him
Saturday, August 26, 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]


ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - The reality of trench life without LeCharles Bentley is settling in.
The bottom line: “You can’t replace a two-time Pro Bowler,” Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel said.
“He would have been able to solidify some things on the inside. Now, we’re just not as solid.”
Ross Tucker, though, seems every bit as driven as Bentley, if not nearly as talented. For him, today’s road trip to Buffalo isn’t merely the most important preseason game of the Browns season.
It’s his professional life flashing before his eyes.
Tucker is scheduled to make his second start as the Browns’ No. 1 center, against the team that cut him Sept. 4.
He’s still slightly in shock over losing his job.
“I had an injury issue,” he said. “I wasn’t able to stay on the field. I’ll just leave it at that.”
He was released four weeks after he came off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list in the wake of back surgery.
The day Tucker came back, Bills Head Coach Mike Mularkey told Buffalo writers, “It’s good to have him back. He’s a fierce competitor and a tough guy.”
That apparently wasn’t enough. Tucker was cut and eventually picked up by the Patriots. Mularkey was fired and replaced by Dick Jauron.
After tonight’s game against the Bills, Tucker wants to put Buffalo in his rear-view mirror.
He calls his Browns situation “a great opportunity to prove I’m the best man for the job here, and really, the best man for the job anywhere.”
Tucker, who broke into the NFL in 2001, played for the Bills in 2003 and 2004. In the latter season, he appeared in 12 games, with five starts.
For now, Tucker has an edge on 30-year-old Bennie Friedman, acquired in a trade with the Bears on Thursday.
If Friedman pushed past Tucker, the Browns will set an unofficial record for going through starting centers in a preseason. Charlie Frye is on his fourth No. 1 center in four weeks, having taken snaps from Bentley, Bob Hallen, Alonzo Ephraim and now Tucker.
“Ross is doing a good job,” Frye said. “He’s experienced. He’s getting in tune with the calls.”
Center isn’t the only trouble spot on the offensive line, heading into what the Browns are regarding as their biggest preseason game. At right tackle, third-year pro Kirk Chambers has been filling in. The Browns hope Ryan Tucker (unrelated to Ross) recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery in time to face the Saints in the Sept. 10 opener.
The only 2005 line starters who will play at Buffalo are guards Joe Andruzzi and Cosey Coleman. Those two have combined for 166 NFL starts and four Super Bowl rings.
“They communicate, make calls, recognize defenses and make adjustments that wouldn’t be as smooth if two rookies were there,” Crennel said.
Those two will start with the injury replacements at center and right tackle and a left tackle (Kevin Shaffer) who signed in free agency.
“We hit some bumps early,” Andruzzi said. “We’ve got to zone in on gelling as a group, the biggest thing being communication.”
Giving Shaffer a $36 million contraact to play left tackle fell into the unexpected category in some books. The Sporting News, though, ranks him as the NFL’s ninth-best offensive tackle.
“He has picked up the system pretty well to this point,” Crennel said. “He should get better as the year goes on, just like everyone else.”
At the start of training camp, everyone inside the Browns seemed to think this shaped up as the best offensive line of the expansion era, with Bentley as the best player.
Heading into tonight’s game, Crennel is holding off on any offensive lineman hyperbole.
His new bottom line: “They have been able to hold their own so far.”
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail [email protected].


BROWNS AT BILLS
Today, 6 p.m.
Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, N.Y. TV Channel 3


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CPD

8/26/06

<H1 class=red>Quick hits

</H1>On the final day of training camp, Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot takes a look at the six points to follow in Browns preseason

Friday, August 25, 2006


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

Analysis: Frye has handled the upheaval at center like a longtime veteran. At the close of camp Thursday, he promised fans they’ll see an exciting offense this season. In practice and games, he’s begun to get his timing down with Kellen Winslow Jr. Once he has both Winslow and Braylon Edwards on the field at the same time, they’ll be a formidable trio. Frye threw a bad pick against the Lions and lost a fumble, but he understands the importance of not turning the ball over and is determined not to do it.

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

Analysis: With each passing day, Winslow has looked stronger and more polished. He punctuated the final camp practice with a long touchdown pass from Frye. Against the Eagles, he caught 3 passes for 37 yards, including two from former teammate Ken Dorsey. His progress has been steady, but one gets the feeling watching him in practice that he's primed for a breakout year.

3. How quickly will Kamerion Wimbley learn to play linebacker?

Analysis: Wimbley gave fans a sneak preview of what he's capable of when he blew past veteran Lions tackle Jeff Backus in Game 2 for a sack of Jon Kitna. His speed and explosiveness off the edge were evident. He still needs work on dropping back but is coming along steadily. With his tremendous work ethic, physical skills and a great mentor in Willie McGinest, he'll make an impact this season, even if used mostly on third down.

4. Who will step up at strong safety -- Sean Jones or Brodney Pool?

Analysis: Jones finished camp slightly ahead of Pool and is determined to keep the starting job. But Pool seemed a little agitated this week when asked about losing a little ground in the competition -- and you can expect him to fight all season to try to win the job. This could be an ongoing battle. In the meantime, the two appear on the field together in sub-defenses, so both have a chance to shine.

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

Analysis: Jackson did some good things and some not-so-good things against the Lions. He gave up a TD pass but atoned for it with an interception later in the game. His development has been swift, his instincts are great and it will be hard to keep him on the bench. But Thompson (recovering from a calf injury) will probably start against the Bills to see what he can do at his new position.

6. Can Lee Suggs stay healthy and play his way back into a key role?

Analysis: Suggs, whose trade to the Jets was nullified when he failed his physical, is still trade bait, although it won't be easy to trade him. The Jets expressed concern over his surgically repaired left knee, and other teams might shy away because of that. Suggs fumbled the ball away against Detroit but ran with a vengeance on several other runs. If he's not traded, he might get cut.
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6. Can Lee Suggs stay healthy and play his way back into a key role?

Analysis: Suggs, whose trade to the Jets was nullified when he failed his physical, is still trade bait, although it won't be easy to trade him. The Jets expressed concern over his surgically repaired left knee, and other teams might shy away because of that. Suggs fumbled the ball away against Detroit but ran with a vengeance on several other runs. If he's not traded, he might get cut.
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Damn I wish he could have stayed healthy.
 
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Can anyone believe that Braylon Edwards played tonight?
I don't know about anyone else but that just doesn't seem like long enough to recover from major knee surgery but he looked ready to go. Espcially when he lit Donte Whitner up a lil bit.
 
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