Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Browns unlikely to risk injuries
Starters won’t play very long vs. Bears
Thursday, August 31, 2006
James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns felt sharp and ready for the regular season after last week’s exhibition game.
Too bad they have to knock heads one more time before it counts, tonight against the rugged Chicago Bears.
The fourth exhibition game always has the potential to be the most dangerous. Most of the roles are settled, so no team wants last-minute injuries to shake things up.
In other words, don’t expect to see the starters for too long.
"You know that the next game counts," Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. "The first regularseason game is the next one. But my experience has been that if you go in scared, then that’s when you get hurt. That’s when injuries occur."
Crennel hasn’t committed to a time chart for his starters and said he would feel it out during the game.
Chicago (1-2) likewise will not give its starters extended playing time, but the first units should provide a stern test for as long as they’re in the game.
"(The Bears) are a playoff team, and hopefully we will be representative," Crennel said. "We talked to the guys about winning a game at home against good competition leading into the regular season."
Cleveland has won two of three exhibition games, and a 3-1 finish wouldn’t hurt a team in need of confidence after a rough, unpredictable training camp.
The offense is coming off its most complete game, against the Buffalo Bills. The starters drove 68 yards in 11 plays on the opening drive for a touchdown.
Quarterback Charlie Frye was 6 of 6 on the drive and passed to six receivers. Frye and Derek Anderson finished with quarterback ratings of more than 100, and the running game averaged 4.4 yards per carry.
"We just need to come out like that and get a start like that every week," Frye said. "That’s something that (offensive coordinator Maurice) Carthon really talked about all week is coming out of the gates fast, and I think we did a really good job of that."
The defensive starters were decent, allowing 10 points in the first three quarters, but there’s room for improvement. The defense gave up big passing plays and allowed 349 total yards.
Look for several key positions to be determined after the game.
The backup quarterback competition between Ken Dorsey and Anderson remains close, along with starting positions at inside linebacker (Chaun Thompson/D’Qwell Jackson), outside linebacker (Matt Stewart/Kamerion Wimbley) and safety (Sean Jones/Brodney Pool).
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Browns’ Captain Late?
Thursday, August 31, 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]


Bears at Browns
8 tonight
Cleveland Browns
Stadium
TV WKYC-TV Channel 3



CLEVELAND Don’t call Derek Anderson the Browns’ No. 2 quarterback just yet.
Feel free to call him Double-Ex when he makes another run at the job tonight against the Bears.
One year and one day ago, Anderson had no idea he’d soon be an ex-ex-Brown, with a chance to be Cleveland’s 2006 top dog if anything happens to Charlie Frye.
On Sept. 1, 2005, Anderson became the toast of the Baltimore Ravens, who became the ex-Browns after the 1995 NFL season. In overtime of the Ravens’ preseason finale, Anderson fired a 66-yard touchdown pass to Randy Hymes to beat Washington, 23-20.
He’d set the stage late in regulation, going 4-of-5 including a 22-yard TD pass to provide a 20-17 lead.
Washington rookie Jason Campbell drove the Redskins to a field goal that created overtime, but Anderson took it from there.
Then the Ravens took a chance.
They tried to save a roster spot by putting Anderson on the practice squad, but to do that they had to release the rookie Round 7 pick from the regular roster.
Phil Savage, the Ravens personnel man turned Browns general manager, swiftly claimed Anderson off waivers.
Anderson spent the rest of 2005 as the Browns’ No. 3 QB and now is the hero of Cleveland’s preseason. His late touchdown passes to Jerome Harrison and Joshua Cribbs set up wins in the last two games. His preseason passer rating is a through-the-roof 132.7.
As Anderson prepares for another preseason finale, he hasn’t forgotten his last one.
“It’s part of the reason I ended up here,” he said. “I had a pretty good game and wound up getting picked up by the Browns, which is a good thing.”
CAPTAIN LATE?
Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel won’t openly opine how good a thing Anderson is. Crennel doesn’t go further than to say, “He’s been competitive all camp.”
He’s been Captain Late in games. His fourth quarter at Buffalo on Saturday mirrored his preseason masterpiece in Baltimore, in that he delivered decisive scoring drives the last two times he had the ball.
“Some people like pressure, some don’t,” Anderson said. “You put a lot of pressure on yourself to do well, and you have to handle it.
“It’s different when you get to live action. A lot of guys can look awesome in seven-on-seven. It matters when it’s live.”
At Oregon State, the 6-foot-6 Oregon native became known for a strong, accurate arm and big passing stats. He came close to catching Carson Palmer for the all-time Pac-10 record for career air yards, winding up second with 11,249.
Yet, Anderson remains a mystery to many Browns fans. He played in a big-time conference but was seldom seen on TV in this region.
His home stadium wasn’t much bigger than the Rubber Bowl. The best home crowd he played to was 37,154 in the 2002 season finale, when he led a 45-24 victory over Oregon.
He played for two head coaches who were coming off NFL head coaching jobs, Dennis Erickson (2001-02) and Mike Riley (2003-04).
He kept having the same season. The Beavers were 8-5 with his passer rating at 121.6 in 2002, 7-5 with his rating at 124.4 in 2003, and 8-5 with his rating at 125.1 in 2004.
The team was 5-6 the year before he became a starter and 5-6 the year after he left.
Oregon State never ranked higher than No. 22 during his three years as a starter, but had some notable close calls against some top teams. He lost, 36-30, to then-No. 6 Washington State in 2003, 22-21 in overtime to then-No. 3 LSU in 2004, and 28-20 to then-No. 1 Southern Cal in 2004.
He responded well to adversity his senior year, which opened with that thriller against LSU — he threw three TD passes, but a freshman kicker missed three extra points. The season bottomed out at 1-4 after a 49-7 home loss to California. Then it was rally time; the Beavers went on a 6-1 tear.
FINALE VS. IRISH
Anderson’s last game was a 38-21 win over Notre Dame in which he threw an Insight Bowl-record four TD passes and outdueled young Brady Quinn.
Afterward, Riley said, “Derek has constantly gotten better. It’s been really fun working with him, because he’s like a sponge, He just loves to learn and get better. I wish we had another year.”
What did the best PAC-10 rival quarterbacks have that Anderson didn’t? Feet.
His career rushing stats, which count sacks, were 182 attempts for minus-533 yards. Cal’s Aaron Rodgers had 160 attempts for 336 yards, Southern Cal’s Matt Leinart 132 attempts for minus-70 yards.
Oregon State was Air Anderson. He put it up 1,024 times his final two years. Rodgers threw 665 times those same two years. Leinart threw 843 times in his final two years, 2004 and ‘05.
Now, Anderson is trying to prove he shouldn’t drift into the netherworld of college stars whose limitations made them NFL wallflowers.
How might he fit if given a long run as Cleveland’s quarterback?
If he wins the No. 2 job and young Frye gets hurt, Browns fans would find out.
“It’s a matter of confidence,” Anderson said. “Early on in camp, it wasn’t pretty. I fought through the struggles. It’s getting better.
“In college, we threw down the field a lot. This is more a run-the-ball-first kind of offense, which is new to me. “I’m gaining confidence. I’ve been getting better ... I’m happy with that.” Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail [email protected].


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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Brown vs. Brown
Thursday, August 31, 2006 <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]STEVE DOERSCHUK[/FONT]


Brown vs. Brown
Several position battles are still raging heading into tonight’s preseason final against Chicago. A look at some of the key men:
1, WR Dennis Northcutt. The smallish veteran seemed to bond with Charlie Frye in practice, but aside from a 22-yard catch, he is averaging 5.0 yards on five catches in games. If Braylon Edwards and Joe Jurevicius emerge as the top two wideouts, the Browns need to find some juice in reserve. Northcutt could be replaced by younger options at some point. Rookie Travis Wilson and Joshua Cribbs both have four catches and a 14.5 average. Camp surprise Kendrick Mosley has five catches and a 15.4 average.
2, QB Ken Dorsey. Dorsey is the most experienced QB in camp, but he has had some bad experiences. He was 2-8 as a 49ers starter, with a weak 63.7 rating. He has lit a couple of fires this preseason, but has just a 59.0 rating. If the Browns become convinced that Derek Anderson isn’t too slow and gangly, his preseason pizzazz could make him the backup to Charlie Frye.
3, ILB Chaun Thompson. Was the 2003 Round 2 pick a long-term steal or a foolish reach? He played well Saturday at Buffalo and has the size and speed to help at inside linebacker. If he falters and falls behind rookie Round 2 pick D’Qwell Jackson, though, he’ll be written off as another failed experiment. 4, SS Sean Jones. Butch Davis traded up to get Jones in Round 2 of the 2004 draft. Romeo Crennel is scoring points with players by proving he’ll give somebody else’s draft pick a shot, even if his own guy, 2005 Round 2 pick Brodney Pool, was projected as a sure 2006 starter. Based on the Buffalo game, the competition between Pool and Jones does seem to have brought out the best in both. 5, Lee Suggs. William Green’s inability to translate first-round talent into on-field production is reflected by the fact 10 of his preseason carries netted 3 yards. His other carry did result in a 15-yard run in Saturday’s fourth quarter. If anything happens to Reuben Droughns, the Browns need a conventional back to use in tandem with rookie whiz Jerome Harrison. Suggs, who finished the 2004 season with three straight 100-yard games and hasn’t had any real work since, seems the better candidate.


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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

PRESEASON
Browns ready to work, not worry


Thursday, August 31, 2006 Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter
You dare not play or coach professional football with your fingers crossed.
Which is why the Browns will treat tonight's exhibition finale against the Chicago Bears like a legitimate sporting contest and not walk on eggshells worrying about injuries.
"My experience has been if you go in scared, that's when you get hurt," said coach Romeo Crennel. "You have to play full speed."
Still depleted on the offensive line and in the defensive secondary, the Browns conclude their preseason on the upswing. They showed improvement in Games 2 and 3.
The offense is still behind the defense, but at least the team can count on seeing Kellen Winslow Jr. and Braylon Edwards on the field together for the Sept. 10 opener.
Regular-season playing status for cornerbacks Gary Baxter and Daylon McCutcheon and right tackle Ryan Tucker won't be determined tonight. Each is likely to conclude the preseason without any game action.
Crennel said he will judge during the game when to pull his starters.
"Depends on how it's going," he said. "If it's going decent, I might leave them in longer. If it's going poorly, I might leave them in longer."
This last exhibition game probably won't have a major impact on the final roster cuts on Saturday. Crennel said only about four spots at the bottom of the roster are up for grabs.
But other issues could be clarified some. Such as:
Can Lennie Friedman challenge Ross Tucker for the starting center position?
Friedman, acquired from the Bears last week, will see his first action for the Browns.
Tucker has been solid in two outings since rescuing the depleted position, but Friedman has more career starts at center.
"I don't think they should be worried," Friedman said about widespread concerns about the cursed position of Browns training camp.
Will Lee Suggs be showcased or protected?
Suggs would like to play and rip off big runs to attract attention from other teams. The Browns held him out last week, perhaps to avoid seeing him go down for the fourth consecutive year with a preseason-ending injury.
Despite failing a physical after a trade to the New York Jets, Suggs insists he is healthier than he's been in four seasons with the Browns. But his days with the Browns are down to a few, as the team seems content with William Green as Reuben Droughns' top backup and rookie Jerome Harrison as the receiving back.
Can the coaches choose between Ken Dorsey and Derek Anderson?
Crennel affirmed this week that he plans to keep three quarterbacks on the final roster, but indicated he could juggle the second and third spots from week to week. Anderson has been more impressive against third-team defenses than Dorsey has against second-teamers.
How will the final roster break down?
Some interesting decisions loom.
Do the Browns keep three fullbacks or three tight ends?
Fullback Corey McIntyre and tight end Darnell Dinkins would appear to be battling for the same spot.
How many nose tackles does a 3-4 team need?
If it's two, then backup Ethan Kelley and rookie Baba Oshinowo are nose to nose. Kelley was victimized in the running game against Detroit while Oshinowo co-leads the team with two sacks.
How to sort out the backup cornerbacks?
While Baxter predicted he would be ready for the Sept. 10 opener, McCutcheon hasn't even joined the regular practice routine yet. If McCutcheon isn't ready, Crennel would have to select three cornerbacks from among Ralph Brown, Pete Hunter, Antonio Perkins, Daven Holly and Therrian Fontenot.
While the 2006 draft picks have been impressive, could Phil Savage's 2005 second-day draft be ravaged?
Cornerback Perkins (fourth round), linebacker David McMillan (fifth), linebacker Nick Speegle (sixth), defensive lineman-turned-guard Andrew Hoffman (sixth) and offensive tackle Jonathan Dunn (seventh) have made little impact in their second training camp. McMillan had two sacks in the first game but has hardly been heard from since.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4670

 

[Buckin' A]

Brownies aren't looking too good yet. Bears have a good defense, but damn.






Now, proceed with Cleveland jokes.....

 

[Buckin' A]

Wimbly is looking good! Run d is good, but pass d is sketchy.

 

[scarletngrey11]

Wimbly is looking good! Run d is good, but pass d is sketchy.

I dont think any of our starting secondary Week One was in that game, so thats not a worry to me.

Simor Fraser has looked really good this pre-season.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns' act falls apart

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

Cleveland quarterback Charlie Frye gets off a pass despite being hit by Chicago defensive end Tank Johnson during the first half of Thursday night's preseason game at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Frye went 1-for-4 with 8 yards passing in two series.
More photos

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - So much for building momentum.
But for one two-minute drive late in the first half, the Browns' 20-7 loss to the Chicago Bears Thursday night was more an exercise in sleepwalking than football.
Result: An effort that was every bit as ugly as the one that started preseason in Philadelphia.
``The best thing about this game is that it's over,'' coach Romeo Crennel said.
The offense did nothing, the special teams gave up a big punt return and the defense gave up 10 first-quarter points -- including the first touchdown scored by Chicago's first-team offense in preseason.
When it ended the numbers were as ugly as the reality. Chicago outgained the Browns 386-185 yards, outrushed them 174-63 and outpassed them 212-122. In the second half, the offense had two first downs to Chicago's 16.
For good measure, the special teams gave up a 54-yard punt return.
Maybe it was quite simply that the Browns went from playing teams not expected to do much (Buffalo and Detroit) to facing a playoff team from one year ago.
Or maybe it was that the Browns had just two days of practice this week.
Or that their attention was on Sept. 10, the regular season opener against New Orleans.
Or... whatever it was, the Browns starters played like they just wanted to get through the preseason finale.
``We acted like we didn't want to play the game,'' Crennel said. ``Our minds and heads were not into it and it showed up on the field.''
Except for Kamerion Wimbley, there was little to be happy about -- until Derek Anderson led the Browns to a late first-half touchdown.
Anderson ran the two-minute offense and moved the Browns 53 yards in seven plays for a score. In the drive, Anderson completed six-of-seven for 53 yards, the only incompletion a spike to stop the clock.
As good as he looked on that drive, Anderson did next to nothing before and after, completing five-of-15 for 43 yards and an interception.
For the night, Anderson -- who clearly is being given a strong chance to be Charlie Frye's backup -- completed 11-of-22 for 96 yards, with one touchdown and interception.
Several of Anderson's throws were tipped at the line -- the result of his looking at one receiver too long.
``I'd have liked for our team to be crisp, to show some crispness -- particularly against a playoff team,'' Crennel said. ``Kind of like they did.''
Wimbley, meanwhile, was relentless in his pass rush. He came within a quarter-step of consecutive sacks, and chased down Airese Currie after a 16-yard gain.
It will be surprising if Wimbley is not on the field every play on opening day.
Frye and the first-team offense were surprisingly ineffective.
In two drives Frye and the starters ran six plays and gained seven yards.
Frye completed just one-of-four for eight yards, and the incompletions were bad ones.
Anderson followed Frye into the game and managed one first down in the next two first period possessions. Ken Dorsey took over late in the third period and played the final quarter. He finished two-for-seven for 18 yards.
``I don't think there's a quarterback we had that played good,'' Crennel said.
Dave Zastudil punted six times in the first half -- a clear measure of the offense's ineffectiveness.
``Everybody played bad,'' Crennel said. ``You saw it.''
Offensive tackle Ryan Tucker got his first game action of preseason. Tucker started for the first time after having arthroscopic surgery on his knee on Aug. 1.
Running back William Green did not play -- ostensibly so the team could look at Jason Wright. Curiously, Wright was the second-team running back, and played before Lee Suggs.
For the second game in a row, Suggs got no carries -- he played only on special teams. Reading who will be the third back behind Reuben Droughns and Jerome Harrison is pretty tough, but it seems clear Suggs does not fit in the long-term plans.
Safety Brian Russell (illness) and cornerback Leigh Bodden were held out.
Other Browns who did not play included cornerback Antonio Perkins, linebackers Clifton Smith (hamstring) and Mason Unck (knee), cornerbacks Daylon McCutcheon (knee) and Gary Baxter (shoulder), and guard Isaac Sowells (ankle).
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Dispatch

Bears get jump on Browns
Starters falter vs. Chicago, leave early
Friday, September 01, 2006
James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>AMY SANCETTA ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>The Browns’ Daven Holly, right, breaks up a pass intended for the Bears’ Mark Bradley during the second quarter. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


CLEVELAND—Charlie Frye, Kellen Winslow and the rest of the Browns’ starters barely broke a sweat in their preseason finale against the Chicago Bears. More important, no one broke any bones.
The Browns were in full protection mode last night, pulling most of their starters during the first quarter of a lackluster 20-7 loss to the Bears.
Cleveland finished its exhibition season 2-2.
Not much could be read from this game, outside the fact the Browns didn’t add anyone significant to their injury report about a week before their regular-season opener.
In a meaningless game Cleveland showed very little effort or execution on either side of the line. Chicago’s first-team offense did score twice against Cleveland’s starting defense in limited playing time. The Bears’ defense held the Browns’ starting offense to back-to-back three-and-outs.
Cleveland didn’t score until right before halftime, when backup quarterback Derek Anderson threw a 5-yard pass to Frisman Jackson.
"The best thing about this game is that it is over," Browns coach Romeo Crennel said. "We didn’t play very well. We acted like we didn’t want to play the game. Our heads weren’t into it, and it showed up on the field."
Frye finished a short night 1 of 4 for 8 yards. "I’m ready for the games to start counting," Frye said. Chicago’s starters put up 10 points in its first two possessions before leaving the game. A 54-yard punt return by rookie cornerback Devin Hester set up a short field for the Bears’ first score, a 6-yard catch by Desmond Clark. Chicago then drove 67 yards in 11 plays on its ensuing drive to set up Robbie Gould’s 27-yard field goal at the 5:34 of the first quarter.
Crennel and Chicago coach Dick Jauron had seen enough of their starters at that point. Backup quarterbacks Anderson and Brian Griese took over for the Browns and Bears, respectively. By the fourth quarter both teams were down to third stringers and players that likely will not make the team.
Running back William Green didn’t dress because of a minor injury and Lee Suggs played sparingly in the fourth quarter but didn’t get a carry. Both players are in danger of being cut this weekend.
"We wanted to get Lee in a little bit sooner," Crennel said. "We didn’t until the end and it was all over but the shouting at that time."
Cleveland otherwise got an extended look at its reserves and has until Saturday to set its final 53-man roster. Its roster currently stands at 75 players.
Brownie Points

Cleveland rested safety Brian Russell and cornerbacks Gary Baxter and Leigh Bodden . … Starting right tackle Ryan Tucker (knee) saw his first action of the preseason, playing two series in the first quarter.
[email protected]

Dispatch

The Browns are still entertaining the idea of bringing in a veteran backup to support quarterback Charlie Frye, even though one possible candidate, Kerry Collins, signed with Tennessee this week. Vinny Testaverde is still available, and Titans quarterback Billy Volek’s name also made the rumor mill this week after Collins’ signing. Volek, who figured to be Tennessee’s starter before Collins was signed, wasn’t pleased that he suddenly lost a lot of his practice snaps. If the Titans think Collins, an 11-year veteran who was a salary-cap casualty in March after two seasons in Oakland, is their guy, Volek might be expendable.

 

[Buckin' A]

I think it's beginning to get a little late to bring in anyone other than Vinny (only b/c he knows the offense)

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns need to play like professionals

By Patrick McManamon

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - The Browns have a ways to go to prove they are a real professional team.
They haven't shown it yet. Not after that wretched performance Thursday night against the Chicago Bears.
When the coach admits the team acted like it didn't want to play, it didn't want to play.
Professionals don't do that kind of thing.
OK, it was the fourth preseason game and that's the last one and the previous two were better and it doesn't count and blah, blah, blah.
Because it is so much blah, blah, blah.
Being professional means doing your best when you feel your worst. And the fourth preseason game is the worst of the worst for an NFL player. His main concern is getting out of the game without getting hurt.
But his main concern should not be getting out of the game so he can go out that night or go home for the weekend or because he has the weekend off. He owes himself, his team and his fans an honest effort. The Browns did not provide that on Thursday.
They redefined mailing it in.
Passes were high, blocking nonexistent, the run defense invisible and the special teams lazy.
There were a few individual exceptions (Does Dave Zastudil kick footballs or rockets? And can Kamerion Wimbley rush the passer or what?), but the aggregate was lousy.
The Browns did not have to win. What they did have to do was what their coach said: Look crisp. Play like they cared. Compete.
Preseason games might not count, but they matter.
They matter for a team that has struggled to win because that team has a chance to establish an attitude and approach that leads to winning. If that struggling team floats through preseason games, it will float through regular-season games.
The games matter to young and growing players, guys who have limited experience but who are now starting in the NFL. The games provide a chance for those players to hone their skills and improve their understanding of the systems. At last check, the Browns seem to have a few of those guys.
The games matter to young guys trying to make the team. To sleepwalk through a game insults their efforts and their chances.
And more than anything, the games matter to fans who shell out $50 or $75 or $755 for tickets. The NFL tells us the games matter, because it charges fans full price for half- -- ummm -- baked games.
The least these fans can expect is effort.
Trace Armstrong played his senior season for the University of Florida, and before one game against Southwest Louisiana, he was asked if he'd have trouble getting up for the game.
He looked at the questioner as if he had been asked to ride the Dragster standing up.
``We only have 11 opportunities to play the games,'' he said. ``If you can't be prepared, you shouldn't be doing this.''
Armstrong went on to have a stellar NFL career -- and he never took a play off. Counting preseason games, NFL players these days have 20 opportunities to do their jobs -- one, two or three more if they're really good.
That's not a lot to ask -- especially considering they work and sweat and grind and toil just to play the games.
Shrugging it off smacks of an arrogance that assumes there is a preordained birthright to win.
A team that has won six, four, five, nine, seven, three and two games since 1999 has no right to be arrogant about anything. By my math, that adds up to a 36-76 record.
Stop talking about getting it right the next game.
Get it right the first time.
Take advantage of a chance to show the home fans how much you care.
Maybe it's time the Browns bagged the perks. Valet parking at games? Make 'em walk from the hotel until they get a winning record.
Free lunch? How about paying like the rest of the United States until there's consecutive playoff appearances.
Heck, make 'em wash their own jerseys and shorts and T-shirts. And even their jocks.
Coach Romeo Crennel seemed like the only person who was angry after the game. Some will say that it's Crennel's job to make sure his team is ``up,'' and that's not an invalid point.
But Crennel has been around. He treats his job like a professional, and he does not have the personality to play rah-rah games with his team. He will treat his team like pros, and assume they will act that way.
At some point, it's up to the team.
The one thing the Browns have going for them is that even though these games matter, the Browns will not be judged on preseason. They will be judged on what they do from here on.
The next game counts in the standings, and the Browns have the opportunity to change their approach.
Which they better do, because if they don't, it's going to be just one more long season in a wearying stretch of long seasons.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

DDN

Roster paring not too tough for Browns


By Sean McClelland
Staff Writer

Saturday, September 02, 2006

BEREA — NFL coaches want you to believe the final roster cut will be agonizing enough to make them consider a different profession.
They want you to think their team is deep and strong and, with a few breaks, can contend for the Super Bowl.
<!--endtext--><!--endclickprintinclude-->For the Cleveland Browns, who many pundits are predicting to win between four and six games this season, it shouldn't be that difficult.
Twenty-two players will be shown the door today as rosters are trimmed to the opening-day limit of 53. At least a handful perhaps cut themselves Thursday night as the Browns concluded a 2-2 preseason with a lackluster 20-7 home loss to the Chicago Bears.
"I'm ready for the games to start counting," said quarterback Charlie Frye, who in two series could not muster a first down.
In deciding who goes and who stays, the following positions perhaps required more thought than others:
Quarterback
Derek Anderson has outplayed Ken Dorsey slightly, but do you want a backup with no NFL experience? Dorsey at least started a handful of games for the 49ers. Vinny Testaverde still looks like a better option than either.
Running back
William Green, nursing an undisclosed minor injury, sat out Thursday and Jason Wright played more than Lee Suggs. Hard to believe both Green and Suggs would go, but rookie fullback Lawrence Vickers is a better goal-line runner than either veteran.
Linebacker
Oft-injured Chaun Thompson is playing again and should survive as a backup to rookie inside LB D'Qwell Jackson.
Cornerback
Don't be surprised if undrafted rookie cornerback Jereme Perry makes it, especially now that Daven Holly sprained a knee Thursday. Perry, the brother of former Central State player James Perry, is a sure tackler and special teams demon.
Receiver
Kendrick Mosley seems to be the odd-man out, but he showed good hands this summer. With Joshua Cribbs and third-round draft choice Travis Wilson assured spots, a bold move would be to keep Mosley and release Frisman Jackson.

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

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Green, Suggs on way out?
Saturday, September 2, 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 - There was William Green in the 2002 season finale, sprinting 64 yards up the right sideline for a playoff-clinching touchdown against Atlanta.
There was Lee Suggs in the 2003 season finale, racing 78 yards for a TD that deep-sixed Cincinnati. There was Suggs again in the 2004 season finale, scooting 39 yards at Houston en route to his third straight 100-yard game.
Coming out of the 2006 preseason finale, though, Suggs and Green are staring at a different strain of “gone.”
After playing briefly but not getting a single carry Thursday against the Bears, Suggs sensed sayonara.
Sitting at his locker in the company of a lone writer, Suggs said, “The man chooses.”
The 26-year-old veteran of three injury-disturbed Browns seasons then raised his voice with animation seldom heard in his interviews.
“The writing’s on the wall,” he said.
But what does the writing say?
Parting ways with Suggs and Green would leave Reuben Droughns with no experienced backup.
Suggs could only speak for himself.
“It says I don’t have a role on this team,” he said, 13 months after going into camp as the Browns’ No. 1 back.
At this point, does Suggs cast his mind-set toward finding a role on another team?
“Yeah. I mean ... yeah,” Suggs said.
What of Green, who was a first-round pick in 2002 and has rushed for 2,109 yards with the Browns? He didn’t play at all Thursday, when it was thought he needed a strong showing to offset three-game preseason totals of 11 carries for 18 yards.
Head Coach Romeo Crennel gave Sphinx-like answers.
Suggs and Green are two of the great curiosities of today’s cuts, which will leave the Browns at the regular-season limit of 53 players.
It had seemed either Suggs or Green or both would make the team in addition to Droughns and rookie flash Jerome Harrison.
Yet, former Northwestern star Jason Wright came into focus Thursday as a player who could push both Suggs and Green off the roster.
Whereas Suggs finished the preseason with 39 yards on 12 carries, including his work after a trade with the Jets fell through, Wright wound up with 66 yards on 16 carries.
Wright, 24, and Harrison, 23, were the busiest backs against Chicago, posting identical totals of seven carries for 32 yards.
“I had a lot of fun in the game,” Wright said. “Camp and preseason can kind of wear on you, so having fun was one of my goals going in. “I thought I played all right. I tried to play hard. Now it’s in their hands.” Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]


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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Winslow high on Frye
Saturday, September 2, 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 - K-2 keeps saying his return from a 30-game abyss will be A-OK.
Coming off Thursday’s preseason finale, tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. suggested fans can quit worrying about QB-1, Charlie Frye.
“People underestimate Charlie,” Winslow said after Frye ran two mini-series in his final preseason tuneup. “He’s gonna be fine. I mean ... he’s gonna be a star in this league.”
Frye’s work in four appearances generated little light, even before his two three-and-outs against the Bears. In what amounted to one full game’s worth of work this preseason, he went 25-of-38 for 148 yards, with two touchdowns, an interception and three sacks.
He was assigned a bigger load in the 2005 preseason, when he spent three games as the backup and played two-plus quarters as the starter at Chicago. He completed 34-of-40 passes for 348 yards — 200 more than this summer.
Winslow shrugged.
“Charlie has great instincts,” the tight end said. “He’s a game player. He’s a game-breaker.”
That’s what Winslow was supposed to be when he came out of Miami (Fla.) as a No. 6 overall draft pick, but he played just two games for the Browns before losing the next 30 to leg injuries.
Given that, it’s hard to say Winslow had a quiet preseason, even though his four-game totals were a modest seven catches for 59 yards.
The one-two punch of Winslow and Braylon Edwards remains just a theory. Edwards appeared in the last two games, coming off knee surgery, but had just one catch for 9 yards.
“We’re gonna be fine, man,” Winslow said. “We kept it real basic. We didn’t want to show all our cards. I think that’s a smart thing to do.”
Going into Thursday’s game against the Bears, the Browns had been outgained 923 yards to 815. The Bears pummeled them, 386 yards to 185.
No worries?
“You know ... we can be great,” Winslow said. “I think we can be in the top five in the league ... just with all the athletes we’ve got.
“We just wanted to stay basic and not show all our cards.”
Head Coach Romeo Crennel wanted to give Thursday’s game a royal flush. Even his trump card, Jerome Harrison, was thrown for a 3-yard loss on the last play before the Bears put the game away with a touchdown drive that made it 20-7.
Prior to that carry, though, Harrison dented the Bears for 35 yards in six carries.
He finished the preseason with 25 rushes for 155 yards and 10 catches for 77 yards.
Based on the way he was used in August, the guess is Harrison will get five to 15 touches per game in September.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Harrison said. “It was preseason. I haven’t proven anything yet.”
Harrison will offer a change of pace to grinder Reuben Droughns. He has looked quick and elusive, but it’s asking a lot to hope the fifth-round pick can bring some of what No. 2 overall pick Reggie Bush will offer the Saints, who come to Cleveland on Sept. 10.
Harrison, though, is hungry for whatever the real games bring.
“I’m ready to see what it’s like,” he said. “I’ve heard it’s a whole different game.” Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]
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[NJ-Buckeye]

I predict Browns pick up Brock Gutierrez (C) today

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

picking up Fraley (C) from Phila is big... I think that was a great move... I was hoping Cleveland would trade Suggs for Fraley... so I'm really happy with this one... there's tread left on those tires...