Cleveland Browns (2008 Season)

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Browns' Shaun Rogers move to 3-4 defense smooth, while Corey Williams finds it a challenge, writes The Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto

Rogers' move to 3-4 smooth while Williams finds it a challenge
Sunday, July 27, 2008
For Shaun Rogers, the switch from the 4-3 de fense in Detroit to the 3-4 with the Browns has not been a problem. The nose tackle continues to be a force in the middle of the line. He weighed in at 359 pounds, under the ideal weight of 360 the Browns set for him. He is a monster to block, not because of his sheer size - but also because of his quickness. Corey Williams sees Rogers playing well next to him and the defensive end knows why, "Shaun is still inside."
Williams will make the biggest adjustment on the Browns' defense. He admits that switching from the 4-3 defense in Green Bay to a 3-4 "has been a challenge." With the Packers, Williams played tackle - with an end on one side, a tackle on the other. He was in the middle of the line. In the Browns' 3-4, he is on the outside, or edge. "Playing inside would be easier for me, but we have Shaun," said Williams, who stressed he's not unhappy with his situation, just working to learn the new position.

Cont..

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Meet the Browns' X factor
Stallworth could make the offense explosive in '08
Sunday, July 27, 2008
BY Steve Doerschuk
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

BEREA Meet this year's main mystery man, Dont? Stallworth.

Secret weapon? Secretive weapon? Take your pick.

Stallworth won't say how Braylon Edwards persuaded him to jump from the Patriots to the Browns. He'll only admit they had lunch two weeks after Stallworth caught three passes in Super Bowl XLII, two weeks before Stallworth hit free agency.

Stallworth is one reason the Browns think they can be stunning on offense. However, the compactly built veteran hasn't been in team drills because of a hamstring injury, which happened ... how?

Shhhhhhh ...
Cont...

 

[LitlBuck]

Safety Sean Jones, in the final year of his contract, is seeking a multiyear extension

I know it is going to cost some money but I would like to see the Browns lock up Jones because if he would leave after this season their defensive backfield would be in a world of hurt. We are already hurting there and don't need any more losses.

 

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

Wide receiver Kevin Kasper believes he can earn a spot on Browns
Posted by Chris Herring July 27, 2008 22:50PM
Categories: Browns, Browns profile

Joshua Gunter / Plain Dealer
Browns wide receiver Kevin Kasper is with his eighth NFL team in eight seasons.

Lisa Kasper knows to keep her schedule clear when her husband leaves town for job interviews.

Numerous times over the years, she's received desperation calls from her spouse, Browns receiver Kevin Kasper, asking for spur-of-the-moment favors following his successful auditions.

"One time, when he had to fly to another state for a tryout, Kevin parked his car at the airport in Phoenix, thinking he would be gone for a night or two," Lisa recalled. "Then he got signed. The next thing I know, he's calling me, telling me I've got to drive to the airport so I can get his car out of the lot."

Welcome to the life of a journeyman football player and his wife.
Kasper, a 30-year-old Hinsdale, Ill., native, has rarely known how it feels to settle with a team. Kasper (6-1, 200) signed with the Browns as a free agent in January, marking the eighth NFL organization he has been a part of in eight seasons.

Continued

 

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

Cleveland Browns morning practice on Day 6 is over
by Tony Grossi Plain Dealer Reporter
Monday July 28, 2008, 12:52 PM

Observations from the morning practice on Day 6 of Browns camp ...
? Everyone agrees that left guard Eric Steinbach is a good pass blocker. He's never made the Pro Bowl, but he's probably a Browns playoff season away from getting that notoriety. He's certainly one of the Browns' best pass blockers, right? Well, in a one-on-one drill, Shaun Rogers just ran him over.

? In the same drill it was amusing watching Joe Thomas stand up David McMillan not once but twice. You had the feeling those two guys could have competed 10 times in a row and McMillan would not have gained an inch on Thomas.

? You know it's getting hot and boring out there when two of the nicest guys on the team engage in a scuffle. It happened with offensive lineman Lennie Friedman and linebacker Leon Williams. Nothing major, just some ineffectual sparring. I would expect there to be some fights on tap over the next 10 days before the first exhibition game.

? Brandon McDonald gives away five inches when he covers Braylon Edwards, but he demonstrated how the little guy can irritate big receivers.

Continued

Article also talks about how Hall from St. Augustine is getting noticed along with Lance Leggett, WR, Miami is turning some heads.

 

[LitlBuck]

On TV last night, there was a report from Browns training camp and the guy doing the show said that Gary Baxter was doing all the drills and his next big challenge will be in contact mode. I guess if he gets through that he might be a go this season which would be great.

 

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

Browns Insider: There's no shortage of members for Tucker admiration society
Posted by Tony Grossi July 29, 2008 19:20PM
Categories: Browns

Ryan Tucker may not be the most heralded member of the Browns offensive line, but that doesn't mean he isn't one of the most respected.The Browns' offensive line is loaded now with eight players who have at least 16 NFL starts in their career. Last week, Browns GM Phil Savage said it can be argued that the line is the strength of the entire team.

So we asked line coach Steve Marshall to play word association with his line and say what comes first to mind when we named names.

Joe Thomas.
Marshall: "Consistent."

Eric Steinbach.
"Inconsistent [laughing]. Nah, athletic."

Hank Fraley.
"Pro."

Rex Hadnot.
"We're learning exactly what he can do. He's a true pro."

Kevin Shaffer.
"A worker."

Ryan Tucker.
"When he's healthy, he's the best we've got ... absolutely."

That last comment may surprise some. Tucker was considered the team's best lineman while the unit wasn't nearly as strong. At 33, he obviously is still held in high esteem by the coaches, who graded him highly at right guard last year.

Continued

In the above article, it also talks about Cribbs being exhausted after practice because of all the positions he has to play.

 

[LitlBuck]

Dispatch

Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Going camping: T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Browns
Browns can't keep Cribbs off the field

BEREA, Ohio -- Josh Cribbs zagged at just the right moment, looked back and caught the pass from Brady Quinn in stride for a long touchdown on the last play of yesterday's Cleveland Browns practice.
It was a perfect end to a busy day for Cribbs. Under a scorching sun, he caught passes, returned kicks and even took snaps at quarterback.

Afterward, Cribbs looked like he was ready for more.

"I'd say it was your average day," Cribbs said. "I got a little bit more work in. I'm excited about it, though.

"I'm half-tired, but that's football. I'm going to hate it when it's over. I'm going to miss it to death. So I'm soaking it up and I'm enjoying myself playing football."

Continued

 

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

Browns Insider: Crennel says there's plenty to work on for QBs Anderson, Quinn
by Tony Grossi
Wednesday July 30, 2008, 7:26 PM
Thomas Ondrey/The Plain Dealer

Browns quarterbacks (from left) Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn and Ken Dorsey drill on their footwork during Wednesday's morning workout at Berea.There's no quarterback controversy, just quarterback conversation.
Coach Romeo Crennel remarked on Wednesday that neither Derek Anderson nor Brady Quinn are as smooth right now as they need to be.

Quinn threw three interceptions in one practice last week and had another in Wednesday's morning workout during a rainfall.

"He's taken some opportunities to try to make plays down the field that maybe last year he wouldn't make because he would just take what the defense gave him," Crennel said. "But I think he has a better command of the offense and he's trying to anticipate when he can make the play down the field, so I think some of that has occurred."

As for Anderson, Crennel said, "He's got things he needs to do to improve on, also. He's not as smooth as he needs to be."

Maybe part of the problem is that the receiving corps has not been at full strength, with Joe Jurevicius out and Donte Stallworth missing the first week with a hamstring injury.
Crennel wasn't buying that excuse.

"When you're out there, whoever you're throwing to, you've got to make the plays," he said.

Continued

 

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

'Big Baby' Rogers making a huge (positive) impression on Browns teammates
by Mary Kay Cabot
Wednesday July 30, 2008, 7:02 PM

Thomas Ondrey/The Plain Dealer
Having a little fun after a Wednesday workout, Browns defensive lineman Shaun Rogers gets some practice catching balls fired by the team's JUGS machine on the Berea practice field.When Browns center Hank Fraley heard that Shaun Rogers was traded to Cleveland instead of Cincinnati, he profusely thanked coach Romeo Crennel for seeing to it that Fraley didn't have to face Rogers twice a year.

There was only one small detail that Fraley forgot.

"I was only going to see him twice a year," said Fraley. "Now I've got to see him every day in practice."

What a super-sized order that's been for Fraley, to try to hold off a 350-pound two-time Pro Bowler with a Mt. Rushmore-sized chip on his shoulder twice a day in the sweltering heat.

"Oh man, it's frustrating," said Fraley, who's at least 40 pounds lighter than Rogers. "You don't see a guy like that everyday. He's a beast. I'm getting worn out, but it's a good thing for me because it's just making me better too. If you can handle him, you can handle pretty much anybody else."

Just how good is Rogers, the eighth-year pro who was acquired in the trade for Leigh Bodden and a third-round pick?

"I'd have to say he's got to be one of the best if not the best defensive tackle in the NFL," said Fraley, a nine-year veteran. "And I know he's adjusted to the nose well. I don't think it's changed his play at all. But hopefully we're making him better too."

Continued

 

[LitlBuck]

Peek out until season opener

PD

Browns linebacker Antwan Peek has minor knee surgery, likely out until season opener
Posted by Mary Kay Cabot July 31, 2008 17:52PM
Categories: Browns

Browns linebacker Antwan Peek underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee Thursday morning and will be out at least until the opener Sept. 7 against Dallas.

Peek, who sat out Wednesday's practices, suffered some swelling and soreness in the knee over the past few days. He underwent an MRI, which showed he some loose cartilage. Peek said Wednesday that he also underwent a scope in the off-season.

The surgery is a minor blow to the Browns, who were counting on a healthy Peek this season to take some pressure off fellow outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, whose sacks went down from 11 in 2006 to 5 last season because of constant double-teaming.

Willie McGinest will start opposite Wimbley and rookie Alex Hall will get added reps in Peek's absence.

Continued

The article also stated that Gary Baxter had some soreness in his knees and will miss a couple days of practice.

 

[NFBuck]

Gary Baxter is a great story, but anything he can contribute on the field would be a bonus. It would take a bonafide miracle for him to even be 75% of the player he was after blowing out both knees like he did.

 

[billmac91]

Cleveland.com


Article also talks about how Hall from St. Augustine is getting noticed along with Lance Leggett, WR, Miami is turning some heads.

I'm always a fan of taking a flyer on a guy who was a "big-time" recruit out of college. His career was weak at UM but you never know how much that had to do with coaching, etc. Not many successful, college offensive players out of Miami is recent years.

It reminds me of FSU when I was there. Are offense was miserable, yet produced several legit offensive pros. They were good at FSU, but would have been great elsewhere.

Anquan Boldin and Javon Walker come to mind.

 

[LitlBuck]

I'm always a fan of taking a flyer on a guy who was a "big-time" recruit out of college. His career was weak at UM but you never know how much that had to do with coaching, etc. Not many successful, college offensive players out of Miami is recent years.
.

From when I read, LL was turning some heads because of his athleticism. While I remember him at Miami as a decent wide receiver, I highly doubt he will make the Browns roster.

 

[billmac91]

From when I read, LL was turning some heads because of his athleticism. While I remember him at Miami as a decent wide receiver, I highly doubt he will make the Browns roster.

Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. It was a good move to pick him up, IMO. He was one of the highest rated WR's in high school, went to Miami, and played in a system where no-one could get him the ball. Miami's offense has been deplorable the last 5 years.

My line of thinking is that had he gone to a PAC-10 school, or any school that knows how to throw the football, he would have been a 3rd-4th rounder.