Cleveland Browns (2008 Season)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Rookie receives an earful from star
Tight end Rucker plays well, gives Winslow credit for helpful tips
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer


BEREA: It's hard to tell what kind of rookie indoctrination Martin Rucker expected at his first Browns training camp.
But he certainly didn't think fellow tight end Kellen Winslow would be sitting beside him in meetings diagramming how Rucker could have run his route better.
''Not only is he a Pro Bowler, but I'm just a rookie,'' Rucker said. ''You hear about a lot of guys who don't talk to the rookies and there's a lot of hazing and things like that.
''He gives me tips, he gives me pointers. He's really been helpful.''
Having one of the team's top offensive players whispering in his ear appeared to pay off for Rucker, a fourth-round draft pick from Missouri, on Thursday night. With Winslow and Steve
Heiden sitting out due to injuries, Rucker led Browns receivers with five catches for 70 yards in a 24-20, preseason-opening loss to the New York Jets.

Continued.......

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns notebook
No roster spot for Baxter
Veteran cornerback is released following another knee surgery
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer



BEREA: If he's going to abandon what would be an unprecedented comeback from two torn patellar tendons, Gary Baxter wants to do it on his own terms.
That day has not yet come. But the Browns decided Saturday they could no longer hold a roster spot for Baxter, a 29-year-old safety, after he underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove cartilage in his knee, so they terminated his contract.
This year, the NFL's 80-man training camp roster limit includes no exemptions for players from NFL Europe, now defunct. The Browns have two other defensive players rehabbing from arthroscopic knee surgeries, linebackers Antwan Peek and Beau Bell.

Continued........

 

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com
Browns training camp log: Day 18 by Tony Grossi
Saturday August 09, 2008, 7:48 PM

What happened: Coach Romeo Crennel introduced the offense to some work against a traditional 4-3 defense to prepare for the second preseason game against the New York Giants on Aug. 18. Safety Gary Baxter, who was trying to come back from double patella knee sugery, was released. The team worked out a couple of safeties behind closed doors. Receiver Braylon Edwards, wearing no shoes, suffered a cut right heel when Donte Stallworth accidentally stepped on his foot while the two lightly ran.

 

[paddio]

That's too bad, I think we were all hoping for that storybook ending for Baxter.

 

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

Browns sign Ohio St. product Mitchell
8/10/2008, 9:38 a.m. EDT
The Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) ? Cleveland has signed former Ohio State defensive back Brandon Mitchell, who joins the Browns after spending his 2007 rookie season as part of the Houston Texans practice squad.
The Browns on Sunday also announced the waiving of safety Steve Cargile and the signing of defensive back Travis Key.

Cleveland had claimed Cargile off waivers from Denver in early May.


Continued

 

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

Browns' Edwards hospitalized with foot gash
by Mary Kay Cabot
Sunday August 10, 2008, 12:48 PM

Browns receiver Braylon Edwards was hospitalized Saturday night after having a gash in his right foot repaired with stitches.

Edwards suffered the cut on his foot when he was running lightly in his socks during a special teams period Saturday afternoon with some other receivers. According to a photographer who was shooting the session, Edwards and fellow receiver Donte Stallworth were vying for the lead when Stallworth's cleat gashed Edwards' right heel.

Edwards' grimaced in pain on the field while Josh Cribbs wrapped his t-shirt around the foot to stop the bleeding. Edwards left the field on a cart.

Edwards was not at practice Sunday morning, but coach Romeo Crennel said he thought he'd be released from the hospital on Sunday. He said Edwards was kept overnight for precautionary reasons. Earlier in the practice, Edwards had his ankle looked at after landing awkardly, but returned to work after talking to the trainer.

Crennel did not give a time-frame for Edwards' return, but one team official said it was not believed to be serious. However, he will probably be held out of action until the stitches are removed, meaning he could miss the second preseason game against the Giants on Aug.

 

[NFBuck]

Cleveland.com

Maybe it's just the Browns history with injuries, but does this make anybody else cringe?

 

[jlb1705]

Why?

That injury was totally preventable. It doesn't sound serious, but it was still stupid.

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

Browns TE Cieslak ready to seize opportunity


By Carlos "Big C" Holmes
Staff Writer

Sunday, August 10, 2008

The Cleveland Browns are blessed with having a wealth of talent at the tight end position with six listed on the team's current roster.
Although this is a good problem for the team to have, the Browns are likely to carry only four on the roster when the team plays host to the Dallas Cowboys on opening day.
One of the players vying for that No. 4 spot is third-year man Brad Cieslak.
Cieslak is in a heated battle with tight ends Darnell Dinkins and Kolomona Kapanui for a roster spot and is making a strong bid for the position in training camp.
During a one-on-one chat with Cieslak on Sunday, he expressed his desire to be on the team's 53-man roster when the season starts and is ready to contribute to the cause in any way possible.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Edwards receives stitches in foot Teammate spikes shoeless receiver while jogging
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer

Published on Monday, Aug 11, 2008
BEREA: The Browns' list of training-camp rules might have gotten longer after star receiver Braylon Edwards was stepped on Saturday while jogging without shoes.
Edwards needed stitches to close the wound and spent the night in the Cleveland Clinic, coach Romeo Crennel said. He was released from the hospital Sunday.
The incident happened at the end of practice Saturday. According to a photographer who witnessed the incident, Edwards was running sprints in his socks when receiver Donte' Stallworth, wearing cleats, stepped on the back of his right heel. Edwards' foot was bloody as teammates came to his aid before the trainer arrived.
Edwards left the field on a cart, but did not appear to be in severe pain. He also had his left foot attended to during the practice, but didn't miss any time with the offense.
''Everything is pretty well fine other than the fact that he got stitches,'' Crennel said Sunday. ''He was in good spirits last night when I spoke with him and he's anxious to get back. We'll have to see how long it's going to take.''
Crennel said he had no timetable for Edwards' return. A Browns official said Edwards' injury is not considered serious.
''I never put a timetable on guys because you don't know,'' Crennel said. ''All I know is he's going to work to get back out here and he'll be back when he's ready.
''I'm always worried when a guy is not out here. He's [got] one of those nagging injuries. I know that he'll be back.''
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Browns sign safeties Brandon Mitchell, Travis Key

Monday, August 11, 2008
The Browns signed two young safeties on Sunday who are familiar with defensive coordinator Mel Tucker's scheme.
They're first-year pro Brandon Mitchell, who played for Tucker at Ohio State, and rookie Travis Key, who played in a similar defense at Michigan State. In order to make room, they waived safety Steve Cargile, a Cleveland native.
"They're both young kids and they're somewhat local," coach Romeo Crennel said. "One guy [Mitchell] has good size, and the other guy doesn't have as much size, but he was a playmaker in college. So we're going to take a look at them and see how they might help us and if they can, and then go from there."

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Edwards lands in hospital
Its the latest injury to gnaw at the Browns
Monday, August 11, 2008
BY Steve Doerschuk
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

BEREA If injuries are the fastest way for a good NFL team to land in deep doo-doo, it is a comfort for the Browns to boast their deepest team in recent memory.

So far this camp, they have dodged the million-dollar injuries that dogged them so many previous seasons.

However, they are getting nickel and dimed to depth-chart distraction.

Pro Bowl receivers Kellen Winslow Jr. and Braylon Edwards are the latest signs of the times.

Edwards missed Sunday practice because he was in the hospital with stitches ? his right foot got stepped on and gashed Saturday.

Winslow missed Thursday's Jets game with a hamstring issue but was back at practice Saturday and Sunday. Late in the Sunday morning practice, though, Winslow walked by himself to a blocking sled. Seven times, he lunged into the sled and leveraged his hands to send pressure to his legs. He didn't like what he felt.

Winslow had a trainer strap an ice pack to his left hamstring, then sat out the final 11-on-11 session. He sat out the evening practice.

A look around training camp Sunday revealed more signs of the times.

? Left tackle Joe Thomas' right knee was wrapped in an Ace bandage. Left guard Eric Steinbach wore a black support sleeve on his left knee.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Browns notebook
Monday, August 11, 2008
BY Steve Doerschuk
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

Buckeye reunion

A day after releasing safety Gary Baxter, the Browns signed former Big Ten safeties Brandon Mitchell (Ohio State, waived by the Texans July 31) and Travis Key (Michigan State, waived by the Vikings July 2).

Key is a longshot to stick. It's harder to tell about Mitchell, but he certainly knows a lot about defensive coordinator Mel Tucker. They were together at Ohio State from 2002-04 before Tucker jumped to the Browns.

"The first thing you notice about Coach Tucker is how smart he is, and how much he loves the game," Mitchell said on a field at the team complex. "You guys don't see it, but I know he's in this building all the time. Last night, he stayed back with me and helped me get caught up.

"He knows so much about defenses and is able to dissect offenses so well."

Tucker can seem like a serious sort.

"He's quiet and reserved at first, but once you get to know him ... Back at Ohio State, he was a character.

"He knows exactly what buttons to push and exactly what to say to make me go."

Mitchell's hot button: "Tell me what I can't do."

Mitchell made 20 starts at Ohio State, including 12 as a senior in 2006 when the Buckeyes reached the national championship game.

Short people

The roster lists Travis Key at 5-foot-10. Stand next to Key and you know: The roster lies.
Cont...

 

[LitlBuck]

Maybe it's just the Browns history with injuries, but does this make anybody else cringe?

New Rule for all Cleveland Browns: you are not allowed to take off your shoes at any time while you are under contract.

On a more serious note, do is you guys think that the Browns should keep that kicker from Illinois strictly for kickoffs. Dawson was just not very impressive last year when it came to kickoffs. I know this takes up a roster spot but is it worth it.

In a way the blessing to Edwards might be good because it will give the backup receivers more time to work worth Anderson in practice

 

[exhawg]

I would have no problem just replacing Dawson if the other guy can make FG's.