25 Total Updates since July 30, 2010
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
Jake Delhomme has already been named the starter. Most fans believed that Seneca Wallace will be the back-up and Colt McCoy will watch from the bench as the third QB on the depth chart.
Eric Mangini doesn’t see the situation so cut and dry. Today Mangini was asked if the Browns will keep Ratliff as well, and the answer was surprising:
“That’s something that we will talk about as the cuts get closer, I’ve kept four as a head coach and have been on teams that have kept four as an assistant coach. I have also been on [teams that only kept] two.”
Does that mean that Ratliff and Colt McCoy are possibly in trouble as cuts draw near? The more likely outcome is that the coaching staff and front office want to see better production out of McCoy and this could be a way of letting him know that.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
Whether it be the addition of Mike Holmgren to the team or a new quarterback in town, Cleveland Browns fans attended training camp more often than they have in recent history. The team released this report regarding attendance this year:
• The Browns averaged 2,163 fans for each training camp practice session that was open to the public this year, an increase of 603 fans per practice from 2009. A total of 38,929 fans attended the 18 sessions that were open to the public this year.
• The 2,163 fans per practice is the second-highest figure for training camp since the team officially began recording attendance figures in 2005. In 2008, the Browns averaged 2,235 fans per practice.
• The Browns recorded the two highest single-session totals as 3,673 fans came to the morning practice on the opening of camp on July 31 and 3,630 fans attended the following day. The previous high was 3,605 fans on August 3, 2008.
Hopefully this is a sign of things to come during the regular season games, although winning is often a good way to get attendance up too.
The Browns are still going through training camp, but it is no longer open to the public.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
The big news during Tuesday’s practices for the Browns involved the linebacker position, which featured second-year player Marcus Benard playing outside linebacker with the first team. The move also saw linebacker Scott Fujita move to inside linebacker, presumably while D’Qwell Jackson is out. That doesn’t bode well for veteran Eric Barton, who was initially replacing Jackson.
Wide receiver Bobby Engram had a big evening practice, hauling in three touchdown passes in situational drills. The veteran receiver is competing for the fifth receiver spot, and with Carlton Mitchell and Jake Allen dropping passes regularly, that spot could come down to Engram and Syndric Steptoe.
Cornerback Sheldon Brown intercepted Jake Delhomme twice — once in the morning, and once in the evening. Safety T.J. Ward also continues to look good in coverage, breaking up a pass intended for Steptoe.
The Browns only have one day of public practices left on Thursday, when they go to work in the morning and the evening.
For more details on what happened during Day 18 of training camp, check out Dawgs By Nature, our Browns affiliate.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
The Browns tired to wait for Dave Zastudil to get back on the field. In the end, it just wasn’t meant to be – this year at least. The Browns announced they placed their punter on Injured Reserve, ending his 2010 season. Head Coach Eric Mangini is confident, however, that Zastudil will do everything he can to get back on the field next season.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
Not a lot went down on Day 17 of Cleveland Browns training camp, so the major headlines involved the injury report. Here is an update on several Brownsplayers:
For more details on what happened during Day 17 of training camp, check out Dawgs By Nature, our Browns affiliate.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Colt McCoy missed today’s practice due to a minor thumb injury.
McCoy, according to an AP report, hit his hand on the helmet of one of his teammates on a throw in the third quarter of the Browns’ 27-24 win at Green Bay in their preseason game over the weekend.
Browns coach Eric Mangini said Monday that McCoy is “fine” and will only miss a day or two. Mangini expects McCoy, a third-round pick, to play in Saturday’s home game against St. Louis.
McCoy finished Saturday’s game 5-of-10 for 25 yards and two interceptions before leaving with the injury.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
The Browns, fresh off their win in Green Bay on Saturday, made a roster move this morning, signing well-traveled WR Taurus Johnson. Johnson was released by the Dolphins a few days ago and has also spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions.
Johnson was undrafted in 2009, coming out of the University of South Florida. In college, Johnson ranked second in school history with 29 kickoff returns and third in kickoff return yards with 784.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
The big news of Day 13 of training camp was the return of cornerback Eric Wright during the evening session of practice. Wright made a splash right away, intercepting two passes.
The secondary as a whole dominated the evening practice, recording at least seven interceptions. Besides Wright’s interceptions, the other five picks came from rookie safety T.J. Ward (three), Gerard Lawson (one), and Nick Sorensen (one).
With linebacker D’Qwell Jackson out 3-8 weeks, veteran Eric Barton filled in on the first-team defense, which would seem to improve his roster odds. Second-year man Kaluka Maiava worked with the second-team at inside linebacker, but also subbed in on the first team.
The defensive play of the day came during the morning practice, when outside linebacker Jason Trusnik tipped a pass by Brett Ratliff in the air, intercepted it, and then returned it for a touchdown.
The Browns have Friday off as they prepare for their first exhibition game of the season against the Green Bay Packers.
For more details on what happened during Day 13 of training camp, check out Dawgs By Nature, our Browns affiliate.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
Browns Coach Eric Mangini addressed the media after this morning practice, going over several subjects as the team prepares for Saturday Night’s Preseason opener against the Packers in Green Bay.
One topic Mangini discussed was the playing time of his quarterbacks. Expect to see both Jake Delhomme and backup Seneca Wallace for about a quarter against the Packers as both try and get in tune with a new offense on a new team.
Mangini also said he think CB Eric Wright could return to practice tonight, and could still possibly play against the Packers. Rookie Joe Haden has been filling in for Wright.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
ESPN writer James Walker posted a recap of his trip to Cleveland Browns training camp, covering a wide range of topics including who is the best quarterback, the sleepers on the team, and some weaknesses defensively. Since Walker is visiting other AFC North camps, he is able to make comparisons. One thing about the Browns? They aren’t as fast as the Bengals or the Steelers:
Something that jumps out right away is Cleveland’s lack of team speed. The Browns look slow and not as athletic as the other two teams I watched in training camp (Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals). That could be a problem. Cleveland has plenty of thumpers, so size isn’t an issue. But the Browns appear more built to win a 13-7 game in inclement weather in December than a 35-30 shootout in September.
On another note, Wednesday’s practice, which was originally scheduled to be open to the media only, was canceled altogether. A reason for the cancellation might have been all of the injuries the team suffered Tuesday.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
Eric Wright limped off of the practice field Tuesday morning due to a knee injury, though the severity wasn’t immediately available.
While that is still the case, the cornerback won’t practice in Tuesday’s evening session, either, according to ESPN’s AFC North Twitter account.
Browns CB Eric Wright not practicing with the team during the evening session. Browns rookie Joe Haden with the first defense again.
The Akron Beacon Journal also reported the same with the mention that they couldn’t tell if Wright’s leg was still wrapped.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
You never know how serious training camp injuries are, so don’t overreact to this news just yet. According to ESPN, cornerback Eric Wright limped off the field during Tuesday morning’s practice with a right leg injury.
Wright got hurt during 7-on-7 drills about halfway through the Browns’ morning workout Tuesday. He was attended to on the sideline by trainers, who put an ice wrap on Wright’s leg. He limped to the team’s training facility for further treatment.
Tony Grossi of the Plain Dealer is also reporting that second-year linebacker Marcus Benard was carted off the field with a leg injury as well.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
After going through team meetings on Sunday, the Cleveland Browns were back on the practice field in Berea Monday afternoon for Day 10 of training camp. Perhaps the top story of the day was the return of FB Peyton Hillis, who had missed a week with a groin injury. Hillis got right back into the action, running the ball hard on the ground and beating linebackers down the sideline on routes.
The offense was a bit off at times Monday. Backup centers Billy Yates and Shawn Lauvao had bad snaps and paid the price by having to run laps. Seneca Wallace threw an interception and fumbled. Colt McCoy threw a duck down the field. Jake Delhomme’s passes weren’t as crisp as they could have been.
The defense also deserves some credit, though. Rookie safety T.J. Ward had a few pass breakups to close out practice, as Rob Ryan was pleased on the sideline with the effort given by his unit.
For more details on what happened during Day 10 of training camp, check out Dawgs By Nature, our Browns affiliate.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
Quarterback Jake Delhomme was 10-of-15 for 78 yards and a touchdown, leading his team to a 14-6 victory in a Saturday scrimmage at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
The scrimmage pitted the Brown Team (first-team offense, second-team defense) against the White Team (first-team defense, second-team offense), with the winner having some luxuries such as no curfew for the day and being able to come in later to team meetings the next day.
Rookie quarterback Colt McCoy threw a costly interception for the White Team during the two-minute drill in the first half. His pass was underthrown and taken by defensive back Brandon McDonald, who returned the pass 40 yards for a touchdown. McDonald did a front flip as he leaped into the end zone. McCoy struggled overall on the day, throwing two interceptions and missing receivers often. Fourth-string quarterback Brett Ratliff of the Brown Team also did not play well, throwing an interception to linebacker Blake Costanzo.
The Browns did have a few gadget plays up their sleeves. Joshua Cribbs took several direct snaps, and there was a play in which running back James Davis received a pitch before lateraling it to receiver Chansi Stuckey, who then tossed an 11-yard completion to Ratliff. Davis also took a direct snap during the scrimmage and ran for a 66-yard gain. The play was called back after a holding penalty though.
Delhomme’s touchdown pass came early in the fourth quarter, when he connected with tight end Ben Watson in the corner of the end zone. The White Team challenged the catch, but the play stood, giving the Brown Team a 14-3 lead. The White Team tried to rally back, but it was too late.
Other notable players include tight end Evan Moore (6 catches, 62 yards) and linebackers Jason Trusnik and Marcus Benard (2 sacks each). Benard got into a fight with offensive tackle Scott Kooistra late in the game, and both players were sent to the bench.
The Browns play their first preseason game of the year next Saturday against the Green Bay Packers.
For more notes on the Browns scrimmage, check out Dawgs By Nature.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
It wasn’t an eventful Day 7 of practice for the Cleveland Browns. In preparation for the Browns vs. White scrimmage that takes place Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at Cleveland Browns Stadium, the two sides practiced against each other Friday afternoon.
According to reports, after Friday’s practice was over, the two sides were scheduled to meet separately to look over the tape from the practice session, just as they would for a regular season contest.
On the injury front, punter Dave Zastudil was back on the practice field but still wasn’t punting.
For a sneak peak of who will be on the Brown and White rosters Saturday, check out Dawgs By Nature, our Cleveland Browns affiliate:
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
“Jake Delhomme steps back in the pocket and throws…and it’s intercepted!”
That’s a quote that Cleveland Browns fans hope they don’t have to endure very often this season, but the veteran quarterback had a bad day of camp after tossing three interceptions. Here is how each of his turnovers occurred:
1. After a tipped pass, defensive end Robaire Smith grabbed the football in the air.
2. On a long pass intended for wide receiver Brian Robiskie, cornerback Eric Wright made the interception.
3. Lastly, safety Abram Elam caught the final interception in the end zone.
Despite Delhomme’s struggles, he has the support of head coach Eric Mangini, who believes the quarterback is having a good camp.
The most exciting play of practice once again involved the Cyclone formation, featuring Joshua Cribbs and Seneca Wallace. Cribbs took a snap from shotgun and tossed a pass to Wallace in the flat, who ran into the end zone untouched for a score.
On the injury front, defensive back Chris Roberson will miss several weeks with a leg injury he suffered Wednesday morning. Punter Dave Zastudil has been cleared to return to practice on Friday, and backup fullback Peyton Hillis appears ready to return soon.
For more details on what happened during Day 6 of training camp, check out Dawgs By Nature, our Browns affiliate.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
When NFL commissioner Roger Goodell visited Browns training camp Thursday evening, fans hoped that he would address if defensive linemen Shaun Rogers and Robaire Smith would receive a suspension for the league. Both linemen ran into trouble with the law over the past year after bringing a gun to the airport in their bags.
According to the Akron Beacon Journal, all that Goodell had to say regarding the cases was this:
“Both cases are still under review.”
I think it’s great for the commissioner to visit camp and talk with the fans, but this is something that impacts the Browns greatly. It’s hard to understand why the process has taken too long to announce whether or not there will be any consequences.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
One of the more stories at the wide receiver position this camp is that of 37-year-old veteran Bobby Engram. The team signed him a few weeks before the start of camp, and so far he has acted as a mentor to the younger receivers, especially Brian Robiskie.
Engram has also been key thus far in the early development of rookie quarterback Colt McCoy. Reports from camp indicate that Engram seems to be one of McCoy’s favorite targets, and understandably so — Engram is known for his route running and ability to catch the football. Whether he has the legs to still play in the NFL at his age is the question. One thing is for sure: he’s not being handed a roster spot just because of his experience. Per the Plain Dealer:
He has been assured by Holmgren that there will be "no free lunch," no guarantee of a roster spot.
"I’ve got my work cut out for me," Engram said. "They’ve got some talented young guys. I think the competition only makes you better. At end of the day, they will make the decision on what’s best for the Browns."
The relationship between Mike Holmgren and Engram, who were together in Seattle, played a factor in the receiver coming to Cleveland:
"I kind of had to have a real good idea, at least in my mind, of what we had [at receiver]," Holmgren said. "I just felt we needed a veteran, experienced guy in the group, certainly through training camp, at the very least."
It’s worth noting that the team had veteran David Patten in camp last year, and despite him having a good camp, he failed to make the 53-man roster.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
What happened to Day 4 of Cleveland Browns training camp? There wasn’t one, as head coach Eric Mangini gave the team the day off. That fits in with the “player-friendly coach” vibe that has started to surround the Browns’ second-year head coach.
The defensive backs shined during the morning session, with several players coming away with significant plays. At the top of the list of players who shined this morning is cornerback Gerard Lawson. He intercepted both Seneca Wallace and Colt McCoy, with the McCoy interception going for a touchdown. Lawson’s roster odds aren’t very good, but two interceptions in one session certainly doesn’t hurt his odds.
Sheldon Brown picked off starter Jake Delhomme on a pass intended for Brian Robiskie, but Delhomme battled back a few plays later with a 50-yard touchdown to the second-year receiver with Mike Adams in coverage.
The other big play by a defensive back came at the hands of rookie safety T.J. Ward. He stripped and recovered a fumble from running back Jerome Harrison just before he ran into the end zone on a long pass play.
Meanwhile, at least for today, the first unit on the offensive line consisted of Lauvao (RG) and Pashos (RT), while the second unit consisted of Womack (RG) and St. Clair (RT). This is an interesting development, because Lauvao is seeing more time with the first-team offense this early in camp than expected.
For more details on what happened during the morning session of Day 5 of training camp, check out Dawgs By Nature, our Browns affiliate.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
During Wednesday’s morning practice session, defensive back Chris Roberson was carted off the field with an injury. Roberson was defending wide receiver Joshua Cribbs on a pass play, and Roberson twisted awkwardly as he fell to the ground trying to defend the play.
At this time, Roberson’s specific injury hasn’t been disclosed. Roberson isn’t expected to make the 53-man roster, but hopefully his injury isn’t too serious.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
During the second day of Cleveland Browns training camp on Sunday, two players dominated the headlines: FB Peyton Hillis and CB Joe Haden.
With rookie running back Montario Hardesty out, Hillis is getting a lot of reps with the second team offense. With that role, he has already impressed people with his ability to catch the ball and then run after the catch. Sunday afternoon, Hillis caught two short passes and proceeded to take them for 40- and 30-yard gains.
On the defensive side of the ball, all eyes were on rookie cornerback Joe Haden, who made his first appearance of camp after signing his contract Saturday. Haden worked with the second-team offense and on special teams. Reports note that Haden did pretty well as a gunner.
Speaking of cornerbacks, Eric Wright revealed that the team is trying to get him to be the team’s permanent nickelback this year. Wright would still be a starter, but would shift over to the nickelback position on third down. That is some pretty revealing news, since it was expected that Joe Haden might take on that role this year.
For more details on what happened during Day 2 of training camp, check out Dawgs By Nature, our Browns affiliate.
Training Camp Report: Day 2 – Dawgs By Nature
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
Joe Haden isn’t Albert Haynesworth.
The rookie CB only needed one attempt at passing a conditioning test. With that behind him, he is now cleared to start practicing with his new team. Just don’t expect him to be starting right away. Head coach Eric Mangini doesn’t want Haden being compared to his last first round rookie CB, Darrelle Revis.
“Everybody’s different, Revis is Revis and Joe is Joe. We’ll really have to see how it plays out.’’
Stay tuned to see how quickly Haden starts picking up the Browns defense.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
The Cleveland Browns held their first training camp session on Saturday, and besides the earlier reports that RB Montario Hardesty would miss a couple of weeks, everything else went pretty smoothly.
With Hardesty out, Jerome Harrison took advantage of the extra reps, showing up to camp with a reported “chip on his shoulder.” Another man who showed up with a chip on his shoulder is LB D’Qwell Jackson. In the morning practice, Jackson blew up FB Peyton Hillis in a blocking drill. During the evening practice, Jackson intercepted a pass thrown by QB Jake Delhomme.
Perhaps the player of the day was backup tight end Evan Moore, who fans were excited about late last season due to his pass-catching abilities. Moore used his size advantage to catch passes over the safeties during the morning session. Speaking of other players who caught the ball well, starting TE Ben Watson and projected slot receiver Chansi Stuckey were catching everything thrown their direction.
One of the hot topics of camp is what the team’s rotation at linebacker will look like. On Day 1, it consisted of Scott Fujita and Matt Roth at outside linebacker, and D’Qwell Jackson and Chris Gocong at inside linebacker. In the secondary, rookie safety T.J. Ward was with the first team, while CB Joe Haden was unavailable (he signed a contract between practices).
For a detailed recap of both practice sessions, check out Dawgs By Nature, our Cleveland Browns affiliate:
Lastly, how did the quarterbacks look? Anything seems like an improvement over Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn, so both Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace received positive, although not spectacular, reviews.
Training Camp Report: Day 1 (Morning) – Dawgs By Nature
Training Camp Report: Day 1 (Evening) – Dawgs By Nature
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
According to these reports on Twitter, rookie running back Montario Hardesty, the former Tennessee Volunteer, hurt himself in a pre-camp drill and, according to Browns' coach Eric Mangini, may miss a couple of weeks of camp.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
Mike Holmgren just gets it. In a blast of fresh air from previous Browns’ regimes that felt an adversarial relationship with the media and public was the way to go, Mike Holmgren has come in and embraced the media, holding regular press conferences and giving honest, candid answers. Even if Holmgren is saying nothing at all, he makes you feel like he’s giving away inside information. It is easy to see why he has been so successful, and likely will be with the Browns.
As the team gets ready for the start of Training Camp, Holmgren again help a media sit-down. It’s hard to imagine the Browns not being successful this season, that is how contagious Holmgren’s optimism can be.
Here are just a few excerpts from Holmgren’s pow-wow -
(On the quarterback situation)- “I think that when they line it up the first time, Jake (Delhomme) will be in there. Right now, it’s kind of like the way you saw. Seneca (Wallace) is the next guy in, Colt (McCoy) got a few reps and then (Brett) Ratliff gets in there and takes his share. Seneca, and I don’t think that it’s a big secret, is being used in other types of the offensive scheme. I think that will be fairly obvious and will sort itself out. I know it will be different than it has been. Where you come in and say, ‘Okay, we are going to divide the reps evenly…’ Whatever was said before, I don’t even know, it’s not going to be like that. I think if everyone plays the way they’re supposed to play and the way I expect them to play, I think it will sort itself pretty obviously.”
(On his impressions of Delhomme)- “He didn’t surprise me at all. I’ve said all along I think he’s a fine player. I think he has played a long time, had a lot of success. His last year was documented, it was crummy and we’ve talked about that. I think you saw too, I hope you did, the ball is getting where it’s supposed to be. He shows great leadership, that’s a real positive. It’s not a contrived thing. I think he is a natural leader. I think he includes people, he extends himself to people and that’s what you want at that position. I think he had a really good offseason throwing the ball. People talk about the surgery he had and all of that, I didn’t see anything that I would constitute as a problem in his delivery or his throwing or anything like that. He was working very hard to learn this stuff, I mean they throw a lot of stuff at the quarterbacks.”
(On sorting out the secondary)- “I think the secondary thing is going to be a really interesting camp story. As far as sorting it out, I don’t have to do that anymore. I don’t have to sort out anything, but I think there is going to be really good competition in the secondary. Clearly by how we drafted, we wanted to increase that pile and get some young guys in there. I like the way (Mike) Adams had OTAs and (Brandon) McDonald. I liked how those other guys practiced, I really did. Sheldon (Brown) is a great addition. To me, I’m going to be watching that hard. That’s going to be an interesting thing how that sorts itself out.”
Holmgren also discussed how hard it is going to be to watch the coaches do the coaching while he is mostly an observer -
“To make anything work, the people that have to make it work have to decide they are going to make it work. I’m committed to that. Let’s flip it for a second. Let’s say I was the coach. I lived through that a little bit of that. I was not the best one at coming in and having somebody telling me how to (do things). I was polite, but that wasn’t a good thing. I remember consciously thinking, if this is what my job is going to be and I’m not going to coach the team, what kind of a president do I want to be for my coach. I’m trying to be that type of person, that type of guy, support him, answer questions if necessary, but really, if I thought I couldn’t do that or I thought he couldn’t do it, then I probably should have made a different decision way back when, but I didn’t. So, we’re going to do it this way. Do I think this will be difficult for me? We’ll see. We’ll talk after a couple months of watching games and stuff like that. I suspect I’ll get a little antsy about stuff, but I’ve been doing something for so long that this is a different thing. I think that’s natural.”
Whatever happens in 2010, Mike Holmgren gets it. And that is a good thing for the Browns, and the fans.
almost 3 years ago Update 0 comments
Finally! Something to take our mind off of LeBron James, the Indians, and the sweltering Cleveland summer. The Boys of Fall are back, as the Cleveland Browns will begin the Mike Holmgren Era -- along with a surprising continuation of the Eric Mangini Era -- when the Browns hold their first full-team workout in Berea tomorrow.
There are plenty of places to get all the news and notes you are looking for, including right here at SBNCleveland. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @SBNCleveland and of course, keep an eye on SBNation's Browns site -- Dawgs By Nature.
Some people think this is the most talented team the Browns have put on the field since they returned in 1999. The time for talk is over, and now the pads will do the talking.
Below is the schedule of workouts:
Sat., July 31
Dr. Charles Drew Blood Drive
8:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
5:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 1
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Mon., Aug. 2
8:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
5:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.
Wed., Aug. 4
8:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
5:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.
Thur., Aug. 5
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 6
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 7
Family Day - 1:00 p.m.
Mon., Aug. 9
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Tues., Aug. 10
8:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
5:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.
Thurs., Aug. 12
5:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 14
BROWNS @ PACKERS - 8:00 p.m.
Mon., Aug. 16
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Tues., Aug. 17
8:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
5:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.
Thurs., Aug. 19
8:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
5:45 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.
Photographs by
spatulated,
Triple Tri, and
chrischappelear used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.