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.