Quote: Players are back in Berea By Matt Florjancic, ClevelandBrowns.com Staff Writer
Posted 2 hours ago
aaSeveral players, including defensive back Joe Haden, returned to the team's Berea training facility on Tuesday morning. Browns players visited the team’s Berea training facility on Tuesday, one day after the NFL Players Association Executive Board approved the recommendation of a new collective bargaining agreement with the league’s owners.
The second-year secondary tandem of Joe Haden and T.J. Ward joined veteran defensive backs Sheldon Brown, Coye Francies and DeAngelo Smith, as well as linebacker Marcus Benard, defensive linemen Brian Schaefering, Ahtyba Rubin and Ko Quaye, tight end Benjamin Watson and punter Reggie Hodges at team headquarters.
Later in the afternoon, Haden and Ward addressed the press in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center.
“I felt as though we weren’t going to miss any games,” said Haden. “I knew it was going to take a little bit of time, but we were going to have training camp and not miss any preseason or regular season games.”
“It felt really good just to get back and see everyone, see a bunch of smiles,” Ward said. “We’ve got some new blood in here and things are going to go (well) for us. It’s just really good to be back. Nobody wants to see a season without football, so we were pretty sure it was all going to get resolved.”
Once they were in the building, Ward and Haden went right to work.
“We got in and got some equipment work done, got a little workout in and talked with the trainers,” said Ward. “We just basically walked around, talked to some coaches and got reacquainted with everyone. We’re going to be here for a long time now.”
“We did the endurance drill, the conditioning test,” Haden followed. “I passed with flying colors. You already know.”
Hodges was the first player in the building. He arrived shortly before 10:00 a.m. ET and entered the building at five minutes past the top of the hour.
“We’re excited. It’s more exciting than anything else,” Hodges said. “It feels like football again. We came in, said, ‘Hey’ to the coaches. Seeing all the bags out there and stuff, it’s just a blessing to be back.”
When asked about how long it will take the Browns to get into a rhythm with new coordinators and first-year head coach Pat Shurmur, Hodges said the transition “can be really quick.”
“We’ve got a good group of guys, guys that are committed to learning and this group is committed to winning,” he said. “The players will be ready to go and I’m sure the coaches are ready to start coaching…I don’t think it will take long for us to get rolling.”
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Quote: It really excites me to see Joe Haden so active in the community, positive about Cleveland the city, and also one of the first players back in Berea.
How cool is it to see our young 2nd year secondary players Haden and Ward leading by example?
It's a helluva day in Berea people
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
Quote: When asked about how long it will take the Browns to get into a rhythm with new coordinators and first-year head coach Pat Shurmur, Hodges said the transition “can be really quick.”
umm, they might as well have asked me because I'm guessing his job isn't changing too much.
Let's hope that his job will be to punt less, and to hold on more extra points.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Quote: It really excites me to see Joe Haden so active in the community, positive about Cleveland the city, and also one of the first players back in Berea.
How cool is it to see our young 2nd year secondary players Haden and Ward leading by example?
I agree.
I told people they would love Mighty Mouse.
Good kid, good player.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
Quote: It really excites me to see Joe Haden so active in the community, positive about Cleveland the city, and also one of the first players back in Berea.
How cool is it to see our young 2nd year secondary players Haden and Ward leading by example?
I agree that's way cool.
I love the attitude the team shows these days and It's great to see our young stars lead the way
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Yeah. They thought enough of him to bring him back last year, and was active for the last 2 ... seeing a little action in the finale against Pittsburgh.
He might have a future, he might not ..... but I'm not betting either way.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Browns getting ready to go back to work. The Associated Press Posted Jul 26, 2011 @ 08:27 PM
BEREA — There was no heavy lifting, long wind sprints or hard-hitting line drills at the Cleveland Browns’ training facility Tuesday. But players were back. And a day after the lockout ended, that’s all that mattered.
Punter Reggie Hodges, defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin and defensive backs Joe Haden and T.J. Ward were there for what seemed more like freshman orientation than back-to-work day as the Browns began to look forward to the season.
“We talked with one another,” Rubin said, “because the big thing is we missed each other.”
Indeed, they all agreed that the biggest void during the NFL’s 41⁄2-month long lockout was not being around buddies.
“Working out at home, it’s good, cause you’re gonna still get the work in,” said Haden, the team’s No. 1 draft pick two years ago and now a key member of the defense. “But just being around the dudes, making sure you’re all hanging out together, going out to dinner, all that stuff. I think that was the one thing I missed the most.”
None of the Browns who came in on their own for a quick workout or to view some training films were ever worried about the NFL season being in jeopardy.
“I had no doubt,” Haden said. “I felt as though we weren’t gonna miss any games.”
And they had high praise for the players who put in the long hours to hammer out the deal.
“I just let my player reps take care of it and now I’ll be back at work again Friday,” Rubin said. “Everything is basically the same, just like any other camp.”
Ward concurred.
“We had complete faith in our team representatives and the NFLPA that they’d get it done with the owners,” he said. “No one wants to see a season without football, so I was pretty sure it was all gonna get resolved.”
The Browns, coming off a 5-11 season, need all the time they can get under new coach Pat Shurmur. He is transforming to a West Coast offense and will change the defense from a 3-4 alignment to a 4-3.
Ward is confident the defense will be ready for the season opener at home Sept. 11 against an AFC North rival, Cincinnati.
“It’s not going to be as difficult as our defense was last year,” Ward said. “We had a bunch of schemes and a bunch of techniques and calls that, I think at times, confused some guys and maybe our cohesion wasn’t there.”
The Browns did not confirm social media reports that they signed several undrafted free agents.
Kentucky wide receiver Chris Mathews tweeted that he was on his way to Cleveland. Other unofficial reports had Notre Dame linebacker Brian Smith, Missouri cornerback Carl Gettis, Tennessee State linebacker Sidney Tarver and Division II Hillsdale quarterback Troy Weatherhead headed to town.
Workers were busy getting the facility ready, trimming grass while a small group of autograph seekers mingled near the entrance to the players parking lot.
“Are they back? What’s going on?” said Jim McDonald, who stopped his car on Lou Groza Blvd., rolled down his window, and asked when his favorite team would hit the practice field.
“I’m glad they settled,” McDonald said. “I don’t care if one side or the other thinks they won, I just want to watch football again. I have season tickets and I always drive past here on the way to work just to feel like I am part of the team. I think this is the year they get back to winning.”
Indeed, football is back in Cleveland.
Browns fans are ready for camp to open despite a 10th sub-.500 season since returning to the NFL in 1999.
The Browns open a four-game preseason at home against Green Bay on Aug. 13, and will play host to the Detroit Lions six nights later before going to Philadelphia and Chicago.
With three of their first four regular-season games at Cleveland Browns Stadium, the club hopes to get off to a strong start before reaching their bye week on Oct. 9.
The second half will be daunting. Cleveland plays perennial AFC North powers Pittsburgh and Baltimore twice in the final five games, starting with a Dec. 4 home game against the Ravens.
Ward can’t wait.
“It feels really good just to get back and see everyone and see a bunch of smiles. We’ve got some new blood in here,” he said. “Things are gonna go good this year for us.
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