DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Who is Cam Erving on the field of play.

I watched the block against the 49er's, Erving got doubled and stood up but he went down because his left leg got trapped in front of Schwarts' right leg and he got tripped backwards. I also noticed Schwarts didn't block anyone.

edit..infact after watching again Shelton got pushed back as much as Erving he just didn't fall down, still not sure why a nose tackle is in there and not an offensive lineman.

Don't let it happen again.

LOL........that was pretty funny.

That's exactly what I saw. On some of those plays, I swear Erving disappeared for a split second and the dline that was in front of him was now behind him...with Erving still facing forward.

What a terrible pick. A backup lineman so maybe we might have depth now and a center in 2016. They could have taken a center in the third round and used that pick on a legitimate contributor.
I still think Shelton will be a player, and Manziel, too. But the Gilbert and Erving picks were first round busts. And the Manziel pick was probably Haslem's, so we can probably say Farmer blew two out of three first rounders and the third is Shelton, who has not exactly been a lock. I don't see how a GM survives that.

He definitely struggles. We were at the game yesterday and watched when he came in for Greco and most of the guys that got past the line came through via Erving. Probably not helped playing all over the line but, he needs to lift more weights because he is being manhandled.

For erving I think its an issue where he is not reacting quick enough because they have him all over the place instead of learning one job. In other words he is not up to game speed because he can't get settled in yet. Since he is reacting to slow its causing him to be out leveraged. This is why you don't carry so few offensive linemen. Long term this experience will be good for him but he will take a beating while learning.

i just can't see the guy taking over as center next year....

Mack was dinged up again. We may see Erving take over at center this year. The Oline was so overlooked in the off season. Geez

I thought he started to actually play better as yesterday's game progressed, but to piggyback off your statement - I can't see him fulfilling any positions on the oline without creating a massive hole/exploit.

He's a delicious meal for defensive linemen.

Dude, it wasn't overlooked. It's the same Oline that did well for the first half of last year and we added a first round interior OL pick to provide depth and possibly take over in the future. The fact that the guy we drafted is terrible sucks, but is completely different than it being overlooked. By all accounts, it should have been BETTER this year.

What are you saying here, mac? That his intentions were acceptable? Spending a 1st round pick on the position? Or simply just missing on the pick? I'm a touch confused...

He should have taken two Olinemen early. I wouldn't have been upset if we used our first 3 on olinemen in the draft. I said it then I'll say it again. The oline was overlooked and overrated. Mack never got back to 100% and we don't have the depth on the bench. It all begins up front and we don't have the talent or depth a NFL team needs to compete in the NFL. One great olineman doesn't cut it.

I respectfully disagree with you guys on this subject.

It's basically the same Oline we had late last year not the same as the first half of last year. Mack still isn't 100% and now dinged up again.

Nope sorry it's the same oline as we had late last year and it shows.

Erving needs to get in the weight room and badly.

Got to the game early yesterday and was at the Browns tunnel. Mack was on the field checking out the turf as it has pretty much rained heavily non-stop for the past couple weeks. When he came back thru the tunnel to the locker room Browns fans were shouting "Please don't leave Cleveland, Alex!"

He hasn't been playing to the level of his past, but give him one more year on from his injury and he will probably be there. What a shame it will be if we lose him as I too can't see Erving starting as center. Certainly not at the moment anyway.

He's not doing himself huge favors to opt out playing like like this and now hurt again. Wonder how much is motivation vs coming off an injury. Me thinks he's been hurting all along.

j/c


Cameron Erving


BEREA, Ohio – It bothers former Pro Bowl offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley to hear fans and media members labeling Cameron Erving a "bust."

The Cleveland native believes the description is inaccurate and unfair. Bentley thinks the Browns rookie offensive lineman has a "high level of talent" and defends the organization's decision to select him in the first round.

He's also witnessed the season-long struggles and some embarrassing rookie moments, leading Bentley to observe: "Technically, he has no clue what he's doing."

Erving's most important season isn't the one that begins in September, Bentley said, but the one that starts after next week's game against the Steelers ends.

"I hope he turns this thing around, but whatever he does it's going to have to be a full onslaught investment from January to the time he reports back to OTAs," Bentley told Cleveland.com. "My advice would be take two weeks off. Go to wherever you want to go to have a good time. Eat bad food, live your life, let your hair down – but after that it's time to go to work.

"If he doesn't understand that and the people around him aren't preaching that then he is being set up for failure – and you can put this on record – it's going to be much worse than it is now."


Bentley is one of several former and currently players who think Erving is facing the most pivotal offseason of his football career. Barring injury, the 23-year-old will start the final two games at right guard because of injuries to John Greco (knee) and Joel Bitonio (ankle).

The real work, however, comes over the next three months as the Florida State product looks to get stronger and more technically proficient.

Erving vows to return a better, stronger player and admits, he "played like (crap)" in two starts at left guard before getting benched.

Erving's development is one of the team's biggest offseason storylines. The Browns could lose right tackle Mitchell Schwartz and three-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack to free agency. The club drafted Erving with the idea of moving him to center if Mack, as many expect, opts out of his contract.

"You win and lose in the offseason," said Browns radio analyst and former left tackle Doug Dieken. "Cam has to win in the offseason."

Teams can no longer keep close tabs on players 12 months a year. The 2011 collective bargaining agreement forbids a position coach and strength-and-conditioning coach working year around with players such as Erving.

It's what makes off-site training facilities and niche programs such as Bentley's O-Line Performance academy in Chandler, Ariz., so important.

"Sometimes how (players) do in the fall depends on what choices they make, where they want to spend (time), who they want to train with and where they're going to be in the spring," Browns coach Mike Pettine said.

The coach said the staff already has begun talking to some players about their offseason plans.

Following his senior year, Erving elected to train at EXOS in Florida, while his Seminoles teammate Tre' Jackson – a Patriots' fourth-round pick – joined Bentley in Arizona. Jackson has started seven games this season.

Asked why Erving didn't attend his academy, Bentley said: "I won't get into that."

Technically, (Erving) has no clue what he's doing."
The former Saints and Browns offensive lineman, who's career was cut short by a nasty case of staph infection, doesn't think the Browns reached in choosing Erving with the No. 19 overall pick. He believes another team would have taken the versatile lineman in the first round.

But Bentley said Erving has physical and technical deficiencies that must be improved. Many times, he added, it comes down to the pro player's desire to commit to workouts.

"At some point you have to take ownership of your career, of your life and decide what it is you truly want to do," Bentley said. "Do you want to listen to hangers-on? That's a choice you make. Those people, unfortunately, are not on the field when you are facing (Bengals defensive tackle) Geno Atkins."

Bentley hopes Erving took note of comments made by perennial Pro Bowler Joe Thomas regarding the "science of offensive line play."

The left tackle was asked earlier in the week about the one facet Erving should focus on during the offseason. Thomas stressed footwork and technique.

"A lot of times you will see guys getting beat in the NFL in general on the offensive line because their feet are out of place," the left tackle said. "Your strength and power comes from where your feet are. I am probably one of the weakest offensive lineman in the NFL, but it doesn't matter if you have good feet and you are constantly in good position. You are using leverages. You are using angles.

" . . . Low man wins, leverage, angles. Really it is those techniques and nuances of the position that I think will be the most important for Cam to work on this offseason. That is the great part of OTAs for young guys. They have opportunities to work on that technique during a no-pads session where you don't have the fear of being physically beaten or getting your quarterback hurt like you would if you were in full pads or if it was in the middle of a game."

Erving spent spring practices and training camp learning multiple positions. He competed with Greco at right guard, but lost out to the eighth-year veteran.

Concern about Erving's development spiked at midseason when he faltered badly in a two-game starting stint in place of Bitonio. He was beaten repeatedly and memorably overpowered by the Steelers' Cam Heyward, who drove Erving backward into running back Isaiah Crowell for a 5-yard loss on Nov. 15

The Browns benched Erving in favor of journeyman Austin Pasztor. The rookie also had difficult on field-goal team duties, as several kicks were blocked on his watch. In fairness, at least two of the kicks were low.

Erving is eager to build some confidence and momentum over the final two games, starting Sunday against the Chiefs.

"I just want to get more game experience, go out there and play and use the technique I've learned," Erving said. "I just want to play the game to the best of my ability like anyone else would."

Dieken said Erving is hardly the first offensive lineman to endure a "rude awakening" in his rookie season. He pointed to the growing pains of St. Edward and Ohio State product Alex Boone, who's started the past four seasons with the Niners after working with Bentley to clean up technical and off-field issues.

"Cam was very athletic in college, but when you get to this level you cannot just get by on one thing," said Dieken, who thinks Erving must gain more upper-body strength. "You've got to develop a complete package."

Bentley believes Erving can make significant progress this offseason.

"You can call this year disappointing, but he's far from a bust," Bentley said. "There's a lot of talent there. It's about making a full investment and that's where the rubber meets the road for many of these guys."

For Erving, it starts when the season finale ends.

I thought this article sort of goes well with Cam. I remember a few bringing his name up to draft him a few years ago.


(please correct if I'm wrong)

If I remember correctly, he wasn't named the starter at the beginning of his first year then had to play b/c of a injury and ended up tearing his knee. This is his 4th year in the league and finally developed into a nice pick for them.

Like LeCharles said in the article above, it's up to Cam to become a player.







PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers were pleased to see guard David DeCastro make his first Pro Bowl, a confidence-building milestone for a former first-round draft pick.

That doesn't mean they were surprised. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger wasn't.

"We've seen it, his hard work, his tenacity, he can run block, he can pass block," Roethlisberger said. "He's very smart, technically sound and finishes every play, so I think other teams and other defensive lineman and linebackers have given him the ultimate honor."

Offensive linemen, especially guards, are often judged on the eye test. For DeCastro, his biggest impact might come in the running game, which ranked in the top 10 for much of the year while playing without Le'Veon Bell for most of it.

The Steelers like to utilize DeCastro and center Maurkice Pouncey as pulling guards in the running game. With Pouncey out, DeCastro's importance in this area amplified.

This is really like DeCastro's third NFL season after an ACL injury limited his rookie campaign to four games. The Steelers picked up DeCastro's fifth-year option worth $8.07 million in 2016. DeCastro has set himself up well for contract negotiations on a new deal before then. The Steelers want to keep their draft picks, especially quality first-rounders.

That's down the road. For now, DeCastro's taking the simpler approach: It's just good to be wanted and valued.

"It's a great honor to get that respect from your teammates and guys around the league," DeCastro said.



David DeCastro

Thanks for the articles.

DeCastro was always technically sound. In fact, at the Combine, the coaches asked DeCastro to demonstrate how to do each drill. Cam is the opposite.

People might want to read the comments by Joe and Bentley very closely.

I am not saying he is a bust. Too early for that. However, he has been disappointing and he has not lived up to where he was picked. Thus far.................it was yet another terrible pick by the King of Terrible Picks---Ray Farmer!

I liked the DeCastro pick when the steelers made it, seemed like a very solid pick. We took TRich, meh browns luck.

I think you mean Weeden. TRich was taken way too early to consider DeCastro.

Anyway, Cam has been facing all-pro's and probowlers so far. It's his rookie year. I think some people need to give him a break.

Your right, I didn't mean taking him at #3 there were better players on the board blackmon, poe, cox. Definatly would have loved him over Weeden in hindsite but blackmon would have been another classic browns flop as well, we just can't win.

Erving looked much better this week. Both guards played much better than I expected.

Erving was good, especially in the run game.

Which could open up the possibility for Erving to play RG while Greco moves to OC should Mack leave...

I'm not sure why you would move two guys' positions. Erving was best at center in college and Greco is pretty good at right guard.

True, but is Greco not our backup OC? He should be much more experienced at line calls. I'm just "thinking-out-loud" here. Memphis: what are your thoughts?

The kid hasn't even played his natural position. True, we get it, he's been disappointing. But it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that a first year rookie playing out of position is going to be the weak link up front. So please hold your Farmer hate rant on his picks and with Cam until he plays a couple games as center. And really the Oline has been playing decent lately with him in there. You know? As a teammate who is helping out the team, he's playing backup out of position doing what he can.

IMO Cam's strength and abilities as a rookie shines a glaring light on how good JT, and Mack are and shouldn't be viewed as another terrible draft pick or a failure.

If Greco is, he shouldn't be. Cam is Mack's replacement.

I agree with cfrs. I don't agree with moving Greco over to Center if Mack leaves. When Mack went down, I thought Greco struggled from what I remember and Erving was one of the best Centers in college. I'd put Erving at the position he was drafted for and keep Greco at RG.

Erving rebounded nicely after of couple of poor performances. Hope he continues to trend upwards. If Mack stays (unlikely) he'll need to unseat Greco, which I think should be the easiest person to do that against on this offensive line. Thomas, Bitonio, Schwartz & Mack (if the latter two stay) won't be unseated.

If Erving can't do that...it's a wasted pick.

I think him almost dying under the Browns' care is a contributing factor.

Not so sure there is bad blood. Bentley never played a single down in regulation for us. That may have an adverse effect on our FO and fans. And yes I'd be good with that, he does have the tools to be an OL Coach I agree.

Thanks for your input, Memphis. Much appreciated...