DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Training Camp Log: Day 1- Mary Kay Cabot

TRAINING CAMP LOG: DAY 1

Saturday, July 28, 2007

What happened: About 2,000 fans turned out for the first day of camp, a brief practice in shorts and no pads. The anticipated return of center LeCharles Bentley did not materialize. He underwent an MRI test, but he will work out largely on his own here with his trainer from Arizona for the next four weeks. At that time, he'll try to pass the Browns' physical. . . . Kellen Winslow Jr. was activated off the physically unable to per form list and made a dramatic entrance. One of the last players to step onto the practice field, he trotted all the way downfield to a chorus of cheers to join his teammates.

Leg up: Coach Romeo Crennel said Charlie Frye leads the quarterback competition -- and he took the first-team reps Friday.

Asked about Brady Quinn's holdout, Frye said, "You can say what you want, but I remember when I was a rookie and how hard it was to pick up an offense, but I can't really speak for him. I'm just glad I'm here and I'm working hard with my teammates."

Frye donates: After practice, Frye presented a $50,000 check to Team Focus, a nonprofit organization that provides fatherless boys with role models and positive influences. Frye has been a part of the organization for more than five years.

Quotable: An exchange between Crennel and a reporter during the news conference:

Reporter: "Why did you refer to Brady Quinn as the quarterback?' "

Crennel: "That's what he is, isn't he?"

Reporter: "But you call all the other players by name."

Crennel: "They're here, aren't they?"

Injury report: DB DeMario Minter (foot) wore a boot and did not practice. . . . DB Gary Baxter (knees) didn't practice, but is expected back Monday. . . . Bentley (knee) is on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list.

Today's schedule: Two practices, 8:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. For updates, call 1-877-6-BROWNS.

-- Mary Kay Cabot

and now the war begins,...LOL RAC cracks me up,,,

That man does NOT like holdouts... His responses remind me of what Parcells might say.

Camp opens with usual optimism
Saturday, July 28, 2007

Skies above the Browns training complex started to break. A mostly cloudy afternoon on the first day of training camp turned partly sunny.

At 3:48 p.m., roughly 15 minutes after his teammates took the field, tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. jogged through the doors that lead from the locker room to the fields.

These are the fields that will determine the fate of the Cleveland Browns. These same fields determined the fate of the last year’s team when free-agent offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley fought the air, and the air won. The air in Berea has a better winning percentage than Head Coach Romeo Crennel.

Bentley tore up his knee during last season’s training camp.

But this year, the sun lit up the Browns’ brightest star.

And hey, it was no small wonder. Winslow started Friday on the physically unable to perform list, then participated in the first practice, which was more of a glorified team meeting.

Cleveland, which has won 14 games during the last three years combined, is among the NFL leaders in training camp attendance. At least 2,000 people were on hand during a work day to cheer their team, winners all of four times a year ago.

Winslow jogged onto the field to a standing ovation. It was a sign that optimism reigns supreme across every NFL camp on the first day.

Or it’s a sign these Browns fans thirst that much for something to cheer.

Mercurial receiver Braylon Edwards caught a pass.

Another loud roar.

Yes, this is the desert of ovations. When a receiver catches a pass and doesn’t pull up limp, it’s like finding a pond in the Mojave.

While the Cleveland Indians re-aquired Kenny Lofton on Friday, the Browns made a bigger splash. What did they get?

No injuries.

Of course, Bentley didn’t blow out the patellar tendon in his knee on the first day of last year’s training camp. He did it on the first day of contact.

By the way, that’s today.

But for teams like the Browns, the first day of camp usually is the best day of the season. It only gets worse from here.

“No,” Crennel said, “the draft was the best day of the football season in terms of optimism.”

He laughed.

But he was serious, too.

“There was a lot of optimism following the draft,” Crennel said. “You know, in the offseason, everybody looks good in shorts. It’s always optimistic before training camp, because you know you got your guys back ... and you’re ready to do some football work.”

Near the end of the practice, Cleveland’s offense worked on protection breakdowns. You know, the staple of the playbook a year ago.

Optimistically speaking, quarterbacks Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson found an open receiver every time the fake protection broke down.

Again, this was against air.

There was genuine optimism, too. Cleveland’s No. 3 overall pick, Joe Thomas, the 315-pound blind-side protector of a nameless quarterback, signed his contract at about 1 a.m. Friday. He was on the field.

Cleveland’s second-round pick, cornerback Eric Wright, signed his contract and ... missed practice.

Let’s get this straight. Wright signed for a reported $1.5 million guaranteed, and he was late for work his first day? Crennel said Wright had transportation issues getting to Cleveland from the West Coast.

He’ll try to knock away a few Frye passes today during the first two-a-day. Frye, though, seemed pretty peppy for a guy fighting for his starting job.

With all the optimism Friday, it was almost not noticeable that Brady Quinn, the team’s other first-round pick and the guy Crennel referred to as only “the quarterback,” remained unsigned.

Why the bright outlook from Frye?

“The first day of training camp is like Christmas for us,” Frye said. “We’re undefeated right now.”

And winless.

Not that anybody noticed Friday.

Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: todd.porter@cantonrep.com

Sometimes I think Romeo is a goof.

hahaha..."the quarterback".

I love it.

lol @ Damon...

yea.. i was watching that vid and i started rolling..

RAC can be pretty funny when he wants to be...

MAN im so happy we got something to talk about again... FOOTBALL ... u gotta love it!!

Why is he a good Peen....

They are showing a Romeo snippet of his press conference on ESPN !!!! i can't believe how much press the Browns are getting just b/c of Quinn...

LMAO...

"I work hard.. i hope the Steelers take notice"

hhahahaahaha.. that clip is funny..

This is the Pure Football forum......ya know?

The one thing about this article that I noticed right away is thus far all we've heard about the QB's is how good Anderson looked and that he has a leg up on the competition.

First day of training camp and Frye starts with the first team and Romeo says he has the leg up on the competition. This goes to show all the crap you hear from the media up to this point is really just them blowing smoke.

Vette,, I don't think you can get much more than about 3000 in that place the way it's set up... It was crowded with 2000. There were virtually no bleacher seats left and the rest of us were just standing and moving around the field..

I read something this morning about JT starting at LT and Shaffer at RT in this mornings practice. Just as expected....

No surprise at all with Shaffer at RT.

Yeah, I just saw it on OBR's live blog from practice ... Thomas is at LT, Schaffer is at RT. That didn't take long ...

Thomas Needed To Be Put There Immediatly, and Im Glad They Did It!!

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I read something this morning about JT starting at LT and Shaffer at RT in this mornings practice. Just as expected....

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Great,,, but keep in mind, that didn't appear to be the case yesterday... Today is a different day, maybe they saw enough yesterday to give the rook a shot over on the Left... That would be a very very good sign don't you think?

Do you think moving to right tackle could be the best thing for Shaffer even without the addition of JT? I mean in Atlanta he protected Vicks front side since he was left handed. Do you think movin him to the right side to protect our QBs right side would make a difference in the way he performs?

Shaffer is a strongside tackle. He's used to playing next to the TE, not on an island like he was last year.

He's never played RT at least that has been said over n over by Savage and RAC - would you know what he played in College btw? But both have stated that we have to see if he can make the transition.

Lefty QB or not is the transition from left leg, left arm, left step to right leg, arm n step.
Can he make the adjustment...also will he be able to handle the Bigger and still fast DEs on the traditional defensive strongside? These are all questions that need to be answered. All that means is that he had a Chip Blocker in Atlanta.

One thing I didn't like with him on the OL with Vick is that so many Defenses had strategies of keeping Vick in the pocket and not to put too much pressure more so to contain in the pocket and make him beat you from there. This gave Shaffer a free ride in many games. I just was not impressed by him last year - and apparantly neither were our coaches/GM.

JMHO - depth is good but another first day pick in 08 is better

I think he was OG/OT in college, but I don't know for sure.

The idea is the movements and steps are in reverse, but he understands how to play that strongside blocker, and next to the TE. I mean, it's all just a guess and a prediction. I personally think he can pull it off, but I wouldn't start him over Tucker. I actually think that Shaffer could a dominant RG.

"I actually think that Shaffer could a dominant RG."

From his play from last year RG looked to be the only spot that he could pull off. But this is why I think he is on the trading block (seriously). Savage in his presser when asked about Shaffer playing RG - he stated emphatically "NO!" Shaffer is an OT - he will not play OG. Of course OT has much more trade power than a OG.

JMHO

I think that the power he would be well suited to RG. He could be a very good in line blocker who pushes the pile in the run game. Plus there he wouldn't have to do much pulling or shifting. He almost likely will never play there, but oh well.

Linkadocious

More training camp info from the Dispatch beat guy that covers the Browns:

July 28, 2007
Training camp notes 7/28
-The Browns pulled a team-wide prank on rookie second-round pick Eric Wright, who missed the opening practice Friday due to a delayed flight. The team lined up to run laps, but when the whistle blew everyone stood still but Wright, who completed the lap by himself.

-Cornerback Leigh Bodden looks in great shape now that he’s healthy again. He stuck to receivers Braylon Edwards and Tim Carter on several occasions during team drills. Last year Bodden had an injury-plague year with foot and ankle injuries.

-Derek Anderson followed up a solid day of practice Friday with a bad morning practice. Anderson, who had trouble reading defenses last year, looked indecisive at times and threw the only interception of practice to safety Brodney Pool.

-Jamal Lewis had several good runs where he hit the hole and went to the goal line untouched.

-Veteran center Hank Fraley had rookie free-agent Cliff Louis carry his pads after practice. Lewis, who is huge at 6-foot-8, 300 pounds, didn’t look too happy about it.

-Linebacker Leon Williams is flashing early this year. He put on the hit of the day by blowing up running back Jason Wright, stopping him in his tracks.

-Second-year receiver Travis Wilson had a pass go through his hands in receiver drills when someone yelled, “Do you drop your paycheck like that?’’

-jwalker@dispatch.com


Posted by James Walker on July 28, 2007 12:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 27, 2007
Good for Kellen Winslow
The player that received the loudest ovation during the first day of training camp may surprise you.

It was tight end Kellen Winslow Jr.

Yes, the former public enemy No. 1 in Cleveland. The player many felt was too immature and wanted out of town when he made the mistake of riding a motorcycle and suffering multiple injures that kept him out the 2005 season.

Two summers later, Winslow took the practice field and hundreds of fans showed their appreciation. Many, in fact, gave him a standing ovation.

Winslow’s turnaround in public perception is good to see. He’s earned it by producing on the field (89 catches, 875 yards) and staying out of trouble off it.

In addition, Winslow played hurt for nearly half the season and remained productive. After major off-season knee surgery, no one expected him be ready for the start of camp. Yet there he was.

In a blue-collar town like Cleveland, toughness is just as important as talent.

Winslow has both, making him the unexpected fan favorite.

jwalker@dispatch.com

Posted by James Walker on July 27, 2007 8:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 26, 2007

Second-year receiver Travis Wilson had a pass go through his hands in receiver drills when someone yelled, “Do you drop your paycheck like that?’’




now that is funny!!!!

The only thing I noticed was that it took less effort for Anderson to throw than it did for Frye or Dorsey.

Yeah, there were some pretty funny things this morning. Parents fighting over line sports in order to get autographs, and some hecklers yelling, "Dawson must go"!!

I was pretty impressed with most of the guys today. And it was ecspecially exciting to see Barclay for the first time to see what this kid was all about. From the make of it, they did some punt return drills toward the end of the practice.

Made the trip up from Columbus today, I may go again next weekend. BTW what is the deal with these autograph tickets? How do I obtain one?

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-Derek Anderson followed up a solid day of practice Friday with a bad morning practice. Anderson, who had trouble reading defenses last year, looked indecisive at times and threw the only interception of practice to safety Brodney Pool.

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This is typical Derek Anderson. I won't be surprised if he doesn't even make the team. I don't think he'll win the starting job and Dorsey is more valuable in other areas.

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-Jamal Lewis had several good runs where he hit the hole and went to the goal line untouched.

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Is this a good sign about Lewis or a bad sign about our D-line. Right now I'm going with the glass is half full and It's a positive for Lewis.

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Savage in his presser when asked about Shaffer playing RG - he stated emphatically "NO!" Shaffer is an OT - he will not play OG. Of course OT has much more trade power than a OG.

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All the way back durning the FA period I heard Savage say in an interview on WTAM that Shaffer is NOT a guard. He seemed emphatic about it then just as he does now.

Also, there have been some on here who know more about talent evaluation than I do say that Shaffer lacks power for such a big man. On the right side I believe that would be a liability if it's true.

I find it funny how they discuss how DA looked shaky, but failed to mention that Frye looked sharp and completed the "play of the day" as that OBR guy put it.

Mary Kay sure sounded negative. Sometimes I feel these reporters are more worried about their opinions or what many readers might think is their opinion that they can't look at anything objectively. I studied journalism, and frankly IMO most reporters now days are more commentators than journalists. That includes sports reporters and the national media. Oh well, we do live in a "me first" society unfortunately.

Dorsey baby!!!

Go Canes!!!