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How fast is too fast at OTAs?
Steve King, Staff Writer
05.22.2008

How fast is too fast when it comes to tempo in a practice where the players are sans pads, wearing only t-shirts and shorts?

And how slow is too slow?

That's the question -- an age-old one at that for all NFL teams.

Daven Holly, vying with Brandon McDonald for a job at cornerback opposite Eric Wright, suffered a knee injury on Tuesday that will require surgery. It's not been determined how long he'll be out.

Wide receiver Braylon Edwards, one of the rising talents in the league after setting team seasonal records in 2007 for touchdown catches and receiving yards, is listed as day-to-day with a hip pointer.

"Two weeks, two injuries," Browns general manager Phil Savage said in reference to the fact that starting right guard Ryan Tucker will be out until after the start of training camp with a hip injury suffered last week. "That's not good.

"But there's always that fine line. You don't want them to go too hard, but on the other hand, if they pull off, are they really practicing what you want them to do?"

When he was a rookie in 2004, Browns safety Sean Jones injured his knee when he came down awkwardly in a mini camp practice and ended up missing the entire season.

TAKING ATTENDANCE: Along with Holly, Edwards and Tucker, who is home recuperating after undergoing surgery, also missing from practice were outside linebacker Willie McGinest and tight end Kellen Winslow. Crennel said McGinest is handling "some personal issues," but did not elaborate. Winslow continues to be absent from these voluntary workouts for an unknown reason (Crennel said he has not spoken to him recently). The Browns, though, are expecting Winslow to show up June 10-12 at the full-squad mini camp, which is mandatory for all players.

HE'LL SECOND THAT NOTION: We mentioned recently how offensive guard Rex Hadnot, signed as a free agent in the offseason from the Miami Dolphins, looks like a bear of a man at 6-foot-2 and 325 pounds. Crennel agrees, saying, "He's a physical kind of player, a run-blocking kind of player. He looks like he can compete." Maybe he'll do more than that. He's starting at right guard in the absence of Tucker."

THE WILSON WATCH: Wide receiver Travis Wilson, the team's third-round draft choice in 2006, had some good catches Wednesday, one of which came on a long fade route down the left sideline. "For some guys, it just takes them a little longer to pick things up, and maybe he's just picking it up now," Crennel said. "You never close the book on a player until you absolutely have to."

CAMPER OF THE DAY: Outside linebacker Antwan Peek, after battling injuries for all of 2007 in his first season with the Browns, is now healthy. And it shows. He once again looked extremely effective in rushing the passer from the left side. If that continues, it will take a lot of pressure off -- and take most of the double-team blocking schemes away from -- right outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley. Doing that is a real key to the success of this defense since Wimbley can really affect a game with his ability to get to the quarterback.

HONORABLE MENTION: Also getting Camper of the Day consideration was another left outside linebacker, rookie Chase Ortiz from Texas Christian. He was constantly in the quarterback's face with his pass rushes.

PLAY OF THE DAY: Wilson got jammed coming off the line of scrimmage by McDonald. Quarterback Derek Anderson threw it to him anyway, but the ball was tipped into the air by the cornerback. Wide receiver Syndric Steptoe, a 2007 seventh-round draft choice who spent all of his rookie year on the practice squad, alertly jumped in to grab the rebound before being knocked to the ground.

REPEAT PERFORMANCE: McDonald and the rest of the cornerbacks were doing a good job all day of jamming the wideouts and knocking them out of their routes. That bodes well as the team tries to find a replacement for Holly.

ANOTHER RICOCHET: Wide receiver Efrem Hill had a pass bounce off his chest, and cornerback A.J. Davis nearly made a diving interception of the carom.

SIGN OF THE TIMES: Offensive line coach Steve Marshall was wearing a long-sleeved shirt on which was printed, "Know Your Help." That, of course, refers to the linemen knowing where their help is on pass blocking assignments.

TACKLING THE PROBLEM: With Tucker, who can play tackle as well as guard, out, the Browns are thin with tackle depth. To that end, Isaac Sowells, who had previously worked exclusively at guard, was getting snaps at both tackle spots.

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Crennel said McGinest is handling "some personal issues," but did not elaborate. Winslow continues to be absent from these voluntary workouts for an unknown reason (Crennel said he has not spoken to him recently).

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Geez,,, I didn't know he wasn't in camp,,, this is really big news

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CAMPER OF THE DAY: Outside linebacker Antwan Peek

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Music to my ears

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THE WILSON WATCH: Wide receiver Travis Wilson, the team's third-round draft choice in 2006, had some good catches Wednesday, one of which came on a long fade route down the left sideline.

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Wouldn't that be something if he turned out to be as good as he said he was..

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PLAY OF THE DAY: Wilson got jammed coming off the line of scrimmage by McDonald. Quarterback Derek Anderson threw it to him anyway, but the ball was tipped into the air by the cornerback.

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If we were out at camp and saw that, it would produce a bunch of Ohhs and Awws from us,,,

I know I'm not the first one to say it and will not be the last, but these OTA..etc are a bit too much! Yes, players can get hurt in practice pads in summer but getting hurt when its just shorts and t-shirts is just too much. I can agree with the team getting together and working on timing of plays, assignments...etc.. but when you have a bunch of people who are vying for a job, going 100 percent in that situation, bodies will collide and people get hurt!! What use is it to pay athletes all that money to have them get hurt in pre-pre-pre-season workouts!!

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I thought Sean Jones was going for an int. and Dennis Nothcutt took out his knees on Cutts first day back from a contract dispute.

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That's exactly what I was thinking. At that time Jones was my 2nd/3rd rated safety (tied with Bob Sanders). Northcutt took out his legs I believe on an INT. I remember that I was offly annoyed at Cutt after learning about that.


And the two injuries during camp were both on the same play, weren't they? Sounds more like a freak incident than playing "too fast"

When the thing with Holly happened, I started to wonder if other teams were getting banged and bruised up as well ... and if it wasn't just us that were snake-bitten.

I thought a good test to see if we weren't alone in this was to go over to espn.com and see if they had the story posted there.

They did of course. And I didn't see any other tag lines related to injuries for any other team.

This is a case of some bad luck ... for us ... and for Holly. Let's hope there isn't anymore on the horizon.

I don't like OTA's. I would split guys who have the team made from the rest. Guys trying to catch a coaches eye are always going to go harder then a guy who knows he has the team made.

Getting players hurt in May is stupid.

I didn't say anything about not being prepared.

I said I would split the groups as one is going to be playing harder then the other.

Somehow I think you can be prepared without having guys diving for balls in early May.

JMO, just as you have your opinion.....but then you think Minter should be on the team.

Just playing man.

I would want to be placed in the group who knows what is going on and not with a bunch of guys with little chance to make the team if they don't go 100% on every play in a meaningless practice.

You have a group of young players who feel their best chance to make the team is to make every play while the vet group is more interested in working on timing and working in to playing shape.

Two different mind sets.

Well... Holly is a starter... So he belongs in the same group.

maybe so....he's not now.

he may not even be a football player anymore.

We still have a lot of Young players competing for a roster spot...let alone a starting spot.

Tough to keep them down.

We should be able to get more n more players established as Starters that don't have to compete as in BE. Where he can concentrate on the new stuff being put it and getting his routes down along with timing with the QB. When you have a good base of players in that degree of their game - you can Ease up and it should be good.

JMHO - we still are a young team needing to establish ourselves in a lot of areas.

Sowells changing to OT reps as well as Interior....thought that would be necessary we don't have much in OT depth.

Wilson - has skills, good skills. He's in his 3rd season and should be running NFL routes by now and making NFL reads. Always had good hands. So many make reference to his Best WR in the draft claim. Although most refer to it in a cocky or boisterous reference I have observed that Wilson is very insecure. He made that claim more out of insecurity than cockiness. The only thing holding Wilson back is his Confidence! If that comes...the kid is actually going to be good. Its a wait n see thing.

Good to see Peek excelling...I will gladly eat Crow regarding to writing him off as a viable replacement to McG.