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Browns have interesting backup battles on depth chart



BY STEVE DOERSCHUK
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

ON THE WEB Read more about the Browns at Steve Doerschuk's blog

Preseason Jets at Browns

Thursday, 7:30

Cleveland Browns Stadium

TV WKYC, Channel 3

BEREA If you want to have any fun at all with the first Browns depth chart, you have to go deep.

NFL teams wouldn't publish a depth chart if they didn't have to, but the league says they must, starting the week of the first preseason game. That time has come for Cleveland, with the Jets flying in Thursday.

There are no surprises on the first string. What fun there is in dissecting how the Browns arranged the second , third and fourth strings.

A look at some of the notable positions:

WIDE RECEIVER

Joshua Cribbs is listed at No. 2 behind Donté Stallworth. Kevin Kasper is No. 2 behind Braylon Edwards.

The No. 3s are Travis Wilson and Syndric Steptoe. The No. 4s are Efrem Hill and Steve Sanders.

The team will keep five or six wideouts. Where does that leave rookie Round 6 pick Paul Hubbard? Practice squad most likely.

Nobody should make a waiver claim on the tall, athletic Hubbard, who caught only 53 passes in four years at Wisconsin.

The big question: Who will be the No. 3 wide receiver?

Kasper is a 30-year-old mystery man who always gets invited to a team but never cracks the lineup.

"Kasper isn't a burner, but he has that deceptive speed," defensive back Mike Adams said Monday. "He runs routes very well.

As a slot receiver, he's actually harder to cover than somebody who's real fast."

LEFT TACKLE

Someone named James Lee is listed as the only backup to super Joe Thomas.

Lee was good enough to sign with Georgia, but disappeared to South Carolina State.

He has looked athletic in camp, but expect him on the practice squad.

The key to the chemistry of the offensive line is Ryan Tucker returning from a broken hip.

If Tucker comes back and something happens to Thomas, right tackle Kevin Shaffer will move back to the left side, where he started in 2006. Tucker would return to his former spot, right tackle. Third-year pro Isaac Sowells likely would become the No. 3 tackle.

If Thomas stays healthy, Tucker projects as the No. 1 right guard, though Rex Hadnot, Seth McKinney, Lennie Friedman and Sowells are available.

NOSE TACKLE

Shaun Rogers and Shaun Smith are listed as co-starters.

How can Rogers, one of the most talented defensive linemen the Browns have ever had, be a co-starter?

Head Coach Romeo Crennel likely didn't want to show disrespect to Robaire Smith or Shaun Smith, who as first-year Browns in 2007 were the team's best defensive linemen.

By listing Corey Williams at left end, Robaire Smith at right end and Rogers and Shaun Smith at nose, everybody gets a piece of the publicity pie. They figure to move around and form a strong rotation.

Depth is an issue. Chase Pittman and Melila Purcell, late-round draft picks last year, are listed as No. 2 ends. Louis Leonard, ahead of both Pittman and Purcell last year, isn't having a great camp.

TIGHT END

Rookie Martin Rucker was a draft-day star, seen as a possible Round 4 steal coming off an 84-catch year at Missouri. He is fifth on the depth chart behind Kellen Winslow Jr., Steve Heiden, Darnell Dinkins and Brad Cieslak. Cieslak, a Buffalo Bill the the last three seasons, has been a regular target of Brady Quinn in camp drills.

Cieslak can block circles around Rucker at this point.

"Brad is smart, and he can kind of do it all, so that increases his value," Crennel said.

Dinkins has ties to GM Phil Savage with the Ravens, and Crennel likes his toughness. This position will be one of the tougher cuts.

OTHER POSITIONS

• Top backups at cornerback are Terry Cousin and Jereme Perry, but backup safety Mike Adams is making a strong bid to be the No. 3 corner. Cousin, 33, had 65 tackles in 16 games for the Jaguars last year. It remains likely another corner will be brought in. Adams could compete with Cousin for the No. 4 cornerback job.

• It is no surprise that this year's top draft pick, Beau Bell, is listed behind starter Andra Davis and Leon Williams at one inside linebacker spot. It is a mild surprise that free agent Shantee Orr is listed behind starter D'Qwell Jackson and Kris Griffin at the other inside backer position. Orr is a veteran of 51 games and 25 starts with the Texans, but he is on the bubble.

• The strong safety pecking order is Sean Jones, Nick Sorensen and Gary Baxter. That doesn't bode well for Baxter's comeback. Sorensen is in his eighth NFL season. If he plays in every game this regular season, he'll reach the 100 mark for his career.

Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com

CLEVELAND BROWNS' FIRST DEPTH CHART

Offense

Quarterback Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Ken Dorsey

Running back Jamal Lewis, Jason Wright, Jerome Harrison

Fullback Lawrence Vickers, Charles Ali

Wide receiver Braylon Edwards, Kevin Kasper

Wide receiver Donté Stallworth, Joshua Cribbs, Travis Wilson

Tight end Kellen Winslow, Steve Heiden, Darnell Dinkins

Left tackle Joe Thomas, Cliff Louis

Left guard Eric Steinbach, Lennie Friedman

Center Henry Fraley, Marvin Philip

Right guard Rex Hadnot, Seth McKinney

Right tackle Kevin Shaffer, Ryan Tucker

Defense

Left defensive end Corey Williams, Shaun Smith, Louis Leonard

Nose tackle Shaun Rogers, Louis Leonard

Right defensive end Robaire Smith, Melila Purcell

Left outside linebacker William McGinest, Antwan Peek

Left inside linebacker Andra Davis, Leon Williams

Right inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, Beau Bell

Right outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, Shantee Orr

Right cornerback Brandon McDonald, A.J. Davis

Left cornerback Eric Wright, Terry Cousin, Jereme Perry

Strong safety Sean Jones, Nick Sorensen

Free safety Brodney Pool, Mike Adams

Special teams

Kicker Phil Dawson

Punter Dave Zastudil

Punt returner Joshua Cribbs, Brandon McDonald

Kick returner Joshua Cribbs, Jerome Harrison

Holder David Zastudil

Long snapper Ryan Pontbriand, Steve Heiden

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Marvin Philip backing up Fraley? I never knew Marvin was a center. There are a lot of rankings here to discuss and remember this is very early in season.

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Ever since Baxter started missing some practices with the knee soreness, I've had a sinking feeling that he's just not going to make it. I want him to in the worst way, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen.

I like Baxter, I respect and applaud his hard work, his heart and what he's accomplished tring to come back, but he wont make it, Baxter is a class guy a great person and hopefully the Browns will find a place for him to work and stay with the organization. but his playing days are over.

I hate to say it, but I feel you're right, Clay.

Baxter earned a ton of respect in my book for his hard work and dedication. He never made a peep or complained about what happened. He just worked his butt off and tried his best. You can't do anything but respect a guy for that.

But I just don't think he's going to ever play football at the NFL level again. I would love to see us keep him on board as a secondary coach or something. Let him impart his experiences to our guys and feel like part of the team.

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Joshua Cribbs is listed at No. 2 behind Donté Stallworth. Kevin Kasper is No. 2 behind Braylon Edwards.

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I'm a little surprised there. Besides the special packages and gimmicks, what I've seen of Wilson looks more promising than Cribbs.

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Rookie Martin Rucker was a draft-day star, seen as a possible Round 4 steal coming off an 84-catch year at Missouri. He is fifth on the depth chart behind Kellen Winslow Jr., Steve Heiden, Darnell Dinkins and Brad Cieslak. Cieslak, a Buffalo Bill the the last three seasons, has been a regular target of Brady Quinn in camp drills.

Cieslak can block circles around Rucker at this point.

"Brad is smart, and he can kind of do it all, so that increases his value," Crennel said.

Dinkins has ties to GM Phil Savage with the Ravens, and Crennel likes his toughness. This position will be one of the tougher cuts.

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I personally would rather see Dinkins get cut. He's one dimensional- a blocker. He put the ball on the ground in the scrimmage, and I've seen him do it last year as well, and he barely touched the ball. If you're looking for a blocker, Cieslak sounds like he can do the job, and if Heiden is healthy, he's not bad either. And I like Heiden as a receiver, too. (though he ain't K2). Heiden is more of your traditional TE. Bigger guy, doesn't have blazing speed, does some blocking. He's a well-rounded TE. Hope he gets healthy and stays healthy. If that's the case, we can get away with having K2, Heiden and Rucker.

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I'm a little surprised there. Besides the special packages and gimmicks, what I've seen of Wilson looks more promising than Cribbs.

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Given what RAC has said about Wilson's attitude previous to this year, it could be as simple as just keeping the kid focused and hungry.
Don't give him anything to quickly at this point, keep him charging along and working hard until it becomes habit.

RAC has been very supportive of Wilson which is a good sign. I wouldn't get to caught up in the depth chart just yet, we haven't even got through our 1st round of cuts yet.

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To that end, I think I either read or heard something to the effect that he has been very helpful in the film rooms with the young guys. Maybe he does have a future as a coach.

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It was in an article that was posted on the main site and he was referred to often by several Safeties and DBs as being the "teacher" kinda player.

Unfortunately, I guess I have to agree now, it doesn't look all that good for his return.. I'm very sorry to hear that. He's a class act.

True, but I'm anxious to see what he does with the ones. Guess we might have to wait another game. Then again, I'm a little to see if Kasper is all practice and no game, you know?

Just wondering where he got this depth chart.. I was just on the browns site and it's not there?

Word has it that Dinkins has been catching everything thrown at him in camp so far. But of course if he makes the team it will be primarily as a blocking tight end and a special teamer - where he has done a very good job at so far with Cleveland. I expect us to keep 4 TEs with Dinkins making the team. If we only keep 3 then it will be KW2, Heiden, and Rucker. The article makes the point that Rucker can't block like the bubble tight ends....but he's not here to block, he's here to catch and create mismatches.

Kasper has hearing problemns!.....He hears foot step's and his arm's get shorter!

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Word has it that Dinkins has been catching everything thrown at him in camp so far.

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He caught a nice one Friday Night and the let it get stripped away. I doubt they look favorably on that.

yeah, but like I said, Dinkins' role on this team has never been as much of an option in the passing game. He's a blocker and special teamer.

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Browns have interesting backup battles on depth chart

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Gatski,, that link took me to the Canton paper.. not any OFFICIAL Browns site that listed the official depth chart...

So I repeat my question, where did he get his info..

the official site has a completely separate media section.... I'm willing to lay odds that the media folks with a valid media login have access to copies of things that aren't constantly published to the website.


The website likely won't get updated until the final cutdown and the regular season roster is set.

i'm a little concerned about how our special teams will perform this year with CT gone and Dinkins likely gone... it's a good thing we've still got friedman and Ali b/c we're really running thin on good special teams blockers. i don' think we can rely on any of our LBs this year as blockers... Jackson is prob the best of the bunch and i wouldn't be surprised if they don't even play him on KR. either way, Cribbs could have another really good year and se his KR yardage go down 4 yds/return or so.