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NFL Insider: Snap impressions from the first full Mangini minicamp for the Cleveland Browns
by Tony Grossi/Plain Dealer Reporter
Saturday May 23, 2009


BEREA, Ohio -- Some observations from one day at Browns minicamp ...
• It's loud. Coach Eric Mangini has the music cranked up. Mangini, 38, was raised under Bill Belichick on Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen. So those artists are featured prominently in his sound mix. But he's got a diverse group to cater to -- players come from every social group -- so there is country, hip hop and rap played, too. What do the Polynesians listen to? There were glitches in the sound system that have to be corrected. But it's very evident that the injection of youth in the coaching staff will result in a livelier camp.


• Defensive line coach Bryan Cox is the most vocal assistant coach on the field.

• Jamal Lewis spent a lot of time with a trainer, pulling a sled as he rehabs back from off-season ankle surgery. He said, "I just do what the trainers ask me to do, follow the protocol the doctors gave me. I'm feeling good and moving good and just ready to get back out there." When will that be? "I'm not sure," he said. Lewis turns 30 on Aug. 26. The backups are Jerome Harrison and rookie James Davis.



• They're organized. This was obvious on the first day of rookie minicamp. With the veterans now in, the entire practice session runs crisply and smoothly. Very little standing around and wasteful time on the field. If the players don't know where to go, they are hollered at promptly to get to the right place.

• The Browns' defensive huddle was often led by energetic assistant coach Bryan Cox, a long-time linebacker in the NFL.
• Davis comes from the same Atlanta neighborhood as Lewis and attended the same Douglass High School. "He's a hard-working player," Lewis said of Davis. "I kind of followed him over the years. He's a hard runner, a big back. He's a prototype running back. I look for good things from him." For the record, Lewis and Davis are both listed at 5-11, but Lewis, at 245 pounds, is 30 pounds heavier.
• It's way too early to say who's the No. 2 receiver behind Braylon Edwards. But Brian Robiskie didn't hurt his chances with two TD catches from Brady Quinn in red-zone drills. Robiskie dived to make one in the left corner and caught another underneath coverage inside the goal line. Yes, Robiskie looks as polished as advertised.

• When the No. 1 offensive unit lined up, Rex Hadnot was at left guard and not Eric Steinbach. What to make of that? It's no secret that Mangini wants to beef up the line and the wiry Steinbach doesn't fit that mold. The coaches are just experimenting at this point. The rest of the line had Joe Thomas at left tackle, Hank Fraley at center, Floyd Womack at right guard and Ryan Tucker at right tackle. Who knows how long it will be before first-round pick Alex Mack moves ahead of Fraley, but it's surely not going to be the third day of minicamp. Thomas, incidentally, had to run a lap around the practice field after false-starting on one play.

• Second-year linebacker Alex Hall was on the No. 1 unit at strongside linebacker (Willie McGinest's old spot). It was a bit of a surprise to see Hall, now wearing No. 51, ahead of David Bowens. Eric Barton and D'Qwell Jackson will be stalwarts at inside linebacker. Weakside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley also saw some plays on the other (left) side. The old coaching staff adamantly refused to move Wimbley around in an effort to unlock his pass-rush potential. If Mangini is anything like Belichick -- and we know that he is -- he will be much more open to trying Wimbley, and others, at different spots.

• It's possible two ex-Jets will man the starting end spots in the 3-4 alignment. Those would be Kenyon Coleman at left end and C.J. Mosley at right end, with Shaun Rogers in the middle. Holdover ends Corey Williams and Robaire Smith are coming off injuries and were not in the mix on Thursday. Tough to say what Shaun Smith's future is with the new regime. According to sources, Smith was told in his meeting with the coaches to "Shape up and shut up."

• Abram Elam and Brodney Pool were the No. 1 safeties. Elam, the former Kent Stater, said in his most recent blog posting at abeelam.com that he intends to attend some KSU games this year. At the end of Elam's postings is this signoff: "Abram Elam is a starting safety with the Cleveland Browns."

Mangini's the man: A few players who made the interview rounds on Thursday left no doubt who's in charge.

Asked about the trade of Kellen Winslow, Edwards said, "Coach Mangini is the head guy. He's made decisions based on what he thinks is going to get us back on the right track and moving forward in the 2009 season. By him making that decision and having the draft he had and picking up some players that he has, I'm sure he has a plan. I'll stick by him right now. That's my coach and that's who I'm going to play for and who I support."

Asked about a timeline for naming a starting quarterback, Quinn said, "I just take my directions from coach Mangini. Whatever he says, goes."

Quick outs: Video director Pat Dolan has left the Browns for another job. ... Jim Brown, executive advisor, continues to have a presence with the club under the new regime. He attended minicamp.

Deja vu: Yes, the Browns did have a lot of interest in Cleveland State basketball player J'Nathan Bullock, said agent Andy Simms. Bullock signed with the New York Jets after the draft because Simms foresaw a better opportunity there. The Jets had only one tight end under contract at the time.

Bullock, 6-3 1/2 and 240 pounds, is trying to follow the path of former Kent State basketball star Antonio Gates, who went on to be a Pro Bowl tight end with San Diego. Gates is 6-4 and 260. Bullock hasn't played football since the fall of 2004, but reportedly was impressive at rookie camp earlier this month.

Like Bullock, the Browns let Gates escape them in 2003. Coincidentally, Steve Hagen was the Browns tight end coach then and now. It's not his fault.

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Tough to say what Shaun Smith's future is with the new regime. According to sources, Smith was told in his meeting with the coaches to "Shape up and shut up."

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Now that's what I'm talking about.

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I wonder if there really was a country club atmosphere under Romeo....

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Robiskie looks as polished as advertised
excellent, but that was never the knock on him- the fear is he as already peaked and what you see is what you get.

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I can't believe a guy just out of college has already maxed out his talent, so IMO Robiskie still has some growth in him.

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I can't believe a guy just out of college has already maxed out his talent, so IMO Robiskie still has some growth in him.

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I'm betting your right on that Lamp.. but if not,, how bad is it to have a 3rd down guy that isn't afraid of the middle, catchs what is thrown, runs precise routes and finds the End Zone? How bad can it be if that's all we ever see out of the guy

I guess the flip side of that is that College stars don't always have talent that translates into the pros... So maybe that's what they mean when they say he's a finished product and won't improve... I ain't buying it, but that may be what they mean

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Mangini, 38, was raised under Bill Belichick on Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen. So those artists are featured prominently in his sound mix.

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When the No. 1 offensive unit lined up, Rex Hadnot was at left guard and not Eric Steinbach. What to make of that? It's no secret that Mangini wants to beef up the line and the wiry Steinbach doesn't fit that mold. The coaches are just experimenting at this point.

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Smith was told in his meeting with the coaches to "Shape up and shut up."

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Tough to say what Shaun Smith's future is with the new regime. According to sources, Smith was told in his meeting with the coaches to "Shape up and shut up."

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Now that's what I'm talking about.

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Robiskie looks as polished as advertised
excellent, but that was never the knock on him- the fear is he as already peaked and what you see is what you get.

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By him making that decision and having the draft he had and picking up some players that he has, I'm sure he has a plan. I'll stick by him right now. That's my coach and that's who I'm going to play for and who I support."

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We might franchise him. He might want to stay after all, who knows?
I doubt it, but he might.

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Tough to say what Shaun Smith's future is with the new regime. According to sources, Smith was told in his meeting with the coaches to "Shape up and shut up."

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Now that's what I'm talking about.

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Lewis maybe it was the ankle injury but he had no first step. I have a hard time trusting a 30 year old back that seemed to hit the running back wall for the 2nd time.

Harrison its time for him to shine.

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Eric Barton will have a tough time beating out Bell, Veikune or even Leon Williams. I think our opening day linebackers will be Wimbley, Jackson, Veikune and Hall.

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I think the thing is that he isn't overly athletic.

I think he is close to fulfilling his potential, but that isn't a bad thing. All that is being said is that he most likely won't be an elite wide receiver. He will be a sthat npretty mucvh sumd iup olid player, but there is nothing wrong with that.

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that pretty much sums up a Fred Beletnikoff oe a Brian Brennan.

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like what I've heard about Veikune, but I also am interested to see what Beau Bell can do. He's an ILB and was our top pick last year,

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