DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Steptoe down for the season.

Agent points to Mangini for WR's injuryComment Email Print Share ESPN.com news services

Cleveland Browns reserve receiver Syndric Steptoe will miss the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder, and his agent says coach Eric Mangini's decision-making is to blame, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported.



Steptoe

The third-year veteran sustained the injury during Saturday's practice.

Agent Jerome Stanley said a last-minute change of plans from walk-through drills, which the players had expected, to a full-speed practice in heavy rain was the root of the injury.

"The coaches should more carefully weigh the risk of injury in practice decisions,'' Stanley said, according to the Plain Dealer. "My understanding is that the team was on the field for a walk-through the day before the scrimmage. The walk-through turned into a full practice in a driving rain."

The newspaper said Steptoe, the Browns seventh-round pick in 2007 who started five of 16 games last season, was carted off clutching his shoulder, though the specifics of how he was injured were unclear.


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Saturday's practice consisted of no-contact drills in shorts and jerseys with no pads and no live tackling.

"Obviously, hindsight gives one a different perspective," Stanley said. "But if the practice had stayed a walk-through, Syndric wouldn't be preparing for season-ending surgery right now. The decision produced a bad result for the kid and the team.''

The Browns aren't confirming or commenting on injuries in training camp, the report said.

Steptoe had been practicing as a backup wideout and a kick returner.

Mangini, who ended the practice 20 minutes early because of the rain, was not available for comment, the report said.


I didnt see this anywhere but looks as if Steptoe is out all year.

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID for the agent calling out the coach! What a dumb move. Either Steptoe will never see a second contract by the Browns with him as the agent or this agent will be fired by Steptoe if he doesn't want to permanently lose a shot with this team.

People get hurt and it sucks. I haven't heard an agent blaming a coach for quite some time and maybe there is a reason for that...they know not to cross the coach to player line. You can't play that what if game unless the injury is a result of horseplay.

Two injuries for the season. Since 1991 it's been a bad time of year. Days without bad news as a Browns fan counter placed back at 0.

I can't say that I'm happy that Hadnot and Steptoe went down...

...but if that's all that happens before week one, I'm ecstatic.

Quote:

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Agent Jerome Stanley said a last-minute change of plans from walk-through drills, which the players had expected, to a full-speed practice in heavy rain was the root of the injury.

"The coaches should more carefully weigh the risk of injury in practice decisions,'' Stanley said, according to the Plain Dealer. "My understanding is that the team was on the field for a walk-through the day before the scrimmage. The walk-through turned into a full practice in a driving rain."

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Tweet-- Football is played in the rain.

This agent is an idiot!!!! It's football man!! Gimme a break!

Whatever reputation this agent had, he just lost it,

Here's your sign.........

Does this agent have no knowledge of the 1st day of TC in 2006 and LeCharles Bentley? Is that any more proof that injuries can happen at anytime?

FYI, injuries only happen in the rain and when you were expecting to have an easy practice but you're actually expected to perform your job. So, yes, it's all Mangini's fault. It's also his fault that Stallworth killed that guy.

Quote:

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Agent Jerome Stanley said a last-minute change of plans from walk-through drills, which the players had expected, to a full-speed practice in heavy rain was the root of the injury.

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What,, aren't there something like 80 guys in camp.. none of them got hurt, his client did.. Now I'm sorry steptoe was injured, I don't wish that on anyone,, but gees, how can he say a change like that was responsible...

What a nutbag.....

I agree with the agent. The browns shouldn't practice in the rain. Somebody might slip.

They shouldn't play in the cold. They might get frostbite.

They shouldn't practice on hot days. They might get a sunburn.

They shouldn't play in Pittsburgh. They might get the clap.

I missed ya P.. where ya been

Kid can't catch a break... I think this might have been his year to shine.
I wish him well.

Steptoe's replacement is a WR.... don't think we need another in camp, but what the hell I guess.

August 11 8:47 ET
The Browns signed free agent WR Edward Williams, and waived injured WR Syndric Steptoe. Williams was released by the Ravens last month.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/CLE

We had no E-rock for half the season and still went 6-10. With a good E-rock, the Browns win the division after sucking the year before at 3-13 (a team worse than the '99, '00 and '08 Browns combined).
Josh

Browns waive Steptoe
Posted by Mike Florio on August 11, 2009 9:20 PM ET
The Cleveland Browns have waived receiver Syndric Steptoe with the designation "injured," ending his season and possibly his time with the team.

Steptoe will be exposed to waivers, meaning that any team can make a claim for his rights. If no one makes a claim, he will go to injured reserve.

The specifics on the procedure fall into the realm of stuff we used to know but have since forgotten. As we recall it, the rules require the exposure of non-vested veterans to waivers in order to prevent the stashing of players who are not actually injured.

If we recall correctly, the non-vested veterans can go directly to injured reserve after the 53-man rosters are set. But there's a chance that we're wrong. And we invite a league insider who's up on the details to drop us a line.

Moving forward, Steptoe's contract expires after this year. The Browns presumably will have the ability to apply one of the various restricted free agent tenders to him in 2010. Given the fact that agent Jerome Stanley has claimed publicly that coach Eric Mangini's decision to convert a walk-through practice to a full-blown session in the rain caused Steptoe's injury, it's unlikely that Steptoe will be wearing an orange helmet next year -- unless it has a series of curved black stripes on it.

Not a big surprise. He probably would have been cut anyway.

Jeez, even in HS I knew that rain meant a tough practice! It's cooler, the ground is soft and we usually did monkey drills to start. It's football, not ballet for crying out loud!

Same stipulations of being waived like we did with Carey. Get a roster spot for the rest of training camp and risk somebody taking him off of waivers.

Of course WRs aren't in demand like Corners so he should go through. But this doesn't mean M/K does not want him as the article infers. Steptoe will automatically go on our IR after he passes waivers. Keeping him here. If we were signing his agent I'd think its a problem. But Steptoe knows it was just one of those things that had nothing to do with the rain. I heard it described as Steptoe laying himself out to get a ball. If anything the rain would have dulled the impact to the ground as opposed to a dry field. Just one of those things that had nothing to do with the rain. The fact they were passing and catching - as opposed to doing nothing as the CAUSE...again. eliminate all contact and drills in training camp...but then we wouldn't be able to call it training camp.

It was Steptoes contract year - probably this agents big meal ticket like Steptoe was going to get a mega million dollar deal. Hey if he gets tendered as a RFA he could get close to a Million for 2010 and that will be his Contract season to prove!

JMHO - I hate agents

Sorry he is hurt, but this agent is low-class. Think he is out of line second guessing the coach. Why the hobb would his opinion matter, and who asked? Injuries suck, but they are the game. I did not think he would have a job locked up tthis year and make the team. Wish him well, but he was not all that for us IMO. Good luck and I hope you heal clean.
But stay outta the rain for injuries, no high wind because you might go blind, don't walk you might sprain an ankle or blow out a knee. Don't eat. you might get food poisoning. This rep is brilliant! Whole new career of self-righteous hindsight giving that a proctologist could treasure! Steptoe, cut this fool. Just saying . . . .

I think it's become very popular among many football circles such as the media, agents, "un-named sources around the league", and even college coachs, to criticize Mangini at every turn. I can't think of the last time I heard of an agent calling out a coach on how he runs a practice.

I think there are a lot of liberties taken with coverage of Mangini because he is controversial because of the whole spygate thing, the feud with Belichek, he's not warm and fuzzy, he has the high expectations of a product of the Belichek coaching tree, and he's taken over a beloved storied frachise in a rough patch.

And we're don't know yet if he is going to be an elite coach or just a journeyman. The stage is set for some high drama.

That being said, the Brown's fortunes in 2009 do not rest on whether or not Steptoe is even on the team. Injuries suck, and I wish him the best, but it's barely even a bump in the road.

This is where writers can come across as ignorant.

Quote:

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Given the fact that agent Jerome Stanley has claimed publicly that coach Eric Mangini's decision to convert a walk-through practice to a full-blown session in the rain caused Steptoe's injury, it's unlikely that Steptoe will be wearing an orange helmet next year

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This writer is giving the agent all the credit for this move, when I feel it probably was going to happen anyways, and the agent made it easier, that's it nothing more and nothing less because if an agents comments dictates a NFL Teams move or decision, then they have issues, and I don't see that taking place with this regime. Mangini has a clue he knows what he wants and Steptoe wasn't in his plans, no drama, especially drama over 5 string at best WR.

Just clicking

I know that steptoe was a WR, but I always thought his value was as a back up to Cribbs in the return game. The kid was supposed to be speedy.