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Browns Open Training Camp Minus Joe Haden

Welcome to the 2010 NFL Football Season!

The Cleveland Browns training camp is officially underway, and the quest to prevent season-ending injuries during two-a-days has begun.

General manager Tom Heckert managed to sign all draft picks with the exception of first-round pick Joe Haden.

No. 5 overall pick, safety Eric Berry, signed for six years for a $60 million maximum, so that will be the framework from which the Browns will operate off of since Haden is a cornerback.

The 2009 seventh overall pick, Oakland receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, received a five-year deal worth a maximum of $38.25 million and $23 million guaranteed last year.

A prolonged holdout seems unlikely as both sides still are talking and there has been no reports of "bad blood" as negotiations have continued.

Meanwhile, the guys on the practice field start hitting the tackling dummies, and the problems to overcome haven't changed since the end of last season.

Head coach Eric Mangini has to find a way to continue the momentum of finishing the 2009 campaign with four straight wins, get the wide receivers to catch the balls thrown to them, develop an actual passing offense, and put together a defensive secondary that doesn't resemble swiss cheese.

Specifically, Jake Delhomme will have to prove quickly that 2009 was an aberration and that he will return to his pro bowl form. The first two weeks of the season will be a good litmus test to determine how far Delhomme has come.

Mohamed Massaquoi has to build on his limited success from last year and Brian Robiskie has to prove he was worth his second-round draft slot.

The running game looks very good going into camp, as team president Mike Holmgren gets to observe his "pile" of running backs compete.

Between Montario Hardesty, Jerome Harrison, Peyton Hillis, and the rest, the Browns running game should be respectable this year.

The offensive line is solid, and should only become moreso with the addition of Shaun Lauvao on the right side.

Everything looks rosy on July 31, but the next few months will show if the various moving parts can all come together and produce a consistent winner on the field.

The real countdown to Week One has begun.

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The Season is finally here!

Browns close to signing top pick Haden

By Jeff Schudel
JSchudel@News-Herald.com

The Browns' top draft pick Joe Haden could be in training camp today, but might not be signed in time for the morning practice.

The Orange and Brown Report is reporting the Browns and Haden, the seventh overall pick, may have a tentative contract agreement in place. If the contract is finalized, Haden would have to pass his physical before he could practice.

All seven other draft picks are signed and will be on the field this morning.

In other news, offensive lineman Tony Pashos will miss the start of the camp on the non-football illness list.

— Jeff Schudel

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Get 'er done!

Camp preview: Keep your eyes on these guys

The jerseys, helmets and numbers never change.

The players inside switch almost every year.

No. 17 now belongs to Jake Delhomme, not Brian Sipe or Braylon Edwards. Benjamin Watson, not Ozzie Newsome or Steve Heiden, is No. 82. Colt McCoy wears No. 12.

President Mike Holmgren is the most prominent name within the organization, and he may be the chief reason for any optimism surrounding the franchise in 2010. But he won’t catch a pass, make a tackle or take a snap this season. The guys wearing the plain uniforms will determine the Browns’ fate.

With training camp opening this morning, here’s a look at the most important players to watch over the next six weeks.
1: JAKE DELHOMME

All eyes will once again be on the quarterback position, but for a change, it’s not to keep track of a controversy.

There’s little doubt Delhomme will be the starter, and there’s no doubt he will provide more stability. But he also must give the Browns an improved performance.

Delhomme is coming off a 2009 that was so bad, the Carolina Panthers cut him while owing him more than $12.5 million in guaranteed money. The Browns are counting on a big bounce-back, and if they don’t get it, the season won’t get off the ground.

No matter how well the Browns run the ball - and they should be run it well - Delhomme must make enough big throws on third down and in the fourth quarter to turn close losses into victories.

President Mike Holmgren was encouraged by how he threw the ball in May and June, and is hoping it carries over to August and September.
2: BRIAN ROBISKIE

Delhomme must have people to catch his passes, and Robiskie is being counted on to be near the head of the group.

After a disastrous, seven-catch rookie season, he stood out throughout offseason practices. He made several spectacular catches, showing the hands Ohio State fans grew to love and giving coach Eric Mangini reason to believe he didn’t whiff on the 36th pick in 2009.

Plenty of NFL receivers struggle as a rookie before breaking out in Year 2, so why not Robiskie? He’s still got the size (6-foot-3) and pedigree (father Terry) that play at this level. He just needs the production to match.
3: ERIC WRIGHT

He’s the forgotten man at cornerback after the trade for Sheldon Brown and the drafting of Joe Haden with the seventh pick.

But Wright is a legitimate cover corner. If he commits to improving his tackling - rather than ducking and covering - he could start for any team in the league.

He’s in the final year of his rookie contract, which for a player with his talent usually means a big season.
4: SHAUN ROGERS

He will miss the beginning of camp as he completes his recovery from a broken leg suffered at the end of last season. He could miss the start of the season if the league suspends him for getting caught with a gun in his carry-on at Hopkins Airport.

But Rogers remains too talented to dismiss.

Ahtyba Rubin excelled at nose tackle in Rogers’ absence at the end of last year, so Rogers will be tried at end. That could provide a substantial boost to the defensive line.
5: MONTARIO HARDESTY

He was the third rookie chosen by the team in April, but could have the biggest impact.

He impressed the coaches in OTAs and minicamp with his talent and intelligence, and many observers expect him to unseat Jerome Harrison as the featured running back. But he must stay healthy - a problem at Tennessee - and prove he can pick up blitzers in games. For you fantasy leaguers, he’s likely to be the first Brown taken in drafts.
Others to watch:
• Joe Haden/T.J. Ward

The team’s top two picks in April aren’t locks to start, but their speedy development is critical because the dreadful secondary won’t improve unless they contribute.
• D’Qwell Jackson

The inside linebacker didn’t attend OTAs and minicamp, thought about holding out from training camp and isn’t guaranteed a roster spot. The former second-round pick looked like a franchise cornerstone before an injury robbed him of most of last season. He needs a big camp to regain his place within the team.
• Shawn Lauvao

The third-round pick from Arizona State could win the right guard spot. He’s strong and smart and should team with center Alex Mack for years.
• Joshua Cribbs

Handling his new contract - close to $7.5 million guaranteed - isn’t a problem, as he remains as devoted and motivated as ever. But how much time he spends in each of his plethora of roles needs to be determined.

Contact Scott Petrak at 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com.
TRAINING CAMP

• WHEN: Begins today with two practices, 8:45-10:45 a.m.
and 5:45-7:45 p.m.
• WHERE: Browns headquarters, Berea
• PARKING: Baldwin-Wallace’s George Finnie Stadium lot, off Beech Street near Bagley Road
FAN INFO

• Must use the Beech Street entrance to the Browns facility
• Entry is allowed one hour prior to the start of practice
• Call the hotline for updates: (877) 627-6967

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Finally...looking at articles in PD and they are weak

It's still early.

Browns | Peyton Hillis could be used as a receiving back
Comment (0) Tweet! Share on Facebook
Sat, 31 Jul 2010 07:26:27 -0400

The Cleveland Browns have been utilizing FB Peyton Hillis as a receiver out of the backfield during training camp practices, according to CBSSports.com.

KFFL

No shock, but I like reading it anyway.

• Shawn Lauvao The third-round pick from Arizona State could win the right guard spot. He’s strong and smart and should team with center Alex Mack for years.

I believe he will end up winning the LG spot and our opening day lineup will be.
LT Joe Thomas
LG Shawn Lauvao
C Alex Mack
RG Porkchop
RT Pashos

Man that is one big monster looking offensive line. Joe is the small guy and he is atleast 315. Porkchop is a legit 330. Pashos is also listed at 330 but probably closer to 350 or 360. Mack is a legit 315-320. Lauvao's combine weight was like 315 but you can really see him playing comfortably in the 330-340 range. This is a big freaking line.

I just cant see them paying Steiny something like 5.4 mil this year.

Give Lauvauo a year before you move him over to help JT with the blindside, Mour. Definitely worth $5M IMO, but maybe they renegotiate "for the sake of the team".

If Steinbach gets benched, I will have lost all faith in Mangini.

I think Lauvao will be the starting right guard, but if the coaching staff has anything resembling intelligence, Steinbach will start.

Montario Hardesty to miss a couple of weeks
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on July 31, 2010 11:55 AM ET
Don't take that starting Browns running back job away from Jerome Harrison just yet.

Browns coach Eric Mangini announce that rookie second round pick Montario Hardesty will miss the next "couple of weeks" after twisting his knee before training camp. The bruising runner from Tennessee impressed coaches all offseason, but has a long injury history.

We're still very high on Hardesty over at the Rotoworld online draft guide as a great fantasy value, but this news will cause him to slip in drafts.

From PFT

You don't cut guys at this point in the off-season for money concerns. If was going to get cut because of his salary it would have happened a long time ago.

My guess is that they will neither cut or trade Stieny.. he'll be here this year as our Starting LG.. the new kid will start at RG.. Just a guess..

I can't seem to find an article concerning the schedule for camp. Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought that the Browns website stated that not all practices would be open to the public. Anyone know the exact schedule or has it been made public yet?

I'd say that it all depends on how Steiny plays.

While I'm certain that a large amount of it was because of Mack's learning curve, if Steiny looks the way he did last autumn, then his value decreases.
If he plays the way we know he can/does, the trio of Thomas-Steiny-Mack is pretty much undisputed best Left Side in the league.

Make no mistake, Steiny is/was one of the absolute best Guards in the league... I doubt he has lost all that much, yet. As long as his playing level remains high, his contract won't matter too much. If his play begins to slip but still remains quite good, we'll probably seek to re-do his contract.

I agree Daman, Steinbach at LG, and hopefully Lauvau can show us enough in camp and pre-season to warrant a starting gig at RG. I expect that we would have some veterans lining up to start the year and maybe the rookie will work his way up-to a starting spot.

No reason to move Steiny. That side of the line has been gelling for years and was never the problem. Those guys know each other and that doesn't come easy.

The greatest improvement we will see comes from the absence of St Clair. Most of us could have done better than that guy.

I'm loving the thought of Pashos/Lauvau vs Womack/St Clair.

Deleted sorry old article

This is GratefulDawg's post from the Personal Camp Reports thread...

Observations from Browns training camp: Aug. 1, 2010

by Nate Ulrich on August 1, 2010 - 4:11 pm
in Cleveland Browns,NFL

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The Browns had only one practice Sunday during training camp. Here are my observations from the session:

* Joe Haden made his training camp debut after signing a five-year, $50 million contract late Saturday night. He wore No. 23, not the No. 40 jersey he donned during minicamp. Haden had a productive practice. He worked with the second-team defense and did well in individual drills.
* In a one-on-one passing drill, Haden broke up a pass from quarterback Jake Delhomme that was intended for wide receiver Jake Allen. Haden also nearly intercepted a pass from Seneca Wallace to Mohamed Massaquoi. Haden wasn't perfect, though. Wide receiver Chansi Stuckey beat him in a one-on-one drill and made a nice catch near the sideline.
* Haden really shined in some special teams drills. He and Eric Wright lined up beside each other on punt return and did a nice job blocking Chris Roberson. Then Haden stepped in as a "gunner" on punt, made a move inside and beat both Roberson and DeAngelo Smith down the field as their attempts to block him proved to be futile.
* Personnel for the first-team defense was the same Sunday as it was Saturday. The first-team offense, however, had two notable changes. Rookie Shawn Lauvao and veteran Floyd Womack worked with the first-team offense at right guard and right tackle, respectively. On Saturday, Womack was at right guard and John St. Clair was at right tackle.
* Lauvao held his own during one-on-one blocking drills. On the other side, defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin beat his competition and received a cheer and a high five from injured teammate Shaun Rogers.
* Wide receiver Brian Robiskie stood out. He made several nice catches from Delhomme in one-on-one drills, including a nice grab in the corner of the end zone.
* Stuckey also made some nice plays. He made a tough catch in the back corner of the end zone right before Robiskie did.
* Safety Abram Elam broke up a pass from Delhomme during an 11-on-11 session.
* Cornerback Sheldon Brown got beat a couple of times during a seven-on-seven session. Delhomme completed passes to Josh Cribbs and Massaquoi as Brown tried to cover them.
* Cornerback DeAngelo Smith intercepted a pass from Seneca Wallace during a session of seven-on-seven. He later broke up a pass from Wallace that was intended for tight end Robert Royal.
* Speaking of Royal, he didn't struggle catching the ball like he did Saturday.
* Rookie quarterback Colt McCoy hit rookie receiver Johnathan Haggerty with a pass in the back of the end zone. The crowd cheered and McCoy slapped helmets and gave high fives as he and his teammates walked to the sideline.
* Kicker Phil Dawson made 7-of-7 field-goal attempts from different distances, all with the ball on the 20-yard line or closer.
* The players ran sprints at the end of practice.
* Injured players: Offensive lineman Tony Pashos was sidelined again. Pashos, who has a cold, according to Browns coach Eric Mangini, ran through light agility drills. Linebacker David Veikune joined defensive linemen Shaun Rogers, C.J. Mosley, defensive back Coye Francies and offensive lineman Scott Kooistra in light workouts to the side. Running back Montario Hardesty was not on the practice field. He's out after twisting a knee a few days ago, Mangini said.

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The "Wright" Stuff

By Steve King, Contributor to ClevelandBrowns.com

Defensive back Eric Wright has become a mentor of sorts to rookie Joe Haden and has a new number to prove it.

It was all about numbers -- the number 1, in fact -- on the second day of Browns training camp on Sunday.

The Browns’ No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, Joe Haden, met with the media following practice for the first time in camp after having signed his contract on Saturday.

About 50 yards away, cornerback Eric Wright talked about changing his jersey number from 24, which he had had since being drafted by Cleveland in 2007, to 21.

When the Browns acquired Sheldon Brown in an off-season trade with the Eagles, he wanted 24, which he had worn in Philadelphia. Wright was only too happy to give it to him and take 21, which had belonged to safety Brodney Pool the last five years.

“Before I got here, I had had 21 since I was a 8 years old,” Wright said. “I had it in Pop Warner, in high school and in college.”

He started wearing it as a kid because he was a fan of cornerback Deion Sanders, who did a stint with San Francisco. Growing up in that city, Wright followed the 49ers.

“Deion may be why I did it, but I made it my own,” Wright said.

Whatever the case, he’s more than happy he’s got No. 21 back.

“It feels good,” he said. “It fits comfortably. I feel much better.”

Wright is playing as well as he looks now. The Browns targeted the secondary for improvement in the offseason, but they weren’t referring to Wright when they said that. He tied with Pool for the team lead with four interceptions last year. Wright had three picks in 2008 and one as a rookie, so he’s improved every year.

With Haden and Brown now on the team, the cornerback position is crowded. “Competition brings out the best in everybody,” Wright said. “The cream will rise to the top.”

All the way to No. 1.

ONE MORE THING ON HADEN: You could see why Haden was taken near the top of the draft (No. 7 overall) when assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Brad Seely put him in as the gunner during a punting drill. He used his hands to deftly -- and quickly -- get around two players who were trying to jam him, and then ran past them downfield as if they were standing still to make the play.

CAMPER OF THE DAY: For the second straight day, wide receiver Syndric Steptoe did a lot of good things. In no way, shape or form is he the same player the Browns drafted in the seventh round in 2007. He’s much, much better.

YES, HE’S HUMAN: Joshua Cribbs might end up being the best returner in NFL history, but, like anyone else, he errs from time to time. He did so when he fumbled a sky-high punt from Reggie Hodges, then was forced to run a lap around the field as punishment.

NO SURPRISE: Phil Dawson, arguably the best kicker in Browns history, made 7-of-7 field-goal attempts at the end of practice. All went right down the middle.

IMPRESSIVE: Second-year wide receiver Brian Robiskie looked good in the one-on-one passing drills, running excellent routes and badly beating the same young cornerback two straight times for touchdowns.

IMPRESSIVE II: Rookie quarterback Colt McCoy did a nice job by threading the needle to two rookie wide receivers on 15-yard rifle shots for TDs. They came on the same slant route going left to right, the first one being caught by Carlton Mitchell and the second one by Johnathan Haggerty.

IMPRESSIVE III: Veteran -- and productive -- tight end Ben Watson makes it look effortless out there at times when he’s running routes and catching passes.

IMPRESSIVE IV: The Browns’ Jerome Harrison isn’t just a good running back. He’s also a heady guy who understands the responsibilities that come with being a star player. After going through a two-hour practice in the heat and then meeting with the media for about 15 minutes, Harrison headed for the locker room to get cleaned up. But a fan wearing a Browns jersey caught sight of him, yelled his name and asked for an autograph. “I really want to go inside and get a shower, but I’ll come back and get you, boss,” Harrison said. As Harrison walked to the barricade behind which the man was standing, a slew of other fans hurried over to get autographs, too. Harrison made sure to sign for every person who wanted one.

EXTRAORDINARY: He has a common last name, but second-year cornerback DeAngelo Smith showed some uncommon ability when he laid out to intercept a pass at the goal line, taking the ball right off the top of the grass.

JUST VISITING: Longtime ESPN reporter John Clayton, in the area for the upcoming Pro Football Hall of Fame festivities just down the road in Canton, took in practice as well.

OVERTIME: Following practice, the entire team ran a series of 40-yard sprints. Joining the players in those runs was offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

UP NEXT: The Browns go back to two-a-days on Monday, practicing from 8:45 to 10:45 a.m. and then again from 5:45 to 7:45 p.m. The sessions, are open to the public.

QUOTABLES: “Just keeping standing there with both arms straight up.” – fullback Lawrence Vickers to the two officials under the goal post as Dawson drilled field goal after field goal.

“Don’t kick it, pick it.” – defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson to Wright after the cornerback bobbled a pass and then punched it with his foot before it fell to the ground.

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Harrison ready for 2010

By Matt Florjancic, Contributor to ClevelandBrowns.com

Running back Jerome Harrison became a better blocker in 2009 and was also able to show off his running skills at the same time.

Jerome Harrison always knew he could run, going back to his days at Washington State University. Coach Eric Mangini knew it too by studying Harrison and seeing his production first hand from the sidelines.

However, Mangini had a challenge to Harrison and asked him to improve on his blocking. By the end of the 2009 season, both men saw a difference in those blocks Harrison was throwing in pass protection.

“My whole career, I never had to block,” said Harrison. “I always put so much emphasis on that I’m going to be so good with the ball that I’m not going to have to worry about blocking. It was just something I just had to pay attention to and just bite down and do it. I don’t have a problem meeting somebody in the hole, it’s just the techniques and right placements.”

“It was one of the primary things that he and I talked about,” Mangini said. “There was a bunch of examples in those later games where he saved the play because of his blocking, the way he was able to hold up the technique that he played with and he was matched up against some guys that were significantly bigger, which running backs often do on third down. I thought he did a really good job with it.”

While there was marked improvement in Harrison’s blocking, Mangini knew it did not come by accident. The development of Harrison’s blocking was the product of learning everything that goes into throwing a good block on a consistent basis.

“Usually, it comes down to leverage and angles, hand-placement and repping leverage, angles, hand-placement over and over again,” said Mangini. “(Famed boxing trainer) Cus D’Amato would always talk about training up so much that you can’t mess it up even if you want. It’s muscle-memory and knowing where to hit, knowing what you have to do in order to be successful, not just against a guy your size, but somebody significantly bigger.”

While Harrison showed his improvements in making blocks, he also raised his level of play when the ball was in his hands.

He finished the year with 862 yards on 194 carries and scored five touchdowns despite starting only seven games. Over the last month of the season, the Browns had the No. 1 rushing offense in the NFL, thanks in large part to Harrison’s team record-breaking 286 yards against the Chiefs in Kansas City on December 20th.

“My offensive line dominated across the board, from the tight end all the way to the back side guard, just dominated,” Harrison said. “As a unit, we performed very well. We held each other accountable and just got into a good groove. I think after these first couple days of practice, the offensive line, tight ends, running backs, we’re ahead of schedule. We’ve got a real good feel for each other now.

“It just felt good to get into a groove and just finally get out there and play,” he added. “Anybody can have one good game, two good games. The goal is to put them back-to-back-to-back and just keep having them.”

While he is the most tenured running back on the Browns’ roster, Harrison is aware that competition is abound in the backfield, especially with the return of Chris Jennings and James Davis as well as the additions of Montario Hardesty and Peyton Hillis.

“Montario’s a good running back,” said Harrison. “We trained in the off-season together for a little bit. He’s a great guy, great running back. He can help the team. The better we do as a team, the better I do.

“A lot of teams went away from the feature back and most teams use two backs now. It can help,” he added. “James Davis looked good; P-Man (Peyton Hillis) looked good; we know that Chris Jennings looked good. At practice, we’ve got to take advantage of every opportunity we get because we know whoever is behind us or in front of us is a good back. There’s a lot of competition in that room.”


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Good read.....thanks

I noticed watching sports night (ABC channel 5), that they had Scott Fujita lined up @ WOLB
And Chris Gocong @ SILB, with DQ @ WILB and it looked as if David Bowens was @ SOLB with the 1st team "D".

There was a clip on one on one drills, with DQ totally abusing peyton Hillis.
It would appear that DQ has come in with a chip on his shoulders like Harrison.

In an interview DQ said that he had never played with a more talented group of LB's with the Browns.

It is very encouraging to hear that Robo is still showing signs that he will be a factor in the passing game this season.

Quote:

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the Browns had the No. 1 rushing offense in the NFL, thanks in large part to Harrison’s team record-breaking 286 yards against the Chiefs in Kansas City

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And our running game and offensive line are, by all accounts, significantly improved.... and we get those same Chiefs, at home, in Week 2, right after we knock the rust off in Tampa.
Even better, is that Eric Berry is the only significant addition to their defense. They added Shaun Smith to their DLine, but that's hardly significant. Other than them, the main additions to their defense are all rookies, and mostly UDFA's.

It's incredibly rare to see that sort of performance, but we stand primed to have another HUGE day running the ball against them.

I think Brian Robiskie is going to be as solid as they come. He is going to be Brian Brennan and Joe Jurevicious.

I doubt it will be as huge as it was last year, for one thing, we'll be able to pass.

I wonder how much of how we see them line up right now is more a product of trying the find the best mix moreso than thinking this is the way it's for sure gonna be.. Doesn't that make sense?

I wonder if Veikune will even make this team.... and also, how many LBs will we keep on the roster? Eight or nine?

Full-fledged QB platoon? Camp hints say Browns might be headed that way

Aug 2nd, 2010 @ 11:37 am by Steve Doerschuk

I don’t know if this is what will happen, but there is too much evidence not to think it as the hottest theory in this August oven of a training camp.
That is, the Browns might be toying with the idea not just of inserting Seneca Wallace at quarterback here and there. They might be considering a full-fledged platoon of Jake Delhomme and Wallace as a revolutionary way to spray miracle grow on an offense.
All morning long — it’s Monday, with the fourth practice of camp just ending — Delhomme would trot out to begin a set with the No. 1 offense. All morning long, Wallace would come in early in the set, running some plays with the ones.
You can see that the offensive thinkers — Gil Haskell and Mike Holmgren watched the whole practice like hawks as the coaches wound through the menu — suspect they can drive defenses half crazy by using Wallace and Cribbs more than anyone might think.
Cribbs, we think, is a good enough passer to throw every now and then, but that’s all. Wallace is a rocket-armed, accurate passer with a career rating nicely into the 80s. He can pass plenty, if that’s what defenses begin to give when he is taking snaps.
Just one sample of where this is going …
During an 11-on-11 set, Cribbs lined up wide right and came in motion as if to take a reverse. Wallace made a nice fake to Cribbs, sucking away some of the defense. He deftly popped an inside handoff into Jerome Harrison’s gut. Harrison weaved through a wide lane in the middle.
A short while later, they lined up the same way. This time, Wallace faked an inside handoff to Harrison. Cribbs got the ball on the reverse and steamed toward the corner, needing to get past a couple of possible one-on-one tackles. You know how hard he is to tackle.
A while later, Cribbs was at quarterback, taking a shotgun snap. He simply took off left and looked for a lane, much the way he did in running eight times for 87 yards in the win over Pittsburgh.
Delhomme and Wallace will participate with Cribbs in the next game against Pittsburgh. The theory is that both of them will participate quite a bit.
• • •
Here’s the best thinking behind going with a full-fledged platoon: Neither Delhomme nor Wallace is a playoff quarterback by himself. Both are good enough to have a chance at something real interesting if used together creatively by an offensive staff with vision.
Is that what Holmgren plus Haskell plus Daboll plus Mangini can be?
• • •
With John St. Clair joining Tony Pashos on the exercise bike this morning, Pork Chop Womack played right tackle with the ones. Rookie Shawn Lauvao was the right guard. There’s a decent chance those two will form the right side of the line Sept. 12 in Tampa.
(Before quick edit, I noticed I had Pork Chop down as Prok Chop … almost came out as Pronk Chop.)
• • •
Both Delhomme and Wallace seem to throw a real nice deep ball. For the third day in a row, the connection between Delhomme and Brian Robiskie was a highlight. Delhomme really trusts Robiskie’s ability to lose a defensive back while the ball is in the air. He did it a few more times on nice gains in the morning practice.
• • •
Peyton Hillis continues to look like a load, even if he is a mere 241 pounds as opposed to the listed 250. On one play, Brandon McDonald looked to be getting planted in the grass as the 6-foot-2 Hillis applied a downward stiffarm on the 5-foot-10 McDonald’s helmet.
• • •
Ron Wolf, one of the NFL’s all-time personnel gurus, is in town swapping stories and ideas with his old pal Mike Holmgren. This will work out much better than the Butch-and-Wolf experiment.
• • •
Mangini says old-man Bobby Engram is “running with the young kids pretty well.” Engram is 37, to which Mangini says, “37 is young.” Mangini is going on 40.
• • •
Mangini on Peyton Hillis: “Peyton played at fullback and at tailback with the Broncos. That’s what I liked about him.”
• • •
Mangini on Chansi Stuckey:
“He’s very athletic, with good short-area quickness. He’s savvy and understands how to get open in zones.”
• • •
Mangini smiled when he mentioned Alex Mack and said, “Zero (penalty) laps.”

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I hope you're right and he pans out. I went to camp a few times last year and he looked horrible. He stood out by how bad he was. Never in the right spot, slow, whiffing etc... The worst player in camp that I saw easily. Then even with all the injuries he failed to even make one lousy tackle all season. Rookie FAs, off the street came in and took time away from him. That speaks volumes to me on what the coaches thought about him.

But hey, maybe "the light came on for him" but I dont expect it to.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2010/08/cleveland_cornerback_eric_wrig.html

Cleveland cornerback Eric Wright might also play nickelback: Browns insider

Monday, August 02, 2010, 9:07 AM

Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer

BEREA - Browns cornerback Eric Wright has a new role to add to his starting duties: nickelback. The Browns are giving him a shot at the crucial job of covering the slot receiver on third down, and he hopes it's permanent.

"Nickelback is a position I'm playing a little bit at this point, and I'm trying to master that craft," he said. "I spent the whole off-season studying players at that position. It definitely helps. It's something that a lot of players do."

One player Wright studied often was Packers 13-year pro and six-time Pro Bowler Charles Woodson.

"Charles Woodson plays on the outside and does a great job for the Packers, and when third down comes around, he slides inside and plays the nickel," said Wright. "It's just a huge opportunity to go out there and use your playmaking ability. Usually on third down, the ball goes in the slot or somewhere in the middle. I'm extremely excited to learn a new position, for one to help the team out, and also to be a little more versatile, add more value and also get an opportunity to make more plays. It's a challenge, and it's fun."

The Browns have struggled to find the right nickelback over the years, and are hoping Wright can lock down the spot. Last season, Hank Poteat started in that role and Mike Adams finished. It's also a contract year for Wright, and could enhance his market value if he succeeds at it.

But a new role isn't all that's changed for Wright. He's also changed his number to 21, which he began wearing in honor of his idol, Deion Sanders. It worked out perfectly, because Sheldon Brown wanted Wright's No. 24. Top pick Joe Haden also wanted No. 21, but Wright got first dibs. Haden is wearing No. 23.

"I'm back to the number I've worn since I was 8 years old, and I've been trying to get it since I was a rookie, so I finally got an opportunity to jump back into the number," said Wright. "It feels good. It fits. I feel comfortable, and it just makes me feel that much better."

He said he originally chose it because of Sanders, "but I made it my own."

Hillis highlights: Running back Peyton Hillis has been taking advantage of his second-team reps with rookie Montario Hardesty sidelined with a twisted knee. During Sunday's practice, Hillis displayed excellent hands, catching several passes out of the backfield and turning them upfield for long runs. In a two-minute drill, he parlayed a short catch into a 26-yard blast that set up a field goal.

At 241 pounds -- he's still putting back on some weight from a flu that kept him out of some OTAs and minicamp -- he provides a big, bruising back and a jumbo backfield when paired with fullback Lawrence Vickers.

"With both of us in there, we can move the pile a little bit and get that tough yardage," he said.

Coach Eric Mangini knows full well what Hillis can do. He once scorched Mangini's Jets for 129 yards while with the Broncos.

As for his great hands, he said: "I've always thought that was one of my main strengths every since I was a kid. Hopefully, I can continue that."

He acknowledged the great opportunity to get reps, "but Montario's a great back, and we can't wait for him to get back." Wallace competing: Mangini still hasn't declared a starting quarterback, even though Jake Delhomme is taking the bulk of the first-team reps. He said nothing's changed. "Seneca will have chances to work with the first group," said Mangini. "That's not uncommon. I've been happy with his progress from OTAs to now. . . . It's clicking, and you see that. He's got a good arm. He's an accurate passer. He can make some plays with his feet, which is nice to have that to work against defensively as well. I'm really encouraged by his very early progress."

Rogers on offense? Nose tackle Shaun Rogers, who is on the physically-unable-to-perform list, treated observers to an impromptu post-practice session on the JUGS pass-catching machine Saturday. He missed the first four but caught the next five. Then, he started to show off a little, getting down on his knees and catching balls one-handed. He did a great job with his left hand but struggled some with the right. But it was an impressive enough performance for Mangini to at least consider granting Rogers his wish.

"I did not see him. Did he look pretty good?" asked Mangini. "He's lobbied to play some tight end on the goal line and some fullback on the goal line, so who knows?"

He also said Rogers will work some at defensive end, both right and left.

"He'll be good at it," Mangini said. "They're a little bit different reads, but for a guy like him, he'll learn it pretty quickly. The technique is relatively consistent with what he does at nose guard. It'll be a nice way to have some more depth in there and have some added size."

Purp,

Along the same lines, I'd go out and immediately buy a Rogers jersey if he ever lined up as a tight end.