DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Which Brown isn't talked about enough?

Which current Brown do you percieve who could really impact the team but yet isn't talked about enough?
I'm gonna with Rubin.......he's a stud waiting in the wings.......could be a poor mans Hampton or Ngata.

Rubin was one that first came to mind. I also think Mack will turn out to be a very high quality starter for the better part of a decade. I know he gets praise, but as linemen often do, he is often overlooked by media outlets. It's either Thomas or no one getting praise.

Pontbriand.

Benard

I think Rubin has been getting good attention recently.

I think Eric Wright still isn't recognized for how good he is. A couple stray mentions in random articles about how he's underrated.

Marcus Benard looked really good defending the run in the game against the pack, and had a couple nice pass rushes as well.

I think Seneca Wallace is underrated.

I agree about Mack. Good player.

I'm glad to see Evan Moore has been getting noticed in the media more recently.

I think the fans ('Peen excluded) are still ahead of the media curve on Vickers.

James Davis

If he keeps on as-is, Wright is starting to get some love: nfl.com


These guys could become household names by year's end

By Jason La Canfora NFL Network

Eric Wright, CB, Browns

Other corners have great respect for his technique and cover skills, but Wright has been stuck on horrible defenses for most of his career. He won't get too much help from the pass rush this year, either, but if rookie Joe Haden can perform adequately on the other side, perhaps the Browns can start building from the back on in defensively. He merits recognition for his work amid the chaos, and maybe he'll start to receive more this season.

Glad to see it. Thanks Prpl.

I think Cribbs. If he played for New York or any of the big market teams he would be a NFL and ESPN favroite. He gets some love here in Cleveland but not Nationally.

No, I hadn't seen those pics... I'll go look

Quote:

---

He won't get too much help from the pass rush this year

---

You know because we didn't rank 8th in sacks last year or anything.

Quote:

---

I think Cribbs. If he played for New York or any of the big market teams he would be a NFL and ESPN favroite. He gets some love here in Cleveland but not Nationally.

---

I think Cribbs gets some pretty good press for being a kick returner that plays in Cleveland. He makes it on to Jim Rome pretty often and the guys on NFL Gameday (Eisen, Sanders, and Mariucci) love him.

Anyway, onto the question...

The answer I think is clear, Phil Dawson. The guy has been one of the best kickers in the league. He makes big kicks in big games in bad weather. He's also 9th All-Time in field goal percentage.

Other than Dawson, I think a guy that we all know and love is Lawrence Vickers. One of the best fullbacks in the NFL right now. All it's going to take is one national interview and this guy will blow up. Imagine him on with Rome or PTI, doesn't seem like he would hold anything back.

Dawson! Of course! Man, I feel like a heel for not listing him.

definitely mack. seems like he really solidified his role last year. and i think we are in good hands with him and JT making sure the qb's jersey is clean.

i think if the o-line does what we all think they can, we're gonna be alright on offense.

Tim Couch.

Uhhh... Holcomb.. uhh.. Frye.. maybe Anderson... Uhmmm.. Quinn...

I know.. I know.. BRIAN SIPE

Agreed Prpl! done it and he is as good as it gets IMO. Now the post I wanna see is who is getting way too much. I also immediately wanted to add Vickers.

Steinbach, Mack and Wright.

Chris Gocong

He played DE in college and was projected as and OLB in a 3-4 defense. The Eagles took him and made him a linebacker in a 4-3 defense. He struggles of course and is benched so we trade for him in the 3-4 and move him to...ILB

The move was never really explained and I wonder why he wasn't tried out as a pass rushing OLB. Fujita should be playing ILB as it looks like he may move their with Benard making strides but again; what's the deal with Gocong?

I hope one of our LBs. Roth is the most likely candidate.

It could simply be that Benard and Roth are ahead of him at OLB right now, but Gocong is ahead of whomever else at ILB.

I'm certain, with the way Mangini loves versatility in his players, that they're tried him at OLB. He just might be a better fit overall right now at ILB.


I mean, think about it.... if Benard has moved ahead of him as an OLB (and we know Roth already is).. then that leaves us as either moving Gocong to 2nd string, or moving him inside if he can do it. With DQ out, other than Fujita, who else would be displacing Gocong at ILB?


I see it as simply finding a way to get our 4 best LBers on the field together.

Ryan Pontbriand's "lack" of impact is pretty impressive.

Just because he hasn't been mentioned I'll throw Harrison in the mix. Did you know that his 106 carries in 3 games is the most in NFL history? I didn't until now.

Jerome Harrison has the numbers that scream potential
Published: Thursday, August 19, 2010, 7:58 PM Updated: Friday, August 20, 2010, 8:12 AM
Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer

Jerome Harrison had 561 yards on 106 carries in the final three games of the 2009 season ... that should earn him the chance to carry the load this season.

It seems like forever I've been writing that the Browns need to make Jerome Harrison a significant part of the offense. Some fans and a few members of the Browns' organization even accused me of being the running back's agent. I just thought a guy who rushed for 1,900 yards at Washington State and led the PAC-10 in rushing must have some talent, especially when he showed some speed and a knack for ripping off big plays when he did get a chance.

But never did I imagine Harrison turning into a smaller version of Jim Brown as he did in the final three games of last season, rushing for 561 yards.

That's 561 yards in three games on 106 carries, and doing it against defenses that knew Harrison would run the ball -- because the Browns' passing game was an abomination.

At 5-9 and 205 pounds, he ran the ball 34 times for 286 yards at Kansas City -- the third-highest total in NFL history! Seven days later, they handed him the ball 39 times for 148 yards against Oakland.

He finished the season with 127 yards in 33 carries against Jacksonville.

Harrison didn't just sprint around end, outrunning defenders. He often pounded into the line, his legs pumping to kick off the hands of tacklers -- his shoulders taking one teeth-rattling hit after another. Earlier in the season against Cincinnati, he had 121 yards in 29 carries. Simply surviving that heavy workload is remarkable. The 39 carries was a team record, his 34 carries is tied for fourth all-time. The most Jim Brown ever carried the ball in game was 37. His 106 carries in three games are the most in NFL history!

None of this is to put Harrison in Brown's class, or make any Hall of Fame predictions.

But consider this: In his first three pro seasons, Harrison had a total of 77 carries -- 29 fewer than in those last three games.

Or how about this?

Harrison was a fifth-round pick in 2006. The only players who have been with the team longer are Phil Dawson (1999), Ryan Pontbriand (2003) and Joshua Cribbs (2005). In that same 2006 draft were D'Qwell Jackson and Lawrence Vickers.

"I know I have to keep working to stay on top," Harrison said. "I've never had anything given to me."

As a senior at Kalamazoo (Mich.) Central High, he rushed for 2,338 yards and 31 touchdowns. His next stop was Pasadena Junior College, where he's the only player in school history with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.

At Washington State, he gained at least 100 yards in his last 14 games, including four games with more than 200 yards, and broke several school records. But that didn't happen until the middle of his junior year, when the starter was injured and Harrison took the job and never gave it back.

"I was his college strength coach for two years" at Washington State, e-mailed Rob Oviatt. "He has tremendous character. Never complained, missed practices, or games. Tough, and always positive. Made everyone around him better."

The point is Harrison has always been a heavy-duty running back.

"If I were a few inches taller, no one would say I that am injury prone or just a third-down back," said Harrison, referring to the knock against him in his first three seasons under former coach Romeo Crennel. He also was criticized for not being a good blocker against blitzing linebackers, and for not being effective on special teams.

The former coaching staff dwelled on what he couldn't do, ignoring the 5.8-yard per carry average he had in his brief chances to run the ball from 2006 to '08.

Coach Eric Mangini was preparing Harrison for a larger role -- and thinking about cutting veteran Jamal Lewis -- when Harrison suffered a knee injury in the 2009 preseason opener. He missed the first two regular-season games, and it took time for Mangini to finally cut Lewis and put the ball in Harrison's hands.

"I wanted him to focus on blocking on third down and I thought he did a really nice job with that," Mangini said. "He has come a long way in the system . . . gotten a chance to carry the ball quite a few times and be a feature guy. I think it always helps to know that you can be that guy."

While Mangini is a Harrison fan, the Browns still traded up to draft Tennessee star running back Montario Hardesty in the second round. Hardesty was very impressive in minicamps, but has missed most of training camp because of a knee injury that the team doesn't seem to think is major.

Nonetheless, that puts Harrison back in the spotlight.

"I've got a great line blocking for me," Harrison said. "Vick [fullback Vickers] just blows open holes for me. I know that I've still got a lot to prove to some people, I just want a chance to show what I can do."

This season, he should get it.

I do not doubt Harrison's ability one iota, but he said it best himself --- "great offensive line and Vick."

You get those six key figures doing what they're supposed to, and James Davis or Jennings gets those same numbers.

Just ask Jim Brown. Wooten, Schaf, Morrow, Hickerson, et al. That's who made Jim Brown.

On point here, I think Thomas and Mack are anchoring a huge running game upswing,....

He didn't "show" though last Saturday, not like Benard did.

agreed.

There was a cool article last season about Ponti's career, in which he said that ALL parents should advise their sons to take up longsnapping. It was a real eye-opener.

Dude is money... and the best in the biz.

I'm not saying there should necessarily be more articles on him, but more talk would be appropriate for us fans.

To go a different direction with this, I think Jennings gets talked about way too much. I think he sucks. He isn't fast or quick, he's indecisive, and he can't run inside. Anyone ever notice how for a big guy with (well) below average speed he runs outside an awfully lot? He bounces nearly everything out.

Vickers

Just about anyone on the team....and I'm loving it. No qb controversies, no soap operas, no crybabies, no egos......nothing but a bunch of players concentrating on their jobs. No news is great news. What a pleasant scenario for a change!