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ACL full recovery is usually at least a year. He hasn't quite hit that one year mark so I can see why they are being cautious with him and why they brought in Jackson.
I wouldn't expect much from MH until after the bye week.
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*In Baker we trust*
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Heckert: Browns have ‘one of best starting LB groups in NFL’
Aug 5th, 2011 @ 12:49 pm by Steve Doerschuk
Friday’s practice was over. A big cheer arose from the tent pitched near the practice field just outside the Browns’ giant fieldhouse.
We slipped away from the media pack — player interviews and such — to investigate the uproar.
Mike Holmgren was finishing a talk to some Browns Backers. I missed most of it but caught the entire session that followed. It was with General Manager Tom Heckert.
We learned a few things, which, naturally, we’ll share with you.
• The GM is fired up about the cornerback corps. Having added CB Dimitri Patterson and safety Usama Young in free agency and Buster Skrine in the draft, he thinks the deep patrol is in good shape.
“I think we’re very good at cornerback,” he said.
“The secondary was one of our weak links going into the offseason, but we’ve shored it up.”
• The foursome of Joe Haden, Sheldon Brown, Patterson and Skrine frees up Mike Adams to focus on safety. Heckert said Adams is having “a great camp.” Adams and Young are duking it out for the No. 1 free safety job. From what we hear Heckert saying, don’t assume Young has the job in the bag.
• The right guard job is Shawn Lauvao’s to lose.
“He’s going to be an excellent player,” Heckert said. “He’s had a really good camp. He was penciled in as the starter last year.”
Injuries slowed his progress. Lauvao is healthy now.
The brass strongly suspects the wideouts will quit looking like suspects now that the WCO is kicking in.
• RB Montario Hardesty is being held out of certain practices — including today’s — on purpose.
“We’re being ultra-conservative with him,” Heckert said. “He’s doing great. We expect him to be fine.”
• The team is positioning its resources to sign key starters Joe Thomas, Ahtyba Rubin and Peyton Hillis.
“Their contracts will be up (after this year),” Heckert said. “We want to make sure we have enough cap room.”
• Heckert said “medical concerns” were a factor in the deal that never got done with the Eagles.
• The team is talking to franchise-tag kicker Phil Dawson about “keeping him here for the rest of his career.”
• Heckert called the linebacking trio of Scott Fujita, D’Qwell Jackson and Chris Gocong “one of the best starting groups in the NFL.”
He said “maybe one or two” backup linebacker jobs are “up for grabs,” but he made it clear he likes young veterans Titus Brown and Kaluka Maiava, and added, “I’m actually real happy with what we have.”
Go Browns!!!
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BEREA, Ohio -- Mike Holmgren was brought in as the Cleveland Browns president to reshape this franchise, and his offseason hiring of Pat Shurmur as head coach was the first big step. Shurmur is a disciple of the West Coast system and really is an extension of Holmgren. Both men specialize in quarterback pla, and that leads to the No. 1 story at Browns camp, Colt McCoy. The Browns skipped quarterback in the draft and didn't sign or trade for any in free agency. They are moving ahead with McCoy. McCoy is being groomed to lead the franchise. He's young and learning this offense for the first time. He clearly worked hard in the offseason to master the complicated terminology and, as he said to me after the morning practice, learn the nuances of the package. I asked McCoy to call one his most complicated plays as if he was in the huddle, which he quickly did in a commanding voice before stopping and saying, "I forgot to call the protection." Unlock HQ Video HQ video delivered by Akamai McCoy acknowledged with a smile that he is a work in progress but insisted he has the mental toughness to master the offense. Will he master it before the season? Probably not with all the young receivers, running backs and tight ends learning along with him, but they will get it done. Right now McCoy looks better in the shotgun than he does under center but was quick to point out that he is improving and actually likes being under center for most of the offense. My impression of McCoy after spending a day with him is that he's a young perfectionist who still needs to relax a bit and forget the last play and move on to the next one. Holmgren may be the biggest asset in this area since he goes out of his way to have those talks with McCoy. The best news about McCoy came from Shurmur, who said they really haven't had to slow down installation of the offense for McCoy because he has a good grip on what is being thrown at him. Observation deck 1. A lot of rookies are going to play. I rarely go to a camp this early in the preseason where so many rookies are already in position to start or play important roles. By the time we get to Week 1, there could be at least five rookies starting and another three to four playing in sub packages. 2. It is tough installing a brand new defense that had to be converted from a 3-4 to a 4-3. New defensive coordinator Dick Jauron is a very patient, quiet man with a wealth of knowledge about the conversion process, but it is still a difficult job. Linebacker Scott Fujita, leader of the defense, told me he's fine with the transition after playing for seven different defensive coordinators in 10 years. He also told me that when the first-team defense lined up in the huddle for the first time, he had to introduce himself to three players he had never met before. It may also take a while for pass rushers to surface from the new 4-3 defense. 3. Sooner or later, McCoy has to start taking all the reps. As I finished watching tapes and practice, it was clear that three quarterbacks share the reps. Shurmur explained it this way: "Say we have a 12-play period in practice. That means six plays for Colt, three for Seneca Wallace and three for Jarrett Brown." That's smart in OTAs, but it is just about time McCoy gets 80 percent of the plays if he's going to be ready. The coaches don't soon expect to change the percentage of plays each quarterback will get in preseason games or even in practice, but McCoy needs more work on fundamentals like his drop and pocket presence. New guys to watch 1. Jordan Cameron: Maybe the steal of what appears to be a very good draft class. He didn't play much at USC, but the Browns did their homework on him and they have an all-around tight end with size, excellent route running, hands, and blocking ability. 2. Greg Little: When I sat down with the rookie wide receiver from North Carolina, I felt like I was sitting with a young Anquan Boldin. He weighs 240 pounds and has running back skills after the catch. He was clearly featured in the red-zone pass attack, but struggled to catch the ball. Holmgren feels Little is a natural hand catcher but he appeared rusty after missing his last season in college. 3. Jabaal Sheard: The rookie defensive end from Pitt has a fine inside move against a tackle. If he works hard on a speed rush and an occasional bull rush, he could be the real deal. It will be interesting to see how he holds up against the run at 268 pounds. I did ask him what it was like to go against all-pro tackle Joe Thomas every day. He said his record against Thomas is 1-13, but he also believes it is making him better. 4. Buster Skrine: No. 22, a rookie from Tennessee-Chattanooga, has been the star of the camp in the secondary. "He's real smart and already has picked up the defense," T.J. Ward said. He looks like the perfect guy to compete for the 'slot corner' job where he can use his quickness. He had a very nice anticipation interception during practice. 5. Phil Taylor: The first-round pick from Baylor has to be a part of a significant number of plays at defensive tackle and he has to learn to keep his balance. In all fairness, he has had just a few practices. Watch preseason games LIVE online in HD. Get the Back to Football special at NFL.com/preseasonlive. Watching tape Unlike some camps that I visit that don't provide access to practice videos, the Browns not only set up the tapes for viewing but Shurmur also stayed in the room with me, Brad Childress and Tim Ryan for an hour to give us a clear idea of what they are trying to do on offense. The Browns are looking for one of their receivers to emerge as the slot in the three-wide receiver package. They definitely have a nice plan for two or even three tight-end packages, and with Peyton Hillis in the backfield it could be dangerous when that personnel group hits the field. Prediction The Cleveland fans may be restless and want a winner right now but they are going to have to be patient. This is an investment in young players and it will take time. Progress will have to be measured in ways other than wins and losses early in the season. The AFC North is not an easy place to be, but I think they could get six or seven wins Good read
"Going from 4-12 to 6-10 isn't good enough. I believe we are going to be better than that. We're going to be a lot better than that." - Mike Holmgren (3/15/12)
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Quote:
Heckert: Browns have ‘one of best starting LB groups in NFL’
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• Heckert called the linebacking trio of Scott Fujita, D’Qwell Jackson and Chris Gocong “one of the best starting groups in the NFL.”
Eh...
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All Pro
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Quote:
Quote:
Heckert: Browns have ‘one of best starting LB groups in NFL’
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• Heckert called the linebacking trio of Scott Fujita, D’Qwell Jackson and Chris Gocong “one of the best starting groups in the NFL.”
Eh...
He gets paid to think that way. We'll see in a few weeks where we really stand.
"Let people think this is a dumpster fire," - Mike Pettine
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A lot of people thought Maiava would be the best pro LB out of that stacked USC LB corps, hopefully they were right.
"All I know is, as long as I led the Southeastern Conference in scoring, my grades would be fine." - Charles Barkley
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All Pro
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“I think everybody is rowing that boat in the same direction for the first time since I’ve been here,” Thomas said.
I think that one was particularly telling. Joe doesnt BS or run his mouth.
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Quote:
A lot of people thought Maiava would be the best pro LB out of that stacked USC LB corps, hopefully they were right.
A lot of people on this board thought that way.
Of course, I'm willing to bet had we had Malaluga or Cushing in that draft (and drafted them), we wouldn't have said the same things about Maivia
UCONN HUSKIES 2014 Champions of Basketball
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Quote:
A lot of people thought Maiava would be the best pro LB out of that stacked USC LB corps, hopefully they were right.
I had him as the second best coming out of the draft (behind Matthews). No joke. I wish we could go back and look at the draft forum because that would be a huge feather in my cap.
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I'm also not sure how I feel about this Hardesty situation.. I don't like the fact that they are holding him out. If he is gonna get hurt, then he is gonna get hurt.. If he gets hurt now, then you know he was probably not worth the pick, and u can get someone else in here to get some reps to learn, rather than signing someone week 3/4 and just plug them in hoping that they do okay.
If he is still recovering from the injury, then say that.. but if you are saying he is ready to go, but we are just gonna hold him out a bit.. its confusing to me.
Playing more doesn't make you less likely to have an injury. It's the opposite.
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Quote:
They definitely have a nice plan for two or even three tight-end packages, and with Peyton Hillis in the backfield it could be dangerous when that personnel group hits the field.
This is exciting to me. Watson, Moore, and Cameron all are very good or potentially very good pass catchers. Moore and Cameron are also matchup nightmares. Should be fun to watch.
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1st String
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Quote:
A lot of rookies are going to play. I rarely go to a camp this early in the preseason where so many rookies are already in position to start or play important roles. By the time we get to Week 1, there could be at least five rookies starting and another three to four playing in sub packages.
I can't figure out where 5 rookies could possibly be starting with this team unless injuries come into play. Sheard, Taylor, maybe Little...but who else? Skrine won't beat out Sheldon or Joe. Cameron isn't starting ahead of Watson or Moore. Any suggestions as to where 5 rookie starters would come from?
[color:"red"]"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
---Leonardo daVinci
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Marecic as starting FB (FWIW).
I am unfamiliar with this feeling of optimism
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Skrine isn't starting but he will definitely see tons of field time as the third corner.
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For all you out of town dawgs, I found this link for the family day broadcast. Link
Crowded elevators smell different to short people...
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Quote:
Quote:
“I think everybody is rowing that boat in the same direction for the first time since I’ve been here,” Thomas said.
I think that one was particularly telling. Joe doesnt BS or run his mouth.
I think that's true.
I really have to wonder why the Browns kept Mangini last year when it's obvious that he was never going to fit with the rest of the front office. Heckert even admitted that he traded for Jayme Mitchell last October knowing full well that he didn't fit Mangini's defense. That tells me that Mangini was a 1 year deal, period. That means that we wasted a year ... and that makes no sense to me. (and frankly, kinda ticks me off)
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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I had been thinking that too - I wonder if they looked into what coaches might be available last year and didn't like their options.... I dunno.... Either way it's in the past and not much can b done now
<><
#gmstrong
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Quote:
For all you out of town dawgs, I found this link for the family day broadcast.
Link
Thank you.
#GMSTRONG
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Prediction
The Cleveland fans may be restless and want a winner right now but they are going to have to be patient. This is an investment in young players and it will take time. Progress will have to be measured in ways other than wins and losses early in the season. The AFC North is not an easy place to be, but I think they could get six or seven wins
I gotta ask, how many of us are willing to be patient? fact is, a youth movement will do that,, Going from one of the oldest clubs to one of the youngest is going to cause growing pains... I sure hope the fans don't get to nutty when they see mistakes... There are going to be plenty...
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”
Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe."
Damanshot
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great Benard hurt his knee.......ugh! 
#brownsgoodkarma
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Quote:
I really have to wonder why the Browns kept Mangini last year when it's obvious that he was never going to fit with the rest of the front office. Heckert even admitted that he traded for Jayme Mitchell last October knowing full well that he didn't fit Mangini's defense. That tells me that Mangini was a 1 year deal, period.
I'm thinking Holmgren was telling the truth when he said the great finish the team had at the end of '09 earned Mangini another shot. It did look as though the team had turned the corner and Holmgren said he felt it would not be fair to Mangini to fire him after one year in which he had such a great finish.
Well, likely he found what he probably expected. The '10 season did not start where it left off. In fact it was a continuation of the team as before the great finish. In a way I'd bet Holmgren wishes he could have that decision back but he really did sound sincere when he said it wouldn't be fair unless he gave Mangini the opportunity to prove himself.
So much for that. We all wish it had been done different but Holmgren is apparently a fair man as evidenced by that move. That goes a long way toward future coaching hires (which have already been made now) in that he proved he treats coaches fairly.
IIRC on the Jayme Mitchell hire Mangini wanted him, Heckert went and got him and then Mangini never played him.
I did find this:
"In an interview with the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, however, Heckert hints at the problems that can happen when a coach and his front office aren’t on the same page.
The Browns traded for Jayme Mitchell from the Vikings in October, but Mitchell never played a single snap for the defense. Heckert called that “bizarre.”
“He was by far our best pass rusher and never got on the field, so I can’t answer that one,” Heckert told Tony Grossi. “Eric watched him [on tape prior to the trade] and Eric liked him. So I don’t know what happened after that. . . . We thought he could really rush the passer.”
Translation: We made a promising trade, but Mangini didn’t want to play him."
PFT
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Quote:
Quote:
A lot of people thought Maiava would be the best pro LB out of that stacked USC LB corps, hopefully they were right.
I had him as the second best coming out of the draft (behind Matthews). No joke. I wish we could go back and look at the draft forum because that would be a huge feather in my cap.
I don't have any feathers.
How about a balloon?
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn. GM Strong ![[Linked Image]](http://www.dawgtalkers.net/uploads/small-gator-chomp.gif)
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"It has to start somewhere
It has to start somehow
What better place than here?
What better time than now?"
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where did you see this?
Not serious according to a play by play twit I followed the last 2 hours...No injuries...
Go Browns!!!
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Quote:
where did you see this?
You can see it on CBS Rapid Reports.....
Reading it from several sources, doesn't sound serious., but nobody is talking about it yet.. so we'll see.
Last edited by Damanshot; 08/06/11 05:24 PM.
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”
Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe."
Damanshot
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"It has to start somewhere
It has to start somehow
What better place than here?
What better time than now?"
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Heckert: http://medinagazette.northcoastnow.com/2011/08/04/browns-take-a-gamble-with-unproven-defensive-end/Then Heckert watched Mitchell practice during the week and sit on Sunday. Then-coach Eric Mangini didn’t think Mitchell was a fit for his 3-4 scheme and wouldn’t use him as a rush end on passing downs — despite suggestions by Heckert — keeping him inactive for all 12 weeks he was in Cleveland. “To Eric’s credit, he’s not a fit for a 3-4,” Heckert said. “I wish I would have gotten a chance to see him, but it wasn’t a fit and we knew that and we made the trade anyway, so whether that was a smart move or not, I don’t know. “I think it is now because we still have him. If we would have lost him, then it would have been a stupid trade.” So ... the player didn't fit the scheme ...... but he traded for him anyway. Right from the horse's mouth.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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Saturday, August 6, 2011
Daniel Wolf/National Football Authority
By Daniel Wolf
Senior Writer
The Cleveland Browns took the field this afternoon at Cleveland Browns Stadium for Family Day. It was free admission to watch the team practice on their home field.
As opposed to the past two season, when former head coach Eric Mangini had the 'Brown versus White Scrimmage,' new coach Pat Shurmur said there would not be a similar scrimmage—probably due to the shortened NFL offseason due to the lockout. So all offensive players were in brown jerseys and defensive players were in the white jerseys.
There was a decent crowd in attendance; I was there live tweeting. The following are my observations of this practice—mainly of the 11-on-11 drills, though.
Notable Injury Report
-Marcus Benard suffered some kind of knee injury and had to have it put on ice. Before the injury, he looked fierce and relentless in the couple of times he got to rush the passer in drills.
-Both Montario Hardesty and Joe Haden could be seen with trainers running sprints. Neither participated in drills, but Haden could be seen with the other punt returners and the coach during those drills.
1st Team Offense
Quarterback - Colt McCoy
Running Back - Peyton Hillis
Fullback - Owen Marecic
Wide Receivers - Brian Robiskie, Greg Little
Tight End - Ben Watson
Offensive Line (from left to right) - Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Alex Mack, Shawn Lauvao, Tony Pashos
1st Team Defense
Defensive Line (L to R) - Jayme Mitchell, Phil Taylor, Ahtyba Rubin, Jabaal Sheard
Linebackers - Scott Fujita, D'Qwell Jackson, Chris Gocong
Cornerbacks - Sheldon Brown, Dimitri Patterson
Safeties - T.J. Ward, Usama Young
11-on-11 Drills
-Colt McCoy did not look his best. He threw a pick-six—off a deflection—to Mike Adams, a near-pick-six to Usama Young off another batted ball, and another pick right to James Dockery.
-Jayme Mitchell looked strong and fast and single-handedly caused pocket chaos for the opposing quarterbacks several times. Not sure if that is a product of how good he really is (or can be), or how the Browns may need more help at right tackle.
-Jabaal Sheard continues to get dominated by Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas, but when he went up against others not named Thomas, he showed the ability to create pressure and even got a sack on Seneca Wallace in the two-minute drill. The constant competition between Sheard and Thomas should only get the rookie end into a position to become a great pass rusher sooner rather than later.
-Cornerback Sheldon Brown seemed to get beat several times, but had the technique to catch up and break up passes. The veteran showed his knowledge of technique at the position can make up for lack of speed, when needed.
-Tight end Evan Moore seems to get open no matter where he is. It doesn't matter if he is up against a corner, safety or linebacker. Moore's size is a serious mis-match and hopefully fans will see Moore used a lot this season.
-Usama Young seemed to be floating around everywhere in the defensive backfield and reminded me of how several of the top-tier safeties are used on defense. (I'm not saying Young is a top-tier safety, I'm saying he was being used in a similar role that those top players are used in.)
-Receiver Greg Little got the Dawg Pound going after catching a touchdown pass, in a red zone drill, by doing a backwards dunk on the goal posts with the ball. Something Browns fans hope to see a lot more of this season.
-Receiver Brian Robiskie continues to look solid against coverage as the team's current No. 1 receiver. He was able to show off some surprising speed against different corners and got open down field. He made a great tip-toe catch in the back of the endzone too.
-There were several formations with both Peyton Hillis and Brandon Jackson in the backfield.
-Speaking of Hillis, fans keep asking how the Madden cover boy is doing and he looks as fast and strong as he did last year. The difference is that he seems more comfortable in the West Coast offense, over last year's offense. He looks like he has known the system for year's already.
Two-Minute Drills
In order to set up this drill, the offense was positioned at about the opponents 40-yard line with 1:35 seconds to go. Touchdown or field goal would win the simulated scenario.
-McCoy lead the first team to an almost immediate interception.
-Wallace lead the second team offense down the field to a winning field goal.
-Jarrett Brown lead the third team offense to a winning field goal and showed off his arm by completing a 15-yard-plus pass down field.
-McCoy finally took the first team offense and managed minimal movement, only getting the team to about the 50-yard-line. Phil Dawson came on for about a 60-yard attempt, which went to the right and missed.
Go Browns!!!
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Wow there literally has been nothing good about McCoy in anything I have read. I understand were early in training camp, but some positive news would be good.
oioioioi
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Quote:
Wow there literally has been nothing good about McCoy in anything I have read. I understand were early in training camp, but some positive news would be good.
Yeah, I agree.
That being said, I'm not going to be as pessimistic as I'm sure many on here will be. Now's the time to make all the mistakes.
I'm not saying I'm totally sold on him, especially after all these negative reports. But I'm going to give him more time.
Also, I've been reading very good things about our defense. So, that might cause some issues for McCoy, which, like Sheard vs. Thomas, can only help him improve.
JMHO
I am unfamiliar with this feeling of optimism
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Legend
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Posts: 11,843 Likes: 11 |
I'll wait to see him on the field next Saturday on NFL Network against the Packers... I would hate for my quarterback to regress though.. 
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 10,246
Legend
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Legend
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 10,246 |
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns running back Montario Hardesty promised today that he's had no setback in his recovery from surgery despite sitting out practice after the first two days. "No, I'm fine,'' said Hardesty. "(Fans) will see me back in practice. They'll see me back in games. I'm just going with the plan.'' Hardesty, who could be back on the field sometime this week according to coach Pat Shurmur, said he felt no discomfort and had no swelling following the first two days of practice last week, both without pads. He's been held out since then, including today's Family Fun Day at the Stadium. "No, nothing at all,'' he said. "I felt good when I was out there practicing. It was great. I got back on the football field with the guys. I'm just waiting to get back out (again).'' Hardesty ran sprints with the trainers during yesterday's workout and looked fine doing them. "They want to make sure I get my legs up under me before they throw me back out there,'' he said. "With the lockout, they didn't get to see me for four or five months. They want to make sure everything's good when I get back on the field.'' Hardesty, who recovered from a torn right ACL in 2005, said he knew when he got here that he'd be taking it slow. "So it's not hard to be patient,'' he said. link
I am unfamiliar with this feeling of optimism
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,338
Dawg Talker
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Dawg Talker
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,338 |
I took the kids down today as I do every year and here are some of my observations..
Evan Moore
He is going to have a huge year if we can just keep him healthy..Kid is a stud and would not be suprised to see him out there more than Watson. He is always open and even if he isn't still makes a play. Watching him run that seem route never gets old...He poses mismatches against CB's, Lb's or anyone trying to cover him.
Colt McCoy
Didn't look comfortable out there today. The interception that deflected off Hillis was a bad decision and would have gone for virtually no gain anyway. He seemed to be going through his progressions and relying on dumping the ball off. Watching him in warmups and some other drills his throws were crisp and spot on for the most part. I think right now they need to give him a majority of the reps going forward with the receivers that will be playing.
I think we have a nice group of Receivers believe it or not. Mitchell looked good, as did Little and Demetrius Williams. I seen the nice write up on Robiskie but watching him on a few different routes and the CB was right with him..
Richmond Mcgee
Punted very well was hitting booming high punts for the most part. Saw one duff and he looks like he has to speed it up some.
The article above stated that little reversed dunked on the crossbar after a TD..Well he did catch a TD and he did try to reverse dunk it..I don't believe he was even close and the ball either slipped out of his hand or he let it go before that point anyway.
The players were awesome in staying for the autographs..Hillis threw his cleats and I almost got one..size 13.
The one thing that bothers me year after year is watching grown men(and women) pushing little kids out of the way or leaning on them or putting memorabilia in front of there faces..while trying to get autographs. I see Children handle seeing their favorite players better. I was sitting in the second row on the 20. Everyone was seated trying to watch practice and you have people standing against the glass at the end of the aisle.. I asked several people to move or find a seat so my kids could see. Not sure what goes on in peoples heads..
Overall there were glimpses and bright spots, but they need to keep working..They do look young and fast..
"Going from 4-12 to 6-10 isn't good enough. I believe we are going to be better than that. We're going to be a lot better than that." - Mike Holmgren (3/15/12)
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,261 Likes: 207
Hall of Famer
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Hall of Famer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,261 Likes: 207 |
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,497 Likes: 52
Hall of Famer
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Hall of Famer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,497 Likes: 52 |
Thanks for the pics Frenchy. 
#gmstrong
Live, Love, Laugh
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,261 Likes: 207
Hall of Famer
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Hall of Famer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,261 Likes: 207 |
Your welcome for the pics, I love sharing as well as looking what others have too,
As for the practice I thought Colt McCoy struggled. The OL was getting pushed back into McCoy and Wallace's face the whole time, not sure if it was poor OL blocking or was it Sheard, Rubin, Taylor, and Mitchell?
Thought Evan Moore looked good as well.
Watched Greg Little on almost every catch, I thought he looked good, catching everything with his hands.
Peyton Hillis looked like, well Peyton Hillis with fresh legs.
Richmond Mcgee needs to hurry up his punts or he is going to get alot blocked this season.
Watched Montario Hardesty run some light sprints, looked good on his first, but his 2nd and 3rd it looked like he was limping. I don't think he plays this year. Got a video of his 2nd run if I can find it on my computer. Downloaded it just can't find it.
Mohammed Massaquoi looks to have a cast on under his walking boot, I think I got a pretty decent picture of it, I don't look for him to play any pre-season.
I've watched people stretch before, but Phil Dawson really impressed me, he is very limber.
Overall IMO the O stinks, and the DL really impressed me.
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,189
Hall of Famer
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Hall of Famer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,189 |
Quote:
So ... the player didn't fit the scheme ...... but he traded for him anyway. Right from the horse's mouth.
A - Ha!
#gmstrong
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,445
Hall of Famer
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Hall of Famer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,445 |
Family Day fans witness a big effort from Greg Little:
Published: Saturday, August 06, 2011, 9:00 PM
Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The emphasis was on passing in the Browns' Family Day practice in Cleveland Browns Stadium, and the beneficiary was Greg Little.
Little, who may have the most inapt name of all the new Browns, plays taller than his listed height of 6-2 and stronger than his listed weight of 220 pounds. An announced crowd of 11,965 may have come away a little more convinced of the team's argument against pursuing a No. 1 receiver in free agency.
In red-zone drills on plays starting inside the 20, Little displayed the talent that attracted him to the Browns in the second round of the draft. On one Colt McCoy throw to the left corner of the end zone, Little leaped above cornerback Dimitri Patterson and safety Usama Young to snare the touchdown. A few plays later, he cradled a pass from Seneca Wallace on a skinny route to the post.
After the latter catch, Little stepped to the goalpost and did a 180-degree, behind-the-head slam of the ball over the crossbar. He later termed the dunk "boomshakalaka."
"Just having fun," Little said. "It is a practice, but fans come out and they want to see some exciting plays. I definitely wanted to go out and better myself from Thursday's practice, definitely progress from that."
It's been an eventful week for Little. Coach Pat Shurmur worked Little hard in red-zone drills and there were several drops on Thursday. But Little's positive response the following two days has been pleasing to the coach. Shurmur said on draft day that Little could be the team's No. 1 receiver. By the end of the first week of practice, Little was the best receiver out there.
"He's a big receiver," Shurmur said. "I think he does a good job using his body. For him to go up and get the ball at his highest point is good. He's kind of running himself into playing shape."
McCoy said, "In the red zone, he's a big body guy, you throw it up and hopefully he goes and makes a play."
The offense had the upper hand in the red-zone drills, but the defense responded in two-minute drills at the conclusion of the two-hour practice session. McCoy was intercepted on his third play by undrafted cornerback James Dockery on a ball intended for Josh Cribbs. Shurmur gave the first unit another chance at the end, and it moved only 22 yards. Phil Dawson's 60-yard field goal try on the final play was far enough, but it floated off-target to the right.
Wallace and No. 3 quarterback Jarrett Brown took their teams to field goals converted by free agent Jeff Wolfert.
Other touchdown catches were recorded by tight end Evan Moore, who crossed behind linebacker D'Qwell Jackson for a big gain, and Hillis on a couple of runs after short passes.
Besides Dockery, Mike Adams had an interception of a pass that deflected off Hillis' hands. Rookie safety Eric Hagg broke up a few passes. Sacks weren't allowed, but the pressure was good enough at times to send quarterbacks scurrying out of the pocket.
Despite a number of passes being off target, Shurmur is convinced the offense is improving by the day. There is no manual on how to whip a young team learning new systems into form without a typical off-season of work.
"Right now, our timing's just a little off," McCoy said. "The depths of our routes, my footwork in the pocket, they're just not timing up like I want them to at this point. But we're night and day compared to where we started. You've got to look at that and be pleased by that."
Wallace is one of the few players on hand who knows what the final product is supposed to feel and look like.
"You've got a bunch of young guys, no OTAs or minicamps, and not a big window to get ready for the first game," Wallace said. "It's a lot thrown at them. Each day they're getting better. As a whole, we moved forward."
From his vantage point at the back of the defense, cornerback Sheldon Brown said, "I'm from the West Coast situation. It's all timing. I definitely think we have the talent to make it work. We just have to execute. It's tough on young players just coming in. You just keep encouraging them.
"Just got to bring them along. That's what veterans are for."
The big show: Although about 59,000 of the stadium's seats were empty, some rookies got an adrenaline rush stepping onto the field for the first time. Dockery, a rookie cornerback from Oregon State, said it was a dream come true.
"I had my eyes open so wide," he said. "I stopped in the tunnel [on the way out of the locker room] to take it all in. Every kid that plays this sport dreams about the NFL, so if I don't make it to game days at least I got to experience that today."
Dockery's interception of McCoy atoned for a missed one in practice this week. He got ribbed about it and was happy to redeem himself in front of a crowd six or seven times larger than the typical practice audience during the week.
Rookie No. 1 pick Phil Taylor said of his stadium experience, "Loved it. Can't wait to get there for a real game."
Going, going: The Browns announced single-game tickets to two home games have been sold out -- the opener on Sept. 11 against the Bengals and the finale Jan. 1 against the Steelers. There are seats available for those games through season tickets, club level memberships and four-game packs.
Go Browns!!!
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 288
2nd String
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2nd String
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 288 |
Quote:
Quote:
Heckert: Browns have ‘one of best starting LB groups in NFL’
Heckert called the linebacking trio of Scott Fujita, D’Qwell Jackson and Chris Gocong “one of the best starting groups in the NFL.”
Umm,,Okay..If he says so.
"Behold! The only thing greater than yourself!"
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 12,858 Likes: 276
Legend
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Legend
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 12,858 Likes: 276 |
just clicking. From the Akron Beacon Journal: Quote:
CLEVELAND: Under a quasi spotlight Saturday afternoon in front of close to 12,000 fans, the Browns’ offense looked exactly as expected — a little shaky.
The Browns played three-yards and a cloud of dust offense the prior two seasons, before coach Pat Shurmur arrived in Berea expected to install his version of the West Coast offense.
Given the circumstances surrounding this year’s NFL season — the lockout and time lost from organized team activities and mini-camps — it shouldn’t be of great surprise that quarterback Colt McCoy and his offensive teammates looked out of sync in some spots.
“You saw a lot of things that were really close. Just right off the hands or somebody didn’t look … those are things you get a feel for as you go along,” McCoy said. “Those things are frustrating at the time, but easily fixable once you go back and watch the tape.”
Call them close calls, near misses, flubs or whatever, the Browns had opportunities to show what they could do with the ball and came up short.
On the first play of the main 11-on-11 scrimmage, McCoy had third-year wide receiver Brian Robiskie with a step on cornerback Sheldon Brown and underthrew the ball, allowing Brown to make a play on it. In another instance, a ball bounced off the hands of running back Peyton Hillis, allowing defensive back Mike Adams to come up with an interception and return it for a touchdown.
McCoy said the team ran some plays for the first time in Saturday’s scrimmage and that contributed to a disjointed feel. But he said he’s optimistic about what’s happened in the short amount of time that the team has been together.
“I think everybody is learning at a real rapid pace. I think that we are picking up really, really well for what we have been doing,” he said. “I am very excited about our progress. We have another month before our first regular-season game begins. We are looking at it positively and will let it take care of it itself.”
Shurmur agreed, especially when it comes to McCoy learning the new system.
“As a quarterback, there’s always a lot going on,” Shurmur said. “For him to be able to come out here and execute in a lot of situations he’s done real well.”
Hillis, who will see an increased role in the team’s passing game out of the backfield, said the players shouldn’t have much difficulty digesting things. He’s especially confident in his ability to learn it.
“I’ve had five different playbooks in five different years, so I feel like it can come pretty easy,” he said.
There is every reason to believe that what happened on the field Saturday is nothing more than growing pains. At this stage of training camp, the offense is typically behind the defense. The Browns did come up with more than a few impressive plays offensively, especially during red-zone drills.
In the red zone drills, McCoy tossed for two touchdowns, finding rookie wide receiver Greg Little in the corner of the end zone on one play and putting the ball in the perfect spot.
“Greg made a nice play,” McCoy said. “In the red zone, you can throw it up and he will go get it.”
In the other instance, McCoy found tight end Evan Moore in a mismatch against linebacker D’Qwell Jackson. He hit Moore about 15 yards off the line of scrimmage and Moore ran the rest of the way for a 45-yard touchdown. That is how the West Coast offense is supposed to work.
“He’s a big body; a big target,” McCoy said. “I said at the beginning of camp we’re going to have to utilize our tight ends. When you have those big bodies, those are QB friendly targets.”
It’s those moments that led Shurmur to conclude that the offense and McCoy are coming along.
“He’s made huge strides in one week,” Shurmur said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do though, Colt knows that. I think at the end of the first week you could say he’s made a lot of progress.”
![[Linked Image from i28.photobucket.com]](http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c201/shadedog/mcenroe2.jpg) gmstrong ----------------- 2023: The year we got a legit D.
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