DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Mini camp and OTA part 2

like these guys?

Seattle Seahawks
Jermaine Kearse, WR, Washington
Phil Bates, WR, Ohio
London Durham, CB, McNeese State
Rishaw Johnson, G, California (PA)
Sean McGrath, TE/LS, Henderson State
Jon Opperud, OL, Montana
Deshawn Shead, DB, Portland State
Monte Taylor, DE, Cincinnati
Lavasier Tuinei, WR, Oregon
Addison Lawrence OL Mississippi State
James Stampley, FB, LSU
Carson Wiggs, K, Purdue
Chris Hart, S, Webber International

Yep. Those guys. They need to turn as many heads as they can for as long as they can.


Now heading in to camp with possibly a coach or two wanting to give them a few extra reps in prime time, they have to start from scratch.

Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur's Tuesday news conference: A transcript
Published: Tuesday, June 05, 2012, 5:45 PM Updated: Tuesday, June 05, 2012, 5:46 PM
BEREA, Ohio

Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur's news conference following the first workouts of the team's minicamp

Shurmur: “It’s minicamp, we’ve got everybody here and most everybody will compete. It will be a good setting for our guys after having six OTAs. We went back and we’ll revisit all of the things we’ve done in the six OTAs and try to work on the details and get better. Again, I would encourage you that when you’re watching, the first thing you’re going to want to do is get out there who is starting the drills. I would encourage you to hold off on that. There are just a bunch of guys out here trying to get better.”

Question: About whether Phil Dawson is here:

Shurmur: “Everybody is here.”

Q: About what he meant when he said most everyone was competing:

Shurmur: “There are a couple of guys that are dealing with their injuries and that is about it. Everybody that is healthy and able to go will be out there.”

Q: About why he is so optimistic about the receivers:

Shurmur: “I think we got some guys that, number one, that are some good players. I think they have all had a chance now to play a year in the system and then have an offseason to improve their game. Then we have added some young players who I think are going to develop into good players. For all of those reasons I think they will be better and productive. Then I think as you get more efficient quarterback play, I think it all ties together with a good running game, I think that all plays together.”

Q: On whether he still sees the talent in Mohamed Massaquoi:

Shurmur: “I think he has had a great offseason. I am very pleased with where he is. I think he came in healthy this offseason and he is taking advantage of the reps he has gotten and he has made plays out here. I think that’s money in the bank for him as he gets ready for training camp and the season.”

Q: About how Marcus Benard looks:

Shurmur: “He is doing well. His body looks like I thought it would look a year ago. He has done a nice job of getting himself into shape. That’s the first phase, getting your body right so when it’s time to compete you can come out here and do it at a high level. I think he’s done that and he’s shown up and done some good things.”

Q: About if he will be able to get enough reps for all of running backs:

Shurmur: “There are plenty of reps when you talk about scrimmage situations in practice and of course the preseason games. There are plenty of reps for everything we need to see.”

Q: About if all the running backs will get playing time in games:

Shurmur: “They will all play. I am not concerned about them getting their reps.”

Q: On his philosophy of giving Brandon Weeden the offense:

Shurmur: “I think philosophically you install the offense for all of the players and the benefit of the way we are doing it now is you are getting a chance to install it, add to it and then go back and repeat it. I think he is like every other player on offense. There are things he has to learn and the more he hears it, the better he will get.”

Q: About how a quarterback can help a receiver get open:

Shurmur: “I don’t know about getting open. I think we all have certain things we have to do. Receivers have got to get open. Quarterbacks have got to throw it to them. Now the better they both do those tasks, the more efficient you’re going to be. I know this, a receiver that finds a way to get open and a quarterback that throws the ball accurately and on time, now you have your best chance to complete passes and run with the football. It goes hand in hand.”

Q: On what he has seen from Jason Pinkston:

Shurmur: “I have seen a guy who is very focused, very detailed about his preparation. He also, prior to the offseason program phase of things, did a nice job of getting himself in better shape than he was last year. I just see a guy who knows a little bit more about what he is doing and I think that will help him be better next fall.”

Q: On the biggest thing it takes to get a young quarterback incorporated to a system:

Shurmur: “I think you’ve got to install the system, the things that you like to do well and then as you watch and practice, you kind of fine tune it and let him do the things that he does well within the system. There is no set formula for that, but that is why you practice so that you can watch it all happen and try to give him the best chance. It’s just not young quarterbacks, its all quarterbacks. I think you want them to be able to go out and within the system do what they do well.”

Q: About Adonis Thomas:

Shurmur: “He was here obviously on a workout basis and we felt good about what he did. He performed well in the rookie minicamp and since that time he has done the same thing. I think he’s quick, he understands how to run the football and when we have thrown him the ball, he has done a nice job of catching it. Those are the things you can see in these camps. He is a very bright, kind of energetic guy that learns well and brings it to the field well so he will have a chance to compete with those other backs.”

Q: On whether there is any more emphasis placed on the minicamp than OTAs:

Shurmur: “To me it’s just another day of playing in the yard. Minicamps, OTAs, the way you practice is the same. We’re wearing the same equipment and the only difference is we put a walk-through in before. Once we blow the horn at 1:00 and start practicing, you don’t know if its spring, fall, winter, you’re just practicing so that’s all the same.”

Q: About whether the offseason drama has affected Scott Fujita:

Shurmur: “No, my interaction with Scott has been good. He is about his business and I don’t see that being a distraction. I think we as people, we all have things happening in the background to our jobs. As professionals we learn how to deal with that so that it doesn’t affect what we do.”

Q: On bringing Fujita back even though he may miss a few games:

Shurmur: “Scott is a veteran player on our team. He’s an outstanding player in this league and he is dealing with what he is dealing with. It’s a league issue and we support, of course, the league and what it does and when Scott’s back he will play.”

Q: On whether the bar has been raised on rookie quarterbacks in the league in terms of performance and expectations:

Shurmur: “I think you would all agree there is a high bar in this league, period, regardless of who’s playing. I think part of what’s nice about having an offseason when you draft a quarterback is that they get a chance to develop and then start to feel what those expectations are. I wouldn’t call it pressure or anxiety, but there is something to be said for getting a feel for your surroundings.”

Q: On if he has learned anything new about Brandon Weeden:

Shurmur: “I think we are seeing what we saw prior to drafting him and he is doing a good job of learning what we do. How we call plays, progressions and what we ask him to do, I think he’s done a good job. No, it’s pretty much what we thought.”

Q: About whether there is a sense of urgency to find Fujita’s replacement:

Shurmur: “No, we are going to develop all of the players and then once the season starts, we will put then best one in there. To use your words, ‘Sense of urgency,’ let’s all agree there is a high bar and high expectations. I think that’s just part of what this is all about. We understand that we have to get these guys as good as they can be so that they perform well and ultimately we win games.”

Q: On how Montario Hardesty and Brandon Jackson have looked coming back from injury:

Shurmur: “I think they have looked good. Knock on wood, right now I think that group is healthy and they are running around fast. You can see there is some carry-over in learning from the guys that were here a year ago. Trent’s doing a good job of picking things up. They look fast and they’re getting their reps and because the lines are a little bit longer, the reps that they are in there for, they look crisp so that’s good.”

Q: On developing Eric Hagg at free safety:

Shurmur: “We are looking to develop out safeties, period and we want to put the two best guys we can out there. There are some things that the free safety has to do that are a little bit different than the strong in terms of communication and making sure everybody is lined up right. We are going to take a look at him there, but playing safety, you have got to be able to, when you’re called to come down, make tackles. You typically cover tight ends and running backs and then depending on what the coverage scheme is, you have got to be able to play in the middle of the field deep or half the field deep whether its quarters of two-deep. Whether you are playing strong or free, this is a long answer, you have got to be able to do all of those things from either spot so it’s good for him to learn both.”

Q: On what he likes about Hagg:

Shurmur: “We liked what we saw prior to him being injured in camp last year. I think he’s got very good instincts, I think he can do all of the things we are talking about in terms of covering, playing parts of the field and of course tackling. That’s why we think he will be a good player.”

Q: On how Hagg’s communication and classroom work translates to the safety position:

Shurmur: “Communication is huge when you play safety and you have to learn it in the classroom first and then be able to come out here and do it. There are players that can learn it in the classroom and it doesn’t transfer. There are players that can’t handle it very well in the classroom, but once they practice they get it. I see there is some transfer of learning and he’s doing well in the classroom and it is showing up out here.”

Q: On how T.J. Ward has looked this offseason:

Shurmur: “He is looking good. He is running around playing fast and he looks like he is back healthy, to where he was before his injury so just keep working on him getting better. Again, I mentioned a couple times ago that I still think of him as a young player when it comes to the amount of time he’s been on the field so he needs to develop like the rest of the guys.”

Q: On younger players like Ward, Joe Haden and Chris Gocong taking more of a leadership role:

Shurmur: “You expect the young players to exert themselves more. Typically, leaders are guys that know what they are doing so that they can exert themselves and help other people with what they do. I think that’s what you see when a younger player who typically, the best younger players kind of come in and learn what they are doing and they let their actions speak for them and as they learn more and more and then that leadership starts to come out. We see that in the players you mentioned and we expect that from them.”

Q: About whether he has been able to check more things out during practice with Brad Childress on staff now:

Shurmur: “I think I have the freedom to do that more now. Obviously I tend to watch certain things, but I would say this, Brad does a very, very good job of directing the offensive coaches, the players and he and I are really on the same page on almost everything. Brad being here is very important for us and I think it will help us tremendously this season.”

Q: On what Nolan Cromwell brings to the coaching staff:

Shurmur: “A couple of things about Nolan, we have talked about this before, but I think he’s an outstanding teacher, he has a good way of explaining it to the players and I think he works extremely well with Mike Wilson who is a fine teacher himself. All those things play into one another. Nolan’s voice is new for you folks so it’s probably the one you hear, but there are a lot of guys out there that are teaching extremely well.” web page

Browns minicamp: News, notes, observations and video from practice
By Nate Ulrich Published: June 5, 2012

The Browns began their mandatory full-squad minicamp today. Here are some highlights from practice and subsequent interviews:

Significant progress

Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden said he’s way more comfortable now than he was when the team started practicing last month.

“I’m leap years farther along right now than I was obviously Day 1, Day 2,” Weeden said. “I think even through rookie minicamp, I think where I’m at right now I look like two totally two different quarterbacks. My footwork [is better]. You can tell I’m processing stuff a little bit faster. I’m not thinking quite as much. That’s the thing about this system, in particular playing quarterback, when you stop thinking so much, when you can just react and go through your reads – one, two, three, to your back – that’s when you start moving the ball down the field and start getting completions and first downs.”

Weeden took the first reps with the first-team offense this afternoon. He spent the majority of practice working with the first unit, though quarterback Colt McCoy took some first-team reps toward the end of practice.

Still, Weeden said he doesn’t feel like “the guy” quite yet.

“Not yet just because nothing’s formal,” Weeden said. “We’re still two months out till we play our first preseason game. No, not yet. I’m still working my tail off just to get better and keep learning. Yeah, I’m getting more comfortable with what we’re doing, but I still have a long ways to go.”

In a couple of sequences during an 11-on-11 drills, Weeden showed his ability to bounce back. A play after his short pass intended for Josh Cribbs was intercepted by free safety Eric Hagg, Weeden completed a deep pass to Mohamed Massaquoi on a deep crossing route.

Weeden later threw a pass that was almost intercepted by linebacker Craig Robertson, and he followed it with a completion of about 50 yards to rookie Travis Benjamin on a fade route. Benjamin beat rookie cornerback Trevin Wade in coverage during the play.

“They always say, ‘wash your hands and move on,’ and that’s kind of the approach I take,” Weeden said. “And that comes from baseball. Guys, I gave up a lot of home runs in baseball, and they’re very similar. You’ve gotta toe the rubber and you’ve gotta take a snap and move on and make the next play. You’re gonna make mistakes. I’m gonna make plenty of those mistakes throughout the year, but it’s how you bounce back next series.”

No regrets

Browns linebacker Scott Fujita confirmed he was in the New Orleans Saints’ locker room when former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams gave the infamous pregame speech in which he encouraged his players to target members of the San Francisco 49ers with the intent to injure them.

“I'm not proud of things that were said by Gregg Williams, and at the same time he's a man I respect and loved playing for,” said Fujita, a member of the NFL Players Association’s executive committee. “So there's definitely a conflict with all that, but again, it's about the culture change, and with my position with the union, I am certainly a part of that change.”

Fujita, though, would not get into specifics when asked about his role in the release of the audiotape. In a 10,000-plus word essay published last week on his website, filmmaker Sean Pamphilon stated that Fujita played a key role in releasing the recording. Pamphilon also wrote that Fujita said he planned to retire after last season.

“I'm here and I'm focused on the here and now and I'm playing this season,” Fujita said. “I'm actually in great shape, too, and I feel good about that.

“A lot of things are personal matters and I’m just going to leave it at that. Sean Pamphilon is a very good filmmaker who absolutely wants to affect positive change when it comes to health and safety in this game, and I absolutely respect that.”

The NFL suspended Fujita, who played for the Saints from 2006-09, for the first three games of the upcoming season for his alleged role in the bounty scandal. But Fujita has repeatedly denied the league’s accusations that he contributed money to a pool that paid players for intentionally trying to injure opponents.

Fujita has reserved the right to appeal his suspension pending the outcome of the NFL Players Association’s grievances against the league. Arbitrator Stephen Burbank rejected one of the union’s grievances on Monday, ruling NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has the authority to discipline Fujita and others for the alleged conduct.

“It’s certainly disappointing, but this is a part of the process,” Fujita said of Burbank’s ruling, which the union will appeal. “You’ve just got to be patient and respect that process and just keep hoping for a positive outcome.”

Fujita said he has no regrets about his past.

“I don’t have any regrets for anything I’ve ever done,” Fujita said. “You look back and you say things in meetings occasionally. Again, the pre-game hype speech and bravado, it’s all kind of funny the next day and you laugh about it. Again, I don’t regret anything. It’s a part of the growth as a man and a football player. Again, I’d like to keep this about football as much as possible and eliminate those distractions because if you let all that come in and take away from your focus, then you lose perspective. So, for me, it’s all about now, it’s about this moment and this season, and I’ve got to focus.”

Ready to rock and roll

Browns kicker Phil Dawson has skipped organized team activities this offseason, but he attended minicamp today.

Dawson, who signed his tender as the team’s franchise player in March, didn’t look rusty. His 70-yard field goal attempt fell about 2 yards short this afternoon toward the end of practice. He also made a 53-yard attempt.

“I forgot how much being away reenergizes me, so that when I come back it’s ready to rock and roll,” said Dawson, who has spent this offseason with his family in Austin, Texas. “So I’m truly excited to be here and it’s fun to get some live reps, see where I’m at and that kind of thing. Today was fun.”

The Browns have franchised Dawson in each of the last two years. He’s still hoping for a long-term deal.

“Obviously getting tagged two years in a row doesn’t happen all that often, so I didn’t really know what to think,” Dawson said. “But like I said as time has gone by and I’ve been away from everything, it’s been good.

“I’d like to [finish my career here]. I really would. I’m not thinking about my career being over at this point, but it just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to go play somewhere else. We’ll see what happens. Like I’ve told you guys before, I’m not very good at predicting the future, but I’m just gonna go to work like I always do and hope that things get worked out.”

Fitting in

The following is the first-team offense the Browns used today: Weeden (quarterback); rookie Trent Richardson (running back); Owen Marecic (fullback); Greg Little and Massaquoi (wide receivers); Benjamin Watson (tight end); Joe Thomas (left tackle); Jason Pinkston (left guard); Alex Mack (center); Shawn Lauvao (right guard); and rookie Mitchell Schwartz (right tackle).

And here’s the first-team defense from today’s practice: Jabaal Sheard (left end); Ahtyba Rubin and Scott Paxson (tackles); Frostee Rucker (right end); Chris Gocong (weakside linebacker); D’Qwell Jackson (middle linebacker); Fujita (strongside linebacker); Joe Haden and Sheldon Brown (cornerbacks); T.J. Ward (strong safety); and Hagg (free safety).

Injury updates

Defensive lineman Brian Schaefering (recovering from hernia surgery), fullback Eddie Williams (back) and offensive lineman Stanley Daniels (undisclosed) did not practice. All three watched practice from the sidelines.

Of course, defensive tackle Phil Taylor was not at practice because he’s recovering from surgery he had last month to repair his torn left pectoral muscle.

Attendance

Kicker Jeff Wolfert had an excused absence for personal reasons, a team spokesman said.

Undrafted rookies Jeff Shugarts, an offensive lineman from Ohio State, and Johnson Bademosi, a defensive back from Stanford, were not at practice because they’re still in school.

Extra points

Former Browns offensive lineman Hank Fraley watched practice. … Benjamin had at least two dropped passes. … Cornerback Dimitri Patterson picked off McCoy in a drill pitting three defensive backs and two receivers against each other. … Cornerback Buster Skrine broke up a deep pass from Weeden to Benjamin.
web page

My Boy MoMass gettin' some props from the "young" buck Weeden...

What's the picture of that traitor doing there?

Using that gif is like fighting words Turk

J/c...

Man, Little looks like a completely different person in today's OTA video. I hope be gained enough speed losing all that weight to compensate for the strength he undoubtedly lost. His strength was his greatest asset last year.

Just clicking. Does anyone else wonder what in the hell the coaching staff is doing by putting Gocong back on the weak side where he played mediocre rather than the strong side where he played great?

Greg Littles strength was what made him

Brandon Weeden has the look of a No. 1 QB for Cleveland Browns in minicamp session
Published: Tuesday, June 05, 2012, 9:42 PM Updated: Tuesday, June 05, 2012, 9:42 PM
Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer
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BEREA, Ohio -- On the first day of minicamp Tuesday, rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden stepped right up and took the first set of reps with the starting offense in 11-on-11 drills.

Coach Pat Shurmur has asked the media not to read too much into that, but the great Bill Belichick taught us all long ago that you can only go by what you see -- what you see is that Weeden is already the guy.

He's the first guy up in team drills, he's the guy at the podium after practice and he's the guy dazzling everyone in drills.

Granted, Colt McCoy went first in the second team period of the day, but for all intents and purposes, Weeden is first on the imaginary depth chart and that doesn't figure to change anytime soon.

Does he already feel like the guy?

"Not yet, just because nothing is formal," Weeden said. "We're still two months out until we play our first pre-season game. I'm still working my tail off just to get better and keep learning.

"I'm getting more comfortable with what we are doing, but I still have a long ways to go."


What he does feel like already is a completely different player than the one who showed for rookie minicamp May 11.

"I'm leap years farther along right now than I was obviously day one, day two," he said. "I think even from rookie minicamp, where I'm at right now is that I look like two totally different quarterbacks -- in my footwork, and you can tell I'm processing stuff a little bit faster and I'm not thinking quite as much.

"When you stop thinking so much and you just react and go through your reads one, two, three to your back, that's when you start moving the ball down the field and start getting completions and first downs."

Weeden showed on two occasions Tuesday that he can rebound quickly from his mistakes. After being picked off by safety Eric Hagg on a short pass intended for Josh Cribbs, he came right back with a laser shot to Mohamed Massaquoi on a deep cross. Later, he was almost picked off by linebacker Craig Robertson on a slant to Massaquoi, and responded with a 50-yard completion to speedster Travis Benjamin over fellow rookie Trevin Wade down the right side.

"[The interception] was just a miscommunication between me and Cribbs," said Weeden. "I thought he was coming back down the stem where he was coming inside. I won't make that same mistake again and if I do, shame on me.

"I think you guys will find I'm pretty even-keeled, but I think my track record shows -- I put that one behind me. They always say 'wash your hands and move on.' That's kind of the approach I take, and that comes from baseball. I gave up a lot of home runs in baseball and they're very similar. So you've just got to toe the rubber, you've got take snaps and move on and make the next play."

In his two years as a starter at Oklahoma State, Weeden threw only 26 interceptions against 71 touchdowns. So what's worse, a pick or giving up a homer?

"Pick," he said. "They both [stink], but I don't like throwing interceptions. I know they're going to happen, but I do not like them."
Mary Kay and Tom report on the first day of Cleveland Browns minicamp Mary Kay and Tom report on the first day of Cleveland Browns minicamp Plain Dealer's Cleveland Browns beat writers Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed report on the first day of the Browns minicamp in Berea. Watch video

What he does like is airing it out, something the Browns are giving him plenty of chances to do in practice.

"Sometimes in this West Coast offense it can get labeled as an underneath route, catch-and-run route [scheme], but anytime you can really step into one and let it rip, that's fun. And when you've got a guy like Travis that can go get it, it's even more fun. He can fly."

Weeden has also taken it upon himself to develop chemistry after-hours with other receivers such as Greg Little.

"Me and Greg stayed after practice the other day and worked on a particular route. I was telling Mo after practice, I love the way he runs that comeback. I love throwing it to him. He runs it well. I throw it to the sideline, he's right there and it's stealing, which feels good. I think that's when offenses get better is when their quarterbacks and receivers are on the same page."

Said Little: "He's very capable of making any play. When he's in the huddle, his presence is felt. Guys really understand that he commands excellence when he's in there, and that's what you want in a quarterback."

Added Jordan Norwood: "[His passes] are certainly more than catchable. Everybody knows he has a strong arm and he's doing a great job so far. There's a lot being thrown at him, but he's an older guy, so he knows how to be professional. The more he grasps the offense, the better he'll be."

Weeden also has no qualms about chiming in and telling the coaching staff what he wants.

"There's a couple of plays in the red zone, I told [quarterbacks coach Mark] Whipple that I wasn't a big fan of," he said. "If I don't like it I'm going to continue to tell him because if you're not comfortable with the quarterback throwing it, most coaches will tell you they won't call it. I like 99.8 percent of it."

He might not feel like the guy yet, but he certainly looks like it. web page

Quote:

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"Me and Greg stayed after practice the other day and worked on a particular route. I was telling Mo after practice, I love the way he runs that comeback. I love throwing it to him. He runs it well. I throw it to the sideline, he's right there and it's stealing, which feels good. I think that's when offenses get better is when their quarterbacks and receivers are on the same page."

---

We run comeback routes?

All of colts passes are comeback routes.

I am not saying that Weeden will be perfect ...... but I think that this offense is going to be one hell of a lot more fun to watch than the tortured play we saw last year. I think that the whole playbook will be on display, instead of limited throws, and maximum protections. I think that there will be a of of quick hitter type passes, along with specific shots down the field.

Richardson will be a huge asset, but I think that the biggest change will be with Weeden under Center.

and looks like Hagg has a knack for gettin balls from Weeden.. lol..

look at 1:08..

All the news coming from teams this time of year is fluff, unless it's looking very bad. And I try to filter through that fluff and temper my enthusiasm. What's the use? I'll line up again for yet another double shift at the Factory of Sadness if that's what we get this year. I just want to see some good football for a change.

JC ...

So is the minicamp the same as the OTA in that the media is only invited to Day 1?

Man, I hope not. Love the camp reports.

from Vikings minicamp... Jerome Simpson is buck nasty.

http://www.vikings.com/media-vault/video...47-a94cd21e2a55

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/49278/postcard-from-browns-minicamp

Postcard from Browns minicamp
June, 6, 2012
Jun 6
5:30
PM ET
By Jamison Hensley | ESPN.com

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BEREA, Ohio -- Here are some impressions from my two-day visit to Browns' mandatory minicamp:

The Browns' wide receiver position remains a glaring weakness. Too many dropped passes. More on this Thursday on the blog.
When rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden is working with the second and third teams, his passes often go to undrafted rookie receiver Josh Cooper. Weeden and Cooper played at Oklahoma State. The undrafted receiver that stood out to me was Florida State's Bert Reed, who showed quickness.
Cornerback Buster Skrine doesn't have to be perfect because he's so fast. Skrine got beat by Travis Benjamin, but his recovery speed allowed him to break up a well-thrown pass from Brandon Weeden.
Free safety Eric Hagg, a seventh-round pick from a year ago, looks like the most improved player on the team. He's running with the first team, and he isn't close to losing that job by the way he's playing. Hagg is constantly around the ball. What helped him the most is the Browns didn't place him on injured reserve after he had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in August. That allowed him to contribute late in the season, which paved the way to an impressive offseason.
If the season started today, I believe the Browns would go with rookie seventh-round pick Brad Smelley at fullback over Owen Marecic, a fourth-round pick from a year ago whose rookie season was marred by multiple concussions. That would give the Browns an all-Alabama backfield with Smelley and Trent Richardson.
Colt McCoy showed again why the Browns looked for a strong-armed quarterback in the draft. He missed a wide-open receiver deep downfield because his pass floated too much and allowed a defensive back to bat it down.
Still surprised to see cornerback Sheldon Brown working with the first-team defense. Head coach Pat Shurmur warned not to read into the current lineups, and I believe this falls into that category. I'm sticking by the cornerback tandem of Joe Haden and Dimitri Patterson starting in the season opener.
Nose tackle Ahtyba Rubin is a big guy. But I would put money on him weighing more than his listed weight of 330 pounds. When he wasn't lining up for a drill or a play, he was one of the first to take a knee.
File this under the "nice guys" category: When I was leaving the Browns facility Tuesday, there were a couple of boys waiting across the street from the parking lot who were looking to get their helmet and football signed. I was surprised by the number of Browns players who pulled their car over to give an autograph.

Quote:

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Nose tackle Ahtyba Rubin is a big guy. But I would put money on him weighing more than his listed weight of 330 pounds. When he wasn't lining up for a drill or a play, he was one of the first to take a knee.

---

Yet I wish everyone on the team played with the hustle he plays with.

"The Browns' wide receiver position remains a glaring weakness. Too many dropped passes."
They mean only when Colt is throwing. Right? I mean drops won't happen with a ball thrown by a stronger armed QB. At least that's what I've been told.
Or...
Our WRs are crap like I thought.

from Cowboys' minicamp. An old friend...

http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/id...hing-ants-pants

Lawrence Vickers has ants in pants
Updated: June 6, 2012, 6:31 PM ET
By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys fullback Lawrence Vickers was stretching before the start of organized team activities on Wednesday like he always does.

Then as he approached a special teams drill he noticed something was wrong in his pants.

Ants.

Two big red ants got in his pants, and Vickers had to leave practice.

He walked off the practice field with his hands covering his groin area as head athletic trainer Jim Maurer walked off the field with him. Reporters thought Vickers injured a groin. Or maybe a hand or arm injury that prevented him from moving it occurred.

"I was just holding myself," Vickers said. "And there were people outside and you don't just be grabbing on yourself because ants are on you. People are gonna make fun of you. I don't care as long as they got off me. I don't care about people knowing about ants in my pants."

When Vickers was asked what he did when he returned to the locker room, he said, "Went and took a Benadryl quick, and then I rinsed off because I started breaking out in hives. I break out in hives when it comes to ants. Ants are nothing to play with. The smallest things on earth is the most dangerous thing to me."

Vickers, who is allergic to ants, did return to practice without further problems.

"I was stretching and then by the time I got to the special teams period, which is a couple of periods after, I guess they worked they way all the way in there," Vickers said. "And once they got to where they wanted to be, they just started stinging."

Yeah, I have heard a few drops, but not many. It seems liek there might be one or 2 reported per day, and given the number of pass plays they are running, that's not that horrible.

Plus, a 50 yard completion makes up for a 5 yard drop.

McCoy takes a deep breath, has some fun, lets it fly
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By Steve Doerschuk

Practice notes from Wednesday to help connect some of the Brown dots ...
• Offensive assistant Nolan Cromwell is the new loud coach.
Gary Brown (running backs) is the incumbent loud coach.
Fullback Owen Marcecic makes a little catch out of the backfield, turns up and flies.
“There you go!” Brown says loud enough to be heard two fields away.

• Colt McCoy is as relaxed as I’ve seen him this spring.
Early in the session, working on throws with only assistant coaches and equipment guys available as receivers, one of them fails to make a one-handed grab.
McCoy goes slapstick, twisting his body and giving out a yell the way one would if a teammate had just dropped a third-down pass in a Super Bowl.

A while later, Fox loosens up Globetrotter style, taking a football around his back and through his legs as if it was a basketball.
As the practice rolls along, McCoy’s passes seem crisper than they have been. The wobble that has characterized them in other spring practices has turned into spirals.

In one segment of a quarterbacks only drill, a coach is stationed in the left corner
of the end zone. All four quarterbacks make a few throws to him from the pocket at a distance of about 60 yards in the air.
In one round, one of McCoy’s throws takes the same trajectory as one Brandon Weeden had just made. Fairly low, a spiral, and right on the coach’s chest. Seneca Wallace’s throw is right there but takes a higher trajectory, thus arriving later. The coach has to move for Thad Lewis’ throw.

• When rookie Travis Benjamin drops a pass, or when a football goes through his hands, you know it.
He lets out a guttural scream. There have been too many of these for comfort in individual drills. For some reason, he has caught the ball better in 7-on-7s and 11-on-11s than when he is running against no defense.

Cromwell clearly is practicing a mindset of building Benjamin’s confidence.
One time when a ball anybody who plays backyard catch thinks he should catch every time, he had to reach. Instead of yelling at Benjamin, who let out that guttural yell when the ball got away, Cromwell barked at the quarterback.
“That’s gotta be on his body!”
Another time when Benjamin failed to make a routine catch, Cromwell just muttered o himself.

Cromwell is taking a different approach with fourth-year pro Mohamed Massaquoi ... a very hands-on approach.
On one deep ball from Brandon Weeden, the ball went right through Massaquoi’s hands.
“We gotta catch that one, Mo! C’mon! C’mon!”
Massaquoi walks back to the huddle from the spot of the drop.
“Gotta have that,” Cromwell mutters to the wideout. “Gotta have that.”
Massaquoi makes a routine catch on his next try.
“Good!” Cromwell said.

• Pat Shurmur is more at ease in his media briefings. One way you know he is less self-conscious is that he forgets to remove a pencil from his ear that he was using during the practice.
He was behind the 8-ball last year with a staff put together fast and with no offseason to meld. He is comfortable working with Cromwell and Brad Childress and more confident knowing he has time to get things done.
He was part of a handful of coaches whose plans were destroyed by the lockout last year.

• Thought we’d get to more notes, but they’re calling us out to the next practice. Catchya after while. web page

WEll, that was an interesting read

Perhaps McCoy is more comfortable because he's aware that the compitition is over and he's lost.. so, now you relax and just play?

Or, he knows he's won

Or, he's really better than he looked last year and is just now starting to show it.,

Or it was just a fluke

Take your pick...

Throwing to assistant coaches and equipment guys isn't exactly the best indication that a guy is ready to be named the starter.

I know it was tongue in cheek. Actually I hope that McCoy shows a lot this pre-season. He will either, then, make us feel better about our backup spot, or bring value in a trade.

Well, this kind of goes against the idea that it was the back-end receivers who were dropping passes...

Quote:

---

• When rookie Travis Benjamin drops a pass, or when a football goes through his hands, you know it.
He lets out a guttural scream. There have been too many of these for comfort in individual drills. For some reason, he has caught the ball better in 7-on-7s and 11-on-11s than when he is running against no defense.

Cromwell clearly is practicing a mindset of building Benjamin’s confidence.
One time when a ball anybody who plays backyard catch thinks he should catch every time, he had to reach. Instead of yelling at Benjamin, who let out that guttural yell when the ball got away, Cromwell barked at the quarterback.
“That’s gotta be on his body!”
Another time when Benjamin failed to make a routine catch, Cromwell just muttered o himself.

Cromwell is taking a different approach with fourth-year pro Mohamed Massaquoi ... a very hands-on approach.
On one deep ball from Brandon Weeden, the ball went right through Massaquoi’s hands.
“We gotta catch that one, Mo! C’mon! C’mon!”
Massaquoi walks back to the huddle from the spot of the drop.
“Gotta have that,” Cromwell mutters to the wideout. “Gotta have that.”
Massaquoi makes a routine catch on his next try.
“Good!” Cromwell said.

---

Benjamin is exactly as advertised in that he can't catch a cold.

I have heard nothing good about our WRs except Little.

Not shocked at all.