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I wonder how happy the Rams are now that they couldn't manage to wind up with Justin Blackmon? He's holding out, and had a DUI already.

Right now it appears that they dodged a bullet. I do pity the Jaguars though. Shame is, I still think that the guy is overrated to start with. Add in a holdout and a DUI ...... and I doubt that he becoems anything really good, let alone great, in the NFL.


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.

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Five questions from Browns camp
By Pat Kirwan | NFL Insider


During my one-day visit to the Cleveland Browns they had an ownership change, rumors that the club president was finished, a supplemental draft pick from a month ago lined up with the first-team offense and a 28-year-old rookie quarterback separated himself from the other QBs with what he called "my best day so far." In my 23 years in and around the NFL, I can't remember more things happening in one day to one team.

The outside world has little to no expectations for the 2012 Browns. Don't tell that to the thousands of fans that lined the field for the 2½-hour practice and a coaching staff that sees a much better team on the practice field than the 2011 team which finished 4-12.

There are many things to be resolved during this camp from top to bottom but as I leave Berea, Ohio, here are some of the things that I wondered about as this team is being constructed for the season.

1. Who is the leader of the offense?
The defense has leaders in D'Qwell Jackson and Joe Haden and that helped them become the 10th-ranked unit in the NFL. Joe Thomas definitely has a commanding presence over the offensive linemen but the overall leader is up for grabs. Ironically, it sure looks to me like rookie QB Brandon Weeden has all the traits of a team leader and the respect of his teammates. He sees himself as a veteran because of his age and his pro baseball career. He actually referred to himself as "one of the veteran athletes" on the team when we sat down to talk some Xs and Os. Browns fans are hoping for their own version of Andy Dalton and I believe they have found him in Weeden. It's not just his maturity and personality but more importantly he can play the game and his teammates already can see it. Time will tell when the games are being played but right now I wouldn't bet against Weeden being the face of the team from the beginning of the season.


2. What should the Browns do about Scott Fujita?
Fujita is an important part of this team as a starting linebacker and maybe even more critical in the nickel defense. He is probably gone for the first three games with a suspension for the Saints' bounty situation and the Browns have to alter their practice plans right now. Pat Shurmur can't wait for an appeal to overturn the suspension. The Browns have to operate like Fujita will not be available and get other linebackers ready to go. I talked with Shurmur and Fujita about the situation and both men recognized there is a plan in place, though it's tough for Fujita to watch from the sidelines on many occasions. Scott has missed 18 games over his three seasons in Cleveland due to injury so the coaches have had to work around his absence before. Is there enough talent on the roster to overcome the suspension? Chris Gocong now stays on the field in the nickel package and Kaluka Maiava gets time in the base defense. Keep an eye on how the Browns do in preseason games at the strong-side linebacker spot and hope rookies James-Michael Johnson and Emmanuel Acho emerge as solid contributors. Last year the Browns were 30th against the run and opponents will continue to pound the ground attack if things don't get better, with or without Fujita.

3. Can the offense be effective with five potential rookie starters?
When I was in the league the thought about rookie starters was each one was good for a loss. The lack of experience, stamina and knowledge of the pro game always seemed to add up to a bad outcome. After watching practice, it's entirely possible Cleveland could start five rookies on offense -- Weeden, running back Trent Richardson, right tackle Mitchell Schwartz and wide receivers Josh Gordon and Travis Benjamin. There is no surprise about the first three and I actually believe all of them will do well. The two receivers have a big challenge ahead of them this preseason but there's little doubt the coaches see the potential to be starters during their first season. Gordon is working with the first offense at the X receiver. He is big and a fluid athlete. He already flashes great potential on the slant routes and the slant and go (slugo) route. He can break tackles, catch in a crowd and Weeden loves the big target he presents. Keep an eye on his ability to beat press coverage, which he is being challenged with in practice, and more importantly his stamina. Gordon recognized the need to get his legs under him and be able to play at a high level play after play. Benjamin is working at the Z receiver and even though he is small he has a vertical component to his game that the Browns need on the field. He needs work with press coverage issues and Haden is working hard to get him ready by making life tough on him play after play.

4. Will the ownership change affect the team?
It was clear to me that not many of the players even knew outgoing owner Randy Lerner. While all the talk of the day around the building was about new owner Jimmy Haslam III, the players didn't seem fazed at all by the changes at the top. As Jackson said, "I'm tired of losing and my only focus is making this team better. Nothing else really matters." Haden echoed the same thing. Players tend to live in a vacuum and care more about what their position coach is telling them than a new owner. As for Shurmur and his staff, they already came into the season knowing they had to become a better team and an ownership change was a subject for the offseason. I know one thing about this staff, they are not the kind of men that will be looking over their shoulders or anxious about their future during the season. My hope is that Haslam will be patient and take from his experience as a minority owner of the Steelers the concept of stability and not change for the sake of change.

5. Where are the big position battles?
As Shurmur said, "There has to be change when a team goes 4-12 and we have enough depth on the roster right now for some healthy competition."

Keep an eye on these positions:

• Wide receiver Greg Little, in great shape after his 61-catch rookie season, will be in a battle with rookies Gordon and Benjamin.
• DT Phil Taylor is a lock to start when he finally returns from the PUP list but in the meantime rookies John Hughes and Billy Winn are battling for a spot in the front. They probably will wind up in a rotation but when Taylor returns only one of the two will get the real playing time.
• The corner opposite Haden looks like a battle between Sheldon Brown and Dimitri Patterson. Brown started all 16 games last year and is penciled in right now but Patterson wants more than the nickel job.
• Safety has a competition brewing opposite T.J. Ward. Some believe Usama Young is the starter but after watching practice I like Eric Hagg, a second-year man drafted in the seventh round last April. He is vocal, has the range to play the deep middle and good key and diagnose.

Finally, the Browns are headed in the right direction, but with all the youth and a schedule that includes the NFC East and The AFC West along with their own division rivals, a winning record is tough to expect. I would measure success this season in terms of seven wins and an eye on 2013 for a breakthrough year. Will the fans and new ownership have the patience to accept that scenario?

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For Kirwan this is pretty positive. Especially regarding Weeden. He can be brutal if pretty much on the money when it comes to his preseason team summaries. I love what he says about hoping the new owner is patient. Couldn't have said it better myself.




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Joe Haden certain he can start picking up the pace on pickoffs: Browns Insider
Published: Saturday, August 04, 2012, 6:19 PM Updated: Saturday, August 04, 2012, 6:20 PM
Tom Reed, The Plain Dealer By Tom Reed, The Plain Dealer


Pall cast: A spirited morning session was silenced by the serious right leg injury to starting linebacker Chris Gocong. He was sent for an MRI and the club fears Gocong suffered a season-ending ruptured right Achilles.

Camp highlights: Defensive end Jabaal Sheard and defensive back James Dockery had interceptions. ... Rookie receiver Travis Benjamin dropped a well-thrown deep ball from Colt McCoy. ... Rookie Josh Cooper made a nice sliding catch in traffic. ... The collision of the day involved 185-pound DB Buster Skrine crashing into 315-pound OT Oniel Cousins on a pitchout. Skrine’s effort and sacrifice electrified his defensive teammates.

Interest rising: Saturday’s practice drew 3,236 fans. The Browns are averaging 2,965 fans as opposed to 1,647 per practice last year.

Practice schedule: Sunday, no practice; Monday, 2-4:30 p.m., full pads; Tuesday, 8:45-11:15 a.m., full pads.

— Tom Reed

BEREA, Ohio -- Joe Haden soared above Brad Smelley on Saturday to pick off a Seneca Wallace pass during morning practice.

The sight of the Browns cornerback intercepting balls has been as familiar in training camp as it was uncommon last season. Despite being one of the NFL's top cover corners -- he ranked sixth in pass breakups -- he failed to register a single interception in 2011. By his account, Haden should have had at least five.

"It was really frustrating," Haden said. "I pride myself on my hands. I feel like I have really good hands. I need to make sure I catch them this year."

Haden believes the drops cost him a shot at the Pro Bowl during a season in which he had a team-leading 19 breakups and the Browns finished second in the league against the pass. His inability to produce turnovers was more baffling considering he had six interceptions in his rookie year.

"There was no reason," Haden said. "I was in good position. ... I was trying to score too much. I was looking past just catching the ball."

With the help of defensive backs coach Tim Hauck, he's adjusted his coverage when playing off a receiver at the line. It's allowing Haden to get a better read on the receiver's routes and the ball flight, he said. He worked extensively on the technique during phases of spring practices when bump-and-run coverage is prohibited. Haden has had about 10 interceptions during the first seven days of training camp.

"I think through the off-season and, as you evaluate last year, we've talked about that with Joe," coach Pat Shurmur said. "Usually, you get what you emphasize and if it shows up in practice that's the best chance for it to show up in the game. He's getting his hands on balls and his coverage is tight."

Haden said his main objective remains to "eliminate" receivers in press coverage. Working to defend against a strong arm like Brandon Weeden's, he said, is helping elevate his play.

"I am trying to become a lockdown corner and when you play man-to-man that much it's harder to get interceptions," Haden said.

Uncertain times: General Manager Tom Heckert told reporters at the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday that he believes the club is on the right path and hopes the managerial staff will remain intact through the change in ownership.

The only message Heckert said he's heard from new owner Jimmy Haslam III is to keep working.

"It's hard for me to say," Heckert said when asked if he thought he would be retained. "We obviously want to. We think we're on the right track. We're really excited about this season, but I hope I'm here to see it all through."

Haslam said on Friday he would be involved in no such decisions until the sale gains NFL approval. The truck-stop magnate said he's in "listen, learn and observe" mode. Haslam was generally complimentary of Heckert and team president Mike Holmgren at his introductory news conference.

"We did talk to the staff," Heckert said. "I don't know that we had to, but they understand the situation. It's a little different because ownership changes don't happen a whole lot, but guys understand it's a part of the business. There's always a possibility of change. It's part of the business."

New sheriff: Haslam returned to practice for a second straight day to observe his new team. He watched part of the session alongside Holmgren, but later spoke extensively to Shurmur on the sidelines.

"I will keep our conversations private, but he's interested in the operation and he's watching it with fresh eyes so he has questions about how we do things," Shurmur said. "I think it's something that he's out there trying to learn and get up to speed with what we're doing, how we do things, why we do certain drills so that he can become educated on our process, of course."

Injury update: Tight end Ben Watson sat out Saturday's practice with an undisclosed injury. Defensive tackle Scott Paxson returned to practice after leaving early on Friday due to illness.
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Browns training camp snapshot — August 4

Published: August 4, 2012 - 08:16 PM
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Browns’ Chris Gocong suffers season-ending injury

Position battles: Coach Pat Shurmur said he would like to keep six wide receivers on the 53-man roster, and undrafted rookie receiver Josh Cooper is fighting for a job. He made a case for himself Saturday by diving over the middle to grab a pass from rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden, his teammate at Oklahoma State. The play elicited loud cheers from the crowd.

Who stood out: Rookie wide receiver Josh Gordon. He beat cornerback Sheldon Brown’s coverage on a fade route along the sideline and hauled in a deep pass from Weeden in seven-on-seven action. Gordon later caught a long touchdown pass from Weeden on fourth down in a two-minute drill.

Highs and lows: In an 11-on-11 drill, quarterback Colt McCoy threw a perfect pass to rookie receiver Travis Benjamin on a deep route. Benjamin, though, dropped the ball even though he was wide open. Fans shouted words of encouragement at McCoy. … In a two-minute drill, linebacker Scott Fujita deflected a pass from Weeden, and defensive end Jabaal Sheard picked it off. … Weeden and the first-team offense got another chance and capitalized when Weeden and Gordon connected for a touchdown. … McCoy and the second-team offense set up Spencer Lanning’s successful 37-yard field goal with their drive during the two-minute drill. … In more 11-on-11 action, cornerback Buster Skrine zoomed off the edge of the line of scrimmage, trying to disrupt a pitch to running back Brandon Jackson, and offensive tackle Oniel Cousins crushed Skrine with a ferocious block. The players and fans went wild. … The same 11-on-11 session ended with rookie defensive tackle John Hughes pinning offensive lineman Dominic Alford on the ground before teammates broke up the minor scuffle.

Sidelined: Linebacker Chris Gocong (suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon during practice), kicker Jeff Wolfert (undisclosed), wide receiver Carlton Mitchell (leg), free safety Usama Young (undisclosed), fullback Eddie Williams (undisclosed), tight end Benjamin Watson (undisclosed), defensive lineman Brian Schaefering (undisclosed), defensive end Frostee Rucker (undisclosed) and defensive tackle Phil Taylor (pectoral muscle).

Today’s schedule: Players are off. The next practice is set for 2-4:30 p.m. Monday, and it’s open to the public.

— Nate Ulrich
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Transcript from news conference with Browns coach Pat Shurmur
By Nate Ulrich Published: August 4, 2012

Browns coach Pat Shurmur met with reporters this morning after practice. Here is a transcript from the news conference:

(Opening Statement)- “It was another good practice. You are probably going to ask about Chris Gocong who left. They are evaluating his ankle, and we’ll see so I’ll know more here at some point. I’m sure it will get released if there’s something extended to his injury. It looked like, from what we could tell, he just jumped up in the air, and then came down on it so we’re having it evaluated. With that being said, I thought the practice was good. There were a lot of coachable moments out there. We saw some big plays. We saw a couple big plays that we have to make. We saw a situation where a receiver caught a ball then stopped running when he could have scored a touchdown. He’ll never do that again. You don’t go through it unless you practice it. I think that’s something that we can learn from and that’s why you do these things. We got some situational work in. I really felt like, again, we made some progress today.”

(On if he thinks Chris Gocong’s injury is ankle related)- “We’re hoping that whatever the injury is that it’s not a long term thing, but we’ll know here. He’ll be sent for an MRI and we’ll know for sure if it’s something that we have to deal with more than a couple days.”

(On if Kaluka Maiava and James Michael Johnson play either outside position)- “Yeah, they are very flexible position wise. They really can play inside as well, Kaluka, JMJ, and some of the young linebackers that we have on our roster. Anytime there’s an injury, it’s unfortunate when it happens. It’s the unintended consequence of playing this game. As safe as you try to be sometimes it happens. It drives the coach nuts for sure. I worry about that when we come out here. You don’t want to see guys get hurt. I think the important thing though, is when that happens, you quickly get your eye right back on the ball and you get guys in there that can compete. It’s also a lesson to guys that play behind people, it’s a play away from being in there and being in there full time. That’s what you have to learn from that.”

(On Craig Robertson and L.J. Fort possibly getting more snaps)- “I think those are two guys that have also caught our eye. I think they are both guys that if they make the club here, are immediately going to be special teams contributors in a big way. They’ve both made plays, obviously in the scrimmage drills. They are two young guys that we’re very hopeful for.”

(On what he’s seeing from Kaluka Maiava)- “Kaluka is obviously a very fine football player. He first established himself as a special teams player and he’s very effective in scrimmage downs as well. We anticipate that he’ll be one year better in our scheme and one year better as a player.”

(On how Maiava compensates for being a smaller linebacker)- “He’s bigger than you (joking). There are a lot of linebackers in the league, although they may not be tall, they’re not small. He’s kind of a thickly built guy. Even though he’s not tall, he’s pretty powerful.”

(On if he will look outside to get another linebacker if Chris Gocong is out for a long time)- “I think we’re going to have to evaluate that once we know the final outcome if this is a major injury.”

(On if he thinks the team bounced back after Gocong’s injury)- “Yeah, I think they did. I think we have enough veteran guys around here, and quite frankly anybody that’s come to our team has played enough football where they’ve seen injuries happen. As I mentioned, it’s the unintended consequence of this game. I thought they bounced back fine.”

(On linebacker being a bad position for injury because of Scott Fujita’s suspension)- “I don’t want an injury at any position. We just keep moving ahead and we’ll find out again what’s wrong with Chris. We’ll find out how long he’ll be out and then we’ll keep moving forward. Nothing can stop the train, we’ve got to keep going.”

(On if there is an emphasis on working with Joe Haden on getting more interceptions)- “I think through the offseason, and as you evaluate last year we’ve talked about that with Joe. Usually you get what you emphasize, and if it shows up in practice, that’s the best chance to have it show up in a game. He’s getting his hands on balls now. His coverage is tight. I think he’s having a good camp to this point.”

(On what he’s seen with Mitchell Schwartz and Jabaal Sheard going against each other)- “I think the battles have been good. You’ll find that Jabaal will get him once in a while. What I’m seeing though is, you’re seeing Mitchell kind of adjust his sets and get a little bit better with his hands each day. Going against one another helps both of them I think. At this point in camp, of course everybody’s a little dead-legged so you don’t see that zip that we’ll get back in their legs when it gets to be game time. The competition is good and I think they are both handling it very well.”

(On if he would expect Sheard to take another step after having a good rookie season)- “Yeah, I think he will. Again, I think he switched sides in the middle of the year last year. This year, he’s kind of getting honed in. I see him on my right, but I know he’s on the left. He’s getting honed in on that side earlier. Anything you do more than once, there should be a big jump between one and two. I think this year he will make improvement.”

(On why they moved the stadium practice to Wednesday instead of Saturday)- “It was just some scheduling. We wanted to make sure the field was in the right condition and then we wanted to look at it on a week night. We’re just kind of adjusting it to see. There’s no real firm rhyme or reason to it. We wanted it to be an outstanding experience for our fans. We feel like doing it at night. It is a good thing. It will be the same structure really as last year, we’re just going to do it on a weeknight, and see what kind of response we get.”

(On Joe Thomas saying that Jason Pinkston has made improvements this year and if he has seen that as well)- “I have. He’s another guy that it’s a little bit different mindset for him coming in. He’s pretty much in there playing now. There’s really no confusion about am I paying on the right side, left side. He’s in there playing, and he’s playing next to Joe, and there is synergy. When you get those five guys playing together a long time, then the unit tends to get better as the individuals get better. Joe’s as close to him as anybody so he would know.”

(On how the backup defensive linemen are performing in camp so far)- “They’re in there battling. You see some give and take here during training camp, they’re in there battling and working hard and I see improvement from them as well. Everybody out there competing has a chance to play and I think they’re looking at it that way.”

(On what Jimmy Haslam was asking him at the end of practice)- “I will keep our conversations private, but he’s interested in the operation and he’s watching it with fresh eyes so he has questions about how we do things. I think it’s something that he’s out there trying to learn and get up to speed with what we’re doing, how we do things, why we do certain drills so that he can become educated on our process, of course. I feel like he’s really excited to own this football team. I’ve enjoyed our conversations to this point.”

(On if he has had a long conversation with Haslam)- “We’ve spoken quite a bit, sure.”
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Just so people know ..... there is a live media availability on the Browns homepage that has already started. Speculation is that Shurmur will name his starting QB today.

I should say that the video feed has started. Still waiting on Shurmur to arrive.

Last edited by YTownBrownsFan; 08/06/12 04:16 PM.

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 can already tell you who the starter is. It's not like there's any question, is there?

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Nope. Just making it official.


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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And it is official. The #2 is to be determined.


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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Think that I will check it out. Thanks for the heads up! Official is better IMO. Get it behind you.


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I was at camp today.. we arrived a bit late so we were on the East sideline and the offense and scrimmages were most lamentably on the west sideline so I had some trouble seeing all that transpired. Off the top of me head, no particular order.. From what I saw:

# 17 (Owen Spencer) is keeping alive the tradition. Lots of drops.

Gordon is large, fast and has nice hands.

Talked to Usama Young.. mentioned a hammy problem I believe. Took a pic with us, nice guy.

Phil is kicking well.

Hardesty looks better than I've ever seen him. Quick and nice cuts.

Colt had one pick.. Seneca had a few more than that I believe. I prefer Colt.

Rubin and Moore are back on the field and look good.

Big Joe had a knee to the ground. Elder statesman watching the rooks trying to make the team.

Paxson actually doesn't look too bad.. Benard had a rough time in the fumble pick up drills and fell on his belly.. so he crawled to the ball and rolled around with it a bit. Benard later taken inside to get looked at.. some unspecified injury but was back out later doing auto's for the fans. Don't know if he resumed playing.

Adonis Thomas is a quick lil guy.

Benjamin is a mixed bag.. easy drops / nice catches. Did some work with the special teams.. fielding kicks and returns.. ehh.. not great not bad.. I suppose it's early yet. Norwood and JC worked at that drill too. Was shocked to see Haden doing work with what looked like punt return team.

Timing between QB's and WR ain't all there yet.. close misses.. picks etc.. Bee Wee looks decent

TRich is short and powerful.. catches nice out of the backfield.

J Cameron had a coupla nice catches

Kinda all I can remember right now.. might think of more laters, plus I'm eating a pizza right now.


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Thanks for the update bro.

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Quote:

Rubin and Moore are back on the field and look good.




Best news I've heard all day. Well, second-best news.

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I told you guys he was overrated...

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/51983/steelers-decastro-struggling-physically

Quote:

Perhaps the biggest disappointment of Steelers training camp has been the struggles of first-round pick David DeCastro.

Considered the best guard prospect to come out of college in a decade, DeCastro has failed to beat out Ramon Foster, who went undrafted three years ago, for the starting right guard spot.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger asked DeCastro whether he was having more difficulty with the mental or physical part of the game. "He said, ‘The mental part I got. The physical is a lot tougher. These guys are really good,'" Roethlisberger told the Beaver County Times.

DeCastro still might end up starting at right guard in Thursday's preseason opener at Philadelphia because left guard Willie Colon is dealing with an ankle injury. That would move Foster from right to left guard, opening the right guard spot for DeCastro.

Foster made it clear that he isn't conceding the starting job to DeCastro.

"You don't want to just passively give away your starting role," Foster told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "This is a world championship team, you want to be a guy starting on that team. We're both going to get better no matter who wins the job. We'll just handle that at the end of camp. Is there a sense of urgency? Definitely. I think it's there for Dave, too."



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if the physical part isn't there.. the mind part will dwindle very soon.. PERFECT!!



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Even better is that if the physical part isn't there already, it most likely won't be at all this season. The body can adapt, but it needs time... and he'll be trying to get stronger and better on the fly, which is going to have him hit that Rookie Wall much sooner than normal.

I like it.


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... there goes Joe Thomas, the best there ever was in this game.

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yeah, the mental part usually continues to progress through a season while the physical part regresses (less time to workout + injuries).

better that he is struggling now than not.


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J/C,

Who was the poster who just the other day who said that we should have Drafted DeCastro over Weeden?


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That would be POSTERS not just poster. Hell there was a couple that wanted to take him top 10.

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That would be POSTERS not just poster. Hell there was a couple that wanted to take him top 10.




ah yes, but Paco is the one who put it back out there yesterday

Quote:


This just gets me thinking.... If we waited to get weeden until the 2nd round and got Decastro at 22.

Just thnk of our o line for next 5 years. Thomas-pinkston-Mack-decastro-lavao/rookie tackle/FA

That would of been 4 incredible pieces in place







no hard feelings Paco, it was asked, so I'm just answering. feel free to search my username on my pre-draft feelings on Weeden and make me eat crow if I was wrong (please, please, let me have been wrong)


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NRTU, Mourg.

I'd made this statement so many years ago that I doubt many would remember, but I used to carry the banner that stated it was just a matter of time before teams in the NFL brought back a version of the Run and Shoot. Well, some five or six years after the fact, it's happening:

Per PFT:
Titans, Bucs installing Run ‘N Shoot concepts on offense
Posted by Josh Alper on August 7, 2012, 9:17 AM EDT
Jake Locker AP

Earlier this offseason, Titans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer talked about the benefits of a full offseason when it came to installing his offense.

One of those benefits appears to be the use of more Run ‘N Shoot concepts into the playbook. Palmer was an assistant with the Oilers from 1990-1992 when Houston ran the offense under coordinator Kevin Gilbride and the team’s website confirms that aspects of the offense will be in evidence in Tennessee this season.

Palmer’s not the only Gilbride disciple bringing the offense back into the league. Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman has talked about Tampa using the concepts, which isn’t much of a surprise since offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan had previously been working under Gilbride as the Giants’ quarterbacks coach. With passing taking on a more expansive role in the league’s offenses, it was inevitable that teams would look for things from an offense that put up huge aerial numbers 20 years ago.

We don’t know exactly how the Titans will implement those aspects this season, but anything that moves the offense more toward spread looks would seem to benefit Jake Locker’s bid for the starting quarterback job. Locker’s ability to make plays on the move lends itself to that kind of offensive look — Freeman’s athleticism would also fit with the scheme — and that could signal the direction the Titans plan to take offensively.

It would be a very different offense from the one that helped propel Chris Johnson to his 2,006-yard season in 2009, but it doesn’t mean talk of a revitalized Johnson has been overblown. Barry Sanders had plenty of success in the scheme and getting the ball to Johnson in space with the defense spread out has the potential to be very effective.


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Quote:

Titans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer




i'm sure old Houston Oiler fans will love to see the team that abandoned them running their old offense.

it makes sense and the Pats (and others) already use alot of the same types of passing patterns (NFL's spread is more a mix of the college spread and the run-n-shoot).


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I remember, and remember agreeing. It's along the same lines of me saying the spread will enter the NFL.

To me, what's wrong with keeping the opponent in a dime defense or be totally mismatched on the outside?


If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.

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Quote:

yeah, the mental part usually continues to progress through a season while the physical part regresses (less time to workout + injuries).

better that he is struggling now than not.




I just wonder how anyone can buy into this train of thought on one hand, then turn around on the other hand and talk about "how much better" Pinkston got over the course of the season last year?

That sounds like fuzzy math to me.



Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.

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And I'd bet money we'll be seeing some of it in Washington with RG3 there as well.


Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.

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Quote:

Quote:

yeah, the mental part usually continues to progress through a season while the physical part regresses (less time to workout + injuries).

better that he is struggling now than not.




I just wonder how anyone can buy into this train of thought on one hand, then turn around on the other hand and talk about "how much better" Pinkston got over the course of the season last year?

That sounds like fuzzy math to me.






Pinkston's problems weren't physical early on. He was blocking air, or doubling while someone went through, etc.


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Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

yeah, the mental part usually continues to progress through a season while the physical part regresses (less time to workout + injuries).

better that he is struggling now than not.




I just wonder how anyone can buy into this train of thought on one hand, then turn around on the other hand and talk about "how much better" Pinkston got over the course of the season last year?

That sounds like fuzzy math to me.






Pinkston's problems weren't physical early on. He was blocking air, or doubling while someone went through, etc.




JT said it best when he said that Pinkston didn't have the proper footwork for the position last season and footwork goes with hand placement. He also said that he looks like he worked hard this offseason to correct his footwork.

The Dude has a (real) nice punch though and if he can get the footwork down, then I think that he has a chance to be pretty effective for us.

Last edited by FL_Dawg; 08/07/12 12:28 PM.

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Footwork and body positioning were the weaknesses I saw.

I do think it's reaching a little to indicate people can't or won't get stronger as the season progresses. They still have days off with strength and conditioning.

But we do agree on what Pinkston needs to show improvement on......


Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.

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I do think it's reaching a little to indicate people can't or won't get stronger as the season progresses. They still have days off with strength and conditioning.




you go from training with weights and conditioning every single day with only the pains caused by that training

to the training a couple days a week while battling through whatever injuries and rest your body needs from practice and games.

-------------

lifting/conditioning during the season is to maintain. if you have to gain, then you are already lost.


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Anyone going to CBS tomorrow night?

I'm going to go up myself and was wondering the best parking spot for the event.
I imagine that although the event is free but parking will empty your pocket for you!

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Cleveland Browns' Trent Richardson sits out practice, rides exercise bike
Published: Tuesday, August 07, 2012, 3:11 PM Updated: Tuesday, August 07, 2012, 3:18 PM
Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer


Berea, Ohio - Browns running back Trent Richardson, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, is sitting out practice today and riding the exercise bike instead.

Richardson is wearing a rubber sleeve on his left leg, but it's not yet known if that's why he's idle. Browns coach Pat Shurmur, who attended the funeral of Garrett Reid today in Broomall, Pa. before returning to practice, will update the media after practice at about 5 p.m. Reid, the son of Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid, died Sunday at the team's training camp.

Richardson, who sat out Saturday's practice with headaches, also wore a sleeve on his left knee on and off during organized team activities in May and minicamp in June. Richardson underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Feb. 3 to have a torn meniscus repaired and was medically excluded from the NFL Combine later that month.

It's not yet known if Richardson will be able to play Friday night in the preseason opener in Detroit. The only practice before then is Wednesday night's Family Fun at the Stadium, in just shells and shorts.

Other Browns not practicing today include tight end Ben Watson, free safety Usama Young, defensive end Frostee Rucker and defensive end Marcus Benard. Benard walked off the practice field with a team doctor on Monday, with the doctor carrying Benard's helmet. Shurmur had no news on Benard's condition after Monday's practice. web page

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Am I the only one that pronounces hyperbole "Hyper-bowl" instead of "hy-per-bo-le"?
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He's just a made-of-glass, injury-prone, chump that we reached for. We should cut bait now while we can still get something for him.





There, somebody said it, lol!


Browns is the Browns

... there goes Joe Thomas, the best there ever was in this game.

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Just what we need.........he's missed 2 practices already, out of how many?

Please don't let it be a big deal.......or anything but a scrape, or minor deal.

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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/201...friday-unclear/

Per PFT: Sore left knee. Yeah, yeah, the one he had surgery on. Will be evaluated today, if not already. We should be prepared to see them sit him out against the Lions.

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Maybe its just taking precautions and Shurmer can use the preseason to let the backup RBs and the WRs get more practice. I want to see the WR battles more anyways. I think Shurmer knows what hes getting in Richardson.

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This is where Hardesty comes out looking like gangbusters and everyone goes "well good thing we wasted 4 picks on a Running Back!"


Am I the only one that pronounces hyperbole "Hyper-bowl" instead of "hy-per-bo-le"?
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Quote:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/201...friday-unclear/

Per PFT: Sore left knee. Yeah, yeah, the one he had surgery on. Will be evaluated today, if not already. We should be prepared to see them sit him out against the Lions.




1 of the reasons I didn't want to draft him and I remember a lot on here simply shrugging it off as it was "just a minor" scope...a knee scope's a knee scope...especially for a RB

Let's hope this isn't serious...if it is, it could and probably should get Heckert fired...and you know what a Heckert cheerleader I am

Both back to back top picks out with injury...only in Cleveland


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I'm not a medical expert.

How long does it take for the staph infection to set in?


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I'm not a medical expert.

How long does it take for the staph infection to set in?






Oh God, please don't say that....even joking


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