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Keeping Weeden sharp – Brandon Weeden had another very good day of OTAs in Berea. He was quick and decisive delivering the ball into a multitude of different places on the field. He looks like a completely different quarterback from who he was at the tail end of the 2012 season.

Confidence seems to be the key difference in Weeden’s demeanor. While Norv Turner is harping on him and being very vocal with his coaching, he is still coaching and that’s all Weeden can ask for.

“(Norv) will get on you, you got to be on your toes,” said Weeden. “You can’t mess up. Not that you want to play scared but you have to play error free at this level. He expects that out of all of us.”

Turner loves to yell during practice for simple mental errors and there were a lot today. The team had just finished the install of their offense to this point and you could tell some of the shifts and formations were still foreign to the receivers. Even Weeden had to get guys straightened out from time to time.

Weeden’s passes certainly weren’t a problem though.

“I try not to make the same mistake twice and we had routes that we do today that we did last Wednesday or Thursday and I’m coming back and making the right read and making a better throw,” Weeden said. “(Norv) actually give me a high five…which doesn’t happen very often but he’ll congratulate me. He’s making me a better player. He’s good at what he does.”

Still finding the right mix – While the coaches figure out exactly what they have on their roster, there are always changes throughout the lineup and depth chart. Thursday was no different. Shaun Lauvao was back at the other starting guard position on the offensive line today. In fact, the only constant at the guard position thus far has been John Greco.

Greco was a guy who was at one time thought of as a journeyman backup. Last season, when Jason Pinkston went down with a life threatening blood clot, Greco stepped in and performed well above average. Still, Rob Chudzinski warns not to read too much into the number of snaps he is receiving.

“John’s don’t a nice job out here,” said Chudzinski. “Again, that really is going to play itself out when we get into pads and into camp. It’s really tough to evaluate anybody along the line on either side right now with what’s going on. But John is a solid guy and he really stepped up last year and played well in the games that he came in and started.”

On the defensive side of the ball, Buster Skine had been getting all the work as the second cornerback opposite Joe Haden through the first two weeks of OTAs. He now has some competition for those reps and it isn’t third round draft pick Leon McFadden.

Chris Owens, a free agent pick up from Atlanta, split the reps with Skrine at the second cornerback position. They also split the reps as the nickel back. Both guys are 5’9” tall but Owens may be a little more fluid in his technique.

“(Chris) has really good feet and mirror skills and coverage skills,” said Chudzinksi. “He was a guy that we wanted to bring in and put into the mix with our corners and get a chance to compete. In this league you need to have good corners and Chris has been doing a nice job out there.”

Paul Kruger, who missed practice for family reasons, was replaced in the first team defense today by Quinton Groves and first round draft pick Barkevious Mingo. They split time at the left outside linebacker position and Mingo is looking more and more comfortable every day. The true test will come when they put on pads and he starts getting knocked around.

Getting the Bess out of the receiver corps – When the Browns traded with Miami for Devone Bess on draft day, they received more than just a top flight slot receiver. They also received the long overdue veteran presence they have needed in the wide receiver room.

Not only is Bess one of the better route runners I have ever seen and catches anything thrown his way, but he can also be seen in between plays coaching up guys like Greg Little, Josh Gordon, and Travis Benjamin.

Bess is excited to work with such a fresh crop of talent too.

“Young, talented, athletic, physical, and it’s just a matter of putting it together. We got a bunch of raw guys who can make plays, we know that,” said Bess. “A big part of is we’ll just have to get it in the film room and understand the system the coaches are trying to install.”

Roll credits and southern comfort – The mini village that housed the film crew for the movie “Draft Day” is finally gone. They had their own area in Berea and had taken over the building for quite a while. I wanted to meet Dennis Leary, but I guess I’ll just have to become a movie star to do that now.

Trent Richardson said today that he didn’t want to miss “nann practice.” This is one of the most southern phrases you can possibly say. UrbanDictionary.com describes “nann” as a term that comes from a southern dialect of Black Standard English, meaning 'no' 'none' or 'not any'. Anyone who has ever heard the Trick Daddy and Trina song from the late 90’s may be familiar with the term but nann other music fans will probably be hip to it.

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Keeping Weeden sharp – Brandon Weeden had another very good day of OTAs in Berea. He was quick and decisive delivering the ball into a multitude of different places on the field. He looks like a completely different quarterback from who he was at the tail end of the 2012 season.

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He was a pro bowler in last year's camp, too.

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Still finding the right mix – While the coaches figure out exactly what they have on their roster, there are always changes throughout the lineup and depth chart. Thursday was no different. Shaun Lauvao was back at the other starting guard position on the offensive line today. In fact, the only constant at the guard position thus far has been John Greco.

Greco was a guy who was at one time thought of as a journeyman backup. Last season, when Jason Pinkston went down with a life threatening blood clot, Greco stepped in and performed well above average.

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I thought the guy was a bum, but he came in and played very, very well. He was our best guard last year. What a pleasant surprise.

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Chris Owens, a free agent pick up from Atlanta, split the reps with Skrine at the second cornerback position. They also split the reps as the nickel back. Both guys are 5’9” tall but Owens may be a little more fluid in his technique.

“(Chris) has really good feet and mirror skills and coverage skills,” said Chudzinksi. “He was a guy that we wanted to bring in and put into the mix with our corners and get a chance to compete. In this league you need to have good corners and Chris has been doing a nice job out there.”

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Interesting. I remember Banner's comments when we signed this guy. I was thinking it probably was the usual PR talk, but maybe we found something here.

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Bess is excited to work with such a fresh crop of talent too.

“Young, talented, athletic, physical, and it’s just a matter of putting it together. We got a bunch of raw guys who can make plays, we know that,” said Bess. “A big part of is we’ll just have to get it in the film room and understand the system the coaches are trying to install.”

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LOL............excited? That isn't what I got out of it. Sounds to me Bess thinks the same of Gordon and Little as I do. Physical freaks who are a lacking upstairs.

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Trent Richardson said today that he didn’t want to miss “nann practice.”

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Speaking of the mentally challenged, this guy drives me nuts when he speaks. Gotta love the SEC. Sometimes, they remind me of ancient Rome and the gladiators. You would have to spend some time down here to understand that comment. Peen, Deep South, Knox, etc..........I apologize for that comment, but come on man............only in the south can a kid do absolutely nothing and get a 60% grade. And then they wonder about generational poverty and welfare. When you give someone 60% for nothing, you are encouraging the welfare state of mind.

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Trent Richardson said today that he didn’t want to miss “nann practice.”

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Speaking of the mentally challenged, this guy drives me nuts when he speaks. Gotta love the SEC. Sometimes, they remind me of ancient Rome and the gladiators. You would have to spend some time down here to understand that comment. Peen, Deep South, Knox, etc..........I apologize for that comment, but come on man............only in the south can a kid do absolutely nothing and get a 60% grade. And then they wonder about generational poverty and welfare. When you give someone 60% for nothing, you are encouraging the welfare state of mind.

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Really, only in the south? No it would never happen in the north, west or east regions.

and yet, he's making millions of dollars playing a sport you can only dream about playing at a professional level. or even coach for that matter.

interesting. the hate is strong in you.

It is just jealousy speaking and it is rather hilarious. Reminds me of the kid having the tantrum on the Andry Griffith show "but I want my bike, waa waa waaa". In this case, it is but the SEC is cheating, waaa waaa waaa.

Tantrum? Crying? Really?

Nice football posts guys. Let me guess................I started this fight, too?

Sorry if you dont like but it was but your post was a long winded whine that ticked me off. Come you basically say all the kids in the south are dumb and looking for a handout. I know you like to post stuff to stir things up and I have enjoyed that over the years and do consider you a friend but what you posted was offensive and ignorant.

Schools everywhere have paid players or had boosters do it for them. They have fixed grades. They have done anything and everything to protect their football programs. I am sure everyone on this board has known a player that showed up on rare occasions could barely read and yet somehow pass their classes with flying colors.

If you want to talk football, we can talk football. If you want to whine like a spoiled kid, then someone is going to call you out on it.

If Lauvao was back in with the starters, was it at RG?

If Greco has been a constant, is it at LG?

If the answer to both of those questions is yes, who was the starter at RG before Lauvao was "back" at RG with the starters?

I find it odd that Greco has seemed to be called a 'journeyman' from the day we picked him up a couple years ago, and yet two years later, he's still only a 5 yr vet. So...in his first 3 years in the league and with the team that originally drafted him he became a "journeyman".

He was originally a third round pick. Going into his sixth year, it sure sounds like he will be a starter.

I really hope that Owens becomes a regular contributor for us. I'd like to know who was primarily responsible for getting/wanting him with the Browns.

He too was originally a third round pick.

I'm not going to get too excited about the Weeden reviews at this point...I'll just stay happy that what we are hearing thus far has been positive...even if it means very little, it's better than negative reports at this time.

EDIT: Ok...I've read in two different articles today that Greco has been the starter at RG...with Pinky ahead of Lauvao at LG. Interesting.

I have read Greco has been exclusive at RG 1st tean and Lauvao has been pretty exclusive at LG 1st team. Pinky has worked both sides mostly with 2nd team. Looking like it is gonna be Greco at RG and Lauvao at RG atleast until they starting going hard in practice.

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Peen, Deep South, Knox, etc..........I apologize for that comment

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no need to apologize to me. I wish everybody was allowed to speak their minds again.

bess may be just what our young receivers need. momass was a vet but I would think it would be better to follow someone who is actually on the field battleing with you.

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I find it odd that Greco has seemed to be called a 'journeyman' from the day we picked him up a couple years ago, and yet two years later, he's still only a 5 yr vet. So...in his first 3 years in the league and with the team that originally drafted him he became a "journeyman".

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the article actually said "Greco was a guy who was at one time thought of as a journeyman backup"

I understood that to mean that he would never be anything more than a solid opponent in the lineup. he seems to have stepped it up a tad. You never know what makes something click in your head.

This is either evidence that he has stepped it up or a situation whereas he is still considered backup talent but is the best or equal to the best we have on the roster.

What I think is that Lauvao is our best guard so with Pinky recovering he's taken that spot to see if he can do better than Greco did last season which I think was very serviceable.

It would not have made sense to move Lauvao and Greco during the season last year with Lauvao having all his experience up to that point at RG. I'm sure Greco got reps at both guard positions as a backup so it made more sense to plug him in Pinky's spot.

I hope they get the guards sorted out. I feel we are fine at the other three spots.

What I found odd is that in NFL-speak, I usually see the word 'journeyman' as refering to a guy who has been a serviceable player - backup and spot starter - for many years and usually for at least a couple of / few teams.

He was a backup for three years with the team that drafted him...and was labeled a journeyman when traded to us.

I thought it was odd to call him that. To this day, I think he has been around a lot longer than 5 years - headed into his 6th.

Question and answer with Browns defensive backs coach Louie Cioffi

By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer


BEREA: Defensive backs coach Louie Cioffi joined the Browns with the hiring of defensive coordinator Ray Horton in January.

It’s his third tour of duty with Horton, the most recent with the Arizona Cardinals where Cioffi served two seasons as defensive backs coach.

With Cioffi’s help, Horton elevated the Cardinals’ defense to one of the best in the NFL in several statistical categories, including leading the league in passer rating allowed. Cioffi’s defensive backs particularly stood out, leading the league in interception percentage.

They were also second in the league with 22 interceptions. As a defense, the Cardinals were near the top of many statistical categories.

Prior to joining the Browns, Cioffi was a defensive coach for the Cincinnati Bengals. The Beacon Journal caught up with him after the organized team activities (OTAs) on Thursday.

Q: Do you know what style, technique and attitude that you want this secondary to adopt just yet?

A: We’ve always been in the mind-set where we like to attack offenses. We don’t really want to sit in different things and let them dictate this to us. We want to play aggressive, be aggressive and attack them. It will be more of an attacking style. We’re going to be more aggressive.

Q: Even if you don’t have the personnel to do that?

A: There are ways you can do that with any type of personnel. We’ll scheme it the best way we see fit.

Q: Leon McFadden’s height has been scrutinized throughout his career. Will that be an obstacle as he transitions to the NFL and is he capable of being that second starting cornerback the team needs to go opposite Joe Haden?

A: There are things you can control and things you can’t control. We can’t control his height and we really liked the way he moved. We like his ball skills. We like his aggressiveness. We like the way he recognizes route combinations. We like, really, his movement and those are all qualities you need to have as a high-level NFL cornerback.

Q: How would you characterize your situation at the nickel back based on what you’ve seen from Buster Skrine and Chris Owens?

A: I think the guys have done a really good job of trying to digest exactly what we’ve tried to put in. We’ve actually put in basically the entire scheme in a three-week period. We have the advantage of coming back and installing it in minicamp and installing it again in training camp, so by the time it’s time to go they will have seen and heard this thing three or four times. So we’ll be getting repetition that way. I’m very pleased with what we’ve done so far. These guys have bought into the system and are trying to do things the way we want it done and they’re really buying into the techniques and teaching style we’ve presented to them.

Q: Skrine had it tough on the field. Is that something he’s been able to get over from what you’ve seen?

A: The defensive back position is very unique (laughing a little) and you really have to have a very short memory. We preach not giving up deep balls and not giving up big plays. At the end of the year, we always look back and look at what defenses lead the league in fewest big plays. Those defenses are usually the ones in the top ten. We also preach turnovers and we also preach takeaways, tackling and fundamentals. We’re just trying to teach him the system and the way that we want it done and trying to teach him some technique that will help him so he’s not always one-on-one with a guy or in positions that will make him fail. So far, it’s been pretty good. He’s had a really good approach to everything. He’s been working his [butt] off and I expect big things from him. The kid competes. He finishes better than anyone I’ve ever seen. He’s gotten his hands on a lot of balls in practice and he’s actually broken up plays where receivers have caught the ball and he was able to get his hand in.

Q: It’s a case of him being set up to succeed then?

A: Yes, it is. My job, just to be clear, I consider myself a teacher. My job is to put the guys in the best possible position to succeed. The way you do that is to put them in situations where they understand what you’re doing because if you understand something, then it’s simple. If you don’t understand it, then it becomes overbearing and becomes uncertain. When you understand the techniques and what we’re asking them to do then you can play fast and you can play physical because you can play confident. That’s when guys are successful.

Q: Tashaun Gipson has received all of the work at free safety with the first-team defense this offseason. What do you like about him and what has he done to separate himself thus far?

A: I like his attitude. His communication skills have been excellent thus far and he and T.J. [Ward] have done a good job of working together. He’s played college corner so it’s given us some versatility in matching guys in space, so we’ve liked what we’ve seen of him so far.

Q: What have you learned about Haden and T.J. Ward since you joined the team?

A: I really like what I’ve seen out of both of those guys. T.J. has come in and he’s become one of the leaders of the secondary — making calls, setting defenses for us. He’s showed up in spots, making plays. Really he’s been a leader in the classroom and on the field. Joe Haden has all the ability in the world to be a Pro Bowl corner. I was fortunate enough to coach guys like Leon Hall, Jonathan Joseph and Patrick Peterson. He really has that kind of skill set to be an elite corner in this league. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure he is that.

Q: Is the third time the charm for you and defensive coordinator Ray Horton after working together at Cincinnati and Arizona?

A: I hope so. We got it working pretty good in Arizona and we want to continue that and I feel this is a really good, young defense. Our front seven has done a great job. Our linebackers have done a great job. Our secondary is young, but they compete. I expect big things from this unit.

Q: What have you learned from him?

A: We’ve always kind of been on the same wavelength and we both have the same style and approach and that to me is just making sure the guys are doing the best they can and making sure the guys understand what you’re asking of them. Just being web page

Thanks!

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Sorry if you dont like but it was but your post was a long winded whine that ticked me off.

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Thank you. You are a great man.

I'm done w/guys like you. You name call, insult, belittle.......and then act like I started it.

Have a great day.

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no need to apologize to me. I wish everybody was allowed to speak their minds again.

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Thanks. And you got the gist of it w/the speaking the minds part. If you disagree w/the prevailing opinion the "guys who know football" will insult you and provoke fights, then turn around and call you "an ass," "a petulant child," and a whiner."

Wish I knew football so I could talk like that.

Btw-----------my comments were not directed toward all southern people. Some of the smartest people and kids I have EVER met are in the south. But, the 60% rule in our state is real. And everyone knows that it's so kids who could care less about education still play sports.

I love SEC football. It's the best in the land, but having worked w/them.........let's just say academics do not matter. I fully understand that is the case at most major universities, but it is just pronounced more down here.

There is a wide gap in how people view education and being industrious down here. Some always have their hand out and others are affluent and are always paying out. Not as much of a middle class as there is in the midwest.

States such as Mississippi, Alabama, and South Carolina have consistently ranked low in end of grade testing. Hopefully, things will change with 48 of our 50 states adopting the new Core Curriculum.

About Bess: Yeah, I really like that guy. Always thought he was underrated at Miami. He gets open. He makes first downs. He is good in the clutch. He makes hot reads and sight adjustments. He moves the chains. Great addition.

Btw------------who do you think would win my dream match-up?

Thank you.

I am still a bit confused why they want him at RG. I would say he is the weakest--in terms of brute strength--of the top 3 OGs. I also think he has the best feet and most agility of the three. I wish I could hear an explanation of that from Chud or the OL coach.

Greco has great hand usage/technique and he never over extends. IMHO he doesnt have the power nor the feet of Lauvao. Well to be fair, I think Lauvao has the quicker feet but Greco never gets off balance.

Lava was playing LG at the earliest OTAs. I don't think we were supposed to think too much of it (I think Pinky still wasn't 100% in terms of participation). They were just tossing guys around everywhere.

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Btw------------who do you think would win my dream match-up?

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senior

First, really appreciate the OL analysis.

Do you guys think Pinky was hampered by the blood clot from the beginning? He seemed to me to regress from his rookie year. Seemed weak and/or slow, a bit?

I'm hoping he was better than that, is fully healthy, takes a step up and beats out Greco for LG, who can then upgrade Lava at RG.

That's my plan so far, anyway. Then there's Gilkey............

I liked what I saw from Pinky as a rookie. He had a couple mental mistakes but physically he more than held his own. Last year, he looked like he had never played the position before. I cant say he lost strength cause he usually didnt get a hand on the defender when he was beat.

I thought and even stated in our gameday chat that something has to be seriously wrong with this kid. He was lethargic. The blood clots explain a lot but I dont know if i trust him out there now. We will see but I have my doubts now. I really hate saying that because it was an illness but he would really have to blow away the competition.

The biggest reason that I dont like this rotation of the guards is because I think the OL is in need of consistency. BTW last time Chud was here we did a lot of weird stuff with the OL. Unbalanced lines, a lot of zone, a lot of pulling with the guards and a ton of screens was worked on that DA couldnt complete lol

Mini camp starts tomorrow, so we will start hearing more about the plan for the OL. I want to know if we are indeed going back to more zone blocking.

Secret Superstar: John Greco
Gordon McGuinness | May 20, 2013

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With our Secret Superstar series reaching its second week, we’ve already highlighted players from seven teams, giving you some potential breakout stars for the 2013 season and even giving one player an awesome new nickname.

Our second week begins with a look at the Cleveland Browns. Though they have been that “other” team in the AFC North for far too long, with their three division rivals combining for five playoff appearances and a Super Bowl championship in the last two seasons alone, the Browns were far more competitive in 2012.

That’s in no small part down to better drafting over recent years, with the team hitting on top picks and finding value lower down in the draft better than they ever have since their return to the league. Though they still have a massive question mark at the quarterback position, the Browns’ future looks brighter than it has in a long time.

So, with more quality players on the roster, who was the one who we felt didn’t get the credit he deserved? Well, on a line that features Joe Thomas and got fantastic production from rookie Mitchell Schwartz, it was left guard John Greco who caught our attention.

Fighting For A Starting Spot

A four-year starter at offensive tackle at Toledo, Greco became a three-time All-MAC recipient. He was then drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. A backup in his rookie year, he played just 174 snaps on offense, Greco gave a good account of himself on the limited opportunities available and was solid in his only start of the season in Week 17 against the Atlanta Falcons.

He found himself in the same backup role in 2009 and, once again, put in decent performances while not setting the world on fire when he did get onto the field. While his 2010 season was similar in terms of snap count, this time Greco did more than play at a solid level. Finishing the year with a grade of +8.9 despite playing just 153 snaps, this was the first indication that he deserved of a starting spot somewhere in the league.

That spot wouldn’t be in St. Louis as the Rams traded him to the Browns for a conditional seventh-round pick, allowing him to follow offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur who had taken the job as the Browns’ head coach. Still, while Shurmur’s familiarity with him may have helped him onto the roster in Cleveland, it didn’t guarantee him a starting job and it took until starting left guard Jason Pinkston went down in Week 6 of the 2012 season for him to see time as a starter.

Greco started with a bang, delivering the best performance of his career in his first start for the Browns against the Indianapolis Colts. Perfect in pass protection, it was as a run blocker that he truly starred. The highest yards per carry for the Browns that day came on runs to either side of him.

Training Camp Battle

While he impressed down the stretch as a starter, Greco will likely have to battle with Pinkston to keep the starting job, especially with a new coaching staff coming in. Having new coaches, though, should allow it to be about who earns the job and, based on the past two seasons, there should be only one winner.

Pinkston started straight out of the gate as a rookie in 2011 and, while he had a couple of nice performances, he was generally unimpressive. Grading negatively both as a pass blocker and a run blocker, he allowed just one sack in his rookie season. Sacks don’t tell the whole story, however, with him also allowing 10 hits and 24 hurries. That all added up to give him a Pass Blocking Efficiency (PBE) Rating of 95.9, ranking 43rd out of the 55 guards who played at least 50% of their team’s offensive snaps.

Pinkston was better as a pass blocker in the limited amount of action he saw in 2012, with a PBE Rating of 98.0 before his injury. Greco was impressive as a starter, but his own PBE Rating of 96.5 wasn’t much better than Pinkston’s 2011 mark — it was his work as a run blocker that set him apart. Playing 714 snaps, Greco’s run blocking grade of +11.3 was seventh among all guards.

His impressive play was highlighted recently in an edition of Neil’s NFL Daily, showing him to have a positively-graded block on 14.40% of his run blocks, a percentage that was fifth at his position. He’s shown signs of it throughout his career but it looks like now might finally be the time for Greco to get the chance to prove himself over a full season.

Second-Tier Guard?

When you look at the players at the guard position in the NFL, there are two tiers at the top. The first features Evan Mathis alone, such has been his level of dominance at the position, but in the next tier you have players like Mike Iupati, Marshal Yanda and Josh Sitton. It’s unlikely that Greco is going to put together a season that would put him on par with Mathis but, with 16 starts and a slight improvement in play, it’s not out of the question for him to enter that second tier. First, he has to ensure he wins that starting job. If he does, and continues to play like he has, more people will be talking about him soon. web page

there is no doubt that our OL looked much better with Greco in there than before he started playing.

he still got pushed backward on some plays, but he's so steady and consistent. it'll be interesting to see how the OG battles go in August.

Browns fullback Owen Marecic eager to redeem himself

By Ryan Lewis
Beacon Journal sports writer


BEREA: Fullback is a position, similar to many spots along the offensive line, where a player can be very good at what he does and still not become a household name.

Many Browns fans already know Owen Marecic’s name but not for the right reasons.

After the Browns took Marecic — touted as intelligent, versatile and hard-nosed — in the fourth round of the 2011 draft, he never evolved into the kind of blocker the team had hoped for last season with Trent Richardson running behind him. He then struggled in the passing game as well. According to ProFootballFocus.com, Marecic was thrown at four times last season and dropped all four passes. That all led to his demotion to the inactive list while tight end Alex Smith converted to be the working fullback in Pat Shurmur’s offense.

Now with a new playbook, a new staff and most importantly, a new opportunity, Marecic’s eager to redeem himself for a poor showing in 2012.

“It was definitely tough,” he said Thursday after an organized team activity practice. “I think just as anything in life, you have a little adversity and you just have to fight through it and make a positive out of it. It’s definitely not where I wanted to be and as a player, a teammate, it motivated me this year to come out and give it everything.”

What Marecic learned during his frustrating 2012 season, his second in the league, was that urgency in the NFL is a must.

“Big-time urgency,” he said. “That’s probably the biggest thing with going through it all, being inactive a couple of times last year. Coming back this offseason, the sense of urgency is at its highest point. I’ve gotta make the most of every opportunity I have. That’s the only way I’ll get more opportunities.”

He was frustrated with his performance. To his credit, that frustration never led to moping. Marecic still came to work every day, with not only his starting position taken away but his spot on the active roster, as well.

“It’s not a position an athlete, or a professional, wants to find himself in. I think there’s that urgency to prepare every week no matter where you are on the roster. There’s a big responsibility as a teammate to help prepare the team week after week in whatever manner you can.

“There’s not a lot of time for hurt feelings or dejection.”

Now on more of an even ground under a new regime, Marecic is excited to be a part of Browns offensive coordinator Norv Turner’s running game, one that’s produced the NFL’s leading rusher five times and at many points prominently featured a fullback. With the Dallas Cowboys, Turner had Daryl Johnston leading the way for Emmitt Smith. In San Diego, it was Lorenzo Neal creating holes for LaDainian Tomlinson.

It’s not necessarily a guarantee that Marecic and tight end/fullback Brad Smelley both make the roster, but one or the other should get the opportunity to see quality time on the field. The two could be in competition together through the fall, a battle that continues during the Browns’ mandatory minicamp, which runs Tuesday through Thursday.

“There’s no question that the offense works,” he said. “It’s a great system. But I guess it’s new for everybody. We gotta make sure we nail it down.”

He says the biggest question for the offense is whether the players can execute the game plan. And for him, the biggest question is whether he can turn it around in time to hold off Smelley.

Marecic won’t care how many Browns fans know his name when Week 1 rolls around, just as long as it’s in the starting lineup web page

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Marecic won’t care how many Browns fans know his name when Week 1

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We know your name. And that is not a good thing.

Oh wow if Owen gets the call for FB, we're in trouble. He belongs on special teams, and nothing/nowhere else.

Complete disgrace at maybe the most simplest position on an offense, the fullback spot. IMO, a total and utter disgrace that, perhaps, even should just be cut.

Lol!

But I hope so. I hope the trash on this team isn't given and granted their playing spot just for whatever reasons. I feel Shurmur suited up a few players and continued to suite them up that should have just been tossed.

With that said, when you're benched for a third string tight-end that is outplaying you at your position, I think Owen is in deep mud. We'll see, all opinions until whatever happens... happens!

I don't think anything would be better than them finding a way to use him effectively.

Nothing wrong with Owen "the man" but he's just not shown much as a player. Was it him? Was it how he was used? Stay tuned.. we'll find out soon.

Does anyone else think owen looks like a LONG SNAPPER AND NOT A FULLBACK??? or are my eyes just that bad?

What does a long snapper look like?

waiting....