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Taylor & Barnidge Fail Conditioning Test
By Nate Ulrich Published: July 25, 2014

Embattled Browns All-Pro wide receiver Josh Gordon was among the veterans who reported to training camp today and took a conditioning test this afternoon in front of the media.

Gordon is facing a potential ban from the NFL of at least a year because he tested positive for marijuana, ESPN reported, and he has an appeal hearing scheduled for Aug. 1.

After being arrested and charged with driving while impaired July 5 in Raleigh, N.C., Gordon checked himself into rehab, Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 reported Thursday. Gordon spent two weeks in a rehab facility in California, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.

Despite his troubled offseason, Gordon appeared to be in fine physical shape. He and other veterans ran about 20 timed sprints. Quarterbacks, rookie and veterans recovering from injuries reported to camp Wednesday and took the test.

Not everyone fared well during today's test.

Nose tackle Phil Taylor and tight end Gary Barnidge did not pass the test. Taylor tapped out toward the end. Moments later, an athletic trainer helped tight end Gary Barnidge off the field as he appeared to struggle with the heat. Barnidge was then carted off the field and into the facility.

Strong safety Donte Whitner passed the test, but he somersaulted over the finish line on the final sprint. An athletic trainer walked him into the facility minutes later.

Players who fail the test usually are placed on the non-football injury list until they pass it.

New Browns coach Mike Pettine surprised many media members by allowing them to watch the test. Reporters who have covered the team for decades can't recall being granted access to a conditioning test.


Link

interesting opening up the conditioning drills. Pathetic big Phil failed the conditioning test. Hugely disappointing

Guys that fail the test barring injury will have conditioning problems thoughout the year. Yea he will pass in a few days and be fine but how many half time leads has this team blown in the past 2 years and this guy is showing up that bad out of shape and isnt even able to finish the drills. End of games and mid season is where is Phil, sidelines sucking oxygen.

Honestly I'm amazed that any guy over 325 can pass an NFL conditioning test.

What's Barnidge's excuse? I'm almost more disappointed Whitner may have hurt himself stupidly doing a somersault.

Phil Taylor has been a disappointment. Most people on the board will say he is a beast. I disagree. He always seem to be poorly conditioned and his number of snaps is low compared to his talent level.

He should be a leader. He has talent. He has a mean streak. He just doesn't appear to care enough about the game to dedicate himself to it. That seems to be a common theme of Heckert's draft choices.

I hope Pettine lights a fire under Taylor's butt. He could be one of the better interior linemen in the NFL, but until he commits himself to getting in shape, he will be what he has been...........a guy w/potential who has been disappointing thus far.

j/c...
From all that I've read a lot of these failures were from a lack of hydrating. Not sure how much was out of shape to not being to complete drills and failing due to cramps and tapping out cause of dehydration.

Is that our staffs fault - you'd think these guys would know by now.

But even us I usually put day by day instructions prior to our games Starting on Thursday - I got a little lazy and not having the time I had in the past...did not. We had guys falling like flies our first game. Its like little kids and these are men. I guess its a lot of people. Also when my camp starts these guys think they are great shape cause they go to the gym every day....Then I got them crying and puking the first day. lol where's that puke emoticon...lol

It certainly seems that way with Barnidge. The reports were specific that he had issues with the heat, which would seem to indicate hydration, as you mentioned.

I didn;t see anything about Taylor except that he "labored late" in his test.

NFL Network here: Browns practice will be covered live on NFL Network beginning Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. Other national outlets are in town for the Johnny Football circus, including ESPN and Fox Sports 1.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2014/07/josh_gordon_reports.html

I have to admit Big Phil looks in the best shape i have seen him in. Its awesome NFLN is broadcasting camp live and whitner is out there stretching withhis helmet on.

I've had a feeling since the first good report on Hawkins that he'll be our big preseason injury this year.

He's injured??? What happened. too lazy to scroll up...lol

No he hasn't been injured, I was just saying I think he will be the guy. Sorry for being unclear.

he just dug one out of the grass so not injured. I like what i am seeing from this snead kid. giving the QBs a nice wide target, kid going hard. BTW West aint nothing but ass, shoulders and thighs lol freak.

and pblack...thanks. Got me worried there...don't do that!

West also made a couple one handed catches that he made look easy.

j/c
So, I got suckered into checking out some of the camp this morning. Of course, coverage was only of the QB's, but I did notice something on one pass.

Ben Tate seems to have really nice soft hands. He made a one-handed catch that he easily tucked into his body. Now I now it's camp with no contact, but you really can't teach someone to catch a ball like that (see Little, Greg).

Tony Grossi ‏@TonyGrossi · 16m
#Browns DL. Billy Winn also put on non football injury. Hearing he possibly tore hamstring. update later.

Tony Grossi ;@TonyGrossi 20m
See #Browns Billy Winn on sideline so maybe his injury just a pull not tear of hamstring. Again, update later.

I know it. Twitter can be great and can be aggravating as heck.

Either way, let's pray for no injuries.

Good news... hopefully not a tear.

was listening on the radio and reading reports...winn is not mobile at all.....not moving around.....more and more im hearing he tore it.....not good....i think he would have a big impact in this defense...and honestly i could see him taking over rubins starting spot some time during the season. Now though looks like he is done for the year if its a tear. That usually requires surgery.

Doesn't bother me either. Big guys like that don't need to be running sprints anyway. In games they aren't running more than 10 yards at a time.

Johnny Manziel Mania hits town; Jimmy Haslam speaks - Cleveland Browns Training Camp Day 1 Report

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2014/07/cleveland_browns_training_camp_70.html

By Mary Kay Cabot, Northeast Ohio Media Group
on July 26, 2014 at 1:15 PM, updated July 26, 2014 at 2:43 PM

BEREA, Ohio -- Johnny Manziel Mania was in full force Saturday on the first day of Cleveland Browns training camp 2014. A capacity crowd of about 4,000 turned out for Manziel's first training camp practice, and many wore No. 2 Manziel jerseys.

Manziel, who worked with the second-team offense, loved the attention and the thrill of being back out on the practice field.

"The day was really good,'' he said. "It's a different intensity. It's getting real now. It's definitely different having fans here, but it was good to hear people cheering.''

Manziel fared well with the second team, once hitting Josh Gordon over the deep middle with fellow first-round pick Justin Gilbert in coverage. He showed his athleticism and escapability, pulling the ball in and running with it at times, to the roar of the crowd.

As the day wore on, he completed some longer passes and looked more comfortable running the offense.

Hoyer in team drills

Brian Hoyer participated wearing a brace on his surgically repaired right knee. Still, he moved around well and looked comfortable operating the new offense.

Hoyer said he'll wear the brace all year. "I'm not the most mobile guy, so it won't really affect me that much.''

Hoyer took all of the first-team reps and worked under center after operating mostly out of the pistol in the off-season to keep him out of traffic.

Haslam speaks

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam made a surprise appearance with the media. When asked if Manziel learned his lessons about being a pro, Haslam said, "We'll see."

Manziel responded: "I'm living my dream. This is the greatest life I could've imagined for myself. Life is fun. Go out and enjoy while it's here."

Mingo shines

Barkevious Mingo looks and seems like a new man in his second year, ready to live up to expectations of a No. 6 pick in 2013. Browns coach Mike Pettine said hopefully "the switch has flipped'' for Mingo and has every reason to believe it has. He said Mingo has bulked up some and has studied the playbook hard all off-season.

What's coming up

The Browns practice again Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to about noon. The session is open to the public, but the free ticket allotment is gone for that practice, as well as Monday's 9:30-noon session. The team has a 9:30-noon workout again on Tuesday before an off day Wednesday. Click here for the complete schedule and information on how to attend.



(end)

It’s Hoyer’s World… We just live in it: Training Camp Notes 07.26.14

BEREA — The sun was shining. A smattering of hip-hop—2 Pac, Birdman, Drake…of course—and classic rock echoed through the speakers. Thousands of Browns fans poured into the Cleveland Browns practice facility, all with hope in their back pockets, each of them getting their first look at the 2014 squad.

There were Superfans. There were signs. There was a little rain, but just enough to get some reporters to close their notebooks for a few minutes. There was Johnny. There was Brian. There was Josh and Jordan and the Joes. Some players rode bikes, others took part in what would stand to be the first day of two-and-a-half weeks of practice time before the collective is forced to synthesize all that’s been provided to them and turn it in to a product worthy of all the fan fare.

And boy was there fan fare. ESPN had a tent propped up in the corner where a suited Bob Holtzman was forced to wipe his face off after every segment. NFL Network was streaming Browns Training Camp live on their television station as former Browns linebacker Willie McGinest stood by and soaked it all in. USA TODAY and Yahoo! Sports had representation. And don’t forget the typical array of local folks who showed up in droves.

Here are some quick notes on what the fans—and media members—were treated with in what was 2014′s maiden voyage.

• To little surprise, the defense clearly outplayed the offense through much of the intrasquad play. Early in the morning, second-year linebacker Barkevious Mingo made a terrific play in pass coverage, going full extension and hauling in an interception in the end zone. The play drew several hip-bumps and was the first play-drawn roar from the crowd on hand. The defensive backfield disrupted several passing plays and the pass-rush was well-timed.

• Safety Donte Whitner told WFNY that the defense was handed 21 new plays Friday night, each of them having roughly three new terms, that the defense was to learn by Saturday morning. They’ll be getting 21 new ones soon, but Whitner was impressed that the unit was able to learn all of these calls over night.

• Though signed an in camp, first-round draft pick Justin Gilbert ran with the second unit this morning with Buster Skrine starting opposite of Joe Haden. Skrine played very well, drawing some raucous applause when he chased running back Ben Tate down from behind and popped the ball loose toward the far sideline. Skrine, it should be noted, is also no longer the smallest player on the field as newly signed cornerback Isaiah Trufant is liberally listed at 5-foot-8.

• Skrine, when placed in the nickel, rushed the passer on more than one occasion. If you were excited about Mike Pettine’s defense before, this should only lead to increased anticipation.

• On the offensive side of the ball, Jordan Cameron, Miles Austin and Terrance West were the clear standouts. Cameron toasted would-be defenders in one-on-one drills in addition to hauling in a nice seam route pass from Johnny Manziel later in the morning which, in many instances, would’ve gone for six points.

• Terrance West drew several rounds of applause for his work in the passing game, making several tough catches out in the flat. The kid is a bowling ball and appears to have what it takes to transition smoothly to the NFL level. I’m excited about Ben Tate being a Brown, but this West kid could be special.

• It was tough to watch everything, but Miles Austin caught every pass I saw thrown his way. Pettine made sure to verbally applaud Austin following the practice, saying that the veteran receiver not only breezed through the conditioning drills, but did a great job in what was his first team activities since being signed. Nate Burleson, conversely, dropped a few passes and looked to be a bit rusty.

• Speaking of the conditioning test: Several Browns players, including defensive tackle Phil Taylor and tight end Gary Barnidge, have yet to pass it in multiple attempts. Each test is catered to the specific positions—Barkevious Mingo reportedly did so well in his that he would’ve passed the defensive back’s version—but they’re difficult. While Eric Mangini was big on running, Pettine appears very focused on making sure his players are up to snuff in the way of passing these sprint-heavy, timed exams. While there may be exceptions, it appears that players will not get to practice until they pass.

• If it wasn’t clear enough heading in to this weekend, Brian Hoyer is the Browns’ first-string quarterback. Not only is he running with the first team, he’s getting more repetitions, he’s throwing more passes, is the first to the podium following practice, and spent several minutes with team owner Jimmy Haslam. Following practice, Haslam iterated that while everyone is excited about Johnny Manziel, they should stop and smell the roses with Hoyer who is a great story in his own right—local kid, a quality guy and a class act. Hoyer was asked to put on weight this offseason and he was able to do so. Barring any injuries or unforeseen issues, it’d be a shock if Brian Hoyer was not under center come Week 1. Conversely, Haslam also noted that “no one will cheer for a good guy if he’s 4-12.”

• Manziel looked good early, rolling primarily with the second unit and looking comfortable in doing so. He did appear to get a bit winded toward the end, frequently taking a knee when not taking snaps—”taking mental reps,” as he would call them. He addressed the media after practice, answering the same line of questions he has over the course of the offseason. In one of the more fan-friendly quotes of the day, when asked about his jersey sales, Manziel said that it’s not just his name or his number, but also the Browns.

• On the injury front, there is some growing concern about defensive lineman Billy Winn. Wynn failed his conditioning drill and was said to have pulled his hamstring. There were some concerns as rumblings grew about a potential tear, but Wynn was later seen jogging off of the field.

• Josh Gordon was on the field once again, but was transitioned between the starting and second units. Thinking may be that the team wants to get as many reps for players like Austin, Burleson and Andrew Hawkins alongside Hoyer as those will be the guys who will be playing come Week 1.

• I’ll be interested to read about and watch more of wide receiver Charles Johnson over the next few weeks. The kid—who was picked up off of Green Bay’s practice squad only to have a torn ACL—looks like an athletic freak on the field. In speaking with him, he seems humble and very appreciative of having an opportunity to make a difference for this team. The job could be his for the having given the impending Gordon news. We’ll see if he can be this year’s surprise.

http://www.waitingfornextyear.com/2014/0...notes-07-26-14/

Good update, pblack18707!