Posted by Mike Florio on June 4, 2015, 3:29 PM EDT Rex Getty Images Mike Pettine and Rex Ryan will be getting back together again.
Ryan, the former head coach of the Jets, and Pettine, Ryan’s former defensive coordinator in New York, will be practicing together with their current teams in August.
The Bills (coached by Ryan) will host the Browns (coached by Pettine) for two days of practice sessions before a preseason game on Thursday, August 20.
“Joint practices give you more of a chance to evaluate players and do different things. It peaks the competition. We want these two days to be productive and we are excited to work against the Browns,” Ryan said in a press release.
“A lot of the guys on the staff have done It and had a positive experience. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” Pettine said. “I think it raises the level of competition. Your guys after a while get tired of going against each other at training camp. You don’t get a good sense of where you are. I just think it ratchets up the competitive juices and I think you get a little more out of it so we are very much looking forward to it.”
The practices will be conducted on Monday and Tuesday, August 17 and 18. Last year, Pettine and Ryan had a minor dust-up after Pettine suggested the Patriots had a copy of the New York playbook because Rex “would give them out like candy.”
Hopefully, Rex will hand Pettine a bag of Kit Kats when they see each other on the practice field in Pittsford, New York.
good point josh ... the Jets and Browns have some of the best CBs I think
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Pettine and Ryan are buds, I wonder if that had anything to do with this or is it just a proximity thing?
I am quite certain factors that both played into it.
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.
There is a lot of stuff you just don't do in practice against your own team...you tend to not want to hurt your team mates - scrimmage like this is good. One the defense is not familiar with the offense and you just get to hit hard on somebody not in your locker room!
Defense wins championships. Watson play your butt off! Go Browns! CHRIST HAS RISEN! GM Strong! & Stay safe everyone!
Having lived in Edinboro, PA my entire life, I remember back to my early youth (early 90s) when the Browns/Bills held a scrimmage at Edinboro University every August.
Some of my best Browns memories happened there (autographs, pictures, being on the field, etc).
Not sure if anyone else remembers attending them, but I've always hoped they'd start it back up
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
In terms of YouTube sensations, no other Cleveland Browns player can touch kicker Carey Spear.
Spear committed to Vanderbilt University out of Mayfield High School in Ohio not even knowing where the school was.
“I knew it was in the SEC and I knew it was a good academic school,” Spear said.
Four years later, he left arguably the greatest kicking legacy in school history, nailing 35-of-43 kicks during his junior and senior years. Booting footballs between the uprights isn’t the only thing Spear has proven he can do on the field.
You see, Spear prides himself on being a football player. Spear was a team captain for three straight seasons, even as a specialist. He lifts weights with intensity with a focus on his core. He drinks the fancy protein smoothies.
And he delivers hits like a strong safety.
At the end of every season, Vanderbilt special teams coach Charles Bankins makes a film cut-up of the hardest hits of the season. And for three straight years, Spear finished with the No. 1 hit.
“The entire stadium would go crazy,” Bankins said. “The energy our team would get from his hits was tangible. Carey has this swag about him. Kickers like Carey are not a dime a dozen.”
The YouTube clips validate Bankins’ words. So do the nearly 600,000 combined clicks.
Spear swears he never played linebacker in high school.
“I just put my head down and run, man,” he said.
And while he downplays the nastiness of each hit, calling himself lucky, his competitive edge still seeps out a bit in the casual interview setting.
“When I get out there, I’m obviously smaller than most guys,” said Spear of his compact 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame, “But I’ll be prepared when that moment comes.”
The next moment Spear will have to tackle is winning the Browns’ kicking battle, where he’s currently competing on a daily basis against fellow first-year player Travis Coons. Spear spent the duration of the 2014 training camp period with the Philadelphia Eagles, competing with both veteran Alex Henery and rookie Cody Parkey. He ultimately lost out to Parkey, who went on to make the Pro Bowl.
Spear didn’t kick himself for losing the competition in Philadelphia. Instead of feeling discouraged, Spear felt more motivated knowing he was that close to an NFL roster. He moved back to Nashville and kicked every single day while also working as a corporate staffing recruiter at IQTalent partners.
“I had to pay the bills somehow,” said Spear, who added he actually enjoyed the job.
A couple days after Christmas, his phone rang. General manager Ray Farmer invited him for a workout with special teams coordinator Chris Tabor. Hours later, Spear became a Brown.
A Mayfield High School graduate, Spear is now in a unique place – living at home with his parents. He can count on a nutritious dinner each evening from his mom.
“She’s a great cook,” Spear said.
Each morning, he makes the 40-minute trek from the East side to Berea, though he’s mostly a homebody, Spear’s proximity means he sometimes kicks it with his high school buddies, where they play trivia at a Mayfield sports bar or hit the golf course.
“They still can’t believe this is happening with the Browns,” Spear said.
He swears it’s a coincidence, but somehow Spear ended up with No. 4, which was worn by prolific Cleveland kicker Phil Dawson. Growing up, Spear spent every Sunday on his couch with his family woofing for their Browns. Spear said he developed his own kicking style through years of practice, but Dawson was an often mythical sphere of influence in his eyes.
“I respect that guy like crazy. You don’t see many cities cheer on a kicker the way Cleveland cheered on Phil,” said Spear. “I know firsthand how much he means to the city. He was a role model for me growing up, watching him kick on Sundays.
“The best thing about Phil from what I can see on tape is his consistency. If it was a big kick in the snow or a short kick in the beginning of the season, Phil was always the same guy. That’s what fans, players and coaches could expect out of him.”
Most longtime residents of Mayfield aren’t surprised to see Spear closing in on the grand stage of kicking. Spear was always a gifted athlete excelling at center-mid on the high school soccer team. His leg was never a question either, especially when he nailed an uproarious 61-yarder against Solon in the Ohio high school playoffs, tying a state record.
“It was honestly unlike any other kick I’ve had before,” said Spear. There’s more to like about Spear than just what he does on the football field.
Spear was named the SEC’s lone representative to the 2013 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team for spending his college spring breaks in Mexico, Peru and Haiti helping construct orphanages with his bare hands. The kicker also mentored adults in Nashville who struggled with substance abuse problems.
“My wife is in love with him,” Bankins said half-seriously. “She cried during his last game at Vandy.
“I’ve never heard of a kicker being a three-time team captain. It just says a lot about his heart and who he is as a person.”
The hard part still lies ahead for Spear. He’ll have to stave off Coons and any other veteran kicker Farmer could add to the roster in the coming months.
But if Spear does prevail, don’t be surprised to see his YouTube legend grow in his hometown Cleveland Browns jersey.
Practicing with the Bills will be a good test for guys like Erving and Bowie as Buffalo has an insanely fast and physical front four on their defensive line. I don't dislike Summer, but man am I ready for late July and early August
"You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave"
Undrafted TE E.J. Bibbs has ‘come out of nowhere,’ Mike Pettine says Posted 6 hours ago
Kevin Jones Staff Writer @Mr_KevinJones Facebook Iowa State product helping provide depth at position
Last training camp and especially in the preseason, Browns undrafted rookies stole the show.
Isaiah Crowell gashed the Bears for 102 rushing yards. Cornerback Robert Nelson picked off a pass from Chicago quarterback David Fales. Taylor Gabriel led Cleveland in receptions, yards and had two lengthy kick returns during the four-game summer slate. K’Waun Williams’ grade sheet was full of positive check marks.
Coach Mike Pettine and General manager Ray Farmer’s philosophy of keeping the best players on the Browns roster – no matter how they arrived in the NFL -- shone through a year ago, when those four unproven players were kept over the likes of veterans Nate Burleson, MarQueis Gray and Rex Grossman.
As training camp and the preseason creeps closer, members of the Dawg Pound should start paying attention to these hard-working, undrafted types. Farmer and Pettine have an affinity toward them.
Tight end E.J. Bibbs, one of two undrafted rookies at the position, is near the top the list of surprising risers. Despite knee surgery that he says hampered him in 2014, Bibbs was named First-Team All-Big 12 with 45 receptions and eight touchdowns in his final season at Iowa State. At 6-foot-2, 258 pounds, Bibbs has the athleticism to beat linebackers in coverage and also the strength to bruise oncoming defenders as a blocker on the line.
“The (E.J.) Bibbs kid has had a real good spring for us,” Pettine said during mini-camp. “He’s kind of come out of nowhere. We feel that we have some depth in the room and some future depth in that room that we’re very pleased with.”
Cleveland’s tight ends room has two distinct positions – the Y and the F. The Y is more of an on-the-ball blocker, an area where Jim Dray and Gary Barnidge excel the most. The F is more of a flex position and requires receiving skills. It’s where newly acquired Rob Housler will see quite a bit of action. And lying in the middle of both is Bibbs. His tweener portrayal in the offense has intrigued the coaching staff because he can be used in a variety of packages.
“I’m certainly pleased with his work ethic right now,” tight ends coach Brian Angelichio said. “(He’s) taking the approach in the classroom, working hard outside the building. A lot of that stuff will take shape as we go through training camp and more decisions will be made. We’ll get to see him in real contact, where he’s got to block people, and then the preseason games.” clevelandbrowns.com
It's very hard to evaluate how a guy will play in real game situations based on OTA's with no pads. But I'm glad they like what they've seen so far and it would certainly be great if they found another diamond in the rough.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
It's very hard to evaluate how a guy will play in real game situations based on OTA's with no pads. But I'm glad they like what they've seen so far and it would certainly be great if they found another diamond in the rough.
I know these types of articles are more marketing than journalism, but even so, I really get the impression that we've signed a lot of young players who are showing that they are genuinely excited to be with the Browns and are showing a noticeable degree of professionalism. It at least makes me feel better about the higher profile picks that didn't want to be here anyway.
"Hey, I'm a reasonable guy. But I've just experienced some very unreasonable things." -Jack Burton
-It looks like the Harvard Boys know what they are doing after all.
It's very hard to evaluate how a guy will play in real game situations based on OTA's with no pads. But I'm glad they like what they've seen so far and it would certainly be great if they found another diamond in the rough.
Exactly... I'll be curious if Duke can continue to do the things he's doing and etc in pads.
It's very hard to evaluate how a guy will play in real game situations based on OTA's with no pads. But I'm glad they like what they've seen so far and it would certainly be great if they found another diamond in the rough.
True, but the kid was all-conference, in a decent conference. I like the guy. I think he is going to become a real steal.....like 1st rounder signed as a FA type steal.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
This actually isn't a bad article, at least as far as appropriate storylines are concerned.... ____________________________________________________
In less than 24 hours, the Cleveland Browns begin their five-month journey that is the 2015 football season. These storylines promise to make the biggest headlines during the first month at training camp.
1)Josh McCown expected to lead a revamped Cleveland offense
Don’t tell the Cleveland coaching staff it can’t be effective – and win – with McCown behind center. A rejuvenated Mike Pettine has been coaching on the offensive side of the ball and developing the playbook and strategies alongside first-year offensive coordinator John DeFilippo. Expect a heavy dose of ground control football behind three hungry running backs and also a wider variety of matchup passing plays with McCown standing tall behind one of the NFL’s best offensive lines.
2) How improved is the defensive line?
The players are new in the room and so is the attitude. Former Miami Dolphin Randy Starks has upped the intensity for this unit in practice. Danny Shelton’s commitment to improving and passion for football are contagious. The coaching staff has high hopes for third-round pick Xavier Cooper, who could emerge as a rotational force this season. Add this on top of a healthy Phil Taylor, Desmond Bryant, and John Hughes and that allows defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil to start cooking.
3) Duke Johnson, Vince Mayle, Terrelle Pryor and other new offensive weapons
There’s no sugarcoating it: The Browns’ offense last season lacked a lethal punch when it came to explosive plays down the field. There was only so much Andrew Hawkins and Taylor Gabriel could do. Armed with new philosophies on offense, which include increased throwing to running backs and much more vertical passing, the Browns have a new cast of characters full of veterans and youngsters who appear capable of doing the heavy lifting on offense.
4) Will rookie offensive lineman Cameron Erving win a starting spot?
There are two routes this situation will likely go in training camp. One, Erving outplays John Greco at the right guard position and is in the lineup Week 1 against the Jets. Or two, Greco and Erving are in a dead heat, the coaching staff opts to start Erving on the bench but the versatile lineman from Florida State will be coached up and ready to enter the lineup at any position when an injury strikes.
5) Who will emerge next to Paul Kruger as another pass rushing force?
This might be the most underrated storyline in camp. With a banged-up Barkevious Mingo and Jabaal Sheard, the Browns were not hitting the quarterback enough in 2014. A second-round pick was spent on a pure pass rusher in Nate Orchard, who had a whopping 18.5 sacks last season at Utah. Scott Solomon is seen more as an edge-setter in the run game on early downs, but his relentless attitude in practice caught his teammates’ attention and more experience could mean more pass-rushing opportunities. Don’t write off Mingo yet, either. When he’s healthy, he can regularly beat offensive linemen and live in the backfield. For Cleveland’s 2013 first-round pick, it’ll be about consistently finishing plays.
6) Sophomore sensations?
Cleveland knew it would need contributions from its later-round and undrafted rookies in 2014; it just didn’t know how abundant the impact would be. Left guard Joel Bitonio is already regarded as fringe Pro Bowler. Wide receiver Taylor Gabriel has been studying tape of smaller receivers Antonio Brown and Steve Smith and is a dark horse candidate to lead the Browns in receiving yards. There’s a reason running back Isaiah Crowell is selling #FeedTheCrow t-shirts – his eight touchdowns last year weren’t a fluke. Then there’s cornerback K’Waun Williams and linebacker Christian Kirksey on defense, both of whom are considered luxury pieces in a unit gunning for the top-five in the NFL.
7) How much will Johnny Manziel, Justin Gilbert, Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West improve in their 2nd year?
Three of the Browns’ most talented rookies were inactive for games last year because of off-the-field issues. It should be noted West led the Browns in rushing last year (673 yards) and has been working out with several other NFL players during his summer vacation in Baltimore. Crowell will have to prove his fumbling problem is behind him. Manziel stayed out of the headlines during his break except for some workouts with Monday Night Football announcer and former NFL head coach Jon Gruden – something Pettine strongly endorsed. Pettine also did not 100 percent close the door on Manziel starting. And then there’s Gilbert, who clearly made a splash in OTAs – but can that consistency translate in pads and live-game settings at a jam-packed cornerback position? Time will tell.
1. Obviously most of our problems start and end with the QBs 2. Will Gilbert improve to be the player we thought we drafted? 3. Can Whitner and Dansby maintain their physical skills another year? 4. How will our WR situation shake out? Can Bowe and Hartline produce enough? 5. How will Erving fit into the picture? Maybe he doesn't even start
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
1. Will Shelton play up to 1st rnd pick and is Taylor motived by him? 2. Does Mingo finally play up to 1st rnd pick, or does someone else help Kruger get to QB? 3. Do we get any return from Manziel or Gilbert justifying their high selections? 4. Is running game successful again with Mack back and if a key lineman is hurt, is depth good enough now? 5. Which kicker makes the team, and will he produce?
QB is too obvious, Go Browns!!!!
"You've never lived till you've almost died, life has a flavor the protected will never know" A vet or cop
This is a fairly weak article, but at least it's not by Kevin Jones. LOL
Quote:
2015 NFL training camp preview: Will AFC North be a 3-team race again?
The Steelers, Bengals and Ravens all made the playoffs last year. Can they do it again?
No division in the NFL was more competitive than the AFC North last season, with all four teams being in the hunt for the division crown or a playoff berth for a good portion of the season. Eventually, the Cleveland Browns fell off, but the other three teams were just as competitive through Week 17. So competitive, in fact, that all three of them made it into the postseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers won the division in the end, but lost out to the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card round. And while the Cincinnati Bengals fell to the Indianapolis Colts in the postseason, all three of those AFC North teams might have gotten a bit better this offseason. There's still some uncertainty in Cleveland, especially with Josh McCown at the quarterback position, but seeing all four teams immediately competitive at the start of next season wouldn't be unexpected.
However, there are questions surrounding all four teams as training camp rolls around in late July. Here's what you should for watch for. AFC North Pittsburgh Steelers
Start Date: July 26
Location: St. Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa.
Player you'll be buzzing about: RB DeAngelo Williams -- This might seem like an odd choice, considering Williams is 32 and we already know what kind of player he is. But he should be effective for his new team, especially at the start of the season when he'll be starting while Le'Veon Bell serves a suspension.
What to watch: Pittsburgh has a ton of talent at the outside linebacker position, but it's unclear how all of that talent will see the field. James Harrison, Arthur Moats, Jarvis Jones and Bud Dupree should all play, and training camp should show us what the breakdown could be as far as snaps are concerned. Plus, there's going to be a punter battle! Punter battles are fun! Realistically, the Steelers have few starting spots up for grabs and it's all about execution at this point.
Most important position battle: Cornerback -- William Gay is a starter, but after him it's unclear where things go. Cortez Allen will be in the mix, along with Antwon Blake, Senquez Golson and Doran Grant.
For more on the Steelers, check out Behind The Steel Curtain. Cincinnati Bengals
Start Date: July 31
Location: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Player you'll be buzzing about: Tight end John Peters -- Honestly, this signing could wind up going nowhere, but Peters did come from nowhere in the first place and could take advantage of the Bengals' subpar tight end situation.
What to watch: Can Andy Dalton actually get the Bengals past that playoff hurdle? They keep looking so good during the season and they keep coming up just short in the postseason. The Bengals had a solid offseason, and seeing if the new pieces actually fit -- and whether Marvin Lewis can actually fix the issues at hand -- is the most interesting bit.
Most important position battle: Linebacker -- The Bengals brought back Rey Maualuga, but also added A.J. Hawk. One of these players might be able to grab a starting spot outside.
For more on the Bengals, check out Cincy Jungle. Baltimore Ravens
Start Date: July 30
Location: Under Armour Performance Center, Owings Mills, Md.
Player you'll be buzzing about: DT Brandon Williams -- Filling in for Haloti Ngata is no small task, but Williams did so incredibly well during the second half of last season. He should bring more of the same next year.
What to watch: The Ravens have few spots open on the roster, but they're all of key importance. There's the battle at receiver, the battle at tight end and the battle at free safety. Dennis Pitta was one of the top tight ends in the league when healthy but he's injury prone, and rookie Maxx Williams is an intriguing prospect. Kendrick Lewis and Matt Elam will compete for the starting role at free safety.
Most important position battle: Wide receiver -- The Ravens let Torrey Smith walk in free agency and added Breshad Perriman in the first round of the NFL Draft. But beyond Steve Smith, nothing is settled at the position. Marlon Brown, Kamar Aiken and Michael Campanaro are among those battling.
For more on the Ravens, check out Baltimore Beatdown. Cleveland Browns
Start Date: July 30
Location: Browns training facility, Berea, Ohio
Player you'll be buzzing about: CB K'Waun Williams -- This guy flew way under the radar last season, but Williams is an excellent corner, one of the best as a nickel in the second half of 2014.
What to watch: Johnny Manziel is the guy to watch, right? That's who everyone will be talking about -- but realistically, Manziel isn't a candidate to start and folks should instead be focused on how the rest of Cleveland's offense is adjusting. Josh McCown will be the starting quarterback, the Browns will try to get Terrelle Pryor situated at receiver and rookie running back Duke Johnson will try to claim the starting role. All three which highlight the more entertaining storylines.
Most important position battle: Wide receiver -- Josh Gordon is a lot of wasted potential at this stage. The team brought in Brian Hartline and Dwayne Bowe, and then there's Andrew Hawkins. Those are good players to pay attention to, but it is unclear where they'll play.
For more on the Browns, check out Dawgs By Nature.
Points out obvious, 3playoff teams and us...for us, all we got to wonder about is QB, RB, WR, CB, K, G, C, TE...AND another writer claimed we are playoff potential..yeah, everyone is this time of year...like our motto...words to actions....time will tell IF we've improved....GO Browns!!!
"You've never lived till you've almost died, life has a flavor the protected will never know" A vet or cop
1)Josh McCown expected to lead a revamped Cleveland offense
Reading that makes me want to get in bed, pull the covers over my head, and not come out until March of 2016.
I'm going into the season optimistic. Could our QB situation be a ton better? Of course
BUT we went like 10-6 in 2007 with Derek Anderson.
The team went 7-9 last year and I think we've improved. We lost Cameron, but he's injured all the time anyway. Our biggest loss is probably Ruben. Otherwise, the team's improved. Hartline and Bowe are an upgrade over Miles Austin. Tramon Williams will hopefully equal out to Skrine. We're starting the season with a healthy D-Line again.
Alex Mack is back, with some substantial depth behind the O-Line.
Sheard is gone, but Mingo is healthy, and I'm excited to see what Orchard can do.
I'm looking forward to this year. People make us out to be a terrible team, but I think we'll do okay. Prob somewhere around 7-9 or 8-8 again. Last year Houston finished 9-7. Last year the Bills finished 9-7. The Rams finished 6-10.
There's A LOT more to football than QB. I dunno if we'll win the division or the playoffs, or whatever. But, there definitely IS something to watch.
Honestly, I think Pettine is the best coach we've had probably since coming back. There's just something I like about him. Hopefully Farmer's draft will make a difference this year.
BUT just because McCown is QB doesn't mean this team is automatically gonna go down the trash can.
I just see a lot of posters and reports on here with a lot of doom and gloom, and I think it's kind of ridiculous.
BUT just because McCown is QB doesn't mean this team is automatically gonna go down the trash can.
Exactly.... or, at least that is the hope.
He won't be the guy to elevate the team, but he also isn't going to be the thing that drags us down. He's decent enough to be a placeholder; to generally not lose the games for us.
That isn't to say that he won't have bad games where a lot goes wrong (even Peyton Manning has had games with 4+ INTs). Those days happen, but they won't be the norm.
Browns is the Browns
... there goes Joe Thomas, the best there ever was in this game.
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