DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum camp stuff 2015

In other Browns news today:

* The practice was basically a glorified walk-through in shorts and no pads. There were really no highlights to speak of.

* Hall of Famer Jim Brown, fresh off the induction ceremonies Saturday night, took in practice today. It never gets old chatting with the greatest running back of all time.

* Rookie Cam Erving took some first team reps with the ones at right guard today, and I'm guessing we'll see more of that as time goes on. He'll also get some work at center.

"Any of our guys that are going to be up on game day that have the chance to play center will play center at some point,'' said Pettine. "(John) Greco will play some center. He did it in the spring some when we were holding (OL) Alex (Mack) out. We'll give Alex some time here and there that we'll slide Greco over at some point and also have Cam play it, as well."

* Cornerback Justin Gilbert, who hurt his hand breaking up a pass in the end zone during the scrimmage, was back on the field Sunday. Pettine said he's fine.

* Terrelle Pryor remains sidelined with his hamstring injury, but Pettine hasn't yet ruled him out for Thursday night. Pettine said if a player doesn't practice by Tuesday, he'll most likely be held out Thursday. Wednesday is an off day.

"I know he's getting better, but I couldn't say that at this point (when he'll be back),'' said Pettine.

* Cornerback Joe Haden, who sat out the scrimmage with muscle tightness, was back in action Sunday. Pierre Desir remained out with his hamstring injury. The Browns have an inordinate amount of hamstring injuries this summer, and I'm sure the training staff is examining the problem and trying to correct it.

* In the wake of Johnny Manziel's encouraging scrimmage, Pettine re-iterated that he's the backup quarterback.

"Obviously, Josh (McCown) is firmly the one, as I've said, (QB) Johnny (Manziel) is the two and I would slash those guys (Connor Shaw and Thad Lewis) at the three."

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ss..._medium=twitter

The only problem with that is that Pettine pulls guys if they have anything at all. It's not like these guys are sitting themselves.

I think the idea is to get to the season, where the games actually mean something in as nearly perfect health as possible. I agree with sitting players with slight dings, come game time in Sept. I want to be as healthy as possible.

I don't disagree with that .... but then you have the RB coach disparaging guys for sitting out hurt ..... there's a real dichotomy there.

I wonder what kind of camp the rest of the AFC North is running.

I wonder what kind of camp the Bills are running. Will be interesting to see how we stack up against them.

I feel like Pettine is kind of babying these guys. I'm not sure what the method to the madness is.

Man the running back situation is looking dark and bleak...

For a team that wants to be a run first team, this was not good to hear on day 9 of camp.

If McCown starts the whole year, you can't really expect more than 5 wins. If you get lucky, maybe 6.

If McCown starts the whole year and the running game is fairly non-existent, you're looking at 2-3 wins.

This season has a chance to go down the tubes quickly.

I think that the most recent CBA is to blame. It severely limits contact and practices in pads.

Oh, and I saw something about Ryan considering signing Vick ......

Fred Jackson could miss a couple of weeks with ..... a hamstring ....

and some felt the rb corp was a strength a few weeks ago .... kinda like the dl situation last year

Our running back coach is OLD SCHOOOL. If you ever hear Marshall Faulk talk about that game mentality preached into him by his RB coach, that is Wil. I am pretty sure he sees this entire group as new generation softies.

The rash of injuries at his position, he probably is taking personally. Again though, he wants everything done the right way, from how to carry the ball, to dropping your pad level when picking up a blitz to doing more than what is asked before and after practice. To see all these guys riding bikes isnt good and he is letting them know if you want to be on this team you better get your ass on the field and do it right.

Maybe its something as simple as the RB's are getting too comfortable with the RB by committee approach? Maybe they figure they'll get their carries because its in the game plan?

Browns' Wilbert Montgomery calls out his RBs: 'Nobody wants the role'

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns running back coach Wilbert Montgomery called out his running backs Sunday for not stepping up and demanding the starting job. He also criticized them for not coming to camp and "tip-top shape'' and getting injured.

"How can you play and not want to be a starter?'' said Montgomery. "It just bothers me that guys don't want to be the lead bell-cow guy. I always talk to them about what this game gives you as a young person, what it does for them in life and to their families. So if you want to be a backup then be a backup, but I mean you're gonna get replaced. At some point you've got to be a starter if you want to hang around."

Montgomery, who's had a rash of injuries to his backs, lamented the fact that his second-year backs Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell haven't grabbed the bull by the horns.

"The guys that were here last year, you look for somebody to take that next step,'' he said. "Is it going to happen? I don't know, and that's why I let them know every day, the competition is still the same. It hasn't changed. Nobody wants the role.''

Montgomery cited his own days as a two-time All-Pro back with the Eagles and his years of coaching Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk and three-time Pro Bowler Steven Jackson as the ideal role for a star back.

"You always (got) the one bell cow guy,'' he said."These kids here have to realize what's important for them now. If I want to make money and get the next contract, I've got to show something. I really have to show something and right now I think the importance of that is missing.

Montgomery, who benched Crowell and West at times last year for poor practice habits, challenged not only them to go for the gusto, but rookie Duke Johnson and others as well. Johnson has already been ruled out of the preseason opener Thursday night against the Redskins with his pulled hamstring and has some catching up to do.

"Why can't West take the big step? Why can't (Glenn) Winston take the big step? Again, it's like why can't a young guy like Duke come in and take that step? Somebody has to say, 'You know what, hey, this is my team. I want the lead role. I want to be the guy.''

Montgomery, an old-school tough-as-nails coach, also criticized the backs for not coming to camp in shape and getting injured. Johnson is out indefinitely with the hamstring, West just returned with a strained calf muscle, fullback Malcolm Johnson is out with a shoulder injury, Winston came to camp with a knee injury and underwent a scope last week, and Shaun Draughn suffered a left thumb injury in the scrimmage and will be in a cast for at least the next few days. The Browns have had to call in reinforcements in Jalen Parmele and Tim Flanders.

"The disappointing thing was that all those guys approaching here and not being in tip-top shape,'' he said. "I think that was a total setback and now they are climbing back up hill and that's why they're taking a backseat right now.

"In this game right here, if you're going to be a running back, your job is to get hit and your job is being able to bounce back from injuries really quickly because it's most like playing a game every week.

"Each day you've got to be healthy and ready to go and you've got to play injured, you've got to play sore and you've got to play banged up, and if you can't play with those thing there, you really can't play."

Montgomery wants to avoid the running-back-by-committee approach he took last year with the uneven rookies.

"You need multiple backs, but I want one guy to be able to say, 'Hey, we know who the starter is, like the other 31 teams in the National Football League,'' he said. "All the backs are doing well. It's just that you're looking for the guy you can strap the saddle on and they just say, 'hey, I want the job.'''

Montgomery stressed that Crowell, out of Alabama State, won't win the starting job by default because he's one of the last men standing.

"No, it doesn't mean that, because he's got to show me that he's hungry,'' said Montgomery. "And [what] I mean by hungry, if you want to be a starter, you practice like a starter and you do the things that you'd want. You take care of your body. You show up and do the things that are going to keep you healthy, get treatment after practice, hydrate, do all the little things you have to do in order to be that guy."

So, the Crow isn't showing he wants to be fed?

"I'm not saying he's not showing it, but as a coach, you're looking for more,'' he said. "You're looking for more because I've coached the Marshall Faulks, the Steven Jacksons, the Ray Rices, the Willis McGahees. I know Crow was (an undrafted) free agent.

"These guys were first-round draft picks, so I want to put him at the top of the ladder like these guys were. They wanted the ball, and they demanded the ball. And that's what you want. You want somebody to demand the ball."

Montgomery was actually far more positive about West than he was of Crowell, who hasn't missed any time this camp. Last season, the two backs split the load, with West, the team's third-round pick in 2014, rushing 171 times for 673 yards and four TDs, and Crowell running 148 times for 607 yards and eight TDs.

"Terrance has done everything that we've asked him to do up to this point,'' said Montgomery. "He worked hard. He's working hard every day that he's out on the field. His demeanor is definitely not the same as it was last season. In classrooms, he's always asking the questions. If he's not clear about something, he asks questions. Terrance has done a great job. I'm proud of where he's at right now.''

Montgomery refused to rule out Johnson, the third-round pick out of Miami, as his featured back this season despite the fact he might miss a few preseason games.

"I can't say that Duke won't be the bell cow or Crow won't be the bell cow or West or the other guys, but I do think at looking at what we went through last year. ...that you have opportunity to showcase your abilities and what you can do when you get out on the field.''

Besides, he saw so much potential in Miami's all-time leading rusher during offseason workouts that he's still a bona fide candidate to carry the load.

"He's just missing reps,'' said Montgomery. "He's sitting in meetings all the time, taking notes, doing what we ask him to do, but Duke showed so much in the OTAs and the mini-camp, and before his injury, he showed us the things that we wanted to see, so as long as he stays focused and stays into it, I think he's going to be okay because he had done a lot of things already.

"The running part of it, he's a running back. Put him on his track and tell him his keys, and he's going to be fine. Plus, he played in the system before, so he has a little bit of an advantage than the other guys like Crowell and West. They've never played in the system, and last year was the first time. Duke has been in it all three years in college.

He noted that Johnson is more versatile than the other backs and can be used in multiple ways.

"He gives you another dimension that we don't have in the group that we had last year because Duke can be a slot receiver, he can line up wide, and you can move him all over the field,'' Montgomery said. "It's like he's a total mismatch. In my report, I wrote him up as a Thurman Thomas-type running back when he came out because he can be in any spot and he can take full advantage of his athleticism.''

What's more, he believes Johnson can be an every-down back despite his smaller stature (5-9, 210).

"When you're on this level, everybody can be a lead back,'' said Montgomery. "It's what you're looking for. We don't have a bell-cow guy. The game today is a situational game, and you don't know what personnel you're putting out there on the field. You can go three wides, four wides or two tight ends-one back. It all depends on what the coordinator calls and what personnel he wants out on the field, and Duke can fit into all the personnels.''

Even if Montgomery had a full complement of backs in camp, he still wouldn't know who his starter is yet.

"I have a hard time evaluating guys when they're in their knock-off shorts and no pads and underwear,'' said Montgomery. "I want to see what they do with the pads on because that's what separates them. I've sat in so many meetings and talked about what a guy is in shorts and then we they put the shorts on he's a different animal. I love to see them with the pads on and that's what I really want out here in the next few weeks is to see if somebody is willing to pick up the flag."

Despite the thinned ranks and the lack of reps for so many of his wounded guys, Montgomery still characterized the competition as a "close race.''

"It's early,'' he said. "We only had the pads on for one week. After that, after we start to get into these preseason games, someone step up. The good test starts this week and then we'll practice against Buffalo and that's a big change there. We'll go on from there."

To put it another way, take my running back job ....please.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2015/08/browns_wilbert_montgomery_call.html

5 observations from Day 9 of Cleveland Browns training camp

Andrew Gribble Senior Staff Writer

A light day allows more reflection on Friday’s scrimmage
The sun was shining again and the humidity was up for the Browns’ return to the Berea Training Facility.

After a relatively light, yet still important two-hour practice, here’s what you need to know following Cleveland’s Sunday work session.

1) Some deeper thoughts on Friday’s scrimmage

Mike Pettine was swarmed by reporters less than 10 minutes after Friday’s Orange and Brown scrimmage came to a close. While his answers then provided some good insight on what transpired, he had much more to say Sunday after spending the past 24 hours analyzing the more than 50 plays Cleveland ran in front of more than 49,000 fans at Ohio Stadium.

The good news: Pettine liked what he saw from an “operation” standpoint. That includes everything that transpires before the snap, all the way to substituting in and out of the huddle. That’s particularly good news for the offense, which is working under a new coordinator and using different terminology than last year.

The bad news: Pettine was hoping to see more physicality in the Browns’ first, true tackling practice session.


“I thought we were productive, guys had the chance to make plays and they made plays. The physicality stuff is something I think we need to improve on,” Pettine said. “It’s sometimes hard when you’re going against yourself, talking about being a good teammate and not pushing guys over piles but I didn’t think we tackled extremely well. It’s not a surprise being it was really the first time, other than the goal line day, that we tackled but that has to improve. Then offensively finishing blocks, I think we’re good early, we engage guys early and we’re letting guys off late so that will be a point of emphasis with them.”

The Browns were off Saturday and didn’t wear pads Sunday during a practice that did not include any full speed, 11-on-11 drills. Expect the speed and physicality to ramp up at Monday’s two-and-a-half hour practice.


2) A one-for-one swap at RB and other injury notes

The Browns backfield Sunday included Terrance West for the first time in more than a week. West, who led Cleveland with 673 rushing yards last season, had been dealing with a calf injury.

West’s return just didn’t have much impact on the distribution of repetitions at running back, as Shaun Draughn sat out with an injured hand. Pettine said Draughn’s hand would be in a cast for a few days before it’s re-evaluated.

“It’s nothing serious where he’s definitely out with it,” Pettine said. “Just have to wait a couple days to determine the best course of treatment for it.”

Rookie running back Duke Johnson Jr., who hasn’t practiced in more than a week, won’t be available for Thursday’s preseason opener against Washington.

Defensive back Pierre Desir (hamstring), wide receivers Dwayne Bowe (hamstring), Terrelle Pryor (hamstring) and Rodney Smith (unspecified) and fullback Malcolm Johnson (shoulder) were among the other notable players sidelined Sunday.

“If they don’t go Tuesday,” Pettine said, “more than like they will be held out Thursday.”

3) Cameron Erving picks up some repetitions with the first-team offensive line

Danny Shelton started receiving some work with the first-team defensive line last week and fellow first-round pick Erving followed his lead Sunday when he worked next to Alex Mack and Mitchell Schwartz at right guard.

John Greco, last year’s starter who previously took all of the first-team repetitions, worked as the second-team center.

This development was part of offensive line coach Andy Moeller’s long-term plan and is not to be viewed as any sort of change in hierarchy. Pettine said to expect Erving, who has taken snaps at right guard and left tackle through the first part of training camp, to receive some work at center in the coming days.

4) Armonty Bryant’s work with OLBs continues -- even if it’s not obvious

Observers of practice have rarely seen Bryant working exclusively with the outside linebackers, but Pettine has maintained that his work with the group continues and remains a positive development while Bryant works back from a knee injury.

Outside linebackers coach Brian Fleury explained why the new wrinkle to Bryant’s game hasn’t been as obvious as the other players who are making position switches.

“Coach (Tony) Tuioti and coach (Anthony) Weaver are just as knowledgeable about the techniques involved in playing outside linebacker as I am, so a lot of the technique work he gets over there with the D-line,” Fleury said. “It's only when he's asked to do some cover stuff, which the rest of the D-line isn't going to spend time doing, then he'll come over with me and get a little bit of reps with my position group. There's plenty of time where he's working outside linebacker techniques just over there with the D-line.”

Bryant has almost exclusively lined up with his hand in the dirt for pass-rushing situations, so coverage responsibilities likely won’t be a big part of his game this season. Fleury said Bryant had the athleticism to handle it, but defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil likely wouldn’t put him in that kind of situation.

5) Other observations

- Pettine said there was not a clear, No. 3 quarterback on the roster between Connor Shaw and Thaddeus Lewis.

- WR Josh Lenz, who caught a touchdown pass at Friday’s Orange and Brown scrimmage, said he developed some chemistry with Johnny Manziel near the end of OTAs. “It wasn’t much, but just a few passes here and there in one on ones and seven-on-sevens and stuff like that,” Lenz said. “Earning the trust of the quarterback. Like I said it goes back to knowing your job doing it right and earning the trust of the quarterback. You can really earn chemistry with any quarterback.”

- Running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery said it was tough to see Draughn go down with an injury because of how well he was playing and how he was mentoring Johnson Jr. “Draughn was showing him how to do certain things,” Montgomery said. “I am going to miss him right now until he gets back out on the field.”

Gotta Love it!! good stuff

We still have a roughly a month before the season starts...The RBs are fine and its only for precaution...West is back to pair with Crowell and Duke should be back within 1-2 weeks... Winston will probably be IR'd...Draughns will have to earn his spot and I know he has hurt hand, that could decide his fate with the team...

I'm waiting for actual preseason games to gauge the WR crew...the bottom of the chart should be most interesting... Rodney Smith flashed alot with Minnesota and they tried sneaking him to their PS and we grabbed him...Lenz looked good (Indy system helped him I believe) but let's wait to an actual game to see him...I still can't see us letting Mayle go unless he utterly bombs the entire preseason...Teams will pick him up quickly to take a chance on a rookie 4th round pick...Benji may not make it through the whole off season without getting injured... Battle should be interesting between Benji Rodney Lenz and Jennings...I'm sure one or two will make the team and another hopefully will slide to PS...

I know Bademosi got flagged in our scrimmage several times... However last year he was a beast on ST and is versatile as he can provide depth at S and CB (I rber a couple years ago he was forced to play CB and actually played solid) I know Poyer has some CB and S skillset too...Poyer was rather poor on returns but still better than that horrid Benji on returns...and it was sad that we had to resort to Jim Leonard fair catching every punt return last year...We had absolutely no depth there...killed our field placement..

Anyone know of anyone besides Benji and Poyer who has been fielding punts? Hoping one of our bottom WR guys we keep and spark the return game too...Jennings? Lenz? I doubt Rodney Smith returns punts...I recall reading something about Taylor Gabriel returning...However would hate to see him getting injured as I believe he will have an even bigger year this year.


Our TEs look to be the bottom of the barrel talent wise...or near it...Hopefully Bibbs translates over because we can use the infusion of talent...We have alot of depth there, Just not a clear cut #1...Hopefully someone steps up...As having a TE for a threat surely helps a stagnant O.

What else would you expect with these questionable "draft choices and personnel moves?"...

QB Connor Shaw showing improved arm strength, poise at Browns camp

Kevin Jones Staff Writer

Reserve quarterback aiming for the 53-man roster

During a typical week of steamy training camp practices, Cleveland Browns quarterback Connor Shaw gets 10-11 repetitions while he splits his third-team duties with veteran Thaddeus Lewis.

And more than halfway through camp, Shaw has made the most of his small window of opportunity.

Since his Week 17 start against the Baltimore Ravens, the Browns have seen substantial improvement from their second-year quarterback. Shaw’s arm strength has gotten noticeably better, particularly his velocity on throws 15-25 yards down the field.

“That’s something from a mechanics standpoint I know (quarterbacks coach Kevin O’Connell) has been working hard with him,” coach Mike Pettine said. “When your feet are right, you can generate a lot more force on the ball and drive it. Anytime you’re throwing outside the numbers, you really have to drive the football and that’s been a point of emphasis with Connor.”

Shaw’s improved arm was put to test Friday at the Orange and Browns scrimmage. On his first drive, the 23-year-old connected with rookie wide receiver Vince Mayle for a gain of close to 30 yards. A couple of plays later, Shaw pushed his group into the end zone against a stingy Browns second-team defense.

“It was good to get out there and kind of play fast and be sharp” Shaw said after Sunday’s practice. “There’s definitely some things I can learn from, but I thought I did a solid job.”

Most NFL teams generally carry two quarterbacks into the regular season, but Shaw is gunning for a permanent spot on the 53-man roster. He feels more comfortable with the little things, such as terminology, knowing how to adjust offensive line protections and diagramming plays on the whiteboard.

Perhaps the most noticeable thing about Shaw is how he won over teammates following the Ravens game. Playing with a nasty rib injury and a dislocated finger, Shaw didn’t think once about leaving the field.

“I would’ve had to had a broken leg or something – and even then, they’d have to carry me,” Shaw said.

Fighting through obvious pain, he took command of the huddle with fire and he had the Browns within striking distance of knocking Baltimore out of the playoffs. There’s a noticeable excitement from Browns teammates when No. 9 makes a big throw in practice, and it’s a carryover from his gritty effort late last season.

“The way I performed, it kind of opened eyes and it earned a level of respect in the locker room,” Shaw said.

Shaw’s rising development, alongside Johnny Manziel’s, cannot go without mentioning Josh McCown. The 36-year-old has made the quarterback room his own personal science project, tinkering with each young quarterback individually to make them better as football players and men.

“Oh man, he’s been a world of a difference,” Shaw said of McCown. “He’s taken on the role of really helping me and Johnny, and even Thad. It’s really good to have someone that’s played so long and understands the game in and out. He’s really been beneficial to us.”

When the Browns play the Redskins on Thursday at FirstEnergy Stadium, it will be a familiar opponent for Shaw. The South Carolina alum went 8-for-9 for 123 yards and a touchdown last preseason at FedEx Field. Pettine said the coaching staff has yet to finalize who will play and when they’ll play during the opening game of the 2015 season.

No matter if it’s the first quarter or the fourth, you can count on one thing: Shaw will be ready.

“My job right now,” Shaw said, “is to take advantage of every rep.”

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/arti...0c-b0d0c94531ab

Shaw worked his arm strength up to a zero!

Come on!! Shaw works his butt off. I'd take Shaw over Dalton.

Sorry, not meaning to start a debate I like this kid. He is much like Dorsey. No athletic talent but has the smarts. Some day a team will figure out how to make this work!

Mary Kay Cabot ‏@MaryKayCabot 6m6 minutes ago
#Browns first unofficial depth chart of 2015

Housler #3 TE
Bowe doesnt look goood I cna understand Pryor at the back of the bus but Bowe. Picked him for my surprise cut but I am still surprised lol

Kick returner is very interesting with Marlon Moore listed as the returner
Crow then West intriguing
big Phil over Danny Shelton

Is it me ... or does our 5'11" QB have bigger hands than the 6'3" QB (I think thats how tall McCown is) ??

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/media-cen...58-5f2236b41c52

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/media-cen...a0-cc33f713b0c3

Yea Johnny has huge hands, the reason he doesnt have to adjust the ball to throw it.

thought it was funny where bowe is?

Bowe is listed there for injury reasons.

didnt realize it was the game depth chart

Starks over the recently extended Hughes was kind of interesting. That unit looks healthy on paper.

Solomon over Mingo. Will that stand?

Coons leading the kick competition. More to come on that later, but I'm glad we're doing this as opposed to mailing it in with a noodle-leg veteran.

WR is pretty crowded. There's the intrigue and versatility with Pryor, reports of that Lenz guy impressing, Benjamin still made strides last year, then just signing Bowe/Hartline, to go with Gabriel and Hawkins, and last year's fourth rounder in Mayle. That's eight. We keep six at a maximum. This might be the most interesting camp battle to me.

first unofficial depth chart of 2015

j/c
I feel ambiguous about the RB situation. I like Crowell quite a bit but often find myself on the opposite side of the argument about our running backs mainly because West gets very little appreciation. West's production last year was absolutely on par with Crowell but since so many posters are down on him I often find myself defending West and it would seem that I'm doing so at the expense of Crowell. That's not my intention.

So here I am again. Montgomery's comments are understandable. Over the first week and a half none of the backs have made much of a statement. Shaun Draughn's has gotten as much if not more mention than Crowell. By Montgomery's comment it would seem the even with West out that Crowell hasn't, as of yet, exerted himself. Crow needs to get it cracking and West needs to come back ready to get to it. I'm hoping that Coach Montgomery is just using the media to send a message. Somebody, Crowell, West or a guy off the street need to show up otherwise the foundation of this offense won't deliver. Without a credible running threat nothing else this offense wants to get done will work.

If the running game is mediocre the entire offensive philosophy unravels.

Mayle... hard to see from the scrimmage and from practice reports how he's above Moore, Lenz, and even Wynn... guess we know he's one of the best 53 players

Housler over Bibbs... haven't seen or heard anything supporting that yet.

I see they moved Painter up to second team LG and bumped Barton back to third team RG. They were swapped at the scrimmage.

Everything else looks pretty predictable... can't tell a lot with all those injuries.

I think the Erving-to-RG-rather-than-RT is a matter of Greco being a vet and not in need of many TC snaps. I almost view Greco with the 2s as equal to a vet player day off.

I also don't think Mack is going anywhere next year and the Erving-to-C next year is bunk.

To add more onto that switch from yesterday, when Greco played with the 'twos', it was reported he was playing Center. Maybe they just wanted to get him some work there?

QB Connor Shaw showing improved arm strength, poise at Browns camp

“That’s something from a mechanics standpoint I know (quarterbacks coach Kevin O’Connell) has been working hard with him,” coach Mike Pettine said. “When your feet are right, you can generate a lot more force on the ball and drive it. Anytime you’re throwing outside the numbers, you really have to drive the football and that’s been a point of emphasis with Connor.

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/arti...0c-b0d0c94531ab

Shaw said he returned to South Carolina during coach Steve Spurrier’s spring workouts in April and had Gamecocks QB coach G.A. Mangus give him a tutorial on mechanics.

“Last year, especially in the last game of season I just felt I couldn’t get enough on the ball,” Shaw said. “I was just using all arm. Coach Mangus kind of retaught me the fundamentals and mechanics of weight transfer. It really helped me a lot. I guess I strayed from what he taught me earlier. It’s been really beneficial for me.”

http://espncleveland.com/common/more.php?m=49&action=blog&r=17&post_id=48021

The trimming at the WR position begins:

Browns Waive Rodney Smith, Sign LB Fokou

The Cleveland Browns on Monday signed LB Moise Fokou (pronounced mo-EES FOE-koo). General Manager Ray Farmer made the announcement.

In addition, the club waived WR Rodney Smith.

Fokou is a 6-1, 243-pound veteran in his seventh NFL season out of Maryland. Originally selected by the Eagles in the seventh round in 2009, Fokou has appeared in 73 career games with the Eagles, Colts, Titans and Saints. He has totaled 195 tackles, three sacks, six passes defensed, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries on defense and 40 stops on special teams. Last season, he appeared in two games with the Saints. Born in Cameroon, Africa, Fokou graduated from Bullis High School in Potomac, Md.

Smith appeared in three games with the Browns last season.

The Browns roster is currently at the maximum of 90 players.

Link

j/c

I liked this throw and catch from McCown to Barnidge from today's camp. That's over Gipson, FYI.

https://vine.co/v/eduEVpjPrvz

j/c:

Joe Thomas hurt right knee....w/ trainers.



Apparently he got rolled on but did get up and walked off on his own.

Guess I'll be glued to twitter for the rest of the day now.