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Good post. The reason I am leery of signing him has way more to do w/his sharp decrease in production than his spat w/his future wife.

I don't disagree with you at all. I was simply looking at it and presenting it in a purely football aspect.

I think that's why the Ravens found the decision to let him go as easy.

Winners and losers from second week of camp

Moving down

Browns running backs

Rookie Duke Johnson was expected to be the riser of this group, but he's been on the shelf. Terrance West (calf) returned to practice Saturday after missing most of last week. And presumptive starter Isaiah Crowell got an earful from running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery.

"How can you play and not want to be a starter? It just bothers me that guys don't want to be the lead bell-cow guy," he said via the Akron Beacon-Journal. "(Crowell's) got to show me that he's hungry. If you want to be a starter, you practice like a starter ... 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."

Now that I think of it, this has become a trend:

Link

Embattled Browns' backs Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West fail to impress in 20-17 loss to the Redskins

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

By Tom Reed, Northeast Ohio Media Group on August 14, 2015 at 6:00 AM, updated August 14, 2015 at 10:23 AM

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Four days after getting called out, the Browns running backs lived down to the candid assessment of their position coach.

Neither Isaiah Crowell nor Terrance West made a case to be the starter in a 20-17 loss to the Redskins in an exhibition opener Thursday at FirstEnergy Stadium. Both backs were ineffective as the Browns rushed for 45 yards on 19 carries.

The effort followed Wilbert Montgomery's criticism of his backs, questioning their conditioning level and the desire to become the "bell-cow guy."

"Nobody wants the role," the assistant said Sunday.

Browns coach Mike Pettine admitted there has been discussion about signing Ray Rice -- who sat out last season after a highly-publicized domestic-violence issue -- but added such talk is "premature."

The coach preached patience following an exhibition game in which Crowell rushed for six yards on four carries and West added 10 yards on four attempts.

The focus, Pettine said, is getting more production from a young group that's been riddled with injuries. Rookie Duke Johnson (hamstring) remains sidelined and Terrance West is just returning from a strained calf.

"No, we have a plan," Pettine said. "It is a long preseason. Obviously, Terrance coming off the injury and Crow probably having too heavy a load at practice, I am not going to hit the panic button after the first preseason game about our run game. We will be fine."

The rushing attack is expected to play a big part in the Browns' offense, but it's struggled throughout training camp. Montgomery blasted his group over the weekend and Pettine told Sports Illustrated the assistant had his support for taking such a critical tone.

If the coaches hoped the tough talk and Rice rumors might spur improvement they saw none of it against the Redskins. Backup quarterback Johnny Manziel led the team in rushing with 14 yards.

"I don't feel like we struggled with anything," said Crowell, who started. "We just didn't run the ball as much and everybody, we got to get a rhythm to run the ball. The linemen (got to) get a rhythm, the running backs (got to) get a rhythm . . ."

West left without speaking to reporters.

Crowell said Rice stories are not unsettling to him.

"No, I don't even pay attention to it," he said. "I didn't know anything about it so I can control what I can control and let the coaches and (everyone), let them do what they want to do

"The only people I heard anything said about Ray Rice is y'all."

Pettine tried to quell the Rice talk in his post-game remarks.

"I think it is premature to talk about that," he said. "We are comfortable with where our room is. We just want to get those guys back and see what we have. I know a lot of people have 'connected the dots' given his circumstances and ours, but it is too early to talk about it."



(end)

This article is as bad as the fluff pieces that Kevin Jones writes. It's just that in this case, the author is trying to exaggerate the bad rather than the good.

I don't think either back played badly. Our OL isn't the best at run blocking and neither guy got a ton of opportunities.

Its harder to get the zone stretch going in preseason cause guys arent used to cutting their own DL. By the opener, the OL will have their nasty streak back. I wasnt happy with their performance but Mack only played one series and Joe didnt play at all.

The media is making their own stories. Asked pet directly if they have thought about bringing in Ray Rice and he said it was discussed. Next Day, Browns considering bringing in Rice!! lol

Crowell and West will get the job done. Add Johnson to the mix, and we have a good core.

If we get Ray Rice, we'd be throwing money straight into the trashcan.

. . .Nor should he IMHO.

Maybe we could get this guy back, look at him hit those holes!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbWnO2cItBk

LMFAO a Cleveland Brown group I have on Facebook posted a picture of that and I actually spit up some of my coffee onto my keyboard in an uncontrollably fashion!

Totally hilarious. How can you not see that gaping, I mean bluntly obvious huge area of no humans being in? Just how?

I WILL NOT NAME ANY NAMES HERE that were mad when we got rid of him, but all I gotta ask is Trent Richardson.... WHAT HAPPENED? I mean really!

Oh, my Lord. I really feel for the guy....there's got to be a mental issue there causing those brain farts.

I don't get it.

Stevie Wonder could have found that hole.

'Trent Richardson probably had a perfectly good reason for running away from that hole, jerks'

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/8/16...son-for-running

Just a part of the article:

````````````````````

This isn't the first time he's done this, so maybe he knows something we don't. Clearly he has to have a reason for repeatedly trying this.

1. Those really are his friends and he wants to say "hi" to them

Just because a lot of us are introverts, that doesn't mean Trent has to be. He appreciates the hard work his linemen are putting in and he wants to tell them thank you. Even if that means risking getting tackled. Trent is just a good friend.

2. He doesn't know he has the ball

Maybe he thinks one of the guys in the pile has the ball and he's going to tell them about the giant gaping hole that will surely lead directly to the end zone. "Hey! Guys! Over here! I found the place where we're supposed to go! Quit wrestling with each other and come over here so we can get off the field and get some Capri Suns!"

3. There is a bomb in the middle of that pile that only Trent Richardson can disarm

Winning isn't everything, especially when the fate of the world is at stake. Trent is a selfless man, willing to sacrifice stats and victories for the good of mankind. Thank you, Trent Richardson. Thank you for saving us.

4. The end zone has cooties

Can't blame the guy if that's the case.

So quit assuming you know everything about football and making fun of a nice guy who doesn't want cooties and just saved your life.

★★★

yo everybody is going in on TR.

any one of us could've scored on that play. could drive a mac truck through that hole.

Hell I could've backed one through that, with no mirrors...

Hey maybe if Oakland releases him our Browns could bring him back? They love players like him. So surprised they ever let him get away. Browns would probably do what the Raiders did and give him a huge signing bonus to.

I think Willis McGahee has a better chance of being brought back...

if we are a run first team we might need to get above 3 yards per carry. its not really our strong suite and its what we are counting on, it seems....

That's really what surprises me. After watching our first pre season game and watching us try to run behind the right side of our OL, I'm surprised the discussion isn't about our poor performance in the run game than on a player long gone.

Given that we have had injuries galore at RB, and that we jostled people around because we held Joe Thomas out, that isn't my biggest concern. However, the fact that Bowie looked as bad as he did was a huge concerns to me. I wasn't as concerned about Erving, because IIRC, he had worked exclusively on the right side so far, and was thrown in at LT ... but Bowie really worried me.

Mike Pettine says Duke Johnson 'looks explosive' on 1st day back in pads: Quick hitters

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2015/08/mike_pettine_on_duke_johnsons.html#incart_river

By Mary Kay Cabot, Northeast Ohio Media Group on August 23, 2015 at 4:43 PM, updated August 24, 2015 at 12:42 PM

BEREA, Ohio -- Rookie running back Duke Johnson practiced in pads Saturday for the first time since Aug. 1, and hardly looked like he'd been nursing a sore hamstring for the past three weeks.

Johnson churned out some yards in a 9-on-9 inside running drill and then had a pass from Josh McCown glance off his hands in 7-on-7s. He later caught a post route from Johnny Manziel in 7-on-7s and then a right screen from McCown, which he turned upfield for a long gain.

"His legs looked fresh,'' said Pettine. "I am not sure who he beat on the inside post – he looks explosive."

On one play, fellow back Isaiah Crowell blocked for him.

"It's tough on a defense when you have both tailbacks out there,'' said coach Mike Pettine. "You can use Duke as a wideout. It just gives you a little more flexibility from a formation standpoint, which then lends itself to a possible mismatch when you use Duke as a wideout. You can react to what a defense puts out there and call your play accordingly. That is something I am sure we will use."

Johnson said Saturday that the long layoff wouldn't set him back for the opener, and after watching him Sunday, you have almost had to believe him.

But the Browns had him on a pitch count Sunday.

"The last stretch of practice, we didn't use him,'' said Pettine. "On the last play, Flip (offensive coordinator John DeFilippo) wanted to use him and I used executive veto power and pulled Duke out of the huddle because he had sat for a little too long. He was right at his number."

Running back Shaun Draughn, who's mentored Johnson, was glad to see the rookie back in action.

"I actually love Duke's style,'' said Draughn. "I told him he reminds me of me a little bit. Another guy that looks up to me, and I respect that. He's coming into his own, he set his self apart and what he did, he set records. We're similar but we're different."

Draughn gave Johnson high marks for his first real practice since Aug. 1.

"Like I said, I love to see him out there making people miss,'' he said. "He's just so smooth with this routes and so quick. I just like to see him play."

Draughn back, too

Draughn practiced in pads without a red caution jersey for the first time since injuring his thumb in the Orange and Brown scrimmage Aug. 7 at Ohio State.

Draughn's return was a welcome sight for Wilbert Montgomery, who's relying on the 28-year-old to help set the tone for the younger backs.

"Yeah, those guys, I think they definitely look up to me,'' said Draughn. "I try to set the bar high, how we practice, how we should practice. Coach Montgomery, he has given me free reign to really coach the guys up from my perspective. He played the game, too, but somebody that they can relate to that's actually still playing so he gives me free reign to take these guys under my wing and tell them a little bit of what I know."

Draughn said it's a misconception that the young backs are immature.

"Don't let the age or their years playing fool you because there's a lot of mature guys in the room that can step up at any time."

Draughn will continue to practice with a cast on his thumb and do as much as he can do.

Other quick hitters:

* Browns second-round linebacker Nate Orchard was excused Sunday for personal reasons.

* In 9-on-9 inside run drills, Phil Taylor and Danny Shelton played up front together, with Taylor on the nose and Shelton at end.
"That is pretty standard in short-yardage situations,'' said Pettine. "We will get our bigger bodies out there."

* Pettine said the starting five offensive linemen of Joe Thomas, Joel Bitonio, Alex Mack, John Greco and Mitchell Schwartz are not written in stone.

"It is looking that way, but I wouldn't say that for sure,'' said Pettine. "We still have a decent amount of football to play with the third preseason game. We will see what happens and how we are going to approach the fourth. I wouldn't say that yet."

* Receiver Dwayne Bowe (hamstring) practiced in full pads today for the first time since the first week of August. However, Terrelle Pryor was still idle, and Pettine warned Saturday that the window is narrowing on his chances.

* The Browns' secondary is still as thin as parchment paper. The following defensive backs sat out Sunday's practice: CB Joe Haden (hamstring), CB Justin Gilbert (hip flexor), FS Tashaun Gipson (calf), CB Robert Nelson Jr. (hamstring), FS Jordan Poyer (concussion), and CB K'Waun Williams (abdominal). Cornerback Pierre Desir is back, but not full strength yet. Rookie Charles Gaines started opposite Tramon Williams again during Sunday's practice.

* The following are other Browns who did not practice: OL Michael Bowie (shoulder), FB Luke Lundy (concussion), LB Barkevious Mingo (knee), QB Connor Shaw (right thumb), TE Randall Telfer (foot), OL Joe Thomas (rest), and RB Glenn Winston (knee).



(end)

P.S. I hope he can stay healthy for awhile, as I really wanna see him play. You know?

Browns have more to learn about RBs in final week of preseason

Link

As he continued to gather information about two of his injured running backs, Mike Pettine was in standby mode Sunday when it came to his assessment of the position with one more preseason game left on the schedule.

Pettine anticipated the position group to be among the top areas discussed during an afternoon full of personnel meetings with general manager Ray Farmer. Since the Browns first donned pads at the start of the month, Cleveland’s running backs have not been all healthy at the same time, and Saturday’s win at Tampa Bay only furthered that trend.

Rookie running back Duke Johnson Jr. had his highly anticipated preseason debut short-circuited by a crushing, second-quarter hit from Tampa Bay’s Mike Jenkins. Johnson was diagnosed with a concussion and will be under the watch of the league’s protocol.

When he’s practiced, Johnson has been an impressive, change-of-pace player capable of making an impact as both a runner and pass-catcher. He was in Saturday’s starting lineup but touched the ball just twice.

“We have seen what he can do in practice and that is important. That is why we were so positive and optimistic about it,” Pettine said. “Football is about availability. He hasn’t been available for much of the preseason. While we are hopeful about the potential, at the same time, it is discouraging to not have him out there.”

Shaun Draughn, who is dealing with an injured hand, has yet to carry the ball in a preseason game but he made his first on-field appearance Saturday on special teams. Pettine said he would need to see a medical report on Draughn before being able to gauge how close he is to being ready to carry the ball.

On the plus side for the Browns backfield, fullback Malcolm Johnson saw his first preseason action Saturday after dealing with a shoulder injury.

Pettine did not rule out adding a running back over the next few days as the team pares down the roster from 90 to 75 players. The deadline to be down to 75 is 4 p.m. Tuesday, but many teams around the league got a jumpstart on the process and flooded the free agent market with new faces.

“If we do come to the decision that we need to add a back that is not here, we’ll look at the list of backs that are available,” Pettine said.

Second-year running backs Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell have played in all three preseason games and have seen their production steadily increase with each one. Both had double-digit runs during the Cleveland first-team offense’s two scoring drives Saturday to help “take the pressure off” quarterback Josh McCown.

West is the team’s leader in the preseason with 78 yards on 22 carries while Crowell has 47 on 17. It’s uncertain how much playing time the pair will get in Thursday’s preseason finale, a game in which Cleveland is expected to rest many of its starters.

“It’s a fine line with the preseason,” Pettine said. “You want to minimize guys’ exposure, but at the same time, you want to get them work. You see what the whole league is going through. You want them out there, but then there’s the risk of injury. Young guys that haven’t played against NFL competition, you always want to get them out there and get an evaluation so you can get a taste of what regular season will be like.”

Duke is an injury waiting to happen. People like to say: how many games did he miss in college? I say, how many snaps did he miss? And how has he fared thus far in the NFL?

I like the Crow. He hit the hole like it should be hit.

He has been "in the NFL" for a total of four months. He had one hamstring injury (which could happen to anyone) and was hung out to dry by McCown (will happen to everyone).

Let's wait awhile before we make any declarations about his injury proneness.

You wait. I made my prediction that he would be oft-injured BEFORE we drafted him. I see how he runs. I see his body type. I saw his history.

I'll stand by my prediction while you wait.

Fair enough?

Absolutely.

Just a little update:

'RB Duke Johnson out awhile with concussion, but Cleveland Browns have no plans to add a back this week'

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2015/08/rb_duke_johnson_out_awhile_wit.html#incart_river

'Browns trying to add veteran running back'

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/201...partner=ya5nbcs

Posted by Zac Jackson on September 5, 2015, 12:17 PM EDT

AP

As the Browns finalize their roster cuts and sort through their outside options, a team source tells PFT the team has prioritized finding a veteran running back either by trade, waiver claim or signing at some point this weekend.

The source said veteran players have relayed to the coaches their feelings that the younger backs and the offense in general will benefit from a veteran presence, on and off the field.

Second-year backs Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West both played a lot last season, but neither had a strong camp this summer. Third-round rookie Duke Johnson missed most of the preseason with a sore hamstring, started in the first preseason game in which he was healthy enough to play and suffered a concussion early in the second quarter, leaving both his availability and readiness for the start of the season in question.

Shaun Draughn, a veteran of four NFL seasons added late last season, missed much of the preseason with a broken thumb. He played in four games for the Browns last season but did not carry the ball.

The Browns acknowledged last month that they’ve had internal discussions about Ray Rice, and there are ties. Browns Coach Mike Pettine was in Baltimore early in Rice’s career, and Browns running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery was Rice’s position coach for six seasons.

There have been rumors that the Broncos are trying to trade Montee Ball, and teams are also watching what happens with the Seahawks after the team added veteran Fred Jackson on Friday. The Seahawks are reportedly trying to trade Christine Michael.

Crowell sat out the preseason finale with most of the team’s regular starters. West carried nine times for 35 yards and finished the preseason having averaged 3.6 yards per carry. Crowell averaged 2.8 on 17 preseason carries.

At the very least it seems like there are several people in Cleveland that are not fans of Terrence West.

what an unfortunate name..Christine, for a guy...parents are idiots

'Report: Browns have spoken to Montee Ball'

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/201...bcs&ref=yfp

Posted by Josh Alper on September 9, 2015, 6:25 PM EDT

The Browns got running back Duke Johnson back at practice on Wednesday and coach Mike Pettine said that he is fully cleared after a concussion and could play “a significant role” on Sunday if he practices well the rest of the week.

Even with Johnson in the lineup, the Browns only have two tailbacks on their current 53-man roster and were talking about adding a player at the position even before they traded Terrance West to the Titans. The recently released Montee Ball could be part of that discussion.

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Browns have spoken to Ball since he became a free agent after clearing waivers earlier this week. Cabot reports several other teams have also been in contact with the former Bronco, who was a second-round pick in 2013, and that it is “uncertain” where he’ll land.

The Browns passed on a chance to claim Ball in time to have him at practice this week, as did any other team that might have interest. That suggests Ball may remain on the market through Week One, which may bring injuries or other developments that land him with a new team.



(end)

I heard from my Moms sisters son in law who is a cousin 42 times removed of Payton Manning that they plan on putting Ball on the PS.....


Just funnin

Who is this Payton Manning you speak of?

Read this:

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/2015-nfl-college-football-power-running-counter-running/