SB Nation - Travis Wilson

Kickoff Spectacular Open Thread

Aaron Novinger — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:48:54 -0000

Excitement is in the air! Today marks the beginning of the 2009 season for the Dallas Cowboys.

From the Alamodome, Jerry Jones has delivered his State of the Franchise and head coach Wade Phillips sounds ready to get this season going in the opening press conference. They also opened up for a Q & A session with the media.

Stephen Jones has also had some mic time, saying that the three remaining rookies will be signed in time for practice (McGee, J. Williams, and Brewster). He also said the team will waive injured WR Travis Wilson.

Make the jump.

There are always some surprise players in training camp, so get your pet cats picked out. Here's a list of long-shots to warm you up.

CB Michael Hawkins

Homeless for a while in high school, Hawkins played as a true freshman at Oklahoma before being dismissed from the team. He then played pro football as a teenager with the Arena Football League Dallas Desperados after an open tryout before becoming a fifth-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2005. He also had stops in Cleveland and Minnesota. His exceptional closing speed and age (25) make him interesting.

WR Jesse Holley

Won a spot on the training camp roster as the winner of Michael Irvin’s 4th and Long reality TV show. He’s 6-foot-3 and weighs 216 pounds. Holley played basketball and football at North Carolina. Although he’ll likely be classified as the 80th man on the roster, Holley has football skills. He had stints with the Cincinnati Bengals and B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League. He also has the unrelenting support of Irvin, who’s in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

DL Jonas Seawright

Seawright has been out of football the past two seasons so few people have heard of him outside of NFL insiders. He played with the New York Giants in 2005 and 2006. In 2006, he played in nine games and recorded one tackle. At 6-6, 335, he’s the biggest defensive lineman on the roster. Size matters in the NFL.

FB Asaph Schwapp

Schwapp is a devastating blocker. He’s a legend around South Bend, Ind., for his strength. He bench pressed 225 pounds 33 times at Notre Dame’s Pro Day. The undrafted rookie free agent loves martial arts movies and collects martial arts items. In fact, he was arrested for carrying a ninja throwing star at Love Field last May. If he doesn’t stick with Dallas, there are jobs around the NFL for guys who like to crush other guys.

G Greg Isdaner

Left West Virginia early despite coming off a solid, but unspectacular junior season that included shoulder surgeries in the previous spring. However, he’s a high IQ athlete who chose West Virginia over Ivy League schools coming out of high school. He graduated from West Virginia in 3 1/2 years with a degree in finance. Numbers game working against him in camp, but he might make a good project for the Cowboys or someone else.

NESN ranks Tony Romo as the number 12 best quarterback in the league.

This will be Romo’s fourth season as the Cowboys’ starter, but it’s his first without Owens. In the last three years, Romo has averaged 2.1 touchdowns and 1.2 interceptions per game. For much of that time, Owens was playing some of the best football of his career, so Romo’s numbers will likely dip a bit. However, Owens’ presence hurt Romo and the Cowboys late in the regular season, when they struggled. So, what does all this mean? It’s finally time for Romo to be his own man and create his own legacy in Dallas.

Tom Orsborn asks if it's time for Romo to change his ways.

The Valley Ranch Review: Mini-camp Report Day 3

Dave Halprin — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:46:04 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

MB3! Click on the photo to go to a whole gallery of shots from the mini-camp.

Browse more photos »

Click on the photo for more shots from mini-camp.

Some quick stuff about the three-day mini-camp.

Stephen Hodge surgery and other notes.

Rookie linebacker Stephen Hodge and wide receiver Travis Wilson each had arthroscopic left knee surgery Tuesday to remove loose cartilage. Both players are expected to be ready when training camp begins in late July.

Hodge, a sixth-round pick, is transitioning from college safety to inside linebacker in the Cowboys' 3-4 scheme and also is expected to contribute on special teams.

Injuries from DC.com plus practice notes.

Missing practice were Nick Folk (hip), Travis Wilson (knee), Sam Hurd (quad), Miles Austin (hamstring), Felix Jones (quad), Rodney Hannah (finger), Justin Rogers (leg), Stephen Hodge (knee), Kyle Kosier (foot), Kevin Ogletree, Isaiah Stanback (knee) and Igor Olshansky (back).

Willie Reid, the newly-signed WR, was also out sick. A lot of WR's not practicing...

To make up for the deficiency Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton were taking reps with the third-team offense, quarterbacked today by Rudy Carpenter.

Rudy Carpenter. Forgot all about that guy!

Spags on mini-camp.

Archer reports that Romo says: no slim down message from Garrett.

"There was no such meeting," Romo said. "We live in a world where it's sensationalized. When you see something or hear something, you write it. That's completely false. If there's anything those guys tell me, it's to throttle back sometimes just because I do a lot of running playing soccer and basketball and stuff to stay in shape, plus the stuff we do. So when you hear stuff like that, people don't know."

The Star-T gives Sensei some love. Sensabaugh discusses the suggestion that his run defense will be a drop-off from Roy Williams.

"No drop-off," [Gerald] Sensabaugh said. "I was a run-support guy in Jacksonville; in a 4-3 scheme you have a gap, and I took on lead blockers. I had surgery on two shoulders. We did a lot of hitting over there. [But] run-game wise, it’s a lot easier to play the run game here."

Marty B love.

Cowboys Offense: Breaking Down the Training Camp Battles

Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:44:02 -0000

While training camp position battles will undoubtedly be intense on the defensive side of the ball, the fight for roster spots on offense should be a bit less interesting. There should be no competition at quarterback, as Tony Romo will obviously be the starter. The team drafted Stephen McGee in the 4th round when the team had bigger needs, so that ought to be an indication of how much the team likes the former Texas A&M signal caller. Jon Kitna was acquired via trade, and is the only experienced depth at the position. He will be safe for that reason. Rudy Carpenter is coming to camp to minimize arm fatigue, and maybe log enough preseason snaps to impress another team.

While their 2009 roles have yet to be defined, we do know that Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice will occupy the team’s three running back roster spots. No disrespect to Ray Ray’s little brother (Keon Lattimore), but he will be at camp for the sole purpose of preserving the bodies of Bash, Dash, and Tash. The only way we will see any movement at running back is if Minnesota, in an attempt to clear cap space for Brett Favre, offers us Adrian Peterson for a bag of K-balls.

Most of the offense is locked up, but there are still a few spots up for grabs. Let’s look at this year’s offensive contestants for Survivor:Dallas.

Wide Receiver

Starters: Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton/Miles Austin

Survivor Contestants: Sam Hurd, Isaiah Stanback, Kevin Ogletree, Julian Hawkins, Manuel Johnson, Travis Wilson

Cowboys will likely keep: 5-6

Breakdown: Sam Hurd will probably make the squad again. He is a good special teams player, and of the group he has the body and skill set that most closely mirrors that of Roy Williams. Hurd would be the most natural fit to step in for Williams at the "X" in the event of an injury. Travis Wilson has nice measurables, but his mouth is bigger than his game. It is unlikely that his arrogance will fly in the recently cleansed Cowboy locker room. I think Manuel Johnson has a real shot. His play far outshines his measurables, and the team could possibly view him as an eventual heir to Patrick Crayton’s role.

I think the guy to watch here is Kevin Ogletree. Ogletree is an accomplished receiver with top notch NFL speed. Ogletree was widely ranked among the top 20 wide receiver prospects, but saw his stock drop due only to a 2007 ACL tear. Ogletree has to be viewed as the favorite if the team keeps six wideouts, and still a possibility is the team keeps only five. At the end of the day, I still think Isaiah Stanback makes the team. The team did little to bolster it’s kick return options behind Felix Jones in the off season, leaving Stanback as the best remaining alternative. Stanback would also be the best option if the ‘Boys want to tinker with some wildcat action, and most importantly, Jerry Jones likes him.

Tight End

Starters: Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett

Survivor Contestants: John Phillips, Rodney Hannah, Jamar Hunt

Cowboys will likely keep: 3

Breakdown: I know Martellus Bennett is not technically a starter, but he will be a key part of the offense, so he’s not going anywhere. I was a little surprised that the Cowboys drafted a tight end at all. As high as the club had appeared to be on Rodney Hannah, I figured he would get his chance to step in with the departure of Tony Curtis. Nonetheless, the University of Virginia has a history of producing well-rounded tight ends, and John Phillips is no different. This battle is really between Phillips and Hannah. Jamar Hunt’s best quality is his ability to serve as a long snapper. You don’t mess with a good thing, so unless the Cowboys are desperate for roster spots, I don’t see the team dumping L.P. Ladouceur.

Offensive Line

Starters: Flozell Adams, Kyle Kosier, Andre Gurode, Leonard Davis, Marc Colombo

Survivor Contestants: Doug Free, Pat McQuistan, Montrae Holland, Ryan Gibbons, Cory Procter, Matt Spanos, Robert Brewster, Travis Bright, Michael Turkovich, Greg Isdaner

Cowboys will likely keep: 8-10

Breakdown: It’s hard to divide this thing by position since there are so many tackle/guard and guard/center guys on the roster. Regardless of his camp performance, Robert Brewster’s draft position buys him a roster spot, so he’s in. The only true tackles in the group are Free and Turkovich, so if Free can hold off the undrafted Turkovich he’s in as well. Hopefully Montrae Holland mixed an occasional salad into the rotation this off season. If he’s in shape, he’s easily the best guard among the backups. Holland gets good push in the run game, and is by far the most experienced (35 career starts) of the group. I know no one wants to hear this, but Cory Procter will probably be back. Procter and Matt Spanos are the only players in the group with experience at center. If Procter outshines Spanos, he’s probably coming back. This may be a "put up or shut up" year for McQuistan as well, who has logged zero starts in three seasons with the team.

Fullback

Starter: Deon Anderson

Survivor Contestants: Asaph Schwapp, Julius Crosslin

Cowboys will likely keep: 1

Breakdown: Deon Anderson is not a Lorenzo Neal-type lead blocker, but he is a good all-around fullback who does most everything pretty well. I have not seen enough tape on Schwapp to make an educated evaluation, but I was not impressed by the few clips I did see. For a 257-pound guy, Schwapp doesn’t get a ton of push, and can be driven back into the hole rather easily. Again, maybe I just saw the worst handful of clips of his entire career. Crosslin played pretty well for the team last preseason, but it’s hard to envision Anderson being overtaken by any fullback currently on the roster.

Who will survive?

Should Houshmandzadeh be High on Browns' Radar?

Chris Pokorny — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:43:22 -0000

The Cincinnati Bengals slapped the franchise tag on kicker Shayne Graham yesterday. This is not unheard of, as the New England Patriots did it twice with Adam Vinatieri in the past. However, considering the state of the Bengals, the concept of franchising a kicker has to make you chuckle.

The more important part is that T.J. Houshmandzadeh will not be franchised, meaning he'll hit the free agent market on February 27. A former seventh-round draft pick, Houshmandzadeh will likely require a large contract. Many teams will reach out for his services -- should the Browns be one of them? Our defense needs to be rebuilt at several positions, but that also shouldn't distort the fact that our offense was one of the worst in the NFL last season, despite our expectations being high week in and week out.

I want a receiver of Houshmandzadeh's caliber, but it's probably better for Eric Mangini to take a "chance" route. We've seen guys like Houshmandzadeh and Marques Colston succeed after being seventh-round draft picks. The Browns have had their failed attempts in earlier rounds with players like Quincy Morgan, Andre King, Travis Wilson, and presumably Syndric Steptoe. The jury is still out on Paul Hubbard, but you can't like his odds under a new regime either. With our lack of scouting early on this year due to a late-hired front office though, finding one of those gems might truly be pulling a name out of a hat.

Poll

Where would you like the Browns to pursue another WR?

Big-name free agent, like Houshmandzadeh

150 votes

Lower-level free agent

104 votes

Early in the Draft

24 votes

Late in the Draft

86 votes

We're fine with what we've got

71 votes

435 votes | Poll has closed

Putting Faith in Derek Anderson

Chris Pokorny — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:59:45 -0000

Take a look at these statistics:

Cleveland Browns: 0-3 Record

		Passing
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT
2008 - Derek Anderson	3	43.5	43	93	46.2	405	135.0	4.4	2	5

Indianapolis Colts: 1-2 Record

		Passing
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT
2008 - Peyton Manning	3	73.1	71	120	59.2	784	261.3	6.5	3	4

St. Louis Rams: 0-3 Record

		Passing
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT
2008 - Marc Bulger	3	73.2	52	89	58.4	519	173.0	5.8	2	2

Three teams, three sets of expectations, and three struggling quarterbacks. If you had to rank the expected chain of success of these three teams heading into the season, it would've gone in the following order: Colts > Browns > Rams.

When it comes to Manning struggling, there's simply no way he's going to be benched unless he takes himself out.

When it came to Bulger struggling, not only this year but for a good portion of last season, the Rams had enough. He has been benched, and backup QB Trent Green is set to take over this week.

Where does that leave the Browns then? We are giving Derek Anderson one more shot. He has not shown any sign of needing to be our quarterback of the future for the first three games of this season. Bringing up last season's struggles toward the end of the year do not affect that -- last year was Anderson's first year as a starting quarterback, and anyone surprised by a first-year starter struggling set their expectations too high.

What do I remember from Anderson all offseason? I remember writing training camp reports that he was looking exceptional in camp. He could throw deep touchdowns to Braylon Edwards with his eyes closed. He started accepting Donte Stallworth as a legitimate second option. Travis Wilson was looking like a decent third receiver. Then, in the first preseason game, Anderson looked good.

After that...things changed. Anderson suffered a concussion against the New York Giants. Edwards missed the rest of camp with a cut on his foot. Stallworth has missed the first three weeks with a hamstring injury. Wilson was cut. Where did that leave the offense?

A quarterback trying to return from a concussion
A top receiver who lost focus after being out of the loop for a few weeks
A practice squad receiver in Syndric Steptoe as our second receiver. Remember, Anderson's reps with Steptoe were minimal throughout all of camp.

This week, Anderson is getting part of the puzzle back. Stallworth, while not 100%, has at least been practicing and is expected to make his long-awaited return. For the first time this season, we'll see how Anderson can run this offense a little closer to how it was intended to be run. I emphasize "a little closer" because with Eric Steinbach out 3-5 weeks, that adds a different variable. Heading into the season though, the offensive line was our deepest position -- wide receiver was pretty thin.

This piece is not meant to make amends for Anderson's discouraging efforts over the first three weeks of the season. However, we still have a big football game this week against the Cincinnati Bengals. It's a division game. I don't want to change quarterbacks during the game. I want the Rob Chudzinski offense from last year, and that can only come with continuity -- at least for this week.

From a control standpoint though, it's understandable why a change would be necessary following a Week 4 loss. I still have faith in Anderson to lead this team. The hidden variable though is that at some point, Romeo Crennel is going to have to start worrying about his job. It's do-or-die time for Anderson -- but I'll be cheering for him from the first snap to the final blow of the whistle this Sunday.

Poll

Are you willing to put faith in Derek Anderson heading into this game?

Yes -- Pull it together Anderson!

116 votes

No -- Anderson is DONE in my mind

142 votes

258 votes | Poll has closed

Broncos Annouce Several Roster Moves; Tom Nalen Placed On I/R

John Bena — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:33:55 -0000

The Denver Broncos on Tuesday placed center Tom Nalen on injured reserve with a left knee injury, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced.

A 15-year veteran, Nalen ranks second in Broncos history in career starts (188) while his 194 career games played in a Denver uniform represent the third-highest total in club annals. He entered the league with the Broncos as a seventh-round selection (218th overall) in the 1994 NFL Draft from Boston College.

Nalen, whose five Pro Bowl selections (1997-2000, '03) are the most by a Broncos offensive lineman in franchise history, was a key member of Denver's back-to-back Super Bowl teams in 1997 and '98. He helped Denver post the most rushing yards (29,131) and individual 100-yard rushing games (93) in the NFL from 1995-2007 in addition to tying for the league lead in individual 1,000-yard rushing seasons (11) during that time.

An honorable mention All-American as a senior at Boston College, Nalen attended Foxboro High School in Foxboro, Mass., and was born on May 13, 1971

The Broncos also announced they signed free-agent safety Vernon Fox and waived safety Hamza Abdullah, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced.

The club also on Tuesday released wide receiver Travis Wilson from its practice squad.

Fox (5-foot-10, 203 pounds) is in his seventh NFL season and joins the Broncos after spending the previous two years with Washington, which released him on Aug. 25. He also has played for Detroit (2004-05) and San Diego (2002-03) after entering the NFL with the Chargers in 2002 as a college free agent from Fresno State University.

In 86 career games (11 starts), Fox has totaled 90 tackles (69 solo), two interceptions (21 yds.) and eight pass breakups. He also owns 73 tackles on special teams along with one blocked punt for his career.

Last season with Washington, Fox appeared in 14 games (0 starts) and tied for third on the club with 16 special-teams stops while adding two defensive tackles. He started a career-high six games and appeared in all 16 contests for the Redskins in 2006, recording personal bests in defensive tackles (42) and special-teams tackles (26).

Fox saw time in 14 games in each of his two years with the Lions from 2004-05. During his first two professional seasons with the Chargers from 2002-03, he appeared in a total of 28 games (5 starts) and had 45 tackles along with one interception.

A two-time first-team All-Western Athletic Conference selection at Fresno State, Fox attended Cimarron Memorial High School in Las Vegas and was born on Oct. 9, 1979

Cleveland Browns 2008-2009 Season Preview

Chris Pokorny — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 04:28:28 -0000

The Cleveland Browns are entering the 2008-2009 with high expectations. With a successful offense returning, a much-improved defensive line, and the fans more excited than ever about the team, anything short of a playoff berth will be a disappointment.

Now, let's take a look at this year's official season preview, brought to you exclusively by Dawgs By Nature.

Note: Due to page-width issues, click the link below to read the full preview. Also, please use the "Yahoo Buzz" feature in the top-right corner to help promote this piece!

Cleveland Browns Season Preview - 2008-2009 Edition

Offensive Depth Chart

Defensive Depth Chart

Pos	1st String	2nd String	3rd String
QB	Derek Anderson	Brady Quinn	Ken Dorsey
RB	Jamal Lewis	Jerome Harrison	Jason Wright
FB	Lawrence Vickers	Charles Ali
WR	Braylon Edwards	Joshua Cribbs	Steve Sanders
WR	Donte Stallworth	Syndric Steptoe	Martin Rucker (TE)
TE	Kellen Winslow	Steve Heiden	Darnell Dinkins
LT	Joe Thomas	Isaac Sowells
LG	Eric Steinbach	Scott Young
C	Hank Fraley
RG	Seth McKinney	Rex Hadnot
RT	Kevin Shaffer	Ryan Tucker

Pos	1st String	2nd String	3rd String
LDE	Corey Williams	Shaun Smith
NT	Shaun Rogers	Ahtyba Rubin
RDE	Robaire Smith	Louis Leonard
LOLB	Willie McGinest	Alex Hall	Shantee Orr
ILB	D'Qwell Jackson	Kris Griffin	Beau Bell
ILB	Andra Davis	Leon Williams
ROLB	Kamerion Wimbley
LCB	Eric Wright	Terry Cousin	Gerard Lawson
RCB	Brandon McDonald	Travis Daniels
FS	Brodney Pool	Mike Adams
SS	Sean Jones	Nick Sorensen

Positional Summaries

Quarterbacks

Defensive Line

Quarterback controversy? For the first time since returning to the NFL, the fans, the coaching staff, and all of the other players on the team have confidence in the starting quarterback. Derek Anderson is coming off of an unprecedented year, throwing for nearly 30 touchdowns. After leading the Browns to a 10-5 record as a starter last year, he'll have to improve his game this season though. With expectations higher, a tougher schedule ahead of him, and a decision needing to be made about backup quarterback Brady Quinn, Anderson now needs to show that he can enter the ranks of the Peyton Manning's, Tom Brady's, and Tony Romo's.

Meanwhile, Quinn can't feel too good about his situation in Cleveland right now. No matter what a quarterback says, they want to play right away. When he looks around the league, all of the other young quarterbacks -- Matt Leinart, Vince Young, JaMarcus Russell, Alex Smith, Joe Flacco, and Matt Ryan -- have received starting opportunities in their first or second years. Quinn has shown the ability to manage the Browns offense if needed though, and third-stringer Ken Dorsey will continue to remain a mentor for him.

Grade: A

I graded the defensive line a D+ last season. Looking back, that was probably being too optimistic. Robaire Smith was a welcome addition to the Browns at the time, but I can't say I'm too upset about seeing guys like Ethan Kelley and Simon Fraser replaced by two potential Pro Bowlers.

When free agency first hit, the Browns didn't make a single move involving the defensive line. Fans were outraged and confused as more and more of the "higher-rated" free agents were being signed by other teams. Then, out of no where, Phil Savage pulled out his bag of magic tricks with two trades. First, he somehow worked a deal to acquire Packers defensive end Corey Williams in exchange for just a third-round draft pick. Then, he paid a lot for Pro Bowl defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, giving up top cornerback Leigh Bodden and a second-round draft pick. We wanted improvement, and we got it.

The optimism for the defensive line is extremely high now. Some fans are dying to see a pass rush, but the thing I'm looking forward to is Rogers' ability to stop the run. I can definitively remember teams like the Houston Texans running their third-string running back against us for 100+ yards with ease. With the versatile Shaun Smith becoming depth as opposed to a starter, the talent of rotation should improve too to ensure everybody stays fresh for four quarters.

Grade: B+

Running Backs

Linebackers

There were a lot of questions surrounding Jamal Lewis prior to last season. He was coming over from a Baltimore Ravens team where he had looked injury-plagued and on the downside of his career. He answered all of his critics by having a tremendous season overall last year, especially by establishing his role as a "closer" against teams like the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills. There is still room for improvement though, and that'll have come against the stiffer competition he'll face this year in the NFC East, the AFC South, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

No matter what he does though, there will always be a concern in the back of everyone's mind if Lewis suffers an injury. Phil Savage decided to stick with Jerome Harrison and Jason Wright as the backups for the second year in a row, but their roles have become a little more defined. If Lewis suffers an injury, Harrison will be the starting running back. Whether Lewis is healthy or not, Wright will be the third-down running back. That boils down to Harrison still being a poor blocker -- something you can't afford in third-down passing situations.

Part of the reason I graded the Browns' backs a C+ last season was due to the question marks at the fullback position. In his first season as a starter though, Lawrence Vickers was more than impressive. And, in training camp and throughout the preseason, Charles Ali has looked like one of the best No. 2 fullbacks in the league.

Grade: B

So, what has changed at the linebacker position this year? Absolutely nothing.

Our starters are still Kamerion Wimbley, Andra Davis, D'Qwell Jackson, and Willie McGinest. Leon Williams is still the backup middle linebacker. Antwan Peek still has the injury asterisk next to his name. The lone differences are the rookie draft picks -- Beau Bell and Alex Hall. While there is a lot of excitement surrounding Hall, until he shows what he's capable of on gameday, it's impossible to evaluate his true value.

I've always been negative towards Andra Davis, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that he is going to have a break out year. I have criticized him for always making his tackles five yards down the field as opposed to in the backfield or closer to the line of scrimmage. Considering that he's had to suffer through running backs getting through the defensive line so quickly though, a change in talent up front can only be beneficial to him. Wearing the defensive headset this year, he'll also be counted on more than ever to be the leader of the defense.

Wimbley's expectations are also high, but I'm still not sold on him. It's frustrating to see that he has yet to develop a solid inside move -- the better left tackles have had no problem defending him if they know he's one-dimensional. I overrated our linebackers last year with a B+; this year I'm setting my sights a little lower (not because we got worse).

Grade: C+

Receivers

Secondary

Clearly, Dennis Northcutt was a better third wide receiver than Tim Carter (last year's candidate) and Travis Wilson (this year's original candidate). Thankfully, due to the talent at the top two receiver positions and at tight end, the third wide receiver shouldn't be an issue for the second year in a row.

Braylon Edwards is coming off of a career year, and now enters this season as one of the most respected receivers talent-wise in all of football. The impact he has on opposing defenses is greater than anybody else on our team -- just look how sorry the offense looked in the preseason when Wilson was starting as opposed to Edwards. Veteran receiver Joe Jurevicius is still with the team, but unfortunately the soonest he'll be able to come back is after Week 6 as he tries to return from offseason surgery. Replacing Jurevicius in the starting lineup is former Patriots receiver Donte Stallworth, who was one of the top free agent receivers on the market this year. Stallworth adds a different dimension than Jurevicius did -- more catch-and-run, with the deep ball sprinkled in.

Without Jurevicius though, the Browns will be in search of a new go-to-guy on third downs. That man has to be tight end Kellen Winslow. While he's had two consecutive solid seasons, you still get the feeling that he's yet to reach his fullest potential. Around Week 6, the Browns also hope to have rookie tight end Martin Rucker available to open up the offensive playbook even further by being able to shift Winslow to receiver more often while still having a pass-catching threat at tight end.

Grade: A

This is the problem area heading into the season, but with a lot of luck, things don't have to turn out so bad.

When you look up and down the NFL, how many teams actually have a dominant secondary? I can probably count them on only two hands, meaning far less than half of the league. The Browns are receiving so much attention because we're playing young players and we traded away our best cornerback in Leigh Bodden. Since when do two young players, paired with two safeties who are in command of their positions, warrant an automatic notation for failure? The risks are certainly high, but until we see what happens over the first several weeks of the season, it's not time to write the unit off just yet.

Sean Jones had his ups and downs last season, but he really seemed to get things going towards the latter part of the season, as did Brodney Pool. Pool's coverage abilities are still questionable, but he knows how to lay the big hit at the right time. Now, we just have to hope he'll be able to deliver those hits still after sustaining several concussions over the span of his career.

At cornerback, Brandon McDonald's starting role is the our only new dimension in reality. When the team traded Bodden, they envisioned cornerback Daven Holly filling one of the starting role, allowing McDonald to become the nickel back. Holly's injury is what triggered the chain of concerns -- and with Terry Cousin and Travis Daniels being the only depth behind the starters, I am concerned if one of them has to start. The signing of a free agent cornerback like Ty Law isn't completely out of the question still if the unit is unbearably bad to start the season. For depth reasons, the secondary suffers a low grade here.

Grade: D+

Offensive Line

Special Teams

I gave the Browns' offensive line a "B" at the start of last season. Again, I completely underestimated our line's capabilities. Rookie left tackle Joe Thomas exceeded expectations, becoming one of the few rookie tackles to actually live up to his potential. Free agent pickup Eric Steinbach anchored the left side with Thomas very well all season long. Meanwhile, Kevin Shaffer was better at right tackle than he was at left tackle, Hank Fraley held his own at center, and the right guard position was held down by either Seth McKinney or Ryan Tucker.

This year, nothing has changed with the exception of a few backups on the offensive line. Considering that the line only allowed Derek Anderson to be sacked 14 times all season and that Jamal Lewis ran for over 1,300 yards, I think it's safe to say that this unit warrants a higher grade.

Grade: A-

Take a look at this quote from last year's special teams preview I wrote, regarding Browns kicker Phil Dawson:

"Phil Dawson is back for another year, but if he's not able to produce some more "clutch" kicks this year, some of the once loyal fans could finally be giving up on him."

Boy, did I unknowingly foreshadow something at the time? Not only did Dawson have several game-winning field gals last season, he improved his leg strength in the offseason and could be in line to attempt more 50-yarders this season. At punter, Dave Zastudil is healthy again after having somewhat of a down year last season.

The X-factor remains Joshua Cribbs. Sorry Deven Hester, but Cribbs by far has you beat as the best all-around special teams contributor in all of football. Any time he touches the ball, he's a threat to take it the distance. Any time he's a gunner, he'll mow down the opposing returner in a flash.

Grade: A+

How The Season Will Go

Schedule

Divisional Finish

REGULAR SEASON

Date	Opponent	Time
9/7	Dallas - Win	4:15 pm
9/14	Pittsburgh - Win	8:15 pm
9/21	at Baltimore - Win	4:15 pm
9/28	at Cincinnati - Loss	1:00 pm
10/5	BYE WEEK	------
10/13	New York Giants - Loss	8:30 pm
10/19	at Washington - Win	4:15 pm
10/26	at Jacksonville - Loss	4:05 pm
11/2	Baltimore - Win	1:00 pm
11/6	Denver - Win	8:15 pm
11/17	at Buffalo - Win	8:30 pm
11/23	Houston - Win	1:00 pm
11/30	Indianapolis - Loss	1:00 pm
12/7	at Tennessee - Win	1:00 pm
12/15	at Philadelphia - Loss	8:30 pm
12/21	Cincinnati - Win	1:00 pm
12/28	at Pittsburgh - Loss	1:00 pm

REGULAR SEASON

AFC North 2008-2009
Place	Team	Record
1	Cleveland Browns	10-6
2	Pittsburgh Steelers	10-6
3	Cincinnati Bengals	7-9
4	Baltimore Ravens	3-13

I predicted that the Browns would win seven games last season, and at the time, that was a high prediction. After winning ten games, look at the respect we earned on the schedule to the left: five nationally televised prime time games. Forget those typical Ian Eagle/Soloman Wilcots- announced games that we became accustomed to the past several seasons: in our first ten games, only two of them will be played at 1:00 pm.

This season, I expect the Browns to rise to the occasion of a tough schedule. It's time for the Browns to become one of the elite teams in the NFL again rather than always being the underdogs. More important than anything else though, it's time to dethrone the Pittsburgh Steelers from atop the AFC North.

Browns Add Steve Sanders to 53-Man Roster; Paul Hubbard Waived

Chris Pokorny — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 21:41:48 -0000

I guess a few years on the practice squad and making efforts to improve can pay off in the NFL after all. East High graduate Steve Sanders was signed to the active roster today after originally being placed on the team's practice squad earlier in the week.

To make room for Sanders, the team waived rookie WR Paul Hubbard. You'd have to assume that the Browns are hoping Hubbard will slip through the waiver wire right on to their practice squad. If I'm a betting man, I'd say that'll happen.

Strategically, this could be a good move. Teams are pretty much set with their rosters in preparation for tomorrow's game, so the chances of someone claiming a receiver who is still very raw are not too high. If nobody has signed Travis Wilson, I don't see how they sign Hubbard.

It is interesting that the Browns made this move -- in a way, you'd have to believe that if they activated Sanders the day before the game, they have intentions of having him active. There is no way that Hubbard would've been active for this game. That leads me to believe that Joshua Cribbs is all but out for this game, and with Syndric Steptoe set to fulfill kick return duties, Sanders would become the No. 3 receiver.

Cleveland Browns Final Cuts Announced - Travis Wilson Among Them

Chris Pokorny — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:42:41 -0000

It's one of the more exciting days as a fan to find out who will be available on gameday during the regular season, but for those who have been cut, it has to feel like a downer. Overall, my projections were pretty good, but there was a shocker -- the removal of wide receiver Travis Wilson. You have to wonder if that one dropped catch against the Bears cost him everything.

FINAL TRANSACTIONS (TO GET ROSTER DOWN TO 53)

Players Waived

WR Travis Wilson - I wouldn't be surprised if he still gets brought back at some point though, if we run into another injury.
WR Steve Sanders
WR Efrem Hill
WR Lance Leggett
TE Brad Cieslak - Good luck to wherever he goes next.
TE Kolomona Kapanui
OL James Lee - I hope to see him on the practice squad.
OL Jonathan Palmer
DL Melila Purcell
LB David McMillan - A shame he never caught on.
LB Chase Ortiz
DB A.J. Davis
DB Jereme Perry
DB Travis Key - Big-time playmaker in little time with the Browns; hope to see him on the practice squad.
DB Brandon Mitchell
K Jason Reda - If Dawson gets hurt, I think he did enough to get the first phone call.

Waived-Injured

RB Travis Thomas
OL Derrick Morse
OL Marvin Philip
DL Chase Pittman

Terminated-Vested Veteran

LB Shantee Orr

Injured Reserve

OL Lennie Friedman

Here are some of players who were on the bubble and made the final 53-man roster:

POSSIBLE SURPRISES (THEY MADE THE FINAL ROSTER)

WR Syndric Steptoe - His strong preseason effort paid off, and I'm sure his progress on kick returns helped him in case Joshua Cribbs gets banged up again.
WR Paul Hubbard - This is probably a fairness issue -- they gave Travis Wilson several years to develop before cutting ties with him, so why not give Hubbard at least a year to progress?
OL Nate Bennett - With Lennie Friedman being placed on the injured reserve (speaking of which, when did he get banged up?), Bennett takes his roster spot. I don't think anyone could've projected this one unless they had inside information on Friedman.
OL Isaac Sowells - My reasons hold true. Take that, doubters! ;)
DL Louis Leonard - He adds some versatility, because he can play nose tackle or defensive end.
DL Ahtyba Rubin - Showed more progress in his first camp than Babatunde Oshinowo seemed to.
DB Gerard Lawson - He had some trouble tackling in the final preseason game, but I thought his awareness level was a little higher than the rest of the guys trying to make the team. He's also taken a few reps at kick and punt return -- if Cribbs is out Week 1, the Browns could put Steptoe at kick returner and Lawson at punt returner (or Lawson could do both if Steptoe is out for a week too).

Leave your thoughts on the cuts here. I correctly projected 49/53 roster spots, which is 92.4% accuracy. Grade me with an "A" ;). I will be updating this post shortly with a little note next to some of the players.

Poll

Which roster decision are you most surprised about?

Paul Hubbard over Travis Wilson & Steve Sanders

104 votes

Shantee Orr getting the boot

71 votes

Isaac Sowells making the final roster

24 votes

199 votes | Poll has closed