SB Nation - Beau Bell

Practice Squad for Browns Includes WR Leggett, RB Jennings

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:45:56 -0000

by Tony Dejak - AP

WR Lance Leggett made the practice squad, but former sixth-round pick Paul Hubbard did not.

The Cleveland Browns named six players to their practice squad on Monday after the players had cleared waivers. That still leaves the team with two open spots.

BROWNS PRACTICE SQUAD

RB Chris Jennings: It's good to see him here after a strong effort against the Chicago Bears. His power and good hands were fairly impressive. Some may wonder why we signed RB Cedric Peerman to the 53-man roster instead of Jennings. In reality, you can look at it as Peerman being on the practice squad, but the only way we could prevent him from being on another team's squad was to sign him to the final roster.
WR Lance Leggett: I called in before training camp started -- between Legget, Paul Hubbard, and Jordan Norwood, I expected Leggett to have the most impressive camp. Hubbard's short reign with the team appears to be over.
OL Pat Murray: You usually need an offensive lineman on the practice squad; here he is.
DL Brian Schaefering: I liked his quickness against the Bears, and I believe we had him briefly on the practice squad last year.
LB Titus Brown: Not at all surprising to see him here. Brown was working with the team's first-string defense before suffering an injury in training camp. If he doesn't get claimed by another team this year, I'd expect him to contend for a roster spot next year.
DB Brandon Anderson: We didn't get to see much of him during the preseason. He ended up being the only non-veteran cornerback to get waived, so we basically kept all of our young corners.

Who isn't on the practice squad? Don't panic that LB Marcus Benard and S Bret Lockett aren't there yet. They still have to clear waivers since the Browns just waived them yesterday. It seems to make sense that if we left two spots open on the practice squad that these two players would fill the voids. LT Corey Hilliard is an option too, but probably not.

Regarding other Browns cuts, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed QB Richard Bartel to their practice squad. Also, with LB Beau Bell being left off the practice squad, it looks like his days as a member of the Browns are finished.

Cleveland Browns Announce Roster Cuts; Few Surprises As Jamal Lewis Makes It

Chris Pokorny — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:31:32 -0000

More photos » by M. Spencer Green - AP

It's a "no" for veteran WR David Patten, who won't be able to play for the Browns for the second time in his career.

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The following players were cut by the Cleveland Browns, trimming their roster from 75 to the league required 53 players:

(Key: Expected Cut, Highlighted/Notable Cut, Shocker Cut)

OFFENSIVE PLAYERS CUT

QB Richard Bartel
FB Charles Ali: I'm sorry to see him go. I really like having at least two players at every non-special teams position, and Ali was a pretty good backup fullback. We didn't keep Herron either, so who will serve as the backup fullback remains a question.
RB Noah Herron
RB Chris Jennings
WR David Patten: I'm sure he'll catch on elsewhere. We really would have had too many receivers on the team if we kept him.
WR Jordan Norwood
WR Paul Hubbard
WR Lance Leggett
TE Aaron Walker
OL Dustin Fry
OL Kurt Quarterman
OL Pat Murray
OL Branndon Braxton
OL Isaac Sowells: It's party time!

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS CUT

DL Brian Schaefering
DL Adam Hoppel
DL Santonio Thomas
LB Titus Brown: An early injury in camp foiled his roster chances. I thought there was an outside chance he might end up on the practice squad.
LB Beau Bell: Phil Savage's fourth-round pick goes down the drain. He might not even be practice squad eligible.
DB Brandon Anderson
DB Corey Ivy: I guess this means Coye Francies is going to receive a lot of playing time this season.
DB Tra Battle
DB Hamza Abdullah

The team also reached an injury settlement with DL Melila Purcell, so he is no longer with the team. To be more specific about some of the players, we didn't "waive", but rather "terminated the contract of" Abdullah, Patten, Herron, Ivy, and Walker. The Browns actually waived one more player than required, so we should be signing someone soon to the 53-man roster.

Now, it's interesting to take a look at which bubble players did make the team. Here is a brief list of the players we can congratulate:

POTENTIAL "SURPRISES" TO THE TEAM

TE Martin Rucker: He might have made the team by default, because Aaron Walker really wasn't an upgrade over him. On the same note, the fact that he did not drop any passes against the Bears might have been the difference too.
OL Corey Hilliard: Who? He was a sixth-round pick by the Patriots in 2007 and spent the past two years on the Colts as a backup/practice squad type player. We didn't get a chance to evaluate his talent much, but I'm happy to see Isaac Sowells finally go. For the record, Hilliard will serve as the team's backup offensive tackle.
LB Marcus Benard: The undrafted free agent out of Jackson State did it. The first preseason game against the Packers was his best game by far, although I wonder if Titus Brown would've made the team instead had he stayed healthy.
LB Leon Williams: The veteran hasn't really been seeing reps with the first-team defense, but he's still on the team. Perhaps his versatiliy of playing the inside or the outside helped his cause. Either way, I really don't see him getting much playing time this season.
LB Blake Costanzo: Not a surprise to me. I welcome his special teams abilities this season.
DB Gerard Lawson: His kick return abilities against the Chicago Bears this past Thursday might have saved his job. He doesn't have a huge role on the Browns, but maybe that'll change with us waiving both Hood and Ivy.
DB Bret Lockett: It's funny how us as fans can pick out players like Benard and Lockett and say, "if someone is going to make the team, I can see it being these players". Lockett adds some depth to the safety position.
DB Nick Sorensen: Again, not necessarily a surprise, but he is mainly a special teams contributor.

Many of the players we cut could still end up on our practice squad.

For those curious, here is a list of former Browns players that have been cut/waived recently:

FORMER BROWNS PLAYERS WAIVED

QB Jeff Garcia
RB Marcus Thomas
RB Allen Patrick
WR Steve Sanders
WR Brandon Rideau
WR Travis Wilson
WR C.J. Jones
OT James Lee: This is a guy I'm sure we'd take a look at if Crennel was still here. He was the young prospect who we tried to sneak on the practice squad last year, but the Buccaneers signed him to their 53-man roster.
C Melvin Fowler
DL Shaun Smith: Gotta love this one.
LB David Holloway
CB Travis Daniels
CB Rod Hood
S Nate Ness
S Brian Russell: This would be too good to be true if the Browns were able to bring him back. He's been gone the past few years, playing for the Seattle Seahawks.

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report: Day 18 (Evening) - Positives Come Back

Chris Pokorny — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:40:31 -0000

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

The offense ran a little smoother for both quarterbacks in the evening session Tuesday.

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After a preseason game and a few practices of the quarterbacks struggling, they fared a little bit better in the evening session Tuesday. If you missed the recap from this morning's practice, click here.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 18 [EVENING] (8/18/09)

Setting the Stage: Here's the main drill to talk about: it was 1st-and-goal from the 9 with just 23 seconds on the clock. Each quarterback would be down 28-20, meaning they would need a touchdown and a two-point conversion. Here is how things turned out for each quarterback...
Drill for Anderson: On the very first play, Derek Anderson fired a nine-yard touchdown pass to TE Robert Royal. Anderson then took it himself for a two-point conversion.
Drill for Quinn: Although it took him four plays to do it, Brady Quinn also scored a touchdown. His first two passes were pretty poor, and after a shuffle pass to RB Noah Herron got him to the two-yard line, Quinn snuck it in for the score. On the two-pointer, he connected with WR Lance Leggett to complete the drill successfully.
Titus Brown Injured: After getting some reps with the first team recently due to LB David Bowens riding the stationary bikes, Titus Brown suffered a leg injury and was seen being attended to by trainers, according to Steve Doerschuk. After practice, it's been reported that he was wearing a walking boot. While Brown was out, he was replaced by LB Marcus Benard.
Mistakes Force Laps: Practice wasn't perfect. Derek Anderson fumbled snaps on back-to-back possessions and had to run. FB Lawrence Vickers dropped a wide open flat pass and paid the price.
The Trick Play: In a goal line drill, on a tackle eligible play, LG Eric Steinbach caught a touchdown from Brady Quinn, according to Rapid Reports. In the same drill, Quinn also tossed a touchdown pass to backup FB Charles Ali.
Back to the Backseat: Now it's the defense making plays on rookie RB James Davis. In a red zone drill, Davis was stopped behind the line of scrimmage by LB Beau Bell. Later on, DE Kenyon Coleman broke into the backfield to stuff Davis again. RB Jerome Harrison missed practice again.
Hurry Up: According to Rapid Reports, P Dave Zastudil practiced punting the ball while running. You never know when that might come in handy -- a bad snap or a dropped snap in a wet game could force that situation.
Starting Line: The first-string line was LT Joe Thomas, LG Eric Steinbach, C Hank Fraley, RG Floyd Womack, and RT John St. Clair.

The Browns will have an afternoon session the next two days to get ready for the Detroit Lions this Saturday at home.

Tuesday Evening's Links/Camp Sources

Tuesday PM: Situational work (Akron Beacon Journal, Ridenour)
Trouble at outside linebacker (Canton Repository, Doerschuk)
Training camp log: Day 18 (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report: Day 11 - Off the Shoe

Chris Pokorny — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:34:25 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

4 months ago: Cleveland Browns running back Noah Herron, right, runs past the defense at the Cleveland Browns NFL football training camp Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

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The Browns are getting ready for Saturday's first preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. The number of training camp practices for the public are going to start dwindling, but a few will still be there as the regular season approaches. Today, there were more updates on the injury front as well as the latest word on how the quarterbacks are doing.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 11 (8/12/09)

Braylon Edwards - Undisclosed Injury is Back: After several outstanding practices for the Browns No. 1 receiver, Edwards rode the stationary bike after initially coming out for practice. The Plain Dealer is reporting that he tweaked his ankle in one-on-one drills early in the practice and then had it taped up by a trainer. It doesn't appear to be serious at this point.
Toothache for Davis: The mystery surrounding the whereabouts of rookie RB James Davis was solved when Mangini revealed he had a toothache and has had some dental work done.

LB David Veikune was all over the quarterbacks Wednesday with three sacks.

Breaking Out for Veikune: Rookie LB David Veikune had a great practice, getting pressure all afternoon long. Dawg Scooper reports that he was playing middle linebacker with the second unit and ended up recording three sacks.
Tight Ends Utilized: The Browns might not have an elite group of tight ends, but they are doing their best to utilize them in practice. TE Robert Royal caught two touchdowns in goal line 11-on-11 drills -- one from Anderson, and the other from Quinn. TE Steve Heiden caught a touchdown pass earlier from Quinn, and TE Martin Rucker came up with a diving catch on an Anderson pass. While rolling to his left, Anderson also hit TE Aaron Walker for a nice completion.
Shoe Job: For the second practice in a row, the playing time of QB Brett Ratliff increased. There was an unusual play that occurred during one of his series though -- in an attempt to throw the ball down to the dirt to stop the clock, the pass accidentally hit the foot of RB Noah Herron instead. The ball then bounced up into the air and was snagged by S Nick Sorensen, who took it the distance for a touchdown. On the day, Sorensen picked two of Ratliff's passes.
Making His Claim: CB Roderick Hood has been getting progressively better on the Browns defense, coming up with another interception in camp today, this time on QB Derek Anderson. The play wasn't necessarily Anderson's fault, as it was first tipped by WR Jordan Norwood.

DB Roderick Hood returns an interception here. Also pictured is WR Joshua Cribbs. Both players have been picking it up in camp.

Still Behind: Rookie C Alex Mack is still behind veteran Hank Fraley it appears. With Rex Hadnot down still, Fraley's roster spot seems to pretty much be guaranteed at this point.
Trickery: WR Joshua Cribbs ran a reverse for a ten-yard gain with Anderson as a blocker. This note was kind of interesting from the OBR's Twitter feed: "Browns ask media not to give up specifics on specialty or trick type plays - but the packages on stunt drill is intriguing."
Bubble Watch: This is a note just in general from the OBR regarding LB Beau Bell: "he hits a ton moving forward but lateral quickness is below average." With Davis still out, RB Noah Herron continues to make a strong case for being on the final roster. I'm really starting to believe that Herron will make the team as the backup fullback/fourth running back. He's not a bad player and he has some veteran experience. With RB Jerome Harrison also not practicing, RB Jamal Lewis and Herron got all the running back reps. CB Hank Poteat was burned by WR Brian Robiskie for a touchdown.
Stepping Up: It's getting repetitive, but that's a good thing in this case: once again, WR Joshua Cribbs had a good practice as a receiver. It doesn't sound like he's seen any work in the secondary this camp, but from what it sounds like, we won't need him there.

The Browns will have an afternoon practice again on Thursday.

Wednesday's Links/Camp Sources

Wednesday 8/12 Practice (Dawg Scooper, Wolf)
Lane's camp notes, Twitter style! (Orange and Brown Report, Adkins)
QBs debunk cheating story (Akron Beacon Journal, Ridenour)
Wednesday evening camp notes (Orange and Brown Report, Taylor)

Browns Training Camp Report: Day 2 - Shaun Rogers Sits Out

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:55:42 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

Cleveland Browns DL Shaun Rogers rides a stationary bicycle at the Cleveland Browns NFL football training camp Sunday, Aug. 2, 2009.

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The Cleveland Browns hit the field for an afternoon practice in Berea today, and one thing stood out -- the massive Shaun Rogers was riding the stationary bicycle instead of being on the field.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 2 (8/2/09)

Big Baby Sits: Star defensive tackle Shaun Rogers did not practice Sunday afternoon. It is believed that he hurt himself during Saturday's evening session, but it isn't believed to be anything too serious. The team did not comment on his status.
Cornerback Swap: Rookie defensive back Coye Francies only missed one day of training camp, as he suited up and was in action today. Our other rookie draft pick at the cornerback position, Don Carey, did not practice after hurting his shoulder in Saturday's evening session.
Getting Into Shape: The laps are starting to accumulate. These plays were amidst the series that led to the entire offense running a lap: Alex Mack miscues the snap count, allowing a free defender through the line; Isaac Sowells and Kurt Quarterman jumped offsides; Hank Fraley snapped the ball into the ground. The players themselves seemed to agree that they deserved to run.

CB Brandon McDonald had a good day, breaking up several passes.

Edge to Anderson, Again: For the second straight day, the quarterback competition reportedly belonged to Derek Anderson. I'll recap Anderson first, and then Quinn. In 7-on-7 drills, Anderson had four plays and three touchdowns in three of them -- one each to RB James Davis, TE Robert Royal, and TE Aaron Walker. To end practice, both quarterbacks ran the two-minute drill. Anderson led the offense down the field against the second-string defense, and with 20 seconds remaining, he fired a 20-yard touchdown to Joshua Cribbs.
The Day for Quinn: The two-minute drill didn't go as well for Brady Quinn, who faced the first-team defense. On a 4th-and-15 play, Quinn had Lance Leggett open but threw behind him to end the drive. Quinn isn't necessarily doing bad in camp, as both quarterbacks reportedly have a good grip of the offense. Anderson is just having the same solid camp he usually does -- whether that translates to gameday or not is the problem.
New Reps On the Line: The rotation on the offensive line continues, with Ryan Tucker and George Foster playing with the first team. Both players started slowly, but by the end of practice, Tucker was running his drills effectively. Foster, on the other hand, appeared to struggle.
Bubble Watch: Featured in today's bubble watch is OL Isaac Sowells, and the news isn't good. The OBR reports that he has had a difficult time gaining leverage against defensive linemen and linebackers thus far.
McDonald Shines: In a span of six passes, Brady Quinn threw the ball to Lance Leggett four times. Leggett was unable to come away with any of the balls, as Brandon McDonald had two nice breakups.

Rookie RB James Davis has had a great start to camp.

Pass Interference: The defensive backs were getting flagged for a few pass interferences, including Roderick Hood twice and Eric Wright at least once.
Hello, Mr. Norwood: I was disappointed to not hear anything about Jordan Norwood yesterday, but the OBR delivered today:

"...undrafted free agent Jordan Norwood continues to make plays and be noticed. Running solid route after solid route, Norwood is not making plays solely against the bottom-of-the-depth chart type players. This rookie has made a number of acrobatic grabs, as well as the ordinary type in his productive practices to date."
Buddy Ryan: Rob Ryan's father, Buddy Ryan, attended camp today.
Ali Taken Out: Fullback Charles Ali was escorted off the field after big collisions with Beau Bell and D'Qwell Jackson, reports WTAM.
Praise for James Davis: The OBR has praised the play of rookie RB James Davis over the past two days: "The Browns offense looks to be a one-cut-and-go type rushing attack, which fits perfectly into the natural ability of the Clemson product." I have to admit, while I never mind hearing positive news about one of our players, I wish I was hearing this about Jerome Harrison.

The Browns will have two practices on Monday -- one in the morning and one in the evening.

Saturday's Evening Link Collection / Camp Sources

Lane's View: Day 2 (Orange and Brown Report, Adkins)
Sunday Aug. 2 (Akron Beacon Journal, Ridenour)
Day 2 of training camp (WTAM, Knott)
Mangini Has Two, Will Keep Two (Taylor)

Browns Training Camp Report: Day 1 (Morning)

Chris Pokorny — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 19:40:14 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

The big news on Day 1? Contact, and lots of it. Here, Blake Costanzo (44) and Titus Brown (59) run drills during the Cleveland Browns NFL football training camp, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

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The Cavs came up short. The Indians are out of contention. Ladies and gentlemen, it is officially time once again to shift all of your attention to the Cleveland Browns, as training camp started today. There were two sessions scheduled for Day 1 -- this one covers the morning session. The notes in this report, along with most future reports, are a recap from various sources which will be linked to at the conclusion of the report.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 1 [MORNING] (8/1/09)

Not Taking Things Lightly: Eric Mangini isn't wasting any time with his training camps. Everyone is reporting that they were surprised to see a lot of contact during drills today. Tony Grossi of the Plain Dealer reported that there was more contact in Mangini's first practice than you'd see in a week's worth of Crennel's practices. If the Browns are to have more aggression and stamina during games, this is the only acceptable approach in my book.

DL Robaire Smith was at practice and ready for battle.

More Proof of Contact: One person stood out during practice, but for different reasons. Steve Heiden was the only player wearing a red shirt, and that is because the coaches wanted his contact to be limited since he is coming off of surgery.
No Holdouts...Yet: As expected, Joshua Cribbs and Phil Dawson both showed up in camp. Cribbs previously stated he would attend practices, and with Parker Douglass being waived yesterday, it seemed like a sign that Dawson would take the field.
The Injury Front: The only players on the sidelines were Braylon Edwards and Coye Francies. I still wonder what's up with Francies. Edwards was reportedly on the stationary bike and not limping. I was very pleased to hear that Robaire Smith was near a full-go right off the bat; that is great news for our defensive line. Ryan Tucker was also in practice and has chosen not to retire this season.
Quarterback Battle: Although Brady Quinn was the first quarterback to play, he and Derek Anderson received equal playing time. Mangini is calling this an "open competition". While it's only the first practice, the OBR had an interesting statement from their perspective on the practice:

If you’re scoring at home, the first practice went to Anderson. He looked sharp in the workout and hit rookie receiver Brian Robiskie on a crossing route for a touchdown and also Syndric Steptoe. However, he was intercepted by Mike Adams.
Both quarterbacks reportedly did not go away from their strengths -- Anderson threw the ball deep, while Quinn stayed with the short routes.

QB Brady Quinn throws a pass on Day 1.

Bubble Watch: This is a new feature I'll try to incorporate in this year's previews, including tidbits on players that are "on the bubble" for a roster spot. First up is LB Beau Bell, who had a nice hit during the scrimmages, according to the OBR. The OBR also had perhaps a surprising note on S Nick Sorensen, stating that unlike other safeties from the practice, he was one of the few who wasn't getting burned.
Starting Offensive Line: The starting offensive line consisted of Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Hank Fraley, Floyd Womack, and John St. Clair. That should change gradually, with Alex Mack eventually taking over center and Ryan Tucker also being worked in.
Robiskie Signed and Producing: Right after being signed, Brian Robiskie got to work and had a very good first practice.
Play of the Day: The play of the day might have belonged to WR Lance Leggett, a player that I showed some favoritism towards in my training camp previews. Despite the fact that Eric Wright interfered on the play, Leggett made a one-handed catch in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.
Always Good to Hear: Direct from the OBR:

OLB Alex Hall made an impression early in training camp practice on Saturday. The second-year player gained the appreciation of players and coaches alike due to his ability to stay with RBs coming out of the backfield in team drills.
Take this opportunity and run with it, Hall.
Clear Skies: For those outside of Cleveland, if you weren't under a tree in the shade today, the sun was beating down nonstop this morning.
Shaun Smith = Lazy: According to fans, it's not a good start to camp for DL Shaun Smith, who was told by the staff earlier in the offseason to "shape up or shut up". Smith reportedly looked out of shape, out of position, off balance, and didn't appear to have much intensity. Instead, he'll save the intensity for a greater cause, like punching another teammate in the face.
New Drill for Dawson: This year, the goal posts are narrower on one of the practice fields. Dawson liked the challenge: "Make the slightest little mistake, and you're going to miss."

After practice, Mangini stated that the team had no interest in Michael Vick and that there were no updates on the status of Donte Stallworth.

Saturday's Link Collection / Camp Sources

Training Camp Quick Hits (Orange and Brown Report, Adkins)
Quarterback Battle: Game On (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)
Browns have one practice in the books (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)
Camp off and running (ClevelandBrowns.com, Jackson)

Cleveland Browns Training Camp 2009: Inside Linebacker Preview (Maiava or Bell?)

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:21:24 -0000

After covering the quarterbacks, running backs, fullbacks, defensive linemen, offensive linemen, wide receivers, and tight ends, it's time for the defense to start getting some more attention as we approach training camp. Although the order of this training camp preview was done randomly, it's fitting that the linebackers and the secondary will be covered over the next two weeks, as they will yield some of the most interesting and competitive training camp battles.

This week is officially titled "Hard Hits and Klutch Kicks"; the linebackers will be discussed until Thursday, and then the special teams unit will be the topic of discussion heading into the weekend. Today, specifically, is dedicated to the players competing for a spot as an inside linebacker.

Also, if you didn't catch it last week, don't forget to look back at Part 1 of rufio's explanation of the 46 defense as it pertains to the Cleveland Browns.

1. D'QWELL JACKSON - STARTING INSIDE LINEBACKER

D'Qwell Jackson (#52)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 240
College: Maryland
Experience: 4 years
Stats: 154 tackles in 2008

It didn't take long for head coach Eric Mangini to announce D'Qwell Jackson as a favorite of his. Earlier in the offseason, reports were indicating that Mangini would consider listening to a trade for anybody on the roster except for two players: Joe Thomas, and then Jackson.

I can't tell if I've been blind or if Mangini is trying to set it in stone that he wants Jackson to step up as the new leader of the defense with Andra Davis gone, but Jackson has not played like the type of player that you put on an "untouchable list". When you think of the top AFC linebackers the past several years, Jackson fails to come close to his counterparts on the Baltimore Ravens or the Pittsburgh Steelers. Overall, Jackson has been a good, but not great, player. He doesn't have that dominant presence of meeting a running back head on at the line of scrimmage for no gain all by himself. He also wasn't making tackles six yards down the field as often as Davis was.

It's not saying much, but last year, Jackson was our best linebacker. He looks like a decent linebacker for a 3-4 system, but not the Ray Lewis that sets the tone defensively. Perhaps that will change with the new regime, different schemes, and a higher level of responsibility this season. Jackson's job is as safe as you can get; he won't have anyone fighting for his job.

Job Security: A+
Player Quality: B
Final Roster Odds: 100%

2. ERIC BARTON - STARTING INSIDE LINEBACKER

Eric Barton (#50)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 245
College: Maryland
Experience: 11 years
Stats: 119 tackles in 2008

They might not be from the same era, but Eric Barton has something from the past in common with Jackson -- they both played at Maryland. Now, they'll both have something in common -- being a starting linebacker for the Browns.

Barton has been an established, well-respected linebacker in the league for awhile with the New York Jets and should be considered an immediate upgrade over Andra Davis. Barton isn't among the elite linebackers either, but he is a better tackler than Davis and also does not appear to be running like a turtle on every play that isn't in the snow.

The most important thing about the Browns adding Barton is his intelligence factor. Mangini has praised Barton for his intelligence and his ability to call signals. While I don't believe it has been confirmed, that should mean that Barton, who will be partially familiar with the defensive system to be put into place, will be wearing the headset in his helmet this season. Last year, Davis and Leon Williams shared that responsibility.

Overall, it was disappointing that the Browns couldn't add a Pro Bowl caliber player to the inside linebacker position. Nonetheless, while inside linebacker might not be a strength for the Browns this season, the addition of Barton prevents it from being too much of a weakness.

Job Security: A-
Player Quality: B-
Final Roster Odds: 100%

3. KALUKA MAIAVA - BACKUP INSIDE LINEBACKER

Kaluka Maiava (#56)
Height: 5-11
Weight: 229
College: USC
Experience: Rookie
Note: 4th round pick

This is where things get thin really fast, although Leon Williams could play on the inside still (for training camp, he will be in the OLB preview).

In one corner, you have 2009 fourth-round rookie draft pick Kaluka Maiava from USC. In the other corner, you have 2008 fourth-round rookie draft pick Beau Bell from UNLV. Thanks again to Romeo Crennel's poor utilization of young players, Bell does not have the experience factor on his side, making this almost like a rookie on rookie competition.

If you're looking for a reason why Maiava could be a steal, then here it is: he was USC's "unknown" in a way, because he was overshadowed by the likes of Clay Matthews, Rey Maualuga, and Brian Cushing, who were all starters and were all taken on Day 1. He is used to coming in as a rotational player and is known for his toughness, but the fact that he wasn't a starter behind a trio of future NFL starting linebackers leads to the question -- if Maiava could've been given a starting opportunity instead, would he have played just as well?

Maiava is also the nephew of actor and former WWE wrestler The Rock (aka Dwayne Johnson).

Final Roster Odds: 98%

4. BEAU BELL - BACKUP INSIDE LINEBACKER

Beau Bell (#58)
Height: 6-1
Weight: 250
College: UNLV
Experience: 2 years
Note: 4th round pick in '08

Ok, so let's try to evaluate Beau Bell on all of the plays he registered tackles on last season. Hmmm...maybe that's not a good idea, since there were only three of them. And, while I can't recall for certain, I believe some of those came on special teams; I don't know if we ever even saw him in the linebacker rotation during the regular season.

Bell did have nagging knee problems throughout the season, but I don't buy that as an excuse for not playing him. Here's a quote from Crennel late last season that should have brought out the monkey-scratcher:

[Crennel] added that rookie linebacker Beau Bell has been making good progress, "but just finding the chance to get him up and active is an issue."

In response to that, DBN member Roger Dorn conveyed what most of the fans were thinking:

Another moment of brilliance from Romeo. Our linebackers might be the worst in the league and Crennel acts like Bell is being blocked? Either tell us that Bell is worse than our bad linebackers straight up or give him a chance to play.

The fans have not given up on Bell yet, and I think many of us are still very intrigued by the potential he showed in college. I put him behind Maiava though because he was Mangini's choice, and thus has a potential leg up in terms of favoritism. With our lack of depth at ILB, even if Bell doesn't shine, he should stick on the roster as a special teams contributor, where he forced a fumble last season on a hit that seemed harder than Andra Davis ever delivered.

Another option is that Bell could still fit on a practice squad, but before that, another team would probably snatch him up.

Player Quality: TBD
Final Roster Odds: 70%

5. BO RUUD - BACKUP INSIDE LINEBACKER

Bo Ruud (#43)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 235
College: Nebraska
Experience: 2 years
Note: Former 6th rounder

Bo Ruud was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 6th round of the 2008 draft, but missed most of the season with an ankle injury. If you're familiar with Tampa Bay Buccaneers ILB Barrett Ruud, Bo is his brother. If [Bo] Rudd ended up anything like his brother, fans would be ecstatic.

When Ruud was drafted by the Patriots, their team website had a nice article that mentioned Ruud's desire to look at film:

"I'm kind of obsessed about it," Ruud said shortly after the Patriots took him in the sixth round (197 overall). "I will tell people there is not one linebacker in the country that spends more time watching film than me. It's one thing I actually enjoy doing and it helps. I think football is really important."

Not surprisingly, Ruud said he's been doing it since high school with his brother and continued the practice ever since. When Barrett made it to the NFL, Bo stepped it up a level.

"I was actually trying to do what he was doing at the pros while at the college level. You hear about all the great football players doing that and you just try to replicate that work ethic and study habits and see what that does for you."

Link

Ruud's size makes him a likely candidate to play inside linebacker for the Browns, where he'll try to be the "surprise" player to overtake either Bell's or Maiava's backup position.

Final Roster Odds: 30%
Practice Squad Odds: 75% (at least I would like to see him there)

6. BLAKE COSTANZO - SPECIAL TEAMS LINEBACKER

Blake Costanzo (#--)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 235
College: Lafayette
Experience: 3 years
Note: ST demon?

I don't know whether Blake Costanzo really stands out as an inside or outside linebacker specifically, but for this preview, he's getting the "inside" billing. He wasn't signed for that though; he was signed for his ability to contribute on special teams.

Last season with the Buffalo Bills, he led the team with 26 special teams tackles. He was waived in June due to an influx of young talent coming in at the linebacker position, and fans were somewhat disappointed to see him go. He could be this year's Kris Griffin. I couldn't find a jersey number for him yet, so if anyone has it, let me know.

Final Roster Odds: 60%

7. DAVID HOLLOWAY - PRACTICE SQUAD INSIDE LINEBACKER

David Holloway (#54)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 234
College: Maryland
Experience: 3 years
Note: More Maryland ties

Holloway has some experience at both inside and outside linebacker positions, so this is again a loose process when I list him as an inside linebacker. He was an undrafted free agent two years ago for the Arizona Cardinals. The Browns signed him to their practice squad late last season, as he returns now to compete for that spot again.

Here is an assessment Revenge of the Birds, our Arizona Cardinals affiliate, gave on Holloway heading into training camp last season:

Hollaway was an undrafted free agent out of Maryland last year and he spent nearly the entire season on the practice squad (activated for last game but didn't play). He's undersized (6'2 230) but athletic (4.72 forty, 32 bench reps) and could push for a roster spot this year. He's got experience playing on the inside and outside but his pass rush skills are best suited for the outside. He's had a full season to learn Pendergast's system and could have a leg up on Harrington in camp.

Link

Another interesting note is that Holloway was in the same starting lineup as D'Qwell Jackson during their Maryland days. While Jackson operated at middle linebacker, Holloway played strongside linebacker.

Final Roster Odds: <2%
Practice Squad Odds: 20%

8. JONATHAN FOSTER - UNDRAFTED FREE AGENT INSIDE LINEBACKER

Jonathan Foster (#48)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 230
College: Central State
Experience: Rookie
Note: UDFA

There's not a lot to go by on Jonathan Foster, who played for Central State (Ohio) in college. He is from Ann Arbor, Michigan and played outside linebacker at college; so, again, this is another player who could really be trying out for outside linebacker.

Unfortunately, beyond that, I can find literally nothing on Foster. For him not being out there as a "name" in the first place, I guess a positive would be the fact that Mangini is giving him another look in training camp. I'm grasping for straws here folks. In the picture to the right, he's one of the player's stretching on the ground.

*EDIT (7/21/09): Foster was waived prior to the start of training camp.

Final Roster Odds: <0.1%
Practice Squad Odds: I literally have no idea

ILB Position Quality (Overall): C

There is nothing spectacular at the position yet, but we are in a little better shape than last year with Davis gone. The backup middle linebacker is a question mark, but Bell and Maiava both have potential. It would be outstanding if both of them pan out with one of them cutting into Barton's playing time at some point in the season.

Feel free to discuss a variety of issues at linebacker in the comments section, such as whether Leon Williams/David Veikune should be inside or outside, if DQ is the real deal, or players listed on this who you believe should've been listed at outside linebacker (or vice-versa).

Poll

Which player would you rather see worked into the ILB rotation more this season?

Beau Bell

452 votes

Kaluka Maiava

546 votes

Bo Ruud

115 votes

1113 votes | Poll has closed

Browns Minicamp Day 2 Notes: Derek Anderson Injured?

Chris Pokorny — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 04:39:12 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

6 months ago: Cleveland Browns' Braylon Edwards holds up an orange cone during football minicamp, Friday, June 12, 2009, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

Browse more photos »

On the second day of mandatory minicamp for the Cleveland Browns, head coach Eric Mangini held another press conference. One of the nuggets of interest Friday was the fact that quarterback QB Derek Anderson did not participate in the afternoon session. The Plain Dealer is calling it a calf injury, but nobody from the team was available for comments. I don't expect this to be a serious injury, and wouldn't be surprised if Anderson is back on the field Saturday.

Now, let's get to the highlights from Mangini's press conference. I'm listing fewer highlights today than I did yesterday, because I found many of Mangini's responses to be similar, depending on the question. You can view the full transcript here.

(Opening statement) – "I thought that this morning’s practice was good, with a lot of improvement from where we were yesterday. The emphasis this morning was on the red zone, goal line and then we had the review part to it, which was an element of our no huddle and some two-minute [drill], which you saw there at the end. This is following the same installation pattern, just at an accelerated rate. Yesterday was first and second down in the morning, third down in the p.m., we came back with red zone this morning, and now we will do a review, and sum it all up here in the afternoon. Tomorrow, we will be able to review special team’s situations, as well as do even more of a broader overview of all of the things that we have put in to date."

Thoughts: The Plain Dealer reported that Brady Quinn fared well in his two-minute drill, going 4-of-4 and setting up kicked Phil Dawson for a 37-yard field goal. Brett Ratliff, in the same drill, hit Joshua Cribbs three times in a row to set up Parker Douglass for a 33-yard field goal. Mangini talked quite a bit about special teams in the rest of the press conference, but I did not include those highlights. It sounds like Saturday's practice will focus on actually implementing special teams more.

(On if the offense has struggled or if the defense has done well in the two minute drills) – "I think it depends on the day. There were moments in the two minute drive today where things changed dramatically. It went from a fourth-down situation, the cornerback should have come off and trapped the out breaking route by number two, and the game would have been over. He didn’t do it, they got the first down. They ended up stopping the clock, now they are in a good position and it was one of those decisions where there wasn’t enough time if the ball was completed inbounds to get another play. It’s a great teaching scenario where the quarterback, and the receiver and everybody has to understand what we are dealing with. If the ball is completed inbounds the game is over, short of the end zone.

Any type of penalty – I am not sure if Brady had a timeout left or not in his drive – with no timeouts any penalty, the game is over. You have got to make those decisions. Is it two shots to the end zone? Is it one quick out to try to get closer to the end zone and take the shot? It’s all those variables. During the course of that drive it went back and forth. The offense was moving, they got stalled, it looked good for the defense, the defense gave up the conversion, offense came back out, it looked like they would have a couple shots at the end zone and it just went back and forth. That is where the real value is, everybody has to be thinking the whole time."

Thoughts: After seeing how flat out irresponsible Romeo Crennel's coaching was when a game was on the line (clock management, among other things), it's at least a positive to hear that Eric Mangini is aware of the important "variables" late in a game.

(On what he sees Joshua Cribbs doing other than returning kicks) – "We’ve really only worked him on offense to this point. I wanted to do that to get him the most familiarity with the system. Like all the guys at this point, there are good things and there are things that aren’t as good. Some of it is just familiarity – new system, new routes, new expectations in terms of depths and reads, sights and hots, and tons of information. We will keep moving down this path, see how it goes, and at some point, hopefully it builds flexibility into where we will work on defense as well."

(On if Cribbs has just worked at wide receiver so far) – "Through these camps, yes."

Thoughts: Cribbs won't be testing any other positions until training camp. I don't think anything else was expected. Will a Cribbs holdout resurface before training camp? Probably not, but we shall see.

(On what he has seen from James Davis) – "He has really done a good job. He’s picked up things quickly. He doesn’t often repeat the same mistake the next day, which is positive. I have been extremely pleased with what he has done with his opportunity. There is a great example of a young guy getting a lot more reps then he normally would because of the situation we have. He is a guy that has maximized that opportunity."

Thoughts: After all of the praise going towards Jerome Harrison, it was about time that James Davis received his due. Again, I'm happy that a player like Davis is getting reps as opposed to having a Jason Wright on your team.

(On what he likes from Robert Royal) – "I played against him for quite some time when he was in Buffalo. I saw him every year and he always was a good player in terms of the passing game, but also had that balance of being solid in the running game, and being able to be put in the backfield or off the line for the passing game as a protector as well. Very rarely do you find someone that can do all three of those things."

Thoughts: Royal fits perfectly into Mangini's philosophy. If I would have understood his philosophy a little more before he was hired as our head coach, I probably could've hand-picked Royal as a candidate for Cleveland considering what I've seen him do in Buffalo the past several years. Not too much, but much improved over a Darnell Dinkins.

(On if Beau Bell needs to change his overall nature to become more vocal) – "Yeah, but there are a lot of guys who change their nature when they get on the field. Some of the most laid back guys in the world turn into animals when they hit the field and then they go back to where they were once they are off it. I think that’s fairly common."

Just paying homage to Romeo Crennel.

Thoughts: The early reviews for Beau Bell clearly aren't as flashy as they've been for other players. Just one of those vibes you get...with the former Jets being added to the roster this year, Bell will have a hard time getting to show if he's an animal on the field or not. Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Rep is a little more upbeat on Bell's assessment though.

(On how Mohamed Massaquoi has looked) – "He is another guy that has done an outstanding job with his opportunities. I thought he had a really good two-minute drive yesterday. He caught about four or five balls and showed excellent awareness in terms of if the blitz was coming late, he was able to get underneath the DB and got a key first down. He made a really nice catch on the sideline. It was out of bounds, it was well overthrown and he went up and got it. He’s diligent in the classroom. He absorbs as much as he can. Both he and (Brian) Robiskie, working together and being in the same position, being able to push each other, and having veteran guys there to feed off of, I think it’s a great situation for us."

(On Massaquoi’s hands) – "He’s caught most of them that have been thrown to him. Like I said the catch the other day, was impressive."

Thoughts: Smart football. If you can't build the most physically talented team in football, go for players who can adapt to the coach's philosophy. I hate to question the intelligence of former Browns players, but some of them, most of whom are no longer on the team, just made dumb plays left and right. Perhaps it didn't help them that Crennel often brought out the infamous monkey scratcher image.

Here are some media reports from Day 2 of training camp, including a possible explanation from WFNY as to what Braylon Edwards' injury is:

Braylon Edwards' unspecified injury explained (Rick, Waiting for Next Year)
Calf injury hobbles Browns quarterback (Cabot, Plain Dealer)
RB Jerome Harrison impressing Eric Mangini (Grossi, Plain Dealer)
Cribbs update; Mangini on Beau Bell (Doerschuk, Canton Rep)
Mess up and run (Doerschuk, Canton Rep)

Hubbard Promoted to Main Roster

Chris Pokorny — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:18:09 -0000

The Cleveland Browns announced several moves today. Here they are, in summary...

TE Steve Heiden tore his ACL and was placed on the injured reserve. He is scheduled to undergo surgery on Thursday.
LB Beau Bell will undergo surgery on his right knee for tendinitis and swelling. He has also been placed on the injured reserve.
TE John Madsen was signed to the 53-man roster. Madsen has played for the Oakland Raiders the past three seasons, and was originally undrafted. He has 19 catches for 248 yards and 2 touchdowns in his career.
WR Paul Hubbard was promoted from the practice squad.
LB David Holloway was signed to the practice squad. Holloway has previously been a practice squad player for the Arizona Cardinals.

With Romeo Crennel still coaching this team, you can't get excited about any of these moves. Reports seem to indicate that Darnell Dinkins, not Martin Rucker, will be the team's No. 1 tight end the rest of the season. However, it is interesting to note that the team has still yet to place Kellen Winslow on the injured reserve, leaving the possibility open that he could play in Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Browns Sign RB Patrick; Crennel Still Won't Play Youngsters

Chris Pokorny — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:53:37 -0000

The Cleveland Browns promoted running back Allen Patrick from the practice squad Thursday, bumping tight end Jed Collins down to the practice squad in the process. Patrick has been on the Browns' practice squad for the past 13 weeks, and had originally been with the Baltimore Ravens in training camp.

The promotion was likely made due to Jerome Harrison's nagging hamstring injury. Now, if Crennel suddenly gives Patrick a ton of carries this Monday night, I will be fuming again, simply because it'd be another "slap in the face" to Harrison (who hasn't been utilized enough all season).

With that said, will Crennel's philosophy change regarding the playing time his rookies receive? Apparantly not. This week, Crennel cares about winning.

"We're going to look to try to win a game," Crennel said. "That's why you coach. Now, if a younger guy gives you a chance to win, then you can do that and you can maybe try to mix him in to maybe try to give him a play or two.

"...you can do that and you can maybe try to mix him into maybe try..."

Buffoon.

"Part of the problem is getting them [rookies] into the games when it counts," Crennel said.

I'm literally speechless here folks...maybe my friend to the right can convey my feeling a little bit better.