SB Nation - Titus Brown

Hooray for the Promotion of Youth! Marcus Benard Added to 53-Man Roster

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:11:36 -0000

The Cleveland Browns signed rookie LB Marcus Benard to the 53-man roster on Monday, according to the OBR. If you recall, Benard was the linebacker who shined twice during the preseason -- once against the Green Bay Packers and once against the Chicago Bears. He actually made the 53-man roster to start the season, but was released prior to the season opener. He's been on the Browns' practice squad ever since. The other candidate to take a roster spot was LB Titus Brown. He will remain on the team's practice squad for the time being.

After waiving K Billy Cundiff and DB Anthony Madison last week, the Browns had two open roster spots. After signing Benard, one roster spot still remains open. That number could jump back up to two if the team decides to place veteran LB Eric Barton on the injured reserve in the coming days.

The OBR also reports that moving forward, it appears that LB David Bowens will continue to start at inside linebacker with LB Jason Trusnik starting at outside linebacker. The combination doesn't sound very flashy, but Rob Ryan's system worked against the Chicago Bears in using the tandem to help generate pressure.

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.

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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 20 (Leonard Mix-Up)

Chris Pokorny — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 03:30:25 -0000

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

4 months ago: Cleveland Browns safety Mike Adams (20) blocks a punt by Dave Zastudil (15) during practice at the team's NFL football training camp in Berea, Ohio, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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With the Cleveland Browns set to do battle with the Detroit Lions this weekend, defensive lineman Louis Leonard got into a scuffle with defensive line coach Bryan Cox. The last person who did that was Shaun Smith. He now plays for the Detroit Lions.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 20 (8/20/09)

The Incident: ~~It happened at the Swan.~~ Whatever happened, Louis Leonard apparently cursed at Cox. As a punishment, Cox told Leonard to run a lap and to not stop running until he told him to. Leonard ran four laps in a row, something you can imagine being exhausting to a big man like that. Leonard seemed to have a cordial attitude about it afterward though, so I don't think we'll see him waived before regular cuts.
Update on the Lions: Lions top receiver Calvin Johnson will sit out against the Browns. On top of that, our first-string defense won't know which quarterback they'll be facing until close to game time. It could be Daunte Culpepper, Drew Stanton, or Matthew Stafford.
Bring Out the Cart: The third player of training camp has received the cart. Following in the footsteps of OL Rex Hadnot and WR Syndric Steptoe, DL Melila Purcell was carted off the field with an apparent ankle or Achilles injury. You might see another situation in which the team injured/waives him.
Transactions: Gone are OL Branndon Braxton and WR Edward Williams. Replacing them are OG Patrick Murray and LB Robert McCune. Information on the new players here.
Injury Updates: OL Ryan Tucker returned to practice today. DL Shaun Rogers still isn't practicing, and neither are LB Titus Brown, RB Jerome Harrison, and LB David Bowens. With Bowens and Brown going down, LB Alex Hall will probably start against the Lions Saturday.
Mangini's a Comedian: This comes from Rapid Reports: "Browns coach Eric Mangini said he has peaked at the notebooks compiled by players from meetings. When asked if there were any doodles on them, he joked that he saw one with a drawing of his face with an "X" through it."
No Huddle: A good portion of practice focused on running the no-huddle offense.
Brownies: RB James Davis caught a touchdown pass from QB Brady Quinn...QB Derek Anderson overthrew RB Noah Herron on a flat pass in goal line drills...WR Braylon Edwards is having a great camp minus his drop against Green Bay.
Around the League: If you didn't catch it, Chad Ocho-Cinco kicked an extra point for the Cincinnati Bengals after their kicker went down with an injury. Ben Roethlisberger limped away from practice, but it isn't believed to be too serious.

Thursday's Links/Camp Sources

Louis Leonard learns lesson with laps (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cabot)
Pucell hurt, Leonard hot (Akron Beacon Journal, Ridenour)
Thursday camp notes: Royal flush (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report: Day 19 - Not Too Eventful

Chris Pokorny — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:02:23 -0000

There won't be any more two-a-day training camp sessions for the Browns this season. In fact, there are only four practices open to the public remaining -- this Thursday, and then next week Monday-Wednesday. All of those practices will be held in the afternoon.

I don't know if I remember a Browns training camp having such good weather. Sure, it's hot, but the team has not been forced to move to the indoor facility yet, and it really only rained during one session this August.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 19 (8/19/09)

Tucker Missing in Action: It's not looking good for Ryan Tucker's odds of being in the starting lineup Week 1, which would go against what most of us expected in our training camp previews. Tucker left Monday's session with an apparent injury, and he was no where to be found Wednesday. When asked if this had anything to do with him considering retirement again, the team responded "no".
Scouting the Lions: Much of the session focused on preparing for the Detroit Lions this weekend. There are two former Browns players you might be interested in following on the Lions. First up is WR Dennis Northcutt, who is listed as a starter or the equivalent of Mike Furrey's role with us. The other guy is DT Shaun Smith, who isn't even close to first-string.
Heiden Drops a Pair: It was an off day for TE Steve Heiden. Close to the end of practice, a drill was run with 1:30 on the clock at their own 24-yard line with no timeouts and a 16-10 deficit. Brady Quinn didn't manage a first down, thanks to Heiden dropping passes on second and fourth down.
Same Drill, With Anderson: In the same drill, QB Derek Anderson had some support from our second-round picks. He hit WR Brian Robiskie for gains of 16- and 24-yards to move the ball down the field, and eventually capped the drive with a 20-yard touchdown to WR Mohamed Massaquoi.
Back-to-Back Jacks: The play of the day came when Brady Quinn connected with WR Braylon Edwards on a deep ball for a 65-yard touchdown over DB Corey Ivy. A little bit later though, Derek Anderson responded with a deep ball of his own to WR Lance Leggett. Quinn ran with the first-team on the day, but both quarterbacks ended up playing pretty decent.
Slowly Progressing? Rapid Reports suggests that the number of mistakes in practice are starting to go down for first-round center Alex Mack. Either way, Hank Fraley looks to be a roster lock at this point.
Injury List: Still not practicing was LB Titus Brown. Working with the trainers were NT Shaun Rogers, LB David Bowens, WR David Patten, WR Paul Hubbard, RB Jerome Harrison, and TE Robert Royal.
Mum on QB Decision: As he did last week, Eric Mangini will not reveal who will start at quarterback for the Browns this Saturday. Expect a decision to not be publicly announced until a few hours before kickoff.

Wednesday's Links/Camp Sources

QB battle could last awhile (Akron Beacon Journal, Ridenour)
Center is only uncertainty as offensive line settles in (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)
Tucker missing but has not retired (Canton Repository, Doerschuk)
Wednesday camp notes (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)

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.

Browse more photos »

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 12 - Two Days from Gameday

Chris Pokorny — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:36:37 -0000

The Browns offense is ready to take on the Green Bay Packers this Saturday.

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If you look around at other media sources, they are referring to practices one day later than I am, which probably takes into account an off day. I guess you can look at it that way, but to me, I am meaning "Day" to be synonymous with "Practice". I might end up jumping to something like "Day 15" the next time the Browns practice just to stay in line with the media; I'll have to see.

The Browns had their final practice before facing the Green Bay Packers this Saturday. Eric Mangini held a rare session without pads, as the team prepped for the Favre-less Packers.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 12 (8/13/09)

No Sweat for Braylon: After sitting out one practice, WR Braylon Edwards returned to the field and was ready to go. He will play in this Saturday's contest against the Packers. Also returning to action were WR Lance Leggett and RB James Davis.

Which QB will start against the Packers? Probably not the guy in the middle, but maybe the guy on the left or the right.

Anderson Strikes: In the two-minute drill, Anderson hit WR Mike Furrey for a 50-yard touchdown despite the fact that DB Corey Ivy had solid coverage. Prior to the pass, Anderson had reportedly missed a wide open TE Robert Royal after he had beaten S Brodney Pool.
Quinn, Not So Much: In Brady Quinn's shot at the two-minute offense, his drive only lasted four plays. After a short incompletion to TE Martin Rucker, he threw two incompletions that weren't great throws to WR Brian Robiskie. He couldn't covert the fourth down when his deep pass to WR Jordan Norwood fell incomplete.
Edge to Anderson? If you look at Dawg Scooper, Brady Quinn had the best day statistically, tossing two touchdowns while Derek Anderson and Brett Ratliff each tossed three picks. However, you have to consider that those stats were combined from a variety of different drills. Eric Mangini would not announce which quarterback would start in Green Bay, but if today's walkthrough was any indication, it'll be Anderson since he was working with the No. 1 offense.
Can't Wait to Hear Bernie: The best thing about the Browns preseason isn't the game itself. It's the opportunity to hear former Cleveland QB Bernie Kosar in the play-by-play booth. He doesn't have Ken Dorsey to spew his love for this year, so I wonder which quarterback he'll decide to favor. Kosar attended the team's practice Thursday, the first time he's done so this camp.

Ryan Pontbriand looks lonely.

Phil Dawson Lifts Spirits: Mangini put it all on K Phil Dawson to end practice. If Dawson was able to connect on a 50-yard field goal, the team would have the night off from meetings. Dawson connected, springing cheers from his teammates.
Defensive Props in Secondary: Among the defensive players who stood out Thursday were S Brodney Pool and CB Coye Francies, according to Dawg Scooper. Pool had two interceptions and was contributing all over the field, while Francies picked off an end zone pass intended for Braylon Edwards.
Down Day for Cribbs: After strong practices left and right, WR Joshua Cribbs finally lagged behind. A few passes went off of his hands, with at least two of them being intercepted by the defense.
97 Yard Touchdown: Two days ago, Brett Ratliff made headlines by getting some reps with the first team. Yesterday, he made headlines for having his "spike" pass bounce off a player's shoe and into the air for an interception. Thursday, he had another play that stood out: after WR Brian Robiskie beat his man, Ratliff launched the ball about 60 yards in air from his own 3-yard line. Robiskie caught it and ran the distance for about a 97-yard touchdown.
Walking Wounded: Missing practice were DT Shaun Rogers, LB David Bowens, RB Jerome Harrison, TE John Madsen, and WR David Patten. With Bowens out, Alex Hall and Titus Brown received more reps. He is still a longshot, but Brown has received a lot of praise in camp, including again today from the powers that be over at the OBR. Rogers was reportedly just getting some rest.
Trickery? I'm not sure on the details of the play, but Rapid Reports says that DB Mike Adams intercepted a halfback option pass. My guess would be that...maybe Noah Herron threw it? Just don't tell me that it's Lawrence Vickers, please.
Side Note: For those who missed it, QB Michael Vick has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The team is off Friday before their preseason game Saturday. Be sure to tune into Dawgs By Nature on Friday though, as we'll have a nice little interview up with the guys over at Football Outsiders.

Thursday's Links/Camp Sources

Training camp report: 8/13 (Dawg Scooper, Wolf)
Thursday camp notes (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)
Dawson the hero (Akron Beacon Journal, Ridenour)
Berea Report: No call at QB (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)

Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report: Day 5 (Evening) - "One Second Left" Drills

Chris Pokorny — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:14:59 -0000

With neither quarterback gaining a definitive edge over the other in camp so far, Mangini's decision might come down to how Quinn and Anderson perform in the preseason games. via photos.theobr.com

View full size photo »

For this morning's Day 5 training camp recap, click here. The news coming in was more low-key for the evening session, so bare with me as I scrape the bottom of the barrel for some notes, as the team was not in pads. For the evening practice, Derek Anderson was working with the first-team offense.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 5 [EVENING] (8/5/09)

Game Specific Situations: The Plain Dealer reports that much of the evening's practice was devoted to special game situations, such as a needing a Hail Mary pass or executing a touchdown with one second left on the clock. The notes on the drills below all come from the Plain Dealer's report here.
Drill One - At the Five: Both quarterbacks started at the five-yard line on fourth-down with one second left. Derek Anderson connected with WR Mike Furrey over DB Corey Ivy, and Brady Quinn hit TE Martin Rucker for a touchdown.
Drill Two - From the 35: Same drill, longer distance. Anderson's pass was knocked away by S Brodney Pool, and Quinn's pass fell incomplete too.
Drill Three - From the 45: This is more so the Hail Mary range. Anderson was intercepted by Pool this time, while Quinn's pass was knocked away by S Hamza Abdullah.
Injury Updates: Add two new players to the "sitting out list" -- S Mike Adams and WR David Patten. No word on the status of either player. FB Charles Ali and CB Don Carey continue to sit out.
Surprise Linebacker? This was probably from the morning practice, but the OBR mentioned that second-year LB Titus Brown has been having a fine camp, and even saw some work with the first-team defense.
Quinn Underthrows Edwards: Steve Doerschuk's piece on the evening session talks mainly about a play in which Quinn underthrew WR Braylon Edwards on a deep ball. Edwards had beaten DB Coye Francies, but he had to wait for the ball to come to him. Francies was flagged for interference on the play, but it led to some more questions about Quinn's ability to throw the deep ball well enough.
Speaking of Edwards: Our beloved No. 1 receiver was just that -- a No. 1 receiver in his own league. It doesn't sound like he had a single drop in either practice, but then again he lit it up in training camp last year too.
Anderson Holding On Too Long? A user from Dawg Talkers who went to the practice commented that he believed Anderson was holding onto the ball way too long on too many plays, saying that if it were a live game, Anderson would consistently be getting sacked. Another fan saw the same thing over at The Browns Board.
Veteran Advice: As WR Brian Robiskie came off the field for a play, veteran WR Mike Furrey offered him some advice on his footwork.
Punt Block Drill: A fan over at The Browns Board commented on something surprising in punting drills; Dave Zastudil was punting the ball, and the punt block team was going all out to block the punt, which they did. It was a surprise in the sense that this is a situation where you can kill your punter if you hit him the wrong way on the foot/leg.
Brownies: CB Eric Wright had an interception on Quinn, and also had a great blitz that would have killed Anderson in a live game...RB Jerome Harrison broke free for a nice run...WR Jordan Norwood put a good fake on CB Brandon McDonald in one-on-one drills to grab a pass...TE Martin Rucker had a play where he caught it over the middle and broke free...WR Paul Hubbard had a few drops, but doesn't look completely lost.

Well, I guess I did find some more reports than I thought I would, but I still scraped the bottom of the barrel. The Browns will take the field for one afternoon session Thursday.

Wednesday's Evening Link Collection / Camp Sources

Quinn's arm tired? (Canton Repository, Steve Doerschuk)
'The Forgotten One' Speaks (Orange and Brown Report, King)
Rapid Reports (CBS Sportsline)
Training camp log, Day 5 (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cabot)

Cleveland Browns Training Camp 2009: Outside Linebacker Preview

Chris Pokorny — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:21:00 -0000

After covering the inside linebackers a few days ago, it's time to look at the outside linebackers. Again, many of these players are interchangeable at the positions, but with fifteen players in camp and considering players' size and experience, it made sense to have the eight linebackers at inside linebacker and the seven today at outside linebacker.

Today's preview presents the most interesting training camp battles this season, as you'll see later on down. For now, let's start with our former first-rounder...

1. KAMERION WIMBLEY - STARTING OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

Kamerion Wimbley (#95)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 255
College: Florida State
Experience: 4 years
Stats: 13th overall in 2006

One player can be the difference between an average defense and an above average defense, and for the Browns that player is Kamerion Wimbley. Wimbley was drafted for his pass-rushing abilities and showed a lot of promise in his rookie season, registering 11 sacks. Then, something happened -- the opposition realized Wimbley only had one move.

Over the past two years, time after time, we have watched Wimbley try to race around an offensive tackle. It's too predictable, and therefore has become easy to defend. Wimbley has a total of nine sacks over the past two years, and from memory most of those came on plays where it was the quarterbacks fault for holding onto the ball too long, almost like a coverage sack.

In our dreams, we can only hope that Wimbley being one-dimensional was a result of horrible coaching from the previous regime. Eric Mangini and Rob Ryan have already made it known that they believe in Wimbley's abilities, but then again, you'll rarely hear a coach say that improving a player's arsenal is hopeless. Wimbley needs to develop better counter and second moves, and it'd be nice to see him somewhere else on the field too -- either at the other outside linebacker position, or at inside linebacker on certain downs. By the end of this season, we might be able to make the official "boom vs. bust" ruling on Wimbley.

Last November, rufio analyzed how the Browns can effectively use Wimbley.

Job Security: A+
Player Quality: C (potential to skyrocket to the A range)
Final Roster Odds: 100%

A little over two months ago, this was a comment I made on this site:

Bowens vs. Hall vs. Veikune should be one of the best training camp battles to watch, as I believe any one of them can win the job. Experience vs. Last Year’s Hype vs. Second Rounder This Year.

That comment still stands, and unless someone wants to convince me otherwise, heading into training camp I am giving each of them an equal (33%) chance at winning the starting role opposite Wimbley. In truth the "starter" title might not hold much relevance in the end, as it could end up being a consistent rotation of two or all three players. While not a concrete one, my personal prediction of who will win the job is listed at No. 2 below...

2. ALEX HALL - COMPETING FOR STARTING OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

Alex Hall (#51)
Height: 6-5
Weight: 250
College: St. Augustine
Experience: 2 years
Stats: 3 sacks in 2008

If I'm going under the assumption that this will be a fair three-way competition, then the fact that Alex Hall was a former seventh-round pick shouldn't apply much into the equation (meaning he should be given a fair chance). In limited action last season, Hall registered three sacks, proving that his "shining moments" from training camp weren't flukes.

Much of Hall's abilities may still be raw, but he has great body length at 6'5 (our tallest linebacker) and seems has that knack our team needs in getting to the quarterback. What I liked most about him is that unlike Wimbley, he didn't seem to rely solely on sprinting around the opposing team's offensive tackle for his production.

Bowens has proven that he's an average player. Veikune is a rookie and might not see work at both inside and outside linebacker to see where he fits best. Hall has reportedly intrigued the coaches already, and I'd rather see Mangini start a player with more potential. Better put, I'd rather see Mangini almost do everything opposite of how Crennel did them.

Job Security: F
Player Quality: TBD
Final Roster Odds: 95% (outside chance if Hall does look like a seventh-rounder to Mangini)

3. DAVID BOWENS - COMPETING FOR STARTING OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

David Bowens (#96)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 265
College: Western Illinois
Experience: 11 years
Stats: 40 tkl, 4 sacks (08)

In the offseason, Mangini added two former New York Jet linebackers with experience -- Eric Barton and David Bowens. The way I am looking at it is that Barton is the starter who was brought over, while Bowens is the insurance policy. That is similar to the defensive line, where Kenyon Coleman is the starter brought over, while C.J. Mosley is the insurance policy.

Bowens was a solid contributor for the Jets last season, registering 40 tackles and 4 sacks. Looking at Bowens' history, that is exactly the type of production that should be expected from Bowens each year, showing a sign of consistency. Mangini stated that Bowens would come to camp as an outside linebacker, but could always move to inside linebacker if needed. In New York, Bowens made five starts at inside linebacker for Mangini.

Bowens has been in the league for 11 years, and while he might still be an upgrade over Willie McGinest, I'd rather see the veteran slip into a reserve role and act as a mentor for the up-and-coming Hall and Veikune.

Player Quality: C
Final Roster Odds: 98%

4. DAVID VEIKUNE - COMPETING FOR STARTING OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

David Veikune (#57)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 257
College: Hawaii
Experience: Rookie
Note: 2nd round draft pick

On paper, there's a way you could spin it where you're asking, "shouldn't Veikune be the favorite to win the competition?" Second-round picks aren't a longshot to start, and he's competing against a veteran who isn't elite and an unproven player in Hall, right?

Here is how I look at it -- outside linebacker or a defensive end/linebacker hybrid was a position many of us felt the Browns were in desperate need of when the draft came around. And yet, with several big-name linebackers on the board in several instances, the Browns just passed right by them until their fourth pick in the draft. If Mangini felt he needed a starting linebacker for this season in the draft, wouldn't that have been our No. 1 priority? Based on where Veikune was selected, I smell a one-two year developmental process before he becomes a starter.

"I love the guy's motor," said Mangini. "This guy's got toughness, aggressiveness and a smoothness to the way that he changes directions and run games. I think he could play both outside and inside for us moving forward."

Ideally, it'd be nice to see him progress quickly and split time with Hall at outside linebacker while also seeing some reps on the inside.

Player Quality: TBD
Final Roster Odds: 100%

5. LEON WILLIAMS - BACKUP OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

Leon Williams (#94)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 250
College: Miami
Experience: 4 years
Stats: 38 tkls in 2008

Usually it was the utilization of rookies by Crennel that I complained about, but Leon Williams is somewhat of a veteran now. A fourth-round pick in 2006, Williams had a solid 2007 campaign, recording 85 tackles and four sacks. Heading into last year, I thought Beau Bell might cut into his playing time at inside linebacker a little bit, but not too much. Bell was never used, and despite the frustration of watching Andra Davis, Williams' reps only went down.

After seeing reps at outside linebacker last season and the team's youth on the inside (Bell/Maiava), Williams' roster spot might be in jeopardy. His best chance at making an impression is by proving he can come in during spot situations and rush the passer. The aspect I favor most about Williams though is his experience covering tight ends, something I believe he's done more effectively than any of our other linebackers over the past several years.

Player Quality: C+
Final Roster Odds: 75%

6. TITUS BROWN - BACKUP OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

Titus Brown (#59)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 245
College: Mississippi State
Experience: 2 years
Stats: 1 tackle in 2008

You might not remember, but when the Browns announced the seven players who had made their practice squad on September 1 last year, Titus Brown was on that list. He spent camp with the Miami Dolphins, and after he was waived, the Browns signed him. Brown was a four-year letterman at Mississippi State with 170 career tackles and 18.5 sacks.

Late in the season, Brown was added to the 53-man roster, playing in a total of four games (I assume mostly on special teams). He recorded one tackle in Week 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals. While in camp with the Dolphins last season, head coach Tony Sparano had this to say:

"I think when you're watching the tape, or really when you're out here in practice, sometimes practice can go on and on and on and at times kind of feels like you're just running plays, where all of a sudden somebody jumps out at you and does something different," Sparano said when asked what he means by getting a "feel" for a player.

"Then you start to feel him once and then he jumps out again and you feel him again. Then you go back to the film and you really watch this guy and you see that he's been playing pretty consistent. That's happened to me in the last couple weeks, really this week with a few guys. There's a young kid out there right now that I'm starting to feel and it's Titus Brown. I've seen him kind of do some things in the last couple days that have piqued my interest that way."

Link

Unfortunately for Brown, it wasn't enough of a "feel" in the end. Could Mangini get that same type of feeling from Brown in camp this season though?

Final Roster Odds: <5%
Practice Squad Odds: 50%

7. PHILLIP HUNT - UNDRAFTED FREE AGENT OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

Phillip Hunt (#53)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 260
College: Houston
Experience: Rookie
Note: Not in the hunt

I guarantee you there is one person out there rooting for Phillip Hunt, and that is Dawgs By Nature member P.HUNTS#1FAN. I don't kid.

Mocking Dan from Mocking the Draft had a scouting report on Hunt from before the draft, where he projected Hunt to be selected in the fifth round. Here it is for your convenience:

Strengths: Hunt played a variety of positions at Houston, lining up at defensive end, tackle and linebacker. He was best at end where he could use his quickness to beat offensive linemen off the ball. Hunt does a good job of dipping his shoulder to get under linemen and gain leverage. He's a strong player throughout his frame and probably won't need to get much bigger in the pros. Has long arms, which helps him make open-field tackles. Very productive behind the line of scrimmage. Hustles on every play. No known character problems.

Weaknesses: The biggest question about Hunt is whether or not he has the agility to play linebacker. He's too small for end, unless a Tampa-2 team drafts him. He doesn't appear to have the best change-of-direction ability and could struggle to make plays down the line. At the beginning of his career, he could be a liability in pass coverage. Needs to work harder getting off blocks by tackles. He can use his strength against tight ends and running backs, but can get overpowered by tackles.

Final word: Hunt finished an impressive career at Houston with a 53.5 tackles for a loss and 34.5 sacks. However, he doesn't have the size to stay at his main college position of defensive end is likely an outside linebacker at the next level. To be more than a pass rush specialist, he'll have to demonstrate more agility and change of direction skill than he did in college.

If you feel like you might become a die-hard Phillip Hunt fan too, then head on over to Buffalo Rumblings to see a detailed scouting report they did on Hunt prior to the draft as well.

Final Roster Odds: <5%
Practice Squad Odds: 50%

OLB Position Quality (Overall): C-

If Wimbley remains the same player from the past two seasons and none of the other three competing linebackers can emerge as a frontrunner, this could be the weakest position on the team. I have faith that new coaching staff will change Wimbley's game for the better, and that the rest of the players fill in well enough to bring the Browns back to being a respectable pass rushing team.

Poll

Who do you think will start at OLB opposite Kamerion Wimbley?

David Bowens

228 votes

Alex Hall

448 votes

David Veikune

166 votes

842 votes | Poll has closed

Cleveland Browns Add Seven to Practice Squad

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:30:47 -0000

After signing offensive guard Scott Young to the 53-man roster last night, the Cleveland Browns named seven players to their practice squad today. I'm pleased with several of the players that we were able to stash away:

BROWNS THAT MADE PRACTICE SQUAD

WR Steve Sanders
WR Lance Leggett
DL Melila Purcell
S Travis Key

OTHERS THAT MADE PRACTICE SQUAD

RB Omar Cuff
OL Christian Gaddis
LB Titus Brown

That means the Browns have one spot remaining on the practice squad -- one that you would expect to go to OG Nate Bennett in a day or two.

Here is some quick background information on the new players, courtesy of the OBR:

RB Omar Cuff (5-10 and 195 lbs): "Was an undrafted rookie free agent out of Delaware who spent training camp with Tennessee. Cuff ran for 4,364 yards and 65 touchdowns during his collegiate career at Delaware."
OL Christian Gaddis (6-4 and 300 lbs): "Spent last season with the Buffalo Bills and appeared in one contest. Gaddis was originally an undrafted rookie free agent with Buffalo in 2007 out of Villanova. He spent ten weeks on the Bills practice squad before being signed to the active roster on Nov. 14, 2007. "
LB Titus Brown (6-3 and 245 lbs): "Was an undrafted rookie free agent out of Mississippi State who spent training camp with the Miami Dolphins. Brown was a four-year letterman at Mississippi State with 170 career tackles and 18.5 sacks."

Players who did not make the Browns' practice squad (and who were considered potential candidates) include DL Chase Pittman, RB Travis Thomas, LB Chase Ortiz, and DB A.J. Davis.