Cleveland Browns Offseason Talk

• pkebker

  not sure how the addition of Watson helps Moore, seems how they are both pass catching TE's. He'll probably get less playing time than he would have if Watson wasn't here.
• royal_k

  

  Moore was a great surprise last year. He caught everything thrown his way.
• Al Capone

  royal_k wrote: Moore was a great surprise last year. He caught everything thrown his way.

  You mean all 12 of them. hahaha:huh:
• pkebker

  Al Capone wrote:

  royal_k wrote: Moore was a great surprise last year. He caught everything thrown his way.

  You mean all 12 of them. hahaha:huh:

  In 5 games...that's pretty good, hard to argue that
• big_hits24

  I think Hardesty could really make an impact and be a special player
• royal_k

  

  big_hits24 wrote: I think Hardesty could really make an impact and be a special player

  could have been our best pick
• pkebker

  The key to Hardesty is his health, if he stays healthy, he'll be a productive player, if not, we'll be left wondering what could have been...
• Commander of Awesome

  

  royal_k wrote:

  big_hits24 wrote: I think Hardesty could really make an impact and be a special player

  could have been our best pick

  So could any any other player we picked up in the draft or brought in as an UFA.
• BR1986FB

  Commander of Awesome wrote:

  royal_k wrote:

  big_hits24 wrote: I think Hardesty could really make an impact and be a special player

  could have been our best pick

  So could any any other player we picked up in the draft or brought in as an UFA.

  I think Hardesty has a little better chance of being our best draft pick over the Youtube O-Lineman from Canada.
• pkebker

  haha, hey know, the youtube guy is gonna be a stud...
  
  What about Haden, we seem to be forgetting him with all this mention of Hardesty. Let's remember Haden is rumored to have the potential of a Darrelle Revis...
• BR1986FB

  The Ghost must have been hearing all of the chatter about Hardesty and decided to come on in....
  
  Cleveland Browns RFA running back Jerome Harrison joins OTAs despite not signing tender
  By Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer
  May 27, 2010, 10:28AM
  
  CLEVELAND -- Browns running back Jerome Harrison, who rushed for 561 yards in the final three games of last season, has been participating in organized team activities this week despite not signing his one-year tender yet.
  
  Harrison was absent today, the one day of the week open to the media, but was here the first two days of the session. Coach Eric Mangini said Harrison's absence today was unrelated to his contract situation.
  
  Mangini said Harrison is the only unrestricted free agent participating. The absentees are Matt Roth, D'Qwell Jackson, Lawrence Vickers and Abe Elam.
  
  "I think it's good for everyone to be here because it's the second round of install and it helps the player and it helps us for when we go to camp,'' said Mangini. "I'm glad Jerome is here and I expect him to be here next week.''
  
  The Browns have added two other running backs to compete with Harrison this season. Peyton Hillis was acquired in the trade with Denver for Brady Quinn, and the Browns traded up to draft Tennessee's Montario Hardesty in the second-round.
  
  The Browns have said Harrison and Hardesty can provide a good one-two punch in the backfield, with Hardesty being more of the power back.
  
  Harrison skipped the first session of OTAs last week presumably because of his contract situation.
  
  http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2010/05/cleveland_browns_rfa_running_b.html
• BR1986FB

  Mangini's Thursday morning presser
  
  By Steve King
  OBR Reporter
  Posted May 27, 2010
  
  
  BEREA – Jerome Harrison is back with the Browns.
  
  Though he will not be at Thursday’s OTA practice that is open to the media, being excused to handle some personal matters, head coach Eric Mangini said in his morning press conference that the running back had practiced Tuesday and Wednesday and is expected to return for next week’s work.
  
  “It helps for all of the players to be here while we’re installing things,” Mangini said. “I’m happy Jerome was here, and I look forward to having him back next week.”
  
  Harrison, who came on like gangbusters last season, including rushing for 286 yards, the third-highest total in NFL history, Dec. 20 against the Kansas City Chiefs, had been among several restricted free agents who are staying away from camp because they’re not happy with the contracts they’ve been tendered. Mangini said Harrison is the only RFA who has practiced.
  
  In another major bit of news, Mangini heaped praise onto second-year wide receiver Brian Robiskie of Chagrin Falls High School in suburban Cleveland, and Ohio State.
  
  “Brian’s had an outstanding camp,” the coach said. “He has shown up quite a bit. He’s running good routes. He’s made big plays almost every day.”
  
  The first of three second-round picks in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Browns, Robiskie never really got started as a rookie. He finished with just 7 receptions for 106 yards (a 15.1 yards-per-catch average), or about what he did in many games with the Buckeyes. He did not catch a touchdown pass.
  
  Mangini is not sure why Robiskie struggled to grasp the pro game last year, but said it’s neither the first time he’s seen that happen to a highly-rated player, nor will it be the last.
  
  “Each player hits at different spots,” Mangini said. “You can’t approach each player the same way.”
  
  As such, the coach is not even close to pushing the panic button on Robiskie, whose father, Terry, was a long-time assistant coach with the Browns and also served as the team’s interim coach for five games at the end of the 2004 season after Butch Davis resigned.
  
  “You can’t make a judgment on any player for several years,” Mangini said. “It’s a player’s entire body of work over that time.”
  
  The Browns have a lot of young wide receivers but no significant veterans. Mangini said he would be open to bringing in a “name” veteran “if it makes sense. We’re open to that possibility at all positions.”
  
  Speaking of possibilities, Mangini said “you can’t rule out” the chance that the Browns will use quarterbacks Jake Delhomme, the starter, and backup Seneca Wallace on the field at the same time.
  
  “Seneca has different talents than Jake,” Mangini said. “He puts some other types of pressure on defenses.”
  
  The coach also hinted that wide receiver/wildcat quarterback Joshua Cribbs could be on the field with Delhomme and Wallace.
  
  Third-round draft pick Shawn Lauvao has been used exclusively at right guard thus far so as to not overload him, but Mangini said the Arizona State product will eventually start seeing some time at left guard as well.
  
  Defensive lineman Shaun Rogers and punter Dave Zastudil continue to sit out as they rehabilitate injuries that ended their 2009 seasons prematurely, and Mangini said it’s likely they will not work at all during the OTAs.
  
  As he has done throughout his short tenure here, Mangini praised ever-improving second-year center Alex Mack, but avoided making direct comparisons, talent-wise, to the center he drafted in the first round in his first season of 2006 with the New York Jets, Nick Mangold. The ex-Ohio Stater has quickly developed into one of the top players in the NFL at that position.
  
  Finally, the head coaches of the three major pro sports teams in Cleveland have always been a fraternity, and as such, Mangini said he sent a text to Mike Brown “the other day” after he was fired as head coach of the Cavaliers.
  
  “I like Mike,” Mangini said. “I hope things work out well for him and the Cavs.”
  
  Mangini said he’s also well aware of the pressure Cleveland head coaches face because of the city’s 46-year championship drought.
  
  “It’s a passionate town,” Mangini said. “You get it, though. You understand it.”
  
  http://cle.scout.com/2/972909.html
• pkebker

  Good to see Harrison is back. I'm looking forward to seeing an entire years work from him. I expect big things from our rushing attack.
  
  Will Lavuao start at RG this year?
• BR1986FB

  pkebker wrote:
  Will Lavuao start at RG this year?

  By the end of the year I think he's your starter. Wouldn't surprise me if he replaced 'Light in the Pants" Steinbach at LG either.
• BR1986FB

  About fucking time.....
  
  Browns drop Jim Brown from Senior Management team
  Posted by Mike Florio on May 27, 2010 8:36 PM ET
  
  When Mike Holmgren became president of the Browns, we provided him with a 10-topic to-do list.
  
  Gradually, he's working through the various items.
  
  Gradually, he's working through the various items.
  
  According to the News-Herald, No. 6 has been addressed, sort of. We suggested that Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown, a member of the team's senior management staff, be silenced.
  
  Though Brown hasn't been fired, he's no longer an "Executive Adviser" to the team.
  
  "He's still part of the Browns family," V.P. of media relations Neal Gulkis told the News-Herald. "He's the greatest running back of all time. He'll talk with [Browns owner] Randy [ Lerner], [president] Mike [Holmgren], and [head coach] Eric [Mangini] and the players like he has in the past. He spoke at the rookie minicamp. His role hasn't really changed."
  
  What's changed is that Brown's comments no longer will carry the weight of a title that placed him within the inner circle of the organization. And that's likely the smartest move Holmgren has made.
  
  The Browns, like the Bills, tend to give former players too much influence over the affairs of the franchise. Though former players shouldn't be shunned, teams should be careful not to give them too much power or information.
  
  http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/05/27/browns-drop-jim-brown-from-senior-management-team/
• miller45452003

  ^^^^^This is the best news of the offseason yet. Holmgren must have been reading our JBrown thread. AfuckingMen!!!!!
  
  Maybe the douchebag can head to NY or Chicago..."I couldn't blame him for leaving"......
• Al Capone

  Finally the Clowns do something right.
• BR1986FB

  OTA Notes: Hoping for a Breakthrough
  
  By Steve King
  
  Posted May 28, 2010
  
  The Browns brain trust knows it can't fix all the team's challenges in one off-season. So, for 2010, Cleveland is hoping that their young receivers can take a step up. That, and more, from yesterday's OTA sessions...
  
  
  BEREA – Brian Robiskie this, and Brian Robiskie that.
  
  From the moment he was taken in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft, a lot of attention has been focused on him. That attention increased when he struggled last year and everybody started to track his every move.
  
  That’s what happens when you’re a local product (Chagrin Falls High School), played at Ohio State and are the son of a former Browns assistant coach, Terry Robiskie. You’re always under the microscope.
  
  But if you talk about Robiskie, you’ve also got to talk about Mohamed Massaquoi. Taken 14 spots later in the second round, at No. 50 overall, Massaquoi and Robiskie will be looked upon as a matched set for the forseeable future. The progress of one will be measured against that of the other.
  
  In that respect, then, while it was a season to forget for Robiskie in 2009, it was a bittersweet year for Massaquoi. On the positive side, he tied for the team lead in receptions. That’s a pretty impressive feat, since only three times previously in Browns history had a rookie been the top pass-catcher – Paul Warfield (1964), Derrick Alexander (1994) and Kevin Johnson (1999).
  
  In addition, his team-best 624 receiving yards are more than 400 yards ahead of the runnerup, running back Jerome Harrison (220).
  
  But the problem is that Massaquoi and running back Harrison had just 34 receptions each. That’s the lowest total by a Browns leader since running back Hugh McKinnis had 32 in 1974 – but that was in a 14-game season, two less than are played now, since last year’s totals pale even more. In fact, even in the strike-shortened 1982 season, consisting of but 9 games, Ozzie Newsome, who was tops on the club, had many more grabs with 49.
  
  So while Massaquoi was tied for No. 1 in 2009, he’s also dead-last among the team leaders from 1975 to 2009. Thus, he, like Robiskie, has a long way to go, and Massaquoi said as much following Thursday’s OTA practice in sweltering mid-80s heat.
  
  “I want to be more of a pro, to be more serious about things,” he said.
  
  “But I am much further along now than he was at this stage last year. I was a rookie. I was trying to learn everything. Now when I make a mistake, I know why I made it.”
  
  In fairness to Massaquoi, Robiskie and all the receivers last season, though, they were hurt greatly by the fact the Browns had such inconsistent play at quarterback from Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. Those two combined to complete only 49.4 percent of their passes with 11 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
  
  With the liberalized passing rules that exist today, those types of low numbers are almost unheard of. So you have to give Massaquoi and Robiskie a – well, somewhat of a pass, pardon the pun – because of the lack of help they got from their quarterbacks.
  
  With the lack of experienced wideouts around them, Massaquoi – and Robiskie – will be counted on again this season. And with the fact he is so much further along than Robiskie in terms of development, Massaquoi will be counted on more.
  
  He’s optimistic he can do it. Unlike last season, when the Browns spent months conducting a quarterback derby to determine their starter, Jake Delhomme, a newcomer to the Browns but a seasoned veteran, is now firmly entrenched at No. 1. That has to help everyone in the passing game.
  
  Possibly Massaquoi more than others.
  
  A reporter mentioned to Massaquoi that in the fantasy section of the NFL season preview issue of one of the major national magazines, he is listed as one of the breakthrough players for 2010. He just smiled.
  
  “I hope I can live up to that,” he said.
  
  The Browns are hoping, too, that both Massaquoi and Robiskie, who are indelibly linked, come into their own sooner rather than later. It would benefit everyone involved.
  
  *
  
  Some players look great at this type of year.
  
  “They’re All-Berea,” former Browns head coach Butch Davis used to crack about guys who excelled in shorts with no pads on, but couldn’t cut it once training camp began.
  
  Running back Monterrio Hardesty has indeed wowed everyone thus far in the OTAs. He has looked worthy – and then some -- of being drafted in the second-round, at No. 59 overall.
  
  But the 6-foot, 225-pounder from Tennessee may look even better – possibly much better – when the pads go on, for he is a physical player who doesn’t mind absorbing blows, and loves delivering them.
  
  “Football is played with pads,” Hardesty said. “I’m already excited for the first time I’ll be able to put them on.
  
  “But no matter what the situation, I just feel comfortable on a football field.”
  
  And he looks it. Last season, when he finally had the opportunity to play a lot, he rushed for 1,345 yards, the fourth-best total in Volunteers history.
  
  “I was hurt as a freshman, then the next two years, I was part of a rotation,” he explained. “Last year, I was the guy. Those first three seasons didn’t bother me. I knew that if I just pushed through it, that it would eventually come.”
  
  And he’s pushing through it again, trying to get to the start of camp, when he’s certain he’ll be able to show his true worth.
  
  *
  
  These are exceptionally good days for Joshua Cribbs. Already entrenched as a true star in the NFL, especially as a returner, he now will apparently get an even bigger role in the offense.
  
  “I can’t call myself a true wide receiver because it looks like I’ll be doing so much else,” he said.
  
  Some of that will come when he’s paired with newcomer Seneca Wallace, a backup quarterback who, like Cribbs, can run or throw effectively, and maybe even catch passes.
  
  One of the packages involving Wallace is called Cyclone, since he is a former Iowa State Cyclone.
  
  “Seneca is a great addition to our team,” Cribbs said. “When we’re on the field together, we’ll be able to give defenses a lot of trouble.”
  
  But what about the returning? Can Cribbs still squeeze some of that in, too?
  
  “Certainly,” Cribbs smiled. “There’s always time for that.”
  
  There will have to be. The Browns need him to make plays on kickoffs and punts. Even with Wallace on the club, they still do not appear to have the ability to score enough points offensively to stay competitive.
  
  That means Cribbs will have a full plate for every game, which is
  
  http://cle.scout.com/2/973213.html
• Sonofanump

  BR1986FB wrote: The absentees are Matt Roth, D'Qwell Jackson, Lawrence Vickers and Abe Elam.

  I think each of these guys has someone brought in that can replace them.
• pkebker

  The article mentions Cribbs is an effective thrower, I beg to differ...
• BR1986FB

  http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/05/28/crayton-says-cowboys-betrayed-him-wants-to-be-released/
• royal_k

  

  ^^^His complaining may deter other teams from wanting him.
  
  I wouln't worry about R. Williams. He's sucked for awhile now.
• BR1986FB

  Eric Turner passed away 10 years ago today.....RIP
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Turner
• royal_k

  

  BR1986FB wrote: Eric Turner passed away 10 years ago today.....RIP
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Turner

  Way too young...
• BR1986FB

  NFL Top 20 Fantasy Football rookies. Hardesty #2 on the list.....
  
  http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/nfl/news;_ylt=AlaCIAH3MX0fgEU6HNC604y5bZ8u?slug=fantguru-rookietop20_052610