Our Team. Our Name. Our Colors.
Our friends at Yardbarker pointed us to a recent post by C Brendan Haywood, who was recently in an accident involving a drunk driver, and his thoughts about the Stallworth verdict.
Browns just need to cut their losses. It will be tough for anyone to root for Stallworth, regardless of which laundry he’s wearing.
Fri, Jun 19 2009 at 11:10 pm » Browns » No Comments
The Browns have just released a statement regarding Roger Goodell’s decision to indefinitely suspend Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth.
And, judging by the brevity and terseness of the statement, I wouldn’t be buying any green bananas if I were the receiver.
“We support the action taken by the Commissioner today and will continue to work closely with the League regarding this matter.”
That was it. The entire press release. 21 words that were the beginning of the end of Stallworth in Seal Brown & Orange.
Once the salary cap logistics are figured out — provided they haven’t been already — I don’t think Stallworth is long for Cleveland or the Browns.
At all.
Thu, Jun 18 2009 at 8:08 pm » Browns » No Comments
(On if he brings over entirely different special teams schemes) - “I think it’s kind of like offense and defense in a sense. You will see some similarities from team to team, but it’s like offense and defense in the sense that we will have different terminology, different verbiage. Some of it may be the same thing they did here in the past and some of it will be different. I have my own way of doing things versus somebody else. Our scheme will be a little bit different than what they did here in the past.”
(On if it is possible to improve the special teams here) - “I think you can always improve, nobody is the best at everything. You are exactly right; this team on special teams has been very solid. It’s been a team that I’ve played against before and felt like they gave you some real difficulties because of the players. I think you can always improve that by maybe a change of the scheme, maybe a change of how you are going to get these guys motivated to play a little bit differently or a little harder, or somewhat come across with a different message of how we are going to be successful. And then I think it always comes down to players. There will be some change in our roster I am sure, and some of that will be reflected on special teams.”
(On if the rule change for the “wedge” changing things) - “I think it obviously will change. I think it’s a good rule that they put in because it’s for players’ safety and we are always worried about guys getting injured. That was one of the big reasons why they changed the rule on the wedge. I don’t think you will see a completely different turnaround in the return game. You will see some smaller wedges because you can only have two men in the wedges. I think it will just be tweaking some of the systems that people have. It will be interesting to see. Guys will come up with some new schemes that we’ll have to deal with that we haven’t seen before, obviously because of the rule change.”
(On if the rule change will affect return yardage) - “That’s a great question. I think it will because there will be a learning phase for both the return teams and a learning phase for the coverage teams. We have been teaching for years how we are going to attack a four-man wedge or a three-man wedge, and we are not going to see those anymore. I think it will change it. Now, I don’t know how it will change it. I don’t know if it will make the return yardage go up or go down. It will be really how fast you can assimilate what everybody is doing and how fast you can teach that to the players.”
(On if the rule change will affect personnel) - “That’s another good question. I think that it will. I think you can now, maybe, in my own person opinion, there might be a possibility of smaller players. Maybe more speed on the field just because you are not dealing with as many big people coming at those small guys. That may or may not transpire. We will just have to see as the season progresses.”
(On his thought on Phil Dawson and Joshua Cribbs) - “Both of them are obviously very important. I’ve been fortunate enough to play in four Super Bowls and every one of them was decided by three points or less. The field goal kicking is an upmost necessity on a good football team. Phil brings that to the table. Here’s a guy that has done it for a long time in a really tough place to kick. I think he is one of the unsung kickers in this league in a sense that this guy has been really good for a long period of time in a tough environment. Josh Cribbs is another guy. It has really been a pleasure to get to get to coach Josh here at the minicamp just because he is a real veteran, professional, goes about his business, wants to be a good player and does all the right things to prepare himself to be a good player. I’ve always just seen him on the field competing against him, knowing how good a talent he is, but it is nice to see that other side of him too.”
(On if there is a need to lessen Cribbs’ role on special teams) - “I don’t think so. I don’t know why we would want to do that. As we go along here in the summer months to the start of training camp, what everybody’s role will be will get a little bit more defined. He’s a guy who you want to have the ball in his hands as much as you possibly can. Looking at the coverage teams, this guy makes a lot of plays for us on the coverage teams. I think it’s going to always be a fight, it always is with a good player, is how you are going to distribute his amount of plays.”
(On how hard he will fight for players and if he has influence on the 53-man roster) - “I like to think I have some influence. The thing about Coach Mangini, which is one of the reasons I work here, is because I think he knows the importance of special teams. He knows how important those players are. I think the back end of your roster, the guys that are really going to be your core special teams players, it’s always going to be a battle. The offense has their guys, the defense has their guys. We’ve just got to find a balance there. It’s always a balance, get the best players you can for the most spots you can. That’s always a battle at every training camp.”
(On if he wanted to stay with New England) - “No. I was excited about coming to Cleveland.”
(On his decision to come to Cleveland) - “I think it was really twofold. Number one, I felt it was a job advancement for me, a promotion in the sense that I am the assistant head coach, maybe my duties have expanded a little bit. I feel like that’s something that I would like to do and get more involved in, maybe more aspects then just special teams. The second part is Eric is a friend of mine and has been a friend of mine for a long time. I’m excited about working for him because I know him. I know what kind of person he is. I think it’s going to be a fun challenge for us. ”
(On if he still has a good relationship with Bill Belichick) - “I do. I communicate with Bill and we have a good relationship and I wish him a great deal of success, unless we are playing him. They have a great program and he is a great coach.”
(On his thoughts on Josh McDaniels and him being a 32 year old kid) - “Josh is a friend of mine. I have a lot of respect for Josh. I think if you sat and talked to Josh you wouldn’t think of him as a 32-year old kid.’ You would think of his as a head football coach in the National Football League. This is a guy that is smart beyond his years and I think he is very deserving of being a head coach. I am excited for him, until we play him.”
(On if he game plans to have Donte’ Stallworth) - “I think it is just too early in the process. As we go along we are going to do what is best for the Browns organization. I don’t think that has been decided yet and I think there is a lot of decisions to be made in that area.”
(On his increased role as an assistant head coach) - “That’s another excellent question. One of the biggest duties is being kind of a liaison between the assistant coaches and Eric, in a sense that if Eric has something he wants to get out to the other assistants he may go through me. And if somebody on our staff has a concern or question they may go though me to get to Eric just because of time constraints sometimes. I think that’s one of the biggest duties.”
(On if special teams coordinators get looked at differently for head coaching openings then other coordinators) - “The one thing about that is that I have always had the philosophy of ‘Do the best job you can at the job you have.’ That’s one of those things, I don’t know if that’s a true statement or not. I know one thing about special teams coaches in this league; I think they are all pretty good coaches. It’s a lot of guys that coach pretty much the whole football team. That’s kind of what a head coach does.”
(On if he wants to be a head coach) - “Again, I don’t know if that would ever happen or not. That is really not a concern right now. My focus is trying to make the Cleveland Browns as good as we can.”
(On how roster turnover affects the coverage units) - “I think it will take longer because we have new coaches and we have a lot of new players. There is always a learning time where we have got to figure out what is the best that these guys do, where can we put them in the best spots, how can they be successful and how can we be successful. I think it takes a while. We’ve started a phase of it already with the OTAs and the minicamps, but we are out there practicing in pajamas, so we don’t know anything until somebody puts their pads on.”
(On if he is against Josh Cribbs playing defense) - “I am not against anything that will help us win. If that can help us win, great.”
(On if Phil Dawson is like Adam Vinatieri) - “That is an interesting question. In fact if you go back in Phil’s history and Phil will tell you this too, he was on the practice squad for the Patriots with Adam. I am sure he took a lot of stuff when he was younger from Adam and I’d say they’re very similar in a sense that both are very good outdoor kickers and both perform well under pressure.”
(On Eric Mangini’s progression as a coach) - “I think one of the great things about Eric is that I have kind of seen him grow up in the NFL. When I first met him he was our secondary coach at New England and he did an outstanding job with coaching our defensive backs. His role expanded to become the defensive coordinator, and I thought he did an outstanding job in that area. Since my time with him here, I have really been impressed with his knowledge of the overall game. I would hearken back to those days when we were there when we was the secondary coach, I don’t think he knew nearly as much as he does now about offensive play and special teams play. I have seen this guy really expand his knowledge and what he knows about a football team. I have been very impressed since I have been here with him. On a personal level he is a really good guy. He is a guy that I enjoy being around. He is a guy that makes it fun. He makes it fun for the coaches. He makes it fun for the player, at times. I think he is going to be a really outstanding head coach here and the people of Cleveland will be proud to have.”
Wed, Jun 17 2009 at 8:45 pm » Browns » No Comments
(On his 3-4 defense compared to Romeo Crennel’s 3-4 defense) – “To be honest with you, I’m not here to farm anyone else’s land. I’m not sure how things were done here in the past. I know our vision, myself, Eric (Mangini) and the rest of the defensive staff. We want to be multiple and we want to have multiple players who can play different spots and cause confusion. That’s where we want to get to. Right now, the first thing is to be able to line up and play with good technique. That’s where we are starting. That’s what we tried to emphasize in the OTAs and the minicamp. I was impressed with how hard the guys were working and picking things up. As soon as you get a grasp of your basic concepts, the sooner you can be multiple and be more effective.”
(On if you plan to play man-to-man coverage like his defense in Oakland) – “I like our corners here with Cleveland. In Oakland it was our style of play. It was how the team was drafted, to play with a middle-field safety. Our team is built a little different way, but I still have good confidence in those guys. I’ve been really impressed in Eric Wright and the way that he has worked and his talent.”
(On what he has to do to get more out of the pass rush) – “With pressuring the quarterback, obviously 17 is a low number. Again, I wasn’t in the huddles and broke those guys. I’m not sure exactly what their problems were, but I know with today’s game and this league you get a lot of max protect in our conference and a lot of quick, three-step passing. Maybe the numbers aren’t going to be so high. I’m sure we will do better, but it’s a work in progress.”
(On if he equates sacks to success on defense) – “That’s a great question. Obviously, growing up around the Chicago Bears, who set all the records for sacks, that’s a great style of play that is great for fans. The biggest thing is being able to get off the field. What pressure does do, with the sacks, and great pressure on the quarterbacks, it causes people to turn the ball over. To me, that’s the most important thing; getting turnovers and obviously keeping points off the scoreboard.”
(On his thoughts on Brodney Pool, Kamerion Wimbley and D’Qwell Jackson) – “First thing is all three of those guys have been very impressive in the meeting rooms. They are all working very hard. We’ve got a massive playbook, obviously, and those three young men have done a great job of grasping it. Last year, Kamerion was focused more on the right side. We’re playing him all over, at right, left, and also in a buck, which moves around. He’s had a lot of roles and we look forward to increasing his role. I think with Brodney, free safety in our scheme is a very difficult position to play. I think he has done a good job; he made several plays in the OTAs. I was impressed with him. You mentioned D’Qwell Jackson; I am really impressed with him. I think the sky is the limit for that young man’s future. I think he is outstanding. We haven’t had any pads on, but I have seen enough film, and I’m not studying the scheme that was on the tape, but I watched that young man run around, run to the football and lead the league in tackles. A blind man could see his talent.”
(On Jackson’s size) – “Obviously we all want 6-4, 250, but nowadays in college - and that’s where we get these players from - most people are kind of sizing down. The linebackers are playing defensive end, the safeties are playing linebacker, so the sizes of these guys are getting a little bit smaller. He’s got a lot of speed and a ton of talent and I’m really looking forward to working with him. I believe any scheme is going to feature a young man like that.”
(On Kamerion Wimbley and if he can return to his form from his rookie season) – “I think the young man has great ability to rush the passer. With the numbers, again numbers say a lot of things and a lot of times they don’t paint the right picture. I think the guy has great talent. He is a hard worker and he does what the coaches ask him to do. We’ve asked him to concentrate on pushing the pocket and using more bull rush and speed rushing. Hell, the guy does it everyday. You see him working on the things you tell him and I believe he is only going to get better with great coaching. I think that is what he has in Bryan Cox and Matt Eberflus, the two guys that are working with him, who are two of the top coaches in football. I really think he is going to have a tremendous year for us.”
(On if he has the players to stop the run) – “That’s a tough question to answer right at this moment because we haven’t seen the men with pads on and I like to evaluate guys when I see them at full speed and full tempo. I know stopping the run; sometimes you can be great at it, sometimes not. What you have to be is well-coordinated in whatever scheme you’re playing and do a good job of that. I know in Oakland the last three years, if you want to look at stats, we weren’t very successful there either at stopping the run. My whole life I’ve stopped the run and you can also look that up. We’ll get it done here. There is fine talent here and everybody has been working hard. Their attitude has been great. They’ve taken to Eric and all his leadership, and it’s only going to make us a great football team. We’ll make sure we get that done.”
(On his father as an influence in his life) – “Obviously it was tremendous. He likes to say that me and my brother saw was Super Bowls. He’s probably right. Apparently he has been to six of them. Maybe it’s contagious. Bottom line is it is a great life, especially for boys growing up. You idolize your father and we wanted to be like him. The difference is that we were interested in the strategy of the game more than playing. We played football but we weren’t Tarzan by any stretch. We always enjoyed the strategy of it, the X’s and O’s. We wanted to know more and it’s just something, for whatever reason, we got into. My older brother is a lawyer; he used to be a journalist. I don’t know how he got into that profession.”
(On why he is not running the 46 defense) – “We do. You’ll see that on Sundays.”
(On if it will be used as a base defense) – “No. Really, the 46 was designed as a nickel defense. It wasn’t really the base of my father either. It just started stopping everything so it became a base. We definitely run some 46 defense. Eric is a huge fan of the 46. That’s something he has always said, ‘Hey, let’s get this in, let’s go’ In fact, in New England, we worked together a lot and he was so smart. You would be tired after working two-a-days and you are ready to go to bed, and he would be like, ‘No, put those tapes on for an hour and let’s watch it.’ He is the one who eventually got it into New England and we had so much success with it there. It’s something that is definitely going to be a part of this package.”
(On if his father will attend training camp) – “Yes, he is going to be here right when training camp starts. He is a Cleveland Browns fan.”
(On why he is not a New York Jets fan) – “I don’t know, maybe he likes them, too.”
(On Oakland not being ranked high defensively) – “We were. We were third and we were first in pass defense three years ago.”
(On how you get your defense to rank in the Top 10 with a new team after not ranking there the past couple of year with your old team) – “Well, it’s a team game. In Oakland, we had a rough time. Not just on defense, I can assure you. We had some issues there and I’m not going to point fingers at anybody. My record speaks for itself. You would like to be in the top three every year. We got there once, and I believe we were dead last in offense. We know how to coach some football. Things come up during the year and sometimes the ball bounces your way and sometimes it doesn’t. I know one thing, what we’re going to have here in Cleveland is an attacking defense, it’s going to be an exciting defense, and we are going to play great football.”
(On the defensive line overall) – “I’ve been real excited with the guys out there practicing. Shaun Rogers is a tremendous specimen. He is so athletic for such a big man. That is a rare thing. I’ve been around the best in football. I’ve been around Warren Sapp, and in college I coached Jamal Williams and Kevin Williams, a couple of decent All-Pro defensive tackles. I think I’m pretty familiar of what a good one looks like and Shaun Rogers is tremendous. He is absolutely tremendous. Any system that he plays in, he is going to be dominant. It’s fun to see him move around and do some things. We’ve got a couple good looking guys that weren’t practicing, and it’s hard to evaluate them because they are running up that hill and things; Corey Williams and Robaire Smith are a couple of good looking guys. The rest of them have been working real hard.”
(On Corey Williams) – “It’s hard to evaluate. I’d like to answer your question but I really can’t at this time. I don’t know the young man enough to say how he is going to do. I know our 3-4 looks a little different than if you just line it up on paper. The guys who were two-gap and straight up on the offensive tackles, well we are a little bit wider. That might be a little different look. I’d like to tell you more about Corey Williams but I don’t want to tell a lie.”
(On how you work with players with different personalities) – “I don’t know how different they are, they probably think I’m different. I think it’s just something where you just have to be yourself. I’ve had success coaching in college, pro, wherever I’ve been. For whatever reason, my guys play hard and they don’t quit. I can count the number of games where I thought we didn’t do well and felt like we quit on one hand in all my years of coaching. We are going to fight like hell, just like the people in Cleveland would want us to, and we are going to be great.”
(On if Pool, Jackson and Wimbley are better than he expected) – “I’m so excited about being here, first of all. Being matched up with Eric, that’s exciting to me. You get out and you see some talent, it’s like, ‘This is going to be great.’ With good players I usually do pretty well. We have some fine players here and I’m really looking forward to watching these guys grow as professionals and also grow as a unit and turn this thing around. I know that is why we are all here. If everything was rosy we wouldn’t be here. I’m looking forward to the challenge; I’m working with some great people, guys that I admire. I’m looking forward to doing a great job."
(On the difference in Coach Mangini from New England to now) – “I’m not going to say he is bigger because I might be, too. Here is the type of guy Eric is. When we were in New England together, we always said we were masterminds trying to come up with stuff to help us win, and we did. We did a lot. His leadership is phenomenal and people don’t realize. He could make me work out every single day and somebody already ripped me in the papers, I appreciate it. I’m not exactly a box of chocolates, but he had me looking like a box of chocolates. We worked out 162 straight days, and he made me do it because I fought every single day to try and get out of it. He can motivate you into doing things you don’t want to do. He can motivate you like, ‘Put that 46 on, teach it to me.’ He’s a grinder that way. He brings the best out of me and he’ll bring the best out of every player on that team. That is what is so exciting to be around him. He hasn’t changed a bit. In my opinion, I think he is the same guy. He is so relentless that he makes you win. I think he had probably more to do with us having success in New England than probably anybody except Tom Brady. I mean I’ll give him his due. But really, he is that good of a coach."
(On his safeties) – “I mean, right now they are working hard and studying. I know it sounds like the same standard answer, but that’s all you can evaluate right now. Are guys in position to make plays, are they working hard. When you look out in the crowd do they have their eyes wide open and not shut like some people have in the past. These are guys who are going to get better and they are going to grow in the system. Abe Elam has been in this system before, but I don’t know if he was a marquee guy so it’s his time to step up and do some things and I think he will."
(On his brother Rex Ryan being outspoken and if it’s part of the Ryan family tradition) – “I can’t really get into it too much. I know he is going to do a great job as head coach. He has worked all his life to do it. I know he is going to lead his way and they’ll do great. If you look at the job he’s done as an assistant coach, he might be the best assistant coach in football. His record speaks for itself. He has been tremendously successful as an assistant coach and I’m sure he will be as a head coach. I know he will be. "
(On how many days in a row he has worked out now) – “That would be zero. We are waiting for training camp. Eric thinks of everything. He has had green berets come in and that guy ripped me following the article in front of the team. We had another guy who might be here but you just can’t see him. He is one of those ninja guys; he came in and talked to us about losing weight. Whatever it takes, I’ll lose 100 pounds if it means we will win a Super Bowl. I’ll be out there jogging. I’ve got some work to do."
(On the impact of bringing in former Jets players) – “I don’t care if we get them from Amsterdam as long as they can play and these guys can. The great thing about them is that they are familiar with our system. That’s a huge plus because we’ll test these guys, not only physically, but mentally. It gives a huge jump on things when you get guys who are familiar with the system. Also, they are high character tough guys, guys that everybody in Strongsville and Columbia Station, where I live, are going to be proud of. Guys that are going to give them an honest days work and hopefully knock the teeth out of somebody. I think that is what everyone of them has. They have that toughness, that genuine toughness, and they are smart. It’s great to have guys like that on your team, especially on defense."
Wed, Jun 17 2009 at 8:30 pm » Browns » 2 Comments
(On what he wants people to see in his offense) – “I want them to see a smart, tough, tenacious group.”
(On how he can get that from his offense) – “We are going to do whatever we need to do try to win each particular week. One week it could be running the ball a bunch and the next week it could be passing the ball. In terms of our physical and mental approach, our aim is to be tough, smart, competitive and tenacious.”
(On where he takes his offensive principles from) – “That’s a good question. I’ve learned offense from a couple different people. I’ve been in this league for about 10 years. Some of it is from Charlie (Weis), some of it is from Brian Schottenheimer, some from Bill Callahan, Dante Scarnecchia, Tater (Carl) Smith; there is a lot of guys. Our offense is kind of a conglomeration of a lot of different things. They are the things that we believe in as coaches on this staff to make up the Browns offense.”
(On the challenges of being a coordinator for the first time) – “I started out as a defensive assistant under Bill (Belichick). I had the opportunity in college to work for Nick Saban. I moved on with Eric. I got to work with Romeo (Crennel). I’ve worked with a lot of good coaches. Each step that I took from defensive assistant to receiver coach to quarterback (coach) it has kind of been a natural progression and this is just the next step.”
(On what he can take from being around Tom Brady and Brett Favre and how he can apply it to the quarterbacks here) – “I think each player in this league is different whether it be Brett or Tom Brady or Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson. The reason why those guys were successful was one, because of talent but two, because of their approach. They were very diligent workers; never say quit attitude; in the office early, out late; priding themselves on being very good practice players. In order to be a good football player, whether it be quarterback, running back, tight end, it doesn’t matter the position, you have to have those qualities.”
(On if the news with Donte’ Stallworth affects the wide receiver position) – “No different then we approached it in OTAs and minicamps. The guys that we have here, we are going to coach them hard, we expect them to do the right things and the best players are going to play.”
(On if Stallworth is in the team’s plans) – “I think the Browns made a statement and I will just leave it at that.”
(On an overview of the quarterbacks) – “Both of them have been in here early and out late like the guys I just mentioned. They have been working extremely hard. They are competitive with one and other. Tater (Carl) Smith has been doing a good job with them. They are competitive. They are learning the system the best way they can learn it. There are some mistakes out there, and there are some other days where they are doing really well. Right now it’s an open competition.”
(On who is going to win the quarterback competition) – “The best player is going to win it.”
(On what he likes about the quarterbacks) – “The things I like about them are basically the things I’ve been talking about. They are smart, tough, competitive, and they can both throw the football. What we are looking for at the quarterback position is someone who can get into the huddle, call the football play, get the people lined up, understand where to make the Mike points, understand when they are hot sight, the whole mechanics of the huddle operation. The next thing is decision making and who can
Perform the best under pressure. Right now we have been out there without any pads on. The situations that we have presented them are that we have been trying to put as much pressure situations as we can, but when the pads come on that will kind of sort itself out.”
(On if he worries that there will be a learning curve with the quarterbacks splitting reps) – “No, nope.”
(On how you keep a quarterback controversy from dividing the team) – “I haven’t seen any division with this team. I think each player on this team is worrying about there own job and their own responsibility. You can see out there, there have been a lot of guys shuffling in and out from the offensive line to the receivers to the quarterbacks to the tight ends. What we are looking for as a coaching staff is to put the best players out there, the best 11 that are going to give us a chance to win.”
(On if offensive penalties are a reflection of the quarterback) – “I think it’s a reflection of the entire unit. It will start with me and it will permeate throughout the rest of the guys on offense. That just goes back to the goals I said earlier, we are going to be smart, we are going to be tough and we are going to be competitive. The players that give us the best chance to do that will be the ones out there playing.”
(On if Quinn has a leg up because of his background with Charlie Weis) – “No. Derek has been exposed to some of the stuff that they did last year with (Rob) Chudzinski. Brian Schottenheimer was with him in San Diego. Again, the offense isn’t just Charlie’s offense or Brian Schottenheimer’s offense, it is our offense. It is the Cleveland Browns managed first under Eric and then myself. I don’t think that gives one guy a particular advantage.”
(On assessing the running backs) – “Great group of guys in the classroom, I will start with that first; professionals. Gary Brown has been working hard with all of them whether it be Jamal (Lewis) or JC (Jerome Harrison), Noah Herron or the rookies. They are a true professional group. It has been a pleasure to be around those guys. They are smart. They have done a good job at these OTAs of picking up their responsibilities, whether it is in protection, running to the right hole, catching the football, it has been a good group to work around.”
(On if he is for or against using both quarterbacks) – “Whatever gives us the best us the best chance to win. I think by September 13 we will have settled in on a quarterback, but you can’t rule anything out.”
(On if he is happy with the progress of the installation process) – “Yeah. We have thrown a ton of information at them and our philosophy is the ‘whole-part-whole” philosophy; give them as much information as they can handle and probably more than they can handle. Come back, so the next time they hear it, which will be in training camp, they will be better served. Each day there has been progress, there has been some ups and some downs, but overall the improvement has been steady.”
(On the wide receiver corps) – “Just like the group I talked about with the running backs, Braylon Edwards has been in here working. He has been doing a really nice job. He has been into the meetings. He has been doing everything he can do to help out the younger guys. In the same sense, we’ve got a couple guys off the street we signed that are older guys in Mike Furrey and David Patten who are exceptional leaders. I have been with David at New England. Mike has come in and really picked up the slack in that group in terms of helping the young guys understand the pro football game and playing your spot. Some young guys there, some mix of old guys, I am happy with the group to this point.”
(On if he has ever been in a situation like the one in Cleveland where the offense didn’t score in the last six games) – “I don’t think so.”
(On how challenging the situation is) – “I don’t think last year has anything to do with what we are going to do this year.”
(On using Joshua Cribbs as an offensive weapon) – “We’ve been using him as a receiver right now. Again, in terms of installing a system, there is a lot of information that we put in these guys each day. Right now, he’s been playing receiver, that’s where he has been slotted. As far as how we use him, that will depend each week on game plan.”
(On Eric Steinbach’s weight) – “I think each guy has a weight that they are comfortable playing with. There are a lot of people that make that decision the doctors, trainers, the weight guys and Eric. Whatever his weight is, I am sure it will be the best weight for him.”
(On if he is looking forward to working with Cribbs) – “Sure. I look forward to having the rest of the receivers, too, in that unit. Cribbs is a good kid. He is smart. You can tell he loves the game of football. He is very passionate about his job. He fits right into the room with the other guys we’ve got.”
(On is there a chance Brett Ratliff could look the best in the preseason because of his familiarity with the offense) – “I don’t know, we are not to the preseason yet. Ratty has come in and he is working hard with those other quarterbacks. It has some similarities, but again the system isn’t the exact same system we had in New York so there is a learning curve for him too.”
(On when he would like to have a quarterback decision made by) – “We don’t have a timetable.”
(On defensive players playing on offense like they did with Mike Vrabel in New England) – “I think Rob (Ryan) is probably big enough to play tight end.”
(On if Alex Mack can play from day one) – “He is going to determine that. In terms of the line, George Warhop has done a nice job of mixing and matching those guys in these last camps. The thing you’ve got to do there is you only get a specific amount of guys you can bring to a game. All of those guys have been working numerous spots, trying to create as much position flexibility as you can.”
(On if Jamal Lewis has enough left in the tank) – “I was on the offensive side, but I remember that run he had against the Jets. I wasn’t happy that day he had it. He is a tough, hard-nosed runner, smart. I am anxious to see him when we get some pads on with this offense.”
(On if there were any surprises moving into the coordinator role) – “No.”
(On if it will be tough to call plays) – “Again it’s a week to week thing, whatever is going to give our football team the best chance to win. There are a lot of people that have a say in that, starting with Eric. ”
(On where he will call plays from) – “I haven’t talked to Eric about that yet.”
(On Derek Anderson in 2007) – “I don’t want to really go back to 2007.”
(On what he tells the quarterbacks) – “I tell them to be smart with the football, make good decisions, be good in the pocket and be an accurate passer. That’s not going to change for the quarterback spot.”
(On what he has seen in Jerome Harrison) – “I’ve been very impressed. He has been great in the classroom. He has come out on the practice fields, he has been there everyday. He works extremely hard. He has good talent. He has been a hard worker.”
Wed, Jun 17 2009 at 8:29 pm » Browns » No Comments
STATEMENT FROM BROWNS GENERAL MANAGER GEORGE KOKINIS
“The Browns are very conscious of the seriousness of the charges to which Donte’ Stallworth plead guilty to today. We are continuing to evaluate the situation and will make the decisions that we believe are in the best interest of the Cleveland Browns.”
(That’s it, folks)
Tue, Jun 16 2009 at 8:41 pm » Browns » No Comments
Something incredible and good happened this last weekend for Fred Greetham and his family. Fox 8 did a story on it, which you can watch after the jump. Good luck keeping your eyes free from moisture.
Mon, Jun 15 2009 at 6:37 pm » Browns » 1 Comment
The Cleveland Browns today waived defensive back Bryan Williams, the team announced. Williams had been signed as an undrafted free agent on May 1, 2009.
(And, yes, that was the extent of the press release issued by the club.)
Mon, Jun 15 2009 at 6:11 pm » Browns » No Comments
We received this earlier in the day from the team, which appears set on continuing their controversial practice of wadding poor defenseless rookies onto broken-down Torture Buses(tm) being involved in the community. Let’s hope that all those livid rookies an isolated complaining agent or two imaginary elves talking to reporters no one gets too upset about this.
It’s harder writing about these community events than it used to be.
Mon, Jun 15 2009 at 2:16 pm » Browns » No Comments
(Opening statement) – “Good morning everybody. How we doing? Today we finished up minicamp here this morning. We had another segment planned for this evening, but the deal with that was, if we went out and had an excellent practice, they’d get three chances to get the next practice removed. If it was above average it would be two, and if it was okay, give them one, depending. They got two chances and they nailed it on the first. It was going to be an o-lineman catching a punt and then a d-lineman catching a kickoff. The first one you probably saw was a warm-up to give Rex (Hadnot) a chance to really assess where the ball was going to go and make his adjustments accordingly.
Sat, Jun 13 2009 at 5:30 pm » Browns » No Comments
