DeyDurkie5;1218345 wrote:gibby

Of course it would be the "safe" thing to do to predict teams like the Rats/Steelers to rule the division since that's the "same old, same old." Picking the Browns to continue to suck would just be playing it close to the vest.

If this team stays healthy this year, they are going to surprise some of these pundits. I originally had the Bengals as a contender for this division this year but I'm starting to have my doubts after looking back and seeing they couldn't beat any legit teams. Browns could make it out of the cellar this year. As I've mentioned before, next year I think they will be back in the playoffs.

http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2012/07/04/mccoy-still-wants-to-be-in-the-browns-qb-plans-in-2012/#.T_TAiSsQ_8Y.facebook

ytownfootball;1218350 wrote:I don't think Knight has been around much since he predicted Oregon would bitch slap the Buckeyes a few years ago...

thats were you are wrong . but then again most of blackeye disappeared (including yourself) like a fart in the wind when wisconsin put the pimp hand all over OSU. ending any chance of a national title. which i did predict. btw way what is your bowl prediction for OSU this year?

KnightRyder;1218615 wrote:thats were you are wrong . but then again most of blackeye disappeared (including yourself) like a fart in the wind when wisconsin put the pimp hand all over OSU. ending any chance of a national title. which i did predict. btw way what is your bowl prediction for OSU this year?

lol at the new rules... Definitely being enforced in full effect here.

Rosenthal screwed the pooch on his "fact finding" right out of the shoot on this one. Joe Table "bit the pillow" in 1997, NOT 2007, fool. Anyhow, love Richardson's comments....

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82a4c175/article/trent-richardson-wants-to-be-best-thing-to-hit-cleveland?campaign=Twitter_atl

One of COA's favorite topics...the 2009 Browns draft. Must have been Mack that saved this draft from being an "F" in Hensley's eyes...

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/50412/grading-2009-draft-cleveland-browns

BR1986FB;1218999 wrote:One of COA's favorite topics...the 2009 Browns draft. Must have been Mack that saved this draft from being an "F" in Hensley's eyes...

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/50412/grading-2009-draft-cleveland-browns

SMFH. The 2008 and 2009 draft set this team back about 5 years at least.

BR1986FB;1218999 wrote:One of COA's favorite topics...the 2009 Browns draft. Must have been Mack that saved this draft from being an "F" in Hensley's eyes...

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/50412/grading-2009-draft-cleveland-browns

2009 draft is just one giant SMH. Pisses me off still. Fucking waste.

like_that;1219109 wrote:SMFH. The 2008 and 2009 draft set this team back about 5 years at least.

No doubt. 05 wasnt much better.

Also LMAO at Maivia "showing promise". Where?!! The gas station he'll be working at after this training camp?

Commander of Awesome;1219606 wrote:Also LMAO at Maivia "showing promise". Where?!! The gas station he'll be working at after this training camp?

I think he's stick around due to a) their shitty LB depth and b) Fujita's suspension & DQ's injury prone nature.

After watching this video all I can say is "man, Hardesty does not look good." Maybe he still doesn't have any explosion from the knee but he seems to run tentative, can't break a tackle and, the blatantly obvious, has stone hands (OMG...the Tennessee game). Hope he has a better year spelling T-Rich but I'm pretty skeptical now....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k17atADRu-M&feature=relmfu

This may not be new and may have been discussed, but I heard on the radio today that PFT has the Browns ranked dead last in their preseason power rankings. Gil Brandt put them at 30 a few weeks back.

Obviously preseason rankings mean nothing, but that's really disappointing in year 3.

Mulva;1220066 wrote:This may not be new and may have been discussed, but I heard on the radio today that PFT has the Browns ranked dead last in their preseason power rankings. Gil Brandt put them at 30 a few weeks back.

Obviously preseason rankings mean nothing, but that's really disappointing in year 3.

Not saying they don't belong down there but it's the common thing for these analysts to do....pick the teams where they always pick them (Pats, Packers, Steelers, etc at the top). It's nothing new.

Browns won't be dead last..they'll be average...which unfortunately is where theyre gonna be for the next 5ish seasons.

Mulva;1220066 wrote:This may not be new and may have been discussed, but I heard on the radio today that PFT has the Browns ranked dead last in their preseason power rankings. Gil Brandt put them at 30 a few weeks back.

Obviously preseason rankings mean nothing, but that's really disappointing in year 3.

They probably had the Niners ranked 28th or so last year too. Means absolutely nothing.

Footwedge;1220099 wrote:They probably had the Niners ranked 28th or so last year too. Means absolutely nothing.

26th for the Niners in the 2011 preseason power rankings. Bengals were dead last. Really means nothing.

Pressure on Receiving Corps to Deliver
		By [URL="javascript:location.href='http://search.scout.com/a.z?s=149&p=4&c=1&search=1&sskey=%22' + author + '%22&sssiteid=149&type=2';"]Fred Greetham[/URL] OBR Senior Reporter Posted Jul 6, 2012 For the past two years, fans and media alike have called for the Browns to add a top tier wide receiver to the group, but the Browns have not done so. 0 Comments
As the Browns prepare to embark their second season under Pat Shurmur there are many questions that remain. With training camp opening Sat. July 28, we’re going to take a position-by-position analysis of the current roster as the team heads to camp over the next few weeks. Part three is the wide receiver position. Candidates: Greg Little, Mohamed Massaquoi, Josh Cribbs, Jordan Norwood, Carlton Mitchell, Rod Windsor, Travis Benjamin, Josh Cooper, Bert Reed, Owen Spencer and Jermaine Saffold. For the past two years, fans and media alike have called for the Browns to add a top tier wide receiver to the group, but the Browns have not done so. However, it wasn’t for the lack of trying. They did try to add to their receiving corps, but missed out on Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan in free agency. Then in the draft, they reportedly, were set to draft Kendall Wright with their 22nd pick, but the Titans selected him two spots ahead of them. Feeling none of the other receivers remaining were worthy of a first-, second- or third-round pick they didn’t select a receiver until they took Benjamin in the fourth-round. Tom Heckert didn’t want to add a veteran just to add one. Shurmur and Heckert both feel the current group will take a major step up in 2012—and they’re counting on it. Shurmur said during minicamp that Little and Massaquoi were the starters from the onset. Little came to camp 11 pounds lighter than his rookie season and looks like he is ready to take a big step in just his second year. Mike Holmgren called out Massaquoi at least twice during the off-season, saying he expected him to have a breakout year. Massaquoi’s biggest goal might be trying to stay healthy as he’s been dinged in each of the past two seasons, with a broken foot and at least two concussions. Shurmur and Heckert have both alluded to the fact that Brandon Weeden will make the receivers better. If that doesn’t happen, it will be obvious where the blame will lie. Benjamin must make an impact. He has the speed to stretch the field and the Browns are hoping he could become as big an impact player as DeSean Jackson is to the Eagles. He showed he has the speed but it’s an unknown yet if he can get away from bigger, more physical NFL cornerbacks. Little (6-2, 220, 2nd year, North Carolina) – As a rookie, Little played in all 16 games, including 12 starts. He caught 61 passes for 709 yards. His totals were 20 more than the second receiver on the team. Little caught 6 passes in three different games with his biggest yardage production coming against the Cardinals with 131 yards and a score. The Browns are expecting him to emerge as their true No. 1. His biggest problem as a rookie was the inability to hang on to passes as he dropped 12 passes. However, he feels it was a lack of concentration and thinks those problems have been corrected. Massaquoi (6-2, 207, 4th year, Georgia) – Massaquoi had 31 receptions for 384 yards (12.4 avg.) and two touchdowns in 14 games. Massaquoi caught 34 passes as a rookie and 36 in his second season. His career average per reception is 14.8 yards per reception. Massaquoi had a broken foot at the start of training camp in 2011 and he got off to a slow start. He also suffered his second concussion that sidelined him for two games. Cribbs (6-1, 215, 8th year, Kent State) – Cribbs had his most productive season as a receiver with 41 receptions for 518 yards (12.6 avg.) and 4 touchdowns, which was good enough for second on the team. His previous best was 23 receptions for 292 yards and one touchdown. He showed last year he can be a productive NFL receiver, especially breaking tackles in the open field. Norwood (5-11, 180, 2nd year, Penn State) – Norwood saw his most playing time in 2011 as he played in 14 games with four starts. He ended up with 23 receptions for 268 yards and a touchdown. His 11.7 avg. was the third best on the team. He suffered a concussion against the Cardinals and was inactive for the final two games. His best game was a five reception game against the 49ers. He’s the leading contender for the slot position. His biggest question, similarly to Massaquoi is his durability. Mitchell (6-3, 215, 3rd year, South Florida) – Mitchell had a finger injury that required surgery during training camp that put him behind and he was never able to make a significant contribution. He was active for 11 games and made his first NFL reception in the 15th game against the Ravens. He caught two passes for 12 yards in that game and caught a 19-yard pass in the season finale against the Steelers. He finished the season with 3 receptions for 31 yards (10.3 avg.). Mitchell could be the dark horse player to emerge as he is one of the more intriguing players. He has the size and speed to be productive and could be a boom or bust type player. This is a make or break year for him. Windsor (6-2, 205, one year, Western New Mexico) – Windsor was on the practice squad for most of the 2011 season until he was activated to the 53-man roster for the final two games. He was inactive for both games. He caught five passes for 83 yards and a touchdown during the preseason. Benjamin (5-10, 175, Rookie, Miami (Fla.) – Benjamin was drafted in the fourth round, making him the biggest off-season acquisition at wide receiver. Benjamin has blazing speed, but the question remains will he be able to get off the line against bigger and more physical NFL cornerbacks. Cooper (5-10, 190, Rookie, Oklahoma State) – Cooper had a very impressive rookie OTAs and minicamp. He is a security blanket for Weeden after being his second receiver behind Justin Blackmon in college. Cooper will battle to be the slot receiver with Norwood and several others to make the roster. As an undrafted free agent, Cooper could be a candidate for the practice squad. Reed (5-10, 180, Rookie, Florida State) – As an undrafted rookie free agent, Reed needs to have a big training camp to find a roster spot. He flashed in the spring practices, showing good hands and quickness. Reed most likely, is in a battle for a spot on the practice squad. Saffold (6-0, 200, Rookie, Missouri State) – Similarly to Reed, Saffold is a long shot, at best, to make the team. Spencer (6-3, 185, Rookie, N.C. State) – Spencer is in an uphill battle as another undrafted rookie free agent. Better than 2011? One of the factors the front office is counting on is that the returning receivers all know the system and what’s expected of them. They expect Little to take a major step from a very productive rookie season and emerge as the team’s top receiver. Massaquoi is also expected to step up in a big way. Cribbs showed he can be productive and between Mitchell and Norwood, the Browns are expected one of them to break out. Benjamin is the only new addition and his blazing speed should stretch the defense, but it’s hard to know if he can be the game-changing receiver the Browns hope as a rookie. The Browns will give Benjamin every opportunity to break into the lineup. Weeden’s bigger arm should help make the receivers look better. The biggest question is whether they will be able to hang on to the ball after leading the NFL as a group in dropped passes in 2011. http://cle.scout.com/2/1200491.html

Trent Richardson: 'I always have big shoes to fill'

By Brad Biggs | National Football Post – 1 hour 31 minutes ago


The Cleveland Browns have placed a lot of faith in Trent Richardson to help bring some energy to their offense.

The Browns moved up in the draft in a deal with the Minnesota Vikings to select the running back from Alabama and now the pressure is on him to perform even with some onlookers like Jim Brown doubting in his ability to prop up the franchise.

Richardson understands the pressure on him to perform as a rookie. That much has come clearly to him since the April draft. But he doesn’t call it pressure as we are.

“Oh yeah I recognize it. I don’t think it’s pressure,” Richardson said during a visit on ESPN 850 WKNR, according to sportsradiointerviews.com.

“For me it’s another opportunity to show that I’m that guy that they did go up from four to three and one of the reasons that they did come to get me in the first round, one of the reasons they did take a rookie running back in the top ten. I want to be the guy that the decision makers are talking about the top running backs.

“One of my goals is I want to be the best, one of the best running backs in the game when it comes to the end of the season. I always have big shoes to fill. I’ve always had big shoes to fill. I played behind Mark Ingram. He was the Heisman Trophy winner so I had to go out there and prove I could do as good as him and I’m not saying I did it all by myself but my work ethic and my teammates helped me with it.”
Richardson believes the sports fans in Cleveland are behind their athletes.

“They are hungry,” he said. “They are committed to all of their athletes and they love football. Everybody knows that they had the great basketball player but I’ve really found out from some of the basketball players, Kyrie (Irving) and Tristan (Thompson), that Cleveland is really a football state. Cleveland Browns fans are behind their football players as much as they can be. We’re going to be behind them 100 percent this year. We want to put Cleveland on our shoulders this year and take it to the top. That’s how we’re working this year and that’s what Cleveland deserves.”




http://sports.yahoo.com/news/trent-richardson-always-big-shoes-235111077--nfl.html

Like it. But Cleveland isn't a state. Lol

[h=1]Colt McCoy doesn’t know whether he’ll get a fair shot at starting job[/h] Posted by Mike Florio on July 6, 2012, 11:59 PM EDT
APColt McCoy wants to finish what he started in Cleveland (is there a half-painted fence we don’t know about?), but he’s not sure he’ll get a fair shot at winning the Browns’ starting job.

Asked Friday during a youth football camp the money question about whether he’ll get a chance to earn his money as a member of the Browns in 2012, McCoy was candid. “We’ll see, I don’t know,” McCoy said at his youth football camp on Friday, via KXAN.com. “There are a lot of things I can control and I’m controlling those things. The things beyond that I try to do my best to not worry about those and go out there and do what I do on the field, that’s the most important thing. Beyond that, I can’t do anything else.”

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the Browns want to replace McCoy; otherwise, they wouldn’t have used the 22nd pick in the draft on a 28-year-old quarterback.

In May, McCoy said he was told he’d get a fair shot to compete. Perhaps he can tell based on the full offseason program that the Browns have a different interpretation of the term “fair.”






http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/06/colt-mccoy-doesnt-know-whether-hell-get-a-fair-shot-at-starting-job/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Posted Jul 06, 2012 @ 12:19 PM [h=2]Elite to uh-oh ... ranking Browns starters[/h]By Steve Doerschuk
Ranking the projected starters while wishing the old a.c. was more than semi-tough.
TOP SHELF
Left tackle Joe Thomas
ELITE ROOKIE
Running back Trent Richardson
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Defensive end Jabaal Sheard
TOP 25 PERCENT AMONG NFL STARTERS
Linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin, center Alex Mack, cornerback Joe Haden
MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTIONS
Quarterback Brandon Weeden, right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, Safety T.J. Ward, defensive tackle Phil Taylor
MIDDLE-OF-ROAD STARTERS
Linebacker Chris Gocong, defensive end Frostee Rucker
PROMISING SEMI-EXPERIENCED PROSPECTS
Left guard Jason Pinkston, wideout Greg Little
NERVOUS-TIME ROOKIES
Defensive tackle John Hughes, linebacker James-Michael Johnson, safety Eric Hagg
NERVOUS-TIME VETERANS
Cornerback Sheldon Brown, tight end Ben Watson, wideout Mohamed Massaquoi, safety Usama Young
UNPROVEN SUSPECTS
Right guard Shawn Lauvao, fullback Owen Marecic,



http://www.cantonrep.com/community/blog/freshbrownies/x1446673980/Elite-to-uh-oh-ranking-Browns-starters

Cory Hepola ‏ @
CoryH_KVUE
Colt is meeting with us soon. This could be interesting... been a LONG
offseason for him. ‪ # longhorns‬‪ # hookem


Cory Hepola ‏ @
CoryH_KVUE
Yes. Full story on Colt at 6 and 10 on @ KVUE RT @
dshupe3: @ CoryH_KVUE Will the interview be on the
sportscast tonight?


Cory Hepola
‏ @ CoryH_KVUE
Despite it all, Colt McCoy has remained positive about his situation. Not
blaming anyone or anything. He doesn't want to leave CLE, either.


Cory Hepola ‏ @
CoryH_KVUE
Colt McCoy on ‪ # Cleveland‬‪ # Browns‬: "I'm kinda old-school I guess.
I got drafted there, I want to be there... we'll see what happens." ‪ # hookem


Cory Hepola ‏ @
CoryH_KVUE
Colt McCoy: "I'm working as hard as I can. I'm feel as good as I've felt in
awhile. My shoulder has come a long way." ‪ # Browns‬‪ # hookem


Cory Hepola ‏ @
CoryH_KVUE
Colt McCoy on 3 OC's as he enters 3rd season: "you just want a little bit of
consistency, you get that and things start to happen." ‪ # Browns

[h=1]Terry Pluto's Talkin' ... about the Browns' run emphasis, the Indians' pitching issues and the Cavaliers' quiet off-season[/h][h=5]Published: Saturday, July 07, 2012, 11:56 PM[/h]By Terry Pluto, The Plain DealerThe Plain Dealer
Follow







View full sizeLonnie Timmons III, The Plain DealerTrent Richardson is the embodiment of the Browns' renewed determination to be successful on the ground in 2012, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When the streets are sizzling, talking about football at least calls to mind cooler afternoons ...

About the Browns and the running game...

1. The coaches were excited with the performance of Trent Richardson at the minicamps. The final test of a running back is when there is tackling, but the Browns already believe their selection of the Alabama running back was worth the No. 3 spot in the draft.

2. Start with the fact that the running game in 2011 was bad. Make that terrible. Make it No. 28 in total yards. Even more revealing, the Browns were 31st out of 32 teams in yards per carry, at 3.7.

3. Football Outsiders has a complicated formula for rating teams, using the type of metrics that many front offices employ. The details are very complicated, but the bottom line was the Browns ranked 31st in running the ball. No matter how you look at it, they were awful.

4. That's why they didn't care that only 14 teams start first-round draft picks as running backs, or none of the top five rushers from 2011 were picked higher than No. 53 in the draft. For all the talk about the West Coast Offense, the Browns are determined to run it with authority this season.

5. So they went against the trend and took Richardson because they believe he'll make an immediate impact. He played in Nick Saban's pro offense at Alabama. The Browns thought Richardson was easy to evaluate because he played in the SEC, which usually has the fastest and most elite athletes. He played for a tough coach who has an NFL background, and Saban gave the Browns glowing reports -- telling them how did the little things such as blocking in pass protection and even was very effective (and willing) as a special teams player in his first two seasons.

6. The Browns like that he didn't have a massive amount of carries in college. Richardson had a total of 257 carries in his first two seasons, then 283 (for 1,679 yards) in 2011. Some running backs are physically beat up by the time they reach the NFL.

7. The Browns don't talk about it, but the staff was shocked at how poorly Peyton Hillis blocked in 2011. Maybe it was because he battled injuries, or because he was depressed over his contract situation. But Hillis was not the physical force that he was in 2010.

8. In the minicamps, the Browns liked how Richardson picked the right holes. They appreciated how he "hid" behind his blockers. He's listed at 5-10, and that may be if he's measured on his toes. But shorter backs can have an advantage because it's harder to tackle them -- and it's easier to use their legs to kick off the hands of defenders.

9. Saban insisted Richardson was a good receiver, and that proved true in the minicamps. He didn't lose a fumble as a senior. In his career, he fumbled only seven times -- losing one. His good hands were evident.

10. The Browns called him a "patient runner," allowing the blockers to get ahead and waiting for an opening -- then showing a quick burst once making a decision. His work ethic and attitude has been excellent. The Browns appreciate how he has not said anything controversial about Jim Brown's criticisms.

11. Even more exciting is they see real depth at the position. Veteran Brandon Jackson is healthy and has established himself as the No. 2 back. He is solid in blocking, catching passes and doing what the coaches expect. In 2010, he rushed for 703 yards and caught 43 passes for the Packers. He's only 26, so Jackson fits with the younger team the Browns are building.

12. There will be a major battle between Montario Hardesty and Chris Ogbonnaya for the third back. This is the healthiest and best that the Browns have seen Hardesty. But the 2010 second-rounder has been hurt in the last two training camps once full contact began. Hardesty gained 266 yards, but averaged only 3.0 per carry last season.

13. Ogbonnaya's 334 yards translated into a 4.6 average. He also caught 23 passes with one drop. Hardesty had 14 catches and six drops. Hardesty was never close to 100 percent physically, but if Ogbonnaya were a second-round pick and Hardesty the free agent, wouldn't there be more talk about Ogbonnaya?

14. That said, the coaches have noticed Ogbonnaya. They want the third running back to play special teams, especially on coverage. Ogbonnaya can do that. Can Hardesty do so and stay healthy? One of these backs will be cut, unless someone is hurt in training camp. It will be worth watching how they make the final decision.

15. Finally, back to the 2011 running game. The Browns' longest run of the season was 40 yards, with their four rushing touchdowns ranked dead last in the NFL. In two seasons as the Rams offensive coordinator, Pat Shurmur gave the ball to Steven Jackson enough for him to gain 2,657 yards and average 327 carries per season. New offensive coordinator Brad Childress had Adrian Peterson in Minnesota, and he also likes to run the ball. So Richardson fits into their game plan for 2012.

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2012/07/terry_plutos_talkin_about_the_54.html

So who is going to be this year's winner of the "Brian Robiskie Training Camp MVP" award?