Cleveland Browns: What We've Learned Through Week 1 of Training Camp
The first week of the Cleveland Browns' training camp is in the books, with the first seven days leading up to Friday night's Orange & Brown Scrimmage in Columbus, Ohio. Though just a week in, there has certainly been hot topics worthy of examining in-depth.
Here are the biggest things we have learned coming out of Week 1 of Cleveland's training camp.
Johnny Manziel Makes Progress
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Slowly but surely, backup Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel is becoming increasingly more comfortable with what his coaches are asking of him. While that doesn't mean he's going to be wresting the No. 1 job away from Josh McCown anytime soon, it is obvious during training camp that Manziel is making strides.
His practices on Wednesday and Thursday, in particular, looked good. ESPN's Pat McManamon wrote that, on Wednesday, "The second-year quarterback was sharper than at any time since the Cleveland Browns' training camp started one week ago."
McManamon also noted that his colleague, Jason Gibbs, at ESPN Cleveland, unofficially had Manziel completing 12 of his 16 pass attempts, or 75 percent. For this camp, so far, Manziel has completed 67 percent of his passes, up from 52 percent in 2014.
Head coach Mike Pettine confirmed on Thursday (via Northeast Ohio Media Group's Mary Kay Cabot) that Manziel will work with the first-team offense in Friday's Orange & Brown Scrimmage, but it doesn't mean it's because he's coming closer to overtaking McCown.
Pettine said, "It's just because you want to mix up the supporting cast... You don't want the first time that he's out there with that group of guys to be in a game, so I wouldn't read too much into it that he's going with the ones. [McCown] right now is firmly the one, but don't be surprised at some point during camp if you see Thad [Lewis], maybe even Connor [Shaw] with that group as well."
Manziel, as well, does not see it as any sort of promotion, saying on Thursday, "I wouldn't make a huge deal about it, but to just get in and get some reps with those guys is always good."
But it cannot be denied, as McManamon tweeted on Wednesday, that Manziel has "worked hard at becoming a pocket passer this camp," and he has showed tangible improvements.
CB Pierre Desir with the First Team
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When the Browns coaches have given starting outside cornerbacks Joe Haden and Tramon Williams a day of rest, they aren't turning to 2014 Round 1 draft pick Justin Gilbert to fill in—instead, it's been 2014 Round 4 draft pick Pierre Desir who has been given the nod.
On Sunday, Desir ran with the starters in place of a resting Williams, and on Tuesday, he did the same in place of Haden, reported Scout.com's Fred Greetham. Defensive backs coach Jim Hafley said that Desir got the starting reps "because he earned it. That is how we are going to be in the room. Whoever earns it is going to be who goes out."
Even Gilbert conceded that Desir deserved the first-team playing time, saying, "He's definitely earned to be out there getting those reps. He's worked his tail off." Safety Donte Whitner also praised Desir's work ethic, saying, "Mistakes that he makes on Monday, he doesn't make the same mistake on Tuesday or Wednesday. If he continues to get better and better, I think we're going to have another really, really good corner on our hands."
Unfortunately for Desir, he left Thursday's practice with a hamstring issue, according to the team's official website, and he may not be able to participate in Friday night's scrimmage as a result. It will be interesting to see whether he's the go-to to fill in for Williams and Haden once he returns.
WR Brian Hartline Standing Out
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While much attention has been paid to deep-threat wideout Dwayne Bowe as well as quarterback-turned-receiver Terrelle Pryor, quietly Brian Hartline has been doing some of the best work in the first week of Browns training camp.
Hartline was a standout player, according to ClevelandBrowns.com's Andrew Gribble, on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
Tuesday Gribble wrote, "Hartline showed the toughness and poise he has throughout his NFL career when the Browns went through their red-zone work. His crisp route running, which has been lauded by his teammates and coaches since he was signed in March, was on display throughout the session and allowed him to get the best of Desir and other Browns defensive backs."
On Wednesday, Gribble noted, "Hartline was far and away the biggest playmaker... Connections with [quarterback Josh] McCown happened all over the field: a 30-yard stop-and-go route, crossing patterns over the middle, out routes to the sidelines."
Scout.com's Rick Grayshock agreed, writing on Thursday that Hartline "understands the offense and sees what the defense is doing. He runs great routes and finds a way to get open enough for the quarterback to get the ball to him." Grayshock added, "More than just those red-zone completions, though, Hartline and McCown are on the same page. They seem to be developing a chemistry."
Currently, Bowe is among the Browns players sidelined with minor injuries, which has given Hartline even more opportunities to catch McCown's passes. And when he does, he's standing out in a big way.
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OL Cam Erving Not a Starter
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Though the Browns had initially anticipated that rookie offensive lineman Cam Erving would be a first-team right guard at the start of training camp, so far he's been spending camp exclusively with the second team, reports Andrew Gribble of ClevelandBrowns.com.
This isn't a knock on Erving's talent, but rather it's a result of the Browns being so stacked on their offensive line. The first-team line is unchanged from last year, with Joel Bitonio at left guard, Joe Thomas at left tackle, Alex Mack at center, John Greco at right guard and Mitchell Schwartz at right tackle.
Meanwhile, Erving has spent his time as the second-team right guard and sometimes left tackle. And when Thomas is given a day of rest, it's Andrew McDonald and not Erving who is being called up to fill in.
Offensive line coach Andy Moeller says that this is a "great issue" for the Browns to deal with, adding, "These are great questions and great problems to have, much better than who in the hell is going to be the next guy stepping up. Trying to fit a puzzle of talented players together, that part of it is going to be really good."
If the Browns had a clear vacancy at starting right guard, then it's likely we'd have seen more of Erving with the first team by this point. But because currently the Browns are very confident in their starters, it looks like Erving may spend most of his rookie season on the bench.
Injury Updates
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The Browns' training-camp injuries continue to pile up. After Saturday and Sunday's practices, the team was down to just two running backs—Isaiah Crowell and Shaun Draughn—after Luke Lundy suffered a concussion, Duke Johnson was sidelined with a hamstring injury, Terrance West was nursing an injured calf and Glenn Winston remained off the field with an issue with a knee.
Head coach Mike Pettine is not pleased with the spate of injuries, saying, per Scout.com's Fred Greetham, "It's hard when the lineup is constantly being churned like the way it is. You want to settle it in camp because they're all young and they need the reps and when they're not out there it is a source of frustration." As a result, the Browns signed a pair of backs on Monday, Timothy Flanders and Jalen Parmele.
Linebacker Barkevious Mingo is another major loss due to injury. Mingo suffered a torn meniscus in practice on Tuesday and underwent surgery on Thursday, reported Northeast Ohio Media Group's Mary Kay Cabot. He could miss up to four weeks, which means Mingo could be sidelined for the rest of training camp. According to head coach Mike Pettine, per Kevin Jones of ClevelandBrowns.com, Paul Kruger and Nate Orchard will be joining Scott Solomon to pick up the slack created by Mingo's absence.
Other injuries, per the team's official website, include cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (knee), tight end Randall Telfer (foot), defensive lineman Billy Winn (knee/ankle), receiver Dwayne Bowe (hamstring), WR Terrelle Pryor (hamstring), fullback Malcom Johnson (shoulder), defensive back Robert Nelson (hamstring) and offensive lineman Joe Madsen (concussion).
Defensive lineman Randy Starks and offensive tackle Joe Thomas did not practice on Thursday, having being given a day of rest. Cornerback Pierre Desir (hamstring) and tight end Kevin Haplea (knee) did not finish practice on Thursday.
Additionally, Winston will also be getting a knee scope to repair the injury that has held him out of camp. Like Mingo, he will be evaluated on a week-by-week basis.
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