Cleveland Browns 2010 Training Camp: Best Of Week One Recap
Today the Cleveland Browns have their annual Brown vs. White scrimmage at Cleveland Browns Stadium for Family Day, but the last week of training camp practices have revealed several interesting facts.
Some players that Browns fans were hopeful to surprise, have not, and some that were overlooked have shined.
The following are the best observations taking in the past week as a whole.
Special Teams Look To Be Solid Once Again
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Assistant Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator Brad Seely is really one of the best in the NFL at what he does and in 2009, the Cleveland Browns' special teams unit was ranked as the No. 1 unit in the NFL by a Texas based group who is able to rank the special teams of the NFL.
So far in camp Seely has been very vocal, as he always is, and the unit looks to be a fined tuned group once again going into the new season.
Led by Pro Bowler Josh Cribbs, the Browns' special teams looks to utilize more players as returners to help give Cribbs a chance to catch his breath since he will be more of a focal point on offense.
Possible kick returners include rookie corner Joe Haden and backup corner Gerard Lawson.
And a possible punt returner looks to be receiver Chansi Stuckey.
Look for big things from this group again and a few more returns for scores from Cribbs or perhaps another backup returner this year.
Breakout Year For Receivers
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There was a lot of talk and debate in the Browns community regarding if the team needed to add a veteran receiver to the roster.
Well, they did add vet Bobby Ingram, but after a week of practices it looks like Ingram was indeed brought in to help teach the young receiver group since he has not made a big splash in his own right to make the final roster.
A receiver group that includes Mohamed Massaquoi, Brian Robiskie, Josh Cribbs, and Chansi Stuckey are all in their second year as a receivers in this system and they all look much better than one year ago.
Massaquoi has been silently running great routes and making plays under the media radar, but I have seen him with my own eyes and he has made moves that have left veteran corner Sheldon Brown feeling the burn.
Stuckey looks fast and a great slot receiver option since he is able to get off the line quick and make one move to get open inside.
Cribbs is really in year two of being a true receiver for the Browns and his running looks smoother. He, too, is catching much better, and it appears he took a lot of time in the offseason improving his hands.
Robiskie looks night and day better than in camp one year ago and his route running is the best of the group.
He runs so well that he is able to get open just from his route running alone, which is a great sign of his progression.
A Very Disciplined Team
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Head Coach Eric Mangini is a disciplinarian coach and he wants his players to play near-perfect football, especially when it comes to preventing unnecessary penalties and committing "bone-head" plays on game days.
One year ago in Mangini's first Browns camp, there was player after player running laps around the practice fields due to committing errors.
This year, there have been some players who have had to run laps, but no where near as many as last year.
In 2009, the Browns averaged the third least amount of penalties per game with 4.6, behind only the Colts and the Jaguars.
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Unleashing T.J. Ward on Game Day Will Be Very Entertaining
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Browns rookie second round pick T.J. Ward may be short, but what he lacks in height, he makes up for in thickness and solid physical stature.
A big-time hitter in college, Ward is transitioning from playing strong safety in college to free safety for the Browns.
Even though he has had he good plays and his bad plays during camp, all which are part of the rookie growing pains, he has laid the smackdown on several teammates during practice.
One particular play stands out when tight end Robert Royal caught a pass, but then as soon as Royal turned to go up the field, Ward laid him out.
Ward's defensive teammates went nuts and gave him high-fives, but when Royal got up, he went over to Ward and got in his face to give the rookie some words.
Even though Royal towers over Ward by six inches, Ward stood his ground and didn't back down against the veteran tight end.
If Ward does indeed start for the Browns, he will get his chance to hit receivers like Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco, Anquan Boldin, and Hines Ward this upcoming season, which should be really fun to watch.
Jerome Harrison and The Offensive Line Look To Be in Sync Still
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With rookie Montario Hardesty nursing an injury for the next few weeks, 2009 breakout Jerome Harrison has gotten the upper hand of landing the starting running back spot going into the season.
After one week of work, it is easy to see that both Harrison and the offensive line are clicking on all cylinders already and picking up right where they left off in 2009, when Harrison ran for over 550 yards in the last three games.
The Browns are going to be a run-heavy team this year and the fact that the running attack, led by Harrison, looks to be ready for the season already is a good thing.
What is intriguing is seeing when Hardesty gets into the lineup and with all the praise he was receiving during the offseason program, if he can go into the first team and pick up where he left off prior to camp.
If he can, then look for a potent running game on the shores of Lake Erie in 2010.
More Than One Rookie Will Make an Impact in 2010
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This year, rookies will get their chance to play during the season and it is up to them to step up their game and make a name for themselves.
Haden will most likely be the No. 3 cornerback and he will get his chance to cover both opposing teams' No. 2 and No. 3 receivers this year.
Ward is penciled in a the starting free safety and he will get his chance to hit and be disruptive in the defensive backfield.
Offensive guard Shawn Lauvao may get some time at guard in various power formations and in a backup role to give starting guard Floyd Womack breathers at times.
Finally, Hardesty is easily going to get a good amount of carries, even though he is a bit behind other running backs since he has missed the first week of camp.
Perhaps another rookie like receivers Carlton Mitchell or Jonathan Haggerty will get a chance too, but there is no doubt there will be more than one rookie who will have a chance to become a playmaker this year.
Biggest Surprises From Week One
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In order to keep this fair, here are four surprises (two from each side of the ball which can be either good or bad) from the first week of Browns camp.
1. Syndric Steptoe - Many fans didn't even realize he was still on the roster, but he has been super fast and getting many passes thrown in his direction since he has been able to use his speed to get open and catch the ball.
2. David Veikune - The second year linebacker has been a bit of a disappointment and even though he is being used primarily as an inside linebacker now, he is getting held up on inside blocks and is not making any type of real impact. He has been playing as a backup on the second team defense.
3. Eric Wright - Being in a contract year, Wright has stepped up his play tremendously in camp so far and has been the recipient of many Jake Delhomme passes (interceptions), which shows that Wright could very well be a true ball-hawk this year to get himself a big long-term deal from the Browns.
4. Evan Moore - The second-year tight end has some of the best hands on the team and his has been used as both a blocking tight end and in the slot. His size and surprising quickness has been his biggest asset against defenders in order to position himself to be open for passes.
Obviously there could be more, but these are the biggest that standout from Week One.
Players On The Bubble
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Picking one player on offense and one on defense who, after one week could be on the roster bubble was not an easy task, but here are two as of right now who could be on that bubble.
Veikune - Playing the backup to the second team defense is not a good sign for the linebacker especially since he is subbing in for fellow 2009 draft class linebacker Kaluka Maiava.
Robert Royal - The veteran tight end is a solid blocker, but his hands are still an issue and he has had too many dropped passes that were easily catchable balls.
First Team Offense Prediction
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Here is how the first team offense is projecting after week one, with the primary backups in parentheses.
QB - Jake Delhomme (Seneca Wallace)
RB - Jerome Harrison (James Davis)
FB - Lawrence Vickers (Peyton Hillis)
WRs - Mohamed Massaquoi, Brian Robiskie (Chansi Stuckey, Josh Cribbs)
TE - Ben Watson (Evan Moore)
LT - Joe Thomas (Scott Kooistra)
LG - Eric Steinbach (Casey Bender)
C - Alex Mack (Billy Yates)
RG - Floyd Womack (Shawn Lauvao)
RT - Tony Pashos (John St. Clair)
First Team Defense Prediction
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Here is a prediction of the first team defense, with the primary backups in parentheses.
DE - Kenyon Coleman (Shaun Rogers as the starter once healthy?)
DT - Ahtyba Rubin (Shaun Rogers when healthy)
DE - Robaire Smith (Brian Schaefering)
OLB - Scott Fujita (Jason Trusnik)
ILB - D'Qwell Jackson (Kaluka Maiava)
ILB - Chris Gocong (Eric Barton)
OLB - Matt Roth (David Bowens)
CBs - Eric Wright, Sheldon Brown (Joe Haden, Brandon McDonald)
FS - T. J. Ward (Mike Adams)
SS - Abe Elam (Larry Asante)
(Daniel Wolf is exclusively covering the Browns training camp for both Bleacher Report and Dawg Scooper: THE Cleveland Browns Blog.)
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