Cleveland Browns (2008 Season)

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Browns receiver Joe Jurevicius might not be ready for the start of the season


Wednesday, June 11, 2008Mary Kay Cabot
Plain Dealer Reporter
Browns receiver Joe Jurevicius might not be ready for the start of the regular season, a source close to the situation said Tuesday.
Jurevicius, an 11th-year pro and native of nearby Timberlake, has had multiple procedures on his knee in the off-season and is still rehabbing in Berea. He's not participating in minicamp, and it's not yet known what he'll be able to do in training camp.
The source said it's much too early to predict whether he'll be ready for the season.

Cont...

[osugrad21]

Canton

Winslow letting his workouts do the talking
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
BY Steve Doerschuk
REPOSITORY STAFF WRITER

BEREA Kellen Winslow Jr. suited up for Tuesday's practice but declined to talk to reporters.

Instead, he showed off for them.

At least, it was clear Winslow was trying extremely hard to impress someone, if only himself, during Tuesday afternoon's minicamp practice.

Nobody ran harder or ripped off cuts more sharply than the 24-year-old Pro Bowl tight end.

He was a sight to behold, serving notice he's preparing for a career year.

One drill was particularly interesting. Receivers had to run behind two props the size of a tall cornerback. Assistant coach Frank Verducci fired passes that in some cases got through the props and in some cases took crazy bounces, making it a good idea to have one's helmet strapped on tight.

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[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

Cleveland Browns lineman LeCharles Bentley misses meeting and practice
by Tony Grossi Plain Dealer Reporter
Wednesday June 11, 2008, 12:42 PM

Observations from the second day of Browns minicamp ...

? LeCharles Bentley missed a team meeting and the first team practice. Coach Romeo Crennel said that Bentley was in the building, but he didn't know the reason he skipped his morning commitments. He said he would to talk to Bentley before the second practice and let the media know the reason for Bentley's unexcused absence.

? Tight end Kellen Winslow stepped in for a few reps in team drills and immediately looked like the best player out there. On one play he got behind linebacker Kris Griffin and hauled in a Brady Quinn pass barely tipped by Griffin. Winslow sprinted about 40 yards to the end zone.

? Teammates razzed linebacker Willie McGinest for allowing a Derek Anderson bullet to go through his hands. McGinest has five career interceptions in 14 NFL seasons.
Continued
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From the above article, it says that Traves Wilson made some nice catches on passes thrown by Quinn. Also states that Harrison and Edwards made some nice catches on passes thrown by Anderson.

[LitlBuck]

After reading the above articles, I think that Savage made a good move in the draft by adding some depth at the receiving corp with Hubbard and even Rucker because it looks like JJ will miss the beginning of the season if not the entire season. Wilson is really going to have to step up. From the reports that I have read, Cribbs is having a difficult time holding on to passes and hopefully that will improve during training camp because he could make a nice slot receiver.

[LitlBuck]

That's really a shame that Bentley could not play for the Browns. From the sounds of the article, I think that he thought he could play for Cleveland this year but probably the depth at OG and the signing of Hadnot in the off season did not bode well for his chances of playing very much this season at least in Cleveland.

[jlb1705]

I wrote a little more about this in Bentley's thread. I think the Browns will come to regret this. It's plain to see they wrote him off a while back, and I think they owed it to him to give him a more honest shot to complete his comeback. He came to the Browns as a free agent when they were such a joke that they couldn't get a sniff from anybody who wasn't pathetic or washed up. Despite the fact that he never played a down for the Browns, the fact that he signed with the team gave them a measure of credibility that they desperately needed. Hopefully he makes the most of the honest chance that some other team is bound to give him.

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by jlb1705

I wrote a little more about this in Bentley's thread. I think the Browns will come to regret this. It's plain to see they wrote him off a while back, and I think they owed it to him to give him a more honest shot to complete his comeback. He came to the Browns as a free agent when they were such a joke that they couldn't get a sniff from anybody who wasn't pathetic or washed up. Despite the fact that he never played a down for the Browns, the fact that he signed with the team gave them a measure of credibility that they desperately needed. Hopefully he makes the most of the honest chance that some other team is bound to give him.

I know what you mean. He was the only really good FA who wanted to come to Cleveland and play for the Browns. Unfortunately, Savage has really buildup the OL and I think Bentley thought that he was physically at the point where he could really step in and almost assume a starting position. Well I really feel sorry for him because he wanted to play for his hometown team so badly, I think he has to realize that he has not played professional football for 2 seasons and it really takes some time to physically get back to play NFL football. It will be interesting to see if he catches on with another NFL team and at what salary.

I don't feel totally sorry for him because he has been paid over the last two years at what he signed for. I don't think the Browns as an organization have really cheated him financially and they also have to look out what is best for the organization.

[Buckeneye]

I like Cribbs getting more work as a receiver; aside from returns, he's not use to having a ball come at him with the zip of an NFL QB.
So I'm glad he's being broken in now - I'd prefer him to develop soft hands in the off season opposed to having drops balls when it counts.

[jlb1705]

Total days LeCharles Bentley spent healthy in a Browns uniform: 1

Total days scrub CB Kenny Wright spent on the roster after being busted smoking pot in a police station parking lot: 40

Does anyone else think there's something wrong with this? This is just another way for me to say how disappointed I am with the organization right now.

[jwinslow]

Does anyone else think there's something wrong with this?

Yes. The notion that there's nothing more to the story than that for Bentley.

They won't say much, but the little that was said sounded pretty tense.

[Crashcup]

Originally Posted by jlb1705

I wrote a little more about this in Bentley's thread. I think the Browns will come to regret this. It's plain to see they wrote him off a while back, and I think they owed it to him to give him a more honest shot to complete his comeback. He came to the Browns as a free agent when they were such a joke that they couldn't get a sniff from anybody who wasn't pathetic or washed up. Despite the fact that he never played a down for the Browns, the fact that he signed with the team gave them a measure of credibility that they desperately needed. Hopefully he makes the most of the honest chance that some other team is bound to give him.

I must've missed something.

[jlb1705]

Originally Posted by Crashcup

I must've missed something.

Actually, if you missed the Cleveland Browns from 1999-2005, you really didn't miss anything at all.

[NFBuck]

Originally Posted by jlb1705

Actually, if you missed the Cleveland Browns from 1999-2005, you really didn't miss anything at all.

Eh, 2002 had it's moments, the rest belongs on the scrap heap. you can add 2006 on there too, unless you like FB sweeps on 3rd down.

[osugrad21]

DDN

Baxter trying to make team as a safety

By By Sean McClelland
Staff Writer

Thursday, June 12, 2008
BEREA ? Gary Baxter is back. Seems we've heard this before about the defensive back, but this time it might be true.
Bidding to become the first NFL player to return from two torn patellar tendons, Baxter worked in team drills Wednesday morning for the first time since suffering the injuries in 2006.
The former cornerback will get every chance in training camp to prove he should stick with the team as a safety ? unless he goes the LeCharles Bentley route and demands his release.
"Just to be on this page right now gives me the confidence to know I can practice and I can play," Baxter said. "It's like a hundred times better than last year. A night-and-day difference."
Baxter missed much of the 2006 season following double knee surgery, then the entire 2007 campaign. This is likely sink-or-swim time for him.
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[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Browns receiver Joe Jurevicius says he will be back for training camp


Thursday, June 12, 2008
For the first time, receiver Joe Jurevicius disclosed that he had three surgeries in the off-season - one to clean up an old knee injury and two to treat a staph infection.
But the Timberlake native vowed, "I will be back, not only for the season opener, but for training camp."
Jurevicius added: "The problem that I did have is now gone, and my rehab has probably gone better than expected. I have exceeded what the trainers had planned for me. I'm ready to get ready for training camp."

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