Dawg Bites: Blurbs About Cleveland Browns Training Camp
There’ s a lot going on in Browns training camp, so here’s some of the latest news and notes coming out of there:
– Linebacker Marcus Benard, signed as an undrafted free agent in 2009, is looking at a potential starting role with the Browns defense this season. D’Qwell Jackson’s injury opens up some room, but Benard’s work ethic and impressive play late last season (he sacked Ben Roethlisberger twice in the Browns’ win over the Steelers on December 10th) and during training camp is making the starting role potentially his to lose.
– After throwing two interceptions in Saturday’s win over the Green Bay Packers, quarterback Colt McCoy is itching for another chance to get reps during a game and improve his play. McCoy is going to be sitting on the sidelines quite a bit when the real games begin, but this is the time where he can work on his mistakes. As a rookie, you expect him to make errors in reading coverage, or to make poor throws, but I imagine we will see a noticeable improvement by the end of the preseason. And, hey, at least he’s not future third-stringer Brady Quinn.
– Is Jake Delhomme back for good? The opinions are certainly mixed, and you can read some of them over at James Walker’s blog on ESPN.
– Here’s another “we could have had him?!” moment for you: the Browns could have drafted quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the third overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. But, like a lot of these what-if thoughts, it’s doubtful that Rodgers would be half as successful in Cleveland as he is in Green Bay, simply because of the team around him. Though 2007 might have been a special year…
– With Floyd “Pork Chop” Womack out for the rest of preseason, and the rest of the right side of the offensive line fighting off injuries, rookie Shawn Lauvao could get the nod at right guard.
– Defensive back Gerard Lawson pleaded no contest on Tuesday after being arrested for drunk driving last weekend. There’s quite a bit attached to his sentence, which includes one year of probation, 72 hours of an alternative to jail program, 20 hours of community service, a six-month suspension of his license, two mandatory MADD meetings and a $500 fine. You’d think a Browns player would have learned his lesson about driving drunk after what happened to former wide receiver Donte Stallworth. But this is the National Football League, where no one ever learns from another person’s mistakes.
– Tight end Ben Watson is catching on quickly in Cleveland, as he might become one of the best signings of the off-season.
– It looks like Eric Wright and Sheldon Brown will be the starting cornerbacks, but rookie Joe Haden has certainly made a strong case. He has been practicing inside as well so he could offer the team more flexibility with its defensive backs.
And finally…
– Brett Favre tricked us all again and forced us to speculate about his return for weeks before ultimately joining the Minnesota Vikings. Don’t you just want to get down on your knees and yell “FAAAAAVVRREE!” like Captain Kirk does for Khan in Star Trek II?