On draft day, Jim Brown didn't exactly sound like a believer in Trent Richardson, whom his Cleveland Browns drafted in the first round. Brown told ESPNCleveland.com that he doesn't see anything outstanding from the University of Alabama star. “When you think of greatness and the great backs, they all had some individual traits that you can identify – quickness, balance, power, speed,” Brown said. “I think the kid is a good working back, and if you’ve got everything else around him he can play his role. But when it... [Read More]
Browns LB Scott Fujita, facing a three-game suspension with the NFL alleging he was part of the Saints’ pay-for-performance scandal, once again denied his involvement Tuesday. Asked if he had evidence to clear his name, Fujita said: “Right now, it’s just my word against theirs, and it’s a tough situation to be in. Can I go to bed at night, look myself in the mirror and know what actually happened? Yes. But it’s an uphill battle. Can I go toe-to-toe with the media and all that kind of stuff? It’s a challenging... [Read More]
Browns quarterback Colt McCoy said after practice Tuesday that he didn't ask to be traded because the Browns promised him a chance to compete for the starting job according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "As long as I'm given an opportunity to compete, if it's a fair competition, that's all you can ask for,'' McCoy said after the first day of organized team activities. He said he got a call from the Browns after they drafted Brandon Weeden No. 22 overall out of Oklahoma State. "(They) said... [Read More]
Browns General Manager Tom Heckert said Monday that Browns defensive tackle Phil Taylor, who underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a torn left pectoral muscle, will definitely be back in 2012. "Oh, 100 percent, yeah," Heckert said before his keynote address at the Akron Browns Backers Banquet at Tangier Restaurant. "I don't think there's any question about that. We think he'll probably be [ready] end of October, early November, but he'll definitely be back, no doubt, no question about it." Heckert... [Read More]
On the eve of organized team activities, when Brandon Weeden and Colt McCoy will practice with the full squad together for the first time, Browns general manager Tom Heckert clarified the nature of the competition. "You can write about it and talk about it however you want. The best guy is going to play and we fully Brandon to be that guy,'' Heckert said at the Akron Browns Backers Banquet at Tangier Restaurant. "That's our goal is to have him be the guy. I think when we say, open competition, the best guy's... [Read More]
Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald believes that Browns WR Josh Cribbs could be entering his final season with the team. Schudel mentions the fact that Cribbs will be 29 in the coming weeks as being a concern, but the changes to the leagues kickoff rules also diminish his value. Cleveland has needs better options at receiver and while they may not have walked away with someone like Kendall Wright in this year’s draft, they almost certainly address the position with more young talent next year. Cribbs will make a... [Read More]
Browns defensive tackle Phil Taylor underwent surgery to repair a torn left pectoral muscle today at the Cleveland Clinic, but "everybody's optimistic he's going to have a significant impact on the team this season,'' a league source told The Plain Dealer. The surgery went well, according to the source, and doctors feel everything's gone better than planned. Taylor was injured Friday while he was bench-pressing during the Browns off-season program at their facility in Berea. Browns President Mike Holmgren said... [Read More]
Browns quarterback Colt McCoy is determined to stave off the challenge from rookie Brandon Weeden for his starting job according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "I'm a competitor and I'm working harder than ever,'' he wrote in an email. They were his first public remarks since Weeden was drafted No. 22 overall to become the Browns starter, McCoy declined further comment for now, because he's focusing on the Browns offseason program and the challenge he'll get from Weeden. McCoy might be available... [Read More]
The Carolina Panthers have claimed second-year running back Armond Smith off waivers from the Cleveland Browns. Smith, who had three carries for 2 yards in three games as a rookie with the Browns, is expected to compete with Josh Vaughan and three undrafted free agents – Tauren Poole, Princeton McCarty and Lyndon Rowells – for the fourth running back spot. To make room for Smith on the 90-man roster, the Panthers waived defensive back Reggie Sullivan
The Tennessee Titans are scheduled to host veteran safeties Yeremiah Bell and Chris Crocker on Tuesday. Bell has played all eight NFL seasons with the Dolphins, racking up 433 tackles and eight interceptions. Crocker is a 10-year veteran who has played with the Bengals, Dolphins, Falcons and Browns. He has 476 tackles and 10 interceptions. The Titans don’t have any experienced depth behind starting safeties Jordan Babineaux and Michael Griffin.
With their rookie minicamp in the rear view mirror and workouts with veterans set to begin, Cleveland Browns first-round pick Brandon Weeden is ready to compete with veterans Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace for the starting quarterback job, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer reports. "Absolutely, I think we're just going to compete," Weeden said on Sunday. "Nothing will change. I know Colt (is) a good guy. I know Seneca is a good guy. I met Seneca, so I'm looking forward to just being part of the other... [Read More]
Rookie Travis Benjamin, the Cleveland Browns' fourth-round draft pick, will be in the mix for a starting wide receiver spot, coach Pat Shurmur told The Plain Dealer on Sunday. "I would say so," Shurmur said. "I saw a lot of good stuff from Travis this weekend and I feel like he'll only continue to get better." Shurmur expects the speedy receiver out of Miami to see significant time if he doesn't crack the starting lineup. The 5-foot-10, 172-pound Benjamin was the only receiver taken by Cleveland in... [Read More]
Former Ohio State linebacker Andrew Sweat signed a three-year contract with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent, but was a no-show for rookie mini-camp on Friday and will not pursue an NFL career, Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Post-Dispatch reports. In 39 career games as Buckeye, the 6-foot-1, 238-pound Sweat totaled 133 tackles, including nine tackles for loss, with three interceptions, four passes defensed and five forced fumbles. Sweat missed time as a sophomore with a knee injury that required... [Read More]
The Browns have signed rookie linebacker Emmanuel Acho to a four-year contract worth $2.178 million, Scout.com reported tonight. The deal includes a signing bonus of $78,680, according to the report. The Browns drafted Acho in the sixth round (No. 204 overall). The 6-foot-2, 238-pound Acho had a team-high 131 tackles, including 19 for loss and three sacks, last season as a senior at Texas. He started all 13 games at weakside linebacker in 2011.
The Cleveland Browns agreed to terms on a four-year contract with second-round offensive lineman Mitch Schwartz, according to a league source. Schwartz is the younger brother of Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz. Schwartz gets high grades for his technique and for having a nasty streak. The 6-foot-5, 318-pounder bench pressed 225 pounds 23 times at the NFL scouting combine, posting a 26 1/2 inch vertical leap and a 7.86 three-cone drill.
