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Browns Notes: Manziel, Pettine, Gilbert

December 25th, 2014 at 8:54am CST by Rob DiRe

Reports that the Browns will explore all options at quarterback have rookie Johnny Manziel fired up, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

Manziel, who has only seen limited playing time this season before being placed on the injured reserve, thinks the team would be wrong to move on from him after such a small sample of snaps.

“I don’t think it would be fair to give up on somebody after seven quarters of football,” said Manziel. “If that’s what they were in the business for and what they intended on me coming in here doing — just giving him seven quarters, giving him a couple of games and then looking somewhere else — I don’t think that’s a lot of commitment and sticking with somebody.”

Manziel struggled in his limited playing time, but spoke about the process of learning how to play in the NFL. He does not believe he has had enough opportunity to be evaluated at the professional level.

“If that’s what they think is enough to evaluate a quarterback, then that’s really up to them, but I’m going into this offseason working extremely hard and wanting to be the guy next year,” said Manziel. “If that’s not the case, then obviously we’ll see down the road, but that’s my mindset going into it and I’m 100-percent sticking with it.”

Florio writes that this idea is not totally accurate, as Manziel had plenty of time during the offseason, training camp, and preseason to compete for the starting job, and failed to take advantage of those opportunities. He also notes that the injury Manziel suffered against the Panthers only magnifies concerns about his ability to stay healthy in the league.

Here are some other notes about Manziel and the team’s other first round pick:

  • Head coach Mike Pettine responded to the idea that the organization had already written off Manziel, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter). Pettine agrees that it would be unfair to think the book is closed on Manziel after just one season where he did not even get to play two full games.
  • Manziel isn’t the only rookie who has drawn the ire of the organization, as Justin Gilbert failed to live up to expectations after being drafted eighth overall in 2014. Browns’ safety Donte Whitner was critical of his season, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. “It’s time to grow up and not be a kid anymore. It’s a wasted year for him,” Whitner said. “There were so many ups, so many downs — a lot of it has been brought on by himself.”
  • Whitner was not the only teammate of Gilbert’s who was critical of him after one season. Karlos Dansby agreed that both Gilbert and Manziel wasted a year of their career, writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland.com. “When you’re a first-round pick, you’ve got to c’mon, man” said Dansby. “They’ve got to reset their goals and they’ve got to do it fast,” said Dansby. “There’s so much (Gilbert) could’ve done better and he didn’t put forth the effort. So yeah, it’s a wasted year.”
  • Still, Pettine is not ready to label Gilbert as a bust either, reports Cabot. “Are we ready to write both of those players off as busts because they didn’t produce as rookies?” Pettine said. “I’m not anywhere near that point. That’s just a knee-jerk. Some rookies come in and play right away. Others it takes some time.”

Extra Points: Browns, Harbaugh, Peterson

December 7th, 2014 at 10:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Let’s take a look at some assorted notes as we wrap up the weekend…

  • The Browns quest to make the playoffs for the first time since 2002 took a hit today, but don’t expect the team to make any drastic changes. Following Cleveland’s 25-24 loss to the Colts, coach Mike Pettine addressed the play of quarterback Brian Hoyer (via David Campbell of Cleveland.com). “He did not play well enough for us to win,” Pettine said. “The entire team did not play well enough for us to win.” So, will the team make the switch to rookie Johnny Manziel? “I haven’t even thought about it,” said Pettine. “It’s something we’ll get together and discuss. It’s too fresh after this one.”
  • There isn’t only a quarterback controversy in Cleveland. According to Branson Wright of The Plain Dealer, the Browns may be looking for another kicker after veteran Billy Cundiff missed another key kick. “It’s obviously concerning,” said Pettine. “We get field goal attempts, we get a chance to put points on the board against a good team and you’ve got to be able to convert.”
  • There have been plenty of rumors regarding Jim Harbaugh‘s future with the 49ers, but the head coach was adamant that the whispers have not distracted his team, saying “it can’t be a factor.” The coach was also clear that he’s focused on this season. “My priorities are No. 1, winning football games,” Harbaugh said (via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com). “No. 2, the welfare of our players, coaches and staff. And, lastly, is what my personal professional future is.”
  • A resolution to the Adrian Peterson appeal will come eventually, and Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com believes the running back will be on the field in 2015 if a deal is reached. If a deal isn’t reached, the writer warns that a lawsuit could be the next option.

AFC North Notes: Smith, Brown, Allen, Browns

October 28th, 2014 at 6:06pm CST by Matt Feminis

Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith (foot sprain) will be out “at least a few weeks,” writes the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson, who points to Nov. 24 against the Saints or the following week against the Chargers as possible return dates for Smith. When asked about adding a free-agent cornerback, head coach John Harbaugh said, “We don’t have to. If we can find the right guy, we’ll do that. They are scarce.” Instead, for now, the Ravens will turn to Dominique Franks to replace Smith. The team also has Chykie Brown, who has been inactive the last two games.

In other AFC North news…

  • Despite the Ravens stating publicly they don’t intend to go outside the current roster for cornerback help, Wilson tweets the team inquired about Tony Carter of the Broncos prior to the trade deadline.
  • The Steelers are another AFC North team with cornerback issues because Cortez Allen, who signed a five-year, $25MM deal before the season, has not only lost his starting job, but is in danger of being inactive, writes Ray Fittipaldo in the Post-Gazette. Head coach Mike Tomlin insists he remains confident in Allen’s abilities, but says the cornerback is leaving too many plays on the field: “[Allen] has to finish opportunities that he’s not getting done. Oftentimes, he is in position because he does a great job getting in position, but position is just an element of it. You have to finish.”
  • Fittipaldo also notes the Steelers expect to have right tackle Marcus Gilbert back in the starting lineup. He sat out last week with a concussion.
  • Steelers receiver Antonio Brown leads the NFL in receptions and targets, ranks second in receiving yards, is fourth in receiving touchdowns and paces all receivers with a 13.1 grade from Pro Football Focus. In Brown’s case, the stats don’t lie, says Tomlin, who boasted (via the team’s website) that the fifth-year playmaker is performing at an elite level. “He’s one of the best in the world at what he does,” said Tomlin at his weekly news conference. “(Antonio) is physically and mentally on top of his game, and when you have somebody who’s playing like that, you step into a stadium and he’s a known issue but still he performs. We say similar things about guys like J.J. Watt. We knew what he was capable of when we were getting ready to play the Houston Texans, but it still doesn’t stop the storm from coming. Antonio is playing at that type of a level from a wide receiver standpoint, a J.J. Watt discussion kind of a level.”
  • The Browns rank last in the NFL in punt returns, which prompted ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi to wonder if Josh Cribbs might get a phone call. However, head coach Mike Pettine quashed any speculation by saying, “Josh’s name hasn’t come up.”

Mike Pettine On Carr, Manziel, Hoyer

October 22nd, 2014 at 5:59pm CST by Zachary Links

This Sunday, the Browns will take on the Raiders who are led by promising rookie quarterback Derek Carr. While the Browns drafted the most talked about QB this year, Carr is making the biggest impact of any rookie signal caller this year. Cleveland coach Mike Pettine can’t help but be impressed by what he’s seen out of Carr. “For a rookie quarterback, the kid’s playing.. pretty well,” Pettine said, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. “You use a coaching cliché, ‘He can make all the throws.’ This is a kid that can legitimately make all the throws. You could tell he’s got a firm grasp of what they’re doing.” In an alternate universe somewhere, the Browns resisted the urge to draft Johnny Manziel and instead selected Carr. While you ponder that, here are more highlights from today’s presser, courtesy of Ulrich:

On what his discussions were like with Carr before the draft

Positive. We had a good visit with him – ran out to Fresno (State University), spent some time with him and his brother. It was good. He’s very mature. If you’re around him you wouldn’t think that he’s a kid just coming out of college. The fact that he’s so close with his brother and what his brother has been through in the NFL, I think prepared him that much more. It’s showing up in his play. You can tell he’s very much a student of the game just by how he plays. You can tell he knows certain defenses, where to go with the ball, when to get out of a run and throw it on the outside and based on coverage where to attack a defense. I think his football IQ is well ahead of the game because of his background.

On if his brother David Carr’s lack of success in the NFL ever came up when evaluating Derek Carr

No, to me, you look at it as a positive because the mistakes that his brother made or what happened to his brother can only make Derek better. Like I said, here’s a guy that’s only been sacked four times. He can make plays with his feet and get out of the pocket. He’s got a quick release, and he’s decisive with the ball and they’re blocking well in front of him.

On if the Browns had Carr rated close to Manziel on their draft board

I don’t know where he finally fell in that cluster of guys, but this year – just going back looking at the draft – you just had so many varying opinions on players. It wasn’t that there was a clear consensus on it, but when you watched the Fresno tape he was guy that you knew this kid’s an NFL quarterback.

On what makes him think that pending free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer can come back from last week’s loss to the Jaguars

Number one, I think his confidence, his preparation, his ability to compartmentalize and put something behind him, then also just confidence in the guys around him. I think all the guys know on offense that they didn’t play well enough for the offense to be successful, which was a big part in making his performance look the way that it did starts up front. That goes to the backs, to the receivers, to the tight end. It’s the whole group, and it’s a subtle effect. When you have issues in the run game that puts you in second-and-9. It’s hard for your quarterback to look good at times – second-and-9, third-and-9 than it is second-and-5, third-and-4. To me, it’s a ripple effect throughout when you’re not playing at a high level around him

Browns GM Talks QBs, Wideouts, Rookies

September 6th, 2014 at 8:39am CST by Ben Levine

Browns general manager Ray Farmer has seen his team steal headlines this offseason, and not necessarily for all the right reasons. Rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel has captivated the media, while star wide receiver Josh Gordon also made news when he received a season-long suspension. On Friday, the general manager spoke to reporters on a variety of subjects, and we have some of the key quotes below (via Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com)…

On the team’s decision to release quarterback Rex Grossman, carry two rookie running backs as backups to Ben Tate and solidify their offensive line depth:

“I’ll start with Rex. A lot of discussion went into that decision. I will tell you that we kept two quarterbacks because we felt like there were other players on the roster right now that could contribute to winning games on Sundays. Second question was the backup running backs in pass protection. I would tell you that from my perspective my job is to make sure the guys on the team are talented enough to play and perform. We think we’ve got guys to play and perform. I think the coaches have done a great job preparing those guys, and pass protection’s a part of that. If they’re called upon I’m pretty sure they’ll go out there and they’ll contribute to the roster the best way they can. The final one was the backup offensive line. I said this from the beginning – we’re going to be able to control the line of scrimmage at some point in time. We’re going to want to run the football. We’re going to want to be good up front, and you’ve got to have quality depth up front to do that. We added guys to the roster that we thought would improve our depth and give us a chance to be as good up front as we can be.”

On his wide receivers and the team’s release of Nate Burleson:

“I’m good with our receiving corps. I think the guys that we kept give us an opportunity to be dynamic in a lot of different ways. We have guys that I think can stretch the field. We have guys that I think can be good with the football in their hands. That’s what you want. I will say that the decision not to keep Nate was a tough one, good conversation between he and I about what went into that decision. I’ll leave that conversation private, but I do think that in all my time in football he’s right up there with the pro’s pros of how it was handled, what was said and how that whole thing was orchestrated.”

On whether the number of undrafted rookies who ultimately made the roster was an indication of good scouting or lack of depth:

“I would tend to say it’s good scouting. I would tend to say it’s our guys finding the guys that can help us. I don’t know if that number really every comes into my mind like, ‘Oh my goodness. We passed 15. We can’t be over 15. Cut somebody.’ That just never comes into play. You just want guys who can perform their task at a high level. There are several teams, even now, that are one, two guys different than we are in the league, and somehow there is a notion that we have too many college free-agents. It doesn’t matter to me one iota if the guy was drafted or not. I think one-third of the league is made up of college free agents. We have our share.”

His expectations for first-year coach Mike Pettine:

“I’m excited. I really think that he’s built for this. I spent a lot of time with Pett during this offseason preparing the roster and talking about what we’re going to do and what’s the right thing for this football team, and I can assure you when you talk about football and you look in this man’s eyes, he believes that he is going to prepare his team to do battle every single week. I bought in. I don’t know if everybody else is bought in, but I’m bought in. I know who Mike Pettine is and I believe it.”

On carrying 12 defensive backs on his 53-man roster:

“It’s been done, but I will say that anytime you get to your 53, you can be the best 53 guys, regardless of position. The worst thing that could happen is you cut a guy that can play and you know can play, and then somebody scoops him up and he goes and plays well for them. In our mind, when you have an excess, particularly at corner – we have guys that we think can play in this league – you hold onto them. The worst case is when you let them go and somebody gets them. That’s what happens. Our scouting staff has done a really good job in my mind of looking at other rosters because when you look at other players that either got signed to practice squads or were retained on teams, you go through an exercise of who’s going to make rosters, just like everybody else, to try to predetermine who is going to get released, good players don’t get cut. A lot of times, teams find a way to stash them, and when they don’t, it’s our job to then scoop in and scoop those guys up.”

On quarterback Brian Hoyer:

“I feel good about Brian. He’s going to do exactly what Brian does. We’re at a point now where we get to the regular season, you become a lot more focused and you things get a lot more honed in. Brian’s going to be prepared. He’s a pro’s pro. He studies it. He works at it. He’s committed to being that guy. His performance will speak for itself on Sunday, but I feel confident he’s going to go out there and play well.”

On whether he’ll continue to seek help for the bottom of his roster:

“It’s never settled. It’s the never ending movie. Like I said, there are teams that take different strategies in how they release and organize their team and as we go through this process there will be opportunities to get other players. And if those players are an advantage of being here, we are going to take advantage of we are at right now. Having the fourth claiming order you get to jump a lot of teams for a guy that you see out there that you want. You’ve got to take advantage of that while you can and that’s what we plan on doing.”

AFC North Links: Shipley, Keenum, Cox, Grossman

August 31st, 2014 at 8:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Former Ravens center A.Q. Shipley wasn’t unemployed for very long, as he was claimed off waivers by his former team, the Colts, earlier today. The offensive lineman briefly spoke to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun and reflected on his stint with Baltimore (all via Wilson’s Twitter):

“I was definitely surprised to get cut, being a veteran guy. I understand it’s a business…Definitely a good feeling to go back to a lot of familiar faces and an offense I was learning before I got traded…I totally understand about keeping draft picks. I get it. John Urschel is a good kid. I’m happy for him…I had a lot of fun playing for the Ravens. It was great.”

Let’s check out some more rumblings from the AFC North…

  • Considering Case Keenum‘s connection to Baltimore offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley believes the Ravens could pursue the quarterback.
  • Derek Cox will not be signing with the Ravens this evening, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. However, there’s a good chance he’ll be back with Baltimore soon, possibly on Monday.
  • Browns coach Mike Pettine indicated that recently-released quarterback Rex Grossman might be back sooner than later. “I wouldn’t read too much into it right now,” he said (via a tweet from the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot). “Some guys could come back. It’s fluid.”
  • The Browns worked out former Bears offensive lineman James Brown, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs (via Twitter).

AFC North Links: Browns, Ravens, Steelers

August 16th, 2014 at 4:06pm CST by Rob DiRe

Browns‘ head coach Mike Pettine had a lot to say about his team, and spoke with reporters after today’s final practice of training camp. Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com transcribed his thoughts about how the team has fared since training camp opened. Pettine broaches many subjects, notably the fight that occurred during practice, various injury questions, and the current quarterback situation.

Here are some other links from around the AFC North:

  • In case Pettine couldn’t answer all the Browns‘ fans’ questions, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com took a stab at answering some reader e-mails. The majority of the questions dealt with the quarterback position, but were not limited to Johnny Manziel and Brian Hoyer. Third and fourth stringers Connor Shaw and Rex Grossman drew their own inquiries as well.
  • The Ravens wrapped up their own training camp, and Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com gave his breakdown of the entire camp. He announced his best, most disappointing, and most improved players on each side of the ball, as well as highlighted some of the best and worst individual plays from camp.
  • The Ravens have as many as seven wide receivers competing for the final spot or two on the team’s active roster, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. “Nobody has really separated themselves because nobody has fallen off right now,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “They’ve all played well. The games are going to be a big thing now. If practice doesn’t separate guys, then maybe the games will.”
  • The Steelers‘ have five serious candidates competing for four roster spots at offensive tackle, writes Scott Brown of ESPN.com. While the starters are more or less in place, and Mike Adams is cemented as the backup at both spots, Guy Whimper and Wesley Johnson are battling for the final spot. Whimper has the experience, but Johnson is versatile and still has room to develop after being drafted this past May.

AFC Notes: Bengals, Ballard, Manziel, Raiders

July 25th, 2014 at 5:56pm CST by Ben Levine

Linebacker J.K. Schaffer played in nine games for the Bengals in 2013, making most of his impact on special teams. However, the former undrafted rookie understands that a roster spot is not guaranteed, and he explained to Bill Koch of Cincinnati.com that the situation isn’t too different from last year…

“The only difference now is that I’ve done it,” Schaffer said. “I’ve been there. I’ve played in games, so that’s a good feeling, knowing that I’m not just trying to get to the point where I do play in a game.

“With this league, you’ve always got to fight to keep your job no matter who you are.”

Schaffer would be vying for the third middle linebacker spot behind Rey Maualuga and Vincent Rey and will likely be competing with fellow special team’s ace Jayson DiManche.

Let’s check out some more notes from the AFC…

  • Colts running back Vick Ballard was carted off the field this afternoon, and sources tell ESPN’s Chris Mortensen that the player has a torn ACL (via Twitter). Ballard missed last season with the same injury.
  • Johnny Manziel‘s off-the-field antics have “alarmed” some within the Browns organization, reports Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. The writer notes that some feel that the rookie quarterback has “lost ground” to Brian Hoyer heading into camp.
  • Meanwhile, Browns head coach Mike Pettine said that Manziel came to camp “focused” and called the quarterback competition “open,” tweets the Akron Beacon Journal’s Nate Ulrich.
  • Projected starting cornerback D.J. Hayden is still recovering from foot surgery and could miss several more weeks, but Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie explains to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle that his club doesn’t “want to push the panic button yet” and sign another corner.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Shazier, Dennard

May 9th, 2014 at 1:27pm CST by Matt Feminis

Although there was some speculation that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam may have had a hand in the club’s decision to trade up for Johnny Manziel, GM Ray Farmer says that “at no point in the draft did Jimmy try to influence the decisions that were made” (Twitter link via Lindsay Jones of USA Today). Meanwhile, head coach Mike Pettine says Manziel won’t simply be handed the starting job, and that he’ll compete with Brian Hoyer, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter).

  • Ryan Shazier, drafted 15th overall by the Steelers, “has no holes” according to head coach Mike Tomlin, who was quoted by Ed Bouchette in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • In an additional blog post, Bouchette defended the selection: “Shazier is exactly the kind of player Chuck Noll told Art Rooney Jr. he needed when the Steelers hired him to coach them in 1969 – great athletes with great production. That’s what Shazier has. . .He also has the kind of speed where you could line him up with some of the fastest wide receivers and cornerbacks and he would beat most of them to the tape.”
  • Sitting at No. 46 in the second round, the Steelers could benefit from an expected run of offensive linemen, says ESPN’s Scott Brown, who lists ten prospects who could be on the Steelers radar, four of which are echoed by Bouchette: Penn State WR Allen Robinson, Indiana WR Cody Latimer, Notre Dame defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt and Minnesota defensive lineman Ra’Shede Hageman.
  • Also buried in Bouchette’s post were a few tidbits: Shazier is an obvious upgrade over Vince Williams, especially when it comes to speed and range; Shazier might have been preferred over CJ Mosley, in part, because of durability; and anything the team gets out of Sean Spence will be a bonus, as they are “not counting on him at all.”
  • Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome was looking for a “bonanza” to move off the 17th pick, which he used to select Mosley, whose combination of outstanding tape and special intangibles impressed team brass. The Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec quotes assistant GM Eric DeCosta, who raved about Mosley: “He’s fast, instinctive, tough, smart, talented, a playmaker. People always ask about the best available player and what that means. He was the best available player on our board and he would have been the best available player on our board at 10. He’s a great football player.”
  • As they did with Alabama product Dre Kirkpatrick two years ago, the Bengals won’t ask Darqueze Dennard to start in his first year, writes Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Browns Notes: Bortles, Watkins, Bridgewater

May 3rd, 2014 at 8:01pm CST by Peter Sowards

Currently armed with the No. 4 and 26 overall picks, the Browns are primed to come away from Thursday’s first round of the NFL Draft with two potential difference makers. And, considering the team’s recent offensive woes — 27th in points scored last season — many have already written “quarterback to the Browns in the first round” in permanent ink.

Central Florida’s Blake Bortles, who led the Knights to a 12-1 season behind 25 touchdowns and 3,581 passing yards, has been described by Browns head coach Mike Pettine as an ideal quarterback, writes Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.

“He has all the measurables,” Pettine said in late March at the NFL owners meetings in late March. “If you look at him, if you said, ‘Draw me an NFL quarterback,’ that’s probably who you’d draw. I think the thing that’s impressive about him is his ability in crunch time in a lot of tight games, a lot of come-from-behind wins, you can see he’s confident, can make all the throws. I think he’s a better athlete than some people give him credit for.”

Ulrich writes that Pettine “made it clear” last week during minicamp that he’d prefer to sit a rookie quarterback behind incumbent starter Brian Hoyer as opposed to throwing the rookie’s feet to the fire immediately. This jived with what ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said on a recent conference call, noting that Bortles needs another year to develop.

If the Browns do end up selecting Bortles with the No. 4 selection, being able to sit him behind Hoyer would be a nice luxury, as well as having Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron to throw to when he does get handed the reins. As touched on by PFR’s David Kipke in this enlightening piece on the Browns’ quarterback draft options, next week could prove to be a watershed event in the team’s history.

More draft notes from Cleveland Browns camp…

  • Responding to a question as to whether the Browns could grab Sammy Watkins at No. 4 and then possibly trade up from No. 26 for Teddy Bridgewater, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer said she just doesn’t know if the team likes him enough to make the move. She does think it’s likely the team selects a QB with its second first-round pick if they do go with Watkins with the fourth selection.
  • Asked who the Browns are legitimately considering at No. 4, Cabot gave three names: Watkins, Buffalo edge rusher Khalil Mack and Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson.
  • Cabot said she’d go with Fresno State’s Derek Carr if she were GM of the Browns and had to select a quarterback with the No. 4 pick.
  • Joe DeLamielleure, a 2003 Hall of Fame enshrinee who played five season on the Browns offensive line in the ’80s, said he would take Watkins and Johnny Manziel, via Bill Landis of cleveland.com.
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