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Browns receivers looking for roles
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
By Steve Doerschuk
repository sports writer


As the sun rose over morning practice Monday, the 11 wideouts on the Cleveland Browns roster worked drills with the three quarterbacks whose names aren't Brady Quinn.

On three straight plays, veteran Joe Jurevicius lined up wide and jogged 5 yards at the snap. Boring for him, but on two of those plays, Tim Carter ran an end around.

"He's definitely our fastest receiver," cornerback Leigh Bodden said later. "I mean, he's real fast."

Offensive Coordinator Rob Chudzinski likes the end around, a simple handoff to a wideout circling through the backfield after the snap. Joshua Cribbs ran one after Carter's two tries.

Jurevicius finally got to sprint, breaking downfield out of the left slot, catching a 15-yard pass from Derek Anderson. Then it was back to the end around - Braylon Edwards this time.

A horn blared. Scattered over four practice fields, 87 Browns contracted for a full-team stretch.

After stretching, receivers coach Wes Chandler took his men for more personal attention. Chandler, like Braylon Edwards, is a former No. 3 overall draft pick.

Offensive assistant Frank Verducci kneeled by a sideline stripe and flicked footballs to a point receivers had to scoop them off the grass on the run.

Chandler praised Cribbs for saving a ball that looked uncatchable. Jurevicius went one better, with a stretched-out, one-handed snag an inch off the turf.

"Ow! Yeah!" Verducci said.

Ow? It fits in that Chandler enjoys testing his troops against pain.

In a concentration drill, receivers lined up with their backs to Verducci, just several yards away. Chandler barked a signal. Verducci's pass is in the air before the receiver turns. You half expect the nose of a ball to wedge in a receiver's facemask.

Chandler interrupted after three of these: "Throw it harder, coach."

Then came downfield blocking drills - 40 slant ... 50 power ... 60 Zorro. Rookie Syndric Steptoe graded out at zero when it was his turn.

"Damn!" Chandler barked at the nervous seventh-round pick. "I just told you. ... Are you listening?"

Steptoe, 22, was followed by Jurevicius, 32.

"Attaway," Chandler told the veteran. "Good angle. Good angle."

The quarterbacks rejoined the wideouts.

Steptoe seemed lightning quick on a drill in which receivers took a fake step forward at the snap, then a quick step backward to field a quick pass. Cribbs seemed sluggish. Carter was quick, but couldn't handle an Anderson strike.

HERE COMES THE DEFENSE

The defensive backs arrived. Things got competitive.

On a sideline route by Edwards, Chudzinski chided, "Gotta stay high, Braylon."

On a deep route by Travis Wilson, Chudzinski yelled, "Run through, Travis. Separate."

The coaches seem fascinated by Carter's speed. On one fly pattern, young cornerback Jereme Perry, whose ticket to a roster spot is speed, grunted while trying to hang with Carter, then grunted harder when realizing he couldn't.

Later, rookie cornerback Eric Wright, whose raw athleticism strikes all eyes, seemed to be wearing Steptoe's shoes. A cheer for Wright's tight coverage went up behind the gallery ropes.

Cribbs ran a sideline route against safety Sean Jones, the best all-around player on last year's defense. Cribbs used a secret move he says he pulls out every now and then. Charlie Frye fired him a sideline strike.

After getting smoked, Jones said something to Cribbs that made both men laugh.

Frye showed some chemistry with Edwards on short slants. On one, Edwards was covered tightly by the considerably smaller Wright. Edwards used his body to make a catch, then made a power spin to try to escape.

This wasn't a contact drill, but it made you wonder if bigger receivers will give Wright trouble.

In another session, offensive players lined up in assorted formations. Chudzinski is big on mixing up looks. One empty-backfield formation split five men on the line at intervals outside the tackles. Before the snap, running back Jamal Lewis and fullback Lawrence Vickers shifted into I-formation.

In a seven-on-seven drill, Anderson's rocket arm had too much fuel. He threw behind Edwards on a slant. Edwards made like a contortionist, but the fastball zipped off his hand as he twisted backward.

During one stretch, defensive backs punched footballs out of the hands of Cribbs and longshot roster hopeful Efram Hill.

"That's two!" a coach screamed after the Hill fumble. "Can't have that."

It'll take a few more sessions before the Browns know what they have in this receiving corps.

http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?Category=17&ID=367781&r=2&subCategoryID=

That was an enjoyable read. Being so far away, I like these kind of articles.

Carter definitely intrigues me. His speed can be a weapon. Hopefully his hands are as solid as his legs.

That has been the rap on the young man : Not a handy !

Good read, thanks!

nice read, carter seems to be fast as it was mentioned like 234234324 times lol. its still early and will be interesting to see how the group turns out.

I enjoyed that read, thanks!

hopefully they start looking the ball in....Every report I hear is about dropped passes.

I think Steptoe might surprise a few people this year, maybe getting some more playing time than Wilson did last year.

I really like our WR core, but it just doesnt seem like they are getting it down.

But i really hope Wilson shows why we chose him as our 3rd pick last year. If we don't get our Wrs together this year, we might be in some trouble. and that means we have to worry about one more position next year when FA and the draft comes when we really have to address our DL.

I was just there today, and man I'm starting to like that guy #5, Hill. When I was at the morning practice I didn't see him drop a single ball, ran well, and moved well.

He would also be a very tall target to ge the ball to, sort of reminds of Chris Henry.