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NFL Football Players Draft Injuries Rookies Season SuperbowlPublished: July 10, 2009
The bottom of the barrel has become a comfortable spot for the Cleveland Browns’ defense as they have finished in the bottom five in rushing yards allowed for the last five seasons. That being said, what is the outlook for the team’s defensive line in 2009 and in years to come?
Most likely, that will all depend on the youngsters as the three players who have anchored the line for the past several seasons are not getting any younger.
Ted Washington is 41, Orpheus Roye is 36, and Robaire Smith is 31.
If the Browns’ defense is to grow, it needs to start now before the veterans are gone and we are left with nothing but inexperienced rookies and seasoned players who, despite having been in the league, do not have the starting experience of the Browns’ big three.
Kenyon Coleman
“An unbelievable person who adds real stoutness in the run game,” according to Eric Mangini.
Coleman was drafted by the Raiders in the fifth round (147 overall) in 2002 and spent time with the Cowboys and Jets before being traded to the Browns on April 25th, 2009.
In 2007, he accumulated 90 tackles, the most among defensive linemen that year.
A 6’5″, 295-pounder, Coleman has stayed healthy throughout his six NFL seasons. If that continues, he could be a key building block for the future.
Shaun Rogers
After seven years playing for Detroit, Rogers came to Cleveland and had his best season since he was a rookie in 2001. Rogers limited opponents to twenty seven yards rushing and made sixty tackles and 4.5 sacks in 2008.
He is one of the better additions to the Browns from 2008 and if he can continue to play strong, will be a huge asset to the defense in 2009.
Corey Williams
Corey Williams is a fighter. After playing through much of 2008 with an injured shoulder, Williams finished the season with a career-high 33 tackles and played in every game for the Browns.
After four years in Green Bay, Williams undoubtedly had little trouble adapting to the unforgiving Cleveland winters and may have even seen them as tame.
Williams’ toughness is a characteristic that makes him valuable to the Browns’ defensive unit.
Ahtyba Rubin
This 6’2″, 330-pound lineman out of Iowa State brings an intimidating presence to the field.
Rubin started all but three of 24 games at nose tackle for Iowa State, recording 76 solo tackles.
His playing time was limited in 2008 and did not produce reason for fans to get excited about this young man. If he can make an impression on Mangini and Rob Ryan in preseason, we may see more Rubin in 2009.
Louis Leonard
Having only played in twenty career games, four of which he started, Leonard is unproven. In fact, he has spent a good portion of his NFL career on practice squads before joining the Browns.
He was waived by San Diego in 2007 before signing with their practice squad, then waived by St. Louis the same year and was finally claimed by Cleveland on Oct. 8th, 2007 via waivers.
The Browns have given Leonard the majority of his game experience thus far in his career, but still has yet to show if he has what it takes to move into a permanent starting role.
Shaun Smith
Smith is a player who has spent the majority of his NFL career being ‘waived’ at.
He was originally signed by Dallas as an undrafted free agent on May 1st, 2003. He was then waived by the Cowboys on Aug. 31st, 2003 before signing with their practice squad. After being waived by Dallas the following year, Arizona proceeded to sign him and waive him. New Orleans then picked Smith up before he was claimed via waivers (naturally) by Cincinnati on Dec. 1st, 2004.
Cleveland signed Smith as a restricted free agent on March 16th, 2007.
As a Brown, Smith recorded a career high sixty three tackles in 2008.
Published: May 22, 2009
As a franchise, the Cleveland Browns have one of the most notable legacies in all of sports.
Sixteen Hall of Famers have been immortalized in Browns orange and white in the team’s history that dates back to 1945 when Paul Brown was named Head Coach.
The hardships that have plagued the team in recent years fail to represent the true greatness that the franchise once embodied.
From losing seasons to quarterback controversies and the myriad of failed Head Coaches, the team has looked almost nothing like those of decades past.
But for the die-hards who continue to keep faith that one day the team will return to greatness, the sixteen-plus legends that compile this list (in order of their induction to the Hall of Fame) remain a testament to what the team once was and can be again…..
Published: May 15, 2009
After finishing 2008 ranked near the bottom of the league in offense (31st) and defense (26th), Eric Mangini and his coaching staff need to find a way to fill all the holes in the Browns’ game.
One great move for Cleveland was picking up the Center Alex Mack out of Cal in the first round. Mack should be a considerable improvement over the aging Hank Fraley.
The Browns have taken several steps toward building a solid offensive line over the past several seasons, including the additions of players such as guard Eric Steinback and tackle Joe Thomas in 2007. Thomas went to his second straight Pro Bowl in 2008.
If tackle Ryan Tucker can get healthy and stay healthy in ’09, Mangini will have one less aspect to worry about in the Browns’ offense.
Moving on to the receivers, we find the virtual antithesis to old butterfingers, Braylon Edwards, in the sure-handed Brian Robiskie. The Browns’ second pick in the 2009 draft will hopefully bring some much needed reliability when it comes to actually holding on to the ball and making first downs.
Robiskie has some big shoes to fill with the absence of Joe Jurevicius, after no contract agreement was able to be reached with the former Browns receiver.
Flying in under the radar is WR Mohamed Massaquoi out of Georgia. The former Bulldog caught 58 passes for 920 yards and eight touchdowns in his senior year. He also had a streak of 33 consecutive games with a reception to end his college career.
Massaquoi could be a player to watch for in 2009.
The Browns’ dismal defense will also be seeing some new faces in the upcoming season.
David Veikune out of Hawaii, though smaller than most linebackers at 257 lbs, is a quick, agile back with tremendous awareness, which earned him the honor of second-team All-Western Athletic Conference in 2008.
Kaluka Maiava, a linebacker out of USC, has the sort of low-key yet determined demeanor that could make him a plus for the Browns.
His versatility in college enabled him to play all three linebacker positions, which could make him a valuable guy to have on the bench just in case any of the starters should go down.
The Browns’ secondary is liable to see some improvement, despite its already solid base made up by DB’s like Brodney Pool and Eric Wright.
Defensive back Don Carey, out of Norfolk State, brings with him quick hands and a good head on his shoulders. The four-year starter had the chance to go to Yale but turned it down simply because of financial reasons.
When this cornerback/safety was asked what position he preferred in an interview with the Browns media, he responded: “I do whatever the coach asks, I’ll be the first one to volunteer for anything.”
Sixth round pick Coye Francies has been called arguably the most underrated player in the draft. He is not an imposing individual but his athleticism makes up for it in a big way.
Franchies was an All-American at American River College in 2005, when he made 11 interceptions. He then transferred to OSU where he continued his success.
One weakness to consider is Franchies’ inexperience, having only played one full season of Division I football.
Running back James Davis out of Clemson could provide an explosive second option behind Jamaal Lewis when it comes to the Browns’ running game.
Despite the fact that his stats tailed off in his senior year at Clemson, Davis could still be an exciting point of interest come preseason.
With no prominent QB’s acquired in the draft, expect Brady Quinn to be starting for the Browns come the regular season, although Derek Anderson should keep his shoulder loose. This controversy may continue well into 2009.
All in all, the Browns are poised to be a better team than they were last year. Once again they have the talent to work with. Now it’s up to Eric Mangini and company to try and mold them into something that looks like an NFL football team.
Published: May 13, 2009
Ohio native Brian Robiskie is set to make his NFL depute this fall. The 6’3″, 209lb. WR was the second pick for the Cleveland Browns in the 2009 draft.
Brian Robiskie is an talented young receiver with sure hands and high football IQ that is attributed to his father, Cleveland Browns’ receivers’ coach and former Raiders’ running back, Terry Robiskie.
When Brian Robiskie came to Ohio State as a freshman in 2005, he was a star return man for the Buckeyes’ special teams. It wasn’t long before he was making a name for himself as a receiver.
As a junior at Ohio State, Brian Robiskie led the Buckeyes with 55 catches for 935 yards and averaged 17 yards a catch. He also accumulated eleven touchdowns that season.
He was an ESPN first team Academic All-American with a 3.50 GPA in marketing in 2007. This shows that Robiskie has the brains to match his braun.
As a senior, Robiskie made 42 catches for 535 yards and eight touchdowns. An impressive week of practice before the Senior Bowl assured scouts that Robiskie was the real deal.
Robiskie was thought by many scouts to be the most NFL-ready WR of the 2009 draft.
If Robiskie has one weakness it would be him lacking the ability to be a player who can be the difference maker for his team. Then again, the Browns have already seen the drawback to having a player who’s only talent is making big plays with Braylon Edwards.
The fact that Robiskie seems to be more of a fundamentally sound reciever than a game breaker could make him a healthy addition to Cleveland. Afterall, big plays mean nothing if a team can’t make the small ones.
Brian Robiskie played high school football for Chagrin High School in Ohio where he excelled on the field. During this period, Brian also worked as a ball boy for the Browns.
“I think there’s a real upside to those former ball boys,” said Browns’ Head Coach Eric Mangini who is also a former Browns ball boy. “They just end up being very successful.”
After playing for Ohio State and signing with the Browns, a reporter asked Brian how he felt about playing all of his football in Ohio in an interview posted on the Cleveland Browns’ official website. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Robiskie.
Brian Robiskie definitely has the goods both mentally and physically that could make him a valuable asset for the Browns receiving core.
Published: May 11, 2009
The Cleveland Browns have had their share of Head Coaches since the team’s return in 1999 with none yielding consistently positive results. Eric Mangini is the man who now hopes to change that as he takes the helm in 2009.
Mangini has 14 years of NFL coaching experience with the Jets, Patriots, Ravens, and Browns. He’s also obtained three Super Bowl rings.
Mangini’s coaching career began in Cleveland in 1995 as a coaching assistant. When the franchise moved to Baltimore at the end of the ’95 season, he did as well.
From 1997-1999 Mangini worked as the defensive quality control coach for the New York Jets before going to New England in 2000.
As DB coach for the Patriots, Mangini saw the team’s defense improve from 20th in the NFL to ranking among the top ten for the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
When Mangini took over for Romeo Crennel as Defensive Coordinator in 2005 the Patriots defensive rank dropped to 26th in the NFL according to nfl.com. This is the worst the defense has rated since 1995 when the team finished 6-10. In spite of this fact, New England won the Super Bowl in ’05.
After Mangini left for New York the following year, New England’s defense ended the 2006 season ranked sixth in the NFL with Dean Pees managing the defense. This was statistically their best defense of the decade until the next year when they ranked fourth.
As Head Coach for the New York Jets from 2006-08 Eric Mangini compiled a mediocre 23-25 record with one playoff berth as the Wild-Card in 2006.
The Jets finished 9-7 in 2008 with a roster that featured seven Pro Bowlers. However, this wasn’t enough to get them to the postseason.
The defense-minded Mangini managed a team that was 28th in points allowed and 24th in yards allowed in 2008. On offense the Jets ranked 16th averaging 331.7 yards a game.
Are these the numbers that are supposed to suggest that Eric Mangini is the coach the Browns have been looking for? It’s hard to say for sure, but it seems to me the answer is no.
The Cleveland Browns have a lot of improving to do before they can even be called mediocre. If any coach is to turn the Browns into a contender, it needs to be someone who is an effective leader and is consistant.
The Browns’ situation is one that Mangini is not used to. The team has no established method for success and an ongoing quarterback controversy that never seems to end!
Mangini is accustomed to teams with a solid quarterback on his previous teams. Uncertainty in that area could inhibit his chances for success.
This doesn’t seem to be the kind of environment Mangini will be comfortable operating in with his coaching experience mostly as part of established teams that may or may not only have a few puzzle pieces missing. In Cleveland, the pieces are scattered.
While Mangini had some success in New York with the Jets, he is not a proven leader. This seems evident given the stats from his brief stint as the Patriots’ Defensive Coordinator.
As far as the Browns defense is concerned, it’s likely the new coach will have no problem adjusting to Cleveland’s playbook as it is centered around the 3-4 formation which Mangini has a lot of experience with from his previous teams.
Mangini could do good things for the Brown’s secondary as he did in New England. The Patriots’ DBs were among the league’s leaders in four defensive categories including pass deflections and interceptions with Mangini as their coach.
Eric Mangini has had success as a specialty coach but not as a leader. In order for the Browns to win with him running the show, they need all the pieces in place and well orchestrated. This is not the case.
The Jets were an average, no-thrills team before Mangini took over and still are today. There is no reason to think that he will have any significant impact on the Browns this year or any time soon.