Browns Finish Off Practice Squad With Benard and Hilliard

by Chris Pokorny on Sep 8, 2009 11:59 PM EDT in General News Comment 19 comments

The Cleveland Browns had two spots left on their practice squad and filled them both on Tuesday, signing LB Marcus Benard and LT Corey Hilliard. Both players were initially on the team's 53-man roster before being waived for other players. Had the New England Patriots not claimed DB Bret Lockett Monday, chances are that he would've been on the Browns practice squad instead of Hilliard.

This seems like a rarity, but every member of the Browns practice squad is someone who was in training camp with the team. Usually, you see at least two or three players make the practice squad from other teams.

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I dont see why we kept hilliard. He looks pretty bad to me. Our depth behind hank and Rex is scary

" Of course Steroids should be allowed! I wanna see 700 foot home runs and 90 yard field goals! I litterally want to see someone's d**k get shoved in the dirt!"

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Sep 9, 2009 12:28 AM EDT reply actions

I think we will be ok for the 3 interior spots. Womack, Fraley, Mack, St. Clair, Hadnot, Steinbach can all play at least one of those 3 spots. Mack could play all 3 in a pinch. Fraley could probably play 2/3, and Hadnot could play all 3.

We are a lot less deep at OT. I think Womack might be able to play RT in a pinch, but I really don’t want to find out. I don’t ever want to see Thomas go down.

by rufio on Sep 9, 2009 1:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Is it possible to injure thomas

" Of course Steroids should be allowed! I wanna see 700 foot home runs and 90 yard field goals! I litterally want to see someone's d**k get shoved in the dirt!"

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Sep 9, 2009 8:45 AM EDT up reply actions

I think Steinbach, in effect, is our backup LT.

by Ryan Kelsey on Sep 9, 2009 9:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Based on the information I have at my disposal, that’s who I would put there in a pinch. But I still wouldn’t enjoy replacing Joe Thomas with anyone.

by rufio on Sep 9, 2009 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Practice squads usually have some bad players on it.

by Roger Dorn on Sep 9, 2009 8:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Practice Squad

Hated to lose Locket. Bernard has promise as does Brown @ LB. Better than Beau Bell.

JaQuan

by JaQuan on Sep 9, 2009 8:23 AM EDT reply actions

I liked Bell, and thought he had some real potential. The same went for Hubbard, but I digress.

by BrownDawg1409 on Sep 9, 2009 9:30 AM EDT reply actions

Bell doesn’t fit what these coaches want: inside linebackers with loose hips. Maiava and especially Veikune have very loose hips which makes them fluid in coverage and agile in a pass rush. Eric Mangini said David Veikune reminds him of Tedy Bruschi, a guy he stated “is made of rubber”. Bell is very explosive moving downhill but he has very poor lateral agility. This may also be why we got rid of Andra Davis (among other reasons).

by Bumblyjack on Sep 9, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Bell, Hubbard, and Hoppel> Hilliard and Murray

" Of course Steroids should be allowed! I wanna see 700 foot home runs and 90 yard field goals! I litterally want to see someone's d**k get shoved in the dirt!"

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Sep 9, 2009 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Week Won

Sorry for the off topic comment.

How do you guys feel the Vikings Secondary will match up with B. Edwards?

by Prime-Time on Sep 9, 2009 1:28 PM EDT reply actions

I actually like it for the Browns. Winfield is physical, but I don’t think he has the height and hops necessary to defend Braylon in single coverage. The hope is that Braylon has putted the drop issue behind him because if so, he will need to be double teamed.

by Roger Dorn on Sep 9, 2009 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions

I also like Edwards’ chances of getting open against them.

The thing is, the Vikings usually play a lot of Cover-2 zone, which drops a lot of people in to coverage. This means Quinn will need to throw deep (if the internet reports are true) in order to truly exploit their defense. We would also ideally be able to run the ball with only 7 in the box, which will be hard against the Williamses and J. Allen.

Also, not having K2 to exploit their LBs in a Cover-2 zone will allow those same linebackers to help out more on Braylon et al. Hopefully we scheme some ways to exploit that.

by rufio on Sep 9, 2009 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Would Harrison or Davis out of the backfield help?

by JustBob on Sep 9, 2009 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions

I think so. Make those LBs drop in to their zones and then come forward to cover the backs, and have to tackle them in open space.

Plus, you can run a back (or a WR) in front of them and someone else behind them. If the LBs commit to the backs, you throw it over their heads. If they play the deep guy first (and they should), take the easy yardage underneath.

In the playoff game last year, Westbrook got loose on some screens for really big gains. The Eagles are probably one of the best screen teams in the NFL, and we have been among the worst, but Mangini definitely made them think about it with all those screens we ran in the preseason.

by rufio on Sep 10, 2009 1:24 AM EDT up reply actions

Actually, from what I’ve heard, the William’s won’t be playing in the week’s game regardless of the outcome of their suspension.

I think Quinn will be able to dissect the coverage with the underneath routes being run by Furrey/Cribbs/Heiden and possibly Rucker.

by BrownDawg1409 on Sep 9, 2009 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions

It is the other way around.

The Williams duo will play in week 1 even if the NFL suspends them today. The rule is that the NFL has to let teams know by Tuesday if a player is suspended for that week. Since we are already past Tuesday, even if the courts say that the Williams are supposed to be suspended, it won’t happen until week 2.

by Bernie19Kosar on Sep 9, 2009 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh, okay. Thanks for correcting that.

by BrownDawg1409 on Sep 9, 2009 8:17 PM EDT up reply actions

I think you mean 'Week One'

" Of course Steroids should be allowed! I wanna see 700 foot home runs and 90 yard field goals! I litterally want to see someone's d**k get shoved in the dirt!"

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Sep 9, 2009 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions