It's a Welcome Back Party at Cleveland Browns Training Camp

by Chris Pokorny on Aug 29, 2011 7:18 PM EDT

I've lost track of exactly what "day" of training camp this is, but Monday afternoon was a "welcome back" party of sorts with the news that safeties T.J. Ward and Usama Young, and receivers Joshua Cribbs and Jordan Norwood, all returned to practice in some capacity.

Ward took part in some team drills with the first-team defense, but they didn't elevate him to full playing time yet because Ray Ventrone still saw more reps than him. Young only did position drills, but that is a definite step forward for him and a sign that he could be ready to play in Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears.

According to the Chronicle-Telegram, Norwood took part in team drills again, while Cribbs was only doing team drills. All of these returns come just one day after we learned that wide receivers Mohamed Massaquoi and Carlton Mitchell returned to practice in some capacity. On Monday, both Massaquoi and Mitchell were taking part in team drills.

With Massaquoi's return, the first-team offense lined up with Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie as the starting receivers. Norwood was in the slot. That put second-round draft pick Greg Little on the second-team offense, although he did catch a 50-yard touchdown pass from Colt McCoy between cornerbacks James Dockery and Carl Gettis, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.

Some players still remained out, including linebackers Titus Brown and Chris Gocong, left guard Eric Steinbach, running back Brandon Jackson, and safety Eric Hagg. Tight end Benjamin Watson sat out of practice with a leg injury, and defensive tackle Travis Ivey was also idle.

There were two other highlights that the media was buzzing about from practice: kicker Phil Dawson connected on field goals of 55- and 62-yards. The Browns made sure they dedicated the first half hour of practice on Monday to special teams drills, having it take place before the regular practice.

TRAINING CAMP SOURCES

Ward, Young, Norwood, and Cribbs return to practice (Akron Beacon Journal, Ulrich)
Safeties Ward and Young return, Adams still the starter (Chronicle-Telegram, Petrak)
Cribbs likely to be ready for season opener (Canton Repository, Doerschuk)

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Young’s inability to get on the field before now concerns me. Regardless of what you think of Abe Elam, he was a serviceable starter for us. Young is a complete unknown quantity at this point. Just for the fact that he was supposed to come in and start, not just be a depth guy, makes it that much worse. Our secondary has a huge hole in it with Mike Adams starting.

by Onyx Lightning on Aug 30, 2011 12:47 AM EDT reply actions

I am worried from a reps standpoint, but hamstring pulls can kill a season if they aren’t given time to heal.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Aug 30, 2011 1:16 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed, I’m definitely not being critical of how the Browns are handling his recovery (and maybe that wasn’t clear in my post), but it concerns me because he is such an unknown at this point. And I realize he will take time to heal and he won’t be handed the starting position, but as the current starter is Adams…. At the very least, I hope they go out and sign a veteran safety after cuts.

by Onyx Lightning on Aug 30, 2011 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I think Adams won’t be a gaping hole back there if he has to start. If Ventrone is on the field, that’s a much bigger dropoff.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Aug 30, 2011 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Cleveland Browns: Placed DT Jabari Fletcher on IR. Claimed OL Oniel Cousins off waivers from Baltimore Ravens. Removed WR Mohamed Massaquoi from active/PUP list. (8/29)

"There's a gleam men, there's a gleam!" Marty

by Red-Right-88 on Aug 30, 2011 10:03 AM EDT reply actions

Any truth to the rumor we may claim Vernon Gholston? Low risk and it could potentially help out our depth and skill at that position.

by Granville74 on Aug 30, 2011 12:00 PM EDT reply actions

I thought he got signed by the Bears.

cautiously realistic

by North Coast Flea on Aug 30, 2011 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Already cut.

Pittsburgh is just jealous. We got Cudi and they have Wiz.

by SpecialBrownie on Aug 30, 2011 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Are these recent rumors, and if so, where did you hear them? The Bears got him a few weeks back and then cut him yesterday. It would be low risk and even lower reward, no thanks.

"There is a small, but important difference between peeing in the pool and peeing into the pool." - Demitri Martin

by Browns town on Aug 30, 2011 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Who are our backup DEs at the moment? Benard and…

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway

by notthatnoise on Aug 30, 2011 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow. I seriously can’t think of anybody.

Pittsburgh is just jealous. We got Cudi and they have Wiz.

by SpecialBrownie on Aug 30, 2011 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Worth a shot based purely on this. I don’t trust anyone on the roster to play SDE if Mitchell goes down. English, who has had some success rushing the passer, could only play WDE and he would be undersized there.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Aug 30, 2011 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions