Cleveland Browns:

• "Holmgren maintains Packers connections" (Canton Rep) - "Butch Davis had his Miami Hurricanes connection. Romeo Crennel imported plenty of Patriots. With Eric Mangini, it was a steady influx of ex-Jets. None of them imposed their pasts on the Browns the way Mike Holmgren has."
• "Irritated by his mistakes, Browns rookie Mitchell Schwartz expects to make strides" (Beacon Journal) - "Browns rookie right tackle Mitchell Schwartz studied the game tape from his NFL debut Friday against the Detroit Lions, he listened to offensive line coach George Warhop’s critique and he consulted his older brother, Geoff, a guard for the Minnesota Vikings."
• "Ahtyba Rubin is more valuable than ever to the Browns now" (ESPN Cleveland) - "Never pass on a big man: I was invited into a Browns’ defensive draft meeting prior to the 2008 draft by then-GM Phil Savage. This was the year Savage traded his top three picks in an effort to reach for the brass ring following a 10-6 2007 season."
• "Poll: AFC North's best cornerback" (AFC North Blog) - "Statistically speaking, no one played better pass defense than the AFC North last season. The Steelers, Ravens and Browns all ranked in the top four against the pass, and the Bengals were a more-than-respectable No. 9 in the league."

Check out the Afternoon Delight after the jump...

NFL:

• "Jason Witten has lacerated spleen" (ESPN) - "Jason Witten suffered a slightly lacerated spleen in Monday's preseason game, and the star tight end's availability for the Dallas Cowboys' regular-season opener is uncertain."
• "Jury convicts Broncos' Williams of driving while ability-impaired" (AP) - "Jurors convicted Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams on Wednesday of driving while ability-impaired and driving without headlights."
• "Peterson has never doubted playing in Vikes opener" (AP) - "The NFL season starts for Minnesota on Sept. 9, barely eight months after Adrian Peterson had reconstructive surgery on his ripped-up left knee."
• "Tarvaris is trade bait, but it won’t be easy" (PFT) - "A source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that the Seahawks are talking to a couple of teams about trading Jackson, and that a deal could happen."