The Cleveland Browns are entering the 2008-2009 with high expectations. With a successful offense returning, a much-improved defensive line, and the fans more excited than ever about the team, anything short of a playoff berth will be a disappointment.

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CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-3)		GAME #3		DETROIT LIONS (3-0)
		VS.
6				26

Was that not one of the most boring games you've ever watched? I know that preseason games don't even deserve to be compared to regular season games in terms of excitement, but this was beyond boring. At least we didn't have to pay to watch Saturday's game -- that is, unless you purchased a ticket to Ford Field.

After the game was over, one thing kept racing through my mind: the regular season can't get here soon enough. The players with jobs clinched could care less, the coordinators call vanilla plays on offense, and the head coach pretty much knows who his 53-man roster will be already. Death to the preseason -- bring on more games that count.

GENERAL GAME THOUGHTS

1. Rogers Provided "It": If there was one thing I wanted to get out of this game as a fan, it was to see Shaun Rogers get on the field alongside Robaire Smith and Corey Williams. Rogers had the definite "it" factor on the defensive line, stuffing the run and creating havoc left and right. He will definitely make the players around him look better. I'm also awarding him this week's lone game ball.
2. Finishing the Pressure: A former defensive backs coach, it looks like a lot of Mel Tucker's defensive schemes in the preseason have involved blitzing the cornerbacks and safeties only. I love how often we're bringing those blitzes, but I hope he finds a fair balance between those and linebacker blitzes come the regular season.
   
   Browns DL Shaun Rogers had an impressive game.
   
3. Pressure on Kitna: Give credit to Jon Kitna: he's a veteran quarterback, and him escaping from pressure is not an uncommon occurrence. On the same note, he was sacked very often last season, so it was discouraging to see the Browns have the right play on, only to let Kitna get away and complete a pass downfield. You can't blame the secondary in those cases.
LB Kamerion Wimbley overpursues, resulting in a fairly easy 35-yard counter rushing touchdown for Lions RB Kevin Smith.
4. Wimbley on Kevin Smith: During the second quarter, Kamerion Wimbley made a bad decision on a rushing attempt by Lions rookie RB Kevin Smith that cost the Browns a touchdown. The defensive line did their job by bottling up the line, and there were at least two or three extra linebackers over their in case he broke through to the second unit. Wimbley, covering the backside, decides to try and become the third unit behind them in the 0.001% chance that Smith will become Jim Brown. The better decision would've been to stay home the entire time, to at a bare minimum force Smith to the outside, allow the safeties to catch up, and accept a 10-15 yard gain. Instead, it was a 35-yard touchdown. Major props to Lions backup QB Dan Orlovsky for taking out three of our defenders down at the goal line on the play though.
5. Not Too Hyped: Although Nick Sorensen had two notable defensive plays starting in place of Sean Jones, you just can't really get too excited about them. He just happened to be unblocked on his nifty-looking sack, and he was standing in center field on a play that Bernie deemed as a quarterback's nightmare.
6. Hall = Best Rookie: It should be official already, though there are far too few rookies to actually choose from at this point. Alex Hall showed a nice pass rush against a starting unit and should make this team ahead of David McMillan.
7. Corner Play: I didn't think the cornerback play for the starters was spectacular, but it wasn't as bad as the score would indicate. I believe we're going to have to live with a bend-but-don't-break pass defense this year, and a lot of Kitna's success involved both our missing safeties and our inability to sack Kitna when we had the chance.
QB Brady Quinn's first preseason start was an uneventful one to say the least. He finished 14-of-24 for 106 yards, with no touchdowns or picks.
8. Quinn...ugh...Mulligan: Yes, I'll take a mulligan. The whole offense in general was just so...boring. Quinn didn't have a sharp game throwing the football either -- many of his passes were low. Sure, that's fine in some cases, but his throws were either low or bouncing at the receivers' feet. The range should be chest-level to low. The offense failed to record a touchdown all game, and the third-down execution was pitiful.
9. Biggest Mistake Ever: Well, probably not the biggest mistake ever, but a mistake nonetheless: starting Travis Wilson. The kid has looked very good in camp as a third receiver. He looked very good in the Jets came as a third receiver. The past two weeks as a starter, he looks clueless. Now, fans are back to giving up on him and going as far as wanting to cut him. Mentally, he's not ready to handle a starting role. But, there's no reason he still can't be an effective third receiver unless the past two games have shot his confidence 100%.
10. Screen Worked: I'm still not overly enthused by our screen plays, but at least we had a successful one to Jerome Harrison. Speaking of Harrison, big mistake to catch the ball three yards downfield and then step out of bounds. Get those five extra yards and take the hit. Fortunately for Harrison, whenever Austin Scott or Travis Thomas get into the game, it looks as if their feet are in quicksand.
11. Leggett: Some people have probably jumped the gun (not here, but other Browns boards) by saying that Lance Leggett should make the final roster after having some success the past two preseason games. A pair of quarters against third-string defenses won't win you a sudden roster spot, but it does show you have some potential playmaking ability. That could call for him to be on the practice squad.
12. Kasper's Done: I can't imagine Kevin Kasper sticking around much longer. My anticipation level went from sky high to literally nothing in a matter of one play. A shame, too, considering he probably would've embraced the temporary starting receiver role a lot better than Wilson has.
13. Steptoe Average: Return-wise, it was only an average day for Syndric Steptoe. That's not a dig at Steptoe, but it reminds us that there is only one Joshua Cribbs.
14. Big Season: I probably sound crazy since I always diss Andra Davis big time, but I really like the awareness he's shown in third down situations this preseason. He's already broken up two passes at the line of scrimmage -- those plays will end drives, or better yet, result in an interception if he tips it high enough into the air.
15. Dawson's Strength: Keep it up Dawson -- those 50 yarders could be the difference against the top contenders this season. Credit to Dave Zastudil too, whose punt "for a touchback" probably actually went out around the one-yard line.
16. Rehashing, Rehashing: I can't really debate the running back battle between Jason Wright and Harrison, because week after week it's the same thing. Wright may not have the most moves, but when given a hole he can shoot through it. Harrison can make the play when it's not there, but is still undersized. I still prefer Harrison, but not by a whole lot. Get well soon, Jamal Lewis.
17. Sleeper: Earlier in camp, Gerard Lawson was called a sleeper by the Plain Dealer I believe. He had a nice pass breakup later in the game against Detroit that could've gone for six. Also, consider this: he has been fielding kickoffs. If the team chooses not to keep Steptoe, Lawson's ability to return kicks could give him a slight edge over an A.J. Davis.
18. Kosar Rules: Bernie Kosar was at his best again -- especially when he said something along the lines of "if they need someone after Ken [Dorsey] and you see I've left the booth, you'll know where I went," in regards to the Browns naming Steptoe their third-string quarterback.

That's pretty much it -- not really sure how I made 18 points out of a boring football game, but I did. Do I really want to say "bring on the Bears" now? Only if we get to see one series with Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards back on the field. If healthy, do I want them to risk that one series? Absolutely. Even though it's just the preseason, we need some more fire as a team, and as fans.

NEW YORK JETS (1-0)		GAME #1		CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-1)
		VS.
24				20

After the craziness of a one-hour lightning / heavy thunderstorm delay in the first quarter, the Browns lost their first preseason game to the New York Jets by a final score of 24-20 Thursday night. I always like to look at what happened when the starters were in the game though, and from that perspective, the Browns won with a 7-0 advantage.

It didn't take long on Friday for the Pittsburgh Steelers, a hated rival that we'll be playing in a little over a month, to make a statement of their own. It took the Steelers eight plays to travel 80 yards down the field for a touchdown, as QB Ben Roethlisberger connected with Ohio State product Santonio Holmes. I think Roethlisberger still has his flaws as a top-level quarterback in the league, but he can make defensive backs pay on the deep ball by buying just a little bit of time.

Why did I bring up the Steelers in this review of the Browns / Jets contest? Because I'm stressing that if anything happens to our starting cornerbacks, it won't matter how improved our defensive line is: we're going to be ripped apart. Here are my bullet points from the first preseason game...

PRESEASON GAME 1 - JETS vs. BROWNS (GENERAL THOUGHTS)

1. Defensive Lackfield: Here is the line for second-year wide receiver David Clowney against the likes of A.J. Davis, Mil'von James, Steve Cargile, and Nick Sorenson: 4 catches for 163 yards and 2 touchdowns. On both of Clowney's touchdowns, all it took was a simple playaction fake for him to be as open as you can get on a deep pattern.
Jets WR David Clowney kept getting past the Browns' safeties on playaction fakes. Credit: Associated Press


2. To be Fair: On both of Clowney's touchdowns, it seemed like it was the safeties that dropped the ball by not staying home on the playaction fake. Sorenson isn't going to make this team as safety depth, so he'll have to rely on his special teams abilities again. As far as Cargile goes, he'll probably be an early roster casualty.
3. Back to the Beginning: I liked what I saw on our first defensive series. The run defense was getting an excellent push against the Jets' much-improved offensive line. Shaun Rogers was just fun to watch, and I can't wait to see the unit at full strength when Corey Williams receives his regular reps. We saw how much Kamerion Wimbley will be a beneficiary from the defensive line this year when he chase down Thomas Jones across the field after the line had clogged things up.
4. Wright and McDonald: I think the biggest difference between Wright and McDonald and the undrafted free agents is clear: Wright and McDonald understand our bend-but-don't break philosophy. Everything was kept in front of them, and although it allowed the Jets to pick up a good amount of yardage, when they needed to come up with a big play, McDonald made an outstanding man-to-man tackle to stop a receiver just shy of a first down.
5. Fullback Handoff? C'mon: What's why all of the complaining about the Browns not stopping the Jets' first-drive handoff to FB Tony Richardson? You can't expect the defensive line to crush everything; sometimes you give the opposing teams their props for executing.
6. Working in Stallworth: I was correct in my training camp battles preview that Derek Anderson would focus exclusively on throwing the ball to Braylon Edwards and Donte Stallworth on the first drive. I definitely liked what I saw early on from Stallworth, but the plays designed for him aren't the ones I was envisioning -- ones with a defender right on top of him.
7. Getting Cleveland Excited: If you weren't excited about this team's potential heading into the game, or were keeping a reserved attitude, then I don't see how you could've kept calm after seeing Braylon Edwards one-hand a two-yard touchdown pass from Anderson. The throw, the catch, the celebration, the fans...all of that combined resembles what Cleveland fans hope this season is all about.
8. Wilson Locking Up: I think Travis Wilson has pretty much taken the key for the third receiver role and thrown it away to a place where no one else can get to it. He looked very smooth on the three passes he caught, most of which were in tight coverage.
9. Mixed on Rucker: I was a little surprised at how well-received Martin Rucker's performance came off on message boards and such, because I thought he showed that he still needs to be a little more polished. Yes, I'm excited about the plays he made. However, I'm not excited about him letting a ball go through his hands in the end zone -- a play that most times would end up in an interception. He also dropped a fairly open pass earlier in the game with Ken Dorsey in at quarterback. Not a bad game overall for Rucker -- who had 5 catches for 70 yards -- but I think we need to watch his progression over the next three weeks before deciding on whether or not he can be a reliable gameday contributor by Week 1.
10. Negative on Hubbard: Mixed on Rucker, but negative on rookie receiver Paul Hubbard. I did mark out on his awesome-looking 44-yard reception in the fourth quarter, but I was very frustrated by his inability to haul in two would-be touchdowns on the last drive. He doesn't seem to know how to use his size to his advantage at all yet, though maybe I'm just too spoiled with what Edwards can do.
11. Screens From Hell: Another year, a lot of practice, and yet the same failure rate when it comes to screen plays still exist. On the first series, I'm not in favor of running a screen play to Jamal Lewis often. When Ken Dorsey was in the game, the offensive line didn't hold their own too well, but Dorsey didn't help matters by telegraphing the throws from a mile away.
QB Derek Anderson and WR Braylon Edwards celebrate after their two-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Credit: Associated Press

12. Bernie Rules: All hail Bernie Kosar again for his beautiful work in the announcer's booth Thursday night. His constant bashing of the Jets' plays, intelligence on plays that were/should be run, and all-around wit made the game worth watching until the final seconds. One thing though: his man-crush on Ken Dorsey remains, even though the guy went 0-for-12 in his last 12 attempts and was sacked numerous times in between.
13. Wright / Harrison: Another thing I was surprised with was people on other message boards saying they thought Jason Wright did better than Jerome Harrison did. I don't think either players did anything worthy of mentioning, but I'm still a fan of Harrison's ability to run to the outside. Travis Thomas didn't look very impressive to me though -- not enough burst on his touches, and he really blew a blocking assignment once that resulted in a sack I believe.
14. Ali a Keeper: With how much the Browns utilized Charles Ali in the first preseason game without putting another player (like Kolo Kapuni) back there, I think his roster odds just improved dramatically. We're not going to allow an in-season injury to Lawrence Vickers to deter a gameplan: having Ali available is a must.
15. Cousin Check: Early on in the game, Terry Cousin did a nice job breaking up a third-down pass to force a punt. If that's what he can do consistently for us, then I'll be a happy camper.
16. Leonard Making Bid: After having a relatively quiet camp thus far, Louis Leonard was in on a team-leading four tackles. Four defensive linemen already have roster spots locked up, and Leonard may have the early lead on being the fifth.
17. Quinn's Day: Overall, I thought it was an average day for Brady Quinn. He still shows a lot of timidness when it comes to throwing deep; I'd love for a reporter to get his reasoning for that. Some people are blaming Syndric Steptoe for his interception, but I place the bulk of the blame on Quinn. Rocketing a short pass right where it's crowded and ahead of the receiver is not ideal.
18. Dorsey was Dorsey: I wasn't surprised with what I saw from Ken Dorsey's play: he's not mobile and therefore gets brought down often with third stringers in front of him. However, I loved the fact that he was really trying to win the game. Sure, a lot of that had to do with the plays that Rob Chudzinski was calling in, but Dorsey did seem to have a reserved fire in his eyes as he led the team to two decent drives, one of which ended in an interception and the other being the incompletion that ended the game.
19. Favre on the Sidelines: I think this will be a much better Jets team with Brett Favre as their news starting quarterback. I initially stated that it would've been nice for our defensive backs to face Favre in the first preseason game, but I take that back now. I liked that the starters weren't forced with the burden of being almost in awe of the whole Favre situation.
20. Bad Containment: What happens on a punt return when the coverage gets down their in time, only to stop, believing that the runner will have no where to go? Well, the returner just runs right by all of those stationary players. I'm sure Ted Dashier has something to work on during the week now.

Now, bring on the New York Giants. The Browns don't play for awhile again -- until next Monday to be specific. Against the defending Super Bowl champions, it'll be a better test to see our starters get a quarter and a half to a full half of action.

In the coming days, I'm going to compile my first "projected 53-man roster" list, based partially on what I saw in the first preseason game. Of course, that list will go under weekly revisions if necessary, as I've done in the past.

The Browns had their final two-a-day practice session before Thursday's game against the New York Jets today, and a lot of players continue to look like they are in midseason form. Because the information on today's sessions was somewhat limited for the nightcap, I'm combining all of the tidbits into one section:

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 13 [MORNING / EVENING] (8/4/08)

At this point, it has to feel like they're playing Madden or something, as WR Braylon Edwards beats DB A.J. Davis for his first of two touchdowns. Credit: Official site.
1. Kickin' Off Strong: In their first practice with pads since Friday's family fun night, Braylon Edwards and Derek Anderson were at it again in the morning. The duo connected on two deep passes for touchdowns as the session was coming to a close.
2. First, a Post: On a post pattern down the middle of the field, Edwards beat rookie DB A.J. Davis for the score.
3. Second, a Go: On a go route down the right sideline, Edwards split Davis and backup safety Nick Sorensen for a touchdown.
4. McMillan's Chance: I thought for sure that free agent linebacker Shantee Orr would get the primary crack at Antwan Peek's job, but that's not the case. Instead, it is veteran-but-seldom-used linebacker David McMillan who is getting his chance to shine. This Thursday, expect McMillan to either start or be the first guy into the leftside rotation after Willie McGinest comes out.
5. Williams Expands: Defensive end Corey Williams was a full go in practice today, participating in all team drills as if nothing was wrong with him. No report yet on whether or not the team will risk playing him in the first preseason game.
6. Kasper Still Iffy: While Kevin Kasper worked on individual drills for the second day in a row, he did not participate in any team drills.
Rookie OL James Lee is trying to win a backup tackle job, as he defends pass-rushing LB Kamerion Wimbley. Lee will be one to watch come Thursday. Credit: Official site.
7. Preseason Game Plan: Head coach Romeo Crennel has laid out his game plan for the first game. Derek Anderson and the starters will be at least a full quarter, and possibly more. The idea is to play Brady Quinn for at least a half -- preferably for the second and third quarters. Then, Ken Dorsey would come in for his only playing time of the year and pick up the scraps in the fourth quarter.
8. Bell's Knee: Rookie linebacker Beau Bell sat out the night practice with a sore knee, but the Plain Dealer reports that he should be back on the field for Tuesday's practice.
9. Cribbs May Sit: At this point, the Browns know what Joshua Cribbs is capable of and would prefer to continue letting him rest his hamstring. If that's the case, expect Syndric Steptoe to get the starting nod against the Jets at returner.
10. Adams Over Cousin?: The Plain Dealer is also reporting that DB Mike Adams currently seems to have the upper hand on the nickel back spot over DB Terry Cousin.
11. Presidential Candidate: Democratic nominee Barack Obama will be speaking at Baldwin-Wallace Tuesday, so you can imagine than the scene in Berea will be very hectic if you're trying to find a parking space. Consider arriving extra early if you plan on attending.

Your collection of links for much of the information above, as always:

Monday A.M. camp report (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)

Quinn to get bulk of playing time vs. Jets (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cabot)

Anderson, Edwards connecting again (Official Site, King)

B-W parking limited on Tuesday (Official Site)

The Browns have an afternoon session Tuesday, and then are off on Wednesday. Wednesday, I will have a summary of all of the "smaller" position battles that have formed throughout camp, with some things to look for prior to our first exhibition game.

I have to admit: live-blogging the Browns' Sirius Radio show earlier on Dawgs By Nature kind of wore me out. Usually I'm energized to whip up these training camp posts, but after four straight hours of a long recap, I feel like just getting them over with at the moment.

What I feel like doing, is irrelevant in a way though -- I can't stand to fall behind or leave any details out. If the recaps feel a little rushed though, I hope you'll understand.

GREAT LINK: ATENEARS over at thebrownsboard.com attended the evening session and has another personal recap up that I highly recommend. Some decent pictures are included as well.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 8 [MORNING] (7/30/08)

Rain hit the Browns' camp for about 15 minutes this morning. The team practiced through it.
1. Rain Delivers: It's almost as if it was planned how everything went down the past two days. Yesterday, the heat came for the first time in camp, testing the players in near 90-degree weather. Today, it rained for 15 minutes during camp, and the team practiced through it. The length of the storm was very convenient -- the team didn't have to worry about moving practice indoors, and got some valuable real-game weather reps in without anybody suffering an injury.
2. Sloppy Offense: The Plain Dealer reports that as the rain continued to fall, the offense got sloppier. A botched handoff between Derek Anderson and Jamal Lewis, a dropped pass by Jason Wright (presumably he would've been wide open), and an interception by defensive back Nick Sorensen on a pass from Brady Quinn were among the lowlights during the downpour.
3. New Holdouts: Not contractual holdouts, of course, but injury holdouts. Shaun Smith and Antwan Peek did not practice, with each of them having sore knees. They missed the night cap too, and Crennel said they should be back in a day or two.
4. Zebras in Attendance: For a practice session for each team, the league sends a few NFL referees to let players know any rule changes or if they are doing anything wrong. That day was today for the Browns.
5. Shot for Perry: He hasn't drawn much praise for his second run with the Browns, but defensive back Jereme Perry had a nice shot on wide receiver Efrem Hill in the morning, drawing audience reaction.
CB Brandon McDonald applying tight coverage on WR Donte Stallworth during the morning session.
6. Travis Thomas: It's intriguing how much of an impression this guy has made in camp, including the morning as well. However, on one play, rookie linebacker Beau Bell came with a blitz and absolutely leveled Thomas, knocking him into quarterback Ken Dorsey.
7. Dawson Drilling 'Em: Towards the end of practice, kicker Phil Dawson was drilling field goals left and right, with his longest being measured in at 48 yards.
8. Cribbs Throws: Yesterday, Joshua Cribbs only ran the QB draw when he lined up at the shotgun position. Today, he actually rolled out and threw the ball on several occasions. The Plain Dealer reports that he looked rusty throwing the ball.
9. Drill Existed, I'm Sure: Tony Grossi reported the following: "running backs practiced their goal-line vaults by leaping over plastic garbage cans and onto a soft, heavy mat." Grossi then stated that he'd never seen that drill before at camp, however I swear I recall it being done at some point last year or two years ago.
10. Rare Mention: We haven't given many shoutouts -- if any -- to UDFA linebacker Chase Ortiz. Grossi reports that Ortiz came on a nice blitz during the morning by rushing Ken Dorsey and swatting his pass down.

And now, for the nightcap, a.k.a. evening session:

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 8 [EVENING] (7/30/08)

1. Edwards' Day Off: With more and more players getting "casual" sessions off now, the evening session was the break for Braylon Edwards.
RB Jamal Lewis participates in the "Trash Can Drill" during the morning session. I'd love to jump over trash cans onto a mat.
2. Daily Wilson: With Edwards being off, Travis Wilson was promoted to the first team for the session and continued looking good. His highlight, according to the Plain Dealer, was a nice catch on a pass from Ken Dorsey over the middle.
3. Steptoe's Props: Receiver Syndric Steptoe also had a nice catch -- a leaping grab on a pass from Brady Quinn. With Edwards and Kevin Kasper out, Steptoe also saw increased playing time.
   
4. Baxter's Off Too?: It's being assumed that nothing was seriously wrong with him, and that Gary Baxter was just given the night off like Edwards was. The reason for suspicion is that he wasn't even on the sidelines...
5. Winslow Thrives: There's no stopping Kellen Winslow, who continued making his job look too easy.
6. Nightmarish: One receiver who didn't take advantage of Edwards and Kasper being out was rookie Paul Hubbard. The coaches seemed frustrated by his play, and in turn he seemed to get more frustrated as practice went on.
   
7. Mr. Hall: After getting a lot of mentions on Sirius NFL Radio earlier today, Alex Hall didn't stop showing up. He reportedly continued to impress, defending passes like a veteran.
8. ATENEARS' Brownies: At the top of the page, I linked to a post at thebrownsboard.com. Here are some tidbits from there: WR Steve Sanders has a lot of quickness and good route running. TE Brad Cieslak looks fundamentally sound still, just not a roster spot available for him. CB Damon Jenkins has good coverage on a good route by WR Joshua Cribbs. Make sure you check out his entire recap to get the proper taste though...
   

Here is the collection of sources for much of the information above:

Browns dodge raindrops on Day 8 (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)

The company line - OL/DL assessment (Waiting for Next Year, Rick)

WFNY camp pics from earlier in week (Waiting for Next Year, Scott) << Fun Read

Day 8 of training camp (WTAM, Andre Knott)

'Big Baby' Rogers makeing impression (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cabot)

Training camp log: Day 8 (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cabot)

Camp observations: July 30 morning (Ohio.com, Thomas)

Camp observations: July 30 evening (Ohio.com, Thomas)

Spotting a Trend (Official Site, King)

The Browns have an afternoon practice tomorrow afternoon, before their highly-anticipated session this Friday at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Edit from Chris: Looking back, I love how I prefaced this post with a "don't be surprised if it seems rushed", and yet it doesn't appear rushed at all. Plus, it didn't really end up being tiring either -- I quickly got my blood flowing again after the first bullet point or two. Cheers!

You couldn't ask for better weather than we're having right now, which surely has to make a lot of the Browns players happy (as well as the fans in attendance). Sooner than later though, it's going to get hot -- something that supposedly helps condition players for those conditions at a later date. Hmm.

Before I get to my recap, I highly recommend that you check out ATENEARS training camp post over at thebrownsboard.com. His recap was outstanding for the evening session -- and he even got a rather stalkerish closeup shot of the Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 2 [EVENING] (7/24/08)

1. Slower Pace: The pace of the evening practice was dramatically slower than the morning's. With it being the first two-a-day, it's not a surprise to hear that. None of the players wore pads in the night-cap either, meaning no Shantee Orr / Jamal Lewis encores just yet.
2. Anderson Has Two Picks: You won't see me going emo over this note, but still worth mentioning. Quarterback Derek Anderson was reportedly picked off twice (details below).
3. First Pick (Davis): Not Andra Davis, but the rookie, A.J. Davis. A.J. Davis intercepted a deep ball intended for Braylon Edwards. After the play, Edwards threw Davis to the ground. That drew the attention of Nick Sorensen, who then came in and shoved Edwards.
4. Second Pick (McDonald): During team drills, Brandon McDonald intercepted an Anderson pass off of a fleaflicker. The pass was reportedly underthrown and intended for Edwards. Beyond that, McDonald was a standout amongst the players in the secondary.
   
5. QB Discussion: I really didn't mention anything about the quarterbacks this morning. In the evening, Anderson had both shaky passes and perfectly zipped passes. Quinn seemed to work on routes underneath and did well, but stayed away from going deep.
6. Cribbs' Tricks: The team practiced at least 2-3 trick plays for Cribbs on offense, including a nice pass deep that Travis Wilson couldn't come up with. If they're practicing this many plays with Cribbs in just the second day (both morning and evening sessions), that has to be a tell of what's to come this season, right?
7. Cribbs' Troubles: Reportedly, Cribbs actually struggled quite a bit on punt returns, almost reverting back to his issues from two seasons ago. Hopefully that's just some heavy rust that wears away soon.
8. Kasper & Wilson: In the absence of Donte Stallworth and Joe Jurevicius, Kevin Kasper and Travis Wilson were interchanging the No. 2 receiver role. However, Kasper may still have the edge in terms of reps at that spot right now.
9. Other Receivers: The next two receivers getting in on the action seemed to be Syndric Steptoe and Paul Hubbard. Steptoe drew cheers after making a catch while on his backside following a fall. Hubbard reportedly looked "good" catching a few balls in traffic.
10. Opps!: The reliable (and Pro Bowler) Ryan Pontbriand sent a snap over the head of Dave Zastudil.
11. Biggest Misconception: I've said this on Dawgs By Nature before: it's Shaun Rogers, and NOT Shaun Rodgers. I know the mistake is tempting to make; I've done it myself a few times. However, it's still a nuisance to see so many people making the typo.
12. Mil'von Time: Besides A.J. Davis having a good practice, Mil'von James wasn't too bad either. Both of them could end up making the final roster if Jereme Perry doesn't impress.
13. Injury Updates: So far, so good. Steve Heiden remained on the field and looks 100%. Fellow tight end Kellen Winslow doesn't seem to have any lingering effects and is catching balls very well. Donte Stallworth didn't practice, but was doing wind sprints on the sideline. Jason Wright sat out of the evening practice with an unspecified injury, but he was riding the bike and it didn't seem to be anything serious.

A brief note here before I sign off for the night: Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer has an article up on Kellen Winslow's contract situation. Here's the part that tickled me:

The Browns will probably re-work Winslow's deal after they extend safety Sean Jones, who's up after this season, and receiver Braylon Edwards, up after next year.

Now, let me quote something that I said this past Sunday:

Personally, I would imagine that Jones would have to be higher on our priority list than Winslow, right? Arguably the best member of our secondary, whether he's Pro Bowl caliber or not, cannot be lost.

I should be a weatherman. Or not. Here are your training camp sources for the nightcap:

• Browns training camp log, Day 2 (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cabot)
• My camp report - Thursday evening (The Browns Board)
• Raw practice footage from Thursday (Official Site) << VIDEO!
• Day 2 PM session "the fresh view" (OBR Forums, Dougefresh)

The Browns have one session Friday, from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM. Remember, if you haven't done so already, you can print off our DBN Training Camp Schedule 2008. Feel free to print off as many as you can and hand them out at camp too ;) Friday's temperature is expected to be partly sunny, 84 degrees, with 10 mph wind.