Rumors began swirling around late last week that DB Gary Baxter might be contemplating retirement after his knees were acting up on him again. There seemed to be brighter light at the end of the tunnel the past couple of days, until this morning when it was announced that the veteran had arthroscopic surgery to remove loose cartilage from his knee.

While that doesn't create an extra void in the secondary (we knew all along that Baxter was hit-or-miss), it would've been great to see him step out on the field against the Jets Thursday. Still, by no means has he been ruled out of the regular season.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 14 (8/5/08)

1. Update on Cribbs: He was in camp today, and he made it clear that he's not going to hold out. Everything that happens negotiation-wise will be between the team and his agent.
Bernie Kosar and Sam Rutigliano hanging out at Browns camp. Fans can't wait to hear Kosar on the mic again this Thursday. Credit: Official site.
2. Light Practice: In preparation for their game against the Jets, the team took it light during practice Tuesday. The team will have some brief drills on Wednesday, but that will be closed to the public.
3. More Success: They cannot be denied. QB Derek Anderson hooked up with WR Braylon Edwards for two more touchdowns during team drills -- one of them a one-handed bobble, and the other a 55-yard reception over Eric Wright, according to the Plain Dealer.
4. Perry Christmas: It'll feel like Christmas to DB Jereme Perry if he wins a roster spot with the Browns again. He continues to have a pretty firm grip on the fourth corner spot, and with Baxter out indefinitely, his roster odds have increased (though so have DB Nick Sorenson's). Perry broke up a pass intended for Edwards in red zone drills Tuesday.
5. Curse the Knees: This year, the voodoo has been placed on player's knees. After reporting that Beau Bell's injury wasn't too serious yesterday, he missed his second consecutive session Tuesday. If the knee doesn't respond to treatment, arthroscopic surgery will be under consideration, according to head coach Romeo Crennel.
Backup QB Brady Quinn will see plenty of action, at least two quarters to be specific, versus the Jets.
6. Kasper Way Behind: I know the team was initially intrigued by WR Kevin Kasper, but at this point you'd have to imagine he's way behind Travis Wilson, and he's not getting any closer. He reportedly suffered somewhat of a setback by re-aggravating his hamstring injury either today or in the past couple of days.
7. OUT on Thursday: The following players, not including Baxter, will reportedly miss Thursday's game for sure due to injury: TE Kellen Winslow, FB Lawrence Vickers, WR Kevin Kasper, OG Seth McKinney, and TE Steve Heiden. Heiden did return to practice Tuesday with a brace on his right knee, according to the Plain Dealer.
8. Don't Feel Bad: It seems like the Browns are getting hammered with injuries, but I'd say the Steelers and Ravens have suffered more than the Browns up to this point.

Your link collection for much of the information above:

Browns insider: McMillian gets shot (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)

Training camp log: Day 13 (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cabot)

Another setback for Baxter (Official Site, Jackson)

The next training camp session isn't until Saturday, so that means it'll be all about getting pumped up and then reviewing the Browns' first exhibition game of the year.

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'm not quite sure how this works every year. Technically, Friday was Day 10 of training camp. Should I say that Day 11 of training camp was the off day on Saturday, therefore Day 12 was Sunday's practice? That's what I'm sticking with.

Several players returned to practice Sunday, including WR Kevin Kasper, who will resume his efforts to win the team's No. 3 receiver spot. Photo credit: Official site

Every year after the Family Fun Night, the training camp buzz becomes marginalized. The first big event is out of the way, and you only have "x" number of sessions before a preseason game arrives. That means more days off, more focus on gameplanning, and therefore less actual camp reports. In other words, it's time to "speed it up" -- the regular season is quickly approaching.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 12

1. Back on Track: Browns fans were nervous about how much practice defensive end Corey Williams had been missing, but true to his word, head coach Romeo Crennel sent him back on the field today.
2. Soften it Up: Just like Friday's scrimmage didn't allow tackling, neither did Sunday's afternoon practice. In fact, not only was tackling not allowed, the players didn't even have pads on. Yep -- not going to get a whole lot of observations when they occurs.
3. Other Returnees: Besides Williams, several other Browns returned to the field: WR Kevin Kasper and FB Lawrence Vickers. That's good news, because Kasper should have enough time to get back into the groove of things before Thursday's game against the Jets, and Vickers will have some time to build up the chemistry with Jamal Lewis and the offensive line again.
4. Sitting Out: After being limited in Friday's practice, TE Kellen Winslow and KR Joshua Cribbs sat out of practice due to their hamstring injuries. DB Gary Baxter was reportedly very limited.
5. Running Room: According to Ohio.com, the Browns have been working on running the ball to their non-dominant side of the offensive line, the right side, and have been creating some big holes for Jamal Lewis.
6. Dinkins Watch: Ohio.com also reported that TE Darnell Dinkins has been catching everything thrown his way. Well, that's good, considering we already have three tight ends on the depth chart that can catch better than him. His chances will come down to whether or not Charles Ali or a Brad Cieslak win a job over him due to their special teams play.
7. Receivers Excelling: Once again, WR Travis Wilson had an excellent practice. This is a 360 degree turnaround from the Wilson we've heard about in camp the past two years, by far. Syndric Steptoe hasn't been horrible either, though his reps will probably decrease now that Kasper is back.
At this rate, rookie WR Paul Hubbard is going to need a heck of a preseason performance to earn a spot on the team's 53-man roster.
8. Daily Hubbard: It's probably a little harsh to start the "Daily Hubbard", but the fact that rookie WR Paul Hubbard is taking the place of the receiver struggling the most in camp can't be overlooked. Reportedly, he consistently dropped passes in receiver drills Sunday. I said this awhile ago in my wide receiver preview: I don't care if we did trade for the guy -- if he has consistently been underachieving, how do we reward him a roster spot over someone who will actually contribute as a role player this year?
9. Wright Way: RB Jason Wright reportedly took a swing pass the distance for a long touchdown, and was possibly being defended by rookie LB Beau Bell on the play.
10. Former Browns: It's always nice to keep tabs on former Browns players, known or not. Last year training camp invitee Maurice Mann, a wide receiver currently trying out for the Washington Redskins, had 2 catches for 28 yards and 1 touchdown in the Hall of Fame game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Your link collection for the information above, as always:

Browns' Hall could be diamond in the rough (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cabot)

Training camp Aug. 3 (Ohio.com, Thomas)

Day 12 of training camp (WTAM, Knott)

Adams and Steptoe (The Browns Board)

The Browns have their final two-a-day session Monday, as they'll surely be getting to work on some things they may want to try out against the New York Jets this Thursday. The greatest thing about that game? Getting to hear Bernie Kosar announce again. I'm already foaming at the mouth in excitement (not sarcastic; I really do love hearing his comments).

I'm sure many of you were in attendance at Cleveland Browns Stadium Friday Night to catch the team's only training camp practice of the season on the shores of Lake Erie. You couldn't have asked for better weather -- the sun was going down just as practice started so everyone was in the shade, the wind was minimal, and the projected thunderstorms held off.

There's nothing better than getting to sit right up to the 50-yard line for only $5 (which graciously goes to charity as promoted by the organization). Many of you probably saw the practice aired on Sports Time Ohio if you didn't attend, but I'll still go over my personal thoughts from the evening:

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 10 (8/1/08)

1. Great Fans: The Browns fans are just the best in the world...to see the Dawg Pound and the entire lower level of the stadium filled to a capacity crowd for just a two-hour practice is amazing and a testament to our dedication.
2. Hotdogs, Get Em' Plenty: The Indians run their popular $1 hotdog promotion every so often to draw in massive crowds. Hotdogs were being served for $1 at the stadium tonight, and I couldn't believe how many people I saw carrying 12 of them back to their seats. An order of two were good enough for me, and they were as good as a hot dog can get.
3. Coming Prepared: I had a pen, a little notebook, and a roster sheet for the Browns handy before entering the stadium. I made sure my roster sheet was ordered by jersey number so I could identify players quicker -- the team's handout was listed in alphabetical order.
4. Arrival: I arrived to the stadium probably around 6:20 PM, overhearing the Browns' season recap being played over the videoboard. I got goosebumps hearing Jim Donovan highlights from games such as Dawson's miraculous bounce against the Ravens and Lewis' rumbling run against the Jets.
5. Pre-Session: Before the rest of the team came out, kickers Phil Dawson and Jason Reda were trying field goals from straight on, and eventually from side-to-side.
6. Dawson First: When I got there, Dawson's first kick was a 55-yarder which was good. His next kick was from 57 yards, which boinked off the bottom left of the crossbar for a miss. After that, he tried it again and absolutely drilled it. A little later, he tried a 57-yarder from the right hashmarks but came up short.
7. Reda Second: On the other end of the field, Reda was at work, and overall I was very impressed by the shots he was delivering through the uprights. His kicks from 40, 45, 50, and 55 yards were all perfect line drives through the uprights with room to spare. I didn't get a great look at his kicks from when he moved to the right/left hashmarks, but I do think that he was not as strong as Dawson with respect to that skill.
8. Punt Returners: Not sure if Gerard Lawson is trying out for the punt return role or was just back there as a ball retriever -- all I know is that on the first play that I actually sat down, I saw him tried to field one and he dropped it. Syndric Steptoe and Brandon McDonald came out a little later to field punts -- without coverage units -- an seemed to be catching the ball fine.
9. Zastudil Consistent: I think it's safe to say that Zastudil's punting issues from a year ago are behind him for now. His punts were high spirals, usually positioned around the seven-yard line. When he went for the coffin corner, I recall him having about 2/3 good attempts, with the worst going out of bounds somewhere around the 13-yard line.
10. QBs Out Next: The next three people on the field were the quarterbacks, drawing an ovation from the crowd.
11. Holding Now: When I mentioned the kickers earlier, they were kicking off the tee (self-holder). At this point now, Zastudil was holding the snap from Ryan Pontbriand (no rush coming). Dawson again drilled a 57-yard field goal.
12. Everyone Else: The rest of the team came out from the locker room, unit by unit. The quarterbacks by far drew the largest applause, but thankfully I didn't hear any negative Anderson vs. Quinn talk around me.
13. Pregame Format: The first hour or so after 7:00 PM involved the team getting familiar with the actual pregame routine that they will be using on gameday. Stretching, quick passes, quick contact, etc, that type of stuff. One particular note of interest was when the quarterbacks were lobbing about 20-30 yards passes to either offensive or defensive players one after the other. Gary Baxter -- who probably isn't going to retire considering he's out there -- made a nifty one-hand snag. In pregame 7-on-7's, #86 dropped a quick, simple pass over the middle. That would be rookie tight end Martin Rucker.
14. Standing Out: I might as well note this, because I did write it down in my notebook: "#96 stands out". What does that mean? Well, #96 is Alex Hall, and I saw him standing on the sideline next to the rest of the players. He just looks so physical and bulky when you see him -- you can't miss him.
15. Three Kick Returns: The team ran three kick returns. The first and third ones were to Syndric Steptoe, and the second one was to Jerome Harrison. Because tackling wasn't allowed, on all three attempts, the returner sifted through the defenders and looked like they could've gone the distance. I was a little annoyed by some fans around me who actually seemed to think that in a real-game situation, we would've been burned all three times. On the first one though, I was actually impressed with the quickness of Steptoe. On that particular play, he may have actually gone the distance, or at least pretty darn far.
16. Scrimmage Time! Here's the format of how things went down, as far as I could tell / understand:
    1st: First team offense vs. Second team defense (about 65 yards away)
    2nd: First team offense vs. Second team defense (about 65 yards away)
    3rd: Second team offense vs. First team defense (about 65 yards away)
    4th: Second/Third team offense vs. Mixed defense (about 65 yards away)
    5th: First team offense vs. First team defense (Red zone drills)
    6th: First team offense vs. First team defense (Red zone drills)
    7th: Second team offense vs. Second team defense (Red zone drills)
    8th: Second team offense vs. Second team defense (Red zone drills)
    9th: First team offense vs. First team defense (1:20 drill from 55 yards away)
    10th: Second team offense vs. Second team defense (1:20 drill from 55 yards away)
It didn't take long for WR Braylon Edwards to get started, as he had the highlight of the day with a diving catch down to the 2-yard line on a pass from QB Derek Anderson. Credit: Official site
17. Edwards Excels: It didn't take long for Derek Anderson to look for Braylon Edwards. On the second play, a quick pass was incomplete -- however they went right back to it for a five-yard gain on the very next play. Four plays later, with the offense 49 yards away from the end zone, Anderson dropped back and threw a deep ball to Edwards, who dove all out and made a magnificent catch before being touched down at the two-yard line. By far, it was the highlight of the night and really got the crowd into things.
18. 1st Drive Tidbits: Other tidbits...Charles Ali had a two yard catch in the flat, and Brad Cieslak also had a five-yard catch. Anderson tried to hit Edwards on a fade after their big play, but it was incomplete. Jamal Lewis plunged in for a touchdown on the next play.
19. Daily Wilson: First drive? Check mark for Edwards. Second drive? Check mark for Travis Wilson. It took Anderson just seven plays to guide the team to their second touchdown in a row; here's what happened. From about the 10 yard line, Wilson was to Anderson's right and ran towards the corner of the end zone. We he turned around, it was a bullet towards the pylon. He dove out, and bobbled/corralled it into his chest for the score as he got both feet in bounds before hitting the ground.
20. Dinkins Laughable: I'm sorry, Darnell Dinkins and offense just shouldn't be mixed together. Earlier in the second drive, Dinkins caught a pass and had some open space. Out of no where, on a day when tackling is prohibited, he fumbled the football -- he just flat out dropped the thing. Defenders tried to pick it up, but I believe it scurried out of bounds.
21. Stallworth Sighting: Right after the Dinkins muff, Anderson stayed hot on the next play. After nothing was doing as he sat in the pocket, he rolled out to his right and fired a strike to Donte Stallworth down the sideline for about a 20-yard gain. That play basically set up the touchdown to Wilson.
22. 2nd Drive Tidbits: It was Jerome Harrison seeing action before Jason Wright. Unfortunately, with any of the running backs at the practice, I can't give an assessment on them running the ball. As soon as contact is made, the referees blow the play dead. In an actual game, contact alone means nothing.
23. Quinn Time: For the third drive, Brady Quinn was in at quarterback along with the second-team offense. The first-team defense came on, featuring Shaun Smith, Shaun Rogers, and Robaire Smith up front. Corey Williams was still out to injury.
24. Sanders Express: The player of the drive was definitely receiver Steve Sanders. After three mediocre passes to start for Quinn, he threw a pass into tight coverage and Sanders made about a 20-yard catch with two defenders right on top of him. Right after he made the catch, I believe it was Sean Jones who drilled him -- probably accidentally -- in trying to go for the football. Two plays before the drive ended, Sanders made  what I wrote down as an "A+ catch with A+ coverage".
The Browns' starting cornerbacks don't seem to be an issue, as second-year CB Eric Wright intercepts a pass by QB Brady Quinn. It was the only interception of the night.

via blog.cleveland.com

25. Drive Ends Abruptly: In the only interception of the night, Quinn's drive came to an end on the ninth play. He sold a playaction pass nicely and then rolled out to the right side of the field. He threw the ball a little in front of the front pylon of the end zone, but it was cornerback Eric Wright who was camped their, picking off the pass easily. He tried to return it, but was touched down fairly quickly. The pass was intended for rookie receiver Paul Hubbard.
    
26. 3rd Drive Tidbits: Quinn didn't look as fluent as Anderson did, and like he's done in the other camp sessions, he stayed away from the deep ball. He seems to have good chemistry with Sanders though. A wide receiver reverse was tried to Joshua Cribbs, but perhaps they've run that play too often the past few practices: it only went for about a gain or two. A screen pass was attempted to Harrison, but Brandon McDonald and D'Qwell Jackson were all over it. Do consider though, that Quinn was facing the first-team defense with the second-team offense.
27. Hall's Breakout: On the next drive, Quinn left and Ken Dorsey came in. Overall, it seemed like some second and third stringers came in. On a drive that lasted just four plays, the defense got more pressure than the previous three drives combined, primarily thanks to rookie Alex Hall. On the first play, he was right on top of Harrison on a run play for a short gain of two. On the final play, the play was blown dead because Hall quickly reached and touched Dorsey, therefore counting as a sack.
28. 4th Drive Tidbits: Rookie tight end Martin Rucker had a catch, but it was brought back due to a holding penalty on the offensive line. Haven't seen anything tremendous from him at this point, but he seems to catch the ball fine. Also worth noting: Kellen Winslow seems to be absent from getting plays his way; don't recall a single ball coming his way once during the entire event. On the second play of the drive, Chase Pittman and Shantee Orr had chased Dorsey to the sideline and forced him to throw it away.
    
29. Red Zone Blunders: Next up were the red zone drills, and they weren't too impressive. The first and second teams had two shots each, and the conversion rate for a touchdown was only 25%.
30. 5th Drive Tidbits: With Anderson facing the first defense, here's how it went down: run to Lewis for 5 yards, incomplete to RB in flat, and incomplete to Edwards on a pass to the corner that just barely hit his fingertips. I believe Edwards was called for offensive interference anyway, and the drive was considered a wash as they reset for drive six.
31. Misses Stallworth: This is the one that hurt: on the first play or try two for Anderson and company, he had Stallworth fairly open in the end zone coming across the field to the left side. However, the throw was a little ahead of him, and Stallworth's quick attempt to stretch to it deflected off his hands for an incompletion.
32. 6th Drive Tidbits: On the next play, Robaire Smith was credited with a sack on Anderson. Shaun Smith also had some penetration -- the pressure came from Joe Thomas' side I believe, but it looked like the running back (Lewis?) missed the chip. Robaire was called offsides on the next play. After that, Anderson hit Edwards on a quick slant and he raced through the defense into the end zone. However, the officials ruled him down at the seven, making it a fourth-and-two (I personally think he would've broken the tackle for six). The big backs were brought in, and a one-step back and quick throw to Stallworth was deflected and incomplete. 0/2 for the starting offense against the starting defense.
33. 7th Drive Tidbits: Now, it was Quinn's turn for two attempts. Jason Wright finally checked in with a small gain on first down. On the next play, Quinn again hit Sanders, but rookie cornerback A.J. Davis knocked the ball away on a play Sanders should've had pretty easily (this ended up setting a decline for Sanders). Right after that though, the Browns hit their only red zone touchdown when Quinn lobbed a pass to Travis Wilson in the corner of he left end zone. It was Wilson's second score of the day.
34. 8th Drive Tidbits: Quinn again tried to find Sanders on the first play towards the left sideline, but he threw it way over his head and out of bounds (Jereme Perry also had fine coverage on the play). Travis Thomas checked in next with a carry for a small gain -- looks a little slower, as expected. On third down, Quinn tried to hit Thomas on a pass but the throw went way over his head for an incompletion. On the final play, Quinn again overthrew a pass to Sanders for an incompletion -- I believe Sanders was called for offensive pass interference on the play as well.
35. More Kick Work: The offenses and defenses took a five minute break to allow the kickers to get some work in with the lines in place too. Dawson and Reda both seemed to hit their kicks consistently.
36. 2-Minute Drills: Though they were titled "two-minute drills", there was only 1:20 on the clock. To compensate for that, the drives started just 55 yards away from the end zone. Anderson got the first series, and Quinn got the second.
37. Deep to Donte: Anderson and Stallworth seem to like the bailout/deep ball play already. With the clock ticking down quickly, Anderson dropped back and completed about a 32-yard pass to Stallworth down the sideline on the fourth play. With only 0:24 left on the clock, a timeout was called. Not positive, but I think Eric Wright has coverage on the play.
    
38. Try and Try Again: Earlier in the drive, Anderson tried to hit Edwards but Brodney Pool broke the pass up on a nice play. After Stallworth's catch, Anderson threw a jump ball to Edwards in the right corner of the end zone. Much to everyone's surprise, Edwards bobbled the ball after having possession while in the air and it almost ended up going into the defender's arms after he lost it. On the next play though, Edwards was on the left side of the field and Anderson basically ran the same play, this time for a touchdown, against Brandon McDonald.
39. 9th Drive Tidbits: After the drive started with two incompletions, the pocket surrounded Anderson on the third play. He ran forward and found Dinkins just before crossing the line of scrimmage, and Dinkins plummeted forward for a first down. Anderson seems to have good command of the offense.
40. Quinn's Attempt is Sour: You can't be too impressed again with how Quinn's drive went -- again, I'm not making this a Quinn bashfest, I hope to death that he thrives in the preseason and gets the chance to work with the first time. In his 1:20 drill though, things weren't the greatest, and I attribute a lot of that being due to him not expanding his options further down the field.
41. 10th Drive Tidbits: In order: no gain swing pass to Harrison, short gain to Rucker, incomplete to Sanders, and incomplete to Wilson. On the pass to Sanders, Sanders fell down as the ball way coming, but the throw may have been off target either way.
42. Conclusion: The team signed autographs after practice, and fireworks were held at the stadium. I didn't stay for the fireworks, but just as I was on the Detroit-Superior Bridge coming home, they had just started and I got a perfect view of them.

I didn't get a chance to see a lot of players, and because tackling wasn't allowed, it was very difficult to critique the defense. I didn't mention Shaun Rogers' plays at all above, but fear not: he seemed to get a decent push throughout his time in the game. The offensive line seemed to win the battles whenever Anderson was in the game, as the pressure on him was rare.

I couldn't keep up with all of the changes being made, so unfortunately I can't comment specifically on what a James Lee or a Mil'von James might have done. The one surprise -- as I mentioned above -- was not seeing Winslow involved at all. Also, I know Paul Hubbard was in the game for a few snaps, but the only time the ball came his way it was called back due to a penalty if I'm not mistaken.

If anybody has any questions they'd like to ask me about what I may/may not have seen, I encourage you to ask. And, if you attended or watch it on television, please feel free to contribute your own observations.

P.S. I stayed up to post this at 2:30 AM in the morning, so forgive me if anything had poor grammar. I'll try to look this over again in the morning and make any necessary correctons...

EDIT @ 3:00 AM: The Plain Dealer has some updates that clear a few things up:

• Joshua Cribbs was limited with a hamstring injury, and Kellen Winslow was held out of team drills with the same issue.
• The team expects Corey Williams to return to the field this Sunday.
• Gary Baxter, who I saw in warm-ups, stayed on the sidelines (out of team drills, like Winslow).

I knew I didn't see Winslow in on the action, but I wasn't 100% sure. And, that explains why Cribbs really wasn't fielding punts or kick returns during the "pregame" portion. And, there's the update on Williams that some of you were looking for...

QB Derek Anderson and TE Kellen Winslow hope to put on a nice little show when they take the field Friday. Credit: Official site.

With all of the injuries hitting the Steelers' and Ravens' camps thus far, the Browns were scathing by pretty good, much like they did last year in camp. The streak ended today though, as it was announced that linebacker Antwan Peek had an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee.

Peek is expected to miss the remainder of training camp and all of the preseason games, but he could return by Week 1 for the game against the Dallas Cowboys. I saw Peek as a pure pass rusher, so if he needs to play without much practice, it's not an assignment that he would've missed too much on.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 9 (7/31/08)

1. Baxter Retiring: Umm...I don't think so, but you never know. WKYC reported during their news broadcast today that because Gary Baxter missed his second straight practice, he could be contemplating retirement. Baxter is not recovering as quick as he would like to from soreness according to the OBR, and Romeo Crennel stated that he could be back on the field in a day or two. My final guess here is that WKYC simply dropped an unmerited rumor as a news item.
2. Peek's Replacement: Not that this was specifically related to today's session, but for the rest of camp, all eyes will be on former Texans linebacker Shantee Orr. We know what Willie McGinest can and can't provide at this stage of his career, so Orr is the guy that should be seeing more reps in camp. Alex Hall is a candidate too, but if I'm not mistaken, hasn't he been practicing on the same side as Kamerion Wimbley?
3. For the Record: For the first week of camp, Orr had been seeing all of his reps at inside linebacker. During Thursday's practice, he started working on the outside -- a position he did play at when he was with the Texans. Also, keeping all doors open, David McMillan will also get a crack at outside linebacker.
4. Highlight Play: Since Donte Stallworth is healthy now, the chemistry between him and Derek Anderson seems to be building. On a highlight play of the day, the two connected on a deep ball in which Stallworth had to dive all out to make the catch.
5. Positive Corners: According to Ohio.com, besides the play above, the cornerbacks, specifically Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald. On the day, they consistently swatted down passes and caused turnovers. McDonald reportedly had an interception and dropped another.
DB Jereme Perry has at least made some noise, as he contests a pass intended for WR Travis Wilson here. Credit: Official site.
6. Fourth Corner: If the Browns don't go out and acquire anybody, "veteran" Jereme Perry could make the final roster. If anybody beyond the three locks (Wright, McDonald, Cousin) has stood out, it might just be him. Today, practice closed out with him breaking up a lob pass intended for Travis Wilson on a pass from Brady Quinn, according to the Plain Dealer.
7. Pluto Comments: Terry Pluto attended camp today (check the link collection below), and made some nice observations as always. I have to quote him for the full effect:
   

   I hope it's more than a summer mirage, but cornerbacks Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald have been two of the best players in camp. These guys are optimistically listed at 5-foot-10, but they are quick and tough. I remember a couple of small CBs named Dixon and Minnifield who made fans cheer. Wright seems very savvy, switching coverages in the zone defense and just knowing how to be in the right place when it matters most.

   Stay healthy guys, because after you, when don't have much.
8. Cribbs Maturing: From training camp notes in general, Joshua Cribbs seems to actually be making quite an impression at wide receiver, at least in certain packages. Pluto commented that he made a great sideline catch on a pass from Quinn during goal-line drills.
K Phil Dawson will be booting plenty of kicks through the uprights at Family Fun Night. And, field goals can be reviewed by instant replay this year, thanks to him. Credit: Official site.
9. Zebras in Attendance: Like yesterday, the referees were again in attendance to make sure the league's new rules were clarified. The most significant new rule is that the forceout no longer exists: if a receiver doesn't get two feet down in bounds, it's incomplete. The official site has a nice article reminding Browns fans of all the new rules.
10. Players Missing Tomorrow: The following players are confirmed to miss Friday's Family Fun Night at Cleveland Browns Stadium: TE Steve Heiden (knee), DE Corey Williams (shoulder), WR Kevin Kasper (hamstring), FB Lawrence Vickers (hamstring) and OG Seth McKinney (ankle).
11. Start Time and Procedure: Family Fun Night starts at 7:00 PM, and tickets are available for purchase for just $5. The event is scheduled to last two hours long, with the first hour being dedicated to some various drills and the second hour kicking in the "scrimmage" type of gameplay. Because the Browns do not have a full third-team offensive line, only the first- and second-teams will get reps.

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

Scribbles on the Browns (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Pluto)

Wait a sec on Brady Quinn (Ohio.com, Thomas)

Training camp log: Day 9 (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)

I am not sure if I will be attending the Family Fun Night tomorrow -- it may come down to a last minute decision. If I go, I will be sure to make as many observations as possible. I don't have a digital camera, so if anyone does go and takes pictures, feel free to contact me via email so that we can collaborate a recap together if need be.

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!

Romeo Crennel claps on as he watches the rest of his team practice in the hottest day of camp thus far.

On the seventh day of training camp, the training camp facility in Berea saw an arrival. An arrival that has no proper name but can be a real pain in the neck: HEAT.

With it being an afternoon practice today, the team got their first taste of near 90-degree temperatures underneath the scorching sun. They knew it had to come sooner than later, but did it affect anyone's performance during practice?

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 7 (7/29/08)

1. Mr. Rogers: So, how did Shaun Rogers hold up in this heat? Perfectly fine, considering he was given the day off by Romeo Crennel. There wasn't anything wrong with him; more of the "veteran respect" it seems. Kellen Winslow was also given the day off.
2. Josh Cribbs Day: If you are a huge fan of Joshua Cribbs, then you missed a good one today, because it was almost "all Cribbs, all the time" (didn't that used to be similar to WKNR 1220's tagline?). Cribbs' action will be highlighted below...
3. Cribbs at QB: While he didn't throw any passes, Cribbs lined up at quarterback for at least four plays, according to the Plain Dealer. Each time, he took a direct snap from shotgun and ran with the ball, much like he did a few times during the 2007-2008 campaign.
4. Cribbs on Reverses: The gadgets continued while Cribbs was lined up at different positions. He had several reverses, fake reverses, and throws off the reverse. WTAM's website reports an instance in which Cribbs received a reverse and then ran the option play with receiver Donte Stallworth trailing him.
It was a very busy day for WR Joshua Cribbs. Here, outruns the defense for a touchdown after a slant pass from QB Brady Quinn.
5. Cribbs' Weight Loss: WTAM also reports that after showing up to camp at 230 pounds, Cribbs has already lost 8-10 pounds. That seems a little excessive, doesn't it?
6. Cribbs via Quinn: Practice closed out with another play involving Cribbs. He caught a nice spiral from Quinn on a deep slant over the middle before outracing the defenders to the end zone for a touchdown.
7. Quinn's Day: Speaking of Quinn, this was reportedly one of his better practices, though that's not saying a whole lot. His accuracy was up, but many of his passes were still underthrown on intermediate routes.
8. Daily Wilson: Although he couldn't haul in a pass that he slid to the ground for and got his hands on, it was still a good day overall for Travis Wilson, who performed well in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.
   
9. Pick Six for Adams: Off of a dropped pass to tight end Darnell Dinkins on a pass from Derek Anderson, backup safety Mike Adams returned an interception for a touchdown.
10. Stallworth, DEEP: Getting back into the groove of things, Donte Stallworth caught a deep touchdown pass from Anderson, drawing an ovation from the crowd.
Jerome Harrison is getting a lot of reps behind Jamal Lewis. Will that mean anything on gameday though?
11. Reps for Jerome: Backup running back Jerome Harrison has been getting a lot of reps with the second team, and he's looked quick and elusive as always. I'll repeat it again though: you can't get excited about his potential until regular season gameday to see if the coaches actually utilize him or simply "stash him as an option".
12. Ali Repping Up: The roster odds for fullback Charles Ali are increasing by the day. With Vickers out, Ali has been the team's primary fullback in camp, and he has been hitting people hard. Kolo Kapanui or any of the other UDFA's haven't made significant noise either.
13. Other Sit Outs: DE Corey Williams (shoulder), TE Steve Heiden (knee), OG Seth McKinney (ankle), FB Lawrence Vickers (hamstring) and WR Kevin Kasper (hamstring) did not practice. Of all those players, I'm most disappointed to see Kasper still on the sidelines. We need to see if this guy could be our fourth, or even third, receiver.

Anderson's pick to Adams and Quinn's touchdown to Cribbs were in the two-minute drills to close practice. The Canton Repository provided a more detailed summary of the situations:

Monday's lone practice concluded with a two-minute drill. Anderson went first, running the No. 1 offense — and getting picked off by safety Mike Adams on a misfire that glanced off tight end Darnell Dinkins' hands.

Quinn brought the No. 2 offense on the field. Early in his shift, rookie Paul Hubbard and 2007 practice squad extra Steve Sanders split wide left, with Cribbs setting up wide right. Cribbs fired off the line on a quick slant, and Quinn hit him in stride against cornerback Jereme Perry. Cribbs accelerated and ran into the clear for a 45-yard touchdown.

Here's your link collection of sources for Tuesday's practice:

Browns insider: Offensive line word association (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)

Browns notebook from Day 7 (Canton Repository, Doerschuk)

Day 7 of training camp (WTAM)

Ali a "new player" in his second camp (Official Site, Jackson)

Camp report: Jones expects big things (Orange and Brown Report)

Tuesday training camp update (OBR Forums)

Dawson taking nothing for granted (Official Site, King)

Photos from camp (OBR Forum member)

If you have Sirius Satellite Radio, I'm sure you've heard the news already that the merger between Sirius and XM was FINALLY approved today, thank heavens. Sirius has its own NFL station on Channel 124. Every year, "Movin' the Chains" hosts Tim Ryan and Pat Kirwan visit training camps around the league.

They will be covering the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday (July 30) from 3:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. EST. If I don't forget about it, I will try to cover it live here on Dawgs By Nature, providing any updates that they are discussing, just like I did last year. Don't get too excited, but do check in around 3:30 PM EST to see if I'm doing play-by-play (assuming you don't have a Sirius yourself).

What's your favorite team in the National Football League? The one that makes you proud to bleed orange and brown? They are the Cleveland Browns of course. Our troops took the field for two practice sessions again today, so let's get right into it:

(BTW, thanks to OBR Forums user Buckeye2k7 who uploaded four videos of camp from Monday's morning session! The links are listed below...I am embedding the second video link for quick access.)

Video Link 1
Video Link 2
Video Link 3
Video Link 4

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 6 [MORNING] (7/28/08)

Joe Thomas has been taking on everybody in camp -- even pass rushing specialist Kamerion Wimbley. Credit: Official Site

1. Steinbach Losing Battles: The veteran left guard isn't struggling by any means. When it comes to defending Shaun Rogers though, Eric Steinbach just can't seem to find an edge. In a one-on-one drill Rogers just dominated him -- so much that he could've easily put him on his back.
2. Thomas a Mauler: In the same drill, according to the Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi, Joe Thomas manhandled a rushing David McMillian. Imagine if you, assuming you're not in football shape, tried to actually beat Thomas. That's what Thomas did to McMillian -- except McMillian actually has NFL-quality talent.
3. Rookie Alert: Two rookies have caught the attention of head coach Romeo Crennel -- running back Travis Thomas and linebacker Alex Hall. In sharp contrast, we haven't heard much about linebacker Beau Bell, tight end Martin Rucker.
4. Edwards Somewhat Down: If ever there was a day that Braylon Edwards "struggled" in camp, it would've been during the morning practice. Edwards leapt up in the air on a deep pass from Derek Anderson, but cornerback Brandon McDonald made a fundamentally sound play by trying to jar the ball loose as Edwards came down, compensating for the size difference. The ball indeed came loose.
   
   Braylon Edwards has the ball knocked free from him after a nice play by defensive back Brandon McDonald. Credit: Official Site
   
   
   On another play, Edwards dropped a deep pass after he had beat defensive backs Terry Cousin and Mike Adams.
5. Speaking Of Which: The reports on Terry Cousin have not been great thus far. Let's hope that he isn't this year's Ralph Brown or Kenny Wright (in terms of player quality).
6. Grossi Likes Leggett: Grossi commented on how wide receiver Lance Leggett has been making some nice catches in camp, including during the morning session. Leggett was another player who I gave zero credit to in my training camp preview.
7. Daily Wilson: According to the official site, Brady Quinn threw a fade touchdown to receiver Travis Wilson after Wilson had beaten his man. With Kevin Kasper missing a couple of practices, you'd have to imagine that Wilson has a slight edge over him with a strong camp thus far.
8. Rubin With a Drive: ...to deep right center...opps, wrong sport. Rookie defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin showed some nice drive today, pushing back center Hank Fraley on at least one occasion. Still, the roster odds are not necessarily in his favor, meaning he still has a lot to show us.
9. Leonard Beating Hadnot: According to one fan's report, defensive lineman Louis Leonard beat offensive guard Rex Hadnot pretty badly twice in a row. Hadnot was looked down upon more so than Leonard was praised.
10. Anderson Again: It's not even close, folks. Derek Anderson continued to display his improved touch on short passes
11. Injury Updates: WR Kevin Kasper and DL Corey Williams did not participate. TE Steve Heiden and RB Jason Wright were limited in their activity.

TRAINING CAMP REPORT - DAY 6 [EVENING] (7/28/08)

Brady Quinn's lackluster effort in camp may not mean much right now, but it will if it continues -- we need him if anything happens to Derek Anderson. Credit: Official Site
1. New Quarterback: We didn't add anybody to the roster, but apparently there is a new quarterback in camp. The Browns ran a play in which the ball was tossed to Jamal Lewis, who then ran right before rainbowing a pass to a wide open Kellen Winslow for a touchdown. Yep...just don't try that during a game Chud unless you're certain it'll work.
   
2. Sowells a Mess: Things aren't looking good performance-wise for Isaac Sowells, who was getting beat left and right during practice, whether it was against starters or backups. Luckily for him, backup tackle is our thinnest spot on the offensive line.
3. Zone Problems: While he was very consistent in practice again, we have to nitpick here: during red zone drills, Derek Anderson threw a bad interception to Andra Davis. Those type of plays killed us last year against the Oakland Raiders and the Cincinnati Bengals (part 2). Again though -- his short game continues to look impressive.
4. Quinn to Harrison: While Brady Quinn continues to look unsure of himself, how about we highlight something positive for once? Running back Jerome Harrison ran a wheel-like route, and Quinn hit him in stride for six.
5. Sanders Again: The most news that Steve Sanders is making is that he's staying after camp playing catch with Quinn. They did it again for awhile after the evening session.

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

Browns morning practice Day 6 is over (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)

Notes: Crennel looking for improvement (Official Site, King)

Camp report: Wimbley seeking to rebound (Orange and Brown Report, Greetham)

Lewis runs for titles, legacy, and Jim Brown (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cabot)

Andra Davis' word worth weight in gold (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Grossi)

Don't sell short the talent of McDonald (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Pluto)

The Browns will hit the field for one afternoon practice session on Tuesday.