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Cleveland Browns FS Tashaun Gipson did not attend voluntary OTAs over the past month, before finally signing his restricted free agent tender a few days ago. With the reps he's already missed, and having come off of an injury to close out the 2014 season, I'm sure head coach Mike Pettine was looking forward to seeing the star safety back in action. Instead, he saw this on Day 1 of Browns minicamp: Gipson as a member of the bike brigade.
Tashaun Gipson, Tramon Williams and Cameron Erving among those starting practice off doing bike rehab pic.twitter.com/TXM5xhg4H5
— Kevin Jones (@Mr_KevinJones) June 16, 2015
After practice, Pettine told reporters, "it's disappointing to not be here and then show up with an injury." Gipson reportedly hurt his hamstring while working out on his own own in Dallas. Gipson attributed the injury to wanting to be in peak physical condition, and says that his contract situation isn't going to affect his play as it pertains to this season.
#Browns Tashaun Gipson said he pulled the hamstring training at home in Dallas: "I wanted to be at the physical peak of my career.''
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) June 16, 2015
Pettine also told reporters that S Jordan Poyer will see first-team reps while Gipson is out, but that he wasn't going to punish Gipson come training camp because of a contract situation.
I'm guessing that Gipson did not make his injury known to the club until he showed up for minicamp, so I don't blame Pettine for being a little irked. I'll certainly give Gipson the benefit of the doubt, but a cynic could make comparisons to the situation that transpired with RB Peyton Hillis several years ago.