By Steve King, Staff Writer
July 31, 2006


Romeo Crennel Press conferenece 7-31-06



Cosey Coleman


Photo By John H. Reid III


Browns right guard Cosey Coleman's head has been on a swivel almost
from the moment training camp began.

Early last Thursday on the second day of camp, he looked to his left
and watched Pro Bowl center LeCharles Bentley go down with a season-
ending knee injury.

Less than 30 hours later, Coleman looked the other way to see right
tackle Ryan Tucker leave practice with an injured knee.

So by just the third day of camp, the complete dynamics of the
offense overall and the line, specifically, had changed.

While it's obviously not the way a team wants to start camp - "We
haven't played a game yet and already we've lost two starters off the
offensive line," Coleman says - he is nonetheless following the lead
of Browns head coach Romeo Crennel, who never flinched when things
began to unravel last week.

"Injuries are as big a part of this game as anything," Coleman said
following Monday morning's practice. "They happen unexpectedly, but
you still have to prepare for them. And that's what this team has
done by the players we've added. You don't like to see injuries, but
once they happen, you have to move on and get ready for the season.
We have no choice but to do that."

Mentor, Ohio native and Kent State product Bob Hallen, a longtime
backup in the NFL who was an offseason free-agent acquisition, has
stepped in at center. Kirk Chambers, who has been a backup as well
since being a sixth-round draft choice in 2004, is at right guard.

Coleman has no qualms about playing next to either one of them.

"Bob's an outstanding guy - a veteran guy," Coleman said. "He's
played more years in the league than I have (nine to seven). And with
Kirk, he's worked his tail off to get to where he's at. They'll both
be fine."

But the injuries nonetheless present a big challenge to the line.
Coleman, Bentley and left guard Joe Andruzzi, now in his 10th season,
were to be the formidable trio in the middle of the line protecting
young, developing quarterback Charlie Frye. With Bentley out and
Tucker immediate status unknown, and with left tackle Kevin Shaffer
being a first-year Brown after being signed in free agency, Coleman
and Andruzzi have to crank up their level of leadership.

"There's no question about that because Joe and I are the only
starters left on the line from last year," Coleman said. "We've got
to step it up. But the two of us can do only so much. After all,
we're just the right guard and the left guard. We're not going to
overdo it. We can't go out and block the defensive end."

So the line continues to work as it re-defines itself. There's plenty
of time for the process to take place.

"You never want to see injuries like this happen, but the way in
which it happened so early in camp is a best-case scenario," Coleman
said. "We have time to adjust. There's a week and a half before our
first preseason game (Aug. 10 at Philadelphia) and six weeks before
our first regular-season game (Sept. 10 against New Orleans). We have
to be ready to go by the time the season starts. We can't use what
has happened as an excuse. We're not going to let it take away any of
the aggressiveness we were planning to have on the line."

INJURY UPDATE: Wide receiver Joe Jurevicius sat out the morning
practice with back spasms. "It's just the wear and tear of training
camp," Crennel said. ... Doctors will examine Tucker Monday afternoon
to determine if he'll undergo knee scope. ... Cornerback Daylon
McCutcheon (knee inflammation) will be checked out as well. He was
able to do a little in practice. ... Crennel said Bentley is "ready
to come home from the hospital, and he wants to come home" after
undergoing surgery last Friday. ... Rookie running back Chris
Barclay's ankle is still in a boot.

NECK AND NECK: Crennel said Ken Dorsey and Derek Anderson are in a
tight battle for the No. 2 quarterback job. Dorsey currently has the
spot, but Anderson is making gains. "It's pretty close," the coach
said. "It's like the battles at cornerback and linebacker." Crennel
said Anderson is "the classic dropback quarterback. He has excellent
arm strength. He has long arms and is a tall guy (6-foot-6). He gets
excellent velocity on the ball. He's got his weight down (to 229
pounds), which will help him with his footwork." But the coach also
said Anderson must do a better job of hanging on to the ball. "If
those drops continue to happen, he'll definitely be No. 3," Crennel
said.

PLAYS OF THE DAY: Phil Dawson made a perfect squib kick that was not
handled. ... Frye hit wide receiver Kendrick Mosley on a long pass
down the sideline and then, for about the fourth time in camp,
connected with wideout Dennis Northcutt for a touchdown on a long
post route. ... Reuben Droughns made a nice run on a sweep. ... Lang
Campbell passed to wide-open tight end John Owens for a 25-yard
gain. ... Inside linebacker Clifton Smith intercepted a Dorsey pass.

BIRD'S EYE VIEW: Training camp allows fans to get as close to the
action as you can get, and there is no better example of that than
what happened early in practice. The running backs worked on a
blocking sled while fans less than 10 feet away watched. The fans
applauded when the drill was over.

UP NEXT: The Browns practice on Monday evening from 5:30 to 7:30, and
then on Tuesday from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. For practice updates, call the
team's training camp hotline at 1-877-627-6967 or log on to
clevelandbrowns.com.

QUOTABLES: "Stay up. Stay up, Leigh." - defensive backs coach Mel
Tucker, probably as a fallout from the Bentley injury, yelling to
cornerback Leigh Bodden as he tackled wide receiver Joshua Cribbs
following a pass reception.

*"Run, William run." - a fan, imitating the well-known call by Browns
radio play-by-play announcer Jim Donovan in the 2002 regular-season
finale against the Atlanta Falcons, cheering on William Green when
the running back broke into the clear after catching a pass.

*"As a coach, you're always between a rock and a hard place in
practice. If the offense does well, then the defense is not right.
And if the defense does well, then the offense needs work." - Crennel
on the no-win aspects of life as a football coach.