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August 12, 2010
Tuesday’s slate of practices did not bode well for the training room of the Cleveland Browns practice facility in Berea.
Early in the day, cornerback Eric Wright was sidelined with what appeared to be a hamstring injury. Not to be outdone, linebacker D’Qwell Jackson left the evening portion of practice with what was reported to be an injury to his pectoral muscle. Those on scene said that the injury to Jackson appeared to be “not good,” and that Jackson was visibly upset.
The NFL’s leading tackler two years ago, Jackson missed the bulk of the 2009 season with a torn pectoral muscle. The subject of some contention over his contract, Jackson ultimately signed his one-year tender and showed up to camp on time. Naturally, the team has not commented on the results of his MRI and Jackson could suit up tomorrow just as likely as the next move could be the Injured Reserve. Thankfully for Jackson and the Browns, it’s being reported that the injured pectoral muscle is not the same one that was injured last season. Also in the teams’ favor is the bevy of linebackers that are fighting for roster spots with the 2010 team – when Jackson missed last season, players like Jason Trusnik and Marcus Benard stepped up admirably.
And while how the team handles the hole left at inside linebacker is unknown, it is already being reported that first-round draft selection Joe Haden will get the starting nod this week when the Browns travel to Green Bay to kick off the NFL preseason, and he couldn’t be more excited.
“Yes, real excited,” said Haden after Tuesday’s morning practice. “It definitely means a whole lot more playing time and that just more time to make plays. The only way that you make plays is out on the field. If I get a whole lot more time, I’m looking forward to that.”
Between now and the weekend, Haden will continue to work with the first-team defense, attempting to compete against wide receivers Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie, something Haden feels will only make his game better.
“I feel good about it because I get to play against the ones,” Haden continued. Massaquoi and Robiskie, that makes your game a whole better, being out there against the ones with Jake [Delhomme] at quarterback. It’s just a whole lot more reps honestly. They’ve got me playing against the ones at corner and I’m going in with the twos at nickel, so it’s just a whole lot of reps, a whole of game experience.”
Head coach Eric Mangini feels that the extra work will only benefit his new cornerback. Having a few mental lapses at practice, like most rookies will, Haden was the victim of a deep route by slot receiver Chansi Stuckey. Mangini claimed that Haden bit up on a shorter route by another receiver, subsequently leaving the deep part of the field wide open for the converted pass.
“What I’m looking for is how well he has the big picture,” said Mangini. “How well he understands the assignments and the techniques. Those types of things I think will come with time and experience, but that’s what I’m looking for. Whether it’s the ones or the twos, if you have got to be there, you have got to be there or there’s going to be a big play.”
Haden and the rest of the Browns defense will most certainly have their hands full with Aaron Rogers, Greg Jennings and the rest of the Green Bay offense. When the two teams locked horns during last year’s preseason, Rogers had his way with the Browns defense, putting up 14 points in the first quarter. The Packers’ first drive of the contest featured a 10-yard pass to Jennings and a 53-yard touchdown pass to veteran wideout Donald Driver.
As Browns fans heard multiple times during the broadcast of last week’s Brown & White scrimmage, the chief concern for the Packers offense is who will be their holder during field goals and extra points.
But when comparing this year’s team to that of the one that took the field a season prior, Coach Mangini feels that the Packers should at least be in for a bit of a larger challenge through that first 15 minutes of play.
“I feel really good about the progress we’ve made, the strides we’ve made,” said Mangini. “The second year is different. Guys understand expectations. There are so many things that you don’t have to cover because they get it and they become teachers to people who are new and that helps a lot.”
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(Image via Scott Sargent/WFNY)
11 Comments
Haden vs. Jennings
and
Brown vs. Driver
Now those are fantastic matchups to watch (for at least a series or two).
Does anyone think Haden will just play with the ones, or will he play against the twos as well? The more experience, the better.
Whatever your plans are for Friday night, Joe, be a smart rook and stay out of the warehouse district. And stay away from Brandon “Einstein” MacDonald; you might lose half your brain cells just listening to him talk.
Despite the bad week, it looks like the Browns aren’t faring too poorly on the injury front, relatively speaking.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/injuries
h/t Chris
I bet Haden will play a very large portion of the 1st half. The first team will only be out there for what 2 maybe 3 drives? Haden should get some looks with the 2nd team as well.
Number one argument for shrinking the preseason.
I love trying to draft a fantasy team when some big names are out 2-4 weeks.
/not that the Browns have big names
Never been impressed with Jackson. All his tackles seem to take place 5 yards downfield and even then I can’t recall even one that made me say “oooh!!’; he seems to come more from the Jeff Van Gundy school of tackling, not exactly the Baltimore Ravens technique of putting a little “hot sauce” on them. Shoot the gap just one time D Jack. Pleeease??
Ya, I mean.. I like DQ… buuuuuut its not like he’s head over heels better then any LB we have. Granted, Ryan seemed to be more aggressive and the players probably knew the scheme better, but the D did better after the Jackson injury (just showing he doesn’t “make or break” the defense.
I hope DQ recovers quickly so he has a chance to earn that contract that he wanted.
I don’t think the browns sufferd from injury much. I think all of this is minor and about Haden i think he will have good playing time this year and play most of the first half vs the packers.
@9
Agreed. He is still relatively young, and at a position where you can play well into your late 30’s(see Barton, Eric and Bowens, David). He has potential to be very good and it would be great to see if he can be close to a top tier ILB in the NFL.