JONES OUT: Sean Jones could be lost for the season after tearing an
ACL in his left knee during practice on Tuesday. The second-round pick from
Georgia was injured while leaping making a play during the team's quarterback
school sessions.
Jones was considered to be a possibility to start by the end of the season,
and was using the quarterback school to refine his techniques and learn the
Browns defense. The injury is a blow to the Browns' hopes of strengthening
themselves at Safety, where Earl Little and Robert Griffith have started for the
past several seasons.
"(Jones) is a great athlete, and was leaping up and making a great play",
Butch Davis told reporters, "It was an unfortunate and a freaky type of an
(injury)"
Davis, who traded up in the draft to grab Jones after dealing away the Browns
second-round pick to land Kellen Winslow, Jr., is looking to 2003 draft choice
Chris Crocker to help fill the void, saying that Crocker has had "an outstanding
off-season".
The Browns also signed ex-Colts and Buccaneer safety David Gibson, who was in
practice today wearing #48. Davis also said that the team would be keeping their
eyes open for other possible players who they feel might be able to step in.
Tight end Keith Heinrich was also injured in recent days, breaking a fibula
in his right leg last Thursday. Heinrich is in a "boot walker" at present, and
the team was not able to provide a timetable for his recovery.
RELEASED AT THE SPEED OF FEDEX: Davis was reticent to discuss Tim Couch
at length, answering only a few questions about the release of the #1 draft pick
in 1999.
The team has not officially released Couch, and is looking for the NFLPA to
drop the grievance filed by the organization on Couch's behalf. Letters are
being sent between the various parties which need to be delivered before Couch
can be officially released, leading Davis to quip that the quarterback is being
released "as fast as Fedex jets can fly". The team hopes that the paperwork can
be completed by the end of the day, at which time Couch will get his official
release.
FROM THE NOTEBOOK:
- The team will be using the coming weeks to rest up prior to the beginning
of the season. Following an exit meeting, most of the football staff will be
out of Berea until the middle of July. The Browns did confirm that Friday,
July 30th, would be the first day that training camp will be open to the
public. The remainder of the training camp schedule will likely be forthcoming
sometime after the Fourth of July holidays.
- Linebacker David Moretti has returned to the Browns and was in practice
today. Moretti was briefly a member of the club in 2003, spending time on the
team's practice squad. After being released by the Browns, Moretti spent some
time with the Packers, and was released by Green Bay early in May.
- One way to tell that Couch is gone for good: for the first time this
summer, his old locker is occupied. New safety David Gibson is using Couch's
old locker.
- NFL Europe players Cedric Scott, Felipe Claybrooks, and John Nix were at
practice this afternoon, although they were not on the field. The team made
the three available to reporters, and BerniesInsiders.com will have some audio
from Cedric Scott available for subscribers later this afternoon.