BEREA - Willie McGinest gets it.
The 13-year veteran and Pro Bowl outside linebacker brought to the Browns as an
unrestricted free agent in March calls it `The Edge”. He hopes to bring the edge
to his new teammates with the Browns.
“I know attitude and swagger is a part of winning,” McGinest said. “Rodney Harrison and I had this thing when we were in New England and we called it
getting `The Edge' to stay one step ahead of the competition.”
McGinest says it's unrealistic to have everyone completely on the same page, but
he thinks if the key guys are on board a lot of good can happen.
“The organization has done a good job bringing in the right type of players with
the right types of attitudes,” McGinest said. “You just need enough of the key
guys with that attitude.”
McGinest helped the Patriots win three Super Bowls and is third on the Patriots
all-time sacks list with 78.
He wants to bring a Super Bowl to the Browns.
“Once we won the Super Bowl, anything other than being the best or being No. 1
was not acceptable,” McGinest said. “To just compete is not acceptable.”
McGinest said the Browns have no further to look than their own division.
“It all starts in our division,” he said. “We have to change that. I think our
team is competitive but it's about the attitude. We have to develop that
attitude here. It's how you approach the game and play the game.”
McGinest said he's well award of the rivalry of the Steelers and how the Browns
were pummeled by them 41-0 last year at home.
“That's all I've heard since I've been here is beating Pittsburgh,” he said.
“You have to give them respect because they are a good team, but so are we.”
McGinest feels the Browns can take care of their own business.
“We do have a long way to go to be good,” he said. “It's not about Pittsburgh.
It's about the Cleveland Browns and what we have to do to get better. We have a
lot of work to do to turn this team around. We were 6-10 last year.”
Romeo Crennel says with veterans is to judge if they can still perform at
optimum levels.
“One of the things the veterans have to do is prove they can still do it,”
Crennel said. “The veterans like Ted (Washington) and Willie have to see if they
still have it.”
Crennel said there was no doubt in his mind when he looked at McGinest's
performance last season that he could make an impact on the Browns defense.
“Anytime you sign a free agent, you look at your team and see how they would fit
in. Willie has a professional attitude that he has been able to bring to the
team. He has been a very productive player throughout his career.”
McGinest,34, knows he can still perform at a high level.
“I don't try to judge myself,” he said. “I have a lot of passion for the game
and when that passion leaves, I'll leave. You get a little smarter and you don't
have to expand a lot of energy on certain things that don't matter. It's all
about learning to play football.
“(The preseason) is just a matter of getting back into football shape,” he said.
“You train and do things in the off-season, but it's not football shape.”
Notebook
Injury Update: Crennel said RB Chris Barclay (ankle) is beginning to run on his
injured ankle. OL Isaac Sowells and TE Darnell Dinkins both had their ankles in
boots. LB Chaun Thompson (calf) rode the bike during practice. TE Kellen Winslow
and WR Braylon Edwards didn't take part in team drills. Crennel said on
two-a-days, he will usually rest them for at least one practice. CB Gary Baxter
tweaked his knee during the morning practice and he was looked at.
D'Qwell's Chance: It looks like rookie D'Qwell Jackson will start the first
preseason game against the Eagles on Thursday because of the injury to Thompson.
“I think most of the high draft choices have been starters in college,” Crennel
said. “Whoever plays will be excited about playing and showing what they can do.
The biggest quality he has is his instincts.
“It's always qualified by what's behind him,” Crennel said. “He's in a position
of competing with a guy who's injured. It's all about opportunity and sometimes
you get an opportunity and that's what it is with him.”
Hoffman's Switch: Andrew Hoffman was switched from defensive tackle to offensive
guard on Sunday. Crennel said he might play a couple of plays against the
Eagles, depending on what defense the Eagles are playing.
“The biggest thing with making the switch is the mental side of it,” Crennel
said. “He seems to have dealt with that part of it pretty well.”
Hoffman (6-4, 300 pounds) was the Browns's sixth-round draft choice in 2005 and
spent the entire season on the practice squad.