“I think that it's absurd to think the team is jinxed.”---center
LeCharles Bentley 8/2/06
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and hazard a guess that that particular memo
never reached Bob Hallen's back or Gary Baxter's knee.
The training camp that began with so much promise continued its downward
medical spiral yesterday as both Hallen and Baxter were held out of the
second of the two-a-day practices due to their injuries.
Hallen, who replaced Bentley as the starting center following the Pro
Bowler's season-ending knee injury, is suffering from back spasms and is,
according to head coach Romeo Crennel, “out indefinitely”. Crennel
added that Hallen suffered these same back spasms while in San Diego,
although a quick Google search of Hallen's injuries while with the Chargers
revealed only a torn pectoral muscle.
Replacing Hallen for the time being is Alonzo Ephraim—he of the five
career NFL starts—and Rob Smith—who apparently sweats like a whore in
church, which has caused problems on center exchanges between himself and
wannabe #2 quarterback Derek Anderson.
(The sweating has been causing problems, not that Anderson thinks of Smith
as a whore in church. Just wanted to clear that up.)
As for Baxter, the cornerback tweaked his knee during a drill yesterday
morning and was held out of the afternoon practice by the medical staff as a
precaution. An MRI was performed, Crennel said, and no major structural
damage was found.
Of course, that could mean something minor may have been found and it's an
injury that could linger or, in a worst case scenario, get worse.
For example, offensive tackle Ryan Tucker “tweaked” his left knee
during the second day of camp and was held out of the rest of that day's
practices. At the time, a precautionary MRI was taken even as Crennel was
downplaying the injury.
Two days later, it was learned that Tucker would be forced to undergo
arthroscopic surgery on the knee, which will keep the veteran out for most
if not all of the preseason games.
As pencil-thin as the depth on the offensive line has become—they moved
Andrew Hoffman from the defensive line to the offensive line, for crying
out loud—the secondary, particularly the cornerback position, is not far
behind.
Thus far, the secondary has lost Daylon McCutcheon and rookie
DeMario Minter to knee injuries. McCutcheon, who underwent arthroscopic
surgery on the same day as Tucker and is expected back around the same time
as the tackle, had been involved in a pitched battle with Leigh Bodden
for the starting spot opposite Baxter and is expected to be, at the bare
minimum, a key component in nickel packages, while Minter was drafted in the
fifth round to provide depth in the secondary and special team's play.
Even before Baxter's tweak, both Crennel and general manager Phil Savage
realized the dearth of available bodies and signed seven-year veteran corner
Ralph Brown on Sunday.
*****
Needless to say, the Browns will be searching both the waiver wire and
potential trade partners for insurance against Hallen missing an extended
period of time.
“We'll have to do our homework, see what's available and
go from there,” Crennel told reporters.
One potential avenue for a trade is the Philadelphia Eagles. Seven-year veteran Hank Fraley lost his starting job earlier
this summer to Jamaal Jackson and is said to be unhappy with the
demotion.
Fraley missed the last eight games of the 2005 season with a shoulder
injury, during which time Jackson entered the starting lineup and impressed
the coaching staff enough that he was ostensibly named the starter at the
beginning of camp. He also signed a seven-year contract extension before the
start of camp, while Fraley is entering the final year of his contract and
has yet to be approached about an extension.
Fraley became the Eagles starter in 2001 and started in all but one game up
until his injury last season.
(WARNING: SPECULATION BELOW)
A trade for Fraley would be somewhat of a risky proposition for Savage,
given that the veteran can become a free agent at the end of the season and
could be lost with no compensation in return. Also, getting him could be
expensive, with the likely cost being a first-day draft pick and/or a player
such as Lee Suggs.
With Savage loathe to give up draft picks, that would seem unlikely.
However, Fraley could also provide insurance against the possibility of
Bentley not being able to return at full strength from his injury. And, even
if Bentley were to return at full strength with Fraley on the roster,
Bentley has played at a Pro Bowl-level at guard in the NFL and could easily
slide over to that position with little or no problem.
*****
There was a rumor floating around the Internet over the weekend that
quarterback Charlie Frye had injured the thumb on his throwing hand.
As it turns out, there was more than a kernel of truth to the story.
General manager Phil Savage, speaking to the Akron Beacon
Journal, confirmed that Frye had indeed suffered the rumored injury
during a practice last Wednesday.
The injury wasn't enough to keep him out of the scrimmage on Friday, but it
did affect the way he threw the ball during a less-than-stellar performance.
“Obviously there were a couple balls he threw that (the sore thumb) had an
effect (on),” Savage told the paper.
“He has thrown the ball better this year.
I don't think he was 100 percent the
other night. So I think people are questioning this, that or the other. And
I think as we get into this, he's going to be fine.”
Both Frye and Crennel had denied there was anything wrong, injury-wise, with
the second-year QB following the scrimmage. However, Frye was seen speaking
at length with the medical staff following his lone series of the night.
*****
Now for some good news on the injury front.
A Browns insider tells The OBR that both Tucker and McCutcheon
are progressing “very well, very nicely” from their respective surgeries
and, barring an unexpected setback, will be on the field for the Browns'
regular-season opener on Sept. 10.
The insider says there is a very outside chance that one or both could be on
the field for the preseason finale—with McCutcheon being more likely than
Tucker—but to not expect it.
The Browns are being particularly cautious with Tucker, whose surgery was
performed on the same knee that caused him to miss the last nine games of
the 2004 season.
*****
PRESEASON OPENER BROWNIES: Crennel officially announced that rookie
D'Qwell Jackson will start in the place of the injured Chaun Thompson at one of the inside linebacker spots….The Browns expect tight
end Kellen Winslow Jr. to get a handful of snaps in this week's
preseason opener, while wide receiver Braylon Edwards will not play
at all…. Andrew Hoffman, moved from the defensive to offensive line
earlier this week, will have his playing time determined by the type of
defense the Eagles are running. If they are blitzing and doing a lot of
stunts, Hoffman's playing time will likely be limited, Crennel said.
*****
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “We'll find out if we should keep giving him
reps or not. See, that's the thing about this game. It's opportunity.
Sometimes, guys never get opportunity, so they don't get to show as much.
Sometimes they get the opportunity and they can show that they can play and
deserve to play. If he can show that he can make plays and use his instincts
like he did in college, then it will be a good story.”---head coach
Romeo Crennel, on rookie D'Qwell Jackson starting in place of the
injured Chaun Thompson in Thursday's preseason opener.
QUOTE OF THE DAY, THE SEQUEL: “It all starts with our division.
Pittsburgh -- they've been the bullies of our division for a long time. We
have to change that where a team looks at you and they count you as a
victory. All that has to change.”---linebacker Willie McGinest,
drawing a cyber standing ovation from every Browns fans reading his words.