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Browns notebook
Browns take hit on offensive line

Right guard Hadnot suffers strained knee in preseason loss

By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer

CLEVELAND: The injury bug continued to bite the Browns in crucial areas. The latest victim: right guard Rex Hadnot, who went down during the first quarter of Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears.

Hadnot had been filling in for starting right guard Ryan Tucker, who underwent hip surgery this past May. It looks as if the Browns have some depth at the position, but the seriousness of Hadnot's injury will likely determine what moves the team makes. Coach Romeo Crennel said after the game that Hadnot had a strained knee.

Tucker might have been a candidate for the physically unable to perform list (PUP),which would have required him to miss the first six weeks of the season. Crennel called it an important week for Tucker, because he took a significant step up in his rehabilitation.

The Browns tapped backup Seth McKinney to replace Hadnot after the injury. McKinney started the first eight games of last year before suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery.

Aging like fine wine

Browns kicker Phil Dawson stands alone.

He's the lone player left from that 1999 season in which the Browns returned to the NFL. A 10-year veteran, Dawson is also coming off his best season. He scored 120 points and made 26-of-30 field goals for 87 percent and he's looking as if he's ready to pick up right where he left off. Dawson has made 4-of-4 field goals during the preseason. Of those, two traveled more than 50 yards. Dawson credits a change in his offseason habits for his success thus far.

''I think that's probably part of becoming a veteran,'' Dawson said. ''That's what benefits you the most, learning how to take care of your body. I'm about 10 pounds lighter than I was last year. I really worked on that this offseason.

''My wife has me eating healthy; that only helps you. When you're a young guy, you don't really understand how that affects your performance.''

More important for the Browns, however, is that Dawson has evolved into a clutch kicker. Fans will remember the game-tying kick that bounced off the crossbar support in Baltimore last season and Cleveland's version of the Snow Bowl as a whipping Lake Erie wind turned a game last season against the Buffalo Bills into an occasional whiteout. Dawson delivered in that instance, too, making two kicks, including a 49-yarder in an 8-0 victory.

''[I'm] pretty proud of it. I'd like to think that's the culmination of practicing a long time in bad conditions. To finally have one in a game that matters and under those circumstances means a great deal,'' he said. ''I wish I could say that would probably be the last one I had to try like that. But if I stick around long enough there will probably be another one coming, so I've got to be ready for that one, too.''

Although he might be considered a senior citizen in the NFL, he sees no reason to think about retiring any time soon.

''I don't feel like I'm slowing down at all. I'm enjoying it. I want to be here when we win. The guys kid me, they call me the Moses of the Browns,'' he said. ''I don't want to stick around to lead everybody to the Promised Land and then be gone. I want to get to experience winning and I think we're on the right track for that.''

Wilson drought ends

After the New York Jets game, wide receiver Travis Wilson looked like a shoo-in to lock up the third wide receiver spot. Then came the New York Giants and next the Detroit Lions. Wilson had no receptions in either of those games. Perhaps sensing that his NFL career could be at stake, Wilson grabbed six balls for 57 yards in the first half of Thursday's game against the Bears to improve his chances to make the roster. Wilson, in his third year with the Browns, also dropped a deep pass from quarterback Ken Dorsey that hit him in the hands.

 


George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/sportsblitz/.

 

CLEVELAND: The injury bug continued to bite the Browns in crucial areas. The latest victim: right guard Rex Hadnot, who went down during the first quarter of Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears.

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