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Preseason games key for coach to determine how new additions fit in
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Thursday, Aug 07, 2008
BEREA: Cohesion.
That is a word Browns coach Romeo Crennel has used and something he will be looking for as his team begins the preseason schedule at 7:30 tonight against the New York Jets at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
With all the personnel moves during the offseason, especially on defense, Crennel and his staff need to see how the new additions work together during the four-game run up to the regular season.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Browns brought in Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams on the line and Terry Cousin in the secondary. They also added linebackers Beau Bell and Alex Hall through the draft.
''I want to see how the new people fit in with the team because we've got some new guys from other teams. We've got some young rookies, so I want to see how the new guys fit,'' Crennel said.
Of particular interest to the Browns' fourth-year coach: how the rookies respond to their first taste of game action.
''I want to see how the rookies react to the environment with people in the stands and it actually counting,'' Crennel said. ''Also in the preseason, the tempo of the game increases. . . . So I want to see how they handle that. Will they hit? That becomes an important thing — and how they handle getting hit.''
Left tackle Joe Thomas remembers going into last season's opener with a touch of nervousness. But for the most part, players this year said they're eager to get on the field and start popping bodies that don't belong to their teammates.
''It'll definitely be a relief,'' cornerback Eric Wright said.
'' . . . We're just looking to get better so we can get some different competition, so we can see a few different wide receivers.''
This year might be different from other opening preseason games for the Browns, primarily because the starting roles are all but locked up. When Crennel and his crew analyze game film, they will be looking for a third wide receiver and depth in the defensive backfield.
Travis Wilson, a third-year receiver out of Oklahoma, knows the stakes in these games.
''Football is fun in T-shirts and shorts and running against one another, but to see someone else out there, that's just going to raise the stakes higher and it's just going to be good to be out there,'' he said.
Quarterback Brady Quinn could find himself looking for Wilson a lot, as he also is expected to see significant playing time. Quinn has had an inconsistent training camp and is looking forward to getting back on the field.
''The biggest thing is getting back into it, getting that overall feel for being out there on the field,'' he said. ''I got limited time out there last year. My biggest thing is getting more time and experience.''
For the team's starters, tonight's rehearsal against the Jets will serve as a way to knock the cobwebs out of their heads. Jamal Lewis said that more than anything, it helps him to get into shape mentally as well as physically.
''I just take it as going out there and playing against another opponent, working on some of the things that you are lacking because being a starter, I don't get that many reps in practice, but going out in a game, I really want to freshen up on some things that I really want to work on,'' he said.
Lewis not only is looking forward to delivering hits, but also to refining his pass blocking and his blitz pickups.
Wide receiver Braylon Edwards said more than anything, the game will give him a chance to work on those fine points with quarterback Derek Anderson.
''Preseason games are always really good for getting a change from your defense, getting a chance to see a live coverage and a difference, but at the same time we're working on us,'' Edwards said. ''The biggest thing for us is to be on our page, not really try to be on the Jets' page and see what they're going to try to do, but what we're going to do [tonight] and the rest of camp.''
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read the Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: Cohesion.
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