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beerman -> RE: 2008 Cleveland Browns ~ Pittsburgh Steelers ~ Others (7/21/2008 10:18:54 AM)
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The Cleveland Browns start camp this Wednesday. (July 23) Here is a good article that compares last year's team with this year team as they start.
"Browns Enter Camp A Much Different Team" by Terry Pluto (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
When the Browns opened training camp a year ago, no one knew who would be the starting quarterback -- or if the Browns even had one worthy of the title. Brady Quinn was holding out, and coach Romeo Crennel was practicing his coin flipping to figure out who'd take the initial snaps in the first preseason game.
Charlie Frye was the early favorite to be the starter. Now the University of Akron product is battling to be a backup in Seattle. Derek Anderson is fresh off a season of 29 touchdown passes, and Quinn has shown so much promise, some fans believe he should start.
A year ago, General Manager Phil Savage seemed to be betting his job on retaining Crennel, along with the blockbuster draft day that produced left tackle Joe Thomas and Quinn. Some of us wondered if Crennel would survive the season. After Marty Schottenheimer was fired by San Diego, I wrote a column in Akron suggesting the Browns strongly consider hiring him to replace Crennel.
Today, Crennel has a contract extension. I still don't consider Crennel a great coach, but as Savage told me: "The guys like him, respect him and play hard for him. He really helped our two young guys [tight end Kellen Winslow and receiver Braylon Edwards] mature. He gives us tremendous stability, which this organization needed."
A year ago, the Browns had signed running back Jamal Lewis, who seemed to be nothing more than a Baltimore reject. Few teams had any interest in him. Now, it's 1,304 yards later, and Lewis gives the Browns the punishing back they've needed since the days of Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner.
A year ago, Savage insisted the Browns finally had the makings of an offensive line. He resisted the urging of some on his staff to use the No. 3 pick in the 2007 NFL draft on Quinn, picking Thomas instead. And he knew many fans would have preferred star running back Adrian Peterson over Thomas, but he was convinced the Browns needed a star left tackle to protect the quarterback.
Now, I'm going to write something I never thought could be typed a year ago: The Browns have a good, deep, dependable offensive line.
A year ago, all we knew about Rob Chudzinski was he grew up a Browns fan, did a short stint with the team as a tight ends coach, and had that same job in San Diego. Who knew if he really could put together an effective NFL offense? He also was the team's fourth offensive coordinator in four years.
Now he is considered head-coaching material.
A year ago, we didn't know if offensive tackle Ryan Tucker would make it back from his emotional problems that cost him seven games in 2006. Or that Edwards would become a Pro Bowl receiver. Or that the Browns would lose, 34-7, to Pittsburgh in the opener and still finish 10-6.
Yes, there are some things we don't know about this team.
Will the young, thin secondary hold up? Will the revamped defensive line with Corey Williams and Shaun Rodgers finally stop the run? Will receiver Joe Jurevicius make it back at some point this season, and will Donte' Stallworth become a viable No. 2 receiver? Will they make the playoffs despite a brutal schedule?
This much we do know as training camp opens Wednesday: It's been a long time since a Browns season brought so much genuine optimism to the fans.
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