The NFL Players Association will send representatives to Cleveland Wednesday to meet with Browns players and investigate running back Jamal Lewis' charges that they're being overworked by coach Eric Mangini, Jay Glazer of Fox reported Sunday.

"The NFLPA wants to get to the bottom of exactly what Eric Mangini is doing with these guys," Glazer said on Fox's pre-game show. "Not sure what they can really do, but they’re going out to see if there is any way they can protect them."

Last Thursday, Lewis said Mangini's long, physical practices are leaving nothing left on Sundays. He said he'd practiced more in pads through eight games than he had in three or four years in Baltimore.

Mangini responded Friday by saying that his practices are two hours, plus a 30-minute walk-through, and are extended only when mistakes are made and plays must be repeated.

Glazer said Mangini's players are "absolutely exhausted."

"It’s not just Jamal Lewis," Glazer said. "It’s funny, Eric Mangini said this week, 'I just practice these guys for two hours.' The players I talked to said, 'Two hours? What practices is he talking about?' He’s giving these guys three hours. Sometimes, like this past week, one guy said practice was for three hours and 25 minutes in full pads, they were completely exhausted.

"A big problem is that they’re so exhausted that after practice Mangini has these extra reps and that’s when guys are really getting hurt. In fact one guy shredded his patella this week. They think it's career-ending."

That was practice squad defensive end Keith Grennan, who was injured Thursday in a post-practice opportunity period that gives extra reps to young players. Grennan will undergo surgery Monday.

{ 2 comments }

Punter Dave Zastudil's long-sore right knee may not last much longer.

The eight-year veteran was limited in practice Friday and the Browns tried out punters afterward in full view of the media.

The last time that happened, kicker Phil Dawson missed the first of five consecutive games. Zastudil is leading the league in punts inside the 20 with 25. He's averaging 44.7 yards (the second-best of his career) on 49 punts with a 39.1 net.

On Saturday's injury report, Zastudil was listed as questionable.

On Sunday, the Browns signed free agent punter Reggie Hodges, a Ball State product selected in the sixth round in 2005 draft by St. Louis.
Hodges has appeared in 24 career games with the Rams, Philadelphia Eagles (2005), New York Jets (2008) and Tennesee Titans (2009). He kicked in four games for the Titans this season, averaging 39.5 yards on 22 attempts, before being waived on Oct. 27.

His career numbers are 107 punts for a 40.1 average with 24 inside the 20, nine touchbacks and a long of 61.

At Ball State, Hodges was a first-team All-Mid-American Conference selection, set a school record with 254 punts and finished second in career yards with 10,210.

{ 2 comments }

Mangini defends his practices

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

A day after Browns running back Jamal Lewis ripped him for overworking the players and leaving nothing for the games, Browns coach Eric Mangini defended his practices Friday.

Mangini said he met with Lewis after Thursday's weekly captains meeting and said he thought they had a "good conversation," but would not elaborate on what was discussed.

"The thing I stress to the team all the time is communication," Mangini said. "Sometimes you have to agree to disagree."

Mangini emphasized that the strenuous part of practice runs only two hours unless plays are not executed properly and he deems they be repeated until they're run correctly.

"For the record, it's two hours," Mangini said. "We have a half-hour walk-through (prior). That's the facts, that's the reality of it. It's two hours a day. Two hours a day. On Wednesday, on Thursday and less on Friday.

"I’ve done all different combinations of practice, practice in shells the whole week, shoulder pads and shorts on Thursday. Some teams have full pads on Friday. There are different approaches, you're always trying to find one that best fits. I think two hours of work on the field is a very reasonable time."

After practice, Lewis said he "talked and exchanged ideas" with Mangini and got "a view of what he's trying to accomplish." As Lewis spoke to the media, several players chanted, "JLew, JLew" in the background.

"Basically got a chance to talk and settle things out, let him know that your guys’ story was kinda blown out of proportion and it was worded and went in a certain way," Lewis said. "But that’s how the media is.

"Mangini as a coach, we agreed to disagree sometimes. We settled things in house, that's how it should’ve been dealt with from the start."

On Thursday, Lewis said he'd practiced more in pads through eight games for the 1-7 Browns than he had in three or four years in Baltimore. His message to Mangini was, "We're just the crop. You've got to take care of your crop. If you don't take care of your crop, when it comes time to harvest, you're not going to make no money because the crop ain't no good."

Lewis, 30, announced Nov. 1 that his 10th season would be his last. Practices were not strenous during his time in Baltimore under coach Brian Billick and that continued when he came to Cleveland in 2007 to play for coach Romeo Crennel.

Asked if he was disappointed in the way Lewis aired his grievances, Mangini said, "Everybody expresses themselves in different ways, everybody has the right to express themselves. What I’m always looking for is communication with me directly. The office is open, I’ve said this bunch of times, it's not a slogan, not something you check off your list, it’s true. I’ve had lots of great conversations with players. The more you talk, better you understand each other."

Mangini wouldn't say if he would fine Lewis for conduct detrimental to the team.

"I'm not looking at it that way," Mangini said. "What I'm looking for is if anything needs to be addressed, being able to communcation those things, comm openly like with any conversation."

Mangini confirmed that practice squad defensive end Keith Grennan was hurt in a post-practice opportunity period Thursday. Those sessions for young players run after the walk-through and practice.

Grennan ruptured his patellar tendon and will undergo surgery Monday. Mangini said Grennan was hurt during a position drill.

"You never want anyone to get hurt, don't want to see it. He's a good kid," Mangini said. "I've been doing this for 16 years. A lot of people have really benefitted from it, the most recent being Marcus Benard."

Benard, an undrafted free agent outside linebacker from Jackson State, was signed to the active roster this week after shining during the opportunity periods. When Mangini announced his promotion, the entire team applauded.

Asked if those periods increase the risk of injury, Mangini said, "I think it increases the possibility of success."

{ 8 comments }

The Browns, ESPN, Bud Light and WJW Channel 8 combined to purchase the less than 2,000 tickets that remained for Monday night's home game against Baltimore, averting the first local television blackout since 1995.

According to the Browns' press release, the four groups will distribute the unsold tickets to the USO and other local organizations.

WJW acquired the local rights for non-cable subscribers. The game will also be shown on ESPN. The blackout deadline was 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Tickets are still available for all but one of the remaining home games — Dec. 6 against San Diego, Dec. 27 against Oakland and Jan. 3 against Jacksonville. The Thursday, Dec. 10 game against Pittsburgh is sold out.

{ 3 comments }

After months of practices in pads with no rewards or victories in sight, Browns running back Jamal Lewis finally snapped Thursday, blasting coach Eric Mangini and his methods.

"I’m tired of it. I’m tired of dealing with the politics, I’m tired of dealing with the whole organizational thing, just how things go. it’s just tiresome. when you don’t have to deal with it, why deal with it?"
Lewis said.

Lewis is four days away from playing his final game against the team that drafted him, the Baltimore Ravens, on Monday Night Football. Lewis, 30 and in his 10th season, announced after the Browns' last game at Chicago Nov. 1 that this would be his final season, even though he has a year left on his contract.

Lewis is miffed about Mangini working the players too hard and leaving nothing in the tank on game day.

"The way we work in two-a-days and camp, the way we work every day on the field for 2 1/2 or 3 hours, you want a 'W' on Sunday when you work like that," Lewis said. The Browns are 1-7.

He said he's practiced more in pads this season than in three or four seasons combined in Baltimore.

"The talent is there, there's talent all over this locker room, young and old. But that talent's got to be able to be fresh and ready for Sunday, to be ready to go out and be efficient for Sunday. You can work all day, you can work seven days a week. But if you're going to work like that, on Sunday you're not going to get what you want out of your players."

Lewis was elected a co-captain and Mangini has an open-door policy. Lewis could address his concerns with Mangini, but seems adamant that he won't do that.

"Hey, this is his show, it's not mine. It's his show, it's not my show. Not anybody else around here's show. We're just the crop. You've got to take care of your crop. If you don't take care of your crop, when it comes time to harvest, you're not going to make no money because the crop ain't no good."

Mangini has said he's changed his approach this season, but not to Lewis' liking.

Asked Mangini had changed his approach, Lewis said, "Next question."

Lewis also does not seem to relish the role of a mentor, at least for players who are not running backs.

"I'm going to come out here and work the way I work, I want results, I want to be able to go out and right now that's not what's going on. I feel like it's just a waste of time. I know we've got a lot of young players … but I'm not a babysitter. I come here every day to work and get the job done. I'm going to lead more by example," Lewis said.

"I'm not here to just take care of young players. There's one goal coming into training camp, to have a winning season. When we fall short of that, it seems like you're babysitting or you're trying to help the young players and you're trying to teach. I don't have time for that. I've got my job to worry about, I've got these guys in the backfield with me to worry about, to help them out and get them better. I just want to come out here and win."

Lewis also questioned whether he's the right type of running back for Mangini's offensive scheme.

"Through the weeks if you notice, this offense is built as more of a pass type offense," Lewis said. "You know what the system is, you know where it came from and I don't think I'm the back that's built for that.

"The scheme is good. You've got to utilize your players. A lot of times it's not all about the scheme, it's about getting the ball in the players' hands in order to make plays and put yourself in the best situation to win."

Lewis said his decision to retire was not made in haste or frustration over the Browns' losing season.

"I chose to retire a long time. Three or four years ago I knew what I wanted to do in year 10," he said.

{ 6 comments }

It's back to Brady Quinn for the Browns.

As expected at his Wednesday morning media briefing, head coach Eric Mangini named Quinn the starting quarterback for the Browns Monday Night matchup with visiting Baltimore.

"I  think that he's had some good weeks of practice and I like what he did over the bye week practices," Mangini said. "I think he's worked hard since the first transition was made and I respect that. That's what I asked him to do, and I look forward to him taking advantage of this opportunity and helping us improve offensively."

Still, Mangini wouldn't make a firm commitment to sticking with Quinn the rest of the way regardless of how things go. 

"With any of these decisions I'm not looking to change, that's never the intention when a decision like this is made."

However, Mangini pointed to some intangibles in which he's seen improvement in Quinn. 
   
 "I like to think that throughout the course of the season, guys continue to improve," he said. "(Quinn's) had more time in the system and I think he's done good things in the role he was playing, which is what I asked of him. I think he's worked at the same level that he worked at as a starter and prior to becoming the starter – and to me, that's the key to any type of improvement."

Asked if benched quarterback Derek Anderson would serve as Quinn's backup, Mangini said only "yes" and did not elaborate any further.

{ 2 comments }

Browns coach Eric Mangini seems to have decided who he'll start at quarterback against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday, Nov. 16, but wasn't willing to reveal the choice Monday.

"I'll let you guys know about that on Wednesday," Mangini said. "We’ll talk about that more in preparation for the Ravens. I know where I'm headed.

"I haven’t sat down with quarterbacks yet. That’s part of it."

The presumed choice, Brady Quinn, offered little about the upcoming decision. Derek Anderson remains last in the league in quarterback rating at 36.2 and has a 3.1 rating in the fourth quarter.

"I have no idea," Quinn said. "I'm looking forward to trying to get better today and I'll take it day-by-day. That's really all you can do at this point."

Quinn started the first 2 1/2 games, but was lifted at halftime against the Ravens on Sept. 27. Since then he's played only in the final series of the last game at Chicago, entering with 3:02 remaining and the Browns trailing 30-6.

{ 3 comments }

Browns rookie linebacker Marcus Benard received a standing ovation when coach Eric Mangini announced in front of the team Monday that the undrafted free agent from Jackson State was being promoted to the active roster.

"I was trying to keep my cool, keep composure, act like I've been here before. Then everybody starts clapping," Benard said.

Benard, 6-foot-2 and 256 pounds, apparently has earned the respect of the veterans with his attitude and work ethic. He earned the nickname "King Kong" at Jackson State, where he totalled 25 sacks in two years.

The move may signal that linebacker Eric Barton is headed to injured reserve. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported last week that Barton has a bulging disc in his neck that would threaten his season. Barton suffered what was announced as a shoulder injury late in the first half of the Browns' last game Nov. 1 at Chicago.

Mangini said an announcement on Barton may be coming as early as Monday afternoon.

Benard said he tried to stay positive as he languished on the practice squad, especially since ex-Jets brought in by Mangini told him that Mangini would give him a chance.

"It definitely keeps you motivated to know that," Benard said. "I'd always ask, 'Are they going to move me up? Do you think I've got a chance?' and all the guys were telling me, 'Mangini always moves up a rookie or a young talent.' That's motivation to keep working harder knowing there is a light at the end of the tunnel."

Now Benard must prove in practice that he deserves to be on the 45-man active roster for the Nov. 16 Monday night home game against Baltimore.

"When any kid dreams about football, he thinks about Monday Night Football. This is a big stage.

"I'm definitely going to call the family and tell them, 'Make sure you watch."'

When it was suggested that Benard can now dream about getting a sack on Monday night, he said, "There you go. A sack or a few."

{ 6 comments }

Browns running back Jamal Lewis doesn't agree with the plan of two longtime season ticket holders for the Nov. 16 Monday night home game against Baltimore. Mike Randall of Massillon and Tony Schafer of Sandusky want fans to wait until after kickoff to go to their seats in protest over the state of the franchise and owner Randy Lerner's unwillingness to talk on camera.

"The great thing about Browns fans was that they were going to be there regardless," Lewis said Wednesday. "And that's being an opposing team coming in here that the fans would
be cursing you out no matter what, no matter what the record was and that was how it was going to be. That's what I expected with this team.

"And now the talk that I hear about the fans not coming to the game and doing all this, you should just take a step back and look. We might have a lockout here soon in the future and there's not going to be some football probably, who knows? So as a fan you need to take advantage of the time we have right now with this team and
just know that in the future it's going to be all right. I was just thinking about that last night. I know you all write everything, so hopeful you write that."

When it was suggested that Randall and Schafer are not advocating that fans stay home, Lewis said, "What is that going to do? They should just know that one day there might not be a game going on when it's supposed to be, so enjoy it now and take
advantage of it. You never know what you might miss."

{ 15 comments }

Marla Ridenour reviews the Browns game against the Bears and the firing of GM George Kokinis as the team heads into the bye week.