Browns extra points: Cameron's status, Gordon's return, Whitner leads
After shocking a national audience with their upset win over the Bengals last Thursday, the Browns are prepared to take on the Texans in Cleveland on Sunday. Here are "extra points" from Thursday's practice:
Gordon's Return: Sunday marks the end of WR Josh Gordon's 10-game league imposed suspension. Pettine said that he expects Gordon to be able to resume all team activities next Monday.
"That's my understanding," Pettine said. "We're all under the assumption that he would be coming off the suspension (Monday). We haven't heard anything contrary."
Gordon could make his 2014 debut a week from Sunday against the Falcons. Gordon hasn't played since the 2013 season when he led the NFL in receiving yardage.
Hope for Benjamin: PR Travis Benjamin is listed behind PR Jordan Poyer on the team's depth chart, but he still represents the Browns biggest threat in the punt return game. However, Benjamin has had trouble hanging on to the ball and has relegated him to the sidelines. Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor said he hasn't given up on Benjamin as a punt returner.
"I haven't given up on him," Tabor said. "When the time is right, he'll go."
The Browns are averaging just 3.2 yards a return, but have had trouble hanging on to the ball.
Tabor said he's tried the most guys out since he's been here at punt returner. He said the players discuss the situation. Jim Leonhard handled the return duties against the Bengals, but even he fumbled a punt return which set up the only Bengals score.
"We talk about it. It is the elephant is in the room," Tabor said. "There's no other way to fix it than to keep working at it."
Status Quo: Pettine said not much has changed in the concussion protocol situation with DB Tashaun Gipson (concussion) and TE Jordan Cameron (concussion).
"There's no real update (on Gipson and Cameron)," Pettine said. "We're still holding out hope (they'll play).
"We're not in a position to rule either one out yet," Pettine said. "There's still a chance they could play, that's probably the best way to put it."
Neither player was on the field during the portion of practice open to the media. DB Johnson Bademosi (concussion) and DL Phil Taylor (knee) were also not seen. OL Nick McDonald (calf) and WR Andrew Hawkins (thigh/knee) were practicing.
Pettine Talks Johnny: QB Johnny Manziel was a topic with the Houston area media on Wednesday with Pettine. Manziel, being from Texas and having played at Texas A & M, there was also talk that the Texans might have drafted Manziel with the first overall pick in the draft. They ended up drafting DL Jadeveon Clowney.
Obviously, Manziel was a topic of questions with the Houston media Wednesday on his conference call with them. Pettine seemed to separate Manziel the football player from Manziel the celebrity.
"Johnny Manziel the football player has been great for us," Pettine said on Wednesday. "He comes in the building, he prepares, he helps Brian (Hoyer) out as far as his preparation as the starter, he works hard in practice, he works hard in the weight room, he works hard in the meeting room.
"If you lived under a rock and you didn't know who he was and you just kind of spent some time around the building, he's just another guy on the team," Pettine said. "There is nothing in the way he carries himself that you would think that there is any diva like qualities or anything like that. He's humble and he's a worker. You could tell. His game has come a long way since the beginning of the season. Just coming off the practice field now; he had a heck of a day throwing when he was taking the reps as the backup and also some of the scout team reps."
Whitner Leads: Defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil disclosed that DB Donte Whitner currently leads the defensive players in earning "Dawg Bones".
"Whitner leads," he said. "(The) 'Dawg bones' will be quite a race heading into the second half of the season."
Worth Quoting: Pettine was asked if his son played football and said he did play, but wasn't looking at it as a career.
"He finally announced one day he didn't want to be in the family business."
Let it Snow: The Browns practiced outside in Berea with big snowflakes coming down. It was the first time the team has practiced with snow coming down this season. The forecast calls for Sunday's game to have a chance of snow flurries.
