BEREA, Ohio -- In 1999 Tim Couch surprised the assembled media when he admitted Chris Palmer’s voluminous playbook was a challenge because he played at Kentucky without one.
That admission raised eyebrows.
Tuesday many of the same eyebrows were raised when Brandon Weeden, the team’s second first-round pick, confessed he never used a tight end at Oklahoma State. Weeden is adjusting -- if there is an adjustment -- to taking snaps under center, but he said his biggest change will be dropping back with a tight end, which he said “is a benefit for me.”
The confession came in response to a question about how different the Browns offense is from the one he ran in college.
“It’s completely different from what I ran, but I don’t think it’s complex,” he said. “It all makes sense. It’s all terminology. A lot of the same concepts as far as route concepts.”
Route concepts.
Got it.
---Sheldon Brown will not be moving to safety.
The veteran lined up with the first team at cornerback, and he’ll stay there, coach Pat Shurmur said.
“Sheldon Brown is a corner,” Shurmur said. “He is an outstanding player at corner and to move him to safety is not something that we are planing to do.”
The Browns never said Brown would move, but it was speculated.
Some players make the switch to safety when they get to Brown’s age (33). Dmitri Patterson played fairly well at corner in 2011. That, combined with the free agent departure of Mike Adams, led to guesswork that Patterson might step in at corner, with Brown moving to play safety alongside T.J. Ward.
But the Browns like Eric Haag, and he will be given the chance with Young to start. Brown and Patterson will compete to see who plays opposite Joe Haden, with the other playing the nickel. One might think the “outstanding corner” would have an edge.
---If the Browns hope Phil Taylor plays this season, they’ll have to keep a roster spot for him or place him on the Physically Unable to Perform List.
The NFL changed the injured reserve rule this week so one player could go on IR and return to practice after six weeks, and to play after eight. It’s a change designed to allow teams not to lose a guy for the season if he’s able to return after an extended absence.
However, the rule stipulates that the player had to suffer the injury after training camp started. Taylor tore his pectoral muscle lifting weights earlier this month, so he would not be eligible for that new designation.
So … the Browns would have to keep him on the roster or put him on the PUP if they want him back in 2012. If the Browns use the PUP list -- Taylor’s eligible because the injury happened prior to camp in a football related activity -- he would have to miss a minimum of six weeks.
When Taylor was first injured, the thinking was he’d miss the season. GM Tom Heckert, though, said he believes Taylor can return this season. Linebacker D’Qwell Jackson tore both pectoral muscles in consecutive years, and knows a thing or two about whether Taylor can come back.
“It’s not far-fetched to think he can do it,” Jackson said.
But Jackson also admitted the injury is a four-to-six month recovery.
---What a depth chart is worth during OTAs: Oniel Cousins lined up as first-team right tackle. If Mitchell Schwartz is not the starter there during the season, there are eggs on the sidewalk in Peoria.
---When a depth chart is meaningful during OTAs: Greg Little and Mohamed Massaquoi lined up as starters at receiver. The team wants Little to succeed after drafting him in the second round a year ago, and management has made no secret it expects more of Massaquoi, who has never seemed the same after James Harrison gave him a concussion in 2010.
Shurmur praised Little, saying he had come in leaner.
“I think he has worked on his diet and nutrition, and has gotten himself in shape to come out here and run a lot, which receivers have to do,” Shurmur said. “I think that will help his development.”
No word on whether being leaner would help Little actually … well … catch the ball.
---Phil Dawson will not attend OTAs -- he is not required to -- but he will be at the team’s mandatory minicamp. Dawson signed the franchise tender.
---Shurmur on having Colt McCoy and Brandon Weeden both in camp: “This is a game for professionals and they will handle it in a professional way.”
